These are some of the best books I have found for building the nontechnical skills that will help you prosper in both science and life, with a few fun titles sprinkled in.
Increasing Your EQ and Soft Skills
The timeless classic: How to Win Friends and Influence People
An advanced course on building rapport and relationships: The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over
Learn how to handle life’s negotiations, both big and small: Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
Building Financial Prosperity
A classic of basic personal finance: The Richest Man in Babylon
A modern take on the same material: I Will Teach You To Be Rich
The advanced course: Rich Dad Poor Dad
Leadership and Management
A high quality and relatable introduction to sound leadership practices by a long time university president: The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership
Why is it that teams of technically gifted individuals often fail to accomplish their goal? Here are the reasons why presented in a fictional story about a software startup: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable
The fundamentals of strategy from a NASA engineer turned consultant and business school professor: Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters
Physics History
Spaceships powered by atomic bombs? Yes, that was a real project and a fascinating story: Project Orion: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship
For the Little Ones
Sick of reading the kids Good Night Moon at bedtime? Try Goodnight Lab: A Scientific Parody
Additional Resources
More resource to help you build your prosperity:
APS Industry Mentoring for Physicists
APS Professional Guidebook
Physics Today Jobs: Career Advice from Alaina G. Levine
Physics Forums Career Guidance Section
A PhD is Not Enough! by Peter J. Feibelman
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