With all of the chaos and uncertainty in the world right now, there has never been a better time to lose yourself in a book. From inspirational and educational to downright escapist, Worth asked CEOs, founders and top executives from across industries what are the best books to read right now—and why.

“So here we all sit, literally and metaphorically grounded,” says Tom Barber, cofounder of Original Travel. “One day soon, we’ll be off exploring our wonderful world again, but for now, it seems like an opportune moment to indulge in the next best thing…” Reading.

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Compelling mystery novels, self-help books, entrepreneurial journeys, travel writing, poetic prose, business advice and more—this list has something for everyone. Beat boredom during the current coronavirus lockdown, and read through below to see all 25 book (plus one magazine) recommendations, with business leaders explaining in their own words why these are the perfect books to pick up right now.

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

“I recently read this mystery novel and found it compelling; it’s a great escape to take one away from COVID-19 anxieties. Full disclosure: the author is represented by the Sanford J. Greenburger Literary Agency, but my bias in no way affects my enthusiasm. This is a fascinating and thrilling read.”

—Francis Greenburger, Chairman and CEO of Time Equities

It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life by Trevor Moawad

It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life by Trever Moawad

“Right now, I’m reading It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life, a book written by Trevor Moawad. This book presents strategies on how to think neutrally, providing clarity in the critical moments before decisive actions must be taken. The approach can change our view of success and how we obtain it, and I recommend it as a great read for strategic thinking.”

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—Leona Qi, President of VistaJet US

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

“The book I’m reading is The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. It’s the story of Churchill and his family during the World War II London blitz, bringing to life the resilience of the family and the British people during such a challenging time. It’s a book that had been on my wishlist, but I pulled it from my nightstand as I found myself wanting to read about inspirational moments in history, where people had lived through experiences that were intense and overwhelming and to find inspiration in how other people had gone through unprecedented challenges. It’s a very beautifully written book.”

—Indré Rockefeller, Cofounder and Co-CEO of Paravel

Discover Joy in Work: Transforming Your Occupation Into Your Vocation by Shundrawn Thomas

Discover Joy in Work: Transforming Your Occupation into Vocation by Shundrawn Thomas

“Shundrawn Thomas’ book, Discover Joy in Work: Transforming Your Occupation Into Your Vocation, is an ideal book to read during this unprecedented time of work disruption. Frankly, in the best of times, people struggle to find joy in their work. Now, as companies and entire industries are paused and employment is uncertain, workers are naturally asking themselves, ‘What type of work actually gives me a sense of fulfillment and happiness?’ My friend Shundrawn shares wisdom which will enable readers to answer these types of vocational questions, helping them to experience joy and engagement in their work.”

—David L. Steward, Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology and Kingdom Capital, Vice Chairman of Biblical Business Training (BBT), Author of Leadership By The Good Book and Doing Business By The Good Book

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

“This book has made an impact on me both personally and professionally, as it teaches how to spot cognitive biases and slow down our thinking to consider critical information to make better decisions.”

“We always think information is critical for good decision-making, but the book points out that the vast majority of decisions we make each day actually ignore critical information. For example, we interview job candidates to collect information that ostensibly helps us make better hiring decisions. However, research shows that many hiring decisions are driven by an intuitive assessment of candidates in the first few minutes of the interview, well before objective information can be collected. Those decisions are the product of a system of heuristics the author calls system 1 or thinking fast. While system 1 is an amazing tool that enables us to perform complex tasks without thinking, such as driving on the highway or inferring dangerous situations from subtle cues, it also introduces powerful cognitive biases into our decision-making.”

—Fatma Collins, Founder and CEO of Ten Little

Your Next Adventure: Planning for Life After the Sale of Your Business by Marshall Rowe, Jim Fitts and John Weeks

Your Next Adventure: Planning for Life After the Sale of Your Business by Marshall Rowe, Jim Fitts and John Weeks

“As a longtime student of entrepreneurship in its many forms, I was excited to read Your Next Adventure: Planning for Life After the Sale of Your Business—and it did not disappoint. Unlike the many books that focus exclusively on the period shortly before a sale and the many pre-sale planning techniques that should be considered, this book offers a broader and more meaningful perspective. It focuses on multiple timeframes that begin long before and end long after the sale; and it considers not only the financial considerations in selling a business but also the emotional, family and personal ones. Ultimately, it offers a framework for how entrepreneurs can turn their post-sale future into life’s next adventure—a roadmap to navigate this uncharted territory with purpose and success.”

—Michael Nathanson, Chairman and CEO of The Colony Group

How to Cook a Wolf by M. F. K. Fisher

How to Cook a Wolf by M. F. K. Fisher

“She wrote it during World War II, when everything was rationed and all the other advice about food was recipes on how to maximize cost. This book was how to dream about food and eating, and being frugal was a simple byproduct. In times like these, it’s important to develop habits in the kitchen that nourish the soul as well as the body.”

—Max Chow, Head of Culinary Operations at MR CHOW

Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz

Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz

“I read the book because I’ve always had a great amount of respect for Howard Schultz and recently had the opportunity to speak with him. He’s incredibly supportive of young entrepreneurs! It’s hard for most of us to imagine, but when Howard started Starbucks, the vast majority of Americans hadn’t heard of a latte; their version of coffee was essentially Folgers. One of the things the book validated for me is that you want to offer customers something they’re not necessarily used to—rather, something that creates a sense of discovery and excitement. This couldn’t be more relevant to Sagely Naturals. When we launched it in 2015, only 2 percent of Americans had heard of CBD! At that point, we considered ourselves educators as much as product innovators since we felt our mandate was to introduce more people to the health and wellness benefits of CBD.”

“One of the chapters in the book is about how ‘people are not a line item,’ and Starbucks is famous for treating its employees well. There have been times when [cofounder] Kaley [Nichol] and I couldn’t afford to offer employees additional benefits but did it anyway—for example, offering health insurance may not sound like a big deal, but when we began offering it to our employees, we weren’t really in a financial position to be able to do so. We also have found smaller ways to show our employees how much we appreciate them while also cultivating wellness, like offering massages, meditation, sound baths and yoga in the office every month.”

“I would recommend the book to anyone who has a business. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling a beverage or CBD or software, understanding the value of your customers and employees is critical to growing a business that makes an impact.”

—Kerrigan Behrens, Cofounder and Co-CEO of Sagely Naturals

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

“So here we all sit, literally and metaphorically grounded. One day soon, we’ll be off exploring our wonderful world again, but for now, it seems like an opportune moment to indulge in the next best thing—reading the finest works by the best travel writers. As both a journalist and founder of a travel company I’ve long had a particular interest in travel writing, but one of my favorites is The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux, which remains one of the great travelogues of all time.”

—Tom Barber, Cofounder of Original Travel

Flourish by Martin Seligman

Flourish by Martin Seligman

“Recommended by a mentor, the book Flourish goes deep into understanding what ‘well-being’ really is and how it can be applied to individuals and to nations as a way of being. I started reading the book pre-crisis, and it now feels very serendipitous that I chose to read this as we navigate and lead through this unprecedented time. To ‘flourish,’ as the goal of positive psychology, the book outlines seven characteristics an individual must have: positive emotion, engagement/interest, meaning/purpose, self-esteem, optimism, resilience and positive relationships.”

“‘As our ability to measure positive emotion, engagement, meaning, accomplishment and positive relations improves, we can ask with rigor how many people in a nation, a city or in a corporation are flourishing. So the goal of positive psychology in well-being theory is to measure and to build human flourishing.'”

“To achieve this, Seligman states, you start by asking, what really makes us happy? Now more than ever, in a time of social distancing, you realize what those things are. They are immaterial, they are connections, positive relationships, learning new things, having meaning in our life and having the strength to overcome those darkest most difficult moments and feel optimistic about oneself and the future. This book has some wonderful tips on why positive approaches and a growth mindset to living and leading work.”

—Juliet Scott-Croxford, CEO of Worth

Awareness by Anthony De Mello

Awareness by Anthony De Mello

“Stand tall and let the wind blow all around you. You have to be ‘ready’ to fully appreciate this one. The bottom line is: You already possess within you all that you need to living a fulfilling life and to simply be a happy person. The key is awareness. Anthony does an incredible job hammering this point home with his insightfulness in humor. No matter what is going on in the world, you can get through it. Just first, know thyself.”

—Peter Mallouk, President and CIO of Creative Planning

You Look Like A Thing and I Love You by Janelle Shane

You Look Like A Thing and I Love You by Janelle Shane

“First of all, I adore non-fiction…so titles like Kate Murphy’s You’re Not Listening, Range by David Epstein and Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee are owning my nightstand. Also, You Look Like A Thing and I Love You is more than just the greatest title ever—it’s a riveting read by Janelle Shane. No surprise, I’m a member of the Next Big Idea Club, which happily delivers books like these straight to my door! On the fiction front, Marie Benedict’s newest, Lady Clementine, is gorgeously written, and if you pick up Harlan Coben’s The Boy from the Woods, you won’t put it down.”

—Illana Raia, Founder of Être

Inner Peace by Paramahansa Yogananda

Inner Peace by Yogananda

Inner Peace came highly recommended from a few friends, and as someone who actively seeks insight around tools to navigate stress and worry and feel more happy and calm, I was intrigued. The book is full of wise words and has helped guide me to approach life by seeing beauty and living with compassion. You can always use a little more positivity and a reminder to slow down—this book delivered.”

“Running a business while navigating motherhood can be overwhelming and challenging. Inner Peace is a good reminder to stay present and find happiness in the everyday. I know I’ll continue to pick up this book to read and read again. As someone who tries to regularly incorporate meditation into my morning routine, this book reinforced how important it is to take time for myself daily to get centered and quite literally seek inner peace.”

“I would highly recommend it—especially now—as the book touches on fear and anxiety and how we can quiet and overcome those thoughts. Having the ability to be a focused and present leader, parent, friend, partner, daughter, etc. can only benefit your overall happiness!”

—Ariel Kaye, CEO and Founder of Parachute

LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking

LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking

“This book is not about cybersecurity, but its kissing cousin: misinformation. Disinformation and misinformation are the social engineering that changes history and, as such, really should belong under the heading of ‘Cyber.’ Educating ourselves on cyber safety and the prevalence of misinformation has never more important than it is right now, with scammers looking to take advantage of people’s hyper-attention to updates around the coronavirus.”

—Adam Levin, Chairman and Founder of CyberScout, Cofounder of Credit.com, Author of Swiped: How to Protect Yourself in a World Full of Scammers, Phishers, and Identity Thieves

The Essence of the  Bhagavad Gita by Paramahansa Yogananda

The Essence of the  Bhagavad Gita by Paramahansa Yogananda

“The Gita, based on Hindu mythology, is timeless and relevant in all times. It is like a ‘Handbook of Life,’  as it draws examples of all situations and emotions that mankind can go through in  the course of life. It is certainly inspiring and an all-time favorite of mine.”

—Deepak Ohri, Founder and CEO of lebua Hotels & Resorts

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

“I’m always looking for inspirational founder stories that dive into both the highs and lows of the entrepreneurial journey. This book is extremely motivating and almost comforting as a founder. Phil started his business very much as the underdog, and the journey of his personal growth was very relatable. It was a good reminder that growing is necessary, but growing is hard, too.”

“Having faith in yourself as an entrepreneur is still the most important tool you will constantly use. There were multiple points of his journey that were extremely difficult, where he could have given up. However, maintaining your determination and believing in yourself is actually a competitive advantage that will be the gift that keeps on giving. I love that this book talks about the very real struggles, both professionally and personally, of Phil’s journey to building Nike. We don’t always hear about the challenges, but I thought that Phil did this in a way that was real, relatable, and still extremely inspirational.”

—Priscilla Tsai, Founder and CEO of cocokind

“As a founder of a growing business, I found it both inspiring and reassuring to read Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. Entrepreneurs face countless obstacles, and Phil’s founder story is so relatable. From financial stresses to product development woes, he faced it all and the retelling is witty and entertaining. Ultimately, he built one of America’s greatest brands through a combination of raw grit, a strong team and some luck. It’s an inspiring and impactful read for any entrepreneur.”

—Melanie Travis, Founder and CEO of Andie

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

“Frankl wrote this 1946 memoir as a reflection on his time in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II and details how he dealt with the human crisis and suffering by focusing his mind on his purpose in life, what really mattered and imagining the positive outcome of that purpose. Having sold over 10 million copies, it is recognized as one of the most influential books in the United States.”

—Paul J. Massey, Jr., Founding Partner and CEO of B6 Real Estate Advisors

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron

“I first read the book when I got divorced. I’ve reread it 100 times since and applied it to my professional life as much as my personal life. Simply knowing that there will be downs as well as ups, that there will be problems and missteps and forces beyond our control that will terrify us has helped [in life and in business]. I don’t react as much out of fear or surprise. I am more proactive and thoughtful in my responses. I’m more disciplined in my planning. All knowing that there will still be awful days and that is just the nature of things.”

“I’ve used the book to create some pretty basic tenets:
1. Failure is inevitable every once in a while, so don’t let it derail you; let it teach you how to be more prepared the next time. When things don’t go our way, that’s the opportunity to think smart and get creative.
2. Figure out what you don’t know and acknowledge it. Then, find people who can help you build. Engage them. Reverse engineer.
3. Being “mindful” means clear thinking. Not reactive, not jumpy.
4. Create a culture that anticipates mistakes. Ask your team for feedback and create a culture of attention to pain spots rather than pretending they don’t exist or hiding where they’ve gone wrong.”

“The personal and the professional have become completely intertwined, and as a leader, your ability to lead your team, build strategies, address unknowns are ALL connected to your personal development. You cannot be disciplined, clear-thinking, communicative and empathic in business if you aren’t those things in life.”

—Alison Cayne, Founder of Haven’s Kitchen

The Passion Economy by Adam Davidson

The Passion Economy by Adam Davidson

“The premise of The Passion Economy is about how to adapt to an ever-changing economy, and how we can continuously improve in both work and life to stay ahead of the curve. Davidson argues that if you find a passion, and you hone that passion and find an audience that also craves it, you can reach people who are going to be willing to invest in that product. This is the mindset I put toward AKA and the team. Now, more than ever, is a time for companies to create value in ways they have not before. It is a time to reset and strategize on what’s next for the global economy, and the unique opportunities and new career skills that may come with it.”

—Larry Korman, President of AKA Hotel Residences

A Short Guide to a Long Life  by Dr. David Agus

A Short Guide to a Long Life  by Dr. David Agus  

“Now is the perfect time for people to  focus on small lifestyle improvements, like those recommended in  A Short Guide to a Long Life, a New York Times bestseller written by our founder Dr. David Agus. You can test-run his simple rules for wellbeing at home, build them into your lifestyle and effortlessly transition into a healthier way of life after the pandemic passes. The guide is short and straightforward, making it approachable and practical with an uplifting—and not intimidating—effect.”

—Kevin Kelly, CEO of Sensei

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda

“In times of hardship, I have often turned to  Sri Swami Satchidananda’s translation of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day. It might very well be the world’s first and oldest self-help book.  It outlines a practice for calming your mind and dismissing all of that crazy chatter.  The message always leaves me with a profound sense of peace and clarity, particularly during challenging, uneasy times like these.”

—Cristina Schenk, CEO of Merriman’s Hawaii

The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

“I am more into the fiction classics, and I generally prefer poetic prose. My two favorite books are British author classics. They romanticize the early 20th century, and if you haven’t read them, are perfect if your looking to get away…The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham and Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.”

—Matt Scanlan, Cofounder and CEO of NAADAM

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

“This is a book that I have always come back to at different stages in my career. The messages in this legendary book are timeless, no matter the circumstances.”

—Mark Durliat, Cofounder and CEO of Grace Bay Resorts

Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke

Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke

“We can control the quality of our decision-making process, but we can’t control the outcomes of our decisions. However, most of the time we only focus on the outcomes and not think about how we make our decisions. This book helped me to rethink my view on decision versus outcome and shape the culture at Hydrant to be focused on making the right decision rather than focusing on the results.”

Additional book recommendations:

The Man Who Solved The Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution by Gregory Zuckerman
“Jim Simmons is one of the CEOs/founders that I admire the most. While Simmons’ competitors had a very similar approach to public market investing, he was able to approach it completely differently. Reading about him helped me reflect on the value of being different from others and not to follow the crowd. Simmons also demonstrated that when a problem is solved right in a unique way, the difference between you and your average competition isn’t two to three times better, but 10 times better.”

The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson
“I genuinely believe that you cannot do great work without great people. I also believe you cannot do great work with great people if you don’t create the environment for them to thrive. Edmondson shares this concept of ‘psychological safety’ at a workplace for people to feel comfortable ‘being themselves.’ Often, people get confused with this concept by being friendly with one another. When psychological safety is created properly, people feel safe to be wrong and their level of engagement can increase significantly. At Hydrant, we believe in the high-performance and growth of our people. We believe psychological safety is paramount in creating that culture.”

—Jai Jung Kim, Co-Founder of Hydrant

Monocle Magazine

Monocle Magazine

“I’ve been catching up on the last three issues of Monocle. They’re content rich and difficult to put down once I get started.”

—Paul McGowan, President and Founder of Study Hotels