Welcome to the rich Nicolas book hub.

Why reading books matters

The world’s greatest leaders—Musk, Gandhi, Warren Buffett, and countless others—share one simple habit: they read. Musk learned rocket science from books, Buffett spends 80% of his day reading, and Gandhi used books to refine his philosophy of nonviolent resistance.

Reading isn’t just about gaining knowledge; it’s about learning how to think, make better decisions, and see opportunities others miss. If you want to get ahead in life, you must read—not because it’s a rule, but because it gives you an edge that school, social media, and surface-level knowledge never will.

“Read what you love until you love reading.”

So why wait? Start now.

Best news application

I don’t have time to scroll endlessly, hoping to stumble upon something important. I need information that actually matters—filtered, structured, and ready when I am. That’s where Inoreader comes in. It’s like having a personal assistant who gathers the most valuable articles, news, and insights from across the internet and lays them out for me in one place. No distractions, no clickbait, just high-quality content that keeps me ahead of the curve.

The real magic of Inoreader is how I can train it to work exactly the way I want. I follow the best sources on business, tech, finance, and global trends, and I let its filters do the heavy lifting. It weeds out the noise, so I only see the things that genuinely expand my knowledge. Whether it’s AI breakthroughs, market trends, or the latest from an entrepreneur I admire, it’s all curated to my interests.

And honestly? It keeps me sharp. The world moves fast, and I refuse to be left behind. Inoreader helps me stay informed intentionally, rather than getting lost in a sea of useless headlines. It’s one of the few tools I use daily that actually makes me feel smarter instead of just busy.

Best book application

Finding the right book is like finding the right mentor—if you pick wisely, it can change everything. That’s why I use Goodreads. It’s not just about tracking what I read; it’s about discovering what’s worth reading next. The sheer number of books out there is overwhelming, and I don’t have time for mediocre ones. Goodreads helps me cut through the noise by showing me what high achievers, entrepreneurs, and deep thinkers are reading.

What I love most is the community aspect. Seeing real reviews, thoughtful discussions, and recommendations from people who actually care about books makes a difference. If a book keeps popping up on lists from founders, billionaires, or top thinkers, I take it seriously. And when I finish a great book, I can document what I learned and look back at my own progress over time.

Plus, there’s something motivating about tracking my reading journey. Every book I finish feels like leveling up. Goodreads keeps me accountable, helps me organize my ever-growing reading list, and makes sure I’m always learning from the best minds out there.

Best YouTube channel for book summaries

My before-college book list

Before heading to college, I want to build a strong foundation in business, finance, psychology, leadership, and technology—learning directly from the minds that shaped the world.

This list isn’t just about reading; it’s about gaining insights, strategies, and mindsets that will help me navigate life and entrepreneurship.

These books will challenge my thinking, expand my vision, and give me practical tools to apply in my journey.

Biographies & Business Stories ⟶

  • The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

  • Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

  • Main Street Millionaire by Codie Sanchez

  • Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson

  • I Can’t Make This Up by Kevin Hart

  • The Everything Store by Brad Stone

  • Inside Steve’s Brain by Leander Kahney

  • Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos by Jeff Bezos

  • Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

  • Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

Entrepreneurship & Business Strategy ⟶

  • Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

  • What’s your dream? by Simon Squibb

  • Zero to One by Peter Thiel

  • Good to Great by James C. Collins

  • The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

  • The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

  • The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

  • Blitzscaling by Reid Hoffman & Chris Yeh

  • The Lean CEO by Jacob Stoller

  • Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

  • Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson

  • Obviously Awesome by April Dunford

  • The Minimalist Entrepreneur by Sahil Lavingia

  • Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

Wealth & Financial Strategy ⟶

  • Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

  • The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley

  • Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

  • Die With Zero by Bill Perkins

  • The Power of Broke by Daymond John

  • The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack

  • Measure What Matters by John Doerr

Psychology & Influence ⟶

  • How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

  • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

  • Pre-Suasion by Robert B. Cialdini

  • To Sell is Human by Daniel H. Pink

  • Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal

  • Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger

  • Start with No by Jim Camp

  • Love’s Executioner by Irvin D. Yalom

  • The Incurable Romantic by Frank Tallis

  • The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks

  • Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Success, Wealth & Mindset ⟶

  • Grit by Angela Duckworth

  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

  • The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

  • The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

  • Drive by Daniel H. Pink

  • Crushing It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

  • Principles: Life and Work by Ray Dalio

  • Atomic Habits by James Clear

  • Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter by Curtis Jackson

  • The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger

  • Daring Greatly by Brené Brown

  • Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

  • Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

  • Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Technology ⟶

  • Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell

  • Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen

Creativity & Innovation ⟶

  • Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull

  • The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

  • Bold by Peter Diamandis & Steven Kotler

  • The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander

  • Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler & Jamie Wheal

  • Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

Productivity & Focus ⟶

  • Deep Work by Cal Newport

  • The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

  • The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

  • Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

  • Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Spirituality & Self-Reflection ⟶

  • The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

  • Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

Leadership & Management ⟶

  • Lead the Field by Earl Nightingale

  • The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

  • Modern Achievement by Asheesh Advani & Marshall Goldsmith
  • Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss

  • Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

Extras ⟶

  • Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein

  • The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman

  • Something Really New: Three Simple Steps to Creating Truly Innovative by Denis Hauptly

  • The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

  • Factfulness by Hans Rosling

  • The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

  • Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charlie Munger

  • Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold

  • Give and Take by Adam Grant

Book FAQ

Welcome to the Book FAQ, where I answer the burning questions absolutely no one asked, but probably should have.

Reading has been my secret weapon—part teacher, part mentor, part “I have no idea what I’m doing, so let me check if someone smarter figured it out already.”

Why do you read so much?

Because I don’t have time not to. Every book I read saves me from years of trial and error, questionable decisions, and possibly reinventing the wheel when I could just steal—I mean, learn—from the best. Plus, if billionaires, athletes, and world leaders swear by reading, I figure it’s a decent habit to pick up before college.

It’s a mix of strategy and chaos. Sometimes, I pick books based on what I’m working on—business books when I’m scaling a project, psychology books when I want to understand people better, and finance books because I strive to be independent. Other times, a book just calls to me from the shelf like, “Hey, I have the answers you need.” And sometimes, I just let fate decide (aka whatever book has the best reviews and a cool title).

How do you find time to read with everything else going on?

Ah, the classic “I’m too busy” excuse—I used to use it too. Then I realized reading isn’t about having extra time; it’s about making it a priority. I read in short bursts—10 minutes before bed, during breakfast, or while waiting for something (yes, I have been that guy reading in a grocery line). Audiobooks? Lifesavers. The secret is to treat books like mental snacks instead of an intimidating five-course meal.

If you could make everyone read just one book from your list, which one would it be?

Oof, tough call. But if I had to pick, it would be Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. It completely flipped my mindset about money, work, and wealth. Schools teach you how to get a job; this book teaches you how to build freedom. It’s like the ultimate blueprint for playing life on hard mode and winning.

What’s your end goal with all this reading?

Simple: to turn knowledge into action. Reading without application is just entertainment. I want to use what I learn to build businesses, solve problems, and make a real impact. And let’s be honest—books also make you sound way smarter in conversations.

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