Business Books & Co. – Details, episodes & analysis

Season 4 of Business Books & Co. was comprised of nine highly regarded books, three author interviews, and one special guest. Join us as we look back at the highs and lows of the past season of the show. And we won't hold back—we'll tell you the books we loved, but also the ones we didn't. Plus we'll tell you what we're planning for season 5!

We want to hear from you! Please fill out the feedback form linked below.

• Season 4 Feedback Form via Google Forms
• Thinking Fast & Slow by Daniel Kahneman via Amazon (our first book of Season 5)
• Wrestling with Life by George Reinitz via Amazon (David K's pick)
• The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman via Amazon (David S's pick)
• Devolution by Max Brooks via Amazon (Kevin's pick)
• Business Books & Co. on YouTube

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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

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First released in 2018, Atomic Habits by James Clear has quickly become one of the best-selling self-help books of all-time. Clear meticulously studied the psychology and practical side of forming good habits and eliminating bad habits. He then created an easy-to-read how-to manual that can be applied to just about any habit. We discuss the book's key takeaways and how they apply to our careers and personal lives.

• Atomic Habits by James Clear via Amazon
• Atomic Habits Website

Follow us on X @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

Read transcript

Season 3 was a landmark season for our show. We read some amazing books and interviewed some award-winning authors. In this episode we discuss the highlights of Season 3. We pick the best and worst books we read. And we provide a behind the scenes look at our author interviews. Plus, we preview Season 4.

• Season 3 Listener Survey via Google Forms
• David Kopec on Return to the Little Kingdom via CFO Bookshelf
• David Short on Nostr: npub1fl8yl9m9n6mn9c90drxhltylgph3vtcguzlzdq9uth4pd7nnnzgsyweqxm

Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

Read transcript

Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies by Nik Bhatia is one of the most popular books in the world of bitcoin. But it's much more than that. The first half of the book is a history of monetary systems. This sets the stage for a dive into the world of bitcoin, including what makes it special and how it differs from the currencies that preceded it. Finally, Layered Money takes the reader through current developments in the Bitcoin world and how central banks will likely respond to it with their own digital currencies. We are pleased to be joined by the author of Layered Money, Nik Bhatia.

• Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies by Nik Bhatia via Amazon
• The Bitcoin Layer
• Nik Bhatia on Twitter

Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. is an epic biography of the industrialist by acclaimed author Ron Chernow. Rockefeller was the founder of Standard Oil, a company that was notorious for its monopolization of the oil industry in the late 19th century. An adept businessman and talented strategist, Rockefeller was demonized throughout his career for his sometimes brutal tactics. During the latter half of his life, Rockefeller became America’s foremost philanthropist, establishing a pattern of giving that has been emulated by many later tycoons. In this episode we’ll discuss John D. Rockefeller’s life, work, the economics of the late 19th century oil industry, and the lasting legacy of Standard Oil.

• Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow via Amazon
• Ron Chernow via Wikipedia

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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It is considered one of the best books of all time on negotiation. Instead of focusing on economic theory or game theory, it focuses on practical techniques and psychological insight. Voss uses anecdotes from his career as an international hostage negotiator for the FBI to enliven the narrative while alternating with everyday business negotiation scenarios. We are thrilled to be joined by author Chris Voss to discuss his book.

• Never Split the Difference by Chriss Voss via Amazon
• The Black Swan Group
• The Black Swan Group on Twitter
• The Black Swan Group on YouTube

Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley is a comprehensive portrait of the early era of PayPal—predominantly focused on the years between its founding in 1998 and its sale to eBay in 2002. A deeply researched and well written narrative, The Founders provides the backstory of the group of individuals who became known as “The PayPal mafia.” We are privileged to be joined by the book’s author, Jimmy Soni.

• The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley by Jimmy Soni via Amazon
• Jimmy Soni's Website
• Jimmy Soni on Twitter

Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

King of Capital: The Remarkable Rise, Fall, and Rise Again of Steve Schwarzman and Blackstone by David Carey and John Morris is more than just a book about Blackstone—it’s a history of private equity. Carey and Morris explain the sometimes esoteric world of this segment of high finance. They recount its cycles of booms and busts from the 1980s through the 2010s, and explain how Blackstone navigated the sometimes tumultuous waters to ultimately become one of the most influential alternative investment management companies in the world. In this episode we explain the basics of private equity and discuss the history of the private equity as recounted in the book.

• King of Capital via Amazon

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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

In The Hard Thing About Hard Things, venture capitalist Ben Horowitz recounts lessons he learned about how to run a Silicon Valley startup, largely from his time as the CEO of Loudcloud, which later became Opsware. Horowitz provides specific advice about hiring, firing, managing emotions, handling growth, deciding whether or not to sell, and everything in-between. His thoughts are sometimes unconventional and often punctuated by relevant anecdotes from his experience as a CEO or venture capitalist.

• The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz via Amazon

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Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com

Instant: The Story of Polaroid covers the rise, heyday, and decline of Polaroid Corporation. It has a particular focus on the personality and management style of Edwin Land, Polaroid’s innovative and dynamic founder, who was an inspiration to Steve Jobs. Polaroid’s niche in the marketplace and the strategic mistakes that led to Polaroid’s decline are other major themes of the book. We were pleased to be joined by the book’s author, Christopher Bonanos, for an interview about his work.

• Instant: The Story of Polaroid by Christopher Bonanos via Amazon
• Christopher Bonanos on Twitter
• Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous by Christopher Bonanos via Amazon

Follow us on Twitter @BusinessBooksCo and join our Amazon book club.

Edited by Giacomo Guatteri

Find out more at http://businessbooksandco.com