There's nothing like relaxing with a good book while you enjoy some downtime. Some of these titles are recent releases, while others are enduring classics. This selection, recommended by PepTalk's expert author speakers, is designed to offer fresh insights or a renewed sense of purpose, whenever you pick it up.
Inspiring Business Books
Without further ado, here are ten of our favourite expert author recommendations for you to enjoy:
Sparking Success: Why Every Leader Needs to Develop a Creative Mindset by Adam Kingl
Adam Kingl, speaker and leadership expert, explores how adopting a creative mindset can unlock leadership potential, drive innovation, and foster resilience, offering tools to achieve transformative success in work and life.
Politics On the Edge by Rory Stewart
Podcaster Rory Stewart delivers a candid and reflective memoir of his time in British politics, providing an insider’s perspective on the dysfunction, ambition, and moral challenges shaping modern governance.
The Happy Index by James Timpson
You may know him for his family’s key-cutting and shoe repair retail business, but James Timpson has created an incredible work culture behind the scenes, expertise he brought to Westminster in 2024 when he was appointed UK Minister for Prisons. His debut book explores how happiness can be measured and cultivated, drawing on psychology and business insights to create more fulfilling work and life experiences.
READ MORE: Can you unlock potential by hiring individuals with criminal records? Discover how James Timpson is reshaping workplace dynamics.
Fortitude: The Myth of Resilience, and the Secrets of Inner Strength by Bruce Daisley
Bruce Daisley challenges traditional notions of resilience, offering practical strategies to build genuine inner strength through community, compassion, and self-care.
She’s In CTRL: How Women Can Take Back Tech by Anne-Marie Imafidon
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of Stemettes, champions women’s empowerment in the tech industry, providing practical steps to dismantle barriers and foster a more inclusive digital future.
The Heat of the Moment: A Firefighter’s Stories of Life and Death Decisions by Sabrina Cohen-Hatton
Sabrina Cohen-Hatton shares gripping accounts from her life as a firefighter, revealing the split-second decisions, courage, and humanity required in the face of life-or-death emergencies.
Solve For Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy by Mo Gawdat
Mo Gawdat combines engineering logic with personal insights to present a step-by-step guide for achieving sustainable happiness inspired by personal tragedy and scientific principles.
Never Give In: The 12 Commando Rules for Life by Scotty Mills
Former Marine Major Scotty Mills draws on his military career to share 12 actionable principles for resilience, leadership, and thriving in the face of adversity.
Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking by Matthew Syed
Matthew Syed makes a compelling case for cognitive diversity, showing how varied perspectives drive innovation, solve complex problems, and strengthen teams.
Right Kind of Wrong: How the Best Teams Use Failure to Succeed by Amy Edmondson
Amy Edmondson examines how embracing failure as a learning tool helps teams to collaborate effectively, innovate, and achieve long-term success. Amy is also one of the world's leading researchers on psychological safety.
Happy reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you choose books written by PepTalk speakers?
We choose books written by PepTalk speakers by looking for titles from PepTalk's roster of expert author speakers that translate well from page to stage: books built on original research, hard-won experience, or a fresh way of thinking about leadership, resilience or culture.
Can I book the author of one of these books to speak at my event?
Yes, you can book the author of any of these books to speak at your event. Every author featured here is available to book as a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator through PepTalk. Their sessions typically draw directly on the ideas in their book, so your audience gets the live version of what they'd take away from reading it.
💡 Would you like to explore a session with an expert business speaker or author? Let us know, and we’ll find the perfect PepTalk expert for your organisation. Email us at hello@getapeptalk.com or send us a message via the chat. You can also call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US). Remember, it’s always a good time to get a PepTalk!
