Authors Christmas Recommendations 2025
Welcome to a special post in the run up to the holiday season! I asked some of the lovely authors that have previously appeared on the site about their Christmas book recommendations for this year. They graciously replied with some fantastic book picks! Hopefully these book recommendations might help you with your own Christmas shopping gift ideas too! :-)
Q. Is there a smart thinking book that you are looking forward to reading this Christmas, or one you would like to give or receive as a gift?
Rhea Freeman
I’m not sure what’s the most appropriate- but I have my eye on two books I would like to receive from Santa (because I have been REALLY good this year!). One is Click Here: The Art and Science of Digital Marketing and Advertising. This is by Alex Schultz who’s the CMO of Meta and I would love to get his take on digital marketing, from a truly unique perspective. The second would be Joanna Jensen’s Making Business Child’s Play. I’ve been lucky enough to have Joanna on my podcast, interview her for my second book You’ve Got This, and she was on the panel for my book launch too. She’s a thoroughly nice person with an incredible brain and a no nonsense attitude. I’ve had her book in my online basket since it launched and am using it as my ’treat’ when I have got through the pile of books by my bed!
As for which I’d like to gift - I’ve read some really good books this year. Obviously I’m going to say that my book, You’ve Got This, is a must read for anyone who wants to accomplish their goals and overcome the blocks that stop them, but I also read Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed which I loved and have spoken about to many friends, and Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a complete must for any business person. I’ve spoken about this a lot as I not only loved the story but the way it was written. Genuinely brilliant.
Click Here: The Art and Science of Digital Marketing and Advertising
The ultimate guide to digital marketing and advertising - from one of the most influential digital marketers in the world, Alex Schultz, CMO of Meta.
Growth is good. But how do you achieve growth for your business in the digital age?
Now, more than ever, there are countless ways to achieve growth by marketing your business, large or small, using the many different channels, platforms and mechanisms available on the internet. How do you decide which is the best for your product or service?
The answers are right here, thanks to Alex Schultz, the chief marketing officer of META. Alex's unparalleled expertise and experience is crystallized in this essential bible for digital marketing. He guides readers through the key principles for maximising the impact of your marketing budget - whether you are working for a global corporation or running your own start-up.
From understanding channels, to testing creative, to measuring incremental gains - Click Here is the book you need to read if you want to grow your business.
Buy On:
Blackwells Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Making Business Child's Play: How to Build a Winning Brand
A behind-the-scenes look at how a simple idea born from a real need grew into a successful brand that transformed its category. Making Business Child's Play is your behind-the-scenes guide to building a purpose-led challenger brand that can take on even the most established names in FMCG. From product idea to market disruption, Joanna Jensen shares how she grew Childs Farm into the UK's leading baby and child personal care brand and what it really takes to do the same.
With honesty, clarity and practical detail, Jensen walks through the key decisions, pivotal moments and tough lessons that shaped her journey. You'll learn how to navigate setbacks, build a scalable brand and grow with purpose in a competitive market.
Whether you're launching your first product or scaling up with ambition, Making Business Child's Play shows how to turn your vision into a category-defining business. Themes include: challenger brand strategy, FMCG entrepreneurship, brand purpose, market disruption, startup growth, founder resilience.
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Blackwells Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Black Box Thinking: Growth Mindset and the Secrets of High Performance
What is the secret to success? Black Box Thinking.
Ten years on from its original publication, Black Box Thinking remains a game-changing manifesto for success.
In this special anniversary edition - featuring brand new material from Matthew Syed - his bold thesis that failure, far from being something to fear, is the secret to innovation and improvement feels more urgent than ever.
Packed with gripping case studies, eye-opening research, and stories from elite sport, cutting-edge medicine, aviation, business, and beyond, Syed shows how the most progressive individuals and organizations treat mistakes not as threats, but as tools for growth.
This is a book for anyone striving to do better. It will change how you think about failure - and show you how to turn it into success.
Buy On:
Blackwells Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the boot of his Plymouth, Knight grossed $8000 in his first year. Today, Nike's annual sales top $30 billion. In an age of start-ups, Nike is the ne plus ultra of all start-ups, and the swoosh has become a revolutionary, globe-spanning icon, one of the most ubiquitous and recognisable symbols in the world today.
But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, he tells his story. Candid, humble, wry and gutsy, he begins with his crossroads moment when at 24 he decided to start his own business. He details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream - along with his early triumphs. Above all, he recalls how his first band of partners and employees soon became a tight-knit band of brothers. Together, harnessing the transcendent power of a shared mission, and a deep belief in the spirit of sport, they built a brand that changed everything.
A memoir rich with insight, humour and hard-won wisdom, this book is also studded with lessons - about building something from scratch, overcoming adversity, and ultimately leaving your mark on the world.
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Blackwells Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
You've Got This: How to supercharge your business and conquer your goals
Description from Bookshop.org:
An essential and encouraging guide to growing your small business, achieving your goals and overcoming obstacles along the way.
Growing a small business can be tough. Those big shiny goals seem miles away and without a clear strategy on how to get there, those dreams can remain just that. Add a side of imposter syndrome and a lack of resources, and it’s all too easy to remain stagnant, give up, or play small.
Rhea Freeman provides a clear blueprint for how to set and achieve goals in simple steps, asking the important questions and providing you with your own personal coach. Written by an experienced small business mentor and a two times TEDx speaker, You’ve Got This is grounded in real business owners’ unfiltered success stories and is interwoven with expert insights from a selection of global brands, including Wild, Neom Organics, Snag Tights and more.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional looking to refresh your goals, or dreaming of starting your own side hustle, this book will guide you in creating your own effective plan to supercharge your small business and ensure that your goals become a reality.
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Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Blackwells Waterstones(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Tammy Watchorn
My recommendation for a Christmas book? As a Ninja I recently got frustrated with all the usual books getting highlighted. So much so I decided to launch my very own book awards from independent/small publishing houses. It was a huge success and while all the 33 winners are deserved, the one that really stood out for me was No Silver Bullet by Steve Hearsum. It is a book that makes you think differently and be a little more brave about doing the things you know need to be done even while everyone around you is trying to fix things with sticking plaster. If I had to go down the route of something you might have heard of then I did learn a lot and laugh out loud an awful lot as I played The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*CK on a very long car journey. Definitely one to go back and re-listen or read. And if you can't decide. Well then The Change Ninja Returns - and this time it's personal, has some great decision making tools that never fail to deliver and a perfect chapter on how to Ninja the perfect Christmas.
No Silver Bullet: Moving Beyond Quick Fix Solutions in Business and the Psychology of Change Management
Leaders face an array of challenges, often seeking quick, fool proof solutions to complex problems. "No Silver Bullet" debunks the myth of quick fixes, revealing how unconscious patterns of shame and anxiety drive the market for them. This book delves into the reasons behind the appeal of quick fixes, including out of date ideas about leadership and business education, the glorification of theory and the alure if thought leaders, amongst other things.
"No Silver Bullet" doesn't offer quick fixes but provides insights into the ineffective cycle of buying and selling them. A call to action for a more considered and holistic approach over simplistic either/or thinking.
No Silver Bullet:
* Debunks the myth of fixability in the corporate world.
* Exposes the psychological underpinnings behind the demand for quick fixes.
* Critiques the current state of business education, consulting and thought leadership.
* Encourages a shift from binary thinking to a more integrated and thoughtful approach.
A critical read for leaders, managers, consultants, and anyone involved in the business of solutions, advocating for thoughtful leadership in an age craving certainty.
Buy On:
Blackwells Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be 'positive' all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we've been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. 'F**k positivity,' Mark Manson says.
'Let's be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it.'' In his wildly popular Internet blog, Manson doesn't sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is-a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let's-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited-'not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault.'
Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Blackwells Waterstones(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
The Change Ninja Returns: And this time it’s personal
Description from Bookshop.org:
Write. Draw. Imagine.
Take a look at your life right now and explore in detail what might be holding you back.
Face your greatest nemesis and realise your true potential.
Challenge yourself to be better in this integrative process that walks you through the stages of growth and expansion.
You are the creator of your own life experience – so start creating!
Includes additional exercises that invite you to go within and feel for the answers.
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Carmen Vlasceanu
Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Lead, and Love by T.D. Jakes.
I would cuddle on the couch near the Christmas tree and read TD Jakes Disruptive Thinking: A daring strategy to change how we live, lead and love. A transformational book launced in 2023 that I've been meaning to read for a while now, but with so many projects rolling at the same time I didn't quite get around it.
Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Lead, and Love
Think differently and find the courage to challenge the status quo with this mindset-shifting guide to meaningful change.
For most of our lives, we are encouraged to trudge along the well-worn paths of those who have come before us. We learn the rules - in our families, in our schools, in our workplaces, in our churches - and most of the messages we receive tell us that following the rules will allow us to arrive at the lives we desire.
But when change becomes not only desirable but also urgently necessary, this way of being no longer serves us. In fact, in every human endeavor, every major leap forward, has involved a cataclysmic challenge to existing ways of thinking and being. Breakthroughs, by definition, run against the grain and almost always encounter skepticism and opposition.
In this book for leaders, thinkers, doers, and creators, Bishop T.D. Jakes illuminates the pathway to encouraging and unleashing disruptive thinking and provides the wisdom and practical skills we need to evolve our most original and potentially transformational ideas from vision to reality. Through his insight into how our minds and emotions work and through his experiences as a pastor, entrepreneur, and creator, Bishop Jakes leads us into a new way of relating to and transforming the world around us for good. Disruptive Thinking will show you the mindset and the tools you need to create ground breaking and meaningful change in your own life and in the world around you.
Buy On:
Blackwells Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Dare to C.A.R.E: Unlock your potential to transform your life, well-being and customer experience
Description from Bookshop.org:
Positive customer experiences are the key to shaping human experience overall - with powerful benefits for both you and your organisation.
The C.A.R.E. Model unlocks the secret of creating a truly transformative customer experience. It bridges the gap between personal well-being and professional success, creating a strong synergy that enhances your own sense of fulfilment while driving the growth of your organisation and positively impacting your community.
Read this book to:
- Discover how customer experience excellence directly influences individual well-being, improving both personal and professional outcomes
- Reassess your life goals, redefine your purpose, and align your actions to create meaningful impact in your personal and professional life
- Gain practical insights into effective team collaboration and how it drives organisational success
- Learn to re-engineer processes to foster a culture of empathy, growth and improved customer experiences
- Follow a clear roadmap to achieving personal fulfilment and business development through Connection, Authenticity, Re-engineering and Evolution
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK Bookshop.org US Blackwells Waterstones(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Ashley Edge
The Matter With Things by Iain McGilchrist captures something I’ve always felt: materialism alone can’t fix what’s missing in us. McGilchrist argues that the way we use our minds shapes the world we create, and that we rely too heavily on the analytic, narrow side of thinking. When we engage the brain creatively, we learn better, notice more and reconnect with parts of ourselves we tend to overlook.
McGilchrist shows how this imbalance influences everything from politics to our sense of meaning, leaving us disconnected and overwhelmed. What I find so compelling is his reminder that the mind is not a machine, and that a fuller, more imaginative engagement with reality is essential for human wellbeing.
Much like the brain he examines, The Matter With Things is divided into two volumes. Don’t be daunted by the density. There are real gems inside, and as McGilchrist advises at the start, it’s a work best taken in slowly.
The Matter With Things: Our Brains, Our Delusions, and the Unmaking of the World
In this landmark new book, Iain McGilchrist addresses some of the oldest and hardest questions humanity faces – ones that, however, have a practical urgency for all of us today. Who are we? What is the world? How can we understand consciousness, matter, space and time? Is the cosmos without purpose or value? Can we really neglect the sacred and divine?
In doing so, he argues that we have become enslaved to an account of things dominated by the brain’s left hemisphere, one that blinds us to an awe-inspiring reality that is all around us, had we but eyes to see it. He suggests that in order to understand ourselves and the world we need science and intuition, reason and imagination, not just one or two; that they are in any case far from being in conflict; and that the brain’s right hemisphere plays the most important part in each. And he shows us how to recognise the ‘signature’ of the left hemisphere in our thinking, so as to avoid making decisions that bring disaster in their wake.
Following the paths of cutting-edge neurology, philosophy and physics, he reveals how each leads us to a similar vision of the world, one that is both profound and beautiful – and happens to be in line with the deepest traditions of human wisdom. It is a vision that returns the world to life, and us to a better way of living in it: one we must embrace if we are to survive.
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK Blackwells Waterstones(All affiliate links earn commission from purchases that help fund this site. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Draw Like a Boss 3: Secrets of Composition
Description from Bookshop.org:
A Knight Templar, more interested in the secrets behind making great art than stabbing things, stumbles into the Watcher's Library, a labyrinth of boundless knowledge where art, mystery, secret societies, and the occasional talking bird collide. What begins as a simple quest to understand visual composition soon spirals into a grand adventure through time, space, and art history itself.
From the biological roots of creativity to the elusive secrets of the Masters, the Knight's journey uncovers the long-lost 'Hierarchy of Visual Elements', unravels the mysteries of Flow, and crosses paths with Hans Holbein, Pieter Bruegel, Johannes Vermeer, Ilya Repin, John-Singer Sargent, and many more. Along the way, ancient wisdom is challenged, artistic traditions are questioned, and maybe... just maybe... the Louvre gets burgled of its secrets.
Blending practical insight with irreverent humour, Secrets of Composition is a deep dive into the unseen forces that shape powerful images, told through the eyes of an unlikely and possibly immortal guide.
Packed with knowledge, hidden stories, and inserts (documents pilfered throughout the Knight's journey), this fully illustrated journal is more than a book. It's a collector's item. A jewel in the artist's bookshelf.
Now. Are you ready to see the Art World like never before?
Buy On:
Bookshop.org UK Blackwells Waterstones(All links earn commission from purchases. Prices accurate at time of writing)
Huge thanks to Rhea, Tammy, Carmen, & Ashley for their great Christmas book picks!
Merry Christmas everyone, and happy reading! :-)
Daryl
Image Copyrights: Perspectiva, Time Warner Trade Publishing, Funky Otter Press, Simon & Schuster Ltd, John Murray Press, Kogan Page Ltd, Headline Publishing Group, Draw Like a Boss, Rethink Press, Practical Inspiration Publishing, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.
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