Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Must-Read Book Recommendations 📚
91
items This is my ultimate, handpicked reading shelf. From the life-changing stories that shaped my mindset to the fiction that kept me reading late into the night. On this list, you will find raw, deeply inspiring autobiographies from people who defied the...
Sections
11
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Autobiography
Romance
Drama
Coming of age
Fantasy
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
She's an Author, Orator, Feminist, Activist and ever growing in her craft. These are the books I have in my collection.
Currently reading this one. Dream count tells the interesecting stories of four women living their lives on their own terms despite immerse social and cultural pressures that surround them. They are all intelligent, accomplished and most competent in...
Dream Count: A Novel (B&N Exclusive Edition)
In this personal, eloquently - argued essay- adapted from her much-admired TED X talk of the same name - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted on inclusion and awareness. Draw...
We Should All Be Feminists – April 12, 2013
The epistolary was a quick but meaningful read, pressing on the qualms of women in patriarchal settings. I'm so much trilled by her intelligence and concept about life and universe. Some parts left me in amusement.
The book was for Nigerian women, th...
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
"MAY WE ALWAYS REMEMBER" was the last sentence of the author's note in the book.
The book tells the story of people - a nation - in the chaos and disaster of the civil war, a betrayal of trust and a crime against humanity (a pogrom). The story displa...
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The book opened my mind totally to another dimension, one that isn't really seen or discussed. Religion was the biggest theme in the book and I realized how sometimes, people let certain ideas oppress their way of thinking.
I loved how she expressed...
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Autobiography
Novels that will connect with you on a deeply personal level.
A captivating and unforgettable memoir by Trevor Noah comedian and host of the Daily Show. This book is a poignant and hilarious account of Noah's childhood in South Africa, navigating the complexities of race, identity and family during the aparthei...
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah ...
I read this one and really enjoyed it.
In it Oscar Winner Viola Davis tells the story of her life, growing up in poverty, enduring abuse and hardship and struggling to reconcile with her difficult past and accept that she is worthy of her dreams and ...
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis, Paperback
Grief is universal, but the way it manifests is deeply personal. In notes on grief, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie takes readers on an intimate, raw and poignant journey through her mourning process following the sudden death of her father. More than just ...
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Notes on Grief
Isn't the title itself catchy? And you must have also recognized the girl in the cover.
She is Jennette McCurdy also known as Sam in the Nickelodeon series icarly and yes, she is the author of the controversial book. "I'm glad my mom died" is her mem...
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, Hardcover
Westover recounts overcoming her survivalist Mormon family in order to go to college and emphasizes the importance of education in enlarging her world. Tara's process of self discovery is beautifully captured in Educated. It's the kind of book I thin...
Educated: A Memoir: Westover, Tara - Books
1
A book written by Maya Angelou in response to the abuse that she endured as a child. She used the metaphor of a caged bird to express that even though she had suffered abuse, she would survive by fighting back. Just as the caged bird still sings even...
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Paperback
A mother's promise is a memoir by Bol Maywal that honours his mother's resilience during the second Sudanese civil war. It follows her journey as she fled violence in Sudan to protect her children, eventually leading them to a refugee camp in Egypt a...
A Mother's Promise: Civil War Survivor's Dream
It recounts the authors upbringing in a Soweto township and her experiences as part of the generation born after the end of apartheid.
Memoirs of a Born Free: Reflections on New South Africa
A deeply moving memoir in which Suleika Jaouad shares her battle with leukemia and the difficult journey of rebuilding her life after illness. The book explores survival, identity, loneliness, hope, and finding meaning after trauma and uncertainty. (...
Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted
A powerful collection of personal essays from disabled writers across the 21st century. Curated by Alice Wong, the book shares first- person stories about living with disability in a world not built for accessibility highlighting identity, independen...
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories
A inspiring memoir by Michelle Obama that traces her journey from growing up on the South side of Chicago to becoming a lawyer, mother, and first lady. She reflects on identity, ambition, family, and the pressures of life in the public eye, while sha...
Becoming by Michelle Obama, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
A raw and emotional memoir where Lamar Odom reflects on his rise to NBA fame, personal struggles, addiction, grieve, and recovery. The book shares his journey through loss and redemption while exploring the challenges of fame, family and healing.
Darkness to Light: A Memoir - Amazon.com
A sold and honest collection of personal stories where Gabrielle Union opens up about relationships, racism, Hollywood, heartbreak and self-worth. With humour and vulnerability, she shares lessons about identity, resilience, and finding confidence in...
We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories
An intimate and emotional memoir where Kerry Washington shares her journey through family secrets, childhood trauma, fame, identity and self discovery. The book explores her rise in Hollywood while revealing deeply personal truths about her upbringin...
Thicker than Water: A Memoir by Kerry Washington
A book that highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women throughout American history. It shares stories of female pioneers, activists and everyday women whose work and sacrifices helped shape the nation but were frequently left out of mains...
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America
A powerful memoir in which Barack Obama reflects on his early political journey, historic presidency, and the challenges of leading during moments of crisis. The book offers an inspiring look at leadership, democracy, ambition and the personal sacrif...
A Promised Land by Barack Obama, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
A heartfelt memoir where Tina Knowles shares her journey from growing up in segregated Texas to raising daughters Beyoncé and Solange. The book explores motherhood, resilience, family, legacy, heartbreak and personal growth, while highlighting the st...
Matriarch (Oprah's Book Club) - Tina Knowles - Barnes & Noble
Romance
Steamy, sizzling and spicy novels.
A book by Mulenga Kapwepwe an author and social activist from my country Zambia.
Rich with captivating depictions of Zambia's natural and cultural heritage, perfect marriage offers profound lessons and insights into the interconnectedness of human be...
Perfect Marriage by Mulenga Kapwepwe, Paperback
How can a story end before it begins? 🤯. I almost read It Starts With Us first, but it turns out the correct order is to begin with It Ends With Us.
The story follows florist Lily Bloom, whose abusive relationship with neurosurgeon Rule Kincaid is ...
It Ends with Us
The novel picks up where It Ends With Us left off, focusing on Lily and Atlas's love.
It Starts with Us: A Novel (It Ends with Us)
It blends humour, romance and real-life themes like relationships, cultural expectations, body image and family pressure especially within a Nigerian-British context. (affiliate link)
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?: A Novel
Drama
Despite the humourous title, the book explores serious topics like body dysmorphice, societal beauty standards and long-buried family secrets. It is a "polyphonic" novel meaning it is told through the perspectives of multiple women in the family show...
Only Big Bumbum Matters Tomorrow: A Novel
The book consists of twelve stories that explore the chaotic and often humourous dating landscape of Lagos, Nigeria. It focuses on the experiences of various women as the navigate relationships with men who embody different "mad" archetype's. (affili...
Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad: Stories by Damilare Kuku, Paperback
The story centers on the complexities of an arranged marriage and family dynamics with the household. (affiliate link)
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, Paperback
The book is a "blistering" indictment of corruption, systemic inequality and the cycle of poverty showing how the choices of the powerful can shatter the lives of the vulnerable.
Books - A Spell of Good Things: Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
Two ex-convict fathers set out a violent quest for justice after their son's are murdered, forcing them to confront their past and produces. (Affiliate link)
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®
Set in modern-day Zimbabwe, the novel follows the interwoven lives of four very different women who share a connection with one man: Jonasi Gomora, a wealthy, powerful, and charismatic banking magnate.
The Polygamist - Kindle edition by Sue Nyathi
Coming of age
Stories that follow characters as they grow, discover themselves and navigate life's turning points.
A gifted young woman discovers her power and destiny while navigating a world of mysticism and change.
She Who Knows by Nnedi Okorafor
A young woman juggling family responsibilities and personal growth navigates work, love and identity while learning to put herself first. (Affiliate link)
Maame (A Today Show Read with Jenna Book Club Pick)
Fantasy
Imaginative tales set in magical worlds filled with extraordinary powers, mythical creatures and epic journeys.
In a world on the brink of collapse, a young man must confront hidden powers and dangerous forces as he fights to survive and uncover the truth about his identity.
In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran | Goodreads
Fiction
Made-up stories that explore real emotions, relationship and experiences across different settings and themes.
In a collapsing, climate -ravaged America, a young woman with a unique ability sets out on a dangerous journey to build a new belief system and community.
Parable of the Sower (Earthseed, #1) by Octavia E. Butler | Goodreads
A collection of interconnected stories that explore the lives, struggles, and relationships of residents in a Harlem apartments building. (Affiliate link)
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs - Sidik Fofana - Barnes & Noble
Thriller
Suspenseful, fast-paced stories filled with danger, tension, and unexpected twists.
A dark crime thriller that follows a former FBI agent turned sheriff in a small Virginia town who investigates a series of shocking murders. As the case unfolds, he is forced to confront deep-seated corruption, racial tension, and personal guilt whil...
All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel by S. A. Cosby
Power Reads
The ultimate masterclass in modern business, packing foundational lessons on strategy, leadership, and change into one definitive volume.
HBR'S 10 Must Reads: The Essentials
Transform from a manager into a visionary leader with definitive insights on inspiring trust, driving influence, and charting the future.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Leadership
Outmaneuver your competition and capture sustainable market share using the most powerful strategic frameworks ever published.
HBR's 10 Must Reads On Strategy 9781422157985
Unlock your team's highest potential by mastering the psychology of motivation, high performance, and workplace collaboration.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing People
The ultimate self-development blueprint to sharpen your strengths, optimize your energy, and sustain a thriving, lifelong career.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself
Lead through uncertainty with total confidence using proven blueprints to overcome resistance and execute seamless company transformation
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management
Turn creative ideas into market-disrupting reality while future-proofing your business against fast-moving industry shifts.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Innovation (with featured article "The ...
Master the human side of professional success by building deep self-awareness, empathy, and unbreakable social influence.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence
Tear down corporate silos and build hyper-productive, trust-fueled partnerships across teams and departments.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Collaboration
Pitch your ideas with absolute clarity, command any room, and persuade audiences through high-impact professional storytelling.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Communication
Stop chasing trends and build a powerhouse brand by decoding customer needs and driving measurable, long-term growth.
HBR's 10 Must Reads on Strategic Marketing
Blueprint for Mastery: Wealth, Behavior & Wisdom
A curated collection of life-altering blueprints designed to rebuild your daily routines, master your personal psychology, and secure financial freedom. These essential reads offer actionable strategies to help you understand human nature, build inde...
Small changes, massive transformation.
This book breaks down human behavior into a simple, science-backed framework. It shows you exactly how to design a lifestyle where good habits are inevitable and bad habits are impossible.
If you want to stop re...
Atomic Habits: Easy & Proven Way to Build
Doing well with money isn’t about what you know. It’s about how you behave.
Housel shares 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about wealth. You will learn how ego, envy, and pride influence financial decisions far more than mathe...
The Psychology of Money: Timeless Wealth Lessons
366 days of indestructible mental clarity.
A daily roadmap featuring translations from ancient philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. Each entry provides practical, bite-sized wisdom to navigate modern stress and chaos. To develop unbreakable ...
The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom
Decode the four hidden personality types around you.
Utilizing a brilliant four-color system, Erikson explains why we clash with certain people and thrive with others. It offers an easy-to-use guide to improve your communication and influence instant...
Surrounded by Idiots: Four Types of Behavior
Protect yourself from emotional predators and manipulators.
A crucial sequel that exposes the dark side of human behavior. Erikson reveals the hidden tactics used by masters of manipulation to exploit your weaknesses and teaches you how to fight bac...
Surrounded by Psychopaths: Stop Exploitation
This completely reshaped how I view personal productivity and character. Instead of giving you cheap life hacks, Covey forced me to look inward and change my core paradigms. It taught me the true difference between being busy and being effective, sta...
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: The Infographics Edition
The ultimate classic that proved to me wealth starts entirely in the mind.
Reading this was a wake-up call on the sheer power of desire, faith, and persistence. Hill breaks down the exact psychological blueprint used by history's most successful icon...
Think and Grow Rich | Barnes & Noble®
My go-to modern framework for navigating both high-stakes business and raw human nature.
Bartlett distills years of elite interviews into 33 brutal, beautiful laws that operate beneath the surface of success. It gave me highly practical, science-bac...
The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life
This single book shattered every traditional financial lesson I was ever taught.
Kiyosaki’s contrast between his two fathers completely flipped my understanding of money. I finally learned how the wealthy buy assets that generate income, while the mi...
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money ...
The exact, no-nonsense guide I wish I had when I first stepped into a leadership role.
Zhuo brilliantly strips away the corporate fluff to show what management actually looks like on the ground. She taught me how to run a great meeting, give tough fe...
The Making of a Manager Book by Julie Zhuo
The ultimate blueprint that showed me how to turn my passions into world-class expertise.
Greene completely debunks the myth of "natural genius" by analyzing history's greatest minds. It walked me through the grueling phases of apprenticeship, creat...
Mastery: Greene, Robert: 9780143124177
A brutal, brilliant reality check on the hidden mechanics of human dynamics.
This book did not teach me how to be ruthless; it taught me how to read the room and protect myself from people who are. Each law uses historical Machiavellian power plays t...
The 48 Laws of Power
This completely reframed how I think about persuasion, charm, and social influence.
Instead of looking at seduction as just romance, it showed me how psychology drives human desire. I learned about the distinct character types and the subtle moves us...
The Art of Seduction: Robert Greene: 9780142001196
My personal manual for decoding why people do the confusing, irrational things they do.
This shorter version cuts straight to the core drivers of human behavior: envy, grandiosity, and short-sightedness. It helped me step outside my own emotions, sta...
Concise Laws Of Human Nature: Robert Greene
The rawest book on fearlessness I have ever read.
Blending Robert Greene's historical insights with 50 Cent’s survival tactics on the streets, this book taught me to embrace chaos. It forced me to realize that our only real limitation in business an...
The 50th Law - HarperCollins Publishers
How I learn to treat daily business challenges and personal obstacles as a strategic campaign.
This book adapts military strategy into actionable advice for social and professional conflicts. It taught me how to conserve my energy, outmaneuver toxic ...
The Concise 33 Strategies Of War by Robert Greene
A daily dose of focus to keep my psychological edge sharp every morning.
Greene takes 25 years of his research and condenses it into 365 daily meditations. It acts as a morning ritual for me, offering bite-sized daily reminders on power, seduction, ...
The Daily Laws: 366 Meditations by Robert Greene
This completely changed how I look at my own daily loops and automatic behaviors.
Duhigg uses incredible case studies to explain the "Cue-Routine-Reward" loop that governs everything we do. It showed me that you can't truly erase a bad habit—you can ...
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
The ultimate study on how to thrive when everything around you is chaotic and unpredictable.
The authors look at companies that succeeded wildly in unstable environments and contrast them with those that failed. It taught me the power of the "20-Mil...
Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck
A profound mix of psychology, mythology, and harsh truths that forced me to take responsibility for my life. Peterson lays out 12 practical yet deeply philosophical rules for living a meaningful life. From simply fixing your posture to telling the tr...
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
This book clearly drew the line for me between staying stagnant and constantly growing.
Dweck introduces the groundbreaking concept of the Fixed vs. Growth mindset. It made me realize how often I was limiting myself by viewing talent as a fixed trai...
Mindset - Updated Edition: Changing How You Think
My ultimate defense manual against the constant distractions of the digital age.
Newport argues that the ability to focus without distraction is becoming a superpower in our modern economy. It gave me concrete, actionable strategies to eliminate cogn...
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success
This finally made the complex world of economics make complete sense to me.
Using a clever, illustrated allegory about an island, fish, and nets, the authors strip away the confusing jargon of modern finance. It elegantly explains the fundamental pri...
How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes
This completely shattered my traditional ideas about lifestyle design and the 9-to-5 grind.
Ferriss introduces the concept of the "New Rich"—people who ditch the deferred-life plan and instead optimize for time and mobility right now. It gave me a p...
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere
This totally reframed how I look at high achievers and world-class success.
Instead of focusing purely on talent, Gladwell shows how hidden advantages, cultural backgrounds, and sheer timing play a massive role in who makes it big. It made me realize...
Outliers: The Story of Success: Gladwell, Malcolm
A beautiful, moving fable that reminded me to listen to my heart and chase my dreams.
Following the journey of a young shepherd boy searching for worldly treasure, this story teaches you to trust the process of life. It showed me that the obstacles w...
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This was the mental relief valve I desperately needed to quiet my racing mind.
Trenton provides highly practical, science-backed techniques to break free from toxic thought spirals and chronic stress. It helped me identify my specific anxiety trigge...
Stop Overthinking by Nick Trenton - Porchlight Book Company
This classic completely rewired how I talk to myself when facing major setbacks.
Peale breaks down how deeply rooted faith and practical psychology can eliminate self-doubt. It taught me to stop defeatist thinking patterns in their tracks and active...
The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Peale
A massive wake-up call that proved I was playing way too small in life and business.
Schwartz shows that success isn't determined by the size of your brain, but by the size of your thinking. It gave me the exact tools to cure "excusitis"—the disease ...
The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
The absolute best playbook I've read for approaching business like a grandmaster chess player.
Bet-David structures the chaotic world of entrepreneurship into five clear, sequential strategies. It helped me clarify exactly who I am, what I want, and...
Your Next Five Moves
This brutally honest book completely exposed the flaws in traditional retirement advice.
DeMarco tears apart the slow-wealth trap of saving a small percentage of a paycheck for 40 years. Instead, it gave me a blueprint for creating explosive wealth t...
The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth
The defining study that showed me why good is actually the enemy of great.
Collins and his research team uncover how average companies made the leap to sustained excellence while their competitors failed. It introduced me to concepts like the "Flywhe...
Articles - Good to Great
This completely changed how I think about innovation and creating something truly new.
Thiel argues that true progress comes from creating a monopoly by going from "0 to 1," rather than just copying existing formulas from "1 to n." It challenged me ...
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
The book that saved me tens of thousands of dollars on business school.
Kaufman condenses the absolute essentials of marketing, sales, negotiation, and strategy into a single volume. It stripped away all the academic jargon and taught me the real-wor...
The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business (10th Anniversary ...
This completely redefined my upper limits of mental toughness and physical endurance.
Goggins shares his brutal life story of overcoming trauma to become a Navy SEAL and ultramarathon runner. It forced me to face my own excuses, master the "40% Rule,...
Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
My ultimate roadmap for moving from a boss by title to a leader by choice.
Maxwell breaks down leadership into five distinct stages, from basic position power to deep, relational respect. It helped me map out exactly where I stand with my team and sh...
The 5 Levels of Leadership: Proven Steps to Maximize Your Potential
A fascinating catalog of the cognitive traps I didn't even realize I was falling into daily.
Dobelli outlines 99 common thinking errors—from confirmation bias to the sunk cost fallacy—in quick, punchy chapters. Reading it was an eye-opening exercise ...
The Art of Thinking Clearly - HarperCollins Publishers
This completely inverted how I approach goal setting and scaling my time.
The book argues that growing by 10x forces you to strip away 80% of your least effective tasks, while growing by 2x just makes you work twice as hard. It pushed me to stop tryi...
10x Is Easier Than 2x: How Entrepreneurs Achieve
A genius cheat sheet that makes complex business concepts immediately click.
Barron attended a top-tier business school and sketched out his entire two-year education into engaging, easy-to-understand visual notes. It allowed me to quickly absorb an...
The Visual Mba - HarperCollins Publishers
A timeless masterclass that showed me how to win life’s battles before they even begin.
While written for ancient battlefields, this book completely transformed how I handle modern competition and conflict. It taught me that the highest form of vict...
The Art Of War (Volume 0): Sun Tzu: 9781599869773
Stunning Animated Art
Breathtaking animation that pushes the boundaries of visual storytelling. Explore critically acclaimed masterpieces, unique art styles, and deeply moving stories.
A hilarious, high-stakes adventure where an underdog goat proves that anyone can achieve greatness.
When an unlikely hero—a quirky, determined goat—gets accidentally tangled up in a massive quest, they must outsmart the odds, defy expectations, and s...
GOAT (2026)
A chaotic, magical body-swap comedy that turns two completely opposite worlds upside down.
After a mysterious cosmic accident, two totally different characters wake up in each other’s bodies. Chaos ensues as they scramble to live each other's lives w...
Swapped (2026)