--- title: "For Your Summer Reading List: 8 Great Books on Innovation and Business" description: "For Your Summer Reading List: 8 Great Books on Innovation and Business" --- [![Peer Insight](https://blog.peerinsight.com/hubfs/PeerInsight_September2019/Images/peerinsight_logo_white.png)](https://peerinsight.com/) - [ABOUT](https://peerinsight.com/about/) - [SERVICES](https://peerinsight.com/services/) - [TOOLKIT](https://peerinsight.com/toolkit/) - [BLOG](https://peerinsight.com/blog/) - [TEAM](https://peerinsight.com/team/) - [CAREERS](https://peerinsight.com/career/) - [CONTACT](https://peerinsight.com/contact/) [![Peer Insight](https://blog.peerinsight.com/hubfs/PeerInsight_September2019/Images/peerinsight_logo_white.png)](https://peerinsight.com/) - [ABOUT](https://peerinsight.com/about/) - [SERVICES](https://peerinsight.com/services/) - [TOOLKIT](https://peerinsight.com/toolkit/) - [BLOG](https://peerinsight.com/blog/) - [TEAM](https://peerinsight.com/team/) - [CAREERS](https://peerinsight.com/career/) - [CONTACT](https://peerinsight.com/contact/) # For Your Summer Reading List: 8 Great Books on Innovation and Business by [Tim Ogilvie](https://blog.peerinsight.com/blog/author/tim-ogilvie) | [DIY Templates & Tools](https://blog.peerinsight.com/blog/tag/diy) Photo by [LWY](http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwy/)  In 2004, I blogged my “Top-10 Innovation Readings” and included such titles as: - *Leading the Revolution* by Gary Hamel - *The Innovators Solution* by Clayton Christensen - *Developing Global Strategies for Service Businesses* by Christopher Lovelock - *Discovering the Soul of Services* by Leonard Berry - *Provices and Serducts* by Michael Schrage The books on this list reflect where I was on my innovation journey nine years ago. It was filled with good strategic frameworks and academic collections on service innovation. But now that it's mid-summer in DC – the dog days – it’s time to update my list and think about putting something new in the beach bag. Here are four, couldn’t-put-down reads from my bookshelf. Innovation Science & History - **[*Where Good Ideas Come From*](http://www.amazon.com/Where-Good-Ideas-Come-From/dp/1594485380) by Steven Johnson** Johnson is a flat-out terrific science writer, a storyteller as accessible as Jonah Lehrer but with a tighter grip on the underlying science.  Not a business book, which is a strength. - Runner-up: [*Age of Wonder*](http://www.amazon.com/The-Age-Wonder-Generation-Discovery/dp/1400031877) by Richard Holmes Behavioral Economics - **[*Nudge*](http://www.amazon.com/Nudge-Improving-Decisions-Health-Happiness/dp/014311526X) by Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein** The field of behavioral economics has actually dominated my non-fiction reading, and this is just one of the best. - Runner up: Daniel Kahneman’s excellent [*Thinking, Fast & Slow*](http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555). Social Science - **[*Cognitive Surplus*](http://www.amazon.com/Cognitive-Surplus-Creativity-Generosity-Connected/dp/B004KAB2VW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374075176&sr=8-1&keywords=cognitive+surplus+clay+shirky) by Clay Shirky** The phenomenon of social production is spelled out beautifully by this NYU professor. Filled with examples, the tone is more pop science than peer-reviewed journal, but the empirical data shows up just enough to give it heft. - Runner-up: [*The Social Atom*](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1596910135) by Mark Buchanan Business Science - **[*The Lean Startup*](http://www.amazon.com/The-Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous/dp/0307887898) by Eric Ries** Eric puts his finger directly on the pulse of the entrepreneur, and distills the methods into a reusable formula.  While it focuses mainly on software entrepreneurship, I can assure you the methods translate to new products, new services, the whole shebang. - Runner-up: [*The Challenger Sale*](http://www.amazon.com/The-Challenger-Sale-Customer-Conversation/dp/1591844355) by Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson OK, so what’s on your list?  I’d love to hear just one of your couldn’t-put-down read from the past year or two. # About Us Peer Insight helps organizations ignite growth by uniting design, business, and entrepreneurship. [info@peerinsight.com](mailto:info@peerinsight.com) ![VOSB](https://blog.peerinsight.com/hubfs/PeerInsight_September2019/Images/vet-owned-300x300.png) # Find Us **Washington, D.C.** 717 D Street NW 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20004 (202) 506-3804 **San Francisco** 595 Pacific Ave 4th floor San Francisco, CA 94133 (336) 430-5403 # Get in Touch For project inquiries, contact [Clay Maxwell](mailto:cmaxwell@peerinsight.com) or [Tim Ogilvie](mailto:togilvie@peerinsight.com) For media inquiries, contact [Natalie Foley](mailto:nfoley@peerinsight.com) We respect your privacy. - [Privacy Policy |](https://peerinsight.com/privacy-policy/) - [ Terms & Conditions](https://peerinsight.com/terms-and-conditions/) - - -