The quality of my life changed when I switched to reading novels more than non-fiction. Much more interesting, and more rewarding than the endless drivel of management and self-help books I thought I had to read to stay ahead.

Even now as a product manager my peers are always trying to stay ahead by reading the latest business book. I just ignore all that shit and keep reading novels. Most of the "key takeaways" from non-fiction filter through to me eventually. Not saying it makes me better at my job, but not measurably worse either.

That said, there are some non-fiction books that were worth reading. Ones that stand out, that I still use and think about:

- High output management by Andy Grove

- Inspired by Marty Cagan

- Working backwards by Colin Bryer & Bill Carr

The exception here are biographies which I find often have the same complex tapestry as a novel. Some favourites:

- Churchill: Walking with destiny by Andrew Roberts

- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

- Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

But generally, highly recommend sticking with fiction most of the time.