The Beratung Book Canon

Our “Canon” is the list of books we believe everyone should read. Loosely following the model set by the Bible Canon, we have broken our recommended books into 7 major Biblically based categories.

The Gospels

These are the 4 most important books for Beratung’s Culture. They are required reading in the first year of joining Beratung and recommended to be read annually. These books are instrumental in forming our culture and are referenced often.

In the Bible, the Gospels are 4 books that tell the Good News of Jesus Christ.


The Pentateuch

These are foundational books that have been instrumental in the formation of our company. Team members are expected to read these within 2 years of joining Beratung and are often referenced by the team. Our strategy and culture have been heavily influenced by them.

In the Bible, the Pentateuch is the first 5 books of the Bible and take us through the beginning of mankind and the first stories of God and his chosen people. Without these books, the Gospel would not exist.


The Epistles

These are books that are important and should be read within the first 5 years of joining Beratung. These are often referred to in our culture and help team members understand our culture deeper and give a more detailed explanation into certain cultural norms.

In the Bible, the Epistles (letters) make up most of the New Testament books and are typically read more often by Christians than the Old Testament (Pentateuch, History, Wisdom, Poetry, and Prophets).


The Major Prophets

These books are important but would be read by someone looking to deepen their understanding or looking for help on a certain topic. These books are often gifted or recommended based on a desired growth in an area.

In the Bible, prophets are persons who convey a message from God or teach the Word of God. The term “major” has nothing to do with the achievement or importance of the prophets, rather the length of the books. In comparison, the books of the Twelve Minor Prophets are short and are grouped together into one single book in the Hebrew Bible. In the Beratung Canon, the major prophets hold a higher place and are books we believe everyone should read during their life and are not based on size.


The Minor Prophets

These books are books worth reading before you die. However, unless seeking wisdom in a certain topic these should be read after the first 4 categories have been completed.

In the Bible, the minor prophets are not less important than the major prophets; it’s just divided by length of the writings. In the Beratung Canon, the minor prophets hold a lower place of importance compared to the major prophets not based on size.


Historical Books

These include biographies of leaders, spiritual books, and books for your personal life. Similar to the minor prophets, unless seeking wisdom in a certain topic, these should be read after the first 4 categories have been completed.

In the Bible, the historical books make up a large portion of the Old Testament. They are arranged in a rough chronological order, and they tell the story of God’s people including rise and fall of sin, restoration, miracles, rejection, and judgment. Throughout the centuries, we see God’s people learning many lessons that still apply to our lives today. God chose his people to be a witness and bring salvation to every other nation on earth. Before the revealing of the Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, these books displayed the principles of Christianity: love for enemies, forgiveness, and God’s grace and mercy.

Poetic and Wisdom Books

These books offer deep wisdom to become a more rounded leader. They are historically and culturally significant novels that stimulate your mind and challenge you to think differently. They help you understand the human condition and engage in more well-rounded conversations with others. We believe that everyone should read these and that our team should read these as the rhythms in their life allow.

In the Bible, the Poetic and Wisdom represent a major shift in style from the historical books that precede them. Instead of telling the story of the nation of Israel, they focus not on God’s people as a whole, but on the individual. Much of the Old Testament centers on the twelve tribes of the Hebrew race and the land they occupied; in contrast, the five poetic or wisdom books are concerned with the human heart and the drama of life common among us all. They explore existential questions, about God, humanity, Creation, and the nature of evil and suffering. Beyond that, the wisdom books show us that God values and responds to these myriad questions and prayers. We can take comfort that no experience in our lives, whether wonderful or terrible, can place us outside the love and understanding of a gracious God.

 

The Bible

When reading through our Canon, you may notice the Bible is not included. We believe the Bible transcends these reading. As the inerrant and infallible written word of God, and we believe it should be part of daily reading and weekly study. The Bible is as important to living as breathing and eating. None of these books will help you become the person you were designed and called to be without consistent reading and study of the Bible.

 

Important Note

The Bible Canon does not change. However, our canon does change as we read more books and discover others that are useful for our growth and development.

The Gospels (Read Annually) (4)

  1. Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
  2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
  3. Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
  4. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

The Pentateuch (Foundational Books) (5)

  1. Know What You’re For by Jeff Henderson
  2. Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn
  3. Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
  4. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
  5. You’ve Been Framed by Ray Sclafani

The Epistles (Read in the First 5 Years) (15)

  1. Iconic by Scott McKain
  2. It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried
  3. The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell
  4. Miracle Morning by Hal Erold
  5. Built to Last by Jim Collins
  6. Leadership and Self Deception by Arbinger Institute
  7. Intentional Living by John Maxwell
  8. The Key to Everything by Matt Keller
  9. Communicating for Change by Andy Stanley
  10. Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
  11. Excellence Wins by Horst Schulze
  12. One Page Financial Plan by Carl Richards
  13. You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham
  14. Misbehaving by Richard Thaler
  15. 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam

The Major Prophets (40)

  1. Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn
  2. Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
  3. Living Forward by Michael Hyatt
  4. Fans First by Jesse Cole
  5. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
  6. Nudge by Richard Thaler
  7. Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy
  8. The E-Myth Revisited by Michel Gerber
  9. Little Black Stretchy Pants by Chip Wilson
  10. The Servant by James Hunter
  11. Turn the Ship Around by L. David Marquet
  12. How to be a Great Boss by Gino Wickman
  13. Who Not How by Dan Sullivan
  14. In The Defense of Food by Michael Pollen
  15. Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
  16. The Making of a Leader by J. Robert Clinton
  17. The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
  18. 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
  19. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
  20. Making Vision Stick by Andy Stanley
  21. The Behavior Gap by Carl Richards
  22. Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley
  23. Didn’t See it Coming by Carey Nieuwhof
  24. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman
  25. Shoe by Dog by Phil Knight
  26. Business Made Simple by Donald Miller
  27. The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
  28. Find Your Why by David Meed
  29. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Williams
  30. Ask It by Andy Stanley
  31. Game Plan for Life by Coach Joe Gibbs
  32. From Good to Great by Jim Collins
  33. Choose to Cheat (When Work and Family Collide) by Andy Stanley
  34. Redeeming Money by Paul David Tripp
  35. The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver
  36. The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni
  37. The Four Obsessions of and Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni
  38. Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni
  39. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
  40. Stories that Stick by Kindra Hall

The Minor Prophets (45)

  1. Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni
  2. The Five Temptations of a CEO by Patrick Lencioni
  3. The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni
  4. The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni
  5. Make Your Bed by William McRaven
  6. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
  7. Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell
  8. The One Thing by Garl Keller
  9. Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud
  10. Boards that Excel by Joseph White
  11. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
  12. Donkey Missions by Matt Keller
  13. Small Giants by Bo Burlingham
  14. Made In America by Sam Walton
  15. Deep Work by Cal Newport
  16. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
  17. Think Again by Adam Grant
  18. Radical Candor by Kim Scott
  19. Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
  20. The 5 Second Rule by Mell Robbins
  21. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
  22. Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Carlson
  23. Multipliers by Liz Wiseman
  24. American Nations by Colin Woodward
  25. The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron
  26. Sabbath by Wayne Muller
  27. Leadership 101 by John Maxwell
  28. 360 Leadership by John Maxwell
  29. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
  30. See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar
  31. How to Be Like Walt by Pat Williams
  32. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
  33. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
  34. 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney
  35. The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack
  36. The 10x Rule by Grant Cardon
  37. The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker
  38. Zero to One by Peter Thiel
  39. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
  40. How Successful People Think by John Maxwell
  41. Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell
  42. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
  43. Forks Over Knives by Gene Stone
  44. Stories That Stick by Kindra Hall
  45. Lessons from the Titans by Scott Davis

Wisdom and Poetry Books

  1. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
  2. A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean
  3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  4. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
  5. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
  6. Animal Farm by George Orwell
  7. 1984 by George Orwell
  8. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
  9. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
  10. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
  11. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  12. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  13. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
  14. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  15. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
  16. Inferno by Dante Alighieri
  17. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  18. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
  19. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
  20. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
  21. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
  22. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
  23. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
  24. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
  25. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
  26. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  27. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
  28. CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller
  29. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
  30. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
  31. The Odyssey by Homer
  32. The Iliad by Homer
  33. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  34. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  35. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  36. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

Historical Books

  1. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
  2. The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel
  3. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
  4. Family Revision by Jeremy Pryor
  5. The Attack Lambs by Mark Geppert
  6. The Southwest Airlines Way by Jody Gittell
  7. Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
  8. Family Worship by Donald Whitney
  9. 7 Tenets of Taxi Terry by Scott McKain
  10. All Business Is Still Show Business by Scott McKain
  11. The Hour That Changes the World by Dick Eastman
  12. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs
  13. At Your Best by Carey Nieuwoff
  14. Mind over Money by Brad Klontz
  15. The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steve Scott
  16. The EOS Life by Gino Wickman
  17. Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
  18. The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan
  19. 10x Is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan
  20. The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
  21. A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards
  22. Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson
  23. Leadership Pain by Samuel Chand
  24. Gravitas by Jerome Daley
  25. Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc
  26. Family Revision by Jeremy Pryor
  27. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahnerman
  28. Start-Up Nation by Dan Senor, Saul Singer
  29. Bonhoeffer by Metaxas
  30. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
  31. Boundaries for Leaders by Henry Cloud
  32. The Power of the Other by Henry Cloud
  33. Find Your Yellow Tux by Jesse Cole
  34. When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold S. Kushner
  35. The Confessions of St. Augustine by Saint Augustine
  36. The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
  37. The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews
  38. Eat Mor Chikin by S. Truett Cathy
  39. How To Hear the Voice of God and Understand it by Adam Houge
  40. Board of Directors by Deaver Brown
  41. Adam’s Return by Richard Rohr
  42. Shift Your Mind by Brian Levenson
  43. Banana Ball by Jesse Cole
  44. How Did You Do It, Truett? by S. Truett Cathy
  45. Nuts!: Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin Freiberg
  46. The Ensemble Practice by Philip Palaveev
  47. Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard
  48. G2: Building the Next Generation by Philip Palaveev
  49. Starting Your Own Practice by Robert Fragasso
  50. The Supernova Advisor by Rob Knapp
  51. The 8th Habit by Stephen R. Covey
  52. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
  53. Mans Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
  54. A Million Mile in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
  55. The Real Deal by Sandy Weill
  56. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
  57. The Man I Knew by Jean Becker
  58. No B.S. Guide to Direct Response Social Media Marketing by Dan S. Kennedy,
  59. Scary Close by Donald Miller
  60. Love Works by Joel Manby
  61. The Great Influenza by John Barry
  62. The Financial Wisdom of Ebenezer Scrooge by Brad Klontz
  63. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
  64. 5 Things Successful People Do Before 8 A.M. by Terri Savelle Foy
  65. The Laws of Wealth: Psychology and the Secret to Investing Success by Daniel Crosby
  66. Culture Wins by William Vanderbloemen
  67. Visioneering by Andy Stanley
  68. Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill
  69. The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut
  70. As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
  71. The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
  72. Fierce Conversations by Susan Craig Scott
  73. 26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi
  74. Racing to the Finish by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  75. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
  76. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
  77. Prayer by Timothy Keller
  78. Capital Gains by Chip Gaines
  79. If You Can Keep It by Eric Metaxas
  80. Martin Luther by Eric Metaxas
  81. The Little Book of Behavioral Investing by James Montier
  82. How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg
  83. Washington’s Farewell by John Avlon
  84. American Character by Colin Woodard
  85. The Challenger Sale by Matthew Dixon
  86. Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders
  87. Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips
  88. Bondage of the Will by Martin Luther
  89. What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
  90. Redeeming Your Time by Jordan Raynor
  91. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet by Eric Metaxas
  92. Die with Zero Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins
  93. The Ideal Team Player by Patrick M. Lencioni
  94. Leading Without Authority by Keith Ferrazzi
  95. Never Eat Lunch Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
  96. The Motive by Patrick M. Lencioni
  97. Not in It to Win It by Andy Stanley
  98. Living with a SEAL 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler
  99. Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
  100. Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
  101. America Sniper by Chris Kyle
  102. Grit by Angela Duckworth
  103. The Dip by Seth Godin
  104. How to Grow Your Small Business by Donald Miller
  105. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
  106. A World Without Email by Cal Newport
  107. The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
  108. No Rules by Reed Hastings
  109. Working Backwards Insights by Colin Bryar
  110. Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan
  111. Built from Scratch by Bernie Marcus
  112. How the Mighty Fall And Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins
  113. Measure What Matters by John Doerr
  114. Onward by Howard Schultz
  115. How to Win by Mark Cuban
  116. Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
  117. The Everything Store by Brad Stone
  118. Getting Naked by Patrick Lencioni
  119. Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie
  120. The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni
  121. The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick M. Lencioni
  122. Winning by Jack Welch
  123. Robert’s Rules: QuickStart Guide – The Simplified Beginner’s Guide to Robert’s Rules of Order by ClydeBank Business
  124. The Effective Board Member by Mr. Karl George MBE
  125. The New Gold Standard by Joseph A. Michelli
  126. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim
  127. Build by Tony Fadell
  128. That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph
  129. Atomic Habits by James Clear
  130. Covert Cows by Steve Robinson
  131. $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
  132. Company of One by Paul Jarvis Narrated by: Paul Jarvis
  133. The Family Board Meeting by Jim Sheils
  134. Hero on a Mission A Path to a Meaningful Life by Donald Miller
  135. Powerful by Patty McCord
  136. Rework by Jason Fried
  137. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
  138. Crucial Conversations by Dr. Dan Grider
  139. Dead Center by Jason Altmire
  140. Purple Cow by Seth Godin
  141. Tribes We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin
  142. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
  143. Who Moved My Cheese? by Kenneth Blanchard
  144. The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Carnegie
  145. The Tycoons by Charles Morris
  146. How to Develop Your Family Mission Statement by Stephen R. Covey
  147. Three Feet from Gold by Sharon Lechter
  148. The Wal-Mart Way by Don Soderquist
  149. Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxas
  150. The Greatest Coach Ever Timeless Wisdom and Insights of John Wooden by Fellowship of Christian Athletes
  151. The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill
  152. The Trusted Advisor by David H. Maister
  153. Built from Scratch by Arthur Blank and Bernard Marcus
  154. Quench Your Own Thirst by Jim Koch
  155. Talk Triggers by Jay Baer
  156. Leadership Is Language by L. David Marquet
  157. Off Centered Leadership by Sam Calagione
  158. Brewing Up a Business by Sam Calagione
  159. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.The opinions expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of LPL Financial.

This is not an endorsement for any of the books or authors listed.

 

More Posts

The Ugly Couch

Our Ugly Couch A part of our culture here at Beratung is called the Ugly Couch.  It’s a term we use to call each other

Goal Setting

One of the key parts of my annual personal growth process that has helped me be intentional and accomplish more is goal setting. My goal setting

Stay up to date with Beratung Content


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Scroll to Top
Skip to content