[jiveturkey]

Interesting perspective. Is it your belief that people read these as how-to or self-help books?

I enjoy reading them the same way I enjoy learning from my co-worker's habits. I take what matters to me and throw away the rest. I'm always trying to improve how I do my current job. It's not enough to have an open mind about work habits / techniques, one has to actively seek out new information.

Also it's usually an interesting look into someone else's life, at times even fascinating.

[ericdykstra]

Biographies can be interesting, but books that extrapolate directives from case studies of winners are totally useless. If 8 of the top 10 CEOs do x, you can be sure it will be reported in that kind of book, even if 999 of the bottom 1000 failed business leaders do the same thing.

There are tons of these books, and the only lesson they teach is how often people fall for the trap of survivorship bias.

[i_made_a_booboo]

bingo

[bendotero]

They are often sold as self-improvement books. I picked up a "wise quotes from CEOs" book thinking it'd have some gems as well. Just made realize that most of the people writing and saying these things were grossly out of touch with the people they direct.

[phakding]

> Interesting perspective. Is it your belief that people read these as how-to or self-help books?

My friends and acquitances definitely read these books to glean some sort of inspiration/hidden jem that would start them on path to riches.

My life has no parallel to lives of these people and there's nothing I could copy.

It's my opinion that the odds of me being a CEO of a huge Corp are same as a person who is homeless for years going through college and getting a job making six figures.