The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Collaboration Equation

Steve Fenton Why did I love this book?

Jim Benson distills a lot of very complex factors into a simple concept called the collaboration equation. The book then describes all those complex factors through relatable experiences across many industries.

I’m reading this book from the perspective of someone working with software teams, but the case studies from other sectors were just as valuable.

The book covers culture, visual systems, process design, and collaborative systems, all intended to improve workplace joy. If we all put this into practice, work would be more enjoyable, and organizations would exceed their goals.

By Jim Benson, Tom Ehrenfeld (editor), Tonianne DeMaria (editor)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Collaboration Equation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The organizations we work for destroy confidence

We starve professionals of information, direction, psychological safety, and purpose by isolating workers in cubicles, teams into silos, and decisions into oblivion. Individuals drift and become alienated, waiting for direction that never comes. This way of working…is not working.

When individuals work in teams, they create value

The Collaboration Equation helps individuals be professionals, teams take pride in their work, and companies become more resilient. This guide enables you to build visual systems where people can see their work and create cultures with the “Right Environment” so they can mind their system.

Stop…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Courage Is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave

Steve Fenton Why did I love this book?

Ryan Holiday is a modern advocate for ancient ideas. He makes the works of the stoics relevant and accessible to a contemporary audience. Courage Is Calling examines fear and how we might show bravery in daily situations.

Instead of approaching fear with a mask of bravado, this book is about making real, lasting differences, whether in the workplace, at home, or on the streets of our own cities. I sometimes re-read sections of this book to rekindle my courage.

By Ryan Holiday,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Courage Is Calling as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An inspiring anthem to the power, promise, and challenges of courage, the first in a series examining the timeless Stoic virtues from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ryan Holiday

Fortune favours the bold. All great leaders of history have known this, and were successful because of the risks they dared to take. But today so many of us are paralysed by fear.

Drawing on ancient Stoic wisdom and examples across history and around the world, Ryan Holiday shows why courage is so important, and how to cultivate it in our own lives. Courage is not simply physical bravery but…


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My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Joy of Agility: How to Solve Problems and Succeed Sooner

Steve Fenton Why did I love this book?

When agile software development emerged, many developers saw it as a way to end the era of death march projects. The more "agile" caught on, the less it looked like the original concept.

In the face of the corruption of the movement, Joy Of Agility is a wonderful return to positive ideas that make you agile, not hasty. As we all push back against the industrial complex that has appropriated the agile movement, this book is the white wizard shining blinding light that chases away the monsters.

By Joshua Kerievsky,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Joy of Agility as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Agility enables you, your team, and your organization to streamline slow and awkward actions, overcome obstacles quickly, and adapt to change with ease and grace.

Agility isn’t a formula, a framework, nor a set of roles and rituals to follow. It’s a timeless way of being that matures with practice and skill. Becoming agile involves knowing the difference between being quick or hurrying, moving with ease or difficulty, being in or out of balance, graceful or awkward, adaptable or rigid, resourceful or resentful.

With Joy of Agility, Joshua Kerievsky, CEO of Industrial Logic, one of the oldest and most-respected agile…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Pro TypeScript: Application-Scale JavaScript Development

By Steve Fenton,

Book cover of Pro TypeScript: Application-Scale JavaScript Development

What is my book about?

Explore the features of this innovative open-source language in depth, from working with the type system through object orientation to understanding the runtime and the TypeScript compiler.

This fully revised and updated second edition of Steve Fenton’s popular book covers everything you need to discover this fascinating language and transform your JavaScript development experience.