For those lawless few of us who never planned on being in business and still somehow managed to get hired, it can sometimes feel like we’re living a lie. At any moment, we could be undone; someone might discover, for instance, that not only do I still read more Jack Kerouac than Jack Welch, I never once considered taking Econ 1 in all my quarters at Stanford. Goodbye, career.
Which is why stories like this make me smile. It may be called “C.E.O. libraries reveal keys to success,” but there’s nary a 48 Laws of Power to be seen. Instead, “the mad visionary 18th-century mystic poet and artist” William Blake, Aristotle, and Darwin share space with the likes of Steve Jobs and Nike founder Phil Knight. And for those would-be poets among us, that’s special — a welcome reminder that every visionary is something of an artist, and inspired by other artists, whatever their “industry.” With that, I’d say I’ve just about met my maudlin quota for the week, so why don’t you guys take over? What’s in your dream library?