Ten Books We're Reading: Book Recommendations to Pass the Time During Quarantine

This is the newest blog on our ongoing #StayAtHome series, following previous articles How Binance Works From Home and How Binance Runs a Remote Organization.

There's something good in everything bad, and as you're probably reading this article under the COVID-19 quarantine, you're looking for ways to spend your newfound free time. Reading gives your mind a break from all the circumstances surrounding us in these challenging times and allows you to explore new frontiers of human knowledge. The best time to start reading a book was yesterday, but the second-best time is now.

To inspire you, we've put together a list of ten books we're reading right now. You'll find here books about Bitcoin, philosophy, economics, and even astronomy that will challenge your views and make the time fly. 

1. The Collapse of Complex Societies by Joseph Tainter

“It’s one of my favorite books. It explains the cycle of how civilizations rise and fail, and why. It’s heavy but very fascinating and challenging reading. This book is worth picking if you want to learn more about the functioning of human society.” - Josh, Business Development

2. Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

"From personal investing to building a long-lasting company, understanding what's fragile and what's not is important. Antifragility is certainly something we’re aiming towards at Binance." - CZ, CEO

3. The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous

"Saifedean's book is essential reading for everyone interested in Bitcoin. This book makes it clear what gives Bitcoin its real value, what makes sound money, and how our monetary system works. This is mandatory knowledge for every Bitcoiner." - Matt, Content

4. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

“This book will teach you how to achieve discipline and how important it is to be disciplined and decisive in your everyday life, but also how to apply the knowledge in your professional career. It will change the way you look at life and improve your decision making, stress control, and attitude.” - Lee, SEO

5. The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking

“Mr. Hawking is one of the writers who had the most positive impact on my life. In this book, he examines the principles and meaning of life, big bang, black holes, and much more. Although this book is mainly about astronomy and physics, it also provides valuable insight into the meaning and understanding of human life.” - Matt, Content 

6. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

"If you don't understand humans, you are unlikely to be successful in this world. This book gives a unique and deep perspective of our history, how we got here, why we act the way we do. It's essential for understanding how humans work, and thus success." - CZ, CEO

7. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

“This book gives a perspective on long term vision. It will broaden your horizons and views. There is a bigger picture out there, that’s more meaningful. Why some companies last a hundred years, and some struggle from invoice to invoice.” - Leah, PR

8. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel

“From zero to one means going from nothing to something, which is the real essence of innovation and creativity to address our contemporary challenges. The book brilliantly puts into perspective the concept of monopoly in the business realm. It also highlights how, as an individual, we can strategically build ourselves with stand-out skills to come up with those zero-to-one solutions the world needs.” - Mike, Operations

9. How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe

“It’s nice to pick a light, humorous book once in a while. With this book-comic hybrid that presents weird answers to common how-to questions, you get to think about science and out-of-the-box ideas while also having a good time with humor, silly drawings, and science-backed facts and calculations.” - Miko, Marketing

10. Liquid Modernity by Zygmunt Bauman 

"It's a mind-changing book that explores in the philosophical side what has become of human relationships in a global and modern world. Volatility, liquidity, and swift, deep changes are among the characteristics of our new way to live our lives, to get in touch with different feelings and connections. It makes you rethink concepts, provoking uneasiness, and never-ending questions towards humanity. Good for times like these, when we are remodeling ourselves and our relationships again." - Mayra, Marketing

It doesn't matter which book you decide to choose, or whether you even pick one. If you prefer to stay online, you can browse through our Academy and learn about trading, cryptocurrencies, and security. 

Let us what you’re reading on our Twitter! Read books and #StayAtHome.