These are the books that Malta’s business leaders think everyone should read

Our opinions on pressing topics and general outlook on life are significantly affected by the content that we consume. Whilst sticking to a preferred medium, author, or subject matter is what tends to offer the biggest sense of gratification in the short-term, it is by going outside of one’s comfort zone and listening to what individuals outside of our immediate circle have to say that we can effectively broaden our minds.

When travelling overseas and engaging in first-hand dialogue with others isn’t an option, reading up about matters previously unbeknownst to us is easily the second-best thing. With that in mind, here are the books that eight of Malta’s foremost business leaders think everyone should read.

Michael Warrington (CEO at AX Group)

“Life On Earth by Sir David Attenborough shows the incredible diversity of life on the planet, how it evolved and how delicate that balance in nature is.  At a time when mankind has pushed the earth’s resources to their limits, it will sensitise people on how important it is to look after this balance and to appreciate that mankind’s reign on the planet has been so short but that sadly we are systematically destabilising that delicate equilibrium on which all life depends.”

Nathan Farrugia (Managing Director at Vistage UAE)

“It would be impossible to suggest a book that ticks all boxes, as our cultures and interest vary to such an extent that any book could be relevant to, or irrelevant to different people. I would therefore say that any book that captivates your imagination or makes you think more deeply is a good book.”

“Furthermore, if that book can make you take time out to read, it must be of value, with such busy lives that we lead. Reading, in and of itself, is a form of meditation to me. I couldn’t live without it. I would also say that every parent should read to their young children and always support their initiative to read as they grow up, even if it’s a comic book.”

Steve Mercieca (CEO at QuickLets & Zanzi Homes)

“Grit To Great by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval is a super book. An easy read everyone can enjoy. It really inspires you to take it to the next step.”

Joanna Delia (Founder-CEO at People & Skin)

“Recommending one book would be ignorant of me. No one book is more important than any other. Look what happened when they flaunted the Bible. I recommend reading as many books as possible. Look for the Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners, and Noble Prize-winning authors.

Michael Bonello (CEO at Alliance)

“Apart from Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell, I think biographies of people you admire are a great way to enjoy reading, with autobiographies being even more effective. Some people enjoy reading as an escape, whilst others read to be informed and inspired, so it’s very subjective.”

Gege Gatt (CEO at EBO)

“Viktor Frank’s Man’s Search For Meaning is a gift to humanity. It reminds us that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Emma Hogg (Founder at A Life I Choose)

“Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson. It was a game-changer in my relationships. It taught me about what other people and what I need. Since reading, my relationships go smoother on the whole.”

Jonathan Shaw (CEO at Retail Marketing)

“I would not go so far as to list a particular book but would rather suggest that at least one reads a book a month. I guess that I don’t need to explain why.”