Mordy Golding's Books of 2025

This was one of the most impactful books I read this year. The book is ripe with insight that makes you stop and think. It forces you to grapple with contradiction and world view. It is the very definition of putting yourself out of your comfort zone and learning something new.

Everyone always talks about how China leads the world in manufacturing, but it wasn’t until I read this book that I truly understood what that meant. I love history and I love Apple, so this book was even better to help set context for how China built global leadership in this space, and how Apple was the one who helped them get there.

This was highly recommend by some of my followers and connections, and they were right! I loved the straight talk and the reality that there are no easy answers in life. Every book promises a fix or a hack, and this one shoots from the hip.

This was one of the most important books I read this year. It's essentially a history of OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT and changed the narrative about AI. Reading this book will open your eyes into everything that's happening today in the world of AI. A must read.

I spent many years of my professional life deep in the world of strategy, so I initially resisted even looking at this one. I should never have waited. In classic Seth style, I was questioning my own beliefs before I got through the first chapter. No matter where you are in life, this is worth your time.

One of Seth's most important books. It was only after reading "This is Strategy" that I realized I had never read this one! It's everything you've come to expect from the master. Good as gold.

In important read about all the data we generate, how that data is used, and how companies have harnessed psychological frameworks for their own profit. You may think you've heard this story before, but this book really makes you think twice about privacy and should influence how you use technology.

A recommendation from my friend Osnat (Os) Benari. It's a book about building community through hosting dinners. It's a short, engaging read and I enjoyed the stories, the lessons, and the inspiration!

Most people don't know what they want or what they need. It's why people go to a therapist—to help them process their thoughts and figure out what's happening in their lives. Turns out, you can use the same approach to understand what others at work want or need—your coworkers, boss, or clients.

This is two books in one! Navigating your job and your career usually means working with people above you and below you. This is a GREAT book that should be on everyone's list—I guarantee this book will resonate with your own experiences at work, and more importantly will give you a playbook to succeed!

To make it in the world of business, you have to learn to work with folks above you... the ones who you perceive to be in charge. What I love about this book are the practical things you can apply immediately. I keep it near my desk when I need a proven response to a situation as they occur.

Solid book with lots of great stories and examples. I liked the approach because it focuses on renovation—not destroying and starting over.

Can't remember how I found this book, but glad I stumbled across it. A decent quick read about crafting your sales pitch. I don't think it's as good as Nancy Duarte, but anything that helps you tell better stories is always worthy of your time.

When I read April's first book, I saw this and gave it a whirl. Also decent, but I felt it feel short of the promise.

A friend recommended this one. It was ok, but I found it hard to read the way it was formatted. The concepts were great, but I would have preferred something in a more narrative form.

As a student of both Kissinger and Schmidt, I had high hopes for this one, but I found it to be meandering and just ok. It didn't make me stop and think and differently about AI than anything else. Meh.

I heard about this book from an episode of Lenny's Podcast. The idea of understanding pricing in a world of AI is important and intriguing, but I found the book a bit too academic. I got more value out of what was covered in the podcast.