Richard Branson, the Virgin Group Founder and self-described tie-loathing billionaire, still finds time in his busy schedule to read.

Over the years he has offered up dozens of titles that have kept his attention and helped him grow as a businessman.

We can't guarantee you'll follow in the entrepreneur's footsteps, but the books could certainly set you in the right direction.

1. '1984' by George Orwell

Though it may be a work of fiction first published in 1950, "1984" has been echoing ever since the actual year came and went. The book envisions a dystopic future society in which the government monitors, and in some cases punishes, people's every move.

Sales of the book spiked in late January of 2017 when Kellyanne Conway introduced the term "alternative facts."

Branson included it on his list of the top 65 books to read in a lifetime, in part because of its timeliness in reminding people to stay vigilant and skeptical.

维珍集团创始人、自称讨厌领带的亿万富翁理查德·布兰森仍在繁忙的日程中仍坚持抽时间来读书。

多年来，布兰森已经推荐了几十本书籍，这些书一直吸引着他，并帮他成长为生意人。

我们无法保证大家能沿着布兰森的足迹迈进，但这些书当然有可能让大家找到正确的方向。

1. 《1984》作者：乔治·奥威尔

虽然首次出版于1950年，但这部小说在1984年及以后一直有着深远的影响。作品描绘了一个未来的反乌托邦社会，政府监视着人们的一举一动，在某些情况下还会施以惩罚。

2017年1月底，白宫高级顾问凯莉安妮·康韦“另一种事实”的说法让这本书的销量急剧上升。

布兰森把《1984》纳入人生必读的65本书中，部分原因是它随时都能提醒人们保持警惕和怀疑。

 图片来源：amazon.com

2. "Black Box Thinking" by Matthew Syed

Failure is a key component of any successful system, but only if the people at the controls understand what went wrong.

In "Black Box Thinking,"journalist Matthew Syed explores why some people try to ignore their mistakes and others confront them deliberately. Syed pushes people to adopt a growth mindset, as the psychologist Carol Dweck calls it, rather than a fixed mindset.

"It advocates for changing attitudes towards failure, and understanding that the only way we learn is by trying things and altering our behaviour based on the results," Branson writes on his blog.

2. 《黑匣子思维》作者：马修·赛义德

失败是所有成功制度的一个关键组成部分，但前提是控制者明白哪里出了问题。

在《黑匣子思维》中，记者马修·赛义德探讨了为什么某些人会故意忽视自身以及他人指出的错误。他敦促人们采用心理学家卡罗尔·德维克所说的成长型思维模式，而非固定型思维模式。

布兰森在自己的博客中写道：“它提倡改变对待失败的态度，并且明白进行尝试并根据其结果来调整自身行为是我们学习的唯一途径。”

3. "Ending the War on Drugs" by Richard Branson

Edited by Branson himself ("I couldnt resist sneaking in a book I contributed to," he writes) "Ending the War on Drugs" is a compilation of essays about the global drug war and the many failed attempts to end it.

"It brings together such a smart group of experts to explain why global drug policy reform is so important," Branson writes. The list includes philanthropist George Soros, former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo, and former Swiss president Ruth Dreifuss, among others.

"Attitudes towards treating drugs as a health issue, not a criminal problem, are changing fast," Branson explains. "Anyone who reads this book will understand why."

3. 《结束反毒品战争》作者：理查德·布兰森

这本书由布兰森本人编辑（他写道：“我实在忍不住要把自己做了些贡献的一本书塞进去。”），其中汇集的论文都和世界上打击毒品的行动有关，其中包括许多失败案例。

布兰森写道：“它通过一组如此聪明的专家来解释全球毒品政策改革为什么那么重要。”这些人中包括慈善家乔治·索罗斯、墨西哥前总统埃内斯托·塞迪略以及瑞士联邦前总统露特·德莱富斯等人。

布兰森解释说：“对待毒品的态度正迅速从犯罪行为变成健康问题。读了这本书的人都会明白其中的道理。”

4. "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Criss-crossing the US with his French poodle in tow, Steinbeck shares his experiences meeting America's most down-home folks in "Travels with Charley."

Steinbeck drives through national parks, back country roads, small towns, and big cities. He encounters every slice of Americana there is, and presents the reader with a full picture of who calls the country home.

Branson looks upon the book less as a guide for leading, he says, than as a guide for living.

"It opens your eyes to the small pleasures of life, and the great wonders of humanity in the little moments that matter," he writes.

4. 《斯坦贝克携犬横越美国》作者：约翰·斯坦贝克

牵着自己的贵宾犬横穿美国的斯坦贝克在这本书里介绍了跟最真实美国民众打交道的经历。

他驾车驶过国家公园、偏僻的乡间道路、小镇和大城市，接触到了美国的方方面面，并为读者呈现了美国人的全方位画卷。

布兰森更多地把它看作一本生活指南，而非旅游指南。

他写道：“这本书让你看到生活中的小乐趣，以及这些重要而短暂的时刻中伟大的人性奇迹。”

5. 'Cosmos' by Carl Sagan

Published in 1980 in tandem with the TV show by the same name, "Cosmos" includes illustrated chapters essentially meant to blow the reader's mind.

Sagan, an astronomer, takes you back tens of billions of years into the history of the universe and traces its evolution through cosmological and anthropological shifts.

The book is a seminal work in the field of science and should humble anyone who starts to feel like they are the center of everything.

5. 《宇宙》作者：卡尔·萨根

《宇宙》于1980年配合同名电视节目出版，其中的图示章节其实是想让读者感到震惊。

作为天文学家，萨根带着大家回到数百亿年前的宇宙，然后从宇宙学和人类学的角度交替追踪它的发展变化。

这本书是科学领域的一部开创性著作，应该能让所有开始认为自己是万物中心的人感觉到自身的卑微。

图片来源：amazon.com

6. "If I Could Tell You Just One Thing" by Richard Reed

Author Richard Reed has an insatiable desire to learn what guides other people's lives, and he makes it known by asking anyone and everyone for advice.

In "If I Could Tell You Just One Thing," Reed brings together the best pieces of advice he's received over the years from notable celebrities, athletes, politicians, and entrepreneurs (Branson included).

"They highlight tangible lessons from a diverse range of interesting people, and I like to read a chapter every now and then to get inspired," Branson explains.

6. 《如果我只能告诉你一件事》作者：理查德·里德

对人的人生指导源泉，理查德·里德有着无法满足的好奇心，这一点让他变得被人熟知，因为他向所有人寻求建议。

在这本书里，里德把多年来他获得的最佳建议收集在了一起。这些建议来自名人、运动员、政界人士以及企业家（包括布兰森）。

布兰森解释说：“这些人各式各样，都很有趣，他们都把重点放在真切的经验教训上。我喜欢时不时读上一章，以便获取灵感。”

图片来源：amazon.com

7. "Winners" by Alastair Campbell

Journalist and political aide Alastair Campbell takes an exhaustive look at the ingredients that make up a success story in "Winners: And How They Succeed."

Some of the wealthiest and high-achieving people all rely on similar patterns of behavior to get the most out of their days, whether it's waking up and exercising at certain times of the day or finding time to check email.

Like Reed's book, Branson says he reads a few chapters at a time to remind himself how far he's come and where he still has room to grow.

7. 《赢家》作者：阿拉斯泰尔·坎贝尔

记者兼政治助理的阿拉斯泰尔·坎贝尔在这本书里全面探讨了构成成功故事的要素。

为在日常生活中实现最大收益，一些最富有、取得很高成就的人都依赖类似的行为模式，无论是醒来的时间还是锻炼身体的时间，或是抽空来查看邮件。

就像里德的《如果我只能告诉你一件事》一样，布兰森说他会时不时地拿起《赢家》来读上几章，目的是提醒自己已经走出去了多远，以及在哪些方面还有成长空间。

图片来源：amazon.com

8. 'Start With Why' by Simon Sinek

Sinek is a leadership expert who believes companies can't run effectively unless they approach their business with a specific purpose — or a reason for existing.

"Start With Why" describes a diagram of three concentric circles. The outermost ring he calls "What," the second "How," and the innermost ring "Why." The closer each circle is to the center, the more integral it is to business.

Too many companies focus on what they produce, not what they produce it, Sinek claims. Only by having a rock-solid reason for being in operation can companies connect with their customers.

8. 《从为什么开始》作者：西蒙·斯涅克

斯涅克是一位领导力专家，他相信只有带着具体目标，或者找到存在的原因后，人们才能有效地经营自己的公司。

《从为什么开始》画出了三个同心圆。斯涅克把最外边的圆叫做“什么”，把中间的叫做“怎么做”，最里面的叫做“为什么”。对企业来说,越靠里的圆圈越不可或缺。

斯涅克认为，太多的公司都专注于自己制造“什么”，而不是自己“为什么”。要制造这样的产品。只有为自己的经营活动找到一个坚实的理由，公司才能跟客户联系在一起。（财富中文网）