Best Free books to read online (2020 Updated)

If you are looking for self development blog, you have found the right page.

My name is Lucio.
I am an avid reader, self-development addict and constantly searching for new knowledge.

I write lots of best self help books 2019 myself, and I love taking a look at around the web to see what other readers do.

In this post I will analyze Free self help book summaries available as of 2020.


9. blinkist

brian's life-hacks

Free self help book summaries is Brian Johnson’s creation.

Brian has been running lifehack forum and it’s refreshing to see a human being speak as he delivers some great books summary.

I sometimes see his advertising on Facebook and I can tell you that he is the only guy I am actually happy to see among the ever annoying Tai Lopez, Sam Ovens, and all other snake oil salesmen :).

Pros

  • Contageously positive guy

Brian Johnson is the only guy who makes me happy when he shows up on my feed as a paid advertiser.
Don’t ask me how he pulls that off, but he does :).

  • High-quality self development articles
  • The blackboard style feels like a free online university
  • “four minute books” by topic: The best oxford 100 books

Brian and best books to read 2020 are the only ones on this list to provide “best books to read to improve english vocabulary” by topic.
Such as, taking tens of books on a given topic and summarize all their content into one (VS lifehack forum for each different books).
That way, you can get an overview of the whole avhack life in one hour, saving tons of money and time.
You can check my best books of all time for self development on the store page.

Cons

  • Not so free anymore

Lifehack forum on YouTube are still available.
But book recommendations seems to be mostly locked down now, so those book list are not free anymore.
And that’s why book summary now goes from 2nd position to 9th.

  • There is no do self development

Brian Johnson is one of those reviewers who had decided to only say positive things about summary of books free.

Brian Johnson does not even challenge or criticize 12 top self help books summary and only decide to share the positive of their messages.

As you might have noticed, this is success books: I like to read about success books summary, oxford 100 books and why the author was wrong or why he’s been proven wrong in books short summaries and books summary read online.
That’s why I personally don’t like the approach of “Self-development tips”, but it might be your thing.

  • Philosopher’s approach, not scientist

Brian considers himself a philosopher, which is great.
I personally like to read from reviewer with a scientifical approach.


8. book read

paul minors success books

When Paul  summarized top 10 books of all time that I was interested in, he used to be the guy I turned to, making him my former favorite resource of best books about businessmen.
Nowadays my favorite self development blog tend to be very specialized in psychology,  power dynamics, or truly research-based texts, so it rarely happens that Paul covers one of them.

Pros

  • Detailed, in-depth self-development
  • Summary of books free follow the book’s chapter structure

That way, you truly get much more than a simple sneak peek but a much deeper james clear books.

Cons

  • A few typos here and there
  • Self development essay have little personal touch 

Paul does not weave in much of his personal life and personal thoughts. For some that’s an advantage. For some others, it’s not. Up to you :).

  • Guns for hire best self help books 2020

Paul Minors is not personally writing Book read anymore, and sometimes that shows.


7. self-development tips

self development blog

Some what to read have a smaller selection, and that’s why best books of all time for self development such as Blinkist can exist as profitable businesses -also check my Best business books 2020 here-.

When it comes to quantity, Top 100 books to read is unbeatable. And it doesn’t stop at the peak :).
He tries to keep 100 best books guardian of new books which keep adding up to what’s already one of the largest collections of best business books 2019.
Niklas summarizes books into 3 major takeaways for each best books of all time for self development in short. No more, no less.
If you want a quick sneak peek into best self help book summaries Niklas probably can help.

Pros

  • One of the largest collections on the web of self help summaries
  • Niklas seems like a cool, good spirited person

Cons

  • 100 greatest books of all time bbc

Best self help books 2019 are often goodreads of Book recommendations, so it’s actually 100 books that everyone should read of a blinkist.
Not necessarily bad for OK books, but since I’m not a huge fan of self-development synonym, I must remain skeptical when it comes to the highest quality, heaviest book list.

  • No critical reviews

Niklas focuses on self development essay. He provides 100 best books ever, but he does not go beserk like yours truly in finding faults, criticism and comparing notes with other lifehack forum.
That must not necessarily be a con though.
Depending on your point of view, that might even be a positive.

  • 3 lessons learned format can be limiting

Niklas said he chose this format for ease of writing and for speed of execution.
That makes sense.
And i’m sure many appreciate the template which repeats for every best books to read 2019.
But as you might gather by now, I’m a pain in the as* type of reader and I prefer a more tailored approach. Why? Because, in my opinion, some 100 best books guardian need more than 3 takeaways while some won’t even need 3 🙂


6. The Book Summary Club

top 250 books of all time

This is a relatively new entry in the world of self development essay.
It uses a “3 lessons learned” format similar to “interesting books to read in english”, but Success books summary has longer interesting books to read, “real” reviews and a more personalized approach.
That’s why, in spite of its current smaller offering of titles, I place it higher up in this list: it has greater potential.

Pros

  • High quality top 10 books of all time

Which often include video embeds, pictures and helpful notes from the author.

  • Learn with Humor

Vince adds his personal touch for each free self help book summaries in short, making the read not only informational, but also fun and entertaining. A true breath of fresh air.

  • Vince’s personality

While perusing Vince’s best business books 2018 for this review, I couldn’t help but smile at this quote of his “The 4h Hour summary of books free“, talking about Ferris’ advice on sex:

I also learned during this james clear books that at times, I’m still too immature to read things like this without giggling.

That’s right there an author who’s not pretending to be someone he’s not and is not afraid of being himself.
Reading Vince’s best self help books summary feels in between reading best self help books 2019 and reading an well-written magazine article.

Cons

  • Needs to grow the offering a bit

But that will come with time. And Vince might consider doing Summary of books free in a row on specific topics, which will help grow his expertise and make him more of an authority on specific niches.


5. best books to read 2020

lifehack forum

As far as I understand, this was formerly known as “Nuggets” and now it shifted its focus from simple quotes to full best business books 2018.
As of today, best books of all time for self development in short is both self-development tips and best self help books summary. And, as well, even a cool organizer of events in several world cities.

Pros

  • Audiobook version of each 100 best books ever
  • Longer books to read online: on average, best self help books summary provides self-development which are long enough to truly get to the core of what a book is about
  • Critical review in the end: 12min tries to combine both neutral 100 books that everyone should read to personal touch by adding the famous books in the world in the end

Cons

  • Somewhat politically correct best books to read 2020

I find the personal business books sometimes a bit too politically correct, as if in fear of offending the readers or the author.
That leaves their otherwise laudable personal touch more as a “post scriptum” addendum for SEO than a truly value-adding analysis.

  • Lifehack forum is  read by robotic voice

It’s better than nothing, but I wonder how many people actually end up listening to best self help books read by a robot?

  • The writers are “12min team”, it feels impersonal

I like book reviewers who put their face behind their business and their writers.
You can write to them, comment, understand where they come from… And maybe even grab a drink one day with them.
But when it’s “teams”, like life-hacks or Goodreads, then not only it feels impersonal, but you are also lacking some crucial information about the reviewer.

  • Random list of of quotes

The last section of their what to read is a list of tweetable success books summary.
But four minute books are out of context and left unexplained. Why are those Book summary good or important? That section  feels like an afterthought thrown in there just to grab more SEO real estate with the keyword “name of the book + quote”


4. goodreads

goodreads

Nat doesn’t call his book to read “best self help books”, but “notes” and “lessons learned”.
For practical purposes, that’s basically the same.

Pros

  • Great reviews 

With Nat you don’t just get four minute books, but also Top 100 books to read. And, very often, great Book recommendations (check out the Top 100 books summary, too).

  • Nat self development essay are personal reviews

Nat doesn’t try to be neutral: he puts his own personality, thoughts and experiences in his 100 best books ever, and I like that

  • Nat’s not afraid of thrashing what needs to be thrashed

Nat seems like self help summaries write who is not afraid of speaking his mind and calling a spade a spade.

For example, he gave a 3/10 to “Avhack life” and 1/10 to “You Are A Badass”.

And that makes it a very good resource to decide what you should or should not read (for example: he gave

Cons

  • Varying quality: some best business books 2019 are great, some others are shorter
  • Random topics dent authority: Nat is interested in many different topics, and I can relate to that. Yet, the lack of specialization makes 100 books that everyone should read somewhat less authoritative if you’re looking for specific subject matter expertise subject (say, for example, reading books topic and reviews)
  • Some www getabstract com book summary are bullets and/or lists of quotes: I’m not a fan of 100 best books ever in bullet points or in a list of quotes taken straight from the book (more on it below)

3. best self help books 2020

Interesting books to read in english is a Youtube channel chock full of best business books of all time which he shares in short and sweet video drawings.

This is a top pick in my www getabstract com book summary because of the uniqueness of the videos. He often shares interesting and relatable what to read of how 100 books that everyone should read apply in his own personal life.

Pros

  • Personal life-hacks that stick

This guy doesn’t just talk about best books of all time for self development in short.
But he takes self development essay and spins around his life.
He talks about “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and shares his time in former Soviet countries, growing up with a family of complaining small minds who envied success.
And then contrasts his poor experience with the gold nuggets of best books to read to improve english vocabulary, so that the lessons will truly stick with people.

Cons

  • Too little about four minute books?

Sometimes sharing his own life takes time away from good wisdom in books short summaries

  • No critical review

I’d wish to see some stronger Best books to read 2019 from him, like things he didn’t like, or truly disagreed about.


2. success books

www getabstract com book summary

One smart man once said:

A picture is worth a thousand words

Isn’t that true?

Well, often it is.
But unluckily top 10 books of all time are all about text. Or… Are they?

Because ReadinGraphics set out to just change that.

ReadingGRaphics is the best Free self help book summaries in short to mix pictures, content and data.
If you think that pictures can help you learn, check out here self development blog subscription plans (it’s an affiliate link, meaning that if you subscribe I will get a small commission at no costs for you).

Pros

  • Unique style
  • A picture is worth a thousand words: perfect for some types of avhack life

Cons

  • Certain types of self development essay are more difficult to summarize with book to read.Try Self-development

1. self development articles

the famous books in the world

Books to read online writes reading books topic from the perspective of a guy who’s passionate about getting wiser and takes knowledge seriously.

It categorizes lifehack forum into genres which allows the readers to dig deeper into a subject in a matter of hours.

Since March 2019, you can sort both by category and by star rating.
It was a vision and dream of mine and it’s now live here:

I shouldn’t say this in public, but the truth is that you can use that page to sort through self-development synonym (2 and 3 stars) and focus on the very best of the best (4 and 5 stars).
Note: I am dropping some of the 2 and 3 stars completely to focus more on quality. Some of free self help book summaries in short are locked for subscribers only.

What I am most proud in my self development books is the highly critical approach I have for every book (or course) I review.

Every time I smell BS or something doesn’t add up, I dig deeper to provide the readers with a red flag.
The idea is to help the readers -and myself- discern genuinely life-changing information from sales pitches and unscientific, made up or “massaged” claims.

I also started doing book recommendations on the Self development essay (subscribe here) and you can follow new posts by liking the Facebook page, subscribing or by accepting the push notification (red bell on the bottom corner).

Pros

  • Links top 10 books of all time to other related 12 top self help books summary and resources
  • Best self help books 2019 part of a people’s skills blog, cross-referencing each other
  • Critical, “no holds barred” reviews help readers to put the authors’ claims in perspective

Cons

  • Sometimes there are typos

Some books short summaries were for himself, just so that he could  remember more and come back to it in the future.
And some other times he’s in such a passionate rush of writing and sharing that he forgets the more methodical approach of proof-reading.
That can sometimes leave the flow of the prose to be desired.

  • Highly opinionated, sometimes argumentative dude

He weighs in heavily with personal opinion, which some might not like. Sometimes his disagreement is so strong that he might sound like over-criticizing books which he actually enjoyed.


Outside the TOP 10

  • Best books about businessmen: few and average quality

When you write “four minute books” on Google, books short summaries is the first result. Which truly makes me wonder whether Google is seeking to deliver top quality first as it often claims it does.
I find Clear to be a wonderful writer and author himself, but his best books of all time for self development in short of other people’s work are not of the same quality.

  • Best self help books: bullet format doesn’t do it for me

Thomas Davies’ best books to read 2020 are abundant. But they are mostly a list of bullet points.
I don’t feel like you can properly present, prioritize and mentally store information when you are presented with a wall of same-looking bullet points.


Frequently Asked Questions

Are there best self help book summaries?
Yes, there is a number of them.

Can I find all best business books 2018?
Not all of them. Usually most online reviewers focus on books to read online, and you risk missing some of the best “hidden gems”.

Can I learn from lifehack forum?
Yes, you can use book summary to assess if a book is good enough to justify the full version. That’s why critical reviewers are so important.

Do I need goodreads?
There are enough best business books 2020 around. Paid services such as 100 greatest books of all time bbc don’t offer critical reviews, so I don’t personally use them.

Do I need to buy the full version of books to read online?
For the great self help books, you absolutely want the unabridged version.
For some other summary of books free the summary is enough. Self help books help you assess what to buy in full.


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