We typically begin these Q&A posts with a version of the publisher's book description, which we will do shortly. But first, there are two key points we feel compelled to make about Todd Sattersten:

1. As the publisher at Bard Press, Todd is both the author and publisher of 100 Best Books for Work and Life.
2. Porchlight would not be the company it is today without Todd.

On that second point: Before Todd left Wisconsin for new challenges and opportunities on the West Coast, he was an essential leader in our company during one of its most critical inflection points. There is a lot that we still do today that started with him—including, but not limited to, our annual business book awards and taking the baton of ChangeThis from Seth Godin when he was ready to hand the project off to a new caretaker. We have continued doing both for nearly twenty years now. Todd's influence was and is, of course, also personal. As a man of many ideas, the conversations and meetings we had with him during his time here left a lasting impact on us as individuals. With a keen interest in and eye for talent, he aimed to place each of us in positions where we could thrive personally, knowing that this would ultimately benefit the organization as well. That is undoubtedly a part of the reason why eight of the people Todd names in the book's Acknowledgements are still working here at Porchlight almost two decades later. That Todd is himself no longer with us is a loss for us and a gain for you—a great boon for readers and other businesses as he continues to write and publish great books that will make business better.

So, with all that said and without further ado, let's get to Todd's new book, 100 Best Books for Work and Life, published this week by Todd and Bard Press. Huzzah!

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You already know that books are a valuable resource for learning new skills and gaining better insights in all aspects of your life. The challenge is sorting through the thousands of titles published each year and knowing if a particular book will help you.

100 Best Books for Work and Life is the solution to that problem.

The selections in 100 Best Books were chosen by twenty-year publishing veteran Todd Sattersten to help you with both personal and professional pursuits. The twenty-five chapters in 100 Best Books are organized by topic to make it easy to find the books that can help you right now. And each review provides a comprehensive summary with valuable background information for how its teachings can help in all parts of your life.

100 Best Books for Work and Life will help you cut through the clutter and discover the books that are worth your time and will enrich your life.

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Porchlight Book Company: Writing a book is no small undertaking. What compelled you to write this one?

Todd Sattersten: I wrote another similar book several years ago with Jack Covert, the founder of Porchlight Books, and I felt it was time to return to that work. I felt like there was many great books that have been published since The 100 Best Business Books of All Time and that expanding beyond business books could help a larger number of people.

PBC: Writing (and reading) always prompts as many new questions as it offers answers to the ones you came to it with. What is one unanswered question you encountered as you wrote the book that you are most interested in answering now?

TS: I think the world of business books and self-help books have been a collision course for many years. It is getting very hard to tell them apart now. I am wondering what kinds of books do professionals need to do their best work in 2025.

PBC: If there is only one thing a reader takes away from reading this book, what would you hope it to be?

TS:There is no limit to how better you can get. The research of Carol Dweck and Anders Ericsson make this point undeniable true. First, we have to believe that better is possible. Second, we have to engage in the consistent and deliberate effort to keep getting better.

PBC: One of the great things about books is that they tend to lead readers to other books. What book[s] related to this topic would you recommend people read after (or perhaps even before) reading your book?

TS: After recommending 100 books, I don’t know how many more I can recommend! For the professional-minded, I could recommend HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials, which is a collection of Harvard Business Review’s best articles of all time. For book lovers, I might recommend James Mustich’s incredible 948 page book 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die.

PBC: What is your personal favorite book? [It can be on any topic, fiction or nonfiction.]

TS: The Project 50 by Tom Peters. Project50 looks at the core unit of work in most organizations—the project. Like all of Tom’s books, he conveys deep honesty and optimism for what is possible in the world of business. “On time. On budget. Who cares?”, projects should stir souls. He says we should learn more about the great projects (see Apollo 13 as an all-time favorite project movie). Even the smallest project can impress and have impact.

PBC: What are you reading now?

TS: I am reading Returning to Silence by Zen teacher Dainin Katagiri and Shopkeeping by Seattle bookstore owner Peter Miller.

PBC: Do you have any future projects in the works that we can look forward to?

TS: Well, there is a hint at the end of 100 Best Books, but more generally, I want to keep writing to direct readers to more great books and ideas.

Ready to start the book right away? Todd has shared a generous portion of the book with us here.

About the Author

Todd Sattersten is the Publisher at Bard Press, which specializes in business and personal development books and focuses their efforts on publishing one book a year. His work has been featured in Fortune, Business Week, Harvard Business Review, and NPR. Todd lives in Portland, Oregon.