It’s really hard to answer this question because I read a few dozen books each year and always jump between different styles (“classics,” sci-fi/fantasy, thriller, mystery, etc.). But my top recommendation based on Quality / Fame (i.e., something very good that few people know about) would be the Divine Cities trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett (if you like fantasy / speculative fiction).

Thanks
What are the best book(s) you’ve ever read? What books would you recommend? Lately I want to read some good ole fashioned non-fiction or fiction that has nothing to do with IB. Business, fiction, psychology…

Thanks. I don’t really have a list of books because, honestly, you can find better information about IB online. There are some decent technical books on accounting/finance/related topics, but anything careers-related in book form tends to be dull or generic or outdated.

Glad to hear it!

Makes sense, thanks for the reply. Following up as I received and read the book – thanks for the recommendation, really appreciated his style and some key anecdotes.
Good to hear the business is still going well and (at least partly) decorrelated from the comments.
Best for your next adventures Brian.

If you already have our courses, I recommend leaving comments on BIWS or sending them in via email because you will receive faster responses that way (I check the comments here maybe once every 1-2 weeks, and it is just me instead of multiple people). I occasionally use macros for certain operations, but did not use any in this example. I am extremely fast at typing Ctrl + C and Alt, E, S, F or T to copy/paste formulas or text.

All you can really do to get better is to practice repeatedly with different examples. If you’ve already done a lot of examples but still can’t finish them quickly, then you might need more practice with the fundamentals first, such as completing basic 3-statement models before adding the extra components needed for an LBO.

Had a quick question about your next article (1 Hour LBO), but wouldn’t let me post a comment there.

I was wondering, what are your top 5 favorite shortcuts/tips/tricks to speed up financial modeling?

I have your BIWS guides, and it seems like you use some sort of macro or command to paste formulas and format extremely quickly (the paste special box comes up, selects, and leaves very quickly). Is there a macro you’re using for these? Or do you just type alt e s t very quickly?

Besides that, woudl appreciate any other tips for finishign LBOs very quickly! (besides practice!)

Thanks for your support. I am fine. Regarding comments, yes, there are fewer comments than in previous years, but I also spend less time on this site now and don’t pay much attention to the comment count. This is a business, and there isn’t much correlation between sales and comments (or even traffic). I also don’t expect most people to read forever, as this site is mostly relevant for students and entry-level professionals. I hope to continue this site in some form indefinitely, but I will probably write less personally. It has been 15 years, and there’s only so much I, or anyone, can say about this topic after that much time.