Fables for Leaders

John Lubans (illustrated by Beatrice Coron)

BookBaby, 220 pp., $19.99

Quite different from conventional leadership books, Fables for Leaders doesn't draw its lessons from formal research studies or insights from a gregarious figurehead, it doesn't contain any acronyms or frameworks, and you won't find a step-by-step guide to earning your next promotion. Instead, this self-proclaimed "anti-textbook" is simply a collection of fables and commentary centered around the idea that people have spent thousands of years learning from stories, and that those stories still have lessons for today. Within each chapter are several fables that Lubans relates to specific ideas or situations in the modern workplace. Covering everything from office politics to budgeting and strategic planning, this book is original, practical, and worthy of a spot on any leader's shelf.

The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment Is Reshaping Africa

Irene Yuan Sun

Harvard Business Review Press, 224 pp., $30

For many regions of the world—Europe, North America, East Asia—rises in manufacturing have preceded new eras of economic prosperity. And according to Sun, Africa is set to become the next region to make the leap. She documents the flow of Chinese factories to African soil, arguing that these capitalistic institutions may do more for the continent's long-term prospects than humanitarian efforts or foreign aid ever have. Sweeping and provocative, this book will take you to Chinese-owned factories in four countries—Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, and Ethiopia—showing how they can fulfill a cycle of development that Africa has long awaited.