Books like Every Tool's a Hammer

A joyful, sawdust-covered love letter to the messy, obsessive, and deeply human act of making things. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Every Tool's a Hammer.

energetic
inspiring
joyful
curious

01
Keep Going
Austin Kleon
A warm, pragmatic pep talk for the burnt-out creator trying to find joy in the daily grind.
Shares:
- inspiring
- earnest
- encouraging
- conversational
02
Personality Isn't Permanent
Benjamin Hardy
An empowering psychological toolkit for shedding old labels and actively designing your future self.
Shares:
- earnest
- encouraging
03
Think Like a Rocket Scientist
Ozan Varol
An intellectually expansive toolkit that makes the impossible feel entirely within reach.
Shares:
- encouraging
04
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Eric Barker
A paradigm-shifting exploration of the psychological realities behind what actually drives achievement.
Shares:
- curious
05
The art of doing science and engineering
Richard Hamming and Bret Victor
Sit down with a legendary thinker for a masterclass in intellectual courage and the pursuit of greatness.
Shares:
- inspiring
- encouraging
06
Attitude Is Your Superpower
Eduardo Clemente
An energizing, pragmatic toolkit for transforming your professional trajectory through the sheer force of a calibrated mindset.
Shares:
- earnest
- encouraging
07
Wreck this journal
Keri Smith
A tactile, rule-breaking invitation to destroy your way into uninhibited creativity.
Shares:
- energetic
- encouraging
- the creative process
08
Mind Management, Not Time Management
David Kadavy
A liberating permission slip to stop fighting the clock and start working with your natural creative rhythms.
Shares:
- encouraging
- conversational
09
Chop Wood Carry Water
Joshua Medcalf
A grounding modern fable that strips away the noise of ambition to reveal the quiet power of daily, unglamorous practice.
Shares:
- earnest
- encouraging
10
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
Amy Morin
A compassionate but no-nonsense toolkit for shedding the mental habits that keep you stuck.
Shares:
- encouraging
11
Tools of Titans
Timothy Ferriss
A massive, buffet-style encyclopedia of life hacks and philosophies from the world's most relentless high achievers.
Shares:
- enthusiastic
- conversational
12
Liminal Thinking
Dave Gray
An introspective guide to dismantling old beliefs and unlocking personal transformation through cognitive flexibility.
Shares:
- earnest
- encouraging

Back to Every Tool's a Hammer