The 19 best business books of 2017

woman reading book fountain outside

The holidays are the perfect time to catch up with some of the best business books of the year, or give one as a gift.

This year's highlights include Wall Street crime capers, a memoir about challenging gender discrimination in Silicon Valley, and an intimate look at a small American town that's been struggling since the Great Recession.

Take a look at our favorites this year and see what catches your interest.

'Black Edge' by Sheelah Kolhatkar

In 2014, the eighth employee of legendary investor Steve Cohen's hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors was convicted of insider trading. Cohen himself was not found guilty but was barred from managing outside capital until 2018.

"Black Edge" is the story of the Justice Department's investigation into SAC Capital, and New Yorker staff writer Sheelah Kolhatkar has made it as gripping as a thriller.

If you're a fan of "Billions," it's worth checking out this authoritative take on the true story that's often just as dramatic as fiction.

Find it here »

'Janesville' by Amy Goldstein

The 2016 US presidential election highlighted deep divides within the United States, and brought to the forefront the concerns of middle-class Americans whose jobs have disappeared due to increased globalization and the Great Recession.

Washington Post reporter Amy Goldstein embedded herself in a town particularly affected by these forces: Janesville, Wisconsin, which is also the hometown of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Through extensive interviews with all walks of life there, she explores why so many Americans have been struggling to make a living.

"Janesville" took the Financial Times and McKinsey's 2017 business book of the year award.

Find it here »

'Principles' by Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio is as well known for leading the largest hedge fund in the world, Bridgewater Associates, as he is for the highly unusual (and controversial) philosophy of "radical truth" and "radical transparency" that he's instilled into the firm.

Dalio told Business Insider earlier this year that since stepping back from a daily management role in March, he has focused on leaving a legacy of this philosophy, collected in this year's volume — focused on his personal life and management principles — and an upcoming second volume, about the economy.

In this book, you'll learn why Dalio has all of his 1,500 employees constantly rate each other's performance in meetings via an iPad app, and why all of these meetings are recorded and archived.