19 books by CEOs that will teach you how to run the world

Business books are notorious for being loaded with MBA lard, trotting out "key takeaways" like "take risks," "build a great team," and "don't be afraid to fail."

But the ones worth reading ditch the platitudes in favor of instructive anecdotes - which is why they so often come from execs who have lived through it.

From the memoir of a former gang member to an analysis of the most efficient hiring methods, here are the best leadership books from people who have led their companies to success.