Swapnil Agarwal Lists Favorite Books

When it comes to the vast world of literature, from fiction to nonfiction, books are a great means of inciting a level of imagination and exposure to new ways of thinking, strengthening each generation with the language of the past.

With each book or novel one reads, one experiences a real gateway into creativity, influencing our character as we move forward in the world. For Nitya Capital founder Swapnil Agarwal, books have always been a major driving force in life, shaping and nurturing him every step of the way. 

It was through Swapnil’s love of literature that allowed for him to shed light on some of his favorites, recommending them to anyone with a keen interest in taking their love for reading to the next level. While Swapnil primarily enjoys biographies and motivational success stories, his diverse sense of taste is constantly growing with the variety of excellent titles he comes across. Below, you’ll find some of the books that directly influenced the person Swapnil Agarwal has become today.

• The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Swapnil recalls the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel as being one of the first books he distinctly remembers within his high school years. The novel’s complex portrait of Puritan society, as well as its sharp examination of rigid societal conservatism, was Swapnil’s first major experience in dissecting classic literature.

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This widely-translated international bestseller features a unique story with an expressed theme of pursuing one’s dreams and following one’s heart. This message would ultimately become highly influential to Swapnil and would shape his motivational perspectives for his future in business. As an Indian-born entrepreneur, Swapnil embraced the novel’s message about achieving one’s passions, strengthening his convictions in achieving his dreams within the American climate.

• Whatever It Takes by Stephen A. Schwarzman. Stephen A. Schwarzman is the CEO of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms. His series of books are all especially relevant to the work that Nitya Capital does with its strong focus on real estate investing. Whatever It Takes in particular made for a critical read to Swapnil as it influenced how he approaches business within the investing world. 

• Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. This book is one of Swapnil’s most recent favorites. It features a series of stories and lessons learned by famous actor Matthew McConaughey. As both a lover of cinema as well as a fan of the actor, Swapnil likens the book to something similar to poetry, enjoying its witty sense of wisdom and commentary.

• The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma. This self-help book acts as a business fable with an inspirational message, acting as a motivational means of looking beyond the little picture to see what’s truly important. Swapnil found the book’s themes of reaching one’s destiny highly enlivening as a business owner, driving him to find success while envisioning the things that really matter.
• The Last Gambit by Om Swami. This amazing book chronicles a coming of age story in a uniquely Indian context, touting the message that success by design is infinitely better than a win by chance. For Swapnil, this book hits home for its approach to hard work and perseverance, motivating him to reach for success in all that he does.

Swapnil has read a great deal of books in his lifetime and intends on enjoying countless more for years to come. While these listed six books are some of the more important titles that featured in his life, Swapnil is bolstered with the knowledge that a world full of excellent books exists, just waiting to be discovered by readers with open minds and hearts.