My 20 Book Recommendations
Not limited to finance
I get asked about book recommendations often, so here is a list of 20 books I’ve enjoyed reading.
One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch - One of the books I recommend to everyone who wants to be an active investor is this one. Peter Lynch has had huge success as the manager of the Magellan Fund at Fidelity Investments, and this book is incredibly easy to read and contains many real-life examples. It gives insights into his investment approach, and how anyone can make great investment decisions by investing in what they know. It’s one of the books that’s filled with plenty of advice on how to be a great investor.
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham - It is widely regarded as the guide to value investing and it has stood the test of time. It introduces a lot of topics, from the margin of safety and the concept of Mr. Market to the importance of discipline and psychology and treating stocks as ownership of a business. If you’ve listened to Buffett’s speeches, a lot of core ideas are coming from this book.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz - This is an outstanding book covering a wide range of examples in business and leadership. It is one of the few books I’ve read in a day.
Shoe Dog: A memoir by the creator of Nike by Phil Knight - If you are looking for a book that gives insights into what is going on behind the scenes of a successful company, and how rough the path to success is, look no further. The storytelling and level of detail shared are rarely seen and for anyone who likes to learn about business cases, this is a must-read.
The Airbnb Story: How Three Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions of Dollars … and Plenty of Enemies by Leigh Gallagher - If you enjoy stories about how companies start, then you’ll love this one. It goes all the way when Airbnb was nothing more than an idea, all the way to its success. It shows all the struggles it had along the way and the persistence of those who are behind the company.
Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation by Blake J. Harris - If you’re looking for a David-and-Goliath story in the world of business, this is it. A scrappy gaming company led by a team of rebels took on the giant Nintendo to revolutionize the video game industry. The author conducted over two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees to write this masterpiece.
The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story by Michael Lewis - Michael Lewis is a great author, and this book is all about the visionary entrepreneur Jim Clark who founded multiple companies in different industries. It is a good blend of history and the Silicon Valley culture.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel, Blake Masters - Peter Thiel is a legend in the world of entrepreneurship and investing. This book argues that the winners of tomorrow will not be those who are trying to win the categories of today, but those who create new battlefields. One of his famous quotes is, 'Competition is for losers.'.
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner - If you are looking for a relaxing read, yet, want to learn something fun, this would be a great book. There are a lot of questions that are being answered from an economic point of view, such as why drug dealers still live with their moms.
The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford - If you enjoyed the book above, then this one is in the same genre. It exposes the economic principles while discussing events that we encounter daily.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell - Another book that is easy to read and should be part of a high school reading list. It is filled with examples that help the reader understand that success depends on many factors, many of which are beyond our control.
How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff - This book provides examples of how one could use statistics (including graphs and visuals) to lie. Of course, the goal of the book isn’t to teach one to lie but to be aware of these methods, so as not to fall victim. There are a lot of examples, ranging from how graphs can be distorted by changing scales or exaggerating differences to create a false impression, to biased sampling and correlation vs. causation.
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success In A Distracted World by Cal Newport - I am a huge fan of deep, focused work and I think it is a superpower. Cal Newport argues it is one of the most valuable skills in our economy, that is also becoming increasingly rare. I do believe that anyone who masters deep work will have success in life.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg - This book is filled with a wide range of examples. From Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to Starbucks’ former CEO, Howard Schultz, all the way to companies like Procter & Gamble and NLF locker rooms, you’ll learn more about the power of habits.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Good Ones by James Clear - This has been a best-selling book, and for a reason. Not only does it provide a lot of information about the power of habits, but also comes with a framework and practical guidance on how one can change the habits. It is also a book that I’ll argue should be read in high school.
Animal Farm by George Orwell - Without doubt a classic that I think everyone should read when in high school. It has nothing to do with investing, but a lot to do with life. Despite being written back in 1945, I find this to be one of those books that will remain relevant forever. I consider George Orwell one of the best writers that has ever lived.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - If you liked Animal Farm, you’ll like this one too. A dystopian novel, written back in 1951, in which books are outlawed and the job of the fireman is to burn any that are found. It is a great tale about the dangers of censorship.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - I never spent much time reading classics, but this novella with about 100 pages blew my mind. It is a poetic story about the strength determination and courage of an old fisherman. This is Hemingway’s last fictional work during his lifetime and he does a great job bringing a wide range of emotions to the reader.
Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson - Walter could be the greatest biography writer out there. His books provide incredible detail and allow you to really understand the journey one has been through. From how Elon was regularly beaten by bullies as a kid in South Africa and spent a week in hospital, to the emotional scars inflicted by his father, his book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys biographies.
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson - I’ve heard a lot of stories in the past about the style of Steve Jobs, but after reading the book, it becomes clear how different he was. His passion for perfection and love for design, combined with his vision for the future is what makes him one of the most influential investors of our time.
Reading is one of the best investments you can make in yourself. Knowledge has never been more accessible, and like any great investment, it compounds over time.
What are your book recommendations?
This list is really helpful. Most of these are good recommendations, I can't wait to get a hold of atleast one book. Great list!