Ben Horowitz's Top Book Recommendations

Steve JobsIt's important that we make this transformation, because of what Clayton Christensen calls "the innovator's dilemma," where people who invent something are usually the last ones to see past it, and we certainly don't want to be left behind. (Source)

Jeff BezosBrad Stone's new book, The Everything Store, describes how Bezos developed this strategy after reading another book called The Innovator's Dilemma by Harvard professor Clayton Christensen. (Source)

Tim O'ReillyThe Innovator's Dilemma, by Clayton Christensen. An analysis of why great companies fail, because innovation often requires throwing out everything that has made you successful in the past. Disruptive technologies are often born on the fringes, in markets where worse is better. (Source)

Charles T. MungerIn my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time -- none, zero. You'd be amazed at how much Warren reads -- and at how much I read. My children laugh at me. They think I'm a book with a couple of legs sticking out. (Source)

Steve JobsThis book is about one super-important concept. You must learn about Strategic Inflection Points, because sooner or later you are going to live through one. (Source)

Ben HorowitzAndy Grove's Only the Paranoid Survive is a great book on strategy. (Source)

Sheryl SandbergProvides a great inside look at how the tech industry approaches building products and businesses. (Source)

Tim O'ReillyThe Lean Startup isn't just about how to create a more successful entrepreneurial business, it's about what we can learn from those businesses to improve virtually everything we do. I imagine Lean Startup principles applied to government programs, to healthcare, and to solving the world's great problems. It's ultimately an answer to the question 'How can we learn more quickly what works, and... (Source)

Jeffery ImmeltI make all our managers read The Lean Startup. (Source)

Mark Zuckerberg[Andy’s] book played a big role in shaping my management style. (Source)

Brian CheskyFor Chesky, a source may come in the form of a biography of a business hero such as Steve Jobs or Walt Disney. His primary book source on management technique is Andy Grove’s High Output Management. (Source)

Marc AndreessenIf you pick one person who built Silicon Valley, it was Andy. Andy exemplifies the best of Silicon Valley. (Source)

Elon MuskPeter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and Zero to One shows how.” - Elon Mus (Source)

Mark ZuckerbergThis book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to create value in the world. (Source)

Nassim Nicholas TalebWhen a risk taker writes a book, read it. In the case of Peter Thiel, read it twice. Or, to be safe, three times. This is a classic. (Source)

Ben HorowitzA management and cultural genius better than anybody that I’ve ever read about or learned from. (Source)

Christian WisskirchenThe book highlights the achievement of the Haitian nation to be the only ever slave revolution achieving independence by armed struggle. (Source)

Trevor PhillipsThis book is very complex because it does not make the rebellion’s leader, Toussaint L’Ouverture, into a sort of plaster saint. (Source)

Ben HorowitzFocus by Al Reis is a excellent on branding, naming, and marketing. (Source)

Dave ChildWell, let's start with the business one, as that's a bit easier. Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It by Al Ries is a few years old by now, but the advice hasn't changed. I suffer (for want of a better word) from something I call Shiny Thing Syndrome - I'm easily tempted by new features, or a new website, or some new technology, and while I absolutely think there's value in exploring... (Source)

Ben HorowitzMy Years at GM by Alfred Sloan was very interesting particularly on scale issues. (Source)

Bogdan IordacheIf you have to read just one business book to understand the global corporate world we live in today, I think this is it. And I think Bill Gates said this first. Alfred P. Sloan was the CEO of General Motors in its early beginnings, and he went through all the stages of the growth, going bust, growth and then consolidation of the beginning (when some companies were creating mechanical horses - no... (Source)

Ben HorowitzUnexpectedly the most interesting book on the topic of how you think about inclusion. (Source)

Daymond John[Daymond John said this is one of his most-recommended books.] (Source)

Lisa LingGenghis Khan was a great democratizer. His Mongol Empire conquered more territory in 25 years than the Romans did in 200. (Source)

Ben HorowitzA book about the dynamics of how large-scale, highly random systems behave. (Source)

Marc AndreessenSkin in the game as conflict of interest, or as attaching one's livelihood to one's speech? Who to listen to, and why. Ideal counterpart to Philip Tetlock's Expert Political Judgment. (Source)

Daniel KahnemanChanged my view of how the world works. (Source)

Ben HorowitzSwimming Across is a great book, but not in the same genre or a relevant compare with H.O.M. But good tip! (Source)

Ben HorowitzThe memoir of a man who went to prison for 19 years, then became an author and MIT fellow. (Source)

David CooganShaka Senghor grew up in the 80s and 90s. He was a young man when the crack epidemic took the country by storm. He grew up in Detroit and became a dealer pretty young. He was shot at and he shot at people and eventually killed somebody. (Source)

Ben HorowitzVery, very interesting on leadership. (Source)

Dan ChoiThis is Colin Powell’s autobiography. The idea that Colin Powell was the first African American to be appointed as Secretary of State, and the highest ranking military man in America makes him a symbol. Even more important than what he was doing – is the idea that an American person can come from any background and go on to achieve so much. That’s a testament to what being American is. (Source)

Gary VaynerchukMichael is a legend and I don't use that term lightly. Learning from his journey is something that every entrepreneur and executive should do. (Source)

Ben HorowitzIt is truly rare to read a book this honest from a living legend. The Hollywood superhero lets us peak behind his mask and understand his weaknesses and methods. (Source)

Ben HorowitzA thrilling biography that provides great insight into how Communism works in practice. (Source)

Ben HorowitzAn amazing entrepreneurial story covering everything from dice to fashion. (Source)