Books Recommended by Brian Armstrong
Eisenhower in War and Peace
Jean Edward Smith
Source: "Biography about the general who led the European allied forces in World War II (arguably, saving the free world) who later became president of the United States." - Brian Armstrong
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success
Jim Dethmer
Source: "Discusses a way of approaching work where you are curious, eager to learn, and open, instead of focusing on blame, criticism, and commitment to being right." - Brian Armstrong
High Output Management
Andrew S. Grove
Source: "Surprisingly, I found I was already using many of the management ideas in this book (1:1, OKRs, etc) which is a testament to just how influential this book is." - Brian Armstrong
Turn the Ship Around!
A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders
L. David Marquet
Source: "About enabling leaders in your organization written by the former U.S. Navy Captain of a nuclear submarine." - Brian Armstrong
The Economics of Microfinance
Beatriz Armendáriz
Source: "Much of this book was too dense, but it describes what works (and doesn’t work) when giving small loans to people in developing countries." - Brian Armstrong
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
Source: "Celebrate the creators in the world (even when they struggle). They may be more valuable than we think." - Brian Armstrong
The New One Minute Manager
Ken Blanchard
Source: "It was entertaining and easy to read, but I’m struggling to recall many of the lessons from it, which says something." - Brian Armstrong
Becoming Steve Jobs
The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader
Brent Schlender
Source: "A biography of the famous Apple CEO. I read the Walter Isaacson biography last year, but found this one slightly better." - Brian Armstrong
The Female Brain
Louann Brizendine
Source: "Was recommended to me by a female executive who suggested all male CEOs read it. It was quite good." - Brian Armstrong
High Growth Handbook
Elad Gil
Source: "[The author]'s advice has been key for Coinbase as we go through hypergrowth, from hiring executives to improving M&A." - Brian Armstrong
The Alliance
Managing Talent in the Networked Age
Reid Hoffman
Source: "I found the central concept to be pretty helpful, and it changed how we approach a few things at Coinbase." - Brian Armstrong
The Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins
Source: "Famous book about how our bodies are vehicles to replicate our genes (even though we occasionally defy them)." - Brian Armstrong
The Singularity Is Near
When Humans Transcend Biology
Ray Kurzweil
Source: "Many major problems, like education and disease, will be totally transformed by this in our lifetimes." - Brian Armstrong
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
Adele Faber
Source: "Really about how to communicate with all people. I found this book quite helpful and it changed how I communicate." - Brian Armstrong
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
Violate Them at Your Own Risk
Al Ries
Source: "Most brands try to do and be too much, but the customer can only remember you for one thing." - Brian Armstrong
The Psychology of Achievement
Brian Tracy
Source: "You can create any life you want, and are not at the effect of your circumstances." - Brian Armstrong
Don't Make Me Think
A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Steve Krug
Source: "A framework to simulate how customers experience your product, especially the moments of confusion." - Brian Armstrong
The Dip
A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
Seth Godin
Source: "Made me move to Silicon Valley and double down on being a tech entrepreneur." - Brian Armstrong
The Sovereign Individual
Mastering the Transition to the Information Age
James Dale Davidson
Source: "Was really ahead of it's time, a lot of original thinking (some really out there stuff too)." - Brian Armstrong
Good to Great
Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't
Jim Collins
Source: "The scientific method can be applied to business. This book draws powerful lessons from data." - Brian Armstrong
FAQ
Did Brian Armstrong recommend all these books?
Not necessarily. This book list has Brian Armstrong must-read recommendations, but it also has a mix of mentions and suggestions.
How do you know Brian Armstrong mentioned these books?
Every suggestion made by Brian Armstrong is validated by our editors. You can find the sources to the recommendations linked next to the books.
Did Brian Armstrong actually create this list?
No. This reading list was curated by our editors based on confirmed mentions from Brian Armstrong, the sources are made available under each recommendation.
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