Books Recommended by Jocko Willink
Scars and Stripes
An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself
Tim Kennedy
Source: "[The author] is a Green Beret, Sniper, UFC Fighter, movie/TV star, entrepreneur, and all-around great human being." - Jocko Willink
Blood Meridian
Or the Evening Redness in the West
Cormac McCarthy
Source: "Was able to show the darkness in humanity and there’s nothing pleasant in any way, shape or form." - Jocko Willink
About Face
The Odyssey of an American Warrior
Colonel David H. Hackworth
Source: "I had [this book] next to my bed in Ramadi. I literally read it every night. That’s how I'd fall asleep." - Jocko Willink
The Gulag Archipelago (3 books)
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Source: Jocko Willink covered this series in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 156
Ordinary Men
Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland
Christopher R. Browning
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 85
Panzram
A Journal of Murder
Thomas E. Gaddis
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 158
How to be Strong, Healthy and Happy
Bob Hoffman
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 27
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 78
Aniela GregorekBryan JohnsonChelsea HandlerChip ConleyDaniel PinkDave ElitchDavid BlaineDustin MoskovitzEmma WatsonEsther PerelEv WilliamsFedor HolzJimmy FallonJocko WillinkJordan PetersonLex FridmanMaria PopovaMichael GervaisNaval RavikantRyan HolidaySam AltmanSimon SinekTerry CrewsTony RobbinsTuria PittPewDiePieShane ParrishMark MansonPhil JacksonTom BilyeuMind Over Muscle
Writings from the Founder of Judo
Jigoro Kano
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 119
The Book of Five Rings
Miyamoto Musashi
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 80
Psychology For The Fighting Man
What You Should Know About Yourself And Others
Committee Of The National Research Counc
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 164
12 Rules for Life
An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan Peterson
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 98
Hard-Core
Life of My Own
Harley Flanagan
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 74
The Road
Cormac McCarthy
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 97
Serve to Lead
The British Army's Anthology on Leadership
Winston Churchill
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 81
Tools of Titans
The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers
Tim Ferriss
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 50
Musashi
An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era
Eiji Yoshikawa
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 100
I Said No!
A Kid-to-kid Guide to Keeping Private Parts Private
Kimberly King
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 70
Wooden Leg
A Warrior Who Fought Custer
Thomas B. Marquis
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 45
The Killing Zone
My Life in the Vietnam War
Frederick Downs Jr.
Source: Jocko Willink covered this book in "Jocko Podcast" Ep. 33
FAQ
Did Jocko Willink recommend all these books?
Not necessarily. This book list has Jocko Willink must-read recommendations, but it also has a mix of mentions and suggestions.
How do you know Jocko Willink mentioned these books?
Every suggestion made by Jocko Willink is validated by our editors. You can find the sources to the recommendations linked next to the books.
Did Jocko Willink actually create this list?
No. This reading list was curated by our editors based on confirmed mentions from Jocko Willink, the sources are made available under each recommendation.
34 books
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