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Steve Jobs Recommended Books
Steve Jobs has recommended 31 books. Browse the complete reading list with quotes and sources below.
Steve Jobs was an American business magnate, industrial designer, investor, and media proprietor.
(Read more on Wikipedia)31 Books Recommended
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Be Here Now
by Ram Dass
"[This book] was profound. It transformed me and many of my friends." - Steve Jobs (Source)
Also recommended by
2 people
Jack Kornfield recommended this bookJack Kornfield
"Changed countless lives." - Jack Kornfield
Jack Kornfield's recommendation of this book 
Travis Brewer recommended this bookTravis Brewer
One of Travis Brewer's answers to "what is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift?"
Travis Brewer's recommendation of this book
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
by Thomas S. Kuhn
Michael S. Malone said the first time he sat down with Steve Jobs, Steve immediately asked him if he had read this book. Michael thinks Steve was assimilating into this personality, this notion that he found in this book. (Source)
Also recommended by
5 people
Mark Zuckerberg recommended this bookMark Zuckerberg
"Explores the question of whether science and technology make consistent forward progress or whether progress comes in bursts related to other social forces." - Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg's recommendation of this book 
Paul Graham recommended this bookPaul Graham
Paul Graham mentioned re-reading this book on Twitter.
Paul Graham's recommendation of this book 
Stanislav Grof recommended this bookStanislav Grof
"A fantastic book." - Stanislav Grof
Stanislav Grof's recommendation of this book 
David Deutsch recommended this bookDavid Deutsch
David Deutsch recommended this book in his book "The Fabric of Reality."
David Deutsch's recommendation of this book 
Brad Delong recommended this bookBrad Delong
Brad Delong recommended this book in his website.
Brad Delong's recommendation of this book
The Innovator's Dilemma
When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail
by Clayton M. Christensen
Walter Isaacson said Steve Jobs was deeply influenced by this book. (Source)
Also recommended by
17 people
Jeff Bezos recommended this bookJeff Bezos
Part of "Jeff's Reading List."
Jeff Bezos's recommendation of this book 
Mark Cuban recommended this bookMark Cuban
Mark Cuban's answer to "what's a book you always recommend?"
Mark Cuban's recommendation of this book 
Marc Benioff recommended this bookMarc Benioff
"We often referenced [this book. A] thought-provoking [book] that validated our crusade." - Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff's recommendation of this book 
Ben Horowitz recommended this bookBen Horowitz
"A great book on strategy." - Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz's recommendation of this book 
Drew Houston recommended this bookDrew Houston
"About how businesses get disrupted, and a lot of those themes are why startups can succeed and thrive even when there are big competitors who you would think would just wipe ’em out." - Drew Houston
Drew Houston's recommendation of this book 
Aaron Levie recommended this bookAaron Levie
"[One of] four good books that I would highly recommend reading if you're gonna build a B2B software company." - Aaron Levie
Aaron Levie's recommendation of this book +11
More recommendations
- Ev Williams
On the "books read" section of Ev Williams' GoodReads profile.
- Max Levchin
One of Max Levchin's answers to "what's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs?"
- Tim O’Reilly
"[A] business classic." - Tim O’Reilly
- Caterina Fake
"A must-read for entrepreneurs." - Caterina Fake
- Guy Kawasaki
"Taught me why it’s so hard to come up with a second hit." - Guy Kawasaki
- Bill Gurley
"All entrepreneurs should read." - Bill Gurley
- Blake Scholl
"Everyone talks about it, I wonder how many people actually read it. You should actually read it." - Blake Scholl
- Chris Dixon
Chris Dixon recommended this book on Twitter.
- Marc Andreessen
"Really critical to understanding how this industry works." - Marc Andreessen
- Michael Bloomberg
"An insightful analysis of changing technology and its importance to a company's future success." - Michael Bloomberg
- Steve Blank
"The foundational read for managing disruptive innovation." - Steve Blank
- Ev Williams
Atlas Shrugged
by Ayn Rand
Steve Wozniak said he thinks Steve Jobs mentioned this book and it really was a guide in his life. (Source)
Also recommended by
22 people
Elon Musk recommended this bookElon Musk
"A counterpoint to communism and useful as such, but should be tempered with kindness." - Elon Musk
Elon Musk's recommendation of this book 
Peter Thiel recommended this bookPeter Thiel
"When I first read [Ayn Rand's books] in the late 80s, it felt pretty crazy. And in the last decades, it's in many ways felt much more correct." - Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel's recommendation of this book 
Shah Rukh Khan recommended this bookShah Rukh Khan
One of Shah Rukh Khan's favorite novels.
Shah Rukh Khan's recommendation of this book 
Joe De Sena recommended this bookJoe De Sena
"Loved [this book]. Read often." - Joe De Sena
Joe De Sena's recommendation of this book 
Peter Diamandis recommended this bookPeter Diamandis
"Something I’ve read multiple times to get me in the mindset of not letting anything stand in my way" - Peter Diamandis
Peter Diamandis's recommendation of this book 
Ev Williams recommended this bookEv Williams
On the "books read" section of Ev Williams' GoodReads profile.
Ev Williams's recommendation of this book +16
More recommendations
- Gabby Reece
"[I read this book when] I was 15, and I gave [it] to a lot of people because it shifted how I looked at certain things." - Gabby Reece
- Travis Kalanick
Travis Kalanick mentioned this book in a Washington Post interview.
- Brian Armstrong
"Celebrate the creators in the world (even when they struggle). They may be more valuable than we think." - Brian Armstrong
- Amelia Boone
"When I read [this book] in my teens, Dagny Taggart’s character spoke to me on a level I’d never experienced with any other novel." - Amelia Boone
- Bob Metcalfe
"My favorite book." - Bob Metcalfe
- Blake Scholl
"Far and away my favorite book." - Blake Scholl
- Fred Wilson
Fred Wilson recommended this book on his blog.
- Phil Jackson
"I consider it philosophical." - Phil Jackson
- John Carmack
"If you can't see its archetypes in the world around you, you aren't paying attention." - John Carmack
- Mark Cuban
"I'll read it again. So there goes another 3 weeks of me reading it for the tenth time." - Mark Cuban
- Ray Dalio
"Regarding economics, if you haven’t read [this author] lately, I suggest that you do." - Ray Dalio
- Austen Allred
"I really liked it." - Austen Allred
- Russell Brunson
"It is so good!!!" - Russell Brunson
- Paul Krugman
"About a fantasy world whose unrealism can seriously warp your personality and outlook." - Paul Krugman
- Rand Paul
On Rand Paul's website's "reading suggestions for students" section.
- Patrick Bet-David
Patrick Bet-David recommended this book on his website.
- Gabby Reece
Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramahansa Yogananda
Marc Benioff said everyone at Steve Jobs' memorial service got a copy of this book. (Source)
Also recommended by
7 people- Marc Benioff recommended this book
Marc Benioff
"If you haven't read it, and if you want to understand Steve Jobs, it's a goood idea to dip into [this book]." - Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff's recommendation of this book 
Dan Engle recommended this bookDan Engle
"One of the more impactful books for me when I was living down in the jungle and experiencing more of the deeper reflections through the medicine space." - Dan Engle
Dan Engle's recommendation of this book 
Richa Chadha recommended this bookRicha Chadha
"Reminded me to have faith at a low point in my life, hence I share it as widely as possible to pull others out of their misery." - Richa Chadha
Richa Chadha's recommendation of this book - Travis Brewer recommended this book
Travis Brewer
One of Travis Brewer's answers to "what is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift?"
Travis Brewer's recommendation of this book 
Sahil Lavingia recommended this bookSahil Lavingia
Sahil Lavingia recommended this book on Notion.
Sahil Lavingia's recommendation of this book 
Phil Jackson recommended this bookPhil Jackson
Phil Jackson recommended this book on Twitter.
Phil Jackson's recommendation of this book +1
More recommendations
- Virat Kohli
"I love this book. A must read for all those who are brave enough to let their thoughts and ideologies be challenged." - Virat Kohli
- Virat Kohli
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice
by Shunryu Suzuki
Brent Schlender said Steve Jobs reread this book several times. (Source)
Also recommended by
6 people
Kevin Rose recommended this bookKevin Rose
"You could read over time and time again." - Kevin Rose
Kevin Rose's recommendation of this book 
Sharon Salzberg recommended this bookSharon Salzberg
"Greatly influenced my life." - Sharon Salzberg
Sharon Salzberg's recommendation of this book 
Leo Babauta recommended this bookLeo Babauta
"A classic." - Leo Babauta
Leo Babauta's recommendation of this book - Marc Benioff recommended this book
Marc Benioff
Marc Benioff texted The New York Times a screenshot of a quote from this book.
Marc Benioff's recommendation of this book 
Garry Tan recommended this bookGarry Tan
Garry Tan shared this book on Instagram.
Garry Tan's recommendation of this book 
Andy Puddicombe recommended this bookAndy Puddicombe
"A great all-round book for anyone interested in mindfulness." - Andy Puddicombe
Andy Puddicombe's recommendation of this book
Only the Paranoid Survive
How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company
by Andrew S. Grove
"This 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." - Steve Jobs (Source)
Also recommended by
7 people
Marc Andreessen recommended this bookMarc Andreessen
"One of my favorite topics. And so that is also a very good book [I] recommend." - Marc Andreessen
Marc Andreessen's recommendation of this book 
Charlie Munger recommended this bookCharlie Munger
Charlie Munger recommended this book in the "Poor Charlie's Almanack" book.
Charlie Munger's recommendation of this book - Ben Horowitz recommended this book
Ben Horowitz
"A great book on strategy." - Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz's recommendation of this book 
Bill Gates recommended this bookBill Gates
"[This] basic theme is in the culture of Microsoft." - Bill Gates
Bill Gates's recommendation of this book 
Vinod Khosla recommended this bookVinod Khosla
"One of favorite books on entrepreneurship." - Vinod Khosla
Vinod Khosla's recommendation of this book 
Balaji Srinivasan recommended this bookBalaji Srinivasan
"We've all read Grove." - Balaji Srinivasan
Balaji Srinivasan's recommendation of this book +1
More recommendations
- Jamie Dimon
On Jamie Dimon's list of favorite books.
- Jamie Dimon
The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment
by Thaddeus Golas
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Mucusless Diet Healing System
Scientific Method of Eating Your Way to Health
by Arnold Ehret
Walter Isaacson said Steve Jobs' dietary habits became even more obsessive when he read this book. (Source)
The Business Value of Computers
An Executive's Guide
by Paul A Strassmann
"There’s some incredible stuff in it." - Steve Jobs (Source)
Cosmic Consciousness
A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind
by Richard Maurice Bucke
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
by Chogyam Trungpa
Steve Jobs shared this book with Daniel Kottke. (Source)
On the Road
by Jack Kerouac
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Also recommended by
5 people
Walter Isaacson recommended this bookWalter Isaacson
"Read [this book]." - Walter Isaacson
Walter Isaacson's recommendation of this book 
Bob Dylan recommended this bookBob Dylan
"It changed my life like it changed everyone else’s." - Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's recommendation of this book 
Josh Waitzkin recommended this bookJosh Waitzkin
"Opened up the ecstatic beauty of life’s little moments to me as a teenager." - Josh Waitzkin
Josh Waitzkin's recommendation of this book - Ev Williams recommended this book
Ev Williams
On the "books read" section of Ev Williams' GoodReads profile.
Ev Williams's recommendation of this book 
Lex Fridman recommended this bookLex Fridman
Lex Fridman mentioned this book on Instagram.
Lex Fridman's recommendation of this book
Meetings with Remarkable Men
by G. I. Gurdjieff
Inc.com said this book influenced Steve Jobs. (Source)
Diet for a Small Planet
by Frances Moore Lappe
"[After reading this book] I swore off meat pretty much for good." - Steve Jobs (Source)
The Way of Zen
by Alan Watts
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Meditation in Action
by Chogyam Trungpa
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person
Duncan Trussell recommended this bookDuncan Trussell
Duncan Trussell recommended this book on Twitter.
Duncan Trussell's recommendation of this book
Moby Dick
by Herman Melville
Walter Isaacson said this was one of Steve Jobs' favorite books growing up. (Source)
Also recommended by
5 people
Barack Obama recommended this bookBarack Obama
On the "favorite books" section of Barack Obama's Facebook profile.
Barack Obama's recommendation of this book 
PewDiePie recommended this bookPewDiePie
"I'm probably not really ready for it yet, but I'm really glad I read it." - PewDiePie
PewDiePie's recommendation of this book 
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie recommended this bookChimamanda Ngozi Adichie
"The classic I am supposed to have read but have had difficulty getting past the first page." - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's recommendation of this book 
Penn Jillette recommended this bookPenn Jillette
"My favorite book." - Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette's recommendation of this book 
Jack Edwards recommended this bookJack Edwards
"Classic." - Jack Edwards
Jack Edwards's recommendation of this book
The Essene Gospel of Peace
by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Hindu Mysticism
by S. N. Dasgupta
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
King Lear
by William Shakespeare
"I loved [this book]." - Steve Jobs (Source)
Das Energi
by Paul Williams
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Ramakrishna and His Disciples
by Christopher Isherwood
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
The Dhammapada
by Eknath Easwaran
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person
Dr. Gabor Maté recommended this bookDr. Gabor Maté
"The Buddhist collection of sayings. And it begins with, basically, the idea that we create the world with our minds." - Dr. Gabor Maté
Dr. Gabor Maté's recommendation of this book
The Dharma Bums
by Jack Kerouac
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person- Josh Waitzkin recommended this book
Josh Waitzkin
Josh Waitzkin recommended this book in the "Tools of Titans" book.
Josh Waitzkin's recommendation of this book
The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng
by Wong Mou-Lam
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism
by Lama Anagarika Govinda
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
The Way of White Clouds
by Lama Anagarika Govinda
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas
by Dylan Thomas
Walter Isaacson said this was one of Steve Jobs' favorite books growing up. (Source)
Songs of Milarepa
by Milarepa
Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip. (Source)
High Fidelity
by Nick Hornby
"Guys can get an illness in which they believe there can always be a better girl around the next corner. [In this book, the author] calls it 'death by small increments.'" - Steve Jobs (Source)
Also recommended by
1 person
Tim Ferriss recommended this bookTim Ferriss
"After his girlfriend leaves him for another man, Rob embarks on a journey of self-discovery and evaluation by contacting ex-girlfriends to see what went wrong in each relationship." - Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss's recommendation of this book
Edited by
Richard Reis
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
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Anurag Ramdasan
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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