Books Recommended by Steve Jobs
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Thomas S. Kuhn
Source: 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.
High Fidelity
Nick Hornby
Source: "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
Only the Paranoid Survive
How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company
Andrew S. Grove
Source: "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
Mucusless Diet Healing System
Scientific Method of Eating Your Way to Health
Arnold Ehret
Source: Walter Isaacson said Steve Jobs' dietary habits became even more obsessive when he read this book.
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
Source: Steve Wozniak said he thinks Steve Jobs mentioned this book and it really was a guide in his life.
Be Here Now
Ram Dass
Source: "[This book] was profound. It transformed me and many of my friends." - Steve Jobs
The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment
Thaddeus Golas
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Cosmic Consciousness
A Study in the Evolution of the Human Mind
Richard Maurice Bucke
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
On the Road
Jack Kerouac
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Way of Zen
Alan Watts
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Meditation in Action
Chogyam Trungpa
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Essene Gospel of Peace
Edmond Bordeaux Szekely
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Hindu Mysticism
S. N. Dasgupta
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Das Energi
Paul Williams
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Dharma Bums
Jack Kerouac
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Dhammapada
Eknath Easwaran
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Ramakrishna and His Disciples
Christopher Isherwood
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui-neng
Wong Mou-Lam
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism
Lama Anagarika Govinda
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
The Way of White Clouds
Lama Anagarika Govinda
Source: Daniel Kottke said he and Steve Jobs definitely read this book prior to the India trip.
FAQ
Has Steve Jobs written any books?
No. Although, the closest thing to a book written by Jobs is Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs biography (since Jobs himself participated quite a bit in the creation of that book and even wrote words for it at the end).
What were Steve Jobs favorite books?
We believe his favorite book was "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda, because Jobs told Isaacson he read that book once and year (ALSO, everyone at his memorial got a copy). Other books he called favorite were "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville and "The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas" by Dylan Thomas.
Did Steve Jobs read a lot?
Hard to say, but if we're to judge solely based on this list it seems like he read way more books before his career (which makes sense because he had more time for reading).
148 books
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