Books



Exceptional Books.

Books that transformed how I think / view the world profoundly

  • The Black Swan by NN Taleb (note: avoid Taleb's twitter if you value your life)
  • Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber
  • The Baroque Cycle + Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
  • Any nonfiction on Rome by Adrian Goldsworthy
  • Power, Sex, Suicide by Nick Lane
  • Goliath by Matt Stoller
  • 1491 by Charles C Mann
  • The Most Powerful Idea in the World by William Rosen



  • Defining Books.

    Books that transformed how I see topics / areas / sections of the world

  • Democracy by Paul Cartledge
  • Chip War by Chris Miller
  • Russian Revolution by Robert Pines
  • The Inheritance of Rome by Chris Wickham
  • Hamilton by Chernow
  • Washington by Chernow
  • Grant by Chernow
  • Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
  • Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
  • Carthage Must be Destroyed by Richard Miles
  • 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric Cline
  • The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore
  • LeMay by Warren Kozak
  • LBJ Series by Rob Caro (Starting with Master of the Senate)
  • The French Revolution by Ian Davidson



  • Great Books.

    Books I recommend

  • Russian Revolution: Robert Pines
  • The Martin by Andy Weir
  • Rogue Heroes by Ben Macintyre
  • Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner
  • The China Mission by Daniel Kurtz-Phelan (about Gen Marshall + China in the late 40s)
  • The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard
  • Radical Markets by Eric Posner + Glen Weyl
  • Undermoney by Jay Neuman
  • The Blazing World by Jonathan Healey
  • The Making of Oliver Cromwell by Ronald Hutton
  • 1493 by Charles C Mann
  • Justinian's Flea by William Rosen
  • Miracle Cure by William Rosen