Books Podcasters Recommend Most

Based on 4035 sourced recommendations from 102 podcasters. Updated October 28, 2026.

1. 1. Sapiens

   

   By Yuval Noah Harari

   Recommended by 10 of 102 podcasters

   • Whitney Cummings Source
   • Reid Hoffman Source
   • Joe Rogan Source
   • David Sacks Source
   • Tom Bilyeu Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Scott Galloway Source
   • Lex Fridman Source
   • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source

   Yuval Harari's SAPIENS had a big impact on how I approach VC. The theme of the book is that humans obsess over narratives.

   Source

2. 2. Man's Search For Meaning

   

   By Viktor Frankl

   Recommended by 10 of 102 podcasters

   • Tony Robbins Source
   • Simon Sinek Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Lex Fridman Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source
   • Tom Bilyeu Source
   • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
   • Patrick Bet-David Source
   • Mel Robbins Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source

   Viktor Frankl’s book, MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING, provides the most compelling and triumphant account I have ever read of humanity’s ability to persevere through the unimaginable.

   Source

3. 3. Principles

   

   By Ray Dalio

   Recommended by 7 of 102 podcasters

   • Tony Robbins Source
   • Tom Bilyeu Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source
   • Gary Vaynerchuk Source
   • Patrick Bet-David Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Lex Fridman Source

   Ray Dalio is a dear friend of mine and a total genius. ... In this book, Ray tells you how he figured it all out – and about all the principles that guided him toward success in his life, business and finances.

   Source

4. 4. Meditations

   

   By Marcus Aurelius

   Recommended by 7 of 102 podcasters

   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Lex Fridman Source
   • Joe Rogan Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source
   • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
   • Patrick Bet-David Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source

   3. Meditations and Montaigne’s Essays — Reading these guys, along with Seneca, has really helped foster my interest in philosophy. So much of what they say speaks to me that I’m often left with entire pages underlined and margins filled with thoughts.

   Source

5. 5. The Obstacle Is the Way

   

   By Ryan Holiday

   Recommended by 7 of 102 podcasters

   • Tom Bilyeu Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source
   • Aubrey Marcus Source
   • Jason Feifer Source
   • Patrick Bet-David Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Joe Rogan Source

   I definitely recommend this book to everyone.

   Source

6. 6. Zero to One

   

   By Peter Thiel, Blake Masters

   Recommended by 6 of 102 podcasters

   • Eric Weinstein Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source
   • David Sacks Source
   • Tom Bilyeu Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Patrick Bet-David Source

   That's what Peter's whole book, Zero to One, is about: there's two kinds of companies.

   Source

7. 7. Thinking, Fast and Slow

   

   By Daniel Kahneman

   Recommended by 6 of 102 podcasters

   • Jason Fried Source
   • Sam Harris Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Scott Galloway Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source

   I enjoyed that book, too. Fascinating.

   Source

8. 8. The War of Art

   

   By Steven Pressfield

   Recommended by 6 of 102 podcasters

   • Ryan Holiday Source
   • Joe Rogan Source
   • Aubrey Marcus Source
   • Shane Parrish Source
   • Lex Fridman Source
   • Tim Ferriss Source

   That book's fantastic.

   Source

9. 9. Animal Farm

   

   By George Orwell

   Recommended by 6 of 102 podcasters

   • Whitney Cummings Source
   • Lex Fridman Source
   • David Sacks Source
   • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
   • Ben Shapiro Source
   • Ryan Holiday Source

   I'm doing an experiment of reading/rereading 1 book a day for 7+ days starting Aug 19. Looking for short, impactful books (see pic for examples).

   Source

10. 10. Mastery

    

    By Robert Greene

    Recommended by 6 of 102 podcasters

    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Joe Rogan Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    If you haven't read Robert Greene's master work, MASTERY, here is a book review to kick you in the ass toward your destiny

    Source

11. 11. The Bible

    

    By Unknown/Other

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Russell Brand Source
    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Neil deGrasse Tyson Source
    • Dave Ramsey Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    The Book of Acts is what made me become a Christian. I love the book of Acts

    Source

12. 12. 1984

    

    By George Orwell

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • David Sacks Source
    • Ben Shapiro Source
    • Neil deGrasse Tyson Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    As I've said many times before, the biggest risk of AI isn't James Cameron's The Terminator, it's George Orwell's 1984.

    Source

13. 13. The Coddling of the American Mind

    

    By Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Scott Galloway Source
    • Joe Rogan Source

    While every generation thinks the one that follows is more coddled than itself, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt argue that this time it really is different. I read this book as preparation for an interview with Jonathan for The Knowledge Project.

    Source

14. 14. The 4-hour Workweek

    

    By Tim Ferriss

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Eric Weinstein Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Caterina Fake Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Joe Rogan Source

    I had read The 4-Hour Workweek sometime in advance of that and so had Jason... We were both just impressed with that.

    Source

15. 15. The Alchemist

    

    By Paulo Coelho

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Mel Robbins Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Scott Galloway Source

    This is one of the first books that profoundly changed my life for the better.

    Source

16. 16. Atlas Shrugged

    

    By Ayn Rand

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • David Sacks Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Ben Shapiro Source

    you'll sit there and you can thank me later when you read this book

    Source

17. 17. Guns, Germs, and Steel

    

    By Jared Diamond

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Joe Rogan Source
    • Sam Harris Source
    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Simon Sinek Source
    • Scott Galloway Source

    He's the author quite famously of the books, guns, germs, and steel, and collapse.

    Source

18. 18. The Four Agreements

    

    By Don Miguel Ruiz

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Joe Rogan Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Meghan Markle Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    This is a seriously powerful book. Especially potent for someone like me who talks for a living and often talks too much.

    Source

19. 19. The Better Angels of Our Nature

    

    By Steven Pinker

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Jack Kornfield Source
    • Sam Harris Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Neil deGrasse Tyson Source

    He is also my friend and an occasional mentor. Steve's new book is The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined.

    Source

20. 20. Influence

    

    By Robert Cialdini

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Tony Robbins Source
    • Scott Galloway Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    I read this book many many many years ago it's a very very book good book

    Source

21. 21. Antifragile

    

    By Nassim Nicholas Taleb

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • James Altucher Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    6. Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder This book changed how I see the world. As if that wasn’t enough, it also introduced me to iatrogenics, fragilistas, and connected inversion and via negativa (something I should have connected much sooner).

    Source

22. 22. Atomic Habits

    

    By James Clear

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Meghan Markle Source
    • Mel Robbins Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    Is anyone else reading Atomic Habits again?

    Source

23. 23. The Book of Five Rings

    

    By Miyamoto Musashi

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Joe Rogan Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source

    I'm doing an experiment of reading/rereading 1 book a day for 7+ days starting Aug 19. Looking for short, impactful books (see pic for examples).

    Source

24. 24. Gates of Fire

    

    By Steven Pressfield

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • David Sacks Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source
    • Joe Rogan Source

    Showing the book GATES OF FIRE, Troy Gowdy on Fox News just compared Ukraine to the Spartans at Thermopylae... He may want to read the ending of that book. Everyone dies.

    Source

25. 25. The 48 Laws of Power

    

    By Robert Greene

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Joe Rogan Source

    I cannot express how immensely valuable this book is, when absorbed into an open mind.

    Source

26. 26. Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect

    

    By Will Guidara

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Meghan Markle Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Simon Sinek Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    I recently finished Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, which I truly believe is one of the most impactful books on hospitality—and how we host, entertain, and care for each other. [...] It's one of my favorite reads.

    Source

27. 27. Deep Work

    

    By Cal Newport

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Jason Fried Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    Cal Newport’s new book is a great read on a subject I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. In a world of distraction, how you organize your time and days makes an enormous difference. Read this

    Source

28. 28. Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition

    

    By W. Chan Kim, Renée Mauborgne

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Tim Ferriss Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Jason Fried Source

    And then maybe last but not least, it’s been a long time since I read it, but The Blue Ocean Strategy, probably worth checking out.

    Source

29. 29. Tribe

    

    By Sebastian Junger

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Joe Rogan Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Sam Harris Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    Sebastian is a New York Times bestselling author of several books, Tribe, War, Freedom, a Death

    Source

30. 30. The Game

    

    By Neil Strauss

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • Shaan Puri Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    Neil Strauss is a great writer, and the book itself reads like a witty story of personal growth and transformation.

    Source

31. 31. Elon Musk

    

    By Walter Isaacson

    Recommended by 5 of 102 podcasters

    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Ben Shapiro Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Lex Fridman Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    Walter Isaacson's new book about Elon Musk is a fine biography, but a better business book... Isaacson's book is easily worth the read for the countless case studies illustrating exactly how these points are applied.

    Source

32. 32. The Hard Thing About Hard Things

    

    By Ben Horowitz

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Tim Ferriss Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    This is the best business book I’ve read in a long time. Perhaps one of the best ever. Ben Horowitz has been to hell and back and he’s got the scars to prove it.

    Source

33. 33. How to Win Friends and Influence People

    

    By Dale Carnegie

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Dave Ramsey Source
    • Tony Robbins Source

    It's probably one of those books you want to read once a year, or listen to the audio once a year.

    Source

34. 34. Steve Jobs

    

    By Walter Isaacson

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Gary Vaynerchuk Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Ben Shapiro Source
    • Shane Parrish Source

    Walter Isacson biography of Steve Jobs is a first rate piece of work.

    Source

35. 35. Shoe Dog

    

    By Phil Knight

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Jason Calacanis Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Scott Galloway Source

    So many people have recommended this to me that I’ve lost count. Now that I’ve finally read it, I get why. If you want to understand what it’s like to start and run a business – the uncertainty, the sweat, the stress, the self-doubt – this is among the best books available.

    Source

36. 36. Outliers

    

    By Malcolm Gladwell

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • James Altucher Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Joe Rogan Source

    Listed #80 in his Top 100 Books.

    Source

37. 37. Poor Charlie's Almanack

    

    By Charlie Munger

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Tim Ferriss Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Jason Fried Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    4. Letters to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders and Poor Charlie’s Almanack — Because I have an MBA a lot of people inevitably ask me if they should pursue one. If it’s knowledge and not credentials you’re after, save your money and read these two. The letters are freely available on Berkshire’s website but I find the paperback collection works best for me. If you’re scared t

    Source

38. 38. The Intelligent Investor

    

    By Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Kevin Rose Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source

    Described as “by far the best book on investing ever written” by none other than Warren Buffett. “Chapters 8 and 20 have been the bedrock of my investing activities for more than 60 years,” he says.

    Source

39. 39. The Lean Startup

    

    By Eric Ries

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Jason Calacanis Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    For discipline, I chose Lean Startup.

    Source

40. 40. Why We Sleep

    

    By Matthew Walker

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Jason Fried Source
    • Sam Harris Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    Read this book and think again. "Why We Sleep" is highly recommended

    Source

41. 41. Getting to Yes

    

    By William Ury, Roger Fisher, Bruce Patton

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Jason Fried Source
    • Tony Robbins Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    I recently read one of Roger Fisher’s other books — Getting it Done — and decided to read his bestseller on negotiation as well. The book has sold a zillion copies for a good reason — he offers a way “out” of highly contested negotiation.

    Source

42. 42. The Prince

    

    By Niccolò Machiavelli

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Neil deGrasse Tyson Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    to learn that people not in power will do all they can to acquire it, and people in power will do all they can to keep it

    Source

43. 43. To Kill a Mockingbird

    

    By Harper Lee

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Shane Parrish Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Ben Shapiro Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    I know, I know. Hear me out. Someone I respect mentioned that he thought Atticus Finch was the perfect blend of human characteristics. Tough and skilled, yet humble and understanding. He’s frequently rated as a “most admired” hero in fiction, yet he’s a lawyer competing with Jedis, Detectives, Spies, and Superheroes.

    Source

44. 44. The Black Swan: Second Edition

    

    By Nassim Nicholas Taleb

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • James Altucher Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Tim Ferriss Source

    If you haven’t read it already, The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Fragility, is a must-read.

    Source

45. 45. Good to Great

    

    By Jim Collins

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Jason Calacanis Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Dave Ramsey Source

    I love this short lesson from Jim Collin’s Good to Great: “Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems.”

    Source

46. 46. 12 Rules for Life

    

    By Jordan Peterson

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Patrick Bet-David Source
    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Aubrey Marcus Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source

    Highly recommend this book.

    Source

47. 47. Mindset

    

    By Carol Dweck

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Tony Robbins Source
    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source

    You’ve got to go pick up Mindset by the Stanford University because you keep telling your kid how perfect they are, and you’re going to ruin them.

    Source

48. 48. A Guide to the Good Life

    

    By William Braxton Irvine

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Jason Fried Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Ryan Holiday Source
    • Shane Parrish Source

    A Guide to the Good Life is such a good book.

    Source

49. 49. Think and Grow Rich

    

    By Napoleon Hill

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Tom Bilyeu Source
    • Shaan Puri Source
    • Dave Ramsey Source
    • Patrick Bet-David Source

    Listed #46 in his Top 100 Books.

    Source

50. 50. The Righteous Mind

    

    By Jonathan Haidt

    Recommended by 4 of 102 podcasters

    • Sam Harris Source
    • Shane Parrish Source
    • David Heinemeier Hansson Source
    • Scott Galloway Source

    He's the author of The Righteous Mind and the Happiness Hypothesis.

    Source

Every Podcaster on Ultimate Book List

• Ryan Holiday — 1041 recommendations
• Shane Parrish — 705 recommendations
• Tim Ferriss — 406 recommendations
• Joe Rogan — 261 recommendations
• Patrick Bet-David — 195 recommendations
• Sam Harris — 177 recommendations
• John Green — 145 recommendations
• David Heinemeier Hansson — 112 recommendations
• Neil deGrasse Tyson — 106 recommendations
• Ben Shapiro — 82 recommendations
• Lex Fridman — 77 recommendations
• Aubrey Marcus — 75 recommendations
• Scott Galloway — 73 recommendations
• Tom Bilyeu — 63 recommendations
• Jason Fried — 46 recommendations
• Tony Robbins — 36 recommendations
• Dave Ramsey — 35 recommendations
• Meghan Markle — 34 recommendations
• Mel Robbins — 34 recommendations
• Noah Kagan — 29 recommendations
• David Sacks — 28 recommendations
• Jason Calacanis — 18 recommendations
• Caterina Fake — 17 recommendations
• Gretchen Rubin — 17 recommendations
• Simon Sinek — 17 recommendations
• Kevin Rose — 13 recommendations
• Andy Greenwald — 11 recommendations
• Shaan Puri — 11 recommendations
• Chase Jarvis — 9 recommendations
• Diane Rehm — 9 recommendations
• Eric Weinstein — 9 recommendations
• Hamilton Morris — 9 recommendations
• James Altucher — 9 recommendations
• Jason Feifer — 9 recommendations
• Kara Swisher — 9 recommendations
• Dan Carlin — 7 recommendations
• Ezra Klein — 7 recommendations
• Krista Tippett — 7 recommendations
• Reid Hoffman — 7 recommendations
• Samin Nosrat — 7 recommendations
• Russell Brand — 6 recommendations
• Whitney Cummings — 6 recommendations
• Dana Perino — 5 recommendations
• Jack Kornfield — 5 recommendations
• Jim Kwik — 5 recommendations
• Rainn Wilson — 5 recommendations
• Ayaan Hirsi Ali — 4 recommendations
• Cheryl Strayed — 4 recommendations
• Peter Schiff — 4 recommendations
• Dan Savage — 3 recommendations
• Gary Vaynerchuk — 3 recommendations
• Hal Elrod — 3 recommendations
• Albert Mohler — 2 recommendations
• Debbie Millman — 2 recommendations
• Jen Wilkin — 2 recommendations
• Joe Maddon — 2 recommendations
• Stephen J. Dubner — 2 recommendations
• Alex Blumberg — 1 recommendations
• Andy Stanley — 1 recommendations
• Bill Maher — 1 recommendations
• Brendan Schaub — 1 recommendations
• Brian Tracy — 1 recommendations
• Duncan Trussell — 1 recommendations
• Jason Khalipa — 1 recommendations
• Lewis Howes — 1 recommendations
• Nir Eyal — 1 recommendations
• Rolf Potts — 1 recommendations
• Agapi Stassinopoulos — 0 recommendations
• Andy Stumpf — 0 recommendations
• Ariel Levy — 0 recommendations
• Brené Brown — 0 recommendations
• Cameron Hanes — 0 recommendations
• Charlamagne Tha God — 0 recommendations
• Chris Matthews — 0 recommendations
• Dani Shapiro — 0 recommendations
• David Quammen — 0 recommendations
• G. Wayne Miller — 0 recommendations
• Gad Saad — 0 recommendations
• George Kamel — 0 recommendations
• Jay Shetty — 0 recommendations
• Jimmy Moore — 0 recommendations
• John Delony — 0 recommendations
• Kapil Gupta — 0 recommendations
• Kurt Andersen — 0 recommendations
• Linda Holmes — 0 recommendations
• Luvvie Ajayi — 0 recommendations
• Mark Rippetoe — 0 recommendations
• Marty Neumeier — 0 recommendations
• Matthew Dicks — 0 recommendations
• Paul R. Josephson — 0 recommendations
• Peter Walsh — 0 recommendations
• Rachel Cruze — 0 recommendations
• Rebekah Lyons — 0 recommendations
• Robert Moor — 0 recommendations
• Roger Dawson — 0 recommendations
• Russ Roberts — 0 recommendations
• Sarah Bessey — 0 recommendations
• Scott Sigler — 0 recommendations
• Shaun Hamill — 0 recommendations
• Tom Segura — 0 recommendations
• Ty Burr — 0 recommendations
• Wayne Allyn Root — 0 recommendations

Frequently asked questions

What is the top book recommended by podcasters?

Sapiens ranks first, recommended by 10 podcasters.

How is the ranking counted?

We count each person once per book, using only public people, books and approved recommendations. Books are ranked by recommenders in this group, then by total public recommenders. Source links are shown where available.

How many podcasters are included?

This group includes 102 public profiles, including profiles with no public recommendations. 28 have recommended at least 10 books.