Our latest reading list covers true stories, speculative fiction, and poetry, showcasing some clear themes: the pursuit of excellence, understanding edge cases (whether human, legal, or technical), and embracing unconventional thinking.
Compiled by: Deep Tide TechFlow
From Beach Reads to Basic Economics: 10 Book Recommendations for Your Long Weekend
Here are some books that the a16z crypto team is reading and recommending this summer. Our latest reading list covers true stories, speculative fiction, and poetry, showcasing some clear themes: the pursuit of excellence, understanding edge cases (whether human, legal, or technical), and embracing unconventional thinking.
Here are 10 recommended books, but there are more exciting titles waiting for you in the full reading list.
Business, Economics, and Strategy
Focus: The ASML Way – Inside the Power Struggle over the Most Complex Machine on Earth by Mark Hijink
“ASML is a company that is both peculiar and fascinating—it is a quiet giant that manufactures the massive and complex machines that produce the vast majority of chips globally. This book offers an interesting perspective on its history and internal dynamics.” —Arianna Simpson (Investment Field)
Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
“Few can write a more concise and powerful explanation of the basic economic principles that govern human behavior than this book. It is filled with fundamental thinking models that reveal many of the core logics driving the world.” —Ali Yahya (Investment Field)
Nearly Perfect by Thomas Drach
“Just published this summer, this book nearly perfectly articulates the relationship between competitive advantage and product design. Without a doubt, it is the best work I have read in this field in recent years.” —Scott Duke Kominers (Research Field)
Biography, History, and Memoirs
A Cracking of the Heart by David Horowitz
“On the surface, this book tells a story of grief, reflection on regrets, the power of family bonds, and the emotional stitching together of truths through the stories of deceased loved ones. But it is also a book about how to live life on your own terms, find meaning and purpose in life, and understand and connect with each other amidst differences in ideology, politics, and communication styles.” —Sonal Chokshi (Editorial Team)
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
“Founders facing entrepreneurial challenges can find inspiration in the story of Theodore Roosevelt and his son exploring unknown rivers in the Amazon. It is a journey filled with trials and resilience.” —Jason Rosenthal (Operations Team)
Tunnel 29: The True Story of an Extraordinary Escape Beneath the Berlin Wall by Helena Merriman
“This almost unbelievable true story recounts how a group of young, untrained students dug a tunnel under the Berlin Wall to rescue dozens from East Germany. What makes this book unforgettable is not just the danger and ingenuity involved, but the clarity of purpose: a small team risking everything to create freedom for others.” —Conner Brown (Technical Operations Team)
The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester
“I absolutely loved this book; it tells how precision engineering has shaped the world we live in. Winchester’s every chapter is a thread of increasing precision, depicting the evolution of accuracy from steam engines to silicon chips.” —Robert Hackett (Editorial Team)
Science and Philosophy
Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson
“This book delves into the history, evolution, and impact of exercise science, showcasing through numerous real-world examples how and why we can tap into better performance than we imagine by tricking our brains and bodies.” —Jay Drain Jr. (Investment Field)
Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life by Agnes Callard
“If you dare to face the consequences, this book will tell you how to truly live a life of deep reflection. Callard, a philosopher at the University of Chicago, passionately advocates for interacting with others through a Socratic method to break your preconceived notions.” —Tim Sullivan (Editorial Team)
Fiction
Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon
“Set against the backdrop of post-Peloponnesian War Sicily, the narrative is told in a modern Irish dialect. It begins with two unemployed potters delivering meals to prisoners at a local quarry, only for the plot to evolve into a high-quality Euripides play. This book is both humorous and touching, with a touch of magic.” —Stephanie Zinn (Editorial Team)
Books Recommended for Entrepreneurs and More
If your reading list still seems a bit thin, you can refer to a16z's past recommended reading lists, including the summer lists from 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2019, as well as the winter lists from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2018, 2017, and 2016. Additionally, you can check out the specially curated reading list for members of the Crypto Startup Accelerator and the recommended reading list from the a16z crypto founders summit. These books are not only suitable for entrepreneurs and founders in the crypto space but also cover biographies, company building and organizational history, creative inspiration, science fiction, and more.
Extra Recommendation: You can also try using forage.com, a tool developed by a16z crypto founder and general partner Chris Dixon for discovering new books.
——a16z Crypto Editorial Team
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