The Investment teams' current recommendations
Spring’s almost here and so is our annual March Break reading (and listening) list. The Investment Team shared some of their top recent reads and podcasts, including deep dives into some of the largest companies in the world today.
Construction Physics (newsletter/blog)
Former structural engineer Brian Potter publishes essays, analyses and weekly reading list that cover topics such as construction methods, productivity, materials and broader issues affecting the built environment. Why Is It So Hard To Build an Airport, How China Became the World's Biggest Shipbuilder and Why Skyscrapers Became Glass Boxes are especially worth a read.
Recommended by Claire.
Built from Scratch: How a Couple of Regular Guys Grew The Home Depot from Nothing to $30 Billion by Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank and Bob Andelman
How a band of fired rebels started what others said was impossible – starting a revolutionary do-it-yourself renovation company – Home Depot. And how one early investor missed out on a $60 billion fortune over a trivial argument with a co-founder over a “proper” car brand, so the co-founder walked out and turned elsewhere for funding. The book is about how to focus on what actually matters in business.
Recommended by Stas.
John Malone (a.k.a. the ‘Cable Cowboy’) tells the story of how cable networks became an integral part of the entertainment landscape. The legendary American media and telecommunications executive’s memoir traces how he helped shaped modern media and technology.
Recommended by Steven.
No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings & Erin Meyer
A look at the rise of Netflix and how it became one of the giants of media streaming. The book is full of lessons learned by its founder, Reed Hastings.
Recommended by Frank.
The Money Game by “Adam Smith”
Written by an anonymous writer, it compares investing to a game. It’s full of fun stories and lessons good for any investor.
Recommended by Jeff.
Out of the Gobi: My Story of China and America by Weijian Shan
Weijian Shan is the founder of one of Asia’s largest private equity firms. The memoir is an on-the-ground perspective of China’s transformation from the cultural revolution to becoming the second largest economy in the world.
Recommended by Jason.
Little Black Stretchy Pants by Chip Wilson
How the founder of Lululemon built, grew and then lost control of Lululemon, the company that changed the clothing industry.
Recommended by Stas.
1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation by Andrew Ross Sorkin
Not as good as The Great Crash (a must read), but worth your while if you like levered yahoos losing their shirts, bankers losing their shorts and a reminder that plugging leverage leaks with "more debt" only works until water starts spilling over the edge. A lot of leaks being plugged these days, and levered mania always end in misery.
Recommended by Derek.
Wealth, War & Wisdom by Barton Biggs
A look at World War II and how its major events may have affected financial markets. Full of lessons that can apply to any period of economic uncertainty.
Recommended by Frank.
The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution by Gregory Zuckerman
A book about a group of theorists who started using early days AI computing in the 1990s to foresee market changes and accumulated (almost) unlimited wealth for themselves and clients.
Recommended by Stas.
John Collison, Stripe’s co-founder, shares a pint or two with company founders and industry leaders.
Recommended by Steven.
Acquired (podcast)
Analyzing some of the world’s largest businesses, the Acquired podcast often featuring interviews with company founders.
Episode: Google Part III: The AI Company
If you like business, hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal are some of the best podcasters out there. They did a three-part series on Google. The entire thing is worthwhile, but part 3 deals with the company’s efforts in AI.
Recommended by Tye.
Episode: The NFL (2026 Update): The Complete History and Strategy
The first episode of 2026 looks at the numbers behind the NFL, America’s largest sports league.
Recommended by Frank.
No Rivals: Founders Fund (podcast)
A four-part story on the history on the Founders Fund, started by Silicon Valley venture capitalist, Peter Theil.
Recommended by Claire.
The Real Eisman Playbook (podcast)
There are so many macro-orientated podcasts recycling the same guests and topics. Investor Steve Eisman offers expert commentary directly from Wall Street analysts in his trademark candid style.
Recommended by Greg.
Founders (podcast)
Episode #388 Jeff Bezos’s Shareholder Letters: All of Them!
The stories behind some of the greatest businesspeople and entrepreneurs in history. Some episodes give you a chance to hear host David Senra interview the founders themselves!
Episode 388 focuses on Jeff Bezos’s annual letters to Amazon shareholders.
Recommended by Frank.
Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth
Episode Marc Andreessen: The real AI boom hasn't even started yet
Lenny’s Podcast, by investor and tech figure Lenny Rachitsky, shares in-depth, actionable advice for tech professionals and founders.
In this episode he interviews co-founder of Netscape Marc Andreessen. Marc’s comments on uncertainty are important to keep in mind, though I can’t reconcile his figures on historical productivity
Recommended by Tye.
Current fiction recommendations
Note – For the first time ever, we’re featuring some of our favourite fiction books from members of several departments.
Five Decembers by James Kestrel
It’s an interesting historical fiction novel about a detective whose murder investigation is disrupted by the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It’s a gripping thriller, but it also paints a vivid picture of World War II and what life was like during that period.
Recommended by Hennie.
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A historical fiction romance centred around the first women going into space in the NASA program in the 1980s. Focusing on themes of love, ambition and difficult family dynamics. Beautifully written and if you loved Daisy Jones & The Six or The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this could be for you!
Recommended by Julie.
Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
An epic 60-year story of two men born on the same day on opposite sides of the world, their paths destined to cross only once in their ruthless struggle to build a fortune.
Recommended by Craig.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A heartbreaking and poignant story about family, love and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of Afghanistan's history over last 30 years.
Recommended by Nikki.
Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway
One of my favourite books. Published posthumously and inspired by Hemingway's experience through life.
Recommended by Alex G.
Beneath the Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan
A great historical fiction novel based on the true story of spy Pino Lella during World War II.
Recommended by Jenna.
The Royal Game: A Chess Story by Stefan Zweig
A novella that uses chess as a metaphor for the rise of Nazism. It inspired for several film adaptations, plays and even an opera.
Recommended by Wid.
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carré
Gripping spy novel from one of the best.
Recommended by Frank.
Playworld: A Novel by Adam Ross
Playworld follows a high school student and child actor named Griffin, as he navigates the world of New York in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Need I say more? I love film-based novels!
Recommended by Sandro.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
One of the greatest adventure novels ever - long, but worth it.
Recommended by Juan.
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
Edge-of-your seat thriller. Better than the movie.
Recommended by Kyle.