EdgePoint reading and listening list

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

A masterclass in restraint through its careful prose and themes (with one of the greatest endings in literature). The film is one of my favourites too.

Recommended by Alan

The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)

A captivating novel about a man who enters a game show where contestants can win life-changing sums of money by evading a team of hitmen sent to kill him. It’s a fast-paced story that also explores compelling themes of class structure and institutional power.

Recommended by Hennie

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Easy-to-read collection or interrelated short stories each told from the point of view of a different narrator. Won the Pulitzer Prize.

Recommended by Lee

The Green Mile by Stephen King

Can never go wrong with a Stephen King book.

Recommended by Kyle

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

A modern retelling of Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, this is a survival story of a child born into poverty set against the backdrop of the opioid crisis ravaging the American South.

Recommended by Sarah

The Will of the Many by James Islington

Imagine a world where the elite literally drain the energy of the masses to power their luxury. It's up to one rebel to infiltrate their ranks and burn it down.

Recommended by Frank

One of my favourite epic fantasy novels. It's set in a world where power literally flows upward through a hierarchy, where the people at the bottom give their life force to fuel the people at the top. It has cut-throat characters, an intense setting, and a very cool magic system.

Recommended by Jenna

The Ice People by René Barjavel

It blends diverse societal paradigms with an impossible love triangle across time, while highlighting friendship and solidarity between nations.

Recommended by Wid

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Such a beautiful and well-written story. I couldn’t put it down!

Recommended by Heather S.

Stoner by John Edward Williams

A book where literally nothing happens but for some reason you can't stop reading about William Stoner and his boring life.

Recommended by Jack

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

A two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author takes on the zombie genre. A slow start, but a great read.

Recommended by Juan

Abnormal Returns (blog)

A curated daily collection of themed links about investing and more from Ritzholtz Wealth Management's Director of Investor Education.

Recommended by Frank (2015)

A Wealth of Common Sense (blog)

Portfolio manager Ben Carlson's daily blog posts cover a variety of investing topics, along with links to his frequently updated Animal Spirits podcast.

Recommended by Geoff (2015)

The Brooklyn Investor (blog)

Written by an anonymous self-proclaimed value investor, the infrequency of the blog posts are more than made up for by their depth.

Recommended by Andrew (2015)

Byron Wien's Life Lessons: Formative Experiences Shape Risk Tolerance (article)

One of my favourite articles in a while is Byron Wien's 20 life lessons from a career on Wall Street.

Recommended by Andrew (2015)

Collaborative fund blog

The writings of Morgan Housel at Collaborative Fund.

Recommended by Tye (2021)

The Crazy, True-Life Adventures of Norway’s Most Radical Billionaire (article) by Shawn Tully

An interview with Fred Olsen on being bold, thinking differently and becoming Norway’s most radical billionaire.

Recommended by Frank (2015)

The Education of Airbnb's Brian Chesky (article)

Another article I really enjoyed. This one is about leadership.

Recommended by Andrew (2015)

Semianalysis (blog)
Fabricated Knowledge (blog)

A pair of blogs that look at the semiconductor industry from a business perspective. They provide simple explanations for the technology that’s the backbone of our modern world.

Originally recommended by Syd (2024)

Nature Rebounds by John Mauldin (e-letter)

A non-consensus point of view on environmental issues.

Recommended by Tye (2015)

The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson

One of the earliest records of banknotes – or paper money – were receipts of deposit written on clay tablets in exchange for livestock in ancient Mesopotamia. The interest paid on the notes was based on the natural growth of the herd, often in the area of 20% per year; after initially “depositing” ten cows, the bearer of the note would be owed 12 after one years’ time. Needless to say, the forefathers of interest rates would be confounded by today’s negative yielding world.

Do you have faith in the coinage that you carry in your pocket? Through the origins of interest rates, deposit ratios and loan sharks, Niall Ferguson’s The Ascent of Money will make you question the confidence stowed in the paper IOUs that line your wallet, let alone today’s digitized currency that multiplies itself at a dizzying rate. From tulips to mortgages, beyond the bubbles and bursts, this book will leave you in awe of the interdependence of our world and global finance.

Recommended by Derek (2016)

A Short History of Financial Euphoria by John Kenneth Galbraith

A quick read that is always nice to go back to as a reminder that history seems to repeat itself.

Recommended by Steven (2020)

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

The full inside story of the breathtaking rise and shocking collapse of Theranos, the one-time multibillion-dollar biotech start-up founded by Elizabeth Holmes. In 2014 she was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose start-up “unicorn” promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier. There was just one problem: The technology didn’t work.

Recommended by Frank (2019)

Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street by Sheelah Kolhatkar

I’m a sucker for good investigative journalism. Black Edge is just that. The story of Steve Cohen and “a few” of the illegal activities that went on at SAC Capital.

Recommended by Tye (2017)

The Caesars Palace Coup: How a Billionaire Brawl Over the Famous Casino Exposed the Power and Greed of Wall Street by Sujeet Indap and Max Frumes

A thrilling tale of how private equity tried to steal a business and the bond investors that vowed to stop them.

Recommended by Frank (2021)

Capital Returns: Investing Through the Capital Cycle: A Money Manager’s Reports 2002-15 by Edward Chancellor

A lot happened in the financial markets from 2002 and 2015, and the commentaries from London-based Marathon Asset Management bring readers discuss how its portfolio managers navigated the financial cycles that marked the first 15 years of the new millennium. They cover several popular investment trends such as the early 2000s Tech Bubble and the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis, and the lessons learned form them. The 60 letters discuss some of the similarities between the fads despite the difference in asset classes. More importantly, they show that those who managed to find good businesses that didn’t require paying too much for them did better when others were putting their capital into what was popular. Investing for the long term is a marathon and not a sprint (or a popularity contest).

Recommended by Frank (2016)

Den of Thieves by James B. Stewart

The story of a financial genius, the creation of the high yield bond market and a scandal of epic proportions. What more could you ask for?!

Recommended by Frank (2024)

Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation by Edward Chancellor

Is your investment in that new Internet stock a sign of stock market savvy or an act of peculiarly American speculative folly? How has the psychology of investing changed — and not changed — over the last five hundred years? This book tells a fascinating story of human dreams and folly through the ages.

Recommended by Greg (2019)

Engines that move markets by Alasdair Nairn

The book talks about historical innovations played out in the stock market. Things never change – something new comes along, lots of capital gets raised, many new entrants come in…and most go bankrupt. It’s tough to figure out the winners, but it’s easier to pick the loser who will get disrupted. When the automobile was invented, no one knew which car company would survive, but you knew horse & buggy whips were in trouble. 25 years ago, it was internet. Now it's artificial intelligence.

Recommended by Jeff (2024)

The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America by Warren E. Buffett

Given the option of working with 50 MBA’s from the best schools on the planet or a university dropout with nothing more than a solid understanding of the principles in this book, I would take the dropout every time. The book is short, well organized by topic of interest and easy to understand. It’s about the basics of business and investing. Even if you don’t have an interest in business or investing, the book contains basic “walking around knowledge” that can help you navigate financial decisions you are faced with in the future.

Recommended by Tye (2016)

Fooling Some of the People All of the Time, A Long Short (and Now Complete) Story by David Einhorn

Before private debt funds and private real estate funds, there were business development companies, or BDCs – investment vehicles making private loans to private companies. David Einhorn wrote a book about shorting one of the largest, a company called Allied Capital, and the absurdity in how fanciful private investment returns are reported. In the 10 years from 1997 to 2007, Allied Capital delivered 17% compound annualized return in a perfectly straight line. Then it lost 80% of its value and was sold for pennies on the dollar. That’s how Ponzi-schemes end – a steaming pile of…misery. Allied Capital failed and so will many private investment vehicles. Before you buy any, you should read this.

Recommended by Derek (2023)

The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates and the Unraveling of a wall street legend by Rob Copeland

An insider’s look into Bridgewater. If even half of this is true…wow, what a terrible culture. It’s basically a manual on how not to run an investment firm.

Recommended by Greg (2024)

Investing in U.S. Financial History: Understanding the Past to Forecast the Future by Mark J. Higgins

An exploration of over 230 years of U.S. financial history that helps readers understand the forces that drove financial markets in the past.

Maybe not the best beach read, but it’s very reader-friendly and Higgins makes the numbers interesting!

Recommended by Greg (2024)

Junk to Gold: From Salvage to the World's Largest Online Auto Auction by Marla J. Pugh and Willis Johnson

The story behind the creation of the auto salvage marketplace business model, as told by the founder of Copart, Willis Johnson.

Recommended by Jason (2023)

Lessons from the Titans: What Companies in the New Economy Can Learn from the Great Industrial Giants to Drive Sustainable Success by Scott Davis, Carter Copeland and Rob Wertheimer

The name says it all. A deep dive into how industrial companies of the past became household names. It looks at both their successes and mistakes.

Recommended by Frank (2023)

The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan by Sebastian Mallaby

A look at one of the most influential economists in recent times told by those who knew him best.

Recommended by Claire (2021)

Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs by John Doerr

Venture capitalist John Doerr shares lessons he learned at Intel about Objectives and Key Results, specifically how they help define goals and empower employees to act on them, and includes stories about how they helped company leaders, such as Larry Page/Sergey Brin (Google), Bill Gates (The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) and Bono (ONE Foundation). Anyone can benefit from the book as the messages can apply to people on both a professional and a personal level.

Recommended by Tye (2019)

Money for Nothing: The Scientists, Fraudsters, and Corrupt Politicians Who Reinvented Money, Panicked a Nation, and Made the World Rich by Thomas Levenson

The book chronicles the evolution of the South Sea Company and the related financial engineering and speculative mania. Lots of great modern analogies.

Recommended by Lee (2023)

The Money Game by “Adam Smith” (a pseudonym for George Goodman)

A collection of stories that illuminate the ridiculousness of Wall Street, markets and investor psychology – this is a book written before its time. In 1968, “Adam Smith” had momentum stocks and algorithms all figured out:

“We live in an age of charts and computers, and the thing about charts and computer studies is that they show what is moving, and if everybody plays this game, then what moves is what is already moving.”

Recommended by Jeff and Derek (2026)

Nick and Zak's Adventures in Capitalism: Words of Wisdom from the Nomad Partnership Letters by The Rational Cloner

The second book of commentary letters comes from two former analysts at Marathon and Detusche Bank. Nick Sleep and Qais Zakaria’s meeting resulted in the launch of Nomad Investment Partners. Impressive returns over a long period of time (2001 to 2013) don’t come by chance, and these letters to their investors are broken into two parts – insights on about 40 investment topics, followed by 18 case studies on various companies. It’s conversational in tone and doesn’t just explain what they’re investment results were, but why they were able to achieve them.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

The Outlaw Bank: A Wild Ride into the Secret Heart of BCCI by Jonathan Beatty and S.C. Gwynne

Crazy story that I am surprised isn't better known in business circles.

Recommended by Lee (2020)

The Price of Time: The Real Story of Interest by Edward Chancellor

Suppressed interest rates are not a new idea. Reduce the interest, defer the debt, insolvencies and bankruptcies will decline, consumption will rise and all will be happy. Well, borrowers will be happy – at least anyone who can borrow cheaply. Unfortunately for the free money utopia, nothing is ever really free.

The initial benefits of artificially low interest rates are what we see. It’s the long-term unintended consequences that remain unseen. Low interest rates reduce borrowing costs. They also discourage saving, encourage debt, distort home prices, stock prices and asset values, promote speculation, keep failing businesses alive, misprice risk and destroy productivity. At least they have in the past. Every time. Read for yourself.

Recommended by Derek and Alex (2024)

The Revolution That Wasn't: GameStop, Reddit, and the Fleecing of Small Investors by Spencer Jakab

A walkthrough of the meme stock craze that analyzes the financial impact of frenetic retail stock trading. The whole thing actually benefitted brokerage firms, hedge funds and market makers (i.e., basically the exact opposite of what participants thought they were doing).

Recommended by Lee (2024)

The Rise of Carry: The Dangerous Consequences of Volatility Suppression and the New Financial Order of Decaying Growth and Recurring Crisis by Tim Lee, Jamie Lee and Kevin Coldiron

Not the easiest of reads, as they go into depth explaining many carry & derivative trades. But at its heart, the book is effectively about the suppression of financial volatility that the interventions of central banks and governments have caused. The economic cycle is now a function of bubbles and busts in risk assets in the context of an overall tendency to deflation due to rising debt level as the central banks have painted themselves into the corner by incentivizing the growth in carry. A carry trade is selling volatility. Central banks are agents of the carry trade, believing for some reason, since 1998, that widening spreads are now part of their unofficial mandate. This phenomenon has lead to decaying economic growth, recurring crisis, rising inequality and increased risk taking…because the central bank will be there to bail you out.

Recommended by Geoff (2021)

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 (2026)

Where Are the Customers' Yachts?: or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street by Fred Schwed Jr. and Peter Arno

Learn about gilding the lily. Learn how at times a great number of stupid people have a great deal of stupid money, or about those permanently deformed by self-importance, or how mutual funds lost half their assets in the U.S. in the 70s and 90% in Japan in the 90s. Learn that art prices fell 80% in the 30s and that Tokyo condo prices fell 80% in the 90s. Learn the importance of ignoring noise and babble. Learn about some other great investment books you should read. Learn about previous bull and bear markets. Learn that your baggage as an investor is what you already own and that it often gets in the way of excellence. Learn that all great investors have cold spells and that the people who manage most firms are rarely the ones who built them. Simply one of my top five books for anyone who wants to be a better investor or a bit less stupid with their money.

Recommended by Derek (2017)

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 (2026)

The Great Crash 1929 by John Kenneth Galbraith

Famed Harvard economist (and member of the Order of Canada) John Kenneth Galbraith's look at how speculation was a major factor to the stock market crash that ended the Roaring 20s, and the difficult recovery after. A very readable look back at events now almost a century old.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

Americana: A 400-Year History of American Capitalism by Bhu Srinivasan

A very readable trip through America’s history and how capitalism and technological innovation fueled its growth. The book includes many small details that greatly influenced the trajectory of the world’s largest economy.

Recommended by Claire (2020)

China during the Great Depression: Market, State, and the World Economy, 1929–1937 by Tomoko Shiroyama

During the Great Depression, China’s economy was not as significant but it was still impacted by the global economy. The book describes how agriculture and manufacturing (mainly textile at the time) suffered while the housing market in Shanghai was heated which increased the risk of the whole financial system. The case studies of the government intervention and corporate debt restructuring can still be relevant today.

Recommended by Tracey (2023)

The Great Depression: A Diary by Edward Chancellor

An insightful firsthand account of the Great Depression. The author was a young lawyer in Youngstown, Ohio and decided to write a diary about the daily economic occurrences happening both locally and the rest of the U.S. The intent for his diary was to educate himself about the significant economic volatility he witnessed and read about. Unlike all other accounts I’ve read on the Great Depression, the writer had no knowledge of when the Depression would end. Just a long list of daily facts, day after day, with no sense for when things would get better, mixed with many false hopes for a recovery. It’s a great book for young investors to read, especially before their first investment. It will likely add prudence to the stocks or bonds they select, and they’ll stay away from leveraging those investments.

Recommended by Geoff (2018)

The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik

A reminder of how great success is generally the result of constant improvement. Everyone can get better and this book is full of anecdotes that show how careful analysis and small improvements can have compounding effects on your results.

Recommended by Frank (2020)

The Oil Kings: How the U.S., Iran, and Saudi Arabia Changed the Balance of Power in the Middle East by Andrew Scott Cooper

Based on declassified U.S. government documents, The Oil Kings shows how America’s decision to switch from Iranian to Saudi Arabian oil in the 1970s influences policies to this day. Once-secret facts include troops almost being sent to the Persian Gulf and U.S. government officials offering to sell nuclear energy to the Shah of Iran.

Recommended by Claire (2020)

The Only Rule Is It Has To Work by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller

Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller, two of baseball’s leading analytics writers, put their beliefs on the line by taking over an actual minor league baseball team and trying to implement their unorthodox theories.

Recommended by Jason (2018)

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s by Frederick L. Allen

Written in 1931, Only Yesterday covers American history from the end of the first World War to the start of the Great Depression. Those dozen years are brought to life with a broad range of topics including politics, finance and even fashion.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power by Daniel Yergin

Dust this one off any time oil prices collapse. Think we haven’t seen this before? John D. Rockefeller used the strategy countless times to knockout the wildcatters; “good sweating,” he called it.

Recommended by Derek (2020)

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

Rome’s history from its founding, including its various societal elements that allowed it to flourish as a nation. Many parallels can be drawn to businesses and how they approach corporate culture, expansion and dissent.

Recommended by Syd (2017)

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn

Ever wonder how investors are often blind to regime changes in the stock market? Well, they’re human. Unfortunately, scientists are human as well. Unfortunately, this means that they have the same faults that humans have. Biases, vested interest, someone writing their cheques…the list goes on. The publishing of this book in 1962 is still described as a landmark event in the history and philosophy of science. Find out how the greatest scientific innovations that caused a paradigm shift in understanding was pooh-poohed by those hanging on to their old, irrelevant and wrong models. You’ll see the parallels with “science” today and the investing world as well. Enjoy.

Recommended by Geoff (2023)

The World For Sale by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy

The World for Sale tells the story of the modern-day commodity traders, largely unknown to the public. Commodity traders are the last swashbucklers of global capitalism: doing businesses where other companies don't dare set foot, thriving through a mixture of ruthlessness and personal charm – and often shaping global politics, from Cuba to Iraq, and from Russia to Libya.

Recommended by Greg (2021)

a16z live (podcast)
A venture capital–led podcast where Andreessen Horowitz discusses tech trends, startups, and the future of innovation with founders, investors, and industry experts.

Episode: Boss Talk – Beating the Incumbents

A discussion with CAA founder Michael Ovitz (CAA) talks about how he broke into the talent industry by reinventing what it meant to represent a client and creating a network.

Recommended by Claire (2021)

Episode: Conversations with Susan Rice

Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, discusses the importance of leadership and diplomacy both to her career and the in general. A look into some of the influences in her life and a few of the key decisions she made along the way.

Recommended by Claire (2020)

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 (2026)

Episode: Charlie Munger Interview

In one of his only podcast appearances before his passing, Charlie Munger speaks to the Acquired team over dinner and shares his wisdom and unforgettable wit.

Recommended by Steven (2024)

 Against the Rules with Michael Lewis (Season 2)

After an interesting first season looking into referees, Michael Lewis dives into coaching and how it has risen in different parts of society. All seven episodes are out.

Recommended by Steven (2020)

Art of Investing (podcast)

Episode: Cal Fussman - Compounding Human Connections

Art of Investing (podcast) - Almost every episode of this podcast is worth a listen, but the one with writer Cal Fussman stands out. He’s a great storyteller, but also has a lot of life lessons about the importance of human connection, compounding curiosity and how to ask the right questions.

Recommended by Claire (2024)

Art of Investing (podcast)

Episode: Mitch Rales - The Art of Compounding

Hear from Mitch Rales, the co-founder of Danaher, on how he created and shaped an organization that’s compounded capital at over 21% for over four decades. This is the first longform interview he has done and it was intriguing to hear from the mind of a long-term builder of businesses.

Recommended by Steven (2024)

Bloomberg Daybreak (podcast)

First thing I listen to in the morning. A concise five minute overview of economic, business & market news.

Recommended by Greg (2017)

Business breakdowns (podcast)

This is a great podcast I listen to occasionally. As you would expect, they just breakdown different businesses – their operating models, history and how they came to be. They don’t just do public companies which is what makes it really interesting. They have podcasts on professional sports leagues for example and private luxury brands so it’s a nice complement to the businesses we look at on a day-to-day.

Recommended by Alex (2023)

The Business of Fashion Podcast – Conversation with Remo Ruffini

“If you care about the quarter, it’s very dangerous” are probably rare words coming from someone in the fashion industry, but it’s how Moncler’s Remo Ruffini helped transform a nearly bankrupt skiwear brand founded in 1952 into a luxury label. After buying the business in 2003 and going public 10 years later, he talks about a working environment that feels like a start-up due to the innovation, energy and engagement with customers.

Recommended by Claire (2020)

Cheeky Pint (podcast)

John Collison, Stripe’s co-founder, shares a pint or two with company founders and industry leaders.

Recommended by Steven (2026)

The Circuit (podcast)
Transistor radio (podcast)

A pair of podcasts that look at the semiconductor industry from a business perspective. They provide simple explanations for the technology that’s the backbone of our modern world.

Recommended by Syd (2024)

The Dropout (podcast)

The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos — an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong.

Recommended by Andrew (2019)

Founders (podcast)
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 Jeff Bezos’s Shareholder Letters: All of Them! focuses on Jeff Bezos’s annual letters to Amazon shareholders.

Recommended by Frank (2026)

Grant's Current Yield (podcast)

You've read their prose. Now hear their voices. Listen to Jim Grant and Evan Lorenz talk high finance, Grant's-style, with plenty of wit and historical context to enliven their discussion of today's foremost investment topics.

Episode: The Least Self-Aware People On Earth (July 10, 2017 podcast)

A look at the June 2017 U.S. Federal Reserve minutes and a reconsideration of sovereign debt and associated currency risks.

Note – For those without Spotify, you can just go to www.grantspub.com/podcasts.cfm and register for an account.

Recommended by Derek (2017 and 2023)

How I Built This Podcast with Guy Raz - NPR

30-minute stories detailing the triumphs, failures, serendipity and insights of some of the world’s best known companies and brands – told by the founders.

Recommended by Tye (2017)

I Am Home (podcast) with Ted Weschler and Todd Combs

Rare interviews from the other two guys running money at Berkshire Hathaway.

Recommended by Steven (2023)

Invest Like the Best with Pat O’Shaugnessy

Asset management CEO discusses life stories with a variety of people to help

Recommended by Andrew (2018)

Episode: Marc Lasry - Making Bucks in Credit and Sports

A wide-ranging discussion from Marc Lasry, co-founder of credit investing firm Avenue Capital Group and former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. If you’re interested in learning more about sports team ownership and distressed debt investing (I can’t be the only one!), then this podcast is for you.

Recommended by Steven (2024)

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth
Lenny’s Podcast, by investor and tech figure Lenny Rachitsky, shares in-depth, actionable advice for tech professionals and founders.

Episode: Marc Andreessen - The real AI boom hasn't even started yet

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 (2026)

Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History (podcast) – The Columbia University College Rankings Scandal

I really enjoyed this Malcolm Gladwell podcast on Columbia University’s college rankings scandal. It’s a powerful story of incentives and poorly designed systems. There are some interesting analogies to ESG greenwashing, “gaming” index fund inclusion, etc.

Recommended by Andrew (2023)

The Market Huddle (podcast) by Patrick Ceresna & Kevin Muir

I’ve recommended this before, but it really is my favorite biweekly podcast. Kevin Muir and friends, riffing on all things markets while having a few beers along the way.

Recommended by Greg (2024)

Masters of Business (podcast)
Barry Ritholtz looks at people and ideas that shape markets, investing and business.

Episode: Conversation with Bill Miller

One of the great investment minds putting his perspective on the current market. A must listen.

Recommended by Frank (2020)

Masters of Scale (podcast)

Episode: Conversation with Reed Hastings

Netflix’s founder and CEO, Reed Hastings, discusses empowering people to be active in improving an organization and its environment.

Recommended by Claire (2020)

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 (2026)

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 (2026)

Value Investing with Legends (Columbia Business School’s Helibrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing)

Columbia University builds on its value investing legacy by making podcasts with some of the world’s leading practitioners. Tano Santos, head of the Helibrunn Center, hosts them and finds out how they started in the business, developed their approach and what they see in the future.

Recommended by Steven (2020)

WorkLife with Adam Grant

Organizational psychologist Adam Grant looks at different workplaces to find lessons that can improve their own job experiences.

Originally recommended by Andrew (2018)

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

From the co-founder of Pixar, a book on how to embrace a creative culture and continually challenge the status quo.

Recommended by Frank (2015)

Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker

Bill Gates’ new favourite book tries to answer the question of “Why should I live?” with the ways the world is a lot better place than it seems sometimes.

Recommended by Frank (2018)

Ever Wonder Why?: and Other Controversial Essays by Thomas Sowell

Noticing that your teenage or millennial kids are developing drastically different views? Want a chance to talk about controversial subjects, but not sure how to bring it up without them tearing your head off? Have everyone read one of the 2-to-3 page essays (chapters) before dinner and then discuss.

Recommended by Geoff (2020)

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund and Ola Rosling

This book of statistics was the inspiration for Geoff's commentary, “Things are always bad…or so you might believe”. Before the prospect of a book about data scares anyone away, this one's different — the authors managed to present it in an interesting and fun way. It gives a hopeful look at the progress humans have made and shows that the world is a much better place than we think. When we worry about everything all of the time, we lose our ability to focus on the things that matter most.

Recommended by Geoff (2019)

The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind by John Coates

Fascinating look at the physiological changes that takes place when one is under pressure in the trading environment.

Recommended by Greg (2023)

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini PhD

From the oldie-but-goodie bin, a well-researched, well-written book on how the human brain has certain built-in weaknesses and the techniques some people use to exploit those weaknesses. Knowing what these weaknesses are can help you avoid falling victim to manipulation tactics.

Recommended by Tye (2015)

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz

When it comes to a big deal, you probably want someone who was once the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator on your side. Chris Voss covers nine strategies that help with any deal you might have to make.

Recommended by Frank (2020)

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

David Epstein looks at some of the most successful people in their fields and shows why it’s better to have a wide variety of interests and skills rather than be overly specialized. The book is easy to read and full of anecdotes that show the importance of breadth of knowledge, not just depth.

Recommended by Frank (2024)

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts by Annie Duke

Annie Duke, a former World Series of Poker champion, discusses how to make better decisions when you don’t have all the facts.

Recommended by Tracey (2020)

The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis

Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky’s friendship led to a revolution in Big Data studies, a new approach to government regulation and advances in evidence-based medicine. Lewis shows how their Nobel Prize-winning theory of the mind altered our perception of reality.

Recommended by Andrew (2017)

AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future by Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan

The former president of Google China teamed up with a novelist to write 10 short stories about how artificial intelligence could shape the world in 20 years. Set in various cities around the world, they look into the many ways that computers could change different aspects of our lives and how "the future" isn't as far away as it seems.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee

Dr. Lee looks at the two leaders in A.I. development - China and the U.S. While A.I. could benefit society, the book discusses the possible effects on future jobs, both blue and white collar. More importantly, Dr. Lee talks about both potential problems by implementing the technology and their solutions.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

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 (2026)

The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity by Byron Reese

Each of the three previous eras of mankind were defined by technology – fire, agriculture and the wheel/writing. The Fourth Age looks at A.I. and robotics, the inventions that may usher in our next era and how it could change humanity.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

Hidden Forest: The Biography of an Ecosystem by Jon R. Luoma

Easy to read and short. Luoma does an exceptional job describing the different ecosystems within the Andrews Experimental Forest. Any reader looking to find parallels with the business world won’t be disappointed.

Recommended by Syd (2018)

Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI by Paul R. Daugherty & H. James Wilson

An examination of how A.I. is affecting businesses at various levels today and where it could go in the future. It include six new roles that companies should develop to succeed, as well as five rules for management to help maximize A.I. integration.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton M. Christensen

This was first published over 20 years ago. Given the rate of disruptive innovation, it’s even more important today to understand the concepts outlined in this book.

Recommended by Tye (2018)

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark

A look into the present and future of A.I. by an MIT professor. Recent innovations are the starting point to explore the different aspects of life that could be affected, from entertainment to crime and even outer space.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

The Master Algorithm: How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World by Pedro Domingos

Behind A.I. are the algorithms that help them learn and make decisions. This book looks at the labs developing the ones powering companies like Google and Amazon, as well as the traits that make the "perfect" algorithm.

Originally recommended by Jeff (2022)

Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers by Andy Greenberg

Elite Russian hackers successfully hit power grids and multinational companies around the world, causing tens of billions of dollars in damages. This isn’t a spy novel, but a WIRED journalist’s deep dive into the exploits of a possibly state-sponsored group of cyberterrorists. Full of stories like how compromising Ukrainian tax software took down shipping giant Maersk (and how the company was saved by a server in Ghana that went down due to a power outage).

Recommended by Jeff (2023)

Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom

An exploration of the risks we may encounter as a species in the development of A.I. At its heart is the idea that humanity can define the next stage of the evolution of A.I. so that we aren't as dependent on it.

Recommended by Jeff (2022)

The Viral Storm: The Dawn of a New Pandemic Age by Nathan Wolfe

Worth a read to better understand the intersection of viruses and human beings.

Originally recommended by Tracey (2020)

The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives by Ernest Scheyder

Behind a lot of the technologies needed to move to a greener future are the minerals and materials required to make them. This book faces the realities of the energy transition.

Recommended by Frank (2024)

Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steve Johnson

Examining some of the inventions that changed humanity and some of the common traits behind their creation.

Originally recommended by Claire (2021)