Books founders have recommended in interviews, reading lists, public notes, and other documented sources. Open a source to see what they said.
For founders choosing how to find customers, build products, and lead a company.
Editorial starting points from From The Greats. Level, prerequisites, learning goals and reading order are our guidance, not statements attributed to the recommenders. Inspect their actual recommendation evidence below.
Editorial guidance
Explore the move from early adopters to a wider market.
Recommended by Steve Blank — recommendation evidence, Tony Fadell — recommendation evidence, Drew Houston — recommendation evidence, Dharmesh Shah — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookEditorial guidance
Think through difficult operating decisions.
Recommended by Steve Blank — recommendation evidence, Tony Fadell — recommendation evidence, Drew Houston — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookEditorial guidance
Examine how established companies respond to disruptive change.
Recommended by Steve Blank — recommendation evidence, Drew Houston — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookExplore a selection of people with documented recommendations in this collection.
Entrepreneur and customer-development author
37 books recommended here
Co-founder and CEO, Stripe
24 books recommended here
Product builder and founder; creator of the iPod and iPhone; founder, Nest Labs
24 books recommended here
CEO, OpenAI; former head, Y Combinator
17 books recommended here
Founder and executive chairman, Spotify
10 books recommended here
Co-founder & CEO, Dropbox
10 books recommended hereStart with these books, then open their profiles to see who recommended them and why.
Recommended by Ben Horowitz, Drew Houston, Marc Andreessen and 1 more.
Recommended by Steve Blank, Tony Fadell, Drew Houston and 1 more.
Recommended by Tony Fadell, Sam Altman, Marc Andreessen and 1 more.
Recommended by Steve Blank, Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz.
Recommended by Drew Houston, Marc Andreessen, Jensen Huang.
Recommended by Patrick Collison, Daniel Ek, Drew Houston.
Recommended by Steve Blank, Tony Fadell, Drew Houston.
Recommended by Tobi Lütke, Marc Andreessen.
A preview of documented recommendations. Mention-only and citation-only records are separate context; documented citations classified as recommendations are included.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through some links. Recommendations are included because of the source, not because of the retailer. Details
the best management book I've ever read
The Washington Post reports that Horowitz wrote the foreword for the reissued High Output Management, called himself the book's chief promoter, and had called it the best management book he had ever read in his own book.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
The Washington Post · 2015-11-18 · accessed 2026-06-21
Article · Reported exact quote
The Washington Post reports Horowitz calling High Output Management the best management book he had ever read and identifies him as the book's chief promoter.
Steve Blank
The Lean Startup is a must have for your shelf.
Blank describes Ries's book while discussing Customer Development and Agile implementation.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21
Official source · Official startup reading list
Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.
Fooled by Randomness, which I’ve described as an essential read.
Marks identified Taleb's book as an essential read while discussing randomness and investment outcomes.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Oaktree Capital · 2008-05-16 · accessed 2026-06-22
Article · Oaktree memo
The PDF memo says Marks had described Fooled by Randomness as an essential read.
unbelievably good
Lütke names The Machiavellians as Burnham's later book and calls it unbelievably good and extremely relevant.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
The Knowledge Project · 2026-09-15 · accessed 2026-09-27
Video · Official Knowledge Project interview recording
Direct captions around 01:01:54–01:04:23: Lütke distinguishes The Machiavellians from Burnham's earlier The Managerial Revolution and praises the later book. Work OL3272669W records the 1943 title.
Steve Blank
Biodesign: The Process of Innovating Medical Technologies is a must have.
Blank recommends Biodesign for medical-device startups and notes its customer-discovery process.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21
Official source · Official startup reading list
Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.
Steve Blank
Make sure this one is on your shelf.
Blank says Business Model Generation helps founders answer the business-model question intelligently and precisely.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21
Official source · Official startup reading list
Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.
Steve Blank
These two books, one by a practitioner, the other by an investor, are must-reads.
Blank says startups disrupting regulated markets need to read The Fixer and Regulatory Hacking.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21
Official source · Official startup reading list
Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.
Steve Blank
A must read to understand the long 50-year innovation cycle we're in.
Blank recommends Perez's book in the Must Read Books section.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Steve Blank · accessed 2026-06-21 · accessed 2026-06-21
Official source · Official startup reading list
Steve Blank's official Books for Startups page names these titles in startup reading sections and includes direct guidance such as must-have, must-read, essential reading, useful read, or listed book guidance.
From The Greats