Wikimedia Commons

Ray Dalio

Founder, Bridgewater Associates

Investor, author, and founder of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge funds.

Wikipedia

Investing Macro Business

3Books recommended

1Book mentioned

2Books written

1Book about them

Books Ray Dalio recommends

3 books, each linked to the source where Ray Dalio recommended it.

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 Lessons of History

by Will Durant & Ariel Durant · 1968

The books I'd give them would be The Lessons of History.

Recommended · Exact quote Source: Tim.blog

Evidence details

The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Ray Dalio (#264)

Dalio named the book when Tim Ferriss asked what books he would give every graduating high school or college senior.

The quote is taken word for word from the source.

Tim.blog · 2018-02-01 · accessed 2026-06-21

Podcast · Podcast transcript

Transcript lines 297-303 ask which books Dalio would give every graduating high school or college senior and record Dalio naming the three titles.

Amazon Audible Bookshop.org

River Out of Eden

by Richard Dawkins · 1995

River Out of Eden, by Richard Dawkins. Another very short book on evolution.

Recommended · Exact quote Source: Tim.blog

Evidence details

The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Ray Dalio (#264)

Dalio included the book in the same answer about books he would give every graduating high school or college senior.

The quote is taken word for word from the source.

Tim.blog · 2018-02-01 · accessed 2026-06-21

Podcast · Podcast transcript

Transcript lines 297-303 ask which books Dalio would give every graduating high school or college senior and record Dalio naming the three titles.

Amazon Audible Bookshop.org

The Hero with a Thousand Faces

by Joseph Campbell · 1949

Again, I would say Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Recommended · Exact quote Source: Tim.blog

Evidence details

The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Ray Dalio (#264)

Dalio included the book in the same answer about books he would give every graduating high school or college senior.

The quote is taken word for word from the source.

Tim.blog · 2018-02-01 · accessed 2026-06-21

Podcast · Podcast transcript

Transcript lines 297-303 ask which books Dalio would give every graduating high school or college senior and record Dalio naming the three titles.

Amazon Audible Bookshop.org

Also mentioned

Ray Dalio mentioned or cited these books. They are not counted as direct recommendations.

Einstein's Mistakes

by Hans C. Ohanian · 2008

Here was the greatest mind of the twentieth century, and he made lots of mistakes.

Mentioned · Exact quote Source: The New Yorker

Evidence details

Mastering the Machine

A New Yorker profile reports Dalio showing the writer the book he had been reading and drawing a lesson about mistakes from Einstein's example.

The quote is taken word for word from the source. It is a mention, not counted as a direct recommendation.

The New Yorker · 2011-07-18 · accessed 2026-06-23

Article · Profile mention

The profile says Dalio showed the reporter Einstein's Mistakes, a book he had been reading, and quotes Dalio explaining the lesson he drew from it.

Books by Ray Dalio

Written by Ray Dalio. Not counted as recommendations.

Business Investing Decision Making

Principles

by Ray Dalio · 2017

Ray Dalio's operating principles for life, work, decision-making, and organizational culture.

Amazon Apple Books Audible Bookshop.org

Investing Macro Geopolitics

Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order

by Ray Dalio · 2021

Ray Dalio's framework for studying debt, internal conflict, reserve currencies, and the rise and decline of major powers.

Amazon Audible Bookshop.org

Books about Ray Dalio

Biographies and outside accounts. Useful context, not recommendations.

Investing Bridgewater Biography

About Ray Dalio and Bridgewater

The Fund

by Rob Copeland · 2023

A reported outside account of Bridgewater Associates and the culture built around Dalio's principles.

About Ray Dalio and Bridgewater Source: Axios

Evidence details

Crying staff, strippers, filthy poems: New book digs into Bridgewater

This book is context about the person, not a recommendation.

Axios · 2023-11-07 · accessed 2026-06-17

The article identifies The Fund as Rob Copeland's book about Bridgewater Associates and Ray Dalio.

Amazon Audible Bookshop.org