7 Must-Read Book Recommendations by Naval Ravikant: Something for Every Reader

Entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant recommends these seven books for lessons on life, science, philosophy and more.

By Sowmya Mani

October 1, 2022

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Self-made entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant has invested in over 100 startups, and is the co-founder of AngelList. He’s known for his talks, podcast, tweets, and essays on happiness, wealth, and life, which have been curated in a free book named ‘The Almanack of Naval Ravikant’.

In most of his interviews and talks, one thing that rings clear is Naval’s love for reading. He started reading at his grandfather’s house as a child, and today spends at least an hour reading daily.

Here are seven books recommended by Naval Ravikant:

1. Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

This is the biography of Charles Munger, who is the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. He was trained as a meteorologist during World War II and studied law at Harvard. Therefore, his thinking is unique and his witty speeches make this book very interesting.

Naval recommends this book in his Almanack and says, “Though it is a business book, it’s really just Charlie Munger’s advice on overcoming oneself to live a successful and virtuous life. Part biography and part collection of Charlie’s speeches, this is the only book on Munger you need.”

Buy the book here.

2. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

This book was written in Greek and was actually never intended to be published. It delves into Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius’s mind and includes his spiritual reflections as he tried to understand himself and the universe. It is regarded as one of the greatest books on philosophy today.

In ‘The Tim Ferriss Show’, Naval called this book life changing.

“Here’s a guy who was probably the most powerful human being on earth at the time that he lived, and he was writing his own diary to himself, not expecting it to be published. When you open this book, you realise he had all the same issues and all the same mental struggles, and he was trying to be a better person. And so right there you figure out okay, success and power,” Naval told Ferriss.

Buy the book here.

3. Influence:The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini

This is a book on understanding why people say “yes”. Through his 35-year research observing people, Cialdini came up with some reasons on the art of persuasion. It puts forth six principles and teaches you how to persuade.

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4. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

This book speaks about the journey of Siddhartha, a young boy on the path of enlightenment. It is set in the time of Gautama Buddha, who goes through various stages of life, as a boy, a merchant, a lover, and a father.

Naval says he often gifts this book to people. “I love this as a classic book on philosophy, a good introduction for someone starting out. I’ve given out more copies of this book than any other,” he says in the Almanack.

Buy the book here.

5. The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World by David Deutsch

This book by physicist David Deutsch speaks about every field of science, as well as the history of civilisation, art, politics, etc.

According to the summary of the book, “…The Beginning of Infinity explores and establishes deep connections between the laws of nature, the human condition, knowledge, and the possibility for progress.”

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6. Striking Thoughts by Bruce Lee

This book contains secrets of the success of Bruce Lee, an actor, martial artist, and philosopher. It covers a range of topics, from spirituality to personal liberation, and speaks about his challenges and how he overcame them.

In The Tim Ferriss Show, Naval recommended this book.

“Bruce Lee wrote some great philosophy. Striking Thoughts is a book that is a good summary of some of his philosophy.”

Buy the book here.

7. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

This is a collection of 26 poetic essays by Gibran, who was called the ‘Bard of Washington Street’ after this book, which took 11 years to write. The essays are philosophical, spiritual, and inspirational.

In his Almanack, Naval calls this a “modern-day poetic religious tome”.

“It’s up there with the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching, the Bible, and the Qur’an. I loved this book. I felt, like the great religious books, it gave a very deep, very philosophical, but very true answer to how to approach the major problems in life,” says Naval.

Buy the book here.

Edited by Divya Sethu