Curated Reading List
Best Biography Books
The stories behind the world’s most extraordinary builders, founders, and visionaries.
23 biography books • Links are affiliate (details below)
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
by Walter Isaacson
“Franklin was an entrepreneur. He was basically an entrepreneur in many ways, starting from nothing.”View on Amazon
The Innovators
by Walter Isaacson
“Isaacson traces the complete history of the digital revolution. It shows how collaboration drives innovation.”View on Amazon
Shoe Dog
by Phil Knight
“I wrote this memoir about the early days of Nike because I believe the true story is worth telling. It was messy, risky, and deeply human.”View on Amazon
Napoleon
by Andrew Roberts
“Napoleon was the ultimate disruptor. He rewrote the rules of warfare and governance.”View on Amazon
Nikola Tesla: My Inventions
by Nikola Tesla
“Tesla was the ultimate inventor. His autobiography is a window into genius-level thinking.”View on Amazon
Bloomberg by Bloomberg
by Michael Bloomberg
“I wrote my story because I think entrepreneurs need honest accounts of what building a company is really like.”View on Amazon
The Power Broker
by Robert A. Caro
“Caro's biography of Robert Moses is the definitive study of how power works in a city. Required reading for anyone in politics.”View on Amazon
Softwar
by Matthew Symonds
“Symonds followed me for years to write this. It's the most accurate account of how Oracle was built.”View on Amazon
The Dream Machine
by M. Mitchell Waldrop
“The best book about the history of computing ever written. Licklider's vision of interactive computing shaped everything we build today.”View on Amazon
Empires of Light
by Jill Jonnes
“Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse — three geniuses fighting to electrify the world. The parallels to modern platform wars are striking.”View on Amazon
The Conquest of New Spain
by Bernal Diaz del Castillo
“A firsthand account of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Understanding history is essential to understanding Mexico's future.”View on Amazon
Chapters of My Life - Li Ka-shing
by Li Ka-shing Foundation
“I left school at 15 to work in a plastics factory. Every chapter since has been about learning, adapting, and never being satisfied with what I know.”View on Amazon
Citizen Kane
by Pauline Kael
“Kael's analysis of the Hearst story is the best study of media empires ever written. The parallels are obvious and I don't mind.”View on Amazon
The Testing of Luther Albright
by Mackenzie Scott
“I wrote this novel before Amazon existed. Fiction teaches empathy in a way that business books never can.”View on Amazon
Sam Walton: Made in America
by Sam Walton
“Walton built the world's largest retailer from a single store in Arkansas. His obsession with speed and efficiency mirrors what we built at Zara.”View on Amazon
Confessions of a Street Addict
by James J. Cramer
“I wrote the truth about running a hedge fund. The 24/7 stress, living in your car, the wins and losses. Nobody else was honest about it.”View on Amazon
The Prize
by Daniel Yergin
“Yergin's history of oil is the definitive story of the industry that built modern civilization. I lived it — fracking the Bakken was my chapter.”View on Amazon
Titan
by Ron Chernow
“Rockefeller built Standard Oil from nothing. Chernow captures the relentless drive that defines anyone who builds something in the oil business.”View on Amazon
Titan
by Ron Chernow
“Rockefeller understood that land and infrastructure are the foundations of lasting wealth. I applied the same thinking to Orange County.”View on Amazon
Shoe Dog
by Phil Knight
“Knight built Nike the same way I built Red Bull — relentless belief in a product that critics said nobody needed. His memoir is honest about the chaos.”View on Amazon
Moving the Mountain: My Life in China
by Li Lu
“Li Lu's memoir of the Tiananmen Square protests. From earthquake survivor to student leader to Munger's most trusted investor. One of the most extraordinary life stories in finance.”View on Amazon
Steve Jobs
by Walter Isaacson
“Isaacson's definitive biography of Jobs captures the reality distortion field, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the intersection of technology and liberal arts that defined Apple.”View on Amazon
Einstein: His Life and Universe
by Walter Isaacson
“Einstein's imagination changed the world more than any other scientist. Isaacson shows how his rebellious, curious mind worked. A masterclass in thinking differently.”View on Amazon
Why These Books?
This list is not a generic roundup scraped from the internet. Every book here was either recommended in a public interview, annual letter, or book club by a billionaire investor — or it comes from Glen Bradford's personal reading list, built over 15+ years of concentrated value investing. Whether you are just getting started or looking for the next book that changes how you see the world, this is the list.
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Disclosure: Links on this page go to Amazon and include an affiliate tag. If you buy something, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Book recommendations are sourced from publicly available interviews, annual letters, and book clubs. Attributions may be paraphrased or reflect secondhand reporting — we do our best but can't guarantee perfect accuracy. These attributions do not imply endorsement of this site by any individual listed. This page was compiled with AI assistance.
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