Nassim Taleb

80 Nassim Taleb Recommended Books

Nassim Taleb is a philosopher, statistician, and former trader. He is best known for his books The Black Swan and Antifragile, which focus on randomness and uncertainty in life and the world. He is a professor of Risk Engineering at New York University, and has written extensively on the topic of probability and randomness.

80 Books recommended by Nassim Taleb

The Complete Guide to Fasting

The Complete Guide to Fasting

Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting

Author :Dr. Jason Fung

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"An excellent book!" - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Happy Accidents

Happy Accidents

Serendipity in Major Medical Breakthroughs in the Twentieth Century

Author :Morton Meyers MD

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Please Please READ This Book! Read it TWICE!" - Nassim Taleb [Source]

1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die

1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die

A Food Lover's Life List

Author :Mimi Sheraton

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"This is THE reference book." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Thinking and Deciding

Thinking and Deciding

Author :Jonathan Baron

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I am buying a second copy." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Rational Decisions

Rational Decisions

Author :Ken Binmore

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Presents a comprehensive set of the principles and axioms behind neo-classical economics." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Elements of Statistical Learning

The Elements of Statistical Learning

Data Mining, Inference, and Prediction

Author :Trevor Hastie

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Very comprehensive, sufficiently technical to get most of the plumbing behind machine learning." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

No Bull

No Bull

My Life In and Out of Markets

Author :Michael Steinhardt

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The man is one of the greatest traders in history. There are a few jewels in there." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Bull!

Bull!

A History of the Boom and Bust, 1982-2004

Author :Maggie Mahar

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"[The author] had the courage to take a look at what was behind all of this religious belief in markets." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Blueprint

Blueprint

The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society

Author :Nicholas A. Christakis

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Excited to get [this book] as I am trying to go deeper into the notion of fractal (multiscale) localism & see what's wrong w/my thesis" - Nassim Taleb [Source]

A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes

A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes

Author :Peter Bevelin

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"It makes you both wiser and eager to reread Sherlock Holmes." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Blank Slate

The Blank Slate

The Modern Denial of Human Nature

Author :Steven Pinker

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A great exposition of modern scientific thinking and understanding of the nature of man." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Bitcoin Standard

The Bitcoin Standard

The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking

Author :Saifedean Ammous

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Bitcoin is an excellent idea." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

A Guide to Econometrics

A Guide to Econometrics

Author :Peter Kennedy

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The best intuition builder in both statitics and econometrics." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Hopping over the Rabbit Hole

Hopping over the Rabbit Hole

How Entrepreneurs Turn Failure into Success

Author :Anthony Scaramucci

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"So gripping you can read it standing up. A must read." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Secret of Fatima

The Secret of Fatima

A Father Kevin Thrall Thriller

Author :Peter J. Tanous

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"James Bond as a Catholic Priest." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Body by Science

Body by Science

A Research Based Program to Get the Results You Want in 12 Minutes a Week

Author :John R. Little

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I owe a lot to this book." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Invisible Gorilla

The Invisible Gorilla

And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us

Author :Christopher F. Chabris

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The illusion of attention is one of the most important, surprising, and least known flaws in human thinking. This lucid book examines it in detail." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo

Author :Alexandre Dumas

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"This treasure will prevent you from enjoying other novels." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Consciousness

Consciousness

An Introduction

Author :Susan Blackmore

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Comprehensive, clear, well written." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Scale

Scale

The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies

Author :Geoffrey West

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Will expand your thinking from three dimensions to four." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Mathematics

Mathematics

Its Content, Methods and Meaning

Author :A. D. Aleksandrov

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Mathematicians should be using this book as a model for their own composition." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Modern Aramaic-English/English-Modern Aramaic Dictionary & Phrasebook

Modern Aramaic-English/English-Modern Aramaic Dictionary & Phrasebook

Assyrian/Syriac

Author :Nicholas Awde

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Most excellent, except for very few and small mistakes." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Kelly Capital Growth Investment Criterion

The Kelly Capital Growth Investment Criterion

Author :Leonard C. MacLean

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Finally, a compendium of the most rigorous research (gamblers ruin based) on risky decisions." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Mapping the Mind

Mapping the Mind

Author :Rita Carter

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Great reference book, very pedagogical." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Confessions of a Philosopher

Confessions of a Philosopher

A Personal Journey Through Western Philosophy from Plato to Popper

Author :Bryan Magee

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"[The author] was close enough to Popper to present us with his ideas first-hand." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Good Calories, Bad Calories

Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health

Author :Gary Taubes

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Read it twice, once for the diet, once a a rich document in the history of science." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Longevity Solution

The Longevity Solution

Rediscovering Centuries-Old Secrets to a Healthy, Long Life

Author :Dr. James DiNicolantonio

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Incredibly well made book." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Perilous Interventions

Perilous Interventions

The Security Council and the Politics of Chaos

Author :Hardeep Singh Puri

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Should be mandatory reading to every student and practitioner of foreign affairs." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Invariances

Invariances

The Structure of the Objective World

Author :Robert Nozick

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Like a manual for a new regimen in philosophy." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Statistical Models

Statistical Models

Theory and Practice

Author :David Freedman

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The best statistics book I've seen." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Kant and the Platypus

Kant and the Platypus

Essays on Language and Cognition

Author :Umberto Eco

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I was taken aback by the combination of depth and the vividness of the style." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Hour Between Dog and Wolf

The Hour Between Dog and Wolf

How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind

Author :John Coates

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Excellent exposition of overcompensation." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Mind Doesn't Work That Way

The Mind Doesn't Work That Way

The Scope and Limits of Computational Psychology

Author :Jerry A. Fodor

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Horribly written (that is Fodor's charm after all) but his argumentation is so ferocious that he ends up loud & clear." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Order without Design

Order without Design

How Markets Shape Cities

Author :Alain Bertaud

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"It is a pleasure to read something by a person who knows his subject in so much depth." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Dao of Capital

The Dao of Capital

Austrian Investing in a Distorted World

Author :Mark Spitznagel

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"At last, a real book by a real risk-taking practitioner." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Sunday Philosophy Club

The Sunday Philosophy Club

Isabel Dalhousie, Book 1

Author :Alexander McCall Smith

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I don't want to spoil the story but I felt that I was reading a detective story until I realized what it was..." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Bull by the Horns

Bull by the Horns

Fighting to Save Main Street from Wall Street and Wall Street from Itself

Author :Sheila Bair

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The account of a person who says it the way it was." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Deep Learning

Deep Learning

Author :Ian Goodfellow

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Very clear exposition, does the math without getting lost in the details." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Modelling Extremal Events

Modelling Extremal Events

For Insurance and Finance

Author :Paul Embrechts

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The bible for the field." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Birth of a Theorem

Birth of a Theorem

Author :Cédric Villani

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"[The author] is playful in real life, his research is playful, and [this book] is playful." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Financial Derivatives

Financial Derivatives

Pricing, Applications, and Mathematics

Author :Jamil Baz

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A condensed, but extremely deep , and complete exposition of the subject of theoretical finance." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Zero to One

Zero to One

Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Author :Peter Thiel

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"When a risk taker writes a book, read it. In the case of [this author], read it twice. Or, to be safe, three times. This is a classic." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

A New Kind of Science

A New Kind of Science

Author :Stephen Wolfram

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Not a book, but a monument." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Social Cognition

Social Cognition

Making Sense of People

Author :Ziva Kunda

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"It is limpid, precise, illustrative, showing a wonderful clarity of mind." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Misbehavior of Markets

The Misbehavior of Markets

A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence

Author :Benoit Mandelbrot

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The deepest and most realistic finance book ever published." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Formula

The Formula

The Universal Laws of Success

Author :Albert-László Barabási

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"[Approaches] the problem of randomness and success using the state of the art scientific arsenal we have." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

A History of the Mind

A History of the Mind

Evolution and the Birth of Consciousness

Author :Nicholas Humphrey

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Clarity, so rare, so prized..." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Models.Behaving.Badly.

Models.Behaving.Badly.

Why Confusing Illusion with Reality Can Lead to Disaster, on Wall Street and in Life

Author :Emanuel Derman

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Convincingly establishes the difference between model and theory and shows why attempts to model financial markets can never be genuinely scientific." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition

The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition

Author :Norman Russell

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The most complete overview of theosis." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Intellectuals in the Middle Ages

Intellectuals in the Middle Ages

Author :Jacques Le Goff

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Excellent book." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Adapt

Adapt

Why Success Always Starts with Failure

Author :Tim Harford

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A highly readable, even entertaining, argument against top-down design." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Seeking Wisdom

Seeking Wisdom

From Darwin to Munger

Author :Peter Bevelin

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A wonderful book on wisdom and decision-making written by a wise decision-maker." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The French Revolution and What Went Wrong

The French Revolution and What Went Wrong

Author :Clarke Stephen

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"So much fun to read. The author, visibly writes with an attitude." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Practice of Natural Movement

The Practice of Natural Movement

Reclaim Power, Health, and Freedom

Author :Erwan Le Corre

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Excited to find in my mailbox [this book]." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Wisdom Paradox

The Wisdom Paradox

How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older

Author :Elkhonon Goldberg

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I am now spoiled; I need more essays by opinionated, original,and intellectual, contemporary scientists." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Discovery of France

The Discovery of France

A Historical Geography from the Revolution to the First World War

Author :Graham Robb

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"An answer to so many questions." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Information

Information

The New Language of Science

Author :Hans Christian von Baeyer

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"If you want an introduction to information theory, and, in a way, probability theory from the real front door, this is it." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Tartar Steppe

Tartar Steppe

Author :Dino Buzzati

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A masterpiece." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Explaining Social Behavior

Explaining Social Behavior

More Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences

Author :Jon Elster

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Simply the best: read it at least twice." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Statistical Mechanics of Financial Markets

The Statistical Mechanics of Financial Markets

Author :Johannes Voit

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Very useful bridge between physics methodologies and finance." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Author :Daniel Kahneman

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A landmark book in social thought, in the same league as The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith and The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Who We Are and How We Got Here

Who We Are and How We Got Here

Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past

Author :David Reich

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Finally, science enters historical fields." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Dream of Reason

The Dream of Reason

A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance

Author :Anthony Gottlieb

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Deep, readable & investigative." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Ficciones

Ficciones

Author :Jorge Luis Borges

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"How literature and philosophy can be saved by parables." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Opposing Shore

The Opposing Shore

Author :Julien Gracq

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Once you enter it, you are stuck there." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Probability Theory

Probability Theory

Author :S. R. S. Varadhan

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Gives a complete overview of the basis of probability theory with some grounding in measure theory, and presents the main proofs." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Blank Swan

The Blank Swan

The End of Probability

Author :Elie Ayache

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I am relieved to finally find a book that deals with Black Swan Events in a new way." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Mean Genes

Mean Genes

From Sex To Money To Food

Author :Terry Burnham

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"So readable as to perhaps set a standard." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Market Wizards

Market Wizards

Interviews with Top Traders

Author :Jack D. Schwager

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Twenty years from now, [this book] will still be fresh. There is no other like it." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Making of a Philosopher

The Making of a Philosopher

My Journey Through Twentieth-Century Philosophy

Author :Colin McGinn

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A great book but I felt something cold inside of me while reading it." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

How Nature Works

How Nature Works

The Science of Self-organized Criticality

Author :Per Bak

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Intuitive & makes you think of universal laws." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar...

Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes

Author :Thomas Cathcart

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Like a brief drink in an airplane lounge with someone funny, smart, witty, but not too funny." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Science of Conjecture

The Science of Conjecture

Evidence and Probability before Pascal

Author :James Franklin

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Stands above, way above other books on the history and philosophy of probability." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

The Status Syndrome

The Status Syndrome

How Social Standing Affects Our Health and Longevity

Author :Michael Marmot

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Well written, humorous at times, and rigorous --it reads like a well-translated scientific paper." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Free The Animal

Free The Animal

How to Lose Weight and Fat on the Paleo Diet

Author :Richard Nikoley

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"A charming primer on the paleo idea, with an illustration through the authors own life. I read it in one sitting." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Idea Makers

Idea Makers

Personal Perspectives on the Lives & Ideas of Some Notable People

Author :Stephen Wolfram

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Excellent! Only read on mathematicians by insiders." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes

Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes

Author :Athanasios Papoulis

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"I always always recommend [this book]." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Alchemy

Alchemy

The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life

Author :Rory Sutherland

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Wonderfully applicable to about everything in life. Furthermore, it is funny as hell." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

Elements of Information Theory

Elements of Information Theory

Author :Thomas M. Cover

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"The BEST book [on information theory]." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

I Think, Therefore I Laugh

I Think, Therefore I Laugh

Author :John Allen Paulos

Nassim Taleb- Nassim Taleb

"Great refresher in Analytical Philosophy --maybe the best." - Nassim Taleb [Source]

FAQs

Q1: What books does Nassim Taleb recommend?

Nassim Taleb has recommended a range of different books spanning from philosophy and sociology to probability theory and risk. Books recommended by Nassim Taleb include “The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable” and “Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder” by Nassim Taleb himself, “The Curse of Knowledge” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, ”The Discourses” by Epictetus, ”The Cynic Philosophers” by Diogenes, ”The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, and ”The Bed of Procrustes” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

The books recommended by Nassim Taleb explore various topics such as the impact of highly improbable events, risk management, philosophy, sociology, politics, probability theory, and cognitive biases. They also provide insight into a range of topics including the philosophy of stoicism, the curse of knowledge, modern parenting and education, societal health, and much more.

According to Nassim Taleb, modern parenting and education are placing too much emphasis on outward success and academic achievement, rather than arming today's children with the tools and knowledge to not only be successful, but also be resilient and independent thinkers. Taleb argues that modern parenting and education should, instead, focus on instilling values and teaching children to think for themselves and be more resilient in the face of adversity.

Nassim Taleb believes that societies are becoming increasingly fragile, and that society's well-being and health depends on individuals who are independent, resilient, and able to adapt to changing situations. This is why Taleb argues for limiting the influence of experts and global systems, which he believes are too rigid to make the best decisions for society, instead advocating for the empowerment of individuals and embracing a more distributed form of decision making.

The 'curse of knowledge' refers to experts' inability to see a topic from a beginner's perspective and communicate effectively as a result.