55 Sam Altman Recommended Books
Sam Altman is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and programmer. He is the President of Y Combinator and the co-chairman of OpenAI. He was the co-founder of Loopt, a location-based social networking mobile application. Altman was also the CEO of Reddit from 2014 to 2015. He is a graduate of Stanford University and is an advocate for using technology to create meaningful change.
55 Books recommended by Sam Altman
The Principia
The Authoritative Translation and Guide: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy
Author :Isaac Newton
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Blitzscaling
The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies
Author :Reid Hoffman
- Sam Altman"Have been waiting for it to come out so that I can recommend it to everyone." - Sam Altman [Source]
Secrets of Sand Hill Road
Venture Capital and How to Get It
Author :Scott Kupor
- Sam Altman"A valuable resource for any founder who wants to work with VCs." - Sam Altman [Source]
The Legend of Henry Ford
Author :Keith Sward
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Call Me by Your Name
A Novel
Author :André Aciman
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Solution Selling
Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets
Author :Michael Bosworth
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Plan B 3.0
Mobilizing to Save Civilization
Author :Lester R. Brown
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Fundamentals of Plasma Physics
Author :Paul M. Bellan
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Skunk Works
A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed
Author :Ben R. Rich
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
A Life Decoded
My Genome: My Life
Author :J. Craig Venter
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Art of War in the Middle Ages
Author :Charles Oman
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Zero to One
Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Author :Peter Thiel
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Also Recommended by
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
Author :Julian Jaynes
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Author :Oscar Wilde
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Constitutional Convention
A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison
Author :James Madison
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Author :Daniel Kahneman
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Author :Dave Eggers
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Score Takes Care of Itself
My Philosophy of Leadership
Author :Bill Walsh
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Hold 'em Poker
For Advanced Players
Author :David Sklansky
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Plentiful Energy
The Story of the Integral Fast Reactor
Author :Charles E. Till
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Powering the Future
How We Will (Eventually) Solve the Energy Crisis and Fuel the Civilization of Tomorrow
Author :Robert B. Laughlin
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Superintelligence
Paths, Dangers, Strategies
Author :Nick Bostrom
- Sam Altman"Best thing I’ve seen on this topic." - Sam Altman [Source]
Pandaemonium
The Coming of the Machine as Seen by Contemporary Observers
Author :Humphrey Jennings
- Sam Altman"My favorite book of [2018]." - Sam Altman [Source]
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Author :Jane Jacobs
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Old Way
A Story of the First People
Author :Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Hunger of Memory
The Education of Richard Rodriguez
Author :Richard Rodriguez
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
The Republic
Author :Plato
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Mind of Napoleon
A Selection of His Written and Spoken Words
Author :J. Christopher Herold
- Sam Altman"An incredible primary-source portrait on a brilliant (but obviously deeply flawed) individual." - Sam Altman [Source]
The Beak of the Finch
A Story of Evolution in Our Time
Author :Jonathan Weiner
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
Stories
Author :Alice Munro
- Sam Altman"Really good." - Sam Altman [Source]
The Making of a Manager
What to Do When Everyone Looks to You
Author :Julie Zhuo
- Sam Altman"Gives new managers the tools they need to help their people and company win." - Sam Altman [Source]
Guns, Sails, and Empires
Technological Innovation and the Early Phases of European Expansion, 1400- 1700
Author :Carlo M. Cipolla
- Sam Altman"Excellent!" - Sam Altman [Source]
Medieval Technology and Social Change
Author :Lynn White
- Sam Altman"Really is great." - Sam Altman [Source]
The Trial of Socrates
Author :I. F. Stone
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Molecular Biology of the Cell
Author :Bruce Alberts
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
A Pattern Language
Towns, Buildings, Construction
Author :Christopher Alexander
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Man's Search for Meaning
Author :Viktor E. Frankl
- Sam AltmanThis book was on Sam Altman's bookshelf. [Source]
Also Recommended by
The Supermen
The Story of Seymour Cray and the Technical Wizards Behind the Supercomputer
Author :Charles J. Murray
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
Dealers of Lightning
Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age
Author :Michael A. Hiltzik
- Sam AltmanOne of Sam Altman's answers to "What are some of the best books you recommend for a young startup founder?" [Source]
FAQs
Q1: What types of books does Sam Altman recommend?
Sam Altman typically recommends books related to business, economics, and technology.
Q2: Why are Sam Altman's book recommendations valued by readers?
Given Sam Altman's experience with Y Combinator, OpenAI, and the tech industry at large, readers seek his book recommendations for insights into successful entrepreneurship, tech trends, and visionary thinking.
Q3: How often does Sam Altman update his lists of recommended books?
While there isn't a fixed schedule, Sam Altman occasionally shares his favorite books on his blog, social media, or in interviews, emphasizing continuous learning and personal growth.
Q4: Does Sam Altman have a preferred genre or topic when recommending books?
Sam Altman's book recommendations span a variety of genres but often focus on startups, technology, leadership, and human progress. He appreciates both non-fiction insights and thought-provoking fiction.
Q5: Does Sam Altman have any special requests for those who want to read his book recommendations?
Yes, Sam Altman highly encourages readers to look for reviews of the books they're considering reading before purchasing or committing to reading them.
Other people you might be interested in
Discover Your Next Recommended Book
Quick Links
Categories
