55 Books recommended by Vinod Khosla

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Author :Neil deGrasse Tyson

"Great, very quick overview of astrophysics." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Life on the Edge
The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology
Author :Johnjoe McFadden

"Each chapter illustrates one of life’s puzzles and makes you think differently about the world." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Skin in the Game
Incerto, Book 5
Author :Nassim Taleb

"I like his ideas a lot, especially in Antifragile and the first half of this book. I've always complained about pundits relative to doers." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


Antifragile
Incerto, Book 3
Author :Nassim Taleb

"I recommend everybody read [this book] if they're setting off on a career as a personal philosophy." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Last Days of Night
A Novel
Author :Graham Moore

"I don’t read fiction, but this almost historical fiction is fun especially for Silicon Valley types." - Vinod Khosla [Source]



How to Change Your Mind
What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
Author :Michael Pollan

"A fun exploration of psychedelic drugs, especially for someone who has never tried them." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Case Against Sugar
Author :Gary Taubes

"Not surprising but explicit description of the American psych on sugar and fat by the sugar industry. I would not have believed this much influence is possible." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Drunk Tank Pink
And Other Unexpected Forces That Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behave
Author :Adam Alter

"Fun read about our biases and how our brain functions." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Winners Take All
The Elite Charade of Changing the World
Author :Anand Giridharadas

"While today’s rich and powerful are fighting for equality and justice, [this book] argues that it is being done in a way that will preserve their position at the top of society." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Checklist Manifesto
How to Get Things Right
Author :Atul Gawande

"Very good; definitely worth reading." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Invisible Gorilla
And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us
Author :Christopher F. Chabris

"Rigorously written (unlike many pysch books), fun, funny,surprising, enlightening." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Master Algorithm
How the Quest for the Ultimate Learning Machine Will Remake Our World
Author :Pedro Domingos

"If you want speculation about what the master AI might need (one view)." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Brand Flip
Why customers now run companies and how to profit from it
Author :Marty Neumeier

"A very well done book on branding and new brand values. It will be the death of many incumbents." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

What You Do Is Who You Are
How to Create Your Business Culture
Author :Ben Horowitz

"Shows the value of having principles an organization and its leaders believe in and can stick with when it gets hard to do so and real tradeoffs are involved." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Troublemakers
Silicon Valley's Coming of Age
Author :Leslie Berlin

"Tells the story of the world I have always lived, loved and believed in, despite the recent techlash." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Other People's Money
Inside the Housing Crisis and the Demise of the Greatest Real Estate Deal Ever Made
Author :Charles V. Bagli

"Not very far from the truth on the financial services industry though the authors biases come through." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Coddling of the American Mind
How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
Author :Greg Lukianoff

"Dives into the new problem on college campuses, Safetyism." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Author :Richard Bach

"One of my favorite books when I was a teenager! I still keep it around the house and periodically look at it." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


Blitzscaling
The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies
Author :Reid Hoffman

"An insightful book on how to scale at a very fast pace and more importantly WHEN." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The $12 Million Stuffed Shark
The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
Author :Donald N. Thompson

"A look at the economics and the marketing strategies that enable the modern art market to generate such astronomical prices." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Jungle Grows Back
America and Our Imperiled World
Author :Robert Kagan

"A powerful, urgent essay into why American withdrawal would be the worst possible response." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


Why We Sleep
Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Author :Matthew Walker

"Best book on the subject [of sleep]." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Line Becomes a River
Dispatches from the Border
Author :Francisco Cantú

"Provides a different world view for those of us protected from some 'reality'." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Seventh Sense
Power, Fortune, and Survival in the Age of Networks
Author :Joshua Cooper Ramo

"I like the author but wish there were more causality/details." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Atomic Habits
An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Author :James Clear

"A decent book on self-help tools, not a category I am generally a fan of." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Formula
The Universal Laws of Success
Author :Albert-László Barabási

"This book transforms how our success-obsessed society approaches their professional careers and long-term goals." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Also Recommended by

The Inflamed Mind
A Radical New Approach to Depression
Author :Edward Bullmore

"Reveals the new breakthrough on the link between depression and inflammation of the body and brain." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


Friday Black
Author :Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

"Reveals the violence, injustice, and painful absurdities that black men and women contend with every day in this country." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Breakthrough
Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer
Author :Charles Graeber

"Guides readers through the scientific research transforming immunotherapy." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Only the Paranoid Survive
How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company
Author :Andrew S. Grove

"One of favorite books on entrepreneurship." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Eating the Big Fish
How Challenger Brands Can Compete Against Brand Leaders
Author :Adam Morgan

"Brand building for entrepreneurs trying to upset the incumbents." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Future of Capitalism
Facing the New Anxieties
Author :Paul Collier

"Outlines ethical ways of healing the deep new rifts that are tearing apart the fabric of the United States and other Western societies." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Third Pillar
How Markets and the State Leave the Community Behind
Author :Raghuram Rajan

"Provides a solid framework as to why things begin to deteriorate, and how society can successfully find their way back to a secure and stable plane." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

From Bacteria to Bach and Back
The Evolution of Minds
Author :Daniel C. Dennett

"Long but worth every page." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Negotiating the Impossible
How to Break Deadlocks and Resolve Ugly Conflicts (without Money or Muscle)
Author :Deepak Malhotra

"I recommend to every entrepreneur, investor, & CEO - and anyone else who deals with difficult negotiations." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


The Peacemaker's Code
Author :Deepak Malhotra

"Based on [the author's] class at HBS, War & Peace & lessons on leadership, negotiation, strategy & the human condition." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power
Author :Shoshana Zuboff

"Dives into the largest act of capitalist colonisation ever attempted - the colonisation of our minds, our behaviour, our free will, our very selves." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Score Takes Care of Itself
My Philosophy of Leadership
Author :Bill Walsh

"Among the best books! A way of living, working & commitment to excellence." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Author :Yuval Noah Harari

"An important examination into today’s most pressing political, technological, social, and existential issues as we move into the unchartered territory of the future." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

This Is Your Brain on Music
The Science of a Human Obsession
Author :Daniel J. Levitin

"Fascinating though older book." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Deep Learning
Author :Ian Goodfellow

"For a slightly more technical read [on AI]." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Uninhabitable Earth
Life After Warming
Author :David Wallace-Wells

"A look into the future and how global warming will impact everything." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

An Elegant Defense
The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives
Author :Matt Richtel

"Explains for the lay reader the intricate biology of our immune system." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

The Success Equation
Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing
Author :Michael Mauboussin

"Important investing, business, sports." - Vinod Khosla [Source]


Against Empathy
The Case for Rational Compassion
Author :Paul Bloom

"A good case against too much empathy." - Vinod Khosla [Source]

Mindfulness in Plain English
Author :Henepola Gunaratana

"Easy access to meditation." - Vinod Khosla [Source]
FAQs
Q1: What books does Vinod Khosla recommend?
Vinod Khosla, the renowned entrepreneur and venture capitalist, has recommended a range of books over the years. While it's difficult to capture all of them succinctly, some notable mentions include 'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries and 'Venture Deals' by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson. Khosla's recommendations often center around entrepreneurship, innovation, and understanding the nuances of the startup ecosystem.
Q2: How have Vinod Khosla's book recommendations influenced the startup community?
Many entrepreneurs and investors regard Vinod Khosla's book recommendations as essential reads. They provide invaluable insights on navigating the startup ecosystem, making informed decisions, and understanding emerging tech trends.
Q3: What themes do these books explore?
These books explore a variety of topics including engineering, venture capital, and technology. They also discuss topics such as entrepreneurship, strategic thinking, and business management.
Q4: How can these books benefit readers?
These books can help broaden the reader's perspectives on engineering, venture capital, and technology. They can also offer useful insight into entrepreneurship and business management.
Q5: Do these books contain any real-world applications?
Yes, these books contain plenty of real world examples which can help the readers to gain a better understanding of the topics discussed.