What are a16z employees reading?

Author: Little Catcher CHAOS, Source: Author's Twitter @iamyourchaos

On June 28, a16z crypto updated the article "Some books we're reading this summer 2024" on its official website.

I did a simple translation and sorted it out, and put the books related to investment/finance/technology in advance.

Use your spare time to read books, so that you can outperform others in the bull market.

Broken Money: Why Our Financial System Is Failing and How We Can Fix It by Lyn Alden

“Alden’s lessons and insights from the history of money make a powerful case for how decentralized digital currencies can address past and current challenges facing monetary systems.”

America’s Payments System: A Guide for Payment Professionals by Carol Coye Benson, Scott Loftesness, and Russ Jones

“This textbook covers many aspects of the payment system (wire transfers, ATMs, credit cards, debit cards, etc.) in great detail. You probably won’t finish this book cover to cover, but it’s a great resource if you want to understand how money moves after a credit card is swiped. More importantly, understanding the complexities of the existing payment system made me even more excited about the future of blockchain payment networks.”

Annelise Osborne's From Hoodies to Suits: Innovating Digital Assets for Traditional Finance

"I loved this book. It bridges the gap between traditional finance and technical engineering and cryptocurrency. Both types of people are necessary to continue to develop the web3 ecosystem."

AI Needs You: How We Can Change the Future of AI and Save Ourselves

Verity Harding's "An expert on the interaction between artificial intelligence and public policy, she understands the rise of modern AI through the lens of technological movements over the past century or so. This 'Humanistic Manifesto for the Age of AI' argues that AI's impact on society is far from predetermined, and it is up to everyone to push technology toward its greatest social potential."

The Curious Culture of Economic Theory

Ran Spiegler's "A vibrant collection of essays that explores the intellectual history and philosophy of economic theory. Spiegler Discusses topics such as how and why economists reason in particular ways about strategic behavior, (ir)rationality, and information—all the while teaching the conceptual framework and anthropologicalizing the field."

Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt

"Filled with insights and reflections on basic economics."

Flying Blind by Peter Robison

"This is the most complete business history of Boeing, showing its gradual decline from a widely respected engineering firm to one that lost its reputation for safety and quality. ”

The Model Thinker: What You Need to Know to Make Data Work for You, by Scott Page

This book teaches a range of mathematical models, from networks to Markov chains to signaling, and shows how they can be applied to data sets. This may sound extremely dry—and it isn’t. Page shows how to use these mental models in the real world, and argues that because any one model is a poor simulation of the real world, we need multiple models to navigate our lives.

The Creative Tao: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin

“A master class in bringing the creative process to life. Whether you’re making music, writing, painting, programming, or investing in tech: be open to new ideas, willing to experiment, and ready to fail. Concise, accessible, and thought-provoking. ”

Essentialism: The Quest for Less But Better by Greg McKeown

“This book introduced me to the concept of ‘timing.’ The ancient Greeks had two words for time – one was ‘chronos,’ the linear, clock-measured time we are familiar with. The second was ‘kairos,’ which represented the moment of opportunity or the ‘right’ time, which can only be experienced by living in the present moment. ‘Kairos’ is a timeless time that occurs at a decisive or meaningful moment. None of us can change ‘chronos’ (despite sometimes wishing it would go faster and other times slower), but we can all increase the time we live in ‘kairos.’ This is an old bestseller that’s worth rereading.”

The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David McCullough

“McCullough is a thorough researcher who knows how to weave a narrative. His account of the extraordinary efforts behind one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 19th century is for anyone interested in innovation, technology, and daring leadership. It’s a paean to will.”

Writing to Learn by William Zinsser

“I recently learned that the author of the writing bible, The Art of Writing, has another book on writing. If you only read one, read The Art of Writing, but if you’re a huge Zinsser fan, like me, read both. This sequel is filled with samples of clear, concise, powerful writing from masters like Einstein and Darwin. His argument is that anyone can learn any subject—no matter how complex—by writing in simple language. It’s a beautiful belief because it’s true. ”

Withered: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic by Emily Monosson

“This is a mind-opening and thought-provoking book that won’t just make you freak out about fungal pandemics, but make you think about evolutionary competition and the strategic struggles between various organisms and the fungi that sometimes exterminate them. ”

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A perfect blend of science fiction and evolutionary biology, Children of Time takes readers on an epic journey across time and space. The novel explores the rise and fall of civilizations, the resilience of life, and the unexpected consequences of man's quest for survival. It's very difficult to make epic hard science fiction both intellectually stimulating and emotionally moving, but this book does it. It will capture your imagination and linger with you long after you've finished reading it.

Memoirs!: A Life in Computer Games by Sid Meier

"The creator of Civilization and dozens of other computer games looks back on how he and his collaborators built one of the greatest game franchises in history. Not only does Memoirs trace the history of computer hardware, graphics, AI, and game design, it's also filled with top advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and creators. And there's a lot of humor, too. ”

Graph Theory and Additive Combinatorics: Exploring Structure and Randomness by Yufei Zhao

“My friend Yufei Zhao has written a beautiful, vibrant book about the phenomenon in combinatorics where structure emerges from apparent randomness, and vice versa. The book is an entertaining introduction to the field, covering everything from Szemerédi’s theorem to the card game SET.”

Upstream by James C. Scott

“In Upstream, James C. Scott turns the common logic of civilization on its head: animals, plants, and fire domesticated humans; so-called ‘savages’ had a cleaner, healthier lifestyle and emerged as an important and economically necessary counterpoint to states; these early states did not develop taxes—rather, it was the ability to tax agriculturalists by collecting domesticated grains that were readily available on the ground that led to the formation of early states. The economic, technological, and political systems we rely on all have stories to explain their origins.”

Ancient Cities by Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges

“What did the ancients of the ancients think? We understand and pay attention to the history and beliefs of the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Indians because we have easier access to their writings. But how much do we know about the beliefs of the ancients who went before that? Those Proto-Indo-European beliefs shared by the ancient Romans, Greeks, Indians, Persians, and so on, which formed the basis of Western civilization.

Ancient Cities (1864) is surprisingly readable despite its age. It explores everything we can infer based on ancient texts and linguistic foundations. It is the clearest account of the development of Western culture up to the advent of Christianity that I have ever read. ”

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Extraordinary Power of Giving People More Than Expectations

Will Guidara

“He worked at Eleven Madison Park for many years and was a big reason for its success. This book is easy to read, but very applicable to our daily work. It also applies to the political field.”

Sailing for Madmen

Peter Nichols

“This is a fascinating account of the first solo race around the world! The race was held in 1968-1969 and was open to the public - which is why most of the entrants had little experience. The winner completed the race in 312 days (the current solo record is 42 days). I think there are a lot of similarities with startup founders: most people have no idea what the journey involves, they have to fix problems with the boat as they sail, and for some, the journey itself is more important than the final monetary reward and honor. ”

Think Like a State: Why Some Plans to Improve the Human Condition Fail

by James C. Scott

“Think Like a State” gave me some clarity on how to think about operating organizations of all sizes. I’ve been recommending this book to anyone running a startup, a business, a community. Yes, you need to decentralize control and encourage grassroots innovation—lessons that are especially true in the blockchain space. Also, the first half of the book is a great history lesson on early bureaucracies.”

Tao Te Ching from Lao Tzu

“The truth is in your heart!”

Endurance: Mind, Body, and the Surprisingly Elastic Limits of Human Performance

by Alex Hutchinson

“I’ve been reading a lot of books about perseverance and endurance lately. I particularly enjoyed the author’s behind-the-scenes access during Nike’s 2-hour marathon program and the chapter on pain, which features cyclists Jens Voight and Eddy Merckx.”

How Hard Do You Want to Fight?: Mastering the Mind Over the Muscle by Matt Fitzgerald

“A diverse collection of epic race stories, with insightful interviews with elite athletes about what goes on in their minds and bodies during their most challenging races.”

The Modern Diet Is a Biosecurity Threat by David Oks

“An entertaining and practical analysis of how and why the modern diet is killing us.” ”

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami

“Murakami’s fascinating memoir includes reflections on running and writing, their intersection, and their impact on his life.”

Choosing to Run, by Des Linden

“I recommend this memoir. Boston Marathon champion Des Linden is a treasure and the embodiment of perseverance.”

The CIA: An Imperial History, by Hugh Wilford

“A new perspective on the agency told through the actions of key individuals.” ”

Stop Time: A Memoir by Frank Conroy

“It’s a coming-of-age story and a look back at rebellious youth that, while true, fascinated me more than JD Salinger’s novel.”

φ, π, e, and i by David Perkins

“It’s fun to read in order, but even more fun to flip through. You never know when you’ll discover your new favorite formula that incorporates some of the most famous numbers in mathematics. (For example, check out pages 89-91!)”

Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen

“Annie Jacobsen uses top sources to outline the nuclear capabilities and policies of the world’s nations, placing them in the context of a hypothetical attack on the United States.” It's thought-provoking in many ways, one of which will keep you up at night."

Shadow Divers: The True Story of Two Americans' Adventures to Solve the Final Mystery of World War II by Robert Kurson

"This is a super fascinating (true!) story - I recommend not reading the back cover (or knowing anything about the book ahead of time) because it's much more interesting as the mystery unfolds for you and the characters at the same time."

The Wager by David Grann

"The Wager is a riveting true story of survival at sea and about human nature during the Age of Exploration."

The Grinch by Ray Vukcevich

"What's that, up in the sky - is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s The Grinch – the most ‘Grinch’ sci-fi short story ever written!”

The Smoke Trees by Denis Johnson

“This riveting Vietnam War spy thriller deftly interweaves the stories of a rookie CIA agent, a lost Marine, and a missionary Canadian nurse, while also being a meditation on American history, mythology, and more.”

Babel by R.F. Kuang

“This is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read since The Name of the Wind. It mixes some elements of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, with some of The Killing of Kings and Harry Potter, and the deadly beauty of The Song of Achilles. It’s a heartbreaking story that broke me down and brought tears to my eyes, but I still highly recommend it.” ”

Bright Memories (Book 14 in the Wheel of Time series) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

“Around page 500 I began actively avoiding reading for fear of the inevitable ending and sadness at the end of a series that had stuck with me for five years. The slow build-up and tension to the final battle was excruciating, and I wouldn’t recommend reading this series if you’re not ready for hundreds of pages of desert treks and troll battles. Sanderson (who took over the series after Jordan’s unexpected death) builds tension on multiple fronts and unravels the final battle until it finally explodes in an epic finale.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Toshisuke Nisaka

"This sweet read is both heart-wrenching and heart-warming. Filled with wise observations and sage advice, it felt like a safe haven from reality while the owner escaped his own labyrinth. Anyone who loves books will find themselves reflected in these pages.

James by Percival Everett

"After seeing the film American Novel (based on his earlier novel Erased), I picked up Everett's new novel James. I was not disappointed. James is a work of inspiration. Everett's style is full of irony, sympathy, and energy, a perfect tribute to Mark Twain, inspired by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. ”

A Small Mercy by Dennis Lehane

“Perfect for beach reading—Dennis Lehane at his best.”

The Noh-Men Murder Case by Akimitsu Takagi

“A suspenseful novel with a multi-layered author-narrator-detective structure that is as innovative and unique as Agatha Christie’s seminal novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. As with other orthodox mysteries, the solution relies on logic—all the evidence is in the book. Yet, even so, the reader is left perplexed as the story builds intricately to an almost poetic climax. ”

Slow Horses by Mick Herron

“What happens to MI5 spies who can’t be fired but no longer fit in the A-Team? These misfits are sent to Slough House, where they do the worst spy work—until they quit or retire. In this inventive, smart, and funny spy novel, these so-called ‘slow horses’ find themselves back in the spotlight when a kidnapping turns deadly. ”

How to Keep a Toddler in Line: A Survival Guide to Life with Kids Ages 2-7 by Joanna Faber and Julie King

“I’m a proponent of mental models in web3. However, when I looked for equivalent mental models for parenting, I was at a loss for where to start. This book offers several frameworks and tactical tools for resolving conflict, handling emotions, and my favorite part is the section on how to get kids moving from one activity to another in a timely and non-stressful manner.”