Naval Ravikant
Founder of AngelList · investor
Naval Ravikant reads to think from first principles, returning again and again to a tight canon on evolution, decision-making, and Stoic calm. These picks from the index recur across his interviews and essays.
5 books Naval recommends
In Naval's order. Each note is our paraphrase of why they rate it, drawn from their public lists and interviews, not a quote.
The Selfish Gene
Why Naval rates itNaval cites Dawkins constantly , the gene's-eye view is his template for reasoning about incentives and human nature.
Advanced~7hRead the breakdown →Also picked by Charlie Munger
Sapiens
Why Naval rates itHe recommends it for one idea above all: shared fictions , money, nations, companies , are what let humans cooperate at scale.
Intermediate~9hRead the breakdown →Also picked by Bill Gates, Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Why Naval rates itKahneman's catalogue of biases is, for Naval, basic training in the art of not fooling yourself.
Advanced~10hRead the breakdown →Also picked by Bill Gates
Influence
Why Naval rates itHe rates Cialdini as the clearest map of the persuasion levers operating on you every single day.
Intermediate~6hRead the breakdown →Also picked by Tim Ferriss, Charlie Munger and James Clear
Meditations
Why Naval rates itNaval returns to Marcus Aurelius as a daily operating manual for equanimity and self-command.
Intermediate~5hRead the breakdown →Also picked by Tim Ferriss and James Clear
More shelves to borrow
Other readers, other shelves.
His 2015 A Year of Books club read one serious book a fortnight, heavy on how societies work.
The world's most famous investor, who credits one book with shaping everything he did with money.
Management thinker and champion of the psychology-of-work shelf, from growth mindset to candour.