CEOs are super busy people, no doubt! But of course, all of them take time out to curl up with a book and even seek inspiration from certain books and authors. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘A year of Books’, an online book club was extremely popular as he made a book recommendation every two weeks to his millions of followers.
Here’s a compilation of the favorite books of CEOs from around the world. You can also check out these books for inspiration.
Top CEOs Favourite Books
1. Jeff Bezos, Amazon
The founder of the largest virtual store in the world is said to buy around 10 books per month! Wow, that’s a lot for a CEO who must be one of the busiest people around.
Jeff Bezos Favourite Books
- Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras
- Fiction novel ‘The Remains of the Day‘ by Kazuo Ishiguro.
According to Jeff, “If you read The Remains of the Day, which is one of my favorite books, you can’t help but come away and think, I just spent 10 hours living an alternate life and I learned something about life and about regret.” This should be on your must-read list, for sure!
2. Steve Jobs, Apple
Steve Job’s lifelong interest in human touches gave Apple a very human and down-to-earth feel.
Steve Job’s Favourite Books
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
- ‘Moby Dick’ by Herman Melville
- ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ by Paramahansa Yogananda
Jobs read ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ when he was in high school and reread it again when he was on a spiritual trip to the foothills of the Himalayas. A proud moment for Indians when a top CEO was so influenced by Indian culture and spirituality!
King Lear is sure to be loved by any CEO for its interesting plot centering over what happens if you lose grip of an empire. If there’s something attracting Steve Jobs himself, we think you should try it too.
3. Bill Gates,Microsoft
The Microsoft former CEO is known to be a voracious reader, and while he’s extremely shy, he just gave us a glimpse of his must-read book.
Bill Gates Favourite Book
- The Catcher in the Rye by D. Salinger
Why does Bill Gates love this? The fact that it’s a very clever novel and shows that young people can be super smart and see things that adults don’t.
Now, that’s one book we would love to try!
4. Mark Zuckerberg,Facebook
Among all the CEOs, the one who’s kept people most in touch with what he reads is Mark Zuckerberg. Surely all those who are his followers on Facebook will know what this young CEO loves. For the uninitiated,
Mark Zuckerberg’s Favourite Books
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- The Aeneid by Virgil
While this might sound complex, it isn’t! The Enders Game is a military science fiction which has been recommended for many military organizations. It’s even been made into a film.
5. Larry Page,Google
What attracted Page to the physicist Feynman’s books? A cocktail portrayal that is intensely moving, funny and shows true love! These books possess all the ingredients which would be loved by a voracious reader. Here are his favourite reads:
Larry Page’s Favourite Books
- What do you care What Other People Think
- Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman (Both by Dr.Richard Feynman)
Both the books are New York Times best sellers, so you can try it too.
6. Oprah Winfrey,OWN Networks
Who doesn’t like Oprah Winfrey? The strong lady who overcame many struggles and was the first woman who owned her own talk show! She is an inspiration to struggling young women around the world. So if she reads a book, it’s surely meant to be followed.
Oprah’s Favourite Book
To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
It’s a super-successful novel, even winning the Pulitzer Prize and a great choice, we say! A must read, for sure.
7. N R Narayana Murthy,Infosys
Narayana Murthy’s wife is herself a successful author having written many books. We’re not sure Mrs.Murthy’s books are included but, here’s a list of favourites from the former CEO.
Narayana Murthy’s Favourite Books
- Winners Never Cheat Even in Difficult Times by Jon M Huntsman
- What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets by Michael J. Sandel
These do look like Rocket Science judging by the titles. Go for it, if you are indeed geeky! Or brave enough 🙂 .
Hope you got inspiration knowing their favourite books. Go right away and purchase these books from sites like Snapdeal which encourage reading and have a whole stock of books with deals.