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James Clear

James Clear Recommended Books

James Clear has recommended 40 books. Browse the complete reading list with quotes and sources below.

(Read more on Wikipedia)

Online Presence

40 Books Recommended

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When Breath Becomes Air

by Paul Kalanithi
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

7 people

Sapiens

A Brief History, Book 1

by Yuval Noah Harari
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

31 people
  • Joe Rogan recommended this book
  • Bill Gates recommended this book
  • Naval Ravikant recommended this book
  • Lex Fridman recommended this book
  • Mark Zuckerberg recommended this book
  • Peter Attia recommended this book
  • +25

    More recommendations

    • Ashton Kutcher
      "The brainy book I seem to be sharing or talking about the most lately." - Ashton Kutcher
    • Whitney Cummings
      "A great book about [how] we’ve evolved and why we have anxiety." - Whitney Cummings
    • Richard Branson
      "I just love the style of his writing." - Richard Branson
    • Ray Dalio
      Ray Dalio mentioned this book on "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast.
    • Vinod Khosla
      "A previous favorite." - Vinod Khosla
    • James Cameron
      "It explains human behavior and why we are the way we are in human civilization from soup to nuts. And I’ve read it now a couple of times. It’s a pretty astonishing book." - James Cameron
    • Demis Hassabis
      "There's not many times where I read a book and come out with 20 new ideas I hadn't thought about before, and [this book] made me think like that." - Demis Hassabis
    • Keith Rabois
      Keith Rabois recommended this book on a Medium blog post.
    • Daniel Ek
      "Both sobering and conservatively optimistic in equal measure." - Daniel Ek
    • Reid Hoffman
      "A grand theory of humanity." - Reid Hoffman
    • Sam Kass
      Sam Kass recommended this book in the "Tools of Titans" book.
    • Sebastian Junger
      "I’m going to give [this book] over and over again to everyone I know." - Sebastian Junger
    • Kishore Biyani
      "Fascinating because of its multi-disciplinary approach towards understanding human society, our behaviour and our future." - Kishore Biyani
    • Ryan Shea
      One of Ryan Shea's 4 answers to "what is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift?"
    • Melinda Gates
      Melinda Gates recommended this book on Likewise.com.
    • Bill Gurley
      "I really enjoyed [this book]." - Bill Gurley
    • Karlie Kloss
      "An amazing book on the beginning of humanity." - Karlie Kloss
    • Anthony Pompliano
      "[One of the] best books I read in 2017." - Anthony Pompliano
    • Changpeng Zhao
      "Gives me a greater perspective about how humans emerged and why we behave the way we do." - Changpeng Zhao
    • PewDiePie
      "Tells the major revolutions of human history." - PewDiePie
    • Patrick O'Shaughnessy
      "Provides a concise history of humankind and outlines why we have the psychology we do today." - Patrick O'Shaughnessy
    • Chris Evans
      "Truly mind-blowing. It’s changed the way I look at almost everything. I can’t endorse it enough." - Chris Evans
    • Simon Mayo
      "Love this book still." - Simon Mayo
    • Penn Jillette
      Penn Jillette mentioned this book in a New York Times interview.
    • Mark Manson
      Mark Manson recommended this book on his website.

Into Thin Air

A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

by Jon Krakauer
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person

Harry Potter (9 books)

"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

Adventures of a Curious Character

by Richard P. Feynman
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

10 people

Guns, Germs, and Steel

The Fates of Human Societies

by Jared Diamond
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

11 people
  • Joe Rogan recommended this book
  • Bill Gates recommended this book
  • Charlie Munger recommended this book
  • Simon Sinek recommended this book
  • Daniel Ek recommended this book
  • Jesse Williams recommended this book
  • +5

    More recommendations

    • Stewart Brand
      "The main [book by this author]." - Stewart Brand
    • Patrick Arnold
      "Gave a big eye opening on why certain people of the world are more advanced than others and behave a certain way, as opposed to just genetics and this person is smarter because of this or that." - Patrick Arnold
    • Jamie Dimon
      On Jamie Dimon's list of favorite books.
    • Margaret Atwood
      "Also does pandemics." - Margaret Atwood
    • Mark Manson
      Mark Manson recommended this book on his website.

A Manual for Living

by Epictetus
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person
  • Neville Medhora recommended this book

The Lord of the Rings (4 books)

"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Influence

The Psychology of Persuasion

by Robert Cialdini
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

17 people
  • Tobi Lütke recommended this book
  • Scott Adams recommended this book
  • Naval Ravikant recommended this book
  • Charlie Munger recommended this book
  • Adam Robinson recommended this book
  • Ramit Sethi recommended this book
  • +11

    More recommendations

    • Alexis Ohanian
      "[Helps you] navigate the world with heightened awareness for how we're always being influenced/manipulated." - Alexis Ohanian
    • Guy Kawasaki
      "The guiding light for how I conduct business—and in many ways how I live my life." - Guy Kawasaki
    • Max Levchin
      One of Max Levchin's answers to "what's your favourite business book you'd advise to young entrepreneurs?"
    • Noah Kagan
      "People can be influenced in their behaviors by many different tactics." - Noah Kagan
    • Samy Kamkar
      "I love it because it was a very systematic and analytical approach to the most common ways that human being have been known to be influenced and persuaded to do something." - Samy Kamkar
    • Andrew Wilkinson
      "[One of] my most recommended business books." - Andrew Wilkinson
    • Neil Strauss
      "Understanding these [principles] make all the difference in making the leap from interest to attraction." - Neil Strauss
    • Patrick O'Shaughnessy
      Patrick O'Shaughnessy recommended this book on a blog post.
    • Mark Manson
      Mark Manson recommended this book on his website.
    • Alex Hormozi
      Alex Hormozi recommended this book on Instagram.
    • Michael Hyatt
      Michael Hyatt recommended this book on his website.

Meditations

by Marcus Aurelius
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

18 people
  • Naval Ravikant recommended this book
  • Tobi Lütke recommended this book
  • Jack Dorsey recommended this book
  • Anna Kendrick recommended this book
  • Sam Altman recommended this book
  • Neil Strauss recommended this book
  • +12

    More recommendations

    • Arianna Huffington
      "I find [this book] so inspirational and instructive, it lives on my nightstand." - Arianna Huffington
    • Stewart Brand
      Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
    • Chip Conley
      "I have given [this book] away to a number of people." - Chip Conley
    • Ryan Holiday
      "The private thoughts of the most powerful man in the world, admonishing himself on how to be better, more just, more immune to temptation, wiser." - Ryan Holiday
    • Adam Robinson
      "Someone would get more benefit from reading ten books multiple times. Like [this book]." - Adam Robinson
    • Austen Allred
      Austen Allred recommended this book on his website.
    • Shane Parrish
      "Really helped foster my interest in philosophy." - Shane Parrish
    • Joe Rogan
      "It's really wild when you think about how long that guy lived and how applicable some of his thoughts are today." - Joe Rogan
    • Lex Fridman
      Lex Fridman mentioned this book on Instagram.
    • Mark Manson
      Mark Manson recommended this book on his website.
    • Ankur Warikoo
      "Incredible book." - Ankur Warikoo
    • Patrick Bet-David
      Patrick Bet-David recommended this book on his website.

A Brief History of Time

by Stephen Hawking
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person

Game of Thrones (5 books)

"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by:

Elon Musk, Brandon Sanderson

The War of Art

Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

by Steven Pressfield
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

15 people
  • Joe Rogan recommended this book
  • Lex Fridman recommended this book
  • Aubrey Marcus recommended this book
  • Ryan Holiday recommended this book
  • Seth Godin recommended this book
  • Brian Koppelman recommended this book
  • +9

    More recommendations

    • Marie Forleo
      "The essential no-bullshit guide for anyone who battles self-doubt or struggles to bring any important project to life." - Marie Forleo
    • Daniel Pink
      "I have [a little sign] on my desk here that says, 'Beat the resistance.' So, I’ve given [this book] out a lot too." - Daniel Pink
    • Derek Sivers
      "Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what “Resistance” is. This book is about that. Read it." - Derek Sivers
    • Soman Chainani
      "Half drill sergeant, half Zen voodoo master, [the author] shot me out of my stupor and taught me the meaning of creative discipline." - Soman Chainani
    • Russell Moore
      "About showing up and not waiting for inspiration to hit." - Russell Moore
    • Jen Sincero
      "Read this thing if you want to blast past your fears and insecurities and resistance to being your biggest, badassiest self." - Jen Sincero
    • Jodie Cook
      "This book is a sharp reality check for every artist. It will help you become unblocked, right now and possibly forever." - Jodie Cook
    • Danny Miranda
      "Odds of re-reading: close to 100%." - Danny Miranda
    • Michael Hyatt
      Michael Hyatt recommended this book on his website.

This Is Water

by David Foster Wallace
"[One of] the 10 best nonfiction books of all-time." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

2 people
  • Peter Attia recommended this book
  • Hugh Jackman recommended this book

The Count of Monte Cristo

Monte Cristo, Book 1

by Alexandre Dumas
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

4 people

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird, Book 1

by Harper Lee
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

4 people
  • Jordan Peterson recommended this book
  • Taylor Swift recommended this book
  • Oprah Winfrey recommended this book
  • Kathie Lee Gifford recommended this book

The Little Prince

by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

6 people

Siddhartha

by Hermann Hesse
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

15 people
  • Naval Ravikant recommended this book
  • David Blaine recommended this book
  • Emma Watson recommended this book
  • Wim Hof recommended this book
  • Neil Strauss recommended this book
  • Bryan Johnson recommended this book
  • +9

    More recommendations

    • Navdeep Chandel
      "It’s a nice book about a journey of an evolution of a young man into an adult." - Navdeep Chandel
    • Tim Ferriss
      "Consider reading or rereading this short gem." - Tim Ferriss
    • Fred Wilson
      "I loved [this book] when I read it in college. I think it really impacted me." - Fred Wilson
    • Patrick O'Shaughnessy
      "An old classic." - Patrick O'Shaughnessy
    • Phil Jackson
      Phil Jackson recommended this book on Twitter.
    • Lex Fridman
      Lex Fridman mentioned this book on Instagram.
    • Justin Kan
      "One of two books I’ve lived my life by since I read 20 years ago!" - Justin Kan
    • Harry Styles
      "A friend gave me [this book] when we started travelling together. It makes a lot of sense to me. I think it’s a really important book." - Harry Styles
    • Jack Edwards
      "About a man who is searching for his faith but finds everything he needs within himself." - Jack Edwards

Candide

by Voltaire
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person
  • Ryan Holiday recommended this book

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Millennium, Book 1

by Stieg Larsson
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person

The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho
"[One of] the 10 best fiction books." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

17 people
  • Aubrey Marcus recommended this book
  • Will Smith recommended this book
  • LeBron James recommended this book
  • Big Sean recommended this book
  • Brené Brown recommended this book
  • Ryan Flaherty recommended this book
  • +11

    More recommendations

    • Lisa Ling
      "This simple little book contains hugely profound meaning." - Lisa Ling
    • Daniel Ek
      "It was fascinating to talk to [the author] about how this book came to be such a hit—he never backed down, and he allowed people to read it for free in order to then boost sales." - Daniel Ek
    • Eric Ripert
      "Speaks of everyone having an ultimate goal in life, but most of us are too afraid to pursue it. The encouragement to fulfill your dreams is very inspirational!" - Eric Ripert
    • Gabby Reece
      "It’s that reminder that as you go out in the world and you’re looking for all these things, sometimes it is within us." - Gabby Reece
    • Ryan Shea
      One of Ryan Shea's 4 answers to "what is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift?"
    • Garry Tan
      "A remarkable book and I heartily recommend it." - Garry Tan
    • Lewis Howes
      "I've only probably read 4 books cover to cover. [This is one of them.]" - Lewis Howes
    • Tony Robbins
      "Great book." - Tony Robbins
    • Jodie Cook
      "The most important messages shared in the most beautiful story." - Jodie Cook
    • Andy Frisella
      "A wonderful book." - Andy Frisella
    • Patrick Bet-David
      Patrick Bet-David recommended this book on his website.

The Lessons of History

by Will & Ariel Durant
"[One of] the 10 books with the most page-for-page wisdom." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

7 people

Fooled by Randomness

The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

by Nassim Taleb
"[One of] the 10 books with the most page-for-page wisdom." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

6 people

Impro

Improvisation and the Theatre

by Keith Johnstone
"[One of] the 10 books with the most page-for-page wisdom." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

1 person
  • Patrick O'Shaughnessy recommended this book

Principles

Life and Work

by Ray Dalio
"[One of] the 10 books with the most page-for-page wisdom." - James Clear (Source)

Also recommended by

24 people
  • Arianna Huffington recommended this book
  • Bill Gates recommended this book
  • Bryan Johnson recommended this book
  • Diddy recommended this book
  • Doug McMillon recommended this book
  • Drew Houston recommended this book
  • +18

    More recommendations

    • Dustin Moskovitz
      Dustin Moskovitz recommended this book on Twitter.
    • Gary Vaynerchuk
      "The book's buzz and the reaction of the people has been overwhelming." - Gary Vaynerchuk
    • Howard Marks
      "I think the guiding quote of the book is [one] from Mark Twain, 'History does not repeat, but it does rhyme.'" - Howard Marks
    • Jack Dorsey
      "Helpful in showing people how to operate by clearly articulated and shared principles that lead to faster progress." - Jack Dorsey
    • Kevin Systrom
      "I was blown away. It’s both a guide to life, a guide to business, and also I think an insight into [the author] and someone who’s built an amazing business." - Kevin Systrom
    • Marc Benioff
      "A masterpiece - It's a must-read!" - Marc Benioff
    • Mark Cuban
      "The book I wish I had as a young entrepreneur." - Mark Cuban
    • Michael Bloomberg
      "Everyone with goals and dreams can learn from [the author]'s approach." - Michael Bloomberg
    • Naval Ravikant
      "As with most non-fiction, the meat was in the beginning." - Naval Ravikant
    • Reed Hastings
      "Had a profound positive impact on my leeadership style." - Reed Hastings
    • Tim Ferriss
      "I highly, highly recommend this book. It has already changed how I think about making decisions in my life and in my business." - Tim Ferriss
    • Tony Robbins
      "[Ray Dalio] tells you how he figured it all out – and about all the principles that guided him toward success in his life, business and finances." - Tony Robbins
    • Austen Allred
      "So good." - Austen Allred
    • Patrick O'Shaughnessy
      "Bridgewater’s infamous [book]." - Patrick O'Shaughnessy
    • Tom Bilyeu
      "The most powerful business book I've ever read." - Tom Bilyeu
    • Lex Fridman
      "A book I highly recommend." - Lex Fridman
    • Marty Cagan
      "In my view, the most important business book of 2017." - Marty Cagan
    • Ben Greenfield
      Most Recommended Books reached out to Ben Greenfield directly.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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