Larry Ellison Book Recommendations

The Mythical Man-Month

Essays on Software Engineering

by Frederick P. Brooks Jr.

"Larry [Ellison] had given this book to every software executive whom he met within the company." - Marc Benioff (Source)

Lone Survivor

The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

by Marcus Luttrell

"[Larry Ellison picked up] his Kindle so he could finish reading [this book]. Larry had noted a page: 'The real battle is won in the mind.'" - Julian Guthrie (Source)

High Output Management

by Andrew S. Grove

"[Larry Ellison] considers [this book] his bible when it comes to management concepts." - Subbu Viswanathan (Source)

The Last Lion (3 books)

"On [Larry Ellison's] nightstand." - Julian Guthrie (Source)

The Robber Barons

The Classic Account of the Influential Capitalists Who Transformed America's Future

by Matthew Josephson

"When I asked [Larry Ellison] what was his favorite book, he told me [this book] — worth a read even today!" - Kathryn Gould (Source)

A Peace to End All Peace

The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East

by David Fromkin

"During a lively discussion over dinner one night, [Tony Blair] listened in wonder and remarked, 'Larry, you read too much history.' [Larry Ellison] had just finished quoting a section from [this book].” - Julian Guthrie (Source)

Fate Is the Hunter

A Pilot's Memoir

by Ernest K. Gann

"[One of the] books on [Larry Ellison's] nightstand." - Julian Guthrie (Source)

The Jordan Rules

The Inside Story of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls

by Sam Smith

"[One of the] books on [Larry Ellison's] nightstand." - Julian Guthrie (Source)

Napoleon

by Vincent Cronin

"It's interesting to read about him for a couple of reasons: to see what one man of modest birth can do with his life, and to see how history can distort the truth entirely." - Larry Ellison (Source)

The Fountainhead

by Ayn Rand

"As a kid, I wanted to be an architect. That's before I read [this book]. I mean it is hard to find a profession that pays worse than architecture." - Larry Ellison (Source)

Catch-22

by Joseph Heller

"I think [Bill Gates] must be some kind of reincarnation of Milo Minderbinder from [this book]." - Larry Ellison (Source)

West by West

My Charmed, Tormented Life

by Jerry West

"[Larry Ellison] had come to understand the 'charmed, tormented life' of athletes, that fitting subtitle of [this book]." - Julian Guthrie (Source)

The Age of Napoleon

The Story of Civilization, Book 11

by Will & Ariel Durant

"Larry’s favorite history book [...], which he had read several times." - Julian Guthrie (Source)