This page is for books that matter to the way I think, build, and write.
- Reading list: books I’m currently reading or want to read next
- References: books that shaped the technical or strategic lens here
- Notes: short takeaways or memorable ideas from each book
Reading
Barbarians at the Gate
Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
Why it matters: One of the clearest books on capital,
leverage, and how boardroom incentives shape outcomes.
- Incentives often matter more than strategy.
- Scale and control can collide in destructive ways.
Recommendation: Founders
Reading
Apple in China
Patrick McGee
Why it matters: A strong lens on supply chains,
manufacturing dependence, and what it takes to build at global scale.
- Operational depth becomes strategic power.
- Supply chain decisions can become geopolitical decisions.
Recommendation: Founders and engineers
Reference
Only the Paranoid Survive
Andrew S. Grove
Why it matters: A classic framework for recognizing
strategic inflection points before they break your business model.
- Treat change as a signal, not a surprise.
- Companies need disciplined responses to discontinuity.
Recommendation: Founders and engineers
Reference
What You Do Is Who You Are
Ben Horowitz
Why it matters: Useful for thinking about culture as a
system of repeated actions, not slogans.
- Culture is built through habits.
- Leaders create norms by what they tolerate and repeat.
Recommendation: Founders