9 Books Recommended by Steve Jobs

Entrepreneurs must have a command of their industry’s technical knowledge, as well as of many other business-related subjects. Formal academics and informal podcasts are two great sources for study, as are networking, apprenticing, practicing, and many other activities. Nothing replaces the traditional method of reading to learn, though.

Specifically, reading books gives entrepreneurs access to highly relevant information at a deeper level than almost any other study method provides. There are books on virtually every topic, technical and non-technical, and they can go into great detail within their pages.

Below are some of Steve Jobs’ must-read startup books and business books. There are also one or two personal favorites not necessarily related to business. Any entrepreneur would do well to work their way through this list (including the non-business ones for fun and variety).

Also Recommended: Check out our list of the best startup books.

Hindu spirituality had a profound influence on how Steve Jobs thought. He initially discovered the philosophy after taking a class with Hindu guru Shunryu Suzuki. Jobs’ read extensively on Hindu spirituality and other Eastern religions, and his must-read book lists are populated with several titles that explore these philosophies. If Jobs could recommend just one book within this genre, it’s “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda — he gave everyone attending his memorial service a copy.

Yogananda introduced many Westerners to the principles of Hinduism, and this is one of his most accessible books. It tells his story, and along the way, touches on meditation, spirituality, and other Hindu themes.

These aren’t business-oriented themes, but the book was one of the most formative for Jobs. This is perhaps the best way to understand his life philosophy, which did have a profound impact on how he approached creativity.

Jobs first encountered “Autobiography of a Yogi” as a teenager and continued to read it as an adult. The book is purportedly the only one downloaded to his personal iPad. If you enjoy the Beatles, George Harrison was also enamored with the book.

“Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism” by Chögyam Trungpa is another Eastern philosophical book that was in Jobs’ library. The spiritual work examines materialism and self-improvement together. The book advises that spirituality isn’t a way to improve oneself but rather to abandon the self altogether.

This wasn’t Jobs’ favorite spiritual book, but it’s one of the most interesting to read, considering whose library it was in. Jobs ran a company that sells material goods, and he was well-known for having a large ego. The book’s advice and Jobs’ life seem at odds with one another, yet he found it worth keeping in his library. Working out the juxtaposition will force you to wrestle with the ideas.

Andrew S. Grove was a seminal CEO at Intel. “Only the Paranoid Survive” shares Grove’s approach to business strategy. He naturally does so within the context of running a major technology company.

The combination of business strategy and technology makes “Only the Paranoid Survive” directly relevant to Jobs. Entrepreneurs who are growing tech-related hardware, software, and consulting businesses likewise should read it. If you’re in another industry, the approach to business strategy is still helpful.

“The Innovator’s Dilemma” examines creativity within the context of corporations. Clayton Christensen’s premise is that established companies rely on proven ways of gaining profits. This tendency undermines creativity, and thus decreases companies’ ability to respond to disruptive innovation.

Apple was one of the largest companies that managed to avoid this trap, famously innovating the iPhone and iPad even though the company was already well established. The book is a good study of how Jobs managed creativity and profits.

Entrepreneurs who have new startup businesses will find “The Innovator’s Dilemma” particularly enlightening. Startups are uniquely poised to pursue creativity as the driver of growth, because they’re flexible and don’t have large profits. They aren’t subject to the same pitfall, but understanding the common pitfall can help entrepreneurs better capitalize on their competitive advantage over established companies

Geoffrey A. Moore wrote a three-part series that was an instant marketing classic according to many, including Jobs. Moore uses the metaphor of a tornado to describe the pivotal moment that determines whether a product will succeed or fail. There’s a time when disruptive products will move from early adopters to mainstream customers, and this time is a whirlwind. How marketers handle the chaos is a determining factor as to whether the product becomes truly successful.

Entrepreneurs who are growing traditional businesses may glean minimal helpful information from “Inside the Tornado.” it’s a must-read for anyone with an innovative and disruptive product, however. 

Jobs' success with the iPhone alone should be enough endorsement for the book. If you find Moore’s strategies helpful, continue on with the “Crossing the Chasm” next.

Looking for more book recommendations? We asked startup founders to share their favorite books on entrepreneurship, and here's what they said.

Many students read “Moby Dick” while in school, either happily or begrudgingly. Jobs wasn’t just happy to read the book, but found it one of the most fascinating books. He reread it several times as a teenager.

The books that teenagers reread multiple times become formative throughout life. “Moby Dick” is a good story, and you can consider its story in light of Jobs’ philosophy and life. The book can be dry at points, but you’ll make it through if you’re accustomed to sometimes dry startup books and business books.

Steve Jobs went through a period when he intentionally enjoyed things outside of science and technology. He listened to music much more and read the likes of Plato and Shakespeare. During this time of reading, Jobs developed an affinity for “King Lear” in particular. Read it for a good story, or go see the play on stage — Jobs undoubtedly did both.

Jobs was long intrigued by vegetarianism, and his library contains several books about eating. “Diet for a Small Planet” is the book that finally convinced him to sear off meat “pretty much for good.” 

“Diet for a Small Planet” is a must-read for anyone in the food industry, whether vegetarian or not. Frances Moore Lappé has provocative points, and thinking through these can help food service professionals better discuss increasingly prevalent vegetarian concepts that their customers may express.

Outside of the food service industry, Lappé’s ideas are an interesting study in two ways. First, this is the type of argument that Jobs found compelling. Understanding why he took action after Moore’s particular presentation can help business leaders rethink how they evaluate arguments. 

Second, Jobs was known for his extreme discipline. Becoming vegetarian requires a certain level of discipline, and thinking through the discipline required is a small study in how Jobs approached much of his life. The read is a particularly interesting case study after going through some of the spiritual books that start this list.

Few business founders list poetry among their must-read books. But, few founders are anything like Steve Jobs. 

Jobs developed an affinity for verse, particularly for Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. He drew inspiration from the creativity of Thomas to the point that biographer Daniel Smith specifically notes the book. Jobs was drawn into the poems both because of their messaging and because of how Thomas innovated new types of verse.

Reading “The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas” will show you a different influence on Jobs’ approach to creativity and life. The poetry rounds out his Eastern spiritualism and reading of Shakespeare and Plato. 

If you want to read the copy Jobs himself would’ve had, specifically seek out “The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas: The Original Edition,” which begins with an introduction by Paul Muldoon and is available in recent print versions and as a digital book.

If verse isn’t your preferred genre, at least read “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.” It was one of Jobs’ favorites and is only 18 lines long. You can readily find the poem online.