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History has given us a plethora of powerful leaders who have devoted their lives to the advancement of their countries and their people. Part of what defines a good leader is their ability to make sensible decisions during catastrophes and trying times. Brilliant leaders of both ancient and modern times have left behind everlasting legacies. A common thread that ties together many great leaders is that they emerged during tough times and led their countrymen into a brighter future. This is a list of 10 books about such leaders, covering the life they led, their political stances and their contributions to society.

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: A Life

Arun tiwari.

A man with an unconventional hairstyle and a calm demeanour, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was one of the most dedicated Indian Presidents. He is also known as India’s Missile Man, as he advanced India’s ballistic missile programs. Known for championing youth causes, Kalam also launched the ‘What Can I Give’ movement in 2011 to defeat corruption as well as to realize his life’s goal of turning India into a developed country by 2020. Arun Tiwari captures Kalam’s grace and humility in A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: A Life through his personal interactions with him. Kalam seemed to embody the ideal Indian values of secularism and equality while being scientific and spiritual at the same time.

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18 Best Business Biographies to Read

By: Angela Robinson | Updated: October 21, 2021

You found our list of top business biographies .

Business biographies are narratives that tell the stories of entrepreneurs and the birth and growth of influential companies. These works deal with topics such as childhood influences, education and early career, business founding, and the evolution of entrepreneurial empires. The purpose of these books is to provide further context and insight into the personal factors that contributed to the creation of companies, and to inspire and educate current and future entrepreneurs.

These works are a subset of business books and are similar to entrepreneur books and CEO books .

This list includes:

• autobiographies of business founders
• biographies of business leaders
• entrepreneur biographies
• business biographies about women

Here we go!

List of business biographies

Here is a list of biographies of business leaders that shed light on how to launch and nurture legacies and empires.

1. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

Shoe Dog is one of the most popular autobiographies of business founders of all time. This memoir has received endorsements from the likes of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

In his own words, Nike founder Phil Knight recounts the journey of founding the sneaker company and its ascent into a top athletic wear brand. Knight gives a peek into his early life and influences, as well as insights into his leadership and business philosophy. Shoe Dog is a masterful illustration of tenacity, vision, and the business lifestyle.

Notable Quote: “Beating the competition is relatively easy. Beating yourself is a never-ending commitment.”

Read Shoe Dog .

2. Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire by Brad Stone

Amazon Unbound is Brad Stone’s followup to the bestselling book, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon. This latest biography about the founder of Amazon charts the company’s rise to global titan status and chronicles Bezos’ evolution as a leader within the past decade. The work includes the company’s development of cloud technology, Alexa, and Prime Video, as well as acquisitions of Whole Foods and The Washington Post . The book continues the narrative of the story of Amazon and its founder and lays forth the next chapter in the saga of the e-commerce giant.

Notable Quote: “Jeff is master of ‘this isn’t working today, but could work tomorrow.’ If customers like it, he’s got the cash flow to fund it.”

Read Amazon Unbound .

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3. Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca

Iacocca: An Autobiography is a firsthand account of the life of the legendary auto executive. Lee Iacocca’s life is a prime example of the American dream– raised by immigrants, he rises up the ranks in corporate America and dominates the auto world. In the course of this journey, Lee Iacocca revolutionized the automobile industry and earned icon status. The autobiography traces the highlights of Iacocca’s illustrious career, from his part in creating the Mustang and ascent to president of Ford, to saving the Chrysler brand, and defeating hurdles along the way. Iacocca: An Autobiography is a motivational read and a rallying call for resilience.

Notable Quote: “In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product, and profits. People come first. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two.”

Read Iacocca: An Autobiography .

4. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow

Titan  traces the life of legendary businessman John D Rockefeller. This biography aims to examine Rockefeller through a new lens. Many other accounts either overly-glorify Rockefeller as a hero or condemn him based on The Standard Oil Company’s later scandals. Ron Chernow angles to lift the veil on and gain insight into the notoriously private Rockefeller by compiling a comprehensive account of his full life. The book follows John Rockefeller Sr from his childhood to death. In doing so, the author not only recounts the moves and deals that helped build a business and charity empire, but also shares stories and quotes that more thoroughly flesh out the figure behind the great deeds.

Notable Quote: “Rockefeller equated silence with strength: Weak men had loose tongues and blabbed to reporters, while prudent businessmen kept their own counsel.”

Read Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

5. The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution by Gregory Zuckerman

The Man Who Solved the Market is a bestselling book about Jim Simons, the mathematician who pioneered an algorithm-driven approach to investing that achieved unheard-of market returns. The book unpacks Simon’s backstory by tracing the codebreaker’s early adolescence, education at MIT, early career, and finally the late-life acclaim and founding of Renaissance Technologies. Gregory Zuckerman connects Simons’ story to the broader current climate and notes the influences the discovery had on the wider world. The Man Who Solved the Market also holds lessons about teamwork and professional collaboration.

Notable Quote: “Scientists and mathematicians are trained to dig below the surface of the chaotic, natural world to search for unexpected simplicity, structure, and even beauty”

Read The Man Who Solved the Market .

6. How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big is equal parts amusing and profound. In this book, Dilbert comic creator Scott Adams traces his career, paying special attention to the flops, setbacks, and disappointments. By focusing on failure, Adams explains how he was able to transform losses into lessons and eventual opportunities. The author’s signature wry sense of humor elevates the underdog narrative beyond motivational fluff and into actionable advice.

While telling his own tale, Adams drops tidbits such as:

• Goals are for losers. Systems are for winners.
• The most important metric is to track your personal energy.
• Conquer shyness by being a huge phony (in a good way.)

While this book is structured more like a self-help guide than a traditional biography, it is full of personal anecdotes that provide a much more rounded picture of the famous cartoonist.

Notable Quote: “Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.”

Read ​​ How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big .

7. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

The Snowball provides a personal portrait of the Oracle of Omaha. In this exclusive biography, Warren Buffet allows Alice Schroeder and the readers intimate access into his inner life by way of years of one-on-one interviews with the author. The book reveals previously non-public details about Buffet’s childhood, career, and relationships, and sheds light on the investor’s inner-drivers, values, and areas of personal growth. The Snowball shows Warren Buffet’s human side and gives extra context to the magnate’s extraordinary accomplishments.

Notable Quote: “Intensity is the price of excellence.”

Read The Snowball .

8. Pappyland: A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last by Wright Thompson

Pappyland is a tale of familial entrepreneurial duty and legacy preservation. The book tells the tale of Julian Van Winkle III’s battle to save his father and grandfather’s lifework and the reputation of the family whiskey business. The work chronicles Van Winkle’s early struggles to keep the business afloat in leaner years to the eventual rise to several-hundred-dollar-a-bottle prestige, and the resulting need for innovation and reinvention that stayed true to the company’s roots. Few entrepreneur biographies touch so heavily on themes of family devotion and obligation, making Pappyland a moving and relatable read as well as a practical business study.

Notable Quote: “That’s the work of adulthood. Sorting out the good and bad within.”

Read Pappyland .

9. The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Robert Iger

The Ride of a Lifetime is a self-penned profile of Disney executive Robert Iger. The book recounts Iger’s rise from entry-level employee at ABC to head of the most powerful media company in the world. Iger reflects on the industry changes that he saw and had a hand in during his long and lucrative career, and highlights the keys to his professional success. While the book is not strictly a memoir, Iger structures this guide with personal details that give context to his business behaviors. The Ride of a Lifetime provides a direct look at the philosophies of the man behind the mouse.

Notable Quote: “Ask the questions you need to ask, admit without apology what you don’t understand, and do the work to learn what you need to learn as quickly as you can.”

Read The Ride of a Lifetime .

10. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson’s official profile on Steve Jobs ranks as one of the best biographies of business leaders. Drawing on over 40 interviews with Jobs and hundreds more with family and friends, colleagues, and rivals, Isaccson weaves a thrilling account of the icon’s life. The result is a comprehensive collection of life events that shaped the subject told from multiple perspectives. From childhood to college, inventions and product launches, collaborations and clashes, career setbacks and redemptions, and roller-coaster relationships, Steve Jobs paints an appropriately complex portrait of a larger than life figure with undeniable human flaws.

Notable Quote: “One way to remember who you are is to remember who your heroes are.”

Read Steve Jobs .

11. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

Ashlee Vance’s Elon Musk is a profile of a monumental current businessman. This biography retells Musk’s extraordinary story of overcoming childhood adversity in South Africa only to become one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley and modern industry. The book touches on Musk’s early pursuits in PayPal, the founding of Tesla, as well as the eventual decision to set sights on space and enter the aerospace frontier. The book is an exploration of Musk’s character and vision, charting his life through his innovations and ideas.

Notable Quote: “Good ideas are always crazy until they’re not.”

Read Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future .

12. Sam Walton: Made In America by Sam Walton

Sam Walton: Made in America is the story of Walmart and the man who made Walmart the behemoth that it is today. This autobiography reveals how Walton grew a single dime store into a retail giant. The book explores how Walton built his foundations, structured his business, grew the company, bounced back from missteps, and kept control over his mission even as his empire expanded around the country and the world. Sam Walton: Made in America is a book about big business world ambition paired with small-town values, and is a distinctly American tale of commercial success and the achievement of a distinct vision.

Notable Quote: “Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them. You never know who’s going to have a great idea.”

Read Sam Walton: Made In America .

13. Empire State of Mind: How Jay Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office by Zack O’Malley Greenburg

Empire State of Mind is a love letter to Jay Z’s business acumen. This biography recounts the rapper’s meteoric rise from ghettos to boardrooms. The book highlights some of the key points in Carter’s career, including the inception of Roc-a-Fella records, marriage to Beyoncé, birth of Roc Nation, and expansion into the streetwear, alcohol, and streaming spaces. Viewing Jay-Z as a businessman above all and hailing his hustler mindset, Empire State of Mind spins a tale of entrepreneurship, self-creation, and re-invention.

Notable Quote: “One of the main reasons for this success is Jay-Z’s ability to build and leverage his personal brand. As much as Martha Stewart or Oprah, he has turned himself into a lifestyle.”

Read Empire State of Mind .

14. Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans by Paul Van Doren

Authenti c is one of the final projects of Vans founder Paul Van Doren. The memoir tells the tale of how a high school dropout went on to helm one of the most beloved shoewear brands in the world. This autobiographical account charts Van Doren’s journey of working in a rubber factory as a teenager to creating the renowned skateboard shoe company, to preserving the legacy throughout the decades. The book examines the decisions that made the foundations of the empire and the elements that rocketed the company to fame. The story also deals with the personal and professional obstacles that threatened and informed the work. Authentic is a parable for following passions and staying true to style and vision even in the face of change.

Notable Quote: “What I’ve accomplished comes down to one thing: my knack for identifying and then solving problems. What I do better than anything else is cut out distractions. If a system isn’t working efficiently, I can see where it’s jammed, eliminate the problem, and find a way to keep everything moving forward.”

Read Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans .

15. Believe IT: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable by Jamie Kern Lima

Believe IT tells the life story of Jamie Kern Lima, founder of IT Cosmetics and waitress-turned-entrepreneur who overcame the odds to build a company worth a billion dollars and to become the first female CEO of a L’Oreal brand. The book lays out defining events such as Lima learning of her adoption in early adulthood, and shows how the authors’ life hardships prepared her to face the adversity of a beauty industry that constantly told her she would not succeed. Believe IT is part manifesto and part memoir, and full-throttle motivational read.

Notable Quote: “How we react to times of uncertainty, and whether we make decisions based in love or fear, can change the course of our life. Champions aren’t made when the game is easy. In any area of life.”

Read Believe It: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable .

16. The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It by Tilar J Mazzeo

The Widow Clicquot is a historical business biography, and is one of the most fascinating business biographies about women. The book tells the tale of Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, a businesswoman who gained control of her family’s business and revolutionized champagne. The biography describes how Clicquot Ponsardin turned misfortune into fortune and made a mark on the world at a time when opportunities for women were limited. The Widow Clicquot is an empowerment message and fascinating historical story wrapped into one riveting account.

Notable Quote: “Widowed at the age of twenty-seven, with no formal business training and no firsthand experience, Barbe-Nicole transformed a well-funded but struggling and small-time family wine brokerage into arguably the most important champagne house of the nineteenth century in just over a decade.”

Read The Widow Clicquot .

17. Losing My Virginity: How I’ve Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Richard Branson

Losing My Virginity is billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson’s first autobiography. The book pinpoints the most essential events and influences in Branson’s life. As most business biographies do, the work starts with the executive’s upbringing and moves through his life chronologically. Branson’s many adventures include professional forays into the music and airline industries, as well as personal exploits such as trying to circle the globe in a hot air balloon. Alongside his colorful stories, the businessman shares his personal and professional philosophies, chiefly the belief of working hard yet having passions and wins beyond work. Losing My Virginity advocates for living a full and rounded life and taking control in both personal and business spheres.

Notable Quote: “I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”

Read Losing My Virginity .

18. Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built by Duncan Clark

Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built is a striking profile of the founder of one of the most expansive eCommerce companies in China and the world at large. The book highlights Ma’s humble beginnings as an English teacher as well as his late start to the world of entrepreneurship, and explores how the businessman rapidly climbed from running a company out of an apartment to securing a record-setting multi-billion dollar IPO. Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built provides a comprehensive history of Jack Ma’s life and professional journey and Alibaba’s evolution.

Notable Quote: “Today is brutal, tomorrow is more brutal, but the day after tomorrow is beautiful. However, the majority of people will die tomorrow night.”

Read Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built .

Founders, CEOs, and industry leaders are so often mythologized and painted as larger-than-life, that it can be easy to forget that these figures are humans with backstories and deeply personal lives. Business biographies provide perspective and additional insight into the motivations and influences of these legends and help flesh out more fully-formed profiles of these grand personas. These memoirs also portray the history of major companies and can paint fuller portraits of organizations’ origins and growth. By reading biographies on business leaders, professionals can be more mindful and in-control of their own work aspirations.

For more reading recommendations, check out this list of books on leadership or these business books by women .

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FAQ: Business biographies

Here are answers to common questions about business biographies.

What are business biographies?

Business biographies are narrative nonfiction works that follow the lives of industry leaders and chart the launch and growth of important organizations. These books often draw from interviews and mix facts and history with philosophy.

What are the best business biographies?

The best business biographies include Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, The Snowball by Alice Schroeder, and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

Author: Angela Robinson

Marketing Coordinator at teambuilding.com. Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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Angela has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and worked as a community manager with Yelp to plan events for businesses.

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15 Biographies every business student should read

Here are 15 biographies every business student should read that share insight to leaders in business throughout history into the modern day.

An autobiography essay is a piece of writing highlighting the legendary recollection of someone’s life that starts from where their place of birth and achievements. When required to write an autobiography essay, you should focus on the professional or achievement level of a prominent person who has had a great impact on the world.

One of the most effective means of becoming a successful entrepreneur is to learn from the veterans who have done it.  People have different strategies for getting wins and achieving better results in business. Even if you think school education is the only thing you need, reading biographies of successful people, their stories can be inspiring and entertaining at the very least.

This page has numerous autobiography samples and examples that both high school and college students can use to learn. A sample of autobiography essay will help you know how to come up with an entertaining essay.

Here are 15 biographies every business student must read that offer insight to leaders in business throughout history into the modern days.

1.   Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

Bill Gates made a name for himself as a tech guru due to his impressive technology improvements. However, not many people are familiar with his history about the painstaking steps he had to take to create Microsoft into the behemoth that it is today. If you are looking for business autobiographies to read, why not try the story about how Bill Gates went from embarrassing failure to becoming one of the wealthiest people in the globe.

1.   Shark Tales: How I Turned $1000 into a Billion-Dollar Business

It is Corcoran’s ample beginnings that makes her success story interesting, and this is one of the best CEO biographies you can ever read. At the age of 23, Corcoran had already done 22 jobs. Her autobiography explains how her last job created an opportunity for creating the $6 billion company known as Corcoran Group. Currently, Corcoran is well-known as one of the sharks on the TV show SHARK TANK, a television program where numerous aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their ideas in a quest to get funding.

2.   Reallionaire: Nine Steps to Becoming Rich from Inside Out

If you haven’t heard of Farrah Gray, its time you made an effort to read about him. At 14, he sold his first business for over $1 million. People magazines acknowledge him as the first African American teenager to have that level of success without getting into the entertainment industry or using his family connection. Farrah’s investment plans are just one facet of his well-rounded business style as he provides nine pieces of advice for attaining success that any can use. Reallionaire is a great example of the best biology you must read.

3.   Delivery Happiness: a Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

Just like Gray, Tony Hsieh exhibited entrepreneurial drive at a tender age. He began his business venture with a worm farm and later sold his advertising company to Microsoft for $265 million. Currently, he serves as a Zappos’ visionary CEO. Since Zappos is always credited as having a happiest and healthiest business cultures, this is one of the interesting business biography books you need to read.

4.   Losing my Virginity

Richard Branson has been successful in numerous business ventures. For example, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Records AND Virgin Megastores. Perhaps the most humorous billionaire biographies on our list, Richard’s autobiography is definitely worth reading as a business student. He prepared a list of Rules for success, which he combines with colorful adventures that teach and amuse his audience at the same time.

5.   The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

This biography sample gives an inside look at how Amazon boss Jeff Bezos advanced an online bookstore into everything that the online shop is currently. What makes this autobiography interesting for college students is the latest scrutiny Amazon has gotten regarding its corporate culture.

6.   The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

Warren Buffet is another billionaire that can’t miss from our list of the best biographies of business leaders . Make sure you get this biography as it presents great business insights. Similar to other great leaders discussed on this list, Warren started his entrepreneurship journey at a tender age. He bought his first stock at the age of 11. As one of the wealthiest people in the universe, Warren shares his tricks on both attaining success and battling struggles.

7.   Start Something That Matters

Perhaps you’ve heard TOMS shoes, the firm whose slogan is One for One. This means that for every pair of shoes bought, a pair is given to a kid in need. The biography encourages people to do what the title says: begin something that matters and has a real purpose. It is when the determination for income is merged with the objective of making a positive change that has business has the potential to succeed.

8.   The Facebook Effect

This biography explains how the vision of a 19-year-old college student transformed social media in a short period. Mark Zuckerberg has continued to hit the headlines with his achievements, ranking position 16 in the world’s richest people and his huge charitable donations.

9.   Elon Musk

As the brain behind the creation of SpaceX, SolarCity, PayPal, and Tesla Motors, Elon Musk is well-recognized for his intensity. This is one of the interesting business biography books that every business student should read. It offers an inside view of how Elon uses his intensity to bring change in his business venture and on an international scale.

10. Lacocca

Chrysler CEO was recognized as the 18th-greatest American CEO of all time by Portfolio. Despite going separate ways with Ford due to some disagreement with Henry Ford II, Lacocca employed his talent and skills to rebuild Chrysler, which was collapsing at that time.

11.Pour Your Heart into it: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time

Starbucks executive Howard Schultz explains how he used distinct plans to continuously keep both its workers and clients satisfied, despite its fast growth. This is a worthy biography for any student aspiring to venture into this type of business.

12. Made in America

Walmart enterprises are omnipresent in the US, but that wasn’t the situation before. Sam Walton, the owner of the retail giant, acquired a store in Arkansas and multiplied that over his profession into the current stores across the US that are over 40000. This autobiography evaluates the principles whereby a single business model can be expanded to attain impressive success.

13. The Power of Many

Ex eBay executive Meg Whiteman is unique in a way that she implemented a hard-to-attain equilibrium of attaining impressive success for her business. In this autobiography, she describes how her ten core values are essential both in life and in business.

14.The Martha Rules

Martha Stewart uses incredible strategies for building a thriving business. Even though her business might not align with your business aspirations, her overarching business cores will transcend the gap.

As a business student, it is important to have an idea of which business industry you aspire to work and identify some of the successful people from that niche from whom you can source aspirations. Reading biographies is an excellent way to know more about your role model and learn the skill sets that these individuals possess.

Business Matters

• Post author: Archie Black
• Post published: October 16, 2023
• Post category: Recommendations

Business biographies offer a unique glimpse into the lives and minds of some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and leaders. They can teach us lessons about leadership, business, and life, and they can inspire us to achieve our own goals.

In this blog post, I’ve compiled a list of the 15 best business biographies of all time. These books are well-written, informative, and inspiring. They’ll give you a new perspective on business and help you to become a better leader and entrepreneur.

This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using links on this page, we may earn a commission.

1. Shoe Dog , by Phil Knight

A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

Published in 2016 by Scribner.

In this candid and inspiring memoir, Knight tells the story of how he built Nike from a small shoe company to a global powerhouse. He shares his insights on business, leadership, and the importance of perseverance.

2. The Ride of a Lifetime , by Robert Iger

Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Published in 2019 by Random House.

This memoir by the former CEO of Disney tells the story of his life and career, as well as the challenges and triumphs of his leadership at Disney. Iger shares his insights on business, leadership, and the importance of creativity.

3. Bad Blood , by John Carreyrou

Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

Published in 2018 by Knopf.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning book tells the story of Theranos, a once-promising startup that was exposed as a fraud. Carreyrou provides a gripping account of the rise and fall of Theranos and the hubris of its founder, Elizabeth Holmes.

4. Elon Musk , by Walter Isaacson

Published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster

This authorized biography provides a comprehensive and intimate look at the life and career of one of the world’s most fascinating and controversial entrepreneurs. Isaacson interviewed Musk extensively and gained access to his closest friends and family. The book explores Musk’s early childhood, his business ventures, and his ambitious plans for the future. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Musk, entrepreneurship, or the future of technology.

5. The Hard Thing About Hard Things , by Ben Horowitz

Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers

Published in 2014 by Harper Business

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz is part biography, part management guide, and part self-help book. It is based on Horowitz’s personal experiences as a computer science student, software engineer, cofounder, CEO, and investor in technology companies.

6. Zero to One , by Peter Thiel

Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters

Published in 2014 by Crown Currency

This book by the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies provides a contrarian perspective on business and startups. Thiel argues that the best way to succeed is to build a monopoly by creating something new and valuable.

7. Titan ,  by Ron Chernow

The Life of John D. Rockefeller Sr.

Published in 1998 by Random House

This Pulitzer Prize-winning biography tells the story of John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in American history. Chernow provides a comprehensive and insightful look at Rockefeller’s life, business career, and philanthropy.

8. Steve Jobs , by Walter Isaacson

Published in 2011 by Simon & Schuster

This Pulitzer Prize-winning biography is the definitive account of one of the most innovative and influential entrepreneurs of all time. Isaacson interviewed Jobs extensively over the course of two years, and the book provides a fascinating look at his life, career, and philosophy.

9. The Everything Store , by Brad Stone

Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon

Published in 2013 by Little, Brown and Company.

This well-researched and engaging biography tells the story of Amazon’s rise to dominance. Stone examines Bezos’s unique business acumen and his relentless drive to succeed.

10. The Snowball , by Alice Schroeder

Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

Published in 2008 by Bantam

This biography tells the story of Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time. Schroeder provides a fascinating look at Buffett’s investment philosophy and his approach to life.

11. Sam Walton: Made in America , by Sam Walton with John Huey

Published in 1992 by Bantam

This memoir by the founder of Walmart tells the story of how he built his company from a single five-and-dime store into the world’s largest retailer. Walton shares his insights on business, leadership, and the importance of customer service.

12. Hard Drive , by James Wallace and Jim Erickson

Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

Published in 1992 by Harper Collins

This biography tells the story of Bill Gates and his rise to power at Microsoft. Wallace and Abramson examine Gates’s business acumen and his ruthless drive to succeed.

13. The Innovators , by Walter Isaacson

How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution

Published in 2015 by Simon & Schuster

This book tells the story of the people who created the digital revolution, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim O’Reilly, and Larry Page, and Sergey Brin. Isaacson examines their lives and careers and the impact they have had on the world.

14. The Man Who Solved the Market , by Gregory Zuckerman

How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

Published in 2019 by Portfolio Penguin

This biography tells the story of Jim Simons, a brilliant mathematician who founded one of the most successful hedge funds in the world. Zuckerman provides a fascinating look at Simons’s life and career, as well as the world of quantitative investing.

15. Losing My Virginity , by Richard Branson

How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way

Published in 1998 by Crown Currency

Losing My Virginity is a 1998 autobiography by British businessman Richard Branson. This book chronicles Branson’s early life and his rise to success as the founder of the Virgin Group, a multinational conglomerate that now includes over 400 companies in a wide range of industries, including aviation, music, retail, and telecommunications.

Check out our other Business & Economics recommendations:

7 Books That Will Revolutionize Your Approach to Innovation

10 Essential Books for Aspiring Marketers

9 Best Management Books to Help You Become a Better Leader

16 Essential Entrepreneurship Books for Success

9 Must-Read Economics Books

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Four Biographies for Every Leader’s Must-Read List

Some of the best leadership books aren’t leadership books – they’re biographies.

Biographies don’t run away from challenges, frustrations, confusions, or failures the subject experienced (at least not the best ones). They allow us to enter into a world we never could on our own, whether it’s someone from the past who is gone, a person from a far away culture, or a leader who holds a position we likely won’t ever hold. While President Torrence has a nice ring to it, after seeing this election unfold, I’d rather just read Washington’s biography.

There are four biographies you need to add to your reading list. Are you ready to find out what they are?

Well, I won’t tell you…because I can’t. There are four biographies you should read, but they’re probably not the four I need to read. Let me explain. Obviously, there are countless worthwhile biographies to read. Amazon lists one hundred biographies and memoirs to read in a lifetime . One hundred is a lot. Where would you even start?

Four Biographies for Leaders to Consider

Instead of giving you my four favorite biographies, here are four categories to help you discover your favorites. These categories have helped me know what to look for and how to narrow a lot of good stories into the ones I should focus on first.

So, find one biography in each of the following categories, and add it to your reading list.

1 – A Pioneer in Your Field

Find a biography of someone who has revolutionized your area of interest or profession.

Since I am a pastor, I found a great autobiography by Eugene Peterson called, “The Pastor.” Obviously with that title it didn’t take me too long to realize its applicability. Peterson is a true pioneer in the church world. He wrote a translation of the entire Bible that used everyday English phrasing to make the text as accessible and understandable as possible. He’s a fascinating person… at least to me.

Eugene Peterson may be less interesting or relevant to you – so pick someone who is relevant or interesting to you. What challenges unique to your field did this person face and how did they handle those problems? Chances are, you’ll be inspired in your work today.

2 – A Hero You Admire

Find a great leader of the past, current cultural icon of the present, or anyone you revere and read a biography about them.

It’s easy to forget that great heroes are people… real people not so different from us as we might think. Biographies help humanize our heroes.

One of my heroes was an activist and theologian named Dietrich Bonhoeffer . He ministered during the rise of Nazi Germany. I knew Bonhoeffer was an influential writer, but I never knew until I read a compelling biography on him by Eric Metaxas the story behind Bonhoeffer’s theology – the anguish, doubts, and confusion he experienced.

It’s inspiring to learn even the greatest heroes struggle. Humanizing a hero doesn’t mean they stop being heroic. In fact, it often makes them all the more compelling because we see them as real people.

3 – Someone from the “Other Side”

Learn more about a person with whom you passionately disagree. Let them – or a fair biographer – share why they believe what they believe. And “fair” is a key word. It’s easy to find a biography written by a detractor, but that type of biography won’t help you learn anything new.

This has the potential to be the most impacting category. When we passionately disagree, it’s easy to form stereotypes. We stop seeing other people as people. Stereotypes are hurtful. No one likes to be lumped in a box. Think about a way you are stereotyped. Is it because of your race, politics, religious beliefs, financial situation, or something else? Wouldn’t you love to have a person who disrespects your viewpoint read your story? We all have nuances to the decisions we make and beliefs we hold. Biographies are a powerful combatant to stereotypes.

So, if you’re a Democrat, read a Republican’s story. I’m a Christian and decided to pick up a biography on the Prophet Muhammad, written by a non-Christian. Read a story about someone from a different perspective on race relations, immigration, gun control, or whatever issue you feel passionate about. You may not wind up agreeing, and that’s okay. But you will have gone a long way in fighting against hurtful stereotypes.

Imagine how it would change the world if everyone were open to listening to the story of a person from the “other side.” We would definitely have a better election year, that’s for sure.

4 – An Inspiring Story

Find a story about an ordinary person who made a big difference.

We live in a culture obsessed with celebrity, wealth, power, and fame. However, some of the most important biographies come from people who aren’t household names and may never be. They aren’t famous, but they have an incredible story. They persevered over great odds. They faced incredible injustice. They stood up to powerful oppressors.

These stories are often the most life-changing. I’ve seen people completely change fields because they read an inspirational biography about an ordinary person with extraordinary passion. So, choose wisely – your life may never be the same!

Biographies for Leaders: A Challenge

Here’s my theory – if you read a biography in each of these categories, you will be a better leader. You will be more inspired and balanced. So, join with me and think of four biographies to add to your must-read list.

If you have read a great biography, share it with us!

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I so AGREE with this. I love bios for this reason. The best for me was David McCullough’s bio of Truman. Also Lincoln’s Team of Rivals. One of the traits that comes across quite clearly is the trait of humility.

Also, the trio of bios of Teddy Roosevelt by Morris.

Thanks Bill! You’ve given me a few new bios to add to my list. I’ve always wanted to read Team of Rivals so I’m making that a goal for the next few months.

Great adds, Bill. To add into the Theodore Roosevelt mix, I just started Unreasonable Men: Theodore Roosevelt and the Republican Rebels Who Created Progressive Politics, and it seems to be a solid read so far. Thanks, Bill! Also, thank you, Eric, for a thoughtful post! Jon

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