Nick Szabo is a computer scientist and cryptographer best known for his work on smart contracts and his writings on the history of money and technology. His research laid important groundwork for blockchain development, and he has explored the intersection of cryptography, economics, and institutional design through essays and academic work.
23 Books Recommended by Nick Szabo
Ranked by popularity across all reading lists on this site
The Selfish Gene
13 people recommendedrecommended 2xExplains more about life (including human behavior and myself) than anything else I’ve read.
Explains more about life (including human behavior and myself) than anything else I’ve read.
Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Brian Armstrong, Ev Williams, Bob Metcalfe, Charlie Munger, David Deutsch, Mark Manson, Matt Ridley, Mr Money Mustache, Phil Libin, Tai Lopez, Derek Sivers
The Rational Optimist
11 people recommendedrecommended 2xI think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's. This is my favorite one.]
I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's. This is my favorite one.]
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, John Arnold, Marc Andreessen, Rupert Murdoch, Bill Gurley, Anthony Pompliano, Jordan Peterson, Mr Money Mustache
The Wealth of Nations
8 people recommended[One] of the most important books I’ve read.
Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Naval Ravikant, Bill Gurley, Brandon Stanton, Patrick Bet David, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Noam Chomsky
The Red Queen
4 people recommendedrecommended 2xI think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Aubrey Marcus, Neil Strauss
Genome
4 people recommendedrecommended 3xI think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Mark Zuckerberg, Charlie Munger
Metaphors We Live By
3 people recommendedrecommended 2x[One] of the most important books I’ve read.
[One] of the most important books I’ve read.
Also recommended by: Patrick Oshaughnessy, Tristan Harris
The Most Powerful Idea in the World
2 people recommendedNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Also recommended by: Bill Gates
[One] of the most important books I’ve read.
[One] of the most important books I’ve read.
Also recommended by: Charles Koch
The Origins of Virtue
2 people recommendedrecommended 2xI think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all [this author's].
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant
Money Changes Everything
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Getting To Maybe
Nominally a book on how to take a law school exam. Really a primer on quantum thought.
A History of Western Technology
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
The Measure of Reality
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
The Columbian Exchange
recommended 2xBasically what Jared Diamond ripped off when he wrote his book.
Basically what Jared Diamond ripped off when he wrote his book.
The Black Book of Communism
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
The Fourth Part of the World
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
The 10,000 Year Explosion
recommended 2x[A crucial book] on our origins & our natures.
[A crucial book] on our origins & our natures.
A Splendid Exchange
recommended 2xNick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe
Nick Szabo mentioned this book on Twitter.
