Nassim Taleb

Nassim Taleb

Risk analyst and bestselling author

Nassim Taleb is a statistician and author known for his work on randomness, probability, and risk management in complex systems.

Authors & Thinkers

Nassim Nicholas Taleb is a Lebanese-American author, statistician, and former trader best known for developing Black Swan theoryβ€”the concept that rare, high-impact events shape history more than predictable trends. His work spans finance, philosophy, and practical living, exploring how uncertainty and randomness influence everything from markets to human health.

80 Books Recommended by Nassim Taleb

Ranked by popularity across all reading lists on this site

Zero to One book cover
#1

Zero to One

by Peter A. Thiel

24 people recommended

When a risk taker writes a book, read it. In the case of [this author], read it twice. Or, to be safe, three times. This is a classic.

Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Eric Jorgenson, Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Kishore Biyani, Marc Andreessen, Rupert Murdoch, Sam Altman, Andrew Ng, Ben Horowitz, Bryan Johnson, Brian Dean, Chris Dixon, Eric Weinstein, Keith Rabois, Lee Stranahan, Luis Von Ahn, Matt Mullenweg, Max Levchin, Patrick Oshaughnessy, Ryan Petersen, Tom Bilyeu, Derek Sivers

Thinking, Fast and Slow book cover
#2

Thinking, Fast and Slow

by Daniel Kahneman

20 people recommended

A landmark book in social thought, in the same league as The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith and The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud.

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Also recommended by: Ankur Warikoo, Naval Ravikant, Bill Gates, Ev Williams, Marc Andreessen, Ray Dalio, Ron Conway, Sam Altman, Ben Greenfield, Bryan Johnson, Derek Sivers, Jason Fried, Jay Shetty, Mark Manson, Michiko Kakutani, Preston Pysh, Sahil Lavingia, Scott Adams, Stewart Brand

Who We Are and How We Got Here book cover
#3

Who We Are and How We Got Here

by David Reich

6 people recommended

Finally, science enters historical fields.

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Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Balaji Srinivasan, Marc Andreessen, Balaji S. Srinivasan, Michael Mauboussin

Hopping over the Rabbit Hole book cover
#4

Hopping over the Rabbit Hole

by Anthony Scaramucci

6 people recommended

So gripping you can read it standing up. A must read.

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Also recommended by: Mark Cuban, Carl Icahn, Arianna Huffington, Peter Schiff, Tony Robbins

Deep Learning book cover
#5

Deep Learning

by Ian Goodfellow

6 people recommended

Very clear exposition, does the math without getting lost in the details.

Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Balaji Srinivasan, Vinod Khosla, Balaji S. Srinivasan, Satya Nadella

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#6

Seeking Wisdom

by Peter Bevelin

6 people recommended

A wonderful book on wisdom and decision-making written by a wise decision-maker.

Also recommended by: Eric Jorgenson, Derek Sivers, Jason Fried, Shane Parrish, Tai Lopez

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#7

Alchemy

by Rory Sutherland

6 people recommended

Wonderfully applicable to about everything in life. Furthermore, it is funny as hell.

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Also recommended by: Ankur Warikoo, Eric Jorgenson, Changpeng Zhao, Matt Ridley, Ryan Petersen

Blueprint book cover
#8

Blueprint

by Nicholas A. Christakis

5 people recommended

Excited to get [this book] as I am trying to go deeper into the notion of fractal (multiscale) localism & see what's wrong w/my thesis

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Also recommended by: Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, Michael Mauboussin, Niall Ferguson

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#9

by

5 people recommended

Will expand your thinking from three dimensions to four.

Also recommended by: Marc Benioff, Vinod Khosla, Bill Miller, Stewart Brand

The Count of Monte Cristo book cover
#10

The Count of Monte Cristo

by Alexandre Dumas

5 people recommended

This treasure will prevent you from enjoying other novels.

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Also recommended by: Patrick Collison, James Clear, Mike Maples Jr, Pewdiepie

Good Calories, Bad Calories book cover
#11

Good Calories, Bad Calories

by Gary Taubes

4 people recommended

Read it twice, once for the diet, once a a rich document in the history of science.

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Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Peter Attia, Zooko Wilcox

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#12

The Dao of Capital

by Mark Spitznagel

4 people recommended

At last, a real book by a real risk-taking practitioner.

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Also recommended by: Anthony Pompliano, Patrick Oshaughnessy, Paul Tudor Jones

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#13

The Blank Slate

by Steven Pinker

3 people recommended

A great exposition of modern scientific thinking and understanding of the nature of man.

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Also recommended by: Mark Manson, Tom Bilyeu

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#14

The Bitcoin Standard

by Saifedean Ammous

3 people recommended

Bitcoin is an excellent idea.

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Also recommended by: Max Keiser, Raoul Pal

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#15

Market Wizards

by Jack D. Schwager

3 people recommended

Twenty years from now, [this book] will still be fresh. There is no other like it.

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Also recommended by: Adam Robinson, Raoul Pal

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#16

A New Kind of Science

by Stephen Wolfram

2 people recommended

Not a book, but a monument.

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Also recommended by: Steve Jurvetson

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#17

Elements of Information Theory

by Thomas M. Cover

2 people recommended

The BEST book [on information theory].

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Also recommended by: Eric Weinstein

Ficciones book cover
#18

Ficciones

by Jorge Luis Borges

2 people recommended

How literature and philosophy can be saved by parables.

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Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant

Bull! book cover
#19

Bull!

by Maggie Mahar

2 people recommended

[The author] had the courage to take a look at what was behind all of this religious belief in markets.

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Also recommended by: Warren Buffett

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#20

A Few Lessons from Sherlock Holmes

by Peter Bevelin

2 people recommended

It makes you both wiser and eager to reread Sherlock Holmes.

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Also recommended by: Patrick Oshaughnessy

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#21

by

2 people recommended

[Approaches] the problem of randomness and success using the state of the art scientific arsenal we have.

Also recommended by: Vinod Khosla

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#22

The Hour Between Dog and Wolf

by John Coates

2 people recommendedrecommended 3x

Excellent exposition of overcompensation.

Excellent exposition of overcompensation.

Excellent exposition of overcompensation.

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Also recommended by: Mike Novogratz

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#23

The Misbehavior of Markets

by Benoit Mandelbrot

2 people recommended

The deepest and most realistic finance book ever published.

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Also recommended by: Patrick Oshaughnessy

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#24

Information

by Luciano Floridi

2 people recommendedrecommended 3x

If you want an introduction to information theory, and, in a way, probability theory from the real front door, this is it.

If you want an introduction to information theory, and, in a way, probability theory from the real front door, this is it.

If you want an introduction to information theory, and, in a way, probability theory from the real front door, this is it.

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Also recommended by: Shane Parrish

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#25

by

2 people recommended

The illusion of attention is one of the most important, surprising, and least known flaws in human thinking. This lucid book examines it in detail.

Also recommended by: Vinod Khosla

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#26

Adapt

by Tim Harford

2 people recommended

A highly readable, even entertaining, argument against top-down design.

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Also recommended by: Patrick Oshaughnessy

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#27

Probability, Random Variables and Stochastic Processes

by Athanasios Papoulis

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#28

The Longevity Solution

by Dr. James DiNicolantonio

recommended 3x

Incredibly well made book.

Incredibly well made book.

Incredibly well made book.

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#29

The Complete Guide to Fasting

by Dr. Jason Fung

recommended 3x

An excellent book!

An excellent book!

An excellent book!

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πŸ“–
#30

The Practice of Natural Movement

by Erwan Le Corre

recommended 2x

Excited to find in my mailbox [this book].

Excited to find in my mailbox [this book].

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#31

Perilous Interventions

by Hardeep Singh Puri

Should be mandatory reading to every student and practitioner of foreign affairs.

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πŸ“–
#32

Idea Makers

by Stephen Wolfram

recommended 2x

Excellent! Only read on mathematicians by insiders.

Excellent! Only read on mathematicians by insiders.

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πŸ“–
#33

Birth of a Theorem

by CΓ©dric Villani

[The author] is playful in real life, his research is playful, and [this book] is playful.

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πŸ“–
#34

The French Revolution and What Went Wrong

by Clarke Stephen

recommended 3x

So much fun to read. The author, visibly writes with an attitude.

So much fun to read. The author, visibly writes with an attitude.

So much fun to read. The author, visibly writes with an attitude.

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πŸ“–
#35

Order without Design

by Alain Bertaud

recommended 2x

It is a pleasure to read something by a person who knows his subject in so much depth.

It is a pleasure to read something by a person who knows his subject in so much depth.

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#36

The Elements of Statistical Learning

by Trevor Hastie

Very comprehensive, sufficiently technical to get most of the plumbing behind machine learning.

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#37

Rational Decisions

by Ken Binmore

recommended 2x

Presents a comprehensive set of the principles and axioms behind neo-classical economics.

Presents a comprehensive set of the principles and axioms behind neo-classical economics.

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πŸ“–
#38

The Secret of Fatima

by Peter J. Tanous

James Bond as a Catholic Priest.

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πŸ“–
#39

The Science of Conjecture

by James Franklin

recommended 3x

Stands above, way above other books on the history and philosophy of probability.

Stands above, way above other books on the history and philosophy of probability.

Stands above, way above other books on the history and philosophy of probability.

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πŸ“–
#40

Mathematics

by A. D. Aleksandrov

recommended 3x

Mathematicians should be using this book as a model for their own composition.

Mathematicians should be using this book as a model for their own composition.

Mathematicians should be using this book as a model for their own composition.

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πŸ“–
#41

Probability Theory

by S. R. S. Varadhan

recommended 3x

Gives a complete overview of the basis of probability theory with some grounding in measure theory, and presents the main proofs.

Gives a complete overview of the basis of probability theory with some grounding in measure theory, and presents the main proofs.

Gives a complete overview of the basis of probability theory with some grounding in measure theory, and presents the main proofs.

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πŸ“–
#42

Models.Behaving.Badly.

by Emanuel Derman

recommended 3x

Convincingly establishes the difference between model and theory and shows why attempts to model financial markets can never be genuinely scientific.

Convincingly establishes the difference between model and theory and shows why attempts to model financial markets can never be genuinely scientific.

Convincingly establishes the difference between model and theory and shows why attempts to model financial markets can never be genuinely scientific.

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πŸ“–
#43

Body by Science

by John R. Little

recommended 3x

I owe a lot to this book.

I owe a lot to this book.

I owe a lot to this book.

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#44

The Opposing Shore

by Julien Gracq

recommended 3x

Once you enter it, you are stuck there.

Once you enter it, you are stuck there.

Once you enter it, you are stuck there.

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#45

Bull by the Horns

by Sheila Bair

recommended 3x

The account of a person who says it the way it was.

The account of a person who says it the way it was.

The account of a person who says it the way it was.

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πŸ“–
#46

Free The Animal

by Richard Nikoley

recommended 3x

A charming primer on the paleo idea, with an illustration through the authors own life. I read it in one sitting.

A charming primer on the paleo idea, with an illustration through the authors own life. I read it in one sitting.

A charming primer on the paleo idea, with an illustration through the authors own life. I read it in one sitting.

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πŸ“–
#47

The Blank Swan

by Elie Ayache

recommended 2x

I am relieved to finally find a book that deals with Black Swan Events in a new way.

I am relieved to finally find a book that deals with Black Swan Events in a new way.

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#48

Explaining Social Behavior

by Jon Elster

Simply the best: read it at least twice.

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#49

The Discovery of France

by Graham Robb

recommended 3x

An answer to so many questions.

An answer to so many questions.

An answer to so many questions.

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#50

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar…

by Thomas Cathcart

recommended 3x

Like a brief drink in an airplane lounge with someone funny, smart, witty, but not too funny.

Like a brief drink in an airplane lounge with someone funny, smart, witty, but not too funny.

Like a brief drink in an airplane lounge with someone funny, smart, witty, but not too funny.

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πŸ“–
#51

The Doctrine of Deification in the Greek Patristic Tradition

by Norman Russell

recommended 3x

The most complete overview of theosis.

The most complete overview of theosis.

The most complete overview of theosis.

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#52

Statistical Models

by David Freedman

recommended 3x

The best statistics book I've seen.

The best statistics book I've seen.

The best statistics book I've seen.

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πŸ“–
#53

Happy Accidents

by Morton Meyers MD

recommended 3x

Please Please READ This Book! Read it TWICE!

Please Please READ This Book! Read it TWICE!

Please Please READ This Book! Read it TWICE!

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πŸ“–
#54

Financial Derivatives

by Jamil Baz

recommended 3x

A condensed, but extremely deep , and complete exposition of the subject of theoretical finance.

A condensed, but extremely deep , and complete exposition of the subject of theoretical finance.

A condensed, but extremely deep , and complete exposition of the subject of theoretical finance.

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#55

Thinking and Deciding

by Jonathan Baron

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πŸ“–
#56

The Wisdom Paradox

by Elkhonon Goldberg

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#57

The Sunday Philosophy Club

by Alexander McCall Smith

recommended 2x

I don't want to spoil the story but I felt that I was reading a detective story until I realized what it was...

I don't want to spoil the story but I felt that I was reading a detective story until I realized what it was...

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#58

How Nature Works

by Per Bak

Intuitive & makes you think of universal laws.

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#59

Social Cognition

by Ziva Kunda

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#60

The Status Syndrome

by Michael Marmot

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#61

The Dream of Reason

by Anthony Gottlieb

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#62

Kant and the Platypus

by Umberto Eco

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#63

Intellectuals in the Middle Ages

by Jacques Le Goff

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#64

Confessions of a Philosopher

by Bryan Magee

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#65

Invariances

by Robert Nozick

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#66

A History of the Mind

by Nicholas Humphrey

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#67

I Think, Therefore I Laugh

by John Allen Paulos

Buy on Amazon β†’
πŸ“–
#68

The Making of a Philosopher

by Colin McGinn

Buy on Amazon β†’
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#69

Mapping the Mind

by Rita Carter

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πŸ“–
#70

The Mind Doesn’t Work That Way

by Jerry A. Fodor

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πŸ“–
#71

Consciousness

by Susan Blackmore

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πŸ“–
#72

Mean Genes

by Terry Burnham

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#73

No Bull

by Michael Steinhardt

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πŸ“–
#74

The Statistical Mechanics of Financial Markets

by Johannes Voit

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πŸ“–
#75

Tartar Steppe

by Dino Buzzati

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πŸ“–
#76

A Guide to Econometrics

by Peter Kennedy

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#77

The Kelly Capital Growth Investment Criterion

by Leonard C. MacLean

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#78

1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die

by Mimi Sheraton

Buy on Amazon β†’
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#79

Modelling Extremal Events

by Paul Embrechts

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πŸ“–
#80

Modern Aramaic-English/English-Modern Aramaic Dictionary & Phrasebook

by Nicholas Awde

Buy on Amazon β†’