Stewart Brand is a pioneering futurist and systems thinker best known for founding The WELL, one of the first online communities, and The Long Now Foundation, which promotes long-term responsibility. His work spans environmental science, technology culture, and organizational design, influencing how we think about information systems and humanity's future.
78 Books Recommended by Stewart Brand
Ranked by popularity across all reading lists on this site
Meditations
22 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Eric Jorgenson, Jack Dorsey, Sam Altman, Tobi Lutke, Adam Robinson, Anna Kendrick, Arianna Huffington, Chip Conley, Austen Allred, Patrick Bet David, James Clear, Jason Ferruggia, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Mark Manson, Neil Strauss, Robin Sharma, Ryan Holiday, Shane Parrish, Derek Sivers
Thinking, Fast and Slow
20 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
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, Nassim Taleb, Preston Pysh, Sahil Lavingia, Scott Adams
Guns, Germs, and Steel
14 people recommendedrecommended 4xThe main [book by this author].
The main [book by this author].
The main [book by this author].
The main [book by this author].
Also recommended by: Eric Jorgenson, Bill Gates, Daniel Ek, Jamie Dimon, Charlie Munger, James Clear, Jesse Williams, Joe Rogan, Margaret Atwood, Mark Manson, Patrick Arnold, Simon Sinek, Derek Sivers
The Better Angels of Our Nature
13 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ben Silbermann, Eric Schmidt, John Arnold, Aj Jacobs, Chris Anderson, Anthony Pompliano, Jack Kornfield, Lex Fridman, Mark Manson, Penn Jillette
Tao Te Ching
12 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Osho, Naval Ravikant, Jack Dorsey, Brian Mackenzie, Jack Ma, Jason Ferruggia, Jason Nemer, Josh Waitzkin, Michael Gervais, Rick Rubin, Soman Chainani
A fundamental interest is gamification β thinking of things in game terms and designing things in gaming terms is one of the profound things that civilization has done for a very long time.
Also recommended by: Tobi Lutke, Daniel Gross, Graham Duncan, Jane Mcgonigal, Kevin Kelly, Patrick Oshaughnessy, Ryan Shea, Simon Sinek, Tristan Harris, Derek Sivers
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Sam Altman, Winston Churchill, Christopher Hitchens, Yuval Noah Harari, Jordan Peterson, Matt Mullenweg, Pewdiepie, Sahil Lavingia, Tristan Harris
The Oxford Shakespeare
8 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Barack Obama, Jk Rowling, Christopher Hitchens, Fred Wilson, Mark Twain, Ricardo Semler, Shah Rukh Khan
The Prince
8 people recommendedrecommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Patrick Bet David, Eric Ripert, Fred Wilson, Garry Tan, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Ryan Holiday, Ryan Shea
A Short History of Nearly Everything
7 people recommendedStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Warren Buffett, Jamie Dimon, Amanda Palmer, Dominic Dagostino, Shah Rukh Khan, Derek Sivers
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Brian Armstrong, Jason Silva, Marc Goodman, Mark Manson, Peter Diamandis, Steve Aoki
A Pattern Language
6 people recommendedrecommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Naval Ravikant, Sam Altman, Patrick Collison, Gretchen Rubin, Liz Lambert
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Jay Z, Caterina Fake, Michael Pollan, Tim Oreilly, Walter Isaacson
Particularly fantastic.
Particularly fantastic.
Particularly fantastic.
Also recommended by: Marc Benioff, Vinod Khosla, Bill Miller, Nassim Taleb
What Technology Wants
4 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Jason Silva, Matt Ridley, Derek Sivers
The Iliad
4 people recommendedrecommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Jk Rowling, Paul Graham
Collapse
3 people recommendedrecommended 4xHas some interesting stuff to propose.
Has some interesting stuff to propose.
Has some interesting stuff to propose.
Has some interesting stuff to propose.
Also recommended by: Bill Gates, Matthew Yglesias
The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order
3 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Jamie Dimon, Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
3 people recommendedStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Elon Musk, Mahatma Gandhi
The Gift
2 people recommendedStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Seth Godin
Triumph of the City
2 people recommendedrecommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Marc Andreessen
Dirt
2 people recommendedrecommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Michael Pollan
On the Nature of Things
2 people recommendedrecommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Nick Kokonas
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Lloyd Blankfein
The Epic of Gilgamesh
2 people recommendedrecommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Also recommended by: Ryan Holiday
A History of Civilizations
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Way Life Works
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Pattern On The Stone
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Imagined Worlds
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Turing’s Cathedral
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Map Book
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Medieval Civilization
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Long Summer
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Time Travel
recommended 4xSome of the most cogent thinking about time that I think weβve seen in a long time.
Some of the most cogent thinking about time that I think weβve seen in a long time.
Some of the most cogent thinking about time that I think weβve seen in a long time.
Some of the most cogent thinking about time that I think weβve seen in a long time.
The Art of the Long View
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Coming Population Crash
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Future of Life
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Sleepwalkers
Stewart Brand mentioned this book on "The Tim Ferriss Show" podcast.
Powers of Ten
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Across Realtime
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Conceptual Physics
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Infinite in All Directions
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Thinking in Time
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Adventures of a Bystander
recommended 4x[The author]'s early memoir.
[The author]'s early memoir.
[The author]'s early memoir.
[The author]'s early memoir.
A History of the World in 100 Objects
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Beowulf
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Governing the Commons
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Eternal Frontier
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The King and the Corpse
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Landmark Thucydides
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Venice
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Why the West Rules–for Now
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Grand Design
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Star Maker
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Story of Writing
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Machines of Loving Grace
recommended 4xBasically spells out the ongoing debate between artificial intelligence and intelligence augmentation β I.A. and A.I.
Basically spells out the ongoing debate between artificial intelligence and intelligence augmentation β I.A. and A.I.
Basically spells out the ongoing debate between artificial intelligence and intelligence augmentation β I.A. and A.I.
Basically spells out the ongoing debate between artificial intelligence and intelligence augmentation β I.A. and A.I.
Gaia
recommended 4xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Idea of Decline in Western History
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Past From Above
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Rise of the West
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Western Canon
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Our Bodies, Ourselves
recommended 3xWonderful book by women on womenβs health.
Wonderful book by women on womenβs health.
Wonderful book by women on womenβs health.
The Elements
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Memory of the World
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Military Misfortunes
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
One True God
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Causes of War
recommended 3xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Civilization of the Middle Ages
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Complete Greek Tragedies
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Complete Guide to Trail Building and Maintenance
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Encyclopedia of Earth
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
The Landmark Herodotus
recommended 2xStewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Stewart Brand recommended this book on his "Selected Books for the Manual for Civilization" blog post.
Connectography
recommended 3xAbout humanity's infrastructure.
About humanity's infrastructure.
About humanity's infrastructure.