Reading List

The books for what you are building.

Tell us your business model, industry and stage, or how you invest, and get the books worth your time, picked from 30,000 on building and backing companies. Chosen by ratings and what they are about.

Fill in your cardOr browse a starter list

Atomic HabitsJames Clear · 4.31★FreakonomicsSteven D. Levitt · 4.01★The Tipping PointMalcolm Gladwell · 4.01★Rich Dad Poor DadRobert T. Kiyosaki · 4.08★BlinkMalcolm Gladwell · 3.96★Thinking, Fast and SlowDaniel Kahneman · 4.16★The Art of WarSun Tzu · 3.94★
30,000books on building and backing companies
27,964with a checked cover
3.86★average reader rating across the library
643written by 367 investors and founders on our records
Change your answersFounder · Real estate and construction · Seed
I am
Your rolePick one
Business modelUp to three
Your stagePick one
Working onUp to four
Your rolePick one
How you investUp to three
To sharpenUp to three
IndustryUp to three
More ways to narrow it: kind of book, and when it was written
Kind of bookAny
WrittenPick one

Nothing is stored. Your answers live in the page's address, so the list can be kept or shared.

Your reading list

↻ Show different picks

The best matches for everything you told us, ranked.

  • 1

    The Millionaire Real Estate Agent

    It's Not About the Money It's About Being the Best You Can Be

    Gary Keller · 2003

    4.234,062 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    Take your real estate career to the highest level "Whether you are just getting started or a veteran in the business, "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" is the step-by-step handbook for seeking excellence in your profession and in your life." --Mark Victor…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    Your First 365 Days in Real Estate

    How to build a successful real estate business

    Shelley Zavitz · 2019

    4.24362 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany buildingMarketing and growth

    About the book

    Your successful career in real estate starts here!The first 365 days of working in real estate can be one of the most tumultuous times in your career - full of hard lessons, heart breaks and hard work. Just because you have a license, doesn’t mean you have a…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The Miracle Morning for Real Estate Agents

    It's Your Time to Rise and Shine

    Hal Elrod · 2014

    4.301,119 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    All real estate agents share one thing in we're all striving to get to the NEXT LEVEL of personal and professional success. We want to take our lives, our businesses, and ourselves to the next level. What if you could get there, faster than you ever thought…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat

    The BRRRR Rental Property Investment Strategy Made Simple

    David Greene · 2019

    4.382,425 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    Invest in real estate, flip houses, buy rental properties, and never run out of money, using the hottest strategy in the real estate world! “From A–Z (or B–R), David covers just what you'll need to execute like a master and build wealth like the pros.", David…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Real estate finance and investments

    William B. Brueggeman, Jeffrey Fisher · 1993

    55 Open Library reading lists

    Real estate and construction

    On AmazonAudibleOpen Library

  • 6

    The Housing Boom and Bust

    Thomas Sowell · 2009

    4.192,145 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    This is a plain-English explanation of how we got into the current economic disaster that developed out of the economics and politics of the housing boom and bust. The “creative” financing of home mortgages and the even more “creative” marketing of financial…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 7

    Zillow Talk

    The New Rules of Real Estate

    Spencer Rascoff · 2015

    3.521,761 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    How do you spot an area poised for gentrification? Is spring or winter the best time to put your house on the market? Will a house on Swamp Road sell for less than one on Gingerbread Lane? The fact is that the rules of real estate have changed drastically…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 8

    The Sell

    The Secrets of Selling Anything to Anyone

    Fredrik Eklund · 2015

    3.762,613 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionFirst salesCompany building

    About the book

    The nation’s #1 real estate broker and star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York shares his secrets for superstar success and getting what you want out of life, no matter who you are or what you do.Ten years ago, Fredrik Eklund moved to New York City…

    On AmazonAudible

Books on real estate and construction.

  • 1

    Confessions of a Real Estate Entrepreneur

    What It Takes to Win in High-Stakes Commercial Real Estate

    James A. Randel · 2005

    4.13277 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    A front row seat into the world of high-stakes commercial real estate investing “A must-read book … one of the best real estate investment books I have ever read. On my scale of 1 to 10, this unique book rates an off-the-charts 12.” ---Robert Bruss…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The Book of YES

    The Ultimate Real Estate Agent Conversation Guide

    Kevin Ward · 2016

    4.10253 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    The Book of YES In Kevin Ward's book, you will find the most powerful scripts in the real estate industry today. If you’re tired of the same old sales scripts or if you’ve done away with them all together, I know how you feel because I’ve been there. I was…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The Public Domain

    Enclosing the Commons of the Mind

    James Boyle · 2008

    4.12349 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionInnovation

    About the book

    In this enlightening book James Boyle describes what he calls the range wars of the information age, today’s heated battles over intellectual property. Boyle argues that just as every informed citizen needs to know at least something about the environment or…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    17 Cents & a Dream

    My Incredible Journey from the USSR to Living the American Dream

    Daniel Milstein · 2012

    3.87374 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and construction

    About the book

    “Through pure determination, fortitude and attitude, Daniel pulled out of impossibly difficult situations. His story is true, his story is a personal inspiration to me and I hope it will inspire you too to maximize your potential and go for the greatest of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Brand It Like Serhant

    Stand Out From the Crowd, Build Your Following, and Earn More Money

    Ryan Serhant · 2024

    3.95275 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    Bestselling author and real estate, television, and media icon Ryan Serhant shares his proven, three-step strategy to build your brand from scratch Brand is everything. Whether you’re a real estate broker, a hair stylist, or a freelance contractor, your end…

    On AmazonAudible

Published in the last three years, newest first, for what you told us.

  • 1

    Simple Marketing For Smart People

    The One Question You Need to Win Customers without Gimmicks, Hype, or Hard Selling

    Billy Broas · 2024

    4.35305 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthFirst salesCompany building

    About the book

    Why do so many smart people struggle with marketing? The answer is smart people love complexity, and complexity brews problems. Does your marketing feel like it has way too many moving parts? If so, Simple Marketing for Smart People is the solution you’ve…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    The Pricing Roadmap

    How to Design B2B SaaS Pricing Models That Your Customers Will Love

    Ulrik Lehrskov-Schmidt · 2023

    4.43207 ratings · Goodreads

    Finding product-market fitCompany building

    About the book

    "The definitive resource on SaaS pricing, I absolutely can not recommend this book enough." Viktor Heide, COO of Contractbook.com, Forbes "30 under 30" A foolproof method to achieve skyrocketing sales, growth, and profits for your software as a service…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The First-Time Manager

    Sales

    Mike Weinberg · 2023

    4.43282 ratings · Goodreads

    First salesCompany building

    About the book

    The First Time Manager Series has sold over 500,000 copies and is a go-to guide for new and aspiring sales managers on what to expect and how to succeed. The jump from sales superstar to sales manager has made or broken many a sales career. As a…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Little Bosses Everywhere

    How the Pyramid Scheme Shaped America

    Bridget Read · 2025

    3.965,793 ratings · Goodreads

    Company buildingMarketing and growth

    About the book

    A groundbreaking work of history and reportage that unveils the stranger-than-fiction world of multilevel marketing, from the shadowy cabals at the top to the strivers at the bottom, whose deferred dreams churn a massive money-making scam that has remade…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Personal Branding for Introverts

    Goldie Chan · 2025

    4.41211 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    A top expert in personal branding shows introverts how to leverage their unique strengths to get ahead    To build a career, you need a personal brand to showcase your distinct skills, experience, and expertise. Building that brand can feel…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    Cancel Me If You Can

    Dave Portnoy · 2026

    4.226,588 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    In his unfiltered style, Dave Portnoy details the journey of how he built his polarizing media empire, Barstool Sports, while refusing to bend the knee to those who tried to tear him down, staying true to himself and blocking out the haters. Dave Portnoy is a…

    On AmazonAudible

How companies like yours were actually built, from the people who built them.

  • 1

    Zeckendorf

    The autobiography of the man who played a real-life game of Monopoly and won the largest real estate empire in history.

    William Zeckendorf · 1970

    4.16609 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionFounder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    Not since the days of the Louisiana Purchase has America seen any bigger real estate transactions than those executed by William Zeckendorf, the derring-do head of Webb & Knapp. Figuring with supersonic speed and an uncanny flair for making money, the…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    Powerhouse Principles

    The Billionaire Blueprint For Real Estate Success

    Jorge Pérez · 2008

    4.24189 ratings · Goodreads

    Real estate and constructionCompany building

    About the book

    The #1 private developer in the U.S. Jorge Pérez shares his billionaire secrets to empower both small and seasoned investors. Known as the King of Condominiums and the Steven Spielberg of Real Estate, Jorge Pérez reveals his principles for achieving success…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    Never Die Easy

    The Autobiography of Walter Payton

    Walter Payton · 2000

    4.231,581 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder stories

    About the book

    "Never die easy. Why run out of bounds and die easy? Make that linebacker pay. It carries into all facets of your life. It's okay to lose, to die, but don't die without trying, without giving it your best." His legacy is towering. Walter Payton, the man they…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Shoe Dog

    A Memoir by the Creator of Nike

    Phil Knight · 2016

    4.45389,310 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 5

    Elon Musk

    Walter Isaacson · 2023

    4.3281,328 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    From the author of Steve Jobs and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era, a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles,…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 6

    The Ride of a Lifetime

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

    Robert Iger · 2019

    4.4099,495 ratings · Goodreads

    Founder storiesCompany building

    About the book

    A grand vision defined: The CEO of The Walt Disney Company shares the ideas and values he has used to reinvent one of the most beloved companies in the world, and inspire the people who bring the magic to life. In 2005, Robert Iger became CEO of The Walt…

    On AmazonAudible

What founders at seed keep coming back to, if you have not read them yet.

  • 1

    Crossing the Chasm

    Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers

    Geoffrey A. Moore · 2002

    4.0332,109 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany buildingFirst sales

    About the book

    Here is the bestselling guide that created a new game plan for marketing in high-tech industries. Crossing the Chasm has become the bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets. This edition provides new insights into the realities…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 2

    Inspired

    How to Create Tech Products Customers Love

    Marty Cagan · 2008

    4.2226,350 ratings · Goodreads

    Company buildingFinding product-market fit

    About the book

    Learn to design, build, and scale products consumers can't get enough of How do today's most successful tech companies–Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Tesla–design, develop, and deploy the products that have earned the love of literally billions of…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 3

    The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

    Violate Them at Your Own Risk

    Al Ries · 1993

    4.0522,738 ratings · Goodreads

    Marketing and growthCompany building

    About the book

    There are laws of nature, so why shouldn't there be laws of marketing? As Al Ries and Jack Trout, the world-renowned marketing consultants and bestselling authors of Positioning, note, you can build an impressive airplane, but it will never leave the ground if…

    On AmazonAudible

  • 4

    Empire of Pain

    The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

    Patrick Radden Keefe · 2021

    4.53151,147 ratings · Goodreads

    Company building

    About the book

    The highly anticipated portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, by the prize-winning, bestselling author of Say Nothing .The Sackler name adorns the walls of many storied Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford, the Louvre. They are one of…

    On AmazonAudible

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Which books we recommend never depends on it: they are chosen from their ratings and what they are about.

From the record

Written by the people who write the cheques

Books by investors and founders we hold records for. The author links to what they have done, not just what they wrote.

Read what the people you are pitching read.

Every investor and founder on our records links to their books and the podcasts they are on.