Books That Inspired Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos & More
Here’s a revised script in simpler language, starting with a strong hook and including references to the sources for the book recommendations. It’s structured to keep the content engaging and easy to understand, perfect for a general audience.
“Ever wonder what books the world’s richest and most successful people are reading? Today, I’m taking you through the personal book recommendations of 16 billionaires, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Oprah Winfrey. These are the books that shaped their success, and they might just inspire you too! Let’s dive right in.”
### [ELON MUSK]
“First up, Elon Musk, the man behind Tesla and SpaceX. Musk is known for his big ideas, and here are two books that have shaped his thinking:
One is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Musk says this funny sci-fi book taught him not to take things too seriously and to always look for new possibilities. He mentioned this during an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience and in a Reddit AMA.
Another important book for Musk is Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down by J.E. Gordon. This book helped him learn the basics of engineering, and he mentioned it in an interview with KCRW.”
### [JEFF BEZOS]
“Next is Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Bezos loves The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, a story about reflection and leadership. He’s talked about this book in interviews with Newsweek and in shareholder letters.
He also recommends Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, a book about how companies can last for a long time. Bezos has discussed this book in his interview with Inc..”
### [LARRY ELLISON]
“Moving on to Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle. He recommends The Art of War by Sun Tzu, a classic book on strategy. He’s mentioned this in interviews with Forbes and public speeches about business competition.”
### [BILL GATES]
“Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, is an avid reader. He recommends Factfulness by Hans Rosling, which he reviewed on his blog Gates Notes. Gates calls it one of the most important books he’s ever read because it gives a hopeful view of the world.
Another favorite of his is The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker. Gates wrote a detailed review of this book on Gates Notes, praising its insights into how violence has decreased over time.”
### [WARREN BUFFETT]
“Warren Buffett, one of the greatest investors ever, has a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about investing: The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. Buffett has discussed this book many times, including in interviews with CNBC and at Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholder meetings.
He also loves Business Adventures by John Brooks, a collection of business stories. Buffett recommended this book to Bill Gates, who shared the story on his blog Gates Notes.”
### [LARRY PAGE]
“Google co-founder Larry Page is inspired by creativity and problem-solving. He recommends Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman, a funny and inspiring read. He’s mentioned it in interviews, including in his Stanford commencement speech.
Another key book for him is The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen, which he’s discussed in interviews with Wired and Fast Company.”
### [SERGEY BRIN]
“Sergey Brin, the other co-founder of Google, has two favorite books. One is Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond. He’s talked about it in interviews with Bloomberg and at tech conferences. It’s a fascinating read about how societies develop.
Brin also recommends The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, a book that explores human nature and behavior, which he’s mentioned at Google events.”
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### [MARK ZUCKERBERG]
“Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg recommends Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. Zuckerberg picked this book as part of his A Year of Books challenge on Facebook, where he shared and discussed it with followers.
He also suggests Portfolios of the Poor by Daryl Collins and others. He chose this book for his reading challenge and discussed it during Facebook Q&A sessions.”
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### [STEVE BALLMER]
“Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer loves business books. One of his top picks is Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove, which he mentioned in interviews with Business Insider and Fortune. This book focuses on staying competitive.
Ballmer also recommends The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, a book about starting and growing businesses, which he’s mentioned in several interviews and speeches.”
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### [MICHAEL BLOOMBERG]
“Michael Bloomberg recommends Hardball by Chris Matthews, a book about political strategy. He’s talked about it in interviews with Politico.
He also suggests Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips, a book on leadership during tough times. He’s mentioned this in public speeches.”
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### [PHIL KNIGHT]
“Nike co-founder Phil Knight loves adventure stories. He recommends Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, which he talked about in an interview with The New York Times. It’s an inspiring story about survival and leadership.
Of course, Knight also suggests reading his own book, Shoe Dog, which tells the story of how Nike became a global brand.”
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### [MACKENZIE SCOTT]
“MacKenzie Scott, a well-known philanthropist, is a fan of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, which she’s talked about in public interviews. She’s also a fan of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, which she’s mentioned in literary discussions.”
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### [JACQUELINE MARS]
“Jacqueline Mars, the heir to the Mars candy fortune, recommends The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, a book about food choices. She’s mentioned this in interviews with Forbes and during talks on food sustainability.”
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### [GEORGE SOROS]
“George Soros recommends his own book, The Alchemy of Finance, where he shares his thoughts on investing. He also suggests Open Society and Its Enemies by Karl Popper, which has greatly influenced his views on democracy. He often talks about this book in interviews and essays.”
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### [OPRAH WINFREY]
“Oprah Winfrey is known for recommending amazing books. She loves The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, a spiritual guide that she talked about on Oprah’s Book Club and her Super Soul Sunday show.
Another favorite is A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, a book on self-discovery that Oprah discussed extensively on her podcast and TV show.”
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### [JAY-Z]
“Finally, we have Jay-Z, the music mogul. He recommends his own book, Decoded, which explains the meaning behind his lyrics and life. He also suggests The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav, which he mentioned in an interview on Oprah’s Master Class, saying it was life-changing.”
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### [OUTRO]
“And that’s it! These are the books that billionaires are reading, learning from, and recommending. From strategy to spirituality, these books could give you a fresh perspective and maybe even inspire your next big idea! So, which one will you pick up next? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more interesting content!”