Reading List#

A curated collection of books that have shaped my thinking across technology, leadership, creativity, and life. These are books I've genuinely enjoyed and found valuable, organized by theme.

Artificial Intelligence & The Future#

• Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark Explores how AI is transforming civilization and what it means to be human in an age of intelligent machines.

• A Brief History of Intelligence by Max S. Bennett Traces the evolutionary development of human cognition and connects biological intelligence principles to modern AI.

• The Quest for Artificial Intelligence by Nils J. Nilsson A comprehensive history of AI from one of the field's pioneers.

Machine Learning & Deep Learning#

• Machine Learning: A Probabilistic Perspective by Kevin P. Murphy The definitive probabilistic approach to machine learning.

• Neural Networks and Deep Learning by Michael Nielsen An accessible online book that builds intuition for neural networks.

• Deep Learning by Ian Goodfellow et al. The comprehensive textbook on deep learning fundamentals.

• Machine Learning Yearning by Andrew Ng Practical advice on structuring ML projects from one of the field's best teachers.

Statistics & Mathematics#

• Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler A conceptually clear approach to linear algebra.

• Mathematical Statistics and Data Analysis by John A. Rice Rigorous foundations in statistical methods.

• Elements of Statistical Learning by Trevor Hastie et al. The advanced reference for statistical learning methods.

• Introduction to Statistical Learning by Trevor Hastie et al. A more accessible companion to Elements, with R examples.

Software Engineering & Systems#

• Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold A masterful journey from telegraph to computer, building understanding from first principles.

• The Pragmatic Programmer by Andrew Hunt & David Thomas Timeless principles for software craftsmanship.

• Coders at Work by Peter Seibel Fascinating interviews with legendary programmers.

• Clean Code by Robert C. Martin Principles for writing readable, maintainable code.

• Real-World Bug Hunting by Peter Yaworski Practical field guide to finding security vulnerabilities.

• The Book of Why by Judea Pearl A paradigm shift in thinking about causality versus correlation.

Kubernetes & Cloud Native#

• Kubernetes: Up and Running by Kelsey Hightower, Joe Beda & Brendan Burns The essential introduction from Kubernetes creators.

• Kubernetes Security by Michael Hausenblas & Liz Rice Security-first approach to Kubernetes deployments.

• Container Security by Liz Rice Deep dive into container security fundamentals.

• Kubernetes for Developers by Joseph Heck Developer-focused perspective on Kubernetes.

Leadership & Communication#

• Leadership on the Line by Ronald A. Heifetz & Marty Linsky How to navigate the dangers and challenges of leadership while staying effective and maintaining integrity.

• Leadership Is Language by L. David Marquet How what you say (and don't say) shapes leadership effectiveness and organizational outcomes.

• The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher How to argue less and talk more—practical approaches to productive dialogue.

• Wise Guy: Lessons from a Life by Guy Kawasaki Life lessons and wisdom from Silicon Valley's legendary evangelist.

Thinking & Decision Making#

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Nobel laureate's exploration of the two systems that drive how we think.

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck The groundbreaking research on fixed vs. growth mindsets.

• Drive by Daniel H. Pink The science of motivation beyond carrots and sticks.

• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown The philosophy of doing less but better.

Innovation & Entrepreneurship#

• The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen Why great companies fail when disruptive technologies emerge.

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters Contrarian thinking about creating new value.

Writing & Creativity#

• If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland A timeless classic on creativity, artistic independence, and finding your voice.

Education#

• Creating Schools Where Students and Teachers Want to Be by Michael Lawrence & Fabio D'Agostin Rethinking education through community collaboration and meaningful reform.

Parenting#

• The Explosive Child by Ross W. Greene A collaborative problem-solving approach for understanding and parenting easily frustrated, chronically inflexible children.

• Becoming Brilliant by Roberta Golinkoff & Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek Research-backed approach to nurturing children's development.

• Thinking Parent, Thinking Child by Myrna B. Shure Practical problem-solving approaches for parents.

• The Psychology of Babies by Lynne Murray Understanding early development through the lens of relationships.

Science & Nature#

• The End of Ice by Dahr Jamail Bearing witness to climate disruption and finding meaning in the crisis.

• The Second Kind of Impossible by Paul Steinhardt The extraordinary quest to discover quasicrystals—a new form of matter.