Sam Altman is an influential entrepreneur and investor, known particularly for his role as the former president of Y Combinator, one of the most successful startup accelerators that has helped launch companies like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe. Born in 1985 in Chicago, Altman started his first company, Loopt, at the age of 19 while attending Stanford University. Although he eventually dropped out to pursue his entrepreneurial ventures, his leadership at Y Combinator and his investments across various technology sectors have made him a key figure in Silicon Valley. Currently, he is the CEO of OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research lab that aims to promote and develop friendly AI in a way that benefits humanity as a whole.
❝If you are not learning, you are regressing; such is the nature of the world we live in.❞ — Sam Altman
Sam Altman has expressed his appreciation for reading, particularly non-fiction and scientific materials, which he integrates into his work in technology and AI. Reading plays a significant role in his ongoing education and in staying abreast of the latest developments and ethical considerations in technology. Although not frequently public about his personal life, Altman's professional advice often includes the importance of continual learning and adapting, which reading undoubtedly supports. His leadership style involves a deep understanding of technological trends and societal needs, where reading and education are fundamental to navigating the complexities of innovation.
Sam Altman's Favorite Books
Last Updated: June 2024
Einstein: His Life and Universe
Author: Walter Isaacson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: Apr 10th, 2007
Walter Isaacson delves into the life of Albert Einstein, illuminating how his revolutionary ideas reshaped modern physics while exploring his personal and professional journeys.
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World
Author: David Deutsch
Publisher: Viking
Date: Jul 21st, 2011
David Deutsch explores a broad range of scientific, philosophical, and cultural topics, arguing that through the pursuit of explanations, humans are capable of unlimited intellectual and practical progress.
A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius
Author: Dave Eggers
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: Feb 17th, 2000
This memoir, characterized by its postmodern style and humorous self-awareness, recounts Eggers' experiences raising his younger brother in San Francisco following the tragic deaths of their parents.
The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership
Author: Bill Walsh
Publisher: Portfolio
Date: Jul 3rd, 2009
This book outlines the leadership philosophy of Bill Walsh, the legendary San Francisco 49ers coach, focusing on his innovative management practices, commitment to excellence, and the lessons he learned about team building and leadership.
The Old Way: A Story of the First People
Author: Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Date: Oct 17th, 2006
This ethnographic work provides a vivid account of the life of the Ju/'hoansi people of the Kalahari Desert, exploring their traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyles and the profound changes brought about by contact with the modern world.
Foundation and Earth
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Aug 31st, 2004
The continuation of the Foundation series where Golan Trevize continues his quest to understand the choice he made regarding the galaxy's future, leading to a search for Earth with profound implications.
Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez
Author: Richard Rodriguez
Publisher: David R. Godine, Publisher
Date: Jul 5th, 2022
This autobiographical work explores Rodriguez's experiences navigating the educational system as a child of Mexican immigrant parents, discussing the personal and societal impacts of assimilation and the loss of his cultural identity.
Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Date: May 31st, 2004
Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece traces the tragic love affair between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Russian society, exploring themes of passion, loyalty, and societal norms.
Prelude to Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Mar 1st, 1989
In this prequel to his seminal Foundation series, Isaac Asimov recounts the early life of Hari Seldon, the brilliant mathematician who develops psychohistory, a method of predicting the future.
Hacking Sales: The Playbook for Building a High-Velocity Sales Machine
Author: Max Altschuler
Publisher: Wiley
Date: May 31st, 2016
Altschuler provides innovative tactics and tools designed for the modern sales process, offering strategies to streamline sales using automation, technology, and a focus on behavioral economics to drastically improve efficiency and results.
Medieval Technology and Social Change
Author: Lynn White
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: Dec 31st, 1963
White examines the profound impact of technological innovations on medieval society, including the stirrup’s role in changing warfare and feudalism, and the adoption of the heavy plow in agriculture.
Mind of Napoleon: A Selection of His Written and Spoken Words
Author: Napoleon
Publisher: Columbia Univ Pr
Date: Oct 22nd, 2024
This collection offers insight into Napoleon Bonaparte’s thoughts on war, politics, and governance, providing a glimpse into the strategic mind and ambitious spirit of one of history’s most influential leaders.
Brave New World
Author: Aldous Huxley
Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Date: Jul 5th, 2005
Set in a dystopian future where individuals are systematically controlled and conditioned for roles in a totalitarian society, Huxley’s novel critiques the dangers of sacrificing individuality for technological and governmental control.
Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies
Author: Reid Hoffman
Publisher: Crown Currency
Date: Oct 9th, 2018
This book provides a practical framework for a strategy that prioritizes speed over efficiency in an environment of uncertainty, and it’s used by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to rapidly grow their companies and achieve massive scale.
Winning
Author: Jack Welch
Publisher: Harper Business
Date: Apr 1st, 2005
Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, shares his insights and strategies for success in business management, covering everything from leadership and hiring to competitive strategy and corporate growth.
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Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization
Author: Lester R. Brown
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date: Jan 17th, 2008
Brown provides a comprehensive plan for reversing environmental degradation and saving civilization, emphasizing the need for renewable energy, sustainable development, and population stabilization.
Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age
Author: Michael A. Hiltzik
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
Date: May 13th, 2009
Hiltzik narrates the history of Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), which played a pivotal role in developing many of the technologies that underpin the modern computer industry, including the graphical user interface, laser printing, and the Ethernet.
Hold 'em Poker
Author: David Sklansky
Publisher: Two Plus Two Pub. / Creel
Date: Dec 1st, 1996
This comprehensive guide by one of poker’s leading authorities provides strategies and theories for competitive players looking to win at Texas Hold'em, covering everything from the basics of play to advanced tactics.
A Life Decoded: My Genome: My Life
Author: J. Craig Venter
Publisher: Viking Adult
Date: Oct 18th, 2007
Venter, one of the leading scientists in genomic research, recounts his controversial race to decode the human genome, offering insights into his groundbreaking scientific contributions and the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic research.
The Kite Runner: A Novel
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Date: Oct 3rd, 2023
This bestselling novel explores the unlikely and profound friendship between Amir, a wealthy boy from Kabul, and Hassan, the son of his father's servant, as their lives take dramatically different courses in the backdrop of Afghanistan’s turbulent history.
Pandaemonium: The Coming of the Machine As Seen by Contemporary Observers
Author: Humphrey Jennings
Publisher: Free Press
Date: Oct 22nd, 1985
Compiled by British filmmaker Jennings, this unique book presents a selection of firsthand accounts from 1660 to 1886, chronicling the industrial revolution and its impact on society through the eyes of its contemporaries.
Foundation and Empire
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Jun 1st, 2004
The second book in Asimov's Foundation series, exploring the inevitable decay of a sprawling empire and the efforts by the Foundation to manage and mitigate the catastrophic loss of knowledge.
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
Author: Nick Bostrom
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: Sep 3rd, 2014
Nick Bostrom examines the future prospects of artificial intelligence and the existential risks it poses, proposing strategies to ensure that AI developments benefit humanity.
The Republic
Author: Plato
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Date: Feb 15th, 2021
In this foundational philosophical text, Plato explores themes of justice, order, and character through a series of dialogues led by Socrates, culminating in a detailed discussion of the philosopher-king and the ideal city-state.
The Making of a Manager: What to Do When Everyone Looks to You
Author: Julie Zhuo
Publisher: Portfolio
Date: Mar 19th, 2019
Zhuo, a seasoned tech executive, shares her insights and personal experiences in transitioning from an individual contributor to a highly effective manager, offering practical advice on leadership, decision-making, and team building.
Molecular Biology of the Cell
Author: Bruce Alberts
Publisher: Garland Science
Date: Nov 18th, 2014
Often referred to as the "bible" of molecular biology, this comprehensive textbook provides an in-depth exploration of the processes and systems at work in cells, essential for students and professionals in the biological sciences.
Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Jun 1st, 2004
Isaac Asimov's groundbreaking novel introduces his grand narrative of the decline and fall of a Galactic Empire and the scientific effort to shorten the ensuing dark age.
Man's Search for Meaning
Author: Viktor E. Frankl
Publisher: Beacon Press
Date: Jun 1st, 2006
Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has transcended its own genre by describing his experiences in Nazi death camps, all the while explaining his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then immersively imagining that outcome.
The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison
Author: James Madison
Publisher: Modern Library
Date: Nov 8th, 2005
This book provides a detailed day-by-day account of the debates and discussions that shaped the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787, as recorded by James Madison, one of the key figures at the convention.
Solution Selling: Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets
Author: Michael T. Bosworth
Publisher: McGraw Hill
Date: Sep 22nd, 1994
This book presents a sales methodology that focuses on addressing clients' critical issues and providing solutions to their problems, rather than traditional product-focused selling.
Foundation's Edge
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Nov 1st, 1991
Asimov continues his Foundation saga with the quest to find Earth, the mythical planet where humans originally came from, which leads to revelations that could alter the future of the galaxy.
Man's Search For Meaning
Author: Viktor E. Frankl,Viktor Frankl
Publisher: Rider
Date: Oct 22nd, 2024
Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has transcended its own genre by describing his experiences in Nazi death camps, all the while explaining his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then immersively imagining that outcome.
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage
Author: Alice Munro
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Date: Nov 6th, 2001
In this collection of short stories, Munro masterfully explores the complexities of human relationships through the tales of ordinary people dealing with love, loss, and the pivotal moments that shape their lives.
The Trial of Socrates
Author: I. F. Stone
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Date: Oct 22nd, 1988
Stone reexamines the historical events leading to the trial and subsequent execution of Socrates, arguing that the philosopher's opposition to democracy may have played a significant role in his death sentence.
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Author: Jane Jacobs
Publisher: Modern Library
Date: Sep 13th, 2011
Jacobs’ influential book critiques 1950s urban planning policy, which she saw as detrimental to the social fabric of cities, and proposes new principles for building vibrant urban communities.
Second Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: Spectra
Date: Jun 1st, 2004
This installment of Asimov's Foundation series focuses on the mysterious Second Foundation, tasked with preserving the edges of science and ensuring the original Foundation's prophecies come to fruition.
Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Year at Lockheed
Author: Ben R. Rich
Publisher: Little Brown & Co
Date: Oct 22nd, 1994
Rich, the second director of Lockheed’s Skunk Works, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the top-secret aerospace development division, sharing stories of innovations that produced some of the most famous aircraft in history, including the U-2 and the Stealth fighter.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Author: Peter Thiel
Publisher: Crown Currency
Date: Sep 16th, 2014
Peter Thiel provides unconventional wisdom and practical advice for entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of innovation and creating new products that jump from zero to one, rather than improving on existing products.
