Read by Brian Armstrong
What books does Brian Armstrong recommend?
Brian Armstrong went from Airbnb software engineer to co-founder and CEO of Coinbase, the largest US cryptocurrency exchange, and his book recommendations map the operating manual behind that climb. The 12 titles here are drawn mostly from his official blog and Twitter account, plus a Coinbase operating document and a book blurb. Business and strategy and leadership and management dominate, with veins of economics and psychology. His top pick, Matt Mochary's The Great CEO Within, he praises for having "demystified growing a company by breaking it down into simple steps." Seth Godin's The Dip earns unusual credit: Armstrong says it "made me move to Silicon Valley and double down on being a tech entrepreneur." Phil Knight's Shoe Dog rounds out the list as "one of my favorite memoirs of all time."
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
The Great CEO Within
The Tactical Guide to Company Building
byMatt Mochary
2019202 Pages“Matt has demystified growing a company by breaking it down into simple steps. These are the essentials that every company should implement to operate more effectively.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Endorsement / Blurb
Read by Brian Armstrong
The Dip
A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
bySeth Godin
200796 Pages“If you don't love something enough to stick with it for 10+ years (even if you see no success during that time) then you should probably quit. This book made me move to Silicon Valley and double down on being a tech entrepreneur.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Brian Armstrong Official Blog
Read by Jensen Huang, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Andreessen and 8 others
byAndrew S. Grove
1995272 Pages“Surprisingly, I found I was already using many of the management ideas in this book (1:1, OKRs, etc) which is a testament to just how influential this book is.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Brian Armstrong Official Blog
Read by Warren Buffett, Brian Armstrong, Chip Wilson and 3 others
Shoe Dog
A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
byPhil Knight
2016400 Pages“This is one of my favorite memoirs of all time!”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Brian Armstrong Official Blog
Read by Peter Thiel, Naval Ravikant, Marc Andreessen and 5 others
The Sovereign Individual
Mastering the Transition to the Information Age
byJames Dale Davidson, William Rees-Mogg
1999448 Pages“Took a fresh read of Sovereign Individual - was really ahead of it's time, a lot of original thinking (some really out there stuff too).”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Twitter Account
Read Write Own
Building the Next Era of the Internet
byChris Dixon
2024320 Pages“Enjoyed reading Chris Dixon's new book 'Read Write Own'. I suggest you pick up a copy!”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Twitter Account
Read by Brian Armstrong, Glenn Beck, Brandon Sanderson and 2 others
Project Hail Mary
A Novel
byAndy Weir
2021496 Pages(1,162,646)
“Best sci fi book i've read in a long long time. Has lots of real science/engineering in it. Incredible read.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Twitter Account
The Outsiders
Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
byWilliam N. Thorndike
2012272 Pages“Stories about eight CEOs and how they mastered capital allocation.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Brian Armstrong Official Blog
Read by Jeff Bezos, Brian Armstrong, Chip Wilson and 5 others
Good to Great
Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
byJim Collins
2001320 Pages“The scientific method can be applied to business. This book draws powerful lessons from data.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Brian Armstrong Official Blog
Read by Brian Armstrong
What You Do Is Who You Are
How to Create Your Business Culture
byBen Horowitz
2019288 Pages“I read an early copy of @bhorowitz's new book about company cultures, and thought it was great! Check it out.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Twitter Account
Read by Brian Armstrong
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success
byJim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, Kaley Klemp
2015376 Pages“This book discusses a way of approaching work where you are curious, eager to learn, and open, instead of focusing on blame, criticism, and commitment to being right.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Coinbase Operating Doc / Blog
Read by Arianna Huffington, Jamie Dimon, Brian Armstrong and 1 others
Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order
Why Nations Succeed and Fail
byRay Dalio
2021576 Pages“Really enjoyed reading Ray Dalio's recent book, The Changing World Order.”
— Brian Armstrong
Source: Official Twitter Account
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Brian Armstrong recommend?
His 12 recommendations include The Great CEO Within by Matt Mochary, The Dip by Seth Godin, High Output Management by Andrew Grove, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, and The Sovereign Individual by Davidson and Rees-Mogg.
What is Brian Armstrong's most recommended book?
A top pick is The Great CEO Within by Matt Mochary. Armstrong says Mochary "has demystified growing a company by breaking it down into simple steps... the essentials that every company should implement."
Which book changed Brian Armstrong's career?
Seth Godin's The Dip. Armstrong writes that it "made me move to Silicon Valley and double down on being a tech entrepreneur," crediting its argument about committing for the long haul.
Where do Brian Armstrong's book recommendations come from?
Most come from his official blog and Twitter account, along with Coinbase's operating documentation and at least one published book blurb.
What genres does Brian Armstrong read most?
His list centers on business and strategy and leadership and management, with recurring interest in economics and finance, psychology and human behavior, and self-improvement.
All 12 Books Brian Armstrong Has Recommended
- The Great CEO Within · Matt Mochary
- The Dip · Seth Godin
- High Output Management · Andrew S. Grove
- Shoe Dog · Phil Knight
- The Sovereign Individual · James Dale Davidson
- Read Write Own · Chris Dixon
- Project Hail Mary · Andy Weir
- The Outsiders · William N. Thorndike
- Good to Great · Jim Collins
- What You Do Is Who You Are · Ben Horowitz
- The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership · Jim Dethmer
- Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order · Ray Dalio