Read by Jay Shetty
What books does Jay Shetty recommend?
The Jay Shetty book recommendations gathered here trace the reading of a former monk who now translates ancient wisdom for modern life and hosts On Purpose, one of the world's leading wellness podcasts. Nineteen titles are drawn from his YouTube reading lists, On Purpose episodes, published endorsements and blog posts. The selections lean heavily into psychology and human behavior, self-improvement and philosophy, mixing practical frameworks with spiritual texts he keeps returning to. His most personal pick is Radhanath Swami's The Journey Home, a book he says he has given to people of all ages, each of whom feels they have received a gift. Alongside it sit Simon Sinek's Start with Why, which Shetty credits with changing his life, and the Bhagavad-Gita, a text he suggests reading over and over as life goes on. Shetty has also authored two of his own bestsellers, Think Like a Monk and 8 Rules of Love.
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
The Journey Home
Autobiography of an American Swami
byRadhanath Swami
2008350 Pages“This is a book that I have given to people of all ages... every single person that has received it feels like they've received a gift in so many more ways than just the book.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: YouTube: 5 Books That Changed My Life
Read by Richard Branson, Mark Manson, Steven Bartlett and 4 others
Start with Why
How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
bySimon Sinek
2009256 Pages“For me, it changed my life. I applied it to my life and even today I'm constantly refining my 'why'.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: YouTube: Books that changed my life
Read by Jay Shetty
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
With the Original Sanskrit Text, Roman Transliteration, English Equivalents, Translation and Elaborate Purports
byA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
1983904 Pages“If you want to dive into the original, do it because you can read it over and over again as life goes on and it will give you something different each time.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: YouTube: 5 Books That Changed My Life
Read by Jay Shetty
Gita3
A Contemporary Guide to the Timeless Teachings of the Bhagavad-gita
bySutapa Das
2023235 Pages“I love, love, love this book... It's almost like a journal that takes you through different exercises whilst also explaining the Gita to you in very simple language.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: YouTube: 5 Books That Changed My Life
Exponential Organizations
Why New Organizations Are Ten Times Better, Faster, Cheaper Than Yours (and What to Do About It)
bySalim Ismail, Michael S. Malone, Yuri van Geest
2014328 Pages“Best book I've read in a very, very long time! An incredible analysis of the success of all the organizations we see ruling our phones today.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: YouTube: Books that changed my life
Read by Satya Nadella, Tobias Lütke, Chip Wilson and 5 others
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential
byCarol S. Dweck
2006320 Pages“That quote changed my perspective on how I show up in my life and opened me up for all the excellent nuggets revealed throughout the rest of the book.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Wondermind Interview
Read by Jay Shetty
The Myth of Normal
Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
byGabor Maté, Daniel Maté
2022576 Pages“I want you to go and order this book right now. It is going to blow your mind.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: On Purpose Podcast
Read by Jay Shetty
Limitless
Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life
byJim Kwik
2023448 Pages“In his book Limitless, he'll challenge you to do some crazy ish, but I swear you'll train your mind to conquer your days to live your best life.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Official Book Endorsement
Read by Tim Ferriss, Barack Obama, Ray Dalio and 21 others
byYuval Noah Harari
2014443 Pages(1,100,000)
“I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: On Purpose Podcast
Read by Jay Shetty
Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises
A Template for Understanding Big Debt Crises
byRay Dalio
2018480 Pages“It's a beautiful book. It feels good. It looks great. It reads even better inside.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: On Purpose Podcast
Read by Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Sam Harris and 6 others
The Anxious Generation
How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness
byJonathan Haidt
2024400 Pages“This is a powerful read for anybody who, like me, wants more unity in this world.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Jay Shetty Blog
Read by Jay Shetty
How to Decide
Simple Tools for Making Better Choices
byAnnie Duke
2020288 Pages“What I love about her work is that Annie's taken this huge skill that impacts us on a daily basis, and broken it down into easy-to-understand concepts.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Jay Shetty Blog
Read by Jay Shetty
The Last Lecture
Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
byRandy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
2008224 Pages“A testament to its timeless message... It's a life-changing journey filled with wisdom, humor, and inspiration.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Jay Shetty Blog
The 5 Love Languages
The Secret to Love that Lasts
byGary Chapman
2015208 Pages(481,353)
“Understanding these languages can change relationships, helping people effectively communicate love to their partners.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: On Purpose Podcast / 8 Rules of Love Context
Read by Barack Obama, Sam Altman, Ray Dalio and 14 others
byDaniel Kahneman
2011498 Pages“2 of my favourite books.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Twitter/X Post
Read by Steve Jobs, Marc Benioff, Rich Roll and 3 others
byParamahansa Yogananda
1946592 Pages“One of the best-selling spiritual biographies of all time. The book is not merely read it is treasured and cherished by millions.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: On Purpose Podcast
Read by Michael Bloomberg, Bryan Johnson, Charlie Kirk and 4 others
The Coddling of the American Mind
How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
byGreg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt
2018352 Pages“Here, he and Greg have presented a really compelling case about the underlying beliefs that are central to our current society of discord.”
— Jay Shetty
Source: Jay Shetty Blog
Read by Jay Shetty
byJonathan Safran Foer
2009352 PagesSource: YouTube: 5 Books That Changed My Life
Read by Jay Shetty
What to Eat for How You Feel
The New Ayurvedic Kitchen - 100 Seasonal Recipes
byDivya Alter
2017256 PagesSource: YouTube: 5 Books That Changed My Life
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Jay Shetty recommend?
Across 19 recommendations, Jay Shetty points readers toward The Journey Home by Radhanath Swami, Simon Sinek's Start with Why, the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, Carol Dweck's Mindset, and Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, ranging from spiritual classics to modern psychology.
What is Jay Shetty's favorite book?
Among his top picks is The Journey Home by Radhanath Swami, which Shetty calls a book he has given to people of all ages, saying every person who receives it feels they have gotten a gift in more ways than just the book itself.
Where do Jay Shetty's book recommendations come from?
They are sourced from his YouTube videos such as 5 Books That Changed My Life, episodes of the On Purpose podcast, official book endorsements, a Wondermind interview, his personal blog, and posts on Twitter/X.
Has Jay Shetty written any books?
Yes. Shetty has authored two bestsellers: Think Like a Monk, published in 2020, and 8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go, published in 2023, both drawing on his years living as a monk in India.
What genres does Jay Shetty read most?
His recommendations concentrate on psychology and human behavior, self-improvement, and philosophy, with a further pull toward health and wellness and books on society and politics that examine how modern life shapes the mind.
All 19 Books Jay Shetty Has Recommended
- The Journey Home · Radhanath Swami
- Start with Why · Simon Sinek
- Bhagavad-Gita As It Is · A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
- Gita3 · Sutapa Das
- Exponential Organizations · Salim Ismail
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success · Carol S. Dweck
- The Myth of Normal · Gabor Maté
- Limitless · Jim Kwik
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind · Yuval Noah Harari
- Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises · Ray Dalio
- The Anxious Generation · Jonathan Haidt
- How to Decide · Annie Duke
- The Last Lecture · Randy Pausch
- The 5 Love Languages · Gary Chapman
- Thinking, Fast and Slow · Daniel Kahneman
- Autobiography of a Yogi · Paramahansa Yogananda
- The Coddling of the American Mind · Greg Lukianoff
- Eating Animals · Jonathan Safran Foer
- What to Eat for How You Feel · Divya Alter