Read by Mark Manson, Eric Weinstein, Tai Lopez and 2 others
What books does Mark Manson recommend?
Mark Manson built a career on counterintuitive advice, and his book recommendations are more rigorous than the blunt style of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck might suggest. These 29 picks are pulled from the curated reading lists on markmanson.net, his YouTube book summaries, and interviews, spanning psychology, society and politics, self-improvement, and philosophy. His single most important read is Ernest Becker's The Denial of Death, which he calls one of the most profound books he has ever read and says changed how he views his own life and death. Other favorites include Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness, which he names the most important book on the psychology of happiness, and Nassim Taleb's Antifragile, whose concept of gaining from disorder he treats as a crucial mental model for the modern world. Across the list, Manson consistently reaches for science-grounded books that challenge conventional wisdom about how people actually think and behave.
Last updated January 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
byErnest Becker
1973352 Pages“One of the most profound books I've ever read. It changed how I view my own life and death. Becker argues that human civilization is a defense mechanism against the knowledge of our own mortality.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - 7 Books That Will Change How You See the World
byDaniel Gilbert
2007336 Pages“The most important book on the psychology of happiness. Gilbert explains why we are so bad at predicting what will make us happy in the future.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - 7 Books That Will Change How You See the World
Antifragile
Things That Gain from Disorder
byNassim Nicholas Taleb
2012519 Pages“Taleb's concept of 'antifragility'—things that gain from disorder—is a crucial mental model for navigating the modern world.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - 7 Books That Will Change How You See the World
The True Believer
Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
byEric Hoffer
2002192 Pages“One of the most quotable books I've ever read. I think about it often. It explains the psychology behind mass movements and fanaticism.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Book Recommendations
Read by Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Manson and 4 others
The Better Angels of Our Nature
Why Violence Has Declined
bySteven Pinker
2011832 Pages“A tome of a book. Pinker tracks the history of violence and makes the counterintuitive and controversial argument that we are less violent today than we have ever been before.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - The 12 Best Books on History
Read by Tim Ferriss, Barack Obama, Ray Dalio and 21 others
byYuval Noah Harari
2014443 Pages(1,100,000)
“An impersonal account of human nature and behavior and the structures that form human society. Imagine if an alien visited Earth for a few thousand years and then had to write a report to explain humans back home.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - The 12 Best Books on History
Read by Tim Ferriss, Charlie Munger, Sam Altman and 22 others
Man's Search for Meaning
An Introduction to Logotherapy
byViktor E. Frankl
2006165 Pages“Frankl's story is one of the most powerful testaments to the human spirit ever written. It complements the notion that life isn't always fair but we have the power to choose our responses.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Best Philosophy Books
The Body Keeps the Score
Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
byBessel van der Kolk
2014464 Pages“Dr. van der Kolk is one of the founding fathers of trauma research. This book is all about how not only how trauma affects you psychologically, but how it affects your body and life.”
— Mark Manson
Source: YouTube - 14 Amazing Books Summarized in One Minute
Read by Mark Manson, Ryan Holiday, Rich Roll and 9 others
Atomic Habits
An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
byJames Clear
2018320 Pages“Probably the best book on habits ever written. Practical, actionable, and based on solid science.”
— Mark Manson
Source: YouTube - 14 Amazing Books Summarized in One Minute
Read by Mark Manson, Andrew Ng
So Good They Can't Ignore You
Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
byCal Newport
2012304 Pages“This book argues against the common belief that following your passion is the key to career satisfaction. Instead, developing rare and valuable skills is the key.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - The 15 Best Books on Business
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 PagesSource: markmanson.net - The 15 Best Books on Business
Read by Naval Ravikant, Mark Manson, Tobias Lütke and 8 others
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
New and Expanded
byRobert Cialdini
2021592 PagesSource: markmanson.net - The 15 Best Books on Business
Read by Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Mark Manson and 6 others
byWill Durant, Ariel Durant
2010128 Pages“The Durants wrote an 11-volume 'History of the World' series. This small book is the distillations of the lessons from their decades of research.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - The 12 Best Books on History
Read by Mark Manson
The Antidote
Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking
byOliver Burkeman
2012256 Pages“Awesome book. Explores success through failure and calm through embracing anxiety.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Recommended Books
byLisa Taddeo
2019320 Pages“A must-read for anyone seeking empathy and understanding in the complexity of human relationships.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Top 5 Books of 2019
Read by Tim Ferriss, Mark Manson, Sean Carroll and 1 others
Exhalation
Stories
byTed Chiang
2019368 Pages“Venture into an alternate universe with Ted Chiang's short story collection. Proves that science fiction can be both meaningful and beautiful.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Top 5 Books of 2019
The Second Mountain
The Quest for a Moral Life
byDavid Brooks
2019384 Pages“Argues that we need to make deeper commitments in order to repair the social fabric of our society.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Top 5 Books of 2019
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
byKatherine Boo
2012256 Pages“A literary masterpiece that will change the way you see and feel. A powerful reminder of the resilience and humanity of those living in the world's hidden corners.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Top 5 Books of 2019
The 5 Love Languages
The Secret to Love that Lasts
byGary Chapman
2015208 Pages(481,353)
“When my wife and I moved in together, I bought her a copy and we've had a number of conversations about our love languages ever since. It really is amazing how useful the concept is.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Best Relationship Books
Read by Mark Manson
Hold Me Tight
Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
bySue Johnson
2008300 Pages“My go-to recommendation for any relationship that is on the ropes. It explains the emotional patterns that emerge when we're hurt.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Best Relationship Books
Read by Mark Manson
Getting the Love You Want
A Guide for Couples
byHarville Hendrix, Helen LaKelly Hunt
2019352 Pages“I read Getting the Love You Want about 10 years ago and it blew me away.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Best Relationship Books
Read by Mark Manson
Mating in Captivity
Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic
byEsther Perel
2006244 Pages“Conventional relationship wisdom tells us that all you need is love but Esther Perel cuts through the fairy tale fantasies.”
— Mark Manson
Source: YouTube - 22 Life-Changing Books Summarized
byRichard Powers
2018512 Pages“I loved this book. Immerse yourself in this breathtaking paean to the natural world.”
— Mark Manson
Source: markmanson.net - Recommended Books
Read by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Jensen Huang and 9 others
Zero to One
Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
byPeter Thiel, Blake Masters
2014224 PagesSource: markmanson.net - The 15 Best Books on Business
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Mark Manson recommend?
His 29 recommendations include The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker, Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, The True Believer by Eric Hoffer, and The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker.
What is Mark Manson's most recommended book?
His top pick is The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker, which he calls "one of the most profound books I've ever read," adding that "it changed how I view my own life and death."
Where do Mark Manson's book recommendations come from?
They are drawn from the curated reading lists on markmanson.net, covering history, business, philosophy, and relationships, along with his YouTube book summaries and interviews and articles about the books that have shaped his thinking over the years.
Has Mark Manson written any books?
Yes. He is the author of two books listed here: the #1 New York Times bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck and Models, his earlier work on dating and honesty.
What genres does Mark Manson read most?
His picks center on psychology and human behavior, society and politics, and self-improvement, with a strong philosophy thread and forays into literary fiction. Across the list he favors science-based books that push back against conventional self-help.
All 29 Books Mark Manson Has Recommended
- The Denial of Death · Ernest Becker
- Stumbling on Happiness · Daniel Gilbert
- Antifragile · Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The True Believer · Eric Hoffer
- The Better Angels of Our Nature · Steven Pinker
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind · Yuval Noah Harari
- Man's Search for Meaning · Viktor E. Frankl
- The Body Keeps the Score · Bessel van der Kolk
- Atomic Habits · James Clear
- So Good They Can't Ignore You · Cal Newport
- Start with Why · Simon Sinek
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion · Robert Cialdini
- The Lessons of History · Will Durant
- The Antidote · Oliver Burkeman
- Three Women · Lisa Taddeo
- Exhalation · Ted Chiang
- The Second Mountain · David Brooks
- Behind the Beautiful Forevers · Katherine Boo
- The 5 Love Languages · Gary Chapman
- Hold Me Tight · Sue Johnson
- Getting the Love You Want · Harville Hendrix
- Mating in Captivity · Esther Perel
- The Overstory · Richard Powers
- Zero to One · Peter Thiel
- Say Nothing · Patrick Radden Keefe
- Stolen Focus · Johann Hari
- Talking to Strangers · Malcolm Gladwell
- The Corrections · Jonathan Franzen
- The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich · William L. Shirer