Read by Ryan Holiday, Rick Rubin, Rich Roll and 5 others
What books does Rich Roll recommend?
Rich Roll went from a sedentary, addiction-battling lawyer to one of the world's fittest men, and that transformation shows in the book recommendations he shares on his chart-topping podcast. Gathered here are 25 titles from Rich Roll Podcast episodes, his Morning Routine blog post, interviews, and Goodreads reviews, weighted toward self-improvement, psychology, philosophy, and health and wellness. His top pick is Steven Pressfield's The War of Art, which he calls literally one of his favorite books of all time and says he rereads or listens to about once a month as the key to overcoming resistance. Other core reads include David Goggins's Can't Hurt Me, Rick Rubin's The Creative Act, and Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic. Creativity, discipline, endurance, and contemplative practice recur across his choices, along with a handful of annual rereads like Man's Search for Meaning that he reunites with each year.
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
The War of Art
Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
bySteven Pressfield
2002168 Pages“The War of Art is literally one of my favorite books of all time. This is one... I say about once a month I read it or listen to the audiobook... It is the key to help you to overcome resistance in your life.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #501
Can't Hurt Me
Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
byDavid Goggins
2018364 Pages“One of the most honest, powerful and impactful stories of hardship, redemption and personal perseverance I have ever read... It's the rare read that holds the potential to reframe your sense of personal capability and completely change your life.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #413
byRick Rubin, Neil Strauss
2023432 Pages“A manifesto on cultivating the innate creativity that dwells within all of us, it sits alongside the most impactful books I've ever read. A timeless meditation on what it means to create and share your voice with the world, the book is beyond a must-read.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #730
Read by Steve Jobs, Marc Benioff, Rich Roll and 3 others
byParamahansa Yogananda
1946592 Pages“My swimming goggles, a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda and a lighter because there is no way I'm going to figure out how to make fire without one.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Headspace Interview
Big Magic
Creative Living Beyond Fear
byElizabeth Gilbert
2015276 Pages“My favorite among them being Big Magic... basically a must read that sits right alongside, at least for me, books like The War of Art, The Artist's Way, and The Creative Act.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #750
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“Guides a person through the basics of habit forming and gives great tips and tricks on making good choices and making good habits... I have already made some changes in my life.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #401
Read by Joe De Sena, Rich Roll
Born to Run
A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
byChristopher McDougall
2009304 Pages“A book so impactful it made the entire running world stop and pay attention. That book was Born To Run—a wildly fascinating and inspiring read.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #723
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“Every year, I reunite with a few all-time favorites like: Man's Search for Meaning.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #582
Read by Tim Ferriss, Naval Ravikant, Bryan Johnson and 7 others
Read by LeBron James, Daniel Ek, Pharrell Williams and 8 others
The Alchemist
A Fable About Following Your Dream
byPaulo Coelho
2014208 Pages(3,580,036)
Source: Rich Roll 'Morning Routine' Blog Post
Empire of Pain
The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
byPatrick Radden Keefe
2021560 Pages“Empire of Pain will easily make my list of the best books I read in 2021. My guess is if you read it, it will end up on yours too... A staggering, whipping, relentlessly infuriating book that swallows you whole.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Goodreads Review
Read by Bill Ackman, Bryan Johnson, Rich Roll and 4 others
Outlive
The Science and Art of Longevity
byPeter Attia, Bill Gifford
2023496 Pages“A groundbreaking manifesto on living better and longer that challenges the conventional medical thinking on aging.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #755
The Practice of Groundedness
A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul
byBrad Stulberg
2021288 Pages“A healthier, more sustainable model rooted in groundedness. One that prioritizes presence, patience, and long-term values over short-term gain.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #677
Read by Arianna Huffington, Rich Roll, Joe Rogan and 5 others
Breath
The New Science of a Lost Art
byJames Nestor
2020304 Pages“Turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #529
Read by Rich Roll, Peter Attia, Jocko Willink and 1 others
The Comfort Crisis
Embrace Discomfort To Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self
byMichael Easter
2021320 Pages“In this gripping investigation, award-winning journalist Michael Easter seeks out off-the-grid visionaries... unlocking the life-enhancing secrets of a counterintuitive solution: discomfort.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #603
Think Like a Monk
Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day
byJay Shetty
2020352 Pages“A distillation of the timeless wisdom learned during his ascetic days on an ashram into practical tools we can all use to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #543
Read by Rich Roll, James Clear
Digital Minimalism
Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
byCal Newport
2019304 PagesSource: Rich Roll Podcast #423
The Artist's Way
A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
byJulia Cameron
1992272 PagesSource: Rich Roll 'Morning Routine' Blog Post
Recapture the Rapture
Rethinking God, Sex, and Death in a World That's Lost Its Mind
byJamie Wheal
2021320 Pages“A book that shows us how to get it done... providing answers to the questions we face.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #597
Read by Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, Chip Wilson and 4 others
The Power of Now
A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
byEckhart Tolle
1999236 PagesSource: Rich Roll 'Morning Routine' Blog Post
Read by Rich Roll, John Green
byDavid Foster Wallace
19961079 PagesSource: Rich Roll 'Morning Routine' Blog Post
byHaruki Murakami
2011928 PagesSource: Rich Roll 'Morning Routine' Blog Post
The No Meat Athlete Cookbook
Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes to Fuel Your Workouts—and the Rest of Your Life
byMatt Frazier, Stepfanie Romine
2017288 Pages“Rich Roll wrote the Foreword.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Book Foreword
Turning Pro
Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work
bySteven Pressfield
2012131 Pages“Collectively, The War of Art, Do The Work, and Turning Pro are books I've read and make a point to re-read annually.”
— Rich Roll
Source: Rich Roll Podcast #582
Loading more
Also recommends books in
Frequently asked questions
What books does Rich Roll recommend?
His 25 picks include The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins, The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
What is Rich Roll's most recommended book?
His top pick is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, "literally one of my favorite books of all time." He adds that about once a month he rereads or listens to it as "the key to help you to overcome resistance."
Where do Rich Roll's book recommendations come from?
They are drawn from episodes of the Rich Roll Podcast, where he introduces guests and their books, his Morning Routine blog post, interviews such as one with Headspace, and the reviews he posts on Goodreads.
Has Rich Roll written a book?
Yes. He is the author of one book listed here, Finding Ultra, the memoir of his transformation from a sedentary, overweight lawyer battling addiction into one of the world's fittest men and an elite ultra-endurance athlete.
What subjects does Rich Roll read most?
His recommendations focus on self-improvement, psychology, and philosophy, with strong health and wellness and creativity threads. They span discipline and endurance, creative practice, plant-based health, and contemplative living, reflecting both his athletic feats and his recovery from addiction.
All 25 Books Rich Roll Has Recommended
- The War of Art · Steven Pressfield
- Can't Hurt Me · David Goggins
- The Creative Act: A Way of Being · Rick Rubin
- Autobiography of a Yogi · Paramahansa Yogananda
- Big Magic · Elizabeth Gilbert
- Atomic Habits · James Clear
- Born to Run · Christopher McDougall
- Man's Search for Meaning · Viktor E. Frankl
- Siddhartha · Hermann Hesse
- The Alchemist · Paulo Coelho
- Empire of Pain · Patrick Radden Keefe
- Outlive · Peter Attia
- The Practice of Groundedness · Brad Stulberg
- Breath · James Nestor
- The Comfort Crisis · Michael Easter
- Think Like a Monk · Jay Shetty
- Digital Minimalism · Cal Newport
- The Artist's Way · Julia Cameron
- Recapture the Rapture · Jamie Wheal
- The Power of Now · Eckhart Tolle
- Infinite Jest · David Foster Wallace
- 1Q84 · Haruki Murakami
- The No Meat Athlete Cookbook · Matt Frazier
- Turning Pro · Steven Pressfield
- Peak Performance · Brad Stulberg