What books does Robin Sharma recommend?
Robin Sharma left law to write The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, and his book recommendations carry the same blend of philosophy, spirituality, and personal mastery. Assembled here are 29 titles he has named across podcasts like The Mastery Sessions, his own blog and daily inspirations, and interviews, leaning into philosophy, self-improvement, psychology, biography, and fiction with a moral edge. The book he holds closest is Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, which he says just might be his favorite book; during the winters of his life it has consoled him, and amid the summers of his journey it has inspired him. He also credits Richard Bach's Illusions as the book that saved him, and returns often to Marcus Aurelius's Meditations and Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, which made him cry the first time he read it. His list favors slim, transformative works that read like companions for living deliberately.
Last updated March 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
byKahlil Gibran
1923107 Pages(330,885)
“The Prophet by Kalhil Gibran just might be my favorite book. ... During the Winters of my life it has consoled me. Amid the Summers of my journey it has inspired me.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: The Mastery Sessions Podcast
Illusions
The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
byRichard Bach
1989144 Pages“The book that saved me was 'Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah' by Richard Bach.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Official Interview / Quora
Read by Kobe Bryant, Peter Attia, Robin Sharma and 1 others
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
A Story
byRichard Bach
2014144 Pages“I love so many books. ...like Jonathan Livingston Seagull.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: The Mastery Sessions Podcast
Read by Naval Ravikant, Arianna Huffington, Tobias Lütke and 12 others
Meditations
A New Translation
byMarcus Aurelius
2003256 Pages(1,240,000)
“One of my favorite books of all time.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Robin Sharma Podcast
byShel Silverstein
196464 Pages“I would say for sure The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. First time I read it I cried. Looks like a children's book, but it's a book about life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: The Melissa Ambrosini Show
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)
“Read The Alchemist.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Daily Inspiration from Robin Sharma
Read by Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and 8 others
byAyn Rand
19571168 Pages“Read Atlas Shrugged.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Daily Inspiration from Robin Sharma
Walden
Life in the Woods
byHenry David Thoreau
1854352 Pages“Henry David Thoreau shouted 'Simplify. Simplify. Simplify' in his breathtakingly good book Walden.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Official Blog / Articles
Read by Bob Proctor, Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins and 2 others
byJames Allen
190280 Pages“I really really enjoyed this little treasure, it was a confirmation of everything that I had read.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Official Blog
Read by Grant Cardone, Dave Ramsey, Steve Harvey and 10 others
Think and Grow Rich
The Landmark Bestseller Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century
byNapoleon Hill
2005320 Pages“Think and Grow Rich is about abundance, including spiritual abundance, and how to attract all that is good into your life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Charlie Munger, Ryan Holiday, Chip Wilson and 2 others
byRon Chernow
1998832 PagesSource: The Molly Fletcher Podcast
Read by Ray Dalio, Brian Chesky, Gary Vaynerchuk and 2 others
byWalter Isaacson
2011656 PagesSource: The Molly Fletcher Podcast
Read by Robin Sharma
Onassis: An Extravagant Life
The Life of Aristotle Onassis
byFrank Brady
1977246 PagesSource: The Molly Fletcher Podcast
Read by Robin Sharma
Into the Magic Shop
A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart
byJames R. Doty
2016288 Pages“I think you'll gain great value—and reading joy—from this book.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Official Book Blurb
Read by Tim Ferriss, Ryan Holiday, James Clear and 2 others
byLucius Annaeus Seneca
2004352 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life and gave me the wisdom and inspiration to live more deliberately.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Robin Sharma
The Message of a Master
A Classic Tale of Wealth, Wisdom, and the Secret of Success
byJohn McDonald
200768 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Jamie Dimon, Paul Graham, Jim Rohn and 1 others
byBenjamin Franklin
2003351 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Robin Sharma
University of Success
The Greatest Self-Help Author in the World Presents the Ultimate Success Book
byOg Mandino
1983544 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
The Magic of Believing
The Classic Guide to Unlocking the Power of Your Mind
byClaude M. Bristol
1948192 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Tim Ferriss, Naval Ravikant, Bryan Johnson and 7 others
Siddhartha
An Indian Tale
byHermann Hesse
2002176 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Bob Proctor, Kevin Trudeau, Robin Sharma and 1 others
Psycho-Cybernetics
Updated and Expanded
byMaxwell Maltz
2015336 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Unlock Your Master Key to Success
byJoseph Murphy
2008320 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
The Classic Work on How to Achieve Happiness
byMihaly Csikszentmihalyi
2008336 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
Read by Robin Sharma
Life Is Tremendous
7 Laws of Leadership
byCharlie Jones
1968107 Pages“Here are some of the 'heroic' books that helped me change my own life.”
— Robin Sharma
Source: Who Will Cry When You Die? (Book)
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Robin Sharma recommend?
His 29 picks include The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, Illusions by Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.
What is Robin Sharma's favorite book?
His top pick is The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, which he says "just might be my favorite book." He adds, "During the Winters of my life it has consoled me. Amid the Summers of my journey it has inspired me."
Where do Robin Sharma's book recommendations come from?
They are drawn from his podcast appearances, including The Mastery Sessions and The Melissa Ambrosini Show, his blog and daily inspiration posts, and his own book Who Will Cry When You Die?, where he lists formative reads.
Has Robin Sharma written any books?
Yes. He has authored seven books listed here, including The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, The 5 AM Club, The Leader Who Had No Title, The Everyday Hero Manifesto, and The Wealth Money Can't Buy.
What genres does Robin Sharma read most?
His recommendations favor philosophy, self-improvement, and psychology, alongside biography and inspirational fiction. He prizes short, wisdom-dense books about living deliberately and pursuing personal mastery, from Gibran and Coelho to Stoic works like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, and slim parables such as The Giving Tree.
All 29 Books Robin Sharma Has Recommended
- The Prophet · Kahlil Gibran
- Illusions · Richard Bach
- Jonathan Livingston Seagull · Richard Bach
- Meditations · Marcus Aurelius
- The Giving Tree · Shel Silverstein
- The Alchemist · Paulo Coelho
- Atlas Shrugged · Ayn Rand
- Walden · Henry David Thoreau
- As a Man Thinketh · James Allen
- Think and Grow Rich · Napoleon Hill
- Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. · Ron Chernow
- Steve Jobs · Walter Isaacson
- Onassis: An Extravagant Life · Frank Brady
- Into the Magic Shop · James R. Doty
- Letters from a Stoic · Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- The Message of a Master · John McDonald
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin · Benjamin Franklin
- University of Success · Og Mandino
- The Magic of Believing · Claude M. Bristol
- Siddhartha · Hermann Hesse
- Psycho-Cybernetics · Maxwell Maltz
- The Power of Your Subconscious Mind · Joseph Murphy
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience · Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Life Is Tremendous · Charlie Jones
- Man's Search for Meaning · Viktor E. Frankl
- Long Walk to Freedom · Nelson Mandela
- The Four Agreements · Don Miguel Ruiz
- Hope for the Flowers · Trina Paulus
- Tuesdays with Morrie · Mitch Albom