Read by Naval Ravikant, Arianna Huffington, Tobias Lütke and 12 others
What books does Ryan Holiday recommend?
More than almost anyone alive, Ryan Holiday brought Stoicism to a modern audience, and his book recommendations form the backbone of that work. His 30 titles are drawn from his official reading list, his blog, and his bookstore, and the collection is weighted toward history, biographies and memoirs, self-improvement, and philosophy. At the top sits Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, which Holiday calls 'the greatest book ever written... the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength.' He is nearly as effusive about Robert Caro's The Power Broker, 'simply one of the best books I've ever read,' which he finished in 20 days despite its 1,165 pages. Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and Seneca's Letters from a Stoic complete the core. Holiday is himself a bestselling author, of The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and The Daily Stoic.
Last updated February 2026 · Every recommendation cited to its original source.
Meditations
A New Translation
byMarcus Aurelius
2003256 Pages(1,240,000)
“To me, this is the greatest book ever written. It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Barack Obama, Michael Bloomberg, Ryan Holiday and 2 others
byRobert A. Caro
19741336 Pages“It is simply one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s 1,165 pages and I read it in 20 days. It is the definitive biography of Robert Moses.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
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“A book that I read at least once a year. It is one of the most powerful books ever written.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Tim Ferriss, Ryan Holiday, James Clear and 2 others
byLucius Annaeus Seneca
2004352 Pages“Seneca is my favorite Stoic. He is the most readable and the most relatable. His letters are a guide to the good life.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Jay-Z, Ryan Holiday, Steven Bartlett and 4 others
byRobert Greene
1998480 Pages“I cannot recommend this book enough. It is the Machiavelli of the modern world.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
As Told to Alex Haley
byMalcolm X, Alex Haley
1992544 Pages“A book that changed my life. It is the story of a man who transformed himself in prison, who educated himself, and who became one of the most powerful voices for justice.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday, Rick Rubin, Rich Roll and 5 others
The War of Art
Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles
bySteven Pressfield
2002168 Pages“The single best book on the creative process ever written. I read it before I start any major project.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Charlie Munger, Ryan Holiday, Chip Wilson and 2 others
byRon Chernow
1998832 Pages“My favorite biography of all time. Rockefeller was a complex figure—ruthless but also deeply religious and charitable.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
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“To me, this is a sign of a great book—that even just thinking about the title has an impact on you.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday, Kobe Bryant, Changpeng Zhao and 3 others
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
byDavid Epstein
2019352 Pages“Narrow specialization is now the exception rather than the rule... flexibility and diverse experience are the keys to tangible achievements.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
The Choice: Embrace the Possible
Escaping the Past and Embracing the Possible
byDr. Edith Eger
2017304 Pages“Dr. Eger is a complete hero of mine. This book is about how she survived Auschwitz and went on to help others heal.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
The Score Takes Care of Itself
My Philosophy of Leadership
byBill Walsh, Steve Jamison, Craig Walsh
2009288 Pages“My philosophy of leadership. It's about standards of performance.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
bySusan Orlean
2018336 Pages“Some people can just flat-out write. Susan Orlean is one of them.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
The Second Mountain
The Quest for a Moral Life
byDavid Brooks
2019384 Pages“This book won't just make you think about your life, it will make you question everything you knew about your life.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
byMarguerite Yourcenar
2005347 Pages“Just an utterly beautiful book. Marguerite Yourcenar manages to find all sorts of powerful, inspiring virtues in Hadrian.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
The Woman's Hour
The Great Fight to Win the Vote
byElaine Weiss
2018416 Pages“An important book because it shows you what it takes to accomplish that, and just how much resistance you'll face in trying to make change.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
George Marshall
Defender of the Republic
byDavid Roll
2019704 Pages“We desperately need more people like him.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
Call Sign Chaos
Learning to Lead
byJim Mattis, Bing West
2019320 Pages“The man lives by a code. We need more of that.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
byJohn Fante
2006192 Pages“This is one of my favorite novels. To me this is just a wonderful book about the perils of ego, the pain of loneliness, the cost of ambition.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
Philosophy as a Way of Life
Spiritual Exercises from Socrates to Foucault
byPierre Hadot
1995320 Pages“Masterfully shows how philosophy can guide us through the real world and our real problems.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Up From Slavery
An Autobiography
byBooker T. Washington
1986400 Pages“A man who proved two principles: character is fate and deeds not words.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
The Brass Check
A Study of American Journalism
byUpton Sinclair
1919480 Pages“I used that book as a model for my expose of the media system, Trust Me, I'm Lying.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Blog (Tier 1)
Read by Sam Altman, Ray Dalio, Ryan Holiday and 4 others
byAlfred Lansing
1959416 Pages“One of the greatest adventure stories ever told. It's a masterclass in leadership and resilience.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
Read by Ryan Holiday
byBudd Schulberg
1993352 Pages“The classic novel about Hollywood and ambition. It's a cautionary tale about what happens when you let your ego run wild.”
— Ryan Holiday
Source: Official Reading List (Tier 1)
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Frequently asked questions
What books does Ryan Holiday recommend?
His 30 recommendations include Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Power Broker by Robert Caro, Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and Letters from a Stoic by Seneca, blending ancient philosophy with modern biography.
What is Ryan Holiday's favorite book?
Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, which he calls 'the greatest book ever written' and 'the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization, and strength,' and the cornerstone of his own Stoic writing.
Where do Ryan Holiday book recommendations come from?
They come from his official reading list, his blog, and his bookstore, where he regularly publishes recommendations and short videos explaining why each title has earned a spot on his shelf.
Has Ryan Holiday written any books?
Yes. He is the bestselling author of The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, Stillness Is the Key, Discipline Is Destiny, and The Daily Stoic, works that anchor his modern revival of Stoic philosophy.
What genres does Ryan Holiday read most?
His recommendations favor history, biographies and memoirs, self-improvement, and philosophy, with a strong Stoic through-line running from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca to contemporary authors, plus a deep appreciation for weighty narrative history like Robert Caro's.
All 30 Books Ryan Holiday Has Recommended
- Meditations · Marcus Aurelius
- The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York · Robert A. Caro
- Man's Search for Meaning · Viktor E. Frankl
- Letters from a Stoic · Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- The 48 Laws of Power · Robert Greene
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X · Malcolm X
- The War of Art · Steven Pressfield
- Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. · Ron Chernow
- Atomic Habits · James Clear
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World · David Epstein
- The Choice: Embrace the Possible · Dr. Edith Eger
- The Score Takes Care of Itself · Bill Walsh
- The Library Book · Susan Orlean
- The Second Mountain · David Brooks
- Memoirs of Hadrian · Marguerite Yourcenar
- The Woman's Hour · Elaine Weiss
- George Marshall · David Roll
- Call Sign Chaos · Jim Mattis
- Ask the Dust · John Fante
- Philosophy as a Way of Life · Pierre Hadot
- Up From Slavery · Booker T. Washington
- The Brass Check · Upton Sinclair
- Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage · Alfred Lansing
- What Makes Sammy Run? · Budd Schulberg
- The Tiger · John Vaillant
- The Fish That Ate the Whale · Rich Cohen
- Sherman: Soldier, Realist, American · B.H. Liddell Hart
- The Road · Cormac McCarthy
- The River of Doubt · Candice Millard
- The Greatest Empire: A Life of Seneca · Emily Wilson