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UNDERSTAND OUR WORLD Collection

Society & Politics

Society & Politics

Navigate the forces shaping civilization with the books that inform policymakers, journalists, and engaged citizens.

The Council

The Literary
Tastemakers

Curated by the world’s most influential readers & thinkers.

32 books in Society & Politics

27 books in Society & Politics

21 books in Society & Politics

All 913 Society & Politics Books

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio

Read by Tim Ferriss, Barack Obama, Ray Dalio and 16 others

1984

Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson

Read by Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Jordan Peterson and 9 others

Atlas Shrugged

Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel
Elon Musk
Elon Musk
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs

Read by Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and 5 others

The Lessons of History

Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio
Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant
Mark Manson
Mark Manson

Read by Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Mark Manson and 5 others

The Sovereign Individual

Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel
Naval Ravikant
Naval Ravikant
Marc Andreessen
Marc Andreessen

Read by Peter Thiel, Naval Ravikant, Marc Andreessen and 4 others

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Charlie Munger
Charlie Munger
Jamie Dimon
Jamie Dimon
Daniel Ek
Daniel Ek

Read by Charlie Munger, Jamie Dimon, Daniel Ek and 3 others

The Anxious Generation

Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Bill Gates
Bill Gates
Sam Harris
Sam Harris

Read by Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Sam Harris and 3 others

Superintelligence

Elon Musk
Elon Musk
Sam Altman
Sam Altman
Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel

Read by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel and 3 others

The Coming Wave

Bill Gates
Bill Gates
Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman
Eric Topol
Eric Topol

Read by Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman, Eric Topol and 3 others

Dune

Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos
Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer

Read by Tim Ferriss, Jeff Bezos, Hans Zimmer and 2 others

The Three-Body Problem

Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg
Tobias Lütke
Tobias Lütke

Read by Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Tobias Lütke and 2 others

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order

Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel
Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington

Read by Peter Thiel, Satya Nadella, Arianna Huffington and 2 others

The Consensus

Most Endorsed

1
19Endorsed
#1 Most Endorsed

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

A survey of human history from the evolution of archaic human species in the Stone Age to the modern 21st century. It examines the Cognitive, Agricultural, and Scientific Revolutions and how they shaped the development of modern society, religion, and capitalism.

Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio
Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang

19 independent endorsements

2

1984

A dystopian novel set in a totalitarian superstate where the Party exerts total control over its citizens through mass surveillance and the Thought Police. The story follows Winston Smith, a worker at the Ministry of Truth, as he attempts to maintain his individuality and search for truth amidst state-mandated propaganda. The work examines how the manipulation of language and historical records can be used as tools of political oppression.

12 endorsements
3

Atlas Shrugged

Set in a dystopian United States, the story follows railroad executive Dagny Taggart as she navigates a crumbling economy where the nation's most productive citizens are mysteriously disappearing. The novel explores the philosophical conflict between rational self-interest and collectivism through the search for a legendary figure named John Galt.

8 endorsements
4

The Lessons of History

A concise survey of human history that distills insights from the authors' multi-volume work, The Story of Civilization. It examines recurring patterns across 5,000 years through perspectives such as biology, religion, and economics.

8 endorsements
By turns practical and insightful, Fred's indefatigable spirit, sound judgement, and depth of experience shine through in Trade Is Not a Four-Letter Word. Throughout his unique upbringing and accomplished career, which spanned a period of profound political and economic change, Fred set a standard of leadership and level-headed collaboration while dealing with the complex issues around global trade and the many ways it impacts our day-to-day lives.
Jamie Dimon
Jamie DimonChairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase
Ray does an astounding job of giving us an inspiring and thought-provoking experience by looking at the rises and declines of empires, showing how economics, culture, military prowess, innovation, inequality, and other elements interact. He leaves us with an improved perspective for thinking about very vexing issues such as the state of America versus China.
Jamie Dimon
Jamie DimonChairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase
As Hanson and Simler point out in The Elephant In The Brain, if we try to model conversations as information exchange, then we would expect to see people guarding information closely and trying to play tit-for-tat games... In reality, however, people are generally eager to share information.
Vitalik Buterin
Vitalik ButerinCo-founder of Ethereum
Setting aside the political football this book evokes, this book champions the entrepreneurial drive to invent products and run a great company. This includes rewarding employees who are responsible, who do not complain, who move to action and think for themselves as partners and equals.
Chip Wilson
Chip Wilsonlululemon Founder & Philanthropist
It’s a fantastic book... It was so sad and so gripping and so riveting. We all know that a lot of horrific things happened in the time where the settlers started making their way across the plains and headed west, but God you just did such a fantastic job of sort of bringing it to life.
Joe Rogan
Joe RoganHost of The Joe Rogan Experience
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