It's our annual tradition—venture capitalists and startup founders share the books that shaped them. From sci-fi and civil rights to artificial intelligence and management, this year's reading list offers insight into the minds of Silicon Valley’s most thoughtful leaders.

Highlights include:

Master of the Senate by Robert Caro, recommended by Casber Wang of Sapphire Ventures for its deep exploration of power and politics

Traffic by Ben Smith, cited by Joe Alalou of Daring Ventures as essential reading on how the social web shaped our modern world

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich, praised by Initiate Ventures’ Jessica Owens for its emotional depth and powerful storytelling

Read Write Own by Chris Dixon, a pick from Bobby Franklin of the NVCA to better understand the potential of blockchain beyond crypto

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins, a personal favorite of Wharton’s Lori Rosenkopf for its message on turning perceived flaws into strengths

Mindset by Carol Dweck, currently on Larry Gadea’s reading list

The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, a longtime source of inspiration for Imvaria's Joshua Reicher

High Output Management by Intel legend Andy Grove, recommended by Avery Pennarun of Tailscale

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, the book Amit Kumar of Accel is gifting to friends

Prediction Machines by Ajay Agrawal, a favorite of Terry Doyle from TELUS Ventures for making AI approachable—even for his 89-year-old mother

And anything by Isaac Asimov, says James Joaquin of Obvious Ventures, who’s now funding a factory that grows diamonds

More than just a beach read list, these titles reflect the philosophies and obsessions of today’s investors. Dive into the full episode of Sand Hill Road for all the recommendations—and check our archives for past years’ picks.

Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny

Stanford lecturer and venture investor Robert Siegel argues the lone-wolf CEO is not just outdated—but dangerous. In this episode, he joins Scott to explain why today's most effective leaders are those who can hold competing truths at once: acting with empathy and accountability, being tactical and strategic, thinking locally and globally. Drawing from his new book The Systems Leader, Siegel shares stories from Silicon Valley and beyond, reflects on the next generation of founders, and explains what it really takes to lead in a world defined by constant crisis and accelerating change.

Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephany Adrouny

(Encore! Encore!)

Mike Jones has helped launch some of the most unexpected breakout brands in consumer goods—from canned water with a death metal vibe to subscription underwear and a prayer app. The former CEO of MySpace and founder of Science Inc. joins Sand Hill Road to talk about why creating fans matters more than just getting customers, what he learned navigating the rise of Facebook, and how LA’s culture engine gives his ventures a creative edge. Plus: why iced tea was the right move—and the one piece of branding advice every founder needs to hear.

This episode first aired April 2024

Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny.