Episode · Lenny's Podcast · 2026-01-15

Lenny Rachitsky & Sam Lessin: books mentioned on Lenny's Podcast

How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s missing etiquette playbook | Sam Lessin

6 books · With Sam Lessin · Listen · Watch on YouTube

Sam Lessin is a partner at Slow Ventures, a former VP of Product at Facebook, and a two-time founder who’s now teaching etiquette to Silicon Valley’s founders.

Sam Lessin recommended Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen, The Lessons of History by Will Durant and others, The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen, and The Last Kings of Shanghai by Jonathan Kaufman, and discussed The Ancient City by Peter Connolly.

Books mentioned, in the order they came up

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1. 

   The Ancient City

   Peter Connolly · at 1:16:39

   Peter Connolly's historical work The Ancient City reconstructs the daily life, architecture, and governance of early civilizations and prehistoric communities.

   Discussed

   “I like to make fun of Mark Andre a lot, but he recommended a book called The Ancient City, which is fascinating. And so I'm in the middle of that right now.”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:16:39

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
2. 

   Man's Search for Meaning

   Viktor E. Frankl · at 1:16:50

   Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is an influential psychological account by a Holocaust survivor exploring how individuals can find purpose and endure extreme circumstances.

   Recommended

   “I'm really enjoying it. Um, Man's Search for Meaning is great. Uh, I'm just going through what have I read recently.”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:16:50

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
3. 

   Area 51

   Annie Jacobsen, Annie Jacobsen · at 1:16:58

   Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen is an investigative history exploring the secrets, extreme boundary-pushing nuclear testing, and national security operations of America's most famous top-secret military base.

   Recommended

   “You know what's great? Area 51, an uncensored history of the top secret military base. Not very ariodite. Great book.”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:16:58

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
4. 

   The Lessons of History

   Will Durant; Ariel Durant; Ni yu ping; Zhang kang · at 1:17:04

   The Lessons of History by Will and Ariel Durant is a concise volume that distills five thousand years of human civilization into a series of sweeping historical patterns and observations.

   Recommended

   “And then I I honestly think the one serious one I'll make a recommendation on is uh Lessons from History is like one of my favorite books ever. Um I would really really really recommend it.”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:17:04

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
5. 

   The Fish That Ate the Whale

   Rich Cohen · at 1:17:33

   The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen is a captivating biography that chronicles the life of Samuel Zemurray, the ambitious immigrant who rose from humble beginnings to build a massive enterprise and become known as the banana king.

   Recommended

   “There are things like the banana king have you heard of this one have you seen this one oh my god this is so good what's it called this the fish that ate the whale incredible book”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:17:33

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
6. 

   The Last Kings of Shanghai

   Jonathan Kaufman · at 1:17:33

   Recommended

   “so is um the last kings of Shanghai if you know that one like these are all like amazing books but they're longer and they're more stories”

   Sam Lessin How to show up in any room with a low heart rate: Silicon Valley’s mis… 2026-01-15 Listen at 1:17:33

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon