Person
Jason Calacanis's book recommendations
Across 5 podcasts. Every show Jason Calacanis appears on, in one place — not just one.
Jason Calacanis’s most recommended books
- Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance
- The Light of Other Days by Arthur C. Clarke
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Dead Center by Joe Manchin
- I Love Capitalism! by Ken Langone
- The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen
- Abundance by Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson
- Authentic Happiness by Martin Elias Pete Seligman
- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Jason McCabe Calacanis is an American podcaster, Internet entrepreneur, angel investor, and author. As a prominent voice in the tech and venture capital ecosystem, he frequently shares his reading habits and book recommendations on his podcast, All-In. Calacanis has enthusiastically endorsed several memoirs, business books, and speculative stories to his co-hosts and audience. He strongly recommended Bill Gurley's book Running Down a Dream, pausing the podcast to tell listeners to buy the inspiring work and praising it as an incredible read. When discussing privacy and the public disclosure of private information, Calacanis pointed to Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter's science fiction novel The Light of Other Days, noting that he had mentioned the book previously to illustrate societal transparency. He also urged his audience to purchase Joe Manchin's Dead Center, commending the politician for his years of service and framing the book as an important defense of common sense and bipartisanship. Additionally, Calacanis recommended Mel Brooks's autobiography All About Me as a wonderful audiobook because the author reads it himself, praised Barry Diller's Who Knew, and recommended Robert Evans's Hollywood memoir and documentary, The Kid Stays in the Picture, as incredible accounts of the entertainment industry.
Books recommended by Jason Calacanis
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Hillbilly Elegy
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D.
Recommended“and if you haven't read JD's book I read your book long before all of this and I just want to say your book was so inspiring and I I have recommended it long before today to you know literally hundreds of people it's a fantastic read if you haven't read it”
Where to get it
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The Light of Other Days
The Light of Other Days is a science fiction novel by Arthur C.
Recommended“There is this great book, I've mentioned it in the past, by Steven Baxter and Arthur Clark called the light of other days and it's all about how basically all the world's information becomes available to everyone.”
Where to get it
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The Anxious Generation
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt is a prominent non-fiction book examining the severe mental health crises and loneliness epidemic among youth caused by smartphones and social media.
Recommended“did any of you guys read Jonathan haes book anxious generation it is unbelievably awesome it touches not right yet yet I stop what you're doing and just listen to the audio book on your walks on Audible this book is super important and awesome the anxious Generation by Jonathan ha I cannot tell you how important it is”
Where to get it
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Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is a philosophical novel that outlines the author's system of Objectivism through a dystopian narrative about a society collapsing under heavy government intervention.
Discussed“Like, are we like, is this Atlas Shrugged? Who do you think built society, right?”
Where to get it
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Dead Center
Dead Center by Joe Manchin is a political book focusing on bipartisanship, common sense governance, personal responsibility, and the history of American public service.
Recommended“but, you know, the the book's fantastic. Everybody go pause the uh podcast here and I just absolutely go buy it because it's so important and you know I mentioned um when we were just on the pre-show Irish Catholic Boy Scout and you start the book out with an Irish Catholic boy scout getting in a brewhaha Donnie Brookke”
Where to get it
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I Love Capitalism!
I Love Capitalism! by Ken Langone is a memoir by the co-founder of Home Depot detailing his business career and the principles of American enterprise.
Recommended“another uh interesting book you might like i love capitalism by ken langone who um you know built uh he built uh home depot and it's a pretty great story about both stories of capitalism”
Where to get it
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The Fish That Ate the Whale
The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen is a biography about Sam Zemurray, the historic figure known as the banana king who rose from immigrant poverty to build a massive fruit empire.
Recommended“uh i'll just give my closing the fish that ate the whale a book about sam zumari who was the banana king”
Where to get it
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Abundance
Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson is a widely debated book that outlines a policy manifesto for progressives, arguing that the political left should embrace economic growth and the actual construction of physical infrastructure.
Discussed“He's got a new book with Derek Thompson, Abundance, and he co-founded Vox in 2014, and he's our guest here today before Trump ships him to El Salvador.”
Where to get it
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Authentic Happiness
Authentic Happiness by Martin Elias Pete Seligman is a foundational psychology text that investigates the science of joy, well-being, and the practical ways individuals can cultivate a more fulfilling life.
Discussed“and it turns out martin seligman in um uh was it authentic happiness anyway the guy who really studied happiness and joy”
Where to get it
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Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow is a comprehensive historical biography that chronicles the life, political career, and lasting legacy of one of America's founding fathers.
Recommended“Alexander Hamilton”
Where to get it
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All About Me!
All About Me! by Mel Brooks is a humorous and engaging memoir by the legendary filmmaker and comedian detailing his extensive life and career in entertainment.
Recommended“All About Me by Mel Brooks. Amazing. And he reads it. So, a great audio book.”
Where to get it
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Bad Therapy
Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier is an insightful examination of modern mental health practices and the societal pressures affecting younger generations.
Recommended“bad therapy why the kids aren't growing up Abigail shrier this book is incredible”
Where to get it
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Barbarians at the Gate
Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar is a landmark work of narrative business journalism detailing the chaotic 1989 leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco by the private equity firm KKR.
Recommended“Yeah, it's worth watching. The book is excellent, focused next level.”
Where to get it
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Born Standing Up
Born Standing Up by Steve Martin is a celebrated memoir that chronicles the author's relentless journey through the world of stand-up comedy before he abruptly left the craft at the height of his fame.
Recommended“born standing up Steve Martin”
Where to get it
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Cinema Speculation
Cinema Speculation by Quentin Tarantino is a critically acclaimed non-fiction work where the celebrated filmmaker blends passionate film criticism, cultural autobiography, and historical analysis of 1970s cinema.
Recommended“I'm halfway through Quentin Tarantino's Cinema speculation and enjoying it very much”
Where to get it
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Comedy Samurai
Comedy Samurai by Larry Charles is a comedic exploration of humor and creative philosophy by the veteran writer and director.
Recommended“Comedy Samurai by Larry Charles. I just finished a couple weeks ago.”
Where to get it
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I Regret Almost Everything
I Regret Almost Everything is a witty and candid memoir written by restaurateur Keith McNally.
Recommended“and then finally, my fourth pick for bios of the summer, I regret almost everything by Keith McN, who is the restaurant tour.”
Where to get it
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Keeping at it
Keeping at it by Paul A.
Recommended“And uh you want to read a good book? Paul Vulker is keeping at it. great uh book about has uh Reagan going to him and trying to get him to cut rates.”
Where to get it
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On Writing
Stephen King's On Writing is a celebrated hybrid of memoir and practical manual that chronicles the author's formative struggles and recovery while offering direct, invaluable advice for aspiring writers on craft, discipline, and the mechanics of prose.
Recommended“Stephen King on writing might be top five for me of all time”
Where to get it
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Pour Your Heart Into It
Pour Your Heart Into It is a compelling business memoir by Howard Schultz that chronicles the early history and creation of Starbucks.
Recommended“if you anybody read pour your heart into it Schultz's biography it's absolutely fantastic”
Where to get it
The other 28 books Jason Calacanis recommended or discussed, ranked
- Putting the Rabbit in the Hat by Brian Cox
- Runnin' Down a Dream by Bill Gurley
- Running down a Dream by James Fore
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, Philip H. Knight
- The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
- The Kid Stays in the Picture by Robert Evans
- The Man in the Arena by Theodore Roosevelt
- The Premonition by Michael Lewis
- The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
- Who Knew by Barry Diller
- Amp It Up by Frank Slootman
- Chaos Monkeys by Antonio Garcia Martinez
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
- I Am Not Spock by Leonard Nimoy
- I Am Spock by Leonard Nimoy
- Modern Poker Theory by Michael Acevedo, Jonathan Little
- My Blue Heaven by Nora Ephron
- Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order by Ray Dalio
- Spare by Prince Harry
- Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley
- The purpose driven church by Rick Warren
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
- The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
- The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton
- The Gangs of New York by Herbert Asbury
- The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren
Questions about Jason Calacanis’s book recommendations
What book does Jason Calacanis recommend most?
Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance. Jason Calacanis recommended it in 2 episodes.
How many books has Jason Calacanis recommended on podcasts?
We have found 48 books Jason Calacanis recommended or discussed, across 33 episodes of 5 podcasts. Ad reads and passing mentions are not counted.
What books are on Jason Calacanis's reading list?
The books Jason Calacanis has recommended most on podcasts are Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance, The Light of Other Days by Arthur C. Clarke, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and Dead Center by Joe Manchin. The full book list below has all 48.
What did Jason Calacanis recommend on All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg?
Hillbilly Elegy, The Light of Other Days and The Anxious Generation, among 41 books in all.
What is the latest book Jason Calacanis recommended?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, discussed on All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg (2026-10-10).
People who recommend the same books
Books Jason Calacanis wrote
Appearances
Other mentions (14: passing, ad reads, own books)
“There's a great Guinness Book of World Records book joke. Oh no. Where's this go? Went to the library and I found that my dick was in the Guinness Book of World Records and then unfortunately someone asked me to remove it.”
“They They went after Sam Harris because he had Charles Murray from the Bell Curve.”
“I got just got offered 2500 bucks to put Angel my book into because Harper Collins did a a deal with uh Microsoft and so I'm thinking 500 per year I think it's for three years is the license”
“I would like to quote Hamilton the musical”
“I believe, and so it's even... didn't Malcolm... didn't Malcolm Gladwell write something which was roughly the equivalent of like you're better off getting the top 10 student at a non-Ivy versus like the 50th student at an Ivy or something? I don't know; there was like something like maybe it was like a chapter?”
“Um, and you wrote a book Lean In.”
“Also, you have to build all the cars; if Elon does get out this Robo-taxi vehicle for $25k, which he seems like is well on the way with the Model 3, to getting to this—this was an early mockup from Walter Isaacson's book, which looks pretty sharp, and it doesn't have—it's like a two-seat car, so these things zigzagging around”
“the technique I used in my book Angel was to you know talk about techniques and investing that I had learned from other folks including Bill Gurley and Michael Moritz or whatever”
“She's like — this is before The 4-Hour Workweek revolution. I mean, this is during the 60-hour reality of being a worker.”
“so just like I democratized Angel Investing wrote the book Angel was the first Syndicate on Angel list”
“So that's fine; of course, it's Fight Club. That's a great quote!”
“and so i wrote a book on that angel and then i do a course called angel university that i teach six times a year”
“yeah i think we just defined george rell's 1984 like or cancel culture”
“because I wonder when you told that story in the book angel which is available here if you ask a good question and not available if you ask a bad question”