Person
Every book Jimmy Soni recommended on podcasts
Jimmy Soni appears on podcasts as a meticulous biographer and writer who explores the mechanics of storytelling, the history of major technological institutions, and the habits of high-performing individuals. As evident from his podcast conversations, Soni is deeply invested in the rigorous research and endurance required to produce exhaustive non-fiction books. Throughout his appearances, he frequently recommends and analyzes masterworks of historical and narrative non-fiction to understand what makes exceptional storytelling endure. Soni highlights Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat as a quintessential example of brilliant publishing that unfortunately launched quietly before finding massive success, and he praises Walter Lord's A Night to Remember for its gripping historical narrative about the Titanic, despite the reader knowing the ultimate outcome. When discussing his own writing process and historical subjects, Soni references Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken and Seabiscuit to marvel at her ability to produce intensely detailed works despite chronic illness. Furthermore, he discusses foundational research materials that informed his own biographical and historical projects, such as Brad Stone's The Everything Store, which he read numerous times while writing about PayPal, alongside Eric M. Jackson's The PayPal Wars and Peter A. Thiel's Zero to One. He also draws inspiration from structural frameworks like David Clark's The Tao of Charlie Munger for upcoming biographical projects.
Books recommended by Jimmy Soni
-
The Everything Store
The Everything Store by Brad Stone is a comprehensive biographical work that chronicles the meteoric rise of Jeff Bezos and the creation of Amazon.
Discussed“for the founders, it was The Everything Store by Brad Stone, which I think I've talked to you about before. I read that book over 20 times.”
Where to get it
-
A night to remember
A Night to Remember by Walter Lord is a classic historical account that meticulously reconstructs the final hours and sinking of the RMS Titanic through survivor interviews.
Recommended“I recently read this wonderful book called A Night to Remember, which is about the sinking of the Titanic. It's like one of the better books I've I've read in the last little while. And I know how that story is going to end. We all do. But I was riveted from page one to the end.”
Where to get it
-
The Boys in the Boat
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown is a gripping historical non-fiction book that chronicles the inspiring journey of the University of Washington rowing team as they strive to represent the United States and win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Recommended“One of my favorite one of my favorite books is Boys in the Boat, right? It's a it's a quintessential example for me of the publishing industry getting it wrong.”
Where to get it
-
Liar's Poker
Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis is a semi-autobiographical account of the author's turbulent experiences working as a bond salesman on Wall Street during the booming financial markets of the 1980s.
Discussed“Michael Lewis is he he could have followed up Liars Poker with probably like 10 more books about finance, right?”
Where to get it
-
On Writing Well
Discussed“So, writes about something like how how the word soft has a feel to it. Like soft, right? Is is different than smooth, right? Like like Yeah. Yeah, a lot of reading happens in the ear, right? And so, we I I I'm often thinking about warmth as like the quality of Like what does it mean when somebody sees”
Where to get it
-
Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand is an acclaimed work of narrative nonfiction that chronicles the thrilling underdog career of a small, knobby-kneed racehorse and the broken men who brought him to national prominence during the Great Depression.
Discussed“People 100 years from now will still be reading The Power Broker by Robert Moses. They will still be reading Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand.”
Where to get it
-
The PayPal wars
Discussed“I bought Zero to One, I bought the PayPal Wars, I bought other books about these people, I bought Ashley Vance's book about Elon Musk.”
Where to get it
-
The Power Broker
The Power Broker by Robert A.
Discussed“People 100 years from now will still be reading The Power Broker by Robert Moses. They will still be reading Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand.”
Where to get it
-
The tao of Charlie Munger
Discussed“my next project is going to be a book in the spirit of like the almanac of Naval Ravocant or the Almanac of Charlie Mer and it's called the tow of Kobe.”
Where to get it
-
Unbroken
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand is a biographical non-fiction book that chronicles the extraordinary life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II survivor.
Discussed“Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Seabiscuit and Unbroken. I I just I marvel at her. I marvel at her actually as a person. She has chronic fatigue syndrome and she still manages to write these incredibly insanely detailed books.”
Where to get it
-
Zero to One
Zero to One by Peter A.
Discussed“And I just kept like I went on Amazon, I bought every I bought Zero to One, I bought the PayPal Wars, I bought other books about these people, I bought Ashley Vance's book about Elon Musk.”
Where to get it
Books Jimmy Soni wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant Biographer: His Secret Obsession with Writing | How I Write | 2025-08-27 | 4 |
| How to Write Like An Athlete | with Jimmy Soni | How I Write Podcast | How I Write | 2023-08-23 | 8 |
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“My source of relief was I I needed to get through big projects. Uh the founders book which I was working on, business things, client things, and raising a daughter.”
“He did the blind side. He did the big short.”
“He did the blind side. He did the big short.”