Person
Every book Lloyd Blankfein recommended on podcasts
Lloyd Blankfein appeared on My First Million to discuss business, history, and his reading habits, recommending and discussing several notable historical and biographical works. He recommended Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August, praising its influence and subject matter concerning the origins of World War I. He also recommended Rick Atkinson's The British Are Coming while emphasizing the importance of learning about American history and the American Revolution. In addition to these recommendations, Blankfein discussed Ron Chernow's biography Titan about Rockefeller, Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror detailing fourteenth-century life, and Robert Caro's The Power Broker concerning Robert Moses. Through these discussions, Blankfein highlighted how historical literature provides valuable insights into past events, leadership, and institutional power dynamics across different centuries.
Books recommended by Lloyd Blankfein
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The British Are Coming
The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson is a detailed historical narrative chronicling the military and political events of the first year of the American Revolution.
Recommended“the first one is called the British are coming and he has the second volume is out about people don't learn enough about history in general, but Americans don't learn enough about the American Revolution and why it was fought.”
Where to get it
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The Guns of August
Why people recommend it: Detailing the catastrophic miscalculations and diplomatic failures that plunged the world into global conflict, The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman is a masterclass in military history.
Recommended“But she wrote Guns of August about the origins of World War One. A great book. Not a biography, but a fantastic book. And by the way, very influential book.”
Where to get it
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A Distant Mirror
A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman is a historical narrative that examines the calamitous 14th century in Europe, focusing heavily on the devastation of the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War.
Discussed“But she wrote a book that I found really fun that I'm not sure it's not her most famous book, but it's called a distant mirror. And it's a history of a life that was led in the 14th century.”
Where to get it
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The Power Broker
The Power Broker by Robert A.
Discussed“I also liked totally different I liked reading the power broker about Robert Moses by carol Robert Robert Caro he just had a thing at the American History Museum.”
Where to get it
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Titan
Titan by Ron Chernow is a comprehensive biography detailing the life and monumental business career of industrialist John D.
Discussed“For me it was Titan and I know you did a thing with Ron Cherno. Actually I read Titan. I didn't love it that as much as that. I mean, you know, the rock obviously about Rockefeller.”
Where to get it
Books Lloyd Blankfein wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ex-Goldman CEO: 3 sectors where I'm putting my money right now | My First Million | 2026-06-16 | 5 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“So, you know, I wrote a book called Street Wise, getting to and through Goldman Sachs. So when I wrote a memoir, it even has Goldman Sachs in the in the subtitle.”