The book this episode covers
Billy, Alfred, and General Motors
William Pelfrey · Reading rank 249 · in 1 other episode
The host recommends the book directly, saying it holds lessons that can benefit listeners' careers and lives.
Dedicated episode · Explicit praise
Books David recommends along the way
Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders
Warren Buffett · Reading rank 16 · in 47 other episodes
David applies a Buffett-letters operating principle while comparing the structures and managers around General Motors.
Founder theme
My Years with General Motors
Alfred Sloan · Reading rank 133 · in 5 other episodes
The host describes the book as highly influential, noting that investor Henry Singleton credited it with shaping Teledyne's strategy.
Cross-episode reference · Explicit praise
Also mentioned
Poor Charlie's Almanack
Charles T. Munger, edited by Peter D. Kaufman · Reading rank 11 · in 44 other episodes
David applies Poor Charlie's Almanack's line about finding ideas worth billions in a history book.
Founder theme
Creativity, Inc.
Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace · Reading rank 17 · in 19 other episodes
The host calls Ed Catmull's Creativity, Inc. fantastic while drawing a leadership lesson from it about raising standards after a challenge.
Explicit praise
Ogilvy on Advertising
David Ogilvy · Reading rank 37 · in 16 other episodes
The host calls Ogilvy on Advertising a great book and quotes it to explain product positioning.
Explicit praise
Each note is a short paraphrase of why David brings the book up. Book pages show every piece of evidence and its review status. How ranking works