The book this episode covers
Christian Dior's autobiography
Christian Dior · Reading rank 124 · in 2 other episodes
David recommends Christian Dior's autobiography as the next book for listeners who want more after reading Creators.
Dedicated episode · Explicit praise · Founder theme · Reread language
Books David recommends along the way
Zero to One
Peter Thiel with Blake Masters · Reading rank 5 · in 48 other episodes
David tentatively attributes a recruiting lesson to Zero to One and applies it to differentiating a company’s hiring pitch.
Founder theme
Confessions of an Advertising Man
David Ogilvy · Reading rank 20 · in 23 other episodes
David draws out Ogilvy's hiring practice of finding excellent advertising work, contacting its creator, and recruiting that person.
Cross-episode reference · Founder theme
How to Do Great Work
Paul Graham · Reading rank 22 · in 12 other episodes
David calls Paul Graham's How to Do Great Work an excellent essay.
Cross-episode reference · Explicit praise · Founder theme
In the Company of Giants
Rama Dev Jager and Rafael Ortiz · Reading rank 27 · in 22 other episodes
David uses the book's Steve Jobs interview to frame hiring and recruiting as a founder's most important early responsibility.
Cross-episode reference · Founder theme
George Lucas
Brian Jay Jones · Reading rank 38 · in 11 other episodes
David says he needs to reread George Lucas: A Life because it is such an excellent book.
Explicit praise · Founder theme
The Nolan Variations
Tom Shone · Reading rank 76 · in 4 other episodes
David uses Nolan’s description of himself as a craftsman to compare the discipline of turning an idea into finished work across filmmaking and fashion.
Cross-episode reference · Founder theme
Pieces of the Action
Vannevar Bush · Reading rank 79 · in 8 other episodes
David calls Vannevar Bush's Pieces of the Action a fantastic autobiography.
Explicit praise · Founder theme
Creators
Paul Johnson · Reading rank 83 · in 2 other episodes
David recommends buying Creators first and reading its chapter on Balenciaga and Dior.
Explicit praise · Founder theme
Also mentioned
Titan
Ron Chernow · Reading rank 10 · in 29 other episodes
David uses the Titan line about hiring talented people as found rather than as needed to explain Rockefeller's team-building practice.
Founder theme
Liftoff
Eric Berger · Reading rank 53 · in 11 other episodes
David uses Liftoff to show Musk solving a recruit's spouse-employment problem rather than accepting a candidate's inability to relocate.
Founder theme
Driven
Larry H. Miller with Doug Robinson · Reading rank 105 · in 10 other episodes
David uses Driven's Jerry Sloan account to argue that strong hires should be allowed to run the team or business they were hired to lead.
Founder theme
The Dream of Solomeo, My Life and the Idea of Humanistic Capitalism
Brunello Cucinelli · Reading rank 195 · in 2 other episodes
David uses Cucinelli's autobiography to illustrate the continuing founder theme of high-quality craftsmanship and manual skill.
Founder theme
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