The books this episode covers
Roots of Strategy
Thomas R. Phillips (editor) · Reading rank 315
David recommends buying Roots of Strategy, calling its contents excellent and fun to read.
Dedicated episode · Explicit praise
Napoleon and Modern War
Napoleon Bonaparte, revised and annotated by Conrad H. Lanza · Reading rank 361
David identifies Napoleon and Modern War as the second book and the origin of this episode's idea.
Dedicated episode
Books David recommends along the way
Jeff Bezos' Shareholder Letters
Jeff Bezos · Reading rank 4 · in 32 other episodes
David says he has read Jeff Bezos's shareholder letters three times.
Reread language
Poor Charlie's Almanack
Charles T. Munger, edited by Peter D. Kaufman · Reading rank 11 · in 44 other episodes
David draws the business lesson that scale and fanaticism combined can be very powerful.
Cross-episode reference · Founder theme
Confessions of an Advertising Man
David Ogilvy · Reading rank 20 · in 23 other episodes
David draws a founder theme about agency decline/renewal from Ogilvy's autobiography.
Founder theme
The Mind of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte, edited and translated by J. Christopher Herold · Reading rank 32 · in 8 other episodes
David calls The Mind of Napoleon a very, very special book.
Cross-episode reference · Explicit praise
Tao of Charlie Munger
David Clark · Reading rank 35 · in 10 other episodes
David explicitly says he would buy The Tao of Charlie Munger.
Explicit praise
Heroes
Paul Johnson · Reading rank 89 · in 7 other episodes
David recommends buying Heroes by Paul Johnson.
Explicit praise
A Few Lessons for Investors and Managers from Warren E. Buffett
Peter Bevelin · Reading rank 233 · in 1 other episode
David draws the moat metaphor for business competitive advantage directly from A Few Lessons from Warren Buffett.
Founder theme
Also mentioned
A Man for All Markets
Edward O. Thorp · Reading rank 14 · in 16 other episodes
David draws the 'only play games where you have an edge' theme from Thorpe's autobiography.
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