2026
- The Weirdest People in the World by Joseph Henrich Recommended If you liked Seeing Like a State, you can give this a shot as well. It delves into how Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies have shaped human psychology and behavior in unique ways.
- Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths A fascinating exploration of how computer algorithms can be applied to human decision-making and everyday life.
- Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
2025
- Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman Recommended My favorite book on economics and freedom. A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the relationship between economic freedom and political freedom.
- Free To Choose by Milton and Rose Friedman A great follow-up to “Capitalism and Freedom,” this book delves deeper into the principles of free-market economics and individual liberty. Should definitely read it if you enjoyed “Capitalism and Freedom.”
- Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott Recommended An eye-opening book that completely changed my perspective on how states operate and the unintended consequences of large-scale planning.
- In Service of the Republic by Vijay Kelkar and Ajay Shah A comprehensive overview of the Indian economy and policy-making. It provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by India.
- Sixteen Stormy Days by Tripurdaman Singh -
- The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio I found the book longer than necessary, but it has some great insights on economic cycles and the shifting balance of global power. I would probably hesitate to read another book by Dalio, but this one was worth it as a one-time read.
- India Grows at Night by Gurcharan Das It’s a short one-time read with valuable examples of how the Indian governments excessively controlled the economy in the past, leading to slow growth.
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke This was a pretty boring book. Felt like I already knew most of the concepts. I wouldn’t recommend reading it.
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz A decent read with examples of how to handle difficult situations in business like layoffs, competition, and managing teams. This book can be revisited in the future when facing similar challenges.
- Lilliput Land: How Small is Driving India’s Mega Consumption Story by Rama Bijapurkar Rama uses a lot of data to build insights on how small towns and villages percieve brands and consumption. A decent read for anyone building a consumer brand in India.
- Behold the Leviathan: The Unusual Rise of Modern India by Saurabh Mukherjea and Nandita Rajhansa This book can be avoided. It was a mediocre read that mostly mentions the rise of digital payments and e-commerce in India without providing much depth or new insights.
2024
- What Went Wrong With Capitalism by Ruchir Sharma The first book I read that taught me how monetary policies work and how governments print money. It beautifully explains how excessive money printing and excessive regulations lead to inflation and economic inequality.
Older
- Phantoms in the Brain: Human Nature and the Architecture of the Mind by V.S. Ramachandran A fascinating exploration of the phantom limb phenomenon and what it reveals about the brain’s functioning. Ramachandran’s storytelling and experiential examples make this book very engaging.
- Kautilya’s Arthashastra by Kautilya/Chanakya An ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy, and military strategy. While the ideas may have been relevant in its time, many concepts are outdated today. I would call this a one-time read for historical interest.
- Mandukya Upanishad By far the best Upanishad I’ve read. It provides deep insights into the nature of reality and consciousness in a concise manner. A must-read for anyone interested in Indian philosophy.