> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wah.al/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Books

> The books I've read and found the most valuable.

### 2026

1. [The Weirdest People in the World](https://amzn.in/d/e0jMdz4) by Joseph Henrich <Badge color="blue" size="sm">Recommended</Badge>

   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.

2. [Why Nations Fail](https://amzn.in/d/0bCUzuhw) by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

   A decent one-time read that tries to build the point, using historical examples, that States should accept humility and allow citizens to have inclusive economic and political institutions if they desire long term sustainable prosperity.

3. [Why The Poor Don't Kill Us](https://amzn.in/d/0dBrEFWd) by Manu Joseph

   It's a satirical light-hearted read. You can pick this up after a heavy read to get some comic relief.

4. [Economics in One Lesson](https://www.amazon.in/dp/0517548232) by Henry Hazlitt

   A great introduction to economics that explains complex concepts in a simple and accessible way. It's a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the basics of economics.

### 2025

1. [Capitalism and Freedom](https://amzn.in/d/eu4f7ui) by Milton Friedman <Badge color="blue" size="sm">Recommended</Badge>

   My favorite book on economics and freedom. A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the relationship between economic freedom and political freedom.

2. [Free To Choose](https://amzn.in/d/bD1XjeT) 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."

3. [Seeing Like a State](https://amzn.in/d/g3f1Y2J) by James C. Scott <Badge color="blue" size="sm">Recommended</Badge>

   An eye-opening book that completely changed my perspective on how states operate and the unintended consequences of large-scale planning.

4. [In Service of the Republic](https://amzn.in/d/9mvYnxB) 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.

5. [Sixteen Stormy Days](https://amzn.in/d/9NEqsxz) by Tripurdaman Singh

   Explains the story of how Jawaharlal Nehru used quasi-authoritarian arguments and excessive rhetoric to justify the downgrading of our fundamental rights. And most other political leaders of that time were trying to prevent him from doing so. This is a very well written book that deserves to be converted into a TV show. Every Indian who is feels strongly about fundamental rights of life, liberty, property and security should read this book at least once.

6. [The Changing World Order](https://amzn.in/d/1YRN8g8) 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.

7. [India Grows at Night](https://amzn.in/d/fKdZlcN) 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.

8. [Thinking in Bets](https://amzn.in/d/3J6gD1J) by Annie Duke

   This was a pretty boring book. Felt like I already knew most of the concepts. I wouldn't recommend reading it.

9. [The Hard Thing About Hard Things](https://amzn.in/d/faNQnt7) 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.

10. [Lilliput Land: How Small is Driving India's Mega Consumption Story](https://amzn.in/d/gEiezT7) 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.

11. [Behold the Leviathan: The Unusual Rise of Modern India](https://amzn.in/d/0pTYWWc) 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

1. [What Went Wrong With Capitalism](https://amzn.in/d/0V4OOtF) by Ruchir Sharma <Badge color="blue" size="sm">Recommended</Badge>

   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

1. [Phantoms in the Brain: Human Nature and the Architecture of the Mind](https://amzn.in/d/cHgpxDi) 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.

2. [Kautilya's Arthashastra](https://amzn.in/d/1OaHSN0) 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.

3. [Mandukya Upanishad](https://amzn.in/d/1ieJBtf)

   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.

4. [Algorithms to Live By](https://amzn.in/d/fK0f1b4) by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

   A fascinating exploration of how computer algorithms can be applied to human decision-making and everyday life.