Stanford GSB Faculty Recommend Some Favorite Reads

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, by Yuval Noah Harari

“The book describes how information networks have been central to building cooperation, shaping power, and defining societal order. The book is relevant to businesses because it shows that controlling, distributing, and interpreting information can be a source of competitive advantage for firms, especially in the age of algorithmic power and misinformation.”

— Sarah A. Soule, Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean; Morgridge Professor of Organizational Behavior

Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver

“This award-winning book set during the opioid epidemic in rural Appalachia has stuck with me. It brings depth to a crisis that I’d encountered mostly in just news snippets or statistics. Plus it’s simply an engrossing story throughout.”

— Woojin Kim, assistant professor of political economy

The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914, by Christopher Clark 

“After reading this book, I was left with the unsettling sense that World War I was at once both inevitable and avoidable. Clark demonstrates how history can hinge on the often-contingent actions of individual leaders, driven by their own impulses, fears, and ambitions — and on the inability of others to counterbalance them. It’s a powerful reminder of how vast collective outcomes can emerge from small decisions and misjudgments, and it feels uncomfortably modern as a warning for today.”

— Juliane Begenau, associate professor of finance

Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World, by Cade Metz

“This book gives a clear history of how deep learning, powered by scale in data, compute, and model size, drove the modern AI revolution. At the same time, the book is honest about the many gaps that remain, highlighting open challenges and opportunities for the next generation to push beyond today’s scale-driven paradigm.”

— Mohsen Bayati, the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Professor of Operations, Information & Technology

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, by Ethan Mollick

“I teach a reasonably technical class at the GSB (Organizational Analytics), so explaining complex topics in a simple way is a constant quest for me. I really admire how well this book accomplishes that. It breaks down core concepts in AI for readers at any level: Newcomers will learn a lot, and even experienced users will find it helpful in organizing how they think about the field. It’s also genuinely fun to read because Mollick has a nice sense of humor and lots of funny examples from his interactions with AI.”

— Julien Clement, assistant professor of organizational behavior

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman

“There is no shortage of books extolling the many virtues of effective time management (often viewed as extracting telic value from every waking moment of our lives — through such tactics as multitasking, fewer hours of sleep, and keeping a relentless focus). Oliver Burkeman’s profound analysis takes the reader on an entirely different reflective journey by exploring the power of recognizing more fully the implications of our ultimate human mortality, the titled Four Thousand Weeks. This insightful and entertaining book will likely change how you think about using your ‘one-and-only-one life’ in your work, as a partner, parent, friend, and citizen. Enjoy!”

— Maureen McNichols, the Marriner S. Eccles Professor of Accounting and Public and Private Management 

Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn

“A telepathic conversation between a captive gorilla (‘Ishmael’) and the nameless protagonist. It provides a radically new perspective on humankind.”

— Hayagreeva Rao, the Atholl McBean Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources

Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity, by Sander van der Linden

“Recent technological advances, such as the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence, allow information to circulate more seamlessly than ever, yet they also make it harder to distinguish truth from misinformation. Foolproof provides a thoughtful, psychology-driven look at why our intuition can falter in this environment, how easily we can be misled, and what we can do about it. It has certainly made me pause before reacting to eye-catching headlines and reminded me to be more intentional about not contributing to the spread of misinformation.”

— Jung Ho Choi, assistant professor of accounting

The Origins of Efficiency, by Brian Potter

“Too often we focus on high-level strategy without understanding the process innovations that make the modern production process so efficient and deliver competitive advantage. Brian Potter provides a detailed telling (in a good way!) of how initial technological breakthroughs were developed into the efficient powerhouses that they became. I feel like I understand innovation a lot better from reading this book.”

— Steven Callander, the Herbert Hoover Professor of Public and Private Management, and Professor of Political Economy