2025 Summer VC Reading List

It's our annual tradition—venture capitalists and startup founders share the books that shaped them. From sci-fi and civil rights to artificial intelligence and management, this year's reading list offers insight into the minds of Silicon Valley’s most thoughtful leaders.Highlights include:Master of the Senate by Robert Caro, recommended by Casber Wang of Sapphire Ventures for its deep exploration of power and politicsTraffic by Ben Smith, cited by Joe Alalou of Daring Ventures as essential reading on how the social web shaped our modern worldThe Sentence by Louise Erdrich, praised by Initiate Ventures’ Jessica Owens for its emotional depth and powerful storytellingRead Write Own by Chris Dixon, a pick from Bobby Franklin of the NVCA to better understand the potential of blockchain beyond cryptoEven Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins, a personal favorite of Wharton’s Lori Rosenkopf for its message on turning perceived flaws into strengthsMindset by Carol Dweck, currently on Larry Gadea’s reading listThe Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, a longtime source of inspiration for Imvaria's Joshua ReicherHigh Output Management by Intel legend Andy Grove, recommended by Avery Pennarun of TailscaleTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, the book Amit Kumar of Accel is gifting to friendsPrediction Machines by Ajay Agrawal, a favorite of Terry Doyle from TELUS Ventures for making AI approachable—even for his 89-year-old motherAnd anything by Isaac Asimov, says James Joaquin of Obvious Ventures, who’s now funding a factory that grows diamondsMore than just a beach read list, these titles reflect the philosophies and obsessions of today’s investors. Dive into the full episode of Sand Hill Road for all the recommendations—and check our archives for past years’ picks.Sand Hill Road is produced by Andrew Mendez under the leadership of Sara Bueno and Stephanie Adrouny Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.