Best Books For a Startup? • Hacker News Board

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#21

Post by ojbyrne » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 1:45 PM UTC

I have a book left over from my b-school days that I often dip back into. It's called "The Entrepreneurial Venture" and it's sort of like "Founders at Work" if that had been written by Harvard Business School professors.

http://www.amazon.com/Entrepreneurial-Venture-Practice-Manag...

I know that in this group it probably provides an alternative perspective.

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#22

Post by moog » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 1:47 PM UTC

DarrenStuart wrote: post #20

I think news.yc needs a search. Heres some we added 3 days ago :p http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=135185

google: books site:http://news.ycombinator.com

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#23

Post by richesh » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 3:05 PM UTC

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#24

Post by jasonlbaptiste » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 3:49 PM UTC

Wow, how could I forget this one:

eBoys: The First Inside Account of Venture Capitalists at Work by Randall Stross (San Jose State Professor, Writes for the Times Occasionally, etc.)

Seriously, this is a really open approach to how Benchmark Capital approached investments in eBay, Webvan,etc. I believe it's available on itunes as an audiobook as well.

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#25

Post by dedalus » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 4:05 PM UTC

The New New Thing(http://www.wwnorton.com/catalog/fall99/newnewthing.htm)

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#26

Post by paulkafasis » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 4:24 PM UTC

I'd also highly recommend The Monk and the Riddle - I don't think I've ever seen it suggested elsewhere, but I recommend it to everyone.

I found PayPal Wars to be a bit dull, and the author a bit smug.

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#27

Post by jsmcgd » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 6:25 PM UTC

I'm surprised that 'Getting Real' hasn't been suggested yet, perhaps it has something to do with the recent backlash against 37signals. Anyway I'll stand by it. Fantastic book. I might even go as far as to say 'essential'.

http://gettingreal.37signals.com/toc.php

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#28

Post by davidw » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 8:20 PM UTC

jsmcgd wrote: post #27

I'm surprised that 'Getting Real' hasn't been suggested yet, perhaps it has something to do with the recent backlash against 37signals. Anyway I'll stand by it. Fantastic book. I might even go as far as to say 'essential'. http://gettingreal.37signals.com/toc.php

It's definitely worth reading, but not worth paying for since you can read it for free on their site.

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#29

Post by mixmax » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 10:39 PM UTC

"How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie.

This book should especially be read by those that aren't good with people.

Re: Best Books For a Startup?

#30

Post by davidsickmiller » Sun, Mar 16, 2008, 10:47 PM UTC

It looks like nobody else has recommend one book I particularly like: Startups That Work: Surprising Research on What Makes or Breaks a New Company by Joel Kurtzman and Glenn Rifkin.

It combines a large quantitative study on startups with highlights from case interviews. The book's claims are generally backed by empirical evidence, which is something missing in many other entrepreneurship books.

David Sickmiller