Who recommended Ego Is the Enemy?

17 people have recommended Ego Is the Enemy in the interviews, articles and reading lists we track, including Derek Sivers, Mark Manson, Aubrey Marcus and Peter Thiel. Each name links to their full reading list.

Is Ego Is the Enemy worth reading?

17 people we track recommend it. It is best for: A mid-level marketing manager who has just been promoted and notices resentment building among former peers, needing a reminder to check their ego before it sabotages the new role.; A startup founder riding a hot streak of funding rounds who feels invincible and might benefit from the historical tales of leaders undone by overconfidence.; An aspiring writer facing early rejections, needing a perspective that frames failure as a necessary teacher rather than a personal indictment.. It may not suit: You'll likely put it down when the same message—keep your ego in check—gets repeated through yet another historical anecdote, and you realize the book is more a collection of themed stories than a progressive argument.; Annoying if you prefer a more personal, confessional style; Holiday writes with a distant, teacherly authority that can feel like being lectured from a podium.; Skip if you're looking for hands-on exercises or a step-by-step plan; the book offers principles and warnings, not a workbook (and it never claims to be one)..

What books are like Ego Is the Enemy?

Readers of Ego Is the Enemy also turn to The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, The World as It Is and Out of Control, based on the lists and recommenders these books share.

Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday: Recommended by 17 People

Name: Ego Is the Enemy
Author: Ryan Holiday
ISBN: 9781387878536

Ego Is the Enemy

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Recommended by 12 notable people, including Derek Sivers and Mark Manson

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Recommended by public sources

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Should I read this?

Reading 'Ego Is the Enemy' feels like sitting through a stern but engaging lecture where history's cautionary tales are used to hammer home a single point. The book's value lies in its vivid, memorable examples—from generals to CEOs—that make the dangers of pride tangible. However, the lesson can grow repetitive; the same idea is restated across similar stories, and the tone sometimes veers into moralizing. If you're looking for nuance or actionable exercises, this isn't it.

Read this if...

•A mid-level marketing manager who has just been promoted and notices resentment building among former peers, needing a reminder to check their ego before it sabotages the new role.
•A startup founder riding a hot streak of funding rounds who feels invincible and might benefit from the historical tales of leaders undone by overconfidence.
•An aspiring writer facing early rejections, needing a perspective that frames failure as a necessary teacher rather than a personal indictment.

Skip this if...

•You'll likely put it down when the same message—keep your ego in check—gets repeated through yet another historical anecdote, and you realize the book is more a collection of themed stories than a progressive argument.
•Annoying if you prefer a more personal, confessional style; Holiday writes with a distant, teacherly authority that can feel like being lectured from a podium.
•Skip if you're looking for hands-on exercises or a step-by-step plan; the book offers principles and warnings, not a workbook (and it never claims to be one).

This summary and audience guidance are AI-generated from the book's description and its recommendation history, last updated May 2026. Recommendations, quotes and sources elsewhere on this page come from published material and are not generated.

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Before You Buy

Reading Specifications

Difficulty:medium

Length:306 pages (Medium)

Themes:

ambition unmoored from realitythe seduction of early successego as self-sabotage

Audience Fit

Recommended for:

A mid-level marketing manager who has just been promoted and notices resentment building among former peers, needing a reminder to check their ego before it sabotages the new role.
A startup founder riding a hot streak of funding rounds who feels invincible and might benefit from the historical tales of leaders undone by overconfidence.
An aspiring writer facing early rejections, needing a perspective that frames failure as a necessary teacher rather than a personal indictment.

Not ideal if you want:

You'll likely put it down when the same message—keep your ego in check—gets repeated through yet another historical anecdote, and you realize the book is more a collection of themed stories than a progressive argument.
Annoying if you prefer a more personal, confessional style; Holiday writes with a distant, teacherly authority that can feel like being lectured from a podium.
Skip if you're looking for hands-on exercises or a step-by-step plan; the book offers principles and warnings, not a workbook (and it never claims to be one).

Check formats, pricing, and availability options for Kindle, physical print, or audiobooks directly.

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Recommendation Signals

Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.

Lenard McKelvey

Recommended this book

80%

Derek Sivers

Author; founder of CD Baby

Recommended this book

80%

Jason Fried

Recommended this book

80%

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Try This Instead

Not sure if this is the right fit?

Consider The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. Recommended by 8 sources.

“Soft-spoken, heavily illustrated fable built from short dialogues and watercolor sketches. Each spread pairs a spare line of text with a loose drawing, so the pleasure is visual and aphoristic rather than narrative; readers collect felt-true sentences more than plot. Most useful when you want quick consolations, a prompt for conversation with a child, or a pause during a rough day. Limiting if you want sustained argument, concrete advice, or tightly plotted storytelling: the repetition of gentleness can feel sentimental or thin after a while.”

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Ego Is the Enemy: common questions

Who recommended Ego Is the Enemy?: 17 people have recommended Ego Is the Enemy in the interviews, articles and reading lists we track, including Derek Sivers, Mark Manson, Aubrey Marcus and Peter Thiel. Each name links to their full reading list.
Is Ego Is the Enemy worth reading?: 17 people we track recommend it. It is best for: A mid-level marketing manager who has just been promoted and notices resentment building among former peers, needing a reminder to check their ego before it sabotages the new role.; A startup founder riding a hot streak of funding rounds who feels invincible and might benefit from the historical tales of leaders undone by overconfidence.; An aspiring writer facing early rejections, needing a perspective that frames failure as a necessary teacher rather than a personal indictment.. It may not suit: You'll likely put it down when the same message—keep your ego in check—gets repeated through yet another historical anecdote, and you realize the book is more a collection of themed stories than a progressive argument.; Annoying if you prefer a more personal, confessional style; Holiday writes with a distant, teacherly authority that can feel like being lectured from a podium.; Skip if you're looking for hands-on exercises or a step-by-step plan; the book offers principles and warnings, not a workbook (and it never claims to be one)..
What books are like Ego Is the Enemy?: Readers of Ego Is the Enemy also turn to The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, The World as It Is and Out of Control, based on the lists and recommenders these books share.

Ego Is the Enemy

Reading Profile

Should I read this?

Read this if...

Skip this if...

Before You Buy

Reading Specifications

Audience Fit

Key themes

Who recommended Ego Is the Enemy?

Recommendation Signals

Ready to read Ego Is the Enemy?

Appears In

Not sure if this is the right fit?

Books like Ego Is the Enemy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

The World as It Is

Out of Control

The Bully Pulpit

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Billions and Billions

Anger

Factfulness

Ego Is the Enemy: common questions

How recommendation signals are reviewed