The Outsiders
Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success
by William N. Thorndike
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More Recommenders
“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Source →Recommended by 12 notable people, including Patrick O'Shaughnessy and Warren Buffett
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Reading Profile
Should I read this?
A collection of profiles on eight CEOs who used independent thinking and smart capital allocation to generate outsized returns. The writing is clear and accessible, almost like a series of long-form business articles. Each chapter stands alone, making it easy to dip in and out. What works best is seeing the power of patience and contrarian moves, but the book can feel repetitive as patterns emerge, and it offers no prescriptive framework. Some examples feel dated, and the selection invites inevitable survivor-bias debates.
Read this if...
- •A corporate finance analyst tired of short-termism who wants concrete examples of leaders who built value over decades instead of quarters.
- •An entrepreneur deciding whether to take their company public and wondering how to communicate a long-term vision to skeptical investors.
- •A business student disenchanted with celebrity CEO culture who needs evidence that quiet, analytical outsiders can produce outstanding results.
Skip this if...
- •If you want a step-by-step manual, this is not it—the book offers stories, not a checklist.
- •You might bounce off if survivor bias bugs you: the profiles are all success stories selected with hindsight.
- •After the third or fourth profile, you may notice a repeating pattern; if the capital-allocation lens doesn’t fascinate you, you’ll likely put it down.
?It is impossible to produce superior performance unless you do something different.? ? John TempletonWhat makes a successful CEO Most people call to mind a familiar definition: a seasoned manager with deep industry expertise. Others might point to the qualities of today?s socalled celebrity CEOs?charisma, virtuoso communication skills, and a con...
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:hard
Audience Fit
- A corporate finance analyst tired of short-termism who wants concrete examples of leaders who built value over decades instead of quarters.
- An entrepreneur deciding whether to take their company public and wondering how to communicate a long-term vision to skeptical investors.
- A business student disenchanted with celebrity CEO culture who needs evidence that quiet, analytical outsiders can produce outstanding results.
- If you want a step-by-step manual, this is not it—the book offers stories, not a checklist.
- You might bounce off if survivor bias bugs you: the profiles are all success stories selected with hindsight.
- After the third or fourth profile, you may notice a repeating pattern; if the capital-allocation lens doesn’t fascinate you, you’ll likely put it down.
Check formats, pricing, and availability options for Kindle, physical print, or audiobooks directly.
View available editions on AmazonKey themes
Why recommended
Recommended by 20 sources and appears in Best Investing Books, Entrepreneur, and Books Recommended by Warren Buffett.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Patrick OShaughnessy
“@VTocks Outsiders in one of my favorite books! | A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course. | Details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management. | If I could hand any five books to a would be entrepreneur, I’d pick 1. Positioning by Ries + Trout 2. Zero to One by Thiel 3. 7 Powers by Helmer 4. The Outsiders by Thorndike 5. Creativity, Inc. by Catmull Bonus: Nobody Wants to Read Your ShT by Pressfield | One of the best leadership books I've read this year | The Outsiders is an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation. It has an insightful chapter on our director, Tom Murphy, overall the best business manager I’ve ever met. | Twenty books you should have read by now: 1. The Outsiders by William Thorndike. 2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight 3. Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter 4. The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence by Benoit Mandelbrot 5. Influence by Robert Cialdini”
Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. Recommended by 23 sources.
“This is a slow, meticulous read that builds value investing principles through exhaustive stock comparisons and portfolio theory. The core useful insight is Graham’s emphasis on a margin of safety and treating market fluctuations as your servant, not your guide. The limitation: many examples hail from the 1940s-1970s, making the data feel irrelevant, and the prose can be pedantic, stretching patience. You'll get the timeless philosophy but must wade through antiquated case studies.”
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Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.
The Outsiders
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