What, How & Why We're Reading

45 snips

Dec 23, 2025

Stephanie Zinn, an editor at a16z crypto with a flair for historical and nautical nonfiction, joins fellow editor Tim Sullivan, who specializes in computer science reading and literary analysis. They dive into the themes of their summer reading list and examine how genres are blurring, with heartfelt discussions on memoirs and the emotional weight of storytelling. They also tackle the changing landscape of nonfiction, the resurgence of Mark Twain's themes, and the allure of nautical adventures. It's a captivating journey through literature!

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INSIGHT

F1 As An Optimization Analogy

Formula One books serve as analogies for optimization in engineering and software.
The editors connect non-tech subjects to product and process optimization frequently.

ANECDOTE

Memoir That Moved An Editor

Sonal read A Cracking of the Heart, Ben Horowitz's father's memoir, at his memorial.
The book is a raw father mourning a daughter's loss and moved Sonal to tears.

INSIGHT

Nonfiction Feels Overstretched

Many editors find modern nonfiction formulaic and anecdote-heavy, reducing information density.
Podcasts and short expert syntheses now often replace long nonfiction for factual learning.

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with @smc90 @rhackett @stephbzinn @Tim_Org

In a now-annual tradition, the a16z crypto editorial team discuss themes (and picks) from a16z crypto's latest reading lists, as well as books we keep re-reading, childhood favorites, classics, adaptations on adaptations — in book and movie form! — and much more.

We cover:

What genres are we reading now, how, and why?
How is technology — from AI and ChatGPT to the internet and audio — changing reading?
Why are certain themes in the zeitgeist right now?
Is all non-fiction just fiction now (and should we lean into this for education)?
Are the kids alright?

From irony, truth, and why context matters, to Machiavelli, Formula 1, and nautical non-fiction this episode has it all... check out our "what we're reading" lists, podcasts, and more here:
https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/tags/what-were-reading

Highlights
(0:00) Overview of the summer reading list
(0:33) The list goes beyond tech and business books
(2:02) Formula One, optimization, and recurring reading themes
(3:12) Favorite picks: ASML, semiconductors, and industrial history
(4:50) Memoirs, grief, and reading for emotional understanding
(6:40) Why nonfiction feels broken — and what replaces it
(8:20) Adventure, boats, and narrative nonfiction
(11:39) Letters, primary sources, and Renaissance writing
(17:30) Antimimetics, ideas that resist spreading, and fresh nonfiction
(19:00) Mark Twain, irony, influence, and unreliable narrators
(24:16) Podcasts/the internet as book discovery engines
(26:10) The internet replaces nonfiction?
(27:31) Anne of Green Gables and its effects
(30:21) The role of the author in fiction vs. nonfiction
(32:00) Historical fiction, context, and why it still matters
(38:12) Machiavelli and interpreting texts across time
(45:43) Gothic fiction, Dracula, and modern adaptations
(51:00) Film adaptations and creative ownership
(55:16) Audiobooks, narration, and reading styles
(1:00:54) Reading aloud, poetry, and rhythm
(1:06:44) Childhood books that shape worldview
(1:15:24) Young adult books worth revisiting
(1:18:29) Closing reflections and where to find the full list

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