Richard Branson: 6 Books That Changed My Life, Including One Everyone Should Read

Six books that billionaire Richard Branson has read have left a lasting effect on him.

In April, Branson released an audiobook memoir, "Losing and Finding My Virginity: The Full Story," which he wrote himself.

The list of six books that have most inspired him, which he shared with CNBC Make It, comprises both fiction and non-fiction entries from the past five decades.

1. 'Just Mercy' by Bryan Stevenson

Stevenson is a professor at New York University and the founder of a nonprofit that offers legal representation to underprivileged clients and exonerates wrongfully convicted prisoners. In 2014, he published a memoir titled "Just Mercy," which primarily focuses on his efforts to overturn a wrongful conviction that kept Walter McMillian on death row for six years before his release in 1993.

The film "The Lion King," which was released in 2019, was adapted from the original story.

"Branson recommends reading 'Just Mercy' as it will prompt readers to reconsider capital punishment and its justification. The book, despite its message of hope, exposes the flaws and injustices in the system."

2. 'The Dice Man' by Luke Rhinehart (aka George Cockcroft)

The novel from 1971 centers on the psychiatrist who decides to make all his daily choices by rolling dice, resulting in both exciting and tragic outcomes. The book's thought experiment has made it popular among readers.

The book that Branson considers entertaining and memorable is one that has remained with him.

In 1972, he read the novel "just before starting Virgin Records" and occasionally used the dice-rolling strategy when making tough decisions about which bands to sign to his record label.

"Branson explains that he compiled a list of potential actions, rolled a dice, and followed the number that landed on it. However, the method resulted in mixed outcomes, and he soon stopped using the book to make decisions."

3. 'Start With Why' by Simon Sinek

Sinek is a writer and leadership consultant who emphasizes the importance of having a clear purpose or belief in his book "Start With Why," published in 2009. He argues that successful leaders and businesses should prioritize their purpose before focusing on the process or outcome.

Branson was inspired by that ethos, which he believes is the key to happiness and success, as he stated in an interview with CNBC Make It in May.

According to Branson, the most important aspect of "Start With Why" is that it doesn't matter what you do, but why you do it. If you lack passion and purpose in your actions, it becomes more challenging to produce something distinctive and valuable to others.

4. 'I Am a Girl From Africa' by Elizabeth Nyamayaro

According to Branson, this memoir demonstrates that "the greatest obstacles of our era also offer the greatest prospects," he remarks.

Nyamayaro's childhood in a Zimbabwe village hit by famine in the 1980s inspired her to pursue a career in the United Nations, where she hopes to help others in need.

She served as a senior advisor at the U.N. and ran the organization's gender equality initiative, HeForShe, after overcoming financial struggles to pay for her education.

Branson describes Nyamayaro as an inspiring humanitarian and author whose story reminds us of our shared humanity and the strength of determination.

'The Emerald Mile: An Epic Tale of the Swiftest Journey Ever Taken Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon' by Kevin Fedarko

The book "The Emerald Mile" narrates the true tale of the 1983 flood that almost caused the Glen Canyon Dam to overflow, which holds back one of the country's largest water reservoirs on the Colorado River. The book follows a group of river-rafting guides who saw the near-crisis as an opportunity for a "downright suicidal" adventure, as described by Fedarko.

An attempt was made to set a record for the fastest boat to travel down the Colorado River by launching a small wooden boat into the dangerous rapids.

"Branson, who has undertaken numerous dangerous stunts, says that our greatest limitations are often self-imposed, as depicted in the book. He relates this to the thrilling adventures he enjoyed in his youth and the world records he broke as an adult."

6. 'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles

In the 1920s, a former Russian aristocrat, who was confined to house arrest following the Bolshevik revolution, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth that, according to Branson, "gave me reason to rethink" a long-standing "unwritten rule of trusting my first impressions."

Branson found that the idea of following his convictions and doing what he loved, rather than seeking acclaim, resonated with him deeply.

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