245 books written by billionaires, and why almost no one reads them
At a 2026 Family Office Club event, Richard shared a count. There are 245 books authored by billionaires, not books about them. He then asked a room of 700 people a question about them, and the answer surprised him.
The ballroom test
Almost everyone raised a hand when Richard asked who had read 50 or 100 books. When he asked who had read more than 10 books authored by a billionaire, one or two hands went up. His conclusion is that most people buy books from great marketers, not great business people.
Grammar does not matter
Richard says he does not care whether a billionaire's book has bad grammar or missed the bestseller list. In his words, these authors won the game of capitalism. Their mental models reach you for about $8, and most are on Audible.
The plan
Richard says he has read 135 of the 245. Once he finishes, he plans to rank the top 50 and then the top 12. He wants to study those 12 every month. Billionaires.com lists his top 10 so far at billionaires.com/books.
In Richard's words
"There are 245 books authored by billionaires, not written on them, but actually authored by them." (Richard C. Wilson, 2026 Family Office Club event)
"So what that means is, we are all buying books from people who are really good at marketing their books, not people who are really good at business." (2026 Family Office Club event)
"Because I've read 135 of the 245 books" (2026 Family Office Club event)
How to use this
- Check who wrote a business book before you buy it. Did they build what they teach?
- Start with books by people who made their money in your industry.
- Pick a short list and reread it, not a long list read once.
- Use audio to fit more of them in.
Questions and answers
How many books have billionaires written?
Richard counts 245 books authored by billionaires themselves.
How many has Richard read?
He said 135 of the 245 at the time of the talk.
Where can I find his recommendations?
Richard points to the top 10 billionaire books at billionaires.com/books.
Why do so few people read them?
Richard thinks most people buy books by strong marketers, not proven business builders.