For more than 50,000 interviews, Larry King sat across from presidents, pop stars, criminals, comedians, authors, and everyday people—and asked the questions the rest of us wished we could ask. Behind that curiosity was a mind constantly feeding on stories, ideas, and sharp, unforgettable books. Even though he’s no longer with us, Larry’s reading taste still feels timeless: part sharp political insight, part classic literature, part laugh-out-loud memoirs, and always, always driven by curiosity.
His 2025 reading list still hits differently. These are the books he reread, recommended, and raved about on air and off—titles that shaped how he thought about power, character, communication, and what makes people tick. If you’ve ever wanted to see the world with that same mix of skepticism, humor, and open-minded wonder, Larry’s bookshelf is a pretty great place to start.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Category: Classic Literature, Historical Epic, Philosophy
What It’s About
Set during the Napoleonic wars, War and Peace follows several Russian families—most notably Pierre Bezukhov, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, and Natasha Rostova—as they navigate love, war, status, faith, and identity while Europe is in turmoil.
Tolstoy moves from grand battlefields to intimate drawing rooms, blending politics, romance, and philosophy into one huge, layered narrative about what it means to live meaningfully in chaotic times.
Why You Should Read It
Yes, it’s a doorstopper—but it’s also one of the most emotionally and intellectually rewarding reads out there. If you stick with it, you get everything: messy love stories, moral dilemmas, war strategy, family drama, and soul-searching reflections on fate, free will, and purpose. It’s the kind of book that stretches your empathy and makes modern life feel both very different—and strangely similar—to the past.
Larry’s Take
Larry King mentioned War and Peace on The Tim Ferriss Show, bringing it up as one of the serious, heavyweight works that had stayed with him. It fits perfectly with the way he approached conversations: curious about power, history, and the human heart.
For a man who spent decades asking people what shaped them, Tolstoy’s epic would naturally sit among the books that shaped him—a reminder that behind every conflict and public figure are private doubts, desires, and decisions.
Get Book: War And Peace!A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Category: Classic Literature, Moral Fable, Holiday Story
What It’s About
A Christmas Carol follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter, lonely, money-obsessed man who’s visited on Christmas Eve by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
Across one long, haunting night, Scrooge is forced to confront who he was, who he is, and who he’s about to become if he doesn’t change. It’s a story of greed, regret, memory, and, ultimately, redemption.
Why You Should Read It
Even if you know the basic plot from movies, the original novella still hits hard. It’s short, sharp, and surprisingly dark in places—but that’s exactly why Scrooge’s transformation feels so powerful. Beneath the Christmas carols and cozy vibes is a serious question: What kind of life are you building, and who is it for? It’s the perfect reread when you need a reset on what actually matters.
Larry’s Take
“I like Scrooge. He wasn’t a bad guy.”
That’s classic Larry—looking past the surface and into the human underneath the reputation. He saw Scrooge not just as a villain, but as a flawed person who got a second chance and took it. For a man who spent his life interviewing people with complicated stories, it makes sense he’d have a soft spot for one of literature’s most famous “redeemed” characters.
Get Book: A Christmas Carol!Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Category: Classic Literature, Psychological Fiction, Philosophy
What It’s About
Set in 19th-century St. Petersburg, Crime and Punishment follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a broke ex-student who convinces himself he’s morally justified in killing a pawnbroker. After the crime, his mind becomes the real prison.
The novel dives deep into guilt, morality, pride, poverty, and the battle between cold logic and conscience, as Raskolnikov unravels under the weight of what he’s done.
Why You Should Read It
If you like stories that crawl inside a character’s head and refuse to leave, this is the book. Dostoevsky doesn’t just ask what’s right or wrong—he asks what happens to a person when they try to live above basic morality. It’s intense, gripping, and surprisingly modern in how it talks about mental health, alienation, and the stories we tell ourselves to justify our actions.
Larry’s Take
Larry King mentioned Crime and Punishment on The Tim Ferriss Show, highlighting it among the serious works that stayed with him.
It fits his interviewer’s curiosity perfectly: a book that dissects motive, guilt, and the human psyche. For a man who spent his life asking people why they did what they did, Dostoevsky’s psychological deep dive is a natural favorite.
Get Book: Crime and Punishment!The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Category: Classic Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Psychological Fiction
What It’s About
Narrated by 16-year-old Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye follows a few aimless days in New York City after he’s expelled from yet another prep school.
Wandering the city, dodging adults, chasing connection, and spiraling in his own thoughts, Holden wrestles with grief, identity, loneliness, and his disgust with all things “phony.”
Why You Should Read It
This isn’t a plot-heavy book—it’s a mind book. If you’ve ever felt alienated, angry for reasons you can’t quite name, or weirdly protective of your own innocence (or someone else’s), Holden’s voice hits hard. It’s raw, messy, and uncomfortable in the way real growing pains are. Rereading it at different ages feels like talking to a younger version of yourself—and seeing how much you’ve changed.
Larry’s Take
“I love [this book]. I read it at four different times in my life. Teenager and later.”
For Larry King, this wasn’t a one-and-done read—it was a lifelong companion. Coming back to it across different stages of his life suggests the story kept revealing new layers as he grew. That’s very Larry: revisiting big questions, staying curious about what a familiar story can still teach you, and never assuming you’ve outgrown a classic.
Get Book: The Catcher in the Rye!Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell
Category: Biography, American Politics, History
What It’s About
This hefty biography digs into the full, complicated life of Richard Nixon—from his early years and rise through Congress and the Senate, to the presidency, Vietnam, China, Watergate, and the long shadow he cast over American politics.
Farrell doesn’t just track the big headlines; he traces the personality, paranoia, ambition, and brilliance that made Nixon both hugely influential and ultimately self-destructive.
Why You Should Read It
If you’re curious about how power really works—and how one person can reshape a country for generations—this is a gripping, deeply researched read. It’s especially fascinating if you like morally complex figures: you don’t walk away loving or hating Nixon in a simple way, but you do walk away understanding him better.
Larry’s Take
Larry King called it simply: “Terrific.”
That one-word review is very Larry—short, direct, and loaded with approval. As someone who spent decades interviewing political leaders and watching presidencies rise and fall, it makes sense he’d gravitate toward a biography like this—serious, detailed, and unafraid to sit with the messiness of power.
Al Franken: Giant of the Senate by Al Franken
Category: Political Memoir, Humor, U.S. Politics
What It’s About
In this sharp, funny memoir, former SNL writer and comedian Al Franken tells the story of how he went from crafting punchlines on late-night TV to serving as a United States senator.
He blends behind-the-scenes political insight with comedy, walking readers through campaigns, policy battles, scandals, and the surreal experience of trying to be serious in one of the least serious environments in the world: Washington, D.C.
Why You Should Read It
If you like your politics with a side of wit, this is absolutely your lane. Franken manages to be informative without being dry, and funny without dodging hard truths. You get a clearer picture of how the Senate actually works (and doesn’t), plus a lot of very good jokes. It’s especially great if you’re politically curious but tired of grim, joyless takes.
Larry’s Take
Larry summed it up in classic Larry fashion: “Fantastic. Funny, on the mark, funny.”
That repetition says everything—he thought it was not just entertaining, but accurate. For a man who built his career on conversations at the intersection of politics, media, and personality, Franken’s blend of comedy and candor is exactly the kind of voice Larry loved to amplify.
How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere: The Secrets of Good Communication by Larry King with Bill Gilbert
Category: Communication, Self-Improvement, Professional Skills
What It’s About
In this classic guide, Larry King distills decades of on-air experience—50,000+ interviews—into practical tools for everyday conversation.
He covers everything from breaking the ice with strangers, handling nerves, asking better questions, and keeping a discussion flowing, to speaking onstage, on the phone, or on live TV. The tone is simple, direct, and story-driven, just like his interviews.
Why You Should Read It
This isn’t a slick “networking” book—it’s old-school, human communication at its best. If you ever feel awkward in conversations, freeze in meetings, overthink what to say, or want to become a better listener, this is a gentle masterclass. It’s especially helpful if your job, relationships, or dreams depend on you being able to connect with people clearly and confidently (spoiler: that’s most of us).
Larry’s Take
This book is Larry’s own playbook—his way of saying, “Here’s what I learned from a lifetime of talking to the world.”
He believed everyone could get better at conversation, not by being slick or fake, but by being curious, present, and honest. On a shelf full of serious biographies and heavy classics, How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere is his most direct gift to the rest of us: the skill that quietly shaped his entire career, packaged in a form you can actually use.
Get Book: How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere!Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Category: Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Satire
What It’s About
Snow Crash is a wild, fast-paced cyberpunk novel set in a hyper-corporate, fractured America where governments have mostly collapsed and the internet has evolved into the “Metaverse”—a fully immersive virtual reality world. The story follows Hiro Protagonist (yes, that’s really his name), a hacker and pizza delivery driver for the Mafia, as he uncovers a new digital-and-linguistic virus called “Snow Crash” that threatens both the virtual and real worlds.
It’s part action thriller, part tech speculation, part linguistic deep-dive, and part cultural satire.
Why You Should Read It
If you’re fascinated by virtual worlds, meme culture, megacorps, hacking, and how tech can rewrite society, this book feels shockingly ahead of its time. Written in the early ’90s, it basically predicted aspects of online culture, avatars, and the Metaverse decades before they were mainstream concepts. It’s chaotic, clever, and crammed with ideas—a great fit if you like your sci-fi loud, smart, and slightly unhinged.
Larry’s Take
Snow Crash fits perfectly alongside Larry King’s curiosity about where technology is taking us. For a man who spent his life talking to futurists, entrepreneurs, and cultural critics, this kind of brainy, satirical sci-fi would scratch that “what’s next for humanity?” itch.
It’s the sort of book he’d bring up with a twinkle in his eye—half-joking about its craziness, half-serious about how close it sometimes feels to the world we’re actually building.
Nevertheless: A Memoir by Alec Baldwin
Category: Memoir, Hollywood, Fame, Self-Reflection
What It’s About
In Nevertheless, Alec Baldwin looks back on his life and career—from a turbulent childhood and early days as a young actor, to blockbuster roles, deep regrets, political controversies, and everything in between.
He writes about fame, addiction, love, ego, ambition, and the strange, intense world of Hollywood. Expect sharp opinions, candid confessions, and plenty of behind-the-scenes moments.
Why You Should Read It
If you’re drawn to complicated, charismatic personalities, this memoir is a fascinating ride. It doesn’t always paint Baldwin in the softest light, and that’s partly what makes it so compelling—it feels raw, messy, and human. You get a sense of how someone can be talented, flawed, self-aware, and still very much a work in progress. It’s ideal if you like celebrity memoirs that go beyond PR polish into real introspection.
Larry’s Take
Larry King mentioned Nevertheless on The Tim Ferriss Show as one of the books on his radar, another example of his curiosity about public figures beyond their headlines.
It fits neatly into the kind of story he loved: a high-profile life laid bare, full of questionable choices, sharp turns, big comebacks, and the constant question of what fame really costs.
Final Thoughts
Larry King’s reading taste was exactly like his interviews—curious, wide-ranging, and never snobbish. From Russian epics and psychological classics to political memoirs, sharp satire, and straight-talking communication guides, his bookshelf proves he was always trying to understand people better: what they do, why they do it, and how power, pain, ego, and redemption shape a life.
Even in 2025, his picks still hold up. If you want to think more deeply, ask better questions, and see the world with a little more nuance (and humor), following Larry King’s reading trail is a pretty great place to start. These aren’t just “smart” books—they’re human ones.
