At Sapphire Capital Partners LLP, we believe great ideas are sparked not only in boardrooms, pitch decks, and fund prospectuses—but also in the pages of thought-provoking books. As we embrace the long evenings of summer, our team has curated a collection of recommended reads spanning finance, global affairs, human psychology and poetry.
Here are the titles keeping our minds sharp and perspectives broad this summer:
1. The Fund by Ray Dalio
A behind-the-scenes dive into Bridgewater Associates, The Fund offers an unfiltered account of Ray Dalio’s leadership style and the hedge fund's infamous “radical transparency.” For anyone managing funds or navigating the psychology of high-performance teams, this is essential reading.
“It’s not just about how capital moves, but how principles can drive—or derail—organisations.”
2. What’s the Deal, Africa? by Monique Simmons
Entrepreneurship through an African lens. Simmons provides critical insight into localised funding ecosystems across cities like Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town. Rather than generic startup tropes, this book dives deep into region-specific strategies and challenges, making it a compelling read for investors seeking frontier opportunities.
“An indispensable guide for anyone looking to deploy capital with impact across the continent.”
3. Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer by Brad Feld & Jason Mendelson
This classic guide to venture capital remains a staple for founders, investors, and lawyers alike. With practical walk-throughs of term sheets, negotiation tactics, and real-world scenarios, Feld and Mendelson deconstruct VC jargon into actionable insight.
“It should be on every startup’s cap table and every investor’s desk.”
4. The Places In Between by Rory Stewart
A powerful travelogue and political memoir, this book chronicles Stewart’s perilous walk across post-Taliban Afghanistan. His account humanises a nation often seen only through geopolitical headlines, blending diplomacy, adventure, and cultural anthropology.
“An exploration of resilience—in people and landscapes alike.”
5. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Housel’s vignettes on how we think about money are essential for anyone working in finance. This isn’t about spreadsheets—it’s about behaviour: why we save, spend, invest, or panic. Its central message? Wealth is more about temperament than intellect.
“Money decisions are rarely rational; they’re deeply emotional.”
6. Small Boat by Vincent Delecroix
A haunting, Booker Prize-nominated novel set against Europe’s migration crisis. Told through the perspective of a coastguard operator, the story confronts the erosion of empathy by bureaucracy and the ethical weight of “just following orders.”
“It forces us to ask: Is compassion enough—and who gets to decide?”
7. The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman
AI pioneer Mustafa Suleyman warns that we’re on the brink of a technological revolution with vast, unpredictable consequences. The Coming Wave explores how breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and automation may reshape humanity itself—and what we must do to manage the risk.
“A clear-eyed blueprint for navigating the next frontier of innovation responsibly.”
8. Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc
The autobiography of the McDonald’s founder reveals the gritty journey behind the golden arches. Far from a story of overnight success, Kroc’s tale is one of grit, late starts, and unconventional ambition—valuable inspiration for anyone growing a business from the ground up.
“A global brand, born not in a boardroom, but from the back of a milkshake machine.”
9. Selected Poems by Seamus Heaney
Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney’s poetry offers a lyrical contrast to our strategy-heavy summer reads. His work—rooted in the landscapes of Northern Ireland and the complexity of human experience—reminds us that reflection and emotional nuance are just as important as analytics and ambition.
“Read to slow down. Read to reconnect. Heaney reminds us that clarity can come not just from spreadsheets, but from verse.”
Final Thoughts
From private equity to public service, African ventures to Afghan valleys, algorithmic revolutions to lyrical meditations, this list reflects the intellectual curiosity of the Sapphire team. These books fuel our thinking, challenge our assumptions, and help us stay sharp as investors, entrepreneurs, and global citizens.
Have you read any of these? Let us know what’s on your summer bookshelf.