Shoe DogShoe Dog
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and started a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. He sold them out of the trunk of his car. This is the story of how that tiny startup, run by a band of misfits, became Nike, told with surprising honesty about the near-failures, the debts and the doubts along the way.
Why it's worth reading
It spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and it's one of the most loved business memoirs ever written. It reads like an adventure story, and it's as much about friendship and risk as about shoes.
You'll love it if you liked
Unreasonable Hospitality
Steve Jobs
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday MachineGood to know
It ends in 1980, when Nike goes public, so it's about the scrappy early years. You don't need any interest in business to enjoy it.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller70 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #13 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #43 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #114 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #229 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Shoe Dog worth reading?
Yes. It spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists, and it's one of the most loved business memoirs ever written. It ranks #229 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Shoe Dog about?
In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed $50 from his father and started a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. He sold them out of the trunk of his car. This is the story of how that tiny startup, run by a band of misfits, became Nike, told with surprising honesty about the near-failures, the debts and the doubts along the way.
How long does it take to read Shoe Dog?
About 10 hours (386 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Shoe Dog?
If you liked it, try Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson or The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis.