// Book comparison
The Hard Thing About Hard Things vs The Big Short
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz and The Big Short by Michael Lewis.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things
by Ben Horowitz
★ 4.9/5
The Big Short
by Michael Lewis
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| The Hard Thing About Hard Things | The Big Short | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 304 | 288 |
| Reading time | ~7.6 h | ~7.2 h |
| Published | 2014 | 2010 |
| Author | Ben Horowitz | Michael Lewis |
| Category | Startups & Entrepreneurship | Finance & Investment |
| Publisher | HarperBusiness | W. W. Norton & Company |
Choose The Hard Thing About Hard Things if…
- → You're interested in startups & entrepreneurship.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You want the more recent perspective (2014).
Choose The Big Short if…
- → You're interested in finance & investment.
- → You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).
Key takeaways — The Hard Thing About Hard Things
- ✓ Understand the difference between Peacetime and Wartime Leadership, recognizing that a crisis requires a shift from collaborative consensus to directive, high-velocity decision-making.
- ✓ Manage Your Own Psychology during 'The Struggle', recognizing that the ability to stay calm and objective when the organization is at risk is a leader's most critical strategic asset.
- ✓ Prioritize The Truth in your organizational communication, ensuring that bad news travels fast and that every employee understands the reality of the firm's strategic challenges.
Key takeaways — The Big Short
- ✓ Prioritize First-Hand Data Investigation, ensuring your organization’s biggest strategic bets are based on the reality of the 'Underlying Assets' rather than on the opinions of rating agencies or experts.
- ✓ Cultivate Contrarian Bravery, recognizing that the most significant strategic opportunities often require you to stand alone and bet against the 'Collective Blindness' of the market.
- ✓ Understand The Danger of Complexity as Obfuscation, recognizing that when a financial product or business model is too complex to be easily explained, it often hides systemic fragility and loss.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, more acclaimed read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. If you specifically need finance & investment, The Big Short is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Big Short better? +
The Hard Thing About Hard Things has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. The Hard Thing About Hard Things focuses on startups & entrepreneurship, while The Big Short focuses on finance & investment. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Big Short? +
The Big Short is shorter (288 pages, ~7.2 hours) compared to The Hard Thing About Hard Things (304 pages, ~7.6 hours).
Should I read The Hard Thing About Hard Things or The Big Short first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.