This is one of the lists used to make thegreatestbooks.org masterlist. The source article is well worth checking out, matching high achievers to their recommended books.
Members of The American Academy of Achievement were surveyed. "Here, in their own words, are the answers to the question, What book did you read when you were young that most influenced your life? The answers....remind us of some neglected timeless classics and other works we may want to take into our own lives."
A small sample of members & their recommendations:
Oprah Winfrey(74), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar(1), Julie Andrews(3), Jeffrey P. Bezos(7), Jimmy Carter(10), Tom Clancy(12), Francis Ford Coppola(15), Bill Gates(24), Jane Goodall(28), Edmund Hillary(34), Ron Howard(36) & Amy Tan(69).
BTW, the list on thegreatestbooks.org is a good deal shorter (?needs an update).
