Membership in Y Combinator is exclusive and highly sought after for a reason.
Alumni of the start-up incubator include Airbnb, DropBox and Reddit, among several others whose projects were later acquired by Google or Facebook.
Most of us will never get to step inside Sam Altman's Silicon Valley club, but we can get a taste of what it's like by reading the same books its members do.
On Y Combinator's winter reading list are multiple novels, so you can become smarter while enjoying a good story.
Here are six works of fiction some of the best and brightest say will teach real lessons:
1. "Don Quixote"
Considered one of the best novels ever, "Don Quixote" follows a foolhardy but devoted nobleman determined to revive chivalry and destroy the wicked.
2. "The Enemy"
Written by best-selling author Lee Child, "The Enemy" is a thriller about an investigation into a mysterious death that seems to spiral out of control.
3. "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower"
Follow C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower on his journey through combat on and off the ship.
4. "Silence Once Begun"
Jesse Ball's exhilarating "Silence Once Begun" revolves around murder, an unjust conviction and a journalist's obsession.
5. "A Gambler's Anatomy"
Jonathan Lethem's eclectic story follows the adventures of international backgammon hustler who thinks he's psychic.
6. "Seveneves"
Best-selling author Neal Stephenson tells an apocalyptic, heart-accelerating story about humanity's attempt to survive catastrophe. Bill Gates loved it.
Check out out what other books Bill Gates recommends or pick up some of the best business books ever written.
