If you're doing a startup, you have to read Papillon.

It's also a classic Steve McQueen movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070511/

As a side note, Papillon is French for "Butterfly" probably signifying his desire to be free.

He had a butterfly tattooed on his chest (predated his imprisonment as I remember). A South American Indian with whom he stayed on one of his escapes was so impressed that he had him do him a tiger's head using only a bone needle and alchohol for sterilization.

Papillon is the first book I think of whenever anyone asks for a book recommendation.

I laughed out loud at this line:

risks that make quitting the day job seem like choosing between the urinal and the toilet

In my time in the corporate world, I spent hours upon hours in meetings over decisions just as vain.

It's worth noting that Papillon is a novel composed of the real life stories of several people, rather than a true memoir.

Great book.

The (excellent Steve McQueen/Dustin Hoffman) film is available legally & free to watch online until Saturday 10th April 2010 if you're in the UK:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b007bw8d/Papillon/