Best Autobiography Books

This is a controversial book review about a guy who, honestly, is probably going to trigger more men than women. As far as I’m concerned, any heterosexual, hot-blooded male would, at some point in their life, want a taste of this guy’s lifestyle. And anyone who says they don’t? I think they’re lying, to be honest with you.

The book is called The Setup. It’s an autobiography by Dan Bilzerian. But this book is not quite what you think it’ll be. I mean, it partly is—it’s about all the macho stuff: the women, the guns, the money, the fame, and the hedonism. But the book is a lot deeper and more philosophical than you’d expect.

It’s actually a raw, honest account of his whole life, from his upbringing to his adolescence, his time with the Navy SEALs, poker, Instagram fame, and all the way to his contemporary life. At times, it’s surprisingly vulnerable—almost unnecessarily so. He goes into his family history, like dealing with a narcissistic, almost neglectful father, the bullying he faced growing up, and heartbreaks along the way. He overshares a lot of details that he didn’t need to include, but I liked that because it showed his intention to tell his story, warts and all.

Bilzerian’s goal with this book seems to be about being as honest and vulnerable as possible while teaching readers about how he achieved what he did and, ultimately, what he learned about happiness and fulfillment. He also gives you an unfiltered look at what it was actually like to live his insane, hedonistic life.

I came away from it respecting his intention for writing the book that way. It’s a very multi-layered autobiography. He’s telling the whole story of his life, showing what he went through, what motivated him, and his intentions behind his choices. It made me realize he’s a very intelligent guy—obviously narcissistic, which he admits—but genius, at least when it comes to poker and his dating life.

Speaking of poker, the concept behind The Setup ties back to how he leveraged environments and perceptions to his advantage. As someone with an extensive poker background myself, I can say what he achieved in poker was nothing short of genius. There’s speculation about how he made his money—whether he earned it all through poker is questionable—but what he did to get into high-stakes private games with billionaires is incredible.

People assumed he was just a rich trust-fund kid, partly because of his father’s wealth. On top of that, he had a reputation for playing poker aggressively and recklessly. His table presence was entertaining—full of bluffs, big raises, and bold plays. Players thought they could take advantage of him, but they didn’t realize he was an extraordinarily skilled poker player. He leaned into that image, using it to his advantage.

The concept of “the setup” extended into his dating life. He hosted parties with a disproportionate number of women to men—sometimes ten women for every man. This created a dynamic where women were competing for attention, increasing his chances of connecting with them. It was a clever and deliberate social setup.

When it came to Instagram, his setup became even more significant. As he scaled his lifestyle, he started documenting it online, which got him massive attention. He says fame was the game-changer. From there, things exploded. He describes extravagant mansion parties with famous musicians playing live in his living room, hundreds of guests, and wild stories involving Instagram models, many of whom were in relationships but still came to his parties to partake in the craziness.

The book includes a ton of vignettes from famous people who vouch for him or share stories about him. While some of the tales are mind-blowing and hard to believe, the sheer volume of anecdotes makes you wonder if they might actually be true.

At the end of the day, whether you love or hate Dan Bilzerian, The Setup is an epic read. It’s well-written, well-edited, and flows smoothly. It’s easily one of my favorite autobiographies.