Hi, I'm Jimmy Soni.
Infinite Books
I lead Infinite Books as CEO and Editor in Chief, a publishing venture launched by O'Shaughnessy Ventures where we're reimagining how publishers, authors, and readers connect. We're building something special—a publisher that truly serves authors and readers first, with innovative approaches to everything from contracts to marketing to community-building.
Are you working on a book that might change how people think? A story that deserves to be told? An idea that won't let you go? I'd love to hear from you. We're always looking for ambitious, thoughtful authors who want a publishing partner, not just a publisher. Reach out at jimmy@osv.llc.
Books
WHEN THE LIGHT FINDS US might be the book closest to my heart. It tells Judy Henderson's extraordinary story—a woman wrongfully imprisoned for nearly thirty-five years who never stopped fighting for her freedom or abandoned her role as a mother. Working with Judy to capture her journey from successful business owner to prisoner to clemency recipient was humbling. Her story of maternal love persisting through prison walls, of unexpected allies (including the prosecutor who once sought her conviction), and of finding purpose in advocating for incarcerated women reminds me why I write: to illuminate the remarkable human capacity for endurance and transformation.
THE FOUNDERS: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley took me into the world of Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Reid Hoffman, and dozens of others who built a company that changed how money moves. The New York Times called it "an intensely magnetic chronicle," which still makes me smile. Writing it meant hundreds of conversations with some of tech's most influential minds, hearing firsthand about late-night coding sessions, near-bankruptcies, and the unlikely decisions that created both PayPal and a generation of entrepreneurs. Walter Isaacson's description of it as "an indispensable guide to modern innovation" meant the world to me.
A MIND AT PLAY: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age explores the life of a genius who literally created the mathematical foundation of our digital world, yet whose name most people don't know. The book won the 2017 Neumann Prize and the Middleton Prize from IEEE—recognition that means a lot to me because it suggests Shannon's story reached the audience it deserved. Fortune magazine called it a "charming account of one of the twentieth century's most distinguished scientists," which I hope Shannon would have appreciated.
ROME'S LAST CITIZEN: The Life and Legacy of Cato began with a question that wouldn't leave me alone: how did a stubbornly principled Roman senator become the philosophical north star for America's founding fathers? Writing about Cato meant descending into the chaotic final days of the Roman Republic—a world of political street fights, eloquent last stands, and moral certainty amid moral collapse. What fascinated me was how Cato's uncompromising character (his contemporaries found him simultaneously impossible and essential) created a template for principled opposition that echoes through history. Jefferson, Adams, and Washington all looked to him; today's political figures still invoke his name. There's something deeply compelling about a man who refused to bend even when it would have saved his life—especially in our age of endless compromise.
JANE'S CAROUSEL allowed me to collaborate with the late, great Jane Walentas herself—an extraordinary woman who spent decades painstakingly restoring a 1922 carousel, scraping away 62 years of paint with her own hands to reveal the original splendor beneath. What began as a simple preservation project evolved into a 27-year odyssey that transformed both the carousel and Brooklyn's waterfront. Working with Jane before her passing was a master class in patience, vision, and the quiet heroism of artistic dedication. The carousel—now housed in a glass jewel box between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges—stands as her legacy, a testament to the power of seeing beauty where others saw only decay. In its meticulous restoration, I found a metaphor for what I try to do with words: bring forgotten brilliance back into the light.
Speaking and ghostwriting
Beyond books, I've had the privilege of ghostwriting for some of the nation's leading voices in business, politics, and media. Several books have became #1 New York Times bestsellers, though the details of those collaborations remain between me and my clients. I've also crafted commencement speeches, inaugural addresses, and keynotes for voices I deeply respect.
Speaking to audiences about innovation, entrepreneurship, and the digital revolution has become another unexpected joy. There's something energizing about connecting historical breakthroughs to today's challenges—watching people make connections between Claude Shannon's information theory and their own company's data challenges, or between PayPal's early team dynamics and their startup's growing pains.
For speaking inquiries, collaboration opportunities, or just to connect, reach me at jimmyasoni [@] gmail.com
Writing Life
I sometimes joke that I'm in the resurrection business—bringing remarkable minds back to life through words. My daughter thinks this sounds morbid. She may be right. But there's something about illuminating forgotten genius or capturing lightning-in-a-bottle moments of innovation that keeps me awake at night.
When I write, I'm trying to answer questions that haunt me: How did Shannon's mathematical theory make your smartphone possible? What unlikely alchemy transformed PayPal from a failing company into a launching pad for some of tech's greatest entrepreneurs? Why does a Roman philosopher from 2,000 years ago still have something to teach us about moral courage?
If you're curious about these kinds of questions too—about the people and ideas that shape our world—then perhaps we're kindred spirits. Consider this a standing invitation to the conversation. We might just learn something interesting together.
