Modern Wisdom
Book Recommendations

Modern Wisdom

Life is hard. This podcast will help. Lessons from the greatest thinkers on the planet with Chris Williamson. Including guests like David Goggins, Dr Jordan Peterson, Naval Ravikant, Sam Harris, Jocko Willink, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Julie Smith, Steven Bartlett, Ryan Holiday, Robert Greene, Matthew...

Episodes 547
Books 621

Recently mentioned

Latest Recommendations

Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization cover

Transcend

Scott Barry Kaufman

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1062 - Dave Evans - It’s time to rethink your entire life plan

This book was mentioned as being a nice work by Scott Barry Kaufman, who is noted for being big into Maslow's stuff.

Scott Barry Kaufman did a good job on that. His book, Transcend, was real nice. And he's big into Maslow's stuff.

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How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Every Day cover

How to Live a Meaningful Life

Bill Burnett

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1062 - Dave Evans - It’s time to rethink your entire life plan

Dave Evans mentioned that he and his partner wrote this book as a direct response to what people meant when they talked about lacking meaning, primarily focusing on impact and fulfillment.

Get Dave Evans' new Book - 'How to Live A Meaningful Life' here: https://designingyourlife.link/how-to-live-a-meaningful-life/chris

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Transitions (40th Anniversary Edition): Making Sense of Life's Changes cover

Transitions (40th Anniversary Edition)

William Bridges

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1062 - Dave Evans - It’s time to rethink your entire life plan

This book was mentioned as an eighties self-help classic explaining that transitions are three steps: an ending, a neutral zone, and then a new beginning.

William Bridges wrote the book, transitions, making life, making sense of life's big changes. So he posits years ago is an eighties self-help classic. It's a good book. Um, based on Erickson's work that, um, uh, changes are outside in realities that happen to you. Transitions are the internal experience of managing them.

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If You're In My Office, It's Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together cover

If You're In My Office, It's Already Too Late

James J. Sexton

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1059 - James Sexton - Divorce Lawyer: “Give her a prenup on the 3rd date”

The book was mentioned as the speaker's work, providing advice on how to be good at love and stay in a relationship. It was suggested that seeing this book in someone's home might indicate things are going well, unlike books focused solely on self-improvement or business.

You can get How to Stay in Love anywhere where fine books are sold. You can listen to it on Audible or download that.

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: 30th Anniversary Edition (The Covey Habits Series) cover

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covey

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1059 - James Sexton - Divorce Lawyer: “Give her a prenup on the 3rd date”

This book was mentioned as an example of something one might see in the home of a successful person who seems to be 'crushing it,' implying it's associated with high achievement.

If you walk into Galloway's home and you see Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you would go, look at this guy.

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The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business cover

The Power of Habit

Charles Duhigg

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1059 - James Sexton - Divorce Lawyer: “Give her a prenup on the 3rd date”

This book was mentioned alongside 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' as something associated with someone who is highly successful and disciplined.

you see Power of Habit by Dering, you see, you would go, look at this guy.

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Notes on Being a Man cover

Notes on Being a Man

Scott Galloway

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1059 - James Sexton - Divorce Lawyer: “Give her a prenup on the 3rd date”

The speaker noted that he liked this book but felt it could have been half the length if the author had omitted the 'throat clearing and land acknowledgements' from every chapter.

I loved Notes on Being a Man. Like, I think it's a great book. But I said that if you removed the throat clearing and land acknowledgements from every chapter, it would have been like half the length.

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Anxiously Attached: Becoming More Secure in Life and Love cover

Anxiously Attached

Jessica Baum LMHC

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1057 - Matthew Hussey - How to Know When to Leave a Relationship

It was mentioned as Jessica Baum's first book, in the context of her having a new book out called 'Safe'.

I learned from Jessica Baum's first book, Anxiously Attached. She's got a new one out called Safe.

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Safe: An Attachment-Informed Guide to Building More Secure Relationships cover

Safe

Jessica Baum LMHC

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1057 - Matthew Hussey - How to Know When to Leave a Relationship

This was mentioned as Jessica Baum's new book, following her first one, 'Anxiously Attached'.

She's got a new one out called Safe. You should bring her on the show.

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Hacking the Human Mind: The behavioral science secrets behind 17 of the world's best brands cover

Hacking the Human Mind

Richard Shotton

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1053 - Richard Shotton - 11 Psychology Tricks From the World’s Best Brands

This book co-authored by Richard Shotton and Michael Aaron Flickr examined 17 different brands, with each chapter dedicated to one brand and the behavioral science principles it utilized for success.

A new book, yeah. So co-authored with Michael Aaron Flickr, it's called Hacking the Human Mind. 17 brands, each chapter is about a brand. And then we look at two, maybe three behavioral science principles that brand has used to power its success.

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Junglekeeper: What It Takes to Change the World cover

Junglekeeper

Paul Rosolie

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1052 - Paul Rosolie - Uncontacted Tribes, Jungle Warfare & Being Eaten Alive

The speaker mentioned this book detailed his entire journey, from being a frustrated kid to achieving massive conservation goals, including meeting uncontacted tribes and protecting large tracts of rainforest. He shared how Jane Goodall endorsed the book, which he felt helped launch his career and his conservation organization.

This is the whole story. This is from the frustrated kid to... And it's crazy because I wish I had a time machine now to go back because, you know, 18 years old, getting on the plane for the first time, leaving for the Amazon, never in a million years would I imagine that we would have, you know, caught the biggest anaconda and met the uncontacted tribes.

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What We Owe the Future cover

What We Owe the Future

William MacAskill

Mentioned 5 months ago

#1052 - Paul Rosolie - Uncontacted Tribes, Jungle Warfare & Being Eaten Alive

The speaker mentioned this book by William McCaskill discusses the philosophy of long-termism and an ethical inheritance owed to unborn humans, noting the author is perhaps the youngest tenured philosophy professor.

William McCaskill, who was the youngest tenured philosophy professor in history, I think. He's a Scottish guy. Youngest maybe that was alive right now. He wrote a book called What We Owe the Future.

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Most Recommended

Undeniable: How to Reach the Top and Stay There Cover

Cameron Hanes

Undeniable

How to Reach the Top and Stay There

Chris praised the new release as awesome and highlighted its upcoming May 6 launch.

"

Undeniable, which is a new one which is fucking awesome.

— Episode: #940 - Cameron Hanes - The Harsh Price O...

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Episode: #940 - Cameron Hanes - The Harsh Price Of Extreme...

Chris praised the new release as awesome and highlighted its upcoming May 6 launch.

"

Undeniable, which is a new one which is fucking awesome.

Undeniable is available everywhere, it ships on May 6th.

The book release is usually pretty predictable; last time they had Endure, it got up to number seven on the New York Times, I was the bestseller of those, but it was an editorial.

The End of Woke: How the Culture War Went Too Far and What to Expect from the Counter-Revolution Cover

Andrew Doyle

The End of Woke

How the Culture War Went Too Far and What to Expect from the Counter-Revolution

Andrew Doyle said he had written the book and referenced its arguments several times during the episode.

"

I wrote a book called The End of Woke, but as you know, I think you've read it.

— Episode: #1002 - Andrew Doyle - Political Violenc...

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Episode: #1002 - Andrew Doyle - Political Violence & The Lu...

Andrew Doyle said he had written the book and referenced its arguments several times during the episode.

"

I wrote a book called The End of Woke, but as you know, I think you've read it.

In my book I quote two people saying the same thing - one a former Conservative Prime Minister and the other a leftwing actor - to illustrate how both sides claim to be 'woke'.

As I say in the book, the argument is that authoritarianism will reemerge on the right after the decline of wokeness.

Fight Oligarchy Cover

Senator Bernie Sanders

Fight Oligarchy

Sanders explained that his book examines the rise of oligarchy in the United States, highlighting extreme income and wealth inequality and the concentration of power among a few wealthy individuals and corporations.

"

Fight Oligarchy by Senator Bernie Sanders out now.

— Episode: #1010 - Bernie Sanders - Who Actually Ru...

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Episode: #1010 - Bernie Sanders - Who Actually Runs the US...

Sanders explained that his book examines the rise of oligarchy in the United States, highlighting extreme income and wealth inequality and the concentration of power among a few wealthy individuals and corporations.

"

Fight Oligarchy by Senator Bernie Sanders out now.

So that's what the book that I wrote deals with.

That book is about... it's about oligarchy in the United States, the concentration of wealth and political power in the hands of a few.

The Period Brain: The New Science of Why We PMS and How to Fix It: A Manifesto for Women – An Expert Roadmap to the Luteal Phase and Progesterone Cover

Sarah E. Hill Ph.D

The Period Brain

The New Science of Why We PMS and How to Fix It

It explained how hormones change women's behavior across the menstrual cycle and offered a blueprint for the second half of the cycle.

"

as it turns out, and as I talk a lot about in the new book, The Period Brain, is these things do change across the cycle, right?

— Episode: #992 - Dr Sarah Hill - The Period Brain:...

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Episode: #992 - Dr Sarah Hill - The Period Brain: How Hormo...

It explained how hormones change women's behavior across the menstrual cycle and offered a blueprint for the second half of the cycle.

"

as it turns out, and as I talk a lot about in the new book, The Period Brain, is these things do change across the cycle, right?

one of the things that really inspired me to write this book is ... it was a biologist ... why women should feel terrible half the time ... I wanted to provide a blueprint for the second half of the cycle so that women can have a really great full 28 days of the cycle

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth Cover

Zoë Schlanger

The Light Eaters

How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth

Annaka mentioned a new book by Zoe Schlanger titled The Light Eaters, describing how plants "eat" light.

"

there's a new book. Her name is Zoe Schlanger and she wrote a book called The Light Eaters, which is so poetic and beautiful because plants eat light.

— Episode: #927 - Annaka Harris - Unpacking The Mys...

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Episode: #927 - Annaka Harris - Unpacking The Mystery Of Co...

Annaka mentioned a new book by Zoe Schlanger titled The Light Eaters, describing how plants "eat" light.

"

there's a new book. Her name is Zoe Schlanger and she wrote a book called The Light Eaters, which is so poetic and beautiful because plants eat light.

How to Love Better: The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion Cover

Yung Pueblo

How to Love Better

The Path to Deeper Connection Through Growth, Kindness, and Compassion

The author's new book was announced as a bridge between personal growth and relationships, and listeners were encouraged to find it in bookstores or online.

"

my new book How to Love Better which is basically a bridge between personal growth and new harmony and relationships you can find that in bookstores on amazon wherever you know wherev...

— Episode: #915 - Yung Pueblo - The Art Of Unlockin...

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Episode: #915 - Yung Pueblo - The Art Of Unlocking Your Inn...

The author's new book was announced as a bridge between personal growth and relationships, and listeners were encouraged to find it in bookstores or online.

"

my new book How to Love Better which is basically a bridge between personal growth and new harmony and relationships you can find that in bookstores on amazon wherever you know wherever books are

you can check out new book you everything that you do online where should they go uh they can come on instagram young pueblo y-u-n-g underscore p-u-e-b-l-o um also on sub stack and my new book How to Love Better

The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life Cover

Sahil Bloom

The 5 Types of Wealth

A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life

The book was described as a selfhelp guide that offers a wealthscore quiz and encourages readers to ask the right questions to improve multiple dimensions of wealth, not just money.

"

the book is out now everywhere books are sold. The5typesofwealth.com You can find more info, get it on Amazon, wherever it is.

— Episode: #899 - Sahil Bloom - The Harsh Truth Abo...

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Episode: #899 - Sahil Bloom - The Harsh Truth About Money &...

The book was described as a selfhelp guide that offers a wealthscore quiz and encourages readers to ask the right questions to improve multiple dimensions of wealth, not just money.

"

the book is out now everywhere books are sold. The5typesofwealth.com You can find more info, get it on Amazon, wherever it is.

so in the book, there's a wealth score quiz. So this is the way of actually assessing where you exist on this broader definition of wealth beyond just money. You can actually go to wealthscorequiz.com and we have an online version that creates this nice visual for you as a baseline.

the first opening pages, I say that it will not give you the answers. And it's a little scary to say that at the start of a book, but it's the truth because you already have the answers. You just haven't asked the right questions yet about your life.

the whole thing is a selfhelp, selfimprovement book where the first pages tell you it won't give you the answers because you already have them inside; the rest of the book forces you to wrestle with the right questions for your life.

the book is an odd thing, but it is a selfhelp, selfimprovement book where the entire thing is about asking the right questions for your life.

It Begins with You: The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life Cover

Jillian Turecki

It Begins with You

The 9 Hard Truths About Love That Will Change Your Life

The host explained that she titled her book "It Begins With You" because no one stands in your way more than yourself, emphasizing personal responsibility in relationships.

"

I started the book and named it, It Begins with You, because no one is going to stand in your way more than you.

— Episode: #893 - Jillian Turecki - 9 Harsh Truths...

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Episode: #893 - Jillian Turecki - 9 Harsh Truths About How...

The host explained that she titled her book "It Begins With You" because no one stands in your way more than yourself, emphasizing personal responsibility in relationships.

"

I started the book and named it, It Begins with You, because no one is going to stand in your way more than you.

yeah well of course my book It Begins with You which I

The Way of the Superior Man (Chinese Edition) Cover

David Deida

The Way of the Superior Man (Chinese Edition)

It was cited as a source that described how passions that once excited people can lose their spark over time.

"

David Data talks about this in the way the superior man, he says, the passions that used to light you up no longer feel exciting.

— Episode: #1007 - Dr K HealthyGamer - The Toxic Fu...

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Episode: #1007 - Dr K HealthyGamer - The Toxic Fuel That’s...

It was cited as a source that described how passions that once excited people can lose their spark over time.

"

David Data talks about this in the way the superior man, he says, the passions that used to light you up no longer feel exciting.

Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World Cover

Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Tiny Experiments

How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World

She said the book covered many of the topics discussed in the episode and was available for purchase wherever books are sold.

"

So people can find my book, Tiny Experiments, anywhere books are sold. I talk about a lot of the topics that we discuss together in it. And I have a newsletter at nestlabs.com, which...

— Episode: #957 - Anne-Laure Le Cunff - How To Live...

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Episode: #957 - Anne-Laure Le Cunff - How To Live Freely In...

She said the book covered many of the topics discussed in the episode and was available for purchase wherever books are sold.

"

So people can find my book, Tiny Experiments, anywhere books are sold. I talk about a lot of the topics that we discuss together in it. And I have a newsletter at nestlabs.com, which I send every Thursday.

Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence Cover

David Benatar

Better Never to Have Been

The Harm of Coming into Existence

Benatar's antinatalism book was described as arguing that bringing people into existence is immoral, with a focus on the asymmetry between pain and pleasure.

"

David Benatar is the sort of superstar of antinatalism. He wrote a book called Better Never to Have Been, which sounds like one of these sort of, you know, I'm about to write about ho...

— Episode: #1012 - Alex O’Connor & Joe Folley - Is...

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Episode: #1012 - Alex O’Connor & Joe Folley - Is Being Smar...

Benatar's antinatalism book was described as arguing that bringing people into existence is immoral, with a focus on the asymmetry between pain and pleasure.

"

David Benatar is the sort of superstar of antinatalism. He wrote a book called Better Never to Have Been, which sounds like one of these sort of, you know, I'm about to write about how terrible life is.

The Sirens of Titan: A Novel Cover

Kurt Vonnegut

The Sirens of Titan

A Novel

He identified it as his personal favorite Vonnegut novel, preferring it over SlaughterhouseFive.

"

Sirens of Titans is my favorite.

— Episode: #884 - Nick Pollard - How To Stop Being...

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Episode: #884 - Nick Pollard - How To Stop Being Such A Peo...

He identified it as his personal favorite Vonnegut novel, preferring it over SlaughterhouseFive.

"

Sirens of Titans is my favorite.

The Trading Game: A Confession Cover

Gary Stevenson

The Trading Game

A Confession

The host mentioned Gary Stevenson's book *The Trading Game* as an example of a work that discusses behavioral economics and market strategies.

"

Now, one thing I thought was extraordinarily interesting as an idea is that ... Gary Stevenson ... The Trading Game.

— Episode: #904 - Rory Sutherland - The Secret Weap...

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Episode: #904 - Rory Sutherland - The Secret Weapons Of Mar...

The host mentioned Gary Stevenson's book *The Trading Game* as an example of a work that discusses behavioral economics and market strategies.

"

Now, one thing I thought was extraordinarily interesting as an idea is that ... Gary Stevenson ... The Trading Game.

The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better Cover

Will Storr

The Science of Storytelling

Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better

It was mentioned as a book written by Will Storr, cited together with his other titles.

"

Will Storr, do you know him? He wrote The Science of Storytelling, The Status Game. So he was on the show yesterday, his new book, A Story is a Deal.

— Episode: #948 - Matt Abrahams - The Secret To Bec...

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Episode: #948 - Matt Abrahams - The Secret To Becoming A Co...

It was mentioned as a book written by Will Storr, cited together with his other titles.

"

Will Storr, do you know him? He wrote The Science of Storytelling, The Status Game. So he was on the show yesterday, his new book, A Story is a Deal.

Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Commitment: A Way to Be Fully Together Without Giving Up Yourself Cover

Gay Hendricks

Conscious Loving

The Journey to Co-Commitment

The hosts recalled that Oprah invited them on her show to discuss their book, Conscious Loving, and later the host noted the book on his bookshelf with its subtitle about being fully oneself in a relationship.

"

And at that point, my life kind of went into the spin cycle on the washing machine and has just recently slowed down a little bit. But during all of that time, Katie and I not only had our own relatio...

— Episode: #983 - Gay Hendricks - Deeply Connected...

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Episode: #983 - Gay Hendricks - Deeply Connected Relationsh...

The hosts recalled that Oprah invited them on her show to discuss their book, Conscious Loving, and later the host noted the book on his bookshelf with its subtitle about being fully oneself in a relationship.

"

And at that point, my life kind of went into the spin cycle on the washing machine and has just recently slowed down a little bit. But during all of that time, Katie and I not only had our own relationship, but we also worked with about 4,500 couples and more probably in our seminars. And then one day a rising young selfhelp TV person named Oprah called us and invited us on her show with our book, Conscious Loving.

I'm just looking over at my bookshelf. And the subtitle is how to be fully yourself and in relationship at the same time. How to be fully together without giving up yourself.

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning Cover

Peter C. Brown

Make It Stick

The Science of Successful Learning

The book was mentioned as a reference while discussing productivity and learning techniques.

"

David Allen was coming on and Peter C. Brown that wrote Make It Stick.

— Episode: #840 - Oliver Burkeman - 8 Unexpected Le...

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Episode: #840 - Oliver Burkeman - 8 Unexpected Lessons To B...

The book was mentioned as a reference while discussing productivity and learning techniques.

"

David Allen was coming on and Peter C. Brown that wrote Make It Stick.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less Cover

Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Rest

Why You Get More Done When You Work Less

The book was cited as a source of research on optimal deepwork durations and the benefits of rest.

"

Alex Pang has written brilliantly about this in his book Rest.

— Episode: #840 - Oliver Burkeman - 8 Unexpected Le...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: #840 - Oliver Burkeman - 8 Unexpected Lessons To B...

The book was cited as a source of research on optimal deepwork durations and the benefits of rest.

"

Alex Pang has written brilliantly about this in his book Rest.

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos Cover

Jordan B. Peterson

12 Rules for Life

An Antidote to Chaos

The host noted that Jordan Peterson's wellknown book "12 Rules for Life" was referenced during the conversation.

"

I think that a lot of the sort of recent vacuum ... the 12 Rules for Life.

— Episode: #845 - Ben Shapiro - Has America Complet...

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Episode: #845 - Ben Shapiro - Has America Completely Lost I...

The host noted that Jordan Peterson's wellknown book "12 Rules for Life" was referenced during the conversation.

"

I think that a lot of the sort of recent vacuum ... the 12 Rules for Life.

The Queen's Code Cover

Alison Armstrong

The Queen's Code

The book was highlighted as a core work that explains how women can understand men and was referenced multiple times throughout the episode.

"

Well, that's why Keys of the Kingdom and The Queen's Code and the sequel to The Queen's Code, which will be The King's Code.

— Episode: #1026 - Alison Armstrong - How to Treat...

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Episode: #1026 - Alison Armstrong - How to Treat Men Better

The book was highlighted as a core work that explains how women can understand men and was referenced multiple times throughout the episode.

"

Well, that's why Keys of the Kingdom and The Queen's Code and the sequel to The Queen's Code, which will be The King's Code.

Have you listened to or read The Queen's Code?

Okay. So, do you remember the line in there where Mike says to his wife, Karen, I'm always trying to impress you?

VERSE AND PROSE IN PEACE AND WAR 1920 Cover

William Noel Hodgson

VERSE AND PROSE IN PEACE AND WAR 1920

Sheehan introduced the collection as a book by the WWI soldier William Noel Hodgson and read a poem from it, highlighting its emotional power.

"

It's called Verse and Prose in Peace and War by William Noel Hodgson. Now, William Noel Hodgson, he was a soldier in the First World War.

— Episode: #1022 - Sheehan Quirke - How Did The Mod...

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Episode: #1022 - Sheehan Quirke - How Did The Modern World...

Sheehan introduced the collection as a book by the WWI soldier William Noel Hodgson and read a poem from it, highlighting its emotional power.

"

It's called Verse and Prose in Peace and War by William Noel Hodgson. Now, William Noel Hodgson, he was a soldier in the First World War.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.