The Shawn Ryan Show
Book Recommendations

The Shawn Ryan Show

The "Shawn Ryan Show" is hosted by Shawn Ryan, former U.S. Navy SEAL, CIA Contractor, and Founder of Vigilance Elite. We tell REAL stories about REAL people from all walks of life. We discuss the ups and downs, wins and losses, successes and struggles, the good and bad in a respectful but candid way...

Episodes 386
Books 310
Born Twice: Memoir of a Special Forces SOG Warrior Cover

Dale Hanson

Born Twice

Memoir of a Special Forces SOG Warrior

The book was highlighted during an interview with the author, who explained that it recounts his and his comrades' MACV‑SOG missions and the extreme casualty rate, noting the survival odds were one in 4,000. The title was said to reflect a spiritual rebirth as well as the profound change he experienced after Vietnam. The discussion presented the memoir as a compelling account of special‑forces warfare.

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Episode: #260 Dale Hanson - Why MACV-SOG Had an 85% Casualt...

The speaker's first book, which detailed his missions and those of his comrades in MACV SOG. The title was inspired by the concept of being 'born again' spiritually, and also reflecting how he was not the same person after his experiences in Vietnam where the odds of survival were one in 4000.

"

author of numerous books including Born Twice and SOG missions to the well which you detail your missions and those of your comrades

you're born again which is how I got the title for my first song book you know

SOG Missions to the Well Cover

Dale Hanson

SOG Missions to the Well

In episode 260, host Shawn Ryan talked with Dale Hanson about the book’s title, explaining that it was inspired by the biblical story of King David’s men fetching water and was meant to symbolize the selfless sacrifices of SOG soldiers. Hanson described it as his second work on SOG missions, detailing his own experiences and those of his comrades, and the discussion highlighted the book’s focus on personal cost and heroism as a valuable continuation of his earlier writings.

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Episode: #260 Dale Hanson - Why MACV-SOG Had an 85% Casualt...

The second book written by Dale Hanson, which was named after the biblical story of King David's men fighting through the Philistine army to bring him water from the well in Bethlehem. This title referenced the selfless acts done at great personal cost for others, a theme the author felt applied to the sacrifices made by SOG soldiers.

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author of numerous books including Born Twice and SOG Missions to the Well which you detail your missions and those of your comrades

the second SOG book is a SOG, Missions to the Well.

And that's how I came up with the title of the book, Emissions to the Well.

In the Company of Heroes Cover

Michael Durant

In the Company of Heroes

The retired 160th SOAR pilot discussed the book during his interview, noting that he co‑authored it after 9/11 and that it centered on survival and leadership lessons drawn from his experience. He highlighted the collaborative writing process and the relevance of its themes for readers interested in resilience. The conversation presented the title as a valuable resource for understanding leadership under extreme conditions.

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Episode: #259 Mike Durant - 160th SOAR Pilot Who Survived B...

The retired pilot co-authored this book, which focused on themes of survival and leadership, published sometime after 9/11.

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When I wrote my book, one of the things my co-writer and I disagreed about, you know, it was, it was not long after 9-11 when I wrote the book.

SOG Codename Dynamite: A MACV-SOG 1-0's Personal Journal Cover

Henry L. Thompson

SOG Codename Dynamite

A MACV-SOG 1-0's Personal Journal

The episode featured the author, a former MACV‑SOG operator, who discussed his two‑book series that revealed top‑secret missions previously classified for two decades. He highlighted how the journal provides a personal view into covert operations and the unique codename "Dynamite". The host introduced the work as an insider account of historic missions.

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Episode: #227 Henry Dick Thompson - MACV-SOG Operator, Code...

The guest was the author of the "SOG Codename Dynamite" two-book series, which detailed his top-secret missions that remained classified for 20 years.

"

Author of SOG, codenamed Dynamite, a two-book series about top-secret missions that were once classified for 20 years.

The Stress Effect: Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions--And What to Do About It Cover

Henry L. Thompson

The Stress Effect

Why Smart Leaders Make Dumb Decisions--And What to Do About It

The host highlighted the guest's book as a guide for leaders to improve decision‑making under pressure, noting the author's PhD in psychology and experience in high‑stress environments. It was presented as a valuable resource for anyone looking to navigate stressful situations more effectively.

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Episode: #227 Henry Dick Thompson - MACV-SOG Operator, Code...

The guest authored this book to teach leaders about making decisions while under pressure.

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A PhD in psychology, founder of High-Performing Systems, and author of The Stress Effect, teaching leaders how to make decisions under pressure.

The Liber Christo Method: A Field Manual for Spiritual Combat Cover

Daniel R. Schneider

The Liber Christo Method

A Field Manual for Spiritual Combat

During an interview with author Dan Schneider, a former U.S. Army pilot turned exorcist assistant, The Liber Christo Method was discussed as an accomplished field manual. The conversation highlighted its practical utility, noting that the book provides 'guerrilla warfare' tactics and details five key strategies specifically designed for spiritual combat.

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Episode: #224 Dan Schneider - U.S. Army Attack Helicopter P...

The book offered practical "guerrilla warfare" tactics for spiritual battles, detailing five key strategies for spiritual combat. It was discussed as an accomplished work in the field of spiritual warfare.

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Your book, The Libra Christo Method, a field manual for spiritual combat.

Spiritual Warfare Q and A: For Priests and Laity Cover

Dan Schneider

Spiritual Warfare Q and A

For Priests and Laity

The book was highlighted as a forthcoming release slated for August, described as offering practical guidelines for modern Catholics aiming to become stronger soldiers for Christ. Host Shawn Ryan noted that the author, Dan Schneider, had assisted with Father Gabriel Amorth’s official biography and was now providing this resource for both priests and laity. The discussion conveyed a positive endorsement of its usefulness for spiritual warfare.

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Episode: #224 Dan Schneider - U.S. Army Attack Helicopter P...

This book was mentioned as coming out in August and was intended to provide practical guidelines for contemporary Catholics looking to become better soldiers for Christ. The speaker mentioned assisting in the official biography of Father Gabriel Amorth, which led to this book.

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Author of another book coming out soon, Spiritual Warfare Q&A. Priests and laity? Laity.

Coming out in August provides practical guidelines for today's Catholics seeking to become better soldiers for Christ.

An Exorcist Tells His Story Cover

Gabriele Amorth

An Exorcist Tells His Story

In the episode, Dan Schneider highlighted the book as a notably good account, noting that he had assisted in cleaning up its English translation from Italian. He described it as offering vivid details of the exorcist's daily routine, including performing six to eight exorcisms a day. The positive remarks indicated a strong endorsement of the title.

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Episode: #224 Dan Schneider - U.S. Army Attack Helicopter P...

This book by the famous exorcist was mentioned as being quite good, and the speaker had helped clean up the English translation, which was translated from Italian. The book reportedly contained the exorcist's experiences, including doing six to eight exorcisms a day for years.

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And Father Gabriel the Morth, whose book that I did the developmental editing, it was written in Italian and translated in English by an English speaker that was more Italian by this point than he was English. So I had helped clean it up and got to know the life of this. He's a famous exorcist. . . his books are, An Exorcist Tells His Story.

Charlie Mike: A Novel Cover

Leonard B. Scott

Charlie Mike

A Novel

In the episode, Dan Schneider highlighted the book as a vivid account of Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B. Scott's Vietnam experiences, noting his role as the airfield commander. He described the title as fantastic, indicating strong endorsement. The discussion centered on the author's firsthand military perspective and its compelling storytelling.

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Episode: #224 Dan Schneider - U.S. Army Attack Helicopter P...

This book was mentioned in connection with the author's airfield commander in Iraq, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B Scott, who wrote about his experiences in Vietnam.

"

Charlie Mike was Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B Scott. He wrote a book called Charlie Mike, Ranger Vietnam, about his story in Vietnam. He was our airfield commanders. Fantastic.

Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life Cover

Jim Murphy

Inner Excellence

Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life

In episode 221, guest Joe Pyfer noted that the book was a must‑read for athletes, citing his coach’s influence. He admitted he usually struggles with reading but found this title engaging and valuable for training the mind. The discussion highlighted its relevance to performance and personal development, conveying a strong endorsement.

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Episode: #221 Joe Pyfer - UFC 17-Sec KO Secrets, Meeting Mi...

The guest mentioned reading this book for athletes, suggesting it was a must-read influenced by his coach. He admitted to finding reading difficult but did engage with this particular book.

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I've been reading this book called Inner Excellence. I think for athletes, it's a must read.

Citizenville: How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government Cover

Gavin Newsom

Citizenville

How to Take the Town Square Digital and Reinvent Government

The book was highlighted as promoting digital governance in California and beyond, emphasizing the idea of taking the town square digital. The discussion noted its relevance to modernizing government services.

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Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves Cover

George M. Church

Regenesis

How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves

The book was brought up while discussing George Church's role as an expert in synthetic biology and his involvement in founding Colossal. Charles Hoskinson noted that Church had authored numerous papers and books on the subject, citing this title as a key work. The mention highlighted the author's authority rather than providing a detailed endorsement.

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Episode: #215 Charles Hoskinson - Cardano Founder on the Se...

George Church, who co-founded Colossal with Ben Lamb, authored this book on synthetic biology. He had written numerous papers and books on the subject before starting the company.

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George Church, the guy that started Colossal with him, like was an expert in this area. He wrote all the books on synthetic biology, like Regenesis was one book and over a thousand papers and these things.

Treasury's War: The Unleashing of a New Era of Financial Warfare Cover

Juan Zarate

Treasury's War

The Unleashing of a New Era of Financial Warfare

In the episode, Charles Hoskinson highlighted the book as a compelling explanation of how post‑9/11 counter‑terrorism reshaped financial monitoring, effectively turning accountants into frontline warriors. He noted that it illustrated how efforts to track financial flows unintentionally eroded privacy, framing modern financial warfare as a pervasive, non‑traditional battlefield.

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Episode: #215 Charles Hoskinson - Cardano Founder on the Se...

This book explained how the counter-terrorism efforts following 9/11 led to a pervasive understanding of financial flows, inadvertently removing privacy from the system.

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There's this wonderful book from Ron Saurat called Treasury's War. And it says, hey, the GWAT wasn't just fought on a battlefield. It was fought by accountants.

Irreducible: Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature Cover

Federico Faggin

Irreducible

Consciousness, Life, Computers, and Human Nature

The book was highlighted by Charles Hoskinson, who praised it as a great work by the microprocessor inventor. He noted that it explored deep topics such as the incompleteness theorem and the limits of provability in mathematics, linking them to consciousness and human nature. The discussion presented the title as a thought‑provoking read for listeners interested in AI and fundamental science.

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Episode: #215 Charles Hoskinson - Cardano Founder on the Se...

Federico Fagan, the inventor of the microprocessor, wrote this book discussing concepts like the incompleteness theorem and the limits of provability in math.

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There's great books. One is Irreducible from Federico Fagan. And he was the inventor of the microprocessor that talks about this.

How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking Cover

Sönke Ahrens

How to Take Smart Notes

One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking

The book was referenced during a discussion of the Zettelkasten system for personal knowledge management, with Charles Hoskinson noting its usefulness for linked knowledge organization. He described it as a lovely resource that explains the technique. The mention highlighted the book as a valuable guide for improving writing, learning, and thinking.

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Episode: #215 Charles Hoskinson - Cardano Founder on the Se...

The speaker mentioned this book while discussing the Zettelkasten system for personal knowledge management, emphasizing the importance of linked knowledge organization.

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There's a whole system for this called Zettelkasten, which was Ludmann's system. There's a lovely book, How to Take Smart Notes, that talks about it.

The Glass Factory Cover

Braxton McCoy

The Glass Factory

During the episode, Braxton McCoy talked about the book as a personal account of his experiences, noting that it covered what he missed while deployed in Iraq. He referenced having written it some time ago, but did not elaborate further on its content or impact. The discussion was brief and primarily served to acknowledge the title rather than recommend it.

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Episode: #213 Braxton McCoy - Why is the US Government Sell...

The author wrote this book about his experiences, which included writing about what he missed back in the world while deployed in Iraq.

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I wrote about it in my book. However long ago I wrote that freaking book.

Birthright: The Coming Posthuman Apocalypse and the Usurpation of Adam's Dominion on Planet Earth Cover

Timothy Alberino

Birthright

The Coming Posthuman Apocalypse and the Usurpation of Adam's Dominion on Planet Earth

In the episode, the host introduced the title as the author’s bestselling work that explores biblical narratives linked to artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and UFO disclosure, and the author elaborated on its themes of a destroyed planet referenced in Old Testament oracles. The discussion highlighted the book’s focus on interpreting ancient texts to address modern existential questions.

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Episode: #206 Timothy Alberino - Lost Chinkana City: The Gr...

This book was mentioned as Timothy Alberino's bestselling work that delves into biblical narratives concerning artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and UFO disclosure.

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A author, whose books Bright-Rite and your edition of the Book of Enoch deep dive into humanity's origins and ancient mysteries.

And I know this, if there's Christians listening to this podcast, they're going to be thinking, what in the world is he talking about? But there's a reference, there are references to Rahab. Rahab. Rahab. And I think that this is a planet that, that was, that was crushed like a vessel of clay, um, broken like a vessel of clay that, that God crushed Rahab and he smote the dragon.

And, and I do this in my book, Birthright, you can trace in the biblical narrative in, you know, in the, in the, in the oracles of the Old Testament, you can trace this narrative in which I believe there's references to this planet that was destroyed.

The Books of Enoch Complete LARGE PRINT (Illustrated): 1, 2 & 3 Enoch With Authentic Illustrations, Insightful Introductions and Commentary Cover

Reverent Press

The Books of Enoch Complete LARGE PRINT (Illustrated)

1, 2 & 3 Enoch With Authentic Illustrations, Insightful Introductions and Commentary

The book was highlighted when the guest showcased his edition, noting its extensive commentary and concept art that focused on the Watchers narrative. Shawn Ryan praised it for offering a deep dive into humanity's origins and ancient mysteries, emphasizing its insightful introductions and illustrations. The discussion positioned the title as a valuable resource for listeners interested in these topics.

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Episode: #206 Timothy Alberino - Lost Chinkana City: The Gr...

The guest presented his edition of the Book of Enoch, which includes commentary and concept art focusing on the Book of the Watchers.

"

A author, whose books Bright-Rite and your edition of the Book of Enoch deep dive into humanity's origins and ancient mysteries.

Cydonia: The Secret Chronicles of Mars Cover

David E. Flynn

Cydonia

The Secret Chronicles of Mars

In episode 206, guest Timothy Alberino highlighted the book as one of the most consequential he had ever read, noting its detailed account of cyclic cataclysms linked to the Zodiac. He emphasized that it provided unique information about planetary cycles and was pivotal to his perspective. The overall tone was strongly endorsing the title.

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Episode: #206 Timothy Alberino - Lost Chinkana City: The Gr...

This book was described by the guest as one of the most consequential books he had ever read, providing information related to cyclic cataclysms tracked by the Zodiac.

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And, this, by the way, a lot of this information, uh, comes from one of the most consequential books I've ever read. No, the most consequential book I've ever read in my life. It's called Cydonia, The Secret Chronicles of Mars by the late David Flynn.

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic Cover

Sam Quinones

Dreamland

The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic

In the episode, Timothy Alberino referenced the book as a well‑written account that supported Bob Lazar’s testimony about an anti‑matter reactor. He described it as a “really good” work and suggested it provided credible details. The host’s comment conveyed a positive endorsement, indicating the title was highly recommended for listeners interested in the subject.

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Episode: #206 Timothy Alberino - Lost Chinkana City: The Gr...

The book was mentioned in the context of Bob Lazar's testimony regarding his alleged work on an anti-matter reactor and Element 115 in a recovered saucer.

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He wrote a really good book called Dreamland where he describes all of this. I personally believe that Bob Lazar is telling the truth.

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