The Daily Stoic
Book Recommendations

The Daily Stoic

For centuries, all sorts of people—generals and politicians, athletes and coaches, writers and leaders—have looked to the teachings of Stoicism to help guide their lives. Each day, author and speaker Ryan Holiday brings you a new lesson about life, inspired by the thoughts and writings of great Stoi...

Episodes 2,240
Books 1,272
India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy [Hardcover] [Jul 10, 2017] Ramachandra Guha Cover

Ramachandra Guha

India After Gandhi

The History of the World's Largest Democracy [Hardcover] [Jul 10, 2017] Ramachandra Guha

This book, focusing on India after Gandhi, was described as amazing and one of the best biographies the speaker had read in a long time. It was mentioned in relation to the author's other book about Gandhi's years in India.

"

his second volume in the series about Gandhi's years in India is also amazing I'm talking about Ramashandran Guha he goes by Ram he is a fantastic writer these are two of the best biographies I've rea...

— Episode: Ramachandra Guha on Gandhi’s Extraordina...

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Episode: Ramachandra Guha on Gandhi’s Extraordinary Life an...

This book, focusing on India after Gandhi, was described as amazing and one of the best biographies the speaker had read in a long time. It was mentioned in relation to the author's other book about Gandhi's years in India.

"

his second volume in the series about Gandhi's years in India is also amazing I'm talking about Ramashandran Guha he goes by Ram he is a fantastic writer these are two of the best biographies I've read in a very long time

Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson Cover

S. C. Gwynne

Rebel Yell

The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson

It is a book about Stonewall Jackson that was described as really good.

"

Sam's book, Rebel Yell about Stonewall Jackson is really good.

— Episode: Sam Gwynne On Progress, War, And Zeppeli...

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Episode: Sam Gwynne On Progress, War, And Zeppelins

It is a book about Stonewall Jackson that was described as really good.

"

Sam's book, Rebel Yell about Stonewall Jackson is really good.

The Good Kings: Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World Cover

Kara Cooney

The Good Kings

Absolute Power in Ancient Egypt and the Modern World

Dr. Kara Cooney discussed her book, exploring ancient Egyptian rulers and examining whether absolute power corrupts absolutely, considering if there were exceptions to this rule and looking forward to a potential post-patriarchal world.

"

I begin it and end it with is this the power we want, we get the power we deserve

— Episode: Dr. Kara Cooney on the Power Strategies...

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Episode: Dr. Kara Cooney on the Power Strategies of the Anc...

Dr. Kara Cooney discussed her book, exploring ancient Egyptian rulers and examining whether absolute power corrupts absolutely, considering if there were exceptions to this rule and looking forward to a potential post-patriarchal world.

"

I begin it and end it with is this the power we want, we get the power we deserve

we don't want a bigger piece of the pie we want a different pie

Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip - Book One Cover

Tove Jansson

Moomin

The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip - Book One

These cartoon books were mentioned as providing a vision of family life the podcast host admired.

"

one of the books would be um toviancine's movement comics do you know the moments for like this little like cartoon character family and I read those books when I think my youngest was like three two...

— Episode: Austin Kleon On Maintaining Healthy Habi...

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Episode: Austin Kleon On Maintaining Healthy Habits, Growin...

These cartoon books were mentioned as providing a vision of family life the podcast host admired.

"

one of the books would be um toviancine's movement comics do you know the moments for like this little like cartoon character family and I read those books when I think my youngest was like three two or three and I read these books and I was like this is where I want to live like this is what I don't want this is what I want my house to look like like there's movement pop up there's movement mama and there's no so um like I like the game and I like the we even have gang like lingo like we have a lexicon on our house I like I always I love that families do you ever think about like in your family or like where you grew up like did you have weird words that no one else would understand or like weird phrases and stuff like that like we have something on our house that I just love and I'm like this is it this is like the best ticket you know this is good this is good no one has this good to do right yeah it's not the one book it has it better than us yeah I love that part of the book

The Handbook Cover

Konahwhaka

The Handbook

Translated as a defensive weapon against adversity, it details Epictetus's life of resilience and strength despite hardship, including slavery, torture, and exile. The new translation by Robin Waterfield was specifically mentioned.

"

This book has a weird title, it's a word you wouldn't recognize, it's a word you don't immediately know how to pronounce. And it translates in a kind of strange context but basically it means a defens...

— Episode: Are You Willing To Be Taught? | 11 Stoi...

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Episode: Are You Willing To Be Taught? | 11 Stoic Books Th...

Translated as a defensive weapon against adversity, it details Epictetus's life of resilience and strength despite hardship, including slavery, torture, and exile. The new translation by Robin Waterfield was specifically mentioned.

"

This book has a weird title, it's a word you wouldn't recognize, it's a word you don't immediately know how to pronounce. And it translates in a kind of strange context but basically it means a defensive weapon, it means at hand.

I'm talking about epictetus's in Curidian, a handbook, which was seen as a defensive weapon against adversity and difficulty in the blows of fate.

Epictetus born a slave, he enters incredible adversity and difficulty, he's tortured, he walks with a limp his whole life, he serves in the corrupt, decadent court of Nero and then is eventually exiled.

But from all this difficulty in adversity, epictetus cultivates a life of resilience and strength, and fortitude and honor.

This is a new translation by Robin Waterfield, it's got all this stuff in here. If you haven't read epictetus, if you're doing yourself into service, you're not as strong or as well armed as you could be, you must read this book.

A Night to Remember Cover

Walter Lord

A Night to Remember

The book, "A Night to Remember," recounts the sinking of the Titanic and was discussed as a parallel to Captain Crozier's experience, highlighting the importance of clear communication and taking ownership of potential problems.

"

I've been talking about this book recently but have you read Walter Lord's book about the sinking of the Titanic A Night to Remember

— Episode: Brett Crozier On Bravery, Impossible Dec...

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Episode: Brett Crozier On Bravery, Impossible Decisions And...

The book, "A Night to Remember," recounts the sinking of the Titanic and was discussed as a parallel to Captain Crozier's experience, highlighting the importance of clear communication and taking ownership of potential problems.

"

I've been talking about this book recently but have you read Walter Lord's book about the sinking of the Titanic A Night to Remember

I don't think I've read that one though it's it's it's incredible I'll send it to you

Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business Cover

Danny Meyer

Setting the Table

The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

The book "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer was favorably mentioned. The host expressed appreciation for the book and indicated carrying it around at one point.

"

I love Danny Myers book which I carried at the paint of porch called Setting the Table.

— Episode: Chef Kwame Onwuachi on Overcoming Advers...

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Episode: Chef Kwame Onwuachi on Overcoming Adversity and Pu...

The book "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer was favorably mentioned. The host expressed appreciation for the book and indicated carrying it around at one point.

"

I love Danny Myers book which I carried at the paint of porch called Setting the Table.

Days Of Grace: A Memoir Cover

Arthur Ashe

Days Of Grace

A Memoir

The podcast host highly recommends Arthur Ashe's autobiography, "Days of Grace," emphasizing the letter Ashe wrote to his daughter, Camera, before his death. The letter's practicality and emotional depth were highlighted.

"

i love to quote what i think is the greatest book of leadership of the 20th century which is the godfather by mario prusado and uh in the book don cor leone says don't make the mistake of hating your...

— Episode: Admiral James Stavridis on James Stockda...

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Episode: Admiral James Stavridis on James Stockdale and the...

The podcast host highly recommends Arthur Ashe's autobiography, "Days of Grace," emphasizing the letter Ashe wrote to his daughter, Camera, before his death. The letter's practicality and emotional depth were highlighted.

"

i love to quote what i think is the greatest book of leadership of the 20th century which is the godfather by mario prusado and uh in the book don cor leone says don't make the mistake of hating your enemies it clouds your judgment and that is so true again this isn't about whether it's ethically morally right or wrong to lose your temper i happen to believe it is ethically and morally wrong in the in the failure to treat others as we would be treated ourselves it's a failure but here i'm making the case pragmatically why it's a very good idea not to lose your temper for the host of reasons we've just explored

i cannot commend it more highly to people what what strikes you most about the letter i'm a huge arthur ash fan but i haven't i haven't read this first that he would write it in such a kind of practical way and ash was a practical kind of thinker he wasn't a hugely emotional person and the letter is full of very specific admonitions to camera about about dating about um what would happen to her growing up as an african-american about her mother and her it's a very moving in that it's very practical it's very moving in that it also hits some grace notes that are that will pluck at your heartstrings as any such letter will do and then thirdly simply knowing it's from arthur ash and as you alluded to what he uh overcame in his life kind of the male version of althea gibson the great first african-american who went through all this ash sailed in her wake truly but was always very cognizant of it and um he manages to capture all this in just a lovely letter he has a great expression that he tries to play physically loose but mentally tight which i think sort of is a great way to to do any sort of high performance elite activity

The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You Cover

Eli Pariser

The Filter Bubble

What the Internet Is Hiding from You

It was mentioned as one of many books that Mark Zuckerberg should read; the context suggests it's a book offering insightful commentary.

"

By the way there are plenty of books at Suckerberg ought to read these days in that vein, including amusing ourselves to death, the storm before the storm, the brass check, The Filter Bubble

— Episode: You’d Be A Fool To Not Do This

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: You’d Be A Fool To Not Do This

It was mentioned as one of many books that Mark Zuckerberg should read; the context suggests it's a book offering insightful commentary.

"

By the way there are plenty of books at Suckerberg ought to read these days in that vein, including amusing ourselves to death, the storm before the storm, the brass check, The Filter Bubble and trust me online.

Tropic of Cancer Cover

Henry Miller

Tropic of Cancer

It was described as a highly controversial and influential book that inspired James Frey's ambition to become a writer. Its notoriety and boldness were highlighted.

"

And I remember when I when I read Tropic of Cancer kind of like the Dow I couldn't believe it existed. I couldn't believe somebody wrote it. I couldn't believe somebody put those word...

— Episode: James Frey on Turning Chaos Into Success

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: James Frey on Turning Chaos Into Success

It was described as a highly controversial and influential book that inspired James Frey's ambition to become a writer. Its notoriety and boldness were highlighted.

"

And I remember when I when I read Tropic of Cancer kind of like the Dow I couldn't believe it existed. I couldn't believe somebody wrote it. I couldn't believe somebody put those words down and lived the life that allowed them to feel and know how to put those words down.

Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most Cover

Greg McKeown

Effortless

Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most

Described as a fitting sequel to Essentialism, focusing on simplifying life and making it easier to focus on what matters. The speaker highlighted the book's relevance in a stressful world and its message of finding easier paths to achieve goals.

"

And his new book, which just came out Effortless, Make It Easy to Do What Matters is a very fitting sequel.

— Episode: Greg McKeown on Doing Less and Getting M...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Greg McKeown on Doing Less and Getting More

Described as a fitting sequel to Essentialism, focusing on simplifying life and making it easier to focus on what matters. The speaker highlighted the book's relevance in a stressful world and its message of finding easier paths to achieve goals.

"

And his new book, which just came out Effortless, Make It Easy to Do What Matters is a very fitting sequel.

The frame is life is hard in all sorts of ways, in hundreds of different ways and in unique particular ways for people. And the complication is that we make it even harder still, harder than it needs to be.

And I feel like that just has the power of relevancy right now.

And so I began the process for what has become Effortless.

Believe in People: Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World Cover

Charles G. Koch

Believe in People

Bottom-Up Solutions for a Top-Down World

It was described as a provocative book, and highly recommended for its ideas around bottom-up solutions and empowering people. The author's blurb for the book was read aloud.

"

If you don't Believe in People, what do you believe in?

— Episode: Charles & Chase Koch on the Power of Pri...

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Episode: Charles & Chase Koch on the Power of Principles

It was described as a provocative book, and highly recommended for its ideas around bottom-up solutions and empowering people. The author's blurb for the book was read aloud.

"

If you don't Believe in People, what do you believe in?

This is a provocative book for the moment. Highly recommend.

Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World Cover

H. R. McMaster

Battlegrounds

The Fight to Defend the Free World

This book provides an overview of critical foreign policy and national security challenges facing the United States. The author discussed the concept of "Strategic Empathy" within the book, which he views as a stoic concept.

"

He's the author of two books, as I said, Derilection of Duty and most recently Battlegrounds, The Fight to Defend the Free World.

— Episode: Lt. General H.R. McMaster on Strategic E...

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Episode: Lt. General H.R. McMaster on Strategic Empathy and...

This book provides an overview of critical foreign policy and national security challenges facing the United States. The author discussed the concept of "Strategic Empathy" within the book, which he views as a stoic concept.

"

He's the author of two books, as I said, Derilection of Duty and most recently Battlegrounds, The Fight to Defend the Free World.

We talk about this great concept in his new book called Strategic Empathy, which I think is a very stoic concept.

And please check out his book, Derilection of Duty and his new one, Battlegrounds, The Fight to Defend the Free World.

Yeah, I read about this in Battlegrounds about how I took with me into the White House at a determination to at least make different mistakes than those that I had written about during the period in which Vietnam became an American War.

I tell the story of when I was when I was leaving to go to the White House quite unexpectedly right the president hired me on you know president's day in 2017 after interview of Mar-a-Lago and uh and I flew back on Air Force One I didn't live in Washington so they flew me on Osprey aircraft back to my house I packed a bag and I went to work the next day you know in the west wing of the White House but my future son-in-law was visiting us and I was pulling all these books down off my shelf to take with me he goes hey what should we be packing clothes instead of books like why are you taking all these books with you and I said well whenever you know I take on a new job I try to learn from the experiences of those you know who had that responsibility previously

Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church Cover

Megan Phelps-Roper

Unfollow

A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church

This memoir details the author's experiences growing up in and leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. The podcast host highly recommended the book as being worth reading.

"

She has a book that came out a few years ago about these experiences that's very much worth reading called Unfollow, A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.

— Episode: Megan Phelps-Roper on Radicalization and...

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Episode: Megan Phelps-Roper on Radicalization and Redemptio...

This memoir details the author's experiences growing up in and leaving the Westboro Baptist Church. The podcast host highly recommended the book as being worth reading.

"

She has a book that came out a few years ago about these experiences that's very much worth reading called Unfollow, A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.

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