The Ezra Klein Show
Book Recommendations

The Ezra Klein Show

Ezra Klein invites you into a conversation on something that matters. How do we address climate change if the political system fails to act? Has the logic of markets infiltrated too many aspects of our lives? What is the future of the Republican Party? What do psychedelics teach us about consciousne...

Episodes 550
Books 1,781
Travels with Charley: In Search of America Cover

John Steinbeck

Travels with Charley

In Search of America

Tom Hanks recalled having read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley in junior high, mentioning a memorable scene from the book.

"

I've read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie. Oh I love that book. That's a great book and there's a scene that I remember in reading that I'm going to say ...

— Episode: What Tom Hanks Thinks of America

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Episode: What Tom Hanks Thinks of America

Tom Hanks recalled having read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley in junior high, mentioning a memorable scene from the book.

"

I've read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charlie. Oh I love that book. That's a great book and there's a scene that I remember in reading that I'm going to say ...

The Bonfire of the Vanities: A Novel Cover

Tom Wolfe

The Bonfire of the Vanities

A Novel

The hosts discussed Tom Wolfe's satirical novel about 1980s urban American life and noted its enduring relevance.

"

Tom Wolfe ... The Bonfire of the Vanities

— Episode: The Hidden Politics of Disorder

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Episode: The Hidden Politics of Disorder

The hosts discussed Tom Wolfe's satirical novel about 1980s urban American life and noted its enduring relevance.

"

Tom Wolfe ... The Bonfire of the Vanities

Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls Cover

Lisa Damour Ph.D.

Under Pressure

Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls

The host referenced Under Pressure as Damour's recent work that discusses the growing stress and anxiety epidemic among teenage girls.

"

So a couple years back, you wrote this book, Under Pressure, and I want to read a quote from it. You write, A recent report from the American Psychological Association found that adol...

— Episode: The Teen Mental Health Crisis, Part 2

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Episode: The Teen Mental Health Crisis, Part 2

The host referenced Under Pressure as Damour's recent work that discusses the growing stress and anxiety epidemic among teenage girls.

"

So a couple years back, you wrote this book, Under Pressure, and I want to read a quote from it. You write, A recent report from the American Psychological Association found that adolescents can no longer be characterized as an exuberant time of life full of carefree experimentation, except for during the summer months. Today's teens now, for the first time, feel more stressed than their parents do.

Lisa DeMoore is a clinical psychologist. She's the author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers and the book Under Pressure.

The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 Cover

Christopher Clark

The Sleepwalkers

How Europe Went to War in 1914

He recommended it as an older history of how Europe slipped into World WarI, showing how small steps by leaders led to a massive conflict, useful for comparing escalation risks.

"

Chris Clark's The Sleepwalkers, How Europe Went to War in 1914, is a wonderful history book about the origins of the First World War.

— Episode: A Realist Take on How the Russia-Ukraine...

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Episode: A Realist Take on How the Russia-Ukraine War Could...

He recommended it as an older history of how Europe slipped into World WarI, showing how small steps by leaders led to a massive conflict, useful for comparing escalation risks.

"

Chris Clark's The Sleepwalkers, How Europe Went to War in 1914, is a wonderful history book about the origins of the First World War.

Clark shows the perspectives of all the main actors and how nobody wanted a war, yet step by small step we ended up there, making it a valuable comparison for thinking about escalation risks.

Future Shock Cover

Alvin Toffler

Future Shock

They mentioned Future Shock as a famous 1970s book that popularized the phrase "information overload."

"

there was that famous book from the 70s called Future Shock that sold like millions of copies and popularized the phrase information overload

— Episode: Hard Fork: Elon’s Hidden Motives + A Mee...

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Episode: Hard Fork: Elon’s Hidden Motives + A Meetup in the...

They mentioned Future Shock as a famous 1970s book that popularized the phrase "information overload."

"

there was that famous book from the 70s called Future Shock that sold like millions of copies and popularized the phrase information overload

Pirate Enlightenment, or the Real Libertalia Cover

David Graeber

Pirate Enlightenment, or the Real Libertalia

It explored a speculative pirate confederacy in Madagascar, using thin evidence to imagine pirate democracy.

"

The first one is Pirate Enlightenment by the late David Graeber. The subtitle is The Real Libertalia. It's about this interesting confederated pirate federation, kind of decentralized government theor...

— Episode: What Communes and Other Radical Experime...

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Episode: What Communes and Other Radical Experiments in Liv...

It explored a speculative pirate confederacy in Madagascar, using thin evidence to imagine pirate democracy.

"

The first one is Pirate Enlightenment by the late David Graeber. The subtitle is The Real Libertalia. It's about this interesting confederated pirate federation, kind of decentralized government theoretically in Madagascar.

Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most Cover

Rafael A. Mangual

Criminal (In)Justice

What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most

He highlighted the book as a forthcoming work that critiques decarceration and depolicing, noting the author's compassionate and urgent writing style.

"

My brilliant colleague Ralph Manguel has a book coming out in late July called Criminal Injustice, what the push for decarceration and depolicing gets wrong and who it hurts most.

— Episode: A Conservative's View on Democrats' Bigg...

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Episode: A Conservative's View on Democrats' Biggest Weakne...

He highlighted the book as a forthcoming work that critiques decarceration and depolicing, noting the author's compassionate and urgent writing style.

"

My brilliant colleague Ralph Manguel has a book coming out in late July called Criminal Injustice, what the push for decarceration and depolicing gets wrong and who it hurts most.

In addition to being just a superb writer and thinker and scholar, Ralph is someone who I think writes with great compassion and moral urgency.

And the Band Played on: Politics, People, And the AIDS Epidemic Cover

Randy Shilts

And the Band Played on

Politics, People, And the AIDS Epidemic

The host described it as the definitive authoritative history of the publichealth debacle that sparked the HIV/AIDS crisis, noting its importance for learning what not to do in a pandemic.

"

One is a book called And the Band Played on by Randy Schultz, which is I think the definitive authoritative history of the public health debacle that fueled the HIV AIDS crisis.

— Episode: Democrats: Pay Attention to What’s Happe...

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Episode: Democrats: Pay Attention to What’s Happening in Ca...

The host described it as the definitive authoritative history of the publichealth debacle that sparked the HIV/AIDS crisis, noting its importance for learning what not to do in a pandemic.

"

One is a book called And the Band Played on by Randy Schultz, which is I think the definitive authoritative history of the public health debacle that fueled the HIV AIDS crisis.

Debt: The First 5,000 Years,Updated and Expanded Cover

David Graeber

Debt

The First 5,000 Years,Updated and Expanded

He described it as a longterm view of debt systems, arguing that debt always concerns power.

"

And I'd recommend another book, David Graeber's Debt the First 5,000 Years, which looks at what you do with Debt systems from a very long term perspective, and makes...

— Episode: Is Trump ‘Detoxing’ the Economy or Poiso...

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Episode: Is Trump ‘Detoxing’ the Economy or Poisoning It?

He described it as a longterm view of debt systems, arguing that debt always concerns power.

"

And I'd recommend another book, David Graeber's Debt the First 5,000 Years, which looks at what you do with Debt systems from a very long term perspective, and makes a point about the fact that Debt is always about power.

The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century Cover

Deborah Blum

The Poison Squad

One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

She highlighted The Poison Squad as an excellent biography of a USDA chemist who helped establish the FDA and foodsafety regulations.

"

Another one is Deb Blum's Poison Squad. And this is like an excellent look through a biography of one of the former chemists at the USDA who did research that helped lead to the establishment of the F...

— Episode: GLP-1s and the ‘Wild West’ of Wellness

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Episode: GLP-1s and the ‘Wild West’ of Wellness

She highlighted The Poison Squad as an excellent biography of a USDA chemist who helped establish the FDA and foodsafety regulations.

"

Another one is Deb Blum's Poison Squad. And this is like an excellent look through a biography of one of the former chemists at the USDA who did research that helped lead to the establishment of the FDA and a lot of the food regulations and other types of consumer protection laws that we have.

Mothers of Massive Resistance: White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy Cover

Elizabeth Gillespie McRae

Mothers of Massive Resistance

White Women and the Politics of White Supremacy

The work was highlighted as a study of how history teaching has become a battleground over white supremacy.

"

Elizabeth McCray's fantastic work, Mothers of Massive Resistance, documents how important teaching history has been as a battleground for white supremacy.

— Episode: Are We Witnessing the Mainstreaming of W...

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Episode: Are We Witnessing the Mainstreaming of White Power...

The work was highlighted as a study of how history teaching has become a battleground over white supremacy.

"

Elizabeth McCray's fantastic work, Mothers of Massive Resistance, documents how important teaching history has been as a battleground for white supremacy.

Stalin: Paradoxes of Power, 1878-1928 Cover

Stephen Kotkin

Stalin

Paradoxes of Power, 1878-1928

The guest said they had just begun reading Kotkin's first volume on Stalin, describing it as a remarkable and narratively engaging long slog.

"

the book that I have just started, and it's a long slog, so I'm not so far through it, is Steve Kotkin's first in his series on Stalin. ... it's remarkable. I love reading that book b...

— Episode: Why Russia Is Losing the War in Ukraine

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Episode: Why Russia Is Losing the War in Ukraine

The guest said they had just begun reading Kotkin's first volume on Stalin, describing it as a remarkable and narratively engaging long slog.

"

the book that I have just started, and it's a long slog, so I'm not so far through it, is Steve Kotkin's first in his series on Stalin. ... it's remarkable. I love reading that book because it's one where I feel like I can hear the author almost like narrating.

Bad Feminist: Essays Cover

Roxane Gay

Bad Feminist

Essays

The concluding segment again listed Bad Feminist as one of the titles authored by Roxane Gay.

"

Roxanne Gay is a contributing opinion writer and the author of multiple books, including Hunger and Bad Feminist.

— Episode: The Argument: Who Can Write About What?

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Episode: The Argument: Who Can Write About What?

The concluding segment again listed Bad Feminist as one of the titles authored by Roxane Gay.

"

Roxanne Gay is a contributing opinion writer and the author of multiple books, including Hunger and Bad Feminist.

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body Cover

Roxane Gay

Hunger

A Memoir of (My) Body

In the closing remarks, the host identified Roxane Gay as the author of several books, specifically naming Hunger among them.

"

Roxanne Gay is a contributing opinion writer and the author of multiple books, including Hunger and Bad Feminist.

— Episode: The Argument: Who Can Write About What?

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Argument: Who Can Write About What?

In the closing remarks, the host identified Roxane Gay as the author of several books, specifically naming Hunger among them.

"

Roxanne Gay is a contributing opinion writer and the author of multiple books, including Hunger and Bad Feminist.

The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World Cover

David Deutsch

The Beginning of Infinity

Explanations That Transform the World

It was recommended as an optimistic, cosmicscale exploration of problemsolving that emphasized endless possibilities.

"

I recommend David Deutsch's The Beginning of Infinity. It's basically optimism at a cosmic level, and it's full of the realization that there are always problems, and there are soluti...

— Episode: Stewart Brand, Silicon Valley’s Favorite...

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Episode: Stewart Brand, Silicon Valley’s Favorite Prophet,...

It was recommended as an optimistic, cosmicscale exploration of problemsolving that emphasized endless possibilities.

"

I recommend David Deutsch's The Beginning of Infinity. It's basically optimism at a cosmic level, and it's full of the realization that there are always problems, and there are solutions.

A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness Cover

Nassir Ghaemi

A First-Rate Madness

Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness

The host reported that Mick Mulvaney, Trump's third chief of staff, suggested aides read this book to understand leadership and mental illness.

"

Mick Mulvaney, Trump's third chief of staff, he recommended aides read the book, A First-Rate Madness, uncovering the links between leadership and mental illness.

— Episode: What’s Wrong With Donald Trump?

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Episode: What’s Wrong With Donald Trump?

The host reported that Mick Mulvaney, Trump's third chief of staff, suggested aides read this book to understand leadership and mental illness.

"

Mick Mulvaney, Trump's third chief of staff, he recommended aides read the book, A First-Rate Madness, uncovering the links between leadership and mental illness.

Becoming Ms. Burton: From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women Cover

Susan Burton

Becoming Ms. Burton

From Prison to Recovery to Leading the Fight for Incarcerated Women

Ezra highlighted the memoir, noting Burton's multiple incarcerations and her eventual work building a network of homes for women.

"

The second one that I'll mention is a book by Susan Burton called Becoming Ms. Burton. She was incarcerated many times and later built a network of homes for women.

— Episode: Violent Crime Is Spiking. Do Liberals Ha...

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Episode: Violent Crime Is Spiking. Do Liberals Have an Answ...

Ezra highlighted the memoir, noting Burton's multiple incarcerations and her eventual work building a network of homes for women.

"

The second one that I'll mention is a book by Susan Burton called Becoming Ms. Burton. She was incarcerated many times and later built a network of homes for women.

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself (Limited Edition Premium Hardcover) Cover

Joe Dispenza

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself (Limited Edition Premium Hardcover)

Adams highlighted the book as part of Dr. Dispenza's series, noting its impact on changing personal habits and mindset.

"

But the second was Dr. Dispenza's series. His books are amazing. Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, You Are the Placebo.

— Episode: Eric Adams Has a Message for the Democra...

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Episode: Eric Adams Has a Message for the Democratic Party

Adams highlighted the book as part of Dr. Dispenza's series, noting its impact on changing personal habits and mindset.

"

But the second was Dr. Dispenza's series. His books are amazing. Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, You Are the Placebo.

The Phantom Tollbooth Cover

Norton Juster

The Phantom Tollbooth

A beloved children's novel that follows a bored boy's fantastical journey through a land of wordplay and numbers, teaching the value of curiosity.

"

The Phantom Tollbooth.

— Episode: Should We Dim the Sun? Will We Even Have...

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Episode: Should We Dim the Sun? Will We Even Have a Choice?

A beloved children's novel that follows a bored boy's fantastical journey through a land of wordplay and numbers, teaching the value of curiosity.

"

The Phantom Tollbooth.

The Last Whole Earth Catalog: Access To Tools Cover

Stewart Brand

The Last Whole Earth Catalog

Access To Tools

It was described as a seminal 1960s publication that served as a "Bible" for a generation and was likened to Google in paperback form.

"

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called the Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the Bibles of my generation. It was sort of like Google in paperback form 35 years before Google cam...

— Episode: Stewart Brand, Silicon Valley’s Favorite...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Stewart Brand, Silicon Valley’s Favorite Prophet,...

It was described as a seminal 1960s publication that served as a "Bible" for a generation and was likened to Google in paperback form.

"

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called the Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the Bibles of my generation. It was sort of like Google in paperback form 35 years before Google came along.

It was pretty big. Actually, bookstores complained about it because it's about as big as a laptop now. Basically, folio-sized.

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