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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...

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Books 1,807

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The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China cover

The Avoidable War

Kevin Rudd

Mentioned 1 week ago

What Xi Jinping Wants

Ezra Klein noted that Kevin Rudd is the author of this book, highlighting Rudd's work on China and Xi Jinping.

He's also the author of The Avonable War.

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The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping (Stanford–Hoover Series on Authoritarianism) cover

The Party's Interests Come First

Joseph Torigian

Mentioned 1 week ago

What Xi Jinping Wants

Ezra Klein recommended this book about Xi Jinping's father, calling it a great read.

There's a great book by Joseph Torigian, The Party's Interests Come First, The Life of Xi Zhongxin, Father of Xi Jinping. It's a great book and a great read.

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The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao cover

The Souls of China

Ian Johnson

Mentioned 1 week ago

What Xi Jinping Wants

Ezra Klein recommended Ian Johnson's book on the resurgence of religion in modern China, describing it as a great read.

The second is Ian Johnson, The Souls of China, The Return of Religion After Mao. It's about what has occurred on the grounds, in the grassroots with the rise of various forms of Taoism, Buddhism, Protestant Christianity, and other forms of religious belief as a reaction to the uber-materialism of, let's call it, China's ideological orthodoxy. And that is a great read.

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The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change cover

The Beginning Comes After the End

Rebecca Solnit

Mentioned 1 week ago

The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate

The book was mentioned as a prominent political essay by RebeccaSolnit, suggested as essential reading.

Rebecca Solnit pound for pound maybe our best political essayist and her book The Beginning Comes After the End

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Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization cover

Here Comes the Sun

Bill McKibben

Mentioned 1 week ago

The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate

The host described it as McKibben's most recent book, framing it as a last chance for the climate and a fresh chance for civilization.

He writes the subsect of crucial years and his most recent book is Here Comes the Sun, a last chance for the climate and a fresh chance for civilization.

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The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary cover

The Glorians

Terry Tempest Williams

Mentioned 1 week ago

The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate

It was highlighted as a great nature essay written by Terry TempestWilliams.

Terry Tempest Williams great nature essayist a book called The Glorians

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The Carbon Wave: A Story of Democracy, Parenthood, and the Race to Protect Our Planet cover

The Carbon Wave

Leah C. Stokes

Mentioned 1 week ago

The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate

It was presented as a new book by Leah Stokes that tells the inside story of the Inflation Reduction Act and her work on utilities.

Leah Stokes maybe our leading expert on utilities played a huge role in getting the IRA through and she tells that story in a book called The Carbon Wave

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Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Conned the Public, and Broke Democracy cover

Brought to You By

Amy Westervelt

Mentioned 1 week ago

The Very Good and Very Bad News on Climate

The host cited it as Amy Westervelt's new book exposing how corporations have warped the truth about climate and energy.

Amy Westervelt tremendous freelance reporter on a lot of climate and energy issues and on larger things a new book called Brought to You By How Corporations Have Warped the Truth

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The Holocaust and the Nakba: A New Grammar of Trauma and History (Religion, Culture, and Public Life, 39) cover

The Holocaust and the Nakba

Bashir Bashir

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

A Radical Vision for Israelis and Palestinians

Rula said it was very important to understand the current situation and that the book, written before October7th, remained essential.

I decided to choose three books that are related to the conversation that we are having today the first one is The Holocaust and the Nakba edited by good colleagues and friends Bashir Bashir and Amos Goldberg it's very important to understand what's happening now it was written before October 7th and the genocide in Gaza but it's still very important essential book

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States of Denial: Knowing about Atrocities and Suffering cover

States of Denial

Stanley Cohen

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

A Radical Vision for Israelis and Palestinians

She described the book as a way to understand collective denial among Israelis and recommended it for insight.

the second is state of denials it's not about Israel Palestine but I claim all the time that the Israelis are suffering from severe denial collective denial and blindness and I'm trying to understand that and I think a lot of people need want maybe to understand and this book States of denial written by Stanley Cohen is very ... book

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Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine cover

Tomorrow Is Yesterday

Hussein Agha

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

A Radical Vision for Israelis and Palestinians

Rula mentioned the book as a lesson from past negotiations, recommending it for learning from mistakes.

the third is the Rob Malley book tomorrow is yesterday you know we're doing this as people on the ground who are committing to doing this bottom up work of building the movement and vision but they've been there in the negotiations learning from the mistakes and I think that is a practice we overlook and we need to really do more often learning from our mistakes

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A Psalm for the Wild-Built: A Monk and Robot Book (Monk & Robot, 1) cover

A Psalm for the Wild-Built

Becky Chambers

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

A Radical Vision for Israelis and Palestinians

She expressed surprise at the title but said she was grateful to have read it, noting its offgenre nature for her.

the psalm for the wild built it's a genre that I do you know this book ... I didn't expect it to pop up here yeah it's from a different world I which is very kind of off genre for me but I'm so grateful that I have read it

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Most Recommended

Hollywood Babylon Cover

Kenneth Anger

Hollywood Babylon

Hussein called *Hollywood Babylon* a funny, underrated book that he enjoys reading for comic relief.

"

Hollywood Babylon. I find that very kind of, how should I say, amusing. It's a very funny book and I think Kenneth Anger is very underrated.

— Episode: Can the Israel-Hamas Deal Hold?

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Episode: Can the Israel-Hamas Deal Hold?

Hussein called *Hollywood Babylon* a funny, underrated book that he enjoys reading for comic relief.

"

Hollywood Babylon. I find that very kind of, how should I say, amusing. It's a very funny book and I think Kenneth Anger is very underrated.

See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love Cover

Valarie Kaur

See No Stranger

A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love

Ezra Klein presented it as a roadmap for overcoming deep societal divisions, emphasizing a vision that looks beyond differences to what unites people.

"

And finally, the last book I'll recommend is a book by my very good friend Valerie Kaur called See No Stranger. And if one of the challenges that we have here is overcoming the very d...

— Episode: Is This How a Cold War With China Begins...

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Episode: Is This How a Cold War With China Begins?

Ezra Klein presented it as a roadmap for overcoming deep societal divisions, emphasizing a vision that looks beyond differences to what unites people.

"

And finally, the last book I'll recommend is a book by my very good friend Valerie Kaur called See No Stranger. And if one of the challenges that we have here is overcoming the very deep divisions here in our society to figure out what is that kind of affirmative vision, that future that we want to create. Her book, I think, provides a roadmap to looking beyond the many things that divide us to thinking about what unites us.

Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World Cover

Srdja Popovic

Blueprint for Revolution

How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World

It was described as an updated guide to nonviolent activism, offering tactics for galvanizing communities and overthrowing authoritarian regimes. The guest found it highly relevant to today's social movements.

"

And the last one, it's called Blueprint for Revolution, How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Cha...

— Episode: ‘We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose o...

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Episode: ‘We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose of Educatio...

It was described as an updated guide to nonviolent activism, offering tactics for galvanizing communities and overthrowing authoritarian regimes. The guest found it highly relevant to today's social movements.

"

And the last one, it's called Blueprint for Revolution, How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World by Serja Popovich... I just think it's incredibly relevant today.

Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen Cover

Dan Heath

Upstream

The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen

Adams said he recently discovered and read Upstream, a book about applying upstream thinking to personal and societal problems.

"

And a book that I recently stumbled on after staying Upstream for so long, I just read a good book called Upstream.

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

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Episode: Eric Adams Has a Message for the Democratic Party

Adams said he recently discovered and read Upstream, a book about applying upstream thinking to personal and societal problems.

"

And a book that I recently stumbled on after staying Upstream for so long, I just read a good book called Upstream.

The Swerve: How the World Became Modern Cover

Stephen Greenblatt

The Swerve

How the World Became Modern

Tom Hanks suggested The Swerve, noting that it explains how the modern world began with the rediscovery of a lost Latin codex of Lucretius in 1417.

"

The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt how the modern world began it's about the discovery in 1417 of what had been a long lost latin book a codex of Lucretius that in 1417 more or less gav...

— Episode: What Tom Hanks Thinks of America

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Episode: What Tom Hanks Thinks of America

Tom Hanks suggested The Swerve, noting that it explains how the modern world began with the rediscovery of a lost Latin codex of Lucretius in 1417.

"

The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt how the modern world began it's about the discovery in 1417 of what had been a long lost latin book a codex of Lucretius that in 1417 more or less gave way to modern thinking and the advent of the renaissance.

The End of Nature Cover

Bill McKibben

The End of Nature

McKibben's 1989 book was highlighted as a seminal work comparable to Silent Spring and noted for its major impact on the climate movement.

"

His 1989 book The End of Nature, it's often compared to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and how big of an effect it had on this issue.

— Episode: Bill McKibben on the Power That Could Sa...

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Episode: Bill McKibben on the Power That Could Save the Pla...

McKibben's 1989 book was highlighted as a seminal work comparable to Silent Spring and noted for its major impact on the climate movement.

"

His 1989 book The End of Nature, it's often compared to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and how big of an effect it had on this issue.

The Mystery Of Capital Why Capitalism Succeeds In The West And Fails Everywhere Else Cover

Hernando De Soto

The Mystery Of Capital Why Capitalism Succeeds In The West And Fails Everywhere Else

She highlighted The Mystery of Capital, noting that de Soto argues private property rights are essential to the functioning of capitalism.

"

The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto reminds us of perpetual problems in the Western Hemisphere, the tension between socialism and capitalism, and specifically speaks about the importance of tit...

— Episode: I Asked a Former Trump Official to Justi...

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Episode: I Asked a Former Trump Official to Justify This Wa...

She highlighted The Mystery of Capital, noting that de Soto argues private property rights are essential to the functioning of capitalism.

"

The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto reminds us of perpetual problems in the Western Hemisphere, the tension between socialism and capitalism, and specifically speaks about the importance of titles to land, private property, and the foundations of what makes capitalism work.

Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI Cover

Yuval Noah Harari

Nexus

A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

Sullivan recommended Nexus for its thoughtful, if occasionally disagreeable, exploration of AI, noting it warns that humans are creating not just tools but autonomous agents.

"

The second is a book that I'm just partly through, but I actually I'll read the whole thing, ... which is Nexus by Yuval Hariri. ... it paints a picture of what we are going to be con...

— Episode: Biden Promised to ‘Turn the Page’ on Tru...

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Episode: Biden Promised to ‘Turn the Page’ on Trump. What W...

Sullivan recommended Nexus for its thoughtful, if occasionally disagreeable, exploration of AI, noting it warns that humans are creating not just tools but autonomous agents.

"

The second is a book that I'm just partly through, but I actually I'll read the whole thing, ... which is Nexus by Yuval Hariri. ... it paints a picture of what we are going to be contending with artificial intelligence that, frankly, is a little bit worrisome, but is also so deeply thoughtful. One of the points he makes is, for the first time, humans are inventing not a tool, but an agent.

Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered (Harper Perennial Modern Thought) Cover

E. F. Schumacher

Small Is Beautiful

Economics as if People Mattered (Harper Perennial Modern Thought)

Tim recommended Schumacher's classic as a guide to reorienting economics toward people rather than efficiency, arguing it helps define the kind of world we want to live in.

"

I'd start with E.F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful economics as if people mattered and I say that because it you know targets this question of what kind of world do we want to live i...

— Episode: Everything Wrong With the Internet and H...

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Episode: Everything Wrong With the Internet and How to Fix...

Tim recommended Schumacher's classic as a guide to reorienting economics toward people rather than efficiency, arguing it helps define the kind of world we want to live in.

"

I'd start with E.F. Schumacher's Small Is Beautiful economics as if people mattered and I say that because it you know targets this question of what kind of world do we want to live in.

The Emerging Democratic Majority (Lisa Drew Books) Cover

John B. Judis

The Emerging Democratic Majority (Lisa Drew Books)

Ruffini said his own book had been compared to this title, which itself referenced the earlier Emerging Republican Majority.

"

My book has been compared to books like The Emerging Democratic Majority, which in itself was a callback to the Emerging Republican Majority.

— Episode: The Book That Predicted the 2024 Electio...

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Episode: The Book That Predicted the 2024 Election

Ruffini said his own book had been compared to this title, which itself referenced the earlier Emerging Republican Majority.

"

My book has been compared to books like The Emerging Democratic Majority, which in itself was a callback to the Emerging Republican Majority.

Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis Cover

Beth Macy

Raising Lazarus

Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis

Macy's followup to Dope Sick was recommended as a thorough look at the ongoing opioid epidemic.

"

I recommend Beth Macy's followup to Dope Sick, which is called Raising Lazarus.

— Episode: Barbara Kingsolver Thinks Urban Liberals...

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Episode: Barbara Kingsolver Thinks Urban Liberals Have It A...

Macy's followup to Dope Sick was recommended as a thorough look at the ongoing opioid epidemic.

"

I recommend Beth Macy's followup to Dope Sick, which is called Raising Lazarus.

Breaking Twitter: Elon Musk and the Most Controversial Corporate Takeover in History Cover

Ben Mezrich

Breaking Twitter

Elon Musk and the Most Controversial Corporate Takeover in History

The guest described it as a look at how Elon Musk took over and changed Twitter.

"

I recently read Ben Mezrich's Breaking Twitter, which is basically how Musk broke Twitter.

— Episode: The Emergency Is Here

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Episode: The Emergency Is Here

The guest described it as a look at how Elon Musk took over and changed Twitter.

"

I recently read Ben Mezrich's Breaking Twitter, which is basically how Musk broke Twitter.

51 Imperfect Solutions: States and the Making of American Constitutional Law Cover

Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton

51 Imperfect Solutions

States and the Making of American Constitutional Law

Kate Shaw mentioned it as another practical guide for leveraging state constitutions to protect rights.

"

the other is called 51 Imperfect Solutions ... and those books are actually really useful starting points for how to think about and how to use state constitutions and state law when...

— Episode: A Guide to the Supreme Court's Rightward...

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Episode: A Guide to the Supreme Court's Rightward Shift

Kate Shaw mentioned it as another practical guide for leveraging state constitutions to protect rights.

"

the other is called 51 Imperfect Solutions ... and those books are actually really useful starting points for how to think about and how to use state constitutions and state law when the federal constitution is failing us.

The Martian: A Novel Cover

Andy Weir

The Martian

A Novel

It was presented as a wonderful pageturner fiction that inspired the line "science the shit out of it," illustrating the need for scientific rigor in problem solving. The host recommended it for its engaging storytelling.

"

And then I'll recommend a fiction book, which is The Martian, which is a wonderful page turner. Probably many of your audience have already read it. In particular, because it inspired...

— Episode: A Skeptical Take on the A.I. Revolution

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Episode: A Skeptical Take on the A.I. Revolution

It was presented as a wonderful pageturner fiction that inspired the line "science the shit out of it," illustrating the need for scientific rigor in problem solving. The host recommended it for its engaging storytelling.

"

And then I'll recommend a fiction book, which is The Martian, which is a wonderful page turner. Probably many of your audience have already read it. In particular, because it inspired a line in the film version of it, which is, I'm gonna need to science the shit out of it.

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Cover

Max Tegmark

Life 3.0

Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Tegmark examined the future of humanity in an age where artificial intelligence reshapes civilization.

"

I'm sure you probably know Max Tegmark's Life 3.0.

— Episode: This Philosopher Wants Liberals to Take...

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Episode: This Philosopher Wants Liberals to Take Political...

Tegmark examined the future of humanity in an age where artificial intelligence reshapes civilization.

"

I'm sure you probably know Max Tegmark's Life 3.0.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life Cover

William Finnegan

Barbarian Days

A Surfing Life

Ezra called it a beautifully written book about Finnegan's life as a surfer.

"

Another book that I just read that was just beautifully written was William Finnegan's Barbarian Days, Surfer's Life, I think is the subtitle, where he writes about his life.

— Episode: That Anxiety You’re Feeling? It’s a Habi...

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Episode: That Anxiety You’re Feeling? It’s a Habit You Can...

Ezra called it a beautifully written book about Finnegan's life as a surfer.

"

Another book that I just read that was just beautifully written was William Finnegan's Barbarian Days, Surfer's Life, I think is the subtitle, where he writes about his life.

The Missing Peace: The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace Cover

Dennis Ross

The Missing Peace

The Inside Story of the Fight for Middle East Peace

Ezra Klein also cited The Missing Peace as a third recommendation for listeners.

"

What are three books you'd recommend to the audience? ... The Missing Peace by Dennis Ross.

— Episode: The Best Primer I’ve Heard on Israeli-Pa...

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Episode: The Best Primer I’ve Heard on Israeli-Palestinian...

Ezra Klein also cited The Missing Peace as a third recommendation for listeners.

"

What are three books you'd recommend to the audience? ... The Missing Peace by Dennis Ross.

Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism Cover

Benedict Anderson

Imagined Communities

Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism

Ezra described this early80s work as a remarkable book that explains the origins of nationalism, noting its relevance to modern media habits.

"

The first one is Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities, which is still, I think it was written in the early 80s, but it's still this remarkable book that is able to explain why peo...

— Episode: Fareed Zakaria on Where Russia’s War in...

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Episode: Fareed Zakaria on Where Russia’s War in Ukraine St...

Ezra described this early80s work as a remarkable book that explains the origins of nationalism, noting its relevance to modern media habits.

"

The first one is Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities, which is still, I think it was written in the early 80s, but it's still this remarkable book that is able to explain why people are so nationalistic.

Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization Cover

Brad Wilcox

Get Married

Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization

Ezra Klein mentioned the upcoming book as an effort to prevent divorce and promote stronger family foundations.

"

Brad Wilcox who literally has a book called Get Married that's coming out and he really is trying to prevent divorce.

— Episode: What Relationships Would You Want, if Yo...

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Episode: What Relationships Would You Want, if You Believed...

Ezra Klein mentioned the upcoming book as an effort to prevent divorce and promote stronger family foundations.

"

Brad Wilcox who literally has a book called Get Married that's coming out and he really is trying to prevent divorce.

Mating Cover

Norman Rush

Mating

Jane described the novel as sublime, beautiful, funny, and an exploration of love, anthropology, science, and justice.

"

My first recommendation is Norman Rush's Mating, which is just-- I just read that. I love the first twothirds of it. In my view, that novel is sublime and beautiful and funny and an e...

— Episode: Is Decarbonization Dead?

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Is Decarbonization Dead?

Jane described the novel as sublime, beautiful, funny, and an exploration of love, anthropology, science, and justice.

"

My first recommendation is Norman Rush's Mating, which is just-- I just read that. I love the first twothirds of it. In my view, that novel is sublime and beautiful and funny and an exploration of love and anthropology and science and justice.

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