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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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

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

The Beginning Comes After the End

Rebecca Solnit

Mentioned 2 weeks 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

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

Here Comes the Sun

Bill McKibben

Mentioned 2 weeks 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.

Buy on Amazon
The Glorians: Visitations from the Holy Ordinary cover

The Glorians

Terry Tempest Williams

Mentioned 2 weeks 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

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

The Carbon Wave

Leah C. Stokes

Mentioned 2 weeks 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

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

Brought to You By

Amy Westervelt

Mentioned 2 weeks 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

Buy on Amazon
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

Buy on Amazon
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

Buy on Amazon
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

Buy on Amazon
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

Illiberal America: A History Cover

Steven Hahn

Illiberal America

A History

The host introduced Stephen Hahn's book as a work that tracks the historical threat of illiberalism in America, tracing it from the nation's founding onward. It was presented as the central focus of the episode's discussion.

"

My guest today is Stephen Hahn, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian at NYU. His book, Illiberal America, tracks this threat of American politics back to our founding and even before.

— Episode: The Very American Roots of Trumpism

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Very American Roots of Trumpism

The host introduced Stephen Hahn's book as a work that tracks the historical threat of illiberalism in America, tracing it from the nation's founding onward. It was presented as the central focus of the episode's discussion.

"

My guest today is Stephen Hahn, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian at NYU. His book, Illiberal America, tracks this threat of American politics back to our founding and even before.

Troubled Memory: Anne Levy, the Holocaust, and David Duke's Louisiana Cover

Lawrence N. Powell

Troubled Memory

Anne Levy, the Holocaust, and David Duke's Louisiana

The host described Powell's Troubled Memory as an extraordinary story about a survivor of the Lotz ghetto whose testimony helped expose David Duke's Nazi past, linking American and European fascism. The book was presented as a compelling narrative of resistance.

"

And the third book is a book by Lawrence Powell called Troubled Memory and Levy, The Holocaust and David Duke's Louisiana. It's an extraordinary story about a woman who was part of th...

— Episode: The Very American Roots of Trumpism

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Very American Roots of Trumpism

The host described Powell's Troubled Memory as an extraordinary story about a survivor of the Lotz ghetto whose testimony helped expose David Duke's Nazi past, linking American and European fascism. The book was presented as a compelling narrative of resistance.

"

And the third book is a book by Lawrence Powell called Troubled Memory and Levy, The Holocaust and David Duke's Louisiana. It's an extraordinary story about a woman who was part of the only whole family to make it out of the Lotz ghetto and they end up in New Orleans and when Duke runs for governor she plays an incredibly important role in outing his Nazi past and helping to undermine his claims to power so it kind of links fascism on both sides of the Atlantic with an incredibly inspiring and welltold story.

Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future Cover

Jason Stanley

Erasing History

How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future

The guest said it explains how fascists rewrite the past to control the future, a theme relevant to current politics.

"

And then Jason Stanley's Erasing History, how fascists rewrite the past to control the future, which is very prescient in terms of what the Trump administration is trying to do to uni...

— Episode: The Emergency Is Here

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Episode: The Emergency Is Here

The guest said it explains how fascists rewrite the past to control the future, a theme relevant to current politics.

"

And then Jason Stanley's Erasing History, how fascists rewrite the past to control the future, which is very prescient in terms of what the Trump administration is trying to do to universities right now.

Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy Cover

Henry Farrell

Underground Empire

How America Weaponized the World Economy

The book was cited as a recent work discussing how the United States uses its financial dominance to project power.

"

two new books, one called The Underground Empire and the other called Choke Points

— Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What C...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What Comes Next

The book was cited as a recent work discussing how the United States uses its financial dominance to project power.

"

two new books, one called The Underground Empire and the other called Choke Points

Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare Cover

Edward Fishman

Chokepoints

American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare

The book was referenced as detailing financial choke points that give the United States leverage.

"

two new books, one called The Underground Empire and the other called Choke Points

— Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What C...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What Comes Next

The book was referenced as detailing financial choke points that give the United States leverage.

"

two new books, one called The Underground Empire and the other called Choke Points

The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone's Mind Cover

Jonah Berger

The Catalyst

How to Change Anyone's Mind

The book was introduced as explaining the central role of RNA in the human body.

"

One is called The Catalyst by Thomas Keck, and it's all about the role of RNA and not DNA in most of what happens in the human body.

— Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What C...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What Comes Next

The book was introduced as explaining the central role of RNA in the human body.

"

One is called The Catalyst by Thomas Keck, and it's all about the role of RNA and not DNA in most of what happens in the human body.

Kaput: The End of the German Miracle Cover

Wolfgang Munchau

Kaput

The End of the German Miracle

The book was described as analyzing Germany's economic malaise and its deeper causes.

"

The second one is called Kaput by Wolfgang Mnchau. It's about the economic malaise in Germany and what's caused it.

— Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What C...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What Comes Next

The book was described as analyzing Germany's economic malaise and its deeper causes.

"

The second one is called Kaput by Wolfgang Mnchau. It's about the economic malaise in Germany and what's caused it.

Trade Wars Are Class Wars: How Rising Inequality Distorts the Global Economy and Threatens International Peace Cover

Matthew C. Klein

Trade Wars Are Class Wars

How Rising Inequality Distorts the Global Economy and Threatens International Peace

The book was noted as having been written by Klein and Pettis, offering a rethinking of trade.

"

Matt Klein and Michael Pettis, who wrote the book Trade Wars or Class Wars

— Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What C...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Trump’s Tariffs, Market Panic and What Comes Next

The book was noted as having been written by Klein and Pettis, offering a rethinking of trade.

"

Matt Klein and Michael Pettis, who wrote the book Trade Wars or Class Wars

How Not to Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth―and how to avoid them Cover

Barry Ritholtz

How Not to Invest

The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth―and how to avoid them

Krugman described the book as a great, fun read that offered interesting insights even for noninvestors.

"

My friend, the fund manager, Barry Ritholtz, has a great book called How Not to Invest, which, believe it or not, is interesting, even if you are investing.

— Episode: Paul Krugman on the ‘Biggest Trade Shock...

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Episode: Paul Krugman on the ‘Biggest Trade Shock in Histor...

Krugman described the book as a great, fun read that offered interesting insights even for noninvestors.

"

My friend, the fund manager, Barry Ritholtz, has a great book called How Not to Invest, which, believe it or not, is interesting, even if you are investing.

War and Power: Who Wins Wars―and Why Cover

Phillips Payson O'Brien

War and Power

Who Wins Wars―and Why

Krugman noted he was currently reading O'Brien's new militaryhistory book and called it interesting and heterodox.

"

I'm just reading the latest book by Phillips O'Brien. He's a military historian, and he has a new book called War and Power.

— Episode: Paul Krugman on the ‘Biggest Trade Shock...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Paul Krugman on the ‘Biggest Trade Shock in Histor...

Krugman noted he was currently reading O'Brien's new militaryhistory book and called it interesting and heterodox.

"

I'm just reading the latest book by Phillips O'Brien. He's a military historian, and he has a new book called War and Power.

The Age of Addiction: How Bad Habits Became Big Business Cover

David T. Courtwright

The Age of Addiction

How Bad Habits Became Big Business

The book chronicles how modern economies create limitless, addictive products that hijack our brains.

"

And I think that we have an incredible book called The Age of Addiction by David Courtwright.

— Episode: ‘Our Kids Are the Least Flourishing Gene...

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Episode: ‘Our Kids Are the Least Flourishing Generation We...

The book chronicles how modern economies create limitless, addictive products that hijack our brains.

"

And I think that we have an incredible book called The Age of Addiction by David Courtwright.

Back from the Brink: Inside the NYPD and New York City's Extraordinary 1990s Crime Drop Cover

Peter Moskos

Back from the Brink

Inside the NYPD and New York City's Extraordinary 1990s Crime Drop

It was highlighted as an upcoming oralhistory about the 1990s crime decline in NewYork City and statecapacity reforms.

"

His book is coming out in a couple weeks. It's called Back from the Brink. And it's the story of the 90s crime decline in New York City. He did a fantastic oral history.

— Episode: What Is DOGE’s Real Goal?

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: What Is DOGE’s Real Goal?

It was highlighted as an upcoming oralhistory about the 1990s crime decline in NewYork City and statecapacity reforms.

"

His book is coming out in a couple weeks. It's called Back from the Brink. And it's the story of the 90s crime decline in New York City. He did a fantastic oral history.

Power and responsibility;: The life and times of Theodore Roosevelt Cover

William Henry Harbaugh

Power and responsibility;

The life and times of Theodore Roosevelt

The guest described it as a short postWorldWarII work by a Catholic priest on the moral duties of leaders in the nuclear age.

"

A short book is called Power and Responsibility, and he writes it after the Second World War about what kinds of people do we need to be, what kinds of governors and leaders do we need to be in a worl...

— Episode: What Is DOGE’s Real Goal?

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: What Is DOGE’s Real Goal?

The guest described it as a short postWorldWarII work by a Catholic priest on the moral duties of leaders in the nuclear age.

"

A short book is called Power and Responsibility, and he writes it after the Second World War about what kinds of people do we need to be, what kinds of governors and leaders do we need to be in a world where the bomb exists.

Abundance Cover

Ezra Klein

Abundance

Ezra Klein announced that his new book Abundance had just been released and discussed its development throughout the conversation.

"

my book Abundance came out. I am excited about it.

— Episode: The Origins of Abundance

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Episode: The Origins of Abundance

Ezra Klein announced that his new book Abundance had just been released and discussed its development throughout the conversation.

"

my book Abundance came out. I am excited about it.

the book Abundance is about housing, energy, government, science, and technology.

Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America Cover

Conor Dougherty

Golden Gates

Fighting for Housing in America

Klein recommended Connor Doherty's book Golden Gates as a fantastic history of the YIMBY movement.

"

I would really recommend Connor Doherty's book, Golden Gates, which is just a fantastic history of the YIMBYs.

— Episode: The Origins of Abundance

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Origins of Abundance

Klein recommended Connor Doherty's book Golden Gates as a fantastic history of the YIMBY movement.

"

I would really recommend Connor Doherty's book, Golden Gates, which is just a fantastic history of the YIMBYs.

Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back Cover

Marc J. Dunkelman

Why Nothing Works

Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back

Klein mentioned Mark Dunkelman's new book Why Nothing Works as being similar in theme to Abundance.

"

Mark Dunkelman, who just has a new book out, it's very along the lines of ours called Why Nothing Works and it's great.

— Episode: The Origins of Abundance

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Origins of Abundance

Klein mentioned Mark Dunkelman's new book Why Nothing Works as being similar in theme to Abundance.

"

Mark Dunkelman, who just has a new book out, it's very along the lines of ours called Why Nothing Works and it's great.

The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics (Princeton Studies in American Politics) Cover

Daniel Schlozman

The Hollow Parties

The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics (Princeton Studies in American Politics)

Ezra Klein mentioned the book as a recommendation, noting it was written by his friend Daniel Schlozman and his colleague Sam Rosenfeld.

"

I want to just call out Hollow Parties by Danny Shosman. He's a good friend of mine. And I think it's... And Sam Rosenfeld.

— Episode: Democrats Need to Face Why Trump Won

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Episode: Democrats Need to Face Why Trump Won

Ezra Klein mentioned the book as a recommendation, noting it was written by his friend Daniel Schlozman and his colleague Sam Rosenfeld.

"

I want to just call out Hollow Parties by Danny Shosman. He's a good friend of mine. And I think it's... And Sam Rosenfeld.

The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology) Cover

John R. Zaller

The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion (Cambridge Studies in Public Opinion and Political Psychology)

Ezra Klein highlighted the book as an influential, nerdy pick that examines how survey responses relate to elite influence.

"

the origin and nature of mass opinion by Zoller kind of gets at this question of how much does what people say in surveys matter versus how much of it is downstream of what people are saying, you know...

— Episode: Democrats Need to Face Why Trump Won

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Democrats Need to Face Why Trump Won

Ezra Klein highlighted the book as an influential, nerdy pick that examines how survey responses relate to elite influence.

"

the origin and nature of mass opinion by Zoller kind of gets at this question of how much does what people say in surveys matter versus how much of it is downstream of what people are saying, you know, what elites are saying.

National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade Cover

Albert Hirschman

National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade

Klein highlighted it as a 1945 work that has fallen out of fashion but illuminates today's situation.

"

So the first one I'd recommend is Albert Hirschman, National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade from 1945, which is something that's gone completely out of fashion in recent yea...

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

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

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

Klein highlighted it as a 1945 work that has fallen out of fashion but illuminates today's situation.

"

So the first one I'd recommend is Albert Hirschman, National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade from 1945, which is something that's gone completely out of fashion in recent years, but shed a lot of light on where we are today.

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