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
Romance in Marseille Cover

Claude McKay

Romance in Marseille

It was mentioned as a recent read, a story about a disabled man and love written decades ago, that the guest found rewarding.

"

And then a book I read really recently is Claude McKay's Romance in Marseille, a story about a disabled man and love and lots of other complications.

— Episode: The Subtle Art of Appreciating ‘Difficul...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Subtle Art of Appreciating ‘Difficult Beauty’

It was mentioned as a recent read, a story about a disabled man and love written decades ago, that the guest found rewarding.

"

And then a book I read really recently is Claude McKay's Romance in Marseille, a story about a disabled man and love and lots of other complications.

How To Be Animal Cover

How To Be Animal

How to Be Animal was recommended as a superb blend of biology, genetics, zoology and philosophy that challenges human exceptionalism.

"

The first is a book that was published just this spring by the British environmental historian, Melanie Challenger, it's called How To Be Animal. It's a remarkable combination of biol...

— Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard Powers Is...

How to Be Animal was recommended as a superb blend of biology, genetics, zoology and philosophy that challenges human exceptionalism.

"

The first is a book that was published just this spring by the British environmental historian, Melanie Challenger, it's called How To Be Animal. It's a remarkable combination of biology, genetics, zoology, evolutionary psychology, and philosophy.

Evergreen Cover

Matthew Cordell

Evergreen

Evergreen was presented as a forthcoming work that argues the preservation of the world's remaining primary forests is vital for biodiversity and climate stability.

"

Finally, a book that's not going to be published until next spring, I think March, but it deserves to have you keep an eye out for is called Evergreen. It's by the economist John Reed...

— Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard Powers Is...

Evergreen was presented as a forthcoming work that argues the preservation of the world's remaining primary forests is vital for biodiversity and climate stability.

"

Finally, a book that's not going to be published until next spring, I think March, but it deserves to have you keep an eye out for is called Evergreen. It's by the economist John Reed and the conservation biologist Thomas Lovejoy.

Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness Cover

Lyanda Lynn Haupt

Crow Planet

Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness

Crow Planet was referenced as a previous work by the author of Rooted.

"

Lyanda Lynn Haupt, who's a naturalist and an eco philosopher who has written numerous meditations on the living world, including Crow Planet and Mozart's Starling, both of which I als...

— Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: This Conversation With Richard Powers Is...

Crow Planet was referenced as a previous work by the author of Rooted.

"

Lyanda Lynn Haupt, who's a naturalist and an eco philosopher who has written numerous meditations on the living world, including Crow Planet and Mozart's Starling, both of which I also enjoyed.

The bone People Cover

Keri Hulme

The bone People

The guest described it as a touchstone book she first read at age eleven and returned to yearly, calling it one of the most important books in her life.

"

The bone People ... is called The bone People by ... Keri Hulme. It is one of the most important touchstone books to me.

— Episode: A Grammy-Nominated Singer Performs and E...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: A Grammy-Nominated Singer Performs and Explores Mu...

The guest described it as a touchstone book she first read at age eleven and returned to yearly, calling it one of the most important books in her life.

"

The bone People ... is called The bone People by ... Keri Hulme. It is one of the most important touchstone books to me.

Art & Energy: How Culture Changes Cover

Barry Lord

Art & Energy

How Culture Changes

Atwood suggested listeners could read the book Art and Energy by Barry Lord to learn more about the relationship between energy sources and culture.

"

And if you want to read about that, you can get a book called Art and Energy by Barry Lord.

— Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible an...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible and the Futu...

Atwood suggested listeners could read the book Art and Energy by Barry Lord to learn more about the relationship between energy sources and culture.

"

And if you want to read about that, you can get a book called Art and Energy by Barry Lord.

War: How Conflict Shaped Us Cover

Margaret MacMillan

War

How Conflict Shaped Us

Ezra highlighted Margaret MacMillan's book War, How Conflict Shaped Us as a generalreader history of how war has influenced societies.

"

Margaret MacMillan's book on War... War, How Conflict Shaped Us, pretty general reader book, How Conflict Shaped Us.

— Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible an...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible and the Futu...

Ezra highlighted Margaret MacMillan's book War, How Conflict Shaped Us as a generalreader history of how war has influenced societies.

"

Margaret MacMillan's book on War... War, How Conflict Shaped Us, pretty general reader book, How Conflict Shaped Us.

Speaker Millionaire Secrets: The Blueprint for Turning Your Message Into Millions Cover

Jacob Salem

Speaker Millionaire Secrets

The Blueprint for Turning Your Message Into Millions

Ezra mentioned Eliza Reid's Secrets of the Sprakar as a surprising book about life in Iceland and gender equality there.

"

by Eliza Reid, Secrets of the Sprakar. And it's about life in Iceland... So Iceland, a small country where people tend to be related in some way to one another.

— Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible an...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Margaret Atwood on the Bible and the Futu...

Ezra mentioned Eliza Reid's Secrets of the Sprakar as a surprising book about life in Iceland and gender equality there.

"

by Eliza Reid, Secrets of the Sprakar. And it's about life in Iceland... So Iceland, a small country where people tend to be related in some way to one another.

Weight of Glory Cover

C. S. Lewis

Weight of Glory

Russell Moore recommended it as a collection of essays to start exploring Christianity, noting its relevance to current times.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christian...

— Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disa...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disarray’ Afte...

Russell Moore recommended it as a collection of essays to start exploring Christianity, noting its relevance to current times.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christianity, and then read some of his fiction. Read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Mere Christianity (Deluxe Edition) Cover

C. S. Lewis

Mere Christianity (Deluxe Edition)

Moore listed it among the essential C.S. Lewis works to read for a surfacelevel picture of Christianity.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christianity, and then rea...

— Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disa...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disarray’ Afte...

Moore listed it among the essential C.S. Lewis works to read for a surfacelevel picture of Christianity.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christianity, and then read some of his fiction. Read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: A Celebration of the First Edition (The Chronicles of Narnia) Cover

C. S. Lewis

Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

A Celebration of the First Edition (The Chronicles of Narnia)

Moore suggested reading it after the essays and theological works as part of a wellrounded introduction to Lewis.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christianity, and then rea...

— Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disa...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disarray’ Afte...

Moore suggested reading it after the essays and theological works as part of a wellrounded introduction to Lewis.

"

I would say you could start with The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays, including one that I think is maybe especially pertinent to our time, learning in wartime, mere Christianity, and then read some of his fiction. Read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The Resurrection of the Son of God Cover

N. T. Wright

The Resurrection of the Son of God

Moore mentioned it as a massive work that, while perhaps not read in full, offers helpful sections for historical questions about the resurrection.

"

N.T. Wright has a book, The Resurrection of the Son of God, that's huge and massive. You might not want to read the whole thing, but you can read sections of it.

— Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disa...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disarray’ Afte...

Moore mentioned it as a massive work that, while perhaps not read in full, offers helpful sections for historical questions about the resurrection.

"

N.T. Wright has a book, The Resurrection of the Son of God, that's huge and massive. You might not want to read the whole thing, but you can read sections of it.

Gilead (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel Cover

Marilynne Robinson

Gilead (Oprah's Book Club)

A Novel

Moore recommended the Gilead novels as beautiful works that explore human dignity.

"

Marilynne Robinson's novels, The Gilead, I used to say trilogy, but there are four of them now, are really beautiful in terms of looking at human dignity.

— Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disa...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Why the Evangelical Movement Is in ‘Disarray’ Afte...

Moore recommended the Gilead novels as beautiful works that explore human dignity.

"

Marilynne Robinson's novels, The Gilead, I used to say trilogy, but there are four of them now, are really beautiful in terms of looking at human dignity.

The Retrieval of Ethics Cover

Talbot Brewer

The Retrieval of Ethics

Ezra Klein referenced Talbot Brewer's book The Retrieval of Ethics, noting that it argued we have lost sight of important activities in favor of product-oriented values.

"

The philosopher Talbot Brewer in his book, The Retrieval of Ethics, says something like we've lost sight of how important activities are and we're just like obsessed with how importan...

— Episode: Best of: A Life-Changing Philosophy of G...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best of: A Life-Changing Philosophy of Games

Ezra Klein referenced Talbot Brewer's book The Retrieval of Ethics, noting that it argued we have lost sight of important activities in favor of product-oriented values.

"

The philosopher Talbot Brewer in his book, The Retrieval of Ethics, says something like we've lost sight of how important activities are and we're just like obsessed with how important the output is and the product is.

The Grasshopper - Third Edition: Games, Life and Utopia Cover

Bernard Suits

The Grasshopper - Third Edition

Games, Life and Utopia

C.ThiNguyen mentioned discovering Bernard Soot's The Grasshopper and described it as an influential 1970s work that defined his thinking about games.

"

I found this incredible book, Bernard Soot's The Grasshopper. It kind of got lost for a while and then refound and became kind of a cult favorite.

— Episode: Best of: A Life-Changing Philosophy of G...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best of: A Life-Changing Philosophy of Games

C.ThiNguyen mentioned discovering Bernard Soot's The Grasshopper and described it as an influential 1970s work that defined his thinking about games.

"

I found this incredible book, Bernard Soot's The Grasshopper. It kind of got lost for a while and then refound and became kind of a cult favorite.

Out of Office: A Retirement Memoir of Stepping Back, Showing Up, and Sucking at New Things Cover

Brooke E. Rye

Out of Office

A Retirement Memoir of Stepping Back, Showing Up, and Sucking at New Things

The authors argued that remote work has taken the broken culture of the office with it, creating both dysfunction and opportunity. They claimed the book was more relevant a year after its release.

"

Warzel and Petersen, who are a couple I should add, published an excellent new book together called Out of Office, The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home.

— Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethin...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethink How We W...

The authors argued that remote work has taken the broken culture of the office with it, creating both dysfunction and opportunity. They claimed the book was more relevant a year after its release.

"

Warzel and Petersen, who are a couple I should add, published an excellent new book together called Out of Office, The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home.

I actually think the book is even more relevant today than when it first came out almost a year ago.

You write, quote, this is the dark truth of remote work as we know it now. It promises to liberate workers from the chains of the office, but in practice, it capitalizes on the total collapse of worklife balance, end quote.

One of the original seeds of the book was that we saw a lot of people speedrunning my experience during the pandemic, and we wanted to take the time to work through this.

We also wrote that remote work could easily end up reproducing and even deepening the toxic dynamics of the office if we don't rethink management, productivity, and communication.

In the Age of the Smart Machine: The Future of Work and Power Cover

Shoshana Zuboff

In the Age of the Smart Machine

The Future of Work and Power

Karma said the book, written in the 1980s, examined the early implementation of computers and workers' anxiety about alienation from their jobs. He noted it remains instructive for understanding modern labortechnology conflicts.

"

The first is In the Age of the Smart Machine by Shoshana Zuboff, who is also the author of the probably better known Age of Surveillance Capitalism.

— Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethin...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethink How We W...

Karma said the book, written in the 1980s, examined the early implementation of computers and workers' anxiety about alienation from their jobs. He noted it remains instructive for understanding modern labortechnology conflicts.

"

The first is In the Age of the Smart Machine by Shoshana Zuboff, who is also the author of the probably better known Age of Surveillance Capitalism.

It was written in the 80s. So it doesn't really concern the internet so much, but it does sort of revolve around the early implementation of computers and this idea of the anxiety that workers felt sort of being alienated from the physical nature of their jobs with technology.

The Myth of the Paperless Office Cover

Abigail J. Sellen

The Myth of the Paperless Office

Karma described the book as showing how companies that succeeded in going paperless were actually pursuing broader efficiency goals. He highlighted its lesson about intentional, slow change delivering results.

"

The second book is The Myth of the Paperless Office by Abigail J. Sellin.

— Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethin...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Office is Dying. It’s Time to Rethink How We W...

Karma described the book as showing how companies that succeeded in going paperless were actually pursuing broader efficiency goals. He highlighted its lesson about intentional, slow change delivering results.

"

The second book is The Myth of the Paperless Office by Abigail J. Sellin.

It's about what on the surface should be a really boring topic, which is paperless offices, but it has this wonderful lesson at the heart of it, which is that the companies that succeeded in a transition to a paperless office were the ones that weren't actually trying to go paperless.

Exit West: A Novel Cover

Mohsin Hamid

Exit West

A Novel

Hamid explained that he wrote Exit West while contemplating migration, using magical realism to explore how borders shape human movement.

"

When I was writing the novel Exit West I was thinking about migration and how it's a fundamental human feature.

— Episode: How Do We Face Loss With Dignity?

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: How Do We Face Loss With Dignity?

Hamid explained that he wrote Exit West while contemplating migration, using magical realism to explore how borders shape human movement.

"

When I was writing the novel Exit West I was thinking about migration and how it's a fundamental human feature.

Moral Capital: Foundations of British Abolitionism (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press) Cover

Christopher Leslie Brown

Moral Capital

Foundations of British Abolitionism (Published by the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture and the University of North Carolina Press)

Ezra called it the single best book he knows of on the abolitionist campaign and highlighted its influence on his thinking about moral progress.

"

The first is Moral Capital by Christopher Leslie Brown, which I mentioned earlier. It's just the single best book that I know of on interpretation of the abolitionist campaign for the...

— Episode: Three Sentences That Could Change the Wo...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Three Sentences That Could Change the World — and...

Ezra called it the single best book he knows of on the abolitionist campaign and highlighted its influence on his thinking about moral progress.

"

The first is Moral Capital by Christopher Leslie Brown, which I mentioned earlier. It's just the single best book that I know of on interpretation of the abolitionist campaign for the end of slavery.

He argues that the, in particular, American War of Independence, created this moment of plasticity for how Britain ... using abolition of slavery as a way of ... Moral Capital

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