The Ezra Klein Show
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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...

Episodes 550
Books 1,781
The Making of Pro-life Activists: How Social Movement Mobilization Works (Morality and Society Series) Cover

Ziad W. Munson

The Making of Pro-life Activists

How Social Movement Mobilization Works (Morality and Society Series)

Ezra referenced a sociological work titled The Making of ProLife Activists by Ziad Monson.

"

There's a book by a sociologist named Ziad Monson called The Making of ProLife Activists, How Social Movement Mobilization Works.

— Episode: Michelle Goldberg Grapples With Feminism...

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Episode: Michelle Goldberg Grapples With Feminism After Roe

Ezra referenced a sociological work titled The Making of ProLife Activists by Ziad Monson.

"

There's a book by a sociologist named Ziad Monson called The Making of ProLife Activists, How Social Movement Mobilization Works.

The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review Cover

Larry D. Kramer

The People Themselves

Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review

Ezra described Kramer's 2004 book as a wild and interesting interpretation of constitutional history that was beloved by both Newt Gingrich and Ralph Nader.

"

His 2004 book, The People Themselves, Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review, is this wild and really interesting interpretation of our constitutional history that has the unus...

— Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Co...

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Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Constitution...

Ezra described Kramer's 2004 book as a wild and interesting interpretation of constitutional history that was beloved by both Newt Gingrich and Ralph Nader.

"

His 2004 book, The People Themselves, Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review, is this wild and really interesting interpretation of our constitutional history that has the unusual accolade of being beloved by both Newt Gingrich and Ralph Nader.

The argument he makes there, and that he made to me here, is that around the rise of the Warren court, liberals embraced the doctrine of judicial supremacy and saw the Constitution as the purview of judges.

The Anti-Oligarchy Constitution: Reconstructing the Economic Foundations of American Democracy Cover

Joseph Fishkin

The Anti-Oligarchy Constitution

Reconstructing the Economic Foundations of American Democracy

Ezra noted that a new book by Fishkin and Forbath revived an antioligarchic vision of the Constitution, tracing its roots through American history.

"

There's a new book out by Joey Fishkin and Willie Forbath called the AntiOligarchy Constitution which really goes back across American history and picks up that strand that was pronounced and has been...

— Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Co...

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Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Constitution...

Ezra noted that a new book by Fishkin and Forbath revived an antioligarchic vision of the Constitution, tracing its roots through American history.

"

There's a new book out by Joey Fishkin and Willie Forbath called the AntiOligarchy Constitution which really goes back across American history and picks up that strand that was pronounced and has been lost recently.

It's about creating an antioligarchic republic, breaking down concentrations of power in government and the economy to provide opportunities for people.

The Second Creation: Fixing the American Constitution in the Founding Era Cover

Jonathan Gienapp

The Second Creation

Fixing the American Constitution in the Founding Era

Ezra recommended Gienapp's book as an illustration of how the founders, after the Constitution's adoption, realized its flaws and began a process of recreation.

"

The Second Creation... is great because what it shows you is how in the years after the Constitution the founders realized everything was wrong and began the process of recreating the...

— Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Co...

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Episode: Liberals Need a Clearer Vision of the Constitution...

Ezra recommended Gienapp's book as an illustration of how the founders, after the Constitution's adoption, realized its flaws and began a process of recreation.

"

The Second Creation... is great because what it shows you is how in the years after the Constitution the founders realized everything was wrong and began the process of recreating the Constitution.

It's a really nice illustration of what we should be doing today.

The Cult of the Constitution Cover

Mary Anne Franks

The Cult of the Constitution

It was presented as a recent book emphasizing how constitutional rights are fetishized and urging a more purposive view of the Constitution.

"

The third book, I'd say, is a more recent book by Mary Ann Frank called The Cult of the Constitution, which emphasizes ways in which we tend to fetishize certain kinds of constitution...

— Episode: The Supreme Court Went Off the Rails Lon...

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Episode: The Supreme Court Went Off the Rails Long Before D...

It was presented as a recent book emphasizing how constitutional rights are fetishized and urging a more purposive view of the Constitution.

"

The third book, I'd say, is a more recent book by Mary Ann Frank called The Cult of the Constitution, which emphasizes ways in which we tend to fetishize certain kinds of constitutional rights instead of stepping back and thinking more purposively about what the Constitution is really for.

You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train: A Personal History of Our Times (Beacon Classics) Cover

Howard Zinn

You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

A Personal History of Our Times (Beacon Classics)

Klein described it as a meditation on hope that argues history includes both cruelty and compassion, urging readers to act despite bad times. He quoted a passage emphasizing the power of remembering humanity's better moments.

"

And then the third is just this Howard Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. ... it goes like this, to be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on t...

— Episode: The Dobbs Decision Isn’t Just About Abor...

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Episode: The Dobbs Decision Isn’t Just About Abortion. It’s...

Klein described it as a meditation on hope that argues history includes both cruelty and compassion, urging readers to act despite bad times. He quoted a passage emphasizing the power of remembering humanity's better moments.

"

And then the third is just this Howard Zinn, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. ... it goes like this, to be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places, and there are so many, where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.

Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men The Ideology of the Republican Party Before the Civil War Cover

Eric Foner

Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men The Ideology of the Republican Party Before the Civil War

The host said he was rereading the book, noting it covers the history of the Republican Party and its ideology in the 1840s1850s.

"

So I am reading, what I'm reading right now is three books. I'm rereading Free Labor, Free Soil, Free Men, which is Eric Foner's book on the history of the Republican Party and the development of Repu...

— Episode: The Case for Prosecuting Trump

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Episode: The Case for Prosecuting Trump

The host said he was rereading the book, noting it covers the history of the Republican Party and its ideology in the 1840s1850s.

"

So I am reading, what I'm reading right now is three books. I'm rereading Free Labor, Free Soil, Free Men, which is Eric Foner's book on the history of the Republican Party and the development of Republican Party ideology in the 1840s and 1850s.

The thing, these are all very interesting books. They're great. They're very readable. I highly recommend them.

Salmon P. Chase: Lincoln's Vital Rival Cover

Walter Stahr

Salmon P. Chase

Lincoln's Vital Rival

He described reading a recent biography of Salmon P. Chase, highlighting Chase's role as Lincoln's Treasury secretary and later Supreme Court justice, and his antislavery activism in the 1840s.

"

I'm also reading kind of related to that book, which features, that book features a whole chapter on the figure of Salman P. Chase, who was Lincoln's secretary of the Treasury and later Supreme Court...

— Episode: The Case for Prosecuting Trump

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Episode: The Case for Prosecuting Trump

He described reading a recent biography of Salmon P. Chase, highlighting Chase's role as Lincoln's Treasury secretary and later Supreme Court justice, and his antislavery activism in the 1840s.

"

I'm also reading kind of related to that book, which features, that book features a whole chapter on the figure of Salman P. Chase, who was Lincoln's secretary of the Treasury and later Supreme Court justice appointed by Lincoln. And I'm reading a recent biography of Salman P. Chase, whose name I cannot recall at the moment, that kind of goes through his life and his emergence as one of the leading figures of political antislavery in the 1840s.

Every Deep-Drawn Breath: A Critical Care Doctor on Healing, Recovery, and Transforming Medicine in the ICU Cover

Dr Wes Ely

Every Deep-Drawn Breath

A Critical Care Doctor on Healing, Recovery, and Transforming Medicine in the ICU

Ezra Klein described it as a wellwritten account of Dr. Ely's personal journey and research on critical illness, recommending it for patients, families, and those with long COVID.

"

The next one in a similar vein is Every Deep Drawn Breath by Dr. Wes Ely. Dr. Ely is a leading researcher in delirium, in the complications of critical illness, in postintensive care syndrome, and now...

— Episode: Two Years Later, We Still Don’t Understa...

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Episode: Two Years Later, We Still Don’t Understand Long Co...

Ezra Klein described it as a wellwritten account of Dr. Ely's personal journey and research on critical illness, recommending it for patients, families, and those with long COVID.

"

The next one in a similar vein is Every Deep Drawn Breath by Dr. Wes Ely. Dr. Ely is a leading researcher in delirium, in the complications of critical illness, in postintensive care syndrome, and now has been a huge advocate for people with long COVID. In this book, he talks about his whole personal journey and the journey of research in the field. I recommend this book to patients and families of patients who were in the ICU or people who have long COVID.

Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child Cover

John Bradshaw

Homecoming

Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child

Ezra mentioned it as his upcoming book that will examine the shift toward more localized, regionalized economies after the pandemic and geopolitical tensions.

"

Again, this is actually the topic of my next book, Homecoming.

— Episode: The End of 'The Everything Bubble'

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Episode: The End of 'The Everything Bubble'

Ezra mentioned it as his upcoming book that will examine the shift toward more localized, regionalized economies after the pandemic and geopolitical tensions.

"

Again, this is actually the topic of my next book, Homecoming.

Socialism: Past and Future Cover

Michael Harrington

Socialism

Past and Future

Bhaskar Sunkara recommended Harrington's final book, written while he was ill, as essential reading for understanding socialist thought.

"

I think everyone should read Michael Harrington... I recommend you read his last book that he wrote when he had cancer, Socialism Past and Future.

— Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Cl...

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Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Class Moveme...

Bhaskar Sunkara recommended Harrington's final book, written while he was ill, as essential reading for understanding socialist thought.

"

I think everyone should read Michael Harrington... I recommend you read his last book that he wrote when he had cancer, Socialism Past and Future.

The Age of Extremes: A History of the World, 1914-1991 Cover

Eric Hobsbawm

The Age of Extremes

A History of the World, 1914-1991

Sunkara suggested that Hobbscam's (misnamed as Hoppe) fourvolume history series, beginning with The Age of Extremes, provides a solid grounding in modern history.

"

Eric Hoppe's The Age of Extremes, but his whole set of four books on modern history, I would highly recommend.

— Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Cl...

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Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Class Moveme...

Sunkara suggested that Hobbscam's (misnamed as Hoppe) fourvolume history series, beginning with The Age of Extremes, provides a solid grounding in modern history.

"

Eric Hoppe's The Age of Extremes, but his whole set of four books on modern history, I would highly recommend.

The South: A Novel Cover

Tash Aw

The South

A Novel

Sunkara highlighted Reed's recent memoir, The South, as an excellent discussion of contemporary politics and the author's upbringing in the Jim Crow South.

"

Adolph Reed's recent political memoir... it's called The South. It just came out from Verso Books, and I just finished reading it.

— Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Cl...

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Episode: Socialism Is Supposed to Be a Working-Class Moveme...

Sunkara highlighted Reed's recent memoir, The South, as an excellent discussion of contemporary politics and the author's upbringing in the Jim Crow South.

"

Adolph Reed's recent political memoir... it's called The South. It just came out from Verso Books, and I just finished reading it.

Capital in the Twenty First Century Cover

Thomas Piketty

Capital in the Twenty First Century

Ezra described the work as a massive international bestseller that detailed how capitalism rewards wealth over labor, noting its dense and complex nature.

"

His book detailing the way capitalism rewards wealth over work, detailing why those trends actually happen, Capital in the 21st Century, was a huge international bestseller, which was a real rarity fo...

— Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory...

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Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory Socialism...

Ezra described the work as a massive international bestseller that detailed how capitalism rewards wealth over labor, noting its dense and complex nature.

"

His book detailing the way capitalism rewards wealth over work, detailing why those trends actually happen, Capital in the 21st Century, was a huge international bestseller, which was a real rarity for a book like it.

The Great Demarcation: The French Revolution and the Invention of Modern Property Cover

Rafe Blaufarb

The Great Demarcation

The French Revolution and the Invention of Modern Property

Ezra praised the book as an excellent study of the French Revolution's creation of the modern property system.

"

there's an excellent book on the French Revolution written by Ralph Blouffard, called The Great Demarcation, which I really recommend. I think it's a great book about the invention of...

— Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory...

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Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory Socialism...

Ezra praised the book as an excellent study of the French Revolution's creation of the modern property system.

"

there's an excellent book on the French Revolution written by Ralph Blouffard, called The Great Demarcation, which I really recommend. I think it's a great book about the invention of the modern property system during the French Revolution and how, you know, complex the discussion was at the time.

The Emergence of Globalism: Visions of World Order in Britain and the United States, 1939–1950 Cover

Or Rosenboim

The Emergence of Globalism

Visions of World Order in Britain and the United States, 1939–1950

Thomas highlighted the book as a compelling account of the rise of globalism and the shift in world order before and after World WarII.

"

a book by Rosenbaum, which is about the history of globalization, which is The Emergence of Globalism, you know, visions of world order and Britain in the United States, 1939, 1950. I...

— Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory...

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Episode: Thomas Piketty’s Case For ‘Participatory Socialism...

Thomas highlighted the book as a compelling account of the rise of globalism and the shift in world order before and after World WarII.

"

a book by Rosenbaum, which is about the history of globalization, which is The Emergence of Globalism, you know, visions of world order and Britain in the United States, 1939, 1950. It also talks about Europe. I think it's very interesting because it talks about this moment just before World War II and just after World War II, where people realize that we are shifting to a new world system.

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer Cover

Traci Sorell

Classified

The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

The guest described it as an untold story of racial classification in America and praised its insightful look at how we categorize race and ethnicity.

"

David E. Bernstein has a book coming out in July called Classified, the untold story of racial classification in America that I highly recommend.

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

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

The guest described it as an untold story of racial classification in America and praised its insightful look at how we categorize race and ethnicity.

"

David E. Bernstein has a book coming out in July called Classified, the untold story of racial classification in America that I highly recommend.

It's just really a neat treatment of all of the ironies and weirdnesses of how it is we seek to categorize people by race and ethnicity.

Sir Vidia's Shadow: A Friendship Across Five Continents Cover

Paul Theroux

Sir Vidia's Shadow

A Friendship Across Five Continents

He called it one of his favorite books, a beautifully strange memoir about Theroux's friendship with V.S.Naipaul, praising its humor and depth.

"

For book number three, I just want to shout out one of my favorite books of all time, published in 1998 called Sir Vidia's Shadow by Paul Theroux.

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

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

He called it one of his favorite books, a beautifully strange memoir about Theroux's friendship with V.S.Naipaul, praising its humor and depth.

"

For book number three, I just want to shout out one of my favorite books of all time, published in 1998 called Sir Vidia's Shadow by Paul Theroux.

It's about his decadeslong friendship with the novelist, essayist, memoirist V.S.Naipaul and it's just a really weird, strange, incredibly beautiful book.

Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream Cover

Ross Douthat

Grand New Party

How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream

The guest recalled coauthoring this 2008 book with Ross Douthat as a push for the Republican Party to become more workingclass oriented.

"

In 2008, you wrote Grand New Party with my colleague, Ross Douthat.

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

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

The guest recalled coauthoring this 2008 book with Ross Douthat as a push for the Republican Party to become more workingclass oriented.

"

In 2008, you wrote Grand New Party with my colleague, Ross Douthat.

The Rights of Women: Reclaiming a Lost Vision (Catholic Ideas for a Secular World) Cover

Erika Bachiochi

The Rights of Women

Reclaiming a Lost Vision (Catholic Ideas for a Secular World)

Bakayaki presented a socially conservative feminist argument, claiming that abortion and contraception have harmed women's wellbeing and virtue.

"

In her 2021 book, The Rights of Women, Reclaiming a Lost Vision, she tries to build a structure, a philosophical structure, going back to older thinkers, for a socially conservative f...

— Episode: Sex, Abortion and Feminism, as Seen From...

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Episode: Sex, Abortion and Feminism, as Seen From the Right

Bakayaki presented a socially conservative feminist argument, claiming that abortion and contraception have harmed women's wellbeing and virtue.

"

In her 2021 book, The Rights of Women, Reclaiming a Lost Vision, she tries to build a structure, a philosophical structure, going back to older thinkers, for a socially conservative feminism.

That's a big question. In The Rights of Women, I tell the story of the cause of women's rights through kind of the lens of sexual and reproductive asymmetry.

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