This Is Actually Happening
Book Recommendations

This Is Actually Happening

What if you were trafficked into a cult...or were mauled by a grizzly bear...or were stabbed 27 times by a serial killer - what would you do? This is Actually Happening brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events told by the people who lived them. From a man who woke up in the morg...

Episodes 365
Books 71

Recently mentioned

Latest Recommendations

The Gift of Our Wounds: A Sikh and a Former White Supremacist Find Forgiveness After Hate cover

The Gift of Our Wounds

Arno Michaelis

Mentioned 5 months ago

397: What if you forgave the neo-Nazi who killed your father?

Pardeep Singh Kaleka was mentioned as the co-author of this book, which seems related to his experiences with community healing, resilience, and faith following the loss of his father.

Pardeep is the Clinical Director at Mental Health America-Wisconsin, a senior anti-hate advocate, and co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds.

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This Is Really Happening cover

This Is Really Happening

Erin Chack

Mentioned 7 months ago

385: What if you found healing through saving abandoned dogs?

A special limited edition book featuring 10 of the most beloved episodes of the show, including an introduction by the host. Each copy was hand-numbered and personally signed for pre-orders.

I'm thrilled to share that you can now pre-order the special This Is Actually Happening book that we've mentioned over the last couple weeks.

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Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam (Studying Qur'an & Hadith) cover

Secrets of Divine Love

A. Helwa

Mentioned 7 months ago

385: What if you found healing through saving abandoned dogs?

The speaker stumbled upon this book in a library while looking for answers, and it led him into a world of radicalism and militant Islamist organizations.

He finds them in the form of a book about Islam.

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Why It's OK to Talk About Trauma: How to Make Sense of the Past and Grow Through the Pain cover

Why It's OK to Talk About Trauma

Charlie Webster

Mentioned 1 year ago

333: What if you saw the black mask of death?

Charlie Webster's book, "Why It's Ok To Talk About Trauma", was mentioned as a resource to help people process trauma. It is available on Amazon and her website.

Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother's Journey of Hope & Forgiveness cover

Nurturing Healing Love

Scarlett Lewis

Mentioned 1 year ago

330: What if your son was murdered at Sandy Hook?

This bestselling book documents Scarlett Lewis's personal journey of hope and forgiveness after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that claimed the life of her son, Jesse. It details her experiences and the creation of the Choose Love Movement.

From Sandy Hook to the World: How the Choose Love Movement Transforms Lives: Stories from Around the Globe cover

From Sandy Hook to the World

Scarlett Lewis

Mentioned 1 year ago

330: What if your son was murdered at Sandy Hook?

This bestselling book describes the creation and impact of the Choose Love Movement, founded by Scarlett Lewis after the Sandy Hook shooting. It highlights the curriculum's reach and its mission to teach love and emotional regulation.

This Heart Holds Many: My Life as the Nonbinary Millennial Child of a Polyamorous Family cover

This Heart Holds Many

Koe Creation

Mentioned 1 year ago

4: The 82 Percent: Podcast Live Event at Mannys

It was described as the first book written on multi-generational polyamorous families from the child's perspective.

Co is the premier second generation sex educator and advocate for non-monogamous families. Their award-winning involvement in sex education, LGBTQ activism, public health advocacy, and work within polyamorous and kink communities began taking professional shape in 2005 as a peer educator working in high schools. Subsequently co has served the community through public speaking, media appearance, executive administration, and as a frequent guest on some of your favorite polyamory podcasts. Their memoir This Heart Holds Many is the first book written on multi-generational polyamorous families from the child's perspective.

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How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community cover

How We Show Up

Mia Birdsong

Mentioned 1 year ago

4: The 82 Percent: Podcast Live Event at Mannys

It was mentioned as a book that David Jay was reading about the history of black family.

I had trans elders coming to me, you know, reading How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong about some of the history of black family.

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Relationality: How Moving from Transactional to Transformational Relationships Can Reshape Our Lonely World cover

Relationality

David Jay

Mentioned 1 year ago

4: The 82 Percent: Podcast Live Event at Mannys

It was described as an upcoming book about relationality, specifically on how moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world.

David Jay is the founder of asexuality.org, the world's longest running and largest community of people who identify as asexual. He's a proud member of a three-parent family and the author of the upcoming book Relationality, how moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world.

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The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments cover

The Hidden History of the White House

Corey Mead

Mentioned 1 year ago

330: What if they died in your hands? [Rebroadcast #220]

This book delves into the dramatic and shocking events that have occurred within the White House, spanning centuries. It explores power struggles, impactful decisions, and scandals, showcasing the intimate conversations and pivotal moments that have shaped America.

Order The Hidden History of the White House now in hardcover or digital edition wherever you get your books.

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Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy cover

Polysecure

Jessica Fern

Mentioned 2 years ago

325: The 82 Percent: Bonus Conversation with Jessica Fern

Jessica Fern strongly recommends this book for understanding attachment styles, trauma and consensual non-monogamy. Fern states that attachment styles are a vital part of understanding why people have challenges with non-monogamy.

I started to really just have primarily individuals, couples, or even polycules that were non-monogamous. And I would see the challenges they were going through. And one of the main challenges was attachment insecurity or attachment ruptures that were happening. And so I was like, okay, this is what they're bringing to me. And then when I would share with them what attachment styles are and how we can work to become more secure, it made such a difference.

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Polywise: A Deeper Dive Into Navigating Open Relationships cover

Polywise

Jessica Fern

Mentioned 2 years ago

325: The 82 Percent: Bonus Conversation with Jessica Fern

Jessica Fern co-authored this book with her husband, Dave, which delves deeper into navigating open relationships. It contains stories of their challenges and experiences of opening up their marriage to become polyamorous.

Dave and I talk about, we share a lot of stories in Polywise about our challenges that we went through and he's very explicit about some of his, but one of the first ones was him and I would have said we were securely attached and he especially had secure attachment. And when we opened up, he went, I mean, panic attack anxious.

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Most Recommended

Le jardin sauvage Cover

Kathryn O. Galbraith

Le jardin sauvage

Michael found a website and message board connected to the book, where he could interact with other users pretending to be characters from the book, and started building an online relationship with a character who pretended to be Dennis, from *Interview with the Vampire*.

"

And that's how I stumbled upon Le Jardin Savage, The Savage Garden.

— Episode: 258: What if you fell in love with a vam...

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Episode: 258: What if you fell in love with a vampire?

Michael found a website and message board connected to the book, where he could interact with other users pretending to be characters from the book, and started building an online relationship with a character who pretended to be Dennis, from *Interview with the Vampire*.

"

And that's how I stumbled upon Le Jardin Savage, The Savage Garden.

The Vampire Chronicles Collection: Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned Cover

Anne Rice

The Vampire Chronicles Collection

Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned

The book series is mentioned as one of the things that Michael read during his youth, where he found solace in the characters, who were free and accepted themselves.

"

And in particular, I connected to the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice.

— Episode: 258: What if you fell in love with a vam...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 258: What if you fell in love with a vampire?

The book series is mentioned as one of the things that Michael read during his youth, where he found solace in the characters, who were free and accepted themselves.

"

And in particular, I connected to the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice.

No One Crosses the Wolf: A Memoir Cover

Lisa Nikolidakis

No One Crosses the Wolf

A Memoir

The podcast episode featured Lisa Nikolidakis, the author of the memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf. The memoir was described as incredible, containing the true story of the speaker's experiences with her abusive father.

"

Today's episode featured Lisa Nikolidakis. You can read much more about this story in her incredible memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf.

— Episode: 254: What if your father annihilated the...

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Episode: 254: What if your father annihilated the family?

The podcast episode featured Lisa Nikolidakis, the author of the memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf. The memoir was described as incredible, containing the true story of the speaker's experiences with her abusive father.

"

Today's episode featured Lisa Nikolidakis. You can read much more about this story in her incredible memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf.

You can also find out more about Lisa on Instagram @lisanik or on Twitter @lisanikol, and check out her other award-winning essays, at lissanikolidakis.com

Born This Way gay wall decor - Pride room decor - LGBTQ inspirational wall art - Gift for queer, bi, lesbian, Trans - 8x10 unframed print Cover

Born This Way gay wall decor - Pride room decor - LGBTQ inspirational wall art - Gift for queer, bi, lesbian, Trans - 8x10 unframed print

The book was found in the speaker's school library and discussed topics like gay and lesbian history, adolescence, puberty, and helped them understand what they were experiencing.

"

I remember exploring the shelves, and I remember one book that made such an impression on me called A Way of Love, A Way of Life, A Young Person's Guide to What it Means to Be Gay. This would have to...

— Episode: 250: What if a devastating truth only de...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 250: What if a devastating truth only deepened the...

The book was found in the speaker's school library and discussed topics like gay and lesbian history, adolescence, puberty, and helped them understand what they were experiencing.

"

I remember exploring the shelves, and I remember one book that made such an impression on me called A Way of Love, A Way of Life, A Young Person's Guide to What it Means to Be Gay. This would have to have been the early 80s.

And it just walked me through gay and lesbian history, adolescence and puberty, and all of the things that I was experiencing and feeling and explained it to me in the context that I was feeling.

Blowing up Russia The Secret KGB Plot that Delivered Russia to Putin Cover

Yuri Felshtinsky

Blowing up Russia The Secret KGB Plot that Delivered Russia to Putin

The book 'Blowing Up' was written about Gina's journey with Rafael during the pandemic and beyond, and was self-published with the help of a Minneapolis advertising agency. The book was created as a coffee table book that served as a diary through the beginning months of the pandemic.

"

On the website, you can also buy Gina's book, Blowing Up, featuring her journey with Rafael during the pandemic and beyond.

— Episode: 248: What if an invisible disease blew u...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 248: What if an invisible disease blew up your lif...

The book 'Blowing Up' was written about Gina's journey with Rafael during the pandemic and beyond, and was self-published with the help of a Minneapolis advertising agency. The book was created as a coffee table book that served as a diary through the beginning months of the pandemic.

"

On the website, you can also buy Gina's book, Blowing Up, featuring her journey with Rafael during the pandemic and beyond.

Gina is also offering listeners $10 off her book if you use the code HAPPENING.

WHEN DATING HURTS: What we learned about dating violence after our daughter's tragic death Cover

Bill Mitchell

WHEN DATING HURTS

What we learned about dating violence after our daughter's tragic death

The episode featured Bill Mitchell, who discussed his personal journey in writing the book to make sense of his daughter's tragic death and to educate others about dating and domestic violence. Whit Misseldyne highlighted the book as a resource for preventing similar tragedies and directed listeners to where it could be purchased. The conversation emphasized the book’s purpose of sharing hard‑earned lessons and raising awareness.

Highly Recommended
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Episode: 247: What if you didn't see the signs?

Bill Mitchell's book, 'When Dating Hurts,' was written to share what he learned about domestic violence and dating violence after the murder of his daughter. It was the result of a personal journey to make sense of her death and prevent such tragedies from happening to others.

"

In trying to make sense out of this, a few years ago I started to write a book called WHEN DATING HURTS.

So I worked on that over the course of four years or so. I wasn't ever sure until the very end that I was actually going to get this out or that it was ever good enough or covered everything.

Today's episode featured Bill Mitchell. Bill has a book and podcast both called WHEN DATING HURTS.

You can find out more about Bill, his book, and his podcast all at whendatinghurts.com.

You can also find his book on Amazon.

The Book of Revelation (The Smart Guide to the Bible Series) Cover

Daymond R. Duck

The Book of Revelation (The Smart Guide to the Bible Series)

The book of Revelation was mentioned in relation to the Jehovah's Witness belief that 144,000 people will be anointed to the heavens to rule as kings and priests with Jesus and Jehovah.

"

And then 144,000, like it says in the book of Revelation, will be anointed to the heavens to rule as kings and priests with Jesus and Jehovah.

— Episode: 212: What if everyone pretended you were...

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Episode: 212: What if everyone pretended you were dead?

The book of Revelation was mentioned in relation to the Jehovah's Witness belief that 144,000 people will be anointed to the heavens to rule as kings and priests with Jesus and Jehovah.

"

And then 144,000, like it says in the book of Revelation, will be anointed to the heavens to rule as kings and priests with Jesus and Jehovah.

Relationality: How Moving from Transactional to Transformational Relationships Can Reshape Our Lonely World Cover

David Jay

Relationality

How Moving from Transactional to Transformational Relationships Can Reshape Our Lonely World

It was described as an upcoming book about relationality, specifically on how moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world.

"

David Jay is the founder of asexuality.org, the world's longest running and largest community of people who identify as asexual. He's a proud member of a three-parent family and the author of the upco...

— Episode: 4: The 82 Percent: Podcast Live Event at...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 4: The 82 Percent: Podcast Live Event at Mannys

It was described as an upcoming book about relationality, specifically on how moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world.

"

David Jay is the founder of asexuality.org, the world's longest running and largest community of people who identify as asexual. He's a proud member of a three-parent family and the author of the upcoming book Relationality, how moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world.

because art: Commentary, Critique, & Conversation Cover

R. Killacky, John

because art

Commentary, Critique, & Conversation

The hosts briefly referenced the book as a source of commentary, critique, and conversation about art, and they also shared links to some of the author's films. No strong endorsement was given, but it was noted as a relevant resource for listeners interested in artistic discussions.

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Queer Crips: Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies) Cover

Bob Guter

Queer Crips

Disabled Gay Men and Their Stories (Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies)

In the episode, the hosts highlighted the book as a useful resource that addressed their lack of knowledge about the experiences of disabled gay men, noting its focus on personal narratives. They suggested it would be valuable for listeners interested in learning about this intersection of identities.

Highly Recommended
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Young Widower: A Memoir (River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize) Cover

John W. Evans

Young Widower

A Memoir (River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize)

The book was discussed by its author, who described how writing it forced him to confront lingering grief and persistent guilt after his wife's death, revealing that the memoir focuses more on guilt than on grief. He noted that the process was emotionally taxing, resurfacing feelings he believed were settled, and highlighted the ongoing struggle of second‑guessing and regret. The conversation centered on the personal impact of the memoir rather than a formal endorsement.

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Episode: 227: What if you faced a terrifying beast?

It is a memoir about the author's experience of grief and guilt after the death of his first wife, Katie. The writing process was difficult and brought up many previously settled feelings.

"

Writing Young Widower was awful. It dredged up a lot of feelings that I thought were settled, though I don't know why I thought they were settled only four or five years out.

She said, this is not a book about grief. This is a book about guilt.

Writing about guilt, living with guilt is a whole nother thing. It's just a constant project of second guessing and regret.

Intern: A Doctor's Initiation Cover

Sandeep Jauhar

Intern

A Doctor's Initiation

The hosts noted that this was Sandeep Jauhar's first book, which recounts his early experiences as a doctor. They mentioned it in passing while discussing the author's background.

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Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician: The Disillusionment of an American Physician Cover

Sandeep Jauhar

Doctored

The Disillusionment of an American Physician

The title was briefly noted as one of Sandeep Jauhar's works, but the hosts did not discuss its content or argue for its merits. It was mentioned in passing without any recommendation or critique.

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Divine Madness: Plato's Case Against Secular Humanism Cover

Josef Pieper

Divine Madness

Plato's Case Against Secular Humanism

The narrator mentioned reading a book titled "Divine Madness," which detailed the lives of famous artists and musicians who struggled with mental health issues, suicide, or self-destruction. The book resonated with the narrator's own experiences.

"

I'm looking at this book right now called Divine Madness. Just this whole list of people whose names you know who are going through either kill themselves or succumb to their own madn...

— Episode: What if you had a ten-year nightmare? [R...

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Episode: What if you had a ten-year nightmare? [Rebroadcast...

The narrator mentioned reading a book titled "Divine Madness," which detailed the lives of famous artists and musicians who struggled with mental health issues, suicide, or self-destruction. The book resonated with the narrator's own experiences.

"

I'm looking at this book right now called Divine Madness. Just this whole list of people whose names you know who are going through either kill themselves or succumb to their own madness. Just artists and musicians and actors.

The Golly Sisters Go West (I Can Read Level 3) Cover

Betsy Byars

The Golly Sisters Go West (I Can Read Level 3)

The guest bought approximately \$250 worth of self-help books and presented them to a former partner; however, the gesture was not well-received.

"

So I went to the bookstore and I bought $250 worth of therapy books. I stacked him up in his house against the wall and he walked in and I was so excited. I was like, look, golly's books. He looked at...

— Episode: 190: What if your fairytale was finally...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 190: What if your fairytale was finally within rea...

The guest bought approximately \$250 worth of self-help books and presented them to a former partner; however, the gesture was not well-received.

"

So I went to the bookstore and I bought $250 worth of therapy books. I stacked him up in his house against the wall and he walked in and I was so excited. I was like, look, golly's books. He looked at me like I was crazy.

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