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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon
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.

Buy on Amazon

Most Recommended

Why True Love Waits: The Definitive Book on How to Help Your Kids Resist Sexual Pressure Cover

Josh McDowell

Why True Love Waits

The Definitive Book on How to Help Your Kids Resist Sexual Pressure

The speaker mentioned reading many books promoting the True Love Waits abstinence movement; these books lacked discussion of female sexual desire or masturbation, focusing instead on purity and guarding against men.

"

I read so many books, true love weights type books, and they would never discuss the fact that a girl might want to have sex or might have sexual desire at all.

— Episode: 143: What if you were seduced into a who...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 143: What if you were seduced into a whole new wor...

The speaker mentioned reading many books promoting the True Love Waits abstinence movement; these books lacked discussion of female sexual desire or masturbation, focusing instead on purity and guarding against men.

"

I read so many books, true love weights type books, and they would never discuss the fact that a girl might want to have sex or might have sexual desire at all.

This Is Really Happening Cover

Erin Chack

This Is Really Happening

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.

— Episode: 385: What if you found healing through s...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 385: What if you found healing through saving aban...

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.

This Is a beautifully illustrated book of 10 of the most beloved episodes of the show, including an introduction by me.

This book makes a beautiful gift for a fan or for yourself.

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

A. Helwa

Secrets of Divine Love

A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam (Studying Qur'an & Hadith)

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.

— Episode: 385: What if you found healing through s...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 385: What if you found healing through saving aban...

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.

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

Arno Michaelis

The Gift of Our Wounds

A Sikh and a Former White Supremacist Find Forgiveness After Hate

The book was mentioned when the episode discussed Pardeep Singh Kaleka's work, noting his role as co‑author and linking the title to his efforts in community healing, resilience, and faith after his father's murder. The host highlighted its relevance to anti‑hate advocacy and mental‑health work, presenting it as a valuable resource for listeners.

Highly Recommended
Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 397: What if you forgave the neo-Nazi who killed y...

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.

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