Book · 2021 · Business & Economics
Alchemy
The Magic of Original Thinking in a World of Mind-Numbing Conformity
- mentions
- 23
- people
- 7
- podcasts
- 4
- episodes
- 12
- critical mentions
- 0
It's really challenging in all the right ways, but it's based on so much truth and experience that I really believe that it's one of those essential books for people that are working in these industries or just in really any industry because if you're in business the principles within this book are so applicable to so many things.
What they say about it
- Discuss concepts from the book“you also say something in in your book”5
- Mention the subtitle“the dark art and curious science”4
- Call it a great book“great book if you haven't read it”2
The best things said about it
He's the author of Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life. Great book, if you haven't read it, really will make you think differently.
Jason Calacanis This Week in Startups · Jun 2023 And it's fantastic book by Rory Sutherland who's an an admin I guess in the UK called Alchemy.
The book Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life is a tour de force.
Jason Calacanis This Week in Startups · Jun 2020 That's why his book's called Alchemy, right? Behavioral science applied well is kind of like magic.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Jun 2026 His latest book which is the subject of today's conversation is Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense.
So I think is book outcome it's wonderfully title because it it captures this sense of creating value from no or very little expenditure.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Apr 2020 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
8
8
1
2
3
1
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
7 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Alchemy by Rory Sutherland is an insightful exploration of behavioral economics, psychology, and the hidden irrational forces that drive consumer behavior in business and everyday life. Jason Calacanis discussed the book on This Week in Startups, praising it as a tour de force and encouraging listeners to purchase and read it because it would completely change how they think. Similarly, Paul Bloom recommended the book on EconTalk, calling it a fantastic read on the human mind and business. Steven Bartlett also endorsed the book on The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett during the closing remarks of his episode, emphasizing that its principles are essential for anyone working in business because the text is challenging in all the right ways and grounded in genuine truth and experience. Luke Burgis mentioned the book on Modern Wisdom while discussing behavioral concepts with Rory Sutherland himself. Additionally, Chris Williamson included Alchemy on a year-end review special on Modern Wisdom as a standout read. Across multiple episodes and podcasts, speakers consistently highlighted how the book offers a fresh, Darwinian approach to corporate strategy and marketing, urging founders, executives, and curious thinkers alike to explore its unconventional wisdom.
Every mention
Jason Calacanis he's the author of alchemy the Dark Art and curious science of creating magic in Brands business and life g… 7
Recommended
“he's the author of alchemy the Dark Art and curious science of creating magic in Brands business and life great book if you haven't read it really will make you think differently”
Discussed
“and then in between those two somebody said hey there's a really interesting book called alchemy and I said alchemy oh it's my favorite word or one of my favorite word's as many of you know I'm a dire straits fan and the greatest rock and roll album ever recorded live is alchemy and this book alchemy the dark art”
Discussed
“which one of the chapters in your book one of the chapters says that architecture is the cheapest way of buying art”
Recommended
“and or go to Amazon or whatever bookseller you prefer and go buy alchemy the dark art and curious science of creating magic and brands business and life”
Discussed
“and during our book club somebody said hey you remember that book we read alchemy didn't rory talked about potatoes and somebody who made potatoes into a fancy dish”
Recommended
“thank you for providing zoom the book alchemy the dark art and curious science of creating magic in brands business and life is a tour de force”
Recommended
“I just had Rory Sutherland of the book alchemist which is a great book if you haven't read it I highly recommend it and he taught he's an advertising agency person”
Chris Williamson alchemy by Rory Sutherland came out this year that was a good fairly good writers he read it yeah cause Hans 5
Discussed
“That's why that's why his book's called Alchemy, right? Behavioral science applied well is kind of like magic.”
Discussed
“Rory something has that wonderful phrase I mean these books it's called Alchemy”
Discussed
“what people read specifically in the self-development or non-fiction world the reason they read partly is for the enjoyment of reading the book but more so for the outcome and the new life that they think they're going to be able to achieve with the insights from rory sutherland's alchemy or james clay's atomic habits”
Discussed
“so I think is book outcome it's wonderfully title because it it captures this sense of creating value from no or very little expenditure”
Recommended
“alchemy by Rory Sutherland came out this year that was a good fairly good writers he read it yeah cause Hans”
Steven Bartlett it's really challenging in all the right ways but it's based on so much truth and experience that I really… 2
Discussed
“you also say something in in your book about how making a process more difficult can sometimes make it more attractive to Consumers”
Recommended
“it's really challenging in all the right ways but it's based on so much truth and experience that I really believe that it's one of those essential books for people that are working in these industries or just in really any industry because if you're in business the principles within this book are so applicable to so many things um”
Luke Burgis you know rory sutherland who i've spoken to wrote a great book uh certainly say that it's it's alchemy 1
Recommended
“you know rory sutherland who i've spoken to wrote a great book uh certainly say that it's it's alchemy”
Paul Bloom and it's fantastic book by Rory Sutherland who's an an admin I guess in the UK called Alchemy 1
Recommended
“and it's fantastic book by Rory Sutherland who's an an admin I guess in the UK called Alchemy”
Russ Roberts his latest book which is the subject of today's conversation is alchemy the surprising power of ideas that… 4
Discussed
“his latest book which is the subject of today's conversation is alchemy the surprising power of ideas that don't make sense”
Discussed
“and you know I think the difference in our professor right now is not the focus your book but it's worth mentioning are the people who think that because of those imperfections we need some top-down intervention”
Discussed
“and one example in the book which I just love and I think it's extremely it's trivial on the surface and very deep actually which is if you ask ten people to hire one person for your company you get an extremely different result than if you ask one person to hire ten people”
Discussed
“I want to talk about your marriage well you say in the book if you want a simple life unladen by weird decisions do not marry anyone who has worked in the creative department of an advertising agency for good and held the job instills a paranoid fear of the obvious and foster the urge to question every orthodoxy and”
Rory Sutherland I mean in the book I use this phrase which I assume someone must have used before but it appears they haven… 3
Discussed
“I know his name I've been told to interview but he crops up in the book because I'd always have this vague hunch that things like son cost bias and indeed loss aversion under certain circumstances couldn't really be described as a bias”
Discussed
“it's very similar I think to something I mentioned in the book which is in the same Talib's idea of the minority rule as well”
Discussed
“I mean in the book I use this phrase which I assume someone must have used before but it appears they haven't at least I've googled it which is advertising is very very old but a flower is effectively a weed with a marketing budget”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (8: passing, ad reads, own books)
Plugged
“Alchemy I call my book because you can turn lead into gold.”
Passing
“We know him now personally, but um at the time we knew all of his concepts, principles, I'd read his book, I'd seen all his uh podcasts he'd been on and it just felt like a really lovely opportunity to get involved and try it.”
Passing
“and a follow-up Alchemy the surprising power of ideas that don't make sense he's a contributor to the spectator UK and all around fascinating interesting guy”
Plugged
“if you think the reason I wrote the book Alchemy is partly to elevate the status and centrality of marketing in business success that actually what you are is effectively a product of how you make people feel”
Plugged
“and this is why you know I wrote the book Alchemy partly saying we have a kind of culture in business particularly in the finance function of business which does which refuses to believe in magic”
Passing
“and I'm gonna be sending it to Rory Sutherland as well the guy that wrote alchemy”
Passing
“my guest today has been worry Sutherland his book is alchemy Rory thanks for being part of econ talk”
Plugged
“it's called alchemy the surprising power of ideas that don't make sense and it's basically a plea for the world to abandon this need that everything needs a rational justification before we try it in the real world”