Book · 2011 · Renaissance
The swerve
- mentions
- 10
- people
- 6
- podcasts
- 6
- episodes
- 6
- critical mentions
- 0
There's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times for; it's called The Swerve.
What they say about it
- Recommends the book“wonderful book that I recommend”3
- Discusses Lucretius and classical work“it's about Lucretius”2
The best things said about it
The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt, how the modern world began.
The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt, how the modern world began. It's about the discovery in 1417 of what had been a long lost Latin book, a codex of Lucretius.
I read this wonderful book called The Swerve. It's about Lucretius, it's about the nature of things, which is this great classical work from the Roman period by this guy Lucretius.
Glenn Loury Lex Fridman Podcast · May 2022 Many people are familiar with Greenblatt's book, The Swerve, which credits a lot of change to the materialist science that this poem articulates.
Ada Palmer Dwarkesh Podcast · Mar 2026 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
6 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The swerve by Stephen Greenblatt is an acclaimed historical non-fiction work examining how the rediscovery of a long-lost Latin codex by Lucretius helped shape the emergence of the modern world. Francis Ford Coppola enthusiastically recommended the book multiple times on The Daily Stoic, telling the host that readers would thank him endlessly for introducing them to Epicurean philosophy and the brilliance of Stephen Greenblatt. Tom Hanks also strongly endorsed the text during an appearance on The Ezra Klein Show, highlighting its exploration of the fifteenth-century recovery of ancient philosophical texts. Glenn Loury discussed the book on the Lex Fridman Podcast while reflecting on Lucretius, human mortality, and philosophical perspectives on overcoming the fear of death. Mark Manson recommended Stephen Greenblatt's work on The Journey Harbinger Show while conversing about the historical background of Roman philosophy. Across these podcasts, speakers consistently praised the publication for its engaging storytelling, rich historical scholarship, and profound impact on intellectual history.
Every mention
Francis Ford Coppola there's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times that it's a good read… 3
“there's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times that it's a good read it's called the swerve have you ever heard of it yes Incredible Book oh you read it yes Ste stepen Steven greenblood is a is a is a treasure yeah he he wrote he's a Shakespearean scholar but he”
“there's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times that it's a good read it's called the swerve have you ever heard of it yes Incredible Book oh you read it”
“There's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times for; it's called "The Swerve." Have you ever heard of it?”
Glenn Loury i'm afraid now i i read this wonderful book called the swerve uh it's it's about lucretius it's about uh th… 2
“i'm afraid now i i read this wonderful book called the swerve uh it's it's about lucretius it's about uh the nature of things which is this great classical work from the roman period uh by this uh guy lucretius and i'm trying to think of the name of the author but you could look it up the swerve”
“i'm afraid now i i read this wonderful book called the swerve uh it's it's about lucretius it's about uh the nature of things which is this great classical work from the roman period uh by this uh guy lucretius and i'm trying to think of the name of the author but you could look it up the swerve it's”
Tom Hanks uh the swerve by Stephen Greenblatt how the modern world began 2
“uh the swerve by Stephen Greenblatt how the modern world began”
“uh the swerve by Stephen Greenblatt how the modern world began it's about the discovery in 1417 of what had been a long lost Latin book a codex of lucretius”
Mark Manson there's a great book by Stephen Greenblatt called the swerve 1
“there's a great book by Stephen Greenblatt called the swerve”
Ada Palmer Many people are familiar with Greenblatt's book, The Swerve, which credits a lot of change to the materiali… 1
“Many people are familiar with Greenblatt's book, The Swerve, which credits a lot of change to the materialist science that this poem articulates.”
Gilbert Cruz And then he won a Pulitzer for his book The Swerve, which was a book I have not read, but our own Dwight Ga… 1
“And then he won a Pulitzer for his book The Swerve, which was a book I have not read, but our own Dwight Garner in 2011 reviewed it extremely positively.”
