Book · 2014 · Fiction
The Three-Body Problem
#63 of 16,905 books, ranked by how many different people bring it up on podcasts
- episodes
- 31
- podcasts
- 17
- people
- 26
- episodes recommend it
- 12
Everybody should read them because they're fantastic books.
Krystal Ball · Breaking Points · Jul 2026 Listen at 20:41 Questions about The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
Who recommends The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu on podcasts?
Emily Jashinsky (1 episode), Ben Bowlin (1 episode), Ben van Kerkwyk (1 episode), Blake Stockman (1 episode) and Dan Egan (1 episode) have recommended The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu on podcasts. In all, 26 people brought it up across 17 podcasts (11 people recommended it).
Which podcasts mention The Three-Body Problem the most?
The Joe Rogan Experience (4 episodes), Breaking Points (3 episodes), Stuff They Don't Want You To Know (3 episodes), The Megyn Kelly Show (3 episodes) and This Week in Startups (3 episodes), among 17 podcasts in all.
Is The Three-Body Problem recommended, or only discussed?
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu was recommended in 12 episodes and discussed without a recommendation in 19 episodes, as of 2026-09-15.
What do people say about The Three-Body Problem?
Krystal Ball on Breaking Points (2026-07-28): "Everybody should read them because they're fantastic books."
When was The Three-Body Problem last mentioned on a podcast?
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu was last recommended on The Knowledge Project by Tobi Lütke on 2026-09-15.
What they say about it
- Mentions the Netflix adaptation“turned into amazing Netflix show”5

- Brings up the Cultural Revolution“benefit of the cultural revolution”4
- Discusses the Dark Forest theory“dark forest theory”3

- Read the trilogy“read these the three body problem trilogy”2


The best things said about it
I'm a big science fiction fan. I think we all spend so much time reading professional books, diving into Prof. I mean this is a professional podcast you're making, right? Sometimes you got to get out of it. A three body problem is a amazing science fiction novel.
Great series of books by a Chinese author got turned into amazing Netflix show great show the books are phenomenal too.
Excellent, you know, epic space adventure.
If you want to think about quantum, read the three-body problem.
I really liked the three body problem but that's a really hackneyed recommendation but it really made me think.
It's worth it.
Where and when it comes up
How it comes up
26 people who brought it up
- Emily Jashinsky2 episodes · recommended in 1
- Ben Bowlin1 episode · recommended in 1
- Ben van Kerkwyk1 episode · recommended in 1
- Blake Stockman1 episode · recommended in 1
- Dan Egan1 episode · recommended in 1
- Jesse Michels1 episode · recommended in 1
Krystal Ball1 episode · recommended in 1- Marshall Kosloff1 episode · recommended in 1
- Nic Carter1 episode · recommended in 1
- Steve Kwast1 episode · recommended in 1
Tobi Lütke1 episode · recommended in 1
Andrew Klavan2 episodes
Why people recommend it
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu is a renowned science fiction novel that explores first contact between humanity and an alien civilization facing environmental collapse. Tobi Lütke spoke on The Knowledge Project to ask whether Shane had read the work, describing the recent science-fiction title as exceptionally good. On Breaking Points, Krystal Ball recommended the trilogy as fantastic books that everyone should read. Ben van Kerkwyk recommended the book series on The Joe Rogan Experience while discussing the dark forest theory, noting that the novels are phenomenal and have been adapted into an amazing show. Jesse Michels also mentioned the Chinese science fiction novel on The Joe Rogan Experience during a discussion on state control of scientific advancement in China, calling it amazing and highlighting its television adaptation. Steve Kwast recommended the trilogy on The Shawn Ryan Show to help explain quantum technology and how advanced civilizations might view Earth, returning to the text a second time as a suggested reading for understanding quantum mechanics. Additionally, Emily Jashinsky and the host of Breaking Points brought up the title during a discussion on trade tariffs and China, referencing specific elements from the narrative regarding the cultural revolution and extraterrestrial contact while encouraging the audience to read the work despite minor spoilers.
Every mention
Emily Jashinsky Although, if you read the threebody problem, you do know that there of course benefits. Uh, as somebody who… 2
“I mean your mind immediately starts to go to like Three-Body Problem if you've ever”
“Although, if you read the threebody problem, you do know that there of course benefits. Uh, as somebody who wants aliens revealed to be to the United States, that that was the only benefit of the cultural revolution from that book.”
Ben Bowlin incorporating What's called the Dark Forest Theory shout out three body problem and then it's time to finis… 1
“incorporating What's called the Dark Forest Theory shout out three body problem and then it's time to finish that it's worth it”
Ben van Kerkwyk So, it's this came out of uh it was the threebody problem. uh great series of books by a Chinese author got… 1
“So, it's this came out of uh it was the threebody problem. uh great series of books by a Chinese author got turned into amazing Netflix show great show the books are phenomenal too”
Blake Stockman I'm a big science fiction fan. I think we all spend so much time reading professional books, diving into Pr… 1
“I'm a big science fiction fan. I think we all spend so much time reading professional books, diving into Prof. I mean this is a professional podcast you're making, right? Sometimes you got to get out of it. A three body problem is a amazing science fiction novel.”
Dan Egan The Three Body Problem is this book by, I'm going to mangle the name, Xixin Liu, C-I-X-I-N-L-I-U, who's a s… 1
“The Three Body Problem is this book by, I'm going to mangle the name, Xixin Liu, C-I-X-I-N-L-I-U, who's a science fiction writer that's coming out of China right now.”
Jesse Michels And like I don't know if you've read there's a um great uh Chinese science fiction novel called The Three B… 1
“And like I don't know if you've read there's a um great uh Chinese science fiction novel called The Three Body Problem. Great show on Netflix, too. It's amazing.”
Krystal Ball I read these the three body problem trilogy and in the first book, and I'm not really giving it away anythi… 1
“I read these the three body problem trilogy and in the first book, and I'm not really giving it away anything here, but everybody should read them because they're fantastic books.”
Marshall Kosloff two of which we picked out were the three body problem i have it right behind me here 1
“two of which we picked out were the three body problem i have it right behind me here”
Nic Carter i really liked the three body problem but that's a really hackneyed recommendation but it really made me think 1
“i really liked the three body problem but that's a really hackneyed recommendation but it really made me think”
Steve Kwast There is a Chinese fiction writer that wrote a trilogy called The Three-Body Problem. 1
“There is a Chinese fiction writer that wrote a trilogy called The Three-Body Problem.”
“So that's why I propose the book, uh, of, uh, if you want to think about quantum, read the three-body problem.”
Tobi Lütke you read the three body parlance too right i guess that's sort of tripping into older book now too but like… 1
“you read the three body parlance too right i guess that's sort of tripping into older book now too but like um that's a recent sci-fi which is incredibly good”
Andrew Klavan I recently watched the three body problem a science fiction an adaptation on Netflix of a science fiction n… 2
“I recently watched the three body problem a science fiction an adaptation on Netflix of a science fiction novel the novel of which I kind of enjoyed and it was really interesting because the heroes were hard driving physicists all of whom were women”
“I recently watched the three body problem a science fiction an adaptation on Netflix of a science fiction novel the novel of which I kind of enjoyed”
Tyler Cowen Why is volume one of Three-Body Problem the best of the three volumes? 2
“Why is volume one of Three-Body Problem the best of the three volumes?”
“Why do you think The Three-Body Problem took off the way it did? Well, it is very good, right?”
Dan Wang Liu Cixin, author of The Three-Body Problem. 1
“Liu Cixin, author of The Three-Body Problem.”
David Kipping did you get to watch the three body problem yeah I did and d read the couple of the first couple of books a… 1
“did you get to watch the three body problem yeah I did and d read the couple of the first couple of books and I thought the show was really intriguing”
Eric Migicovsky So I love reading sci-fi and you know I'm actually just rereading the um uh the three body problem series.… 1
“So I love reading sci-fi and you know I'm actually just rereading the um uh the three body problem series. Excellent, you know, epic space adventure and it said in the future”
Joe Rogan like some there's some editor who it's probably more like you know um the threebody problem the the books a… 1
“like some there's some editor who it's probably more like you know um the threebody problem the the books and the show.”
Lulu Cheng Meservey You know, in the threebody problem, especially in the dark forest in the second book, where the tricolerans… 1
“You know, in the threebody problem, especially in the dark forest in the second book, where the tricolerans look at humans and determine which humans, which wallfacers have what level of deterrence.”
Michael Moynihan I just watched uh three body problem on uh Netflix which I tried to read the book yeah but there's a scene… 1
“I just watched uh three body problem on uh Netflix which I tried to read the book yeah but there's a scene in there like a depiction of the cultural revolution at the very beginning um of the show and it's it is visceral it is incredibly hard to watch”
Molly Wood i love love love that trilogy the dark uh the three body problem yeah trilogy yeah by xi lou and the book m… 1
“i love love love that trilogy the dark uh the three body problem yeah trilogy yeah by xi lou and the book my son and i were talking about this”
Neil deGrasse Tyson I wanted to know your thoughts on the dark forest theory presented as a solution to the Fermi paradox in th… 1
“I wanted to know your thoughts on the dark forest theory presented as a solution to the Fermi paradox in the 3body trilogy, Spoiler Warnings for Others. The dark forest principle says that when each civilization discovers the other, there exists no solution where they do not end up attacking each other. So the universe is teeming with intelligent life,”
Rebecca F. Kuang My fiance is reading 2001: A Space Odyssey right now and its sequels, and he was a big fan of Liu Cixin's T… 1
“My fiance is reading 2001: A Space Odyssey right now and its sequels, and he was a big fan of Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem trilogy, and he's telling me he can see where the Clarke influence comes from.”
Saagar Enjeti just read Three-Body Problem. So, yeah, so reading that and then seeing this, of course I instantly was lik… 1
“just read Three-Body Problem. So, yeah, so reading that and then seeing this, of course I instantly was like, Oh, what's going on here? is uh you know it's not it's not the greatest thing ever made, but uh it was okay.”
Terry Virts there's a a novel called the three-body problem it's a chinese novel by xi xin liu it's probably the most f… 1
“there's a a novel called the three-body problem it's a chinese novel by xi xin liu it's probably the most famous book on earth”
Tim Urban And then um and then I um, more recently obviously I read the whole Three Body Problem trilogy which is by… 1
“And then um and then I um, more recently obviously I read the whole Three Body Problem trilogy which is by the way an example of one of those times when I couldn't do that either.”
Tony Stubblebine is you know the first time I read the three body problem and the thing that stood out to me was how someone… 1
“is you know the first time I read the three body problem and the thing that stood out to me was how someone who grew up in China feels about um the ma uh oh the um cultural revolution”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker7
“Although, if you read the threebody problem, you do know that there of course benefits. Uh, as somebody who wants aliens revealed to be to the United States, that that was the only benefit of the cultural revolution from that book. Sorry, I guess I just spoiled it, but whatever. Yeah, it's still worth reading. It's been it's been out”
“if you haven't seen it or read it of the three body problem that a civilization like tardy grades live somewhere else”
“And you know, have you all watched 'Three Body Problem' yet? We talked about it when it first came out.”
“it makes me think of the three body problem I wouldn't want to spoil it too much but there's a a position that's created within that world”
“they also control a bunch of intellectual property including that of the three-body problem book series or the the book series that is named that it's been stylized a bit in the US with the number three rather than the word three”
“I believe the introduction to the 'Three-Body Problem' should be required viewing in schools; kids should definitely watch it.”
“I'm only going to show a quick couple of seconds because I thought it was colorized footage of the show 'Three-Body Problem.' In the show, they depict a physics professor in a dunce cap on stage while he's being screamed at and told to reject science.”
Other mentions (5: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Is there a world with no walls to face just to keep going with that three body problem stuff?”
“Before you know it, you're reading the threebody problem.”
“do you do you remember there was a a a whole service around uh buying and naming stars do you do you remember this this was kind of like a big idea in the '90s maybe early 2000s three body problem that's like one of the one of the ideas I hav't”
“If I had to send a person to one place to learn Chinese science fiction, assuming they're not going to read three volumes of Three-Body Problem, I'd send them to Folding Beijing.”
“because of course he put the three body problem on one of his lists of favorite books of the Year”