Episode · The Shawn Ryan Show · 2026-07-13
Books mentioned on #321 Ryan Holiday - The Stoic Survival Guide
Ryan Holiday is a bestselling author and one of the most influential modern voices on Stoicism. His 12 books, including The Obstacle Is the Way, Ego Is the Enemy, and Stillness Is the Key, have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.
Shawn Ryan discussed Meditations by Aurelius Marcus, Trust Me, I'm Lying by Ryan Holiday, and Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday. Ryan Holiday recommended American Buffalo by Steven Rinella, Outdoor Kids in an Inside World by Steven Rinella, Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot by James B. Stockdale, The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe, Over the Beach by Zalin Grant, Kingdom of Fear by Hunter S. Thompson, and To have and have not by Ernest Hemingway, and discussed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson and Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone by Hunter S. Thompson.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a collection of personal reflections and Stoic philosophy written by the Roman emperor.
Discussed“and this year got Marcus Aurelius's book on stoicism and and so this is perfect now you're here.”
Where to get it
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American Buffalo
American Buffalo by Steven Rinella is a compelling narrative account that chronicles the author's journey to secure a hunting tag in Alaska and harvest an American bison.
Recommended“He wrote an amazing book about hunting called the American Buffalo, which is like one of my favorite books where he gets a buffalo tag in Alaska and he goes to hunt the American bison and it's all about that.”
Where to get it
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Outdoor Kids in an Inside World
Outdoor Kids in an Inside World by Steven Rinella is a practical parenting and nature guide designed to help families combat digital addiction by engaging children deeply with the natural world.
Recommended“But as a parent, this is inside kid outside kids in an inside world. I think that's what every parent is struggling with right now because screens are so addictive.”
Where to get it
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Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot
Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot is a reflective work by James B.
Recommended“So, this is thoughts of a philosophical fighter pilot. So, Stockdale goes to the naval academy in 43, graduates, becomes a pilot.”
Where to get it
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The Right Stuff
Tom Wolfe's classic 1979 work, The Right Stuff, chronicles the harrowing early days of the United States space program and the fearless test pilots chosen to become America's first astronauts.
Recommended“Do you ever read The Right Stuff? The Tom Wolf book?”
Where to get it
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Over the Beach
Over the Beach is a historical account by Zalin Grant that details the realities of the air war in Vietnam through the experiences of carrier pilots.
Recommended“It's called Over the Beach. It was Stockdale's favorite book about about the air war in Vietnam.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S.
Discussed“You think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a book about drugs and alcohol, which it is, but it's the subtitle of that book is about the American dream”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone
Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone by Hunter S.
Discussed“You think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a book about drugs and alcohol, which it is, but it's the subtitle of that book is about the American dream”
Where to get it
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Kingdom of Fear
Kingdom of Fear by Hunter S.
Recommended“And so, this is Freak Kingdom. Um, and it's about Hunter S. Thompson as a political thinker and critic”
Where to get it
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Trust Me, I'm Lying
Trust Me, I'm Lying by Ryan Holiday is an expose detailing the mechanics of media manipulation and the darker incentives driving online journalism.
Discussed“You wrote, Trust me, I'm lying. Yeah.”
Where to get it
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Ego Is the Enemy
Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday is a modern philosophy book that examines how unchecked ambition and pride hinder personal success and fulfillment.
Discussed“Ego is the enemy. You wrote a whole book on this.”
Where to get it
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To have and have not
To Have and Have Not is a novel by Ernest Hemingway that depicts the life of a charter boat captain in Key West during the Great Depression.
Recommended“He has a a memoir called To Helen Back which I should have brought you because it's an amazing book, one of the great memoirs of the 20th century.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (7) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Ryan Holiday, author of 12 books on stoicism with more than 10 million copies sold, including The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, and Stillness is the key.”
“Ryan Holiday, author of 12 books on stoicism with more than 10 million copies sold, including The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, and Stillness is the key.”
“Ryan Holiday, author of 12 books on stoicism with more than 10 million copies sold, including The Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, and Stillness is the key.”
“And so what I was writing about in trust me I'm lying was that sort of first wave of that happening”
“There was some some and it's funny none of this stuff is new. There was this media critic and he was writing in like the late 1800s early 1900s and he says you know American America is a country ruled by public opinion.”
“And I think one of the things I was trying to write and trust me I'm lying is is like, hey, look, here's how I'm getting you to buy t-shirts or getting you to follow this brand”
“I took less than half what I got for for the for the book that became the obstacles away.”