Episode · The Tim Ferriss Show · 2022-01-19
Books mentioned on #565: Michael Schur, Creator of “The Good Place” — How SNL Trains Writers, His TV University at “The Office,” Lessons from Lorne Michaels, Wisdom from David Foster Wallace, and Exploring Moral Philosophy with “How to Be Perfect”
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Michael Schur recommended Death by Todd May, and discussed Infinite jest by David Foster Wallace, MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE by Herman Melville, and Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant. Tim Ferriss discussed How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur and A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Infinite jest
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace is a sprawling, maximalist novel exploring addiction, entertainment, and modern American culture.
Discussed“february of 1996 i am at the end of my junior year in college and infinite just comes out and uh my friend rebecca says to me hey have you heard about this book everybody really likes this book uh we should go buy it we went to the harvard bookstore and we both bought a copy of the book”
Where to get it
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MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
Herman Melville's Moby-Dick; or, The Whale explores the obsessive, destructive quest of Captain Ahab to hunt down the white whale that maimed him, weaving a sprawling narrative that blends high-seas adventure, philosophical inquiry, and encyclopedic maritime lore.
Discussed“among the the rarest book i have is i have a first edition copy of moby dick that is in incredibly good shape it's really really a rare copy of that book”
Where to get it
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How to Be Perfect
How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur is a guide to moral philosophy that explores the correct answers to everyday ethical questions through an accessible and humorous lens.
Discussed“so you have how to be perfect subtitle the correct answer to every moral question which is uh tantalizing to say the least uh how did you decide to do a book”
Where to get it
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A Brief History of Time
Stephen Hawking's landmark popular science book has served as an iconic introduction to cosmology and black holes for millions of readers worldwide.
Discussed“which you would love the book to do for moral philosophy what a brief history of time did for astrophysics i think something along those lines which is a hell of a goal”
Where to get it
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Critique of Pure Reason
Critique of Pure Reason is a foundational philosophical work by Immanuel Kant that investigates the limits and structure of human knowledge.
Discussed“like pick up critique of pure reason flip through a couple pages and tell me how psyched you are to polish it off in your free time on the beach like it's forget it”
Where to get it
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Death
Death by Todd May is a philosophical exploration of mortality that examines what it means for human existence that our lives are finite, drawing on various philosophical traditions to help readers grapple with the reality of dying.
Recommended“and he wrote a book called death a great book”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“his new book is how to be perfect subtitle the correct answer to every moral question”