Episode · The Tim Ferriss Show · 2026-03-26
Books mentioned on #859: Q&A with Tim — The Upcoming AI Tsunami and Building Offline Advantage, Book Recommendations, Spotting Psychedelic Red Flags, Courage as a Learnable Skill, and More
Welcome back to another in-between-isode, with one of my favorite formats: the good old-fashioned Q&A. This episode is brought to you by: Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro using nonstick technology
Tim Ferriss recommended Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck, The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker, Of wolves and men by Barry Lopez, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch, Living the 80/20 Way by Richard Koch, High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil, blue ocean strategy, Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor, and Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Travels with Charley in Search of America
Recommended“It could be, let's just say, Travels with Charlie. Amazing book by John Steinbeck. Road trip in a makeshift RV with his dog Charlie.”
Where to get it
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The Effective Executive
Recommended“So, one is going to be The Effective Executive from Peter Ducker. Classic, old, short, incredible bang for the buck.”
Where to get it
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Of wolves and men
Recommended“There's a book back there called Of Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez who won I believe it was the Booker or Pulitzer Prize for another of his books called Arctic Dreams.”
Where to get it
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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Recommended“If you haven't read I'll simplify the title here. Alice in Wonderland. You should go read Alice in Wonderland. Read the whole thing just quotes from it.”
Where to get it
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The 80/20 Principle
Recommended“the 8020 principle, Richard Kosh. That just never gets old. Just does not get old.”
Where to get it
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Living the 80/20 Way
Recommended“And there's another book of his up there called Living the 8020 Principle. It might be living the 8020 way. And he really walks the talk.”
Where to get it
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High Growth Handbook
Recommended“is to read a book called the high growth handbook by Allad Gil E L A D G I L arguably the best one of the best certainly angel investors of the last few decades”
Where to get it
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blue ocean strategy
Recommended“And then maybe last but not least, it's been a long time since I read it, but the blue ocean strategy probably worth checking out because if if you choose to compete in a crowded category...”
Where to get it
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Don't Shoot the Dog
Recommended“The books that I have found most helpful are Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Prior. I think everybody should read that.”
Where to get it
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Ozymandias
Recommended“It's actually very freeing. It's like every everybody should read I think it's Percy Shelly. Azymandas. Yeah, Percy Shelly. Azymandas.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing What color is your parachute?
“Honestly, if I were to tell you to go buy what color is my parachute or something, you might glean something from that. But I feel like in very dynamic times...”
Passing Arctic Dreams
“Barry Lopez who won I believe it was the Booker or Pulitzer Prize for another of his books called Arctic Dreams.”
Passing How to Change Your Mind
“So I would just say probably unfairly but I would be biased towards people who have been doing this since before Michael Pollen's exceptional book how to change your mind right”
Plugged Tools of Titans
“I think they're in Tools of Titans, maybe Tribe of Mentors, but also on Tim.blog. There's a PDF with the 17 questions I most often ask myself.”
Plugged Tribe of Mentors
“I think they're in Tools of Titans, maybe Tribe of Mentors, but also on Tim.blog. There's a PDF with the 17 questions I most often ask myself.”