Episode · EconTalk · 2025-06-02
Books mentioned on EconTalk #1000 (with Russ Roberts)
In honor of EconTalk's 1,000th episode, host Russ Roberts reflects on his long, strange journey from pioneer of the podcast format to weekly interviewer of leading economists, authors, and thinkers. Hear him answer your--and Chat GPT's--questions about why he got started, how he preps, and how he picks guests.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Aspiration
Aspiration by Agnes Callard is a philosophical work that investigates how people desire and strive to acquire values and preferences they do not yet fully understand.
Recommended“I should have mentioned the names of their books that I read and that inspired me along with the interviews. Agnes Callard's book is Aspiration, and L.A. Paul's is Transformative Experience. Great books.”
Where to get it
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Transformative Experience
Transformative Experience by L.A.
Recommended“I should have mentioned the names of their books that I read and that inspired me along with the interviews. Agnes Callard's book is Aspiration, and L.A. Paul's is Transformative Experience. Great books.”
Where to get it
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith is a foundational 1759 philosophical work examining the moral agency, empathy, and social bonds that govern human interactions.
Discussed“I should also mention uh the crazy six-part bonus episodes I did with Dan Klein on Adam Smith's book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, which I almost certainly I have read without Dan's eagerness to discuss it on EconTalk, and of course that inspired inspired me to write my own book, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Own book Gambling with Other People's Money
“And as a result of that, I wrote a book Gambling with Other People's Money, trying to understand the incentives that may have contributed to the financial crisis.”
Own book Wild Problems
“and then you know related to these issues are the challenges we have in decision-making and the episode I did with Agnes Callard and then the one I did on with L.A. Paul both with the Burton book and those of others ended up leading to my last most recent book Wild Problems and I just I'm so grateful for”
Own book How Adam Smith can change your life
“and of course that inspired inspired me to write my own book, How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life.”