Episode · The Book Review · 2024-07-18
Books mentioned on Inside The New York Times Book Review: Bill Bryson on Britain
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The road to Little Dribbling
The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson is a humorous travelogue in which the author embarks on a nostalgic yet wry journey across Great Britain, observing the quirks and changes of the British landscape.
Discussed“Bill Bryson uh is new on the list at number four with his latest kind of comic travel book called The Road to little dribbling”
Where to get it
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Notes from a small island
Discussed“so it's hard to start talking about this book without mentioning another book that you wrote 20 years ago notes from a small island”
Where to get it
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A short history of nearly everything
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is a popular science masterpiece that distills complex scientific discoveries, natural history, and evolutionary milestones into an engaging narrative for general readers.
Discussed“oh I've thought about I mean because it's a short history of nearly everything I don't want to discourage anyone from going out and buying it”
Where to get it
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2666
2666 is a massive, complex novel by Roberto Bolaño that explores a wide range of themes, most famously centering on the unsolved femicides in a fictional Mexican border city.
Discussed“and apparently Patty Smith made her entire band read 2666 which seems like a a tall order 900 pages”
Where to get it
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The Productivity Project
Discussed“I mean you could be a very productive procrastinator or a very productive consumer of internet porn and those things aren't necessarily good things but in in one case in the productivity project”
Where to get it
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Mindful tech
Mindful tech by David M.
Recommended“and then after that if you had to go down the list mindful Tech is a really good option for people who are resigned to the fact that email and phones are part of our lives”
Where to get it
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Deep Work
Deep Work by Cal Newport is a productivity guide that explores the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks, arguing that this skill is increasingly rare and valuable in a modern economy.
Recommended“it sounds like you're saying deep work by Cal Newport is kind of the the most helpful”
Where to get it
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Pogue's basics
Pogue's basics by David Pogue is a practical guide featuring essential life tips and shortcuts that people often do not learn elsewhere.
Recommended“and after that after that poges Basics poges Basics is a great book to give to uh the young whipper snapper in your life”
Where to get it
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R.
Discussed“it's funny because the sort of predecessor to many of these books seems to be to in certain ways um Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”
Where to get it
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Even dogs in the wild
Discussed“the Scottish crime novelist Ian Rankin returns to the list uh he brings his detective John Rebus out of retirement for kind of an ensemble novel called even dogs in the wild”
Where to get it
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Feverborn
Discussed“Karen Marie moaning continues her fever series... it's called fever borne new at number 10”
Where to get it
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Warriors of the storm
Discussed“then at number eight Bernard Cornwell also continues um his series The Saxon Tales this is the ninth book in that series called Warriors of the storm”
Where to get it
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Blue
Discussed“Danielle Steel returns to the list and this is um her second bestseller in the past couple of months... this is a novel called Blue”
Where to get it
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Why the Right Went Wrong
Discussed“EJ Dion JR the journalist and columnist has a book uh about Republican politics kind of looking at how they've evolved since goldwater's time called why the right went wrong”
Where to get it
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Dark Money
Dark Money by Jane Mayer is an investigative non-fiction book that exposes the hidden history and political financing networks of radical right-wing billionaires and conservative foundations working to reshape American politics.
Discussed“then at number five another topical book the reporter and New Yorker staff writer Jane mayor uh has written a book called Dark money”
Where to get it
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When Breath Becomes Air
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi is a powerful autobiographical memoir written by a neurosurgeon facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, exploring mortality, meaning, and the intersection of medicine and life.
Discussed“at the top of the list Paul Kony uh stays at number one with when breath becomes air his posterous published account of his battle against cancer”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (5) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“I think she talks about him a lot in her recent Memoir Avenue M after my story ran yesterday I heard a great anecdote”
“the books are deep work by Cal Newport mindful Tech by David Levy the productivity project by Chris Bailey and poges Basics Life by David pog”
“the books are deep work by Cal Newport mindful Tech by David Levy the productivity project by Chris Bailey and poges Basics Life by David pog”
“the books are deep work by Cal Newport mindful Tech by David Levy the productivity project by Chris Bailey and poges Basics Life by David pog”
“this is a look uh kind of from the American perspective at England which revisits the topic of his earlier bestseller notes from a small island”