Episode · David Senra · 2026-05-31
Books mentioned on Ivanka Trump on Building an Authentic Life
Ivanka Trump grew up on construction sites and in boardrooms, learning what it takes to be a builder. At just 22 years old, she started doing real estate for a Brooklyn developer.
Ivanka Trump recommended Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, and discussed The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight and others, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, Meditations by Aurelius Marcus, and The Republic.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Creative Act
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin is an exploration of the creative process and artistic perspective from a deeply spiritual and philosophical standpoint.
Discussed“Rick Rubin talks about this in his book, "The Creative Act," that the creator ultimately is just super attuned with what the universe is saying”
Where to get it
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Shoe Dog
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a compelling memoir by the co-founder of Nike that chronicles the grueling journey and tenacity required to build a global athletic brand.
Discussed“Actually, "Shoe Dog" is a great one, another amazing book by Phil Knight.”
Where to get it
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Man's Search for Meaning
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E.
Recommended“And one of my favorites is "Man's Search for Meaning" - by Viktor Frankl.”
Where to get it
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Essentialism
Essentialism by Greg McKeown is a self-improvement guide that advocates for focusing on the vital few things instead of getting overwhelmed by the trivial many.
Discussed“Jared loves the book "Essentialism," and we talk about it all the time because, for him, simplicity is king.”
Where to get it
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a collection of personal journals and philosophical reflections written by the Roman emperor, offering timeless insights on Stoic philosophy, personal virtue, and resilience.
Discussed“Maybe they can't afford to buy a 30-dollar book from Simon & Schuster on the Stoics, and/or Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations."”
Where to get it
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The Republic
Plato's foundational classical text "The Republic" explores justice, political structures, and the nature of reality.
Discussed“Right now, if you want to read Plato's "Republic,"”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (2) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“I found one of my all-time favorite quotes when I was reading the book "Zero to One."”
“So there's no reason, whether it's a high school student in Philadelphia who can't afford to buy "Jane Eyre" for their eighth-grade class.”