Episode · The Rich Roll Podcast · 2021-05-13
Books mentioned on Roll On: Why You Should Periodize Your Life
We live in a culture that glorifies the hustle. But the 24/7 grind mentality is actually anathema to long-term success.
Adam Skolnick recommended The Hard Crowd by Rachel Kushner, The flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner and others, and Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner, and discussed The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner. Rich Roll discussed Finding Ultra by Rich Roll.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Hard Crowd
The Hard Crowd is a collection of essays written by Rachel Kushner spanning two decades of her critically acclaimed literary career from 2000 to 2020.
Recommended“This is the new Rachel Cushner collection, "The Hard Crowd", it's essays from 2000 to 2020. Rachel Cushner is one of my three favorite writers currently working”
Where to get it
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The flamethrowers
"The Flamethrowers" by Rachel Kushner is a compelling novel that delves into the 1970s New York art scene, motorcycle racing, and socialist uprisings in Italy.
Recommended“Cushner has previous novels, "Flame Throwers", which is a spectacular book about 1970s motorcycles and the art scene in New York and socialist uprising in Italy in the 70's.”
Where to get it
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The Mars Room
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner is a gritty, critically acclaimed contemporary novel that explores the bleak realities of the American women's prison system through the eyes of an inmate named Romy Hall.
Discussed“And "Mars Room" is about a women's prison, but this book kind of includes essays that inform all those novels.”
Where to get it
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Telex from Cuba
Telex from Cuba is a historical novel by Rachel Kushner set in an American-owned mining company town in Cuba right before the outbreak of the Cuban revolution.
Recommended“"Telex from Cuba" is about kind of this mining town, company town in Cuba, American owned, right before the Cuban revolution, which is a spectacular read.”
Where to get it
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Finding Ultra
Finding Ultra is a memoir by Rich Roll that chronicles his transformative journey from battling severe alcohol addiction to becoming an extreme endurance athlete and ultramarathoner.
Discussed“Well, I did, I was sort of practicing law as I was writing, "Finding Ultra", but when that book came out I was like, I'm not doing, I drew a line in the sand”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“For "One Breath", Byrd Leavell, shout out. And so then "One Breath" ended up happening but the novel itself never found a home.”
“I think you'll really enjoy my latest book, "Voicing change", featuring excerpts from poignant essays by and glorious photography of some 50 of my favorite guests over the last eight plus years”
“In "Finding Ultra" Rich, you share a moment when you had left your law practice, was waiting to get traction as an author and was on the brink of financial ruin.”