Episode · Interesting Times · 2025-08-21
Books mentioned on Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
This week, we’re sharing a great conversation Ross had on “The Ezra Klein Show” this past spring. Ezra asks Ross about his most recent book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Believe
Believe by Ross Douthat is a philosophical examination arguing for the rationality and societal necessity of religious faith.
Discussed“He's the author of Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, a book I enjoyed very much, even though quite a bit of it I had some questions about.”
Where to get it
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Living with a Wild God
Living with a Wild God by Barbara Ehrenreich is a reflective memoir that chronicles a well-known secular atheist's unexpected encounters with profound and mysterious religious experiences.
Discussed“Famous left liberal writer wrote a whole book called and a famous atheist. yes. famous atheist called Living with a Wild God, right? And it was just a book about a very secular person who had a lot of religious experiences”
Where to get it
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Inventing the Renaissance
Inventing the Renaissance by Ada Palmer is an engaging historical study that explores the cultural and intellectual shifts of the early modern period.
Discussed“I've been reading about the Renaissance recently. Um, Ada Palmer's great book on inventing the Renaissance.”
Where to get it
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Modern Physics and Ancient Faith
Modern Physics and Ancient Faith by Stephen M.
Recommended“The first one is a book called from about 20 years ago by a physicist named Steven Bar called ancient physics and modern faith. That is I think despite being a little bit dated is still really the best overall survey”
Where to get it
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After
After by Bruce Greyson is an insightful examination of near-death experiences written by a distinguished psychiatrist and neuroscientist from the University of Virginia.
Recommended“I think people who are interested in this subject, interested in the conversation, one recommendation would be a book called After by Bruce Grayson, who's a I think psychiatrist or neuroscientist from the University of Virginia”
Where to get it
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Mind and Cosmos
Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel is a concise philosophical critique that challenges the dominant materialist framework of evolution and consciousness by arguing for the limits of neo-Darwinian reductionism.
Recommended“um but a book called Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel was a famous philosopher not religious but arguing for the fundamental limits and problems with a materialist framework on the world and it is a very short book”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Ezra had me on his show this past spring to talk about my recent book, Believe.”