Episode · Lex Fridman Podcast · 2020-06-20
Books mentioned on #102 – Steven Pressfield: The War of Art
Steven Pressfield is a historian and author of War of Art, a book that had a big impact on my life and the life of millions of whose passion is to create in art, science, business, sport, and everywhere else.
Lex Fridman recommended The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, Do the Work! by Steven Pressfield, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield, The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield, Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, Tides of War by Steven Pressfield, and The lion's gate by Steven Pressfield, and discussed The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
-
The War of Art
Steven Pressfield's The War of Art serves as a profound guide for creatives, entrepreneurs, and thinkers seeking to understand and conquer the psychological barriers that hinder productivity and inspiration.
Recommended“the following is a conversation with Steven Pressfield author of several powerful nonfiction and historical fiction books including the war of art a book that had a big impact on my life and the life of millions of people whose passion is to create an art science business sport and everywhere else”
Where to get it
-
Turning Pro
Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield is a motivational manual that challenges individuals to overcome internal resistance, drop amateur habits, and fully commit to their creative work.
Recommended“and others of his books on this topic including turning pro do the work”
Where to get it
-
Do the Work!
Steven Pressfield's Do the Work! serves as a practical, hard-hitting manual for overcoming creative blocks, self-sabotage, and the internal force of resistance.
Recommended“and others of his books on this topic including turning pro do the work”
Where to get it
-
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t
Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t by Steven Pressfield is a practical writing guide focused on overcoming creative resistance, engaging audiences, and mastering the craft of storytelling.
Recommended“nobody wants to read your shit and the Warrior Ethos”
Where to get it
-
The Warrior Ethos
The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield is a concise exploration of the warrior mindset, drawing on historical and philosophical examples from various ancient cultures to examine what it means to live and fight with honor, discipline, and a commitment to a code.
Recommended“nobody wants to read your shit and the Warrior Ethos”
Where to get it
-
Gates of Fire
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield is a historical novel detailing the heroic Spartan stand at the Battle of Thermopylae.
Recommended“also his books gets a fire about the Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae the Lionsgate tides of war and others are some of the best historical fiction novels ever written”
Where to get it
-
Tides of War
Tides of War by Steven Pressfield is a celebrated historical fiction novel that plunges readers into the brutal conflicts of ancient Greece, focusing on the Spartans and the historic Battle of Thermopylae.
Recommended“also his books gets a fire about the Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae the Lionsgate tides of war and others are some of the best historical fiction novels ever written”
Where to get it
-
The lion's gate
The Lion's Gate by Steven Pressfield is a work of historical non-fiction that details the gripping events of the 1967 Six-Day War through the eyes of the soldiers and commanders who lived through it.
Recommended“also his books gets a fire about the Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae the Lionsgate tides of war and others are some of the best historical fiction novels ever written”
Where to get it
-
The Denial of Death
The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning psychological and philosophical study exploring how human behavior is driven by the fear of mortality.
Discussed“have you read the earners Becker's denial of death for example is that Ernest Becker is a philosopher that said that the death that the fear of death is really the primary driver of everything we do”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“I recommend a cent of money as a great book on this history”
“you know there's a in in my book the virtues of war I have you read that there's a character named telamon who's actually it's a long story”
“and I you know there's one of the things that I did in my book the artist journey is that there were certain things where I tracked or just listed in order like all of Bruce Springsteen's albums or all of Philip Roth's books”