Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 2026-05-15
Ezra Klein & Pema Chödrön: books mentioned on The Ezra Klein Show
This Is Why I Find Pema Chödrön So Essential | The Ezra Klein Show
Ezra Klein discussed Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chödrön and Another Kind of Freedom by Pema Chodron. Pema Chödrön recommended The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Shambhala : the sacred path of the warrior ; Great eastern sun : the wisdom of shambhala ; Selected writings by Chögyam Trungpa, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, and Enlightened Vagabond by Matthieu Ricard, and discussed The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation by Chögyam Trungpa.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Comfortable with Uncertainty
Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chödrön is a spiritual book that offers guidance on how to embrace ambiguity, practice mindfulness, and find inner peace during turbulent times.
Discussed“There's this book I love and I go back to and back to called Comfortable with Uncertainty.”
Where to get it
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Another Kind of Freedom
Discussed“Chödrön has a new book out, Another Kind of Freedom, which is on these themes and and many others.”
Where to get it
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The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation
Discussed“One of the things Trungpa Rinpoche says in Myth of Freedom is he has a whole chapter called Boredom.”
Where to get it
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The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Shambhala : the sacred path of the warrior ; Great eastern sun : the wisdom of shambhala ; Selected writings
The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, encompassing texts like Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, offers profound insights into Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and spiritual resilience for modern life.
Recommended“I recommend uh Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which is an excellent book to be reading right now in terms of what's happening in the world.”
Where to get it
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Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki serves as a foundational guide to Zen practice, emphasizing an open, eager attitude devoid of preconceived notions.
Recommended“And I recommend uh Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, which is uh one of the very first books I ever read in Buddhism.”
Where to get it
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Enlightened Vagabond
Enlightened Vagabond by Matthieu Ricard is a biographical work exploring the life and spiritual legacy of a remarkable contemplative master.
Recommended“And I recommend this book, um called Enlightened Vagabond by Matthieu Ricard.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (2) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“It's by the Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön who's also written really really really well-known beloved books like When Things Fall Apart and welcoming the unwelcomed.”
“It's by the Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön who's also written really really really well-known beloved books like When Things Fall Apart and welcoming the unwelcomed.”