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Every book Adam McKay recommended on podcasts
Across 2 podcasts. Every show Adam McKay appears on, in one place — not just one.
Adam McKay is a prominent guest on various podcasts where he frequently discusses his creative process, filmmaking experiences, and the source materials behind his acclaimed projects. During his appearances, McKay has recommended and discussed several notable books that left a lasting impression on him. On SmartLess, he referred to Jeff Perlman's book Showtime while discussing basketball history and its significance in his project about the Lakers, emphasizing the insightful details the book provides. In an appearance on StarTalk Radio, McKay brought up The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells, explaining that reading it was one of the key experiences that inspired him to make his movie about existential threats and climate awareness, noting that it serves as a wake-up call regarding the climate. Additionally, McKay discussed Michael Lewis's book The Big Short on SmartLess, sharing that reading it sparked a clear and immediate vision for how the film adaptation should look, including his decision to break the fourth wall. Through these discussions, McKay highlights how rigorous journalistic accounts and scientific literature deeply inform his approach to storytelling, translating complex historical and environmental realities into compelling cinematic narratives that engage broad audiences with urgent global topics.
Books recommended by Adam McKay
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Showtime
Jeff Pearlman's book Showtime chronicles the legendary era of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team during the 1980s, detailing the personalities, fast-paced gameplay, and cultural impact that defined the franchise.
Recommended“So if you're a great player, you have to go there, so we're in this rare— they're going to eventually create other leagues, but anyway, Lakers came from, there's a great book by Jeff Perlman called Showtime, and I'm, as Will just said, I'm a crazy hoops junkie.”
Where to get it
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The Uninhabitable Earth
The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells is a stark non-fiction book that examines the catastrophic impacts of global warming and climate change.
Recommended“and i had the fortunate unfortunate uh experience of colliding with a lot of this information from reading scientific reports and reading a great book by david wallace wells called uninhabitable earth which if you haven't read it read it and it will wake you up when it comes to the climate”
Where to get it
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The big short
The big short by Michael Lewis is a non-fiction account that explores the housing market collapse and the traders who profited from the 2008 financial crisis.
Discussed“And I got lucky to some degree; it was The Big Short when I read that book, I had one of those weird moments where I just knew how it should look and I knew that I was going to break the fourth wall.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/31/22: An Interview with Adam Mckay | SmartLess w/ Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett | SmartLess | 2022-03-11 | 2 |
| The Science in "Don't Look Up" with Adam McKay and Dr. Amy Mainzer | StarTalk Radio | 2022-02-15 | 1 |