Person
Every book Barry Goan recommended on podcasts
Barry Goan appears on The Book Review as a well-read observer with eclectic tastes spanning literary fiction, demanding economic history, historical non-fiction, and humor. Goan recommended Melanie Finn's novel The Gloaming, highlighting it as a smaller-press book about a woman fleeing to Africa following a tragedy in Switzerland. Turning to non-fiction and current affairs, he pointed listeners to Robert J. Gordon's challenging work The Rise and Fall of American Growth, noting its exceptional critical reception regarding the standard of living since the Civil War. Goan also recommended Candice Millard's Hero of the Empire, which details Winston Churchill's daring escape during the Boer War, and Jessi Klein's collection of comic essays, You'll Grow Out of It. Additionally, Goan discussed Patrick Phillips's Blood at the Root, describing it as a stunning and harrowing account of a racial cleansing in a Georgia county, and Joseph Lelyveld's His Final Battle, which focuses closely on the final month of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's life.
Books recommended by Barry Goan
-
The Rise and Fall of American Growth
The Rise and Fall of American Growth by Robert J.
Recommended“the book I would point to First is not necessarily an easy read but it's one that's gotten extraordinary reviews in The Economist the New York Review and from our own reviewer Paul Krugman and it's called the rise and fall of American growth the US standard of living since the Civil War by Robert Gordon”
Where to get it
-
Hero of the empire
Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill is a historical nonfiction book by Candice Millard that details the dramatic experiences of Winston Churchill in South Africa.
Recommended“I'd like to mention two other books that are interesting in different ways hero of the Empire the boore war a daring escape and the making of Winston Churchill by Candice Mard”
Where to get it
-
The gloaming
The Gloaming is a compelling novel by Melanie Finn that follows a woman whose life is upended following a tragic accident in a Swiss village, leading her on a complex journey.
Recommended“I have one that's maybe a little below the radar um it's a small press uh book called the gloaming by Melanie Finn which is a novel about um a woman who is um involved in this terrible accident in the Swiss Village”
Where to get it
-
You'll grow out of it
You'll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein is a humorous and insightful collection of comic essays written by the former head writer of Inside Amy Schumer.
Recommended“the other one is called you'll grow out of it by Jesse kleene which is series of comic essays by the headwriter of Inside Amy Schumer”
Where to get it
-
Blood at the Root
Blood at the Root is a historical nonfiction book by Patrick Phillips that explores the dark history of racial cleansing and the forced expulsion of African American residents from Forsyth County, Georgia.
Discussed“there's Patrick phillips' blood at the root which uh is the really stunning story about a um essentially a racial cleansing in a in a Georgia County in America”
Where to get it
-
His final battle
Discussed“the other book I want to mention in in a similar vein is Joseph levelt's his final battle the last month of Franklin Roosevelt”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Notable Books of 2016 | The Book Review | 2024-07-18 | 7 |
Other mentions (7: passing, ad reads, own books)
“uh there's blood in the Water by Heather Anne Thompson which is about the uh Attica prison Uprising in the 1970s”
“then we have sing for your life a book that my mother enjoyed a lot so I'll let her have a notable say uh the story of Ryan Speedo green who who just overcame I I saw him speak about this book earlier this year”
“and then two books about the white working class in America white rage the unspoken truth of our racial divide by Carol Anderson”
“and white trash the 400 year Untold History of class in America by Nancy Eisenberg”
“another book I want to mention that's that's also a bit of a tone but will be especially interesting to uh New York readers is City of Dreams the 400-year epic history of immigrant New York by Tyler anbinder”
“she finds these like little undiscovered you know episodes from the history or the story of major figures like she did with TR in river of doubt”
“the first is a book called The Return by hasham matar who is Libyan and whose father was uh disappeared into a Libyan prison in the early 1990s”