Person
Every book Dan Houser recommended on podcasts
Dan Houser’s most recommended books
- 1984 by George Orwell
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone by Hunter S. Thompson
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
- Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman
- The Thin Red Line by James Jones
- Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
Dan Houser appears on podcasts as an insightful creative figure, deeply immersed in the nuances of great literature, storytelling, and the complexities of the human condition. His discussions reveal a profound appreciation for classic works, historical narratives, and psychological depth. Houser praised Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace as one of the finest novels written in Russian and shared his late-discovered love for George Orwell's 1984, which he engaged with during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting on his formative years, he expressed a deep obsession and preference for the book version of Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, citing its vivid caricature of the drug world. Houser also discussed William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair, expressing an enduring love for the novel because it encapsulates the entirety of human life. He explored James Jones's The Thin Red Line, noting how reading the book long after watching the film finally unlocked his understanding of the cinematic adaptation's editing. Furthermore, he voiced admiration for Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate. While deeply appreciative of classic literature, Houser did not shy away from critique, offering a sharp assessment of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World by calling it poorly written, thereby underscoring a rigorous and discerning literary taste.
Books recommended by Dan Houser
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1984
1984 by George Orwell is a classic dystopian novel depicting a totalitarian regime characterized by extreme surveillance, historical denial, and psychological manipulation.
Recommended“- Love 1984. Had never listened to it or read it, and then I think I did it on Talking Book”
Where to get it
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War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace is a monumental historical novel blending grand military strategy with intimate domestic life against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.
Recommended“War and Peace is one of the best novels written in Russian, I would argue.”
Where to get it
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Brave New World
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a classic dystopian science fiction novel that depicts a technologically advanced future society controlled through engineered reproduction, psychological conditioning, and constant superficial pleasure.
Critiqued“That's my criticism of Brave New World, it's just poorly written.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone
Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone by Hunter S.
Discussed“- Plus there's the caricature of the drug world of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. That's an interesting one. - I love the book so much. I was obsessed by it when I was about 17, 18. And I enjoyed the film, but I preferred the book.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S.
Discussed“- Plus there's the caricature of the drug world of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. That's an interesting one. - I love the book so much. I was obsessed by it when I was about 17, 18. And I enjoyed the film, but I preferred the book.”
Where to get it
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Life and Fate
Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman is a sweeping masterpiece depicting the brutality and human ramifications of the Eastern Front, the Holocaust, and totalitarianism during World War II.
Discussed“- I love the bit in Life and Fate when you get...”
Where to get it
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The Thin Red Line
Discussed“The Thin Red Line is another book— ...and movie that shows that. - Yeah, yeah, and I watched the movie years before I read the book, and I didn't understand the movie. And then I read the book, and I read a lot about the editing of the movie, and I understood why I didn't understand the movie”
Where to get it
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Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray is a sprawling satirical novel that chronicles the intertwined lives of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley against the backdrop of British society during and after the Napoleonic Wars.
Discussed“So I think there's something amazing about, you know, Vanity Fair, I used to love the novel, not the magazine. Because same thing, all of life is here.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| #484 – Dan Houser: GTA, Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar, Absurd & Future of Gaming | Lex Fridman Podcast | 2025-10-31 | 8 |