Person
Every book Doris Kearns Goodwin recommended on podcasts
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a renowned historian and author whose appearance on The Daily Stoic explores leadership, historical research, and the enduring influence of classical texts. Reflecting on her reading habits, Goodwin expressed her amazement and excitement at returning to Marcus Aurelius's Meditations after many years away from the text. Drawing upon a lifetime of historical scholarship, she also cited Barbara Tuchman's classic book The Guns of August as a major career inspiration, recalling the profound advice she absorbed in college about how narrative historians must approach their subjects by pretending they do not know how a war ended. Additionally, Goodwin shared a humorous anecdote regarding her own biographical work, The Bully Pulpit, recounting how a reader wrote to tell her that she loved the book so much she read it in bed at night, fell asleep while reading, and accidentally broke her nose. Through these reflections, Goodwin bridges personal reading experiences with the rigorous demands of historical writing.
Books recommended by Doris Kearns Goodwin
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Meditations
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a collection of personal journals written by the Roman emperor, offering timeless Stoic philosophy on duty, resilience, and self-reflection.
Discussed“I mean, he's amazing. I I'm I'm so glad. I can't believe that I haven't read meditations in so long.”
Where to get it
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The Bully Pulpit
The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a sweeping historical examination that contrasts the political strategies, media savvy, and presidencies of William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt.
Discussed“I think partly what happened is somebody was telling me they were reading it. A woman wrote me a letter, the bully pulpit um on Teddy and she said she was loving it, but she was reading it at night when she went to bed and she fell asleep and it broke her nose.”
Where to get it
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The Guns of August
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman is a historical narrative detailing the outbreak and opening month of the First World War.
Discussed“I mean I do believe I remember Barbara Tuckman was a great heroine when I read her book Guns of August when I was in college and she said that even when you're a narrative historian you have to pretend to yourself you do not know how a war ended”
Where to get it
Books Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote
- Team of Rivals
- The Bully Pulpit
- Leadership in Turbulent Times
- Lyndon Johnson and the American dream
- No Ordinary Time
- The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys
- Wait Till Next Year
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| What You Were NEVER Taught About Lincoln | Doris Kearns Goodwin | The Daily Stoic | 2025-09-04 | 3 |