Person
Every book Duncan Trussell recommended on podcasts
Duncan Trussell frequently explores spirituality, science fiction, and unorthodox philosophy during his guest appearances on programs like The Joe Rogan Experience and This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von. As a curious and contemplative conversationalist, Trussell's book recommendations often center on personal transformation, deep inner exploration, and speculative futures. He has recommended Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar's The Coming Wave as a compelling breakdown of how emerging technologies fundamentally transform humanity. In the realm of spirituality and mindfulness, Trussell has highlighted Pema Chodron's How We Live Is How We Die, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep, and Anthony De Mello's Awareness. His literary interests also extend to epic science fiction and rigorous personal discipline, as seen through his praise for Frank Herbert's classic Dune and David Goggins's memoir Can't Hurt Me. Additionally, Trussell has drawn upon sociological critiques and counterculture history, recommending David Graeber's works Bullshit Jobs and The Utopia of Rules, as well as William Leonard Pickard's The Rose of Paracelsus. Through these varied recommendations, Trussell reflects an intellectual appetite for both mystical self-discovery and unorthodox cultural critique.
Books recommended by Duncan Trussell
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Bullshit Jobs
David Graeber's Bullshit Jobs is a piercing critique of modern corporate culture that examines the proliferation of meaningless administrative positions that do not genuinely benefit society or the companies housing them.
Recommended“so it's it's there's a I'm reading this book called [ __ ] jobs by David Graeber [ __ ] it's great man”
Where to get it
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Can't Hurt Me
Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins is a raw memoir and self-improvement guide detailing the author's harrowing journey from a brutal, abusive childhood to becoming a Navy SEAL, ultra-marathon runner, and record-breaking endurance athlete.
Recommended“he'll run with his foot falling off the step book is really good what's that it's called can't hurt me yeah Jesus”
Where to get it
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Dune
Dune by Frank Herbert is a landmark science fiction epic that weaves complex themes of politics, religion, ecology, and human potential across a sprawling desert planet.
Recommended“the book Doom by Frank Herbert is incredible”
Where to get it
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How We Live Is How We Die
How We Live Is How We Die by Pema Chodron is a spiritual guidebook that offers profound Buddhist perspectives on impermanence, transition, and the art of approaching mortality with mindfulness and grace.
Recommended“I'm always trying to listen to like some audiobook on spirituality it's Pima children's book newest book about dying something like how we live is how we die it's very good book”
Where to get it
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The Coming Wave
The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman and Michael Bhaskar is an exploration of artificial intelligence, powerful emerging technologies, and the profound risks and disruptions they pose to global society.
Recommended“He wrote this book, The Coming Wave. He uh he was one of the people who created Google's Deep Mind, right? And The Coming Wave is just a wonderful breakdown of historic examples of new technology completely transforming humanity.”
Where to get it
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The Rose of Paracelsus
The Rose of Paracelsus is a compelling book written by William Leonard Pickard that delves into the clandestine world of underground chemistry and psychedelic production.
Recommended“He wrote this book called the rose of Pericles and it's this really cool book”
Where to get it
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The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep
The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a spiritual guide that explores ancient Tibetan practices for harnessing the power of dreams and sleep for spiritual awakening and personal transformation.
Recommended“There's a okay so this is a trip this this is very trippy So I got this book called the Tibetan yoga of dream and sleep Well I feel like it's [ __ ] cool”
Where to get it
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The Utopia of Rules
The Utopia of Rules is a thought-provoking book by David Graeber that examines the pervasive nature of bureaucracy and its impact on modern society, individual freedom, and imagination.
Recommended“and he wrote a book called I think it's called the Utopia of rules that I've been reading which is pretty [ __ ] badass”
Where to get it
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High Magick
High Magick by Damien Echols is an insightful guide that demystifies ceremonial magick, spiritual practice, and personal transformation through the lens of the author's extraordinary life experiences.
Discussed“so well he wrote a great book called high magic which is I think that's what's called it's a fantastic book on magic is really the wrong word”
Where to get it
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John
Discussed“That's one King James book a John baby hit that on acid It's so wonderful It's so trippy Because it's like that's when I really like Christianity clicked for me regardless of its whether it's real or not but that's when I was like okay I get this because the book of John When you read it you're like well”
Where to get it
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The Book of Five Rings
The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi is a classic treatise on strategy, tactical thinking, and martial philosophy written by a legendary seventeenth-century Japanese swordsman.
Discussed“and it's from the book of five rings um by miyamoto musashi and you mentioned something from that book”
Where to get it
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The Encyclopedia of Sleep and Sleep Disorders
Discussed“so I got this book called the Tibetan yoga of dream and sleep well I feel like it's [ __ ] cool”
Where to get it
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The Unabomber's Manifesto: Industrial Society and Its Future
The Unabomber's Manifesto: Industrial Society and Its Future by Ted Kaczynski is a controversial document outlining a radical critique of modern technology, industrialization, and leftism.
Discussed“What I'm trying to say is Ted Kaczynski was right Oh my god we all know that he was right Do you ever read his manifesto”
Where to get it
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The Way of the Bodhisattva
Discussed“Auntie Davis way of the bodhisattva says the mind is like a wild elephant”
Where to get it
Appearances
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I think he was I think I remember reading that he was kind of uh obsessed with that book Lolita. Like he had like something like 30 copies of it or something.”
“and you know I'm I'm done with it like I I feel like One Flew Over the [__] Cuckoo's Nest”