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Every book Francis Ford Coppola recommended on podcasts

Key facts

  • Francis Ford Coppola has recommended or discussed 11 books on podcasts, as of September 14, 2024.
  • Francis Ford Coppola has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of September 14, 2024.
  • Those books came up in 1 episode, as of September 14, 2024.
  • The 3 books Francis Ford Coppola has mentioned in the most episodes, as of September 14, 2024: The swerve, Tyrant and Will in the World.
  • The latest episode with a book mention from Francis Ford Coppola aired on September 14, 2024.

Updated

Guest on The Daily Stoic · 11 books · 1 episode across 1 podcast

Francis Ford Coppola appeared on The Daily Stoic podcast to discuss how philosophy, history, and classical literature have profoundly shaped his life and cinematic career. Throughout the conversation, Coppola demonstrated a deep appreciation for scholarly works that bridge ancient wisdom with modern understanding, offering enthusiastic recommendations to listeners. He strongly advocated for Stephen Greenblatt's books, describing The Swerve as an incredible read that introduced him to Epicurean philosophy, and praising Will in the World and Tyrant for their brilliant exploration of Shakespearean themes and historical context. Coppola also discussed how his artistic vision for his films was influenced by epic historical literature, noting that reading the 16th-century Chinese classic The Story of the Stone, also known as Dream of the Red Mansion, directly inspired changes in his creative projects by emphasizing the profound significance of characters' dream lives. Furthermore, he referenced Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship and the ancient Persian epic Shahnameh by Ferdowsi to illustrate how great artists continually draw inspiration, adapt old stories, and build upon the cultural legacies of their predecessors in new contexts.

Books Francis Ford Coppola recommended or discussed

Who said what is determined automatically. In hand-checked samples, at least 6% of mentions were credited to the wrong speaker — sometimes an interviewer’s line recorded as the guest’s, sometimes the reverse. Every entry below quotes the words and links to the episode, so you can check it.

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  1. The swerve

    Stephen Greenblatt · Recommended · 1 episode

    The swerve by Stephen Greenblatt is an acclaimed historical non-fiction work examining how the rediscovery of a long-lost Latin codex by Lucretius helped shape the emergence of the modern world.

    Recommended
    “there's a wonderful book that I recommend to you that you'll thank me a million times that it's a good read it's called the swerve have you ever heard of it yes Incredible Book oh you read it yes Ste stepen Steven greenblood is a is a is a treasure yeah he he wrote he's a Shakespearean scholar but he”
    Where to get it
  2. Tyrant

    Stephen Greenblatt · Recommended · 1 episode

    Tyrant by Stephen Greenblatt is a non-fiction book that examines Shakespearean political plays and explores the recurring character archetypes and themes of tyranny found throughout the works of William Shakespeare.

    Recommended
    “He has a book called "Tyrant" as well, which I loved, but I was thinking there's a common theme between this movie and Apocalypse Now, as well as the theme of Shakespeare: the ability to find old stories and place them in a new context while preserving the arcs, characters, and morals.”
    Where to get it
  3. Will in the World

    Stephen Greenblatt · Recommended · 1 episode

    Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt is a renowned biographical study exploring the life of William Shakespeare and the historical, political, and cultural forces that shaped his writing.

    Recommended
    “All right, let's talk because you mentioned Shakespeare. Greenblatt wrote this amazing book called "Will in the World" that I found incredible.”
    Where to get it
  4. A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake

    Joseph Campbell, Henry Morton Robinson · Discussed · 1 episode

    Discussed
    “And maybe a period where it's an apparent disaster, but over time, you know, I once read an article that James Joyce was talking about 'Finnegans Wake.' And he said, 'I'm going to put so much interesting stuff in this that it's going to take, you know, uh, 50 years for people to figure out what's in it and it'll”
    Where to get it
  5. Antkind

    Charlie Kaufman · Discussed · 1 episode

    Antkind by Charlie Kaufman is a wildly surreal, epic debut novel that follows a disgruntled film critic on a bizarre, cross-country odyssey after he discovers a potentially masterpiece-level, three-month-long stop-motion movie.

    Discussed
    “he wrote a book a novel called ant antind uh a seven 800 page book called antkind and that's what Google said you know if you want to read something about being a so I got it”
    Where to get it
  6. De Bello Gallico Libri Vii.

    Julius Caesar, Cornelius Marshal Lowe, John Thomas Ewing · Discussed · 1 episode

    Discussed
    “Well, the schoolboys in the founding of our nation were reading Caesar and the Gallic Wars. They knew it all by heart.”
    Where to get it
  7. De Rerum Natura

    Titus Lucretius Carus · Discussed · 1 episode

    De Rerum Natura, or On the Nature of Things, is a philosophical poem by Titus Lucretius Carus that serves as a primary historical source for ancient atomism and the atomic theory of matter.

    Where to get it
  8. Ideal and Actual in the Story of the Stone

    Dore Jesse Levy · Discussed · 1 episode

    Discussed
    “For example, one time I chose a great Chinese book called "The Story of the Stone" or "Dream of the Red Mansion" written in the 16th century. I found myself trying to change Megalopolis to be more like that, which I actually did, because that was one of the few books I ever read where the dream life of the”
    Where to get it
  9. Shahnameh

    Abolqasem Ferdowsi · Discussed · 1 episode

    Shahnameh by Abolqasem Ferdowsi is a monumental epic poem and a foundational piece of Persian literature that recounts the mythical and historical tales of ancient kings, heroes, and the forces of good and evil.

    Discussed
    “Have you ever read that beautiful Persian book called the Shahnameh by Ferdowsi? No, that's like Gilgamesh! It's an early Persian epic, and it's great—a tale of kings!”
    Where to get it
  10. Tender is the Night

    F. Scott Fitzgerald · Discussed · 1 episode

    Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a classic American novel examining the tragic decline of a promising psychiatrist and his wealthy, unstable wife against the glittering backdrop of the French Riviera.

    Discussed
    “That it wasn't successful at first, so he and his editor straightened out something, I guess, I don't know which version I have. But I think what's unusual is that in the original 'Tender Is the Night,' there's a huge flashback in the middle of it that goes back and tells the story of Nicole and Dick Diver.”
    Where to get it
  11. Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship

    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe · Discussed · 1 episode

    Discussed
    “He wrote a book called "Wilhelm Meister" and that was him stealing from Shakespeare. That is Goethe saying, "I want to be as much like Shakespeare as I can be," while Shakespeare was stealing from Plutarch, from Montaigne, from Danish legends, and from other plays—everyone has been stealing from one another.”
    Where to get it

Appearances

EpisodePodcastDateBooks
Francis Ford Coppola Opens Up About How Philosophy Has Inspired His Life and CareerThe Daily Stoic2024-09-1413