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Every book Harold McGee recommended on podcasts

Key facts

  • Harold McGee has recommended or discussed 2 books on podcasts, as of June 30, 2025.
  • Harold McGee has talked about books on 2 podcasts, as of June 30, 2025.
  • Those books came up in 2 episodes, as of June 30, 2025.
  • The 2 books Harold McGee has mentioned in the most episodes, as of June 30, 2025: To autumn and MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE.
  • The latest episode with a book mention from Harold McGee aired on June 30, 2025.

Updated

Guest on Huberman Lab, Modern Wisdom · 2 books · 2 episodes across 2 podcasts

Across 2 podcasts. Every show Harold McGee appears on, in one place, not just one.

Dr. Harold McGee appears on prominent interview podcasts such as Huberman Lab and Modern Wisdom, where he establishes himself as an expert authority on the science of food, taste, and sensory perception. Through these discussions, McGee reveals a multidisciplinary intellect that seamlessly bridges rigorous scientific inquiry with art, history, and literature. On the Huberman Lab episode exploring the chemistry of food and taste, Harold McGee recommended reading John Keats's poem To Autumn, suggesting it as a way to add a deeper dimension of appreciation to the poet's work following a discussion of Keats's medical background and personal experiences with illness. Furthermore, during his appearance on Modern Wisdom, McGee discussed Herman Melville's classic novel Moby-Dick while examining the history and literary presence of ambergris. Through these literary references, McGee demonstrates how classic poetry and novels intersect with historical science and sensory exploration, enriching his scientific discussions with profound cultural context.

Books Harold McGee recommended or discussed

Who said what is our best reading of each episode. 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. To autumn

    John Keats · Recommended · 1 episode

    To Autumn by John Keats is a celebrated lyric poem that captures the rich sensory details, quiet transitions, and natural beauty of the autumn season.

    Recommended
    “To know that and then to read a poem like "To Autumn," which is the poem that I would suggest people read, just adds a dimension of appreciation to that poem.”
    Where to get it
  2. MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE

    Herman Melville · Discussed · 1 episode

    MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE by Herman Melville is an epic American novel detailing Captain Ahab's obsessive, self-destructive quest for revenge against the giant white whale.

    Discussed
    “well we do have over here this this classic novel moby dick about the whaling industry there's a lot about ambergris in in moby dick”
    Where to get it

Books Harold McGee wrote

Appearances

EpisodePodcastDateBooks
The Chemistry of Food & Taste | Dr. Harold McGeeHuberman Lab2025-06-301
The Science Of How Smells Work - Harold McGee - #257Modern Wisdom2020-12-121
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
Plugged Nose Dive
“i mean one of the things that i write about in the book is the smell of a laptop you know if you stick your nose down next to the keys and inhale you'll get the smell of the the circuit boards in there which are made of particular molecules that are given off and so it has a very”