Mentioned in Podcasts

Person

Every book Jia Tolentino recommended on podcasts

Key facts

  • Jia Tolentino has recommended or discussed 3 books on podcasts, as of September 3, 2024.
  • Jia Tolentino has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of September 3, 2024.
  • Those books came up in 1 episode, as of September 3, 2024.
  • The 3 books Jia Tolentino has mentioned in the most episodes, as of September 3, 2024: In Ascension, When We Cease to Understand the World and How to Do Nothing.
  • The latest episode with a book mention from Jia Tolentino aired on September 3, 2024.

Updated

Guest on The Ezra Klein Show · 3 books · 1 episode across 1 podcast

Jia Tolentino appeared on The Ezra Klein Show to discuss topics including parenting, media, and meaning, while also sharing several impactful book recommendations. Tolentino recommended In Ascension by Martin MacInnes, a grounded, beautiful, and slightly schematic science fiction novel recommended to her by a friend, comparing its appeal to the works of Ted Chiang and Jeff VanderMeer. Her third recommendation was When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut, a book about scientific discoveries pushing individuals to the brink of madness that she noted texting friends about frequently since reading it. In addition to these final recommendations, Tolentino discussed reading Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing, mentioning how it offered a helpful shortcut to escaping clock time and the demands of constant productivity during a period when she was reevaluating her relationship with media and modern life. Tolentino's selections and reflections emphasize speculative fiction, the philosophical implications of scientific breakthroughs, and the search for intentionality in a hyper-connected world.

Books Jia Tolentino 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. In Ascension

    Martin MacInnes · Recommended · 1 episode

    In Ascension by Martin MacInnes is a sprawling contemporary science fiction novel that follows a marine biologist investigating a deep ocean trench before embarking on a profound interstellar journey.

    Recommended
    “I really like this book in Ascension that our friend Max Reed recommended to me it's sort of if anyone is in the sort of Ted Chang Jeff vandermeir kind of thing it's like that kind of grounded beautiful enigmatic slightly schematic sci-fi really loved it”
    The Ezra Klein Show On Children, Meaning, Media and Psychedelics 2024-09-03 Listen at 1:09:33
    Where to get it
    Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon

  2. When We Cease to Understand the World

    Benjamin Labatut · Recommended · 1 episode

    When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut is a gripping narrative that explores the complex historical and scientific discoveries that pushed brilliant minds to the brink of madness, successfully blurring the lines between historical fact and imaginative fiction.

    Recommended
    “another one that I've been texting a lot of people about the third one is when we see to understand the World by Benjamin labatut one that I feel like I've been texting friends about like every month since I read it it's about scientific discoveries that bring people to the brink of Madness and there's a really interesting thing”
    The Ezra Klein Show On Children, Meaning, Media and Psychedelics 2024-09-03 Listen at 1:09:51
    Where to get it
    Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon

  3. How to Do Nothing

    Jenny Odell · Discussed · 1 episode

    How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell is an exploration of attention, the attention economy, and the value of stepping away from constant productivity.

    Discussed
    “like I remember also like I had read how to do nothing like right right around and I was like yeah this might be a shortcut to the the kind of outside the clock time you know where you are just not being useful to anyone but the people in front of this thing that I was trying so hard”
    The Ezra Klein Show On Children, Meaning, Media and Psychedelics 2024-09-03 Listen at 1:07:36
    Where to get it
    Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon

Appearances

EpisodePodcastDateBooks
On Children, Meaning, Media and PsychedelicsThe Ezra Klein Show2024-09-033