Person
Every book John Gray recommended on podcasts
Key facts
- John Gray has recommended or discussed 9 books on podcasts, as of November 29, 2023.
- John Gray has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of November 29, 2023.
- Those books came up in 1 episode, as of November 29, 2023.
- The 3 books John Gray has mentioned in the most episodes, as of November 29, 2023: The Bhagavad Gita, The Confidence Man and MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE.
- The latest episode with a book mention from John Gray aired on November 29, 2023.
Updated
John Gray’s most recommended books
- The Bhagavad Gita by Jack Hawley
- The Confidence Man by Herman Melville
- MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE by Herman Melville
- Principles of Political Economy by John Stuart Mill
- Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust
- The book of Genesis by Victor P. Hamilton
- The Book of Job by Richard Green Moulton
- The new Leviathan by R. G. Collingwood
John Gray has recommended and discussed numerous literary and philosophical works across various podcast appearances. On Conversations with Tyler, Gray recommended the Bhagavad Gita as part of an ideal educational curriculum for young people, alongside Taoist works by Zhuangzi and Laozi. During the same discussion, he recommended Herman Melville's The Confidence Man as a great book. When discussing his own writing, Gray referenced his book The New Leviathans, explaining its structure of short sections blending historical vignettes and philosophical arguments. He also highlighted the Book of Genesis and the Book of Job as key biblical texts that help explain the human situation and serve as foundational readings for understanding skepticism. Among his personal reading preferences, Gray mentioned Marcel Proust's lengthy novel Remembrance of Things Past as the only very long book he truly enjoys. Additionally, he and Tyler Cowen discussed Melville's broader literary influence, paying special attention to Moby-Dick. Through these reflections, Gray engages with a wide range of philosophical, historical, and literary traditions that inform his pessimistic and critical view of liberal political thought and human history.
Books recommended by John Gray
-
The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is a revered ancient spiritual and philosophical text that addresses duty, action, and human existence through a dialogue between the prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna.
Recommended“So I would pick great points in our tradition and also other traditions, the Bhagavad Gita, Taoist works like Zhuangzi and Laozi, and I would give them a whole range of those.”
Where to get it
-
The Confidence Man
The Confidence Man by Herman Melville is a complex, darkly satirical novel set on a Mississippi River steamboat that serves as a profound meditation on trust, identity, and American capitalism.
Recommended“Uh The Confidence Man is a great book for example.”
Where to get it
-
MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville is an epic American novel that chronicles the obsessive, self-destructive quest of Captain Ahab to hunt down the giant white whale that maimed him.
Discussed“How so? about I don't know about influence because I'm not a novelist but I it's one of the books I Moby Dick.”
Where to get it
-
Principles of Political Economy
Principles of Political Economy by John Stuart Mill is a foundational nineteenth-century treatise exploring classical economics, production, distribution, and the role of government in society.
Discussed“In other words, I'm not talking about the famous population conclusion in him whereby if you have a vast world and everybody's lives are barely worth living in you add up the utility, it could be better than a smaller world with many fewer human beings whose lives were much higher.”
Where to get it
-
Remembrance of Things Past
Remembrance of Things Past by Marcel Proust is a monumental multi-volume novel that explores themes of memory, time, and involuntary recollection triggered by sensory experiences.
Discussed“The only very long book I like which is um Proust's Remembrance of Things Past.”
Where to get it
-
The book of Genesis
The book of Genesis by Victor P.
Discussed“The whole of the Bible, one of the key texts for me is the Book of Genesis, two books, the Book of Genesis and the Book of Job.”
Where to get it
-
The Book of Job
The Book of Job by Richard Green Moulton is a profound literary interpretation of the ancient biblical text that examines the theological dimensions of human suffering, patience, and righteousness.
Discussed“The whole of the Bible, one of the key texts for me is the Book of Genesis, two books, the Book of Genesis and the Book of Job.”
Where to get it
-
The new Leviathan
Discussed“And he he was the one person who introduced me to R.G. Collingwood's book The New Leviathan, singular, uh on which I wouldn't say this book is based, it's quite different in every respect, but it gave me the thoughts that 60 years later then found fruition or in the in this book of mine.”
Where to get it
-
The New Leviathans
The New Leviathans: Thoughts After Liberalism is a philosophical work by John Gray that examines the current state of liberalism, political pessimism, and modern society.
Discussed“So my current book, like several of my recent books, is not organized in theses or chapters or There are arguments and facts, I hope, plenty, but it's organized in short sections, some of them vignettes of historical events or persons, some of them arguments from within philosophy itself.”
Where to get it
Books John Gray wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Gray on Pessimism, Liberalism, and Theism | Conversations with Tyler | 2023-11-29 | 9 |