Person
Every book Keith Humphreys recommended on podcasts
Keith Humphreys appears on The Ezra Klein Show as an informed expert on drug policy, addiction, and public health, offering a nuanced perspective shaped by professional experience and academic research. When asked for his top book recommendations, Humphreys prioritizes works that blend personal relationships with deep insights into human behavior and substance use. He first recommends Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know, co-authored by his late friend Mark Kleiman along with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawken, praising its accessibility and clarity on a complex subject. For his second selection, Humphreys suggests Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke, a colleague at Stanford whom he has known since her time as a psychiatric resident, noting that the book provides a vital human perspective on addiction and the pursuit of reward. Finally, Humphreys offers a more eccentric historical choice, recommending Thomas De Quincey's classic autobiographical work, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, because it brilliantly captures the enduring and complex relationship between humans and mind-altering substances across different eras. Through these selections, Humphreys guides listeners toward a deeper, more empathetic understanding of drug laws, addiction psychology, and historical human behavior.
Books recommended by Keith Humphreys
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Confessions of an English opium-eater
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey is a famous autobiographical work detailing the author's struggles with laudanum addiction and its profound psychological effects.
Recommended“and then the last one maybe a more Ecentric choice but it's such a good book is by Thomas D Quincy and it's called confessions of an English opium eater”
Where to get it
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Dopamine Nation
Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke is a popular psychology book that explores the neuroscience of reward, addiction, and how modern society's constant pursuit of quick pleasure impacts mental health.
Recommended“the second book I would suggest again from a friend who someone I've known since she was a psychiatric resident and I was an assistant professor and that's Dr Anna lmy here at Stanford and the book is called dobleman nation”
Where to get it
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Drugs and drug policy
Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know by Mark Kleiman, Jonathan Caulkins, and Angela Hawken is an accessible guide that breaks down the complexities of drug markets, enforcement, and regulation.
Recommended“so there's so many good books written about in this area it's hard to pick so I decided to prioritize personal relationship starting with your your late friend of mine Mark kimman who wrote a book called drugs and drug policy what everyone needs to know co-authored with Jonathan Caulkins and Angela Hawkin”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| This Is a Very Weird Moment in the History of Drug Laws | The Ezra Klein Show | 2024-05-10 | 3 |