Every book Maya Shankar recommended on podcasts

Books recommended by Maya Shankar

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.

1. 1

   The Black Poets

   Dudley Randall · Discussed · 1 episode

   The Black Poets edited by Dudley Randall is an influential poetry anthology celebrating African American verse from its spiritual roots to contemporary revolutionary voices.

   Discussed

   “So one day he gets a book called The Black Poets. And in the book, he read a poem by Etheridge Knight, who had also spent time in prison and had written this incredibly stirring poem about the criminal justice system.”

   Huberman Lab How to Shape Your Identity & Goals | Dr. Maya Shankar 2023-07-24 Listen at 27:50

   Where to get it

   Amazon Audible
2. 2

   The Language Instinct

   Steven Pinker · Discussed · 1 episode

   Steven Pinker's acclaimed pop-science book The Language Instinct argues that human language is an innate biological faculty shaped by evolution rather than a mere cultural invention.

   Discussed

   “So I started looking at their bookshelf and came across a pop science book called 'The Language Instinct' by Stephen Pinker. That was a turning point for me.”

   Huberman Lab How to Shape Your Identity & Goals | Dr. Maya Shankar 2023-07-24 Listen at 59:10

   Where to get it

   Amazon Audible

Appearances