Person
Every book Philippe Sands recommended on podcasts
Key facts
- Philippe Sands has recommended or discussed 3 books on podcasts, as of August 13, 2025.
- Philippe Sands has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of August 13, 2025.
- Those books came up in 1 episode, as of August 13, 2025.
- The 3 books Philippe Sands has mentioned in the most episodes, as of August 13, 2025: By Night in Chile, Commonwealth and Janet Flanner's world.
- The latest episode with a book mention from Philippe Sands aired on August 13, 2025.
Updated
Philippe Sands is an international lawyer and author who appears on deep-dive discussion programs such as The Ezra Klein Show to address complex questions of international law, genocide, historical justice, and human rights. As an expert guest, Sands connects historical atrocities of the twentieth century with contemporary geopolitical conflicts, drawing on his extensive legal career and biographical research. When invited to share reading recommendations, Sands offered a curated selection of literature that bridges personal narratives with broader political realities. He recommended Janet Flanner's World, a collection of uncollected writings by the New Yorker's European correspondent, highlighting her dispatches from Nuremberg and Europe as remarkably pertinent to modern discussions of justice and conflict. Additionally, Sands recommended Ann Patchett's novel Commonwealth, praising its exploration of relationships and its ability to connect personal intimacies with wider political dimensions in a resonant manner. Finally, he recommended Roberto Bolaño's By Night in Chile, expressing his admiration for the novel as a fictionalized account of historical tales that informed his own creative and legal writing. Through these varied selections, Sands reflects an intellectual engagement with literature that captures the human cost of historical trauma and the intricate links between private lives and public accountability.
Books recommended by Philippe Sands
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By Night in Chile
By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño is a fictionalized novel by the late Chilean writer that delves into dark historical themes and complex political settings.
Recommended“Um, and the third book that I'm going to take is by a Chilean writer called Roberto Bologano and it is called Nights in Chile. And I love this book because it is a fictionalized account of tales that are central to a book I'm publishing shortly called 38 Londre Street which is a sequel to East West Street and”
Where to get it
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Commonwealth
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett is a sweeping novel that explores the complex dynamics of two intertwined families over several decades following an unexpected kiss at a christening party.
Recommended“A second book by Anne Patchet called Commonwealth which is about relationships. I did not expect that book to come up here. I love that book. Yeah, it's a wonderful book. It's a wonderful book and it draws the connections between the personal and the broader political in a way that really resonated with me.”
Where to get it
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Janet Flanner's world
Janet Flanner's World: Uncollected Writings 1932-1975 by Janet Flanner is a rich compilation of sharp journalistic dispatches written by the legendary New Yorker European correspondent during decades of profound historical upheaval.
Recommended“One book that I would take is called Janet Flanner's World uncolcted writings 1932 to 1975. Janet Flanner was the New Yorker correspondent in Europe and she wrote extraordinary letters from Europe including on Nuremberg and they are so pertinent for what we've been talking about today in terms of the historic um aspect.”
Where to get it
Books Philippe Sands wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza? | The Ezra Klein Show | The Ezra Klein Show | 2025-08-13 | 3 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“There was a piece in Time magazine about a well a few five six years ago uh profile of Benjamin Netanyahu and the piece included a photograph of him reading East West Street and I have to say it's astonishing.”