Mentioned in Podcasts

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Every book Sendhil Mullainathan recommended on podcasts

Key facts

  • Sendhil Mullainathan has recommended or discussed 2 books on podcasts, as of September 5, 2026.
  • Sendhil Mullainathan has talked about books on 1 podcast, as of September 5, 2026.
  • Those books came up in 3 episodes, as of September 5, 2026.
  • The book Sendhil Mullainathan has mentioned in the most episodes, not counting Sendhil Mullainathan's own, as of September 5, 2026: Subtract.
  • The latest episode with a book mention from Sendhil Mullainathan aired on September 5, 2026.

Updated

Guest on People I (Mostly) Admire · 2 books · 3 episodes across 1 podcast

Sendhil Mullainathan is a prominent academic and researcher whose work explores behavioral economics and poverty. During his podcast appearances on People I (Mostly) Admire, Mullainathan discussed books related to psychology, cognitive bandwidth, and learning apps. He recommended Leidy Klotz's book Subtract, describing it as an awesome new release. Furthermore, Mullainathan discussed his co-authored book Scarcity, which he wrote alongside Eldar Shafir, reflecting on the profound personal feedback he received from readers. He noted that the most satisfying aspect of publishing Scarcity was hearing from individuals who have experienced poverty or are currently experiencing it, who shared that the book accurately captured their day-to-day lived experiences of financial hardship and cognitive strain. Mullainathan emphasized how meaningful this reader response was to him as an author and researcher, demonstrating the real-world resonance of his academic theories on bandwidth and resource scarcity. By sharing these insights, he underscored the importance of translating complex behavioral science into accessible literature that genuinely reflects the struggles of marginalized populations, while also promoting innovative works by fellow authors that encourage mindful reduction and cognitive clarity in modern daily life.

Books Sendhil Mullainathan 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. Scarcity

    Sendhil Mullainathan; Eldar Shafir · Discussed · 2 episodes

    Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir is a psychological exploration of how having too little of things like money or time shapes human thinking, decision-making, and behavior.

    Discussed
    “And for me, the most satisfying thing about the book, it's the sheer amount of feedback I've gotten from people who have experienced poverty or who are experiencing poverty saying, this captures my experience of being poor.”
    People I (Mostly) Admire 38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Pa… 2026-09-05
    Where to get it
    AmazonListen on Audible

  2. Subtract

    Leidy Klotz · Recommended · 1 episode

    Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz investigates the pervasive human cognitive bias toward addition and explores why removing elements often yields better solutions across engineering, business, and daily life.

    Recommended
    “there's this great book by Lighty clots it's called subtract it just came out it's awesome”
    People I (Mostly) Admire Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Tim… 2023-01-21 Listen at 30:12
    Where to get it
    AmazonListen on Audible

Books Sendhil Mullainathan wrote

Every book by Sendhil Mullainathan mentioned on podcasts →

Appearances

EpisodePodcastDateBooks
38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Part 2)People I (Mostly) Admire2026-09-051
Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute | People I (Mostly) Admire | Ep 38People I (Mostly) Admire2023-01-231
Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time | Episode 37People I (Mostly) Admire2023-01-211