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Every book Stephen Batchelor recommended on podcasts
Stephen Batchelor appeared on The Ezra Klein Show in an episode titled The Most Powerful Question I’ve Heard, which was released on January 2, 2026. Through his thoughtful dialogue on the program, Batchelor engaged in deep philosophical exploration, addressing profound existential questions and contemplative practices. As his final book recommendation during the interview, Batchelor put forward The Second Body by English novelist Daisy Hildyard. He clarified for the audience that despite being written by a novelist, the work is not a traditional piece of fiction. Instead, it is a brilliant and imaginative essay that explores what the author terms the second body. This concept offers a highly creative and expansive way of understanding human existence, contrasting our immediate physical body sitting in a chair with our broader ecological and global footprint. Batchelor's endorsement of this reflective essay highlights his appreciation for literature that challenges conventional perceptions of human identity, physical presence, and our complex relationship with the surrounding natural world.
Books recommended by Stephen Batchelor
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The second body
The second body by Daisy Hildyard is an essay exploring human corporeality and environmental interconnectedness.
Recommended“and finally a book called The Second Body by an English uh woman novelist called Daisy Hildyard. It's not a piece of fiction. It's an essay on what she calls the second body which is a highly imaginative way of understanding that our physical body which is sitting on this chair right here is actually only a relatively small part”
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Books Stephen Batchelor wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Most Powerful Question I’ve Heard | The Ezra Klein Show | The Ezra Klein Show | 2026-01-02 | 1 |