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Stephen Dubner’s book recommendations in 2026

53 books · 36 episodes · Stephen Dubner’s most recommended books, all years →

Every episode from 2026, newest first

692. What Will A.I. Do to (and for) Human Creativity?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-10-23

Out Of Control by Kevin Kelly · discussed · at 3:49
Co-Existence by Ethan Mollick · discussed · at 35:01

Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy? (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-10-21

Plunder by Brendan Ballou · discussed · at 3:16
Two and Twenty by Sachin Khajuria · discussed · at 33:08

691. Is This What a “Good Billionaire” Looks Like?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-10-16

The American Story by David M. Rubenstein · discussed · at 4:23
The American Experiment by David M. Rubenstein · discussed · at 4:23
Inside the Owner's Box by David M. Rubenstein · discussed · at 4:41

689. Here’s Why Your Hamburger Just Got So Pricey

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-10-02

Putting Meat on the American Table by Roger Horowitz · discussed · at 27:25
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair · discussed · at 33:41

687. Are Prediction Markets the Best Forecasting Tool Ever — or Just Another Casino?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-09-18

Superforecasting by Philip E. Tetlock · discussed · at 21:40

How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel | Better in Person

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-09-16

The Big Book of Tell Me why by Arkady Leokum · discussed · at 3:07

How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person

No Stupid Questions · 2026-09-09

Misfit by Gary Gulman · discussed · at 2:20

91. Do You Savor or Gobble?

No Stupid Questions · 2026-09-06

Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman · discussed · at 36:17

How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-09-02

Safe Enough Spaces by Michael S. Roth · discussed · at 19:47

“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in Person

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-08-26

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan · discussed · at 1:20
The Candy House by Jennifer Egan · discussed · at 16:05
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan · discussed · at 16:05

Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-08-21

Africa’s Struggle for Its Art by Bénédicte Savoy · discussed · at 15:39
The Brutish Museums by Dan Hicks · discussed · at 20:07

What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? | Better in Person

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-08-12

Heart of a Stranger by Angela Buchdahl · discussed · at 1:45
The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel · discussed · at 26:26

684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-08-07

This Time Is Different by Carmen M. Reinhart · discussed · at 31:52

How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-07-29

Misfit by Gary Gulman · recommended · at 1:54

682. Should A.I. Move to Space?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-07-24

What Is Intelligence? by Blaise Aguera y Arcas · discussed · at 11:13

Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-07-17

Allergic by Theresa MacPhail · discussed · at 24:30

681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-07-09

The Prisoner Of Sex by Norman Mailer · discussed · at 15:19

680. Can Universities Win Back Our Trust?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-07-03

Choke by Sian Beilock · discussed · at 3:44

679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-06-26

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander · discussed · at 18:18

The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-06-24

Nudge by Richard H. Thaler · discussed · at 5:10

678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-06-19

Let Me Die Before I Wake by Derek Humphry · discussed · at 8:42

677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-06-12

The Backgammon Chronicles by Robert Wachtel · discussed · at 43:15

676. Has America Lost the Plot?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-06-05

Soccernomics by Simon Kuper · recommended · at 1:03:36

The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-05-27

Genius by James Gleick · discussed · at 20:02

The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-05-22

Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track by Richard P. Feynman · discussed · at 40:27
Genius by James Gleick · recommended · at 1:02:24

675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-05-15

The grasshopper : games, life, and Utopia by Bernard Herbert Suits · discussed · at 0:43

674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-05-08

The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith · discussed · at 0:11
Adam Smith’s America by Glory M. Liu · discussed · at 22:34

673. What Is Money?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-05-01

Messiah by George Frideric Handel · discussed · at 0:07
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith · discussed · at 0:20
The Song of Songs by Origen · discussed · at 1:40
Little Match Girl Passion by David Lang · discussed · at 11:59

671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-04-17

Doctored by Charles Piller · discussed · at 3:02

668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-03-27

Random Acts of Medicine by Anupam B. Jena, Christopher Worsham · discussed · at 4:08

667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-03-13

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman · discussed · at 29:06

666. This Is How Progress Happens

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-03-06

Two Paths to Prosperity by Avner Greif · discussed · at 4:45
Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu · discussed · at 4:45
A Culture of Growth by Joel Mokyr · discussed · at 6:14

The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-03-04

The World for Sale by Javier Blas · discussed · at 2:12
The King of Oil by Daniel Ammann · recommended · at 18:29

665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-02-27

The Future of Truth by Werner Herzog · discussed · at 2:55
Every Man for Himself and God Against All by Werner Herzog · discussed · at 39:36

662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-02-06

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll · discussed · at 0:55
Positively False by Floyd Landis · discussed · at 18:11
Doping by April Henning · discussed · at 26:18

659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?

Freakonomics Radio · 2026-01-16

Blind Spots by Marty Makary · discussed · at 4:17

Other mentions in 2026 (16: passing, ad reads, own books)