Podcast
Russ Roberts's book list: the books mentioned on EconTalk
The most mentioned books on EconTalk are The Theory of Moral Sentiments (29 episodes), The Odyssey (14 episodes) and The Wealth of Nations (11 episodes), and the most recommended book is The Three Languages of Politics (5 episodes). We have logged 622 books across 286 episodes from 158 people on EconTalk, through November 9, 2026.
Key facts
- 622 books have been mentioned on EconTalk, as of November 9, 2026.
- 286 episodes of EconTalk mention at least one book, as of November 9, 2026.
- 158 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 9, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of EconTalk, as of November 9, 2026: The Theory of Moral Sentiments, The Odyssey and The Wealth of Nations.
- The latest episode of EconTalk with a book mention aired on November 9, 2026.
Updated
Books from the latest episodes
Questions about books mentioned on EconTalk
What books were mentioned most on EconTalk?
The most mentioned books on EconTalk are The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith (29 episodes), The Odyssey by Homer (14 episodes), The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (11 episodes), The Iliad by Homer (10 episodes) and Capitalism and freedom by Milton Friedman (7 episodes), out of 622 books across 286 episodes, as of November 9, 2026.
What is the most recommended book on EconTalk?
The Three Languages of Politics by Arnold Kling is the most recommended book on EconTalk, recommended in 5 episodes and mentioned in 6 episodes in all, as of November 9, 2026.
What books were mentioned on EconTalk this year?
In 2026, 43 books came up on EconTalk, led by Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (2 episodes), Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1 episode), Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (1 episode), The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories by Leo Tolstoy (1 episode) and The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker (1 episode), as of November 9, 2026.
Who recommends the most books on EconTalk?
Russ Roberts has recommended the most books on EconTalk, with 119 books recommended across 103 episodes, as of November 9, 2026.
Most mentioned on EconTalk
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently discussed Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments with various guests, using the text to explore concepts such as the human desire to be loved and lovely, the dignity of indigenous peoples, consumerism and gadgets, and human psychology regarding political leaders. Roberts also reflected on recording bonus episodes about the book with Dan Klein.
Discussed“And Smith in the theory of moral sentiments when he wrote that meant us by loved, he didn't mean just romantic love.”
Where to get it
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The Odyssey
Homer's The Odyssey was discussed on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and guests like Dana Gioia. Gioia praised the epic for its unmatched narrative quality and universal representation of human experience. Roberts frequently referenced the work, and his guests, in university curricula and discussions about hospitality, while cautioning that surface-level summaries or comic book versions could never replace deep engagement with the actual text.
Discussed“And yet I think when our students deal with, say, the Iliad or the Odyssey or Plato or Aristotle, they don't read them in the original languages. They usually read them in translation, but they learn some, actually, some of the Greek.”
Where to get it
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The Wealth of Nations
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and various guests frequently referenced Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations to explore classical economic principles. Tyler Cowen recommended reading specific sections of the book, while Mike Munger utilized the famous pin factory example and chapter three to discuss the division of labor. Other guests, including Doug Irwin and Scott Sumner, alongside Roberts, examined Smith's insights on individual choice, self-interest, the impartial spectator, and the accurate measurement of national wealth.
Discussed“Variations on the noun choice or verb choose occur 48 times in the wealth of nations usually referring to individual choice. Smith mentions consent 24 times.”
Where to get it
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The Iliad
The Iliad by Homer was discussed across several episodes of EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and guests Claudia Hauer and Zach Weinersmith. Guests and host explored the brutal depiction of war in the epic, why cadets and students should confront its realities, and how engaging directly with the text helps readers uncover fundamental human conflicts and insights rather than relying on summaries. Russ Roberts also noted its utility in teaching interpretation skills and small group discussions.
Discussed“And yet I think when our students deal with, say, the Iliad or the Odyssey or Plato or Aristotle, they don't read them in the original languages. They usually read them in translation, but they learn some, actually, some of the Greek.”
Where to get it
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Capitalism and freedom
Milton Friedman's book Capitalism and Freedom was discussed and recommended across multiple episodes of EconTalk. Host Russ Roberts recommended the book to listeners, calling it a great and readable text that lays out Friedman's radical policy arguments, and cited it in discussions regarding floating exchange rates. Guest Michael Munger noted Friedman's work on the book during a historical conference, Tyler Cowen discussed its popular appeal compared to Free to Choose, Jennifer Burns noted how many policy proposals originated from its logic, and Robert Chitester contrasted its accessibility with Free to Choose.
Discussed“with Milton fredman who was working on capitalism and freedom and Leone was working on his major book what turned out to be really his only major book Freedom in the law which was published in 1961”
Where to get it
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The Three Languages of Politics
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently recommended Arnold Kling's book The Three Languages of Politics, describing it as a work that fundamentally altered his perspective on political discourse. Across multiple episodes, including discussions with guests like James Marriott and Arnold Kling himself, Roberts praised the book for explaining how political disagreements stem from different worldviews rather than mere facts, while humorously noting that it takes the fun out of disliking political opponents.
Recommended“uh the three languages of politics by Arnold Kling which we've had at least three two or three episodes about it on this program is a book that changed the way I think about politics”
Where to get it
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Master and Man and Other Stories
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts frequently recommended and discussed Leo Tolstoy's short story Master and Man from the collection Master and Man and Other Stories. Roberts praised it as one of the greatest short stories ever written, using it in conversations with guests to explore themes of greed, human nature, and the peasant as a hero.
Discussed“And I should reference the other episode we did on a Tolstoy short story, which was "Master and Man," which also romanticizes the peasant as the real hero, but it's an incredible masterpiece.”
Where to get it
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A Time to Build
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and various guests, including Vinay Prasad and Martin Gurri, frequently referenced Yuval Levin's book, "A Time to Build." Roberts and his guests used Levin's framework to discuss the decline of institutional duty and how modern public figures often leverage platforms for self-aggrandizement rather than fulfilling their obligations. The book was frequently cited to analyze societal norms, identity, and the ways people interact with core civic institutions.
Discussed“we had we had you've all live in on the program and his book a time to build that's what this book that's what his book's about”
Where to get it
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Life and Fate
Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate was highlighted on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts, who frequently encouraged listeners to read the masterpiece. Roberts discussed the book alongside translator Robert Chandler and Tyler Cowen, exploring its themes of totalitarianism, the experiences of living under oppressive regimes, and the effort involved in translating Grossman's major historical work.
Book club“You know, we we did a a book club here at Econ Talk on Life and Fate silly Grossman's Masterpiece.”
Where to get it
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How Much Land Does a Man Need?
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently mentioned Leo Tolstoy's short stories, including Master and Man and How Much Land Does a Man Need? Roberts recommended Master and Man as one of his favorite short stories and discussed it ahead of episodes on greed and human nature alongside guests like Richard Gunderman and Roosevelt Montás, later comparing its portrayal of the peasant hero to other Tolstoy works.
Discussed“And I should reference the other episode we did on a Tolstoy short story, which was "Master and Man," which also romanticizes the peasant as the real hero, but it's an incredible masterpiece.”
Where to get it
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After Babel
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Patrick House discussed George Steiner's book After Babel. Roberts and House brought up the book to illustrate topics related to translation, language, and how meanings change dynamically over time. Roberts recommended the work for its defense of the multiplicity of languages, while House used it to explain the premise that all language acts as a form of translation.
Recommended“And there's a wonderful book by George Steiner called After Babel where he talks he gives he opens the book with a bunch of he opens with Shakespeare I think and he says um can you understand this?”
Where to get it
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Arcadia
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently referenced Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia, calling it his favorite modern work. Across several episodes featuring guests like Anna Gat and Dana Gioia, Roberts and his interviewees used quotes from the play to explore themes such as the tension between extrinsic and intrinsic perspectives, the passage of time, and the long human processional of culture and history. Guests also shared personal memories of reading the play and paid homage to the playwright.
Recommended“Uh but along the way, we're going to pay homage to Tom Stppard who died last month and his play Arcadia. Arcadia is my favorite modern play, maybe my favorite play, period.”
Where to get it
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Wild Problems
Wild Problems by Russ Roberts came up across multiple episodes of EconTalk. Anna Gat mentioned enjoying the 2022 book and noted she still recommends and gifts it, while Mike Munger encouraged listeners to purchase it. Guests Peter Boettke, Michael Easter, and Daniel Gordis also referenced the book during discussions about perfect competition, the lack of clear answers in life, and human purpose.
Recommended“Um and you came on to talk about your book Wild Problems that came out in 2022 which I greatly enjoyed. Um and yeah, I do still recommend it to people. And if somebody seems especially troubled in my life, I get off for them for Christmas with a little, you know, wink wink.”
Where to get it
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow was referenced by host Russ Roberts and various guests, including David Bessis, Michael Munger, and Julia Galef, on multiple episodes of EconTalk. The speakers discussed Kahneman's foundational concepts regarding System 1 and System 2 thinking to explain human decision-making, cognitive biases, and intuitive errors. Guests like Bessis even used Kahneman's framework as a springboard to propose theoretical extensions, while others applied his insights to topics ranging from academic peer review to behavioral economics.
Discussed“So I have to go back to the canonical example from Kenman about the ball and the bat. uh uh so when um so the central theory of of Kenman and Ferski is that there are basically two kind of modules in the brain to uh reach conclu conclusion one is system one is uh your instinctive answer when you”
Where to get it
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Tribe
Tribe by Sebastian Junger was referenced across several episodes of EconTalk. Host Russ Roberts brought up the book in multiple discussions—such as with Christine Webb, Lamorna Ash, Martin Gurri, and Arnold Kling—to illustrate concepts like the communal rewards of a nature-adjacent lifestyle, the integration of captives into Native American communities, the dangers of viewing political opponents as traitors, and general human tribalism. Guest Claudia Hauer also mentioned being a fan of the book when discussing human needs for community and purpose.
Discussed“I think about Sebastian Younger's book tribe on this program. He talked about how uh in colonial American times, people who were kidnapped by Native Americans often didn't want to come home after a while because they found themselves more having a more communal life that they valued, a life closer to the to nature, and they found many rewards”
Where to get it
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The World of Yesterday
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts and James Marriott discussed and recommended Stefan Zweig's memoir, The World of Yesterday. Across multiple episodes in 2024, 2025, and 2026, Roberts praised the book as an extraordinary depiction of life in Vienna and Europe between the wars, citing its insights into the rise of the Nazis and the influence of World War I on art. Marriott similarly highlighted the work as a wonderful memoir, and Roberts repeatedly urged listeners to read it.
Recommended“His memoir, which I really recommend, which I think your quote is from, it's called The World of Yesterday. It's an extraordinary memoir of life in in in Vienna and in Europe between the wars and then the rise of the Nazis.”
Where to get it
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Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy by Joseph Schumpeter was frequently discussed on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and various guests. Roberts recommended the book, particularly book two, for its insights into innovation, market power, and the role of small and large firms. Arthur Diamond also brought up the text to explore Schumpeter's introduction of the concept of creative destruction, reflecting on the historical reception of the author's work.
Discussed“I would just I would think about schumpeter and I think about capitalism socialism and democracy”
Where to get it
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Aspiration
Aspiration by Agnes Callard was discussed on multiple episodes of EconTalk between 2020 and 2025. Russ Roberts frequently referenced the book, read quotes from it, and credited it alongside other works for inspiring him, using its concepts to explore striving for moral character and the role of mentors.
Recommended“I should have mentioned the names of their books that I read and that inspired me along with the interviews. Agnes Callard's book is Aspiration, and L.A. Paul's is Transformative Experience. Great books.”
Where to get it
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Invisible Man
Ralph Ellison's novel Invisible Man was discussed on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and guest Dwayne Betts. Russ Roberts recommended reading the novel in preparation for a future episode and mentioned reading it for the podcast. Dwayne Betts dedicated an episode to discussing Ellison's work, praising it as a rare single book that stands the test of time, and exploring the pressures Ellison placed on himself to write it, as well as connecting it to themes of human suffering.
Discussed“i was recently talking to dwayne betts uh the poet and an author about we were talking about it hasn't aired yet but primo levy's book um if this is a man and followed by the truce and then also ralph ellison's book invisible man which is a novel”
Where to get it
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Mathematica
Mathematica by David Bessis was featured on EconTalk, where host Russ Roberts frequently praised the work. Roberts recommended the book to listeners, noting that it contains no formal math and instead focuses on how human minds work and champion intuition over traditional formal logic.
Discussed“He was last here in October of 2025 discussing his marvelous book Mathematica.”
Where to get it
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MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
EconTalk discussed Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick across multiple episodes from 2020 to 2022. Tyler Cowen recommended the classic as one of his top five novels and a favorite work to reread. Russ Roberts brought up the book while interviewing guests about prison education programs and students memorizing its opening paragraph, while guests Azra Raza and Dwayne Betts discussed its literary themes of obsession and human nature.
Discussed“so something like a moby dick or flaubert or war and peace”
Where to get it
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The Road to Serfdom
F. A. Hayek's book The Road to Serfdom was discussed on EconTalk. Tyler Cowen recommended the book as a worthwhile and much-maligned read, while Russ Roberts cited it to illustrate the complexities of economic figures and to discuss the corrupting nature of centralized states.
Recommended“also wrote to surum is a wonderful book and much maligned”
Where to get it
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Transformative Experience
Russ Roberts and L.A. Paul discussed Transformative Experience on several episodes of EconTalk. Paul appeared on the show in May 2020 to talk about the book's core concepts, including the vampire problem, epistemic transformation, and epistemic humility. Roberts later recommended the book in June 2025, citing it as a major personal inspiration.
Recommended“I should have mentioned the names of their books that I read and that inspired me along with the interviews. Agnes Callard's book is Aspiration, and L.A. Paul's is Transformative Experience. Great books.”
Where to get it
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War and Peace
Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace came up on EconTalk through several guest discussions regarding classic literature and historical reading habits. Dana Gioia described the text as an ambitious and successful novel in January 2025. Robert Chandler noted in December 2024 that Vasily Grossman repeatedly read Tolstoy's work during the war. Additionally, Tyler Cowen cited the book as a primary literary model and a personal favorite for rereading in 2022 and 2024, prompting host Russ Roberts to echo praise for the novel.
Discussed“and War in peace is the the most ambitious uh successful novel”
Where to get it
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Dignity
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently mentioned the book Dignity by Chris Arnade across multiple episodes between 2019 and 2021. Roberts referenced Arnade's granular observations of working-class communities to discuss social disruption, the severing of community ties, and the reasons why many people choose to remain in their hometowns rather than relocate for economic opportunities.
Discussed“I think what's what's clear and what the cause of this we can we can talk about in a minute cuz I think we disagree about the the underlying cause, but you know, this is an issue that Chris Arnade has has written about in his book Dignity and on the on the program that that that just disruption the”
Where to get it
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The Comfort Crisis
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently referenced Michael Easter's book The Comfort Crisis across episodes from 2021 to 2025. Roberts brought up the book to discuss how modern humans have grown overly accustomed to comfort and luxury, highlighting the importance of seeking physical challenges, getting out into the real world, and embracing hardship in ways comparable to various traditional and foreign philosophies.
Discussed“reminds you of the episode we had with Michael Michael Easter on the comfort zone. We we become accustomed to comfort in the modern world and we don't appreciate it and when it's taken away we are very unhappy to lose those comforts.”
Where to get it
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A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
George Saunders's A Swim in a Pond in the Rain was recommended multiple times on EconTalk. In February 2024, Charles Duhigg praised the work as a literary masterpiece. Earlier, in June 2022 and April 2022, host Russ Roberts also recommended the book to listeners, highlighting it as a glorious and remarkable analysis where Saunders riffs on classic Russian short stories by authors like Chekhov and Tolstoy.
Recommended“George Saunders who's also an author who who who I whose work I love so it would be a weird it Saunders swiming a pond in the rain is I think a masterpiece I want to recommend that to listeners”
Where to get it
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Errata
Russ Roberts repeatedly recommended George Steiner's memoir Errata across multiple episodes of EconTalk. While discussing topics such as talent, education, the Iliad, and the power of reading with guests like Tyler Cowen and Roosevelt Montás, Roberts praised the memoir as a book full of interesting ideas and highlighted it as one of his favorite works by an author he deeply enjoyed.
Recommended“and for George Steiner read Errata e-r-r-a-t-a which is his number one book”
Where to get it
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For Whom the Bell Tolls
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts discussed Ernest Hemingway's novel For Whom the Bell Tolls across multiple episodes in August 2025. Roberts announced an upcoming EconTalk book club episode dedicated to the novel, shared his experience rereading it fifty years after the first time, and hosted guest David Wyatt to discuss the historical context of the Spanish Civil War, the Abraham Lincoln brigade, and the protagonist Robert Jordan.
Discussed“Our topic for today is Hemingway's novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
Where to get it
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Free to Choose
On EconTalk, Milton Friedman's book 'Free to Choose' was discussed across multiple episodes. In January 2025, Michael Munger recommended the book to argue that government activities must be subjected to fundamental tests regarding state involvement. Tyler Cowen also mentioned the popular text in November 2023. Additionally, in September 2020, Robert Chitester discussed its publication plans and argued that it is a more accessible book than 'Capitalism and Freedom'.
Recommended“there's two things that we should be doing and we need to have a copy of maybe uh Milton Friedman's book free to choose and the US Constitution open to the page where the 10th Amendment is”
Where to get it
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Orbiting the Giant Hairball
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts recommended Gordon MacKenzie's book Orbiting the Giant Hairball. Roberts praised the book as a fabulous work on corporate culture, creativity, and unconventional thinkers, frequently citing it during episodes exploring organizational behavior and innovation.
Recommended“it's called orbiting the giant hairball it's one of my favorite books and it's a book about culture”
Where to get it
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Anna Karenina
Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina came up on EconTalk across three episodes between April 2022 and October 2026. In April 2022, Russ Roberts stated that he did not like the novel and considered it his least favorite famous book. Later, in January 2025, Dana Gioia praised it as the best novel he had ever read. In October 2026, Roberts suggested reading it as a healthy way to reflect on life, while guest David Wolpe noted that Tolstoy later repudiated the work.
Discussed“I mean, he writes Anna Karenina, which is one of the great masterpieces of world literature, and then says, he repudiates it and says, I shouldn't have written it”
Where to get it
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Evil
Host Russ Roberts brought up Roy Baumeister's book Evil on EconTalk multiple times across different episodes, including conversations with Chris Blattman, Anthony Gill, and Paul Bloom. Roberts cited the book to illustrate dark aspects of human behavior and to explore how individuals who commit horrific acts often view themselves as justified, noting that it is a disturbing and fabulous book that he never quite finished.
Discussed“The book by Roy Balmeister called Evil. It says it's called Evil Inside Human Violence and Cruelty.”
Where to get it
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Grit
Grit by Angela Duckworth was discussed on EconTalk. On November 28, 2022, Annie Duke recommended reading the book. On October 26, 2026, Angela Duckworth described how her interest in time on task led her to study grit and clarified how the book addressed willpower. On October 20, 2025, Stephen Dubner mentioned the book while discussing human motivations and self-perception.
Discussed“And that, of course, this led me to study grit. I say, of course, maybe not of course, but for me, the distinction between the quality and quantity of time on task”
Where to get it
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How Innovation Works
How Innovation Works by Matt Ridley was featured on EconTalk. Host Russ Roberts focused an entire episode on the book with Ridley in August 2020 and mentioned it again in September 2020. Later, in February 2025, Peter Boettke recommended the book to illustrate the relationship between freedom and innovation.
Recommended“I'm sure you know Matt Ridley one of my favorite books since the last time we talked is how Innovation Works ... Ridley has this fantastic phrase he says Innovation is the child of freedom and the parent of prosperity”
Where to get it
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If this is a Man
On EconTalk in March and May 2022, host Russ Roberts frequently discussed Primo Levi's memoir If this is a Man. Roberts mentioned assigning the book, which details Levi's time in Auschwitz, to poet and author Dwayne Betts ahead of Betts's guest appearance. Roberts also recommended the book to listeners as advanced reading and brought it up in a conversation with Chris Blattman about human cruelty and violence.
Discussed“i was recently talking to dwayne betts uh the poet and an author about we were talking about it hasn't aired yet but primo levy's book um if this is a man and followed by the truce and then also ralph ellison's book invisible man which is a novel”
Where to get it
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Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Yossi Klein Halevi frequently discussed Halevi's book, Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor. Roberts praised the book as a brilliant, empathetic work that places competing narratives at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Halevi described the book as an intellectual experiment and personal metaphor intended to present a firm foundation in Jewish history while engaging with Palestinian perspectives.
Discussed“I interviewed yie Klein levy on the program and his book very much put the two different narratives at the center his book Letters to my Palestinian neighbor didn't get that big a reception in in the West Bank in in Gaza”
Where to get it
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Lost in Thought
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts and Kieran Setiya discussed Lost in Thought by Zena Hitz across multiple episodes. Russ mentioned the book to share insights on education and link listeners to previous interviews, while Kieran referenced it when talking about the positive value of mundane activities.
Discussed“The philosopher Zena Hitz has a nice phrase for this in um I'm not sure if it's in her book Lost in Thought or in some of the essays around the book.”
Where to get it
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Sapiens
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Sebastian Junger both referenced Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens in different episodes. Roberts recalled interviewing Harari about the book and discussed how its themes intersected with narrative economics and human behavior, while Junger cited the book in June 2021 to illustrate points regarding capital protection and historical laws.
Recommended“and along with those laws came laws as yuval harari points out in his brilliant book sapiens once you hit protect money you have to protect the people that lend the money”
Where to get it
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The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Shoshana Zuboff's book 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism' was discussed on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and guests Gerd Gigerenzer and Matthew Crawford. The speakers referenced the book while exploring behavioral data, surveillance economics, the assumptions made about algorithmic perfection, and the broader concerns surrounding privacy and the new frontiers of power.
Recommended“and also the other side so this great book by uh shojana supoff yeah about the uh uh both sides assume that the algorithms would be so perfect”
Where to get it
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The Brothers Karamazov
EconTalk host Russ Roberts frequently mentioned Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. In April 2022, Roberts named the novel among his top five favorite books. He later discussed René Girard's perspective on the Grand Inquisitor scene with Cynthia Haven in June 2024, and briefly displayed a physical copy of the book alongside guest Dwayne Betts in October 2020.
Discussed“do you know what Gerard thought of uh the grand Inquisitor in uh the brothers katof this idea that that the church had betrayed uh the teaching of Jesus”
Where to get it
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The Gulag Archipelago
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts recommended The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn to listeners during a discussion about authoritarian police states. The book was also referenced by Roberts and guest Amor Towles in relation to Soviet prison camps and historical literature.
Discussed“I'm thinking of of Sol n who in the goog and in the first Circle which we we talked about on this program”
Where to get it
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The Sound and the Fury
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently brought up The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner to illustrate the difficulties readers face with classic literature and opaque styles. Roberts recounted his own unsuccessful attempt to read the novel as a teenager and mentioned that the author himself was dismissed early on, using the book to discuss the broader process of struggling through complex material before eventually coming to appreciate it.
Discussed“having tried to read um um Sound the Sound of the Fury and at 16 and not getting very far and thinking, well, it's just a bad book.”
Where to get it
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Waiting For "SUPERMAN"
Russ Roberts discussed the documentary film and companion book Waiting for Superman on EconTalk across multiple episodes. In May 2020, he recommended the film as a powerful and moving piece about a Success Academy student. Later, in May 2021 and June 2020, he brought up the work to illustrate systemic issues within teachers unions, noting Diane Ravitch's critical perspective on its marketing of disruption in public education.
Discussed“well i yeah i remember the documentary waiting for superman how a really horrible teacher could just get shuttled to a different school system and get a new start which is somewhat reminiscent of the union power you mentioned earlier with rogue police officers”
Where to get it
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Anarchy, State, and Utopia
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts frequently mentioned Robert Nozick's Anarchy, State, and Utopia across multiple episodes. He recalled reading it shortly after graduating from college and noted that it had a profound, electrifying impact on him. Roberts also referenced the book to discuss economic concepts, such as the value generated by entertainers.
Discussed“thought anarchy state utopia by robert nozick which i have not gone i have not gone back to but it had a huge impact on me”
Where to get it
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Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book Antifragile was referenced on EconTalk by multiple guests and the host. Luca Dellanna brought up the book to explain the barbell strategy of allocating efforts or portfolio assets to safe bets. Russ Roberts referenced the work while discussing the importance of small scale and accountability, and Nassim Nicholas Taleb himself cited the book to provide an example regarding individual-level variations and stress.
Discussed“yes the bubble strategy uh is something that uh uh mentioned uh uh in uh one in antifagile his book antifagile and the idea is that you want to put to allocate part of your efforts or portfolio to Safe bets”
Where to get it
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Fooled by Randomness
On EconTalk between 2019 and 2022, host Russ Roberts repeatedly referenced Nassim Nicholas Taleb's Fooled by Randomness. Roberts used the book to illustrate his early obsession with uncertainty and to discuss how people mistakenly dismiss concepts they believe they already understand.
Discussed“fooled by randomness which was like by tallah was the the beginning of my obsession with being deceived by numbers and the challenge of thinking about uncertainty”
Where to get it
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Lost Connections
Johann Hari's book, Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope, was featured on EconTalk in September 2021 when the author appeared as a guest with host Russ Roberts. Roberts used the book's title to frame the conversation around depression, societal disconnection, and mental health. In a later episode that November, guest Nina Kraus also referenced Hari's book when discussing the societal factors contributing to modern mental illness and isolation.
Discussed“because i think that part of what disconnects us as a society and um you know is is um you know part of of the the the depression and mental illness that that you know you had a in in the lost connections book right”
Where to get it
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Milton Friedman
On EconTalk, Peter Boettke, Tyler Cowen, and Russ Roberts discussed Jennifer Burns's Milton Friedman biography to illustrate the intellectual climate of post-war economics and demonstrate broader public interest in economic history.
Discussed“this is really quite well captured in Jennifer Burns's book on Milton fredman”
Where to get it
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Range
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Dwayne Betts referenced David Epstein's book Range in multiple episodes. Roberts used the book to illustrate concepts related to wicked problems, complexity, and the importance of non-experts in solving complex challenges.
Discussed“talking to epstein about absolutely and like range is sort of like like chess is not that interesting”
Where to get it
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Steve Jobs
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts discussed Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs multiple times. In an episode on November 9, 2026, he praised the book and admitted he had initially delayed reading it due to reviews calling the subject a jerk. He returned to this comparison on April 13, 2026, regarding Jensen Huang's leadership style, and again on January 10, 2022, when drawing parallels between difficult leaders and those featured in Gregory Zuckerman's book about the COVID vaccine.
Discussed“So I loved your book, your biography of Jobs, and I wasn't going to read it because people told me it's, it's, you just find out he's a jerk.”
Where to get it
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Superintelligence
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Nick Bostrom's book 'Superintelligence' in multiple episodes discussing artificial intelligence and existential risk. Roberts noted that he had interviewed Nicklaus Bostrom back in 2014 and found his book 'Superintelligence' uncompelling and unconvincing, though he also described the work as quite chilling.
Discussed“I mean his book super intelligence you know it's it's quite chilling”
Where to get it
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Thanks A Thousand
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts frequently brought up A.J. Jacobs's book Thanks A Thousand across multiple episodes. He referenced the work to discuss the virtues of gratitude, compare it with guest Ryan Holiday's journaling habits, and highlight the impact of non-fiction writing.
Discussed“and we had aj jacobs on the program with talking about his book thanks a thousand which is a sweet sweet uh pan um ode to to the to the virtues of gratitude”
Where to get it
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The economics of discrimination
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts mentioned Gary Stanley Becker's book The Economics of Discrimination across multiple episodes. In October 2025, he compared Freakonomics to Becker's work to praise its nuance. In November 2023, he defended Becker's legacy against Tyler Cowen by highlighting the subtlety in books like The Economics of Discrimination and A Treatise on the Family. Earlier, in September 2023, Roberts brought up Becker's 1957 book with Roland Fryer to initiate a conversation about the sources of racial disparities and what economists have learned over time.
Discussed“and and I'm going to pay you and and Stephen a a compliment that I I think you'll both appreciate, which is that reading this book reminded me a little bit of reading The Economics of Discrimination by Gary Becker.”
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The Fatal Conceit
F. A. Hayek's book The Fatal Conceit was discussed on EconTalk across several episodes. In May 2009, Dan Klein cited the book to explain the evolutionary emergence of social norms and incentives. Later, in November 2021, Emily Oster referenced a famous paragraph from the book to illustrate the dangers of mixing family life with the macro economy. Mike Munger also quoted the text in September 2026 regarding how people live simultaneously within different orders.
Discussed“So now going back to, and this is from the fatal conceit, part of our present difficulty is that we must constantly adjust our lives, our thoughts, and our emotions in order to live simultaneously within different kinds of orders, according to different rules.”
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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Marie Kondo's bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, came up in discussions across multiple episodes of EconTalk. In January 2020, Adam Minter mentioned her work on decluttering, which inspired a television series. Later, in February 2022, Russ Roberts referenced the book while discussing skill acquisition and problem-solving. In February 2025, Michael Easter noted how people began discarding items en masse following the book's release.
Discussed“and this was especially true after the the art of tidying up was that the name of the book”
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The Social Contract
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts reminisced about reading Robert Ardrey's The Social Contract in his youth, noting how the book blew his mind and inspired him before graduate school.
Discussed“Um I remember reading this a book called The Social Contract by Robert Arrey.”
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The Truce
The Truce by Primo Levi came up on EconTalk in discussions hosted by Russ Roberts. In May 2022, Roberts mentioned Primo Levi's memoir sequel about the aftermath of Auschwitz while speaking with guest Dwayne Betts. Roberts revisited the book in July 2025, using it to highlight the painful and challenging journey of returning to Italy from Auschwitz and to discuss the role of barter during difficult situations.
Discussed“I probably talked about it in the episode with um Dwayne Betts when we talked about Primo Levy as well as Ralph Ellison. And in his book, The Truce, where Primo Levy talks about coming back from Awitz and we're trying to get back to Italy, which is a long meandering, painful, and challenging journey. There's an immense amount of”
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Walden
Henry David Thoreau's Walden was discussed on EconTalk by Kevin Kelly, Tamar Haspel, and Russ Roberts. Kelly cited it as a formative high school read that shaped his contrarian outlook, while Haspel and Roberts critiqued the book harshly, questioning its literary status and canonization. Venkatesh Rao also referenced the work to explain the origin of the term Waldenponding.
Discussed“my my favorite author in high school was Henry David Thoreau and Walden and you know March into a different drum that he was my hero”
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A soldier of the great war
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts and Mark Helprin discussed A Soldier of the Great War, with Roberts praising the novel as a masterpiece and Helprin reflecting on his diverse body of work.
Discussed“and then there was um the soldier of the Great War which was a very realistic sort of tlan type of Novel Freddy and Frederica which is a comic novel”
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As I Lay Dying
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts recommended William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying as an accessible entry point into the author's work, sharing that it became one of his favorites after taking a literature course. In another episode, guest Tyler Cowen similarly advised readers to start with As I Lay Dying when exploring Faulkner's writing.
Recommended“so, but I took the course and uh, one of the I think the first Faulner we read was As I Lay Dying and As I Lay Dying is a book I recommend. I uh spoiler I love Faulner became one of my favorite writers and it wasn't so enamored of Conrad by the end of the course... and when”
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Einstein's Dreams
Alan Lightman's book Einstein's Dreams was recommended by host Russ Roberts across two episodes of EconTalk. In April 2020, Roberts strongly recommended the book toward the end of his conversation with Lightman. Later, in November 2024, Roberts praised the work again, calling it a wonderful early book by the author and encouraging all listeners to read it.
Recommended“I've read Einstein's Dreams, which one of your earliest books, which is a wonderful, recommend it to listeners.”
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Everything Flows
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and translator Robert Chandler discussed Vasily Grossman's shorter novel Everything Flows. Russ Roberts recommended the book as a great, accessible alternative for listeners who might feel intimidated by Grossman's larger works, mentioning it in conversations about camp literature and human suffering. Robert Chandler provided deep insights into the literary and linguistic challenges of translating the harrowing text, specifically highlighting the brutal and crystal-clear depiction of the terror famine chapter.
Discussed“because he does seem a um I mean even even the most awful passages of his writing like um the trinka article and the account of the terror famine in everything flows”
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Janesville
On EconTalk, Doug Irwin and Arthur Diamond both recommended Amy Goldstein's book Janesville to discuss the social consequences, struggles, and realities faced by communities when a major factory closes.
Recommended“There is a very good book by a Washington Post journalist called Jainsville. It's about Jamesville, Ohio, Wisconsin, where a GM plant closes down...”
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On Liberty
On the EconTalk podcast, John Stuart Mill's book On Liberty came up in two separate episodes. In November 2023, Tyler Cowen appeared on the show ("Tyler Cowen on the GOAT of Economics") and listed Mill's works, including On Liberty and Utilitarianism, as wonderful works to read. Later, in a December 2022 episode ("Monica Guzman on Curiosity and Conversation in Contentious Times"), host Russ Roberts also recommended the book to listeners, stating that if they had not read it recently, they should do so.
Recommended“so of course there's on Liberty there's utilitarianism”
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Six Days of War
Michael B. Oren's Six Days of War was recommended on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts in February 2024, when Roberts praised it as a superb treatment of the Six-Day War. Matti Friedman also recommended the book during an episode in June 2022, describing it alongside Abraham Rabinovich's work as a fantastic historical account.
Recommended“he's the author of many books but I particularly want to recommend six days of War June 1967 in the making of the modern Middle East which is a superb treatment of the Six Day War”
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The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories
Leo Tolstoy's novella The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories was discussed on EconTalk by Russ Roberts and David Wolpe. Roberts and Richard Gunderman recommended the book as a powerful meditation on mortality and a way to avoid regrets. Wolpe and Roberts analyzed Tolstoy's narrative choice to begin with reactions to Ivan's death, exploring how the story exposes the hollowness of Ivan's life and highlights human connection through his servant Gerasim.
Discussed“Our topic for today is Tolstoy's short story. You could call it a novella. The death of even Illyitch. David, welcome to Econ Talk.”
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The Noble Lie
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts recommended Gary Greenberg's book The Noble Lie during multiple episodes. Roberts used the book to discuss how people self-suppress the truth and take strong positions for a supposed higher good.
Recommended“and he has a very powerful book called The Noble lie which I recommend where he talks about how people self-sup the truth”
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The Seven Silly Eaters
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Mary Ann Hoberman's The Seven Silly Eaters across two episodes in 2023 and 2024. Roberts recommended the title as one of his favorite rhyming children's books and a beloved choice for slightly older kids.
Recommended“I'm just going to put in a vote for um slightly older age than the than say um good night moon but a slightly older age would would be the Seven Silly Eaters um and uh the gardener those are two books I love we'll put up links to it”
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The Wisdom of Insecurity
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Alan Watts's book The Wisdom of Insecurity in episodes from March 2024 and November 2025. Roberts brought up the 1950s text to discuss how human beings adapt to rapid technological change, dealing with reality, and addressing problem-solving, noting that the book's insights felt as though they could have been written in the present day.
Recommended“Or uh there's I love this one. I got Alan Watts in the wisdom of insecurity which is a a book I kind of love and kind of it's a book it's fascinating book. I'll mention it for a second. It was written in 1951 or 52. I think it could have been written yesterday. It's all about how the”
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1984
On EconTalk, guest Doug Lemov highly recommended George Orwell's 1984 after rereading it, asserting that every student should experience the brilliant and essential work. Lemov also cited the novel as a prime example of crucial cultural capital found in books, while Mike Munger previously referenced the text to illustrate concepts of constant societal surveillance and the panopticon.
Discussed“Almost everything that's in most important to society has been written and captured in books. And if I know those books and I have access to them, then I can connect to people about, you know, I can, if you refer to Shakespeare or to 1984, if I don't know anything about George Orwell in 1984, I can't even have”
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A Conflict of Visions
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts recommended Thomas Sowell's 'A Conflict of Visions' in May 2025 while discussing differing visions of human nature and public policy. Later in February 2025, Peter Boettke also brought up the book on the podcast to examine opposing views on social organization.
Recommended“I'm looking at my notes and I've got Thomas Soul's Conflict of Visions in the next paragraph, which is an extraordinary book, by the way, and uh I strongly recommend it.”
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Alchemy
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Rory Sutherland thoroughly discussed Sutherland's book Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense. Roberts and Sutherland explored key themes from the text, including the quirks of human behavior, loss aversion, sunk cost bias, unconventional hiring practices, and the parallels between advertising and nature, such as the comparison of flowers to weeds with marketing budgets. Guest Paul Bloom also recommended the book as an insightful read on human psychology and business.
Recommended“and it's fantastic book by Rory Sutherland who's an an admin I guess in the UK called Alchemy”
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Conflicted
Ian Leslie's book Conflicted was discussed on EconTalk by host Russ Roberts and the author himself. Ian Leslie described the mission of the book as helping people have better disagreements, while Russ Roberts praised specific insights from the text during Leslie's appearances on the podcast.
Discussed“He was last here in June of 2021 discussing his book Conflicted.”
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General Theory Of Employment , Interest And Money
On EconTalk, Tyler Cowen recommended reading at least chapter 12 of John Maynard Keynes's General Theory Of Employment , Interest And Money. Robert Shiller also mentioned the 1936 book during a separate episode to discuss Keynes's marketing savvy and self-promotion tactics.
Recommended“even kan's general theory if you don't want to read the whole book just read chapter 12”
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Great Expectations
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens was mentioned on EconTalk across two different episodes. In March 2021, Russ Roberts brought up the novel during a conversation with Sherry Turkle, comparing the protagonist Pip's journey to a world completely different from his upbringing to elements within Turkle's work. Later, in October 2020, Reginald Dwayne Betts discussed including the classic Dickens novel in the Million Book Project library.
Recommended“i couldn't help thinking of great expectations yes by dickens one of my all-time favorite novels where pip the main character is going to have a chance to live in a different world in the world that his his sister who's raising him and his uncle who are raising him”
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If a Place Can Make You Cry
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts mentioned Daniel Gordis's book If a Place Can Make You Cry, strongly recommending the powerful book while discussing Gordis's move to Israel from Los Angeles during the Second Intifada.
Recommended“you moved here in 1998 from Los Angeles and you published a remarkable book a very powerful book titled if a place can make you to cry dispatches from an anxious State I strongly recommend it”
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In Search of Lost Time
On EconTalk, Tyler Cowen recommended trying In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust again using the Lydia Davis translation, Erik Hoel briefly mentioned the book while discussing his reading habits, and Russ Roberts strongly critiqued the first volume as unbearable and unreadable.
Discussed“I mean there's nothing sadder than that remembrance of things past only has seven volumes”
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In the First Circle
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's book In the First Circle on multiple occasions. During an episode with Tyler Cowen, Roberts included it in his top five books. Later, in a conversation with Lisa Cook regarding the Soviet regime and patents, Roberts brought up the book again to draw a parallel between the historical attempt by the Soviet regime to have its scientists and mathematicians innovate inside the gulag and the broader impact of fear on scientific innovation.
Recommended“in the first circle by alexander sochninson”
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Into Thin Air
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts recommended Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air as an extraordinary read, while guest Annie Duke discussed the book in relation to an Everest climbing expedition. Russ Roberts also used the book to question the limits of human risk-taking.
Discussed“uh they were part of uh the climbing expedition chronicled in John cracker was Into Thin Air uh Rob Hall was their expedition leader”
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Israel
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Daniel Gordis's book Israel: A Concise History across episodes in April 2022 and April 2023. Roberts noted that he was reading his colleague's book and recommended the work to listeners who wanted more historical background on the region.
Recommended“if you want more of the history you can read Danny's earlier book Israel concise history a fantastic read I recommend it”
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Midlife
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts discussed Kieran Setiya's book Midlife across multiple episodes. Roberts highlighted the book's central focus on the midlife period and used its concepts, such as the distinction between telic and atelic activities, during conversations with his guests.
Discussed“well I'm thinking about Karen such as example from his book midlife that we talked about italic and italic activities tele meaning having a goal”
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Neighborhood Defenders
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts and guest Katherine Levine Einstein discussed her book Neighborhood Defenders in an episode dedicated to the topic. Einstein explained that the term was borrowed from 1960s and 1970s school desegregation opposition research to describe local housing opponents. Roberts and Einstein examined the critical portrayal of these neighborhood defenders, and in a later episode, guest Bryan Caplan referenced the book while discussing land use meetings and local opposition to development.
Discussed“I don't remember you might have actually interviewed them the neighborhood Defenders did you interview the authors of that book I don't remember who wrote it uh so it's three authors one of them last name Einstein so that one's memorable but anyway uh this is a book where they actually got transcripts from pretty much all the land meetings”
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Sum
David Eagleman's book "Sum" came up on EconTalk across different episodes. Tyler Cowen briefly brought up the book in an April 2022 discussion on reading. Later, in the July 21, 2025 episode, James Marriott recommended "Sum" to listeners, describing it as a short, lovely, thought-provoking, and extraordinary book that he frequently gives away to others.
Recommended“So, the book I give away pretty often now is Sum by David Eagleman. And if you're at home listening and you haven't read Sum, it's short and lovely and thoughtprovoking and quite extraordinary.”
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The Castle
On EconTalk, Erik Hoel recommended David Macaulay's book Castle during the episode titled Does Parenting Make You a Better Person? in July 2024, citing it as an example of a work that illustrates background mechanisms. Later, in October 2020, Zena Hitz appeared on the podcast and mentioned Franz Kafka's The Castle, recalling that it was her father's favorite book when she was a child, which she used to illustrate the reading habits of past generations.
Recommended“but yeah I I recommend David mccaulay uh his books castle and others which show how things work in the background”
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The Heart Aroused
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts twice brought up David Whyte's book The Heart Aroused. During episodes in March 2023, Roberts mentioned the text to illustrate Whyte's ambitious attempt to apply lessons and perspectives from poetry to everyday corporate life.
Discussed“yeah i mentioned uh recently uh the book The Heart aroused by David White and what that book is it's w-h-y-t it's a lovely book”
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The Innovators
Walter Isaacson appeared on EconTalk to discuss his book, The Innovators, alongside Matt Ridley. Isaacson referenced the book's scope covering the digital revolution, starting with Ada Lovelace, and explained how it features a new paperback introduction. He used the book to illustrate how Steve Jobs connected the liberal arts with technology and to emphasize the importance of humility and empathy among innovators. Isaacson also clarified that the text functions as a historical account of creators rather than a how-to guide.
Discussed“In your book, The Innovators, you tend to, you say in your new preface, you're in the Ada camp.”
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The Least of Us
On EconTalk, Sam Quinones's book The Least of Us was mentioned in October 2021. Russ Roberts first noted the forthcoming book while discussing upcoming podcast episodes, and then brought it up again a week later as the central topic of an interview with the author focusing on fentanyl, meth, and American resilience.
Discussed“His latest book, and the topic of today's episode, is The Least of Us, True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth.”
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The life you can save
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts discussed Peter Singer's book The Life You Can Save across multiple episodes. Roberts highlighted the tenth-anniversary edition, noted the shallow pond thought experiment, and informed listeners that the book could be downloaded for free from the accompanying organization's website.
Discussed“and i'll remind listeners that shallow pond is the centerpiece of his book the life you say we did an interview on that um a while back we'll put a link to it”
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The master and his emissary
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts mentioned Iain McGilchrist's book while discussing two kinds of attention with Daniel Coyle, encouraging listeners to explore the dense work. In an earlier episode, Russ Roberts also referenced the book while discussing historical shifts in the dominance of the extrinsic perspective.
Recommended“And of course, you referenced the work of Ian McGrist, the master and his emissary, and his a past econ where we talked about that those two kinds of attention. And I encourage listeners to go back and listen to that episode to to look at I would say read his book, but his book is quite dense and quite”
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The Puzzler
On EconTalk, Russ Roberts discussed and recommended A.J. Jacobs's book, The Puzzler, highlighting Jacobs's dedication to the project, referencing observations made in the text about social science research and puzzles, and thanking the author for his appearance.
Discussed“he was last year in november of 2018 talking about his book 2 11.7 thanks a thousand 3 13.1 his latest book is the puzzler one man's quest to solve the most baffling puzzles ever”
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The road
On the December 2, 2024, episode of EconTalk titled Translating Life and Fate, host Russ Roberts and guest Robert Chandler discussed and recommended Vasily Grossman's short story collection The Road. Roberts encouraged listeners to read the collection as an introduction to Grossman, while Chandler shared details from his editorial process in compiling the shorter pieces.
Discussed“the road is a uh short story of Grossman's and it's the title as well of a uh an edited alumn that you did of his shorter writings”
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The Secret of Our Success
On EconTalk, Dwarkesh Patel brought up Joseph Henrich's book to explain human cultural evolution and cooperation, noting that success relied on more than pure intelligence alone. Later, on another episode, Moshe Koppel discussed the same book to provide a specific anthropological example of traditions surrounding food preparation among the Tukanawans in the Amazon.
Recommended“Joseph Henrik has this wonderful book about this. It wasn't just it wasn't um just intelligence, it wasn't even mainly intelligence.”
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The Sweet Spot
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts mentioned Paul Bloom's book The Sweet Spot across different episodes. Roberts initially previewed the upcoming release when discussing why people voluntarily seek out challenging and difficult experiences, and later referenced the book to explore how a certain amount of suffering gives life meaning.
Discussed“this comes back to a book uh a psychologist wrote uh he's on my program right now which was that there's a sweet spot uh and and that a little bit of suffering is part of what gives life its meaning.”
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The Year of Living Constitutionally
A.J. Jacobs's book The Year of Living Constitutionally was featured across two episodes of EconTalk. On May 6, 2024, host Russ Roberts interviewed the author about the title, focusing on one man's humble quest to follow the Constitution's original meaning. Later, on June 10, 2024, Roberts briefly revisited the conversation while introducing a discussion with Yuval Levin, praising Jacobs's work as a wonderful book and conversation.
Recommended“uh and of course we've recently talked about the Constitution with AJ Jacobs in his Year of Living constitutional I know you heard that episode it was a wonderful book and a wonderful conversation I appreciate that we'll put a link up to it”
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Truffle Hound
On EconTalk, host Russ Roberts referenced Rowan Jacobsen's book Truffle Hound during episodes in 2024 and 2026. Roberts recommended the book while discussing the training of dogs to find valuable truffles and mentioned that the author's previous appearance discussing the book had been a massive hit among the show's listeners.
Discussed“He was the last here in October of 2021 talking about his book Truffle Hound. That episode tied for first place in our annual poll of favorite episodes of the year.”
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Universal Economics
On EconTalk, David Henderson and Russ Roberts discussed Universal Economics by Armen Albert Alchian and William Richard Allen. Henderson recommended the updated edition edited by Jerry Jordan for its comprehensive analysis and affordability, while Roberts referenced the textbook's economic insights.
Discussed“I'm reminded of a wonderful analysis in Alchin and Allen's textbook which I now think has been called is called universal economics.”
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Utilitarianism
On EconTalk, Tyler Cowen recommended John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism as wonderful reading, while Russ Roberts brought up the book in a different episode to quote Mill's perspective on success and a life well lived.
Recommended“there's utilitarianism many many wonderful essays”
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Who by Fire
Russ Roberts discussed Matti Friedman's book on EconTalk, noting that it tells the story of Leonard Cohen's trip to Israel during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Roberts had previously introduced the book at the beginning of an earlier episode as the main topic of discussion.
Recommended“he was last year in June of 2022 talking about his wonderful book who by fire in that book he tells the story of Leonard Cohen's trip to Israel during the Yom kipur War of 1973 where Cohen played numerous concerts for soldiers at the front and in the process revitalized his career”
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Winter's Tale
On EconTalk, Tyler Cowen recommended Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale as a great book. In a later episode, author Mark Helprin himself discussed the reception of the novel, noting that it was mistakenly categorized as a fantasy novel when it was not.
Discussed“then then you have uh Winter's taale which was mistaken for a fantasy novel which had which it was not”
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The next 300 books mentioned on EconTalk, ranked
- African Genesis by Robert Ardrey
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Beowulf by Seamus Heaney
- Bittersweet by Susan Cain
- Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Determined by Robert M. Sapolsky
- Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren by John Maynard Keynes
- Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Ending Medical Reversal by Vinayak K. Prasad, Adam S. Cifu
- Foundations of Economic Analysis by Paul Anthony Samuelson
- Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
- Law, Legislation and Liberty, Volume 1 by F. A. Hayek
- Law, Legislation, and Liberty, Volume 19 by F. A. Hayek
- Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
- Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- No Rules Rules: Netflix and the culture of reinvention by Reed Hastings
- Nudge by Richard H. Thaler
- One Fat Englishman by Kingsley Amis
- Politics by Aristotle
- Primal Intelligence by Angus Fletcher
- Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
- Stubborn Attachments by Tyler Cowen
- Studying with Miss Bishop by Dana Gioia
- Talent by Tyler Cowen
- The Black Poets by Dudley Randall
- The Calculus of Consent by James M. Buchanan
- The constitution of liberty by Friedrich A. von Hayek
- The Constitution of Liberty by Friedrich August Hayek
- The descent of man by Charles Darwin
- The Economists' Hour by Binyamin Appelbaum
- The First Cell by Azra Raza
- The Hidden Half by Michael Blastland
- The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
- The Jewish State by Theodor Herzl
- The Shallows by Nicholas Carr
- The Uses of Pessimism by Roger Scruton
- The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon
- Theory of the Consumption Function by Milton Friedman
- Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson: The Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson
- Where We Are by Roger Scruton
- Why We Drive by Matthew B. Crawford
- 99 Poems by Dana Gioia
- A Dove of the East by Mark Helprin
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
- A Line in the Sand by James Barr
- A Savage War of Peace by Alistair Horne
- Achilles in Vietnam by Jonathan Shay
- Adventurer by Leo Damrosch
- Adventures in the screen trade by William Goldman
- An Armenian Sketchbook by Vasily Grossman
- An Essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus
- Artificial Intelligence by Melanie Mitchell
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens
- Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
- Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber
- CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? by ANTHONY TROLLOPE
- Capitalism, Alone by Branko Milanovic
- Chatter by Ethan Kross
- Churchill by Andrew Roberts
- Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud
- Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom
- Create Your Own Economy by Tyler Cowen
- Curious by Ian Leslie
- Dark, Salt, Clear by Lamorna Ash
- Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday
- Do No Harm by Marsh, Henry
- Don Giovanni by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
- Ellis Island by Mark Helprin
- Endurance by Alfred Lansing
- Ergodicity by Luca Dellanna
- Essays in positive economics by Milton Friedman
- European Self-representations at the New York World's Fair of 1939 by David E. Nye
- Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Free Agents by Kevin J. Mitchell
- Good Habits, Bad Habits by Wendy Wood
- Gulag by Anne Applebaum
- Gut Feelings by Gerd Gigerenzer
- His Greatest Speeches by Diana Schaub
- How Minds Change by David McRaney
- How to Change by Katy Milkman
- How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
- I Can't Stop Thinking About VAR by Daisy Christodoulou
- International Institutions of the Middle East by James Worrall
- Kidnap by Anja Shortland
- Knowledge And Decisions by Thomas Sowell
- Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon
- Leisure by Josef Pieper
- Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell
- Madam Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini
- Madison's Metronome by Greg Weiner
- Meditations by Aurelius Marcus
- Middlemarch by George Eliot
- Mine! by Michael A. Heller
- Nineteen Ways of Looking at Consciousness by Patrick House
- Of Sound Mind by Nina Kraus
- On copia of words and ideas (De utraque verborem [sic] ac rerum copia) by Desiderius Erasmus
- On Revolution by Hannah Arendt
- On Settler Colonialism by Adam Kirsch
- One Long River of Song by Brian Doyle
- Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
- Pensées by Blaise Pascal
- Pop Internationalism by Paul Krugman
- Pumpkinflowers by Matti Friedman
- Question 7 by Richard Flanagan
- Refiner's Fire by Mark Helprin
- Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
- Samuel Pepys by Claire Tomalin
- Social by Matthew D. Lieberman
- Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman
- Statistics for Public Policy by Jeremy G. Weber
- The Alien Corn by William Somerset Maugham
- The Challenge of Affluence by Avner Offer
- The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch
- The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
- The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker
- THE ECONOMIC NATURALIST by Robert H. Frank
- The Elements of Justice by David Schmidtz
- The Evolution of Beauty by Richard O. Prum
- The Gardener by Dabney Day
- The golden asse of Lucius Apuleius by Ovid
- The Happy Hypocrite by Max Beerbohm
- The Hat by Brian Way
- The Hungry Soul by Leon Kass
- The Intelligence of Intuition by Gerd Gigerenzer
- The Kindness of Strangers by Michael E. McCullough
- The Knowledge Machine by Michael Strevens
- The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker
- The Last September by Elizabeth Bowen
- The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst
- The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- The Mattering Instinct by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
- The Mitten by Unknown
- The Once and Future King by T. H. White
- The ones who walk away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- The Pacific and Other Stories by Mark Helprin
- The Periodic Table by Primo Levi
- The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture by Yoram Hazony
- The Politics of Institutional Reform by Terry M. Moe
- The Principles of Psychology by William James
- The Revolt of the Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium by Martin Gurri
- The Rise of Western Christendom by Peter Brown
- The Ritual Effect by Michael Norton
- The Song of the Cell by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill
- The Two-Parent Privilege by Melissa S. Kearney
- The ultimate resource by Julian Lincoln Simon
- The WEIRDest People in the World by Joseph Henrich
- The World of Late Antiquity by Peter Brown
- The Yom Kippur War by Abraham Rabinovich
- Three Uses of the Knife by David Mamet
- Trouble with Trolls by Jan Brett
- Ulysses by James Joyce
- Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
- Viral by Matt Ridley, Alina Chan
- We Were The Future by Yael Neeman
- What Good Are the Arts? by John Carey
- When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows... by Steven Pinker
- When Police Kill by Franklin E. Zimring
- Wild Souls by Emma Marris
- Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic by Constance Kamii
- A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar
- A Beginner's Guide to America by Roya Hakakian
- A City in Winter by Mark Helprin
- A City on Mars by Kelly Weinersmith
- A Complicated Jew by Hillel Halkin
- A Discourse on the Method by René Descartes
- A heartbreaking work of staggering genius by Dave Eggers
- A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel
- A History of the English-Speaking Peoples since 1900 by Andrew Roberts
- A Kingdom Far and Clear by Mark Helprin
- A Kingdom Far and Clear Limited Edition Calla Editions by Mark Helprin
- A monetary history of the United States by Milton Friedman
- A Movable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
- A Nation at Risk by United States. National Commission on Excellence in Education
- A new kind of science by Stephen Wolfram
- A positive program for laissez faire by Henry Calvert Simons
- A Question of Freedom by Reginald Dwayne Betts
- A Shot to Save the World by Gregory Zuckerman
- A Treatise on the Family by Gary S. Becker
- Actual Minds, Possible Worlds by Jerome Seymour Bruner
- Adam Smith's Marketplace of Life by James R. Otteson
- Against the Grain by James C. Scott
- All Desire is a Desire for Being by René Girard
- All God's Children by Fox Butterfield
- All Joy and No Fun by Jennifer Senior
- Alone by Richard E. Byrd
- Altneuland by Theodor Herzl
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- American Midnight by Adam Hochschild
- An American dilemma by Gunnar Myrdal
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Anointed by Toby Stuart
- Anthem by Ayn Rand
- Artificial Intelligence: a Modern Approach by Stuart Russell
- Atonement by Ian McEwan
- Ball Four by Jim Bouton
- Barkskins by Annie Proulx
- Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith
- Being Wrong by Kathryn Schulz
- Believe by Ross Douthat
- Big Business by Tyler Cowen
- Birds as Individuals by Len Howard
- Black Bourgeoisie by E. Franklin Frazier
- Black Boy by Richard Wright
- Black Skin, White Masks by Frantz Fanon
- Blind Spots by Marty Makary
- Bobos in Paradise by David Brooks
- Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam
- Brothers and Keepers by John Edgar Wideman
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- Can poetry matter? by Dana Gioia
- Candide by Francois Voltaire
- Capitalism, the unknown ideal by Ayn Rand
- Chaos by James Gleick
- Churchill and Orwell by Thomas E. Ricks
- Circles of Compensation by Kent Calder
- Climate Future by Robert S. Pindyck
- Cogs and Monsters by Diane Coyle
- Cribsheet by Emily Oster
- Crisis of the House Divided by Harry V. Jaffa
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- Curious George Discovers the Rainbow by H A Rey
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- Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen
- Discourse on the Origin and the Foundations of Inequality Among Men by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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- DON QUIXOTE by Miguel de Cervantes
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- Economics by Paul A. Samuelson
- Economics of the Public Sector by Joseph E. Stiglitz
- English Pastoral by James Rebanks
- Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen
- Evolution of Desire by Cynthia L Haven
- Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly
- Expecting better by Emily Oster
- Exponential by Azeem Azhar
- Faerie queene by Edmund Spenser
- Famine, affluence, and morality by Peter Singer
- Far From the Tree by Andrew Solomon
- Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts
- Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
- Fluke by Brian Klaas
- Food Intelligence by Julia Belluz
- Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley
- Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt
- Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin
- Free Will by Sam Harris
- Freedom and the Law by Bruno Leoni
- Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway
- Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
- Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas R. Hofstadter
- Good to Great by Jim Collins
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Gravity and Grace by Simone Weil
- Great Ideas for VBS by John Robert Cutshall
- Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway
- Groundhog Day by Lynn Peppas
- Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D. B. Johnson
- Homer: Iliad Book XVIII by Homer
- Homo Ludens by Johan Huizinga
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- How to Stay Smart in a Smart World by Gerd Gigerenzer
- How to Think Like Shakespeare by Scott Newstok
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Human Capital by Gary S. Becker
- Human Compatible by Stuart Russell
- I Have a Dream by Rachid Ba
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- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
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- Impossible Takes Longer by Daniel Gordis
- In Defense of Sunlight by Rowan Jacobsen
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Latest mentions
“In your book, The Innovators, you tend to, you say in your new preface, you're in the Ada camp.”
“So I loved your book, your biography of Jobs, and I wasn't going to read it because people told me it's, it's, you just find out he's a jerk.”
“I had a great professor who you know of. Her name then was Doris Kearns. And I took her course. And she wrote her dissertation and published her book. And it was a biography called Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream.”
“Her latest book is Situated, Find the People and Places that Bring Out Your Best, which is our topic for today.”
“And that, of course, this led me to study grit. I say, of course, maybe not of course, but for me, the distinction between the quality and quantity of time on task”
“Our topic for today is Tolstoy's short story. You could call it a novella. The death of even Illyitch. David, welcome to Econ Talk.”
“And it reminds me of a great passage from a book that will, I think, I'll mention once or twice in this Ernest Becker's Denial of Death, he has a section where the French writer Alfonso Daudet when he was young, went to a funeral”
“I mean, he writes Anna Karenina, which is one of the great masterpieces of world literature, and then says, he repudiates it and says, I shouldn't have written it”
“Erwin Yallum has a book called, I think it's called Staring at the Sun. The sun is death. You can't look at the sun, you'd have to turn away.”
“And I should reference the other episode we did on a Tolstoy short story, which was "Master and Man," which also romanticizes the peasant as the real hero, but it's an incredible masterpiece.”
“And I should reference the other episode we did on a Tolstoy short story, which was "Master and Man," which also romanticizes the peasant as the real hero, but it's an incredible masterpiece.”
“Our topic for today is fertility and demography, based on a recent paper he wrote, he co-authored with Patrick Norick, and that paper is Terra Incognita, the Economics of a Shrinking World, a paper I found, to be honest, shocking in its claims, but the claims are mostly facts.”
“I want to close with a tribute to Julian Simon. Yeah. Julian Simon's book, The Ultimate Resource, which I recommend to listeners, we haven't talked much about that over the years on this show, but you point out in a recent paper that in 1960, South Korea had a little over a million births.”
“And one of her most famous books is Gravity and Grace. And what that was, was basically her, her friend, who is a French Catholic farmer, Gustave Thibon”
“I was so fascinated by James' work, which I'd read the varieties of religious experience before, but I went back and read it again.”
“the quote comes from her book, The Sovereignty of Good, which is just a long essay that she wrote in the late 60s.”
“So now going back to, and this is from the fatal conceit, part of our present difficulty is that we must constantly adjust our lives, our thoughts, and our emotions in order to live simultaneously within different kinds of orders, according to different rules.”
“So in 1821, Friedrich Hegel published a book, The Philosophy of Right.”
“So I mentioned reading the Radetzky March by Joseph Roth.”
“Um, I'm going to invoke uh one [snorts] of my favorite short stories. I don't I don't know if you can get it online anymore, but it used to be online. It's called The Ones Who Walk Away from Omalis.”
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