Podcast
David Perell's book list: the books mentioned on How I Write
Key facts
- 537 books have been mentioned on How I Write, as of November 4, 2026.
- 139 episodes of How I Write mention at least one book, as of November 4, 2026.
- 117 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 4, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of How I Write, as of November 4, 2026: The Great Gatsby, East of Eden and Atomic Habits.
- The latest episode of How I Write with a book mention aired on November 4, 2026.
Updated
Before book sales and PR buzz, your favorite writers began with two things: the blank page and an idea.Each week on How I Write, we go behind-the-scenes with today’s top writers to uncover the meta-mechanics of writing and the lifestyle behind it. You’ll be the first to hear writers deconstruct their creative process: from banging their head on the keyboard to marking the last period of their fina…
Books from the latest episodes
Jodi Picoult: The Writing Habits Behind 50 Million Books Sold | How I Write
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Hollow Bones
at 8:23 -
Harvesting the Heart
at 13:31 - Songs of the Humpback Whale
at 17:31 -
A Spark of Light
at 23:54 -
Life of Pi
at 29:16 -
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
at 29:20 -
Gone with the Wind
at 30:11 -
Small Great Things
at 31:22 -
The Great Gatsby
at 31:43 -
Keeping Faith
at 32:04 -
Out of Africa
at 34:03 -
Shadows on the Grass
at 34:26 -
Perfect Match
at 36:00 -
The Witches of Cambridge
at 45:00 -
By Any Other Name
at 47:51 -
Second Glance
at 54:35 -
Sing You Home
at 1:02:32 -
Mad Honey
at 1:04:32 -
Nineteen Minutes
at 1:07:51
Most recommended on How I Write
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The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby came up across multiple episodes of How I Write. Jodi Picoult discussed the book in relation to unreliable narrators, while Fareed Zakaria named it as his favorite book. David Perell and John Yaged both mentioned reading the book and watching various film adaptations. Perell also explored how the novel treats character development and acts as a co-creation between author and reader, and Yaged noted its public domain status in discussions of AI audiobooks. Additionally, Michael Dean cited Hunter S. Thompson's practice of rewriting the novel word for word to understand the mechanics of great writing.
Discussed“Gatsby, you know, with with Nick Carowway being an unreliable narrator.”
Where to get it
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East of Eden
John Steinbeck's novel 'East of Eden' was frequently discussed on 'How I Write' by host David Perell and guest Nat Eliason. Perell repeatedly brought up the masterpiece to analyze Steinbeck's simple and effective language, illustrate deep reading habits, and examine how Steinbeck documented his own writing struggles in 'The Journal of a Novel'. Eliason mentioned reading the book to prime himself for writing slower-paced environmental and emotional descriptions.
Discussed“and for an example i want to look at john steinbeck and his book his masterpiece east of eden”
Where to get it
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Atomic Habits
On How I Write, James Clear's Atomic Habits was frequently cited by host David Perell and guests like Ali Abdaal and Morgan Housel. Perell used the ubiquitous bestseller as an example of minimalist title design and grassroots marketing strategies, while Abdaal referenced specific frameworks and parables from the text to discuss non-fiction book structure and the importance of repetition in skill development.
Discussed“For example, when James Clear when he did Atomic Habits, I think he had like 80 podcasts that launched that week. There's probably things around BookTok and Twitter and like clipping up different things that you've made about your book, that's more kind of guerrilla marketing tactics that are going to end up being more solo.”
Where to get it
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Bird by Bird
On How I Write, host David Perell, guests such as Taylor Tomlinson, Gillian Flynn, and Harlan Coben, and author Anne Lamott discussed Lamott's book Bird by Bird. The speakers praised it as one of the best books ever written on the craft of writing, highlighting its lessons on overcoming perfectionism, tackling the famous shitty first draft, and navigating writer's block.
Discussed“okay I can't start yet because I need to like there's one more book I should probably read to figure out how to write and the the answer is there's no correct way to write there these books are like Stephen King's on writing and lamas bird by bird these are amazing books that helped me be a writer and”
Where to get it
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On Writing
Stephen King's On Writing was discussed across several episodes of How I Write. Alex Hormozi recommended it as a top book on the subject in February 2025. Gillian Flynn mentioned it in October 2026 alongside Bird by Bird as a helpful guide, though she noted writers still must practice. Jack Carr noted reading it before starting his author career, Michael Mauboussin discussed King's work ethic in March 2024, and David Perell cited the book in October 2023 regarding clarity in writing.
Discussed“okay I can't start yet because I need to like there's one more book I should probably read to figure out how to write and the the answer is there's no correct way to write there these books are like Stephen King's on writing and lamas bird by bird these are amazing books that helped me be a writer and”
Where to get it
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MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville came up across multiple episodes of How I Write as guests referenced the classic novel to illustrate various literary concepts. Steven Pressfield discussed the book to explain how nature and the sea can embody the female element carrying mystery. Paul Harding cited Melville's work to highlight linguistic supersaturation, while Richard Powers and Ted Gioia referenced it when discussing man versus nature themes and maximalist writing styles.
Discussed“For instance, we were talking about this earlier, David, in Moby Dick, which has no female characters at all. The sea is the female. And if you think about the sea carrying the mystery, the sea is into the depths which Moby Dick dives.”
Where to get it
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The 4-Hour Workweek
Timothy Ferriss's 'The 4-Hour Workweek' was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell, Tim Ferriss, and guest Ali Abdaal. Abdaal credited the book as a life-changing influence that inspired him to build a business while in medical school. Perell and Ferriss examined the book's title-testing strategies, early drafting struggles, and structural principles for delegating tasks to virtual assistants.
Discussed“I think the first time I heard about this was I think Tim Ferris tested 4our a 4our work week yeah for his book and he hated the title but it it crushed all the other titles”
Where to get it
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Tuesdays with Morrie
Mitch Albom's memoir Tuesdays with Morrie was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell and guest Mitch Albom. Perell brought up the famously successful memoir during conversations about storytelling and writing. Albom reflected on his original motivations for writing the book, which was intended simply to pay medical bills for his former college professor rather than become a global success. He also detailed his rigorous editing process, the emotional tone of researching death, and how the compact physical format of the original book influenced his later publications.
Discussed“Do you know that is? He wrote a book called Tuesdays with Morrie. yeah, yeah.”
Where to get it
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The Elements of Eloquence
Mark Forsyth's The Elements of Eloquence was discussed across multiple episodes of How I Write. David Perell frequently recommended the book, praised it as a masterpiece, and used it to guide discussions on rhetorical devices and writing patterns. Sam Parr also mentioned the book, noting how a colleague used it to learn how to craft memorable phrases and improve copywriting.
Discussed“And now what I want to do is go through like 10 or 11 this from your book Elements of Eloquence.”
Where to get it
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Save the cat!
Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! was discussed on How I Write by guests who praised its structural utility for storytelling. On April 15, 2026, David Gelb recommended the book, highlighting its clear frameworks, specific page-number breakdowns for plot beats, and usefulness as a foundational skeleton for screenwriters, despite some criticisms of its simplicity. Additionally, on November 22, 2023, Steven Pressfield referenced Snyder's concepts while discussing how to make storytelling primal.
Recommended“I I love the book um Save the Cat by Blake Snider, which just lays it out in the most clear way and where literally he has I mean he even has page numbers of when these things should happen.”
Where to get it
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Gates of Fire
On How I Write, Steven Pressfield's novel "Gates of Fire" came up multiple times during discussions about writing and creativity. Lulu Cheng Meservey recommended the book as an evergreen selection on the Marine Commandant's reading list, while David Perell praised its quality. Jack Carr and Steven Pressfield himself also referenced the novel when discussing early creative works and the authors who influenced their writing processes.
Discussed“So, I took that and then I heard Steven Pressfield and I I Gates of Fire, Hero of Gates of Fire, Legend of Bagger Vance, has a series of books on creativity that starts with The War of Art.”
Where to get it
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War and Peace
The novel War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy was referenced on the podcast How I Write by multiple literary guests and the host. Henry Shukman used character development in the novel to illustrate fiction writing lessons regarding primary protagonists. David Perell and Paul Harding both discussed the book as a notable example of an ambitious, large-scale literary blockbuster, while Dana Gioia compared its epic scope and thematic focus to other major works of fiction.
Discussed“Well, I mean Pierre Bazookov in War and Peace, you know, opens with him in that drinking party where they're all doing crazy drinking games and he doesn't want to be doing it.”
Where to get it
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White Noise
Don DeLillo's White Noise was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell and guests including Noah Hawley, Richard Powers, and Amor Towles. The authors praised White Noise as a masterpiece, highlighting its brilliant dialogue and examining how its pioneering exploration of consumerism and pop culture expanded their understanding of what a novel could achieve.
Discussed“How did Don DeLillo do that with White Noise for you? It seems like that's a lot of what that novel did.”
Where to get it
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Zero to One
Zero to One by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters was discussed on How I Write. David Perell brought up the book to analyze its underlying religious themes and its connection to René Girard's memetic theory. Marc Andreessen cited the book as an example of a successful business title that maintains enduring sales, while Jimmy Soni mentioned purchasing and reading it as research for a project on PayPal.
Discussed“Peter Thiel wrote Zero to One. But if you actually follow the thread, Zero to One is... A Christian book”
Where to get it
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The Everything Store
Brad Stone's book The Everything Store was discussed on the How I Write podcast by guests Mark Manson and Jimmy Soni. Manson mentioned reading the biography about Jeff Bezos in connection with early online shopping memories. Soni discussed the book extensively across multiple appearances, noting that he read it between sixteen and twenty times to use it as a structural and qualitative model for his own writing.
Discussed“for the founders, it was The Everything Store by Brad Stone, which I think I've talked to you about before. I read that book over 20 times.”
Where to get it
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Finnegans Wake
On How I Write, James Joyce's Finnegans Wake was mentioned by three different guests. Francine Prose brought up the book to illustrate her limited patience for obscure or overly difficult writing. Tom Junod mentioned it as the chronological end point of the books on his shelf in his shed. Robert Macfarlane referenced the text while discussing rhythm in writing, comparing its rhythmically alert nature to James Joyce's Ulysses.
Discussed“I if someone put a gun to my head and said, "You have to read Finnegan's Wake now." It, you know, I go, "Shoot me.”
Where to get it
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J.K. Rowling's novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was mentioned on the How I Write podcast by several guests. John Yaged cited it as a prime example of an outlier book that faced widespread rejection from publishers before succeeding. Shaan Puri referenced the story to illustrate the storytelling mechanics of character intention versus obstacles, while Kevin Kelly mentioned the series during a discussion on simultaneous cultural ideas.
Discussed“I mean, the Harry Potter's the the best example. Almost all the New York publisher I think all New York publishers but one rejected that book.”
Where to get it
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No Country for Old Men
On How I Write, David Perell and Dean Koontz discussed Cormac McCarthy's novel No Country for Old Men. Perell compared McCarthy's later style in novels like No Country for Old Men and The Road with the mysterious qualities of his earlier work, while Koontz highlighted No Country for Old Men as a prime example of McCarthy's later, stripped-down writing style.
Discussed“And when he started drifting away from that when he wrote No Country or Furlough Men or The Road and great books on their own but I kind of miss the way he used to write”
Where to get it
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Richard II
On the podcast How I Write, Tyler Cowen mentioned rereading William Shakespeare's Richard II as part of his pleasure reading and research process, noting in another episode how he now uses AI as secondary literature for it. Additionally, the host brought up the play to illustrate a rhetorical formula called a diacap.
Discussed“So I reread Shakespeare's Richard II which is a [clears throat] wonderful play.”
Where to get it
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The Hobbit
On How I Write, guests and hosts referenced J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit in various episodes between late 2025 and mid-2026. Yann Martel brought up the book to contrast his personal boredom with it against a generation's love for it, David Perell quoted a passage to highlight solitary moments of fear and courage, and Adrian Tchaikovsky discussed Smaug to illustrate how fantasy monsters embody human traits like greed.
Discussed“I found them so boring where an entire generation loved The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.”
Where to get it
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The Lord of the Rings
On How I Write, J.R.R. Tolkien's epic novel "The Lord of the Rings" was referenced in discussions about literature and writing processes. David Perell mentioned the book to illustrate subjective mental imagery among readers, and later highlighted the book's introduction to discuss the importance of writing communities. Additionally, Dana Gioia praised the novel, describing it as the greatest English work written about the First World War.
Discussed“So, if we both read The Lord of the Rings and you say, "Hey, I'm going to describe the the Shire and then I do the same thing," our descriptions will be very different.”
Where to get it
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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was mentioned on How I Write across different contexts. On April 22, 2026, Tish Rabe reminisced about her mother reading classic children's literature to her. On March 4, 2026, Steven Pressfield discussed the book and its film adaptation to illustrate the hero's journey model, specifically the transition from the ordinary world in Kansas to the extraordinary world. Finally, on January 10, 2025, the host referenced the work to provide an example of a false memory.
Discussed“my mother used to read us The Wizard of Oz, the original re well, Wizard of Oz.”
Where to get it
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The Overstory
During the How I Write podcast, David Perell and guest Jason Fried discussed Richard Powers' novel The Overstory. Perell interviewed Powers in an episode where he noted that the book won the Pulitzer Prize in 2019, praised its articulation of trees, and read an excerpt aloud. Perell also referenced the novel while asking Powers about his research process and the development of empathy for nature. Separately, in an episode with Jason Fried, the guest brought up the book to express how deeply inspired he was by Powers' writing style.
Recommended“Richard Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for the over story in 2019 and and I had some friends who recommended it to me”
Where to get it
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A Tale of Two Cities
On How I Write, Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities was discussed by guests Dean Koontz and R.F. Kuang. In May 2025, Koontz recalled reading the novel later in life as his introduction to Dickens, describing himself as completely captivated by its emotional depth. In September 2026, Kuang mentioned that she had only recently read the book, bringing it up to discuss her appreciation for its campy, soap-opera-like elements alongside Dickens's other works.
Discussed“A Tale of Two Cities was one of the Dickens books that I like embarrassingly hadn't read until like two years ago.”
Where to get it
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Hackers and Painters
On How I Write, host David Perell referenced Paul Graham's book 'Hackers and Painters' in conversations about writing and programming. Perell used the book's title to illustrate the synthesis of left-brain skepticism, rigor, logic, and right-brain creativity. He also noted that the framework of the book mirrors Graham's own essay style and highlighted the collaborative network of thinkers acknowledged within its pages.
Discussed“I mean, actually, that's why his book is called Hackers and Painters. Hackers and Painters, sort of that left side of the brain, skepticism, rigor, logic.”
Where to get it
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The Daily Pressfield
Steven Pressfield's book The Daily Pressfield was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell. Perell explored specific lessons from the book regarding time management, discipline, and creative practice after receiving a copy directly from the author.
Discussed“What had happened was before the episode, Pressfield was like, yo, you got to read my new book, The Daily Pressfield.”
Where to get it
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The Godfather
The Godfather by Mario Puzo was discussed on How I Write in 2024 and 2026 episodes. Andrew Stanton brought up the novel to explain an acting coach's concept of character spines using Michael Corleone. Additionally, David Perell and Tiago Forte discussed Francis Ford Coppola's intensive research process of cutting up and annotating pages of the novel into a working notebook for the film adaptation.
Discussed“Judith Weston, who is a acting coach, taught me this term. And she gave a good example that like Michael Corleone in The Godfather, his spine is to please his father, and that never goes away even after his father dies all the way through the second Godfather movie.”
Where to get it
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The Sense of Style
On How I Write, guests Johnny Harris, David Perell, and Michael Mauboussin discussed Steven Pinker's The Sense of Style. Johnny Harris cited the book as his entire writing bible for active language, while David Perell and Michael Mauboussin referenced chapters three and two respectively to explore the concepts of the curse of knowledge and classic style in writing.
Recommended“Stephen pinker's got this great book sense of style that where he unpacks this and it it is my entire Bible of writing”
Where to get it
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Trust Me, I'm Lying
On How I Write, Ryan Holiday's book 'Trust Me, I'm Lying' was discussed in multiple episodes. Sam Corcos mentioned reading it to describe how he began his journey of news sobriety. David Perell brought up the book to explore Holiday's reflections on the satisfaction derived from a book's success versus the effort invested. Holiday himself discussed the unique writing and rereading process he undertook for the paperback and anniversary editions of the book.
Discussed“One of the things that you said that I really resonated with was you were talking about your first book, trust me, I'm lying. And you were saying something to the effect of if there were 100 units, you got 90% of the units of satisfaction from how well the book did”
Where to get it
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Anna Karenina
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy was discussed on How I Write in 2025 and 2026. Francine Prose referenced the novel to examine how authors construct complex party scenes and handle point of view, while Dana Gioia praised it as the greatest novel ever written during a discussion on great works of literature.
Discussed“I mean there there are certain things that are hard like party scenes that party scenes are really I mean there are a lot of people and they're all talking at once and there's all this interaction and how do you follow it so that you look at I mean I guess James Joyce is the dead is the all-time”
Where to get it
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The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene and Joost Elffers's The Evolution of Cooperation was not the focus, but rather The 48 Laws of Power, which was discussed on the How I Write podcast. David Perell brought up the book in September 2024 to ask Greene about his writing evolution. Steven Pressfield also mentioned the book in late 2023 while discussing Greene's career breakthrough and contrasting its comprehensive nature with advertising brevity.
Discussed“Like if you look at 48 laws, where do you feel like you've had the largest margin of improvement?”
Where to get it
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The Sound and the Fury
On How I Write, William Faulkner's novel The Sound and the Fury came up in June and August 2025. Guest Jayne Anne Phillips discussed the novel as a deeply influential work she carried everywhere while writing Lark and Termite. Host David Perell also referenced the book while discussing Paul Harding's ambitious reading habits and emphasized the importance of having high artistic ambitions.
Discussed“for me the sound on the fury is one of those books um it was a book that I carried with me everywhere all the time when I was writing Lark and Termite.”
Where to get it
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The War of Art
On How I Write, Jack Carr referenced Steven Pressfield's The War of Art when discussing creative inspiration, and David Perell brought up the book during an interview with the author. Pressfield himself discussed the supportive community and reader responses that emerged after the publication of his book on creativity.
Discussed“So, I took that and then I heard Steven Pressfield and I I Gates of Fire, Hero of Gates of Fire, Legend of Bagger Vance, has a series of books on creativity that starts with The War of Art.”
Where to get it
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Where the wild things are
On How I Write, host David Perell and guest John Yaged discussed Maurice Sendak's classic picture book Where the Wild Things Are. The speakers highlighted the enduring legacy of the book, examining its use of animal characters and noting its continued popularity as a generational staple that parents share with children.
Discussed“I think about Where the Wild Things Are, obviously that's animals. 100%.”
Where to get it
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Rocket men
On How I Write, David Perell recommended Robert Kurson's book Rocket Men. Perell read passages from the work to demonstrate effective storytelling techniques, specifically how authors can bring numbers to life through concrete visual analogies.
Recommended“And to do that, I'm going to read you a quote from a book that I love called Rocket Men by Robert Kurson.”
Where to get it
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Storyworthy
On How I Write, Matthew Dicks's book Storyworthy came up when the host recommended it during the episode titled 171 Years of Writing Knowledge in 90 Minutes, praising it as an amazing guide by a storytelling champion. Later, during the episode Master Storytelling in 108 Minutes with Shaan Puri, Shaan Puri also recommended the book, explaining how it highlights the necessity of stakes and moments of change in great storytelling.
Recommended“the story Worthy is amazing book by this like teacher guy who's like the 20time storytelling champion of the moth storytelling”
Where to get it
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The Consolation of Philosophy
On the How I Write podcast, David Perell in January 2024 and the Cultural Tutor in August 2023 recommended The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius. The speakers suggested reading Boethius instead of modern bestsellers like Atomic Habits as an example of foundational literature that helps writers cultivate a unique voice and stand out.
Recommended“if rather than reading Atomic Habits, you go and read I don't know Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy.”
Where to get it
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Absalom, Absalom!
On How I Write, Wright Thompson cited William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! as the greatest piece of American art ever made while discussing the importance of place in writing and how to learn storytelling. In another episode, Paul Harding discussed the same novel to illustrate the richness of complex literary meaning, noting that readers cannot grasp the whole thing the first time they read it.
Recommended“I think one of the tricks of like if you're trying to learn how to be a writer is to figure out the things that you're interested in. And so one of the for me like like I'm like I mean, for me the the greatest piece of American art ever made is Absalom, Absalom, and it is a deep,”
Where to get it
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Excellent Advice for Living
David Perell introduced Kevin Kelly's book Excellent Advice for Living on How I Write to share one of his favorite maxims, noting that it features a collection of maxims. Perell also discussed the origins of the book, highlighting how it evolved from a blog post that Kelly wrote on his sixty-eighth birthday containing advice for his children.
Recommended“The next is number two, Kevin Kelly, who wrote Excellent Advice for Living, which is a book of maxims and my favorite one is don't aim to be the best, be the only.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On How I Write, Nat Eliason cited Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson as the primary visual inspiration for the cover design of his own book. Later in the same podcast series, David Perell brought up Thompson's novel to illustrate a writer whose work centers heavily on the author themselves.
Discussed“So if you have Hunter S. Thompson, right? He writes Fear and Loathing. This is like Hunter S. Thompson's take on what's going on.”
Where to get it
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On Writing Well
On How I Write, Fareed Zakaria recommended William Zinsser's book on writing, noting that he prefers it over others. Jimmy Soni also mentioned On Writing Well during his appearance, bringing it up to discuss the importance of warmth, word choice, and how reading happens in the ear.
Recommended“Some of them are useful like if you look at white and I actually prefer there's guy William Zim Zim called on writing which I think is is better.”
Where to get it
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Shantaram
On How I Write, Sam Parr recommended Gregory David Roberts's novel Shantaram despite usually not reading fiction. David Perell later mentioned the book when discussing massive thousand-page works recommended to him by colleagues.
Discussed“go Sean trom and I go okay tell me about it he goes like it's a thousand pages”
Where to get it
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Show Your Work!
On the How I Write podcast, Austin Kleon's Show Your Work! was discussed in relation to Ali Abdaal. In Do This to Beat Imposter Syndrome, Abdaal credited the book as a major influence for helping him overcome impostor syndrome, and David Perell brought up the book in A Productivity Master’s Guide to Writing to ask about its impact.
Recommended“but then what show your work taught me is that basically that you don't have to be a genius you don't have to be the guru”
Where to get it
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The Body
On the How I Write podcast, Tim Urban recommended Bill Bryson's book The Body in January 2024, praising the extensive research behind it as an example of exceptional writing. Later in February 2024, David Perell also mentioned Bryson's books while discussing authors who successfully explore diverse subjects.
Discussed“You talk to people who like Bill Bryson, Bill Bryson wrote A Short History of Nearly Everything, 1927, The Body.”
Where to get it
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The Grapes of Wrath
On How I Write, John Steinbeck's novel 'The Grapes of Wrath' was discussed by guest Dana Gioia across two episodes. On February 26, 2025, Gioia cited the book as one of the greatest American novels, praising its ability to portray the dignity of the poor despite its imperfections. He revisited this sentiment on December 3, 2025, during a recap of writing lessons, once again highlighting Steinbeck's masterwork among top American literature.
Discussed“John Steinbeck, if you read The Grapes of Wrath, for all of Grapes of Wrath's imperfections, he has written one of the greatest American novels”
Where to get it
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The Psychology of Money
Morgan Housel's book The Psychology of Money was discussed on How I Write by two guests. Ali Abdaal cited the book as a recent favorite, praising its structure of twenty distinct chapters and expressing a desire to emulate its style in his own writing. In a later episode, Morgan Housel himself reflected on the manuscript, noting that when he first turned it in, he did not fully realize the extent of his own arguments until after completion.
Discussed“One of the things that I didn't really understand at the time when I wrote Psychology of Money. I I I think I probably could have expressed this when I wrote it but I didn't believe it as much as I do now is when I turned in the manuscript for Psychology of Money I had a deep sense of”
Where to get it
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“The” History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
On How I Write, David Perell brought up Edward Gibbon's classic history to illustrate how a book can possess high objective quality yet still fail to engage a reader whose current interests lie elsewhere. In a separate episode, Ted Gioia discussed reading the same work purely for its exquisite prose style, even though he disagreed with the author's historical arguments.
Discussed“So we'll take a book like Gibbons, the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Okay, people tell me amazing book. They'll say the writing is is is really strong. It's been super influential.”
Where to get it
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A short history of nearly everything
Bill Bryson's book A short history of nearly everything came up on How I Write in conversations hosted by David Perell. In February 2024 and November 2023, Perell referenced Bryson to illustrate how skilled authors can successfully make broad science and history topics engaging and worthwhile for readers.
Discussed“You talk to people who like Bill Bryson, Bill Bryson wrote A Short History of Nearly Everything, 1927, The Body.”
Where to get it
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Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand's book Atlas Shrugged was discussed on the podcast How I Write by two different guests. Nat Eliason brought up the novel in July 2024 while critiquing the quality of its dialogue, noting moments where characters simply feel like author inserts. Later, in October 2023, Riva Tez mentioned to David Perell that she had repeatedly read the book every couple of years over a fifteen-year period, expressing a wish that she had better understood it as a teenager.
Discussed“It feels there's so many times when reading Atlas Shrugged where it's really clear that that it's no longer this character talking. It's just her insert.”
Where to get it
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Book of Laughter and Forgetting
On How I Write, Alain de Botton cited Milan Kundera's The Book of Laughter and Forgetting as a major personal influence that demonstrated structural freedom in writing. Later on the same podcast, David Perell brought up the book to discuss graphomania and the desire to write for a public of unknown readers.
Discussed“So um the Czech writer Milan Kundara was extremely important for me um the book of laughter and forgetting uh and the unbearable lightness of being and also his book the art of the novel immensely significant texts that seemed to have an incredible freedom.”
Where to get it
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Great Expectations
On How I Write, Francine Prose mentioned Charles Dickens's Great Expectations alongside Jane Eyre while discussing the experience of teaching enduring works of literature. In a later episode, Dean Koontz listed Great Expectations among other Dickens novels to illustrate the author's mastery in handling deep human emotion.
Discussed“Well, I you know, one year I taught Jane Air and uh and Great Expectations in the same year. And Janeire is the greatest representation of of female rage ever.”
Where to get it
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How to Write a Thesis
Michael Dean and Marc Andreessen both referenced Umberto Eco's book How to Write a Thesis on How I Write. Dean mentioned the book to explain the pick one volcano principle for narrowing writing scopes, while Andreessen discussed Eco's card catalog system for tracking research notes.
Discussed“So Alberto Ekko, he wrote a book called How to Write a Thesis. Uh and he has something called the pick one volcano principle.”
Where to get it
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Hunger
On the How I Write podcast, Knut Hamsun's novel Hunger came up in discussions regarding literary influences and writing styles. On May 6, 2026, Yann Martel referenced the book to illustrate his preference for deeply subjective, single-character narratives. Earlier, on March 27, 2024, Neil Strauss also mentioned the work while talking about literary inspirations.
Discussed“Thompson who was a Norwegian writer. He wrote a book called Hunger and it's about a homeless man in Christiania which was the old name for Oslo.”
Where to get it
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Ken Kesey's novel 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' came up on How I Write through references by different guests. On June 10, 2026, David Perell brought up the novel during a conversation with Andrew Hunter Murray, noting that Murray had read it and that it influenced his writing. Earlier, on March 4, 2026, Steven Pressfield referenced the novel and its film adaptation to exemplify a powerful 'all is lost' moment and subsequent character transformation.
Discussed“So, this is from uh One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and I know that you read that and it influenced you and so I was, you know, looking through it and this really stood out.”
Where to get it
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The big short
On How I Write, Harry Dry mentioned Michael Lewis's book The Big Short to illustrate how a writer's long-term personal experience feeds into their book, noting that Lewis spent a long time working on Wall Street before writing it. Later on the same podcast, Ryan Holiday brought up the book to illustrate the concept of an author meeting their ultimate moment, stating that everything in Lewis's life, including his background in finance and previous characters, led up to it.
Discussed“Michael Lewis spent forever working on Wall Street, waited and waited and then was able to write The Big Short.”
Where to get it
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The Body Keeps the Score
On How I Write, Wright Thompson referenced Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score while discussing how physical locations hold history and memory. David Perell also brought up the book on the podcast to praise Tiago Forte's summary of it.
Discussed“And you know, the the idea that you know, there's that book The Body Remembers the Score. The ground remembers the score, too.”
Where to get it
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The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon. Vol. 2. [-3-4].
On the How I Write podcast, David Perell brought up Edward Gibbon's classic history to illustrate how a book can have high objective quality yet fail to engage a reader if it does not match their current interests. In a separate episode, Ted Gioia discussed reading the same work purely for its exquisite prose style even though he disagreed with the author's arguments.
Discussed“So we'll take a book like Gibbons, the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Okay, people tell me amazing book. They'll say the writing is is is really strong. It's been super influential.”
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The Epic of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh was discussed on How I Write in two different episodes. Elif Shafak brought up the ancient epic on the episode Elif Shafak & Robert Macfarlane: Two Novelists Have an Epic Conversation to illustrate themes of failure, defeat, and heroism. Later, on the episode Tom Junod: How to Write Unapologetically Well, David Perell suggested the work as a potential pre-Bible starting point for Tom Junod's chronological bookshelf.
Discussed“And I know we both, all of us love the epic of Gilgamesh. But this is one of the many reasons why I love the epic because it really talks makes us think about failure, defeat.”
Where to get it
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The Power Broker
David Perell and Jimmy Soni discussed Robert A. Caro's book The Power Broker on How I Write. Perell praised Caro's writing and explained how the massive biography resonated with him while living in New York, while Soni cited the book as a masterpiece with long-term cultural endurance.
Discussed“Or they'll talk about The Power Broker. That's one of my favorites. The Power Broker by Robert Carrow. It is 1,344 pages. But David, I know it's long, but I'll tell you, Robert Caro is such a good writer.”
Where to get it
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The Protestant ethic and the "spirit" of capitalism and other writings
Max Weber's 'The Protestant Ethic and the "Spirit" of Capitalism' came up on How I Write during conversations between host David Perell and guest Paul Millerd. Perell brought up the text to describe an intensive college course he took that focused entirely on Weber's work, while both speakers referenced Weber while discussing historical deep dives into the history of work included in Millerd's own writing.
Discussed“What? The Protestant ethic? No, like it the book is this combo. Like chapter three, I didn't really know where to position chapter three. Chapter three is a the it's called work work work. It's basically a deep dive into the history of work. And so when I started the book, that was the book. I was going to write”
Where to get it
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The Road
Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road was discussed on How I Write by David Perell and guest Dean Koontz. The speakers referenced The Road alongside No Country for Old Men to illustrate the marked shift in Cormac McCarthy's prose style during the later phase of his career, with David Perell characterizing them as great books despite missing the author's earlier writing style.
Discussed“And when he started drifting away from that when he wrote No Country or Furlough Men or The Road and great books on their own but I kind of miss the way he used to write”
Where to get it
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The Talented Mr. Ripley
On the How I Write podcast, David Perell discussed Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley during multiple episodes. In July 2026, he mentioned the book while exploring moral themes and narrative justice, praising the story and noting that he had watched the film adaptation. Earlier, in March 2026, Perell brought up the work with Steven Pressfield to examine narrative escalation and the midpoint shift in storytelling.
Discussed“Like So, I I think there's something immensely appealing for readers it of like that that that is what happens. Justice is served. That story is phenomenal. The Talented Mr. Ripley. Holy cow. I haven't read the book, but I've watched the movie and it is so good.”
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
On How I Write, guests David Perell and Ali Abdaal both referenced Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow. Perell brought up reading the full book to illustrate the contrast between reading comprehensive texts and consuming short-form summaries. Ali Abdaal mentioned the same book as an example of popular literature frequently summarized in viral social media threads.
Discussed“I just read Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel kman”
Where to get it
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Titan
On How I Write, David Perell brought up the biography Titan to criticize chronological beginnings in biographies, noting he did not want to read about John D. Rockefeller's childhood ties. Later, Sam Parr and David Perell discussed Ron Chernow's book, praising its intense research and attention to detail.
Discussed“Like, I don't want to pick up Titan, read about John D. Rockefeller's tie when he's 11 years old.”
Where to get it
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To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was discussed by guests on the How I Write podcast. In separate episodes, David Baldacci and Dana Gioia reflected on the cultural impact of the novel. Baldacci shared that he read the book as a child, viewing it simply as an adventure story before his perspective evolved over time, while Gioia noted that Lee achieved lasting literary success publishing just a single book during her lifetime.
Discussed“I read I read Mockingbird like most people read Mockingbird when I was a kid. And back then it was just an adventure story with kids roughly my age and I thought it was so cool.”
Where to get it
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Tom Jones
On How I Write, Ward Farnsworth brought up Henry Fielding's novel Tom Jones in multiple episodes. Farnsworth used the book to provide a literary example of a chiasmus-like structure.
Discussed“It's as possible for a man to know something without having been at school as it is to have been at school and to know nothing from this beautiful novel called Tom Jones by Henry Fielding.”
Where to get it
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Ulysses
James Joyce's novel Ulysses came up on the How I Write podcast across two different episodes. Robert Macfarlane mentioned the work to discuss rhythm and sound patterns in texts, describing it as a rhythmically alert text. Later, David Perell referenced Ulysses as an example of a book that readers feel scholarly and erudite for having read, rather than necessarily enjoying the reading experience itself.
Discussed“like James Joyce's Ulyses uh or Finnegan's wake deeply rhythmically alert text but in non-fiction I think partly because it has this weird name non-fiction”
Where to get it
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Uncle Tom's Cabin
On How I Write, guests David Baldacci and Ocean Vuong both mentioned Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. They discussed the historical impact and immense power of written words, specifically noting Abraham Lincoln's remark that the book helped spark the Civil War.
Discussed“Look, words of, you know, I don't think Abraham Lincoln u ever said that, you know, Uncle Tom's Cabin um to the author that you're the little lady that started this great war.”
Where to get it
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Understanding Media
On the How I Write podcast, David Perell twice brought up Marshall McLuhan's Understanding Media as a foundational text. Perell discussed reading the book fresh out of college and explained how McLuhan's perspective provided an entirely new and influential way for him to think about the world early in his life.
Discussed“And I had this with Marsh McLennan. I read Understanding Media when I was fresh out of college, and there was something about the way that McLennan explained the similarities”
Where to get it
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Wuthering Heights
On the podcast How I Write, Tyler Cowen discussed rereading Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights across multiple episodes, specifically in July 2026 and March 2025. He mentioned that part of his reading and analytical process involved repeatedly asking an AI to share its thoughts on specific chapters, such as chapter 2.
Discussed“I'm also rereading Weathering Heights.”
Where to get it
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Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl was featured on How I Write, where host David Perell praised it as one of his favorite books of all time for its deep investigation into the dark underside of characters. In the same episode, Flynn discussed her writing process, explaining that the thriller was driven by character development and meticulous rewriting rather than its famous twist, and expressed pride in proving that readers will accept a non-aspirational female character.
Recommended“Gileian Flynn is the author of one of my favorite books of all time, Gone Girl.”
Where to get it
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Sharp Objects
On How I Write, Gillian Flynn discussed her novel Sharp Objects while reflecting on her writing process and character development. Flynn explained that she created protagonist Camille to examine female violence and unlikable female characters who actively undermine themselves. She also shared personal inspirations for the book, noted that the identity of the murderer was absent from her first draft, and recalled early rejection letters she received from publishers.
Discussed“You know, in Sharp Objects, Camille is a tortured character. You know, she's self harm. She's, you know, she's back in a bad place. And so she's making these decisions and then trying to undo them as she's trying to solve the mystery.”
Where to get it
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The Wager
On How I Write, host David Perell and guest David Grann discussed Grann's book The Wretched of the Earth's thematic counterpart, The Wager. Perell praised the book's fast-paced storytelling and questioned Grann about his extensive historical research, the drafting process, and the editing challenges involved in crafting the narrative and its opening sentence.
Discussed“And then there's The Wager. I can't think of a single book that more people I know have said that they just read [music] the entire thing from start to finish in one sitting.”
Where to get it
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Red Notice
Bill Browder's book Red Notice was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell and the author himself. Browder detailed the journey of writing his first book, which became an international bestseller, and discussed his structural approach, chapter organization, and techniques for bringing locations to life. He also shared an anecdote about an Australian senator who was inspired by the text to advocate for the Magnitsky Act.
Discussed“Well, talk to me about beginnings. You know, after you wrote Red Notice, you said, "I wanted to write the kind of thing that if you read the first 10 pages, you just wouldn't be able to put the book down."”
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Children of Time
On the December 31, 2025 episode of How I Write, host David Perell and guest Adrian Tchaikovsky discussed Tchaikovsky's Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel, Children of Time. Tchaikovsky explained his research process at the London Natural History Museum to ensure his fictional spiders were scientifically plausible. He used the book to illustrate the concept of the 'one big lie' in science fiction world-building and challenged standard writing advice by noting that his most successful novel consists largely of exposition.
Discussed“He won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for a book called Children of Time, and the guy is just prolific.”
Where to get it
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Killers of the Flower Moon
On How I Write, author David Grann discussed his research process and the background of Killers of the Flower Moon during a November 2025 episode. Grann explained how he discovered uninvestigated murder cases and located key archival materials, such as secret grand jury testimony and records at a branch of the National Archives in Fort Worth, Texas. He also spoke about how his historical narrative shifted through further research and reflected on the story's broader impact following its film adaptation.
Discussed“Uh well, in Killers of the Flower Moon, when I was researching that book, uh I discovered that there were many cases that had never been properly investigated by the authorities and that there were these other killings.”
Where to get it
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Building a Second Brain
On How I Write, host David Perell and guest Tiago Forte discussed Forte's book 'Building a Second Brain' in a January 2024 episode. The conversation focused on the grueling experience of writing the book, how it compared in positioning to his previous work, and how the book's release impacted the sales and reception of his online course.
Discussed“And you went back to that store when Building a Second Brain, the book came out, right? Yes. I felt like as you were writing Building a Second Brain, especially towards the end, that book almost broke you.”
Where to get it
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Consider the Lobster
On the How I Write episode titled You’ve Never Seen Writing Visualized Like This, Michael Dean discussed David Foster Wallace's book of essays Consider the Lobster. Dean brought up the work as an example of an essay that successfully masters fundamental design constraints and shapes a microcosm to represent a bigger idea. He noted that he dissected two of Wallace's essays to examine a hierarchy of underlying questions beneath their structures.
Discussed“So you have uh consider the lobster, David Foster Wallace, 2003, and then uh shooting an elephant by George Orwell.”
Where to get it
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Shooting an Elephant
On How I Write, Michael Dean discussed George Orwell's essay Shooting an Elephant. He compared it to David Foster Wallace's Consider the Lobster to show how different works master fundamental writing principles, contrasted their approaches to the experience pillar, and used Orwell's essay to illustrate a traditional structure for building conflict.
Discussed“So you have uh consider the lobster, David Foster Wallace, 2003, and then uh shooting an elephant by George Orwell.”
Where to get it
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The 4-hour Chef
On How I Write, Tim Ferriss and David Perell discussed Ferriss's book The 4-Hour Chef. Ferriss explained how he used Evernote for research and noted the book served as an example of framing writing around a central question about accelerated learning. Perell examined Ferriss's research method of analyzing four-and-a-half-star Amazon reviews to find missing angles, while Ferriss also reflected on the distribution challenges he faced using Amazon Publishing.
Discussed“Let's just say I have an idea percolating for a book, whether that's for 4-Hour Chef, including, say, a lot on accelerated learning for our body, whatever.”
Where to get it
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The Midnight Library
Matt Haig's novel 'The Midnight Library' was discussed on How I Write by host David Perell and the author himself. Perell noted the book's massive sales figures, while Haig detailed the long creative process behind the simple core concept, the evolution of the protagonist from an early draft character named Adam to Norah, and his personal mental health struggles following the publication's success.
Discussed“Matt Hag sold more than 10 million copies of his book, The Midnight Library.”
Where to get it
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The Terminal List
On How I Write, David Perell and guest Jack Carr discussed Carr's debut novel, The Terminal List, in the July 29, 2026 episode. Perell highlighted its adaptation into an Amazon Prime television series starring Chris Pratt and quoted the opening lines of the preface. Carr explained that he came up with the title and executive summary right away, and shared that he drew upon his real-life combat experiences in Baghdad to write realistic fictional action sequences.
Discussed“And also, Amazon Prime took his book The Terminal List and turned it into an original series with Chris Pratt as the star.”
Where to get it
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How to Get Rich
On the How I Write podcast, Sam Parr appeared as a guest on the episode Inside the Mind of a Newsletter Mogul and discussed Felix Dennis's book How to Get Rich. Parr strongly praised the work, calling it the best business book he had ever read and noting that he appreciated how the author addressed serious topics in a fun way. He also mentioned that he patterned the copywriting and phrasing of his own website after the book.
Recommended“and then I like was trying to craft the phrasing and the copy on the website to be uh like Felix Dennis who wrote This Book how to get rich um it's almost like Richard Branson and Mick Jagger had a baby like he founded Maxim yeah Maxim magazine”
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The Art of Dramatic Writing
The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri was discussed on How I Write by guest Andrew Stanton in June 2026. Stanton recommended the book to aspiring screenwriters, noting it heavily inspired his understanding of storytelling premises and structures. He praised the work as a standout among playwriting and screenwriting guides and later quoted the author to emphasize that everything in a story, much like a rock, undergoes continuous change.
Discussed“I was very inspired by reading a book about playwriting in the '40s called The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri. I've read every book that there is about screenwriting and about stories, and that one spoke to me, and he has a a belief about”
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Between Two Kingdoms
Suleika Jaouad's book "Between Two Kingdoms" was discussed by the author herself on the May 27, 2026 episode of How I Write. Jaouad reflected on the intense pressure and high expectations she placed on herself to honor the opportunity of writing the manuscript. She also detailed her writing process, describing how she arranged self-styled residencies by reaching out to acquaintances for remote dog-sitting and house-sitting spaces, and recalled a pivotal conversation with Cheryl Strayed prior to writing where she expressed a desire not to write about illness.
Discussed“When I was writing Between Two Kingdoms, I reached out to everyone I knew who had a house somewhere remote and offered dog sitting and house sitting services, and I would go and do these sort of self-styled residencies because I needed that space.”
Where to get it
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Children of Ruin
On How I Write, Adrian Tchaikovsky discussed his science fiction novel 'Children of Ruin'. He explained how he combined multiple ideas to create a complete novel, detailed the scientific research and physics involved in writing about uplifted aquatic species like octopuses in space, and compared his hard science approach to traditional space opera conventions.
Discussed“So for example in Children of Ruin, which is the second of my kind of big sci-fi books in that series, I wanted to write about uplifted octopuses because they are very fascinating creatures, but that felt like half a book.”
Where to get it
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Less
On How I Write, author Andrew Sean Greer discussed his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Less with host David Perell. Perell introduced the episode by highlighting the book's prestige. Greer spoke about the mechanics of writing the novel, noting that he enjoyed working with the narrator, who is not the protagonist Arthur Less. Greer also described his feelings of desperation while working on the project and the pivotal moment he decided to make fun of the main character instead.
Discussed“Andrew Sean Greer won the Pulitzer Prize for 2018 novel called Less.”
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Meditations
On the June 26, 2024 episode of How I Write titled "How to Write a Book Like Ryan Holiday," guest Ryan Holiday discussed Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. Holiday reflected on how the text challenges the assumption that Aurelius was dark, depressed, or nihilistic, noting instead that it offers a perspective of finding beauty in unexpected places. He highlighted the universal and timeless nature of the book, despite being written as a private journal, and credited purchasing the Hays translation in 2006 as a formative lucky break in his life.
Discussed“And there there's this sense that Marcelius is depressed and dark and nihilistic and that meditations is a dark book. But like I think when you read things like that, you see that he wasn't.”
Where to get it
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The 4-Hour Body
On an episode of How I Write in December 2023, David Perell cited The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss when discussing high Kindle highlight counts. Tim Ferriss himself referenced the book to explain his methods for structuring chapters and centering his writing around core defining questions.
Discussed“The most highlighted books in Kindle history at some point were the ESV Bible, The 4-Hour Body, The One-Year Bible, and then The 4-Hour Workweek.”
Where to get it
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The Martian
On How I Write, author Andy Weir discussed the creation and background of his novel The Martian. Weir explained the engineering job he held even after the book's success, described how the protagonist Mark Watney was modeled directly on his own personality, and contrasted the personal stakes of the novel with his other works.
Discussed“Before I I tend to like personal stakes like in um The Martian, it was one guy's life.”
Where to get it
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Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
On How I Write, Suleika Jaouad highly recommended Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek for its remarkable quality of attention. She also reflected on the profound and lasting impact that reading the book had on her perspective and how she takes walks.
Recommended“And one of my favorite things about Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is it's she was you know, in the wilds of Montana. This was a creek in her suburban neighborhood. That she sat down and uh not just paid attention to, but paid attention to day after day after day that unspooled into what I believe to be one of”
Where to get it
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John Adams
On the How I Write podcast in January 2024, Tim Urban discussed David McCullough's John Adams with host David Perell. Urban praised the biography as a formative reading experience that transformed his appreciation for history, while Perell prompted the discussion by asking about its impact.
Discussed“Why are you grateful for David McCullough's book on John Adams? I read that in college.”
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Paper Lion
Michael Pollan discussed George Plimpton's Paper Lion on How I Write, recalling how his parents gave him a copy when he was thirteen. He credited the book as a major inspiration for his own use of participatory immersion journalism and praised it for reinventing sports writing through experiential immersion.
Recommended“And that goes to, um, my parents, when I was like 13, gave me a copy of a book by George Plimpton called Paper Lion.”
Where to get it
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The Caves of Steel
On How I Write, Andy Weir recommended Isaac Asimov's The Caves of Steel as an ideal book for listeners to start with. Weir highlighted the novel as an example of Asimov successfully blending science fiction settings with detective noir genres, featuring a grizzled detective and his robot partner.
Discussed“And Azimoth made a science fiction noir detective series, Caves of Steel, and the grizzled detective Elijah Bailey has his robot partner that he doesn't like very much, and they solve murders.”
Where to get it
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The Legend of Bagger Vance
Steven Pressfield appeared on the How I Write podcast in November 2023, where he discussed his early work The Legend of Bagger Vance. When asked by David Perell about the book, Pressfield recommended it to the audience and highlighted it as one of his best early works produced right out of the box.
Discussed“The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire.”
Where to get it
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$100M Leads
During an episode of How I Write, David Perell brought up Alex Hormozi's book, $100M Leads. He discussed the book marketing strategy, cover design, and the number of drafts written for the publication.
Discussed“take a 100 million doll leads”
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A Pattern Language
On the April 9, 2025 episode of How I Write titled You’ve Never Seen Writing Visualized Like This — Michael Dean, guest Michael Dean discussed A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Silverstein. Dean referenced the 1978 publication as the inspiration for his essay architecture framework, describing how Alexander attempted to map universal patterns across architecture by outlining 253 distinct patterns.
Discussed“So, that's a book by Christopher Alexander in uh 1978. And basically it's him trying to map the universal patterns across all of architecture.”
Where to get it
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Animal Farm
On How I Write, David Perell brought up George Orwell's classic Animal Farm to discuss how animal characters allow readers to engage with heavy, serious topics with lightness. Guest Yann Martel cited Animal Farm as a direct inspiration for his own work, noting that Orwell successfully used allegorical animal fiction to tell a light and engaging story about Stalinism.
Discussed“Why do you think animals work so well in Animal Farm?”
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Artemis
Artemis by Andy Weir was discussed by the author himself on How I Write during the episode featuring Project Hail Mary. Andy Weir talked about the stakes of the novel in relation to the main character Jazz Bashara's well-being. He also noted that the character of Jazz reflects a less idealized, more realistic version of himself from his youth.
Discussed“And um in Artemis, uh the stakes are just Jazz Bashara's like well-being.”
Where to get it
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City of Last Chances
On How I Write, guest Adrian Tchaikovsky discussed his fantasy series, The Tarring Philosophers, and specifically mentioned his book City of Last Chances. In the December 2025 episode, Tchaikovsky explained how he implements mosaic storytelling within the novel, likening the narrative structure of a missing item to a classic Maltese Falcon setup.
Discussed“First book was City of Lost Chances.”
Where to get it
The next 300 books mentioned on How I Write, ranked
- Cry Havoc by Jack Carr
- Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday
- Essays in Love by Alain De Botton
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- First Blood by David Morrell
- Goodnight Moon 60th Anniversary Edition by Margaret Wise Brown
- Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult
- Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott
- Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult
- Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- Savage Son by Jack Carr
- Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
- Second Glance by Jodi Picoult
- Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
- The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
- The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell
- The brotherhood of the rose by David Morrell
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
- The Devil's Hand by Jack Carr
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
- The Four by Scott Galloway
- The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson
- The Humans by Matt Haig
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab
- The Learning Game by Ana Lorena Fábrega
- The Library Book by Susan Orlean
- The Lost City of Z by David Grann
- The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka
- The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
- The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
- The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki
- Tinkers by Paul Harding
- West with the night by Beryl Markham
- Where good ideas come from by Steven Johnson
- Why They Can't Write by John Warner
- A Death in the Family by James Agee
- A night to remember by Walter Lord
- A preface to morals by Walter Lippmann
- A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
- A supposedly fun thing I'll never do again by David Foster Wallace
- A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
- A Treatise on Painting by Leonardo da Vinci
- A Whole Life by Robert Seethaler
- A Writer's Time, a Guide to the Creative Process, from Vision Through Revision, 1st, First Edition by Kenneth Atchity
- Against Method by Paul K. Feyerabend
- Against the gods by Peter L. Bernstein
- An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison
- Anguished English by Richard Lederer
- Ask the Dust by John Fante
- Blank Slate, the Noble Savage, and the Ghost In the Machine by Stephen Pinker
- Call Sign Chaos by James N. Mattis
- Conflict by Margaret Mayo
- Crazy English by Richard Lederer
- Daemon Voices by Philip Pullman
- Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey
- Educated by Tara Westover
- Existentialists and Mystics by Iris Murdoch
- Farnsworth's Classical English Rhetoric by Ward Farnsworth, Cara Van Miriah
- Farnsworth's Classical English Style by Ward Farnsworth
- Fat City by Leonard Gardner
- Ghost Town Living by Brent Underwood
- Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
- Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard P. Rumelt
- Good to Great by Jim Collins
- How Not to Write a Screenplay by Denny Martin Flinn
- Infinite jest by David Foster Wallace
- Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
- Let us now praise famous men by James Agee
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
- Loitering with Intent by Muriel Spark
- Lucian: Preface List of Lucians works How to write history The dipsads Saturnalia Herodotus or Aetion Zeuxis or Antiochus A slip of the tongue in greeting Apology for the salaried posts in great houses Harmonides A conversation with Hesiod The scythian or the consul Hermotimus or concerning the sects The one who said you are a Prometheus in words The ship or the wishes Index by Lucian (of Samosata.)
- Man, the State, and War by Kenneth N. Waltz
- Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock
- Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer
- Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
- Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
- Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
- Radical Son by David Horowitz
- Read Write Own by Chris Dixon
- Red Rising by Pierce Brown
- Redeployment by Phil Klay
- Several Short Sentences About Writing by Verlyn Klinkenborg
- Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
- Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin
- Strangers to Ourselves by Timothy D. Wilson
- Suspense by Joseph Conrad
- That hideous strength by C.S. Lewis
- The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
- The Aeneid by Publius Vergilius Maro
- The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
- The Bed of Procrustes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The Blackboard Jungle by Evan Hunter
- The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
- The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert, Bond Halbert
- The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
- The Field by Robert Seethaler
- The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen
- The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
- The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
- The immortalist by Alan Harrington
- The Map and the Territory by Michel Houellebecq
- The Odyssey by Homer
- The Peregrine by J. A. Baker
- The possessed by Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский
- The psychology of invention in the mathematical field by Jacques Hadamard
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea by Yukio Mishima
- The success equation by Michael J. Mauboussin
- The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman
- The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
- Theory of International Politics by Kenneth Neal Waltz
- Walter Lippmann and the American Century by Ronald Steel
- Where Are The Children? by Mary Higgins Clark
- Winnie the Pooh (Winnie-the-Pooh) by A. A. Milne
- Working by Robert A. Caro
- 1688 by Steven C. A. Pincus
- 1927 by Bill Bryson
- A Burglar's Guide to the City by Geoff Manaugh
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
- A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
- A Conspiracy of Tall Men by Noah Hawley
- A good man is hard to find by Flannery O'Connor
- A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
- A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
- A Series of Unfortunate Events: Lemony Snicket by Lemony Snicket
- A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
- Actually, Nevermind by Taylor Tomlinson
- Adult Children of Alcoholics by Janet G. Woititz
- Adventures in the screen trade by William Goldman
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
- Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Lewis Carroll
- American Kingpin by Nick Bilton
- American Pastoral by Philip Roth
- American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
- American Work Values by Paul Bernstein
- an actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski
- An Elegant Puzzle by Will Larson
- Angle of repose by Wallace Stegner
- Anthem by Noah Hawley
- Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Art of the Novel by Milan Kundera
- As You Like It by William Shakespeare
- Ash-Wednesday by T. S. Eliot
- Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
- Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Blade runner 2049 by Unknown
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens
- Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
- Blood on the tracks by Bob Dylan
- Book of Jeremiah by Susan Williams Smith
- Boomerang by Michael Lewis
- Braveheart by Randall Wallace
- Bullies and Mean Girls in Popular Culture by Patrice A. Oppliger
- By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
- Casablanca by Richard J. Anobile
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- Chinatown by Robert Towne
- City of God by Augustine of Hippo
- Codex sinaiticus by Constantin von Tischendorf
- Complications by Atul Gawande
- Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday
- Crash Landing by Kate William
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant
- Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
- Crush by Richard Siken
- Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
- Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
- Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Dogs of War by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- DON QUIXOTE by Miguel de Cervantes
- Dr. Seuss's Green Eggs and Ham with 12 Silly Sounds! by Dr. Seuss
- Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
- Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss
- Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
- Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance
- Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future Young Readers' Edition by Ashlee Vance
- Enemies of promise and other essays by Cyril Connolly
- Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson
- Enthusiasms by Bernard Levin
- Escape from Freedom by Erich Fromm
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
- Face Value, Phil Collins (cassette). by Phil* Collins
- Far Tortuga by Peter Matthiessen
- Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
- Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone by Hunter S. Thompson
- Fine Feathered Friends by Tish Rabe
- Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse
- Flight by Unknown
- Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
- Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot
- Fox by Joyce Carol Oates
- Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley
- Freezing Order by Bill Browder
- Full House by Stephen Jay Gould
- Getting Real by 37 Signals
- Gigi by Colette
- Give and Take by Adam Grant
- Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
- Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King
- Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
- Grey by E L James
- Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Harold by Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton
- Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
- High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil
- Hillbilly Elegy by J D Vance
- Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss
- Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss
- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
- How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
- How We Die by Sherwin Nuland
- I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max
- I will teach you to be rich by Ramit Sethi
- If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
- Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott
- Impro by Keith Johnstone
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
- In defense of a liberal education by Fareed Zakaria
- In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
- In the Blood by Jack Carr
- Ironweed by William Kennedy
- Is a Camel a Mammal? by Tish Rabe
- Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane
- Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld
- It by Stephen King
- It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
- John D. MacDonald, Five Travis McGee Novels by John Dann MacDonald
- Josephine the Singer, Or The Nation of the Mice by Franz Kafka
- Journal of a Novel by John Steinbeck
- Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult
- Kindness Is Caring, Friendship Is Sharing by Tish Rabe
- King James Bible by King James VI and I
- King James Bible OLD TESTAMENT-PCE by KJB Translators 1604-1611
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
- Lady with the Dog by Антон Павлович Чехов
- Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby, Jr.
- Letters of E. B. White by E. B. White
- Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis
- Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark
- Life of Pi by Yann Martel
- Little, Big by John Crowley
- Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries by Safi Bahcall
- Macbeth by William Shakespeare
- Machine dreams by Jayne Anne Phillips
- Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
- Make Something Wonderful by Steve Jobs
- Maxims by François duc de La Rochefoucauld
- Memento by Radek John
- Middlemarch by George Eliot
- Mornings in Mexico by D. H. Lawrence
- Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
- Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie
- Mystic river by Dennis Lehane
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
- Night by Elie Wiesel
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
- No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin
- Not a Drill: A Jack Reacher Short Story by Lee Child
- Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
- Oldboy by Jacques Werup
- On love by Alain De Botton
- Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen
- Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- Outlive by Peter Attia
- Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov
- Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
- Political Liberalism by John Rawls
- Post office by Charles Bukowski
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
- Rabbit, Run by John Updike
- Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
- Red and the Black by Horace Barnet Samuel
- Red Cavalry by Isaac Babel
- Red Sky Mourning by Jack Carr
- Remote by Jason Fried
- Rework by Jason Fried
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Robert A. Caro's The Years of Lyndon Johnson Set by Robert A. Caro
- Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household
- Rolling Stones - Exile on Main Street by The Rolling Stones
- Rolling Stones - Some Girls by The Rolling Stones
- Same as Ever by Morgan Housel
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
- Shadows on the Grass by Isak Dinesen
- Shane by Jack Schaefer
- Silas Marner by George Eliot
- Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
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Latest mentions
“Although you could argue that genre wise, Day of the Jackal is the most important book of genre because Day of the Jackal is really a kind of how-to book.”
“Yeah, I caught this example from Blink and I was thinking what is this? I feel like you're setting the premise.”
“In the audio book for American Way of Killing, I have a friend, uh, Drew Hulcom, who's a singer in Nashville. Really, really, really, really interesting guy.”
“In some of my books, I've sold more audio books than print books. I think of talking to strangers as an audio book.”
“And I did that in with tipping point. I fell in love with broken windows. I mean, how many times have I regretted that? It's just dumb.”
“Gileian Flynn is the author of one of my favorite books of all time, Gone Girl.”
“You know, in Sharp Objects, Camille is a tortured character. You know, she's self harm. She's, you know, she's back in a bad place. And so she's making these decisions and then trying to undo them as she's trying to solve the mystery.”
“And you know, a writer like Scott Smith does it better than anyone in the world. You know, if anyone wants to read the the ruins or um A Simple Plan, I cannot recommend it more.”
“And you know, a writer like Scott Smith does it better than anyone in the world. You know, if anyone wants to read the the ruins or um A Simple Plan, I cannot recommend it more.”
“Um, you know, Joyce Carol, who's my favorite writer, does that a lot where I mean Fox that came out last year, it has half a chapter, maybe more, written from the point of view of a dog, which you would think would be silly, but in her hands and her brain, it becomes this where you're like, I guess”
“In my second book, Dark Places, it was told by three different characters. one is the primary narrator in first person and then the two are in pass and they're in uh not uh first person.”
“And I read my friend Dennis Lehi wasn't my friend at the time but but Dennis Lee's Mystic River I read it through the night is one of the very few few books I literally have can say I've read in one sitting. I just read it all the way through the night.”
“okay I can't start yet because I need to like there's one more book I should probably read to figure out how to write and the the answer is there's no correct way to write there these books are like Stephen King's on writing and lamas bird by bird these are amazing books that helped me be a writer and”
“okay I can't start yet because I need to like there's one more book I should probably read to figure out how to write and the the answer is there's no correct way to write there these books are like Stephen King's on writing and lamas bird by bird these are amazing books that helped me be a writer and”
“Um it's like some of the oldest advice about joke writing. I think it's from like Judy Carter Comedy Bible books, too, of like just write down things that you have strong feelings about.”
“I also really liked writing the book and being like in a blanket for months and months going, we'll find out if this sucks in 2 years. Like I liked that, too.”
“Last question. I know that The Getaway Car by Ann Patchett, you've talked about a lot. What is it that you took from her? Well, I wrote I wrote about this through my Substack recently cuz I just got on Substack, but it goes back to what we were talking about”
“Cormac McCarthy, you go to his earlier books like The Worksheet Keeper or Out of God or any of that it's very strange but it's also as strange as it all is it feels utterly real.”
“Cormac McCarthy, you go to his earlier books like The Worksheet Keeper or Out of God or any of that it's very strange but it's also as strange as it all is it feels utterly real.”
“And when he started drifting away from that when he wrote No Country or Furlough Men or The Road and great books on their own but I kind of miss the way he used to write”
Episodes
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Host or produce How I Write? Give your listeners every book mentioned on the show, with the episode it came up in. New episodes are added as they come out.
