Podcast
Chris Williamson's book list: the books mentioned on Modern Wisdom
Key facts
- 1,168 books have been mentioned on Modern Wisdom, as of November 5, 2026.
- 875 episodes of Modern Wisdom mention at least one book, as of November 5, 2026.
- 428 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 5, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of Modern Wisdom, as of November 5, 2026: Atomic Habits, The Precipice and Superintelligence.
- The latest episode of Modern Wisdom with a book mention aired on November 5, 2026.
Updated
Life lessons from the greatest thinkers on the planet with Chris Williamson. Including guests like David Goggins, Dr Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris, Jocko Willink, Dr Andrew Huberman, Dr Julie Smith, Steven Bartlett, Ryan Holiday, James Clear, Robert Greene, Matthew McConaughey, Steven Pinker, Alex Hormozi, Douglas Murray, Chris Bumstead, Mark Manson and more. Understanding the world is hard. This po…
Books from the latest episodes
Most mentioned on Modern Wisdom
-
Atomic Habits
James Clear's book Atomic Habits was frequently cited across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson and various guests as a foundational text for personal development, productivity, and behavior design. Speakers highlighted the book for its relatable, real-world examples drawn from sports and elite performers, while specifically emphasizing the popular habit-building strategy of never missing a habit two days in a row.
Discussed“I suppose this is probably one of the advantages of a book like let's say Atomic Habits or Tiny Habits BJ Fogg”
Where to get it
-
The Precipice
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and guests like Jonathan Anomaly and Geoffrey Miller frequently recommended Toby Ord's The Precipice across multiple episodes. They praised it as an essential primer and one of the best books on existential risk and the potential threats to human civilization.
Recommended“Stan I've got two [ __ ] reading lists my brother and they've got five books at the top that the most important ones from the list of 100 chrisilex.com/books and chriswex.com/morebooks so that's 200 and there's a top five in both there's a top 10 … today it's read rising one that isn't in there is dungeoncrawler kl and”
Where to get it
-
Superintelligence
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson, Matt McCusker, Geoffrey Miller, and James Ball frequently recommended Nick Bostrom's Superintelligence, praising it as an essential and unbelievable read for understanding the takeoff of artificial intelligence and existential risks.
Recommended“This is what Bostonramm said like to to put into perspective. It's a great book. Super intelligence. Have you read that book? It's so good.”
Where to get it
-
Deep Work
Cal Newport's book Deep Work received extensive attention across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson recommended it as an essential guide for focusing on single tasks and eliminating distractions, comparing it to a bible on the subject. Other guests, including Eddie Jones, Ben Greenfield, and Jim Mullane, referenced the book when discussing productivity, elite leadership routines, and managing work blocks in a distracted world.
Discussed“Slack Slack wouldn't have been that big during deep work, I'm going to guess. It wasn't big.”
Where to get it
-
The Moral Animal
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson and guest Geoffrey Miller repeatedly recommended Robert Wright's The Moral Animal as a foundational text in evolutionary psychology. Williamson credited the book as the spark for his love of the subject, praising how well the decades-old work continues to hold up, while Miller recommended it as essential reading for understanding human nature and relationships.
Discussed“I've told you this before, but you wrote probably the most influential book in my life, which was The Moral Animal, and it was the thing that got me started on the trajectory of thinking about evolutionary psychology”
Where to get it
-
Die with Zero
Bill Perkins's book Die with Zero was frequently recommended on Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson and guest Jimmy Carr across multiple episodes between 2025 and 2026. The hosts and guests discussed the book's lessons on overcoming extreme delayed gratification, learning how to spend money rather than hoarding it out of fear, and timing the distribution of inheritance to children.
Recommended“Bill Perkins wrote a book about this die with zero which which is [ __ ] fantastic. Uh there is a certain archetype, the sort of more misery person, maybe there's someone that didn't come from money, but as opposed to I now have it, I'll blow it, it's I now have it and I'm terrified of losing it.”
Where to get it
-
1984
George Orwell's 1984 came up multiple times on Modern Wisdom through recommendations and discussions by guests and host Chris Williamson. Speakers praised it as an easy read with valuable implications for self-development, communication, and understanding how language relates to thought. The book was also used to illustrate the Lindy effect, referenced in discussions about Apple's famous 1984 commercial, and cited by Dominic Cummings regarding how political narratives are handled.
Discussed“So, so, so, so yeah, in a stories a deal, I tell the story of um, well, I sort of pose a question really like about like um, one of the most famous ads that was ever made was Apple's 1984 ad which which which kind of played on the George Orwells novel and showed um, and showed this um,”
Where to get it
-
Essentialism
Essentialism by Greg McKeown was frequently discussed on Modern Wisdom as a vital resource for personal development, focus, and overcoming burnout. Host Chris Williamson featured the book prominently on his reading list, advocating for its philosophy of concentrating on the vital few rather than the trivial many. Guests including Eric Jorgenson, Alex Hormozi, and Jonathan Watson also endorsed the book, with Hormozi highlighting it as one of his top books of all time and an effective antidote to overworking.
Recommended“When people say where should I start with personal development? Essentialism by Greg McKeown or the Naval Ravikant.”
Where to get it
-
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning was repeatedly recommended on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson and various guests, including David Brooks and Dr. Christian Busch. Speakers highlighted the book as a powerful exploration of survival, trauma, and human agency, noting that Frankl's experiences in concentration camps illustrate how individuals can choose their response to extreme adversity and forge personal meaning.
Discussed“This is the main thesis of Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning.”
Where to get it
-
Four Thousand Weeks
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and guests such as George Mack repeatedly recommended and discussed Oliver Burkeman's book Four Thousand Weeks, praising its insights on time management, productivity, and the inevitability of an unfinished to-do list.
Recommended“And there's also a really, this is like the Brit roll call here, but I think Oliver Burkeman is also one of your countrymen, wrote a great book called 4,000 weeks, which is tremendous. And one of the chapters is called cosmic insignificance therapy.”
Where to get it
-
Why We Sleep
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson and guests including Peter Diamandis, Dr. Euan Lawson, and Dr. Andy Galpin repeatedly recommended and discussed Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" across multiple episodes, such as #077, #182, and #579. The speakers emphasized the book's profound impact on daily habits, praised its insights into sleep deprivation among medical professionals, and recommended it as a life-changing guide for overcoming insomnia.
Critiqued“I probably caused as much insomnia with my TED talk, you know, titled 'Sleep as Your Superpower' or something, and people suggested it should have been called 'Sleep or Else...'”
Where to get it
-
The Psychology of Money
Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money was frequently cited on Modern Wisdom across multiple episodes. Chris Williamson recommended it as foundational reading for personal development and finance during several Q&A and interview episodes, noting how Housel effectively used stories to make dry financial topics engaging and discussing the concept of not moving life's goalposts. Other guests, including Richard Shotton and Jim O'Shaughnessy, also praised the book for redefining true wealth, while the host highlighted its accessible, aphoristic style.
Discussed“So for instance um the psychology of money book by Morgan Hel my friend for every person that buys the book another 1.2 2 people buy the book.”
Where to get it
-
Models
On Modern Wisdom, Mark Manson's book Models was frequently recommended by host Chris Williamson and various guests, including Jim Mullane and Amanda Kuda. Williamson and other speakers praised it as the best dating advice book for men, highlighting its focus on attracting partners through honesty rather than pickup artistry techniques. They also noted its utility for understanding neediness dynamics in relationships, with Williamson suggesting it is an interesting read for women as well.
Recommended“That's from Models. … It's going to be 15 years old this year. Unreal. Everyone needs to go and read it, dude. Anyone that needs a new book, go and read an old book.”
Where to get it
-
Hardwiring Happiness
Rick Hanson's Hardwiring Happiness was frequently recommended by Chris Williamson across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom between 2023 and 2025. Williamson brought up the book to illustrate practical strategies for emotionally internalizing positive experiences and rewiring brain patterns. He praised the work as a blend of cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and neuroscience, encouraging listeners to adopt the practice of dwelling on positive moments for sixty seconds.
Recommended“And um this is Rick Hansen's idea from Hardwiring Happiness, which I just think is is much better. spending a minute just allowing it to sink from your head down into your chest a little bit.”
Where to get it
-
Why Buddhism is True
On the Modern Wisdom podcast, host Chris Williamson frequently recommended and referenced Robert Wright's book Why Buddhism is True across multiple episodes. Williamson brought up the book to discuss evolutionary psychology, the origins of stress and mental afflictions, and the connection between mindfulness and eastern philosophy, praising Wright's insights.
Recommended“Yeah, this is gorgeous idea from Robert Wright's Why Buddhism Is True.”
Where to get it
-
Getting Things Done
On Modern Wisdom, David Allen's Getting Things Done was frequently referenced as a foundational productivity text. Over multiple episodes, host Chris Williamson, author Cal Newport, and David Allen himself discussed the book. Williamson recommended it as part of a personal development reading list, Newport highlighted its status as a major early-2000s productivity guide, Allen promoted his methodology and website, and guests like Chris Bailey and Tiago Forte discussed specific concepts like vertical bookcases and the two-minute rule.
Discussed“David Allen, who created the most legendary productivity process of all time, GTD, right? Getting things done.”
Where to get it
-
Lost Connections
Johann Hari's book Lost Connections was repeatedly discussed on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson frequently mentioned the book across multiple episodes, explaining how it helped him feel he had personal control over his depression in his twenties, and using it to discuss topics such as environmental causes of depression, grief, and sleeping arrangements. The host also referenced Hari's book in earlier episodes when discussing the environmental factors behind mental health struggles.
Recommended“I seem to remember in uh lost connections Johan Harry's book man what a great book uh that there's a carve out in the DSM for grief around depression”
Where to get it
-
The Game
Neil Strauss's book The Game was frequently referenced across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson brought up the book in episodes #1133 and #1090, as well as #1070, to discuss pickup artistry, dating dynamics, and how contorting oneself to attract partners affects self-perception. Louis Theroux also referenced the book in episode #1070 regarding pickup techniques used in the manosphere, while James Bloodworth discussed it in relation to the history of the online pickup artist community. Dan Bilzerian mentioned reading it for early dating insights, and Mike Thurston noted a quote from Strauss. Finally, in episode #1127, Neil Strauss himself recounted how a Tinder co-founder was inspired to create the app after reading the book because it seemed like too much work.
Discussed“It's like the kind of ick that women had where if they learned a guy was doing real social dynamics or reading the game by Neil Strauss and doing pickup artistry”
Where to get it
-
Meditations
On Modern Wisdom, Marcus Aurelius's Meditations was discussed by several guests and hosts, including Dewayne Noel, Patrick Bet-David, Jett Franzen, and Connor Beaton. Guests shared how reading the ancient text helped them regain personal perspective, overcome a victim mindset, and appreciate the emotional depth of Stoic philosophy.
Discussed“And then eventually I ended up it was super cliche but ended up reading meditations by Marcus Reelis and I was like wow like this is this is incredible.”
Where to get it
-
The Expectation Effect
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended David Robson's book The Expectation Effect, praising its insights into the power of the placebo and nocebo effects. Mel Robbins also recommended the book to Williamson during a discussion on how expectations influence physical responses and health.
Recommended“You need to have The Expectation Effect by David Robson. Okay. He would blow your face up.”
Where to get it
-
Of Boys and Men
On multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves. Williamson praised the book for its concise length and discussed its relevance to structural challenges, education trends, and the struggles facing modern boys and men, referencing the text in conversations with various guests throughout 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Discussed“Yeah, he wrote a book called Boys and Men.”
Where to get it
-
The Coddling of the American Mind
The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt was frequently discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests like Ana Kasparian, Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, Scott Barry Kaufman, and Rob Kurzban, along with host Chris Williamson, referenced the book to explore themes of moral foundations, modern anxiety, self-censorship, and campus culture. Chris Williamson and other speakers recommended it to parents and listeners trying to understand youth mental health and societal mismatch.
Discussed“a lot of people feel unsafe around ideas, around words, you know. Oh, uh, that's become a thing in the younger generation as as as Jonathan Height and Greg Luciano have talked a lot lot about in coddling of the American mind.”
Where to get it
-
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman's book Thinking, Fast and Slow was mentioned across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson brought up the book to discuss the limits of rationality, system one and system two thinking, and the peak-end rule, noting Kahneman's widespread fame as an author. Other guests also referenced the book: George Mack discussed a quote from Kahneman's writing partner Amos Tversky, Rob Henderson used the work to explain the cognitive bias of what you see is all there is, and Alex O'Connor mentioned Kahneman in a discussion about cognitive biases.
Discussed“It feels to me like system one, system two, thinking a bit from Daniel Kahneman, thinking fast and slow. So the system two is very deliberate and you sort of have to pay a lot of cognitive attention to it.”
Where to get it
-
12 Rules for Life
Jordan B. Peterson's 12 Rules for Life came up across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests like Vittorio Angelone and Ben Shapiro discussed finding the book's practical, actionable advice helpful during their youth, while host Chris Williamson and various guests referenced its specific rules and thematic focus on navigating order and chaos.
Discussed“Listen, I read the 12 rules for life book and I found it helpful when I was like 22 and I'm so Jordan Peterson.”
Where to get it
-
Endurance
Alfred Lansing's book Endurance was repeatedly recommended on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson frequently cited it as his favorite retelling of Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition, using it to explore themes of leadership, struggle, and survival. Guests such as David Senra, Colin O'Brady, and Heather Morris also discussed the book for its intense portrayal of human resilience in extreme adversity.
Recommended“There's a a book that you may love if you like Alfred Lansing's Endurance, which is the best retelling of Shackleton's Crossing.”
Where to get it
-
Red Rising
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson frequently championed Red Rising by Pierce Brown across multiple Q&A and special episodes, describing it as his favorite fiction book and an addictive sci-fi series that he regularly gifts to others. Guests like Jonathan Watson and Tim Ferriss also endorsed the novels, with Ferriss calling it his most recommended book and Watson praising the immersive audio version.
Recommended“your Pokedad started reading Red Rising after seeing recommendations from multiple sources, yours included. Can you do an episode just on this or does that exist already? Uh, Red Rising, I think I might be the biggest front end of the funnel drug dealer for people getting into Red Rising, except for the author, maybe because it's the top of”
Where to get it
-
The Ape that Understood the Universe
Steve Stewart-Williams's book The Ape that Understood the Universe was frequently discussed on Modern Wisdom. Tim Ferriss recommended it on May 6, 2024, as an evolutionary psychology overview, while Chris Williamson repeatedly praised it across multiple Q&A and interview episodes between July 2022 and May 2024, calling it a top primer on human nature. Additionally, Geoffrey Miller recommended the book on February 7, 2022.
Discussed“Steve Stewart Williams, who wrote the fantastic The Ape Who Understood the Universe, his new book is a billion years of sex differences.”
Where to get it
-
Mate
On Modern Wisdom, guests including George Mack, William Costello, and Hamza, alongside host Chris Williamson, frequently recommended Mate by Tucker Max and Geoffrey Miller across multiple episodes. Speakers described the work as an essential evolutionary psychology-inspired dating and self-improvement guide for men, while also suggesting that women read it to better understand dating market dynamics. Williamson notably characterized the book alongside Models as a fundamental resource for male dating advice.
Recommended“So mine my my kind of go-to for this is a little bit niche, but it's Mate by Tucker Max and Jeffrey Miller. to become the man women want the evolutionary psychology inspired dating book for men.”
Where to get it
-
The War of Art
Steven Pressfield's The War of Art was featured on Modern Wisdom through recommendations and discussions by host Chris Williamson and guests Alex Hormozi and Taylor Pearson. Williamson and Pearson cited the book as having a profound impact on their creative work, specifically highlighting Pressfield's insights on overcoming resistance and the difficulty of simply sitting down to write.
Discussed“I'd read Steven pressfield's uh the war of Art and then turning pro and I thought wow like imagine what would happen if you treat The Pursuit Of My Chosen career which is podcasting like an athlete”
Where to get it
-
Everybody Lies
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz's book Everybody Lies was frequently discussed on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson mentioned the book across multiple episodes, highlighting how the author used Google search data to reveal human behaviors and thoughts that individuals conceal elsewhere.
Discussed“Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, ex data scientist at Google, wrote a very famous book called Everybody Lies.”
Where to get it
-
The Happiness Hypothesis
On the Modern Wisdom podcast, host Chris Williamson and guest Tim Urban frequently discussed Jonathan Haidt's book The Happiness Hypothesis. Williamson referenced the book across multiple episodes to explore topics such as evolutionary psychology, companionate and passionate attraction, the external and internal sources of happiness, commute times, and why people enjoy outrage and scandal.
Recommended“You mentioned Anxious Generation. Happiness right last name. Yeah. H A I D T and Happiness Hypothesis is one of my favorite books of all time.”
Where to get it
-
The Madness of Crowds
On Modern Wisdom, hosts and guests including Dave Rubin, Chris Williamson, Sam Harris, and Gurwinder Bhogal discussed Douglas Murray's The Madness of Crowds. They explored themes related to the collapse of grand narratives, traditional institutions, and how people latch onto modern ideological movements.
Discussed“but you know your book uh The Madness of crowds talks about the collapse of grand narratives”
Where to get it
-
The Way of the Superior Man
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and other hosts frequently recommended David Deida's book, The Way of the Superior Man, as a resource for exploring masculine and feminine energies, relationship dynamics, and partner exercises.
Discussed“I spoke to David Dada, you know, way of the superior man author. So, uh, illustrious longtime author and I I did his first podcast interview in over a decade”
Where to get it
-
Seveneves
Chris Williamson and Tim Ferriss repeatedly recommended and discussed Seveneves by Neal Stephenson across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom between 2020 and 2026. The hosts praised the science fiction novel for its gripping opening line about the moon exploding, its exploration of repurposing the International Space Station into a human colony, and as an illustration of the founder effect.
Recommended“Well, I mean, Seven Eves by Neil Stevenson, the moon explodes. In the first line, the first line of the book, the moon explodes. I love that.”
Where to get it
-
Chasing Excellence
On Modern Wisdom, hosts and guests including Chris Williamson, George MacGill, and Tom Segura repeatedly referenced Ben Bergeron's book Chasing Excellence. They used a story from the book about Matt Fraser memorizing an entire engineering textbook to illustrate the dedication of elite athletes.
Discussed“So Matt in Ben Burgron's book Chasing Excellence, he tells this story about Matt was an engineering student, I think, and he would make himself wrote, memorize entire textbooks, word for word”
Where to get it
-
The Alchemist
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and Joe Folley frequently discussed Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist across multiple episodes. Williamson shared that reading the novel before appearing on reality television put him into a psychedelic state and advised against reading it before going on reality TV, though he also credited it with reigniting his reading habits during a media lockdown and used its plot as a metaphor for life journeys.
Discussed“and like I read The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho so I was in a fucking like psychedelic fugue state for the entirety of the time that I was on there. It's a bad idea. It would be a piece of advice to anyone going on reality TV. Do not read The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho before you go on.”
Where to get it
-
Digital Minimalism
On the Modern Wisdom podcast, Cal Newport's book Digital Minimalism was referenced across multiple episodes. Chris Williamson and other speakers recommended it as an essential read or life operating manual, discussed Newport's unique definition of solitude found within its pages, and debated whether reading the full self-development book is necessary compared to summaries.
Discussed“another example might be like digital minimalism digital minimalism, right? Like you probably don't need to read and you know, I'm sure I'll get criticized by all of the huge fans of these books, but like I know a lot of people and I'm one of them who read the entire book who still have a problem with that.”
Where to get it
-
Don't Trust Your Gut
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz's book Don't Trust Your Gut was recommended and discussed multiple times on Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson and various guests, including Robert Waldinger and Arthur Brooks. Williamson praised the book as a fantastic resource and top recommendation for finding predictive criteria in relationships, utilizing data to make better life decisions, and understanding dating problems.
Discussed“Um and then his next one was Don't Trust Your Gut. Oh yeah, I've seen that. Don't trust your gut is money.”
Where to get it
-
The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation was repeatedly discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests including Tristan Harris, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Piers Morgan, Johann Hari, and Chris Williamson recommended or mentioned the book while examining the negative impacts of social media and mobile phones on youth mental health and the rise of anxiety and depression. Additionally, figures like George Mack and Tim Urban discussed its themes regarding the harms of children's screen use, while Chris Williamson touched on the ongoing discussions surrounding the replication of its research findings.
Discussed“So, in some sense, I mean, I don't know if the anxious generation findings are going to hold up. They look. Bro, they're in the middle of the quickest 180 360 540 720 like just the replication of that.”
Where to get it
-
The Obstacle Is the Way
Ryan Holiday's book The Obstacle Is the Way was recommended and discussed frequently on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson between 2020 and 2026. Williamson repeatedly cited the book as a formative influence and a key resource that helped him maintain his mindset during his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon, noting that he also turns to it when friends experience hardship.
Discussed“Other stuff I did that really helped, I read The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday. I read The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgely, and I watched uh Resurfaced, which is a Amazon Prime documentary about Andy Murray's hip replacement.”
Where to get it
-
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene and Joost Elffers's The The 48 Laws of Power was featured across several episodes of Modern Wisdom. Host Chris Williamson recommended the 25th-anniversary edition of the book to listeners, while guests like Rob Henderson, Lewis Howes, and Jim Mullane discussed the attainment of power, Greene's writing process, and the challenges of retaining information from the various laws.
Recommended“first off everyone needs to go and pick up uh the 25th anniversary edition of 48 Lo of power”
Where to get it
-
Case Against the Sexual Revolution
On the Modern Wisdom podcast, Chris Williamson, Whitney Cummings, Mary Harrington, and other guests frequently discussed Louise Perry's book The Case Against the Sexual Revolution. The speakers praised the work as a seminal feminist critique grounded in evolutionary psychology, highlighting its analysis of the undercounted costs of the sexual revolution, modern dating, digital modesty, population collapse, and loveless sex.
Recommended“case against sexual Revolution is a seminal book people refer to being Perry pilled now like young women refer to being per pilled”
Where to get it
-
Blueprint
On the Modern Wisdom podcast, host Chris Williamson frequently brought up Robert Plomin's book Blueprint across multiple episodes, including discussions with guests like Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden, Dr. Paul Turke, Fiona Murden, and Paul Bloom. Williamson used the book to highlight the significant role of genetic influence on human behavior, intelligence, and twin studies, even suggesting that it could replace traditional child-rearing and dating books. Guest Andrew Thomas also referenced Plomin's work, quoting the premise that genetics accounts for a massive share of behavioral differences, while Williamson regularly linked and promoted the book in his show notes.
Recommended“personally I think that the entire world needs to read the genetic lottery and blueprint by [ __ ] plowman because just nobody the number of people who actually understand the genetic influence on behavior is essentially zero.”
Where to get it
-
Human Compatible
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson frequently referenced Human Compatible by Stuart Russell across multiple episodes. Williamson discussed the book's insights into artificial intelligence, algorithmic control problems, and how algorithms interact with and influence human preferences, often highlighting Russell's background as a leading computer scientist.
Recommended“Interestingly, the coolest thing I learned about this is from Stuart Russell, guy that wrote the textbook on AI... He wrote this book called Human Compatible. He's talking about computers, humans, some psychology, a lot of AI and and and computer science.”
Where to get it
-
The Art of Resilience
Ross Edgley's book The Art of Resilience was frequently recommended on Modern Wisdom by Chris Williamson between 2021 and 2026. Williamson described the book as a spiritual successor to The Obstacle Is the Way and a vital tool for mental toughness, noting that he relied on it during his rehabilitation following an Achilles tendon rupture.
Discussed“I read The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgely, and I watched uh Resurfaced, which is a Amazon Prime documentary about Andy Murray's hip replacement. All of these were suggested by friends who'd been through other horrendous injuries and come back from it.”
Where to get it
-
The Status Game
Will Storr's book The Status Game was frequently discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Hosts and guests such as Chris Williamson, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, and Rory Sutherland brought up the book to illustrate how status is a universal, invisible driver of human behavior and social hierarchy.
Discussed“If you've read Will Sto's status game, you've probably interviewed him at some point. His really really good piece of life advice is that everyone is completely obsessed with status.”
Where to get it
-
No More Mr Nice Guy
Dr. Robert A. Glover's book No More Mr. Nice Guy was repeatedly recommended and discussed on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson, Nick Pollard, and other guests as a cornerstone text for men struggling with people-pleasing, masculinity, and emotional behaviors. Speakers noted the book's value in addressing the balance of being nice versus kind, exploring the traits of a masculine man, and offering practical guidance for personal growth and overcoming Nice Guy Syndrome.
Discussed“and in part um uh uh uh No Mr. nice guy, Robert Glover, like he's sort of like a a looking at a part of this and a wing of this.”
Where to get it
-
The E-Myth Revisited
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber was repeatedly highlighted across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Host Chris Williamson, along with guests like Andrew Wilkinson and Ben Bergeron, recommended the book as a vital resource for running a business. They utilized its central fable about a baker to illustrate the common operational trap where founders become trapped in administrative tasks instead of scaling systems or pursuing their creative passions.
Discussed“There's a book called The Emith Revisited by, I think it's Michael Gerber, it's like just a business book, but it's quite, it's quite well done.”
Where to get it
-
The Evolution of Desire
David M. Buss's book The Evolution of Desire was discussed on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson recommended the book in several episodes and frequently referenced its insights on evolutionary psychology, attraction, mating strategies, and the predictors of extramarital sex in conversations with guests such as Morgan Housel, Macken Murphy, and Ty Tashiro.
Discussed“Have you read the book The Evolution of Desire by David Bus?”
Where to get it
-
Waking Up
On Modern Wisdom, Sam Harris and host Chris Williamson discussed Waking Up, with Williamson noting he gifts it annually and recommends it for connecting with oneself. Other guests and the host also referenced insights, meditation techniques, and examples from Harris's book throughout various episodes.
Discussed“It's the mundane daily uncertainty and ambient malaise, as you're reading another book on meditation and sitting down, listening to Sam Harris tell you to focus on your breath.”
Where to get it
-
The Body Keeps the Score
Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score was discussed across several episodes of Modern Wisdom by guests and host Chris Williamson. While speakers such as Jessica Baum, Dr. Tara Swart, Dr. Russell Kennedy, and Connor Beaton referenced the book to explain how memory and trauma are physically stored and processed in the human body, guest Scott Barry Kaufman critiqued the premise, arguing that the idea of trauma being stored in the body lacks scientific accuracy despite the book's massive popularity.
Discussed“think the body keeps the score. That if you don't want to call it your inner child, we still need to start to look at how memory systems work in your body and how that your memory system is constantly speaking to you.”
Where to get it
-
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson and recurring guest David Senra frequently recommended Eric Jorgenson's The Almanack of Naval Ravikant as an essential overview of wealth acquisition and wisdom, with Senra noting he often gifts copies to others. Later, Jorgenson appeared on the show to discuss the book with Williamson, expressing surprise at its unexpected global popularity among students and yoga instructors alike.
Discussed“How many copies of the Naval Ravikant have you sold now? It's tough to know, but I think we're coming up on 2 million.”
Where to get it
-
Can't Hurt Me
David Goggins's book "Can't Hurt Me" was featured across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson and Jim Mullane both recommended the book as a powerful motivational tool and a guide to discipline. David Laid mentioned listening to the audiobook to understand Goggins's heavy backstory, while Richard Shotton and Chris Williamson discussed its status as a heavy best-seller. David Goggins himself appeared on the show to discuss how writing "Can't Hurt Me" helped him reveal embarrassing personal details and encouraged his mother to open up about her own past.
Discussed“This is from David Goggins It's so easy to be great because most of the world is weak If you are even remotely a Savage you will run these people over It's all out there for the taking right now”
Where to get it
-
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
On Modern Wisdom, Mark Manson's book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck was referenced frequently by host Chris Williamson and various guests across multiple episodes between 2020 and 2026. The book came up in discussions as a recommended personal development staple, a massive New York Times bestseller, a point of comparison for the psychological burdens of fame, and briefly through critique.
Recommended“And this is why I highly recommend that people become totally obsessed with personal development and productivity and David Allen's Getting Things Done and James Clear's Atomic Habits and Morgan Housel's Psychology of Money and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a … for like probably between three and six years.”
Where to get it
-
When Men Behave Badly
David Buss's book When Men Behave Badly was frequently referenced across various episodes of Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson and guests. Williamson recommended the book as a follow-up in evolutionary psychology and cited its insights to explain behavioral patterns, cross-sex mind-reading failures, and the overperception and underperception biases of attraction.
Discussed“David bus put this out in bad men or Men Behaving Badly depending on which country you're in”
Where to get it
-
The Forgotten Highlander
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson frequently recommended Alistair Urquhart's memoir The Forgotten Highlander as a harrowing real-life World War II survival story that reframes personal suffering. Other guests and hosts, including Heather Morris and George MacGill, also discussed or referenced the book as a powerful narrative of wartime endurance.
Recommended“do you know the Forgotten Highlander by Alistar urart no dude I gotta I I'll get this book for you it's my favorite non-fiction uh sort of real life story”
Where to get it
-
Turning Pro
Steven Pressfield's Turning Pro was frequently discussed on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson, as well as by guest Alex Hormozi. Williamson credited the book as a formative turning point that helped inspire his professional podcasting career and his transition into taking his work seriously. He frequently cited passages from the book to discuss the mindset of amateurs versus professionals, and to examine how to avoid the anxious cycles of externalizing self-worth.
Discussed“I'd read Steven pressfield's uh the war of Art and then turning pro and I thought wow like imagine what would happen if you treat The Pursuit Of My Chosen career which is podcasting like an athlete”
Where to get it
-
Make It Stick
Make It Stick by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson and Ali Abdaal recommended the book, highlighted the author's previous appearance on the show, and explored learning science concepts like the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, spacing, and self-testing.
Discussed“Peter C. Brown, the guy that wrote the book Make It Stick, talking about the Ebing House forgetting curve and space repetition and flash cards for memory.”
Where to get it
-
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari's book Sapiens was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests including Dan Jones, Connor Beaton, Chris Williamson, Jonathan Bi, John Danaher, Jordan Hall, and the host Chris Williamson referenced the book when exploring topics like human evolution, gender inequality, ancient resource scarcity, and intersubjective reality.
Discussed“what's been one of the most phenomenally successful history books of of the last 10 15 years it's you Val no Harari sapiens series and and so on very attractive book to Big popular audiences tens of millions of copies sold across the world”
Where to get it
-
Back Mechanic
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson, Stuart McGill, and Brian Carroll frequently recommended Stuart McGill's book Back Mechanic. The speakers praised it as an essential resource for identifying and eliminating lower back pain triggers, maintaining proper spinal hygiene, and implementing helpful self-assessment exercises like the McGill big three.
Recommended“so the book is a back mechanic by stew uh it's a little bit expensive it's about 50 60 bucks”
Where to get it
-
Extreme Ownership
Jocko Willink and Leif Babin's 'Extreme Ownership' was discussed on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson and various guests, including Tim Ferriss, David Senra, Alan Stein Jr., and George Mack. The speakers recommended the book as a top resource on leadership and accountability, highlighting its core message about taking personal responsibility for everything that happens in one's life and looking inward first.
Recommended“extreme extreme own ownership by Ja o w it's a good one to read”
Where to get it
-
Lying
Sam Harris's book Lying has been frequently highlighted on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended the short book and extended essay as an essential guide on honesty and the philosophical implications of truthfulness, comparing it to an absolute bible. Andrew Doyle and Robin Dreeke also referenced the text, discussing its principles on white lies, omissions, commissions, and the justification for never lying.
Discussed“Have you ever read Sam Harris's essay, Lying? It's a hourong book. He wrote it. He wrote it with his wife. It's [ __ ] great.”
Where to get it
-
The beginning of infinity
David Deutsch's The Beginning of Infinity was featured on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson, George Mack, Jimmy Carr, Jim O'Shaughnessy, Dr. Mike Israetel, and Yousef. Guests and hosts recommended the book for its insights into human progress, science, and the intellectual scaffolding of the Enlightenment. They also discussed how tackling its complex and dry concepts requires significant mental effort, noting that readers often use tools like ChatGPT to break down its difficult ideas.
Recommended“I hate to sound like I'm doing an affiliate link for the beginning of infinity which I am. I'll post it in the link problems are infinite.”
Where to get it
-
Alchemy
Rory Sutherland's book Alchemy has been widely discussed and recommended on Modern Wisdom. Host Chris Williamson, alongside guests like Luke Burgis, frequently praised the book for its insights into behavioral science and economics. Williamson and his guests highlighted how the book explores the wizardry of creating massive business and psychological value from little or no expenditure through the clever application of irrational human behavior.
Discussed“That's why that's why his book's called Alchemy, right? Behavioral science applied well is kind of like magic.”
Where to get it
-
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley's dystopian novel Brave New World has been referenced across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson initially recommended the book, and later discussed whether society is closer to 1984 or Brave New World alongside Michael Knowles. Other guests, including Nick Bostrom, William Costello, Andrew Gold, and Michael Malice, brought up the novel to examine modern singlehood, hedonism, societal sanitization, and the psychological manipulation of populations through comfort and pleasure rather than force.
Discussed“and and there's like a number of these that most people would like the you know 1984 Brave New World handmaid's taale like all of these”
Where to get it
-
Friends
On Modern Wisdom, guests and host Chris Williamson frequently referenced Friends by Robin Dunbar across multiple episodes from 2022 to 2026. Chase Hughes and Jonathan Haidt both brought up the book to discuss social body language, specifically studies on the angles at which men and women stand when talking to each other. Dr. Jaimie Krems also discussed the book and noted that she even appeared in it, while Chris Williamson used the text to explore friendship circles, primate responses, and grooming speeds.
Discussed“Did you read uh friends by Robin Dunbar?”
Where to get it
-
White Fragility
Dr. Robin DiAngelo's book White Fragility came up across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom between 2020 and 2023. Guests including Sargon of Akkad, Helen Lewis, Douglas Murray, and Andrew Doyle discussed the book in relation to racial dynamics, corporate diversity training, and critical race theory. The host Chris Williamson also questioned guests like John McWhorter about the book's contents and referenced its reception.
Discussed“or hypothetically if an author claimed that all white people are racist secretly and suffer with white agility and then decides that any denial of the racism is evidence of their white fragility and complicity and racist superstructures”
Where to get it
-
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling was discussed on Modern Wisdom across multiple episodes. George Mack noted that Rowling used a spreadsheet for the writing process, while Chris Williamson recounted her writing during extreme hardship and the eventual global sales success. Josh Szeps and Megan Phelps-Roper highlighted its status as a heavily banned book of the 21st century. Jordan Peterson referenced the character Dolores Umbridge, and Williamson additionally discussed the initial release of adult cover editions for adult readers.
Discussed“J.K. Rowling used a spreadsheet for the whole of Harry Potter.”
Where to get it
-
The Secret
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and George Mack discussed Rhonda Byrne's book The Secret across multiple episodes, including in 2020, 2023, and 2024. The speakers used the book to explore the complexities of manifestation and the law of attraction. While Mack critiqued it as an early form of aggressive optimism and extreme wish-thinking akin to eugenics, Williamson heavily criticized its metaphysical claims and argued that it promoted a passive victim mentality while removing the requirement for hard work.
Discussed“and this you know I remember Ronda burn who wrote The Secret”
Where to get it
-
Factfulness
On Modern Wisdom, guests Nir Eyal, George TheTinMen, Mike Israetel, James Smith, and Rory Sutherland recommended Hans Rosling's book Factfulness. The speakers used the book to illustrate human negativity bias, critique overly dramatic worldviews, and provide high-level summaries of research countering pessimistic fallacies about global progress and statistics.
Recommended“Well, that's not true. And if you don't believe me, read this wonderful book by Hans Rosling, Factfulness, where he interviewed university professors and he gave them an exam about the state of the world... These professors on this exam did worse than if monkeys would have taken this test.”
Where to get it
-
The Gap and The Gain
Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended and discussed The Gap and the Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan on Modern Wisdom to help listeners manage self-improvement, avoid constant goalpost shifts, and handle framing.
Discussed“Have you ever heard of the book called The Gap and the Gain? Benjamin Hardy.”
Where to get it
-
Mindset
Carol S. Dweck's book Mindset was frequently referenced across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom by guests and hosts alike. Ben Aldridge praised it as one of his favorite books, highlighting the useful framework of growth and fixed mindsets, while Susanna Halonen brought it up when discussing the psychology of resilience. Andrew Huberman referenced Dweck and her work at Stanford to explore how mindset influences willpower and tenacity, and Steven Kotler and Chris Williamson also discussed her psychological insights on attitudes toward learning and personal definition.
Discussed“Then my colleague Carol Dweck, also in the Psychology Department at Stanford, most famously known for her work on mindset, did an experiment in which she essentially asked whether or not tenacity and willpower are limited as a sort of resource and also whether or not they’re linked to glucose availability, fuel, in the brain and body.”
Where to get it
-
Range
On Modern Wisdom, David Epstein's book Range frequently surfaced across multiple episodes. Guests such as Bill Gurley, Steven Kotler, and Ali Abdaal discussed how the book's frameworks on skill acquisition, testing, spacing, and interleaving impacted them. Host Chris Williamson also referenced Epstein's research on founder ages and noted the exceptional chart performance and audience engagement of his podcast episodes featuring the author.
Discussed“That was one of the the one that we did on Range was one of the highest played that I'd ever It was the first time that we ever hit the charts on Apple in 2019.”
Where to get it
-
Attached
On Modern Wisdom, guest Connor Beaton and host Chris Williamson discussed Amir Levine and Rachel Heller's book Attached while exploring attachment styles and relationship anxieties. James Smith mentioned reading the book after an ex-girlfriend recommended it. Freya India referenced the text to critique how online culture misinterprets dependence, and Chris Williamson noted its impact as a top-selling guide on anxious and avoidant behaviors.
Discussed“A lot of people love books like Attached by Am Lavine or Jessica Balm's book.”
Where to get it
-
Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson frequently discussed and recommended Alex Hutchinson's book Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance. Williamson recommended the book to guests and listeners as a fantastic read for sports and endurance, and he referenced Hutchinson's work while discussing the rate of perceived exertion and the contributing factors that make an endurance athlete successful.
Discussed“okay recently some of the guests will know the spot on the back of your book that mr. Alex Hutchinson the the man behind injure is a big proponent a big big supporter of your book and obviously what he was talking about was a lot of the things to do within training what's happening while you train and the”
Where to get it
-
His Dark Materials
Philip Pullman's children's book series 'His Dark Materials' was mentioned across several episodes of Modern Wisdom. Host Chris Williamson brought it up to draw parallels with discussions on daemons, personal development, and the transition from childhood innocence to conscious awareness. Williamson recalled it as his favorite childhood series, and in another episode, a speaker mentioned the series and its concept of unconscious grace alongside remarks on its film adaptation.
Discussed“Have you ever read his dark materials by Philip Pullman? Who? Philip Pullman. It's this kids book series called His Dark Materials.”
Where to get it
-
Spiritual Enlightenment:: The Damnedest Thing
Jed McKenna's book Spiritual Enlightenment:: The Damnedest Thing was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson. Williamson recommended the book as a fantastic, objective look at non-duality and used its concepts to explore the idea of letting go of control.
Recommended“um Ted McKenna's spiritual enlightenment now is just so fantastic”
Where to get it
-
The 4-Hour Workweek
On Modern Wisdom, host Jonny and multiple guests including Elena Seranova, Chris Williamson, and David Senra frequently discussed Timothy Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek. Speakers used the book to illustrate lifestyle design, fear evaluation exercises, mini-retirements, and ways to extract oneself from a business to improve its performance.
Discussed“But I mean Ferris has this. Is it in the 4-Hour Workweek where he talks about the more that he extracted himself out of a business, the better that the businesses did?”
Where to get it
-
The Mating Mind
Geoffrey Miller's book The Mating Mind was discussed extensively on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson recommended it and asked Miller about his pioneering work in evolutionary psychology. Guests including Matt Ridley, Douglas Kenrick, and Hamza also referenced the book to support arguments regarding sexual selection, the human brain as a sexually selected trait, and modern mating dynamics.
Discussed“laid out in a very good book by Jeffrey Miller 25 years ago called The Mating mind in which he says”
Where to get it
-
The Name of the Wind
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended and discussed Patrick Rothfuss's fantasy novel The Name of the Wind. Williamson praised the book for its slower, more pedestrian narrative pace, noting how readers grow deeply familiar with the characters through detailed descriptions of ordinary moments.
Discussed“anyone that's read The Name of the Wind by Patrick rothus you know you become unbelievably familiar it's like pedestrian slow for chapters and chapters and chapters you learn about this guy's walk to the bar that he plays his looa and the sound of his shoes on the cobblestones and all of this”
Where to get it
-
Zero to One
Peter Thiel and Blake Masters's book Zero to One came up in several episodes of Modern Wisdom. David Senra strongly recommended it as an essential business and technology read, and discussed rereading it while studying Paul Graham. Chris Williamson praised a line in the book about competition being for losers, while Kyle Eschenroeder mentioned the book to explain how recognizing mimetic desire helped Thiel change career paths.
Recommended“what I if you're only going to read one book on business obviously in my opinion especially today's day age you read Z to one right”
Where to get it
-
Determined
On Modern Wisdom, Chris Williamson and his guests discussed Robert M. Sapolsky's book Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will while exploring the philosophical and scientific debates surrounding free will and determinism.
Recommended“so his new book determined signs life without Free Will um every time that I talk about free will people get upset why is that”
Where to get it
-
How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie was discussed on Modern Wisdom by host Chris Williamson and guests including Jim Mullane and Warren Cass. The speakers recommended the work as a foundational and enduring classic on influence and interpersonal communication, referencing specific advice such as using a conversation partner's first name while contrasting its themes with modern books on human psychology.
Discussed“That uh too much God the what was the book that advised uh people to use the first name of the person they're speaking to? Is it how to win friends and influence people? That Carnegie definitely talked about that.”
Where to get it
-
The Genetic Lottery
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson and various guests frequently referenced Kathryn Paige Harden's book The Genetic Lottery during discussions on behavioral genetics and public policy. Williamson, having previously interviewed Harden, often highlighted her left-leaning background and her research into genetic influences on human behavior. Guests such as Macken Murphy also brought up the book while exploring topics related to human traits and genetics, emphasizing Harden's role as a prominent public-facing geneticist.
Recommended“personally I think that the entire world needs to read the genetic lottery and blueprint by [ __ ] plowman because just nobody the number of people who actually understand the genetic influence on behavior is essentially zero.”
Where to get it
-
The Paradox of Choice
Barry Schwartz's book The Paradox of Choice was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Logan Ury brought it up to explain decision-making styles, while Chris Williamson repeatedly referenced it with guests like Rob Kurzban, James Smith, Dean Rickles, and Kristina Durante to illustrate how excessive options lead to decision fatigue, regret, and self-blame.
Discussed“you know I always think all the time about Barry Schwarz is the Paradox of choice all the time I think about this it's like so fundamental”
Where to get it
-
The Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now was referenced multiple times on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson discussed and re-read the book across several episodes, quoting Tolle on ego and arguments. Guest Ali Abdaal also mentioned re-reading the book and highlighted its advice on engaging in activities for their own sake.
Discussed“I've been rereading 'The Power of Now,' and it offers such good advice: do things for their own sake.”
Where to get it
-
The elephant in the brain
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson and various guests frequently referenced Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson's book, The Elephant in the Brain. Williamson brought up the title across multiple episodes, including discussions with Scott Barry Kaufman, George MacGill, Robert Greene, and William Von Hippel, usually to highlight themes of human signaling, hidden motives, and evolutionary psychology. The book was also discussed directly when Robin Hanson appeared as a guest on episode thirty-eight.
Discussed“and you know he's the man for signals the elephant the elephant in the brain right”
Where to get it
-
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Joseph Campbell's book The Hero with a Thousand Faces was discussed across several episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests including George Mack, Andrew Schulz, Jonathan Bi, Taylor Pearson, and Michael Blevins brought up the book in contexts ranging from storytelling structures and personal operating principles to George Lucas drawing inspiration for Star Wars from Campbell's work.
Discussed“Joseph Campbell, you've heard of Joseph Campbell, The Hero Thousand Faces, The Hero's Journey, all of those kind of great books that informed Star Wars.”
Where to get it
-
The Myth of Sisyphus
Albert Camus's essay The Myth of Sisyphus was discussed on Modern Wisdom by guests like Joe Folley, Tom Van Der Linden, and Chris Williamson. Speakers explored its themes of absurdism, suicide, the meaning of life, and how truth determines human actions, though Joe Folley expressed a personal view that the book is overhyped.
Discussed“I think Kimu talks about a few examples at the beginning of the myth of Sephus, doesn't he?”
Where to get it
-
The Art of Impossible
Chris Williamson frequently recommended Steven Kotler's book The Art of Impossible across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Williamson described the text as a peak performance primer designed to help individuals enter flow states from a biological perspective. He praised the book during discussions with guests such as Eddie Jones, Paul Bloom, and Cal Newport, and promoted it in the show notes.
Recommended“It's a book by Steven Kotler called The Art of Impossible.”
Where to get it
-
Influence
Robert Cialdini's book Influence was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom as a foundational text on human psychology and decision-making. Andrew Wilkinson recommended the book in 2024, noting it provided a broad overview of common causes of human misjudgment. Jim O'Shaughnessy casually referenced the text in 2021 while explaining reciprocity, while Chris Williamson and Warren Cass discussed Cialdini's insights on persuasion in 2019 and 2018 respectively, highlighting its enduring reputation among business leaders.
Recommended“I read a book called influence by Robert seini which kind of it's kind of a broad overview of all of the most common um causes of human misjudgment”
Where to get it
-
The Order of Time
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended Carlo Rovelli's book The Order of Time across multiple episodes from 2019 to 2024, enthusiastically highlighting its audiobook narration by Benedict Cumberbatch. Additionally, guest Tim Urban mentioned reading the book in 2026 while conducting research for his own writing project.
Discussed“Something with time by by Carla Relli. The order of things. The order of time.”
Where to get it
-
Dune
Frank Herbert's Dune was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Tim Ferriss and Tiago Forte both recommended the first book for studying leadership and science fiction, while Tim Urban and the Critical Drinker discussed reading the novel in their youth and its subsequent screen adaptations.
Discussed“I've heard Dune I've never read Dune but I've heard that Dune goes real. So my problem is I just stuck with the first one. I read the first Dune. It was good.”
Where to get it
-
Never Split the Difference
Chris Voss and Tahl Raz's book Never Split the Difference was frequently discussed on Modern Wisdom. Chris Williamson recommended it as an accessible read and directed listeners to Amazon. Dean Phillips referenced a core principle from the book regarding the hidden costs of aggressive negotiations, and Williamson cited Voss's former FBI negotiation background to illustrate techniques involving deliberate wrong proposals.
Discussed“I think you know what I mean there's a really interesting principle from uh Chris voss's never split the difference”
Where to get it
-
Same as Ever
On Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson repeatedly recommended Morgan Housel's book Same as Ever, praising it as an exceptionally enjoyable and accessible read. Williamson and guests used the book to explore human nature, noting that examining predictable historical patterns of behavior is far more effective than trying to forecast an uncertain future.
Discussed“Morgan Hel's book Same as Ever is an interesting one that people try to predict the future, but what is easier is to work out the stuff that's not going to change moving forward because the future is as yet undetermined.”
Where to get it
-
The Denial of Death
Ernest Becker's Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Denial of Death was discussed across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Guests like Sheldon Solomon and Nat Eliason recommended the book to listeners interested in how human behavior and cultural institutions are driven by an underlying existential fear of death. Host Chris Williamson and guest Konstantin Kisin also referenced Becker's framework when exploring how people attempt to escape their awareness of mortality through daily actions.
Discussed“do you know who sheldon solomon is okay so he's an expert in earnest back his denial of death he was on the show a couple of weeks ago and he's oh i have that book”
Where to get it
-
The Silent Patient
Chris Williamson brought up Alex Michaelides's psychological thriller The Silent Patient across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. In late 2024 and early 2026 episodes, he praised the book for its satisfying plot twists, recommended it as a bedtime read, and discussed narrative structure and psychological themes such as transference.
Discussed“I read uh The Silent Patient by uh Alex Michaelides or Andrew Michaelides.”
Where to get it
-
The Sovereign Individual
The Sovereign Individual by James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg was brought up on Modern Wisdom by guests George Mack and Nat Eliason, as well as host Chris Williamson, between 2019 and 2026. The speakers praised the book for predicting future economic and societal trends and cited its insights on historical transitions, such as the fall of the Roman Empire, to contextualize modern changes.
Discussed“If the book the sovereign individual has this beautiful line which if the CNN existed during the fall of the Roman Empire the headline would not have been the Roman Empire has just fallen.”
Where to get it
-
The White Pill
Chris Williamson mentioned Michael Malice's book The White Pill across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom, including discussions with guests like Mark Normand and Shaan Puri. Williamson recommended the book to challenge cynicism, arguing that studying historical examples of tyrannical regimes collapsing provides a powerful perspective against the idea that evil people always win. He also discussed the book when interviewing Malice himself.
Recommended“cynicism is the opposite of enthusiasm in some regards and what I realized is the people who were being cynical were doing it because it was like sour grapes at an existential level”
Where to get it
-
A World Without Email
Cal Newport's book A World Without Email came up across multiple episodes of Modern Wisdom. Host Chris Williamson mentioned the title in the show notes and referenced it during conversations with guests like Eddie Jones and Melody Wilding. Cal Newport also appeared on the show to discuss the structural and organizational obstacles to fulfilling work that his book addresses, while Chris Williamson and other guests frequently highlighted its themes of managing digital communication.
Discussed“I mean, your last book was A World Without Email, which I dream of. Um, and, uh, your fantasy.”
Where to get it
The next 300 books mentioned on Modern Wisdom, ranked
- Against Empathy by Paul Bloom
- Awaken The Giant Within by Tony Robbins
- Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It by Kamal Ravikant
- Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan
- The Two-Parent Privilege by Melissa S. Kearney
- This Is Your Brain on Birth Control by Sarah Hill
- Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday
- Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
- Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
- Magic Pill by Johann Hari
- On the Shortness of Life by Seneca
- The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
- Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
- Breath by James Nestor
- Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratana
- The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
- Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke
- Galileo's Error by Philip Goff
- Men by Richard G. BRIBIESCAS
- Outlive by Peter Attia
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
- Your Brain on Love by Stan Tatkin
- Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
- Generations by Jean M. Twenge
- Light of the Stars by Adam Frank
- Mastery by Robert Greene
- Mirror Thinking by Fiona Murden
- Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle
- Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Plato's Symposium by Plato
- Principles by Ray Dalio
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- The all-or-nothing marriage by Eli J. Finkel
- The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi
- The Life of Dad by Anna Machin
- Unfit for Purpose by Adam Hart
- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
- Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier
- Biohacker's Handbook by Olli Sovijärvi, M.D.
- Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
- Flatland by Edwin Abbott Abbott
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Immortality Key by Brian C. Muraresku
- Reasons and Persons by Derek Parfit
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- The Five Ages of the Universe by Fred C. Adams, Greg Laughlin
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Iliad by Homer
- The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
- The Odyssey by Homer
- The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Julian Jaynes
- The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
- Against the Odds by James Dyson
- Awareness by Anthony De Mello
- Churchill's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare by Giles Milton
- Dataclysm by Christian Rudder
- Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
- Happy by Derren Brown
- How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
- Irresistible by Adam Alter
- Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
- Michael Jordan by Roland Lazenby
- Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam
- Relentless by Tim Grover, Tim S. Grover, Shari Wenk
- Resilient by Rick Hanson
- Sam Walton, Made in America by Sam Walton
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
- The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
- The Scout Mindset by Julia Galef
- The Sweet Spot by Paul Bloom
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Ultralearning by Scott H. Young
- Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill
- Adrift by Steven Callahan
- Always Day One by Alex Kantrowitz
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
- Bad Men by David Buss
- Better Never to Have Been by David Benatar
- Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedeman
- Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari
- Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Conscious loving by Gay Hendricks
- Dominion by Tom Holland
- Empire of the Summer Moon by S. C. Gwynne
- Ethics in the Real World by Peter Singer
- Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse
- Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz
- Gift of Injury by Stuart McGill
- How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett
- How to Be Confident by James Smith
- How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis
- Humankind by Rutger Bregman
- Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
- Man's Search For Ultimate Meaning by Victor Frankl
- Men Without Work by Nick Eberstadt
- Pierce Brown's Red Rising: Sons of Ares Omnibus by Pierce Brown, Rik Hoskin
- Self-reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
- Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
- The 4-hour Chef by Timothy Ferriss
- The 6 Minute Diary by Ellen Lio-Well
- The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff
- The Daily Laws by Robert Greene
- The Dirty Tricks Department by John Lisle
- The E-myth by Michael E. Gerber
- The Etymologicon by Mark Forsyth
- The evolution of human sexuality by Donald Symons
- The Goodness Paradox by Richard Wrangham
- The Healthy Writer by Joanna Penn
- The Heart is a Quarter Pounder by Jeffrey Miller
- The master and his emissary by Iain McGilchrist
- The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories by Tim Burton
- The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
- The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
- The Stranger, The Plague (Coles Notes) by Albert Camus
- The Theory of the Leisure Class by Thorstein Veblen
- The Virtue of Nationalism by Yoram Hazony
- Time to Think by Hannah Barnes
- Transcend by Scott Barry Kaufman
- Transport For Humans by Pete Dyson
- Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky
- 2001, a Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi
- Anxiously Attached by Jessica Baum, LMHC
- Bonded by Evolution by Paul Eastwick
- Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
- Chimpanzee Politics by Frans de Waal
- Don't Look up by Serhan Cevik
- Effortless by Greg McKeown
- Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance
- Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future Young Readers' Edition by Ashlee Vance
- Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Friendship by Lydia Denworth
- Get Married by Brad Wilcox
- Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
- Hereditary Genius by Francis Galton
- Homicide by Martin Daly
- Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
- Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey
- I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell by Tucker Max
- Indistractable by Nir Eyal
- Iron John by Robert Bly
- Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier
- Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
- Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Love Life by Matthew Hussey
- Meditations on Violence by Rory Kane Miller
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
- On Anger by Aubrey Stewart
- Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- Outsiders, The by William N. Thorndike Jr.
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
- Safe by Jessica Baum
- Secure by Amir Levine
- The Bell Curve by Richard J. Herrnstein
- The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker
- The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters
- The Discourses of Epictetus by Epictetus
- The doors of perception by Aldous Huxley
- The Everything Store by Brad Stone
- The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
- The Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Horace Barnett Samuel
- The intelligent investor by Benjamin Graham
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- THE PLAGUE by Albert Camus
- The Population Bomb by Paul R. Ehrlich
- The Power of Bad by John Tierney, Roy F. Baumeister
- The prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
- The Rational Male by Rollo Tomassi
- The Republic by Plato
- The Rules by Ellen Fein
- The science of happily ever after by TY Tashiro
- The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
- The Social Leap by William von Hippel
- The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray
- The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith
- The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
- The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
- Trying Not to Try by Edward Slingerland
- Unrestricted warfare by Qiao Liang, Wang Xiangsui
- We Who Wrestle with God by Jordan B. Peterson
- Will by Will Smith
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
- by Unknown
- $100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
- 10 Rules for Talking by Tim Harkness
- A Billion Years of Sex Differences by Steve Stewart-Williams
- A Critique of the Moral Defense of Vegetarianism by Andrew F. Smith
- A Dose of Hope by Dan Engle
- A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz
- A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine
- A Man for All Markets by Edward O. Thorp
- A Practical Way to Get Rich . . . and Die Trying by John Roa
- A river runs through it by Norman Maclean
- A Savage Order by Rachel Kleinfeld
- A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
- A Woman's worth by Marianne Williamson
- Accidental Empires by Robert X. Cringely
- Agency by Martin Seligman
- All I Want To Know Is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There by Peter Bevelin
- Almanac and Weather Forecaster by Eric Sloane
- Almanac of Naval Facts by Naval Institute Press
- An Immense World by Ed Yong
- Arrian: Anabasis Alexandri, books V-VII ; Indica by Arrian
- Arrian's Voyage round the Euxine Sea by Arrian
- As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Atrocities by Matthew White
- Atrocitology by Matthew White
- Attachment by John Bowlby
- Battle Ready by Ollie Ollerton
- Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender, Rick Tetzeli
- Beginning Game Development with Python and Pygame by Will McGugan
- Best-Selling Series by Dr. Anna Lembke. Dopamine Nation Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (hardcover) & the Official Dopamine Nation Workbook. a Practical Guide to Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence (paperback) by Anna Lembke
- Beyond Order by Jordan B. Peterson
- Beyond Possible (Young Readers' Edition) by Nims Purja
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- Birth and Death of Meaning by Ernest Becker
- Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed, Matthew Syed Consulting Ltd
- blue ocean strategy by Unknown
- Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Built to Move by Kelly Starrett, Juliet Starrett
- Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber
- Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
- Catching Fire by Richard Wrangham
- Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
- Chicken Soup for the Soul 20th Anniversary Edition by Jack Canfield
- Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Churchill by Andrew Roberts
- Churchill by Martin Gilbert
- Confessions of an Alien Hunter by Seth Shostak
- Consciousness Genesis In Artificial Intelligence by Professor Ibrahim Elnoshokaty
- Conspiracy by Ryan Holiday
- Counterclockwise by Ellen J. Langer
- Courage Under Fire by James B. Stockdale
- Creative Blindness (And How To Cure It) by Dave Trott
- Curating Your Life by Gail Golden
- Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose
- Days of rage by Bryan Burrough
- Dead in the Water by Matthew Campbell
- Dead men talking by Christopher Berry-Dee
- Death by Mistress by Darren Brown
- Deskbound by Kelly Starrett
- Desperately Seeking Self-Improvement by Carl Cederström
- Devil Take the Hindmost by Edward Chancellor
- Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor
- Don't Tell Me I Can't by Cole Summers
- DOOMSDAY MACHINE by ELLSBERG DANIEL
- Dr. Tatiana's sex advice to all creation by Olivia Judson
- Driven by Larry H. Miller, Doug Robinson
- Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
- Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker
- Earthing by Clinton Ober
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- Educated by Tara Westover
- Education of a Felon by Edward Bunker
- Elevate by Robert Glazer
- End of Race Politics by Coleman Hughes
- Ending Medical Reversal by Vinayak K. Prasad, Adam S. Cifu
- Endurance; Shackleton's incredible voyage by Alfred Lansing
- Entrepreneur Revolution by Daniel Priestley
- Estee by Estee Lauder
- Everyday Embodiment by Mark Walsh
- Everything Is Spiritual by Rob Bell
- Evolutionary Psychiatry by Riadh Abed
- Excellent Advice for Living by Kevin Kelly
- Exhalation by Ted Chiang
- Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal
- Feeling Good by David D. Burns
- Fluke by Brian Klaas
- Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman
- Forbidden Healing by Rachael Watson
- Frames of Reference by Eric Jorgensen
- Free Speech by Rebecca L. Brown
- Free Will by Sam Harris
- Future Tense by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary
- Games People Play by Eric Berne
- Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
- Gender by Ivan Illich
- Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford
Podcasts with similar reading lists
Guests who recommended books
- David Senra (48)
- Jim Mullane (29)
- Tim Ferriss (24)
- Alex O’Connor (24)
- Rob Henderson (21)
- Joe Folley (19)
- Sheldon Solomon (19)
- Douglas Murray (15)
- Nick Pollard (14)
- Massimo Pigliucci (13)
- Ali Abdaal (12)
- Jordan Peterson (12)
- Alex Petkas (11)
- Donald Robertson (11)
- Ryan Holiday (11)
- Warren Cass (11)
- Andrew Doyle (10)
- Rory Sutherland (10)
- Robert Greene (9)
- Bill Gurley (9)
- Richard Shotton (9)
- Mary Harrington (9)
- Jonathan Anomaly (9)
- Brad Wilcox (9)
- Geoffrey Miller (9)
- Paul Bloom (9)
- James Smith (9)
- Benjamin Hardy (9)
- Brian Carroll (9)
- Nat Eliason (9)
- Cal Newport (8)
- Rudyard Lynch (8)
- Tim Harford (8)
- Douglas Kenrick (8)
- Kyle Eschenroeder (8)
- David Epstein (7)
- Tim Urban (7)
- Gurwinder Bhogal (7)
- Connor Beaton (7)
- Dr Robert King (7)
Latest mentions
“That's the topic of one of my earlier books, The Origin of Mind. Which I'm now writing a second edition of and so re-reviewing all of the literature on brain expansion and a variety of other things.”
“It feels to me like system one, system two, thinking a bit from Daniel Kahneman, thinking fast and slow. So the system two is very deliberate and you sort of have to pay a lot of cognitive attention to it.”
“So if you read a book called Descartes' Air, 20, 2012, he wrote that the emotional center of the brain is what makes decisions.”
“Evolutionary Psychiatry, Good Feelings for Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Unreal. Yeah, really good. Nice primer as well it two two car garage with your one. Yeah, people should definitely go out and buy get both books for sure.”
“Evolutionary Psychiatry, Good Feelings for Good Reasons for Bad Feelings. Unreal. Yeah, really good. Nice primer as well it two two car garage with your one. Yeah, people should definitely go out and buy get both books for sure.”
“So, in some sense, I mean, I don't know if the anxious generation findings are going to hold up. They look. Bro, they're in the middle of the quickest 180 360 540 720 like just the replication of that.”
“Get off Twitter, social media, go read a book. Good book. I recommend it's Think on these things by Krishnamurti. It's a good book.”
“This is the new book. How is it different from optimism? Uh, how have you come to conceptualize that?”
“If you look at just Homer, the Greeks, if you look at the older Homer, which is the Iliad, in which Achilles doesn't do it, but the gods get Achilles to do it. Achilles is not agentic. A hundred years later, you've got Odysseus, the clever, wily, agentic person.”
“one major hypothesis, this is of Julian Jaynes' wonderful book called "The Bicameral Mind" about 50 years ago. He was a teacher of mine. Jaynes argued that consciousness itself, this thing inside of us”
“Well, my favorite book of yours is What You Can Change and What You Can't. And maybe not quite as obscure.”
“The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare was a little bit of a shame. Because I was such a fan of the book first. And I don't know whether you ever listened to the audiobook that's behind it, but the guy that did the audiobook has just got the most brilliant, classic, sort of 1940s, posh British accent.”
“and the author Robert Bly is a guy who has retold the story many times and this guy Robert spent his whole life basically working with men all around the world”
“And so she wrote a book about that called My Stroke of Insight about how she found her ways somehow logically as a as a scientist back to those sensations she had during her stroke.”
“Have you ever read his dark materials by Philip Pullman? Who? Philip Pullman. It's this kids book series called His Dark Materials.”
“It had the subtle knife in it, the golden compass. Oh. Uh, so it's it must be 30 years old.”
“So I listened to The Subtle Knife first, which is the second book. And uh it kind of makes sense.”
“I spoke to David Dada, you know, way of the superior man author. So, uh, illustrious longtime author and I I did his first podcast interview in over a decade”
“I suppose this is probably one of the advantages of a book like let's say Atomic Habits or Tiny Habits BJ Fogg”
“I suppose this is probably one of the advantages of a book like let's say Atomic Habits or Tiny Habits BJ Fogg”
Episodes
Link to this list from your show notes
Host or produce Modern Wisdom? Give your listeners every book mentioned on the show, with the episode it came up in. New episodes are added as they come out.
