Podcast
Stuff You Should Know book list: the books mentioned on the show
Key facts
- 561 books have been mentioned on Stuff You Should Know, as of November 7, 2026.
- 328 episodes of Stuff You Should Know mention at least one book, as of November 7, 2026.
- 7 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 7, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of Stuff You Should Know, as of November 7, 2026: 1491, Mein Kampf and Generation X.
- The latest episode of Stuff You Should Know with a book mention aired on November 7, 2026.
Updated
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Books from the latest episodes
Questions about books mentioned on Stuff You Should Know
What books were mentioned most on Stuff You Should Know?
The most mentioned books on Stuff You Should Know are 1491 by Charles C. Mann, Charles Mann (6 episodes), Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler (4 episodes), Generation X by Douglas Coupland (3 episodes), How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor (3 episodes) and 1493 by Charles C. Mann, Charles Mann (3 episodes), as of November 7, 2026.
What is the most recommended book on Stuff You Should Know?
1491 by Charles C. Mann, Charles Mann is the most recommended book on Stuff You Should Know, recommended in 5 episodes and mentioned in 6 episodes in all, as of November 7, 2026.
What books were mentioned on Stuff You Should Know this year?
In 2026, 153 books came up on Stuff You Should Know, led by 1491 by Charles C. Mann, Charles Mann (2 episodes), The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson (2 episodes), A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (2 episodes), The Iliad by Homer (2 episodes) and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (2 episodes), as of November 7, 2026.
Who recommends the most books on Stuff You Should Know?
Josh Clark has recommended the most books on Stuff You Should Know, with 74 books recommended across 70 episodes, as of November 7, 2026.
Most mentioned on Stuff You Should Know
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1491
Charles C. Mann's book 1491 was frequently recommended by Josh Clark on Stuff You Should Know. Clark described it as his favorite book of all time and recommended it to Chuck Bryant while discussing ancient land management, Amazon basin soil fertility, bat guano agriculture, and pre-Columbian Native American history. The hosts also mentioned Mann's follow-up book and his broader historical writing.
Recommended“So, Chuck, uh I I know that you know this, but not everybody knows this. I had a personal conversation with one Charles C. Mann who wrote my favorite book of all time, 1491.”
Where to get it
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Mein Kampf
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark and other hosts discussed Adolf Hitler's autobiographical manifesto 'Mein Kampf' across episodes in 2024 and 2025. The hosts mentioned the text when discussing Hitler's early artistic ambitions, his rejection from art school, and how he laid out his future plans in 1925. They also highlighted Hitler's citation of Henry Ford as an inspiration within the book to illustrate mutual anti-Semitic views and noted Hitler's claims regarding Esperanto.
Discussed“And what's what makes it a little worse though too is he wrote all this stuff out in in 1925 in my comp.”
Where to get it
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Generation X
Generation X by Douglas Coupland was brought up on multiple episodes of Stuff You Should Know. Hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant discussed the book while exploring the origin of the term Generation X and the cultural phenomena surrounding the demographic. They recommended the Coupland's text as a great read that successfully coined terminology for an overlooked generation.
Recommended“we got our name Generation X did from the Douglas Coupland book uh Generation X colon Tales for an Accelerated Culture, which is a great read. I urge everyone to read it.”
Where to get it
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How Star Wars Conquered the Universe
On various episodes of Stuff You Should Know, including holiday special selections, Josh Clark recommended and referenced Chris Taylor's book How Star Wars Conquered the Universe. Clark specifically cited an intriguing chapter in the book to provide listeners with background information and evidence regarding George Lucas's actual sentiments and public statements concerning the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.
Recommended“There's a book called How Star Wars Conquered the Universe that has a very interesting chapter about this. That's where we found it asserted that George Lucas never said that he would smash this thing with a sledgehammer.”
Where to get it
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1493
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended reading Charles C. Mann's 1493 as a reference for learning about the history of the passenger pigeon and bat guano usage. In another episode, Clark and Chuck discussed 1493 as a follow-up to the author's previous book, 1491, and noted that the author won a major award for the work.
Recommended“if you read 1493 or 1491, I can't remember which one it is, but both are excellent books by Charles C. Man, he talks about the passenger pigeon”
Where to get it
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MOBY-DICK; or, THE WHALE
Herman Melville's Moby-Dick was mentioned on Stuff You Should Know. Josh Clark noted he planned to read the classic novel on a friend's recommendation and later referenced Melville's detailed descriptions of ropes used in the whaling industry, while Chuck Bryant and Clark humorously discussed their friend Joey's affinity for the book.
Discussed“And there was a I guess in Moby Dick, still haven't read it yet. Melville talks about how um the rope was coiled so precisely by like a professional rope layer.”
Where to get it
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The Emerald Mile
Kevin Fedarko's book The Emerald Mile was discussed on Stuff You Should Know. Josh Clark referenced the book while exploring the history and record-breaking river runs of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. Clark also read an email from Michelle Grua, the wife of adventure subject Kenton Grua, which noted that the podcast hosts used Fedarko's book as a primary source for their episode.
Discussed“I appreciate that you obtained most of your information from Kevin's book, the Emerald Mile, which is for the most part accurate.”
Where to get it
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Awakenings
Oliver Sacks's book "Awakenings" came up on Stuff You Should Know when Josh Clark referenced it to explain the medical history of encephalitis lethargica patients and to illustrate the motivational role of dopamine. Clark brought up the work in multiple episodes, including "How Dopamine Works" and "The Mystery of the Sleepy Sickness," as well as the March 2026 select episode. He routinely connected the clinical anecdotes and research reported by Sacks in the book—and its subsequent movie adaptation—to broader discussions on motor control and the nigrostriatal pathway.
Discussed“It's very famously associated with dopamine for anybody who has read Awakenings or saw the movie.”
Where to get it
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The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby was discussed on Stuff You Should Know across multiple episodes. In December 2022, Josh Clark mentioned the book while examining how Dorothy Parker's social circle influenced prominent writers. In February 2023, Clark noted that Jay Gatsby was modeled after historical figure George Remus, who had met Fitzgerald. Later, in August 2025, Clark and Chuck explored whether the 1922 Hall-Mills murder case served as direct inspiration for the events and timing of The Great Gatsby.
Discussed“And yet some other people say, 'Hey, this might have even inspired The Great Gatsby in some ways.'”
Where to get it
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Coffin Moon
Charles Chuck Bryant recommended Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson on Stuff You Should Know, describing it as a great vampire and horror story following up the author's previous work, and encouraged listeners to check out the pre-sale for the release.
Recommended“And then I read his follow up to that, which was Cough and Moon, which was about a vampire story, which was great.”
Where to get it
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Fever House
On Stuff You Should Know, Charles Chuck Bryant recommended Keith Rosson's horror duology consisting of Fever House and The Devil by Name. Bryant described discovering the books while exploring horror fiction and praised both novels for their strong storytelling and emotional heart.
Recommended“I read his duology Devil by Name and Fever House, which was a zombie thing and both of those are great.”
Where to get it
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Searching for Bobby Fischer
On Stuff You Should Know, host Chuck Bryant suggested that Fred Waitzkin's Searching for Bobby Fischer could be a suitable alternative work for Josh's daughter. Previously on the podcast, Josh Clark had also strongly recommended the film adaptation when discussing chess prodigy Bobby Fischer.
Recommended“Searching for Bobby Fisher could be a good one, though, for her.”
Where to get it
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The Devil By Name
Keith Rosson's duology, including The Devil By Name, was recommended by Chuck Bryant on Stuff You Should Know. Chuck brought up the books while discussing his entry into horror fiction, describing The Devil By Name and its companion as great horror books featuring zombie elements.
Recommended“I read his duology Devil by Name and Fever House, which was a zombie thing and both of those are great.”
Where to get it
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The Devil In The White City
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson during episodes in March and September of 2026. Clark described it as a leading popular history book about the Chicago World's Fair and H.H. Holmes, noting that it ranked easily in the top five. He also mentioned that the book reproduced historical dinner menus from the era when planners were organizing the exposition.
Recommended“Have you ever read Devil in the White City? No, man. I still have not read that. You should read it. It's pretty good. But one of the things that the book does is it reproduces menus from these dinners that they had when they were planning the expo.”
Where to get it
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The Radioactive Boy Scout
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended Ken Silverstein's book The Radioactive Boy Scout, along with his original magazine article, as the definitive accounts of David Hahn building a backyard nuclear reactor. Clark detailed how Hahn earned an atomic energy merit badge and noted that the book later inspired another young scientist, Taylor Wilson.
Discussed“this story was... may have just gone fairly unnoticed as a pretty localized local newspaper item. If it hadn't have been found by a gentleman named Ken Silverstein who ended up writing a very large piece in Harper's Magazine and then a book called The Radioactive Boy Scout Colon, The True Story of a Boy in His Backyard Nuclear Reactor.”
Where to get it
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Merchants of Doubt
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark repeatedly recommended and discussed Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway. Clark brought up the book to illustrate the history of secret publicity campaigns and climate skepticism, explaining how think tanks have historically manufactured doubt to influence public perception.
Discussed“Well, plus also that it's been proven um I've mentioned that book before, The Merchants of Doubt that think tanks have been set up to basically influence public thought and point out like scientists aren't 100% certain, scientists aren't 100% certain.”
Where to get it
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The Jungle
Upton Sinclair's The Jungle was discussed on Stuff You Should Know in episodes from February and June 2024. Josh Clark recommended that listeners read the book to see how gross the historical meatpacking industry was. The hosts explored Sinclair's background as a socialist and examined how his firsthand accounts in the novel exposed the unsanitary conditions of Chicago meatpacking plants. They also emphasized the book's immense historical impact, noting that its publication in 1905 prompted public outrage and led directly to Congress passing the Pure Food and Drug Act the following year.
Discussed“it wasn't until that book you mentioned the jungle uh was published in 1905 that people like really sat up and took notice and Congress acted almost immediately passed the Pure Food and Drug Act the next year that's the impact that Upton St Clair's the jungle had”
Where to get it
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Zero Dark Thirty
On the Stuff You Should Know podcast, Josh Clark mentioned the film Zero Dark Thirty during an episode about manhunts, suggesting listeners watch it if they had not seen it yet. Later, in another episode regarding bomb disposal, Chuck Bryant mentioned the film again while discussing the director Katherine Bigelow.
Discussed“what else did she made besides Zero Dark 30”
Where to get it
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A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole's novel A Confederacy of Dunces was discussed on Stuff You Should Know in relation to famously unmade Hollywood scripts and project curses. On May 9, 2026, Josh Clark brought up the book while discussing cursed film adaptations that suffered numerous tragedies over the years. Later, on June 23, 2026, Chuck Bryant also mentioned the title during a conversation about interesting curses, noting that a film adaptation of the novel still has not been successfully made.
Discussed“A Confederacy of Dunces. And A Confederacy of Dunces still hasn't been made. I It's a very weird curse.”
Where to get it
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A Story of The Stone Age
Josh Clark mentioned H.G. Wells's 'A Story of The Stone Age' across two episodes of Stuff You Should Know. On November 28, 2023, in 'Plate Tectonics Are What Makes Earth Inhabitable,' Clark highlighted the 1897 story for accurately setting a narrative in Doggerland before its scientific discovery. He returned to the book on December 18, 2025, in 'Doggerland: Lost at Sea,' explaining that Wells wrote the story after hearing about early finds in the North Sea.
Discussed“he um heard about some of those finds and he wrote a story called the story of the stone age which is basically like there's a continent under the North Sea between the UK and Europe.”
Where to get it
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An Essay on the Principle of Population
Josh Clark mentioned Thomas Malthus's book on Stuff You Should Know across multiple episodes, discussing its influence on Charles Darwin's ideas of scarcity and competition, as well as historical perspectives on overpopulation and support for the poor following the agricultural revolution.
Discussed“Yeah, that was definitely um the book was called Essay on Principle of Population and that was like a super game changer”
Where to get it
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Born to Rebel
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark and the co-host discussed Frank J. Sulloway's 1996 book Born to Rebel while exploring the topic of birth order. They talked about how Sulloway conducted a meta-analysis of existing studies to argue for the significance of birth order in family dynamics and creative lives, while also noting that the book had faced sharp criticism and been dismissed by some scientists as pop psychology.
Discussed“And there was one guy in particular um who made a big splash in 1996 with a book called Born to Rebel. Yeah. Soloway. Yeah. Frank Soloway. Frank J. Soloway if you want to be fancy about it.”
Where to get it
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Etiquette
Emily Post's book Etiquette was discussed on Stuff You Should Know in September 2026, as well as in earlier episodes. Josh Clark and the podcast hosts detailed how Emily Post wrote the massive 619-page guide, officially titled Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home, published in 1922. The hosts explored its massive popularity and how it became the most successful etiquette guide of all time.
Discussed“And so you know, we like her and she ended up writing a 619 page book called etiquette colon in society and politics in business and at home.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone
Stuff You Should Know discussed Hunter S. Thompson's work, including Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone. In October 2024, Josh Clark mentioned Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to trace the origins of the QAnon adrenochrome myth. In May 2024, Clark referenced reading various Fear and Loathing titles during a freewheeling discussion.
Discussed“it seems to be based on a misinterpretation of what a dream Chrome does and where you get it based on um Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas because Hunter Thompson has basically a throwaway intimation that the adrenochrome that he does and goes on a crazy trip over um can only be gotten from the adrenal gland of a”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark brought up Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson in the episode "Q Anon: When Wild Conspiracy Went (sort of) Mainstream" to explain the origin of the QAnon adrenochrome myth through a throwaway intimation in the book. In the episode "10 - Yes, 10! - Dumb Criminals," the host and Josh Clark also mentioned reading Fear and Loathing while discussing Hunter S. Thompson and trying to recall other works by the author such as Rum Diaries or Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail.
Discussed“it seems to be based on a misinterpretation of what a dream Chrome does and where you get it based on um Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas because Hunter Thompson has basically a throwaway intimation that the adrenochrome that he does and goes on a crazy trip over um can only be gotten from the adrenal gland of a”
Where to get it
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Helter Skelter
Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry's book, Helter Skelter, was discussed on Stuff You Should Know by hosts Josh Clark and his co-host. The hosts described it as a 600-page definitive true crime book on the Manson family and their murders, created by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. They also recalled the book being a massive cultural phenomenon and a source of terror during their youth.
Discussed“in the case a guy named Vincent bugliosi who wrote a book called Helter Skelter like a 600 page book basically this the definitive True Crime book on the Manson family and the Manson family murders”
Where to get it
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In broad daylight
Harry N. MacLean's true crime book In Broad Daylight was discussed by Josh Clark on Stuff You Should Know in January 2024 and September 2025. Clark referenced the 1988 book to provide background on the murder of Ken McElroy in Skidmore, Missouri. He also noted that McElroy's former defense attorney, Gene McFaden, frequently purchased copies of MacLean's book, had the author sign them, and distributed them to state senate delegates.
Discussed“There has there's no shortage of content about Ken Mroy. Uh there was a book written in 1988 by Harry Mlan, a crime writer called In Broad Daylight. You know it's coming colon, a murder in Skidmore, Missouri.”
Where to get it
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Maus I: A Survivor's Tale
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark referenced Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus I: A Survivor's Tale in two different episodes. In December 2025, Clark mentioned the legendary book about fascism while discussing the author's surprising involvement in creating Garbage Pail Kids. In March 2024, Clark brought up Maus again while discussing how Charles Schulz's Peanuts comic reflected the creator's psyche, noting Spiegelman's observation that Schulz broke himself into child-sized pieces for his strip.
Discussed“art spiegelman the guy who created Mouse said that peanuts was Schultz breaking himself up into child-sized pieces and letting them go at each other for half a century”
Where to get it
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On the Origin of Species
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark discussed Charles Darwin's seminal book On the Origin of Species. Clark explored the full title of the work and examined how the book revolutionized human understanding and sparked public fascination in the nineteenth century.
Discussed“First of all the official title of the book is On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. Yeah. And that's why everybody calls it Origin of the Species.”
Where to get it
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Run, Rose, Run
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned the collaborative novel Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson. Clark highlighted the book as an example of Parton's diverse creative projects, describing it as a thriller loosely based on her experiences breaking into the music industry.
Discussed“And then another thing I saw Chuck, she wrote a book co-wrote a book with James Patterson, one of the best Oh wow. most favorite novelists in the entire world. It's called Run Rose Run and it's a thriller based kind of loosely on Dolly's story of of making it in the music biz.”
Where to get it
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The Canterbury Tales
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark brought up Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' in two separate episodes. In June 2024, Clark referenced the wife of bath to illustrate the literary trope of the merry widow. In August 2023, he mentioned reading the work in college while discussing Middle English.
Discussed“Like I think one appears in the Canterbury Tales Cher's Canterbury Tales the wife of bath I believe”
Where to get it
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The Catcher in the Rye
On Stuff You Should Know, co-host Josh Clark brought up J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye while discussing the life and works of the author as well as the murder of John Lennon. Josh explored the novel's massive 1951 publication impact, its autobiographical connections to Salinger's military school background, and his own habit of rereading it every decade. He also detailed Mark David Chapman's erratic obsession with the protagonist Holden Caulfield and how Chapman clutched a copy of the book immediately after shooting Lennon.
Discussed“this is sort of I guess where we can start talking about C The Catcher And The Rye”
Where to get it
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The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan was discussed on Stuff You Should Know by Josh Clark and the podcast host. The speakers referenced the book while exploring the writing of Judy Blume and examining ideological divisions during second-wave feminism, specifically highlighting historical infighting and differing factions within the movement.
Discussed“Like, all the stuff that Betty Friedan talked about in The Feminine Mystique is embodied in the writing of Judy Blume.”
Where to get it
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The Garden of Health
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned the 16th-century book The Garden of Health by William Langham to discuss the historical medicinal uses of dandelions. Clark referenced the full title of the work, which details the rare and hidden virtues of plants and simples applied in medicine for human health.
Discussed“There was a 16th century book, too. What was the name of that one? People call it Garden of Health because the full title of it is containing the sundry rare and hidden virtues of all kinds of simples and plants together with the manner of how they are used and applied in medicine for the health of man's body”
Where to get it
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The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark discussed Robert Brent's book The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments. In episodes aired in 2024 and 2026, Clark described how a young David Hahn received the book from his step-grandfather. The book sparked David's fascination with science and chemistry, particularly through the stories of Pierre and Marie Curie and their discovery of radium.
Discussed“He gave little David a book called The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments and little David was fascinated with science and chemistry but in particular with the stories of Mary and Pierre Curie and their radium discovery”
Where to get it
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The Iliad
On Stuff You Should Know, the hosts mentioned Homer's The Iliad across different episodes. One host cited the epic while discussing the ancient Greek origins of the word for dragon, while Josh Clark noted it as the prequel to The Odyssey, with both works attributed to Homer.
Discussed“The word itself is, well, you can look back to the Iliad when Homer wrote about the D-R-A-K-O-N, the dracon, which supposedly is the first known use of the word.”
Where to get it
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The Secret Doctrine
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned Helena P. Blavatsky's 1888 book The Secret Doctrine while discussing historical pseudoscientific theories about root races and how hypotheses like Lemuria transitioned into the New Age movement.
Discussed“she wrote a book called The Secret Doctrine came out in 1888 and by this time Lamria is not it's no longer like it's out of the realm of science. It's now into the new age movement.”
Where to get it
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The Wealth of Nations
On Stuff You Should Know, the hosts discussed Adam Smith's 1776 book The Wealth of Nations in episodes from 2024 and 2025. Josh Clark noted that Smith was heavily influenced by stoic thought regarding individual liberty when writing the book, while another episode explored the book's significant role during the Industrial Revolution.
Discussed“So, there have been a lot of people who have followed stoic thought like Adam Smith apparently was very much informed by stoicism when he wrote the wealth of nations because one of the big big aspects of it was individual liberty.”
Where to get it
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
On Stuff You Should Know, host Josh Clark discussed Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. Clark described the book as a major bestseller that introduced nudge economics, priming, and the dual systems of human cognition to the general public, while noting the author's background as a Nobel Prize-winning economist.
Discussed“Daniel Conorman came out with thinking fast and slow which was one of those super popular airport books, you know. Yeah. Thinking, fast and slow. Yes. Thank you.”
Where to get it
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To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was discussed on Stuff You Should Know by Josh Clark. Clark referenced the novel in an episode about the Wilmington Massacre, noting Atticus Finch's commentary on racial taboos in Southern culture regarding relationships between white women and Black men. He also brought up the novel in a separate episode covering numbers stations, using it as an example of a mutually agreed-upon literary reference that spies could utilize to encode and decode secret messages.
Discussed“And if you've ever seen or read To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch says this is the most taboo thing in all of Southern culture. A white person, a white woman specifically, willingly sleeping with a black man.”
Where to get it
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Uncle John's Bathroom Reader
On Stuff You Should Know, Chuck Bryant and Josh Clark mentioned Uncle John's Bathroom Reader by the Bathroom Readers' Institute. Bryant cited the book as his source for an anecdote about George Reeves, and both hosts discussed the publication while comparing the books they grew up reading during childhood.
Discussed“I learned this years ago from the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader, and I looked into it, and I think it actually may be correct.”
Where to get it
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Utopia
Josh Clark mentioned Thomas More's book Utopia on Stuff You Should Know to discuss historical contexts, including contemporary opposition to 16th-century sheep grazing and land enclosures, as well as the historical shift toward prison labor.
Discussed“Um, and then a guy named Thomas Moore wrote a book called Utopia. And he said, "There's a better way, people.”
Where to get it
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20th Century Ghosts
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghosts during the Short Stuff: Spooky Recommendations episode. He brought up the book while discussing Stephen King's short fiction and stated that it blew his father's work out of the water.
Recommended“And then his son Owen, whose pen name is Joe Hill, he has a great story, short story collection called 20th Century Ghosts that I think blows his dad out of the water.”
Where to get it
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A Spy Among Friends
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Kim Philby Greatest Liar of All Time, released on April 15, 2025, the hosts discussed the history of infamous spies. During the episode, the host gave a shout-out to a book by Ben Macintyre titled A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal, recommending it to listeners as a source for the topic.
Recommended“But uh Dave also wanted us to shout out and we want to shout out a book by Ben McIntyre, A Spy Among Friends, Colon Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal.”
Where to get it
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A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby And The Great Betrayal
On the April 15, 2025 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Kim Philby: Greatest Liar of All Time?, Josh Clark brought up A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby And The Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre, John Lee, and John le Carré during the introduction. He mentioned that his co-host Dave wanted to shout out the book to the listeners.
Recommended“But uh Dave also wanted us to shout out and we want to shout out a book by Ben McIntyre, A Spy Among Friends, Colon Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal.”
Where to get it
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And Then There Were None
On Stuff You Should Know, hosts Josh Clark and Chuck Bryan discussed Agatha Christie's literary works in the episode "Selects: Agatha Christie: Queen of the Murder Mystery." Chuck Bryan mentioned starting her early novel "The Mysterious Affair at Styles," while Josh Clark specifically discussed "And Then There Were None," noting the extensive revisions the novel underwent in both the United States and Great Britain.
Recommended“I started reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which I think was her first published work um last night, and it's just great. She just sucks you right in like you she does what's um she creates in a lot of books, not all of them, but she creates what's called a cozy mystery with an S because it's British.”
Where to get it
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Backyard fairies
On Stuff You Should Know, the hosts recommended Phoebe Wahl's children's book series Backyard Fairies, highlighting it as a wonderful read about fairies for children.
Recommended“what was that that was the series I think I I think it's backyard fairies okay I might be wrong though you sounded like you knew what it was a second ago well I'm I'm looking yeah yeah backyard fairies by Phoebe wall Wahl it it's wonderful”
Where to get it
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Beloved
On the Stuff You Should Know episode The Brutal History of Prison Labor on December 2, 2025, Josh Clark recommended Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. The recommendation came up while the hosts were discussing the harsh and brutal conditions associated with historical chain gangs.
Recommended“Um have you ever read a beloved Tony Morrison novel? I feel like I have to say yes.”
Where to get it
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Biblical
On the September 9, 2025 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled The Man with the Golden Arm, a listener named Joshua Ernsburgger wrote in to correct a previous episode by referencing Rob Halford's book Biblical. The listener cited a chapter titled Denim and Leather to explain that Halford's love for the style and its transition into a heavy metal uniform originated from bands like Saxon rather than spawning a leather fetish.
Recommended“In his own book, Biblical Heavy Metal Scriptures has a chapter called Denim and Leather, where he speaks about how although it did spawn a leather fetish, his love for denim and leather came from bands other bands like Saxon who wore the combination and turned it into a heavy metal uniform of sorts.”
Where to get it
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Blackfish
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended the documentary Blackfish while discussing the behavior and care of marine life. Clark pointed the audience toward the film to emphasize its significant cultural impact, which ultimately forced SeaWorld to alter its business model regarding captive orcas.
Recommended“That was largely thanks to the documentary Blackfish, which if you've never seen that, go watch it right now.”
Where to get it
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Building Houses out of Chicken Legs
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Juicy: The Fried Chicken Story, Josh Clark brought up Building Houses out of Chicken Legs by Psyche A. Williams-Forson. Clark mentioned the American studies scholar's book to discuss the history of Black women supporting themselves after emancipation by selling fried chicken.
Recommended“there was a um a a woman American study scholar named psyche Williams forson who wrote a book basically so this chicken made this house or this house was made by chicken yeah it was called building houses out of chicken legs colon black women food and power”
Where to get it
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City on a Grid
Josh Clark brought up Gerard Koeppel's book City on a Grid during an episode of Stuff You Should Know. He credited the work as a wonderful source that provided a significant amount of information for their writer Dave Roos while researching the history of how New York City was planned and built.
Recommended“Yeah, and we should also point out Dave got a lot of his information from a really wonderful book called City on a Grid {colon} How New York Became New York by Gerard Koeppel.”
Where to get it
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Classic Ghost Stories
On Stuff You Should Know, host Josh introduced Algernon Blackwood's Classic Ghost Stories during the 15th Annual SYSK Halloween Spooktacular. Josh read aloud the title and author of the first featured tale of the episode, identifying it as The Woman's Ghost Story.
Book club“What's it called? This is 'The Woman's Ghost Story' by Algernon Blackwood.”
Where to get it
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Claudette Colvin
Josh Clark mentioned the book Claudette Colvin by Phillip Hoose on the Stuff You Should Know episode Selects: Rosa Parks: Agent of Change. He brought up the text to highlight efforts to shine light on lesser-known figures of the civil rights movement through recent literature.
Recommended“there's a book by the way called claudet koven colen twice toward Justice from Phil who or H and uh I think a lot of people these days are trying to shine a little light on some of the Lesser known figures of the civil rights movement and books are being written and stuff like that”
Where to get it
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Coercive control
On the podcast Stuff You Should Know, the hosts discussed the book Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life by Evan Stark during an episode dedicated to the invisible basis of abuse. Josh Clark noted that Stark was a sociologist who wrote this foundational book in 2007, highlighting that Stark's work on the entrenchment of women in personal life was truly great.
Recommended“and he wrote a book in 2007 uh called coer of control colon of course the entament of women in personal life”
Where to get it
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Crooked House
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know in April 2025, Josh Clark mentioned Agatha Christie's novel Crooked House. While discussing Christie's extensive literary catalog and its 2017 film adaptation, Clark praised the book, noting that it is widely regarded by readers as one of her most ingenious and inventive works.
Recommended“Um, have you seen the Agatha Christie film adaptation of Crooked House that came out in 2017?”
Where to get it
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Dazed
On the Stuff You Should Know episode The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Masterpiece, aired on October 28, 2025, Josh Clark brought up the book Dazed by Vanessa Morgan. Josh mentioned that he had recently read the oral history book and described it as a great work that served as a similar piece of media to the film Dazed and Confused.
Recommended“I read the Days and Confuse oral history recently. That's a great book. Um that was sort of a similar movie.”
Where to get it
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Development as Freedom
Amartya Sen's Development as Freedom was referenced on Stuff You Should Know by the hosts. They cited the Nobel Prize-winning economist's work to support their discussion on the causes of famines and how authoritarian systems experience them.
Discussed“Economist named Maria sin wrote a book called development is freedom and basically kind of backs up what we're talking about”
Where to get it
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Discovering Griffith Park
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned Casey Schreiner's book Discovering Griffith Park while discussing how to secure good views of the Hollywood sign. The hosts noted that the book served as a source of information for their episode.
Recommended“and there's a book that that was written by an author named Casey Schreiner called discovering Griffith Park colon a Local's guide and um how stuff works talk to Casey Schreiner and um he said that that you can get all sorts of really good views of the Hollywood sign”
Where to get it
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Drunk Tank Pink
During the February 17, 2026 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled How Crowds Work, Josh Clark read an email from a listener named Hannah. The listener recommended Adam Alter's book Drunk Tank Pink. Clark shared the recommendation with the audience, noting that the book dives into the psychology behind the color pink and suggesting that both co-hosts would find the subject super interesting.
Recommended“Uh there's a book called Drunk Tank Pink by author Adam Alter that dives into the psychology behind it. And I think you would both find this super interesting.”
Where to get it
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Eating While Black
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know released on December 27, 2022, host Josh Clark recommended Psyche A. Williams-Forson's book Eating While Black. Clark praised the new release, noting that it explores the African diaspora and its influence on the foods eaten by Black people around the world, particularly in America, while addressing the subjects of food shaming and race.
Recommended“because she has a new book out this year that looks great it seems like she really explores um sort of the diaspora and how that affected foods that black people ended up eating sort of around the world especially in America and there's a new one called eating while black food shaming and race in America”
Where to get it
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Fear and Fury
On the podcast Stuff You Should Know during the episode titled The NY Subway Vigilante published on June 11, 2026, Josh Clark recommended the book Fear and Fury by Heather Ann Thompson. Clark suggested the work to listeners who wanted to learn more about the historical context surrounding the episode's topic.
Recommended“If you want to know more about Bernard Gets, uh, you could start with those two books that came out recently that Chuck just mentioned. Um, Five Bullets by Elliot Williams and Fear and Fury: The Reagan 80s, The Bernard Gets Shootings, and The Rebirth of White Rage by Heather Anne Thompson.”
Where to get it
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Free to Learn
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Selects: How Free Range Parenting Works on February 24, 2026, Josh Clark mentioned the book Free to Learn by developmental psychologist Peter Gray. Clark discussed the book while exploring the evolutionary importance of free play for children and noted that Gray also co-founded a nonprofit called Let Grow.
Recommended“There's another guy uh named Peter Gray. He's a developmental psychologist. Um he has a book called Free to Learn and founded a nonprofit, I believe, with uh yeah, Skynazi called Let Grow.”
Where to get it
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G-Man
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark brought up Beverly Gage's 2022 biography G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of an American Century during an episode about J. Edgar Hoover. Clark credited the book as a valuable historical source that provided information used by researcher Livia for the episode.
Recommended“and also to a writer and this Olivia got some information from this um this great book a historian named Beverly Gage from Yale University wrote a book in 2022 called G man colon mhm Jay Edgar Hoover and the making of an American Century”
Where to get it
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Gary Meets Marge the Barge
On the 2024-06-25 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled 'Whistling!', the hosts discussed the children's book 'Gary Meets Marge the Barge' by Jessica Chang. The book came up when the hosts highlighted a listener named Jessica Chang from Brooklyn, New York, who wrote the story centered around the concept of New York City trash, praising the project as a great book idea.
Recommended“Uh that is from uh, Jessica Chang in Brooklyn, New York and Jessica's book is Gary meets Marge the Barge, that's awesome, congratulations Jessica, that's a great book idea.”
Where to get it
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Gong This Book! The Uncensored History of Television's Wildest Talent Show
On Stuff You Should Know, during the episode The Catacombs of Paris released on February 4, 2025, host Josh Clark read a listener message from Mike Burger. The listener wrote in to correct a historical error about the Gong Show and expressed a wish that the hosts had consulted Adam Nedeff's book Gong This Book! The Uncensored History of Television's Wildest Talent Show, noting it was written by a television historian.
Recommended“I had hoped you use gong this book uh as one of your sources as it was written by a real life uh TV historian named Adam uh nedf”
Where to get it
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Good-bye Mr. Chips
During the October 11, 2025 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Selects: How Schoolhouse Rock Rocked: Featuring Bob Nastanovich of Pavement, Josh Clark mentioned the novel Good-bye Mr. Chips by James Hilton. Josh brought up the great book while discussing the executive naming choices for the computer season of Schoolhouse Rock.
Recommended“What about the Goodbye, Mr. Chips, that great book? And he went, No one's ever read that. What's a book?”
Where to get it
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Hidden Pictures
On Stuff You Should Know, Charles Bryant recommended Jason Rekulak's horror fiction novel Hidden Pictures. After mentioning a different book he disliked, Bryant praised the novel as a New York Times bestseller and described its premise to listeners.
Recommended“But I did read another pretty good one called hidden pictures. It is a horror fiction novel by Jason Rekulak. And it was a New York Times bestseller.”
Where to get it
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Hooper Humperdink ... ? Not him!
On Stuff You Should Know, host Josh Clark mentioned the book Hooper Humperdink ... ? Not him! by Dr. Seuss during an episode about Theodore Geisel. Clark identified the work, published under a pseudonym, as one of his personal favorite books.
Recommended“actually one of my favorite books um Hooper Humperdink not him is written by Theo Le”
Where to get it
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How to fix a broken heart
How to Fix a Broken Heart by Guy Winch was referenced on Stuff You Should Know in March 2024. The hosts, including Josh Clark, used the psychologist's book to provide actionable breakup advice, specifically emphasizing Winch's first tip to stay away from social media while recovering from a split.
Recommended“but that's that's tip number one from psychologist guy winch author of how to fix a broken heart stay the H off of social media”
Where to get it
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If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies
On the November 4, 2025 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled What To Do With All This Nuclear Waste?, Josh Clark brought up the book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares. He recommended it to listeners, noting that it provides a very straightforward and clear example of how artificial intelligence could quickly get out of control. Clark used the book to illustrate serious concerns regarding the rapid and reckless advancement of AI technology.
Recommended“I can't let an opportunity pass to shout out if anyone builds it, everyone dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares. It's so good where they just lay out the a very straightforward example of how AI could just get out of control”
Where to get it
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Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.?
On the podcast Stuff You Should Know, host Josh Clark recommended the book Is It You, Me, or Adult A.D.D.? by Gina Pera during the second part of their ADHD episode. Clark mentioned the work as a more balanced look at ADHD compared to overly positive depictions.
Recommended“there's a a researcher named Gina Pera who came out with a much more balanced look it seems like a ADHD called is it you me or do ADHD”
Where to get it
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It
It by Stephen King was discussed on Stuff You Should Know during the episode Selects: What's a quinceañera anyway?. A listener wrote in during the listener mail segment to highly recommend Stephen King's novel as their absolute favorite. The podcast hosts used this email to debate whether the movie adaptation altered its plot elements to capitalize on the popularity and style of Stranger Things.
Recommended“Stephen King is by far my favorite author and it is my absolute favorite of his novels highly recommend”
Where to get it
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Les Miserables
Josh Clark mentioned Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables on Stuff You Should Know while discussing the literary legacy and real-life historical inspirations behind the characters in the episode The Criminal Father of Criminology.
Recommended“one of my favorite names they use him as inspiration if you read the book Le M Rob or go see that uh Broadway show if you see that awesome movie and uh and you cry every time an Hathaway sings like I do”
Where to get it
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Less
On Stuff You Should Know, host Josh Clark brought up the novel Less by Andrew Sean Greer in a March 2024 episode dedicated to the Pulitzer Prize. Clark shared that he selects novels by browsing past Pulitzer winners, and he praised Greer's 2018 winning book as being both very funny and great.
Recommended“I picked this book because that's sometimes when I'm after novel and it's been a while I will go to the Pulitzer list and that's exactly what I did and I'm reading less by Andrew Shan Greer which won in 2018 and it is so funny and great”
Where to get it
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Little People, BIG DREAMS
The children's book series Little People, BIG DREAMS by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Lisbeth Kaiser was recommended on Stuff You Should Know in September 2024. Josh Clark mentioned the series as a favorite he had been reading to his daughter, praising its brutally honest approach to presenting great women in history.
Recommended“and then also I want to shout out a book series called Little People Big Dreams and it's a kids book series that we've been reading to my daughter in fact it's kind of all she wants to read right now”
Where to get it
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Malcolm X Speaks
During an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Malcom X, released on March 26, 2026, Josh Clark discussed Malcolm X Speaks by Malcolm X. Josh recommended the book, describing it as a really great collection of Malcolm X's speeches.
Recommended“Um also, I've seen that Malcolm X Speaks is a really great book. I think it's his collected speeches.”
Where to get it
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Medical Education in the United States and Canada,... by Abraham Flexner...
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark discussed Medical Education in the United States and Canada, also known as the Flexner Report, by Abraham Flexner. Clark described the text as 346 pages of muckraking gold published as Carnegie Foundation bulletin number four and recommended that listeners read it.
Discussed“the way he wrote uh in what was called Carnegie Foundation bulletin number four or medical education in the United States and Canada aka Flexner report was that uh very muckreking style.”
Where to get it
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More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
During an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Short Stuff: Alternative Libraries released on April 23, 2025, Chuck Bryant briefly mentioned the book More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz. Bryant noted that the sequel book is also very good before pivoting back to a discussion about Little Free Libraries.
Recommended“Yeah, there's also more scary stories to tell in the dark pretty much equally good. Uh, so maybe we should flip it and start with Little Free Libraries since I mentioned that one first as insp.”
Where to get it
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Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled The Story of Rudolf Diesel, host Josh Clark recommended Douglas Brunt's biographical book for listeners who wanted to learn more details about Rudolf Diesel and his engine before transitioning into listener mail.
Recommended“if you want to know more about Diesel and his engine then just go read uh Douglas brunt's book on it”
Where to get it
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Near Dark
On Stuff You Should Know, host Josh Clark briefly mentioned Near Dark by Stacey Abbott while discussing vampire cinema and director Kathryn Bigelow, recommending the movie to the audience.
Recommended“she did a movie a vampire movie called near dark back in the day it was great oh yeah and uh yeah you should see that one too”
Where to get it
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Night Shift
On the 2026-10-21 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Short Stuff: Spooky Recommendations, Josh Clark brought up Stephen King's early short story collections while sharing spooky reading recommendations. Although he could not remember the exact title, Clark recalled a collection featuring a cover with a bandaged hand and an eye in the middle of the palm, a description pointing to Stephen King's Night Shift.
Recommended“I like the earlier ones like Skeleton Crew or whatever the other one is. I can't remember. It had like a bandaged hand with the eye in the middle of the palm.”
Where to get it
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Night-side
On March 7, 2026, during an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Selects: How Spiritualism Works, Josh Clark recommended Night-side by Joyce Carol Oates. Clark praised the nineteen-seventies short story collection as bone-chillingly good, telling listeners to look it up.
Recommended“It's called Night-Side. It's a short story. It's the same title as a collection of her short stories from the '70s. I think 1977. Um Night-Side, look it up and thank me later. It's seriously just bone-chilling how good it is.”
Where to get it
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No Mud, No Lotus
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark mentioned in a January 2025 episode that he was rereading the slim volume No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh. Clark discussed how the book helped him understand how to confront suffering and recognize it as an essential counterpart to happiness.
Recommended“I'm reading this really amazing book by tikn Han right now I'm rereading it actually it's one of those ones you just kind of go back and reread very like easy slim volume it's called No mud no Lotus and it basically says like without suffering you can't have happiness and vice versa”
Where to get it
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Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Selects: Geodesic Domes: The Wave of the Future That Wasn't released on February 17, 2024, Josh Clark brought up Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by R. Buckminster Fuller. Clark mentioned the book to explain that the name spaceship earth originated from Buckminster Fuller's essay, noting that listeners could find the PDF for free online to understand Fuller's work.
Recommended“the name spaceship earth comes from a Bucky Fuller essay kind of a Nolla called an operating manual for spaceship earth and you can find the PDF for free on the and get a pretty good idea of Bucky Fuller's whole Jam”
Where to get it
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Paper Ghosts
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know in October 2026, Josh Clark recommended Sarah Addison Allen's novel Paper Ghosts. Following a listener mail shout-out, Clark encouraged all listeners to go out and purchase a copy of the book.
Recommended“that's right everyone go out and get a paper ghosts yeah”
Where to get it
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Parable of the Talents
On the Stuff You Should Know podcast, during an episode in June 2023, the host mentioned Octavia E. Butler's works, noting that a series she wrote in the 1980s was followed by Parable of the Sower, which came out in 1993 and was the work that initially drew widespread attention.
Recommended“she also had um a series called the xenogenesis series from the 80s parable of the SE was the beginning of a a series that she wrote in I think it came out in 1993 and that was the one that got everybody's attention”
Where to get it
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Playing Dead
On the Stuff You Should Know episode "Faking Your Own Death: We All Do It, But Why?" released on May 20, 2025, host Josh Clark brought up Elizabeth Greenwood and her book Playing Dead. Clark gave a major shout out to the author, identifying her as a creative writing professor at Columbia and describing her work as the most exhaustive look at pseudocide ever created.
Recommended“um we should probably give a pretty big shout out at the outset here um to Elizabeth Greenwood. She's an author. I think her day job is a creative writing professor at Colombia. Uh but she wrote a book which as far as I can tell is the most exhaustive look at pseudocide anyone's ever created. Um the her book”
Where to get it
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Popped Culture
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended Andrew F. Smith's book Popped Culture in May 2025, describing it as the definitive text on the history and culture of popcorn.
Recommended“And uh check out that book by Andrew Smith, Pop Culture, because it's the definitive toe on popcorn.”
Where to get it
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Powerslave
On Stuff You Should Know in June 2024, co-host Josh Clark recommended looking at the album cover for Iron Maiden's Powerslave. Clark suggested the artwork to listeners as a visual representation of what the Great Pyramid of Giza likely looked like in antiquity when it still featured its smooth casing stones.
Recommended“if you want to see kind of probably what it looked like just go look at the Iron Maiden Power Slave album cover”
Where to get it
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Remember with me
On Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark recommended the memoir Remember With Me by Ruth Lyons, encouraging listeners to read the 1969 book by the television pioneer.
Recommended“I would encourage anybody to go read her memoir Remember With Me from 1969 and on the cover it's got a cute little like a bouquet with a microphone sticking out of it. So we're not going to get into that much. I would just say read the read the book.”
Where to get it
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Scream
On the June 24, 2026 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Short Stuff: Why does it feel good to be scared?, Josh Clark recommended Scream by Margee Kerr. Clark brought up the book to highlight scientific research into the psychological appeal of fear, noting that Kerr co-authored the work alongside Dr. Greg Siegel from the University of Pittsburgh to explore why people enjoy haunted houses and scary experiences.
Recommended“There've been people that research this stuff. There's a book that we want to shout out called Scream Scream with an exclamation point uh from uh Margee Kerr and her colleague Dr. Greg Siegel, who is director of uh for the cognitive neuroscience program at University of Pittsburgh.”
Where to get it
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SCUM Manifesto
On Stuff You Should Know, Chuck Bryant recommended the SCUM Manifesto by Valerie Solanas while discussing the life and work of Andy Warhol. Bryant noted that the manifesto is definitely worth reading and mentioned that he had spoken about it previously on the show.
Recommended“author of the scum Manifesto which is definitely worth reading I think I've mentioned before on the show”
Where to get it
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Self-Care for People with ADHD
On the 2024-11-07 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled ADHD pt 2, Josh Clark brought up the book Self-Care for People with ADHD by Sasha Hamdani. Clark recommended Dr. Sasha Hamdani's book as a great resource for people with ADHD, noting that the author herself has the condition and wrote the guide to help others.
Recommended“Dr MD Sasha hamdani she has ADHD herself and she wrote a book called self-care for people with ADHD”
Where to get it
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Sensation and Perception
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Selects: How Perfume Works, released on January 7, 2023, the host gave a shout-out involving a textbook contribution. The host mentioned that Rachel Herz, one of the co-authors of Sensation and Perception, wrote a chapter titled 'Perfume' for the book Neurobiology of Sensation and Reward.
Recommended“and by the way I want to give a shout out Rachel Hertz wrote a chapter for the book neurobiology of sensation and reward which is a gas in general”
Where to get it
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Skeleton Crew
On the Stuff You Should Know episode "Short Stuff: Spooky Recommendations" released on October 21, 2026, Josh Clark recommended Stephen King's early short story collection Skeleton Crew when discussing favorite horror anthologies to read.
Recommended“But let me know what you think of whatever Stephen King book you read. Do you have a particular short story or anthology of his that you can recommend? I like the earlier ones like Skeleton Crew”
Where to get it
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Starvation Heights
On an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled The Story of Starvation Heights, released on May 26, 2026, Josh Clark recommended Starvation Heights by Greg Olsen and Gregg Olsen. Clark mentioned that the 1997 book served as the primary source material for the episode's story.
Recommended“Yeah, there's a book uh that a lot of this came from uh from 1997. It's called Starvation Heights by a local named Greg Olsen. Uh so shout out to Greg Olsson in that book.”
Where to get it
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Subway Art
During the November 26, 2025 episode of Stuff You Should Know titled Graffiti: So Cool It's A Pillar of Hip Hop, Josh Clark brought up Subway Art by Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant. Clark mentioned the photography book as a recommended and frequently seen resource for beginners who are looking to learn more about graffiti culture.
Recommended“One with a photographer named Martha Cooper called Subway Art. I've also seen newbies referred to that book, too.”
Where to get it
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
During an episode of Stuff You Should Know titled "Malcom X" released on March 26, 2026, co-host Chuck Bryant brought up The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X, noting that he read the book, co-authored with Alex Haley, in college after watching the 1992 film adaptation. At the conclusion of the episode, co-host Josh Clark recommended that listeners read the autobiography themselves.
Discussed“So, I saw the movie in '92 and then read the autobiography that with Alex Haley Mhm.”
Where to get it
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The Baby Thief
On the April 25, 2024 episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh Clark discussed Barbara Bisantz Raymond's book The Baby Thief, noting its subtitle about Georgia Tann, the baby seller who corrupted adoption. Clark mentioned that the book was being optioned by Octavia Spencer and recommended that listeners read it to learn more about the crimes of Georgia Tann.
Discussed“option that book that we were talking about who who was the author again uh Barbara bance Raymond and the book she wrote was baby Thief colon un the untold story of Georgia Tan comma The Babys seller who corrupted adoption”
Where to get it
The next 300 books mentioned on Stuff You Should Know, ranked
- The Bell Witch by Pat Fitzhugh
- The Bizarre Careers of John R Brinkley by R. Alton Lee
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- The Poison Squad by Deborah Blum
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- The Red Room by H G Wells
- The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
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- The Wreckage of My Presence by Casey Wilson
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- Wide Awake and Dreaming by Julie Flygare
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- ... In Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus
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- A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words by John Camden Hotten
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- A Dictionary of Saintly Women by Agnes Baillie Cuninghame Dunbar
- A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson
- A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates - from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence to the present year by Captain Charles Johnson
- A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson
- A Memory of Solferino by Henry Dunant
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- Eyewitness by DK Publishing
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- I Am a Fugitive from a Georgia Chain Gang! by Robert Elliott Burns
- I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
- Iggie's House by Judy Blume
- In a Dark Place by Ray Garton
- In Retrospect by Robert S. McNamara
- In the shadow of man by Jane Goodall
- In the unlikely event by Judy Blume
- Inferno by Dante Alighieri
- Infinite jest by David Foster Wallace
- Irish Fairy and Folk Tales by William Butler Yeats
- James Beard's & Hors D'oeuvre And Canapes by James Beard
- Jane Fonda's workout book by Jane Fonda
- Jim Fixx's Second Book of Running by Jim Fixx
- Jogging by William J. Bowerman
- John Brown's Body by Stephen Vincent Benét
- Joint public hearing, California Legislature, Senate Committee on Health and Welfare and Assembly Committee on Health in the matter of adulteration of over-the-counter drugs--the Tylenol poisonings by California. Legislature. Senate. Committee on Health and Welfare.
- Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer
- Judy Blume by Mark Oppenheimer
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Just Kids by Patti Smith
- Kamasutra by Vātsyāyana
- Killdozer! by Theodore Sturgeon
- Kim by Rudyard Kipling
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Las Vegas, City of Sin? by Richard Blackburn Taylor
- Letters to Judy by Judy Blume
- Lifeboat Ethics by Garrett James Hardin
- Light Ahead for the Negro by Edward Austin Johnson
- Little Johnny Jones by George M. Cohan
- Little Sister by Lana Wood
- Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
- Lost Horizon by James Hilton
- Love Drugs by Brian D. Earp
- Magic Eye by N. E. Thing Enterprises
- Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison
- Man's Search For Ultimate Meaning by Victor Frankl
- Marathon running by James Edward Sullivan
- MASH by Richard Hooker
- MASH Goes to Maine by Richard Hooker
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
- McNamara's Folly by Hamilton Gregory
- Meditations by Aurelius Marcus
- Metamorphoses by Ovid
- Moby Dick by Herman Melville
- More Than a Legend by Constance Whyte
- Murder by witchcraft by Donald McCormick
- Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie
- My Life with Bonnie and Clyde by Blanche Caldwell Barrow
- My Quest for the Yeti by Reinhold Messner
- Natural History by Pliny the Elder
- Neurobiology of Sensation and Reward by Jay A. Gottfried
- Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen
- Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger
- Not Born Yesterday by Hugo Mercier
- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
- Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
- Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot
- On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
- On Life After Death by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
- On the Art of Cutting Metals by Frederick Winslow Taylor
- On the Construction, Organization, and General Arrangements of Hospitals for the Insane by Thomas Story Kirkbride
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- On Thermonuclear War by Herman Kahn
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
- Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great by Judy Blume
- Paradise Lost by John Milton
- Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
- Photographs of British Algae. Cyanotype impressions. [The preface signed: A. A., i.e. Anna Atkins.] by Anna Atkins
- Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to Women by Elizabeth Blackwell
- Pooh and the Philosophers by John Tyerman Williams
- Poor Richard's Almanac by Benjamin Franklin
- Poplorica by Martin J. Smith
- Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Psycho by Robert Bloch
- Psychological Types by Carl Jung
- Pursuit of D.B. Cooper by J. D. Reed
- Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
- Pygmalion in the classroom by Robert Rosenthal, Lenore Jacobson
- Ralph 124C 41+ by Hugo Gernsback
- Remains Concerning Britain by William Camden
- Revelations of a Spirit Medium by Charles F. Pidgeon, Elijah Farrington, Harry Price, Eric John Dingwall
- Rewards by Anita L. Archer
- Richard III by William Shakespeare
- Richard III by Unknown
- Richard III by Paul Murray Kendall
- Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
- Roots by Alex Haley
- Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss
- Seduction of the Innocent by Fredric Wertham
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- Shogun by James Clavell
- Siebenkäs 3 by Jean Paul
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Unknown
- Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
- Smart Women by Judy Blume
- South! by Ernest Shackleton
- Speech and Brain Mechanisms by Wilder Penfield, Lamar Roberts
- Speech and Brain-Mechanisms. By W. Penfield and Lamar Roberts. [With a Bibliography.]. by Wilder Penfield
- Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters
- Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
- Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon
- Stuntman! by Hal Needham
- Summary of Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard Thaler, Cass Sunstein, better me
- Summer sisters by Judy Blume
- Superfudge by Judy Blume
- Surrender by Bono
- Surya Siddhanta by Bharadwaj Sudhikant
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
- Tartuffe and the Bourgeois Gentleman by Molière
- The ^AOxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets by Unknown
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [12 stories] by Arthur Conan Doyle
- The adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
- The Amber Room by Catherine Scott-Clark
- The American College by Abraham Flexner
- The American Plate by Libby O’Connell
- The Anarchist Cookbook by William F. Powell, William Powell, William Powell, Peter M Bergman
- The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
- The Andy Warhol Diaries by Andy Warhol
- The Anomalies by Joey Goebel
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- The Beanie Baby Phenomenon by Peggy Gallagher
- The Bell Curve by Richard J. Herrnstein
- The Big Sort by Bill Bishop, Robert G. Cushing
- The Billion Dollar Monopoly Swindle by Ralph Anspach
- The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner
- The Book of Hallowe'en by Ruth Edna Kelley
- The Book of Household Management by Isabella Beeton
- The Book of revelation by Rupert Thomson
- The book of the cow by Unknown
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
- The Burning by Tim Madigan
- The burning bed by Faith McNulty
- The Case for the UFO: Unidentified Flying Objects by M. Jessup
Guests who recommended books
Latest mentions
“So it was, I get the impression from this, this biographer, Paul Hendrickson, the book he wrote, by the way, is called Dreams and Furies of Frank Lloyd Wright. And it's like 600 pages, I believe.”
“And if you've ever seen or read To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch says this is the most taboo thing in all of Southern culture. A white person, a white woman specifically, willingly sleeping with a black man.”
“So I'd take it, you never heard the crucible. I did read the crucible, but I read it in the context. And that didn't do it. No, it really didn't.”
“That's when he finally got the name, the Grim Reaper, and it came from a Christian devotional text called "Circle of Human Life." That's where the name Grim Reaper originally came from.”
“Death is actually a main character who comes to become very fond of humans and is kind of an offbeat take on Death. Death rides a horse, a pale horse, but the horse is named Binky, and Death has a granddaughter named Susan.”
“I read his duology Devil by Name and Fever House, which was a zombie thing and both of those are great.”
“I read his duology Devil by Name and Fever House, which was a zombie thing and both of those are great.”
“And then I read his follow up to that, which was Cough and Moon, which was about a vampire story, which was great.”
“But I did read another pretty good one called hidden pictures. It is a horror fiction novel by Jason Rekulak. And it was a New York Times bestseller.”
“But let me know what you think of whatever Stephen King book you read. Do you have a particular short story or anthology of his that you can recommend? I like the earlier ones like Skeleton Crew”
“I like the earlier ones like Skeleton Crew or whatever the other one is. I can't remember. It had like a bandaged hand with the eye in the middle of the palm.”
“And then his son Owen, whose pen name is Joe Hill, he has a great story, short story collection called 20th Century Ghosts that I think blows his dad out of the water.”
“And that published as a unit the next year, and almost all of the characters were in this first group, and they all had their distinct personalities”
“There was a book in 1995 called Pooh and the Philosophers where all of the characters are sort of written about too as embodying all the famous philosophers. Plato, Kant, Descartes, Pooh was Nietzsche.”
“There was a book in 1995 called Pooh and the Philosophers where all of the characters are sort of written about too as embodying all the famous philosophers.”
“If you want to be reminded of your humanity every once in a while, just go read the last chapter of the House of Pooh Corner. It's the second of the only two actual Winnie-the-Pooh story collections that A.A. Milne wrote.”
“Bill Bishop, he's from Texas, he wrote a book called The Big Sort and he kind of makes a really good point that it's become a shorthand of not just a leaning of a state but sort of a lifestyle”
“that's right everyone go out and get a paper ghosts yeah”
“according to that book Uplift that we mentioned earlier, uh, despite Victoria's Secret and its history, uh, women have really been key to the development of bras in the United States.”
“And Noseratu, the actual 1920s film starring Max Shrek was not authorized by Bram Stoker's estate. So it wasn't based on Bram Stoker's Dracula. It was Nosatu. Instead, this was based on Bram Stoker's version”
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