Podcast
Ryan Holiday's book list: the books mentioned on The Daily Stoic
Key facts
- 627 books have been mentioned on The Daily Stoic, as of November 8, 2026.
- 317 episodes of The Daily Stoic mention at least one book, as of November 8, 2026.
- 136 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 8, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of The Daily Stoic, as of November 8, 2026: Meditations, The 48 Laws of Power and The Obstacle Is the Way.
- The latest episode of The Daily Stoic with a book mention aired on November 8, 2026.
Updated
For centuries, all sorts of people—generals and politicians, athletes and coaches, writers and leaders—have looked to the teachings of Stoicism to help guide their lives. Each day, author and speaker Ryan Holiday brings you a new lesson about life, inspired by the thoughts and writings of great Stoic thinkers like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca the Younger. Daily Stoic Podcast also features Q+As with …
Books from the latest episodes
Most mentioned on The Daily Stoic
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Meditations
Marcus Aurelius's Meditations was featured across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday repeatedly praised the book, noting that a cheap copy bought at age twenty profoundly transformed his personal and professional life, and recommended it as essential reading for all leaders. Holiday also recounted losing his heavily annotated personal copy on a flight and discussed the text as the emperor's private notes and philosophical practice. Additionally, Jaimie Alexander referenced Meditations on the podcast as a tool that helped her connect with her inner self.
Discussed“He reminded himself in those very same pages of meditations the reasons why he was here on this planet, what his nature demanded of him, what his duty was.”
Where to get it
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The 48 Laws of Power
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday and guests frequently recommended and discussed Robert Greene and Joost Elffers's The The 48 Laws of Power across multiple episodes between 2020 and 2026. Holiday recommended the book as a protective guide against manipulation and reflected on reading it in high school. He and Robert Greene also analyzed specific principles from the book, such as never outshining the master, appealing to self-interest, and historical anecdotes from the Peloponnesian War.
Discussed“It's interesting, the apprentice thing, because it connects to two laws and the laws of power, I think. Tell me what you think. Number one, never outshine the master.”
Where to get it
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The Obstacle Is the Way
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday's book The Obstacle Is the Way frequently arose through guests and host reflections. Contributors like Arishankar Muthenadi, Ali Abdaal, Brooke Wells, and Stefi Cohen cited the book as influential in adopting Stoic principles, shaping business goals, and managing fear, while Holiday and Robert Greene also discussed its core concepts across multiple episodes.
Recommended“I read, The Obstacle is the Way. I read, Ego is the Enemy. Stillness is the Key. Courage is Calling. And gradually, I realized these books weren't really teaching me how to control life.”
Where to get it
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The Daily Stoic
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and various guests discussed Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman's book The Daily Stoic. Guests including Jaimie Alexander, Brennan Cordell Smith, and Arishankar Muthenadi described reading the book daily as part of their Stoic practice, while Holiday discussed his realization about the common good and reflected on how the page-a-day format mirrors Stoicism.
Recommended“And sometimes that reminder, those daily Stoic messages, both, all of us actually have Ryan's Daily Stoic, and we go through that, and it helps us kind of keep grounded. It's a great way to start the day.”
Where to get it
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The Odyssey
Ryan Holiday discussed The Odyssey by Homer across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic in 2026. He recommended reading and rereading multiple translations, highlighting the poem as a core text of ancient wisdom and Stoic philosophy. Holiday used the epic to illustrate themes of mentorship, leadership, discipline, and avoiding hubris, while also noting that Admiral Stockdale read it on the advice of Epictetus.
Discussed“he was reading not just Epictetus and not just the Stoics, but he was reading the Odyssey and the Iliad because Epictetus had said that students needed to be familiar with those works, too.”
Where to get it
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Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning was discussed and recommended across several episodes of The Daily Stoic. Guests such as Chip Conley and Michael Gervais cited it as a favorite book and the ultimate work of psychology to illustrate the space between stimulus and response and the power of personal case studies. Ryan Holiday recommended it as a stoic-driven philosophy resource, while Mel Robbins, Sharon McMahon, and Arthur Brooks referenced the book to discuss adversity, the difficulty of applying wisdom during stress, and the search for purpose.
Discussed“Every time you look at someone's story, I think of Victor Frankle. Yeah. You look at all these stories and you go, it's the same.”
Where to get it
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A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion
Throughout several episodes of The Daily Stoic in late 2026, Ryan Holiday and various guests discussed A Selection from the Discourses of Epictetus with the Encheiridion by Epictetus. Holiday frequently cited passages from the Discourses to illustrate Stoic teachings, while guests such as Brennan Cordell Smith and an attendee in a bonus episode noted how the text influenced their study of philosophy and personal lives. Holiday also recommended the Discourses as a follow-up text to the Enchiridion.
Recommended“And just two days after her high school graduation, I fell down the stairs. I ruptured my quadricep and my tricep. And so I entered the world of Epictetus. And poor Ruby has dealt with me saying, sweetheart, you have to read the Enchiradian, you have to read the Discourses.”
Where to get it
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The War of Art
Steven Pressfield's The War of Art was frequently discussed and recommended on The Daily Stoic. Host Ryan Holiday recommended the book to various guests, including Camila Cabello and Brooke Wells, describing it as an exceptional guide to the creative process and noting that he rereads it when starting new projects. Christina Pazsitzky also named it her favorite book. Additionally, Steven Pressfield appeared as a guest to discuss his work, and Holiday referenced the book's concept of resistance in conversations with other guests.
Discussed“But then I have another one another sort of war of art type book that I'm starting on now.”
Where to get it
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Ego Is the Enemy
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday's book Ego Is the Enemy came up frequently across multiple episodes. Listeners, guests, and Holiday himself discussed discovering the book during periods of personal search, using its principles to keep their egos in check while navigating creative work and public success, and reflecting on its enduring impact on their lives and careers.
Recommended“I believe stoicism found me. I was searching for self and trying to find answers to questions that I thought had to be answered, and by finding truth, I found Ryan's work through Ego as the Enemy, and it changed everything and how I look in life.”
Where to get it
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The Great Gatsby
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday discussed F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby across multiple episodes. In September 2026, he named it the greatest American novel when asked which book every American should read. He also referenced its opening lines regarding privilege and judgment, compared buying books by the foot to a library scene in the novel, and cited a moment where a character misses a pivotal turning point. Holiday noted that he has read the book many times throughout his life.
Recommended“I mean, this is an obvious pick, but I think Gatsby is the greatest American novel, maybe the greatest one in English.”
Where to get it
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Gates of Fire
Across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic between 2022 and 2026, Ryan Holiday, James Stavridis, and author Steven Pressfield discussed Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. Holiday and Stavridis praised the novel's timeless quality and recommended it for understanding combat and courage, while Pressfield reflected on writing the historical fiction to explore themes of honor.
Discussed“It's like for me writing Gates of Fire and setting a story in ancient Greece with the Spartans, the part of the reason I did that was so you could talk about honor with a straight face.”
Where to get it
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Enchiridion
On The Daily Stoic, Epictetus's Enchiridion was discussed across multiple episodes. Ryan Holiday recommended it as an accessible starting point before tackling the Discourses, and also used it to examine passages on handling abuse, comparing the philosopher's lecture hall to a hospital. Holiday additionally recounted how Philip Rhinelander handed the book to James Stockdale, changing Stockdale's life. Other guests and hosts, including Maria Semple and Sam Harris, referenced the Enchiridion to discuss Stoic teachings, practical applications, and core principles.
Recommended“And just two days after her high school graduation, I fell down the stairs. I ruptured my quadricep and my tricep. And so I entered the world of Epictetus. And poor Ruby has dealt with me saying, sweetheart, you have to read the Enchiradian, you have to read the Discourses.”
Where to get it
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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Ryan Holiday repeatedly brought up Charlie Mackesy's book across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic, noting that he frequently read it to his children and highlighting its memorable message that asking for help is an act of refusing to give up rather than giving up.
Recommended“There's that book. I read it to my kids many times. The boy, the fox, the horse, and the mole. He says, asking for help isn't giving up. It's refusing to give up.”
Where to get it
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Atomic Habits
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday frequently recommended James Clear's book Atomic Habits, praising its focus on small choices that trigger explosive positive changes. Holiday highlighted the dual meaning of the title and recommended the work to guests like Brooke Wells, who noted it as a book that impacted her. Later episodes featured discussions on how the book's structure emerged during the writing process and its massive commercial success relative to other nonfiction titles.
Discussed“And I remember I was talking to James Clear like a year ago and I asked him when did he come to the four parts of Atomic Habits. It was like he had finished the book.”
Where to get it
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Mastery
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday and guests such as Robert Greene and Sam Parr frequently recommended and discussed Mastery by Robert Greene across episodes spanning from 2020 to 2026. Parr shared how the book transformed his perspective on trade and career, while Holiday and Greene explored its core concepts during conversations about mentorship, discovering a life's task, and navigating early-career apprenticeships successfully.
Discussed“And I remember, because you, during the mastery one, you asked me if there was a, you were like, I don't want you to transcribe these interviews anymore.”
Where to get it
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Stillness Is the Key
Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday was mentioned across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Guests such as Tony Gonzalez, Camila Cabello, John Mackey, and Arishankar Muthenadi discussed reading the book on their personal journeys, with Gonzalez and Cabello highlighting how it helped them navigate professional struggles and mental health crises. Host Ryan Holiday also discussed the publication timeline and shared specific anecdotes from the text in subsequent episodes, while audience members connected its themes of recovery to their own lives.
Recommended“I read, The Obstacle is the Way. I read, Ego is the Enemy. Stillness is the Key. Courage is Calling. And gradually, I realized these books weren't really teaching me how to control life.”
Where to get it
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Letters from a Stoic
Letters from a Stoic by Seneca was frequently referenced on The Daily Stoic by host Ryan Holiday, guests Karen Duffy and Sebastian Junger, and caller Brennan Cordell Smith. Holiday recommended specific translations and used Seneca's correspondence with Lucilius to illustrate lifelong philosophical study. Guests like Duffy cited the letters as an inspiration for their own writing, while callers noted the text as a cornerstone of their studies.
Discussed“which then led to Epictetus' Discourses and the letters from the Stoic of Seneca. And from there on, I just took a deep dive into it.”
Where to get it
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Range
David J. Epstein's book Range was discussed on The Daily Stoic across multiple episodes in 2021, 2023, and 2026. Host Ryan Holiday repeatedly brought up the book to guests like Chris Bosh and Adrian Grenier, praising it and describing it as a parenting book in disguise that highlights the benefits of diverse interests, constraints, and creativity. In September 2026, David Epstein himself appeared on the show and reflected on the challenges he faced in setting boundaries around the project despite its widespread success.
Recommended“There's a book behind you. I was just thinking about when I think of you, one of my favorite books range. Have you read range?”
Where to get it
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How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson was discussed on The Daily Stoic by host Ryan Holiday, guest Troy Baker, and listener Timothy Ryan. Timothy Ryan credited the book with drawing him to Stoicism, while Holiday repeatedly recommended the work and cited Robertson's vivid descriptions of historical Rome and the plague during discussions on Marcus Aurelius.
Recommended“I was drawn to stoicism about six years ago after reading How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robinson.”
Where to get it
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Yes to Life
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday, Arthur Brooks, and Brad Stulberg discussed Viktor E. Frankl's posthumously published lecture and essay collection Yes to Life across several episodes. The hosts and guests recommended the book to listeners, highlighting its subtitle and exploring its perspective on finding joy, purpose, and tragic optimism amidst difficult circumstances like the pandemic.
Discussed“It made me think of the Victor Franco essay collection that they did a couple of years ago, which is called Yes to Life. And the subtitle is in spite of everything.”
Where to get it
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Discipline Is Destiny
On The Daily Stoic, Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday was discussed across multiple episodes by the host, attendees, and guest Steven Pressfield. Speakers shared how the book inspired their approach to work and recovery, and Pressfield recommended the work to listeners while discussing the theme of discipline.
Recommended“Jocko Willink had a book out, Discipline is Destiny, and he had Ryan on there, and I listened to that podcast, and it really resonated with me, so I looked into it, and then I found Discipline is Destiny, and I got hooked.”
Where to get it
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A Farewell to Arms
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday and guests such as Rich Cohen and Kevin Rose frequently discussed Ernest Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms. The speakers referenced the book to explore various topics, including Hemingway's extensive drafting process and alternate endings, his poetic writing style that resists AI replication, and his famous philosophical quote about how the world breaks everyone.
Discussed“Have you looked at the alternate endings for a farewell to arms?”
Where to get it
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Dying Every Day
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday, Brigid Delaney, and H.R. McMaster discussed James Romm's biography Dying Every Day. The speakers praised the book as an extraordinary account of Seneca and Nero's court, reflecting on Seneca's complex motivations and drawing personal parallels to the compromises they faced during professional restructuring and leadership challenges.
Discussed“In Dying Every Day, Seneca at the Court of Nero, the historian James Romm tells the fascinating story of how this happened. How one of Rome's greatest philosophers became entangled with its worst emperor.”
Where to get it
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The Laws of Human Nature
The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene featured prominently across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday repeatedly referenced the book over several years, recommending it in reading lists, analyzing its 600-page length and unexpected commercial viability, and using its core premise—that people prefer to deny reality rather than accept human nature—to explore psychological themes with various guests.
Recommended“It's one lesson a day from all of his books. 33 Strategy of War, Laws of Human Nature, 48 Laws of Power, Art of Seduction, Mastery.”
Where to get it
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Good Inside
Dr. Becky Kennedy's parenting book Good Inside was frequently recommended by Ryan Holiday on The Daily Stoic. Holiday praised it as one of his favorite parenting books, emphasizing that its core concept—accepting that children are good inside despite difficult behavior—profoundly impacted him and his wife. He regularly urged listeners to read the work, noting that its focus on emotional regulation, repair, and reframing expectations aligns closely with Stoic philosophy.
Recommended“She's a founder of Good Inside, the host of the Good Inside podcast, the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Good Inside, one of my favorite parenting books.”
Where to get it
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A Calendar of Wisdom
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and other guests recommended Leo Tolstoy's A Calendar of Wisdom across several episodes, praising it as a timeless collection of favorite quotes and Stoic wisdom. Holiday also noted that the Soviet Union suppressed the book because of its Christian religious themes.
Discussed“I think it's stupid that the USSR banned and suppressed Tolstoy's a calendar of wisdom for its religious content, right, because it had Christian themes in it”
Where to get it
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Deep Work
Cal Newport’s Deep Work was discussed and recommended across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Host Ryan Holiday recommended the book to listeners for its lessons on concentration and time blocking, noting that political and business leaders read it regularly. Guest Jonathan Haidt also mentioned utilizing the book in his flourishing class at New York University to teach students strategies for managing attention and combating distractions.
Recommended“My friend Cal Newport wrote this great book a few years ago called Deep Work. He says deep work is the key to success, the key to contentment, the key to meaning and happiness.”
Where to get it
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The Great Influenza
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended John M. Barry's The Great Influenza as an incredible book that helped him understand pandemics by looking back at history, arguing that everyone should have read it at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a later episode, Holiday and guest Brad Stulberg briefly revisited the book while discussing the history of the Spanish Flu.
Recommended“whose name I'm also forgetting, wrote an incredible book about this specific founder who we don't.”
Where to get it
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Good to Great
On The Daily Stoic across multiple episodes, Jim Collins's book Good to Great received extensive discussion. Ryan Holiday recommended it as an important business book and noted that copies were available at his bookstore. Jim Collins appeared on the show to discuss how writing the book changed his life, while guests like Les Snead and Ryan Holiday utilized its concepts, such as level five leaders and the Stockdale Paradox, to examine leadership and resilience.
Recommended“Jim Collins, good to great. This one's very important.”
Where to get it
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Team of Rivals
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended Team of Rivals as an absolute must-read regarding Abraham Lincoln's leadership and his skill in managing a difficult cabinet. Holiday returned to the book in multiple episodes, discussing its epigraph with Doris Kearns Goodwin, while guest Jefferson Fisher also brought up the work to highlight Lincoln's strategy of incorporating political rivals into his administration.
Recommended“And then Team of Rivals, absolute must-read, Lincoln's genius as a wielder of an unwieldy cabinet.”
Where to get it
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The Brass Check
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday frequently discussed and recommended Upton Sinclair's The Brass Check. Across multiple episodes between December 2022 and August 2025, Holiday described it as an all-time favorite about media and industrial propaganda, a 1913 expose on journalism that deeply influenced his understanding of media history, and a text illustrating conflicts of interest in journalism.
Discussed“I'd been deeply influenced by this book that I read, we still carry on the painted porch today, called The Brass Check by Upton Sinclair”
Where to get it
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Lives of the Stoics
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday's book "Lives of the Stoics," co-authored with Stephen Hanselman, came up across multiple episodes. In an episode titled "Your Obligation Remains The Same," Holiday cited the book while recounting the resistance of the senator Helvidius against Emperor Vespasian. In an earlier episode featuring Robert Wright, Holiday shared an anecdote from the book about the Stoic philosopher Diotimus. Furthermore, General H.R. McMaster mentioned the work as one of his favorite titles by the host, and Ryan Holiday reflected on an annual personal tradition of beginning a new book around the same time each year.
Discussed“So it went for Helvidius, a senator who we profile on Lives of the Stoics, when the emperor Vespasian tried to stop him from criticizing him. It is in your power not to allow me to be a member of the Senate”
Where to get it
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The diary of a young girl
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday repeatedly brought up Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl across episodes between December 2021 and October 2026. Holiday referenced the diary to discuss the stress of journaling during frightening times, introduced Anne Frank's line about paper being patient, and used her story to illustrate how talented young people were wrongfully deprived of their opportunities due to systemic persecution.
Recommended“I'm sure many of you read Anne Frank's diary when you were in school. You've heard of it. She has this great line in her diary that I think about.”
Where to get it
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Trust Me, I'm Lying
On multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic, guests and host Ryan Holiday frequently discussed the book Trust Me, I'm Lying. Comedian Drew Michael recommended it as a frequently gifted read, Judge Frederic Block recalled reading it after meeting the author, and Garland Robinette shared how his staff insisted he read it, prompting him to invite Holiday onto his show. Additionally, Ryan Holiday reflected critically on the book, noting that he might rewrite it or choose not to publish it given his young age when he wrote it.
Discussed“You know, trust me, I'm lying. I like the title. Yeah. So I read it.”
Where to get it
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Catch-22
Ryan Holiday and Mark referenced Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. The hosts used a famous anecdote involving Heller and Kurt Vonnegut discussing wealth and enoughness to illustrate lessons on money and life.
Discussed“Like, yes, he wrote Catch-22, but that's not the only book that he wrote.”
Where to get it
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The 50th Law
The 50th Law by 50 Cent and Robert Greene was discussed on multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Robert Greene mentioned hiring Ryan Holiday when he needed help with the book. Ryan Holiday cited the work to talk about maintaining a direct connection with the audience, and also referenced it while discussing his mentor's career, as well as the use of the first person in Greene's writing.
Discussed“So, you were on a short leash and I needed somebody, I guess, for the 50th law, but you seemed, I don't know, probably something, I'm a little bit intuitive about people's non-verbals.”
Where to get it
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The Secret
On The Daily Stoic, Whitney Cummings mentioned reading Rhonda Byrne's The Secret while discussing her early ambitions and vision boards. Conversely, Ryan Holiday and Steven Pressfield critiqued the book as a mainstream self-help text, arguing against its manifestation and law of attraction concepts in favor of hard work.
Discussed“like i was very i was reading the secret”
Where to get it
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Everything Happens for a Reason
Kate Bowler's book Everything Happens for a Reason was highlighted on The Daily Stoic by host Ryan Holiday. Holiday frequently recommended the book, praising it during guest introductions and noting its subtitle, which addresses common, unhelpful phrases people offer to individuals facing cancer.
Recommended“My favorite book of hers is Everything Happens For A Reason and Other Lies I've Loved. Let's get into it with Kate.”
Where to get it
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The inner citadel
Pierre Hadot's book The Inner Citadel came up across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday recommended the work while explaining stoic concepts and discussing how modern philosophy approaches Marcus Aurelius. Additionally, Brigid Delaney brought up the book to illustrate how to properly read Marcus Aurelius's meditations as a spiritual exercise.
Recommended“and then I went back to p p Hado who did did this great um did this kind of great sort of introduction as to how to read meditation this is the inner Citadel right”
Where to get it
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Thinking in Bets
On The Daily Stoic across multiple episodes, Ryan Holiday repeatedly recommended Annie Duke's book Thinking in Bets in relation to risk management and decision-making. Annie Duke also appeared as a guest on 2022-10-19 to discuss a study mentioned within the book.
Recommended“Andy Duke talking about this thinking in bets.”
Where to get it
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Papyrus
Irene Vallejo's Papyrus was discussed on The Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday recommended the book to Ezra Klein and praised it as an incredible read about the history of literature and books. In another episode, guest Francis Ford Coppola referenced Vallejo's work while discussing the history of paper, early writings, and how ancient scrolls were stored in specific boxes.
Recommended“Well, so you the first one you already read. No, I'm not sure if I fully so I Uh, this book is great. Have you read this? Yeah. Okay. I thought this was incredible. So good. So good. All right, well then if you've read this one then the other one I would give you is papyrus by Irene Vallejo”
Where to get it
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Sailing True North
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday frequently recommended and cited Admiral James Stavridis's book Sailing True North. Holiday used the book to explore the voyage of character, discuss William Bligh's temper, and illustrate a story about Chester Nimitz and how leaders handle atypical mistakes. Admiral James Stavridis also appeared on the podcast to discuss the lives of ten admirals featured in the book.
Recommended“I really like Admiral James Stavridis, his book Sailing True North and To Risk It All.”
Where to get it
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So Good They Can't Ignore You
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended Cal Newport's So Good They Can't Ignore You to emphasize the importance of focusing on getting skilled at one's work. During a subsequent episode featuring Cal Newport, both Holiday and Newport discussed the book while exploring concepts related to career autonomy and professional satisfaction.
Recommended“My friend Cal Newport has a book. I'll give it to you in there. It's called um So Good They Can't Ignore You.”
Where to get it
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The Creative Act
Ryan Holiday frequently recommended The Creative Act by Rick Rubin on The Daily Stoic, praising it as an incredible read. Rick Rubin also appeared on the podcast to discuss how many of the core principles in the book originated from his experimentation in the music studio.
Recommended“i thought his book uh the creative act a way of being is also really good”
Where to get it
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The Fish That Ate the Whale
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday frequently discussed and recommended Rich Cohen's biography The Fish That Ate the Whale. Holiday highlighted the book as one of his favorite biographies, praising its writing and noting that certain passages spoke to him across a fifteen-year gap. He mentioned the work across multiple episodes, including in October 2026 and June 2025, while reflecting on reading habits and profiling Samuel Zemurray, one of the founders of United Fruit.
Recommended“This is actually written with Rich Cohen, who's one of my favorite writers, who did this book, Fish That Ate the Whale, about the Samuel Zamuri, who starts as the little guy...”
Where to get it
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The Storm Before the Storm
The Storm Before the Storm by Mike Duncan was highlighted on The Daily Stoic across episodes in December 2022, November 2023, and September 2024. Ryan Holiday frequently recommended the historical book to discuss the collapse of Roman Republic norms and the lesser-known events leading up to Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon.
Recommended“one of my favorite books is this book called The Storm before the storm and uh the idea is that we kind of just see Caesar Crossing the Rubicon one day as if it it just popped into his head as if there wasn't all this history and all these other events leading up to this other major event yes”
Where to get it
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What Made Maddy Run
Kate Fagan's book What Made Maddy Run was discussed on The Daily Stoic. In episodes from March and September 2022, Ryan Holiday brought up the book to examine the immense pressures placed on elite collegiate athletes and the severe difficulty of quitting activities they hate. In an episode from March 2022, Fagan joined the podcast to discuss her work, noting that while the book has a long shelf life, it is tethered to the specific era of social media. Holiday also referenced the text to highlight family communication failures surrounding mental health.
Recommended“i had kate fagan on the podcast who wrote this amazing book called what makes maddie run about this collegiate runner who ended up committing suicide the tragedy the book i felt when i was reading it was this girl is super talented i think running division one cross country and she hates it like she hates the program”
Where to get it
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Bury the Chains
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday and guest Mark Manson discussed Adam Hochschild's book Bury the Chains across multiple episodes, including Why Everything is F*cked | Mark Manson and conversations with Kermit Roosevelt III and John Mackey. The speakers used the book to illustrate the history of the British abolitionist movement led by figures like Thomas Clarkson, noting how the transatlantic slave trade was sustained by everyday consumer habits such as sugar consumption.
Recommended“and so Adam hos child has an amazing book on this called bury the chain”
Where to get it
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It's Better to Be Feared
Seth Wickersham's It's Better to Be Feared was discussed on The Daily Stoic in relation to the New England Patriots dynasty. Ryan Holiday recommended the book alongside Wickersham's other works, and the author appeared on the podcast in late 2025 to reflect on his reporting on Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Holiday also referenced the book during a separate episode while discussing sustainable team environments.
Recommended“American Kings is great, and his book on the Patriots is great as well.”
Where to get it
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Painting as a Pastime
Painting as a Pastime by Winston S. Churchill was brought up multiple times on The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday. In episodes from July 2023, September 2024, and May 2025, Holiday referenced the book to discuss the necessity of therapeutic hobbies for public figures, the value of creative outlets, and the importance of learning to be bad at something new.
Discussed“Churchill wrote this book called Painting as a Pastime. Have you read it?”
Where to get it
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The 33 Strategies of War
On The Daily Stoic, Robert Greene's The 33 Strategies of War came up in multiple episodes. In October 2021, Robert Greene discussed incorporating seduction stories into the book. Later, in November 2025, the host recalled coming across the story of the Battle of Marathon within its pages, and in October 2026, Ryan Holiday strongly recommended the book as an incredibly powerful read.
Recommended“I'd also throw in Robert Greene's stuff. 33 Strategy of War. This is an incredibly powerful book...”
Where to get it
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The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time
Across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and Eric Holder discussed books in various contexts. Ryan Holiday shared his admiration for a guest's book by describing it as very interesting, and also spoke about the general writing and creative decision-making process, while Eric Holder referenced concepts presented in a book regarding the Obama coalition and the subsequent political backlash.
Discussed“Then when it's done and there are no more creative decisions to be made, and the book is written, you may not have the final final version of it, but you know exactly what the book is. You've said what you want to say, and you feel good about it; that would be the first time to think about, okay,”
Where to get it
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The Nineties
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and Robert Greene discussed Chuck Klosterman's book The Nineties across multiple episodes. They explored themes such as the passage of time, the cultural landscape leading up to September 11th, and how Klosterman defined the decade.
Recommended“Chuck cluster wrote a great book called The 9s and he was sort of talking about how”
Where to get it
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The Power Broker
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday discussed Robert A. Caro's The Power Broker as an example of an ambitious, lengthy book. Holiday also mentioned the book to illustrate the massive amount of content Caro famously cut out during the editing process.
Recommended“One of the the the series I'm proudest of reading, uh not just Robert Caro's The Power Broker, but series on Lyndon Johnson.”
Where to get it
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The Right Stuff
On The Daily Stoic, Tom Wolfe's book The Right Stuff was brought up multiple times. Ryan Holiday and Rich Cohen discussed the book to illustrate John Glenn's calm demeanor and surprisingly low heart rate while waiting for blast-off in the spacecraft.
Discussed“So it's another great thing for me in a book is in the Tom Wolf book, The Right Stuff, where he's got the astronauts sitting upside down in the capsule waiting for the blast off.”
Where to get it
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The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera's novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being was mentioned by Ryan Holiday across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic between 2022 and 2026. Holiday cited a specific passage from the book in which a character states that digging a half-buried crow out of the ground is more important than writing a political petition. Holiday used the quote to illustrate the Stoic philosophy of prioritizing small, kind local actions over abstract political anxiety.
Discussed“There's a great line in Milan Kundera's book, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where this woman she they're living in a time of communism and repression.”
Where to get it
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“The” History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday cited Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire to illustrate Harry Truman's extensive reading habits and to examine how historical timescales challenge modern immediacy biases.
Discussed“And he had read all of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire several times. He was always reading two or three books at a time...”
Where to get it
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Mein Kampf
Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf was referenced on The Daily Stoic in discussions regarding banned books and historical publications. Ryan Holiday named the book as an example of a very bad piece of literature while arguing against book banning, and later recounted Eisenhower’s view that more people should have read it before World War II to understand what was coming. Additionally, Timothy Denevi mentioned the historical publication of an unauthorized English edition by Stackpole and Sons during an episode featuring an interview with him.
Discussed“I mean, look, mine comp is one of the worst books ever written. Now, book banning is itself and evil.”
Where to get it
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On Anger
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday repeatedly referenced Seneca's work on anger across multiple episodes, such as the bonus episode in October 2026 and an episode in March 2026, to illustrate the negative consequences of impulsive behavior and why leaders cannot afford to make decisions while angry. Additionally, guest Brigid Delaney discussed reading Seneca's On Anger on an October 2024 episode, reflecting on the Stoic view that anger is entirely destructive.
Discussed“Seneca on anger, Book 3, Chapter 4, Verse 4”
Where to get it
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The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday and Rich Cohen discussed Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Holiday noted that he was asked to write an introduction for the book and used it to draw historical parallels between the 1960s psychedelic movement and modern internet culture.
Discussed“He gave Tom Wolf all the stuff, the reporting that became electrocolate acid test.”
Where to get it
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The Moviegoer
On The Daily Stoic, Walker Percy's novel The Moviegoer was discussed by Ryan Holiday and Rich Cohen. Ryan Holiday referenced the book to illustrate the human search for truth and meaning, while also connecting the Percy family and Southern stoicism, and Rich Cohen talked about the challenges of adapting the novel into a film.
Discussed“So how could you ever make a good movie a good movie of the movie goer?”
Where to get it
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The Road
On The Daily Stoic, guests and the host frequently brought up Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road across multiple episodes. Troy Baker mentioned the book while discussing emotional reading experiences, and Sebastian Junger noted that he reread the novel at the beginning of the pandemic. Ryan Holiday also discussed the book in conversation with Junger, noting that while he was a huge admirer of McCarthy, he did not consider The Road to be the author's best work.
Discussed“um believe it or not I didn't cry in the road um the book or the movie we don't talk about the movie we'll talk about the book”
Where to get it
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The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck was referenced on The Daily Stoic across different episodes. Ryan Holiday discussed the book's massive sales success compared to his own work, analyzed the true meaning of its title regarding what people should care about, and referenced its use of the Dave Mustaine story.
Discussed“like my ego is the enemy came out basically the same month as the subtle art of not giving a and yeah that book probably cumula cumulatively has sold more than all of my books combined”
Where to get it
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Dr. Jennifer Baker and Ryan Holiday discussed Adam Smith's The Theory of Moral Sentiments across multiple episodes. They explored the philosophical concepts related to an impartial observer, the influence of stoicism on economic and moral philosophy, and Adam Smith's duality as both a pioneer of capitalism and an author focused on morality.
Discussed“it's like have you read um a theory of moral sentiments yeah it's so hard for me cu the stoicism comes in and out”
Where to get it
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Thyestes
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday cited Seneca's play Thyestes in multiple late-2026 episodes. Holiday used lines from the play and references to Seneca's life, exile, and tutorship of Nero to reflect on the consequences of human actions, the lessons learned from suffering, and the value of silence.
Discussed“The news came one day that Seneca was to be exiled. Yet some eight years later, a letter came recalling him to Rome to tutor the future emperor.”
Where to get it
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Zen in the Art of Archery
On The Daily Stoic across multiple episodes, Ryan Holiday and guests referenced Eugen Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery to discuss the importance of ignoring outcomes, setting targets out of one's mind, and focusing purely on the process.
Discussed“when people talk about you know effort not the you know outcome or in Zen In The Art of archery they talk about ignoring the target”
Where to get it
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American Kings
Seth Wickersham's American Kings was recommended on The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday. In late 2025 and 2026, Holiday praised the book as a great read during discussions with the author and promoted its availability through The Painted Porch.
Recommended“American Kings is great, and his book on the Patriots is great as well.”
Where to get it
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Deliver Me from Nowhere
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday enthusiastically discussed Warren Zanes's book Deliver Me from Nowhere, which focuses on Bruce Springsteen making his album Nebraska. Holiday brought up the book to highlight a courageous artistic pivot, noting that he had been raving about it and recommending it to guests such as Tom Segura.
Recommended“Are you at, like, I love this book, I've been raving about it. Um, deliver me from nowhere, about Bruce Springsteen making Nebraska.”
Where to get it
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Empire of the Summer Moon
S. C. Gwynne's book Empire of the Summer Moon was discussed on The Daily Stoic. Host Ryan Holiday and guest Paul Kix both expressed high praise for the book, referencing it while discussing history, misguided projects, and specific moments in Comanche history that the author expanded into a full-length work.
Recommended“And then this one, I don't know if you read Empire of the Summer Moon, which is an incredible book, SCU, one of Texas's great writers”
Where to get it
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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Jack Weatherford's Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World was discussed on The Daily Stoic. Ryan Holiday praised the work as an incredible book, sharing memories of purchasing his copy and highlighting how it successfully reframed a misunderstood historical figure.
Recommended“well I you know I I still have my copy of of Genghis Khan in the making of the modern world which has got to be 15 years old now I I bought I know I bought this at the borders in uh Union Square in New York City and it it was just such a fascinating Incredible Book because”
Where to get it
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Go Gentle
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday and guest Maria Semple discussed Semple's Stoicism-inspired novel Go Gentle across multiple episodes in 2026. Holiday introduced the book and its connection to Stoicism, while Semple discussed writing the novel and recounted how Oprah Winfrey ultimately selected it as a book club pick after seeing a specific scene involving young boys.
Recommended“Well, if you've read Maria Semple's new book, Go Gentle, it's this novel inspired by Stoicism.”
Where to get it
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Grit
Angela Duckworth's book, Grit, came up across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. In an episode on January 10, 2022, Ryan Holiday spoke with Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead and suggested reading the book to prepare for professional headwinds and challenges. Later, in an October 17, 2026 episode, Holiday referenced the title while discussing Duckworth's new work, and Duckworth herself appeared on the podcast to discuss the release and reception of Grit, noting her initial goal to share insights on human excellence.
Recommended“If you read grit, great. It's a great book. I think this new book is just as important.”
Where to get it
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History Matters
On The Daily Stoic in September 2026, Ryan Holiday recommended History Matters by David McCullough. He praised the short book for showing how history teaches human behavior and what actions to take, noting that he frequently raved about it and kept copies available for purchase at his bookstore, The Painted Porch.
Recommended“History shows us how to behave, the great David McCullough writes in a short book, History Matters, which I've raved about and carry at the painted porch.”
Where to get it
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How to Decide
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended Annie Duke's book 'How to Decide' across multiple episodes. During the February 20, 2021, episode titled 'Poker World Champion Annie Duke On Choosing the Truth', Holiday highlighted the work in the introduction, encouraging listeners to check out the full title along with her other publications. He recommended the book again in the October 19, 2022, episode titled 'Annie Duke on Knowing When to Quit', praising it as quite good while recommending all of the author's material.
Recommended“And her other book, How to Decide, it's also quite good. Recommending all of Annie's stuff if you haven't read any of it already.”
Where to get it
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Plain Speaking
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday recommended Merle Miller's book Plain Speaking in two episodes. On September 4, 2025, Holiday highlighted it as one of his favorite presidential biographies, noting a scene where Harry Truman discusses Marcus Aurelius. On June 2, 2025, Holiday recommended the oral history of Truman to guest Vanessa Van Edwards as an essential read.
Recommended“Well, one of my favorite presidential biographies I'm i'm using that term loosely is Merl Miller plain speaking. I love it. And and and one of the things that I love about that is there's a scene in it where uh he starts talking about Marcus Aurelius uh Truman does”
Where to get it
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Quit
Ryan Holiday and Daniel Pink discussed Annie Duke's book Quit on an episode of The Daily Stoic in April 2025, following an earlier author interview in October 2022. Holiday and Pink recommended the book while examining the cultural pressure to power through hardships versus knowing when it is appropriate to walk away.
Recommended“And Annie Duke has a good book about quitting, you know, and and I do think that that in some ways powering through, sticking with it is is slightly overrated...”
Where to get it
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The Hard Thing About Hard Things
Ben Horowitz's book The Hard Thing About Hard Things was recommended on The Daily Stoic in multiple episodes. On 2026-10-16 in Inside Ryan Holiday’s $250K Reading List, Ryan Holiday recommended it for leadership decisions. Later, on the 2024-10-21 episode The Uncomfortable Truth About Success, Holiday praised it as one of the best entrepreneur books of all time for its realism.
Recommended“Ben Horowitz, hard thing about hard things. You will have to make hard decisions in life and in leadership. Very important.”
Where to get it
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Amusing Ourselves to Death
Neil Postman's book Amusing Ourselves to Death was referenced on The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday in episodes from August 2024 and March 2026. Holiday used the book to support his arguments regarding how mediums shape public opinion, specifically discussing Postman's point that television is fundamentally unsuited for communicating intelligent thoughts.
Recommended“have you read amusing ourselves to death yeah I mean yeah I think it's it's the reason the Daily Show is is great is because it is designed to be entertainment. It's an embracing entertainment. But his point that basically television is not a medium by which you can communicate intelligent thought is really as spot-on as it can get.”
Where to get it
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Antkind
On an episode of The Daily Stoic released on September 14, 2024, guest Francis Ford Coppola discussed Charlie Kaufman's massive novel Antkind. Coppola explained that he picked up the seven-to-eight-hundred-page book after reading about it online, noting that it profoundly impacted his perspective. He reflected on how reading deeply challenging works alters his creative outlook and ultimately changes his life and cinematic projects.
Discussed“he wrote a book a novel called ant antind uh a seven 800 page book called antkind and that's what Google said you know if you want to read something about being a so I got it”
Where to get it
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Bittersweet
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday discussed Susan Cain's book Bittersweet across multiple episodes. Holiday recommended the book to listeners to explore the idea of melancholy and how some individuals are wired differently, highlighting it as a depressive outlet and a source of wonder and greatness.
Recommended“I really like Susan Kane's book Bittersweet where she talks about this idea of melancholy that some people are just wired differently”
Where to get it
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Blue Nights
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended Blue Nights by Joan Didion as part of a conversation on grief and loss, comparing a scene in the book to his guest Kate Bowler's writing. In another episode, the host and Tom Junod discussed the book and shared mixed feelings about its level of honesty.
Recommended“And in this little chunk, Kate and I are going to be talking about grief. Talk about Joan Didion's incredible book, Blue Nights.”
Where to get it
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Call Sign Chaos
James N. Mattis and Bing West's Call Sign Chaos was discussed across two episodes of The Daily Stoic in 2021. Ryan Holiday recommended the book in May, citing General Mattis's views on stoicism and the importance of learning from history. In October, Holiday referenced the book again during a conversation with H.R. McMaster to discuss the necessity of extensive domain reading.
Discussed“i was thinking about that quote from from your friend and colleague general mattis uh it's in it's in call sign chaos he says it's not just that you have to read he's like if you haven't read hundreds of books about your domain of of battle or or or industry or specialty”
Where to get it
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Conspiracy
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday's book Conspiracy came up in two different episodes. In July 2023, guest Casey Neistat mentioned the book as an all-time favorite, praising it for being gossipy, page-turny, and fun. In a July 2022 episode, the host reflected on the book himself, remarking that while it was his personal favorite and his best work, it happened to be his least commercially successful title in terms of sales.
Recommended“And like Conspiracy was a all-time favorite cuz it's so [ __ ] pulpy and just like gossipy and page turny and fun.”
Where to get it
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Essentialism
Ryan Holiday recommended Essentialism by Greg McKeown on an episode of The Daily Stoic detailing his reading list, calling the work really good. In another episode reflecting on the ten-year anniversary of his own book, Holiday referenced a separate text containing a story about the author, with contextual hints pointing to McKeown's title.
Recommended“McAllen's essentialism, also really good.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday frequently discussed Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing at Rolling Stone and the related book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. During episodes in August and November 2023, Holiday shared that the works were formative reading from his youth, quoted its epigraph about making a beast of oneself to escape the pain of humanity, and discussed the book's true factual basis with guest Timothy Denevi. Holiday also recommended that readers look beyond the reputation of debauchery associated with the movie adaptation.
Discussed“Hunter S. Thompson is one of the great writers of all time. Hell's Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are two books we carry in the painted porch, which I read when I was falling in love with reading as a high school and college student.”
Where to get it
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
On The Daily Stoic, host Ryan Holiday discussed Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson with guest Timothy Denevi. Holiday recalled reading the book during his school years, cited its epigraph, and recommended reading the text itself rather than judging it merely by its movie adaptation or reputation for debauchery.
Discussed“Hunter S. Thompson is one of the great writers of all time. Hell's Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are two books we carry in the painted porch, which I read when I was falling in love with reading as a high school and college student.”
Where to get it
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First Principles
On The Daily Stoic, Paul Kix and Ryan Holiday both referenced Thomas E. Ricks's book First Principles. Paul Kix discussed it on the episode Paul Kix On The Civil Rights Movement And What It Means To Be Courageous in 2023, noting its focus on the founding fathers. Ryan Holiday also mentioned the book during the 2021 episode H.R. McMaster on the Power of Strategic Empathy, recalling a previous conversation with the historian to discuss returning to foundational beliefs.
Recommended“No, he wrote about the generals in Iraq and then wrote this great book on the founding fathers called 'First Principles', but he also wrote a history of the Civil Rights Movement from the perspective of a military historian.”
Where to get it
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Four Thousand Weeks
Oliver Burkeman's book Four Thousand Weeks was featured on The Daily Stoic. Tim Ferriss recommended the book and praised its chapter on cosmic insignificance therapy during his appearance. Later, Ryan Holiday and Oliver Burkeman discussed the book's massive success, how it became a bona fide hit, and the various professional opportunities and public familiarity that emerged following its publication.
Discussed“And then it's been interesting with 4,000 Weeks, which became like a bonafide hit. You're now one of those guys.”
Where to get it
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Freak Kingdom
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday enthusiastically recommended Timothy Denevi's Freak Kingdom, describing it as a brilliant work that sheds light on human nature and political activism. Holiday and podcast guests discussed the book's deep dive into the writings and crusade of Hunter S. Thompson against American fascism, encouraging listeners to pick up the publication.
Discussed“and more recently, I read this book by Timothy Denevieve. That's called Freak Kingdom, Hunter S. Thompson's Manic Ten-Year Crusade Against American Fascism.”
Where to get it
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Hell's Angels
Hunter S. Thompson's book Hell's Angels was discussed across multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. On October 3, 2026, Rich Cohen recommended the work, stating it was the best of Thompson's books. Earlier, on November 18, 2023, Ryan Holiday and Timothy Denevi both praised the text as an incredible work of counterprogramming.
Recommended“For me, the book that I like, the first book is the best, which is the Hell's Angels.”
Where to get it
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History of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War was featured on The Daily Stoic across multiple episodes. Ryan Holiday mentioned reading the historical text alongside his wife and friends to emphasize the value of engaging with timeless works. In another episode featuring guest H.R. McMaster, Holiday cited the book as an example of a dense historical work that can help readers understand modern geopolitical tensions, such as the rivalry between the United States and China.
Recommended“My wife and I and a bunch of our friends right now are reading Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War.”
Where to get it
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It's a Book!
Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared on The Daily Stoic and discussed the importance of carrying a book and reading daily, highlighting its role in mental development. In a separate episode, Cal Newport spoke with the host on the podcast about the pivotal moment he decided to become an author, sharing advice on navigating the narrow path of publishing and discussing marketing strategies for self-published books.
Discussed“Like I always tell people for me, the most important phone call probably in my life is when I decided to write a book. I called a family friend who was an agent and said, 'Explain to me how to sell books, and in particular what would be the very narrow path that like a 20 or 21-year-old could follow”
Where to get it
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Lincoln's Virtues
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday brought up William Lee Miller's Lincoln's Virtues to draw moral parallels between Abraham Lincoln and political figures like Angela Merkel. Holiday also used the book in another episode to examine how Lincoln successfully navigated politics to achieve his goals.
Recommended“I thought the book was so important that I I read a few books a book a few years ago uh called Lincoln's virtues by William Lee Miller and and he was saying that you know we forget”
Where to get it
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No More Champagne
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday brought up David Lough's book No More Champagne to discuss Winston Churchill's financial difficulties during the market crash. In the December 2025 episode featuring Andrew Ross Sorkin, Holiday recommended the book as fabulous and noted that he cited it in his own end notes. Earlier, in a December 2023 episode with Dr. Peter Attia, Holiday referenced the work while contrasting the financial realities of artists and creators.
Recommended“Have you read this book, No More Champagne, about Church Hill and his finances? And it's fabulous. And by the way, I I use that as as I cite it in in the end notes there.”
Where to get it
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Nomadland
Ryan Holiday brought up Jessica Bruder's book Nomadland on multiple episodes of The Daily Stoic. In December 2022 and August 2026, Holiday discussed the book with David Gelles and referenced it to illustrate the dark side of company towns, seasonal labor, and the systemic economic struggles shaping modern America.
Discussed“Have you read Nomad Land? I haven't. I've heard of it. I haven't read it. She talks about that. That's the That's the dark side of the company town”
Where to get it
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One Line a Day
Ryan Holiday discussed the One Line a Day journal on The Daily Stoic across episodes in December 2021 and October 2022. He recommended the journal as a helpful, accessible tool for anyone wanting to start journaling and detailed how each page features five slots designed for daily entries.
Discussed“And well, it's so, it's called the one line a day journal, and each page has five slots on it.”
Where to get it
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Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday recommended Steven Pressfield's book Put Your Ass Where Your Heart Wants to Be, and mentioned reading it while discussing creative discipline and inspiration.
Recommended“likewise the new book put your ass where your heart wants to be is incredible”
Where to get it
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Quiet
Susan Cain's book Quiet was featured on The Daily Stoic in February 2020 and August 2022. Ryan Holiday recommended the book during a February 2020 episode while discussing the unique strengths of introverts. When Cain appeared as a guest on August 31, 2022, she discussed how the book reframes introversion from a perceived insufficiency into a genuine strength. During the same 2022 episode, Holiday noted how deeply he resonated with a specific concept from the book regarding parent-child fit.
Discussed“and and uh the idea i mean obviously this is sort of the idea of quiet which is that this thing that you think is unusual or insufficiency is in fact uh a strength”
Where to get it
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Recovery
On The Daily Stoic, Alexander Ludwig recommended Russell Brand's book Recovery as an accessible and humorous resource for understanding addiction. Additionally, an audience member brought up the book while asking Ryan Holiday about references to 12-step recovery programs in his own writing.
Discussed“Um, I, as a person who's found a lot of healing and recovery in the 12-step rooms, I was very surprised to see you write about it in both "Stillness Is the Key" and "Discipline Is Destiny." So, I'm curious as to like how that came about or why you were inspired to do that, cuz the other the only”
Where to get it
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Steal like an artist
On The Daily Stoic, Ryan Holiday brought up Austin Kleon's book Steal Like an Artist across multiple episodes. In March 2020, he recommended it as a profoundly influential work for him as a writer. Later, in August 2023, he mentioned the book again while discussing the choices creators face regarding work, family, and social life.
Discussed“he wrote this book uh steal like an artist”
Where to get it
The next 300 books mentioned on The Daily Stoic, ranked
- Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
- The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
- The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Fifth Anniversary Limited Edition by Charlie Mackesy
- The choice by Edith Eger
- The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- The Second Mountain by David Brooks
- The Sirens' Call by Chris Hayes
- To Risk It All by Admiral James Stavridis, USN
- Tyrant by Stephen Greenblatt
- Waging a Good War by Thomas E. Ricks
- 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
- A Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Be on That Hill by Seth Wickersham
- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
- Consolations from a Stoic by Seneca
- Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
- Lawn boy by Jonathan Evison
- Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis
- Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
- Moral letters to Lucilius by Seneca, Lucius Annaeus
- Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg
- Nudge by Richard H. Thaler
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- Seneca's Letters from a Stoic: Moral Letters to Lucilius by Lucius Annaeus Seneca
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu
- The big short by Michael Lewis
- The Boy Who Would Be King by Ryan Holiday
- The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin
- The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
- The Children by David Halberstam
- The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
- The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon. Vol. 2. [-3-4]. by Edward Gibbon
- The Fall by Albert Camus
- The Legend of Bagger Vance by Steven Pressfield
- The Night of the Were-Boy by Enid Richemont
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
- The Premonition by Michael Lewis
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
- Why not the best? by Jimmy Carter
- 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin
- 1933 was a Bad Year by John Fante
- A Journey through Texas by Frederick Law Olmsted
- A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe
- A Minute to Think by Juliet Funt
- A Second Chance by Judge Frederic Block
- A Sense Of The Enemy The High Stakes History Of Reading Your Rivals Mind by Zachary Shore
- A Series of Unfortunate Events: Lemony Snicket by Lemony Snicket
- American Buffalo by Steven Rinella
- Ametora by W. David Marx
- Andy Warhol by Blake Gopnik
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Back From the Dead by Bill Walton
- Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
- Billion Dollar Lessons by Paul Carroll
- blue ocean strategy by Unknown
- Boyd by Robert Coram
- Boys Among Men by Jonathan Abrams
- Buddha by Karen Armstrong
- Burr by Gore Vidal
- But What If We're Wrong? by Chuck Klosterman
- By Grand Central Station I sat down and wept by Elizabeth Smart
- Call Sign Chaos by Jim Mattis, Bing West
- Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
- City of Thieves by David Benioff
- Clear Thinking by Shane Parrish
- Collective Illusions by Todd Rose
- Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday
- Creation by Gore Vidal
- Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz
- Cultish by Amanda Montell
- Daring Young Men by Richard Reeves
- Days of Grace by Arthur Ashe
- Debrief to Win by Robert C Teschner
- Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh
- Dependent Rational Animals by Alasdair C. MacIntyre
- Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett, Dave Evans
- Discourses and Selected Writings by Epictetus
- Dream hoarders by Richard V. Reeves
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- Education of a wandering man by Louis L'Amour
- Empire of cotton by Sven Beckert
- Endurance by Alfred Lansing
- Everybody Behaves Badly by Lesley M. M. Blume
- Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- For your own good by Alice Miller
- Forget the Alamo by Bryan Burrough
- George Marshall by Debi Unger
- Gone to Texas: A History of the Lone Star State by Randolph B. Campbell
- Grant by Ron Chernow
- Hamilton by Ron Chernow
- Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers
- How I Built this by Guy Raz, Nils Parker
- How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins
- How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith III
- How to Be a Leader by Plutarch
- How to break up with your phone by Catherine Price
- How to Build Stonehenge by Mike Pitts
- How to Die by Seneca
- How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr
- How to Keep Your Cool by Seneca
- HOW TO STOP WORRYING & START LIVING by Dale Carnegie
- How to Think about God by Cicero
- I Wear the Black Hat by Chuck Klosterman
- If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal by Justin Gregg
- In My Time of Dying by Sebastian Junger
- In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Indian givers, How the indians of the americas transformed the world by Jack weatherford
- Inside the Box by David Epstein
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
- Invisible Rulers by Renee DiResta
- It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
- Journal of a Novel by John Steinbeck
- Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler
- Keep Going by Austin Kleon
- Lancelot by Walker Percy
- Letters to a Young Athlete by Chris Bosh
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
- Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain
- Lincoln on the Verge by Ted Widmer
- Lives of the Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laertius
- Lyle Family by Oscar Kennett Lyle
- Main Street Millionaire by Codie Sanchez
- Make Time by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky
- Marcus Aurelius by William O. Stephens
- Master of Change by Brad Stulberg
- Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Mental Immunity by Andy Norman
- Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me) by Carol Tavris
- Night of the Grizzlies by Jack Olsen
- No Cure for Being Human by Kate Bowler
- Of Boys and Men by Richard Reeves
- Old in art school by Nell Irvin Painter
- On Capitalism, Bureaucracy and Religion by Max Weber
- On the Origins of War by Donald Kagan
- People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
- Philosophy as a Way of Life by Pierre Hadot
- Places and Names by Elliot Ackerman
- President Lincoln by William Lee Miller
- Reason to Believe by Mario Cuomo
- Reclaim Your Nest Egg by Ken Kamen
- Renegade by Adam Kinzinger, Michael D'Antonio
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Rome's Last Citizen by Rob Goodman
- Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882–1940) by James MacGregor Burns
- Self-reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
- Sheepdogs by Elliot Ackerman
- Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
- Situated by Angela Duckworth
- Solo Faces by James Salter
- Soul Boom by Rainn Wilson
- Spying on the South by Tony Horwitz
- Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
- Strategy by Lawrence Freedman
- Strength in Stillness by Bob Roth
- Strip Tees by Kate Flannery
- Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
- The $100 startup by Chris Guillebeau
- The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries
- The Arcadian by Steven Pressfield
- The Art of Living by Epictetus
- The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova
- The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
- The Chancellor by Kati Marton
- The Confident Mind by Dr. Nate Zinsser
- The Cost of These Dreams by Wright Thompson
- The Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday
- The Designing Your Life Workbook by Bill Burnett
- The Dip by Seth Godin
- The End of the Myth by Greg Grandin
- The Fifth Act: America’s End in Afghanistan by Elliot Ackerman
- The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg
- The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker
- The Godfather by Mario Puzo
- The Great Depression: A Diary by Benjamin Roth
- The Great Good Place by Ray Oldenburg
- The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts by Shane Parrish
- The Hidden Hand by Robert Jones
- The Hiding Place by Elizabeth Sherrill, Corrie Ten Boom, John Sherrill
- The Image by Daniel J. Boorstin
- The Immense Journey by Loren Eiseley
- The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey
- The intelligent investor by Benjamin Graham
- The Law of the Sublime by Robert Greene
- The Library Book by Susan Orlean
- The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus
- The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story by Michael M. Lewis
- The Night of the Gun by David Carr
- The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
- The passage of power by Robert A. Caro
- The Pope's Elephant by Silvio A. Bedini
- The Practice of Groundedness： A Transformative Path to Success That Feeds--Not Crushes--Your Soul by Brad Stulberg
- The Protestant ethic and the "spirit" of capitalism and other writings by Max Weber
- The Road to Character by David Brooks
- The Rush by Nathaniel Philbrick
- The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
- The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
- The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
- The Stoic Challenge by William B. Irvine
- The swerve by Stephen Greenblatt
- The Therapy of Desire by Martha C. Nussbaum
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- The Woman's Hour by Elaine Weiss
- The Year of Living Biblically by A. J. Jacobs
- This Kind of War by T. R. Fehrenbach
- Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot by James B. Stockdale
- Titan by Ron Chernow
- To a Young Jazz Musician by Wynton Marsalis, Selwyn Seyfu Hinds
- Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
- Travels with George by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Tribe by Sebastian Junger
- Trillion-dollar Coach by Eric Schmidt, Alan Eagle, Jonathan Rosenberg
- Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
- Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
- We Don't Know Ourselves by Fintan O'Toole
- What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars by Jim Paul
- What to Make of a Life by Jim Collins
- Why Honor Matters by Tamler Sommers
- Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt
- You Are Worth It : Building a Life Worth Fighting For by Kyle Carpenter
- You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live by Paul Kix
- Your Fellow Americans by Peter Santenello
- Zero to One by Peter Thiel
- Zeus the Mighty by Crispin Boyer
- A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
- A Fool's Errand, by One of the Fools by Albion Winegar Tourgée
- A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine
- A New Stoicism by Lawrence C. Becker
- A night to remember by Walter Lord
- A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
- A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
- A Skeleton Key to Finnegans Wake by Joseph Campbell, Henry Morton Robinson
- A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink
- A World Without Email by Cal Newport
- Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson
- Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
- Aesop's Fables by Aesop
- All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
- Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
- Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
- Ask the Dust by John Fante
- Awareness the Way to Love (Awareness The Way To Love) by Anthony de Mello
- Baby on the Fire Escape by Julie Phillips
- Be Here Now by Ram Dass
- Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Ben Smith by Ben Smith
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
- Birth of a Nation by Aaron McGruder, Reginald Hudlin
- Black Boy by Richard Wright
- Black Hawk, Down by Mark Bowden
- Blank check by Tim Weiner
- Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
- Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam
- Boxing Inside the Box by Holly Iglesias
- Brotherhood Of The Grape by John Fante
- Burning the Days by James Salter
- Catch as Catch Can by Joseph Heller
- Cato by Joseph Addison, Christine Dunn Henderson, Mark E. Yellin
- Chronicles by Bob Dylan
- Chuck Klosterman IV by Chuck Klosterman
- Clayton Christensen's "how Will You Measure Your Life?" by Clayton Christensen
- Courage by Bernard Waber
- Courage Under Fire by James B. Stockdale
- Crimes and Punishments by Frederic Block
- Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen
- David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
- De Bello Gallico Libri Vii. by Julius Caesar, Cornelius Marshal Lowe, John Thomas Ewing
- De profundis by Oscar Wilde
- De Rerum Natura by Titus Lucretius Carus
- Death be not proud by John Gunther
- Dereliction of Duty by H. R. McMaster
- Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
- Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault
- Disrobed by Frederic Block
- Dreams from Bunker Hill by John Fante
- Dusk and Other Stories by James Salter
- Dynamics of Faith by Paul Tillich
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- Emerson by Robert D. Richardson
- Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
- Envy by Joseph Epstein
- Epictetus by Irwin Edman Thomas Wentworth Higginson
- Epictetus by Epictetus
- Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
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Latest mentions
“He reminded himself in those very same pages of meditations the reasons why he was here on this planet, what his nature demanded of him, what his duty was.”
“American Kings is great, and his book on the Patriots is great as well.”
“American Kings is great, and his book on the Patriots is great as well.”
“Okay, so the last quote was discipline, love, luck, but most of all endurance. That's be on that hill. You got to have the endurance to be on that hill and then to be on the hill the next day.”
“The news came one day that Seneca was to be exiled. Yet some eight years later, a letter came recalling him to Rome to tutor the future emperor.”
“So it went for Helvidius, a senator who we profile on Lives of the Stoics, when the emperor Vespasian tried to stop him from criticizing him. It is in your power not to allow me to be a member of the Senate”
“And we know this is not the case for many reasons, but the most obvious is that Seneca writes three essays that are called his consolations series. One of the consolations is to his mother after she's been exiled.”
“There's a great line in Milan Kundera's book, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, where this woman she they're living in a time of communism and repression.”
“My brother gave me the book, The Art of Living Manual, and I loved the daily short reads on it, little paragraphs, and that brought me to the Daily Stoic to kind of just keep that,”
“Jocko Willink had a book out, Discipline is Destiny, and he had Ryan on there, and I listened to that podcast, and it really resonated with me, so I looked into it, and then I found Discipline is Destiny, and I got hooked.”
“I believe stoicism found me. I was searching for self and trying to find answers to questions that I thought had to be answered, and by finding truth, I found Ryan's work through Ego as the Enemy, and it changed everything and how I look in life.”
“And sometimes that reminder, those daily Stoic messages, both, all of us actually have Ryan's Daily Stoic, and we go through that, and it helps us kind of keep grounded. It's a great way to start the day.”
“And just two days after her high school graduation, I fell down the stairs. I ruptured my quadricep and my tricep. And so I entered the world of Epictetus. And poor Ruby has dealt with me saying, sweetheart, you have to read the Enchiradian, you have to read the Discourses.”
“And just two days after her high school graduation, I fell down the stairs. I ruptured my quadricep and my tricep. And so I entered the world of Epictetus. And poor Ruby has dealt with me saying, sweetheart, you have to read the Enchiradian, you have to read the Discourses.”
“One of my favorite books, it's very underwritten. It's called The Hidden Hand Presidency. And it's all about how Eisenhower dealt with McCarthy”
“My friend Cal Newport wrote this great book a few years ago called Deep Work. He says deep work is the key to success, the key to contentment, the key to meaning and happiness.”
“There's that book. I read it to my kids many times. The boy, the fox, the horse, and the mole. He says, asking for help isn't giving up. It's refusing to give up.”
“And in this little chunk, Kate and I are going to be talking about grief. Talk about Joan Didion's incredible book, Blue Nights.”
“My favorite book of hers is Everything Happens For A Reason and Other Lies I've Loved. Let's get into it with Kate.”
“My favorite book of hers is Everything Happens For A Reason and Other Lies I've Loved. Let's get into it with Kate.”
Episodes
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