Podcast
Dr John Delony's book list: the books mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show
The most mentioned books on The Dr. John Delony Show are Come as You Are (15 episodes), Building a Non-Anxious Life (14 episodes) and Finding Meaning (13 episodes), and the most recommended book is Come as You Are (14 episodes). We have logged 130 books across 142 episodes from 15 people on The Dr. John Delony Show, through November 6, 2026.
Key facts
- 130 books have been mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show, as of November 6, 2026.
- 142 episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show mention at least one book, as of November 6, 2026.
- 15 people brought up a book on the show, as of November 6, 2026.
- The 3 books mentioned in the most episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show, as of November 6, 2026: Come as You Are, Building a Non-Anxious Life and Finding Meaning.
- The latest episode of The Dr. John Delony Show with a book mention aired on November 6, 2026.
Updated
Books from the latest episodes
Questions about books mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show
What books were mentioned most on The Dr. John Delony Show?
The most mentioned books on The Dr. John Delony Show are Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski (15 episodes), Building a Non-Anxious Life by John Delony (14 episodes), Finding Meaning by David Kessler (13 episodes), Own Your Past Change Your Future by Dr. John Delony (13 episodes) and The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (10 episodes), out of 130 books across 142 episodes, as of November 6, 2026.
What is the most recommended book on The Dr. John Delony Show?
Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski is the most recommended book on The Dr. John Delony Show, recommended in 14 episodes and mentioned in 15 episodes in all, as of November 6, 2026.
What books were mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show this year?
In 2026, 20 books came up on The Dr. John Delony Show, led by Building a Non-Anxious Life by John Delony (4 episodes), Own Your Past Change Your Future by Dr. John Delony (3 episodes), Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud (2 episodes), The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter (2 episodes) and Atomic Habits by James Clear (2 episodes), as of November 6, 2026.
Who recommends the most books on The Dr. John Delony Show?
Dr John Delony has recommended the most books on The Dr. John Delony Show, with 86 books recommended across 101 episodes, as of November 6, 2026.
Most mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show
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Come as You Are
Emily Nagoski's book Come as You Are was repeatedly recommended on The Dr. John Delony Show throughout 2024 and 2025. Dr. John Delony routinely suggested the book to callers, husbands, and couples navigating intimacy issues, relationship anxiety, and communication challenges, praising it as an exceptionally educational and liberating guide to female sexuality.
Discussed“I've got come as you are. I've purchased two copies, one for me, one for her.”
Where to get it
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Building a Non-Anxious Life
Building a Non-Anxious Life by John Delony was frequently recommended by the host across multiple episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show, often appearing in show notes and descriptions as a resource for callers. Dr. John Delony also directly recommended and offered to send copies of the book to guests seeking help with anxiety and family struggles, referencing its fire-alarm analogy for anxiety.
Discussed“the analogy i use throughout the book is all anxiety is it's a fire alarm and you and i have both been in buildings when the fire alarms are going off and there's no fire”
Where to get it
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Finding Meaning
David Kessler's 'Finding Meaning' was recommended by Dr. John Delony on multiple episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show when speaking with callers navigating grief, personal loss, and relational trauma. Delony praised the book and its accompanying workbook as masterpieces for processing heavy emotional pain, noting that it helped readers understand the stages of grief. Kessler also appeared as a guest on the show to discuss why grief demands a witness and how individuals can find purpose after experiencing life-altering hardships.
Recommended“pick up David Kessler's book Finding Meaning. It's one of the most powerful, extraordinary books on grief I've ever read in my life.”
Where to get it
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Own Your Past Change Your Future
Dr. John Delony's book Own Your Past Change Your Future was regularly featured in the show notes and descriptions of The Dr. John Delony Show as a recommended resource for listeners. In several episodes spanning from 2022 to 2026, including discussions with guests like Nedra Tawwab and calls concerning personal and marital struggles, Dr. Delony directly recommended his book and offered free copies to callers such as Valerie, Sadie, and Scott to help them move forward.
Recommended“Own Your Past, Change Your Future”
Where to get it
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The Body Keeps the Score
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony frequently recommended Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score when speaking with callers dealing with trauma and high-stress environments. Delony utilized the book's core premise to explain how physical stress, the nervous system, and unprocessed trauma manifest in the human body, noting that the mind and body store painful memories even when a person attempts to forget.
Recommended“like sometimes forgetting is like the body keeps the score Vander says”
Where to get it
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The Total Money Makeover
The book The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey was frequently mentioned and recommended on The Dr. John Delony Show. In multiple episodes, Dr. John Delony offered to send a free copy of the book to callers—including individuals navigating budgeting struggles, single motherhood, and debt—to help them take control of their finances. Furthermore, guest George Kamel referenced the book while discussing his own writing career in the personal finance genre, noting its status as a bestselling guide.
Recommended“I'll also send you my buddy Dave Ramsey's book, Total Money Makeover.”
Where to get it
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Dopamine Nation
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Anna Lembke's Dopamine Nation to multiple callers dealing with addiction and habits, praising it as a modern masterpiece, while guests like Nicole discussed how reading it helped them cope with quitting social media.
Discussed“I tried to read Dopamine Nation, but I I got triggered, and then I got mad and decided I'm done trying to”
Where to get it
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Burnout
Dr. John Delony frequently recommended the book Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski on The Dr. John Delony Show. He suggested it to callers dealing with intense stress, caregiver burnout, and workplace exhaustion, describing the text as brilliant and highlighting its insights on unlocking the stress cycle.
Recommended“the great there's there's an extraordinary book I recommend everybody read it it's called burnout by um Emily nigotsky and her sister I think it's Amelia nagotsky um it's excellent”
Where to get it
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From Paycheck to Purpose
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony frequently recommended Ken Coleman's book From Paycheck to Purpose across multiple episodes, including 'Becoming a Dad Exposed My Greatest Fear', 'I’m Chasing Success To Prove My Self-Worth', 'My Supervisor Hit on Me', and 'Should I Sacrifice My Career for My Relationship?'. He suggested the book to callers, a guest, and a teacher to help them plan for career growth beyond minimum wage, figure out their career paths, find meaningful work, and teach students how to determine what they want to do with their lives.
Recommended“I'm also going to send you my buddy Ken Coleman's book, um, Paycheck to Purpose. And I want you to begin thinking about life after minimum wage.”
Where to get it
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The Comfort Crisis
Michael Easter's book 'The Comfort Crisis' was frequently discussed and recommended on The Dr. John Delony Show by host Dr. John Delony. Delony described the book as a masterpiece and ranked it among the most important reads of the decade, noting that it profoundly changed his perspective on how modern society avoids discomfort. He regularly urged callers and his son to read it, and also recommended it during an episode featuring Easter himself as a guest.
Recommended“Read The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter”
Where to get it
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Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony frequently recommended Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition by Henry Cloud and John Townsend. In multiple episodes between July 2023 and June 2025, Delony brought up the book while advising callers dealing with irresponsible adult children. He highlighted Cloud and Townsend's insights on boundaries, including a classic opening line about the greatest gift a parent can give a son being problems, and later noted how the concept involves what an individual decides to do rather than demanding things of others.
Discussed“and they've gotten further further away from the original idea that you written about that my buddy Henry Cloud wrote about years ago like that boundaries are a way to to make sure you're staying connected with people”
Where to get it
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Atomic Habits
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony frequently referenced James Clear's book Atomic Habits to discuss how to build small, repeatable habits with low friction, micro habits, and identity change. Delony also favorably compared another author's work to Atomic Habits, while guest Paige mentioned reading the book when discussing self-discipline.
Recommended“and it was on boundaries and I put it up there with James Clear in in with atomic habits in terms of there's a lot of stuff out there on it and you hear habits, habits, you hear boundaries, boundaries, but it's the clearest, most um, not only approachable but and not only action-based, but the meta theme I walked”
Where to get it
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The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation was discussed on The Dr. John Delony Show across multiple episodes between late 2024 and early 2026. Dr. John Delony recommended the text to callers and guests to address social media addiction, teenage mental health challenges, and the impact of screens. A guest named Nicole also mentioned reading the book while discussing her struggles with technology and social media.
Discussed“And um did you read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Height? Yeah. Yeah, I read that uh before before the other call.”
Where to get it
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Chatter
Dr. John Delony recommended Ethan Kross's book Chatter on multiple episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show. He suggested the book to callers dealing with negative self-talk and ruminating thoughts, highlighting the author's research on how internal dialogue and third-person self-reference affect the body.
Recommended“Ethan Cross has a great book called Chatter about that. When we say words like I, I'm stupid, I'm an idiot, I screwed up, our bodies have a chemical response.”
Where to get it
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Necessary Endings
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony repeatedly recommended Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud to callers dealing with difficult relationships and boundaries. Delony praised the work as a classic and extraordinary read that guides individuals step by step in determining when a romantic relationship or workplace situation has officially ended.
Recommended“Pick up that book. Pick up Dr. Cloud's book Necessary Endings.”
Where to get it
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Some Parts are NOT for Sharing
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Julie Federico's children's book Some Parts are NOT for Sharing in July 2021, January 2024, and May 2025. Delony suggested the book as a helpful tool for parents wanting to discuss body parts, appropriate boundaries, and body autonomy with young children without causing shame. He also noted that parents could read the book together with their kids.
Recommended“And we would probably read the book together. Some parts are not for touching.”
Where to get it
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The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye came up on The Dr. John Delony Show when host Dr. John Delony discussed his formative reading experiences. Delony shared that a copy given to him in middle school set him on his path, and in a 2021 episode, he recalled how carrying the book around in high school marked the first time he felt a book truly understood him.
Recommended“he um gave me his copy of catcher in the rye and that book kind of sent me on my way”
Where to get it
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Fight Club
Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club was discussed on The Dr. John Delony Show across multiple episodes. Host John Delony recommended the book as one of his favorites outside the mental health genre, noting that discovering it in his early twenties felt profoundly relatable.
Recommended“the great book fight club was great and that's one of my favorites too”
Where to get it
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I don't want to talk about it
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony twice recommended Terrence Real's book as a top lifetime read while discussing healthy masculinity and meaning. Additionally, a caller named Jacob mentioned on the show that he had recently finished reading the book because it felt like a biography of his own life.
Recommended“and um in the book I don't want to talk about it by Terry real it's one the top five books of my lifetime”
Where to get it
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Unreasonable Hospitality
Will Guidara's book Unreasonable Hospitality came up across multiple episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show. In December 2024, Dr. John Delony praised the book as an incredible parenting and marriage guide and urged listeners to buy and read it immediately. The book was also mentioned in podcast descriptions and featured when Guidara appeared on the show in September 2026.
Discussed“Um he wrote a book called Unreasonable Hospitality that has had a second, a third and fourth life.”
Where to get it
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The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
John Mark Comer's book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry was discussed on The Dr. John Delony Show across multiple episodes. Dr. John Delony recommended the book as a great read for parents seeking introspection, while guests like Paige and Sean Cannell mentioned reading it while navigating life tensions and stress.
Discussed“yeah the ruthless elimination of hurry yeah yeah thank you ruthless um really good books I I want”
Where to get it
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Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
Dr. John Delony frequently recommended Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Dr. Lindsay Gibson on The Dr. John Delony Show. He described it as a rock star book and noted that he was rereading it, ultimately recommending it as essential reading for anyone with parents.
Recommended“i'm rereading this book adult children of emotionally immature parents it's such a rock star book by dr lindsey gibson”
Where to get it
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Discipline Equals Freedom
Jocko Willink's book Discipline Equals Freedom was recommended by Dr. John Delony on The Dr. John Delony Show in August 2025 and April 2021. Dr. Delony praised the work as one of the greatest and simplest mental health books of all time, rich in wisdom and depth, and recommended it to a caller to help establish discipline and structure.
Recommended“There's a book that I think is one of the greatest mental health books of all time and it's written by my buddy Jaco Willick. It's called Discipline Equals Freedom. It's the easiest book to read ever and it's a masterpiece I think because there's a ton of wisdom and depth in that book.”
Where to get it
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Hold on to your kids
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended the parenting book Hold on to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Maté to callers. Delony described it as one of the most important parenting books ever written, praising its insights on staying connected with and guiding children and teenagers.
Recommended“there's a phenomenal book by Dr mate um g- b o r m a te it's called take back your children Kelly will you Google that real quick take back your kids hold on to your kids”
Where to get it
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The instruction of a father
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended The instruction of a father by John David Polley to a caller to help with fatherhood, while another host mentioned reading the book to learn about intentional parenting.
Recommended“I'm um I've read through the book, The Intentional Father. It's an amazing book by John Tyson.”
Where to get it
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The Proximity Principle
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Ken Coleman's bestseller The Proximity Principle to callers on multiple occasions. During a giveaway offer and a conversation about career paths, Delony told callers he would send them the book alongside a career assessment to help them find work they love and figure out how to pursue it.
Recommended“I'm also going to send you his book. Um it was a number one bestseller. It's called the proximity principle”
Where to get it
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Trauma Stewardship
Dr. John Delony discussed Laura van Dernoot Lipsky's book Trauma Stewardship across multiple episodes of The Dr. John Delony Show. In a July 2021 episode, he recommended the title to a caller named Kurt to help provide perspective on caretaking and trauma. Later, in a June 2024 episode, Dr. Delony brought up the book again during a conversation about trauma and the body, characterizing it as a phenomenal read.
Recommended“what's the name of b c uh best vander's book what's the name of it is that the uh trauma stewardship nope that's a phenomenal phenomenal read”
Where to get it
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Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb's book, Antifragile, came up on The Dr. John Delony Show in multiple episodes. In an episode on December 28, 2020, Dr. John Delony shared that the book completely changed his life. Later, in the November 29, 2024, episode featuring Tom Bilyeu, Delony mentioned Taleb and his book while emphasizing the importance of cultivating an antifragile worldview to navigate the limiting factors in life.
Discussed“I think I've heard you talk about this SOB wrote a book called anti fragile so you want a worldview that's antifragile”
Where to get it
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Good Inside
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony mentioned Dr. Becky Kennedy's book Good Inside while directing listeners to the show notes. In another episode, Delony read a letter from a listener who shared that she and her husband had been reading Good Inside together after following the author's advice.
Recommended“We've also linked to her book, Good Inside, and all the other stuff we talked about.”
Where to get it
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Where the Red Fern Grows
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony discussed Wilson Rawls's novel Where the Red Fern Grows across different episodes. He recommended the book to listeners, describing it as very sad yet wonderful, and urged them to read it. Delony also mentioned reading the book to illustrate his emotional vulnerability when dealing with stories involving dogs, noting that it causes him to weep for a week.
Discussed“or every time i read where the red fern grows and and i weep for a week and i think it's this”
Where to get it
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Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host John Delony briefly referenced Mark Twain's classic novel, "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". In the December 2020 episode titled "Ask Me Anything: John Answers Your Questions About Himself," Delony praised the novel succinctly, describing the book as magic.
Recommended“huck finn is magic”
Where to get it
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Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking Without Willpower - Includes Quit Vaping
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled "Caller: “My Boyfriend Won’t Propose”" broadcast on July 29, 2026, Dr. John Delony mentioned Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking Without Willpower - Includes Quit Vaping by Allen Carr and John Dicey. Dr. Delony brought up the book during a conversation as one of the most common and effective resources he frequently recommends to successful individuals who are looking to quit smoking.
Recommended“The most common thing I hear from successful people like yourself who want to quit smoking is Alan Carr's book.”
Where to get it
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Balanced and Barefoot
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Get Your Kids off Screens and Outside with guest Ginny Yurich released on May 22, 2024, Yurich recommended the book Balanced and Barefoot by Angela J. Hanscom. She brought up the title when talking about pediatric occupational therapy and children's physical development.
Recommended“so there's a woman a phenomenal book it's called balanced in Barefoot by Angela hansam”
Where to get it
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Behave
On The Dr. John Delony Show, John Delony recommended Robert Sapolsky's book Behave, describing it as a magical yet dense text suited for science enthusiasts.
Recommended“um if you're a super nerd behaved by robert sapolsky he's a stanford scientist and researcher it's a magical book”
Where to get it
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Beyond Winning
On The Dr. John Delony Show in the episode Get Your Kids off Screens and Outside, guest Ginny Yurich recommended the book Beyond Winning by Kim Payne, Luis Llosa, and Scott Lancaster. Yurich brought up the text to discuss issues surrounding modern youth sports culture and children's activities.
Recommended“this Kim John Payne he wrote a book called Beyond winning it's about Youth Sports culture”
Where to get it
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Black Rock Brothers (The Adventures of Wilder Good #5)
During a December 2021 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Black Rock Brothers, which is the fifth installment in The Adventures of Wilder Good series by S. J. Dahlstrom. He praised the work as extraordinary fiction suitable for both children and adults.
Recommended“the one before blackrock brothers these are extraordinary”
Where to get it
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Book of Lost
Dr. John Delony mentioned Johan Hari's book Lost Connections on an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show released on July 29, 2026. While interacting with a caller, Delony quoted the author and praised the publication as an extraordinary book that explores the roots of addiction and connection.
Recommended“That quote is from Johan Hari and okay um he wrote a phenomenal book called Lost Connections which is it's an extraordinary book.”
Where to get it
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Born to Run
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Ask Me Anything: John Answers Your Questions About Himself, Dr. John Delony recommended Bruce Springsteen's autobiography Born to Run. He described the recent release as an extraordinary read.
Recommended“born to run by bruce springsteen that's a recent book it's his autobiography it's extraordinary”
Where to get it
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Brave
Dr. John Delony discussed Brave by Sissy Goff on an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show in March 2021. Delony introduced Goff's recent book to listeners and asked her to share the origin story behind the guide for teenage girls on beating worry and anxiety. Earlier in the episode, he had encouraged parents of children struggling with anxiety to pick up the books being discussed.
Discussed“so your most recent book brave a teen's girl's guide to beating worry and anxiety tell me about the origin of this”
Where to get it
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Brother Odd
Pat Lencioni appeared on The Dr. John Delony Show on February 4, 2022, in the episode Pat Lencioni on Leading Through Serving. During the episode, he recommended Dean Koontz's novel Brother Odd, identifying it as part of the Odd Thomas series and one of his favorite books.
Recommended“and he has a book called brother odd okay which is one of my favorite books it's this odd thomas series”
Where to get it
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Calm Your Mind with Food
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony introduced his guest Dr. Uma Naidoo and recommended her new book, Calm Your Mind with Food. Delony explicitly advised listeners to pick up the book to learn more about the connection between anxiety and diet.
Recommended“she's got a brand new book out calm your mind with food calm your mind with food”
Where to get it
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Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition
Dr. John Delony brought up Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler on The Dr. John Delony Show during the episode Postpartum Depression, Family Boundaries, & Fear of Public Speaking in March 2021. He recommended the book to a listener asking for advice on having difficult conversations. Later in the episode, Dr. Delony returned to the book while wrapping up his advice on practicing hard talks, urging listeners to pick up copies for themselves.
Recommended“so um here's two classic books i'm gonna pull them up here um and james we'll link to these in the show notes the book one is crucial conversations tools for talking when stakes are high by patterson greeny and and etc”
Where to get it
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Daring Greatly
On The Dr. John Delony Show in December 2020, Dr. John Delony recommended Brené Brown's books, specifically highlighting Daring Greatly as a worthwhile read for his listeners.
Recommended“any book by gabor mate m-a-t-e daring greatly any book by brene brown is good it's worth your read”
Where to get it
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Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled My Husband Secretly Racked Up $180,000 of Debt, Dr. John Delony recommended Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University to a caller. Delony suggested that the caller and her husband go through all nine lessons of the program to help them work through their severe financial distress and underlying relationship difficulties.
Recommended“I'm gonna give you, okay, Financial Peace University, all nine lessons.”
Where to get it
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Difficult Conversations
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended the book Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen to a listener seeking guidance on managing hard talks. Later in the episode, as he concluded his practical advice, Delony included the title again alongside his other conversation book recommendations and emphasized the importance of practicing these communication skills with trusted people.
Recommended“and the other one is difficult conversations by douglas stone bruce patton and sheila heen these are good books right here's a couple of thoughts”
Where to get it
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Digital Madness
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, guest Ginny Yurich recommended the book Digital Madness by Nicholas Kardaras. While discussing screen time and children, she highlighted the title alongside Glow Kids, describing both as phenomenal resources for parents looking to understand the impact of digital media.
Recommended“Dr Nicholas ceras he wrote glow kids and digital Madness phenomenal books”
Where to get it
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Finding Meaning in Life, at Midlife and Beyond
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Caller: “Is My Relationship With My Kids Unhealthy?”, Dr. John Delony recommended David Guttmann's book Finding Meaning in Life, at Midlife and Beyond to a caller dealing with a difficult divorce and family grief, praising it as one of the best books on grief ever written.
Recommended“I want you to pick up a book by I I think one of the greatest writers out there, David Kesler, and it's called Finding Meaning. It's what I think is the best book on grief ever written.”
Where to get it
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From Strength to Strength
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show released on August 22, 2025, titled Is Marriage Still Worth It? (With Dr. Arthur Brooks), host Dr. John Delony recommended the book From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brooks. Delony mentioned the title while praising Brooks and his ongoing career work, telling listeners that he would provide a link to the book.
Recommended“I don't know if you heard of it. It's called Strength to Strength. and I'll link to it.”
Where to get it
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Glow Kids
On The Dr. John Delony Show episode Get Your Kids off Screens and Outside, released on May 22, 2024, guest Ginny Yurich recommended Nicholas Kardaras's book Glow Kids, praising it as a phenomenal resource regarding children and screen time.
Recommended“Dr Nicholas ceras he wrote glow kids and digital Madness phenomenal books”
Where to get it
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Greatness Mindset
On The Dr. John Delony Show in March 2023, Dr. John Delony introduced and recommended Lewis Howes's new book, Greatness Mindset, at the beginning of the episode.
Recommended“and most importantly um we get to talk about his new book The greatness mindset unlock the power of your mind and live your best life today”
Where to get it
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GRIT The Power of PASSION and PERSEVERANCE
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show in December 2021, the producer James brought up the book Grit by Angela Duckworth—initially misremembering the author's first name as Tammy—to recommend it for its valuable message on perseverance.
Recommended“but um grit by tammy duckworth yeah and i i for some reason or another has accepted it i think so i don't think it's tammy is it tammy”
Where to get it
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How Long 'til Black Future Month?
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Ask Me Anything 2 released on April 28, 2021, Dr. John Delony discussed the short story collection How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin. Delony praised Jemisin as the best science fiction writer in the world and expressed admiration for her incredible imagination.
Recommended“and then i'm still working through nk jemisin she is the i think she's the best science fiction writer in the world um how long do black future month this is just a collection of short stories that man i wish my had this kind of imagination”
Where to get it
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In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
Dr. John Delony recommended Gabor Maté's In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts on The Dr. John Delony Show to a caller struggling with addiction as a helpful resource.
Recommended“number one i want you to pick up a book by gabor mate called in the realm of hungry ghosts”
Where to get it
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Justice
On a December 2020 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony offered book recommendations to listeners. During the segment, he mentioned Michael Sandel's book Justice as part of his reading suggestions.
Recommended“huck finn is magic justice by michael sendell”
Where to get it
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Know Yourself, Know Your Money
During the February 19, 2021 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony and guest Rachel Cruze discussed Cruze's book Know Yourself, Know Your Money. Delony enthusiastically recommended the book to listeners, noting it had made his 2020 reading list, while Cruze explained the core premise that many life problems often masquerade as financial issues.
Recommended“and she recently wrote a book and so this was on my list my 2020 list it's called know yourself know your money”
Where to get it
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Loneliness
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Loneliness by John T. Cacioppo and William Patrick. Delony discussed the book from a scientific perspective to emphasize the severe physical and emotional dangers of chronic human isolation.
Recommended“c-a-c-c-i-p-p-o cassiapo is that how you say it wrote the he wrote the book called loneliness and i read that book as a scientist”
Where to get it
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Mating in Captivity
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony answered listener questions and recommended Esther Perel's Mating in Captivity during an episode in December 2020. He highlighted the book as an excellent read on relationships, specifically noting how it explores the ways interpersonal dynamics are constantly shifting underneath us.
Recommended“mating in captivity but esther perel is a is an excellent book on relationships just talking about how relationships are shifting underneath us”
Where to get it
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Mindset
During an appearance on The Dr. John Delony Show in an episode published on November 29, 2024, titled The True Limiting Factors in Your Life (With Tom Bilyeu), Tom Bilyeu referenced Carol S. Dweck's book MINDSET: THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS. While giving advice on raising children, Bilyeu emphasized the necessity of fostering a growth mindset, explaining the foundational concept from Dweck's work that talent and intelligence are not fixed traits.
Recommended“you've got to get them to this is Carol D all day you've got to get them to focus on a growth mindset which is very simply the under understanding that your talent and intelligence are not fixed traits”
Where to get it
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No, David!
Dr. John Delony brought up the book No, David! by David Shannon on The Dr. John Delony Show on April 10, 2024. He suggested looking at a character with similar teeth features from the hilarious books as a way to help normalize his caller's son's unique appearance.
Recommended“by the time third grade comes you're going to have read the no David books have you read those they're hilarious they're amazing I forgot the author they're called No David”
Where to get it
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Of Boys and Men
Dr. John Delony recommended Richard Reeves's book Of Boys and Men on The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. Delony discussed the state of modern men and boys, calling the publication the most important read of the previous year.
Recommended“there's a great book um last name is Reeves re VES and it's called of boys and men and it's probably the most important read of the last year for me”
Where to get it
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Outlive
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show in March 2024, Dr. John Delony recommended Peter Attia's book Outlive to a caller named Jamie. Delony described the book as a masterpiece that helps individuals understand longevity and health from a long-term perspective.
Recommended“so I want you to pick up his book it's called outlive it's a masterpiece”
Where to get it
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Parable of the Talents
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Octavia E. Butler's novel Parable of the Talents. Delony described the fiction work as a dark, violent masterpiece and praised Octavia Butler as an extraordinary author during a discussion of his reading list.
Recommended“man this book octavia butler's parable of the talents if you haven't read this it's really dark real real real dark not for your kids it's real violence real dark it is a masterpiece octavia butler is extraordinary”
Where to get it
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Predictably Irrational
On The Dr. John Delony Show in a 2020 episode titled Ask Me Anything: John Answers Your Questions About Himself, host Dr. John Delony enthusiastically recommended Dan Ariely's book Predictably Irrational, briefly noting during the conversation that he found the work to be awesome.
Recommended“predictably irrational by dan aureli was awesome”
Where to get it
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Promises I Can Keep
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show aired on April 3, 2024, Dr. John Delony mentioned Promises I Can Keep by Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas. He described the text as a qualitative inquiry and deep dive into single mothers and the realities of single motherhood.
Recommended“there's a a book called promises I can keep which is a it's basically a qualitative inquiry into um single moms and why it's it's it's a deep dive it's by Katherine Eden”
Where to get it
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Questions for Humans
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony mentioned sending a copy of his Questions for Humans couples deck to a caller to help him and his wife spark connection and conversation.
Recommended“I'm gonna send you all three questions for humans couples deck.”
Where to get it
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Quiet
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended the book Quiet by Susan Cain while talking to a caller named Paul about introversion and emotional differences in marriage. Delony suggested it as a phenomenal book for the couple to read together, though he temporarily forgot the author's name during the conversation.
Recommended“there's a great book and I forgot the author off the top of my head it's called quiet um and it may be a book that y'all read together it's really phenomenal book um Kelly can you look up who wrote that book quiet”
Where to get it
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Ravenous
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Ravenous by Sam Apple, praising the work for its fascinating history and science content related to cancer diets.
Recommended“another great book was called ravenous by otto warburg um oh ravenous ottawa warburg and the cancer diet it's written by sam apple apple the book's called ravenous”
Where to get it
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Ready Player One
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline was mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. John Delony recommended the book as a fun fiction read for children of the 1980s and 1990s.
Recommended“ready player one by ernst klein i love that book as a kid of the 80s and 90s”
Where to get it
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Scarcity Brain
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony enthusiastically recommended Michael Easter's book Scarcity Brain during the November 22, 2023 episode titled The Dark Side of Happiness With Michael Easter. Delony discussed purchasing the book with his own money prior to its release tour and noted that it served as a natural follow-up to Easter's previous work, The Comfort Crisis.
Recommended“wrote The Comfort crisis and has a brand new book out called scarcity brain this is a book that I was so excited to get”
Where to get it
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Scattered
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended the book Scattered by Gabor Maté to a caller seeking guidance on navigating a marriage where her partner has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Delony described it as a first-person narrative and science book, calling it the best book on ADHD relationships he had ever encountered, and suggested the couple read it together to understand and work through their dynamics.
Recommended“This is a book called Scattered by Gabor Mate, last name M-A-T-E, and it's a first-person narrative, a science book. It's the best book on ADHD relationships and being in a relationship with someone with ADHD I've ever come across in my life.”
Where to get it
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Searching for and Maintaining Peace
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Pat Lencioni on Leading Through Serving released on February 4, 2022, Pat Lencioni brought up Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Jacques Philippe. Lencioni shared his favorite small book, referring to it as a little pink book, and expressed his admiration for the work while discussing leadership and personal peace with the host.
Recommended“i have this little book by a guy named father jacques philippe it's this little pink book it's called the the building and maintaining of peace oh wow and it's like a mate the guy is like where do you get that where'd you get this”
Where to get it
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Sleep Donation
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony recommended the fiction book Sleep Donation by Karen Russell. Delony shared that the book was quite a trip, expressed that he loved reading it, and told listeners that he would recommend it to everyone.
Recommended“karen russell sleep donation these are all fiction by the way this book was a trip um i loved it in fact i'd recommend this book to everybody that's a good book again”
Where to get it
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Solve for happy
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony brought up Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat during the opening segment, highly recommending the book to listeners and praising its insights, which were written after the passing of the author's son.
Recommended“i read this book the other day called um solve for happy by mo gadot g-a-w-d-a-t i cannot recommend this highly enough”
Where to get it
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The all-or-nothing marriage
During The Dr. John Delony Show episode Is Marriage Still Worth It? (With Dr. Arthur Brooks), Dr. John Delony brought up Eli J. Finkel's book The All-or-Nothing Marriage. Delony referenced the text while engaging with guest Arthur Brooks about how romantic relationships require ongoing effort and intentionality, rather than merely relying on baseline feelings of affection.
Recommended“And so Eli Finkel wrote The All or Nothing Marriage, right? and uh his stuff is great.”
Where to get it
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The Berenstain Bears and the Truth
Dr. John Delony on The Dr. John Delony Show recommended the children's book The Berenstain Bears and the Truth by Stan and Jan Berenstain to a parent who asked for guidance on how to talk to a five-year-old about lying.
Recommended“Here one is called the barenstein Bears and the truth and these are children's books these are kid kid kid books barenstein Bears and the truth by Stan and Jan barstein”
Where to get it
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The Biology of Desire
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended The Biology of Desire by Marc Lewis. Delony highlighted the work as a wonderful read that challenges conventional perspectives by arguing that addiction is not a disease.
Recommended“it's called the biology of desire why addiction is not a disease it is wonderful”
Where to get it
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The Dance of Anger
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host John Delony recommended Harriet Goldhor Lerner's book The Dance of Anger to a caller named Lindsay. Delony suggested she read it to help manage conflict and break unhelpful personal patterns.
Recommended“I want you to pick up a book by Harriet Learner. L E R N E R. And the book is called The Dance of Anger.”
Where to get it
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The Deepest Well
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Nadine Burke Harris's book The Deepest Well. He mentioned the title in connection with his own professional work regarding adverse childhood experiences and trauma scores.
Recommended“nadine burke harris the book the deepest well i did some work with aces adverse childhood experiences and the aces scores”
Where to get it
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The Gift of Therapy
On an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Ask Me Anything: John Answers Your Questions About Himself, released on December 28, 2020, Dr. John Delony recommended The Gift of Therapy by Irvin D. Yalom. Delony described the work as an open letter to young therapists and noted that it is particularly good for people entering into the mental health space who want to help others.
Recommended“erving yalum the gift of therapy which is an open letter to young therapist is good for people entering into mental health space people who help other people”
Where to get it
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The Intentional Father
During an episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled I Think My Husband Is an Idiot (but I Don’t Want To), Dr. John Delony recommended Jon Tyson's book The Intentional Father to a caller. Delony described it as a faith-based book, though still extraordinary for non-faith-based readers, and praised it as the best fathering book he had read for providing fathers with a roadmap to teach life skills to their children.
Recommended“um you and your husband need to go through John Tyson's book The intentional father it is a faith-based book so if you're not a faith-based person I think the book is still extraordinary um but if you are people of Faith it's it's the best fathering book I've read”
Where to get it
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The Meaning of Marriage
On a July 2021 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. Josh Axe recommended Timothy and Kathy Keller's book The Meaning of Marriage. Axe highlighted the central premise that the role of spouses is to help each other grow holy.
Recommended“you know there's a great book by tim keller i love it's the meaning of marriage and our job as spouses is to make each other holy”
Where to get it
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The Next Conversation
Jefferson Fisher's book The Next Conversation was featured on The Dr. John Delony Show on March 31, 2025, when host Dr. John Delony interviewed the author. Delony heavily praised the upcoming book as a countercultural guide for improving communication, calling it the "atomic habits for communication." During the episode, Delony quoted passages from the book and discussed visual frameworks included inside it.
Recommended“and he has a brand new book coming out called the next conversation it's an outstanding outstanding book um How to Argue less and talk more”
Where to get it
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The Only Good Indians
During the April 28, 2021 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Ask Me Anything #2: John Answers Your Questions About Himself, Dr. John Delony recommended Stephen Graham Jones's novel The Only Good Indians. Delony described the horror book as scary, dark, and a true masterpiece.
Recommended“um steven graham jones the only good indians again this is a horror novel it's scary pants and real dark too but it was just a masterpiece”
Where to get it
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The Power of Passion and Perseverance
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Producer James brought up the book Grit by Angela Duckworth, initially misremembering it as Tammy Duckworth, to recommend it for its message on passion and perseverance.
Recommended“but um grit by tammy duckworth yeah and i i for some reason or another has accepted it i think so i don't think it's tammy is it tammy”
Where to get it
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The Road
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road specifically to fathers of sons, noting that while readers might not sleep well after reading it, it remains a worthwhile book.
Recommended“the road by cormac mccarthy for you dads especially dads of sons read that book you won't sleep well but it's a good book”
Where to get it
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The Score
On The Dr. John Delony Show in August 2026, Dr. John Delony recommended The Score by C. Thi Nguyen to a caller. The host described the title as a brilliant book and highly recommended reading it while discussing metrics and evaluation systems.
Recommended“Brilliant book by the author's last name is win. Um nyg guen I think. Um and it's called the score. I highly recommend you read it.”
Where to get it
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The Second Mountain
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony recommended David Brooks's book The Second Mountain to a caller, noting that a link to the title would be provided in the show notes.
Recommended“I want y'all to pick up David I think it's David Brooks book second Mountain we'll link to it in the show notes”
Where to get it
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The Tiger
Dr. John Delony recommended John Vaillant's book The Tiger on a December 2021 episode of The Dr. John Delony Show. He praised the true story of vengeance and survival as extraordinary, stating that it might rank among the top ten books of all time.
Recommended“this book was by john valiant and the book is called the tiger true story of vengeance and survival it may be maybe in the top 10 books of all time it was extraordinary”
Where to get it
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The Untethered Soul
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony brought up Michael A. Singer's book The Untethered Soul while answering a caller's question. He cited Singer's work alongside ancient proverbs and stoic literature to illustrate the wisdom of observing one's thoughts and feelings rather than letting them take control.
Recommended“It's in the um the stoic literature. It's in proverbs. It's in Michael Singer wrote a great book.”
Where to get it
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The Whole30
On the April 28, 2021, episode of The Dr. John Delony Show titled Ask Me Anything #2: John Answers Your Questions About Himself, host Dr. John Delony recommended the book The Whole30 by Melissa Urban and Dallas Hartwig. Delony suggested that anyone trying to figure out a clean and easy elimination diet that works for them should get the Whole30 book and start there.
Recommended“if you want to figure out what diet works for you i always recommend to everybody go get the whole 30 book and just start there it's an elimination diet it's very clean and it's easy”
Where to get it
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The Yearling
Dr. John Delony recommended The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings on The Dr. John Delony Show during an Ask Me Anything episode in April 2021. He urged listeners to read the book, describing it as very sad but very good.
Recommended“and then the yearling and where the red fern grows if you haven't read these two books stop what you're doing cause i'm about to ruin the image of style you're used to you gotta read these books they're so sad but they're so good”
Where to get it
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Traveling Mercies
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony quoted writer Anne Lamott and her book Traveling Mercies while discussing the concepts of faith and doubt with a caller.
Recommended“This is a quote from the great Anne Lamott. One of one of my favorite writers of all time. She says the opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is certainty.”
Where to get it
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Until the Streetlights Come On
On The Dr. John Delony Show episode Get Your Kids off Screens and Outside, Dr. John Delony recommended Until the Streetlights Come On by Ginny Yurich, MEd, telling listeners in the episode description to buy the book.
Recommended“Buy Ginny's book Until The Streetlights Come On”
Where to get it
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What If Everybody Did That?
On The Dr. John Delony Show, Dr. John Delony suggested the children's book What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick as a useful tool for parents dealing with children struggling to tell the truth.
Recommended“and there's another one called what if everybody did that and a followup for older kids”
Where to get it
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What No One Tells You About Money
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host John Delony promoted Jade Warshaw's new release, What No One Tells You About Money, urging listeners to purchase and read it for his birthday. At the end of the interview, Delony praised Warshaw and reminded the audience that the book was available for pre-sale.
Recommended“Jade's new book, What Noone Tells You About Money, comes out January 6th. Um, that's my birthday. So for my birthday, I want you to buy this book and I want you to read it.”
Where to get it
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Why we get fat
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony recommended Gary Taubes's book Why We Get Fat during the Ask Me Anything episode. Delony compared reading the book to diving into a mystery novel that uncovers what happened to the country's health over the last hundred years.
Recommended“why we get fat by gary tobbs that's that's like a mystery novel into what has happened to our country the last hundred years and it's remarkable”
Where to get it
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Why We Sleep
On The Dr. John Delony Show, host Dr. John Delony recommended Matthew Walker's book Why We Sleep to a caller who was struggling with sleep schedules. Delony advised the caller to explore Walker's podcast and read the book for guidance on sleep health.
Recommended“I've heard up or down I would get into Matt Walker's podcast and Matthew Walker's book while we sleep that'd be where I'd go”
Where to get it
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Wildwood
During an Ask Me Anything episode of The Dr. John Delony Show in December 2020, Dr. John Delony recommended Colin Meloy's Wildwood trilogy. He praised the young adult fantasy series as being exceptionally good.
Recommended“the wildwood trilogy by colin malloy so good”
Where to get it
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Winnie the Pooh (Winnie-the-Pooh)
On The Dr. John Delony Show in July 2024, host John Delony mentioned the book Winnie-the-Pooh: Pooh Goes Visiting by A. A. Milne at the conclusion of the episode. Delony recounted how his producer Kelly discovered the book in a used bookstore and read an excerpt featuring the character Eeyore to the audience.
Recommended“she picked up a lot of Winnie the Pooh books and um her favorite was a pooh on the move is that what you called it which sounds like a a laxative commercial no want to get that poo on the Move that's awesome anyway poo goes visiting”
Where to get it
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American girls
On The Dr. John Delony Show episode titled Get Your Kids off Screens and Outside (With Ginny Yurich) on May 22, 2024, guest Ginny Yurich discussed Nancy Jo Sales's book American girls. While talking about the online pressures and pornography young girls face, she mentioned that she had just read the most gut-wrenching book by Nancy Jo Sales.
Discussed“I just read the most gut-wrenching book called American Girls by Nancy Joe sales and talking about like the amount of pornography the amount of all these things”
Where to get it
The next 30 books mentioned on The Dr. John Delony Show, ranked
- Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner
- Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
- Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
- Harry Potter by Unknown
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling
- How to Build a Universe in Six Days by Terry Haines
- Learning All The Time by John Holt
- Magic of Believing by Claude M. Bristol
- Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
- Old Yeller by Fred Gipson
- Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew Grove
- Pray for Him by Amanda Hayhurst
- Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman
- Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann
- The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
- The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni
- The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
- The Resistance Training Revolution by Sal Di Stefano
- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni
- The Total Money Makeover Workbook by Dave Ramsey
- The Trouble with Peace by Joe Abercrombie
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Tools of Titans by Timothy Ferriss
- Us by Terrence Real
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Guests who recommended books
- Ginny Yurich (8)
- Pat Lencioni (4)
- Sean Cannell (3)
- Tony Robbins (2)
- Rachel Cruze (2)
- Jade Warshaw (1)
- Arthur Brooks (1)
- Tom Bilyeu (1)
- George Kamel (1)
- Lewis Howes (1)
- Terry Real (1)
- Dr. Josh Axe (1)
Latest mentions
“the analogy i use throughout the book is all anxiety is it's a fire alarm and you and i have both been in buildings when the fire alarms are going off and there's no fire”
“I want you to pick up a book by I I think one of the greatest writers out there, David Kesler, and it's called Finding Meaning. It's what I think is the best book on grief ever written.”
“Um he wrote a book called Unreasonable Hospitality that has had a second, a third and fourth life.”
“Pick up that book. Pick up Dr. Cloud's book Necessary Endings.”
“It's in the um the stoic literature. It's in proverbs. It's in Michael Singer wrote a great book.”
“Own Your Past, Change Your Future”
“and it was on boundaries and I put it up there with James Clear in in with atomic habits in terms of there's a lot of stuff out there on it and you hear habits, habits, you hear boundaries, boundaries, but it's the clearest, most um, not only approachable but and not only action-based, but the meta theme I walked”
“and they've gotten further further away from the original idea that you written about that my buddy Henry Cloud wrote about years ago like that boundaries are a way to to make sure you're staying connected with people”
“Brilliant book by the author's last name is win. Um nyg guen I think. Um and it's called the score. I highly recommend you read it.”
“pick up David Kessler's book Finding Meaning. It's one of the most powerful, extraordinary books on grief I've ever read in my life.”
“I don't know if you've seen like Shiny Happy People, Mhm. but he got us involved with that when we were really young”
“That quote is from Johan Hari and okay um he wrote a phenomenal book called Lost Connections which is it's an extraordinary book.”
“The most common thing I hear from successful people like yourself who want to quit smoking is Alan Carr's book.”
“Read The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter”
“I tried to read Dopamine Nation, but I I got triggered, and then I got mad and decided I'm done trying to”
“I've got come as you are. I've purchased two copies, one for me, one for her.”
“like sometimes forgetting is like the body keeps the score Vander says”
“And um did you read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Height? Yeah. Yeah, I read that uh before before the other call.”
“Jade's new book, What Noone Tells You About Money, comes out January 6th. Um, that's my birthday. So for my birthday, I want you to buy this book and I want you to read it.”
“It was total money makeover workbook. went to get it and there's a part in there where you're supposed to like list out your debts and like it it's kind of like walking you through exercises and like I still have the book”
Episodes
Link to this list from your show notes
Host or produce The Dr. John Delony Show? Give your listeners every book mentioned on the show, with the episode it came up in. New episodes are added as they come out.
