I got to sit down with the very funny Andrew Kimler to talk about his choice, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (2016), by Adam Grant. It's a fascinating book that challenges all sorts of conventional wisdom. Why did the Segway scooter fail? Why is it better to procrastinate?
Andrew is an actor and comedian who you can see performing at UCB. I'd also recommend you check out his podcast, Applying it Liberally, and follow him on Twitter @AndyKimy .
Mar 18, 2018
41 min
I sat down with my old friend Justin Budlow to talk about his choice, a wonderful book called Ishmael, written by Daniel Quinn. Like most good books, it's about a single man talking to a single gorilla. It's part philosophy book and part novel, and it really gave me some interesting things to think about re: the environment, how humans interact with the rest of the world, why did I never get to have a gorilla teach me things, etc.
I'd encourage you all to watch Justin play guitar on Instagram at bud_low
Mar 11, 2018
42 min
I sat down with actor, comedian, and writer Amy Lynne Berger to talk about her excellent choice, B. J. Novak's One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories (2014).
It's the best book of short humor pieces I've read since Jon Stewart's Naked Pictures of Famous People, and I really enjoyed reading it and talking about it.
Catch Amy perform here in New York with her sketch team, The Nitro Girls, every Friday at 7 at The Magnet Theater. And absolutely follow her on Twitter@AmyLynneBerger!
Mar 4, 2018
41 min
I sat down to talk with educator Meredith Houff about her choice, The Most Magnificent Thing, which was written by Ashley Spires and published in 2014. It's a great read about a little girl (and her dog/assistant) who tries and tries to bring to life the invention in her mind and only manages it after realizing what she can learn from the "wrong things" she made. We talked about the book, about teaching, and about Growth Mindset. Enjoy!
Feb 25, 2018
36 min
This week, I sat down with standup comic and student of the classics Phil Stamato to talk about The Swerve (2011), written by Stephen Greenblatt. It tells the story of a long-lost text, On The Nature Of Things, was rediscovered in fifteenth century Italy, as well as the effects of that discovery on the thinkers (or, "Thought Leaders") of the Renaissance.
You can see Phil do standup at his monthly show Nothing Important in Crown Heights, read his writing on Splitsider.com, and follow him on Twitter.
Feb 18, 2018
44 min
I sat down with Monique Moses to talk about Ready Player One, written by Ernest Cline and published in 2011. The book tells the story of a dystopian future in which civilization has mostly fallen apart and everyone spends much of their time inside a VR simulation called OASIS. (Can't wait!)
We talk about nostalgia, representation, and adaptations!
Monique is an actor and comedian you might recognize from Astronomy Club, IFC Comedy Cribs, and UCB. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @nutellacarte
Feb 11, 2018
42 min
In this episode, I sat down with David Sonshine to talk about The Fifth Sacred Thing (1993) by Starhawk. This is a really cool book which tells the story of a dystopian future in which an eco-feminist society in the Bay Area comes into conflict with their capitalist, theocractic neighbors to the south. It's a compelling adventure story, a vivid illustration of a society that lives in harmony with nature, and a meditation on nonviolence.
David is a longtime friend of my brother and I.
Feb 4, 2018
43 min
I sat down with my friend and colleague Mike Diaz, who chose the book How To Win Friends And Influence People (1936) by Dale Carnegie. It's a fascinating book that lays out principles for human relationships, and demonstrates with exhaustive evidence how those principles can redound to your and others' benefit.
Mike and I talked about our favorite principles, worked on the cast for a movie version, and discussed the line between influence and manipulation.
Jan 28, 2018
39 min
I sat down with Dre Wright to talk about the vital, classic work The Autobiography of Malcolm X As Told To Alex Haley (1965).
Dre is a friend and coworker who may soon be starting a podcast of his own - stay tuned!
We get into the arc of Malcom X's life, his philosophy (and its evolution), wolves vs. foxes, and we discuss whether Malcolm X (or someone like him) could rise to prominence today.
Enjoy!
Jan 21, 2018
41 min
I sat down with my friend and coworker Colin Canny to talk about the new book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House (2018) by Michael Wolff. Colin agreed to speed read the book with me so that we could get an episode out in time to jump on the trending topics bandwagon. What a thrilling ride!
This was a fascinating book in the same way that the Hindenburg was a fascinating rigid airship explosion. We talked about the constant leaking, the cast of a movie version, and Steve Bannon's diet.
Jan 14, 2018
41 min
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