Welcome to the curated archive of all books mentioned by Chris and his guests.
These selections reflect the intellectual and philosophical depth that defines the Modern Wisdom podcast.
Welcome to the curated archive of all books mentioned by Chris and his guests.
These selections reflect the intellectual and philosophical depth that defines the Modern Wisdom podcast.
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: 3.5M Q&A - Dating Famous People, Naval Reflections & Marrying Douglas Murray. Mentioned Books The Will of the Many by James Islington Atomic Habits by James Clear Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson Red Rising by Pierce Brown Outlive by Peter Attia The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss Deep Work by Cal Newport
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: The Psychology Of What Women Want - Rob Henderson. Mentioned Books How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker Outrage by Kurt Gray The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating by David Buss Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class by Rob Henderson
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: Why Has The World Gone Insane? - Douglas Murray. Mentioned Books The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam by Douglas Murray The War on the West by Douglas Murray War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: The Most Unsolvable Question In Science – Annaka Harris. Mentioned Books Galileo’s Error by Philip Goff The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlinger
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: How To Find The Love Of Your Life - Ty Tashiro. Mentioned Books The Evolution of Desire Sex at Dawn Get Married Summary of this podcast: The conversation focuses on romantic relationships, emphasizing the importance of choosing partners based on traits that predict long-term satisfaction, such as emotional stability and agreeableness, while cautioning against prioritizing superficial qualities like looks and wealth. Key insights discussed include understanding attachment styles, recognizing red flags (such as high neuroticism or impulsivity), and appreciating the dynamics between passionate and companionate love. Practical advice is provided on avoiding temptation, selecting partners intentionally, and designing a life conducive to enduring relationship success. ...
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: 23 Lessons For Being Kinder To Yourself - Joe Hudson. 📚 Book Mentions from the Podcast Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence Hardwiring Happiness presents a method to transform positive experiences into lasting happiness by overcoming the brain’s negativity bias. Grounded in neuroscience, the book offers practical tools for developing inner strength, calm, and contentment. Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness In Resilient, Rick Hanson outlines twelve fundamental inner strengths—like courage, gratitude, and mindfulness—that help you bounce back from adversity. It blends neuroscience, positive psychology, and practical wisdom for long-term emotional strength. ...
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: What Netflix’s “Adolescence” Got Wrong - William Costello. Mentioned Books The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists – Neil Strauss Mate: Become the Man Women Want – Tucker Max and Geoffrey Miller The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene The conversation centers around the controversial Netflix mini-series Adolescence, which dramatizes a fictional case of incel-inspired violence and its societal impact, prompting real-world political responses in the UK. The speakers critique the show’s representation of masculinity, online radicalization, and incel ideology, arguing it oversimplifies complex psychological and cultural dynamics without sufficient research grounding. They also explore broader themes such as male role models, mental health, and modern dating pressures on young men, linking them to both academic research and media portrayals. ...
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: Why Evolution Favours Beauty Over Survival - Matt Ridley. Mentioned Books The Moral Animal – Robert Wright The Mating Mind – Geoffrey Miller The Evolution of Beauty – Richard Prum Birds, Sex, and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Charles Darwin’s Strangest Idea – Matt Ridley On the Origin of Species – Charles Darwin The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex – Charles Darwin Various Works by Alfred Russel Wallace – Author Page The podcast centers on Darwin’s lesser-known theory of sexual selection, arguing that mate choice—especially by females—drives the evolution of extravagant traits like bright colors, complex songs, and flamboyant displays, particularly in birds. This process, explored through concepts like Fisherian runaway selection and the sexy son hypothesis, highlights how “hotness” can evolve independently from “fitness,” sometimes even at the cost of survival. The conversation also draws parallels to human behavior, suggesting that traits like humor, creativity, and intelligence may have evolved partly through sexual selection as mental equivalents of peacock tails. ...
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: #922 – Naval Ravikant – 44 Harsh Truths About Human Nature. Mentioned Books The Marshmallow Test by Walter Mischel Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell Zero to One by Peter Thiel Skin in the Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand This conversation shows how real happiness and true success can go hand in hand, especially when you follow what genuinely excites you. It encourages tuning out everyone else’s demands, focusing on what truly matters, and learning by actually doing rather than endlessly planning. By staying authentic—steering clear of empty status games and social pressure—you’ll likely find both greater fulfillment and better results. ...
This post lists the books mentioned in the episode: #921 – Catherine Price – How To Defeat Your Social Media Addiction. Mentioned Books How to Break Up with Your Phone – Catherine Price The Power of Fun – Catherine Price The Distracted Mind – Adam Gazzaley & Larry Rosen The Principles of Psychology – William James The Social Dilemma (mentioned as a documentary, not a book) Our phones are stealing our lives—not in big chunks, but in tiny moments that add up to years. Catherine Price argues that the issue isn’t just phone addiction—though that’s real—but rather unconscious, compulsive use that erodes our ability to focus, form memories, connect meaningfully, and feel truly alive. ...