99pages: Recent Episodes
99pages
99pages is a show connecting passionate readers with the authors they love. In each episode, we go beyond the backflap of the most important books of our day with the authors who wrote them. Follow us on LinkedIn and Youtube for additional content on the works we're promoting. Let's make reading fun :)
Near Death Experiences are among the most fascinating topics to explore. Rarely do we discuss what might be beyond our terrestrial consciousness. But after experiencing his own NDE, Sebastian Junger (The Perfect Storm, War, Tribe, Freedom) took his craft to the topic. A self-described rationalist, he takes a journalists art form to connect the pragmatic with the transcendent. This has quickly grown to become one of the most impactful books in my life, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
ALSO-Sebastian's life was saved with 10 units of blood donated by strangers. It's free, painless, and a wonderful way to support your community. Donate blood, and send an email to 99pagesclub@gmail.com letting us know, and we'll find someone to match your donation 1:1. Thanks and enjoy the episode!
To help me take on the psychological, emotional, and even spiritual echoes among this GLP-1 class of drugs, I’ve invited one of the most dynamic people I know onto the Show. Rimi Chakraborty was once a very successful working professional in the consulting space, she served high flying clients, had an MIT MBA, but one day realized that all that stress was just not serving her. Rather than close in on herself, she decided to set an example for her and her community. She moved out to the Azores in Portugal and founded Minuvida, a business that helps her clients elevate their consciousness through travel. She hosts groups and families on this beautiful island, and helps them reconnect through food and culture. Rimi is also the author of "Beyond Resilience to Rootsilience", a wonderful read on transcending externally imposed versions of success to find life's true meaning. I find her to be an incredibly grounding force, but also a great friend. We’re going to discuss the emotional and lifestyle roots that have led us to this GLP-1 breaking point. I hope you enjoy the conversation.
If you haven’t listened to the intro to this series yet, I suggest you pause, listen to thot 15min primer, and then come back. That primer explains the broad importance of these drugs and sets the stage for the series. We’re dividing this story into three parts…One on the Mind, One on The Body, and a third on The Money.
Today, we’re talking about the body. So I’ve brought on a good friend and classmate Dr. Daryn McClure to chat about what these drugs due for patients. Daryn is a family physician for Banner Health in Arizona. He’s practiced for over 20 years and has seen it all. In addition to his expertise in family medicine and health, he’s also a father himself, and a business mind in his own right making him the perfect person to discuss these drugs with.
Introducing a 3-part series on GLP-1 inhibitors. The most important topic that we aren't talking enough about.
Today we are discussing the book “Who Makes The NBA—Data driven answers to Basketball’s biggest questions”. Well, really every junior high kid’s biggest questions—what does it take to get into the NBA? The book uses incredible amounts of team and player data with sophisticated AI tools to answer these consuming questions—what are the chances of playing in the NBA if I’m short? Why do some countries produce so many more NBA players than others? Do my chances improve if my father was in the NBA? How important are coaches?
Today we’re speaking with Dr. Michael Norton. He’s the author of The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions. This book explains this widespread, but little understood, phenomena of rituals in everyday life. He offers practical ways to use rituals to enhance performance, foster preparedness, ease challenging situations, and enrich our lives. Michael Norton is a professor at the Harvard Business School where he’s been able to put many of these theories into practice with his community.
You know, I think about the rituals in my daily life with my family…my toddlers help me make my morning coffee, or we always do a gratitude at dinner. They help bind us together. IT was fun to talk with Dr. Norton about how these rituals are just so pervasive in our lives, and quite meaningful.
If you enjoy today’s episode please consider rating us on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Those help us out a ton. An consider subscribing to our email list at 99pages.club. We send out emails on our latest episodes, and some book recommendations to keep your Non-fiction reading list fresh. Thanks and enjoy the show.
Today, I’m talking with Sudeep Krishna and Purav Gandhi, authors of “Lead From The Front: Tales of the Indian Military”. India might be the country of my birth, but I’ll be the first to say that I don’t know the place that well. But what I can tell you is that it’s a complex country with state and national struggles rooted in caste, religion, and poverty. It also is a nuclear power with decades of conflict against neighboring countries. I always thought my service in the American military would make it harder to relate to my Indian roots, but the opposite is actually true. My time in Afghanistan has made it easier to understand the country and the tremendous opportunity that the next generation of Indians has ahead of them. The book “Lead From the Front” showcases incredible acts of modern day heroism from another nation’s military in conflicts with their borders. It was a powerful read.
Today we’re speaking Eric Orton about the book Born To Run by Chris McDougall. Eric is actually featured in the book in a major way. He’s a world renowned endurance athlete and coach who was with Chris through much of his journey discovering minimalist running, and the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico: the tribe which inspired the thesis of the book: that human beings are born distance runners. And that the modern shoe industry has made our most valuable work tool—our feet—weaker and less capable. The direction of choice for the future of athletics is not more features and tools around our feet. But less. Eric recently co-authored the Sequel—Born to Run 2—with Chris McDougall, it’s a coaching guide to help athletes incorporate the lessons learned from Born to Run. He’s also the author of the Cool Impossible, an incredible book for athletic ambition.
Let's chat about Tim Urban's "What's Our Problem"; Mckay Coppins "Romney", and the passing of country legend Toby Keith. There's a punchline in there worth a moment of pause.
As dry January comes to an end in 2024, how should we reconsider our relationship with alcohol? I speak with my friend Jess Britt on our respective journeys to mocktails. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol abuse, you should consider reaching out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357 for resources in your area.
Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org returns to discuss healthy aging with diet & lifestyle. I'm also joined by Roy Langdell, my neighbor, and my role model for a life well lived.
Charlie Engle is a world renowned endurance and adventure athlete, known for incredible accomplishments like running across the Sahara Desert, and winning numerous ultra marathons. But his story is so much deeper. It's a story of addiction, prison, the unfairness of the justice system and the financial crisis...but most of all, it's a story of redemption and the human spirit. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to all my listeners. Charlie is a good man doing good work, I'm proud to share this interview with you.
Two books on vital technologies, providing us Mutually Assured Destruction and Individually Designed Creation. Take a moment to listen to our takeaways from American Prometheus & The Code Breaker.
Lisa Sun is a former management consultant turned fashion entrepreneur who wants to change the way we talk about confidence in the workplace. She combines the savvy of a seasoned operator with the rigor of a research professional in understanding what gives someone "Gravitas".
Free Solo, The Dawn Wall, Meru and the barrage of climbing documentaries continue to captivate audiences around the world. The books on which the documentaries are based thrilled me even more. In this episode, I speak with professional climber Augy Cohn about how the new wave of interest in rock climbing has affected the sport.
What makes Suneel special are not his vast accomplishments, which we’ll cover in the conversation…but the openness with which he discusses his personal and professional failures. He talks more openly about his failures than pretty much any successful person I know. And through that openness, he’s become a role model and coach for me.
Suneel is out with a new book called “EveryDay Dharma”. Dharma is a Hindu term used to describe one’s spiritual duty. It’s a term that I struggled with as I read the book in two ways. First, I have no idea what my dharma is. But two, I have a tense relationship with my own Hindu American identity, I wasn’t sure how open I would be to receiving the book’s message rooted in Hindu philosophy. In this episode, you’ll hear Suneel coach me on finding my own personal dharma and why he chose to root the book in these ancient terms and philosophies. I was deeply moved, and I think you will be too.
John C. Bogle is the founder of Vanguard and the creator of the Index Fund. It's a boring, inexpensive way to match the market year after year, which it turns out, is the best outcome the average investor can hope for. Why on earth do some people pick their own stocks? Or even worse, give their money to private managers who slice off percentage points of fees off your nest egg? I speak with investor & entrepreneur Jeff Khadavi on the wisdom of Buffett, Bogle, and the Index Funds.
To all my listeners and supporters out there, my wife and I are having a second child in the next few days. It's a tremendously exciting time that has made me reflect on my reading journey, 99pages, and the future of the show. Just a brief message here as I take a few weeks off to focus on the family.
Mongolia is not a country one often thinks about when considering the influences of world power. But several hundred years ago, it was center of the largest global land empire that has ever existed. Genghis Khan—also known by his given name of Temujin— is often a misunderstood or even mythological character in the modern psyche. And the virtues of his great empire often get drowned out by a host of wild tall tales.
But professor and author Jack Weatherford has spent his professional life bringing the Mongolian culture and the legacy of Genghis Khan into modern form through his numerous books; the most famous of which is “Genghis Khan and The Making of the Modern World.” He’s also written about the nature of religious freedom and female leadership within the Monghol Empire.
While we previously did a live 99pages interview with Dr. Weatherford two years ago, I wanted to revisit his work as he was recently awarded the Order of Genghis Khan by the President of Mongolia—similar to the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom…but only 15 others have been awarded the medal, mostly ex-presidents. Professor Weatherford is the only foreigner to ever win the award! It’s a huge deal.
If you enjoy today’s podcast please consider rating us on apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Those ratings help us out a ton.
12 years ago, Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries experienced one of the most dramatic acts of civil unrest in history. The Arab Spring brought millions of protesters into the streets to oppose authoritarian rule across several Middle Eastern countries. Catherine Manfre's memoir "Not There Yet" is a fascinating story spanning from Egypt in the Arab Spring to the steps of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Civil unrest against government institutions feels like the norm in today's world. We are joined by Dr. Gregory Gause, a professor at The Bush School of government at Texas A&M University to answer some complex questions about the strategies, emotions, and objectives of those who take to the streets, and how they're viewed in the magnifying glass of historical review.
Dr. Michael Greger is the author of several books including "How Not To Die", "How Not To Diet", and "How To Survive a Pandemic". He's also the founder of NutritionFacts.org. He's on a mission to make fact based nutrition guidance accessible to the common person. The world of nutrition advice can be incredibly noisy; it's Dr. Greger's goal to make the science as clear cut as possible. I'm also joined by Nick Kenig, a friend and colleague who introduced my to Dr. Greger's books; and by Erin & Isabella Shea, the owners and operators of Vermont Cheeseless.
With all the humor we extract out of Presidential elections, you might forget that we are picking literally the most powerful person in the world! We’re picking someone with the power to transform the economy, drop bombs, safeguard the nuclear codes…all sorts of crazy powers that no one has ever had before.
Today we talk with Gautum Mukunda, Host of the NASDAQ's World Reimagined Podcast. He's also the author of “Picking Presidents”. He explains the evolving and confusing process that we Americans use to pick the most powerful person on the planet. If you enjoy today’s session, please consider rating us on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts, Those ratings help us out a ton. Thanks!
At the age of 17, Chris Wilson was sentenced to natural life in prison. It was during times of isolation that he decided to not only to turn his life around, but to make a difference in the lives of people who currently live in poverty-stricken communities similar to his childhood surroundings. His book "The Master Plan" is his story of reflection, self-improvement, persistence, and the cringe-worthy status of our justice system. Join us for an incredibly important discussion on American mass incarceration, and the lives it destroys.
Doug Stanton is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, lecturer, screenwriter. His books include The Odyssey of Echo Company, In Harm’s Way, and Horse Soldiers. Horse Soldiers is the basis for a Jerry Bruckheimer produced series titled "12 Strong", starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon, released by Warner Bros. in 2018. Horse Soldiers is required reading by US Army Special Forces at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. In Harm’s Way, the definitive account of the sinking, rescue, and valor of the USS Indianapolis crew, spent more than six months on the New York Times bestseller list and became required reading on the U.S. Navy's reading list for officers. The unabridged audiobook edition of In Harm’s Way is the winner of the 2017 Audie Award in the History category. Horse Soldiers was featured on the front page of the Sunday New York Times Book Review, and is also a New York Times bestselling ebook and audiobook. The Odyssey of Echo Company is a Military Times Best Book Of The Year and recipient of the The Society of Midlands Authors Best NonFiction Book Award. He has lectured at libraries, civic and corporate groups, bookstores, universities, including the US Department of State and The Center for Strategic International Studies. He recently appeared, with Lynn Novick, co-producer of PBS’s "The Vietnam War,” on CSPAN’s "American History” to discuss the Vietnam War.
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz has used data from the internet -- Google, social media, and even pornography searches -- to get new insights into the human psyche. He's a former Google Data Scientist who uses data measure racism, self-induced abortion, depression, child abuse, hateful mobs, the science of humor, sexual preference, anxiety, andsexual insecurity, among many other topics. His 2017 book, Everybody Lieswas a New York Times bestseller and a PBS NewsHour Book of the Year. His latest book "Don't Trust Your Gut" applies that same big data analysis towards improving the decisions of everyday people in love, work, and life. We discuss the the life choices where average people tend to trust their instincts instead of data to make decisions...and often shouldn't. If you enjoy the episode, please consider rating us on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Those ratings help us out a ton. Enjoy the conversation.
David Gergen has been in public service for the better part of 50 years. He served as a White House advisor to four US presidents—Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and founder of the Center for Public Leadership. And he's probably best known for his segments on CNN where he serves as a Senior Political Analyst. We’re discussing his latest book, "Hearts Touched With Fire—How Great Leaders are Made". If you like this episode, please consider rating us on Apple or Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts. Those ratings help us out a ton. Enjoy the discussion!
Jeff Rosenblum is a born storyteller. Almost 30 years ago, he founded a digital ad agency when he saw the power of the internet taking shape. Today, his firm Questus is among the largest and most successful agencies in the world. Jeff has used his platform to create stories in the form of books and documentaries to educate people on how advertising can be a force for good. His book Exponential describes how brands can transform from interrupting their audiences to empowering them. If you like this episode, please consider rating us, your reviews mean a ton to us. Enjoy the discussion!
Few reporters covered the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan with a nuanced critical eye like Rajiv Chandrasekaran. He's the former Editor-in-Chief of the Washington Post, and the author of “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” and “Little America”, about Iraq and Afghanistan respectively. These books shine light on the colossal civil-military divide in theater which led to disastrous decision making, costing many life and limb. He has a unique skill in aptly criticizing military decision making while showing respect and deference to the soldiers executing orders on the ground.
Mr. Chandrasekaran is currently an executive at The Emes Project—the family foundation of Starbucks founder Howard Schultz where works on Policy and Strategy. If you enjoy the episode please consider rating us on Apple, Spotify, or where ever you get your podcasts. Those ratings help us out a ton. Thanks and enjoy the conversation.
Jay Z made $470 million in 2021. Long before hiphop produced billionaires, Zack O'Malley Greenburg was covering the beat from his post at Forbes. Zack is the author of several books on the business of hiphop including "Empire State of Mind" and "Three Kings" profiling Jay Z, Puff Daddy, and Dr. Dre. As was one of the earliest business writers in the country covering the entrepreneurial edge in the hiphop community, Zack documented the genre's evolution from fringe to dominance. He joined me on 99pages a chat about what he saw in the earliest days of hiphop, and what we can learn from it today.
Tesla, Yelp, YouTube, Meta, Palantir, Affirm, SpaceX, LinkedIn, and countless other Silicon Valley companies were founded or seeded by alumni of a single company founded in the mid 1990s: PayPal. Jimmy Soni goes deep behind the scenes of the epicenter of the most powerful forces that have shaped the modern world. With captivating and detailed accounts from the principals of the team--Thiel, Hoffman, Musk, Sacks, Levchin, and others--"The Founders" will stand as the standard bearing book of the start of the modern tech industry. We'll ask Soni about his research, the libertarian ethos behind these entrepreneurs, the chauvinism of Silicon Valley, and the prospect of antitrust or personal information protections in the United States. Join us for this live session with Q&A, or listen to our podcast: 99pages!
How do Fyre Festival and Theranos get "backed" when substantive companies get passed on? In the words of Suneel Gupta, we need more high integrity people who can sell a good idea. Gupta is a Harvard professor, entrepreneur, and investor with a deep background in startup success. He has invested in homerun companies like Airbnb & SpaceX; and he's the founder of Rise which was acquired by One Medical Group in 2017. His book "Backable" discusses the ability for individuals to acquire the skills needed to get influence behind themselves and their ideas. I ask him about success in startups as a minority & what it takes to find lessons in failure.
99pages is excited to host #British Olympian & Author Derek Redmond to discuss his book "Sport is a Business, Business is a #Sport". Derek is best known for his iconic #olympics moment, tearing his hamstring in the middle of the 1992 Barcelona 400m semi-final. But with the help of his father, he summoned the strength to finish the race to one of the largest standing ovations in Olympics history. I'll be joined by James Raybould to ask Derek a bit about his leadership philosophy.
Gautum Mukunda is host of Nasdaq's "World Reimagined" podcast and the author of "Indispensable: When Leaders Really Matter". Few people have researched the implications--and triviality--of leadership as much as Gautum. The overwhelming research shows that even great leaders often are riding the momentum of their institutions while in power. But occasionally, a leader comes along that totally changes the game--a Churchill, a Bezos, or even a Trump. What makes a leader not just "good" but impactful? What can we do to ensure American society is protected from the impacts of narcissistic leaders, but can benefit from the visions of value creators? He's served as a professor at the Harvard Kennedy and Business Schools, and as a contributor to Forbes Magazine. Gautum is a long time friend and one of the people I respect most, I truly enjoyed this conversation.
The US is somehow the richest nation on earth yet is plagued with massive rates of poverty, healthcare debt, income inequality, and poor infrastructure. Kelton shows us how our Gold Standard logic leftover from the 1950s and 1960s continues to hold us back needlessly. She explains how modern monetary theory can help us reimagine the way in which currency owning governments can fund development and grow themselves out of hardship. This is the antidote to the senseless class war our nation is fighting and we need lawmakers to pay attention.
The story of the United States is often told as a cohesive group of colonists rising up against its British overlord. The story is far more complicated. In "American Nations" Colin Woodard differentiates between The values and emigration of Puritan New England, Dutch New York, German & Quaker Pennsylvania, Royalist Tidewater Virginia, the agrarian industrial deep south, the Scottish and Irish border-landers of Appalachia, as well as the French & Spanish settlements in the New World. Each of these domains had different incentives and value which remain core to our national division to this day.
Sebastian Junger has defined himself as the leading storyteller of our nation's ground forces in the Global War on Terror--both in and after conflict. He has authored bestselling books War & Tribe. We'll discuss his latest release--Freedom--about the joint and mutually exclusive struggle for Freedom & Community. We value individuality and self-reliance, yet are utterly dependent on community for our most basic needs. In this intricately crafted and thought-provoking book, Sebastian Junger examines the tension that lies at the heart of what it means to be human.
99pages interviews Ty Seidule, author of "Robert E. Lee & Me"--one of NPR's Staff Picks for 2021-- is part memoir, part history discussing the pervasion of Confederate legacy in modern society. Robert E. Lee in many circles continues to be regarded as a hero-- if not worshiped--with much of his actual horrific and selfish decisions masked in order to save face. From an honest and scientific perspective, Seidule discusses the reality of Lee's motivations and actions, as well as the affect the persistent "lost cause myth" plays in the minds of the privileged south.