Uploaded March 2020 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
3 Books is a completely insane and totally epic 15-year-long quest to uncover the 1000 most formative books in the world. Each chapter is hosted live and in-person at the guest's preferred location by Neil Pasricha, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome series, The Happiness Equation, and Two-Minute Mornings.
Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the 3 most formative books of one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Malcolm Gladwell, Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Angie Thomas, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's top ranked Uber driver, Chris Anderson of TED, Gretchen Rubin, Dr. Jen Gunter, and Mitch Albom,
Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every new moon and full moon all the way up to March 31, 2031.
3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show as well as the world's only podcast by and for book lovers, writers, makers, sellers... and librarians.
3 Books is 100% ad-free, sponsor-free, and commercial-free.
For more info visit 3books.co or download "3 Books" wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thanks for listening.
------------------------
Back in 2013 I stumbled on an article online called “How To Read More — A Lot More” by some writer guy on the Internet named Ryan Holiday.
I started reading the piece and got sucked into it. He had a point! A great point. Many great points, actually. And he was super young. A young man telling the world to read more books? In an era where most guys read none… or, you know, like three books a year?
I found Ryan Holiday to be a complete breath of fresh air.
So I immediately began to copy everything he did.
He launched a monthly book club.
I launched a monthly book club! (With his blessings, of course.)
He was talking about reading fifty then a hundred books a year.
I started to read five books then ten books then fifty books a year.
I started cancelling magazine and newspaper subscriptions and began to consciously put my phone away. I installed a bookshelf at my front door and cancelled cable.
And, of course, I started this podcast!
In a way 3 Books would not exist without Ryan Holiday. I can trace my rediscovered passion for reading all the way back to this writer guy from the Internet.
But he’s not just a writer guy on the Internet anymore.
Ryan Holiday has sold over 2,000,000 books (!) and essentially leads the repopularization of stoic philosophy on a mass scale. Some of his books include The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and his brand new book, Stillness Is The Key.
Ryan also runs DailyStoic.com, the consulting company Brass Check, and his newest project Daily Dad.
He’s become a friend and I have definitely caught his bug.
So in Chapter 38 of 3 Books I ask Ryan to share his four most formative books. (You’ll hear why on the show.) He tells us how to decide who to trust, how he got dramatically fired from his first job, and why we shouldn’t turn parenting into a job.
I hope you enjoy Chapter 38 with Ryan Holiday.
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2HHWPYg
Hey there,
I'm Neil and I spend a ton of time thinking, writing, podcasting, and speaking about living intentionally. I'm the New York Times bestselling author of six books including The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation. I've been lucky to speak at places like TED, SXSW, and Google. And I host a huge passion project called the 3 Books podcast.
Want to read more of my stuff?
https://www.neil.blog/archive/
Want to check out my podcast?
3books.co
Want to learn about my live events?
globalhappiness.org/speaking
Want my monthly book recos?
1000awesomethings.com/reading-club
Want my articles on intentional living?
https://www.neil.blog/newsletter/
I am also on the following drugs:
Facebook: facebook.com/NeilPasricha
Twitter: twitter.com/neilpasricha
Instagram: instagram.com/neilpasricha
Lastly, thanks so much for watching this vid.
👊,
Neil
neil@globalhappiness.org
3 Books is a completely insane and totally epic 15-year-long quest to uncover the 1000 most formative books in the world. Each chapter is hosted live and in-person at the guest's preferred location by Neil Pasricha, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Awesome series, The Happiness Equation, and Two-Minute Mornings.
Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the 3 most formative books of one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Malcolm Gladwell, Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Angie Thomas, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's top ranked Uber driver, Chris Anderson of TED, Gretchen Rubin, Dr. Jen Gunter, and Mitch Albom,
Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every new moon and full moon all the way up to March 31, 2031.
3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show as well as the world's only podcast by and for book lovers, writers, makers, sellers... and librarians.
3 Books is 100% ad-free, sponsor-free, and commercial-free.
For more info visit 3books.co or download "3 Books" wherever you listen to podcasts.
Thanks for listening.
------------------------
Back in 2013 I stumbled on an article online called “How To Read More — A Lot More” by some writer guy on the Internet named Ryan Holiday.
I started reading the piece and got sucked into it. He had a point! A great point. Many great points, actually. And he was super young. A young man telling the world to read more books? In an era where most guys read none… or, you know, like three books a year?
I found Ryan Holiday to be a complete breath of fresh air.
So I immediately began to copy everything he did.
He launched a monthly book club.
I launched a monthly book club! (With his blessings, of course.)
He was talking about reading fifty then a hundred books a year.
I started to read five books then ten books then fifty books a year.
I started cancelling magazine and newspaper subscriptions and began to consciously put my phone away. I installed a bookshelf at my front door and cancelled cable.
And, of course, I started this podcast!
In a way 3 Books would not exist without Ryan Holiday. I can trace my rediscovered passion for reading all the way back to this writer guy from the Internet.
But he’s not just a writer guy on the Internet anymore.
Ryan Holiday has sold over 2,000,000 books (!) and essentially leads the repopularization of stoic philosophy on a mass scale. Some of his books include The Obstacle Is The Way, Ego Is The Enemy, and his brand new book, Stillness Is The Key.
Ryan also runs DailyStoic.com, the consulting company Brass Check, and his newest project Daily Dad.
He’s become a friend and I have definitely caught his bug.
So in Chapter 38 of 3 Books I ask Ryan to share his four most formative books. (You’ll hear why on the show.) He tells us how to decide who to trust, how he got dramatically fired from his first job, and why we shouldn’t turn parenting into a job.
I hope you enjoy Chapter 38 with Ryan Holiday.
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/2HHWPYg
Hey there,
I'm Neil and I spend a ton of time thinking, writing, podcasting, and speaking about living intentionally. I'm the New York Times bestselling author of six books including The Book of Awesome and The Happiness Equation. I've been lucky to speak at places like TED, SXSW, and Google. And I host a huge passion project called the 3 Books podcast.
Want to read more of my stuff?
https://www.neil.blog/archive/
Want to check out my podcast?
3books.co
Want to learn about my live events?
globalhappiness.org/speaking
Want my monthly book recos?
1000awesomethings.com/reading-club
Want my articles on intentional living?
https://www.neil.blog/newsletter/
I am also on the following drugs:
Facebook: facebook.com/NeilPasricha
Twitter: twitter.com/neilpasricha
Instagram: instagram.com/neilpasricha
Lastly, thanks so much for watching this vid.
👊,
Neil
neil@globalhappiness.org
