Book Talk Today with Aun Abdi

On Episode #72 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Simon Alexander Ong.  

Simon is a life coach and business strategist. As a coach, he works with individuals to help improve performance both individually and within teams. Today we will be discussing elements from his book, “Energize: Make The Most Out of Every Moment”.

On Episode #71 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Farhan Samanani.

Farhancompleted his Ph.D. in Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. done work on diversity, migration, and belonging for a number of organizations, including the World Bank, the Runnymede Trust, and Share Action. Today we are discussing elements from his book, “How To Live with Each Other: An Anthropologists View on Sharing a Divided World”.

On Episode #70 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Ben Aldridge.

Ben is a writer and speaker on practical philosophy, comfort zones, mental health and adventure. We discussed his new book ‘How To Control The Uncontrollable’.

Ben’s Website - https://www.benaldridge.com/

Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Fe0D_ddQeLM

On Episode #69 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by David Kadavy.

David Kadavy is an author, podcaster, and self-publishing coach. His books include, The Heart to Start: Stop Procrastinating & Start Creating, Design for Hackers and his latest book Mind Management, Not Time Management.

David’s Website - https://kadavy.net/

David's Book - https://amzn.to/3NOO1BE

On Episode #68 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Harry Parker.  

Harry joined the British Army when he was 23 and served in Iraq in 2007 and Afghanistan in 2009 as a Captain, before stepping on a bomb while on foot patrol - he now walks on metal legs. He is now a writer and artist, based in London.

Harry’s Website - https://www.harryparkerstudio.com/ 

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #67 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Dan Bigham.

Dan Bigham is an Aerodynamic Engineer turned cyclist of HUUB Wattbike Cycling Team and director of his own sports componentry brand. He has worked with many cycling institutions and works record holders, which he is one himself. We discussed his first book, “Start At The End: How Reverse-Engineering Can Lead To Success.”

Dan’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danbiggles/?hl=en

Dan’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/danbiggles22?lang=en

Visit our Website -https://www.booktalktoday.com/

On Episode #66 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Richard Eaton.

Richard Eatonis an American historian currently working as a professor of history at the University of Arizona. He is known for having written the notable books on Indian history before 1800. In this conversation we discussed his most recent book, ‘India In The Persianate Age.’

On Episode #65 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Dr Nate Zinsser.

Dr. Nate Zinsser is an expert in the psychology of human performance who consults to individuals and organizations seeking a competitive edge.

We discussed:

📚 How To Achieve & Maintain Confidence

📚 Routines To Maximise Performance

📚 Optimising Your Mindset

Dr Nate’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/doczinsser

Dr Nate’s Website - https://www.natezinsser.com/

On Episode #64 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Oliver Bullough.

Oliver is an author and journalist. He’s published multiple books including the financial expose Moneyland, a Sunday Timesbestseller and his most current book, Butler To The World: How Britain Serves Oligarchs, Gangsters and Kleptocrats.

We discussed:

📚 How Britain became Butler To The World

📚 The Current Ukraine/Russia Conflict

📚 The Future of Britain’s Butlering

Oliver’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/oliverbullough

Buy Oliver’s Book - https://amzn.to/3pSlH83

On Episode #63 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Heather Hansen.

Heather Hansen is a Global Communication Specialist, TEDx speaker, and Founder of Singapore-based communication training and consulting firm, Global Speech Academy Pte Ltd.

We discussed:

📚 How to become ‘Unmuted’

📚 Finding your authentic self

📚 The importance of speaking up

Visit Heather’s Website - https://globalspeechacademy.com/

Twitter - https://mobile.twitter.com/heatherhansen

Buy Heather’s Book - https://amzn.to/3HiaWSf

Edited by Utkarsh Malhotra - https://www.instagram.com/utkarshmalhotra_ji/

On Episode #62 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Ian Stewart.

Ian is an Emeritus Professor in the Mathematics Department at Warwick University, where he divides his time equally between research into nonlinear dynamics and furthering public awareness of mathematics. He has published more than 120 books, yes you heard that correctly, on a range of different topics including mathematics and fantasy fiction.

We discussed:

📚 The relationship between maths and fiction

📚 Why mathematics is important

📚 How to change our approach to mathematics

Twitter - https://twitter.com/joatstewart

Visit Ian’s Website - https://ianstewartjoat.weebly.com/

Buy Ian’s Book - https://amzn.to/3BuOmEP

On Episode #61 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Sam Gilbert.

Sam is an affiliated researcher at the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. He is also an expert in data-driven marketing being part of the fintech startup Bought By Many as the chief marketing officer. Today we will be discussing his most recent book, “Good Data: An Optimist’s Guide To Our Digital Future”.

We discussed:

📚 What makes good data

📚 The relationship between data and our privacy

📚 The future of our data

Visit Sam’s Website - https://gooddataguide.com/

Buy Sam’s Book - https://amzn.to/3Bj5hds

On Episode #60 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by David Robson.

David an award-winning science writer specialising in the extremes of the human brain, body and behaviour.  

We discussed:  

📚 The Expectation Effect  

📚 How to harness your positive attitude  

📚 Boosting mental and physical performance

Visit David’s Website - https://davidrobson.me/ 

Buy David’s Book - https://amzn.to/3HtTGdI

On Episode #59 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Joe Zammit-Lucia.

Joe is an entrepreneur, investor, leadership advisor and commentator. He is an investor and Non-Executive Director in entrepreneurial ventures and advises senior business and institutional leaders on leadership in contemporary culture. oday we are discussing his new book, “The New Political Capitalism - How Businesses and Societies can thrive in a deeply politicised world.”

We discussed:

📚 The New Political Capitalism

📚 The relationship between Politics and Business

📚 The differences with financialised capitalism

Visit Joe’s Website - https://www.newpoliticalcapitalism.com/

Buy Joe’s Book - https://amzn.to/3reQOMh

On Episode #58 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Andrew Hankinson

Andrew is writer in Newcastle upon Tyne, northern England. He’s written for many different publications including Wired, The New Yorker and the BBC and has reported from places such as Haiti, Iraq and Ukraine.

We discussed:

📚 Comedy at the Comedy Cellar

📚 Comedy & Free Speech

📚 The future of comedy

Visit Andrew’s Website - https://andrewhankinson.com/

Buy Andrew’s Book - https://amzn.to/3FTJM3D

On Episode #57 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Wendy Syfret.

Wendy is a Melbourne based writer, editor, and author of “The Sunny Nihilist: How a Meaningless Life Can Make You Truly Happy”.

We discussed:

📚 Nihilism: It’s benefits & pitfalls

📚 Modern day barriers to finding meaning

📚 Importance of living in the present

Visit Wendy’s Website - https://www.wendysyfret.com/

Buy Wendy’s Book - https://amzn.to/3tpniVl

If you haven't already please to subscribe to the podcast to not miss out on weekly episodes with authors. 

On Episode #56 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Angus Fletcher.

Angus is a Professor of Story Science at Ohio State’s Project Narrative, the world’s leading academic think-tank for the study of how stories work. In our conversation we discussed his most recent book, “Wonderworks: Literary Invention And The Science of Stories.”

We discussed:

📚 How the Education System Teaches Literature Wrong

📚 Approaching Reading the Right Way

📚 Literature as Mental Medicine

Visit Angus’ Website - https://www.angusfletcher.co/

Buy Angus’ Book -https://amzn.to/3qT7KWW

On Episode #55 I will be walking you 10 of my favourite moments from the podcast this year and talking about why I liked them so much.   2021 was a great year for the podcast. Not only did we have some amazing guests on the podcast, but we also grew massively around the world with listeners all over the globe, so thank you all for listening and supporting the podcast. I am eternally grateful to you all.

Episodes in Order of this Video:  

#28 with Nick Velasquez - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suNaFzchn0k&t=4194s

#34 with Nichola Raihani - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOURiN8O5Jk&t=2733s

#36 with Scott Young - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2x-htZYUQk&t=3071s

#37 with Violet Moller - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3QR7Yk6NXw&t=3237s

#41 with Tom Rivett-Carnac - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYzZQSea7lQ

#43 with Will Storr - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAEXFq3Q8gs

#47 with Andrew Graham-Dixon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA9NOuDDiTk&t=1805s

#49 with Donald Robertson - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENsOt3p_xGM&t=1425s

#50 with Oliver Burkeman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfao3rFKss4&t=2794s

#51 with Jeff Haden - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIH4AlCVF5w&t=690s

#52 with Jack Murray - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTUijk_uerA&t=339s  

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #54 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by James Ball.

James is the global editor of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, where he oversees the not-for-profit’s international reporting projects. James is also the author of multiple books, and today we will be discussing elements from his most recent book, "The System: who owns the internet and how it owns us".

We discussed:

📚 The origins of the Internet

📚 Web 2.0 vs Web 3.0

📚 What the future of the Internet may look like

James’ Website - https://www.jamesrball.com/

James’ Twitter - https://twitter.com/jamesrbuk

Buy James’ Book - https://amzn.to/3EezHx9

On Episode #53 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Ian Macrae.

Ian MacRae is a work psychologist, consultant, speaker, author and Managing Director of High Potential Psychology. He works with, and writes about, a wide range of topics relating to psychology and the workplace.

We discussed:

📚 The difference between light and dark personality types

📚 The importance of understanding dark social behaviours

📚 How to assess personality types

Ian’s Website - https://www.highpotentialpsych.co.uk/test/55

Ian’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/IanSMacRae?s=20

Buy Ian’s’s Book - https://amzn.to/3Eo03xs

On Episode #52 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Jack Murray.

Jack Murray is an entrepreneur, story consultant, speaker, and author. He is the CEO and founder of MediaHQ, a media contacts database and press release distribution tool, and of the storytelling agency All Good Tales.

We discussed:

📚 The Magic Slice in storytelling

📚 How to tell better stories

📚 The importance of telling great stories in business

Jack’s Website - https://www.murraystory.com/

Buy Jack’s Book - https://amzn.to/3CFbsYp

Follow Jack on Twitter - https://twitter.com/mediamurray

On Episode #51 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Jeff Haden.

Jeff is inc.com's most popular columnist and one of LinkedIns most widely followed influencers. He is the author or co-author of 5 non-fiction book. Today we will be discussing his book, 'The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up To Win.'

We discussed:

📚 The best way to start anything

📚 Some misconceptions surrounding motivation

📚 The importance of defining success for yourself

Jeff’s Website - https://www.jeffhaden.com/ 

Buy Jeff’s Book - https://amzn.to/3C41XSb

On Episode #50 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Oliver Burkeman.

Oliver Burkeman is an author and writer, having written a long-running column for the Guardian, 'This Column Will Change Your Life', he has a devoted following for his writing on productivity, mortality and the power of limits. Today we will be discussing his new book, 'Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How To Use it.

We discussed:

📚 Misconceptions surrounding time-management

📚 Technology and productivity

📚 Developing a healthier approach to time-management

On Episode #49 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Donald Robertson.

Donald is a writer, cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist and trainer. He is an expert on the relationship between modern psychotherapy (CBT) and classical Greek and Roman philosophy. Today we will be discussing his book, 'How To Think Like A Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.'

We discussed:

📚 The origins and principles of Stoic philosophy

📚 The link between CBT and Stoicism

📚 Why Stoicism can help you

On Episode #48 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Hassan Abbas.

Hassan is a Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the National Defense University's Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies in Washington DC. He is the author of 'The Taliban Revival', 'Pakistan's Drift into Extremism' and 'The Prophets Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib' which we will be discussing today.

We discussed:

📚 Who Ali Ibn Ali Talib was

📚 His relationship with The Prophet

📚 Ali’s legacy

On Episode #47 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon.

Andrew is one of the leading art critics and presenters of arts television in the English-speaking world. He has presented numerous landmark series on art for the BBC and other independents. He's written 6 books including 'A History of British Art', 'Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane' and 'Michelangelo and the Sistine Chapel', which we discussed today.

We discussed:

📚 The origins of Michelangelo

📚 The creation of The Sistine Chapel

📚 The legacy of Michelangelo

On Episode #46 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Sarah Ellis.

Sarah is the co-founder of Amazing If, an award-winning career development company with a mission to make work better for everyone.She is host of the UK’s no.1 careers podcast: Squiggly Careers and co-author of The Sunday TimesNo.1 Business Bestseller: The Squiggly Career: Ditch the ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career.

We discussed:

📚 How to design your career.

📚 How to create your values.

📚 Design a future-proof career.

On Episode #45 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Adrian Wooldridge.  

Adrian in the Economist's political editor and author of its Bagehot column. 

He is author of ten previous books and today we will be discussing his most recent book, 'The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made the Modern World'.  

We discussed:  

📚 Plato & The Aristocracy of Talent. 

📚 Why Meritocracy is so important. 

📚 How to create a ‘wiser’ Meritocracy.  

Adrian’s book is ‘The Aristocracy of Talent: How Meritocracy Made The Modern World.’

On Episode #44 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Paul Mason.

Paul is a journalist, writer and film-maker, actively engaged in the struggle for social, racial and climate justice.

We discussed:

📚 The origins of Fascism and how to define it.

📚 What modern day Fascism looks like.

📚 How to resist the rise of Fascism.

Paul’s book is ‘How To Stop Fascism: History Ideology Resistance.’

On Episode #43 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Will Storr.

Will is an award-winning writer and one of my personal favourites. He is the author of five acclaimed books, including 'The Heretics', 'Selfie' and 'The Science of Storytelling'. Today we will be discussing his new book, 'The Status Game: On Social Position and How We Use it.'

We discussed:

📚 The elements of ‘The Status Game’.

📚 Why people join cults.

📚 Toxic morality and prestige games.

Will’s book is ‘The Status Game: On Social Position and How We Use It.’

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:30] - What is ’The Status Game’?

[2:37] - Where is the relationship between status and storytelling?

[4:38] - Status and religion

[6:40] - The prestige games of virtue and success

[13:34] - Do co-operation and status go hand in hand?

[15:23] - The effects of toxic morality

[19:31] - Human Individual Metamorphosis

[26:46] - How cults derive their power (Aun’s audio cuts out)

[29:30] - Rewards and status games

[33:49] - Evil for the sake of being evil

[39:57] - Incels and status

[42:45] - Does social media enhance specific status games?

[46:42] - Brainwashing and identity

[52:35] - In defence of tyrants

[54:58] - Rewriting history

[56:21] - How do we play ‘The Status Game’

[1:01:23] - Outro

On Episode #42 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Justin Marozzi

Tom is the Founding Partner at Global Optimism, and co-author The Future We Choose. He is a political strategist focussed on a better future.

Justin is a travel writer, historian, journalist and communications expert. Justin is a regular contributor to a wide range of national and international publications where he writes on international affairs, the Muslim world, defence and security issues.

We discussed:

📚 The growth of Islamic Empires across over time.

📚 Recent events in Kabul and how it relates to history.

📚 Hypocrisy within Islamic History.

Justin’s book is 'Islamic Empires: That Cities That Shaped Civilisation From Mecca to Dubai.'

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:40] - Justin experiences visiting these countries

[4:35] - The aftermath of the Arab Spring

[6:26] - Recent events in Kabul

[15:28] - The impact of different sects in Islam

[20:47] - 14th Century Samarkand

[22:49] - What role did the 'Silk Road' play?

[24:22] - Islamic cities being way ahead of their Western Counterparts

[27:23] - How was Cordoba able to transform into a Muslim city?

[33:22] - Women's rights in the new Afghanistan

[35:39] - Markets being a centre of Islamic Culture

[37:39] - Hypocrisy in Islamic history

[42:10] - Sectarian Clashes in Beirut

[44:46] - The dividing nature of Dubai

[50:37] - The meeting of new and old in the Arab world

[52:12] - What might a 22nd Century Islamic City look like?

[1:01:14] - Modern infrastructure development in Mecca

[1:05:01] - The ruling family and clerics in Saudi Arabia

[1:06:48] - Individuals using religion for personal gain

[1:08:13] - Outro

On Episode #41 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Tom Rivett-Carnac (@tomcarnac)

Tom is the Founding Partner at Global Optimism, and co-author The Future We Choose. He is a political strategist focussed on a better future.

We discussed:

📚 How to be a ‘Stubborn Optimist’.

📚 Our personal responsibility towards climate change.

📚 How to think about climate change differently.

Tom’s book is ‘The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimists Guide To The Climate Crisis’

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:22] - What does it mean to be a 'stubborn optimist' about climate change?

[4:53] - Tom's work with The Paris Agreement.

[8:34] - Do we need a new economic system to tackle climate change?

[12:40] - How Tom became a Buddhist Monk.

[15:27] - How much of Climate Change is a mindset shift?

[19:34] - What role does misinformation play in distorting climate change?

[26:25] - Will there be a delay in the positive effects of Climate Change?

[27:45] - What can each of us do?

[32:49] - Are governments doing enough to stop an increase in climate change?

[39:04] - What are some of the key-takeaways from the book?

[41:06] - Outro

On Episode #40 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Adam Lowenstein(@adamlowenstein)

Adam M. Lowenstein spent eight years working in American government and politics in the United States, most recently as speechwriter and strategic communications advisor in the United States Senate.

We discussed:

📚 Reading challenging book

📚 Enjoying the process

📚 In depth discussion about ‘Amusing Ourselves to Death’

📚 Many book recommendations.

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:49] - Adam's experience of publishing a book after one year

[5:36] - Practising what you preach

[12:19] - Why there is value in sharing knowledge

[13:34] - The power of keeping a video journal

[16:10] - The tradeoffs of being a creator

[17:26] - Short-term vs long-term thinking

[19:31] - Finding value in the process

[25:01] - Consumption vs creation

[31:39] - Book - The Shallows by Nicholas Carr

[34:09] - How to be selective over content

[40:04] - There is no hack to reading

[43:09] - What you learn from reading more

[48:28] - The misleading nature of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

[54:25] - Neil Postman story

[57:04] - The past is not that long ago

[1:00:06] - Book - The Map of Knowledge

[1:04:01] - Why everyone should read history

[1:15:09] - Discussion around 'Amusing Ourselves To Death'

[1:35:26] - Analogue vs. Digital

[1:43:11] - Reading as a distraction

[1:44:46] - Adam's experience of writing by hand

[1:51:27] - What would 50 year old you say?

[1:55:04] - Book recommendations

[1:56:38] - 'The Ministry for the Future' by Kim Stanley Robinson

[1:58:50] - 'Parable of the Sower' by Octavia E. Butler

[2:01:54] - Fyodor Dostoevsky

[2:06:39] - 'Uncanny Valley' by Anna Wiener

[2:12:07] - Writing for questions, rather than answers

[2:13:17] - The Heretics' by William Storr

[2:16:15] - The Map of Knowledge' by Violet Moller

[2:21:24] - Outro

On Episode #39 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Fiona Buckland(@fionabucklandcoaching)  

Fiona is an international coach, facilitator, author and speaker who has worked one-on-one with hundreds of clients, and lead thousands in public and corporate workshops, trainings and events.   

We discussed:  

📚 What thoughtful leadership is 

📚 How to manage stress as a leader 

📚 Finding your values 

📚 … I even got a free values session ☺️  

Fiona’s book is 'Thoughtful Leadership: A Guide to Leading with the mind, body and soul.   

Timestamps : 

[0:00] - Intro. 

[0:59] - What is 'thoughtful leadership'? 

[4:24] - The misconceptions of ego and leadership. 

[7:35] - Why you need resilience to be a good leader. 

[14:17] - The relationship between resilience, self-awareness and leadership. 

[18:32] - The importance of values in leadership. 

[21:01] - Aun's free session. 

[25:41] - Fiona talking about Neil Postman. 

[27:08] - Back to Aun's session... 

[28:45] - Getting your values from other leaders. 

[36:06] - Becoming more resourceful with your personality. 

[44:14] - Collective compassion. 

[48:51] - Leadership surrounding COVID-19 in the UK. 

[56:56] - Demagogue leaders in America. 

[1:03:10] - Fiona's book recommendations. 

[1:06:41] - Outro  

Fiona's website - https://www.fionabucklandcoaching.com/ 

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #38 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Adam Ashton. (@whatyouwilllearn)

Adam, otherwise known as "Ashto", has worked previously in corporate banking, transport and logistics, digital marketing. During which he found a lot of the answers he was searching for in books. His favourite books have helped me understand myself better and understand the world better. Today we will be discussing his book, 'The Sh*t They Never Taught You.'

We discussed why you should read, the lessons learnt from reading and lots of book recommendations. 📚

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:29] - Adam's journey to reading more

[4:12] - How to choose the right books

[6:28] - How Adam started his podcast

[9:20] - The impact of reading philosophy

[14:02] - Assimilating the information from books

[22:51] - Key takeaways from speaking with authors

[31:03] - Time management tips as a content creator

[32:52] - Digital note-taking systems

[35:40] - Aun's note taking system

[39:59] - Ultralearning

[45:41] - The reason behind writing the book

[55:28] - Some of Adam's favourite books

[58:44] - Should you use 5 principles?

[1:01:41] - Book summaries

[1:06:40] - Authors that Aun would like to have on the podcast

[1:09:47] - Aun's writing project

[1:12:53] - The Perennial Seller

[1:14:34] - Why you should re-read books

[1:17:11] - Can't Hurt Me

[1:18:53] - Amusing Ourselves To Death

[1:21:57] - The story behind the book title

[1:24:08] - Outro

On Episode #37 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Violet Moller. 

Violet is an independent historian with a particular interest in the history of ideas and how knowledge has been transmitted through the centuries. She has a Ph.D on the libraries in Early Modern Britain and is host of the Travels Through Time history podcast which asks a wide range of brilliant historians which year they would chose if they could travel back in time. Today we will be discussing her book, 'The Map of Knowledge: How Classical Ideas Were Lost and Found: A History of Seven Cities.'

We discussed the library of Alexandria, Baghdad, Cordoba, Toledo, Salerno, Palermo and Venice in relation to the transition of knowledge from 500 to 1500. 

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:07] - Violet's journey to writing this book

[6:27] - The founding of Alexandria and its library

[11:38] - How the library of Alexandria disappeared

[13:30] - The city of Baghdad

[18:27] - Knowledge and the relationship between the rich and poor

[23:17] - The city of Cordaba

[28:54] - The city of Toledo

[34:36] - The loss of knowledge through conflict

[36:13] - The latinization of Arab knowledge

[42:47] - Cities in Italy

[48:15] - The impact of the Gutenberg Press

[52:15] - The main takeaway from the book

[54:34] - If we were to return to any period of history…

[59:52] - Outro

Visit our website - www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #36 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Scott Young. (@scotthyoung)

Scott is a writer who undertakes interesting self-education projects, such as attempting to learn MIT's four year CS curriculum in twelve months and learning 4 languages in one year. Today we will be discussing his book, 'Ultralearning: Accelerate Your Career, Master Hard Skills and Outsmart the Competition.'

We discussed how to become an ultralearner including techniques, principles and mindsets you need to achieve this. 👌

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[2:38] - Scott's journey to becoming an ultralearner

[6:33] - The problem with some (Duolingo) learning apps

[9:12] - A better solution for learning any language

[10:37] - Why hasn't updated learning techniques made their way into schools?

[14:40] - What's Scott's motivation to learn?

[19:02] - Do the principles in the book hold equal weight?

[22:27] - What was Scott's hardest thing to learn and which principle helped him?

[26:50] - How do you plan your learning with no end point?

[29:06] - How Scott learnt a 4 year CS course in one year.

[41:04] - Learning by books or videos?

[45:02] - What's the difference between free and active re-call?

[49:27] - How to remember more when reading books.

[51:53] - What role does obsession play in becoming a better learner?

[54:53] - How to choose a subject to learn?

[1:03:50] - What spacial repetition system does Scott use?

[1:08:37] - Scott's book recommendations

[1:12:22] - Outro

Visit our website - www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #35 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by David Robinson Simon.

David is a lawyer and advocate for sustainable consumption. He works as general counsel for a healthcare company and serves on the board of the APRL Fund, a non-profit dedicated to protecting animals.

We discussed how the meat industry has grown to the size it has, what some of the barriers are to reducing meat consumption and living a more healthy and balanced life. 👌📚

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro.

[1:27] - How David became interested in this topic.

[5:57] - The negative externalities surrounding the Meat Industry.

[7:16] - Do retail prices on fast-food make meat consumption so available?

[8:29] - Is there are systemic issues with companies funding regulatory bodies?

[10:58] - Has there been a general change in attitudes since 2013?

[13:46] - Is the meat industry protected too much by special interest?

[17:25] - Do government subsidies encourage consumer consumption?

[21:28] - Why is there so much conflating evidence on either side of the meat debate?

[28:52] - Are organic foods actually beneficial?

[33:55] - Are large countries and organizations doing enough to combat the environmental effects of climate change?

[35:53] - Would a meat and dairy tax work?

[39:59] - What are the three solutions to this?

[44:35] - Where did the figure of $414 billion come from?

[51:38] - How long will Zoo's be around for?

[54:00] - Has David thought about writing a follow-up?

[59:15] - Outro

Visit our website - www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #34 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Nichola Raihani.   

Nichola is a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Professor in Evolution and Behaviour at UCL, otherwise known as University College London. She is leader of the Social Evolution and Behaviour Lab at UCL, and her research focuses on the evolution of social behaviour in humans and non-human species. Today we will be discussing her debut book,'The Social Instinct: How Cooperation Shaped the World.'

Nichola's Twitter - https://twitter.com/nicholaraihani  

Social Evolution and Behaviour Lab - http://www.seb-lab.org/ 

Timestamps   

[0:00] - Intro. 

[1:23] - Why is cooperation an interesting topic of discussion? 

[3:13] - A brief introduction to 'The Origin of Species'. 

[5:42] - The relationship between the individual gene and the individual as a whole. 

[8:49] - What's the purpose of a gene, and the reasons for its longevity? 

[10:25] - The Mother's Curse of genes. 

[15:14] - The genetic inevitability of cancer. 

[22:53] - Some of Nicola's findings in the field. 

[26:42] - Are humans cooperative breeders? 

[31:02] - The role of teaching in different animals kingdoms. 

[39:58] - The relationship between interdependence and reciprocity. 

[43:52] - Does globalisation mean a move away from reciprocity to interdependence? 

[48:15] - The negative impact of free-riders and cooperation. 

[51:59] - What are the biological conditions necessary to allow human cooperation to flourish in the future? 

[55:42] - Outro

On Episode #33 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Roger Crowley.  

Roger is a best-selling narrative historian with deep interests in the Mediterranean world and its surrounding area. Today we will be discussing his book, 'Constantinople: The Last Great Siege'.   

We discussed how Constantinople came to be the epicentre of different cultures, its significance and the events of the Great Siege in 1453. 👌📚  

Timestamps:

[0:00] - Intro. 

[1:48] - Roger's background with Constantinople. 

[4:01] - Why was Constantinople so significant? 

[8:37] - A battle between two individuals? 

[12:03] - How influential was Mehmet's childhood? 

[16:48] - The technological advancements during that time. 

[23:54] - The lost history of 'Greek Fire'. 

[26:45] - The loss of information as history unfolds. 

[27:45] - How was Mehmet able to control the morale of his troops better than Constantine XI? 

[39:27] - How close was a voluntary surrender during the siege? 

[46:21] - How accurate are the sources of the siege? 

[59:06] - Outro and Roger's next book.   

You can find more information about Roger here - http://www.rogercrowley.co.uk/author.html

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #32 of the Book Talk Today podcast we're joined by Todd Herman. 

Todd is an author, speaker and coach and has Been Entrenched In The World Of Elite Performers Working With The Highest Achievers In Sports And Business For Over Two Decades. Today we will be discussing his book, 'The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life.'

We discussed what an ‘Alter Ego’ is, how we can create our own alter ego and many other things. 👌📚

Timestamps

[0:00] - Intro

[1:38] - What was the origins of 'The Alter Ego'?

[7:50} - Is an 'Alter Ego' necessary?

[11:08] - What role does self-awareness play in the pursuit of an 'Alter Ego'?

[16:38] - How has 'The Alter Ego' changed since its conception?

[26:25] - How do you create an 'Alter Ego'?

[27:47] - A little tangent...

[31:35] - Continuing on creating an 'Alter Ego'.

[32:32] - Can you create multiple 'Alter Egos'?

[42:59] - The importance of being on the field of play with leadership.

[50:45] - David Goggins and creating 'Goggins'.

[54:55] - Outro

On Episode #31 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Louai Al Roumani. Louai was the head of finance and planning at Banque Bemo Saudi Fransi (BBSF), the largest privately-owned bank in Syria when the conflict broke out in 2011. He has over 14 years of experience in various finance and strategic planning roles across the Middle East and the UK. Today we will be discussing his book, 'Lessons from a Warzone: How to be a resilient leader in times of crisis.'  

Timestamps  

[0:00] - Intro 

[1:51] - Louai’s reasons behind writing the book. 

[6:04] - What was the experience like leading a bank through a war? 

[12:54] - Mistakes made during Louai's time leading.  

[16:17] - Dealing with someone turning their back on you during bad times.  

[21:19] - Misinformation during a time of crisis.  

[27:35] - How to manage a stressful job and family life.  

[31:32] - Louai's personal life lessons during that time.  

[33:21] - The difference between being passive and still.  

[34:23] - Should we actively seek out crisis? 

[36:45] - Louai’s transition to moving to London. 

[39:31] - Feedback from the book and Louai's story.  

[43:57] - The importance of talking honestly.  

[47:29] - Louai’s experience as a first-time writer. 

[51:58] - Some book recommendations.  

[54:15] - Outro  

*At times the audio and video may be out of sync. Apologies.   

Find Louai here - www.louaialroumani.com  

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #29 of the Book Talk Today podcast we're joined by Theo Priestley and Bronwyn Williams. Theo is a globally recognised futurist. He has delivered keynotes internationally and articles have been featured in Forbes and Wired to name a few. Brownyn is a leading futurist and trend analyst. She has presented and consulted to businesses and governments across Africa. 👌📚  

We discussed their book ‘The Future Starts Now’, AI and the future of technology and how we will live alongside it. 📚 

Timestamps:  

0:00 - Intro 

1:16 - What was the intention with writing this book? 

7:32 - A change from a Utopian to Dystopian view of the future. 

6:16 - The issues surrounding privacy. 

22:03 - The negative conversations surrounding rise in AI. 

31:14 - Deriving meaning from AI.  

33:49 - Elitism surrounding the AI discussion. 

39:17 - There's no future thinking beyond the next term. 

42:34 - The issue of replicating human systems interplanetary.  

48:52 - Agressor vs. Victim mindset.  

49:46 - The Luddite's view of technology.  

56:57 - The importance of the 'long-now'. 

1:01:50 - Outro   

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #28 of the Book Talk Today podcast we're joined by Nick Velasquez.  

Nick is a passionate learner and devoted student of mastery. He’s the founder of the popular blog UnlimitedMastery.com, where he writes about learning science, peak performance, creativity, and mastering skills. We discussed his book 'Learn Improve Master', the creative writing process and the difference between passion and purpose, among many other things.   

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro 

2:23 - The Psychology of Money 

6:05 - Fiction vs Non-Fiction 

13:31 - Appreciating the content that you consume 

18:26 - The philosophy of attachment 

26:29 - The Map of Knowledge  

34:07 - Books as a vessel of knowledge 

38:56 - Passion vs. Purpose 

46:06 - The routine and habits of creatives 

48:32 - Aun's book idea  

49:56 - The creative writing process 

1:02:40 - Learning is memorising. Application is understanding.  

1:05:53 - The problem of over reading 

1:10:52 - Re-reading and the allure of new books 

1:21:10 - The issue with book summaries 

1:25:14 - Are audiobooks good? 

1:30:21 - Travelling to Japan 

1:36:11 - Outro  

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #27 of Book Talk Today we're joined by Tom Bergin. Tom is an investigative financial journalist for Reuters. His work has prompted parliamentary inquiries and won numerous awards in Britain, the United States and Asia, including a Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism and the Orwell Prize for Journalism.   

Today we will be discussing his new book, 'Free Lunch Thinking: How Economics Ruins The Economy.'  

Timestamps:  

0:00 - Intro 

1:37 - What is 'Free Lunch Thinking'? 

8:35 - The politicisation of economics. 

13:14 - Is there a flaw in economics? 

17:42 - Why does economics still value the 'rational actor'?  

23:05 - What is 'The Income Effect'?  

34:18 - The Principal Agent Problem.  

41:29 - What's the future of executive pay? 

50:51 - Equality in economics.  

56:35 - The ethical and diversity issues in economics.  

1:02:05 - Price vs. Non-price factors in economics. 

1:07:12 - What's the one takeaway from this book? 

1:09:05 - Outro  

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

Episode #26 is now live with Hector Garcia. Hector is a bestselling author and an aspiring philosopher. He best known for his books 'A Geek In Japan' and 'Ichigo Ichie' as well as his international bestseller, 'Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.' 

We discussed how Hector became fascinated by Japanese culture, what he’s learnt being in Japan for over 18 years, and what it means to be a philosopher.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro

1:56 - How Hector was introduced to Japanese culture.

6:35 - What has Hector learnt being in Japan?

14:24 - Japanese culture's relationship with nature.

17:02 - Hector's journey with photography.

18:22 - The creative energy of big cities.

19:02 - The energy of Tokyo.

29:07 - Ikigai and Japanese Culture

33:02 - Where did the idea of 'Ikigai' come from?

34:21 - What's the difference between passion and purpose?

42:32 - When should you give up on something?

45:35 - How does Hector manage his creative pursuits?

49:41 - The secret to creative production.

54:20 - Hector's routine.

57:58 - What's Hector's writing process?

1:08:44 - Where does artistic creativity come from?

1:18:56 - Outro

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com/

On Episode #25 of Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Dr Grace Lordan. Grace is the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative, Director of the MSc in Behavioural Science and an Associate Professor in Behavioural Science at London School of Economics and Political Science. Today we will be discussing her new book, 'Think Big: Take Small Steps and Build the Future You Want.'

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

1:47 - What is 'Behavioural Science'?

2:55 - System 1 vs. System 2 brain.

4:29 - What's the concept of 'Think Big'?

5:39 - The Intent-Action Gap

7:15 - The importance of having a medium to long-term view.

8:46 - Outcome vs. Identity level change.

11:16 - 'Growth' mindset vs. 'Fixed' mindset

12:39 - How do students view goal-setting?

14:01 - The impact of personal responsibility on a person.

16:58 - Grace's experiences.

19:20 - The importance of taking good advice.

21:48 - What's the best way that we can approach receiving critical feedback?

24:41 - What's the relationship between 'Think Big' and time-management?

29:53 - What's the importance of delayed gratification?

34:38 - The Pomodoro Technique

38:15 - Evaluate your life based on your own circumstances.

39:53 - Having a strong action bias.

51:15 - How does someone go about making a career change?

53:46 - Outro

~ Visit our website https://www.booktalktoday.com/

On Episode #24 of Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Tracey Follows. Tracey is the CEO of Futuremade, a futures consultancy advising global brands and specialising in the application of foresight to boost business. She is a futurist and author of the book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st-Century Technology?, which we will be discussing today.   

Timestamps:  

0:00 - Intro 

1:26 - Why is it important to talk about the future of 'you'? 

4:46 - What were some of the key concerns that Tracey had in order to explore this topic further? 

7:54 - How we change our identity to suit the platform. 

9:42 - Is it a question of what's good and bad? 

12:41 - The ethics of technology. 

14:43 - Does a regulatory framework around technology need to be established? 

16:53 - How does collection of data change between social media and medical? 

21:23 - What happens when we're chipped as babies? 

22:36 - Would Aun use neurolink? 

24:52 - Are large tech companies now countries? 

26:28 - What's blockchain, and what's the impact that it can have? 

31:04 - Concerns over technological growth and job displacement. 

36:53 - Orwellian vs. Huxley view of the future. 

40:32 - Should technology be judged based on context rather than being objectively good or bad? 

42:40 - The relationship between science and philosophy. 

43:29 - The importance of intellectual curiosity.  

44:27 - A discussion on philosophy. 

47:03 - A move towards individualism.  

50:29 - What are some of the better questions we need to be asking ourselves about technology? 

55:59 - The state and technology. 

59:14 - Outro  

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #23 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Dr Chris Dalton. Chris is Associate Professor of Management Learning and module convener for Personal Development (PD) at Henley Business School. Chris has over 28 years of experience in management education and training, and today we will be discussing his book, 'MBA Day By Day: Turn World Class Thinking Into Everyday Business Brilliance.'   

Timestamps:  0:00 - Intro 

1:19 - The Importance Of Self-Awareness. 

6:26 - How do MBA students, whether prospective or current, know whether they should do it? 

9:12 - How has the MBA program changed over time? 

11:40 - 'Imposter Syndrome' at the start of an Executive MBA. 

13:17 - What do MBA students do after finishing the program? 

15:27 - Which industries do MBA students come from? 

18:57 - What are the ideal characteristics of an MBA student? 

20:06 - How do you deal with student's expectations? 

22:00 - Do most people incorrectly define what an MBA is and who it is for? 

25:41 - When should someone start an MBA program? 

28:18 - What's the difference between a leader and a manager? 

31:47 - Do we care to much about definitions, rather than intentions? 

33:06 - Asking the 'right' questions vs. asking 'better' questions. 

35:42 - The difference between 'solving' and 'dissolving'.  

39:09 - How do managers/leaders navigate a dynamic environment? 

41:56 - How do we make leadership practices sustainable into the future? 

47:04 - What are some of the difficulties that MBA students face? 

48:27 - Time management vs. prioritisation.  

52:07 - The difficulty of defining terms.  

53:41 - The importance of note-taking. 

55:20 - Chris's book recommendations. 

59:07 - Outro   

Visit our website -https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #22 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Matt Burgess.

Matt Burgess is the deputy digital editor at WIRED, covering cybersecurity, big tech, and everything in-between.

We discussed his book, 'Artificial Intelligence: How machine learning will shape the next decade.' 

Timestamps: 

0:00 - Introduction 

1:50 - What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)? 

3:39 - AI vs AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) 

4:55 - How far away is AGI? 

6:31 - Is AI and AG comparable? 

10:22 - Can we replicate the brain? 

12:59 - The impact of Natural Language Processing (NLP) 

16:15 - How do regulators stop further discrimination of minorities? 

22:44 - The ethics of surveillance.  

25:49 - AI and questions of what makes us human. 

27:54 - The major concerns of AI.  

29:30 - Job displacement and AI.  

33:47 - How quickly will AI develop? 

36:40 - Is it human nature to avoid a new technology? 

39:41 - The sustainability of new technologies. 

42:34 - Is the aim of AI to improve our lives? 

45:11 - Outro 

Visit our website - https://www.booktalktoday.com

Contact - info@booktalktoday.com

On Episode #21 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Bianca Nogrady.

Bianca Nogrady is a freelance science journalist and author. She has written for outlets including Nature, The Atlantic, Wired UK and The Guardian, to name a few. She is also founding president of the Science Journalists Association of Australia.

We discussed her book, 'Climate Change: How We Can Get To Carbon Zero.'

On Episode #20 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by James Temperton.

James is the digital editor at WIRED UK. As well as leading the title's digital strategy, he also reports regularly on the gig economy and the scourge of online disinformation.

We discussed his book, 'The Future of Medicine: How We Will Enjoy Longer, Healthier Lives.'

Timestamps:  

0:00 - Introduction 

2:25 - What drew James to write this book? 

3:17 - Covid-19's impact on the writing of the book. 

5:22 - The incredible work of scientists during Covid-19. 

8:27 - Precision Medicine: the key theme of the book. 

11:34 - Wearable technologies and personal data.  

17:26 - The US vs. UK medical industries. 

19:52 - Mila and Battons Disease - Example from the book 

25:22 - The future of home dispensing medication. 

27:08 - The Kahn Family and ageing - example from the book.  

33:25 - Silicon Valley and chasing the fountain of youth.  

38:40 - The ethical implications of the future of medicine. 

45:54 - Conspiracy theories and the medical industry. 

50:02 - Wired series with Penguin RandomHouse. 

53:32 - Outro  

Visit our website -https://www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #19 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Kehinde Andrews.

Kehinde is the UK's first Professor of Black Studies, at Birmingham City University, where he led the establishment of the first Black Studies programme in Europe.

We discussed his book, 'The New Age of Empire: How Racism and Colonialism Still Rule the World.'

0:00 - Introduction. 

1:02 - What is 'The New Age of Empire?' 

3:00 - Kant and moral geography. 

7:23 - The 'European Enlightenment'. 

12:05 - What is the foundation of society? 

13:59 - How do you define 'White Supremacy'? 

15:35 - The Transatlantic Slavery System 

22:59 - What does the system of reparations look like? 

25:58 - Should we overthrow the system? 

28:15 - The issue with defining yourself as part of the problem. 

30:20 - The best books on race. 

32:45 - The BLM Movement. 

34:28 - Minority integration into society. 

35:39 - What's the solution? 

39:13 - Liberal Imperialism.  

42:51 - The responsibility of political leaders. 

45:02 - Individual responsibility.  

47:03 - How possible is a new system? 

48:21 - China's political and economic system. 

51:07 - Book recommendations on the topic. 

52:56 - Outro

Thank you for listening to this podcast. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more content. Also, visit our websitewww.booktalktoday.comto subscribe and download the latest edition of our magazine. Join our mailing list to receive the first Issue for free to get a taste for the value packed content that we’re offering. Book Talk Today. For Readers. By Readers.

On Episode #18 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Clive Lewis.

Clive is a business psychologist specialising in individual, team and organisation behaviour. He is one of the UK's most sought-after mediators, and is the founder and Chief Executive of Globis Mediation Group.

We discussed his book, 'Toxic: A guide to rebuilding respect and tolerance in a hostile workplace.'

Timestamps:  

0:00 - Introduction. 

1:15 - Main features of Toxic environment at work. 

4:57 - How non-confrontational environments can be created. 

6:14 - How do leaders create that system? 

6:51 - Obstacles for leaders for not adopting this. 

9:14 - Culture eats strategy for breakfast. 

11:30 - Aun's experiences. 

12:12 - Capitalism and Toxic work environments.  

15:48 - Bullying in public vs. private sector.  

20:40 - The power of forgiveness.  

25:51 - The role of a mediator. 

28:43 - The power of self-awareness.  

33:03 - Peoples reactions to their test scores.  

35:48 - Characteristics of a good employee.  

37:54 - How to be a good team player.  

41:38 - Building culture.  

43:52 - The importance of sleep.  

46:30 - 3-5 books that have had an impact on Clive.  

49:14 - Outro

Visit our website - www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #17 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Phil Bowne.

Phil is a writer for the 'The Wombles', a children's entertainment brand.

We discussed his book, 'Cows Can't Jump'.

0:00 - Introduction 

1:19 - Promo for the book 

2:08 - Throwback 

3:21 - Creative inspiration behind 'Cows Can't Jump' 

5:04 - How the expanded on the story  

6:56 - Political references in the book 

12:46 - Horse track story 

14:40 - How does Phil approach story? 

16:30 - Aun's writing experience in accounting college 

18:25 - The power of historical fiction 

20:54 - Fiction vs Non-Fiction storytelling 

22:07 - Phil's approach to writing 

24:33 - Processes and systems of writing 

26:51 - Benefits of hand writing 

29:31 - Reading on a Kindle vs iPad vs Paperback 

31:28 - Benefits of listening and reading at the same time 

36:22 - Different approaches of learning 

36:59 - Approach to reading widely 

38:20 - Phil's favourite era in history and mudlarking 

40:38 - Phil and Aun's fascination with historical fiction 

43:33 - Education systems (nearly a rant) 

44:02 - Back to Non-Fiction 

46:44 - Journaling and uncovering past experiences 

52:23 - The importance of a routine 

53:53 - The power of walking 

56:16 - Having structure in your day 

56:58 - Treat yourself as if you're someone responsible for looking after 

1:00:13 - Finding a bridge between Fiction and Non-Fiction 

1:01:28 - Journalists and writing 

1:03:25 - Defining book genres 

1:05:05 - 3 tips for new writers 

1:08:16 - Difficulties of getting published 

1:12:05 - Time blocking  

1:16:00 - Life coach/Guru/Influencer 

1:17:13 - Outro

Visit our website - www.booktalktoday.com

On Episode #16 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Veronica O’Keane

Veronica is a professor of psychiatry and practising consultant psychiatrist at Trinity College Dublin.

We discussed his book, 'The Rag and Bone Shop: How We Make Memories and Memories Make Us'.

On Episode #15 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Niall Kishtainy.

Niall is an analyst, researcher and writer of economics and economic history.

We discussed his book, ‘A Little History of Economics’.

On Episode #14 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Andrew Graham-Dixon.

Andrew is one of the leading art critics and presenters of arts television in the English-speaking world.

We discussed his book, 'Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane’.

On Episode #13 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Bo Burlingham.

Bo is an editor-at-large of Inc. magazine and the author of five books.

We discussed his book, ‘Small Giants’.

On Episode #12 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Will Storr.

Will has been prolific in his writing since transitioning from journalism into writing mostly non-fiction books. His work has been featured in multiple publications.

We discussed his book, ‘The Science of Storytelling’.

On Episode #11 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Greg Mckeown.

Greg has written for multiple publications and has written multiple books.

We discussed his book, ‘Essentialism.

On Episode #10 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Nick Velasquez

Nick is an author and life-long learner.

We discussed his book, 'Learn Improve Master.'

On Episode #9 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Steve Farber.

Steve is a consultant and author.

We discussed his book, ‘Love Is Just Damn Good Business’.

On Episode #8 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Shane Benzie.

Steve is a running coach and author.

We discussed his book, ‘The Lost Art of Running’.

On Episode #7 of the Book Talk Today podcast, we are joined by Sonny Bonnell.

Sonny is a co-founder of the digital design agency Motto and an author. Sonny and I had a great conversation about a range of different topics. From servant leadership, to spotting ‘Rare Breeds’ and we even created a new hashtag (#larrythepoolboy)

We discussed her book, ‘Rare Breed’.

On Episode #6 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Roger Dooley.

Roger is a speaker and author of Friction (his latest book) and Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince Consumers with Neuromarketing. He has a popular blog Neuromarketing, and Brainy Marketing at Forbes. Roger and I had a great conversation on a range of different topics and his insights are invaluable.

We discussed his book, ‘’Friction’.

On Episode #5 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Adam Lowenstein.

Adam is a former US Senate Speechwriter and author. Adam and I discussed a range of great topics. From productivity in the workplace, to how to manage expectations and so much more.

We discussed his book, 'Reframe The Day'.

On Episode #4 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Ben Aldridge.

Ben is an adventurer and tells the story of how challenging himself helped him overcoming anxiety and panic attacks. It's an inspirational story for anyone battling mental challenges and how to overcome them.

We discussed his book, 'How To Be Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable’.

On Episode #3 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Hasan Kubba.  Hasan is a young entrepreneur and author. In this episode, he shares some of his insights into what makes successful people 'successful' and how you can leverage your unfair advantage.  We discussed his book, 'The Unfair Advantage’.

On Episode #2 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Robin Moriarty.

Robin is a global business executive, speaker, author, adjunct professor and thought leader for businesses and nonprofit organizations.

We discussed her book, 'What Game Are You Playing?'

On Episode #1 of the Book Talk Today podcast we are joined by Ranya Nehmeh.

Dr. Ranya Nehmeh is a third culture kid whose roots embrace the chaotic passion of the East from her Lebanese parents, the geometric symmetry of the West through her Austrian upbringing, blended together by a British education.

We discussed her debut book, 'The Chameleon Leader: Connecting With Millenials'.