I’ve invited some amazing past guests, close friends, and new faces to share their favorite books—the books that have influenced them, changed them, and transformed them for the better. I hope you pick up one or two new mentors—in the form of books—from this new series and apply the lessons in your own life.
Neil Strauss (@neilstrauss) is a ten-time New York Times best-selling author, award-winning writer for Rolling Stone, and former reporter at the New York Times. Strauss has also contributed to Esquire, Salon, Spin, Entertainment Weekly, Details, The Source, New York Newsday, and many other magazines and newspapers. He has interviewed some of the biggest icons in the world of entertainment and beyond, including the legendary Chuck Berry, Tom Cruise, Madonna, and Elon Musk. He received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for work during his book Emergency.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform. The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
“Books I’ve Loved” on The Tim Ferriss Show is brought to you by Audible! I have used Audible for many years now. I love it. Audible has the largest selection of audiobooks on the planet. I listen when I’m taking walks, I listen while I’m cooking… I listen whenever I can. Audible is offering The Tim Ferriss Show listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial membership. Just go to Audible.com/Tim and browse the unmatched selection of audio programs. Then, download your free title and start listening! It’s that easy. Simply go to Audible.com/Tim or text TIM to 500500 to get started today.
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
- Connect with Neil Strauss:
The Fear Book: Facing Fear Once and for All by Cheri Huber
Be the Person You Want to Find: Relationship and Self-Discovery by Cheri Huber
Facing Codependence: What It Is, Where It Comes from, How It Sabotages Our Lives by Pia Mellody
Facing Love Addiction: Giving Yourself the Power to Change the Way You Love by Pia Mellody
Silently Seduced: When Parents Make Their Children Partners by Kenneth M. Adams
Under Saturn’s Shadow: The Wounding and Healing of Men by James Hollis
The Eden Project: In Search of the Magical Other by James Hollis
Comment Rules: Remember what Fonzie was like? Cool. That's how we're gonna be — cool. Critical is fine, but if you're rude, we'll delete your stuff. Please do not put your URL in the comment text and please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name, as the latter comes off like spam. Have fun and thanks for adding to the conversation! (Thanks to Brian Oberkirch for the inspiration.)
I love your podcast, your books, and your blog. But it’s still mostly white men in the content. Can you share the stories of high-performers who have more diverse identities? Who had to overcome not just their personal struggles, but societal barriers as well?
So you don’t like the race and sex of the guests. I am appalled and shocked by this racist and sexist comment. Please delete it.
Erica, I don’t see any racism in what Maria said. She just suggested in a neutral tone to have more diversity. Read again what Maria wrote without using any filter.
just seeing your comment. You said what I did with a LOT less words!
That you would think you are entitled to tell someone to delete their comment because of how it affected you, says more about you than the original poster. Erica, I really hope you have experienced life and grown since you wrote this 4 years ago —- but my core tells me nothing has changed. Appalled and shocked because her experience called her to call out Tim for having mostly white men, and had a request to share more diverse identities. Girl, please. You are part of the problem. Your hurt feelings for not always being the hero of the story is a large part of what people of color want to address. #1 – You need to understand the true meaning of racist. Maria’s comment was not racist. Sexist? Because she mentioned there are mostly white men in the content? HA! Dear Erica. Your post is exactly why we aren’t making the progress that is possible. isYou can’t stand to even SEE an opinion that differs from yours without demanding it be deleted. That, my dear, is the epitome of entitlement. An opinion that differs from yours and makes you feel uncomfortable must be deleted….. sit with that… what gives you the right to tell someone to delete their opinion. We are talking about opinions, editorializing! Not facts. Toughen up buttercup. I am appaled that you would respond to another commenter with such an aggressive and entitled message. Maybe you could receive this better if I said — “Girl Wash Your Face”. As a society we need to be able to read, process and think about opinions that do not align with our own – You deserve to be shamed because your behavior is NOT something that should be repeated – and maybe it took 4 years to call you out… but yeah, I’m doing that. Got something to say…. I’m here for you. \
And truth is, I’m not trying to make you wrong. I would be most happy if you got the lesson and move forward differently.
100%
Tim has tons of amazing women on his podcast! -so I’m guessing that you are talking about their skin color. I don’t care if the person is black, white, yellow or green. It’s their ideas shared through their voice that I come here for 🙂
This is the challenge, especially for someone who’s made their fortune, career, and foundational relationships in Silicon Valley. Naval R. seems to be the go-to person of color in these circles; at least, that’s what it looks like from the outside looking in.
I suspect it’s just an oversight stemming from lack of a wider circle of successful candidates, yet the rigged system continues to re-install the glass ceiling.
I’ve been a long-time Neil Strauss fan, so I’ll definitely be tuning in for this one. Just in time too, as I’ve pretty much exhausted my Netflix list and need to find some books to help pass the time in quarantine. 🙂
This podcast is fantastic!
What he said.
The Fear Book is not on Audible
I‘d love to hear more interviews with women.
Hello, I have read/ own all your books and listen to the podcast regularly. You have mentioned a few times about how you wanted to get an MBA, but decided to spend that money and time, essentially developing your own curriculum. Which lead me to the idea of “4 hour MBA.” It would be fascinating if you could use the same “distillation” of methodologies and resources that you have acquired to quiet the noise that is involved with the orthodox educational system. As you already know, there are endless ocean of business literature, but none of them with the approach that you have taken with the “4 hour” modus operandi and fundamentally hack the system. Thank you for your time and I’m sure whatever your next project may be will be great.
Hey Nelson, you might want to check out „The Personsl MBA“ by Josh Kaufman. It’s ver much along the lines of what you mentioned.
Hey Mr. Ferriss,
Just wanted to thank you for the books, podcasts, and blog posts you have put out over the years. The tools you’ve brought forward have made a real impact in my life.
Keep doing great work!
Sincerely,
Cesar
enjoyed Neil’s review and recommendations. Perfect theme for where I am in life.
Mr Ferris, just wanted to commend you on your ongoing series of interesting and inspiring interviews and podcasts. Its the haters that tend to speak up the most and while I don’t speak for everyone I wanted you to know many of us love what you do, and sometimes I’m sure it’s just nice to hear.
Great website and informative, varied interviews.
There are several people I’d like to suggest you interview:
Marva Allen, Jamaican-born CEO of Wordeee.com, a female & minority-owned Book Publishing & Media Company.
Eva Ritvo, MD, acclaimed Miami Psychiatrist & author
of Bekindr, The Healing Power of Kindness.
Hi Tim, It would be interesting to hear an interview with Angela Washko. She created The Game: The Game — a video game which explores the pick-up artist community and its psychological tactics & ethical assumptions through the game’s female avatars, with the point of the game being to survive hostile attempts at manipulation into sexual encounters that are not being pursued for the purpose of mutual empowerment/satisfaction. Thanks, Kate