99pages

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, and sexual insecurity, among many other topics. His 2017 book, Everybody Lies was 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!