3 Books With Neil Pasricha

It started with a modern plea for help: "Can I charge my dead phone in your bookstore?" I was in Del Mar, California, walking up the coast of the Pacific Ocean after birding all morning in ​Torrey Pines​. I was tracking my birds on ​eBird​—the ​Peregrine Falcons​, ​Anna's Hummingbirds​, and ​California Scrub-Jays​—and, of course, completely drained my phone's battery. When I get to Del Mar I spy this hobbit-hole looking bookstore called ​Camino Books: For The Road Ahead​ and when I walk in I am suddenly thrust into a gorgeous Biblio Paradise. Camino Books is one of the most spectacular bookstores I've ever seen! I fall into the handwritten Staff Picks walls, nookish children's section, incredible curation, giant hand-drawn posters from Dave Eggers, and the Wonka-like atmosphere that creates a true feast for the eyes and mind! But yeah ... my phone's dead. So I walk to the back counter and ask the gentleman unpacking boxes if I could plug it in back there. When I tell him I'm Canadian he gives me a quirky grin and says, "How many tariffs should I put on your free charge?" We laugh and start talking about the political scene. John has the aura of ​George Saunders​—a certain "warm gnarliness"—and he tells me, "We have no left wing in this country. We're like an eagle slowly swirling to the ground with just one right wing." And I could immediately tell this poetic bookselling Jedi master needed to be recorded... What emerges are the poetic distillations of 67-year-old John the Bookseller, along with his wife Alison who cameos at the end. They have been booksellers since 1981 ... a combined 88 years! No wonder the store's so great. They began in Berkeley and then opened up an independent bookstore chain called Diesel Books, up and down the California coast, and now have sold the store to open up a little new shop on the coast called Camino Books: For the Road Ahead. Don't we all need a good book for the road ahead? Let's talk about how to open a bookstore, California independence, fighting fascism, George Orwell, the 51st state, customers vs. readers, Susan Cain, the Spanish Civil War, how to 'stay awake,' and, of course, John and Alison's 3 most formative books. This is the kind of mind-opening conversation that great bookstores create. Let's head down to Del Mar, California as we flip the page to Chapter 149 now...

Loneliness rates have doubled since the 1980s and Vivek Murthy, former US Surgeon General, says loneliness will be the next major epidemic. So if loneliness is being alone and sad … then what’s being alone and happy? Solitude. A few years ago, I picked up an incredible book called '​Solitude​' by Michael Harris, bestselling author and winner of the Governor General's Award for his writing. It completely blew me away. Why? Because in our era of endless machine-gun blasts at our brains, I feel strongly that the ability to be alone, and to be alone well, is a muscle that is quickly atrophying. Michael shares why we need to develop the strength and capacity to live and be by ourselves and how exactly we go about cultivating a rich interior life. Michael has gone on to tackle our culture of consumerism in his 2021 book '​All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy​,' and I think after this conversation you’ll agree this true “strength of mind” is a crucial aspect of living an intentional life as we face the threat of social and climate collapse. For this classic chapter of 3 Books, I flew to Michael’s home in Vancouver, BC. We discuss: How do we cultivate the area between wakefulness and sleep? What does a healthy media diet look like? Why shouldn’t you talk about anything serious over texts? And how do parents and children navigate the conversation about coming out of the closet? And, of course, Michael's 3 most formative books... Let's flip the page back to Chapter 29 now...

Ginny Yurich (​@1000hoursoutside​) drove 5 hours up the road from Michigan to Toronto to hang out with Leslie and me. We went for a walk outside (of course!) and recorded this podcast—our second outdoors podcast in a row after ​Nickisha The Dog Walker​! Why outside? I'm glad you asked! Ginny Yurich is the homeschooling mother of 5 (!) who has spirited a movement called ​1000 Hours Outside​. I like 1000 as you know! ​1000 Awesome Things​ was my first blog, ​1000 formative books​ is ... this entire podcast. So when 3 Bookers globally kept telling me to interview Ginny I looked her up and saw she was a fan of 1000 and I knew ... this was going to be good. And it was even better than I thought! Grab some headphones! Put on some shoes! Let's mutually peel ourselves off screens and scrolling and let's step into the sun, into the wind, into the air and talk about parenting pressures, raising a wild child, ​old dangerous playground equipment​, the benefits of spinning, why osteoporosis is a childhood disease, raising readers, and, of course, Ginny's 3 most formative books. Ginny is the bestselling author of '​1000 Hours Outside​,' '​Until The Streetlights Come On​,' and (out next week!) her brand-new book '​Homeschooling​' which has the catchy subtitle "You're doing it right just by doing it." I found her formative books truly fascinating and her work is heavily research-based which builds upon her Master's in Education and an almost endless reservoir of knowledge about raising enduringly popular and healthy children in today's cognitively-exhausting world.... I absolutely love Ginny Yurich! Open the door, hear the birds, and let's flip the page into Chapter 148 now...

Have you heard of a book called '​The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck​'? I’m guessing you have since it’s sold, uh, 16 million copies since it came out in 2016. There hadn't been a non-fiction book that big and disruptive in a long, long time… Mark’s meteoric success is the product of a giant mind which has mastered the art of taking the biggest, densest books on the planet and then simmering them down into simple, profanity-laced models and stories that hit you like a ton of bricks. The world is so loud! So busy. So full. Everything is screaming at us to buy this, buy that, do this, do that. You know what we need in this wild world? Guides! Clear voices. People who give us simple and practical advice that we can follow and put into place… Mark Manson is one of those guides for me and millions of others. I follow his popular ​YouTube channel​ and read his ​simple and punchy tweets​. In this classic 3 Books chapter, in Mark's cramped hotel room at The Drake Hotel in Toronto, we go deep on building trust in an era of clutter, why Mark poo-poos self-help gurus, what is the root problem with the 'advertising model,' why Mark played video games for months after the success of his book, what his writing routines and principles are, and, of course, his 3 most formative books… Let's flip the page back to Chapter 28 now...

Let's go for a walk!   I've sometimes imagined 3 Books as a long walk with a friend. So today—let's take one! Nickisha moved to Toronto from Jamaica when she was 16 to reunite with her mom and after working as a travel agent she broke out on her own to run a successful business full of fresh air, exercise, community, and lots of love.   I sometimes see Nickisha with five, six, or seven dogs around her—giving them the highlight of their day! Tongues wagging. Skip in their step. Motoring around town clocking 100km on foot each week!   One of our traditions on 3 Books is doing podcasts outside from ​Chapter 27​ with Robin the Bartender on the open patio of Bar Raval in Toronto to ​Chapter 106​ with Alok Vaid-Menon in Central Park in New York City to ​Chapter 131​ with J. Drew Lanham while birdwatching in South Carolina...   Another tradition here is exploring stories from people who fill our lives but aren't often represented by our screen-based culture full of politicians and billionaires. We vote with our attention so it's fun turning off the same faces to hang with people like ​Vishwas the Uber Driver​, ​Shirley the Nurse​, and ​Soyoung the Variety Store Owner​.   So strap on your running shoes! Throw in some headphones! And let's go for a walk with Nickisha to discuss urban density, pedestrian-driver relations, safe supply, the dog walking business, immigration assimilation, Danielle Steele, and, of course, Nickisha's 3 most formative books.   Let's flip the page to Chapter 147 now...

Angie Thomas, New York Times bestselling author known for her impactful young adult novels, joins the discussion to tackle pressing social justice issues. She reflects on the role of literature in understanding race, emphasizing the need for honest storytelling in YA fiction. Angie also delves into the intersection of faith and social justice, critiques media representation, and shares personal connections to Tupac's work, highlighting themes of resilience and empathy. Plus, she reveals her three formative books that shaped her worldview.

Is porn good sex education? Why does body autonomy matter for kids? Does talking about sex kill the mood? Emily Nagoski has the answers! Emily is a sex educator and activist whose mission is to teach us how to live with confidence and joy inside our bodies. She does this as the New York Times bestselling author of 'Come As You Are,' 'Burnout,' and 'Come Together,' as well as through her 3 popular TED Talks including—with over 3 million views—"How couples can sustain a strong sexual connection for a lifetime." Emily began working as a sex educator 30 years ago at the University of Delaware. She has a Master's in Counseling Psychology and she worked at the famous Kinsey Institute. She has taught graduate and undergraduate classes in human sexuality, relationships, communication, stress management, and sex education. She was Director of Wellness Education at Smith College for eight years before starting to write full time. In this deep-dive chapter we talk about neurodiversity versus neurodivergence, maintaining longterm sexual connection, OKCupid, ADHD and Autism, teaching kids about sex, and, of course, Emily's 3 most formative books... For those who want to strengthen and improve their sexual health with themselves and others ... Let's flip the page to Chapter 146 now...

James Frey, the controversial author of 'A Million Little Pieces,' dives deep into the themes of authenticity and literature. He passionately discusses the transformative power of storytelling and the freedom that comes from defying literary norms. Frey shares personal anecdotes on the cultural contrasts between Canada and the U.S., and reflects on the significance of embracing individuality over societal competition. His insights on the philosophical art of walking and the need for genuine life experiences resonate powerfully, urging a celebration of true self-expression.

Dive into the intriguing world of the Lindy effect, where the longevity of ideas shapes modern choices. Explore the freedom of reading without guilt, as skipping books becomes a badge of honor. Discover the health implications of ancient practices versus new trends, emphasizing preventive medicine. The discussion also weaves through timeless wisdom in parenting and the power of aphorisms. Plus, unpack societal views on wealth and the connections between community design and personal well-being—all wrapped in a captivating, reflective dialogue.

Tim Urban, the mind behind the popular blog Wait But Why and author of What's Our Problem, dives deep into the big questions of existence. He shares humorous insights on why we should embrace quirkiness, like letting kids wear shorts in winter. The conversation meanders through the importance of creativity and rule-breaking in both parenting and storytelling. Tim also tackles the art of simplifying complex topics, from AI to procrastination, blending philosophy with practical wisdom in a way that keeps his audience engaged.