3 Books With Neil Pasricha

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co Chapter Description: “If you are willing to get closer to people who are suffering, you will find the power to change the world.” That quote by Bryan Stevenson perfectly describes the incredible work of Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York, my guest on Chapter 63 of 3 Books. Happy Harvest Moon everyone!  Are you surviving the onslaught of 2020? If you’re anything like me you’re looking for grounding which is why I’m thrilled to be bringing you this uplifting exchange which completely filled my heart and soul. Brandon Stanton is an American author, photographer, blogger, activist, and philanthropist. He is the creator of the viral sensation Humans of New York, which boasts a community of over 30 million people around the world who get a regular glimpse into the private lives of strangers through Brandon’s arresting photos and accompanying stories that reflect back to us the deeper nature of humanity. Brandon is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Humans of New York, Humans of New York: Stories, Little Humans of New York, and the highly anticipated new book Humans which comes out next week. (Side question: I believe he also holds the Guinness World Record for “Most Books With The Word Humans In The Title”). Brandon was listed as one of TIME’s 30 People Under 30 Changing The World, and received the James Joyce award for the Literary and Historical Society for Professional Achievement. Not bad for a roaming flâneur who got fired from his bond trading job and just started walking around taking pictures all day. In this chapter we discuss: What did Brandon learn while photographing Barack Obama? What’s the difference between schooling and education? What system did Brandon adopt to improve his reading? How do we balance artistic ambition with family contentment? How can cannabis help with creativity? Why is it important that kids fear drugs? How can we rebuild trust? And of course, what are Brandon Stanton’s 3 most formative books?  In this tumultuous year of ups and downs, pandemic havoc, incessant media and political mayhem, let this conversation be an oasis of energy to fill you back up. Let’s go!  What You’ll Learn: Why is it so important to never judge a person from one moment? Who was the original inventor of the self help movement? How do we separate reading from compulsion and curiosity? How can you design systems to realize more of your potential? ? How do we tap into our deeper artistic selves to tell better stories? What is freedom and how does success limit it? What is the difference between being an influencer and being an artist? Where does power in a modern democracy really reside? What does it take to be a historical biographer? Why is getting close to people who are suffering so critical to bettering the world? What does it mean to be a moral person? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/63 Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: “Xicana AF. Bitch is my pronoun.” So reads the Twitter bio of Myriam Gurba, my guest, our guest, in Chapter 62.  A Mexican/American writer, storyteller, and visual artist from California, Myriam is the author of the true crime memoir Mean, which was hailed by O magazine as “one of the best LGBTQ+ books of all time.” She is also the author of Painting Their Portraits in Winter, Dahlia Season, as well as a number of chapbooks, all of which pack an audacious punch. And if her infectious written word is not enough, she’s toured with Sister Spit, a lesbian feminist spoken word and performance art collective.  She traffics in Spanglish and bold truth, the kind of which is raw and fierce.  “When I tell gringos that my Mexican grandfather worked as a publicist, the news silences them. Shocked facial expressions follow suit. Their heads look ready to explode and I can tell they’re thinking, ‘In Mexico, there are PUBLICISTS?!’ I wryly grin at these fulanos and let my smile speak on my behalf. It answers, ‘Yes, bitch, in México, there are things to publicize such as our own fucking opinions about YOU.’ - Myriam Gurba Those words are from her viral article, Pendeja, You Ain’t Steinbeck: My Bronca with Fake-Ass Social Justice Literature, in which she takes down Jeanine Cummins’ novel American Dirt. She had been asked to review the book by Ms. Magazine, but they rejected said review on the basis that she, “lacked the fame to pen something so negative.” The controversy came to light, as well as her original critique, and the publishing world erupted. Cultural appropriation, the white gaze, racism, and the lack of diversity in the publishing industry were brought to the fore.  Unafraid and unapologetic, Myriam had no choice but to ride the wave of deliberation. Aspersion was only heightened, shortly thereafter, by her very publicized suspension from her teaching job in a local high school by an armed police escort. Her social media presence was deemed inappropriate. And yet, she was, in her words, simply defending students who were accusing teachers of abuse. She is passionate and energetic, a big thinking firecracker who challenged my views and grew my thinking on so many levels for which I am so grateful. We had a jet-fueled conversation talking about racism, prejudice, growing up queer, police brutality, violence against women, the Mexican obsession with death, and, of course, Myriam Gurba’s 3 most formative books. Are you ready for a gritty, vulnerable, and honest conversation with the one and only Myriam Gurba? Let’s go! (Trigger Warning: This conversation does veer into topics of sexual abuse and trauma.) What You’ll Learn: Why is there so much white supremacy in publishing? How can we use vulnerability to draw strength? What is it like growing up queer? How can we become better activists? Why should the police and prison system be abolished? What constitutes violence against women? What systems fuel misogyny and patriarchy? How can we have a better body image? How do we deal with genital shame? What are the roots of racism? Why is it so important to engage in corporeal politics? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/62   Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: Welcome to Chapter 61! I am delighted to bring you a conversation with the one and only Temple Grandin whose life has profoundly changed our preconceived notions on autism and neurodiversity, and whose work has heightened awareness of the importance of animal welfare. Born in 1947 in Boston, she was diagnosed with autism while still nonverbal at age 4. Told her daughter should be institutionalized, Temple’s Harvard-educated mother dismissed doctors and worked tirelessly to help her daughter blossom. A BA, MA, and PhD later, Temple is a lauded faculty member at the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University. She has authored over 60 scientific papers on animal behavior and is one of the first people with autism ever to document her own journey. This has contributed to her notoriety on many fronts: she was brought to prominence in the world by Oliver Sacks M.D in his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, she has authored her own books on autism, Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism and The Autistic Brain: Helping Different Minds Succeed, her TED Talk - The World Needs All Kinds of Minds has been viewed over five million times and the HBO movie, Temple Grandin, shed authentic light on her incredible story. As a respected spokesperson in the animal community, Temple is also celebrated for her re-design of slaughterhouses (yes, you read that right). She is outspoken in her belief that, “alleviating anxiety rather than extending life fully,” should be the priority for those raising animals. Her essay “Animals are Not Things” and her books Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human, have garnered her the highest regard, for her ability to empathize with animals is second to none. In this Chapter, we discuss: What is the state of autism in the world today? How do we nurture diverse minds? What is missing from our education system today? What are the ethics of eating meat? How can we value our elders more? And of course, her 3 most formative books. Ready to jump into my conversation with this beautiful and resilient soul? Let’s go! WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: What is autism and what does ‘the autism spectrum’ really mean? What is missing from the education system today? Why should kids do more hands-on learning? What does it mean to be a visual thinker? What could have avoided the Fukushima nuclear disaster? What is animal welfare and why is it important? What is the future of our species? (big one!) How can we embrace getting older? How do we find our purpose? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/61 Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

In this engaging discussion, Shane Parrish, a former Canadian spy and founder of Farnam Street, provides deep insights on decision-making and mental models. He shares a memorable confrontation from his MBA days, emphasizing the importance of genuine comprehension over superficial knowledge. The conversation delves into fostering personal growth through literature and navigating adult friendships in our media-saturated world. Parrish also reflects on Charlie Munger's philosophies, highlighting adaptability and the crucial role of trust in professional relationships.

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: Where in the world are you right now? Are you in cramped apartment in a busy downtown core? Are you in a countryside farm beside a tiny general store? Or are you in a basement hotel gym in Ulaanbaatar?  And, more importantly, why in the world are you where you are? Are you chasing a career? Are you in school? Did you move for love? Does inertia have you wedged deeply into your neighborhood? Well, where ever you are, I can promise you this: by the end of Chapter 59 you won’t look at where you live the same way ever again. Why? Because my next guest is a visionary city planner and urban designer and who will guide us through the power of place and principled planning. Sidenote: Chapter 59 is our first rabbit hole chapter of 3 Books. You may recall Anne Bogel introduced us to Jeff Speck by picking his book Walkable City as one of her three most formative back in Chapter 57. She was in love with the book, I fell in love with the book, and we ended up inviting Jeff onto the show. So who is Jeff Speck? Well, he’s an internationally renowned city planner and urban designer, recognized for his research surrounding, and advocacy for, more walkable cities. He was Director of Design at the National Endowment for the Arts from 2003-2007, he was also Director of Town Planning at DPZ & Co (the founders of the  New Urbanist movement) for over 10 years and now heads up his own consulting practice, advising cities and mayors across the globe. He is a fellow at both the Congress for the New Urbanism and the American Institute of Certified Planners and has made conversations surrounding walkability mainstream via his two TED Talks viewed over 4 million times: The Walkable City and 4 Ways to Make a City More Walkable.   And as if the above planning pedigree were not enough, he is the author of several books including the aforementioned Walkable City, the top selling city planning book for the past decade, (and #832 in our Top 1000!) as well as Suburban Nation, declared by the Wall Street Journal as ‘the urbanists bible’ In this chapter we deep dive into: What is walkability and what is its true value? What is the relationship between design and well-being? What are the true costs of car ownership? How can city planning combat loneliness? How does poor planning perpetuate racism? What makes a good mayor? Jeff is a wonder brain. Humble, articulate, passionate, he’s a man on a mission. His mind has these cranks and gears that allow him to see the world with giant perspective and distill things down to simple ideas for us to absorb and reflect upon.  Are you ready? Let’s go! What You’ll Learn: What is urban planning? Where and how did urban planning go wrong in the twentieth century? What is necessary to create human-scale livable spaces? Why are many cities failing its citizens? How much is car dependency hurting us? Why is strangeness important? What is the importance of the concept of live, work, play in planning? Why is it illegal to build mixed use walkable communities to this day in the US? How has the pandemic affected how we build and think about our cities? And, of course, what are Jeff Speck’s three most formative books? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:  https://www.3books.co/chapters/59      Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: “Never touch your idols: the gilding will stick to your fingers” Gustave Flaubert I heard David Mitchell mention this quote while I was deep in the rabbit hole preparing to speak to him. It gave me pause. Was there any way he could possibly live up to the pedestal in the clouds I’d long placed him on? My love affair with David Mitchell began years ago when I became completely transfixed by Cloud Atlas. I then began devouring his other books like a starving man — Ghost Written, number9dream, Black Swan Green, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, The Bone Clocks, and his brand new masterpiece Utopia Avenue. Every book broke new genre territory while consistently offering vividly realistic characters, leaping plotlines, and hints towards a larger scale multiverse tying everything together. It’s no wonder five of his books have been long- or short-listed for the Booker Prize. And it’s not just me or the Booker committee, either. The Boston Globe calls David Mitchell, “one of the most electric writers alive”, Esquire calls him, “a genre leaping, mind bending, world-traveling, puzzle-making, literary magician”, and the New York Times Book Review declared him “a genius who writes as though at the helm of a perpetual dream machine.” TIME even declared him one of the world’s “100 Most Influential People”. I was indeed worried, but after spending two and a half hours talking to David (in what I think may be the longest feature-length interview with him anywhere and his first podcast interview in years) I am pleased to say no specks of gold came off in my fingers. If anything, his grace, humility, and wit only elevated the pedestal higher into the cosmos. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, prepare to go deep into one of the world’s deepest minds in the world. Get ready for a ramble across Middle Earth, Russia, Ireland, and Japan as we discuss things like:   How can art be an anti-snobbery force? How books can stop minds from scratching themselves raw? How writers build trust with their readers? How we can we harvest imagination? What is it like raising a child who is non-verbal? What is the power and meaning of the metaphysical? How should writing be judged? Which fantasy author trumps Tolkien and why? These are just some of the topics we touch on with loving father, master craftsman, mentor to many, and endlessly erudite bibliophile David Mitchell. Let’s go! What You'll Learn: Why shouldn’t genre matter in writing? Why doesn’t snobbery belong in the world of books? How do books change after they’re read? How does the metaphor of a TV box set apply to books? How do writers build trust with their readers? How do we harvest imagination? What’s the relationship between health care policy and good writing? Who are The Russians and how does one properly wade into them? Why are we all storytellers? What are some myths surrounding autism? How do you become a better writer? And, of course, what are David Mitchell’s three most formative books? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/58      Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: Want to hang out in New York? Yes, let’s go back to pre-pandemic when sidewalks were full, strangers shook hands, and everybody popped in and out of stores like it was nothing. Sound like a faraway dream world? Yeah, it does to me, too. Yet somehow only a few months ago I flew down to New York and hung out in Union Square and The Strand bookstore with literary phenom Anne Bogel. Anne runs Modern Mrs Darcy, one of the world’s largest book blogs, as well as What Should I Read Next? and One Great Book, two of the world’s largest books podcast. Is that all? No, of course that’s not all! Do you know Anne? She’s like the Tasmanian Devil. She’s also a bestselling author and has three books to her name including Don’t Overthink It, I’d Rather Be Reading, and Reading People. Oh, and did I mention she’s the mother of four children!?!? In Chapter 57, Anne shares why she’s hesitant to look at people’s bookshelves when she’s just met them, what your ‘reading life’ is and how to grow and nurture it, what makes a city liveable, how Anne would organize a bookstore, and, of course, Anne’s three most formative books. I am so excited to share this conversation with you. I dare you to listen to Anne and not feel immediately excited to grow your reading life… Let’s go! What You’ll Learn: What is your reading life? How do you grow your reading life? What do your bookshelves say about you? How do you lean into reading new narrative structures? What books should you read to your kids to introduce them to death? What would Anne Bogel’s bookstore look like? How do you measure success? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/57         Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list   

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: I miss walking into stores. I miss walking into stores the way stores were stores before the pandemic. I miss the act of mindlessly browsing. I miss getting to know a shopkeeper. I miss idly chatting with strangers. I admit it! I miss the way it used to be. A couple of years ago, as I was walking around Toronto, a store caught my eye. There was a big sign outside that read Hard Feelings, and in the window there were a number of books I liked—books by Brené Brown, Susan Cain, Allie Brosch, etc — and several I knew nothing about. I noticed all the books were on the topic of mental health. I walked inside and met up with a woman named Kate Scowen. Kate is from Montreal, and she spent her formative years reading books that explored all kinds of feelings. She ended up getting three (!) degrees in Social Policy and Planning, Social Work, and English, but she always wanted to do more! Why? Because she wanted to create one of the first stores targeted specifically around mental health. Yes, a store targeted to mental health. Curated books, candles, eye masks, wheels of emotion. And with accessible, incredible low cost therapy in the back! Over the next few years I developed a great relationship with Kate. I believe her idea is revolutionary and indeed it is being used as a prototype around the world already. Today we sit at the back of the shop and discuss topics like: What is therapy? How do you find a therapist? How do we navigate the system? What are ‘hard feelings’? How do we be more honest with our children? How do we create a chosen family? What are the core six emotions? And, of course, what are Kate Scowen’s three most formative books? Listen in to this episode of 3 Books to hear from the incredible Kate Scowen. Let’s go! What You'll Learn: What is therapy? How do you find a therapist? How do we navigate the system? What are ‘hard feelings’? How do we be honest with our children? How do we create our chosen family? What are the core six emotions? How do we practice self-care? And much, much more… You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/56  Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: I kind of believe that way down deep in our stomachs there’s this tranquil little pond of peacefulness that is where we want to live. It’s that part of us that knows for sure that these days are short, life is precious, everything is fleeting, and like these little relationships we have - with a podcast, with our mothers, with our sisters, with our lovers - these relationships are life. Sure, they’re harder to measure and harder to count and harder to remember during the daily overwhelm ... but if you can tap into that pond… if you can tap into that deeper, knowing, wiser self… then it’s a better way to live. I know for me for the past few years Brad Montague has been a bit of a guide back down to that pond inside myself. Do you know Brad? He is a wonderful human being. He created the viral Kid President videos which have been seen over 700 million times. He started a charity to get socks to homeless people, he founded the Montague Workshop, he goes on listening tours to classrooms around America asking kids want they want from grown-ups in their life, and his epic social presence is a daily source of inspiration for hundreds of thousands of people. (Check out his beautiful Instagram offering here.) Most recently, he put his incredible wisdom down on paper into a bestselling book called Becoming Better Grown-ups: Rediscovering What Matters and Remembering How to Fly. We’re catching up to him today from his home in Henderson, Tennessee, and discussing some pretty heavy (but important!) topics surrounding death, the pandemic, and how faith and art can co-exist. Although these are not your typical feel-good topics, Brad’s perspective will no doubt leave you feeling refreshed and positive. As always, when I talk to Brad, or read his books, or see his art, I am awed by how he can create chaos from the cosmos. Getting the chance to chat with him about his three formative books was a true gift. Let’s go! What You'll Learn: How do we talk to our kids about death? How do we navigate the pandemic with children? How do faith and art mix? How do artists live a spiritual life? What does the phrase ‘there is nothing so secular that cannot be sacred’ mean? How do we create timeless art? And, of course, what are Brad Montague’s 3 most formative books? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/55 Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list 

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, The Happiness Equation, Two-Minute Mornings, etc. Each chapter of 3 Books uncovers and discusses the three most formative books from one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Judy Blume, David Sedaris, Chris Anderson of TED, the founder of the world's largest feminist magazine, the world's greatest Uber driver, Pete Holmes, Angie Thomas, and Malcolm Gladwell. Each of the 333 chapters is dropped on the exact minute of every single new moon and full moon until September 1, 2031. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and 100% ad-free, commercial-free, sponsor-free, and interruption-free. For more info check out: https://www.3books.co/ Chapter Description: In the late 1980s outside of Seoul, South Korea, a woman got pregnant with twins. She was 18 years old, she’d had a one night stand, and she was not able, for reasons we do not know, to keep the babies, so she gave them up for adoptions. Two baby girls were born and they were given the names K881901 and K881901. Because most people who adopt babies want one baby the twins were immediately split up and put into foster homes. For the first five months of their lives they did not know each other existed. Eventually a couple from New Hampshire, USA wanted children with siblings and adopted both babies. K881901 and K881902 were reunited and flown over to the United States to grow up under the watchful gaze of their Italian American father and French Canadian mother in a US state that is 98% white. K881901 was renamed Emily Kim Ae Sun Hunter and what were are about to hear is a story I got to hear live a few months ago when I gave a speech for Manulife at their first ever Global Employee Summit. Manulife is a global financial services company of over 35,000 people with a number of divisions such as John Hancock Financial. Unfortunately I had to follow Emily onstage! She dropped the mic with her personal story, the one I’ve just started sharing with you here, which received a giant standing ovation from the audience. She talked about finding yourself, navigating your race, being a person of color where you’re always the minority, and about how we discover our identities in a world of grey. We recorded this conversation at the Manulife Head Office in Toronto between our afternoon speech to the Western hemisphere employees and before our late-night speech to the Eastern hemisphere employees. I want to say a huge thank you to Manulife CEO Roy Gori, Director of Global Communications Brooke Tucker-Reid, and of course Emily Kim Ae Sun Hunter for helping make this conversation happen. Let’s go! What You'll Learn: How do you react to racism? How do you find yourself when you’re far from where you’re from? How do you grow your career as a woman of color? (And how do you think of the spectrum between ‘submissive’ and ‘confident’?) How can you find the meeting point of all your worlds? You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: https://www.3books.co/chapters/54     Leave us a voicemail. Your message may be included in a future episode: 1-833-READ-A-LOT. Sign up to receive podcast updates here: https://www.3books.co/email-list