198 episodes

3 Books is a completely insane and totally epic 22-year-long quest to uncover and discuss the 1000 most formative books in the world. Each chapter discusses the 3 most formative books of one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Brené Brown, David Sedaris, Malcolm Gladwell, Roxane Gay, Cheryl Strayed, Rich Roll, Soyoung the Variety Store Owner, Derek the Hype Man, Kevin the Bookseller, Shirley The Nurse, Vishwas the Uber Driver, Angie Thomas, David Mitchell, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Mark Manson, Seth Godin, Judy Blume, and Quentin Tarantino. 3 Books is published on the lunar calendar with each of the 333 chapters dropped on the exact minute of every single full moon all the way up to 10:37 PM EST on April 26, 2040. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and is 100% non-profit with no ads, no sponsors, no commercials, and no interruptions. 3 Books has 3 clubs including the End of the Podcast Club, the Cover to Cover Club, and the Secret Club, which operates entirely through the mail and is only accessible by calling 1-833-READ-A-LOT. 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.

For more info check out: https://www.3books.co

3 Books With Neil Pasricha Neil Pasricha: Bestselling Author

    • Arts
    • 4.6 • 247 Ratings

3 Books is a completely insane and totally epic 22-year-long quest to uncover and discuss the 1000 most formative books in the world. Each chapter discusses the 3 most formative books of one of the world's most inspiring people. Sample guests include: Brené Brown, David Sedaris, Malcolm Gladwell, Roxane Gay, Cheryl Strayed, Rich Roll, Soyoung the Variety Store Owner, Derek the Hype Man, Kevin the Bookseller, Shirley The Nurse, Vishwas the Uber Driver, Angie Thomas, David Mitchell, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Mark Manson, Seth Godin, Judy Blume, and Quentin Tarantino. 3 Books is published on the lunar calendar with each of the 333 chapters dropped on the exact minute of every single full moon all the way up to 10:37 PM EST on April 26, 2040. 3 Books is an Apple "Best Of" award-winning show and is 100% non-profit with no ads, no sponsors, no commercials, and no interruptions. 3 Books has 3 clubs including the End of the Podcast Club, the Cover to Cover Club, and the Secret Club, which operates entirely through the mail and is only accessible by calling 1-833-READ-A-LOT. 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.

For more info check out: https://www.3books.co

    Page 121: How the Internet makes it harder to read books

    Page 121: How the Internet makes it harder to read books

    Pages are 333-second or less highlights from Chapters of 3 Books.


    They are released at 3:33am between Chapters. 


    Page 121 comes from Chapter 12 with Chris Anderson, Head of TED.


    Listen to the full chapter: https://www.3books.co/chapters/12


    Get the 3 Books email: http://www.3books.co/3mail


    Join our community: Follow @neilpasricha on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

    • 2 min
    Chapter 136: 3 St. Louis Uber drivers on bullets, bruises, and babies

    Chapter 136: 3 St. Louis Uber drivers on bullets, bruises, and babies

    I just got back from St. Louis.
     
    It was my first time there and I met a wonderfully rich collection of people who I’m so excited to introduce you to in a special on-the-ground, in-the-street, from-the-backseat Chapter of 3 Books.
     
    On the way from the airport to the hotel, the driver regaled me with St. Louis trivia from a deep well of St. Louis pride. “Did you know we hosted the World Fair and the Olympics the same year?” he asked. I knew about the World Fair! “Most do,” he said. “But not many know about the Olympics. 1904 was a banner year here. We were the fourth largest city in the US at the time!”
     
    The next day I had time to explore. I knew there was a local bird species that didn’t exist anywhere else in the country! The Eurasian Tree Sparrow was one of six species of birds brought to St. Louis in 1870 by German immigrants. The other five died that winter, but the Tree Sparrow still lives near Lafayette Park where it was first released. It has thrived without expanding its range or disrupting the local ecology.
     
    After I got an address to try and find the birds, I hailed an Uber and met Jacqueline, who drove a bus in town for 27 years. When I asked her for the best thing about St. Louis she said, “Nothing! Watch your back or somebody gonna put a bullet in your head.” Our raw conversation touches on the erosion of community, the deprioritization of connection, and how we might find new kinds of support in our disconnected world. “My family is whoever loves on me,” Jacqueline said. “Blood makes you kin but it doesn’t make you family.”
     
    I then met Deneane, a 28-year-old single mother of five who does drop-off, pick-up, and evenings solo every day while driving Uber thirty hours a week, working at a cupcake shop, and running a small business online. We went to the Gateway Arch and Left Bank Books together while talking about enduring—after her mom found bruises all over her body, she left her abusive relationship and “found the strength to start over.”
     
    The next morning I gave the talk that sent me down there and then got a final ride to the airport with Albano from Albania, who left his job as a public school teacher in Florida to make more than double as a driver. “Unfortunately,” he said, “if teaching was something others would care about, teachers wouldn’t leave the profession.”
     
    I hope you feel a kinetic pulse listening to stories from people whose stories aren’t often told. Get ready to laugh, cry, and connect hearts as we tether ourselves to the human connection that exists around us every day.
     
    Let’s head down to St. Louis and hang out with Jacqueline, Deneane, and Albano as they share the love and connection we are always searching for on 3 Books.
     
    Let’s flip the page to Chapter 136 now… 

    • 1 hr 20 min
    Page 114: A tip from an editor to editors-to-be

    Page 114: A tip from an editor to editors-to-be

    Pages are 333-second or less highlights from Chapters of 3 Books.
     
    They are released at 3:33am between Chapters.  
     
    Page 114 comes from Chapter 11 with Kerri Kolen, editor of 'The Happiness Equation,' 'Lion,' and 'A Stolen Life.'
     
    Listen to the full chapter: https://www.3books.co/chapters/11
     
    Get the 3 Books email: http://www.3books.co/3mail
     
    Join our community: Follow @neilpasricha on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

    • 1 min
    Page 113: Beauty standards, slut-shaming, and suicide...

    Page 113: Beauty standards, slut-shaming, and suicide...

    Pages are 333-second or less highlights from Chapters of 3 Books.
     
    They are released at 3:33am between Chapters.  
     
    Page 113 comes from Chapter 11 with Kerri Kolen, editor of 'The Happiness Equation,' 'Lion,' and 'A Stolen Life.'
     
    Listen to the full chapter: https://www.3books.co/chapters/11
     
    Get the 3 Books email: http://www.3books.co/3mail
     
    Join our community: Follow @neilpasricha on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

    • 4 min
    Page 112: A diary to help imbue gratitude

    Page 112: A diary to help imbue gratitude

    Pages are 333-second or less highlights from Chapters of 3 Books.
     
    They are released at 3:33am between Chapters.  
     
    Page 112 comes from Chapter 11 with Kerri Kolen, editor of 'The Happiness Equation,' 'Lion,' and 'A Stolen Life.'
     
    Listen to the full chapter: https://www.3books.co/chapters/11
     
    Get the 3 Books email: http://www.3books.co/3mail
     
    Join our community: Follow @neilpasricha on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

    • 5 min
    Page 111: A book for kids who want to rule the universe

    Page 111: A book for kids who want to rule the universe

    Pages are 333-second or less pulls from Chapters of 3 Books.
     
    They are released at 3:33am between Chapters.  
     
    Page 111 comes from Chapter 11 with Kerri Kolen, editor of 'The Happiness Equation,' 'Lion,' and 'A Stolen Life.'
     
    Listen to the full chapter: https://www.3books.co/chapters/11
     
    Get the 3 Books email: http://www.3books.co/3mail
     
    Join our community: Follow @neilpasricha on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, & YouTube

    • 5 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
247 Ratings

247 Ratings

Zinnia Sky ,

Love the show

Neil, you’ve honed your skills and were on point with the Nader interview. Well done! Looking forward to the next conversation.

stitchinginheels ,

Fan

I love all the chapters. Only one problem, at 69, will I live long enough to read all the great books?! I’m getting a late start but I’m on it! Just finished the Johann Hari chapter and wow!! His intelligence is off the scale. The two Daniels were also so thought provoking. I now have to watch their movie with my 42 year old daughter who has ADHD. Can’t wait. Thanks Neil, keep up the good work!😍

Phoebe1207 ,

Love this show!!!!

I’ve been listening to this show since 2018 and it is still the only podcast I will listen to without wanting to throw up.
I took a break for a year or two thinking I didn’t like podcasts at all, until I gave it another try catching up with the episodes I missed and now I am a tried and true cover to cover member of our “club”.
You can even call in, and I have!! A few times!! Astounding.
I learn so much every episode.
Thanks Neil!!!!

Top Podcasts In Arts

Fresh Air
NPR
The Moth
The Moth
LeVar Burton Reads
LeVar Burton and Stitcher
99% Invisible
Roman Mars
Gastropod
Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
The Recipe with Kenji and Deb
Deb Perelman & J. Kenji López-Alt

You Might Also Like

Good Life Project
Jonathan Fields / Acast
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
Ten Percent Happier
The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos
Pushkin Industries
On Being with Krista Tippett
On Being Studios
Happier with Gretchen Rubin
Gretchen Rubin / The Onward Project
The Rich Roll Podcast
Rich Roll