2 Pages with MBS
Discover the best bits of the best books read by people you admire. Michael Bungay Stanier hosts the podcast where brilliant people read the best two pages of a favourite book. Listen as authors, leaders, activists, academics, celebrities, and entrepreneurs dig in with MBS to explore the insights and ideas within. Whether it’s books that inspire leadership, change, self-development and growth, power, strategy, ambition, productivity, or creativity and innovation - this is hand-curated wisdom from people who know. These are the books that change minds, shape lives, and inspire great work and worthy goals.
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41. How to Reinvent Yourself: Jenny Valentish, ...
Jenny Valentish reading from William Giraldi’s The Hero’s Body and discussing the ups and downs of reinventing yourself.
32 min
152
40. How to be a Beginner: Tom Vanderbilt, autho...
Tom Vanderbuilt reading from David Epstein’s Range and discussing the art of beginning and learning new skills.
41 min
153
39. How to Rethink Ambition: Kieran Setiya, aut...
Kieran Setiya reading from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and discussing how to cope with experiencing a midlife crisis.
46 min
154
38. How to Keep Creating: Jessica Hagy, ‘How to...
Jessica Hagy reading from The Stranger in the Woods, the Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit, and discussing how to be fearless.
30 min
155
37. Empathy and Argument: Tamsen Webster, ‘Find...
Tamsen Webster reading from Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson’s Mistakes Were Made (But not by Me) and discussing how to shape and share your ideas in an irresistible way.
45 min
156
36. How to Practice Understanding: Pamay Bassey...
Pamay Bassey reading from Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art and discussing overcoming resistance and being willing to learn.
33 min
157
35. How to Think Straight: Julia Galef, author ...
Julia Galef reading from Eliezer Yudkowsky’s How to Actually Change Your Mind and discussing rational reasoning.
39 min
158
34. How to Act Like a Leader: Joel Constable, L...
Joel Constable reading from Herminia Ibarra’s Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader and discussing ideal leadership behaviours.
35 min
159
33. How to Shape the Future of Work: Lisa Gill ...
Lisa Gill reading from Meg Wheatley’s Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a Chaotic World and discussing how the concept of ‘work’ has evolved.
44 min
160
32. How to be World-Positive: Swati Mylavarapu ...
Swati Mylavarapu reading from Mary L. Gray and Siddharth Suri’s Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass and discussing a ‘world-positive’ view on investing.
32 min
161
31. How to Get to Grips with Reality: Oliver Bu...
Oliver Burkeman reading from James Hollis’ Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life and discussing how accepting our limitations leads to a fulfilling life.
30 min
162
30. Joy and Power: Minna Salami x ‘The Sex Live...
Minna Salami reading from Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah’s The Sex Lives of African Women and discussing sexual oppression.
36 min
163
29. How to Keep Curiosity Alive: Martin Reeves ...
Martin Reeves reading from John Kay and Mervyn King's Radical Uncertainty: Decision-Making Beyond the Numbers and discussing the significance of new approaches and imaginative ideas in business.
38 min
164
28. How to Resist Conformity: Julie Lythcott-Ha...
Julie Lythcott-Haims reading from Tara Westover's Educated and discussing the emotional suffering that follows shame and following the crowd to fit in.
47 min
165
27. You are Predictably Imperfect: Katy Milkman...
Katy Milkman reading from Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler's Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness and discussing the nuances of human behaviour.
36 min
166
26. How to focus on what matters: John Zeratsky...
John Zeratsky reading from Winifred Gallagher's Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life and discussing the power and importance of where you place your attention.
39 min
167
25. How to Deconstruct Yourself: Luke Burgis x ...
Luke Burgis reading from René Girard's Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World and discussing the importance of business aims beyond mere profit-making potential.
41 min
168
24. How to be 100% Yourself: Jordan Dinwiddie x...
Jordan Dinwiddie reading from L.L. McKinney's Nubia: Real One and discussing being a woman of colour in the world of advertising.
33 min
169
23. What To Do With Power: Matthew Barzun x ‘To...
Matthew Barzun reading an essay from his grandfather, Jacques Barzun’s A Jacques Barzun Reader and discussing how to use power mindfully.
50 min
170
22. One Way to be an Activist: Dr. Caroline Hel...
Dr. Caroline Heldman reading James Baldwin’s essay On Being White ... And Other Lies and discussing how to facilitate social change.
38 min
171
21. The Power of Being a Generalist: Vikram Man...
Vikram Mansharamani reading from Laurence J. Peter’s The Peter Principle and discussing holistic development.
41 min
172
20. How (and why) to be good-ish: Dolly Chugh x...
Dolly Chugh reading from Jeanne Theoharis’ A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History and discussing ways to combat our unconscious biases.
34 min
173
19. How to Overcome Loneliness: Ximena Vengoech...
Ximena Vengoechea reading from Sherry Turkle’s Reclaiming Conversation and discussing the essence of healthy communication.
38 min
174
18. Do We Want the Other Half to Fail?: Indra A...
Indra Adnan reading from Ken Wilbur’s A Theory of Everything and discusses the growing chasm in society.
51 min
175
17. I am disabled but not broken: Christa Coutu...
Christa Couture reading from Eli Clare’s Brilliant Imperfection and discussing society’s labels.
36 min