In Craig Fehrman’s groundbreaking work of history, "Author in Chief: The Untold Story of Our Presidents and the Books They Wrote" opens a rich new window into presidential biography. Listen to his conversation with Michael here to experience a different side of Presidents past and present. From volumes lost to history—Calvin Coolidge’s Autobiography, which was one of the most widely discussed titles of 1929—to ones we know from more recent times—Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father, which was very nearly never published—Fehrman unearths countless insights about the presidents through their literary works. Presidential books have made an enormous impact on American history, catapulting their authors to the national stage and even turning key elections. Original air date 14 February 2020. The book was published on 11 February 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Michael welcomes Nicholas Carr, author of "Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart," a bracing exploration of how social media has warped our sense of self and society. From the telegraph and telephone in the 1800s to the internet and social media in our own day, the public has welcomed new communication systems. Whenever people gain more power to share information, the assumption goes, society prospers. Superbloom tells a startlingly different story. As communication becomes more mechanized and efficient, it breeds confusion more than understanding, strife more than harmony. A celebrated commentator on the human consequences of technology, Nicholas Carr reorients the conversation around modern communication, challenging some of our most cherished beliefs about self-expression, free speech, and media democratization. Original air date 30 January 2025. The book was published on 28 January 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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He doesn't believe in diets, and says we should exercise less. Meet Dr. Fredrik Nystrom, professor of medicine at Linkoping University in Sweden. He joins Michael with his book "Lighten the load on your shoulders!" Dr. Nystrom is professor and senior consultant in internal medicine in the Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences. Original air date 28 January 2025. The book was published on 29 October 2024. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Michael talks with Tim Harford, author of "The Data Detective: Ten Easy Rules to Make Sense of Statistics." Today we think statistics are the enemy, numbers used to mislead and confuse us. That’s a mistake, Tim Harford says in The Data Detective. We shouldn’t be suspicious of statistics—we need to understand what they mean and how they can improve our lives: they are, at heart, human behavior seen through the prism of numbers and are often “the only way of grasping much of what is going on around us.” If we can toss aside our fears and learn to approach them clearly—understanding how our own preconceptions lead us astray—statistics can point to ways we can live better and work smarter. Original air date 10 February 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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From the New York Times bestselling authors of "The Nazi Conspiracy" and "The Lincoln Conspiracy" comes a true, little-known story about the first assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy, right before his inauguration. What most Americans don’t know is that JFK’s historic presidency almost ended before it began―at the hands of a disgruntled sociopathic loner armed with dynamite, named Richard Pavlick, on December 11, 1960. Listen to Michael's conversation with Brad Meltzer, co-author (w/Josh Mensch) of "The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy―and Why It Failed" to learn all about it. Original air date 24 January 2025. The book was published on 14 January 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Organizational psychologist Adam Grant is an expert on opening other people's minds--and our own. Listen to him discuss "Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know" with Michael in this podcast.

Intelligence is usually seen as the ability to think and learn, but in a rapidly changing world, there's another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn. In our daily lives, too many of us favor the comfort of conviction over the discomfort of doubt. We listen to opinions that make us feel good, instead of ideas that make us think hard. We see disagreement as a threat to our egos, rather than an opportunity to learn. We surround ourselves with people who agree with our conclusions, when we should be gravitating toward those who challenge our thought process. The result is that our beliefs get brittle long before our bones. Original air date 3 February 2021. The book was published on 2 February 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Jesse Ventura has had many lives as a Navy SEAL, a star of pro wrestling, an actor, and as governor of Minnesota. Listen to Michael's 2008 conversation with Ventura about his then-new book "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me!" - the story of his controversial gubernatorial years and his life since deciding not to seek a second term as governor in 2002. Written with award-winning author Dick Russell at a secluded location on Mexico's Baja Peninsula, Ventura's bestselling book reveals for the first time why he left politics and what might be next. Original air date 23 May 2008. The book was published on April 1, 2008. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Michael talks to William Cohan, author of "The Price of Silence: The Duke Lacrosse Scandal, the Power of the Elite, and the Corruption of Our Great Universities." The bestselling author presents his stunning account of the 2006 Duke lacrosse team scandal that reveals the pressures faced by America’s elite colleges and universities and pulls back the curtain, in a riveting narrative, on the larger issues of sexual misconduct, underage drinking, and bad-boy behavior—all too prevalent on campuses across the country. Original air date 15 April 2014. The book was published on 8 April 2014.

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Before he became a full-time talk radio host, Michael worked for a Philadelphia-based trial lawyer, James E. Beasley, who passed away in 2004. Listen to this special conversation where Michael spoke to Ralph Cipriano, who immortalized Beasley in his book "Courtroom Cowboy: The Life of Legal Trailblazer Jim Beasley." Also joining in this conversation is Beasley's son, Jim Beasley Jr.

Beasley Sr. was a high school dropout driving a Greyhound bus when, on an impulse, he decided to change his destiny. He left the bus station behind and enrolled in Temple University and then its law school on the GI Bill. It was a fateful choice for Beasley and for hundreds of clients who would need a warrior to fight for them. In the courtroom Beasley was a scrapper, standing up for the underdog and winning more million-dollar verdicts than any other trial lawyer in the country. Original air date 2008, the book was published in 2008. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com

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Through Stan's life lessons, you'll discover how perseverance, anticipating change, and creating a shared vision for your team can help you build an enduring and successful business. Learn how Stan overcame early failures, survived the 2008 financial crisis, and led his mortgage firm to become an industry leader when competitors faltered.

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