166 episodes

Check us out at podcast.memod.com for our entire library of podcast episodes!

Each week we do a deep dive into a nonfiction bestseller. Self-Help. Psychology. Business. Philosophy. In around 30 minutes we cover the major themes and ideas of a recent hit, an important work, or an ancient classic.

The result: concentrated wisdom that goes beyond the headlines, makes you think and helps you succeed in relationships, career, or business.

The podcast builds on the work of Tom Butler-Bowdon, author of the “50 Classics series”.

Book Insights Podcast Memo'd

    • Education
    • 5.0 • 20 Ratings

Check us out at podcast.memod.com for our entire library of podcast episodes!

Each week we do a deep dive into a nonfiction bestseller. Self-Help. Psychology. Business. Philosophy. In around 30 minutes we cover the major themes and ideas of a recent hit, an important work, or an ancient classic.

The result: concentrated wisdom that goes beyond the headlines, makes you think and helps you succeed in relationships, career, or business.

The podcast builds on the work of Tom Butler-Bowdon, author of the “50 Classics series”.

    The Key to a Good Life: Aristotle's Groundbreaking Insight | Book Insights on Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle

    The Key to a Good Life: Aristotle's Groundbreaking Insight | Book Insights on Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle

    *Aristotle’s relentless quest to categorize everything has had a massive impact on philosophical and scientific thinking over the last 2,000 years.

    *His very rational, left-brain way of seeing is the essence of Western civilization.

    *The Nicomachean Ethics (dedicated to his son, Nicomachus) is the best expression of Aristotle’s moral philosophy. It provides a recipe for the good life that is still discussed and applied today.

    *The good life is one where reason is taken into account at all levels. One should act with the appropriate balance, rather than live a life of unrestrained action or bland asceticism.

    *Pleasures should not be ignored, nor should they control one’s life entirely. A person should be brave when necessary, but should not put themselves into pointless danger.

    *Happiness is not pleasure, but a by-product of a meaningful life, and meaning tends to come from striving and self-discipline.

    *By carefully weighing each decision with the end of a good life in mind, we can all live in a way that brings the highest goal and reward: happiness.

    Theme 1: Defining Goodness - 0:29

    Theme 2: The Unvirtuous Life -10:14

    Theme 3: The Golden Mean - 19:12

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/HistoryProf/what-it-means-to-live-a-good-life-according-to-ari-490/part-1

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    ARI Campus. (2019). Aristotle’s Ethics and Politics: Happiness, Reason and the Ideal Society - ARI Campus. [online] Available at: https://courses.aynrand.org/campus-courses/history-of-philosophy/aristotles-ethics-and-politics-happiness-reason-and-the-ideal-society/.

    Full Title: Nicomachean Ethics

    Year of Publication: 4th century BC

    Book Author: Aristotle

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://a.co/d/1g3gx0K

    Book Insight Writer: Joe Aitken

    Editor: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Producer: Daniel Gonzalez

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Elliott Schiff

    • 27 min
    James Comey on Clinton, Trump, and ethical leadership | Book Insights on A Higher Loyalty by James Comey

    James Comey on Clinton, Trump, and ethical leadership | Book Insights on A Higher Loyalty by James Comey

    *Through his discussion of his early life and studies, his long career in law enforcement and role in the spotlight of various Clinton and Trump controversies, ex-FBI head James Comey examines what it takes to be an effective, ethical leader.

    *Comey led the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails that some believe tipped the 2016 election result in Donald Trump’s favor.

    *Getting to the truth was crucial, but so too was running the investigation independently from the inevitable political pressures.

    *After Trump was elected, Comey battled to maintain the independence of the FBI. He describes his encounters with the president and the difficult legal and moral situations he was placed in.

    *A Higher Loyalty provides a gripping insider’s look into the highest echelons of American government and the personal dilemmas Comey faced in upholding the FBI’s – and his own – integrity.

    Theme 1: The value of truth & the toxic effect of lies - 0:29

    Theme 2: Rule of Law & Political Pressure -9:50

    Theme 3: Ethical Leadership - 19:32

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/AshamedlyAmerican/james-comey-on-lies-law-and-leadership-6413

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    "James Comey Interview Part 2: The Hillary Clinton Email Investigation". Youtube, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvS67LEId7Y. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.News, ABC. "Video: James Comey Part 1: Telling Trump About The 'Dossier'". ABC News, 2019, https://abcnews.go.com/2020/video/james-comey-part-telling-trump-dossier-54492017. Accessed 19 Apr 2019.

    Full Title: A Higher Loyalty

    Year of Publication: 2018

    Book Author: James Comey

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://a.co/d/fnu1x7U

    Book Insight Writer: Alice Park

    Editor: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Producer: Gabe Mara

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Kristi Burns

    • 31 min
    How Phil Knight's 'Crazy Idea' - Nike - Revolutionized an Industry | Book Insights on Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

    How Phil Knight's 'Crazy Idea' - Nike - Revolutionized an Industry | Book Insights on Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

    *In Shoe Dog, the famously reticent founder of Nike opens up to tell the story of how he transformed a $50 loan into a multibillion-dollar business.

    *Opening with Knight on a brisk morning run, aged 24, we’re treated to a description of the almost divine manner in which the idea for starting a shoe company first strikes.

    *Yet the actual making of the future megabrand was founded on Knight’s own athletic prowess and business acumen, not to mention his dogged determination.

    *While his college friends secured “proper jobs” and his father scolded him for “jackassing around” with sports shoes, Knight persevered. By selling shoes from the boot of his car, he managed to turnover $8,000 in his first year.

    *At the heart of his burgeoning business was a desire to capture the thrill of competition, to do work that didn’t feel like working.

    *As well as providing insights into the highs and lows of running a newly formed company, Shoe Dog shows what happens when you stop playing by society’s rules and decide to follow your heart.

    Theme 1: Knight’s Crazy Idea - 0:29

    Theme 2: Knight’s Entrepreneurial Journey & Purpose -11:55

    Theme 3: The Buttfaces - 26:06

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/TomBBBusiness/how-the-story-of-nike-s-tough-early-days-can-inspi-594/part-1

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    Archive, Investors. “Billionaire Phil Knight: Starting Nike, Life and Shoes (2017).” YouTube, YouTube, 12 Sept. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQvhAkLF7t0.

    Bloomberg Markets and Finance, Bloomberg Markets and. “The David Rubenstein Show: Phil Knight.” YouTube, YouTube, 28 June 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=brkdw_5umYY.

    Carmichael, Evan. “Chris Guillebeau's Top 10 Rules For Success (@Chrisguillebeau).” YouTube, YouTube, 26 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDEksMt3S9s.

    Chapters, Indigo |. “In Conversation: Phil Knight and Indigo CEO Heather Reisman.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EhX62tPsGw.

    Institute of Passion. “Steve Jobs Talking about Passion in Work at D5 Conference 2007.” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Jan. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_SKFUHlW9Y.

    Morning, CBS Sunday. “How Phil Knight's ‘Crazy Idea’ Conquers the Sporting World.” YouTube, YouTube, 24 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxWJTo-0eyk.

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. “Phil Knight Made A Pair Of Nikes Just For Stephen.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Apr. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTQMi-CBcMg.

    Full Title: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creating of Nike

    Year of Publication: 2016

    Book Author: Phil Knight

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://a.co/d/1g3gx0K

    Book Insight Writer: Joe Barnes

    Editor: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Producer: Daniel Gonzalez

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Robin Gabrielli

    • 35 min
    Mark Manson Says You Should Give Less F's | Book Insights on The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

    Mark Manson Says You Should Give Less F's | Book Insights on The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

    *Despite the attention-grabbing title, this isn’t a guide for rebels without a cause, keen to flip the middle finger at society and authority. Instead, it’s an unusually deep and thought-provoking look into the human experience.

    *Mining his own memories of being expelled from school for drug possession, travelling around the world seducing women, coming to terms with his parents’ divorce, and struggling to forge a career as a blogger, Manson presents a unique and intriguing life philosophy that cuts through the empty promises of clichéd self-help manuals.

    *The “subtle art” of the title poses a challenge: stop chasing other people’s visions of happiness, identify your personal “things to give a fuck about” and stick to them.

    *Manson doesn’t pretend this counterintuitive approach guarantees eternal wealth and happiness – this is not that kind of book –  but he’s convinced it will give you a shot at a pretty good life.

    Theme 1: Pain is Important - 0:29

    Theme 2: S****y Values - 8:00

    Theme 3: Take Responsibility - 20:05

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/WorkingOnWellness/learn-the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck-in-2-min-3337

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*Ck with Mark Manson.” The Science of Success Podcast, The Science of Success Podcast, 14 Sept. 2016, www.successpodcast.com/show-notes/2016/9/14/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-fck-with-mark-manson.

    Full Title: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

    Year of Publication: 2016

    Book Author: Mark Manson

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://a.co/d/a1TJo7J

    Book Insight Writer: Joe Barnes

    Editor: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Producer: Gabe Mara

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Kristi Burns

    • 25 min
    Meet the True Renaissance Man | Book Insights on Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

    Meet the True Renaissance Man | Book Insights on Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

    *Banned from elite schools due to the circumstances of his birth, Leonardo propelled his own education through endless reading, observation and experimentation.

    *He found refuge in the world of art, where his paintings of sacred dramas and Earth-based beauty astonished contemporaries.

    *Today, most of us know the name Leonardo da Vinci and something of his genius, but little of the full breadth of his creative impact and achievements.

    *Acclaimed biographer Walter Isaacson’s richly illustrated book, published ahead of the fifth centenary of Leonardo’s death, fills the gaps. He uses as his primary source material the extant notebooks – 7,200 pages survive, scattered in collections across the world, teeming with sketches and jottings – which demonstrate Leonardo’s insatiable curiosity about the world and his understanding of the interconnectedness of nature.

    *The book tracks da Vinci’s astonishing advances in art and technology which helped power Europe’s cultural rebirth. It also brings alive da Vinci the man, the original Renaissance man, revealing the ways he was both ahead of his time, and of his time.

    Theme 1: Light/Dark - 0:29

    Theme 2: The Schematics - 9:19

    Theme 3: Salvator Mundi - 19:27

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/TheoLogian/leonardo-da-vinci-everything-you-need-to-know-6062/part-1

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    YouTube. (2019). Walter Isaacson Compares Leonardo Da Vinci To Modern Geniuses. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqTHpgONMIM].

    YouTube. (2019). Lessons from Leonardo. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkm-gW_ANio.

    YouTube. (2019). Leonardo's Salvator Mundi: Scholarship, Science and Skulduggery. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIUP8l7HUWI [Accessed 2 Jul. 2019].

    Full Title: Leonardo da Vinci

    Year of Publication: 2017

    Book Author: Walter Isaacson

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://tinyurl.com/2p9c4v75

    Book Insight Writer: Kevin Holden

    Editor: Monica Woods

    Producer: Daniel Gonzalez

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Kristi Burns

    • 28 min
    Warren Buffett's Investing Secrets | Book Insights on The Essays of Warren Buffett by Lawrence A. Cunningham and Warren Buffett

    Warren Buffett's Investing Secrets | Book Insights on The Essays of Warren Buffett by Lawrence A. Cunningham and Warren Buffett

    *Countless books have been written about him, but The Essays of Warren Buffett (first published in 1997) is the only edited compendium of writings from the ‘Sage of Omaha’ himself.

    *Buffett’s eagerly anticipated annual letters to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway contain valuable insights into his philosophy and idiosyncratic investing style, plus many simple nuggets of wisdom that everyone – multimillionaire or not – can benefit from.

    *Despite their age, the basic lessons in these essays have not dated. His overarching message, unusual yet undeniably successful, is that if you work with people you like and trust, and the financial fundamentals are sound, prosperity will take care of itself.

    *The example set by the esteemed CEO himself, who still lives in his birthplace, Omaha, Nebraska, in the house he bought in the 1950s, remains a truly inspiring one.

    Theme 1: Underlying Value - 0:29

    Theme 2: Buying for Keeps & Legacy - 9:49

    Like what you hear? Be sure to like & subscribe to support this podcast! Also leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the episode.

    You can also get a free weekly email about the Book Insight of the week. Subscribe at memod.com/insights

    Want quick save-able, share-able bullet points on this book? Check out the Memo: https://memod.com/TomBBMoney/three-rules-that-made-warren-buffett-s-fortune-317/part-1

    HEAR THE FULL INTERVIEWS MENTIONED IN TODAYS' EPISODE HERE:

    Business, Fox. “Warren Buffett on Apple Investing in Tesla: It Would Be a Poor Idea.” YouTube, YouTube, 30 Aug. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJp-gKJ1pQs.

    CNBC. “Warren Buffett: Bitcoin Is An Asset That Creates Nothing | CNBC.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 May 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtITDtZPYEw.CNBC. “Warren Buffett: Just Looking At The Price Is Not Investing | CNBC.” YouTube, YouTube, 26 Feb. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm0jktMIYlk.

    Full Title: The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America

    Year of Publication: 1997

    Book Author: Warren Buffett

    To purchase the complete edition of this book click here: https://tinyurl.com/ydkpx9ba

    Book Insight Writer: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Editor: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Producer: Daniel Gonzalez

    Production Manager: Karin Richey

    Curator: Tom Butler-Bowden

    Narrator: Carrie Steele

    • 20 min

Customer Reviews

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20 Ratings

Walk 2 Wealth ,

Amazing Show!

I love the books covered on the show and the insights shared! Great resource.

BiggerBetterBraver ,

Great conversation about great reads!

I really enjoyed a few of these podcasts where Karin and Tom review some of the best self help books. I can’t wait to listen to more!
Nancy Pickard

Yeet821 ,

So creative!!!

Can’t wait for the next episode!!

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