PODCAST

A Need To Read

Ed Cunningham

For the curious mind.

arts books

All Episodes

59:31

#177 How to save our planet, with Professor Mark Maslin

A Need To Read ·

2022/09/01

Mark Maslin is a Professor of Earth System Science at University College London, a thought-leader on global heating, and the author of popular books on climate change and human evolution, most recently How To Save Our Planet: The Facts. Mark joined me to discuss: - How much it will cost to limit further damage and save the planet, - Why Jordan Peterson is wrong about environmentalists, - Who will be dealing with the worst of the consequences of global heating, - How capitalism can save the

55:20

#176 What’s wrong with Self-Help, with Siobhan O’Hagan

A Need To Read ·

2022/08/11

Siobhan O'hagan is a Personal Trainer and Content Creator, she is also a good friend of mine. She's back on A Need To Read for the third time to discuss; Tony Robbins, self-help, effective altruism, whether or not the laptop lifestyle is sustainable, Angel numbers, the meaning of suffering, Whether books REALLY helped me as much as I thought, The recently UCL study on the chemical imbalance narrative around depression, the effectiveness of IAPT (Immediate Access to Psychological Therapies) in the

55:51

Exponentially faster and cheaper tech with Azeem Azhar

A Need To Read ·

2022/08/03

Azeem Azhar is one of the world’s most trusted voices in technological innovation. He has worked within the tech industry since the early 90s with companies like the BBC, The Guardian, and The Economist. More recently, Azeem has become an active startup investor and has advised organizations like the World Economic Forum. He is a contributor to publications including the Financial Times, Wired, and the MIT Technology Review. He's been producing the Exponential view newsletter— which looks at

44:33

#174 The Suicide Issue with Professor Rory O’Connor

A Need To Read ·

2022/07/19

Professor Rory O’Connor is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and Past President of the International Academy of Suicide Research. Rory leads the Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory) at the University of Glasgow, one of the leading suicide and self-harm research groups internationally. His book, When It Is Darkest, was the winner of the 2021 British Psychological Society Popular Science Book Award He can be found on twitter (@suicideresearch). Rory and I

53:57

#173 The truth about Modern Slavery with Emily Kenway

A Need To Read ·

2022/07/12

I chatted with Emily Kenway who's a writer, an activist, and the author of The Truth About Modern Slavery. In the past, Emily has advised the first Anti-Slavery Commissioner for the UK, and she now researches and writes about crucial forces shaping our lives and communities. We discussed: We look at the statement: “There are more people enslaved today than at any other point in history.” What’s meant by “Modern Slavery” The Rwanda flights What Human Trafficking really looks like The UK’s hostile

35:40

#172 God is Not Great

A Need To Read ·

2022/07/05

In this episode, I cover some of my favorite books on religion, my religious experiences, and explore the article I wrote the other day on the Roe Vs Wade overturning (+religions role in that decision). Books discussed God is Not Great & The Missionary Position by Christopher Hitchens Waking Up, The Moral Landscape, The End of Faith & Letters to a Christian Nation By Sam Harris Support The best thing you can do is share the podcast with a friend, or sign up for my new weekly newsletter. You can

54:30

How humans evolved by working together, with...

A Need To Read ·

2022/06/21

Nichola Raihani is a professor of Evolution and Behavior at University College London. She joined me to discuss her new book The Social Instinct. We also spoke about: cooperation from cell to society, what makes us different from the great apes, what we have in common with meerkats, peacocking and why reputation matters, paranoia as a normal function of life, the impact of community on mental health and the idea of self-interested altruism. You can find Nichola on Twitter:

21:11

The art of self-deception

A Need To Read ·

2022/06/15

This episode is about the different ways we deceive ourselves, and why we do so. If you want to find out more you can read Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler and Robin Hanson. Support The best thing you can do is share the podcast with a friend, or sign up for my new weekly newsletter. You can also see my older newsletters with this link. This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp, so if you want to learn to understand your behaviour or emotions with the help of a professional you can get 10%

46:26

#169 Stoicism in practise, with Ben Aldridge

A Need To Read ·

2022/06/08

I had a great chat with Ben Aldridge, the author of both How To Be Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable, and How To Control The Uncontrollable. Ben's most recent book How To Control The Uncontrollable is a practical guide to Stoicism and how to bring it into your daily life. We chatted about; combining fear and play, Ben’s favorite Stoic, how he got over himself, voluntary discomfort, the misconceptions about Stoicism, how to do negative visualization, how to become more grateful for the people

01:02:34

#168 #ManBox, Feminism and The Patriarchy with the...

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/30

I spoke with Dan, the man behind the Nice-Ish-Psychologist Instagram and Twitter accounts, and the Nice-ish Ramblings podcast. He is a HCPC registered Forensic and Clinical Psychologist, and uses his spare time to educate people on the internet about issues relating to masculinity, sexual violence against women, gender, and sometimes how all these aspects of society and culture interlink. In the podcast we discuss; Masculinity and the ManBox culture, #Notallmen, How to speak about gender,

56:23

#167 Lies that shaped history with Otto English...

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/24

In this episode I’m joined by Otto English — he’s a journalist who writes for; Politico, The Byline Times, and The Independent, among other publications. We talk about his new book Fake History, which looks to dispel some of the myths we are taught about historical figures and events. In the podcast we chat about; Churchill, Nationalism and Fake History, What really happened at Dunkirk, Boris Johnson, Whether we should be wary of China (or feel bad for doing so), and much more! More from Otto can

26:39

#166 How Proust can change your life

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/17

In this meta-episode, I review Alain de Botton's review of Marcel Proust's life and work. Marcel Proust is one of the 20th Century's most influential authors and his In Search Of Lost Time spanned 7 volumes on love, art, time, and memory. His personal life is also on display in this book as Alain de Botton asks what Proust can teach us about; loving life, expressing emotions, suffering, reading, being a good friend, and how to be happy in love. Support The best thing you can do is share the

23:45

#165 Behaviour change with Tiny Habits

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/10

This episode is a review/summary of BJ Fogg's best-selling book, Tiny Habits. In the podcast I discuss; the proven methods of behaviour change that BJ covers in his book, how to approach behaviour change, when to quit, how to make habit formation easy, and how to stick at it. Find the B MAP method here: https://behaviormodel.org/ Support The best thing you can do is share the podcast with a friend, or sign up for my new weekly newsletter. THIS PODCAST IS SPONSORED BY BETTERHELP: If you want

21:40

#164 Hygge: The Danish philosophy of happiness and...

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/05

I went to Copenhagen for the weekend and found out about Hygge. Hygge is the Danish art of happiness and coziness, it's a philosophy that encourages connection, simplicity and mindfulness. I read a book on the topic and spoke to some Danish people, this podcast is a collection of my thoughts on Hygge. Books mentioned Hygge by Barbara Hayden The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking Support The best thing you can do is share the podcast with a friend, or sign up for my new weekly

01:12:42

#163 From the Kardashians to Alain de Botton, with...

A Need To Read ·

2022/05/03

I’m joined by Daisy Harris-Burland and Harriet Bradley for a casual conversation about everything from books we've loved to the Kardashians. Get your bookmarks from: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheBookmarkBoys?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=795580183 Some of the books discussed were; How to think more about sex, Essays in Love, How Proust Can Change Your Life, and The School of life, all by Alain de Botton A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov The Virgin

31:49

#162 Life lessons from Philosophers

A Need To Read ·

2022/04/26

In this episode, I review The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton and The Socrates Express by Eric Weiner. Both books are excellent introductions to some philosophers you may not have come across just yet. In the podcast, I go into what we can learn from; Socrates (How to deal with unpopularity), Michel de Montaigne (How to deal with inadequacy), Arthur Schopenhauer, Gandhi (How to fight), and Epicurus (How to enjoy life). Support The best thing you can do is share the podcast with a

27:52

#161 Novels to read this summer

A Need To Read ·

2022/04/19

This episode is a review of novels I’ve read recently that you might enjoy over the summer. I also discuss; why you should read classics, the trouble with falling asleep when you’re reading, remembering what you’ve read, thinking you’re insane, reading nihilist novels, and finding comfort in characters. Books discussed A Little Life - Hanya Yangaihara Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse Siddartha by Herman Hesse Damned by Chuck Palahniuk Confederacy of Dunces by John O’Toole A Brave New World by Aldous

45:42

#160 Toxic Positivity with Whitney Goodman

A Need To Read ·

2022/04/12

Whitney Goodman is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit, the author of Toxic Positivity, and Runs her own private therapy practice in Miami. Her mission is to help people understand their emotions so they can take control of, and enjoy their life. Whitney has her own column in Psychology Today and has been featured in dozens of domestic and international publications, including The New York Times, Teen Vogue, and Good Morning

30:47

#159 Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion

A Need To Read ·

2022/04/07

This episode is a review of Jia Tolentino's collection of essays in her book Trick Mirror. Her essays cover; Internet usage, Fraternities in the US, reality TV, Marriage, the cult of optimization, and a look at the seven major scams of her generation. These are new topics for me so if I need to balance my perspective please let me know. Support Please help me by sharing this podcast with a friend, or by signing up for my new weekly newsletter. To get 10% off your first month of therapy head

57:48

#158 The power of big business crooks, with Patrick...

A Need To Read ·

2022/04/04

Patrick Alley is an author and one of the founders of Global Witness, an organization whose investigations and reports into human rights and environmental abuse have uncovered some of the most shocking corruption cases of our time. Patrick joins me to chat about; how he and his colleagues took down the Khmer Rouge rebels in Cambodia, the Blood Diamond report, how London is a safe haven for the corrupt, Facebook and their role in hate crimes, and just how corrupt wars are. Find more on Global

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