PODCAST · arts
A Need To Read
by Ed Cunningham
Book reviews and interviews, for the curious mind. Contact: [email protected]
Episodes
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Bob McTavish- 60 years of shaping surf culture
Bob McTavish pioneered surf culture and changed the way people surfed, makes people happy everyday with his inventions and lives on the east coast of Australia. i was lucky to sit with him last year to discuss life in the 60s, and his life as a writer, surfboard shaper and family man.
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Recovery from disordered eating, with Warren Ward
In this Episode I chat with Warren Ward about Eating Disorders. If this topic is triggering or not going to be helpful for you, please consider another episode. Warren Ward is a psychiatrist who writes about philosophy, culture, travel and the history of ideas. Warren is an Associate Professor at...
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Gay rights movement with Ronan Mccrea
Ronan Mccrea is a professor of European and Constitutional Law at UCL. In this podcast we discuss the gay rights movement, it's history, future, and threats. Ronan's book 'The End Of The Gay Rights Movement' is out now. Got a burning desire to write to me? aneedtoread.podcast at gmail .com…
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Nature's last dance with Natalie Kyriacou
Natalie Kyriacou is an environmentalist and author from Australia. Her book, Nature’s Last Dance, looks to inspire awe and wonder in its readers with an entertaining selection of stories from nature, stories of citizen scientists, fish with STD’s, rogue Emus and so much more. To support A Need To...
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Boosting your immune system with Prof Dan Davis
support - www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread - www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread for 10% off your first month of therapy online - https://get.descript.com/i51fa3crfprh I use descript to edit this episodes and it couldn’t be easier. It turns any audio in to studio quality
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Notes from deaths door with Katie Treble
Katie spent 6 months in one of the world’s most forgotten countries — the Central African Republic. In this episode, we sit down in person to chat about her experiences there working as a medical doctor with Doctors Without Borders. This is a story of people who have been ignored for too long —…
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Unmasking Autism & ADHD with Ellie Middleton
Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread In this episode, I sit down with Ellie Middleton — author of Unmasked and How To Be You — to talk about the messy, powerful journey of...
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Books for boys w Lucas Oakeley
Boys read less than girls. That’s what the stats say, and today, writer, Lucas Oakley joins me to chat about why this is and gives some direction for guys looking to get into reading. Today’s paid partner is betterhelp, for 10% off your first month head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread books...
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Depression: chemical imbalance or something else? with Joanna Moncrieff
Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread - Today's conversation is with Joanna Moncreiff, the author of 'Chemically Imbalanced: the making and unmaking of the serotonin myth'. We...
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Irelands native rainforests with Matt Smith
Matt Smith is a former professional surfer and sailor, now he spends his time on the west coast of Ireland as CEO of the charity HOMETREE (https://www.hometree.ie/about). You can find him on Instagram @thehonestcaptain where he talks about his projects show support www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread...
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Welcome back
Welcome back! I’ve been away for a while, and never even said see ya later or goodbye. This episode covers a little bit about why I stopped the podcast, what I’ve been up to, and where the podcast will go in the future. books recommended: 100 years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Reservoir...
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Entangled life of fungi with Merlin Sheldrake
www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread Www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread Merlin Sheldrake is a biologist, writer, and speaker with a background in plant sciences, microbiology, ecology, and the history and philosophy of science. He received a Ph.D. in tropical ecology from Cambridge University for his…
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Novels to read in 2023
In this episode, I chat about some fiction books that you might like to read this year. Books discussed When We Cease To Understand The World by Benjamin Labtut Kim Jiyoung Born 1982 by Cho Nam Joo A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Someone To Love You In All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael...
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#187 Dan Osman
Dan Osman is a Health and Wellbeing Educator, who has worked in the health and fitness industry for 17 years. We discuss; problems with social media, People’s relationships with diets, exercise, and themselves, Self-awareness, How to use values to guide you, confusing avoidance with…
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Saving the planet without the bullshit, with Assaad Razzouk
Support for the podcast I'm an independent podcaster, which is a fancy way of saying no one pays me a regular wage. And, to level with you, that is terrifying- all of the time. So, if you like what I do and want me to keep doing it please support the show in one of the following ways. - Share the...
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Nutrition, Politics and Philosophy, with Alan Flanagan
Dr. Alan Flanagan, PhD, holds an MSc and PhD in nutrition from the University of Surrey, and is a former practicing Lawyer (Barrister) from Dublin, Ireland. In this podcast we discuss; nutrition, the protein problem for plant-based diets, what we’re seeing in British politics, philosophy, and...
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Earth is a hothouse with Prof. Bill McGuire
Bill McGuire is a Professor Emeritus of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London, and a writer, who is regularly published in The Guardian, The Times, and The Observer. He is the author of many books, notably the newest, Hothouse Earth - an inhabitants guide, which is a look...
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What is Consciousness with Prof. Anil Seth
Professor Anil Seth is a Computational and Cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Sussex. His book Being You was a Sunday Times Bestseller. Take part in Anil's research In this podcast we discuss: Anil’s latest project ‘The Dream Machine’ What dreams are for? How your brain creates...
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Hard Time Philosophy with Kieran Setiya
Kieran Setiya is a Professor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was born in Hull, UK. He is known for his work in ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. We discuss: Utilitarianism and the problems with focusing on happiness The Good Enough life Dealing with...
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Mental Health and Behaviour Change with Dr. Mike II
Dr. Mike Banna is a GP in the South of England, a GP educator, and a Director of the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine. He also writes a weekly newsletter for Gymshark called The Doctors Note. This podcast discusses mental health services in the UK, Instagram wellness advice, behaviour…
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The Future of Farming with George Monbiot
George Monbiot is one of Britain's finest writers on Climate. He has a weekly column where he writes on political and environmental issues with The Guardian and is the author of multiple books. His book feral has inspired a rewinding movement in the UK, and his latest book Regenesis looks at the...
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The Law of Attraction debunked by David Grimes, an actual scientist.
David Robert Grimes is a Science communicator and author. His book The Irrational Ape has been discussed on this show many times. He joins me today to discuss the Law of Attraction, the pseudoscientific craze that has made millennials, Gen-Zers, and Gwyneth Paltrow believe they can bend the...
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Psychology of Online Behaviour with Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton
Dr. Nicola Fox Hamilton is a cyberpsychology researcher and lecturer at the Institute of Art, Design, and Technology, in Dublin. She has authored a new series called 'The Psychology of Online Behaviour' on audible, and regularly appears in the media to discuss her research. We discuss - How…
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How to save our planet, with Professor Mark Maslin
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...
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What’s wrong with Self-Help, with Siobhan O’Hagan
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…
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Exponentially faster and cheaper tech with Azeem Azhar
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...
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#174 The Suicide Issue with Professor Rory O’Connor
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...
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What is Modern Slavery with Emily Kenway
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...
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How humans evolved by working together, with Professor Nichola Raihani
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…
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The art of self-deception
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...
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#169 Stoicism in practise, with Ben Aldridge
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;...
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#168 #ManBox, Feminism and The Patriarchy with the Nice-Ish-Psychologist
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…
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#167 Lies that shaped history with Otto English (Author of Fake History)
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...
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Proust can change your life
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...
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#165 Behaviour change with Tiny Habits
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…
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#164 Hygge: The Danish philosophy of happiness and coziness
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...
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#163 From the Kardashians to Alain de Botton, with Daisy Harris-Burland and Harriet Bradley
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...
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#162 Life lessons from Philosophers
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...
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#161 Novels to read this summer
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...
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#160 Toxic Positivity with Whitney Goodman
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…
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#159 Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion
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...
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#158 The power of big business crooks, with Patrick Alley
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…
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#157 A new way to think about happiness
In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on happiness and why we should drop our obsession with it. I cover: why you should be careful who you admire and listen to, how well we are placed to make rational judgments in our life, the different types of happiness, hedonic adaption, Natural vs…
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#156 The Sunny Nihilist, with Wendy Syfret
Wendy Syfret is a Melbourne-based writer and editor, and author of The Sunny Nihilist. She has spent time working for VICE and has contributed to The Guardian, British Vogue, and ABC. She is the current editor at RIISE and her work can be found at www.Wendysyfret.com Support Please help me by...
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Get Rich or Lie Tryin’ with Symeon Brown
To get 10% off your first month of therapy head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread from there you’ll just need to run through a 5-minute questionnaire and you’ll be matched with a therapist within 48 hours. Symeon Brown is a journalist and reporter for Channel 4, his long-read 'The Wolves Of...
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#152 Human Kind: A hopeful history
This is a review, and summary of some key ideas, of Rutger Bregman's Human Kind. The bold idea this book tries to convert you to is: Humans are actually pretty decent. I sat on the other side of this debate for a long time and have been convinced to change my mind. This outlook on life seems to...
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The science of breath with James Nestor
I spoke with award-winning journalist and best-selling author, James Nestor about his extremely popular book: Breath, The New Science Of A Lost Art. We discuss; freediving, common breathing mistakes, how bad breathing is impacting society as a whole, who breathwork is NOT for, Wim Hoff…
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#150 Who are you, really?
The psychology of personality is a complicated topic. This book argues that the idea of the authentic self is a lie. There are far more contributing factors to personality than we're led to believe, and in this episode, I chat about; the 3 factors that determine who you are, how you can make...
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Time management for mortals with Oliver Burkeman
To get 10% off your first month of therapy head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread from there you’ll just need to run through a 5-minute questionnaire and you’ll be matched with a therapist within 48 hours. I'm joined by one of my favourite authors, Oliver Burkeman. He's the author of the...
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#148 How the West became self-obsessed
We live in a very me-centric society. In the West, our philosophical influences have been focused on the 'I' for the last few thousand years and now, with the age of social media, we are paying the price. This is a review/summary of Will Storr's Selfie- a book that explores the concept of the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Book reviews and interviews, for the curious mind. Contact: [email protected]
HOSTED BY
Ed Cunningham
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A Need To Read currently has 137 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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Book reviews and interviews, for the curious mind. Contact: [email protected]
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A Need To Read publishes regularly with 137 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Who hosts A Need To Read?
A Need To Read is created and hosted by Ed Cunningham.
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