Episodes 22
Avg. Duration 1h 10m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 5.0 (49)
Since Apr 2020
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Monthly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
90%
Hosting
feed.podbean.com

About This Podcast

Two brothers talk through the BEST non-fiction books about science, evolution, culture, history, complexity science, nature, cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence.

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Recent Episodes

Rules for Radicals: The Manual Both the Left AND the Right Use

Jun 01, 2026 53m

This episode, we crack open Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, the 1971 organizing manual that has been studied by everyone from Tea Party activists to Hillary Clinton, and argued over ever since.…

Politics Without Ideology | The Machiavellians by James Burnham

May 04, 2026 1h 17m

The Machiavellians: Defenders of Freedom by James Burnham (1943). a book about a book about five other books. Burnham picks six political philosophers (Machiavelli, Mosca, Sorel, Pareto, Michels, and…

Japan, India, China: What Kissinger Gets Right About the World's Next Superpower Fight

Apr 06, 2026 41m

In Part 2 of our coverage of Henry Kissinger's World Order, Andrew and JD turn the Eye of Sauron east, tracing how Japan, India, and China each entered (or were dragged into) the modern international…

Henry Kissinger's map of the Modern Political Landscape

Mar 02, 2026 59m

Everyone is talking about the world order right now. China, Russia, Iran, Nato, Ukraine. but if you don't know where the "world order" came from, you're just watching the news without a map. This…

How Markets and Monogamy Built Modern Prosperity, Part 2 | Books Brothers

Feb 02, 2026 1h 23m

Southern Italy is poorer than northern Italy because the Catholic Church never conquered it. And that's not a hot take, that's what the data says. Part 2 of our deep dive into how the Western…

The Weirdest People in the World: How Culture Rewired the Western Mind

Jan 05, 2026 1h 4m

Why do people in the modern West think the way they do, and why does it feel so different from almost everyone else in history? In this episode of Books Brothers, we dive into The Weirdest People in…

The Medici: How a Banking Family Built the Renaissance

Dec 01, 2025 1h 21m

Episode 16: The Medici by Paul Strathern** In this episode, we explore one of the most influential families in European history. Paul Strathern’s The Medici gives an inside look at the rise of a…

S2E15 The Origins of Political Order by Francis Fukuyama

Nov 03, 2025 1h 37m

If you’ve ever wondered how humans went from chaotic tribes to building governments, empires, and messy modern democracies, this episode is for you. 🏛️ Join JD and Andrew as they break down Francis…

Guns Germs & Steel - Episode 14

Oct 06, 2025 34m

Why did Europeans conquer the Americas instead of the other way around? In this episode, we dig into Jared Diamond’s Pulitzer Prize–winning classic Guns, Germs, and Steel. Diamond sets out to answer…

Against the Grain: How States Went Wrong | Ep. 13

Sep 01, 2025 57m

Yo! Let’s go. JD and Andrew are back in the Fertile Crescent, baby—where civilization supposedly “leveled up” but maybe just took a massive L. In this episode, the bros break down James C. Scott’s…

The Secret of Our Success - Episode 12

Aug 04, 2025 1h 6m

In this episode, we dive deep into Joseph Henrich's groundbreaking book "The Secret of Our Success: How Culture is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species and Making Us Smarter." Discover…

The Ancient City - Episode 11

Jul 14, 2025 1h 51m

🏛️ THE ANCIENT CITY: How Religion Built Civilization (Books Brothers Podcast) The oldest book we've ever covered reveals the SHOCKING truth about how cities actually formed! Forget everything you…

The Molecule of More - Episode 10

Jun 16, 2025 1h 2m

Join JD and Andrew as they dive deep into "The Molecule of More" by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long - exploring how dopamine drives human behavior, relationships, creativity, and our never-ending…

I Came to Cast Fire - Episode 9

Jun 02, 2025 1h 25m

In this episode, the hosts explore René Girard's mimetic theory through Friar Elias Carr's 2024 book "I Came to Cast Fire: An Introduction to René Girard." The conversation examines how human desires…

Wanting - The Hidden Forces Behind Your Desires - Episode 8

May 01, 2025 57m

In this mind-bending episode, Andrew and JD explore René Girard's revolutionary mimetic theory through Luke Burgis's accessible book "Wanting." Discover why your deepest desires might not actually be…

S1E7 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Episode 7

Apr 15, 2025 53m

In this episode of Books Brothers, JD and Andrew break down Stephen Covey's seminal work "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Published in over 50 languages and named the most influential…

S1E6 A General Theory of Love - Episode 6

Apr 03, 2025 44m

Join the Dennison Brothers as they dive into "A General Theory of Love," a fascinating scientific exploration of what makes us connect on a deeper level. What exactly is love from a neurological…

S1E5 Behave: the Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst - Episode 5

Mar 06, 2025 2h 57m

In this epic deep-dive episode, brothers JD and Andrew Dennison tackle Robert Sapolsky's masterwork "Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst." We explore how our brains, hormones, genes,…

S1E4 Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers Strategies - Episode 4

Apr 05, 2020 1h 5m

Many smart people out there say AI is an existential risk. AI Armageddon is certainly is a top-5 concern of  enough people that we feel it warrants a deeper understanding. And…

S1E3 The Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins - Episode 3

Apr 05, 2020 1h 18m

Selfish Gene answers a deep and fundamental question: How does evolution work? We start our story in the Primordial Soup served hot at the Big Bang’s favorite diner, the single-cell-stew that brewed…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Books Brothers have?

Books Brothers has published 22 episodes since April 2020, covering topics in Arts, Books.

Is Books Brothers still active?

Books Brothers is currently highly active with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 1h 10m.

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