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Peter Attia

Physician & longevity researcher

Physician focused on the science of longevity and peak performance. Host of The Drive podcast. His reading list blends cutting-edge medical research with literature, history, and philosophy. One of the most rigorous readers in the health space.

@peterattiamd

61

Timeless books

3,814

Avg Lindy score

41 yrs old

Oldest book

Lindy Verified· 21 books

Stood the test of time — old, widely published, and repeatedly endorsed

Essential reading for anyone thinking about the long arc of human health and civilization.

Feynman taught me more about thinking from first principles than any formal education. His approach to intellectual honesty is a model I return to constantly.

Matthew Walker's case for sleep is unassailable. If you read this book and don't change your sleep habits, you've missed the point. It's the single most impactful lifestyle intervention available.

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

Your next read--"The Gene" by Sid Mukherjee. Another masterpiece along the lines of "Emperor of all Maladies" Great nuance and history.

Awesome discussion with David Epstein (TW: davidepstein) today discussing his two very cool books: Range and The Sports Gene. In case you’re wondering… Topo Chico was consumed (just not captured in picture!) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FY1gMAvvC/?igshid=uyij9bv3b8q0

In case you missed this week's podcast episode, @jamesclear and I talk about his book, Atomic Habits, and go deep into the process of habit formation. Watch/listen to the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3kvNuZ8 pic.twitter.com/PzTYQT5LMJ

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

I believe it was Michael Pollan in his book, How To Change Your Mind about, you take somebody from a thousand years ago, put them in a time machine, bring them to Times Square, let them hang out for five hours, shoot them back. Can they describe what they saw? Not really. They could say that it was big, loud and bright, but other than that they couldn’t explain what a car is, they couldn’t explain what a building is, or a skyscraper, because the vocabulary hadn’t even been developed. That, to me, is the greatest example, albeit somewhat glib, of this idea of being ineffable. Which is, you and I can sit here and talk about it in shorthand, but it’s very difficult to explain to one of our friends who hasn’t experienced this.

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

Perhaps the most important thing I've read this year. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck http://nyv.me/l/evqV

Reading and enjoying the new book by @arthurbrooks, From Strength to Strength, and love the quote, "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad." (I believe attributed to Brian O'Driscoll)

Current reading list. I don’t think I could keep up if not for audible + Zone 2 stationary trainer. pic.twitter.com/dGlDKTg2R0

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

I’m usually reading something to make me better. The current book is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I’m wired in such a way that I can’t help but try to know more each day. I’m always working on how to efficiently and effectively share knowledge and its limitations, and the books in this category help sharpen the saw.

I have always wanted to read Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace… maybe this is the year.

Excited to share that Terry Real's new book “Us” comes out this week. Order 👉 https://bit.ly/3sHr4s0 Stay tuned for a 2nd podcast with him soon. Check out my podcast with Terry from 2020 where we discuss “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”: https://bit.ly/3aAPtJO pic.twitter.com/XiAa45zVPp

I wonder if any other parents have found this book helpful for kids? I came across the book recently and was impressed. I decided, though it was probably not written for 10/11-year-olds, it would be a good book for my daughter. So far, she likes it. I suspect it will resonate more with her over time. At her age, “imposter syndrome” would have meant nothing to me, though today it’s viscerally palpable—just to share one example.

Just wrapped an in depth podcast with @davidasinclair as a follow up to our discussion last year. This one will go up on September 9, the day before his book “Lifespan” hits the stands. We talked in depth about… https://www.instagram.com/p/BzrgEnugllJ/?igshid=zwkhpoedj2xr

Also Recommends

40 books · below Lindy threshold

22

I Don't Want to Talk About It

Terrence Real

2.8k

Excited to share that Terry Real's new book “Us” comes out this week. Order 👉 https://bit.ly/3sHr4s0 Stay tuned for a 2nd podcast with him soon. Check out my podcast with Terry from 2020 where we discuss “I Don’t Want to Talk About It”: https://bit.ly/3aAPtJO pic.twitter.com/XiAa45zVPp

23

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)

Carol Tavris

2.8k

That’s sort of pushed Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) into the now number three spot, just ahead probably of Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! It’s weird, isn’t it? It says something about us, the books we like to give people, doesn’t it?

24

The Transformed Cell

Steven A. Rosenberg

2.8k

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

25

Bottle of Lies

Katherine Eban

2.8k

Thank you Sam! And thank you for pointing me in the direction of @KatherineEban's amazing book.

26

This Is Water

David Foster Wallace

2.8k

Beautiful gift from my friend @kyle_tman ... I’ve listened more than 100 times to the audio (easy to find: google “DFW this is water”) each time learning something, even incrementally, new and now I’ll add this method of consumption to one of the most important speeches ever given (or at least ever heard by me...). Thank you, Kyle.

27

Altered Traits

Daniel Goleman

2.8k

There’s a great book out there called Altered [Traits], which I read this year, that I think does a great job of parsing that concept out. Which is [...] we don’t meditate for the state. The state can be pleasurable. To be honest, I don’t find it that pleasurable. I don’t actually enjoy meditating that much. Sometimes I do, but as many times as I do, it’s difficult for me, it’s work.

28

The Presidents Club

Nancy Gibbs

2.8k

Just about to finish this book for the second time. Damn, I can’t say enough about it. If you have even a modicum of interest in US history post WWI, this is beyond required.

29

Being Wrong

Kathryn Schulz

2.8k

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

30

10% Happier

Dan Harris

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

31

The Murder of Sonny Liston

Shaun Assael

2.8k

Did not... have you read the new book on Sonny Listen? https://twitter.com/thashadow/status/817793571193556994

32

The Storm before the Calm

George Friedman

2.8k

Current reading list. I don’t think I could keep up if not for audible + Zone 2 stationary trainer. pic.twitter.com/dGlDKTg2R0

33

Woke Racism

John McWhorter

2.8k

Current reading list. I don’t think I could keep up if not for audible + Zone 2 stationary trainer. pic.twitter.com/dGlDKTg2R0

34

Watching the Wheels

Damon Hill

2.8k

Recorded a very intense podcast with former Formula 1 world champion, Damon Hill, into the late hours last night. His autobiography, Watching the Wheels, is a must-read for even a casual fan of racing, but also as a… https://www.instagram.com/p/B4U4uLGAmd7/?igshid=1g3x52rv65uhi

35

The Sports Gene

David Epstein

2.8k

Awesome discussion with David Epstein (TW: davidepstein) today discussing his two very cool books: Range and The Sports Gene. In case you’re wondering… Topo Chico was consumed (just not captured in picture!) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FY1gMAvvC/?igshid=uyij9bv3b8q0

36

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts

Gabor Maté

2.8k

I would love to speak with him. Huge fan of his book. https://twitter.com/happyasabanjo/status/1092057973692616704

37

Solve for Happy

Mo Gawdat

2.8k

Rick Gerson, who is a mutual friend and you actually introduced me to Rick probably about five years ago, he gave me a copy of this book and it was one of those things that just sort of sat there for, I don’t know, six months and it was just in the queue but I didn’t really appreciate why I ought to read it as soon as it was given to me. Something in the midst of a crisis sort of brought it to my attention a little more quickly and I just devoured it and so if the Terrence Real book, I Don’t Want to Talk About It, he’s now jumped into the number one spot of books I’ve gifted most, Solve for Happy is probably in the number two spot.

38

How To Build A Car

Adrian Newey

2.8k

One of patients, also a huge racing fan, gave me this absolutely wonderful book. Pure gold. https://twitter.com/pdrdlcstll/status/1042748143991971841

39

An Atlas of Atherosclerosis

Herbert C. Stary

2.8k

Here it is... the pathology atlas I referenced in Ep# 03 with Ron Krauss. You don’t understand atherosclerosis until you’ve studied this book.

40

Strength in Stillness

Bob Roth

2.8k

David Lynch Foundation and books by Bob Roth and Norm Rosenthal are good places to start if you are looking for TM know how. https://twitter.com/_NickRobertson_/status/1005824116375486464

41

Super Mind

Norman E. Rosenthal

2.8k

David Lynch Foundation and books by Bob Roth and Norm Rosenthal are good places to start if you are looking for TM know how. https://twitter.com/_NickRobertson_/status/1005824116375486464

42

Transcendence

Norman E. Rosenthal

2.8k

David Lynch Foundation and books by Bob Roth and Norm Rosenthal are good places to start if you are looking for TM know how. https://twitter.com/_NickRobertson_/status/1005824116375486464

43

Transcendental Meditation

Robert Roth

2.8k

David Lynch Foundation and books by Bob Roth and Norm Rosenthal are good places to start if you are looking for TM know how. https://twitter.com/_NickRobertson_/status/1005824116375486464

44

The Hero with a Thousand Faces

Joseph Campbell

2.8k

Great question... just trying to find my bliss, mostly. The Joseph Campbell book really spoke to me... https://twitter.com/joeramirez01/status/956598560862228481

45

Red Notice

Bill Browder

2.8k

The current book I’m reading is Red Notice by Bill Browder.

46

Charlotte's Web

E. B White

2.8k

[My earliest memory of reading is] sitting in the back of the beat up old station wagon reading a paperback of Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White while my mom was driving us to the mall.

47

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Richard Bach

2.8k

[If I could encourage young people to read one book] I’d encourage them to read Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

48

The Puzzle People

Thomas Starzl

2.8k

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

49

King of Hearts

G. Wayne Miller

2.8k

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

50

Dancing Naked in the Mind Field

Kary Mullis

2.8k

[For people on my career path, I'd recommend] biographies of people who have ‘built skyscrapers’ (my term); for example: [...]

51

The Talent Code

Daniel Coyle

2.8k

The books I’ve read the most are [...]

52

One Bullet Away

Nathaniel C. Fick

2.8k

The books I’ve read the most are [...]

53

Forgive and Remember

Charles L. L. Bosk

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

54

Where Men Win Glory

Jon Krakauer

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

55

The Most Important Thing

Howard Marks

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

56

The Rommel Papers

B. H. Liddell-Hart

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

57

King of the World

David Remnick

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

58

The Corner

David Simon

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

59

Shattered

Jonathan Allen

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

60

Black Edge

Sheelah Kolhatkar

2.8k

Response to 'Are there any books you haven't mentioned that you feel would make your reading list?'

61

Navigating Metabolism

Navdeep Chandel

2.8k

Sure. Check out book by Nav Chandel ("Navigating Metabolism") https://twitter.com/SeminarianRyan/status/816718179565260804