Rubin Recommends

Rubin Recommends is a blog by Matt Rubin who's based in Upstate, NY. He blogs about things he'd like to recommend like music, movies, art, photography, products, and people. During the day he is a Product Manager at Simplecast. Other Things: MR O.K - Men's Wedding Rings Matt Rubin Photography, Paper Brigade - that releases music.

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Ezra Klein Show Book Recommendations (Past Year)

Compiled from episodes July 2024 - July 2025

I was listening to the newest episode "Why Does My Mind Keep Thinking That?" (listen on Apple Podcasts) with Mark Epstein and thought that it would be great to capture all of the books mentioned by guests in the last year.

Recent 2025 Episodes

Mark Epstein - Psychiatrist & Buddhist

Episode: "Why Does My Mind Keep Thinking That?" (July 11, 2025)

John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs by Ian Leslie

Essays After Eighty by Donald Hall

Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck

Aaron David Miller - Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Episode: "A New Middle East?" (June 25, 2025)

Master of the Game by Martin Indyk

The Man Who Ran Washington by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser

Tomorrow Is Yesterday by Hussein Agha and Robert Malley

Ehud Olmert - Former Prime Minister of Israel (2006-2009)

Episode: Recent Gaza discussion

The Gates of Gaza by Amir Tibon

Thomas Jefferson by Jon Meacham

All or Nothing by Michael Wolff

Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Zeke Faux - Bloomberg Investigative Reporter

Episode: "The Growing Scandal of $TRUMP" (May 28, 2025) Author of "Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall"

3 books recommended (specific titles available in full episode)

Catherine Rampell - Washington Post Opinion Columnist & MSNBC Anchor

Episode: "Trump's Big Budget Bomb" (May 23, 2025)

3 books recommended

Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson - CNN Anchor & Political Reporter

Episode: "How Groupthink Protected Biden and Re-elected Trump" (May 21, 2025) Authors of "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again"

3 books recommended

Zack Beauchamp & Andrew Marantz - Vox Senior Correspondent & New Yorker Staff Writer

Episode: "Is Trump Losing? A Debate" (May 16, 2025)

The Constitutional Bind: How Americans Came to Idolize a Document That Fails Them by Aziz Rana

Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil by Hannah Arendt

Political Liberalism by John Rawls

A World after Liberalism: Five Thinkers Who Inspired the Radical Right by Matthew Rose

Melting Point: Family, Memory, and the Search for a Promised Landby Rachel Cockerell

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

Rebecca Winthrop - Director, Center for Universal Education at Brookings Institution

Episode: "We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose of Education" (May 13, 2025) Co-author of "The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better"

Democracy and Education by John Dewey

Blueprint for Revolution by Srdja Popovic and Matthew Miller

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez - U.S. Representative (Democrat, Washington State)

Episode: "How a Red-District Democrat Is Navigating Trump" (May 6, 2025)

2 books recommended

Kenneth Rogoff - Former Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund; Harvard Professor

Episode: "Trump vs. the Dollar" (May 2, 2025) Author of upcoming "Our Dollar, Your Problem"

3 books recommended

David Shor - Head of Data Science, Blue Rose Research

Episode: "Democrats Need to Face Why Trump Won" (March 18, 2025)

The Hollow Parties: The Many Pasts and Disordered Present of American Party Politics by Daniel Schlozman and Sam Rosenfeld

The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion by John R. Zaller

The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns by Sasha Issenberg

Peter Orszag - CEO & Chairman, Lazard; Former OMB Director

Episode: "Trump's Tariffs Are Part of a 'Tectonic Plate Shift' in the Global Economy" (April 11, 2025)

Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy by Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman

Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare by Edward Fishman

Smart Money: How Digital Currencies Will Shape the New World Order by Brunello Rosa and Casey Larsen

The Catalyst: RNA and the Quest to Unlock Life's Deepest Secrets by Thomas R. Cech

KAPUT by Wolfgang Münchau

Gillian Tett - Financial Times Columnist & Editorial Board Member

Episode: "Is Trump 'Detoxing' the Economy or Poisoning It?" (March 14, 2025) Trained anthropologist with a Ph.D.

Debt: The First 5,000 Years by David Graeber

National Power and the Structure of Foreign Trade by Albert Hirschman

The Economic Consequences of the Peace by John Maynard Keynes

How to Think Like an Anthropologist by Matthew Engelke

Kimberly Clausing - Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute; UCLA Professor

Episode: "Why Trump's Tariffs Won't Work" (March 12, 2025) Author of "Open: The Progressive Case for Free Trade, Immigration, and Global Capital"

The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer by Tracy Kidder

The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner

Key 2024 Episodes

Patrick Ruffini - Founding Partner, Echelon Insights (Republican Pollster)

Episode: "The Book That Predicted the 2024 Election" (November 9, 2024)Author of "Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP"

Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior by Ismail K. White and Chryl N. Laird

The Real Majority: The Classic Examination of American Electorateby Richard Scammon and Ben Wattenberg

The New Americans: How the Melting Pot Can Work Again by Michael Barone

Anne Applebaum - Pulitzer Prize-winning Historian & Atlantic Staff Writer

Episode: "Trump Kicks Down the Guardrails" (November 19, 2024) Author of "Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World"

3 books recommended

Michael Lind - Tablet Magazine Columnist & New America Co-founder

Episode: "The End of the Obama Coalition" (November 13, 2024) Author of "The New Class War: Saving Democracy From the Managerial Elite"

3 books recommended

Faiz Shakir - Bernie Sanders' 2020 Campaign Manager

Episode: "Would Bernie Have Won?" (November 26, 2024) Founder and Executive Director of More Perfect Union

3 books recommended

Rahm Emanuel - Former White House Chief of Staff & Chicago Mayor

Episode: "Rahm Emanuel's Plan for a Democratic Comeback in 2026" (December 3, 2024)

3 books recommended

Oliver Burkeman - Author

Episode: "Burned Out? Start Here." (January 7, 2025) Author of "Meditations for Mortals" and "Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals"

3 books recommended

Notable 2024 Guests & Their Recommendations

Gloria Mark - Researcher

Episode: "Tired? Distracted? Burned-Out? Listen to This." (January 5, 2024)

The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA by Diane Vaughan

The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds by Michael Lewis

The God Equation: The Quest for a Theory of Everything by Michio Kaku

Kyle Chayka - Author/Critic

Episode: "How to Discover Your Own Taste" (January 9, 2024)

In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki

Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees by Lawrence Weschler

The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing

David French - Author/Commentator

Episode: "The Constitution Says Insurrectionists Can't Hold Office. So What Is Trump?" (January 12, 2024)

Operation Pedestal: The Fleet That Battled to Malta, 1942 by Max Hastings

Into the Heart of Romans: A Deep Dive into Paul's Greatest Letter by N. T. Wright

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

Kristen Soltis Anderson - Republican Pollster

Episode: "A Republican Pollster on Trump's Undimmed Appeal" (January 16, 2024)

Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz

Party of the People by Patrick Ruffini

Welcome to the O.C.: The Oral History by Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage and Alan Sepinwall

Note: This list represents a curated selection from the past year. Ezra Klein's guests typically recommend 2-3 books each episode, covering topics from politics and economics to psychology, history, and culture. You can find them in the show notes of every episode.

[rubinrecommends]

Lifetime Dome

Click to purchase on Amazon

[rubinrecommends]

Field Cast Iron Skillets

(Pictured above is the No 8 - 10 inch skillet)

I use my no.8 almost everyday for our morning eggs. I love the thing. I recently took it car camping and used it for every meal. cleared it out and kept going because it's truly non stick if you keep it up!

Field No 8 Cast Iron Skillet 10" pan (Amazon) Field No 10 Cast Iron Skillet 11" skillet (Amazon)

[rubinrecommends]

PlanetBox Recover Lunchbox

One of my favorite sustainable non toxic lunch boxes for my kid.

Buy on Amazon

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Ease Yourself and Glide by Parsley Sound

Listen now on your favorite streaming service. Powered by Songlink/Odesli, an on-demand, customizable smart link service to help you share s

I heard this song at a bookstore recently 

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Standing Desk Mat

Buy Topo Comfort Mat by Ergodriven | The Original Not-Flat Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Mat with Calculated Terrain | Standing Desk Mat | Comf

[rubinrecommends]

A Bidet Recommend: Get Your Rear in Gear

It's time, you need to get a Bidet. They're incredible, you feel great, they save toilet paper and so much more. Wiping your butt with dry toilet paper isn't what you want.

There are three main types of bidets that attach to your current toilet:

Cold water, no electricity

Cold and warm water (using hot water from a nearby sink)

Electric (heated water, heated seat and other features)

I recommend trying these two below to get started!

Option #1 Brondell Bidet FreshSpa $35-$45 on average (Start here, cheapish best easiest, install time 5 minutes)

Buy at Amazon

This is the easiest quick install (Phillips screw driver, that's it) and one of my top picks for getting started (or you'll never need to upgrade again!)

This is a simple attachment that sprays cold water from the wall (not the tank, people always say "ewww" like the water spraying you is dirty. It's strange) into your butt. The cold water isn't as cold as you'd imagine on your initial spray and quite nice in the summer.

Features:

Butt spray

Self-cleaning nozzle

Easy install

No need for electricity

Good price

Option #2 TOTO C5 Electronic Bidet Toilet Seat (Usually $390-$420)

Buy at Amazon

This is the one you want if you are already sold on the idea and willing to pay around $400 on average. I love it so much and wish I could buy everyone I know one. This is a lot more expensive but a lot more luxurious. It's also a fairly easy install but you'll need an outlet to use all its benefits and features. Plan ahead by checking your bathroom for a usable outlet or hiring an electrician before you order.

Features:

Heated seat

Heater water (you can control the temp) and pressure

Air deodorizer

Adjustable warm air dryer... for your butt (I don't use this option often)

Premist helps prevent waste from sticking by using the incoming water supply to mist the toilet bowl before each use

The wand self-cleans automatically

A detached remote that you can mount anywhere with the ability to save User settings

[rubinrecommends]

Dyson V15

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Toilet Paper Recommend: Who Gives A Crap

TLDR: Who Gives a Crap offers two great options for toilet paper. I buy the 100% Post-consumer recycled version. This is actually more sustainable than the Bamboo option (and other Bamboo options). They're a B Corp, don't use chlorine to bleach, no plastic for packaging and more.

Get some here

Learn more about Post-consumer recycled vs Bamboo over at this Treehugger post.

[rubinrecommends]

Ursa Major: My favorite clean skincare

If you're looking for some of the cleanest personal skincare products around, Ursa Major has done just that. Carried at every strict clean beauty site and a B corp with no Petrochemicals, SLS, SLES, parabens, synthetic fragrance or color, glycols, silicones or PEGs. I love almost every product they make and use the ones below.

Purchase all their products directly on their website.

Fantastic Face Wash

Fortifying Face Moisturizer

Hoppin' Fresh Deodorant

Or check out their store over at Amazon.

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Music Recommends 2.6.2021

Painted Shrines: Heaven and Holy (Indie)

The Weather Station: Ignorance (Indie)

Fruit Bats: The Pet Parade (Indie)

Wild Pink: A Billion Little Lights (Indie)

Cassandra Jenkins: An Overview on Phenomenal Nature (Indie)

Camp Trash: Downtiming (Pop Punk)

(Links above use Odesli which provide links to all services you might listen on)

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Iced Coffee (Cold Brew) Makers

OXO Iced Coffee Maker (I own this one, works great)

Toddy Cold Brew Maker (Classic)

Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Coffee Pot (I love Japan and has great reviews)

Kitchen Aid cold brew

Takeya Cold Brew (cheapest option)

Ovalware Cold Brew

[rubinrecommends]

Indoor Bike Trainers and Computers

For Bike Buds: Trainers and Computers

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Computer

Wahoo Mat - https://amzn.to/2FSDWTv 

Aftermarket Mat - https://amzn.to/30pjdjy

Wahoo Desk - https://amzn.to/35VXBwp

Aftermarket Desk - https://amzn.to/35XgwqE

Cheaper Laptop Desk - https://amzn.to/2tqqZNR

Headwind Fan - https://amzn.to/2Rr3yMi

Fan - https://amzn.to/2u5HoHA

Fan - https://amzn.to/30qTxmA

[rubinrecommends]

Rubin Recommends for 2.2019

A recent list of things I’ve been recommending lately:

Electronics:

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3  ($350) - So far my favorite headphones (which used to be Bose). Amazing sound, 30-hour battery life, noise canceling and USB-C charging. Flew to Japan with them, use them on my commute and in the office.

AUKEY Power Delivery Power Bank, 10000mAh ($29) - With USB-C fast charging, which if you get a USB-C to Lightening will charge your iPhone X, XS, XR, XS Max, up to 50% in 30 minutes. It also has mini USB and normal. It charges with USB-C as well so you don’t need to carry around anything extra.

Fujifilm X100F 24.3 MP APS-C - An incredible compact camera (built-in lens) that made me want to carry a camera with me everywhere. Honestly, I’ve tried so many. This is light, easy to use and takes incredible photos. This sold me on Fuji.

Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Digital Camera - Just as enjoyable as the X100F but with interchangeable lenses and (so I hear) incredible video capabilities.

Coffee and Coffee Tools:

OXO On Barista Brain 9 Cup Coffee Maker - How I make my coffee every day. “Microprocessor-controlled brew cycle replicates the pour-over method to produce 2 to 9 cups of SCAA-certified perfect coffee. Water is heated and held at the perfect temperature for coffee (197.6-204.8 Degrees F), Rainmaker shower head evenly disperses water over coffee grounds for uniform saturation and full flavor extraction” Even if it feels bad to grind your beans the night before and set a morning timer, it’s been a life changer waking up to well-brewed coffee.

Kinto Tumbler (Small) - I love this thermos. Simple to use, keeps things warm/cold, perfect size to even put in my coat pocket. I don’t know what it is but I haven’t used a travel mug this much in my life. I’ve used it every day for 4 months.

Trade Coffee - A newer site that allows you to order and discover coffee from the top roasters. With clever onboarding to help you find the beans, you’ll love to, subscriptions and text message reorder, I’ve loved getting new coffee every 2 weeks. If you re-order within 15 days of your order there’s free shipping, so you can manually control when you get your next bag. Also found one of my favorite roasters, Tandem Roasters in Portland, ME from it. 

Personal Products:

Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser - My daily face wash. Very gentle and non drying with good ingredients. For men and women.

Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer - Great for all year round.

Malin + Goetz Deodorant - Daily and my favorite deodorant. Fairly orderless, lasts (in daily coverage and product itself) I approve of mostly everything they make.

Malin + Goetz Enzyme Mask - A 1-3 times a week, 5 min mask. “Dissolve dead skin cells, improve clarity and even tone. Infused with ginger, this concentrated brightening treatment is a quick, easy way to restore skin's glow without irritation.” 

Ursa Major Face Wipes - Great for Gym, Travel and or camping.

Clothing, Bags, Exercise:

Lo & Sons Hanover Travel Backpack - I randomly found this bag when looking for the simplest most thoughtful bag. Laptop compartment, side pockets for keys, passports, etc. Nice pockets inside and even a removable liner when you just want to carry your gym gear.  I originally wanted to get it for travel to Japan at the end of last year but now it’s my daily backpack.

Myles Momentum Short 2.0 (w/ Liner) - My perfect exercise shorts. Light, with a built-in breathable boxer brief liner and a durable water repellent treatment, these are perfect for the gym to running outside.

Classpass - If you live in NYC (or where available), try it for a month or two. I’m on month two and I’ve been using it just to mix up the routine. It made me actually start to like exercise since I can try so many different things out. Try it out for a free month with the link above.

Websites, Apps:

Qapital - An actual fun way to save for your money goals. Use things like roundup, “walk 10,000 steps in a day” and other actions to make your money sneakily move into your Qapital savings goal.

Simplecast - “is the easiest way for a podcast creator to publish and distribute audio on the internet.” This is what I get to do everyday working with an amazing team. Need to get your Podcast online and out to the world? Come to us!

[rubinrecommends]

MR O.K - Classic Men’s Wedding Rings

Are you a groom in need of a wedding ring and you wish it was easy to find the timeless classic style, online, good quality with great customer service? Look no further.

MR O.K - Classic Men’s Wedding Rings, is aiming to solve decision paralysis if you know what you want. Though you might not know your finger size (they’ll send you a ring sizer to measure your finger) and can help with what width and metal combo.

Give it a shot or tell a friend.

https://www.misterok.com

(disclaimer: I started MR O.K, it’s the coolest. Let me know if you need anything.)