Chapter 164: Nick Epley invites introverts into improved interpersonal interactions
Release Date: 08/28/2026
Chapter 53: Vivek Shraya on trashing traditional trans tropes
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Hey everyone, Years ago I was browsing through a bookstore when I stumbled on a small purple book called 'I’m Afraid of Men' by Vivek Shraya. I flipped it open and was transfixed. It showed me a view and a lens and a perspective I had no familiarity with. I ended up buying more of Vivek’s books, including , and when her visited Toronto my wife Leslie and I bought tickets and joined the giant standing ovation. Since we recorded this conversation, Vivek’s work has expanded across books, music, theatre, TV, film, and fashion. She created and wrote the , which premiered...
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Chapter 165: Martin Seligman on overcoming overthinking and opting for optimism
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Happy full moon, everybody! It is the harvest moon and our leaves are falling here in Toronto. Time for change! Unavoidable, right? Sure, but maybe ... we can control how we react to it. My guest today has spent nearly six decades (!) studying , , , and (his latest pursuit!) and his work is cited by thousands and taught in psychology courses worldwide. I am thrilled to come to 3 Books the co-founder of positive psychology Dr. Martin Seligman! In 1998, Marty was elected President of the by the largest vote in its history. He launched positive psychology—he created it!—with , the...
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Chapter 52: Wagner Moura on lessons in living and loving
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
A few years ago I was lucky enough to cross paths with Wagner Moura. He was on the eve of releasing his film '' after a long run playing Pablo Escobar in the hit series '.' Since then I've watched as his acting career has channeled upwards and onwards into feature roles in '', '', and his star turn in '' where he won 'Best Actor' at both the Golden Globes and Cannes and was nominated for 'Best Actor' at the Oscars. Over the years Wag ("Vag") has become a dear friend. He's a massive heart, a fellow "boy dad", and he and his wife San live life with such a deep passion for humanity, always...
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Chapter 164: Nick Epley invites introverts into improved interpersonal interactions
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Happy full moon, everybody! Humans are the most social species on the planet. So ... why don't we act like it? Why is loneliness rising? Why are we increasingly entombed in echo chambers? What is preventing us from connecting? Enter Nick Epley, Professor of Behavioral Science at the and one of the world's leading researchers on the psychology of social interaction. Nick grew up in rural Iowa, lives in Chicago with his family, and has spent his career asking a deceptively simple question: Why do the most social creatures on Earth often choose to be...
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Chapter 50: Marcus Buckingham on soul ciphers and strength of self
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Hey everybody, Welcome to Chapter 50 of 3 Books! We’re going to hang out on a hotel room couch in Vancouver for a little bit of calm. I am very excited to have you on the couch beside me and the absolutely incredible . Who is Marcus? Well, if you’re in the business world, you’ve probably heard of him. Why? Well, he’s written books sitting on every executive’s bookshelf and his assessments and work are used everywhere. Marcus Buckingham is a global researcher and thought leader focused on unlocking people's strengths, increasing their performance, and pioneering...
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Chapter 163: Jon Klassen talks turtles, tackling tension, and turning toward the terrifying
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Happy Buck Moon, everyone! As we sink into the summer heat, I'm thrilled to welcome Jon Klassen on 3 Books! Jon is a Canadian born, LA living author and illustrator whose darkly humorous, minimalist storytelling has helped define contemporary children’s literature. In 2016, Jon concluded his breakout book series ‘’, which features ‘, ‘, and ‘’ ‘This Is Not My Hat’ was the first book to ever win both the and the . Jon’s books have now sold over 12 million copies (!) and he might be the most...
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Chapter 49: Dr. Andrea Sereda’s oddly original offerings on opioid overdosing
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
I sat down with at the Sherbourne Health Centre on the east side of downtown Toronto, an area of the city sometimes known for its challenges with drug abuse. Who is Dr. Andrea Sereda? She is a family physician who practices street outreach medicine and provides care through the in London, Ontario. She works with the emergency safer supply substitution program, prescribing hydromorphone, an opioid used by injection drug users to reduce the risk of contaminated street drugs. Wait! What? Yes, on the face of it, Dr. Andrea Sereda gives drugs to drug users but there is a...
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Chapter 162: Shawn Achor on becoming boundlessly buoyant by building better beliefs
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Happy Strawberry Moon, everyone! As we ease into summer and the hydrangeas and garden roses begin blooming here in Toronto, I find myself struck by the awe and beauty that quietly surrounds us each day. There’s so much science behind how we experience the world. My guest on this moon’s chapter of 3 Books has spent his career proving just that. Join me in welcoming one of the world’s leading experts on happiness and human potential, a Harvard-trained positive psychologist and researcher whose has been watched over 30 million (!) times, and a genuinely warm human I am proud to call a...
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Chapter 48: Michael Bungay Stanier on massive moons and the magic of metaphor
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
On a pair of folding lawn chairs on his front porch in Toronto's Roncesvalles neighborhood, I sat down with my friend Michael Bungay Stanier. Michael’s mind is like a box that you open and a whole bunch of springs suddenly fly out in all directions. Here’s a bit of to give you a taste of this guy: “I’ve never quite fit the traditional mold, and honestly, I think that’s been the advantage that has shaped my life. Smart and successful don’t have to look one way. But making space for that – for different voices, different ambitions, different ways of moving through...
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Chapter 161: Yann Martel on rural revelations and reliable writing routines
3 Books With Neil Pasricha
Happy blue moon, everyone! Yes, it is indeed the second full moon of the month which brings us a second May chapter of 3 Books. This one features an author I’ve been hoping to have on our show for years. Join me in welcoming the Booker Prize–winning novelist, deeply philosophical storyteller, and one of Canada’s most distinctive literary voices ... Mr. Yann Martel! Yann is best known for ‘, the global phenomenon that won , sold over 15 million copies worldwide, and was later adapted into an . Born in Salamanca, Spain in 1963,...
info_outlineNick grew up in rural Iowa, lives in Chicago with his family, and has spent his career asking a deceptively simple question: Why do the most social creatures on Earth often choose to be less social than they could be?
Nick is the author of ‘Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want’, and his newest book, ‘A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection’.
His research spans social cognition, perspective-taking, loneliness, anthropomorphism, and why our judgments about people are so often inaccurate. Nick has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on NPR. His course at Booth, ‘Designing a Good Life’, is an ethics course exploring how to build lives that are ethical, successful, and genuinely fulfilling, and it's among the school's most sought-after classes.
Pull up a chair and let's talk about the differences between introversion and extroversion, the ethics of a good life, parenting five children (yes, five!), how technology is affecting the ways we socialize, the uncertainty effect, finding wisdom, and of course… Nick Epley's 3 most formative books.
Let's flip the page to chapter 164 now…