Key Moments
The Books Cal Newport Read in April 2022 | Deep Questions Podcast
Deep Questions with Cal NewportKey Moments
Cal Newport discusses five books read in April 2022: Merton's memoir, Lamott's writing guide, Sagan's sci-fi, Horwitz's travelogue, and a math novel.
Key Insights
Cal Newport reads five books monthly, covering diverse genres, and shares his reading experiences on his podcast.
'The Seven-Storey Mountain' by Thomas Merton is a foundational memoir on reinvention and depth, influencing many self-transformation books.
Anne Lamott's 'Bird by Bird' offers insights into fiction writing, suggesting fiction may appear more accessible but is paradoxically harder than non-fiction.
Carl Sagan's 'Contact' explores the scientific implications of receiving an extraterrestrial signal, though some technological predictions are dated.
Tony Horwitz's 'Blue Latitudes' is a travelogue tracing Captain Cook's journeys, showcasing Horwitz's skill in exploring remote places and cultures.
'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture' is a novel by a mathematician that delves into the obsession with solving number theory problems, featuring cameos from famous mathematicians.
INTRODUCTION TO THE READING HABIT
This episode of the Deep Questions Podcast, recorded in April 2022 and released in May, features Cal Newport discussing the five books he read the previous month. This segment, a regular tradition, highlights Newport's goal of reading five books each month across various genres. He notes that he had already completed his quota by the 28th, allowing for an early discussion of his reading selections.
THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN BY THOMAS MERTON
Newport began with Thomas Merton's 'The Seven Storey Mountain,' a 1948 memoir detailing Merton's journey from an intellectual life to becoming a Trappist monk. The book resonated deeply with Newport's concept of the 'deep life,' advocating for reinvention and focused values, especially relevant during the post-war era. He emphasizes the impact of reading a first-edition hardcover, finding it enhanced his experience of the dense, traditionally printed text.
BIRD BY BIRD BY ANNE LAMOTT
Next, Newport discussed Anne Lamott's 'Bird by Bird,' a renowned guide to writing. He compares it favorably to Stephen King's 'On Writing,' noting that while fiction writing, as described in these books, seems accessible—requiring only the act of sitting down and writing—it's actually far more challenging. The solitary crafting of narrative and characters to reveal human experience demands exceptional skill, contrasting with non-fiction, which he feels is more forgiving in its requirements for competence and research.
CONTACT BY CARL SAGAN
For some enjoyable fiction, Newport read Carl Sagan's 'Contact.' He particularly appreciated Sagan's detailed exploration of the scientific principles behind detecting and decoding an extraterrestrial signal, such as using hydrogen emission frequencies and prime numbers. While praising the novel, Newport humorously points out a dated technological prediction regarding portable fax machines and the underestimation of phase modulation in wireless communication protocols, drawing parallels to his own background in wireless network theory.
BLUE LATITUDES BY TONY HORWITZ
Tony Horwitz's 'Blue Latitudes,' a travelogue, was another selection. Newport, a self-proclaimed booster of Horwitz, describes the book as a journey tracing Captain Cook's 18th-century Pacific expeditions. Horwitz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent, excels at inserting himself into remote locations, meeting interesting people, and capturing the essence of island life and the impact of colonialism. This immersive style, combined with the historical narrative, made for a compelling read, though it was another lengthy book.
UNCLE PETROS AND GOLDBACH'S CONJECTURE BY APOSTOLOS DOXIADIS
The final book was 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture,' a novel by mathematician Apostolos Doxiadis. The story centers on a young boy's relationship with his uncle, a brilliant mathematician whose life unravels due to an obsession with solving Goldbach's Conjecture. The novel, while not complex in plot, features intriguing cameos from significant figures in logic and number theory, such as Turing and Gödel, appealing to Newport's interest in specialists writing fiction about their fields.
AUDIOBOOK SUPPLEMENTATION
While the five core books were physical reads, Newport also mentioned listening to audiobooks. He is currently working through 'The Expanse' sci-fi series and Steve Martin's memoir 'Born Standing Up.' These supplementary listens contribute to his overall reading volume, though they are separate from his monthly goal of physical book consumption.
THE PLEASURE AND PRACTICE OF READING
Newport reflects on his increased reading pace, noting that after fully embracing reading as a default activity over phone use, he finds himself craving reading time. He explains that reading becomes a more deliberate and deeper form of leisure, quieting the mind and clarifying thoughts. This shift makes him an even stronger advocate for reading as a form of mental medicine in today's distracting world.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Organizations
●Books
●Concepts
●People Referenced
Common Questions
In April 2022, Cal Newport read 'The Seven Story Mountain' by Thomas Merton, 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott, 'Contact' by Carl Sagan, 'Blue Latitudes' by Tony Horwitz, and concluded with 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture' by Apostolos Doxiadis.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A 1948 memoir by Thomas Merton detailing his life and spiritual journey to becoming a Trappist monk, noted for its influence on post-war self-transformation literature.
Stephen King's influential book offering advice and insights on the craft of writing.
A travelogue by Tony Horwitz tracing Captain Cook's 18th-century journeys through the Pacific, from remote islands to Alaska.
A novel by mathematician Apostolos Doxiadis about a math prodigy obsessed with solving the Goldbach Conjecture, exploring the impact on his life and family.
Steve Martin's memoir about his stand-up comedy career, which Cal Newport is listening to on audiobook and found influential.
Anne Lamott's influential book on writing, particularly fiction, focusing on overcoming psychological fears and the act of writing itself.
Tony Horwitz's acclaimed book that explores contemporary American culture through the lens of Civil War reenactments.
Cal Newport's notion of focusing on depth, values, and reinvention, exemplified by Thomas Merton's life and book.
A science fiction novel by Carl Sagan exploring humanity's first contact with an alien civilization, focusing on the scientific and societal implications.
Mathematician who proved Fermat's Last Theorem.
Author of 'The Seven Story Mountain,' a memoir about his transition from an intellectual writer to a Trappist monk.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of travelogue books, including 'Blue Latitudes.' He passed away at age 60.
Author of the novel 'Contact,' a scientist known for popularizing science.
Novelist and wife of Tony Horwitz, also a Pulitzer Prize winner.
Greek mathematician and author of the novel 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture,' which he wrote about his mathematician uncle.
One of the famous figures from mathematics and logic who makes a cameo appearance in the novel 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture.'
Mentioned as a historical figure whose reading habits might be analyzed, but not elaborated on.
Author of the writing guide 'Bird by Bird,' known for her personal approach to life and writing.
A highly influential logician and mathematician mentioned as a cameo in 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture.'
Comedian and author of 'Born Standing Up,' whose memoir Cal Newport is listening to.
Author of 'On Writing,' a renowned book on the craft of writing, which Cal Newport compares to Anne Lamott's 'Bird by Bird.'
Indian mathematician who appears as a character in 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture,' associated with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge.
British mathematician known for his work in number theory, who appears as a character in 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture' alongside Ramanujan at Cambridge.
Referred to by Cal Newport as a potential candidate for solving a difficult math problem, possibly related to the discussion about the Poincaré conjecture.
A significant unsolved problem in mathematics that Cal Newport inquired about during the discussion of number theory conjectures.
A famous unsolved problem in number theory concerning the sum of two prime numbers, central to the novel 'Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture.'
A conjecture in topology that Cal Newport suspects might be the one solved by the eccentric Russian mathematician he vaguely remembers.
A famous theorem in number theory that was one of the three major unsolved conjectures mentioned, later proven by Andrew Wiles.
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