Last year I picked up a book called ‘​Moonbound​’ by Robin Sloan and it blew me away.

Reading it was like riding some rainbow-speckled rocket ship where I experienced the bizarre combination of having no idea what was going on while not being able to wait for what happened next.

The book was full of talking beavers. Talking swords! Strange video games. And ever-expanding worlds with wizards, who maybe aren’t really wizards, and oh—it's narrated by a microscopic AI-type chronicler, who’s been in many different lives across millennia and who now sits inside our protagonist’s left shoulder.

The writing was like a jacked up ‘Star Wars’ meets ‘Cloud Atlas’ by ​David Mitchell​ featuring Willy Wonka and Mad Hatter types with moments of poignancy dashed in to let us see, and see around, our endlessly twisting lives together. It is a big, loud, cymbal crash of a book so after I was done I reached out to the giant-minded author Robin Sloan to invite him on the show.

Robin Sloan is a writer, printer, and manufacturer—his new 3-word biography!—with three mind-expanding novels including ‘​Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore​’, '​Sourdough​', and, of course, the magical '​Moonbound​'.

Robin splits his time between the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley of California where he (wait for it) manufactures California extra virgin olive oil. He also (yes) prints wonderful zines and sends out a delightfully nerdy newsletter every 29 1/2 days via his ​website​.

Strap in as we discuss social media, AI ethics, childhood obsession, books as technology, olive oil, working with your partner, myths and identity, and, of course, the brilliant Robin Sloan’s 3 most formative books…

Let's flip the page to Chapter 152 now...

My friend Drew Dudley once told me that, other than his parents, he hadn’t heard anyone speak to him more in his life than Jerry Howarth…

The voice of the Toronto Blue Jays.

I can relate. Growing up I would listen to Jerry Howarth call the Blue Jays games on the radio on long summer drives, with my friends at the park, or just on my clock radio with the “Sleep” timer on as I fell asleep.

Why do I love Jerry?

Because for thirty-six years he was a local leader and community-builder who created trust with millions of baseball fans…

So I was thrilled to visit the Skydome in downtown Toronto to sit down with Jerry Howarth in this classic chapter of 3 Books.

Join me and Jerry to watch batting practice just before the game begins as we discuss how to build a community, developing authentic connections, the art of being objective, how to coach leaders, and, of course, Jerry's 3 most formative books...

GO JAYS GO!

Let's flip the page back to Chapter 30 now...

What do Xmas Jammies, ADHD, and The Amazing Race have in common?

The Holderness Family!

Penn and Kim Holderness have created viral videos with ... billions of views.

They entered Season 33 of The Amazing Race ... and won.

They wrote one of my favourite books ... 'ADHD is Awesome'.

Penn and Kim started their careers in broadcasting but have old ditched that to find a massive 8 million person following as creators of hilarious yet educational videos on topics as wide-ranging as wearing masks during COVID, the 5 stages of pickleball, and, of course, losing your phone.

They host the popular Holderness Family podcast and their book 'ADHD Is Awesome' helped me realize I have ADHD. (Have you left your keys in the fridge before, too?)

In this special couples episode of 3 Books my beautiful wife Leslie joins me to talk with Penn and Kim Holderness about better names for ADHD, the secrets of making great comedy, the benefits of turning 40, premarital counseling tips, Shel Silverstein's best poems, why the world need introverts, and, of course, The Holderness Family's 3 ... no wait, 6! ... most formative books...

Let's flip the page to Chapter 151 now...