Top 10 Referenced Books
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
The Twelve Caesars
Suetonius
A Sand County Almanac
Aldo Leopold
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
The Histories
Herodotus
Parallel Lives
Plutarch
1066 and All That
W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman
The Iliad
Homer
Citizens
Simon Schama
Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad
Top 10 Referenced Authors
Most Book-Dense Episodes
14. Historical Fiction
Jan 11, 2021
185. Agatha Christie
May 16, 2022
367. The Real Harry Potter: Magic, Empire and Beastly Bullies
Sep 10, 2023
Ep. 436: Getting Revenge with Jack Carr
May 01, 2023
Ep. 802: The Life And Death of Jim Harrison
Dec 08, 2025
70. Children’s History
Jul 05, 2021
85. Sherlock Holmes
Aug 12, 2021
Ep. 250: Doin' it Your Own Way with Whiskey Myers
Dec 07, 2020
101. James Bond
Sep 27, 2021
Ep. 432: Hit 'Em Where They Ain't with Ian Frazier
Apr 17, 2023
Highly Praised Books
Books described as "brilliant," "best," "recommend," and other praise words
Encyclopedia of Buffalo hunters and skinners (volumes A-D and E-K)
Miles Gilbert, Leo Ramager, and Sharon Cunningham
"Mentioned in the sources section at the end of the transcript. The speaker acknowledges this ambitious encyclopedia project, describing it as 'two initial volumes A through D and E through K.' It's identified as the most comprehensive resource for researchers tracking down names of hide hunters and archival materials. The speaker credits this work for providing choice details and incredible anecdotes that enriched their telling of the hide hunter story."
Bonus - The Hide Hunters, Ch. 1: GhostsShadows on the Koyukuk
Sydney Huntington
"Steve recommends this book as 'phenomenal' and describes it as being about Sydney Huntington, a Koyukuk man, and his story of growing up on the Koyukuk River in Alaska. A listener wrote in asking about a passage from this book regarding whitefish and the death of Huntington's mother."
Ep. 777: So You Want to Be a Hide HunterWise Gals
Nathalia Holt
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author."
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant PandaRise of the Rocket Girls
Nathalia Holt
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author."
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant PandaThe Queens of Animation
Nathalia Holt
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author."
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant PandaBarbarians at the Gate
Bryan Burrough
"Steve Rinella is listing Bryan Burrough's published works at the beginning of the interview, mentioning this as one of his eight books and four New York Times bestsellers."
Ep. 740: The GunfightersThe Land Breakers
John Ehle
"Steve Rinella recommends this novel to Doug, describing it as 'one of the best I've read in a long time.' He explains it's about the first farmers moving into Appalachian valleys after the long hunters, establishing corn patches and hunting bears. He praises it as a 'phenomenal novel' and notes the author's extensive knowledge about trees and wood purposes."
Ep. 732: Predator Management, California StyleThe Perfect Storm
Sebastian Junger
"Steve mentions Sebastian's huge international bestseller about a commercial sword fishing boat that never returned, which was later made into a film with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg."
Ep. 708: A Near Death Experience with Sebastian JungerWild in the Whole: Seasonal Recipes for the Conscious Cook
Danielle Prewett
"Danielle Prewett discusses her new cookbook that she has been working on for 3-4 years. The book is organized by seasons rather than by game type (like traditional wild game cookbooks), and includes recipes for wild game as well as other foods that would be on the plate. It contains over 80 recipes and was published by Penguin Random House with an October 8th release date. This is her first book and represents a lifetime of her favorite recipes plus new creations."
Ep. 611: The Duck Stamp ChampAlaska Tracks: Life Stories from Hunters, Fishermen, and Trappers of Alaska
Randy Zarnke
"Steve introduces this book as a collection of oral histories from Alaska. He reads several excerpts from it, including stories about eagle hunting during bounty years, World War II incidents, and trapping experiences. He describes it as 'the best book' and his 'favorite book.'"
Ep. 575: How to Sharpen a Knife Like a Real Man| Book | Author | Praise | Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encyclopedia of Buffalo hunters and skinners (volumes A-D and E-K) | Miles Gilbert, Leo Ramager, and Sharon Cunningham |
"Mentioned in the sources section at the end of the transcript. The speaker acknowledges this ambitious encyclopedia project, describing it as 'two initial volumes A through D and E through K.' It's identified as the most comprehensive resource for researchers tracking down names of hide hunters and archival materials. The speaker credits this work for providing choice details and incredible anecdotes that enriched their telling of the hide hunter story." |
Bonus - The Hide Hunters, Ch. 1: Ghosts |
| Shadows on the Koyukuk | Sydney Huntington |
"Steve recommends this book as 'phenomenal' and describes it as being about Sydney Huntington, a Koyukuk man, and his story of growing up on the Koyukuk River in Alaska. A listener wrote in asking about a passage from this book regarding whitefish and the death of Huntington's mother." |
Ep. 777: So You Want to Be a Hide Hunter |
| Wise Gals | Nathalia Holt |
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author." |
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant Panda |
| Rise of the Rocket Girls | Nathalia Holt |
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author." |
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant Panda |
| The Queens of Animation | Nathalia Holt |
"Listed as one of Nathalia Holt's past books when introducing her credentials as a New York Times bestselling author." |
Ep. 760: Teddy Roosevelt's Kids and Their Insane Quest To Kill a Giant Panda |
| Barbarians at the Gate | Bryan Burrough |
"Steve Rinella is listing Bryan Burrough's published works at the beginning of the interview, mentioning this as one of his eight books and four New York Times bestsellers." |
Ep. 740: The Gunfighters |
| The Land Breakers | John Ehle |
"Steve Rinella recommends this novel to Doug, describing it as 'one of the best I've read in a long time.' He explains it's about the first farmers moving into Appalachian valleys after the long hunters, establishing corn patches and hunting bears. He praises it as a 'phenomenal novel' and notes the author's extensive knowledge about trees and wood purposes." |
Ep. 732: Predator Management, California Style |
| The Perfect Storm | Sebastian Junger |
"Steve mentions Sebastian's huge international bestseller about a commercial sword fishing boat that never returned, which was later made into a film with George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg." |
Ep. 708: A Near Death Experience with Sebastian Junger |
| Wild in the Whole: Seasonal Recipes for the Conscious Cook | Danielle Prewett |
"Danielle Prewett discusses her new cookbook that she has been working on for 3-4 years. The book is organized by seasons rather than by game type (like traditional wild game cookbooks), and includes recipes for wild game as well as other foods that would be on the plate. It contains over 80 recipes and was published by Penguin Random House with an October 8th release date. This is her first book and represents a lifetime of her favorite recipes plus new creations." |
Ep. 611: The Duck Stamp Champ |
| Alaska Tracks: Life Stories from Hunters, Fishermen, and Trappers of Alaska | Randy Zarnke |
"Steve introduces this book as a collection of oral histories from Alaska. He reads several excerpts from it, including stories about eagle hunting during bounty years, World War II incidents, and trapping experiences. He describes it as 'the best book' and his 'favorite book.'" |
Ep. 575: How to Sharpen a Knife Like a Real Man |