Today we are delighted to share an episode from our colleagues on “The Ezra Klein Show,” originally published on March 31. Ezra interviewed author Michael Pollan, whose best-selling books include “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “In Defense of Food,” and “How to Change Your Mind.” Pollan’s latest book, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/646644/a-world-appears-by-michael-pollan/" rel="noopener noreferrer">“A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness,”</a> came out earlier this year. It’s an exploration of what consciousness is, and the book is — as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/books/review/a-world-appears-michael-pollan.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">our review</a> put it — “highly pleasurable to read.”
Mentioned in the episode:
“<a href="https://www.hurlburt.faculty.unlv.edu/hurlburt-akhter-2006.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Descriptive Experience Sampling method</a>” by Russell T. Hurlburt and Sarah A. Akhter
“<a href="https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~cavitch/pdf-library/Nagel_Bat.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What Is It Like to Be a Bat?</a>” by Thomas Nagel
<a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393542011" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Hidden Spring</a> by Mark Solms
<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/297609/descartes-error-by-antonio-damasio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Descartes’ Error</a> by Antonio Damasio
“<a href="https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/38694?login=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Oxford Handbook of Spontaneous Thought</a>” by Kalina Christoff and Kieran C. R. Fox
Book Recommendations:
<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262048804/the-blind-spot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Blind Spot</a> by Adam Frank, Marcelo Gleiser and Evan Thompson
<a href="https://www.galleybeggar.co.uk/paperback-shop/ritegxpqvavi286gp91sd0he23hzx4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ducks, Newburyport</a> by Lucy Ellmann
<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/566315/being-you-by-anil-seth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Being You</a> by Anil Seth
You can find transcripts and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/ezra-klein-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast</a>, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs</a>.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Kim Freda. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Isaac Jones. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Michelle Harris, Rollin Hu, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
Listen to and Follow the “Book Review” Podcast
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-book-review/id120315179?mt=2" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Podcasts</a> |<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1q3tsOS9XhqgSslnyZyKV6" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Spotify</a> |<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d9314635-147c-409a-ae6a-fdf8358caee5/the-book-review" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Amazon Music</a> |<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdMrbgYfVl-vT4J7V1XT3MD5GCSebQJay" rel="noopener noreferrer"> YouTube</a> |<a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/326-the-book-review-28076603/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> iHeartRadio</a>
We Want to Hear From You
We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review’s podcast in general. You can send them to <a href="mailto:thebookreview@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">thebookreview@nytimes.com</a>.
Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

The Ezra Klein Show: Michael Pollan’s Journey to the Borderlands of Consciousness

The Book Review

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews