
#27: The Best No B.S. Self-Improvement Books | Alex Wieckowski (Alex & Books)
From Two Percent with Michael Easter by iHeartPodcasts
July 9, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 27
About this episode
Michael Easter and guest Alex Wieckowski discuss impactful self-improvement books and their personal experiences with reading and habits.
Summer is peak reading season, so it only made sense for Michael, author of “The Comfort Crisis” & “Scarcity Brain,” to sit down with Alex Wieckowski of Alex & Books, the man who has read two books a week for the past decade. Together they build a list of some of their favorite books, including one hidden gem from Tolstoy, “A Calendar of Wisdom.” Alex tells the true survival story that made complaining impossible for him. He also reveals the classic novel that scared him into cleaning up his habits. Then they play overrated or underrated with the biggest self-improvement books ever written: Atomic Habits, Man's Search for Meaning, 12 Rules for Life, The 4-Hour Workweek and more. Alex then reveals the skill that helps him remember every book he reads, turning its lessons into actions. They also get into lifting weights with Alex Hormozi, the trap of "next book syndrome," and whether AI will ever replace real writing. Two Percent is hosted by Michael Easter. Today’s episode was produced by Joey Fischground, Robbie Hiser, Dana Brawer and Julia Nutter. From Kaleidoscope, our executive producers are Mangesh Hattikudur and Kate Osborn and Julia Nutter. From iHeart, our executive…
People in this episode
Host: Michael Easter
Guest: Alex Wieckowski
Topics covered
- self-improvement
- reading
- book recommendations
- habits
- personal development
- AI in writing
Keywords
- self-improvement books
- reading habits
- personal development
- book recommendations
- life-changing reads
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: A Calendar of Wisdom, Atomic Habits, Man's Search for Meaning, 12 Rules for Life, The 4-Hour Workweek
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