The Anti-Reading List: 3 Books Not Worth Reading — Daily Persuasion with Joshua Lisec Ep. 181

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ABOUT TODAY'S EPISODE:

What if the books you’ve been told to read are actually making you dumber, not smarter?

That’s exactly the provocative premise of Daily Persuasion with Joshua Lisec Ep. 181: The Anti-Reading List: 3 Books Not Worth Reading. In this bold and refreshing episode, bestselling ghostwriter and persuasion expert Joshua Lisec pulls no punches as he names and shames the so-called "must-read" titles that may be doing more harm than good.

If you’ve ever asked, “What books should I avoid?”, this is your episode.

In Lisec's view, not all knowledge is created equal—and not all books are worth your time. In fact, some of the most widely recommended books are, as he puts it, “anti-advice disguised as wisdom.” That’s why this episode introduces The Anti-Reading List—a carefully curated trio of bestsellers that Lisec argues should not be on your shelf.

The first title on Lisec's anti-reading list is Atomic Habits. Though praised as a modern self-help bible, Lisec reveals that Atomic Habits is essentially a millennial retread of Scott Adams’ How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big. In Lisec's words, it's a blog post bloated into a book. He points out how Scott Adams’ original work was more actionable, humorous, and human. In contrast, Atomic Habits offers overly polished, overly obvious advice in a “Pinterest-board aesthetic” that tells you what you already know: habits are good, build them.

Next up is Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. On the surface, Sapiens is a sweeping history of humankind. But Lisec critiques its ideological slant—arguing it represents a blank-slate, materialist take on human nature that strips away any metaphysical depth. While it may seem like it explores humanity, it leaves out core forces like good and evil. For a book that sells itself as a definitive story of who we are, that’s a glaring omission—and why it lands firmly on The Anti-Reading List.

Finally, Lisec breaks down The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene—a title beloved by entrepreneurs, hustlers, and yes, prison inmates. And that’s no exaggeration: Lisec notes the book's popularity among incarcerated men, pointing out how its manipulative “power games” resonate most with people who lack real agency. But what happens when readers apply its dark tactics to their own lives? Toxic relationships, burned bridges, and alienation. That’s what. As Lisec warns, The 48 Laws of Power teaches you how to win—but only if you’re okay with losing your soul in the process.

Throughout the episode, Lisec weaves in the deeper message: If you're serious about learning persuasion, you must be just as selective about what you don’t read as what you do. These three books—despite being filled with persuasion examples and techniques—actually fail the core test of effective influence: Does this make it easier for people to say yes to you? The answer, says Lisec, is no.

In true Daily Persuasion fashion, this episode isn’t just a rant—it’s a lesson. A masterclass in persuasion psychology, Lisec explains how to persuade someone to do something not by manipulation (à la Robert Greene), but by trust, clarity, and insight. These are the persuasive techniques that actually work—whether you’re selling an idea, closing a deal, or influencing your family.

You’ll also walk away with a sharpened eye for techniques of persuasion in writing. Whether it’s Sapiens' sleek storytelling or Atomic Habits’ Instagrammable advice, Lisec shows how style can often mask intellectual shallowness. In contrast, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big—the book Atomic Habits tries to be—offers both humor and humility, making it the rare self-help book that actually helps.

So if you’re tired of reading what everyone else is reading just because it’s “popular,” tune in. Daily Persuasion Ep. 181 is your permission slip to put down the hype and think critically—because the most persuasive people aren’t just readers. They’re choosy ones.

Avoid the noise. Ditch the fluff. And beware the Anti-Reading List.