Health · Similar reads
Books like The First 20 Minutes
The best books like The First 20 Minutes are Spark, Exercised, and The Story of the Human Body. The First 20 Minutes by Gretchen Reynolds is about exercise science, physical activity, health optimization. If that's what drew you in, here are 12 books that share its DNA — each summarized on Superbook, and ready to chat with in the app.
- Spark
01
John J. Ratey · Health
Spark is John Ratey's argument, grounded in neuroscience, that aerobic exercise is the single most powerful thing most people can do for their brain.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Exercised
02
Daniel Lieberman · Health
Exercised is Daniel Lieberman's follow-up to The Story of the Human Body, applying the same evolutionary lens specifically to physical activity — what it is, why we resist it, and which kinds produce which benefits.
Shares physical activity and fitness myths with The First 20 Minutes.
Read the summary → - The Story of the Human Body
03
Daniel Lieberman · Health
The Story of the Human Body is Daniel Lieberman's account of how evolutionary biology can explain the chronic diseases that plague modern populations.
Both dig into physical activity.
Read the summary →
- 80/20 Running
04
Matt Fitzgerald · Health
80/20 Running is Matt Fitzgerald's evidence-based argument that the most common mistake recreational runners make is training too hard, too often.
Both dig into exercise science.
Read the summary → - Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
05
Robert M. Sapolsky · Health
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers is Robert Sapolsky's definitive popular account of the biology of stress.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Bigger Leaner Stronger
06
Michael Matthews · Health
Bigger Leaner Stronger is Michael Matthews's practical guide to building a lean, muscular physique through evidence-based strength training and flexible dieting.
Both dig into exercise science.
Read the summary → - Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
07
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
James Nestor · Science
Breath is James Nestor's investigation into one of the most basic and overlooked aspects of human health: how we inhale and exhale.
Both dig into health optimization.
Read the summary → - Anatomy of an Epidemic
08
Robert Whitaker · Health
Anatomy of an Epidemic is Robert Whitaker's investigation into a paradox: as the use of psychiatric medication in the United States has increased dramatically over the past half-century, the number of people on disability due to mental illness has risen in parallel.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Anatomy of the Spirit
09
Caroline Myss · Health
Anatomy of the Spirit is Caroline Myss's attempt to synthesize three major spiritual traditions — the Hindu chakra system, the Christian sacraments, and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life — into a unified model of human energy anatomy.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Anticancer: A New Way of Life
10
David Servan-Schreiber · Health
Anticancer is David Servan-Schreiber's account of his own experience with brain cancer, diagnosed when he was thirty-one, and what he learned over fifteen years about the lifestyle and environmental factors that feed or suppress tumor growth.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Bad Pharma
11
Ben Goldacre · Health
Bad Pharma is Ben Goldacre's sustained indictment of the pharmaceutical industry's manipulation of clinical trial evidence, and of the regulatory and academic institutions that have failed to stop it.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary → - Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
12
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande · Health
Being Mortal is Atul Gawande's investigation into why modern medicine is so bad at helping people die well.
A kindred health read.
Read the summary →
Books like The First 20 Minutes: quick answers
What are the best books like The First 20 Minutes?
The best books like The First 20 Minutes by Gretchen Reynolds are Spark by John J. Ratey, Exercised by Daniel Lieberman, The Story of the Human Body by Daniel Lieberman, 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky, plus 7 more below. Each was chosen for themes it shares with The First 20 Minutes, such as exercise science, physical activity, health optimization.
What should I read after The First 20 Minutes?
A natural next read after The First 20 Minutes is Spark by John J. Ratey. A kindred health read. Other strong choices are Exercised by Daniel Lieberman, The Story of the Human Body by Daniel Lieberman, 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald.
What books are similar to The First 20 Minutes by Gretchen Reynolds?
The First 20 Minutes centers on exercise science, physical activity, health optimization. Books with a similar feel include Spark by John J. Ratey, Exercised by Daniel Lieberman, The Story of the Human Body by Daniel Lieberman, 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky, Bigger Leaner Stronger by Michael Matthews — all free to read and chat with on Superbook.
