- Economics
- Politics, Institutions, and Public Opinion
- Political Philosophy
- Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
- Revitalizing American Institutions
- Revitalizing History
- Understanding the Effects of Technology on Economics and Governance
What do the inventor of the periodic table, the novelist Isabel Allende, and the almost-creators of the iPhone have in common? Join author David Epstein and EconTalk’s Russ Roberts to explore a counterintuitive idea: that boundaries, and not unlimited freedom, often make us more creative, productive, and fulfilled.
Listen to the episode here.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
David Epstein is the author of the #1 New York Times best seller Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, and of the New York Times best seller The Sports Gene, both of which have been translated in more than 30 languages (To his surprise, the latter was purchased not only by his sister but also by President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice). His third book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, was released on May 5, 2026.
He was previously the host of Slate‘s popular “How To!” podcast, and a science and investigative reporter at ProPublica. Prior to that, he was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, where he co-authored the story that revealed Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had used steroids. He writes at his popular Substack, Range Widely.
RELATED SOURCES
- Allende, Isabel. Paula: A Memoir. New York: HarperCollins, 2021.
- Allende, Isabel. The House of the Spirits: A Novel. New York: Atria Books, 2015.
- “Carl von Clausewitz.” Encylopedia Britannica.
- “Henri, Baron de Jomini.” Encyclopedia Britannica.
- “Herbert A. Simon.” Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Kubla Khan.” Poetry Foundation.
- Epstein, David. Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better. New York: Riverhead Books, 2026.
- Epstein, David. “David Epstein Website.”
- King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. 10th anniversary ed. New York: Scribner, 2010.
- Mark, Gloria. Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Toronto: Hanover Square Press, 2023.
- Merton, Robert K. “Resistance to the Systematic Study of Multiple Discoveries in Science.” European Journal of Sociology 4, no. 2 (1963): 237–282.
- Murakami, Haruki. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir. New York: Vintage International, 2008.
- Porat, Marc Uri. “The Information Economy: Definition and Measurement.” U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Telecommunications, 1977.
- Rubin, Rick. The Creative Act: A Way of Being. New York: Penguin Press, 2023.
- Suits, Bernard. The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia. 3rd ed. Toronto: Broadview Press, 2014.
- Willingham, Daniel. “Daniel Willingham Website.”
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with David Epstein. “David Epstein on the Sports Gene.” EconTalk. September 23, 2013.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with Brent Flyvberg. “Bent Flyvbjerg on Megaprojects.” EconTalk, May 25, 2015.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with Chuck Klosterman. “Chuck Klosterman on But What If We’re Wrong.” EconTalk, August 15, 2016.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with David Epstein. “David Epstein on Mastery, Specialization, and Range.” EconTalk, May 27, 2019.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with Matt Ridley. “Matt Ridley on How Innovation Works.” EconTalk, August 31, 2020.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with Michael Easter. “Michael Easter on the Comfort Crisis.” EconTalk, July 19, 2021.
- Roberts, Russ. Interview with David Bessis. “A Mind-Blowing Way of Looking at Math (David Blessis).” EconTalk, October 27, 2025.
