The Book of Five Rings

This book by Miyamoto Musashi has been genuinely recommended 6 times across 2 different shows: Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman. The people who vouched for it on air: Anthony Kiedis, Ed Calderon, Joe Rogan. It comes up in conversations about addiction & recovery, consciousness, meditation & mindfulness, motivation & discipline, nutrition & diet. The earliest recommendation we indexed is from Dec 2022 and the most recent from Sep 2025. Every quote below is verbatim, attributed, and linked to the exact second it was said. Sourced expert opinion, not medical advice.

• “My favorite book of philosophy I started reading when I was like 16. It's The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “My favorite book of philosophy”
  Joe Rogan · The Joe Rogan Experience · Sep 202500:58:55

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #2380 - Jordan Jensen". The episode features Jordan Jensen: New York-based stand-up comedian whose Netflix special 'Take Me With You' dropped the day of this recording. Known for confessional, contrarian sets on her struggles with OCD, addiction, and dating comedians. Comedian Jordan Jensen and Joe Rogan riff on OCD, psychedelics, fainting, AI cyborg futures, comedy, and online outrage.

• “he wrote a book on strategy called the book of five rings. Yeah. And go read no show the book of five rings”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “go read”
  Joe Rogan · The Joe Rogan Experience · May 202502:42:18

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #2330 - Bono". The episode features Bono: Lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 and longtime humanitarian activist. Author of the memoir 'Surrender' and the man behind the ONE/PEPFAR-era global AIDS advocacy. Bono and Joe Rogan trade stories on singing, faith, foreign aid cuts, comedy, fighting, and what makes a performance transcendent.

• “it's called The Book of five rings and it sort of shaped My Philosophy in many ways of on life”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “it sort of shaped My Philosophy in many ways”
  Anthony Kiedis · The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 202400:39:09

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #1884 - Anthony Kiedis". The episode features Anthony Kiedis: Lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, performing since age 21 in 1983. Anthony Kiedis on aging in music, a wild-game diet, surfing, psychedelics, wildlife, and the Chili Peppers' origin and Rick Rubin.

• “he wrote this incredible book about it but one of the things he wrote In the book was once you understand the way broadly you can see it in all things”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “this incredible book”
  Joe Rogan · The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 202401:27:01

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #1900 - Steve-O". The episode features Steve-O: Stephen Glover, Jackass star turned sober touring stand-up comedian, author, and entrepreneur. Steve-O and Joe Rogan riff on MMA, addiction and sobriety, CTE from his stunts, building a multimedia stand-up career, and his wrecked nose.

• “the book of five rings is based on mamoto Musashi's writings about I don't know book the greatest book of strategy”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “the greatest book of strategy”
  Joe Rogan · The Joe Rogan Experience · Jun 202402:42:50

  Said during "Joe Rogan Experience #1960 - Andrew Schulz". The episode features Andrew Schulz: Stand-up comedian, podcaster (Flagrant), and actor known for his crowd-work and edgy specials. Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz riff on comedy craft, building the Austin club, cobalt-mine ethics, history, technology, and cars.

• “I got that book that book of five rings before I went into training like I took that with me through training”

  Why it counts as a recommendation: “I took that with me through training”
  Ed Calderon · Lex Fridman Podcast · Dec 202202:59:07

  Said during "Ed Calderon: Mexican Drug Cartels | Lex Fridman Podcast #346". The episode features Ed Calderon: A security specialist from Tijuana who spent years in counter-narcotics and organized-crime investigation on Mexico's northern border. He now teaches counter-custody, personal security, and tradecraft, and writes on his Patreon (EDC's Manifesto). A former Mexican counter-narcotics officer dissects cartel violence, corruption, kidnapping, narco-spirituality, and the human cost of the drug war.