Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci cover art
Podcast · 261 episodes

Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci

by SALT & Goalhanger · English

You may think you know Anthony Scaramucci: a Harvard Law School graduate who cut his teeth at Goldman Sachs, went on to build two successful businesses and had an 11-day stint in the White House. What people don’t know is he’s an avid reader, endlessly curious, history buff with a restless mind. On Open Book, listeners will hear and get to know the real Anthony: the proud son of immigrant parents, a long-suffering New York Mets fan, and a father of five. Each week, he’ll invite you into an intimate and open conversation with some of the brightest minds out there, from business, politics, entertainment, and more. Together, they’ll go deep into a piece of work - whether it's a highly anticipated book, an in-depth feature story, or an opinion piece – to dig into why it matters to you, what we can learn from the past, and how their work is shaping our future. Along the way, you’ll learn more about The Mooch – beyond the headlines – where he came from and how he got here. He’ll turn the pages on his own life lessons from his blue-collar upbringing and career on Wall Street to getting his teeth kicked in the White House and then, coming back stronger. He’ll offer his perspective as a self-made entrepreneur and “open book” with a lot of experience, both good and bad. Tune in every week to hear fascinating conversations you won’t get anywhere else.

Latest episodes

All episodes

The Decisions That Changed the Middle East Forever - Akbar Shahid AhmedAkbar Shahid Ahmed argues that the Biden administration “crossed the red line” by enabling Israel’s excessive response in Gaza after the Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack, with no meaningful consequences…29 Sep 2026 · 34 min · 13 chapters
Billionaire David Rubenstein: Owning a Sports Team Is Harder Than Anything I've Done BeforeDavid Rubenstein, owner of the Baltimore Orioles, explains why owning a sports team is harder than private equity, how he’s building the Orioles’ front office and business operations, and what a…22 Sep 2026 · 35 min · 20 chapters
The Historian Who Explains Why the Middle East Is Messed Up - Simon Sebag MontefioreThe “cauldron” making of the modern Middle East, centered on mega-turning points (especially 1902 Riyadh’s founding of Saudi Arabia and 1979 Iran’s revolution).15 Sep 2026 · 34 min · 14 chapters
How Wall Street’s Billionaires Became Untouchable - William D. CohanAnthony Scaramucci interviews William D. Cohan about his book Money to Burn, arguing that Wall Street’s private-equity/alternative-asset oligarchs became “untouchable” through tax advantages,…10 Sep 2026 · 40 min · 13 chapters
Harlan Coben Sold 100 Million Books. Here’s His Advice for Aspiring Writers.Harlan Coben’s memoir/writer’s guide Plot Twist, Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft, focused on how to start writing, persist through self-doubt, and build page-turning plot twists (including how…8 Sep 2026 · 36 min · 19 chapters
The KGB Spy Who Exposed Russia’s Secret Plan to Attack The West - Richard KerbajRichard Kerbaj discusses his book The Defector about Oleg Leontiev/Leallon, a KGB officer deployed to London in 1969 to recruit British spies, who defected to MI5 in spring 1971 and helped enable the…7 Sep 2026 · 33 min · 8 chapters
How Politics Destroyed American Universities - Neil GrossNeil Gross argues that U.S. universities have become polarized, with politics increasingly shaping students’ choices, friendships, majors, classroom participation, and campus culture.25 Aug 2026 · 34 min · 18 chapters
Chicago Is at a Breaking Point (But She Says She Can Fix It) - Susana A. MendozaSusana A. Mendoza, Illinois controller and Chicago mayor candidate, argues Chicago is at a “breaking point” and needs a competent, fiscally disciplined, pro-growth, pro-neighborhood mayor.14 Aug 2026 · 29 min · 8 chapters
The Secretive Family Behind a $13 Trillion Financial EmpireJustin Baer discusses his book House of Fidelity about the Johnson family’s control of Fidelity Investments and how Fidelity pivoted from mutual-fund dominance toward index funds, ETFs, and digital…11 Aug 2026 · 35 min · 13 chapters
Ex-CIA Officer: America Has a 20% Chance of Splitting Apart - James TelferJames Telfer, ex-CIA officer and author, discusses his dystopian alternative-history novel The National Divorce, about a “fractured superpower” and a possible U.S.6 Aug 2026 · 30 min · 10 chapters
America is Deeply Broken (Here's How We Can Fix It) - Rye BarcottMental health crisis and social polarization in America; the episode argues that the antidote is courage expressed as service to the common good, including cross-partisan cooperation in politics and…4 Aug 2026 · 35 min · 11 chapters
He Repaired My Marriage And Then We Lost Him Forever - Mike MaimoneMike Maimone’s love story with crisis PR lawyer Howard Bragman, their quick connection, Howard’s death 10 days after diagnosis, and how grief shaped Maimone’s book Guess What?30 Jul 2026 · 31 min · 15 chapters
July 2026 Q&A: Will I Run For Office? How I Read So Much? How To Fix The American Education System?A July 2026 Open Book Q&A covering: whether to run for office; how much the host reads; what leaders to admire; stress management; travel; definitions of success; Catholic ethics in business; fixing…28 Jul 2026 · 31 min · 19 chapters
The Heartbreaking Atrocity of The Ukraine War (And Why You Should Care) - James VeriniJames Verini argues the Ukraine war’s early atrocities show Russia’s intent to destroy Ukrainians, not “liberate” them.23 Jul 2026 · 32 min · 9 chapters
The Truth About Guns In America They Don't Want You To Know! - Mike McIntireGun violence in America, why policy “doesn’t move,” and how gun culture, industry marketing, and legal/court strategy sustain high casualties—especially involving children.21 Jul 2026 · 31 min · 13 chapters
The Real Reason Politics & Society Is Broken (And Fixing It) - Susan MacKenty Brady & Stuart KlimanHow to “bridge perspectives” in workplaces and reduce polarization by managing predictable mental “landmines” that block learning and trust; includes both macro (pause/reflect before acting) and…16 Jul 2026 · 31 min · 13 chapters
The Billionaire Class Has No Idea What's Coming - Daniel SilvaDaniel Silva discusses his novel Ransom and broader claims about today’s wealth inequality, corruption/crony capitalism, and Russia’s covert “shadow war” against Western Europe.14 Jul 2026 · 45 min · 23 chapters
Russia Expert: Putin Destroyed Democracy And Trump's Doing It Too - Jamison FirestoneJameson Firestone argues Putin destroyed Russia’s rule of law by weaponizing courts, targeting media/universities, and using propaganda; he claims Trump is doing similar “system” attacks in the U.S.9 Jul 2026 · 28 min · 11 chapters
He Invented Online Betting...Then Went To Prison For It - Jay CohenJay Cohen, co-founder/former president of World Sports Exchange, recounts how he pioneered early online sports betting (including live betting and “futures exchange” style markets) and was later…7 Jul 2026 · 26 min · 12 chapters
"They Should've Been Dead": How 3 Men Survived 28 Hours Surrounded by Sharks - Michael J. TougiasMichael J. Tougias discusses his book In Deep Water about three men surviving 28 hours in the ocean surrounded by sharks, focusing on group decision-making, resilience, and rescue operations.2 Jul 2026 · 26 min · 11 chapters
Jun 2026 Q&A: Breaking From Trump, Reforming American Democracy & Book RecsJune 2026 Q&A on U.S. politics and democracy (Trump’s legacy, Citizens United, gerrymandering, open primaries), plus advice and book recommendations (markets, history, finance, reading habits), and…30 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 16 chapters
The Coach Everyone Called a Failure (He Proved Them Wrong) - Monte BurkeMonte Burke discusses his book Men of Troy about Pete Carroll’s USC era—how a coach labeled a “failure” rebuilt a downtrodden program, won big, embraced LA celebrity culture, and then was undone by…25 Jun 2026 · 29 min · 12 chapters
America Repeats the Same Crisis Every 80 Years. Here's How We Overcome It - Bob CrawfordThe episode argues the U.S. cycles through major crises roughly every 80 years, using John Quincy Adams as a “transitional” figure between the founding era and the Civil War.23 Jun 2026 · 34 min · 10 chapters
Historian: The Untold Story of WWII's Most Fascinating Person - Geoffrey RobertsHistorian Geoffrey Roberts discusses his book Wartime Letters about Kathleen “Kathy” Harriman and what her WWII correspondence reveals about diplomacy, Stalinist power, and the “grand alliance.”18 Jun 2026 · 27 min · 14 chapters