Peter Maguire is a bestselling author and influential, independent writer/editor. The experiences that led up to the creation of his books and profession as a writer, however, are what make him truly fascinating.
In this conversation, we discuss many of the interesting aspects of and lessons from Peter’s life.
After nearly drowning as a one-year-old, Peter’s mother forced him to learn how to swim by the age of two. Despite wealthy parents and access to privileged societies, Peter was drawn to the water and the life of a surfer. Traveling the world, involvement in marijuana trade, learning to fight, near death experiences, heartbreak, and forced blue-collar labor led Peter to pursue a doctorate in history in New York. It was here he became committed to serving others. As a war-crimes investigator and professor of law and war theory at Columbia University, Peter began publishing books based on his work:
Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Drug Trade
Peter trained various martial arts throughout his life earning black belts in multiple disciplines, including one from the greatest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter of all time - Rickson Gracie. Through their friendship, Peter authored both of Rickson’s books, which are two of my favorites:
Comfort in Darkness: The Invisible Power of Jiu Jitsu
Peter continues to write and mentor in many domains, including his Substack, Sour Milk.
To continue his life of service, Peter founded The Fainting Robin Foundation which provides financial support to independent scholars, writers, and thinkers whose work falls outside the mainstream.
To hear more about Peter’s interesting story, check out his appearance on the Jocko Podcast. As a longtime Jocko Podcast fan, Peter’s episode remains one of my favorites.
