If Books Could Kill
The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds
Episodes
Peter and Michael discuss "Think And Grow Rich," the 1937 classic written by a lifelong fraudster who finds his final mark: You.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
In 2013, education reformers tried to help poor students the using the best tool at their disposal: The 16th most popular Ted Talk.
Special thanks to Marcus Credé!
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
Peter went on Mike's other show, Maintenance Phase, to revisit a biohacking diet book for the boys.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
Peter and Michael discuss "Bullshit Jobs" by anarchist anthropologist David Graeber. The result: two professional podcasters debating which jobs are real and which jobs are fake.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
It turns out that the key to wealth is buying the right kind of watch, marrying the right kind of wife and being the right kind of white.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
The boys catalog the definitive worst takes of the year, from the pundits who misunderstood our political moment to a guy who wants to have sex with a computer.
To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
The boys continue their discussion of Walter Isaacson's "Elon Musk." This is the part where Elon loses his mind.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
A biography that dares to ask: Is a lifetime of worker abuse and narcissism worth it to experience robot butlers?
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
How do you tell the entire history of humanity in a single book? Whatever you do, do not open a browser window.
Thanks to Dorsa Amir, Duncan Stibbard Hawkes and David Perry for help researching and fact-checking this episode!
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
Live like Dale Carnegie, neg like Calvin Coolidge.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
Peter and Michael discuss a book that's light on facts and long on sentences.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
How one comedian's offhand advice launched a decent TV episode, a mediocre book and a terrible movie.
Where to find us:
- Our Patreon
- Our merch!
- Peter's newsletter
- Peter's other podcast, 5-4
- Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
Sources:
Did you know that in the split-second it took you to read the title of this episode, your subconscious already figured out that it was going to be extremely good?
Peter and Michael talk about Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink," a book that is mostly cute scientific anecdotes but also indirectly resulted in millions of taxpayer dollars being wasted on fraudulent science.
Where to find us:
This is most of the episode but if you want to hear the last 20 minutes, support us on Patreon!
Last episode we met two Princeton political scientists who are bad at virology. Today we learn that they are also bad at political science.
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Sources:
Two political scientists look back at a deadly pandemic and ask, "could we have done even less?"
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Sources:
By popular demand we are releasing last month's Patreon bonus episode on the main feed! We chart the transformation of the lab leak from an unfounded theory promoted by right-wing cranks to an unfounded theory promoted by liberal journalists.
Where to find us:
Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
Peter and Michael discuss The Let Them Theory, a self-help guide to seeking bliss through unmitigated complacency.
Where to find us:
Sources:
Are you a single lady struggling to find love with a man? Don't fret! A twice-divorced game show host who thinks conversation is for women is here to help.
Where to find us:
Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
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