If Books Could Kill

If Books Could Kill

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

Episodes

September 21, 2023 56 mins

Have you ever wanted to escape the grind and follow your dreams? This week we're discussing "The 4-Hour Workweek," which reveals that all you need is a plan, a willingness to take risks and a modestly sized fraud operation built on Third World labor.

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

Where to find us: 

...

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But her e-mails! Michael explains the non-scandal that captivated the mainstream media in 2016 while Peter attempts to sow the podcast with anti-Hillary sentiment.

To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod


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For this month's bonus episode we dissected Harry Frankfurt's gloriously brief bestseller and applied the concept to our favorite op-ed page. 

To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod




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July 27, 2023 64 mins

Who poses the greatest threat to democracy? Is it the movement that openly identifies with the symbols, goals and policies of fascist governments? Or is it the median bureaucrat at the Department of Health and Human Services?

In 2008, a National Review nepo-baby attempted to answer this vexing question.

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July 13, 2023 24 mins

In our "Rules" and "Game" episodes we didn't get a chance to dissect the phenomenon of online dating (i.e. describe our worst dates and read cringe profiles out loud to each other), so that is what we are doing on today's bonus episode. 

To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

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July 6, 2023 65 mins

Lots of subscribers asked us to release last month's bonus episode in full so here it is! Share it with the conservatives, the boomers and the Satanists in your life.

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
 

Where to find us: 

Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!

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June 29, 2023 69 mins

In 1995 a bestselling book proposed a simple dating strategy for women: Lose weight, wear bright colors and become a completely different person for the rest of your life.

Thanks to Moira Donegan for helping us with this episode!

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

Where to find us: 

Sources:

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June 15, 2023 61 mins

This week we're discussing "Atomic Habits," a book about how to use science (and also some stuff that’s definitely not science) to train yourself to be a more functional person.

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https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

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June 1, 2023 67 mins

Much has been said about globalization, but perhaps no one has said it worse than Thomas Friedman.

Content Note: Discussions of xenophobic and racist content, especially toward the end of the episode.

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

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May 15, 2023 19 mins

In 2021, scrappy young investors from across the world joined forces to buy GameStop stock, aiming to take down greedy hedge funds. What came next was tragedy, injustice, and a conspiratorial internet cult so stupid we had to do an episode about it.

To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

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April 20, 2023 54 mins

What’s your love language? Is it gifts? Words of affirmation? Or is it podcasts about books with extremely weird, reactionary gender dynamics?

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

Where to find us: 

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April 6, 2023 73 mins
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March 23, 2023 48 mins

In 2016, J.D. Vance informally launched his political career with "Hillbilly Elegy," a memoir that blames the relative poverty of Appalachian and Rust Belt populations on their own culture. Despite its reactionary premise, mainstream and liberal press outlets were so enamored by the book that they accidentally made Vance a senator.

Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

Where to find us: 

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March 9, 2023 61 mins

TRIGGER WARNING: if you're a SNOWFLAKE college professor afraid of how your students are expressing themselves, you might need a SAFE SPACE, because Michael and Peter are discussing "The Coddling of The American Mind," a book about campus culture that's light on facts and heavy on cherry-picked anecdotes.

CORRECTION: The Socrates quote mentioned at the end of this episode is apocryphal. We thank the lis...

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The nation's most prestigious newspaper insists on asking a very stupid question. So for this month's bonus episode, we decided to answer it.

To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

As we mentioned at the top of the episode, we're donating this month's support to three of our trans journo-friends! They've been unbelievably patient with Mike as he...

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