The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds
In 2004, historian Thomas Frank proposed a theory about the rightward drift of the white working class. Was he a... more
Peter and Michael discuss the book that launched the phenomenon of New Atheism and asked the question: What if we... more
What should workers do when they get laid off? In 1998 a bleak, asinine bestseller told them to find another... more
New York’s favorite criminal is in the news, so here is our episode about his ridiculous life.To hear all of... more
Is fact-checking a legitimate enterprise? Is America's most famous fact-checker nothing more than a dweeb? Michael and Peter discuss.To hear... more
A memoir about parenting very badly and then getting weirdly defensive when anyone asks you about it.Where to find us:... more
Is social media to blame for the teen mental health crisis? It's complicated!Thanks to Emily Weinstein, Amy Orben, Andrew Przybylski,... more
To celebrate ("celebrate") Donald Trump choosing JD Vance as his running mate we are re-releasing our "Hillbilly Elegy" episode. Enjoy!
Peter and Michael discuss "The Origins of Woke," a glimpse into the dark aspirations of the Republican Party and the... more
Peter and Michael discuss the media coverage of the protests at Columbia — from the crazed, bloodthirsty ravings of right-wing... more
Peter and Michael discuss Michael Lewis’s bestselling book about the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, a young prodigy whose... more
2 Better 2 AngelsSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodWhere to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources:Jeffrey Epstein’s Science... more
We're finally discussing a good book! Naomi Klein's "Doppelgänger" chronicles the long, steady descent of another Naomi — Wolf (buddy... more
In 2013, Sheryl Sandberg became an icon for women who wanted to move from middle management at a tech company... more
This week we're tackling Steven Pinker's 900 page dissection of the reasons why violence, torture and war have declined over... more
Before Donald Trump became America's most prominent politician and birth certificate inspector, he spent his days making everyone in New... more
To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
"There are two kinds of political scientists: The types who deal with noisy data and post on Twitter with a... more
To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
You stare, mouth agape, at the bookstore display. It’s a self-help book, but with curse words in the title?! This... more
In 1996, a frustrated screenwriter got a fellowship in Italy. Twenty years later, Beyoncé released "Lemonade." Content warning: This episode... more
Retailers have been sounding the alarm about a shoplifting epidemic driven by organized criminal syndicates. In a shocking twist, it... more
This week we're tackling "San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities," a book that dares to ask: What if everything that... more
Have you ever wanted to escape the grind and follow your dreams? This week we're discussing "The 4-Hour Workweek," which... more
But her e-mails! Michael explains the non-scandal that captivated the mainstream media in 2016 while Peter attempts to sow the... more
Oops all grievance.Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodWhere to find us: TwitterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources:No Ivory Tower :... more
For this month's bonus episode we dissected Harry Frankfurt's gloriously brief bestseller and applied the concept to our favorite op-ed... more
Who poses the greatest threat to democracy? Is it the movement that openly identifies with the symbols, goals and policies... more
In our "Rules" and "Game" episodes we didn't get a chance to dissect the phenomenon of online dating (i.e. describe... more
Lots of subscribers asked us to release last month's bonus episode in full so here it is! Share it with... more
In 1995 a bestselling book proposed a simple dating strategy for women: Lose weight, wear bright colors and become a... more
This week we're discussing "Atomic Habits," a book about how to use science (and also some stuff that’s definitely not... more
Much has been said about globalization, but perhaps no one has said it worse than Thomas Friedman.Content Note: Discussions of... more
The Nudgening.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodWhere to find us: TwitterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources:David Gal's "Behavioral Winter"The... more
In 2021, scrappy young investors from across the world joined forces to buy GameStop stock, aiming to take down greedy... more
In 2008, an economist and a law professor proposed a radical new approach to politics: Telling people not to do... more
What’s your love language? Is it gifts? Words of affirmation? Or is it podcasts about books with extremely weird, reactionary... more
Is it bootstraps? It's bootstraps.To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
In 1997, Robert Kiyosaki revealed the secret to lifelong success: Deliver grifty seminars and hire child slaves.Support us on Patreon:... more
Get in loser, we're going to Oberlin.To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
In 2016, J.D. Vance informally launched his political career with "Hillbilly Elegy," a memoir that blames the relative poverty of... more
TRIGGER WARNING: if you're a SNOWFLAKE college professor afraid of how your students are expressing themselves, you might need a... more
The nation's most prestigious newspaper insists on asking a very stupid question. So for this month's bonus episode, we decided... more
"If your thesis doesn't hold up to obvious criticisms, there's a chance that your thesis sucks." Thanks to Paul Musgrave... more
Francis Fukuyama's "The End of History and the Last Man" changed political discourse forever. Peter and Michael peel back his... more
In December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China. In May 2021, America experienced one of the most cursed... more
In 1992 a yoga instructor with a distance-learning PhD had the courage to ask: "Are women not getting help around... more
Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" sold millions of copies based on a simple premise: All of science is fake and the... more
How a Stanford lepidopterist convinced the world to fear the breeding habits of the poor. Again. Support us on PatreonWhere... more
Our first premium episode is a deep dive into the blog of the infamously (and dubiously) "canceled" Bari Weiss.... more
In 2016, J.D. Vance informally launched his political career with "Hillbilly Elegy," a memoir that blames the relative poverty of Appalachian and... more