The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds
…
continue reading
New York’s favorite criminal is in the news, so here is our episode about his ridiculous life. To hear all of our bonus episodes, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodDoor Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
…
continue reading
1
Glenn Kessler Retire B*tch [TEASER]
36:08
36:08
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
36:08
Is fact-checking a legitimate enterprise? Is America's most famous fact-checker nothing more than a dweeb? Michael and Peter discuss. To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodDoor Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
…
continue reading
1
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
55:37
55:37
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
55:37
A memoir about parenting very badly and then getting weirdly defensive when anyone asks you about it. Where to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Effects of Authoritative Parental Control on Child Behavior, Child Development Types of Parenting Styles and Effects On Children Does “Tiger Parenting” Ex…
…
continue reading
1
The Anxious Generation
2:00:18
2:00:18
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
2:00:18
Is social media to blame for the teen mental health crisis? It's complicated! Thanks to Emily Weinstein, Amy Orben, Andrew Przybylski, Dean Burnett, Michael Mullarkey and Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz for help researching and fact-checking this episode! Where to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Emily Wei…
…
continue reading
1
Breaking News Re-Release: "Hillbilly Elegy"
51:12
51:12
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
51:12
To celebrate ("celebrate") Donald Trump choosing JD Vance as his running mate we are re-releasing our "Hillbilly Elegy" episode. Enjoy!
…
continue reading
1
Richard Hanania's "The Origins of Woke"
1:01:54
1:01:54
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:01:54
Peter and Michael discuss "The Origins of Woke," a glimpse into the dark aspirations of the Republican Party and the mind of a very unusual man. Where to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: What Speech Does "Hostile Work Environment" Harassment Law Restrict? Tunis v. Corning Glass Works, 698 F. Supp.…
…
continue reading
1
The Columbia Protests [TEASER]
27:17
27:17
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
27:17
Peter and Michael discuss the media coverage of the protests at Columbia — from the crazed, bloodthirsty ravings of right-wing media to the more muted, respectful bloodthirst of centrist media. To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
…
continue reading
1
"Going Infinite": Michael Lewis Takes On Sam Bankman-Fried
1:15:44
1:15:44
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:15:44
Peter and Michael discuss Michael Lewis’s bestselling book about the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried, a young prodigy whose only flaw was that he dreamed too big. Where to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Michael Lewis Is Buying What Sam Bankman-Fried Is Selling Michael Lewis Likens Critics of …
…
continue reading
1
"The Better Angels of Our Nature" Part 2: Campus Lies, I.Q. Rise & Epstein Ties
1:24:12
1:24:12
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:24:12
2 Better 2 Angels Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Jeffrey Epstein’s Science of Sleaze Pinker’s response to Epstein allegations How Jeffrey Epstein Captivated Harvard Jeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNA It’s Offic…
…
continue reading
1
Who's Afraid of Naomi Wolf? [TEASER]
30:17
30:17
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
30:17
We're finally discussing a good book! Naomi Klein's "Doppelgänger" chronicles the long, steady descent of another Naomi — Wolf (buddy oof) — from feminist icon to crank conspiracist. To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPodDoor Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
…
continue reading
In 2013, Sheryl Sandberg became an icon for women who wanted to move from middle management at a tech company into upper management at a tech company. Today, Peter and Michael examine the contents of her bestselling book, survey the wreckage of corporate feminism and ask whether women will finally find liberation in the Metaverse. Where to find us:…
…
continue reading
1
"The Better Angels of Our Nature" Part 1: You're Not Wrong, Pinker. You're Just An *sshole
1:37:45
1:37:45
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:37:45
This week we're tackling Steven Pinker's 900 page dissection of the reasons why violence, torture and war have declined over the last 10,000 years. Was it an indeterminate mixture of politics, economics, technology and serendipity? Or did some European guys write some books that said murder was bad? Special thanks to Philip Dwyer, Eleanor Janega, D…
…
continue reading
Before Donald Trump became America's most prominent politician and birth certificate inspector, he spent his days making everyone in New York City slightly uncomfortable. Michael and Peter discuss "The Art of the Deal," Trump’s 1987 bestseller chronicling his exploits as a celebrity slumlord. Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mik…
…
continue reading
1
The Worst Takes of 2023 [TEASER]
28:15
28:15
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
28:15
To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
…
continue reading
"There are two kinds of political scientists: The types who deal with noisy data and post on Twitter with a bunch of caveats. And then there are the types who write books about identity politics." Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Sam Huneke's "Yascha Mounk’s Woke Straw Man" Jacob …
…
continue reading
1
Pundit Portraits: Kathleen Parker and Chris Cillizza [TEASER]
29:42
29:42
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
29:42
To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
…
continue reading
1
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
45:44
45:44
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
45:44
You stare, mouth agape, at the bookstore display. It’s a self-help book, but with curse words in the title?! This must be a revolutionary new framework, not simply the same dull, reactionary ideas repackaged as hip and new. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other po…
…
continue reading
1
The 48 Laws of Power
1:05:56
1:05:56
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:05:56
In 1996, a frustrated screenwriter got a fellowship in Italy. Twenty years later, Beyoncé released "Lemonade." Content warning: This episode includes a mention of suicide. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Rebecca Solnit’s “…
…
continue reading
1
The "Organized Retail Crime" Panic [TEASER]
31:12
31:12
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
31:12
Retailers have been sounding the alarm about a shoplifting epidemic driven by organized criminal syndicates. In a shocking twist, it turns out that their story is mostly made up. Join us as Peter tries to figure out where this panic originated and as Mike finally comes clean about his criminal past. To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patre…
…
continue reading
This week we're tackling "San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities," a book that dares to ask: What if everything that experts think about homelessness is wrong, and everything that one crank on Twitter thinks about homelessness is right? Thanks to Ned Resnikoff for helping us with the research for this episode! Support us on Patreon: https://ww…
…
continue reading
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: Twitter Peter's other p…
…
continue reading
1
The Clinton E-Mail Scandal [TEASER]
28:02
28:02
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
28:02
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
…
continue reading
1
God And Man At Yale
1:11:17
1:11:17
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:11:17
Oops all grievance. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: No Ivory Tower : Mccarthyism And The Universities The Fire Is Upon Us The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945 The Passion of William F. Buckley: Acad…
…
continue reading
1
'On Bullsh*t' and the Pundit Industrial Complex [TEASER]
16:17
16:17
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
16:17
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
…
continue reading
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. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.co…
…
continue reading
1
Are The Straights OK [TEASER]
24:10
24:10
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
24:10
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…
…
continue reading
1
BONUS: Conservatives vs. Pride Month
1:05:16
1:05:16
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:05:16
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: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Thanks to Mindseye for our theme…
…
continue reading
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: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's ot…
…
continue reading
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. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: How 1% Perfo…
…
continue reading
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 Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phas…
…
continue reading
1
"Nudge" Part 2: Mr. Nudge Goes to Washington
1:01:04
1:01:04
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:01:04
The Nudgening. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: David Gal's "Behavioral Winter" The i-frame and the s-frame: How focusing on individual-level solutions has led behavioral public policy astray Why Is Behavioral Economics So …
…
continue reading
1
The Meme Stock Cult [TEASER]
19:38
19:38
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
19:38
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…
…
continue reading
1
"Nudge" Part 1: A Simple Solution For Littering, Organ Donations and Climate Change
1:10:51
1:10:51
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:10:51
In 2008, an economist and a law professor proposed a radical new approach to politics: Telling people not to do bad stuff. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Mike's Maintenance Phase episode on the godfather of the "cafeteria…
…
continue reading
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: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Can Gary Chapman Save Your Marriage? The Sixth …
…
continue reading
1
Ben Shapiro's Plan To End Poverty [TEASER]
12:13
12:13
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
12:13
Is it bootstraps? It's bootstraps. To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
…
continue reading
In 1997, Robert Kiyosaki revealed the secret to lifelong success: Deliver grifty seminars and hire child slaves. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry ‘Rich …
…
continue reading
1
The Dumbest Campus Controversies Of The Last Decade [TEASER]
20:23
20:23
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
20:23
Get in loser, we're going to Oberlin. To hear the rest of the show, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
…
continue reading
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 Pa…
…
continue reading
1
The Coddling Of The American Mind
1:01:13
1:01:13
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:01:13
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…
…
continue reading
1
The New York Times's War On Trans Kids [TEASER]
27:38
27:38
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
27:38
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! The…
…
continue reading
1
The Clash of Civilizations
58:19
58:19
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
58:19
"If your thesis doesn't hold up to obvious criticisms, there's a chance that your thesis sucks." Thanks to Paul Musgrave and Alex Cruikshanks for helping us fact-check this episode! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Links! Huntington…
…
continue reading
Francis Fukuyama's "The End of History and the Last Man" changed political discourse forever. Peter and Michael peel back his muddled history and fluffy rhetoric, revealing several more layers of muddled history and fluffy rhetoric. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's…
…
continue reading
In December 2019, the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan, China. In May 2021, America experienced one of the most cursed weeks of punditry we've ever seen. This is a condensed version of the full episode. To hear the rest go to patreon.com/IfBooksPod. See you next week!
…
continue reading
1
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
1:09:21
1:09:21
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
1:09:21
In 1992 a yoga instructor with a distance-learning PhD had the courage to ask: "Are women not getting help around the house because they're using the wrong modal verb?" Support us on Patreon Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: The Myth of Mars and Venus: Do Men and Women Really Speak…
…
continue reading
Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" sold millions of copies based on a simple premise: All of science is fake and the only reason anything ever happens is because people manifest it by communicating with the universe. Support us on Patreon Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Power Lines Opra…
…
continue reading
How a Stanford lepidopterist convinced the world to fear the breeding habits of the poor. Again. Support us on Patreon Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: Sonia Shah’s “The Next Great Migration” Barbarian Hordes: The overpopulation scapegoat in international development discourse Opt…
…
continue reading
Our first premium episode is a deep dive into the blog of the infamously (and dubiously) "canceled" Bari Weiss. To hear the full episode, subscribe on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod More free episodes are on their way!
…
continue reading
Neil Strauss's "The Game" aimed to teach any man how to hook up with beautiful women. All he needed was a little bit of sociopathy, a lot of misogyny and a fanny pack full of props. Support us on Patreon Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: He's Simply Resistable Pickup Artists Are St…
…
continue reading
1
David Brooks's "Bobos in Paradise"
59:44
59:44
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
59:44
David Brooks became liberals' famous conservative by telling them what they wanted to hear. But ... why did they want to hear something that was lazy and wrong? Support us on Patreon Where to find us: Twitter Peter's other podcast, 5-4 Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase Sources: A Reasonable Man David Brooks: Boo-Boos in Paradise A Cartoon Eli…
…
continue reading
1
Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers"
50:06
50:06
Later Afspelen
Later Afspelen
Lijsten
Vind ik leuk
Leuk
50:06
In "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell posited that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in something. Mike and Peter prove him wrong by mastering his dumb book over the span of about 50 minutes. Support us on Patreon Links: Malcolm Gladwell talks about responding to critics, and the perils of ‘Talking to Strangers’ Gladwell for Dummies M…
…
continue reading