If Books Could Kill

10 Episodes
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By: Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

UNLOCKED: Eric Adams
09/26/2024

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/IfBooksPod


Glenn Kessler Retire B*tch [TEASER]
09/26/2024

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/IfBooksPod





Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
09/24/2024

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, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase

Sources:

Effects of Authoritative Parental Control on Child Behavior, Child DevelopmentTypes of Parenting Styles and Effects On ChildrenDoes “Tiger Parenting” Exist? Parenting Profiles of Chinese Americans and Adolescent Developmental OutcomesAssociations of parenting dimensions and styles with externalizing problems of children and adolescents: An updated meta-analysisDo the associations of parenting styles with behavior problems and academic achievement vary by culture? Results from...


The Anxious Generation
08/08/2024

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, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase

Sources:

Emily Weinstein's book, "Behind Their Screens"Positive and negative uses of social media among adolescents hospitalized for suicidal behaviorThe Sisyphean Cycle of Technology PanicsThe Relationship Between Online Social Networking and Depression: A Systematic Review of Quantitative StudiesOnline "predators" and t...


Breaking News Re-Release: "Hillbilly Elegy"
07/16/2024

To celebrate ("celebrate") Donald Trump choosing JD Vance as his running mate we are re-releasing our "Hillbilly Elegy" episode. Enjoy!


Richard Hanania's "The Origins of Woke"
07/11/2024

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, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase

Sources:

What Speech Does "Hostile Work Environment" Harassment Law Restrict? Tunis v. Corning Glass Works, 698 F. Supp. 452 (S.D.N.Y. 1988)Pakizegi v. First Nat. Bank of Boston, 831 F. Supp. 901 Tesla Settles Discrimination Suit With Former Factory Worker - The New York TimesMenial Tasks, Slurs and Swastikas: Many Black Workers at Tes...


The Columbia Protests [TEASER]
05/16/2024

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


"Going Infinite": Michael Lewis Takes On Sam Bankman-Fried
05/02/2024

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, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase

Sources:

Michael Lewis Is Buying What Sam Bankman-Fried Is Selling Michael Lewis Likens Critics of His New Book on Sam Bankman-Fried to a 'Mob'The SBF trial is a reminder that crypto is a rotten businessReview: Michael Lewis's Going InfiniteThe Curious Case of FTX’s ‘Company Therapist’ (vice.com)FTX’s Coll...


"The Better Angels of Our Nature" Part 2: Campus Lies, I.Q. Rise & Epstein Ties
04/11/2024

2 Better 2 Angels

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

Where to find us: 

Peter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase

Sources:

Jeffrey Epstein’s Science of SleazePinker’s response to Epstein allegationsHow Jeffrey Epstein Captivated HarvardJeffrey Epstein Hoped to Seed Human Race With His DNAIt’s Official — Steven Pinker Is Full of ShitPinker, Epstein, Soldier, SpyA century of sexual abuse victimisation: A birth cohort analysisThe prevalence of child sexual abuse with online sexual abuse addedHave Sexual Ab...


Who's Afraid of Naomi Wolf? [TEASER]
03/28/2024

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/IfBooksPod