If Books Could Kill

Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

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  1. 1 day ago ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Pundit Portrait: Ross Douthat

    Peter and Michael discuss Ross Douthat, lifelong conservative pundit and fascism's number one PR agent.

  2. 5 Aug

    Three Cups of Tea

    In 1993, a desperate man stumbled into a remote village in the foothills of the Karakoram mountains. After the residents nursed him back to health, he placed his hands on the village elder's shoulders and made a sacred promise. "Somehow," he said, "I am going to get some private jet reimbursements out of this."  Warning: Contains spoilers for the 2016 film "Arrival."  Thanks to Ted Callahan for helping us fact-check this episode! Where to find us:  Our PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: Three Cups of Deceit“60 Minutes” expose3000 Cups of DeceitBooks vs Bombs? Humanitarian development and the narrative of terror in Northern PakistanDelusional StatesCan't Get There From HereNobel Prize Nominee’s Charity Wins No Award for AccountabilityDavid Oliver Relin, Adventurous Journalist, Dies at 49What Mortenson Got WrongThree Cups of Tea: The Pakistan and Afghan side3 Lessons to Learn From Greg Mortenson Mortenson returns to AfghanistanThe naive republic of aid: Grassroots exceptionalism in humanitarian memoirReligious School Enrollment in Pakistan: A Look at the DataIf you build it, will they come?What Really Works to Improve Learning in Developing Countries?The madrassa scapegoatThanks to Mindseye for our theme song! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

  3. 31 July ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Peter Had a Baby and Michael Has ADHD: Your Questions, Answered

    The boys answer listener questions about fatherhood, the literacy crisis, and whether we're capable of reflecting on our mistakes.

  4. 30 June ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    The Assassination of The Washington Post by the Coward Jeff Bezos

    Peter and Michael discuss the slow death of The Washington Post at the hands of its billionaire owner, and dive deep into the Post's truly terrible new podcast.

  5. 18 June

    The Body Keeps The Score

    You know that book your friend recommended? The one that rigorously describes the science of trauma, de-stigmatizes abuse and promotes effective treatments? Well here’s the thing: It doesn't actually do that. Thanks to Emi Nietfield, Keith Cox, Lisa Starr, Richard McNally, Kevin McGuire and everyone else who helped us research and fact-check this episode!  Where to find us:  Our PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: What the Most Famous Book About Trauma Gets WrongTrauma: A GenealogyRemembering TraumaAdvocates of Research-Supported Treatments for PTSD are Losing Tell Me Why It Hurts‘The Body Keeps the Score’ offers uncertain scienceYour Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile Inside  PTSD and complex PTSD: a review of reviewsWhat Does It Mean When 38% Forget?Multiple Identity Enactments and Multiple Personality Disorder: A Sociocognitive PerspectiveThe Brain Is Adaptive Not TriuneThanks to Mindseye for our theme song! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

  6. 29 May ·  Bonus • Subscribers Only

    Conspiracies of Yore: Sarah Palin's Fake Pregnancy

    Did Sarah Palin fake her 2008 pregnancy? Or is Andrew Sullivan just a lunatic? The boys discuss in the inaugural edition of the If Books Could Kill Conspiracies of Yore series.

  7. 21 May

    Think And Grow Rich

    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 PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: The Untold Story of Napoleon Hill, the Greatest Self-Help Scammer of All TimeA Lifetime of RichesHow to Lose Friends and Alienate PeopleHow a Different America Responded to the Great DepressionThe Psychic Scandal How Trump Turned The Power of Positive Thinking Into DelusionThanks to Mindseye for our theme song! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

  8. 30 Apr

    Grit

    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 PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: Much Ado About GritWhat Shall We Do About Grit?Grit under attackTeaching “Grit”The Problem With GritThe Limits of “Grit”Grit: The power of passion and perseveranceIs 'Grit' Doomed To Be The New Self-Esteem?Measurement MattersUsing Psychological Science to Help Children ThriveSelf-Control and Academic AchievementCognitive and noncognitive predictors of successShould non-cognitive skills be included in school accountability systems?Measuring Students’ Non-Cognitive Skills and the Impact of SchoolingGrit: A Short History of a Useful ConceptTeaching Kids 'Grit' is All the Rage."Grit" RevisitedCharacter Education: A Cautionary NoteWhat if the Secret to Success Is Failure?The Effects of the EITC on Child AchievementAcademic Performance And Food StampsThanks to Mindseye for our theme song! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

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Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
808 Ratings

About

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 If Books Could Kill
  • Show Website
    If Books Could Kill
  • Provider
    One Word LLC

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