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If Books Could Kill

Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
  • 4.7 (64)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

  1. 4 DAYS AGO ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Worst Iran Takes

    Trump took America to war and the nation's pundits took readers to the dumbest recesses of their brains. Note: We recorded this almost two weeks ago, so if you're curious why we don't mention very much after the initial bombing, that is why!

    1hr 3min

  2. 5 MAR

    Bullshit Jobs

    Peter and Michael discuss "Bullshit Jobs" by anarchist anthropologist David Graeber. The result: two professional podcasters debating which jobs are real and which jobs are fake. Where to find us:  Our PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs: A Work Rant37% of British workers think their jobs are meaninglessAverage Annual Hours Worked by Persons Engaged for United StatesThe times they are not changin’: Days and hours of work in Old and New Worlds, 1870–2000‘Bullshit’ After All? Why People Consider Their Jobs Socially UselessAlienation Is Not ‘Bullshit’: An Empirical Critique of Graeber’s Theory of BS JobsMany people feel they work in pointless ‘bullshit’ jobs, research confirmsThe Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure Study: Leisure Time DeclinesUSA Consumption as percent of GDPThe Significance of Task Significance: Job Performance Effects, Relational Mechanisms, and Boundary ConditionsTask significance and meaningful work: A longitudinal studyAmericans’ job satisfaction in 2024Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!

    1 hr

  3. 23 FEB ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The "Epstein Is A Moral Panic" Moral Panic

    Oh, you're upset about the elite pedophile ring? Wait until you hear what people are saying about it on Bluesky.

    1hr 3min

  4. 5 FEB

    The Millionaire Next Door

    It turns out that the key to wealth is buying the right kind of watch, marrying the right kind of wife and being the right kind of white. Where to find us:  Our PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: Uneasy StreetA Century of Wealth In AmericaFamily, Education, and Sources of Wealth among the Richest Americans, 1982–2012Wealth Elite MoralitiesThe insane growth of America’s millionaire classThe Extraordinary Rise In The Wealth Of Older American HouseholdsPlanning & Progress Study 2025Striking Out on Their Own: The Self-Employed in BankruptcyHow Many Households Meet The Net Worth Guidelines Of The Millionaire Next Door?Paying Tribute to Thomas Stanley and His ‘Millionaire Next Door’Pity the BillionairesWhat Rich Women WantThe deserving or undeserving rich?The Evolution of Top IncomesThanks to Mindseye for our theme song!

    1hr 11min

  5. 29 JAN ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Olivia Nuzzi's "American Canto"

    Michael and Peter discuss the saga of disgraced political reporter Olivia Nuzzi, her affair with the most grotesque man on Earth, and her terrible new book.

    1hr 47min

  6. 29/12/2025

    The Worst Takes of 2025 [TEASER]

    The boys catalog the definitive worst takes of the year, from the pundits who misunderstood our political moment to a guy who wants to have sex with a computer. To hear the rest of the episode, support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod

    50 min

  7. 29/12/2025 ·  BONUS • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Worst Takes of 2025

    The boys catalog the definitive worst takes of the year, from the pundits who misunderstood our political moment to a guy who wants to have sex with a computer.

    1hr 16min

  8. 18/12/2025

    Elon Musk Part 2

    The boys continue their discussion of Walter Isaacson's "Elon Musk." This is the part where Elon loses his mind.  Where to find us:  Our PatreonOur merch!Peter's newsletterPeter's other podcast, 5-4Mike's other podcast, Maintenance PhaseSources: From self-proclaimed ‘socialist’ to Team Trump and DeSantis: Elon Musk’s curious politics revealed  The Quiet Political Rise of David Sacks, Silicon Valley’s Prophet of Urban DoomElon Musk biographer admits suggestion SpaceX head blocked Ukraine drone attack was wrong Elon Musk's Daughter on Dad's Biography: 'Sad Excuse for a Puff Piece'Character LimitTwitter fulfilling more government censorship requests under Musk Elon Musk booed for nearly 5 minutes straight at Dave Chappelle show in San Francisco New CNN Chief Trying to Please GOP Elite Research finds more than 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues, including more than 4 million children under fiveWhat the data says about Social Security Trump Administration, DOGE Activities Risk SSA Operations and Security of Personal DataThanks to Mindseye for our theme song!

    1hr 31min
See All (115)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
64 Ratings

About

The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    115
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 If Books Could Kill
  • Show Website
    If Books Could Kill
  • Provider

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