The Book Pile

Kellen is a big fan of Michael Crichton, and who isn't? (Dinosaurs and Crichton's four ex-wives, that's who...) This is the correct list of Crichton's thrillers from worst to best, and as with all lists of entertainment, you are going to agree with the placement of every one of these books and not object to anything... * To buy the books or listen to one for free on Audible and...

Before it was a great movie, it was a un-great book. And this shark book would have been much better if it stuck to writing about sharks. Instead, it is about the “shark” of adult life: extramarital infidelity. It is also about the “shark” of the mafia world – the mafia. Plus, Kellen says there’s no such thing as too much conflict, and Dave says there’s no such thing as too much adultery. * To buy...

Today we cover one of the most heartwarming children’s series in history, both in the sense of being sweet, and in the sense of roasting your enemy’s heart on a spit. Book 1, The Little Prince , covers how a little boy travels the stars. And Book 2, The Prince, is how your least favorite politician came to power. Plus, Dave has thoughts on velociraptors and Kellen wants you to follow your dreams....

Bears don't hibernate, they weight-train through the winter. This is just one of hundreds of bear facts available in the fictional non-fiction book Bears Want to Kill You: The Authoritative Guide to Survival in the War Between Man and Bear. Author Ethan Nicolle (who has a girl's last name) joins Kellen, sharing not only insights from writing this book, but stories of his encounters with...

Dragons. Treasure. Adventures. Daring. This story has everything! (Except women.) Join Bilbo Baggins, and Kellen and Dave, as we travel Middle Earth with this classic fantasy book. Plus, Kellen has pointers on writing good riddles in the dar, Dave makes a big announcement, and Gandalf's original name sounded like medicine. * To buy the book, The Hobbit , or listen to it free on Audible AND su...

You get one and half episodes this week (the half being today's mini-episode), so you're welcome. Dave and Kellen tease a couple details from All The Songs ,  the book  they're covering this Thursday, 6/15, which details every song that The Beatles (a small band from England) ever recorded. Plus, Kellen gets almost as dark as John Lennon's lyrics with a John Lennon joke, and Da...

Have you ever wondered if you're living your full potential? Well Richard Bach doesn't think you've ever wondered that, and he spends a lot of time using a bird to tell you that you should live your full potential. * To buy the book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/473U6Vl * TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.c...

Our YouTube channel is here (audio only, for now): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Stop! This book is a TRAP to trick you into thinking about MATH and SCIENCE by luring you in with your EMOTIONS. Don’t fall for it! Even though this collection of stories is fantastic. You can’t trick us THAT easily, Ted Chiang. No one’s gonna fool ol’ Dave and Kellen into knowing stuff! Plu...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Nike. Is it in you? Today we cover the wild rise of one of the world’s most popular companies. Follow Phil Knight as he builds a clothing empire using elbow grease, hard work, crimes, and confidence! Plus, Dave and Kellen discuss their worst sporting moments, and want to hear yours too. * To buy the book, Shoe Do...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ We’re back. With all the things you wanted. More Twilight. More Jacob zingers. More deus ex machina. Less plot. Less emotion. Come with us one last time to bid farewell to this incredible franchise! (Unless we do Midnight Sun.) * To buy the book, Breaking Dawn , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the pod...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Have you ever read a book so hilarious that you couldn’t fit all the jokes you wanted to make about it into one podcast episode? Enjoy our first TWO-PART Book Pile episode. It’s part 1 of Breaking Dawn, the thrilling conclusion to the Twilight saga. Every climax needs a good twist, and in Breaking Dawn the twist...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Here is a book about how to be a better writer. First off, focus on brevity. * To buy the book, Story , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/47geMJH * TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com * Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC's...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Are you looking for a nice, easy read – a period piece perhaps? Full of adventure, romance, and tropical getaways? Handsome soldiers? Sporting achievements? Then you will love Unbroken, which is a good, fun romp through the Pacific Isles! Read it any time you’re feeling stressed! Plus, Kellen has advice for not g...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Would you kill an entire civilization of aliens to save your family? Or just for fun? That is the question posed by this sci-fi classic, Ender’s Game, about a group of little boys killing bugs, tale as old as time. (If child soldiers are this effective, it makes you really curious how good BABY soldiers are!) Plu...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ If you have friends who think it’s unimportant to be earnest, you NEED to show them this book! A wake-up call! Today we discuss Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy. Plus, Kellen thinks there's someone lurking in his car, and Dave thinks your jokes should be more specific. (Unless they are specifically about his hug...

Love, pride, loss, grief, strength; what do these words have in common? They all have one syllable. Anyway today's book is Little Women, which is only slightly disappointing when you discover that it's not actually about teeny tiny people . . . just normal-size humans. Also, Kellen and Dave discuss The Rock's questionably motivational speech, and Kellen discovers a code behind one o...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ "To be, or not to be, that is the question..." and the second question is, "What is Hamlet's last name?" Join us as we discuss the greatest play by the greatest writer. Plus Kellen thinks Hamlet should've been more scared of that skull; Dave defends Radiohead again; and both of them...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Think the world is getting better? Getting worse? Staying the same? Just okay? Go to our YouTube channel comment section for a lively discussion of ideas! Except ideas that are critical of us in any way. Plus, Dave has a beef with babies and Kellen discovered describes the worst paper route. * To buy the book, En...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ If you like stuff turning into stuff (okay, Charles Darwin…) then you will LOVE when robots-turn-into-cars is turned into a blockbuster movie, which turns into a piece-of-crap book, which turns into this roast. Enjoy how much we didn’t enjoy Transformers! Also, Kellen has a scheme involving Daniel Day Lewis and D...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ Want to improve your willpower so that you can work hard and rise above your station, obscuring the shameful secret of your low birth as you hobnob with the bourgeoisie? Us too! Today’s book is The Willpower Instinct about improving your weak willpower. Plus, Dave is still reeling from pop-science books past, and...

Our YouTube channel is here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QXNiZn4c0btMe0K0piUeQ For Valentine’s Day, if you’re ever feeling inadequate as a lover, just remember that at least you and your sweetheart aren’t dead because of bad communication and being overdramatic. Ah, young love! Today we cover the most iconic love story of the last 1,000 years. Plus, Kellen is grateful Romeo and Juliet don&a...

Today’s book is a thrilling sci-fi adventure, and it has everything – comedy, action, science, aliens, references to the Beatles, two f-bombs (just the right amount!), and cowardice. Plus, Dave has thoughts on human laziness and Kellen loves science museums for the wrong reasons. * To buy the book, Project Hail Mary , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amz...

Today we answer the hard-hitting questions. How do you separate good science from bad? Which studies should you believe? And if vaccines are so safe, how come Jonas Salk still died??? Plus, Dave explains what a p-value is. (Answer: boring.) And Kellen inhales a lungful of secondhand smoke to prove a point. * To buy the book, Science Fictions , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcas...

This excellent memoir covers the legendary career and rollercoaster life of Elton John, the original Honky Cat (note: do not call random white people this, they do NOT like it). Plus, Kellen wants you to know what row he sat in at Elton John’s concert, and Dave has some thoughts on Bob Dylan. * To buy the book, Me , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn....

Today’s episode is about a beautiful book on the life of an immigrant Indian-American family, interspliced with Dave and Kellen’s thoughts on the classic film The Land Before Time. We discuss the role of literature in building empathy for experiences unlike your own, and we also sing the classic song If We Hold On Together from The Land Before Time. Plus, Dave still wants you to buy his book so th...