The Book Pile

This book is one of those things you buy just in case, although you hope you never need it — like fire insurance, or a bone saw. In So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Jon Ronson explores the stories of people whose lives were ruined by public shaming. Plus, Kellen tries to explain his misunderstood set on Jimmy Kimmel, and Dave wants you to know whatever comments of his you’ve heard were taken OUT OF...

In honor of the Da Vinci Code, today’s episode description is written using Dan Brown’s prose: Chapter 1 The two podcast hosts entered the studio, with their probing blue eyes, arrestingly deep voices, and “erudite” appeal. They tasted the familiar tang of a podcast studio — an arid, deionized essence that carried a faint hint of carbon — the product of industrial, coal-filter dehumidifiers. Then...

W e discuss our 10 favorite books we read in 2021, PLUS we've included more bonus audio from the botched live-taping of THE ROAST of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. * TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com * Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live! , NBC's America's Got Talent , and the Amazon Original Series Inside Jokes . He has garnered over 50 million views wi...

Among all the classic horror books dealing with horrifying supernatural terrors preying upon small children, this is the one with the prettiest poetry. Plus, Dave dumbs things way down, and Kellen tries to save the Berlin Wall. * To buy the book, Something Wicked This Way Comes , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/43TPRsy * TheBookPilePodcast@gmail...

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel grappling with bigotry and other issues facing America, and also it’s way better when you’re not being forced to read it for a grade. Plus Kellen has a great idea for long lines at Disneyland, and Dave wants to someday be as lazy as Harper Lee. * To buy the book, To Kill a Mockingbird , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! ht...

In today’s Netflix society, full of rampant paranoia about the dangers of sociopaths, it’s important to remember… they could be anyone! Today Kellen and Dave show off their psychology credentials (none) in this discussion of antisocial personality disorder. Plus, Kellen has serious doubts about quadruplets and Dave stands up for sociopaths almost to a suspicious degree. * To buy the book, The Soci...

Today’s episode is a thrilling murder mystery, an engaging character drama, and a profound examination of heavy topics, all written by Sherlock’s nemesis. Plus, Kellen misbehaves at a zoo and Dave comes up with a nightmare factory. * To buy the book, Big Little Lies , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/3KjPBML * TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com * Kelle...

Rachel Ignotofsky is a phenomenal writer, illustrator, and designer, and in today’s book she introduces us to her magnificent fictional planet of “Earth.” Come experience her excellent worldbuilding as she introduces creatures called “animals” that live in mystical “ecosystems." Plus, Dave gets shamed for visiting Machu Picchu and Kellen pitches an excellent new protein supplement. * To buy t...

Today’s episode on Dune is just like the movie: we both wore enormous fat suits, and failed to warn you this is only Part 1 of 2. Today we cover the scifi classic that inspired the blockbuster movie. Plus, Kellen launches a great new diaper line, and Dave gives a warning about madmen. * To buy the book, Dune , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/3Yh...

In 2014, Sony was hacked in a massive crime that leaked terabytes of data, causing immense suffering to the Sony team – and helped us learn about movies! This book goes behind the scenes on what it’s like to run a movie studio. Also, Kellen begins his rap career and Dave leans into his German origins. * To buy the book, The Big Picture , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, cli...

Have you ever read a book and just known the author’s marriage is terrible? Today’s roast is New Moon -- about a love triangle where the protagonist does NOT love one of the boys, so it’s a janky triangle with a leg that’s way shorter -- the first isosceles love triangle! Plus, Kellen moves on from his Twilight-loving past, and Dave does not move on from his Twilight-hating present. ***NOTE*** Thi...

Jurassic Park helped launch a classic American genre -- a park that seems fun but is actually trying to kill you (Westworld, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Disneyland). Plus, Kellen has a fun description of an ankylosaurus, and Dave thinks there should be a scene in Jurassic Park where a velociraptor is on a beach and sees an ancient velociraptor Statue of Liberty, and is like, “You animals!!!”...

The Far Side proves what Kellen’s mocking of Dave proves – good comedy can come from the suffering of others. Today we discuss a book that discusses one of the greatest comic strips of all time. Also, Dave promotes his college band, and Kellen says there are no rules to comedy, but we’ll see if that holds up in court. * To buy the book, The Prehistory of the Far Side , AND support the podcast, cli...

Atomic Habits shares tips on developing habits so that you can reach any goal, be it neurosurgeon, nuclear physicist, unpaid comedic podcaster in his 30s, or President. Plus, Dave turns his family members into hostages and Kellen takes a cheat day, on his diet and taxes. * To buy the book, Atomic Habits , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amzn.to/45aC7L0...

How do things become popular? In Hit Makers, Derek Thompson examines the qualities of massively successful products and people, including iPhones, ESPN, Adele, The Lion King, The Book Pile, and Star Wars. Plus, Kellen tries to trick you by rhyming, and Dave wants to sell you cigarettes. * To buy the book, Hit Makers , or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here! https://amz...

As Niels Bohr once said, the best way to learn complex physics is by listening to two comedians who are VERY confident they understand it. Physics of the Impossible discusses technologies like teleportation, phasers, and invisibility that may be possible in the future, and boy is it exciting and terrifying! Plus, Dave is one of those dumb UFO crazies and Kellen is one of those lame UFO skeptics. *...

The Two Towers is the book where Viggo Mortenson breaks his toe. It is also the second book in Tolkien’s sprawling Lord of the Rings saga, and unlike Return of the King, it doesn’t have the biggest spoiler right in the title. Plus, Kellen has more critiques of Tolkien’s songwriting, and Dave says Gollum can teach you how to be popular. * To buy the book, The Two Towers , or listen to it free on Au...

In Talk Like TED, Carmine Gallo gives tips for giving a TED Talk. But we did some research and, uh… he hasn’t given a TED Talk. So is this allowed now? We can just write How-To books for things we haven’t done? Check out Dave’s new book, How to Date Florence Pugh. Needless to say this book has some helpful advice, some wild guesses, and we're here to help you navigate through all of it, The-B...

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is Rowling’s sixth… okay look, this episode description isn’t going to make any difference, right? Either you’re a Harry Potter fan and you’re going to listen to this episode, or you’re not. Do you think any cute book description here will get you to take the bait? Forget it. Let’s not kid ourselves. This was predestined long before today. Plus, Kellen has mo...

Jane Austen began writing Sense and Sensibility as a 20-year-old first-time author, in a time when women had incredible difficulty being published at all and, uh... boy do we have notes! Plus, Dave wants the Dashwood sisters to be exactly the same (in a feminist way!), and Kellen finally shows us his Snape/Colonel Brandon impression. * To buy the book, Sense and Sensibility , or listen to it free...

If you ever feel depressed that your job isn’t inherently meaningful, read this book so the author can tell you that NOTHING is meaningful! Really puts things in perspective. But seriously, Sapiens is a short and interesting history of humankind. Plus, Kellen believes money can make you happy and Dave has a new idea for what to put on Bitcoin. P.S. We apologize for Kellen's subpar audio quali...

Ever notice how every single Count is obsessed with killing people? Olaf, Dracula, Dooku, Monte Cristo....Today’s book is A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Listen to it while eating some Count Chocula, which will also kill you. Plus, Dave wants you to write a will and Kellen hates the Berenstain Bears. (Yeah, it’s spelled Berenstain, isn’t that embarrassing?) * To buy the book, A S...

Sometimes after slogging through some technical, academic books like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, we like to kick back with a real thriller like Good Economics for Hard Times. We both really liked it, except Kellen. Plus, Dave has a great idea for a factory and Kellen isn’t scared of robots, so you know they’re gonna kill him first. * To buy the book, Good Economics for Hard Times , or liste...

In 2004, feminist author Stephenie Meyer critiqued the romance genre with her parody book, Twilight, featuring a man so abusive and a woman so dull that no one could ever admire either character. Today we give her masterpiece the academic analysis it deserves. Just kidding, we’re roasting this one. Plus, Kellen is keeping this book away from his 17-year-old daughter and Dave places a bounty on Edw...

Back to the Future is a story of a 17-year-old high-schooler hanging out with a super, super old man, much like our upcoming episode on Twilight. We Don’t Need Roads tells the story behind this groundbreaking sci-fi series. Plus, Kellen harasses DeLorean drivers, and Dave has an apology for Rebecca Black. * To buy the book, We Don't  Need Roads , or listen to it free on Audible AND support th...