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If Books Could Kill

Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri
If Books Could Kill
Latest episode

78 episodes

  • If Books Could Kill

    Three Cups of Tea

    05/08/2026 | 1h 52 mins.
    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 Patreon
    Our merch!
    Peter's newsletter
    Peter's other podcast, 5-4
    Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
    Sources:
    Three Cups of Deceit
    “60 Minutes” expose
    3000 Cups of Deceit
    Books vs Bombs? Humanitarian development and the narrative of terror in Northern Pakistan
    Delusional States
    Can't Get There From Here
    Nobel Prize Nominee’s Charity Wins No Award for Accountability
    David Oliver Relin, Adventurous Journalist, Dies at 49
    What Mortenson Got Wrong
    Three Cups of Tea: The Pakistan and Afghan side
    3 Lessons to Learn From Greg Mortenson 
    Mortenson returns to Afghanistan
    The naive republic of aid: Grassroots exceptionalism in humanitarian memoir
    Religious School Enrollment in Pakistan: A Look at the Data
    If you build it, will they come?
    What Really Works to Improve Learning in Developing Countries?
    The madrassa scapegoat
    Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
  • If Books Could Kill

    The Body Keeps The Score

    18/06/2026 | 1h 49 mins.
    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 Patreon
    Our merch!
    Peter's newsletter
    Peter's other podcast, 5-4
    Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
    Sources:
    What the Most Famous Book About Trauma Gets Wrong
    Trauma: A Genealogy
    Remembering Trauma
    Advocates of Research-Supported Treatments for PTSD are Losing 
    Tell Me Why It Hurts
    ‘The Body Keeps the Score’ offers uncertain science
    Your Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile Inside  
    PTSD and complex PTSD: a review of reviews
    What Does It Mean When 38% Forget?
    Multiple Identity Enactments and Multiple Personality Disorder: A Sociocognitive Perspective
    The Brain Is Adaptive Not Triune
    Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
  • If Books Could Kill

    Think And Grow Rich

    21/05/2026 | 1h 3 mins.
    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 Patreon
    Our merch!
    Peter's newsletter
    Peter's other podcast, 5-4
    Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
    Sources:
    The Untold Story of Napoleon Hill, the Greatest Self-Help Scammer of All Time
    A Lifetime of Riches
    How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
    How a Different America Responded to the Great Depression
    The Psychic Scandal
    How Trump Turned The Power of Positive Thinking Into Delusion
    Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
  • If Books Could Kill

    Grit

    30/04/2026 | 1h 19 mins.
    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 Patreon
    Our merch!
    Peter's newsletter
    Peter's other podcast, 5-4
    Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
    Sources:
    Much Ado About Grit
    What Shall We Do About Grit?
    Grit under attack
    Teaching “Grit”
    The Problem With Grit
    The Limits of “Grit”
    Grit: The power of passion and perseverance
    Is 'Grit' Doomed To Be The New Self-Esteem?
    Measurement Matters
    Using Psychological Science to Help Children Thrive
    Self-Control and Academic Achievement
    Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success
    Should non-cognitive skills be included in school accountability systems?
    Measuring Students’ Non-Cognitive Skills and the Impact of Schooling
    Grit: A Short History of a Useful Concept
    Teaching Kids 'Grit' is All the Rage.
    "Grit" Revisited
    Character Education: A Cautionary Note
    What if the Secret to Success Is Failure?
    The Effects of the EITC on Child Achievement
    Academic Performance And Food Stamps
    Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
  • If Books Could Kill

    CROSSOVER EVENT: Tim Ferriss’s "The 4-Hour Body"

    16/04/2026 | 1h 8 mins.
    Peter went on Mike's other show, Maintenance Phase, to revisit a biohacking diet book for the boys.
    Where to find us: 
    Our Patreon
    Our merch!
    Peter's newsletter
    Peter's other podcast, 5-4
    Mike's other podcast, Maintenance Phase
    Sources:
    The 4-Hour Body
    Does Glycemic Index Matter for Weight Loss? An Examination of the Evidence 
    New! Improved! Shape Up Your Life! 
    The 4-Hour Body: The Real App You Are Working On Is An App Called Yourself
    Thanks to Mindseye for our theme song!
    Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IfBooksPod
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About If Books Could Kill
The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds
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