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PODCAST

The Book Pile

Kellen Erskine and David Vance

A podcast where comedians tell you about books so you never have to read! (Now including fiction!) Kellen does standup; Dave writes ads; together they highlight lessons from the world’s best books--and some of the worst. New episode every Monday!

arts books

All Episodes

24:01

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Book Pile ·

2022/10/03

Here’s a tip for any high schoolers writing essays for English. If a teacher asks you about the symbolism in a classic novel, you are never wrong to say the book is about repressed sexual desire. The classics LOVE repressed sexual desire. Try it, you’ll get an A, I promise. Plus, in this episode Dave shares too much about his high school love life, and Kellen has never finished Oh, the Places You’ll Go!(Continued story:) I had woken from sleepwalking many times before, though not since ...

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31:06

Writing Movies for Fun and Profit – with guest Danny...

The Book Pile ·

2022/09/26

Want to learn how to write movies? This book is about writing movies! We’re joined by Danny Mac, who also writes movies. Normally these descriptions have clever jokes, but it’s late on a Sunday night, and I’m beginning to suspect you don’t read these descriptions, do you? I could probably write whatever I want here, couldn’t I? I could probably confess something real dark here, right? Hahahaha. But could I?On the night of August 12, 2017, at 4 a.m., I awoke during a camping trip at Willow Lak...

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38:26

Goodnight Moon--with guest Chad Daniels!--by Margaret...

The Book Pile ·

2022/09/19

Today three grown men, who as children presumably dreamed of doing something meaningful with their lives, give 40 minutes of analysis on a 2-minute book. Special guest Chad Daniels returns to break down this massive children’s book bestseller, and to give Dave candid thoughts on what counts as “reading”. Plus, Kellen has an excellent children’s toy idea, and Dave gives the gritty backstory of Goodnight Moon.*Check out Chad Daniels' podcast Middle of Somewhere!https://middleofsomewherepodcast....

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24:56

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

The Book Pile ·

2022/09/12

Whether war is your profession or just your hobby, this book is for you! It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert warlord with decades of killing, or a green-behind-the-ears dictator trying to make your mark on the world. This book teaches you how to do the violence! Plus, Kellen successfully surprises Dave and Dave finds remedies for his own cowardice.*To buy the book, The Art of War, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/454hkJd*TheBookPilePodcast@...

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22:18

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

The Book Pile ·

2022/09/05

This book says, if you want to be creative, treat your creativity a little more like a job! (Sadly wait for a machine to take your place. See your expectations dashed as the steady economic progress since WWII stagnates and you become the first family member in generations not to surpass their parents. It’s confusing advice.) Plus, Kellen decides whether or not to summon bears and Dave thanks this author for his own nickname.*To buy the book, The War of Art, or listen to it free on Audible AN...

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41:52

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

The Book Pile ·

2022/08/29

100 episodes of The Book Pile!! Thank you so much for listening! Our goal is to make a world where no one else ever has to read! (The way Fahrenheit 451 wanted it.) With your continued support (and horcruxes), we'll be able to keep making this podcast FOREVER. Today we cover the 7th Harry Potter, the conclusion to a series so popular that J.K. Rowling probably said to herself, “Surely nothing could ever hurt my future popularity!” Also, Dave has some notes for Dumbledore and Kellen encourages...

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19:29

Lateral Thinking by Edward de Bono

The Book Pile ·

2022/08/22

Okay, we’ll be honest. Last week’s murder mystery episode did really well. And we wanna keep riding that “whodunit” wave. So even though this is a book about creativity, not killing, we’re just gonna go ahead and say that when the author Edward de Bono died last year at age 88, he was murdered. Now are you interested? Please stay with us. Plus, Dave writes jokes the way he dates and Kellen tries to be wrong as much as possible.*To buy the book, Lateral Thinking, or listen to it free on Audibl...

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22:53

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

The Book Pile ·

2022/08/15

If you like murder mysteries AND Costco, then you will love these 10 murders for the price of one. Today we cover Agatha Christie at her best. Plus, Kellen hates a snack mentioned in this book and Dave makes fun of Thomas Jefferson (too soon?).*To buy the book, And Then There Were None, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/3rU824k*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com*Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, NBC's America'...

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23:09

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Book Pile ·

2022/08/08

If you are someone who thinks following dreams is bad, prepare to spit out your drink. The Alchemist is a book about following your own personal legend. It’s based on the alchemists of old who successfully turned lead into nerve damage. Plus, Dave apologizes for being a cynic and Kellen showboats by speaking 2 seconds of Portuguese.*To buy the book, The Alchemist, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/3OBlvXp*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com*Kellen Er...

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24:45

Doing Good Better by William MacAskill

The Book Pile ·

2022/08/01

Want to do as much good in the world as possible, but you don’t have a comedy podcast? Today’s book is about how to use data to make the biggest positive impact on the world. Plus, Dave wants you to know his net worth in Jet Skis and Kellen goes hard after the pogo sticking crowd.*To buy the book, Doing Good Better, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/3q8OMzt*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com*Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimm...

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22:31

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

The Book Pile ·

2022/07/25

There are two ways to make it as a children’s author: tell kids the world is magical (Rowling, E.B. White), or tell kids the world is horrifying (Roald Dahl, The Brothers Grimm). Shel Silverstein tells kids the world is both magical and horrifying. Plus, Kellen wants people to stop copying Picasso and Dave gets philosophical about chaos.*To buy the book, Where the Sidewalk Ends, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/43Ky2fr*TheBookPilePodcast@gmai...

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23:10

Decisive by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The Book Pile ·

2022/07/18

As humans, we all sometimes struggle with bad decision-making: confirmation bias; overconfidence; marrying and settling down in the suburbs with a spouse and family and corporate job and the white picket fence and slowly wondering over 40 years… “Is this it? Is this all there is?” Well in today’s book, Chip Heath and Dan Heath help you make better choices! Plus, Dave has some advice for literary heroines deciding to get married in their teens, and Kellen finds a new definition for the word “b...

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27:24

The Shining by Stephen King

The Book Pile ·

2022/07/11

Listen, I bet Stephen King saved a lot of money on family trips once he convinced his kids that hotels are incredibly horrifying. (Like how he wrote Cujo to avoid buying them a dog.) Today we review the horror classic The Shining. Also, Kellen discusses this book with his years of boiler-repair experience and Dave owes his brother Josh an apology.*To buy the book, The Shining, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/3rT87oR*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail....

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29:22

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Book Pile ·

2022/07/04

You know those guys who wear wedding rings made out of rubber so they don’t accidentally get a fracture? I can’t help thinking if Frodo wore one of those he would still have all his fingers. Today’s book concludes the epic Lord of the Rings saga. (It also concludes our running joke of never actually finishing a book series.) Plus, Dave thinks the ring would reveal troubling things about his personal character, and Kellen probably tells his kids Gollum is alive enjoying a happy life somewhere....

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22:04

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

The Book Pile ·

2022/06/27

Here at The Book Pile, we get a lot of fan mail asking, “Hey, when are you going to do more books about dictators? We, your fans, all love dictators.” Well today you’re in luck! Persepolis is a memoir about life under an oppressive government, for all our hardcore dictator fans (tator-tots, they call themselves). Plus, Dave wishes he had learned history better and Kellen gets called fat by some people in Brazil.*To buy the book, Persepolis, AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/...

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27:47

Contagious by Jonah Berger

The Book Pile ·

2022/06/20

If you have some kind of product you want to spread to the world, check out this podcast, unless your product is Nazis. In Contagious, Jonah Berger gives great tips for improving word-of-mouth. Plus, Kellen name drops the Today Show many times, and Dave has great news about Baby Shark.*To buy the book, Contagious, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/3OA7b1u*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com*Kellen Erskine has appeared on Conan, Comedy Central, Jimmy ...

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42:25

LIVE! THE ROAST OF Twilight: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

The Book Pile ·

2022/06/13

A live podcast! In which we make fun of the 3rd Twilight book! In a mean-spirited way! Come for the laughs, the drama, the sexism, the dull-eyed vapid characters. Stay for all the imprinting. Plus, Kellen tells a personal story about doing comedy in a cave, and Dave wants the fans to know that, like Edward, his lips are also “marble hard."*To buy the book, Eclipse, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn.to/43Jx0jW*TheBookPilePodcast@gmail.com*Kellen E...

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27:53

The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey

The Book Pile ·

2022/06/06

Want to get better at sports, music, dance, romance, or anything that involves the use of your body? (Except miming. You freak mimes, get out of here.) The Inner Game of Tennis describes an innovative approach to better, easier mastery of tennis and other activities. Plus, Kellen tries to never praise his kids, and Dave gets better at sports by focusing REALLY hard on relaxing.*To buy the book, The Inner Game of Tennis, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https...

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28:06

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury

The Book Pile ·

2022/05/30

When you hear a story, do you lose interest after like 5 minutes? Then you will LOVE short stories, a new thing we invented. Today’s book is a short story collection by Ray Bradbury, who realized that anything counts as scifi if you take a normal story and just put it on Mars. Plus, Kellen has planned out a WILD last day on Earth, and Dave wants you to think more about death.*To buy the book, The illustrated Man, or listen to it free on Audible AND support the podcast, click here!https://amzn...

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30:53

The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil

The Book Pile ·

2022/05/23

When you think of the future, what do you imagine? Flying cars? Uh, swimming planes? Boats that go on land? Well Ray Kurzweil is here to tell you how wrong you are. The Singularity is Near is full of stunning predictions about the future, made with absolute confidence even when they turn out to not be that accurate. (Kinda like when people predict “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.") It was written in 2004, so some of the book has to be read with a grain of the-iPod-was-bare...

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222 results

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