JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EPISODES and to submit the name of your favorite poem for us to discuss on a very-near-future episode with Chad Daniels!https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile*Rediscover Lateral Thinking, a book ahead of its time as far as developing the human mind but not ahead of its time in terms of entertainment value...  Also rediscover this gem of a Book Pile episode (episode #99)  that we dug up and polished from 2022 (now with a new intro!).*If you want to read/listen to this book and support the podcast in a fun way, click here to buy the book! Free on Audible to first-time subscribers!https://amzn.to/3VD9gxs*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the book and support the podcast, click HERE!https://amzn.to/43ejtlH*This book (for reals) was George Lucas's plan B just in case Star Wars: A New Hope bombed. The idea was to use the story of this novel as a template for a very cheap follow-up movie in case A New Hope didn't make him enough money to produce Empire Strikes Back. So thank you to everyone in 1977 who bought so many movie tickets that this novel--entrusted to Alan Dean Foster--is not what we had to experience as a sequel. For those of you newer to the  podcast, Kellen and Dave roasted the strangely verbose Alan Dead Foster's novelization of the movie Transformers, and that episode was their most downloaded episode of 2023 (you should try it, it's episode #124).*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the book and support the podcast, click HERE!https://amzn.to/3P5Gy4c*Nothing could summarize this book better than this Amazon review we found: “This book provides many useful hints that will have you agreeing.” Indeed, we were agreeing! Join us as we go through many nuggets of sound advice. Plus, Dave has career advice for young listeners and Kellen wants to tell you about his cutlery.*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the book and support the podcast, click HERE for The Bodyhttps://amzn.to/49pRTV1*Have you ever laughed while reading a book about the human anatomy (and not just with giggles and pointing)? Bill Bryson writes in an almost magical style about the wonders of what we do and do not understand about our insides.*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the book and support the podcast, click HERE for Watchmenhttps://amzn.to/3uCrELW*“Who watches the watchmen?” That is the central question of this book, asked over and over. And yet they never answer it! So what was the point of asking?! It’s like when Christopher Nolan forgot to show if the top stops spinning. Just basic storytelling mistakes. Plus, Kellen discusses his love of 1990s calendars and Dave explains anti-heroes. (They’re like heroes, on opposite day!)*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the books and support the podcast, click HERE for The 4-Hour Workweek!https://amzn.to/3uFGSj7*We would've written an intro to this episode, but we didn't have time now that I guess we're only working 4 hours a week...*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EpiSoDEs!https://patreon.com/TheBookPile*To buy the books and support the podcast, click HERE for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!https://amzn.to/3HPkXZXor HERE for Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator!https://amzn.to/3UtoNiN*Wonka is available to stream this week, and in honor of it, today we're praising Roald Dahl’s most famous book, and roasting his most infamous book. That’s right! We’re covering the Charlie books, a series with a bigger sophomore slump than Pirates of the Caribbean. Plus, Dave has a brainteaser for you and Kellen can't wait for you to hear what the "positive" reviews for the Great Glass Elevator have to say...*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

Last year, Kellen and Dave both broke their personal record for number of books read, and in this episode they list their top ten picks. Plus, Kellen comes into 2024 on a mission to roast some Berenstain Bears, and Dave battles his demons (and angels) on a train.Click below to buy any or all of our favorite books from 2023 AND support the podcast at the same time!Enlightenment Nowhttps://amzn.to/3S55LwtMisfit: Growing Up Awkward in the 80'shttps://amzn.to/49lzecHA Room of One's Ownhttps://amzn.to/424cM5nHumanshttps://amzn.to/47KxecFProject Hail Maryhttps://amzn.to/3S6GLFcMaster of the Senatehttps://amzn.to/42aeHFfThe Gifts of Imperfectionhttps://amzn.to/4b3rb5LThe Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happinesshttps://amzn.to/3Hr3newThe Powerhttps://amzn.to/490kKypExcellent Advice for Livinghttps://amzn.to/49lzBUDThe Spy With No Pantshttps://amzn.to/3vEj3Z8*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.

JOIN OUR PATREON FOR BoNuS EPISODES and to purchase a CAMEO-STYLE video greeting from Dave and Kellen! (Gift to a friend or family member!)https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile*Want to purchase On Writing  and support the podcast? (Or just that first one?) Click here! Free on Audible to first-time subscribers!https://amzn.to/48L68D8*Today Kellen covers the first half of Stephen King's On Writing, which is a memoir. It's slickly written, it's funny, it's got some strong language...so pretty much the only difference between this and his novels is that his life story doesn't contain any ghosts or childrens of the corn.*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com

Buy Gary’s book, Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s: https://www.amazon.com/Misfit-Growing-Up-Awkward-80s/dp/1250777062Gary’s standup special, Born on Third Base: ​​https://www.max.com/movies/gary-gulman-born-on-3rd-base/3c80efb5-7891-463e-87b9-9e8ca7d8e6c7Gary’s standup special, The Great Depresh: https://www.max.com/movies/gary-gulman-the-great-depresh/6b6e6992-a485-42f7-b41e-ff11441da6abDave’s book / game, The Starlings: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMBBLGXN?ref=myi_title_dpWe interviewed a comedy hero of ours, Gary Gulman, about his memoir Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ‘80s. It’s funny, sweet, poignant, and redeeming. And if you’re not a fan of any of those, this book happens at the same time as Stranger Things!! Fun! Please buy Gary’s book, so that he will come back on our podcast any time he has a new book. We would like to become a necessity to him.Gary Gulman has appeared on virtually every late night show, with some of the highest viewed stand-up clips in Conan's history, and was runner-up on NBC's Last Comic Standing. He's released specials on Netflix and HBO, and appeared in the 2019 movie Joker alongside Joaquin Phoenix. He also appeared in an episode of the Amazon Original Series Inside Jokes, alongside Kellen Erskine, which is probably Gary's most important credit...*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 100 million views with his clips on Dry Bar Comedy. In 2018 he was selected to perform on the “New Faces” showcase at the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He currently tours the country www.KellenErskine.com*David Vance's videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has written viral ads for companies like Squatty Potty, Chatbooks, and Lumē, and sketches for the comedy show Studio C. His work has received two Webby Awards, and appeared on Conan. He currently works as a writer on the sitcom Freelancers.