Billionaire Book Club: A Podcast About Books

I got to sit down with the very funny Andrew Kimler to talk about his choice, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World (2016), by Adam Grant. It's a fascinating book that challenges all sorts of conventional wisdom. Why did the Segway scooter fail? Why is it better to procrastinate? Why will no one from The Bachelor's casting office return my phone calls? Andrew is an actor and comedian who you can see performing at UCB. I'd also recommend you check out his podcast, Applying it Liberally, and follow him on Twitter @AndyKimy .

I sat down with my old friend Justin Budlow to talk about his choice, a wonderful book called Ishmael, written by Daniel Quinn. Like most good books, it's about a single man talking to a single gorilla. It's part philosophy book and part novel, and it really gave me some interesting things to think about re: the environment, how humans interact with the rest of the world, why did I never get to have a gorilla teach me things, etc. Justin is a great friend, I can only assume he's a great product manager as well, and I'd encourage you all to watch Justin play guitar on Instagram at bud_low.

I sat down with actor, comedian, and writer Amy Lynne Berger to talk about her excellent choice, B. J. Novak's One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories (2014). It's the best book of short humor pieces I've read since Jon Stewart's Naked Pictures of Famous People, and I really enjoyed reading it and talking about it. Catch Amy perform here in New York with her sketch team, The Nitro Girls, every Friday at 7 at The Magnet Theater. And absolutely follow her on Twitter@AmyLynneBerger!

I sat down to talk with educator Meredith Houff about her choice, The Most Magnificent Thing, which was written by Ashley Spires and published in 2014. It's a great read about a little girl (and her dog/assistant) who tries and tries to bring to life the invention in her mind and only manages it after realizing what she can learn from the "wrong things" she made. We talked about the book, about teaching, and about Growth Mindset. Enjoy!

This week, I sat down with standup comic and student of the classics Phil Stamato to talk about The Swerve: How The World Became Modern, written by Stephen Greenblatt and published in 2011. It tells the story of a long-lost text, On The Nature Of Things, was rediscovered in fifteenth century Italy, as well as the effects of that discovery on the thinkers (or, "Thought Leaders") of the Renaissance. You can see Phil do standup at his monthly show Nothing Important in Crown Heights, read his writing on Splitsider.com, and follow him on Twitter.

I sat down with Monique Moses to talk about Ready Player One, written by Ernest Cline and published in 2011. The book tells the story of a dystopian future in which civilization has mostly fallen apart and everyone spends much of their time inside a VR simulation called OASIS. (Can't wait!) We talk about nostalgia, representation, and adaptations! Monique is an actor and comedian you might recognize from Astronomy Club, IFC Comedy Cribs, and UCB. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @nutellacartel. 

In this episode, I sat down with David Sonshine to talk about The Fifth Sacred Thing (1993) by Starhawk. This is a really cool book which tells the story of a dystopian future in which an eco-feminist society in the Bay Area comes into conflict with their capitalist, theocractic neighbors to the south. It's a compelling adventure story, a vivid illustration of a society that lives in harmony with nature, and a meditation on nonviolence. David is a longtime friend of my brother and I.

I sat down with my friend and colleague Mike Diaz, who chose the book How To Win Friends And Influence People (1936) by Dale Carnegie. It's a fascinating book that lays out principles for human relationships, and demonstrates with exhaustive evidence how those principles can redound to your and others' benefit. Mike and I talked about our favorite principles, worked on the cast for a movie version, and discussed the line between influence and manipulation.

I sat down with Dre Wright to talk about the vital, classic work The Autobiography of Malcolm X As Told To Alex Haley (1965). Dre is a friend and coworker who may soon be starting a podcast of his own - stay tuned! We get into the arc of Malcom X's life, his philosophy (and its evolution), wolves vs. foxes, and we discuss whether Malcolm X (or someone like him) could rise to prominence today. Enjoy! 

This week, I sat down with my friend and coworker Colin Canny to talk about the new book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House (2018) by Michael Wolff. Colin agreed to speed read the book with me so that we could get an episode out in time to jump on the trending topics bandwagon. What a thrilling ride! This was a fascinating book in the same way that the Hindenburg was a fascinating rigid airship explosion. Colin and I talked about the constant leaking, who would get cast in the movie version, and Steve Bannon's odd diet.

This episode had me sitting down Shand Thomas to talk about Emma Straub's The Vacationers (2014). It's a fun and breezy story of - you guessed it - people on vacation, and we had a blast chatting about it. We covered the characters' relationships, which ones we hated and which ones we loved, some of the book's best lines, and - inexplicably - the film You've Got Mail. You can catch Shand doing improv in the city, and you can follow her on twitter @shandthomas.

I sat down with standup comedian Momoh Pujeh to talk about his selection, The Power of Now (1997) by Eckhart Tolle, a book which extols the importance of "Now" (read the book or listen to the episode for a deeper understanding of the concept, or perhaps just further confusion). This was a fun episode in part because Momoh initially hated the book, and it was only after a few subsequent reads that he came to appreciate the book - the first time a guest has had that arc. Momoh performs standup comedy in New York City - you can catch him at The Grisly Pear, and possibly on a webseries "when he gets around to it." You can follow him on Twitter at @Yopujeh. 

In this episode, I sat down with Julianna Haubner, who my friend and colleague from our college newspaper, the Colby Echo. She is one of the most voracious readers I know and is currently an editor for the publisher Simon & Schuster. We had a ball talking about E. L. Doctorow's Ragtime (1975), a riveting book about turn of the century New York. We talked about historical fiction, Julianna's job at S&S, and independent bookstores!

I sat down with Jeremy Bent to talk about Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed (1974). This is a riveting science fiction novel about two worlds & societies that have largely existed in isolation until the narrative present, and the story of the physicist, Shevek, who attempts to break down the walls between the two worlds. We talk about the ludicrous flights of fancy this book engages in, such as a society in which a minority of rich people live like kings while the majority are poor people with no prospects of upward mobility. Or, get this, the book posits an Earth that has depleted all its resources and is barely habitable! Jeremy is a hilarious improviser based in New York City, and also founded and performs on the sci-fi improv podcast Mission To Zyxx. Follow him on twitter at @JeremyMBent!

I talked with Ellen Castellini about The Dinner (2009) by Herman Koch, which tells the story of two families who must address a horrible secret over the course of - and this came out of left field for me - a dinner. It's a by turns grim and funny story, and we had a great time breaking down both parts. Ellen is a mom and accountant from Chicago, and she's also the first guest who read her choice in a real life book club! We were joined by Ellen's daughter Clare, six months old as of this recording.

In this episode, I talk with my friend Kelsey Nash about Steven Pressfield's The War of Art (2002). It was an honest and interesting conversation about the different battles we fight in trying to do creative work (or, different facets of "Resistance," as Pressfield labels them). Kelsey's an actor, filmmaker, content creator, and writer with tons of good stories of his own struggles against resistance. Listen to find out what kind of plant Kelsey re-potted instead of working on his script!

My friend Maggie Bower came on to talk about John Steinbeck's East of Eden (1952). This is one of my favorite books too, and I really enjoyed talking about Maggie's first reading of the book while leading a 50 day canoe trip in Ontario, the treatment of male vs. female characters, and, of course, "Thou Mayest." Maggie does comedy and improv in New York City and you should consider following her on twitter at @magbower . 

In this episode, I sat down with friend and poet Sarah Jean Alexander, who chose the book Inferno (A Poet's Novel), by Eileen Myles. This was a really interesting book that explores poetry, writing, queerness, and living in New York, among other things. We had a great conversation, picking different sections and ideas from the book to discuss (are subways hell? Yes!), and Sarah Jean gave a glimpse into the world of poetry readings. And stay tuned after the conversation to hear a reading of her poem, "Real Good." You can follow Sarah Jean on twitter at @sarahjeanalex  which also has links to her latest book, Stop Goddamn Apologizing. Enjoy!

I sat down with actor and comedian Ken McGraw to talk about his choice, Belushi: A Biography (2005) by Judith Belushi Pisano and Tanner Colby. We get into Belushi's tremendous life & works, his influence on Ken's life and comedy, as well as Ken's first theatrical credit as Elf No. 7. You can follow Ken on Twitter here@KenMcGraw and you can see him perform on the show Characters Welcome at UCB in the East Village.

I sat down with Bridget Scanlon to talk about David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas (2004). It's a great read, both interesting for the story/stories it contains as well as it's stylistic and structural innovations. Bridget and I talk about the novel's Russian doll structure, which sections we like best, and why the movie adaptation didn't work so well. We also coin some new words!

This episode has me talking with Ben Hargrave about The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. We talk about its prescriptions for living a good life, the good emperor's emphasis on death and on what matters, and the weird serendipity you feel when you read a book that articulates your beliefs. Ben is an actor, improviser, and writer, and you should all follow him on Twitter at @HarHarHargrave . 

In this episode, I got to talk with my fried Brandon Follick about the book You'll Grow Out Of It (2016) by Jessi Klein. We talk all about her hilarious writing style, my love of baths, and how her style in the book relates to some of her sketches on Inside Amy Schumer. Enjoy!

In this episode, I sit down with Father Anthony Andreassi, who is a Priest of the Brooklyn Oratory of St. Philip Neri and a history teacher at Regis High School in New York. Anthony chose Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory (1940), a gripping story about a "Whisky Priest" on the run from anti-clerical forces in 1920s Mexico. We talked about the book's influence on Anthony, its depictions of faith, and the similarities between the priest and his pursuer, an atheist Lieutenant of the police. Anthony also wrote the book Teach Me to be Generous: The First Century of Regis High School in New York City. 

In this episode, I sat down with standup and improviser Lucia Mueller to talk about The Kite Runner (2003) by Khaled Hosseini. We talk about the book's big strengths (emotionally affecting!) and some of its weaknesses (overdrawn archetypes and excessive authorial handholding!), and learn a little bit about Lucia and I's respective childhood pastimes.  Follow the podcast on twitter@BillionairePod!

I sat down with my friend Andy Maguire to talk about The Golden Spruce (2005) by John Vaillant. The book tells the story of Grant Hadwin, a logger who in 1997 cut down a giant golden Sitka Spruce tree in an act of protest against logging practices. It's a fascinating read and Andy and I had a great conversation touching on the tree itself, the writing style, and what kind of nurse log Andy and I would want to be. Andy is currently pursuing his PhD in Natural Resources at the University of Idaho. He's not on Twitter, but you may catch him checking traps for voles north of Alaska's Brooks Range. 

I sat down with actor Liz Wasser to talk about Neil Gaiman's American Gods (2001). This was a totally bizarre and fascinating book and I loved talking about it and hearing why Liz picked it. We cover mythology with plenty of healthy digressions into drag, writing quirks, and the elusive main character Shadow. Follow Liz on Twitter @TheLizWasser!

In this episode, I talk with Mike Middleton about Harpo Speaks (1961), Harpo Marx's autobiography written with Rowland Barber. We get into everything from the Marx Brothers' Vaudeville career to the fame of figures like Alexander Woollcott and Oscar Levant to how I personally am dismantling civilization by purchasing books off Amazon. It's a great conversation! My conversation partner Mike is a photographer, playwright, and filmmaker, and just recently co-founded a video game and filmmaking studio, SeedBolt Studios. They're just getting started but you can find them on Facebook or Twitter. 

Becky chose Where'd You Go, Bernadette (2012) by Maria Semple, a really funny book that tracks the aftermath of a mother's disappearance in an affluent Seattle neighborhood. We cover the book's innovative structure ("a fresh take on the epistolary novel for the modern age" is something I wish I'd thought of on the fly), what we learned about Antarctica, and what Becky and I would title our respective autobiographies. Becky is a comedian who performs at UCB and with the sketch groups Girls With Brown Hair and OSFUG, and I frankly insist that you follow her on Twitter at @Beckychicoine.

We get into Junot Díaz's book The Brief Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao which was published in 2007. We talk about whether you can escape your family's curses, why Mike related to the book as the child of immigrants, and my youthful crush on a certain former Secretary of State.

Rosie Wennberg joins me to talk about two essays from Judith Butler's Precarious Life (2004): "Violence, Mourning, Politics" and "Indefinite Detention," both of which deal with different post-9/11 American phenomena. The first touches on the universal experience of grief and how it can inform politics, and the second addresses the indefinite detention of humans in the prison at Guantanamo Bay. We try to understand Butler's analysis and Rosie shares some of the more memorable passages.

In this episode, I sit down with Jean-Hervey to talk Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. We talk about the incredible insights of Dr. Ian Malcolm, we explain how Martin Shkreli got his inspiration from John Hammond, and we give advice to budding scientists. 

I talk with Courtney Laird about the book she chose, In the United States of Africa by Abdourahman Waberi. We talk about some of the interesting ways in which Waberi flips traditional narratives, hear about Courtney's project to read a book by an author from every African country, and have an all around wonderful time.

I talk with James Wells about the book he chose, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig. We get into Pirsig's theory of Quality, we talk about James's motorcycle, and we - this is the undiluted truth - have a lot of fun.