The Book Pile

By: Kellen Erskine and David Vance
  • Summary

  • 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!
    © 2024 The Book Pile
    Show more Show less
Episodes
  • Re-Issue: The Art of War, by Sun Tzu
    Sep 16 2024

    SUMMARY: Enjoy this throwback episode from September 2022 when we covered the oldest book on the podcast thus far (though the book with the oldest people is probably still Twilight...). Learn the value of surprise as Kellen startles Dave in real time, and bask in Dave's glory as he recounts winning at board games and also possibly saving someone's life (but he's still a nerd because of the board games...).

    -If you want to read or listen to
    The Art of War and support the podcast in a fun way, click here to buy the book!
    https://amzn.to/4gFuBi7


    -Listen to the audio album of Kellen's new 30-minute comedy special "Negative Comments"! Available by joining The Book Pile's Patreon at:
    https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile

    -OR watch Kellen's new comedy special here! Use promo code KELLENERSKINE
    https://www.drybarcomedy.com/kellenerskine

    -Dave’s book / game The Starlings is here:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMBBLGXN?ref=myi_title_dp

    -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 200 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.

    Show more Show less
    25 mins
  • THE LIVE ROAST OF Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday, by Alan Dean Foster
    Sep 9 2024

    SUMMARY: Today we cover a Transformers book that is “more than meets the eye." Unless your eye looked at the book and was like, “It seems bad,” in which case, yeah, it’s pretty much what met your eye. Thanks to everyone who joined us for this live episode! And thank you to the Autobots for protecting Earth. Next time please do it in a more interesting way.

    -If you want to read
    Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday and support the podcast in a fun way, click here to buy the book! (But we actually don't highly recommend this book...)
    https://amzn.to/3MEEoXU


    -Listen to the audio album of Kellen's new 30-minute comedy special "Negative Comments"! Available by joining The Book Pile's Patreon at:
    https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile

    -Dave’s book / game The Starlings is here:
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMBBLGXN?ref=myi_title_dp

    -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 200 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.

    Show more Show less
    25 mins
  • The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin, with GUEST Zoltan Kaszas!
    Sep 2 2024

    Zoltan Kaszas joins the podcast to discuss unshaven music guru Rick Rubin's humble and surprisingly deep book about making art (the "surprisingly" is just based shallowly on Rick Rubin's looks).

    -Listen to the audio album of Kellen's new 30-minute comedy special "Negative Comments"! Available by joining The Book Pile's Patreon at:
    https://www.patreon.com/TheBookPile

    See us LIVE in Los Angeles (adjacent...) on Sep 6th! Tickets here!
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kellen-erskine-stand-up-comedy-the-book-pile-podcast-tickets-952036465697?aff=Website

    To buy The Creative Act (or listen to it for free as a first time subscriber!) AND support the podcast, click here!
    https://amzn.to/4cOu3Dm

    -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 200 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

    -Zoltan Kaszas (from his website): "I filmed a Dry Bar Comedy Special “Cat Jokes” in 2017 that went viral and helped build me an audience of crazy cat lovers. Then I bombed on America’s Got Talent and vowed to one day burn down NBC. I followed that up with my latest hour “Modern Male” which I posted on YouTube at the start of the pandemic because the record company I had been working with wasn’t responding to my emails about it’s release. It currently has 3.1 million views… Oh and the record company promptly got back to me."

    Show more Show less
    39 mins

Featured Article: We’re Booked—The Best Literature Podcasts for Every Bibliophile


Love everything books and literature? Of course, you do—that’s why you're here! Don’t worry, you’re in good company. If you're a book aficionado who loves chatting about literature with like-minded people, literature podcasts are the perfect addition to your listening lifestyle. There’s no shortage of great book podcast options to choose from. Here are just a few of the best literature podcasts, covering many different genres and styles of podcasting.

What listeners say about The Book Pile

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Laugh and Learn then Laugh Again

Kellen Erskine was funny enough already but adding a David makes everything better...except the writing in this review.

I've read most of the books they talk about but never laughed like this while reading (most of) them. Plus, they actually DO go through the main points of the books in a very clear and helpful way.

The episodes are safe to listen to with children too. ALL of them. Even the scary-sounding episode 69...once they record that one in this timeline. What if they number the episodes like hotels number floors and there's no 13, no 69, no 666?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Laughter Assault…. ????

The high school geek inside me cheers every time I share that David Vance’s high school band’s name was “Pangea” Its to brilliant to be said and not get a laugh. Eventually everyone I share it with laughs….. I repeat it and define it until they do!!!! Hmmmm… maybe that’s laughter assault? Hmmmmm…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Two comedians reviewing books-what could go wrong?

Everything...in the best ways possible.

Kellen is my favorite comic and I enjoy the chemistry he and David have.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Overflowing sadness

I started listening to the podcast a few weeks ago and couldn't stop. I'm nearing the end of the episodes and don't know how I'm going to handle only listening to one episode a week. Never thought books could be so much fun and love the witty banter between Dave and Kellen (or should I say Kellen and Dave). Every episode is comedy gold. Also, as overwhelmingly positive as I've tried to make the review, I'm sure Kellen will find a way to twist it into something less than complimentary. P.S. Please roast "The Crave Series." Your listeners will love it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This podcast is great.

These guys are funny and their concept is very educational. I am surprised it's not much more popular.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love these guys!!!

I love listening to these guys! Always entertaining and fun! hilariously worth. damn the more words...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!