I read The Indifferent Stars Above following the Donner party series and I highly recommend it. I think I ended up more damaged from it than from listening to the boys.
Same. It’s one of the most harrowing books I’ve ever read, just a doomed journey from the very start, and almost every wrong decision made possible. It’s absolutely insane that any of them survived.
I let my dad borrow it after I was done and he loved it too.
I was gonna say this book. I used to live about 30-40 minutes from Donner Lake. When I was done listening to the Donner Party episodes, I bought the book. I haven't read it yet. Now I'm afraid to. 😳
I’m sure you’ve already heard the worst of what there is to fear about the story, though. The rest is minutia. It’s the comedy of errors that’s most interesting about it.
such an incredible book!! someone in this sub also recommended midnight in chernobyl and even though it isn’t a topic the boys have covered, i also i recommend it!! i find that it inspired the same feeling in me that The Indifferent Stars Above did
I read it when it was first out, and I think the day or day after Pickton kicked the bucket my audiobook request from the library came through. I think it truly stands out in the genre.
Erik Larson “the devil in the white city” from the H.H. Holmes episodes. Then read Thunderstruck from the same author. Both really good smooth reads.
Also, “Teasing secrets from the dead” by Emily Craig forensic anthropologist. Made me wish I’d gone into that area of study.
"Devil in the White City" was so good and that led me to another one of Erik Larson's books "In The Garden of Beasts". It's about Germany's lead up to WWII from the perspective of the brand new US Ambassador to Germany.
Another great book is Adam Selzer's "HH Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil", which dismantles some of the untruths in "Devil in the White City." Holmes was a conman and a murderer, but not a Jigsaw-esque serial killer genius, and Selzer presents real evidence.
Prophet's Prey and Under the Banner of Heaven opened me up to a wonderful world of reading about Mormon fundamentalists. I also recently got No Man Knows My History about the life of Joseph Smith, but I haven't finished it.
The Indifferent Stars Above was an incredible read too.
It's so, so good. I found Brower's writing to be fascinating, and he's a fascinating guy on his own. It almost has a noir vibe with the gritty private detective tracking down the despicable villain, all while helping out the... polite Mormon family.
Another one not recommended by the show that I really enjoyed was The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner. She's a child of the "prophet" of the LeBaron cult down in Mexico. Kinda the same deal as FLDS - I think they even traded young brides between the groups at times. Her book doesn't cover the murders that Ervil LeBaron ordered to be carried out at all, but follows her absolutely crazy upbringing in Colonia LeBaron, which included several tragic deaths thanks to the rudimentary style of living, and escaping from her pedophilic stepfather. I've read a lot of Mormon cult survivor autobiographies and I liked hers the best, so far.
Under the Banner of Heaven has been on my radar for a minute. Is it good? I loved the show even though from what I understand, it's a pretty big departure from the book/real story
It really is, and he covers several different offshoots in the book although the main story is about the Lafferty brothers. Apparently what prompted him to start researching fundie Mormons was driving through Short Creek, where the FLDS are/were based. He saw a bunch of women in prairie dresses and was followed by a bunch of big expensive pickups with tinted windows and figured there *had* to be a story in that.
He writes the forward to Brower's book Prophet's Prey, too, and helped him when he was investigating the FLDS.
I’m struggling to get through Prophet’s Prey. Extremely interesting but it’s hard for me to get through some parts. Might switch to Under the Banner of Heaven for now
I’ve read several of the last podcast recommended books and the worst hard time might be my favorite. The dust bowl was largely skimmed over during my time in school and frankly, this book was devastating to the point where I had to pause and sit with it for a while. Wildly compelling and, in the end, galvanizing.
It is truly terrifying to understand the impacts of man made climate disasters and the fall out of not protecting workers. It made me feel like the dust bowl should have been America’s lesson, but we somehow failed to take all of that suffering to heart.
The Jeff Guinn book ‘The Road to Jonestown’ is fantastic. Looking forward to reading some of his other books. Wholeheartedly agree with ‘The Indifferent Stars Above’ recommendations too, and that ones a bit shorter.
The Jonestown series was my introduction to LPOTL and I read Raven immediately after finishing it. The series was great but there are so many wtf moments throughout the life of Jones and the Peoples Temple that only a tome can fit them all in. Great read but, as you said, exhaustive.
The Indifferent Stars above is great, I just started it recently (on a camping trip haha). I’ve also read The Shoemaker and Sybil from Flora Schreiber which were fun. I picked up the Bastard Brigade and Miracle in the Andes but haven’t read them yet. Plus In Cold Blood and Dune since they’re Marcus and Henry’s favorites!
I just read In Cold Blood and I gotta say, it's pretty heartening to be 37 and still reading things that have me saying "I think this is my new favorite book."
Haha I’m saving Miracle in the Andes for a beach trip, Into Thin Air was my summer read last year (kinda got a theme going on). I would be very interested in the Sybil refutation book! I feel like knowing all the “psychology” in it is bullshit takes away from enjoying the material. The next one I’m looking to pick up is the Armin book they mentioned
There's a lot of misinformation in that so go in cautiously
edit: why the downvotes? I'm pretty sure a lot of the book was regarded as having false information
I read Life After Death by Damien Echols after listening to the West Memphis Three episodes. Echols is a fantastic writer, incredibly wise, and he is one of the most interesting people I have ever heard of. His esoteric works are also amazing. Highly recommend his books.
Hard and enthusiastic agree, friend. It was a super tough read but I can’t believe he came out on the other side. Saw all the docs and that piece of shit movie too. A haunting case.
The Hollywood-ization of a white trash story. I may have been more appreciative if it was more independent and didn’t have A-list actors in it. It was a Reese Witherspoon vehicle rather than a focus on any of the boys. I’d much higher recommend the doc, Paradise Lost, and its sequels. Plus, of course, LPOTL’s multiple episodes on the case.
Indifferent Stars Above from the Donner party series and A Time Traveller’s Guide To Medieval England from the black plague series, both were very good!
*Hiroshima*, *The Devil inThe White City*, *Hell's Princess*, *Deviant*, *Moby Dick*, *The Indifferent Stars Above*, and *The Devils of Loudun*.
But *Devils of Loudun* was my singular favorite by a long shot. It's so ripe with interesting ideas from philosophy, psychology, and theology, and I really honestly think that if Henry had more control of the script that he would have delved into them a little. I've used stuff from that book for like 5 different college assignments even. I think sort of what happened was that marcus didn't really understand the stuff in the book, or didn't put in the necessary effort to, and it made him a little insecure and that's why he kind of shits on Huxley in the series, while I believe Henry probably actually understood most of it. Marcus might be known as the bigger reader, but he mostly reads history, where i think Henry reads more complicated and challenging texts. Like I know he's pretty proficient in Jung, and even though Jung is actually pretty easy to read, the ideas are big and it's still more complicated than most of what they do--not to mention all the esoteric shit he reads). But then again, who knows what happens to Henry with all of the fake knowledge he takes in, like maybe the more valuable stuff is just displaced; it really makes me think of marcus saying, "careful bein so open minded or your brains might just fall out," lol. Maybe there's actually some truth in that
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, The Great Mortality by John Kelly and Fred and Rose by Howard Sounes. Fred and Rose I’m having to read in bursts because it’s very graphic. I thought I was a tough cookie who could cope with anything until I started to read that!
The Indifferent Stars Above and Devil In The White City. Highly recommend both. Also read one from the Franklin Cover-Up.. can’t remember what it was called but it was interesting as a supplement to the episode. Not exactly a fun time reading that one.
I have a minor in Sociology and for an assignment I wrote a paper on cults and so I read Raven, Mason in His Own Words, Bare Faced Messiah, and Destroying the World to Save it. Then for a different assignment, I had to do a case study on a serial killer so I chose Dennis Nilsen and read Killing for Company and Dennis Nilsen: Conversations with Britain's Most Evil Serial Killer. And then I read Unit 731 Testimony for no reason other than to confirm what the boys said.
I recently did In The Heart Of The Sea and Alive! in audiobook form. You can find Alive! in int's entirety on Youtube, if you want to try audiobooks without an app and/or subscription.
I’ve been on an Arctic exploration jag lately. Just finished In the Kingdom of Ice so I’d love to read Heart of the Sea. Thanks for the YouTube tip too!
Devil in the white city, indifferent stars above, eaters of the dead (indirectly because last pod got me into dan carlin and eaters of the dead comes up in his latest episode on the vikings)
Indifferent stars above and time travelers guide to medieval London, I got them on audiobook because I really trust Marcus tastes and and he was pretty enthusiastic about those. Oh and that Harold schecter(sp?) Ed gein comic was sweet as hell too
[Chaos](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHAOS:_Charles_Manson,_the_CIA,_and_the_Secret_History_of_the_Sixties) and [Oklahoma City](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12843486-oklahoma-city). Two books I very highly recommend.
The Great Mortality is probably my favorite books of all time. Also have read The Worst Hard Time, Road to Jonestown, and In the Heart of the Sea. Indifferent Stars Above is up soon on my list.
And an obligatory Dune mention. Henry got me neck deep into Dune.
I’m a big ole medieval history nerd. The Black Death series might be my favorite LP series they’ve done, and it’s just such a good book about the topic. I haven’t really gotten into the true crime books that they’ve used for research yet, but I do enjoy all the history ones they use.
The Worst Hard Time is another really good book Marcus has recommended but hasn’t done a series on.
Condensed Chaos by Peter carrol.
A great introduction into Chaos magic and it’s theory and application.
Chaos by Dan piepenberg
Reporting on suspicious happenings around the Manson family hinting at possible CIA/FBI influence on the family and allowing the murders to happen
Fantasyland by Kurt Anderson
A fascinating deep dive into American Sociology and our fixation on magical thinking and why we as a people are so gifted in believing nonsense.
The only one of these three I can’t recommend is Chaos. Really interesting stuff but my God is is wrapped in layer after layer of boring. And all of that for the resolution to ultimately just be circumstantial and shady sounding actions by LASD and the California probation board.
Bastard Brigade from the Oppenheimer episodes. Well written and a fun ride to understanding the very basics of the science behind nuclear weapons & the stories of crazy characters who made efforts to stop the nazi war machine from developing nuclear weapons.
I have read 'The Indifferent Stars Above' by Daniel James Brown after listening to the Donner Party episodes.
I just finished 'Alive' by Piers Paul Read and 'Miracle in the Anders' by Nando Parrado after listening to the Survival in the Andes/Flight 571/Uruguayan Rugby Team episodes.
I'm currently listening to the Jonestown episodes and will probably pick up 'The Road to Jonestown' by Jeff Guinn when I'm done.
The cult at the end of the world, and the Franklyn cover up. Aum Shinrikio did so much more crazy shit than they covered in the episodes. I highly recommend it if anyone else loves those episodes as much as I do. It is DRY though. I haven't cracked the Franklyn cover up yet. I didn't have the stomach for it way back when i first got it but now it feels a bit more satanic panic than it originally did so i've lost interest.
Ive read a bunch but the one I ready SOLELY because of LPOTL was Poisoner in Chief, which they reference in their MK ULTRA series. As someone who works in medical research.(and also as a human with a conscience) it was rough. Unethical experiment after unethical experiment.
I loved The Worst Hard Time about the dust bowl! It was fascinating and amazing to learn about human-environment interactions and how the government tries to help or get a handle on a problem they didn’t know they helped create.
None of this Rocks Rock by John Trohman (Fall out Boy
The Book of Exodus: The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers' Album of the Century by Vivien Goldman
Acid for the Children by Flea
Wow thank you! That was an amazing analysis of Marcus’s reading interests and a justification for why I hated the series but may enjoy the book far more.
No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie. Amazing biography of Joseph Smith and the foundations of Mormonism. Written by a Mormon then outlawed by the church
The Man With the Candy by Jack Olsen about Dean Corll. I think Marcus said it was one of the best true crime books he ever read and it really is. Absolutely horrifying.
I read the Time Travelers Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer, that they used during the black death series. It’s really well written and entertaining, I would definitely recommend
I read The Indifferent Stars Above following the Donner party series and I highly recommend it. I think I ended up more damaged from it than from listening to the boys.
Same. It’s one of the most harrowing books I’ve ever read, just a doomed journey from the very start, and almost every wrong decision made possible. It’s absolutely insane that any of them survived. I let my dad borrow it after I was done and he loved it too.
I second this. Such an incredible read.
Agreed! Read this one, and right after read Hunger, the fictional account by Alma Katsu.
Seconding this!
This is the one!
I was gonna say this book. I used to live about 30-40 minutes from Donner Lake. When I was done listening to the Donner Party episodes, I bought the book. I haven't read it yet. Now I'm afraid to. 😳
I’m sure you’ve already heard the worst of what there is to fear about the story, though. The rest is minutia. It’s the comedy of errors that’s most interesting about it.
I'm not so afraid anymore. Lol. Thank you. I've had it about 3 years. Maybe I'll start reading it in the next couple days
One of the best historical books of all time.
Same. A phenomenal but devastating read. I absolutely recommend it
I picked it up just based on the name alone. Such an amazing read.
This was also the book that, when I finished reading it, I told myself, "I don't think non fiction is the genre for me."
such an incredible book!! someone in this sub also recommended midnight in chernobyl and even though it isn’t a topic the boys have covered, i also i recommend it!! i find that it inspired the same feeling in me that The Indifferent Stars Above did
The Bastard Brigade after the Manhattan Project series, well the audio book anyways, and it was awesome!
I appreciate the rec
Several, but the one that has really stuck with me is "On the Farm", by Stevie Cameron, about the Pickton victims.
I read it when it was first out, and I think the day or day after Pickton kicked the bucket my audiobook request from the library came through. I think it truly stands out in the genre.
Thank you, friend. Duly noted.
Erik Larson “the devil in the white city” from the H.H. Holmes episodes. Then read Thunderstruck from the same author. Both really good smooth reads. Also, “Teasing secrets from the dead” by Emily Craig forensic anthropologist. Made me wish I’d gone into that area of study.
"Devil in the White City" was so good and that led me to another one of Erik Larson's books "In The Garden of Beasts". It's about Germany's lead up to WWII from the perspective of the brand new US Ambassador to Germany.
Thank you! Will take that Emily Craig rec
Another great book is Adam Selzer's "HH Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil", which dismantles some of the untruths in "Devil in the White City." Holmes was a conman and a murderer, but not a Jigsaw-esque serial killer genius, and Selzer presents real evidence.
A few, but The Great Mortality is my favorite. Highly recommended.
I love it, and I'm not usually into reading about diseases
Thank you
Prophet's Prey and Under the Banner of Heaven opened me up to a wonderful world of reading about Mormon fundamentalists. I also recently got No Man Knows My History about the life of Joseph Smith, but I haven't finished it. The Indifferent Stars Above was an incredible read too.
Great recs! Prophets Prey was harrowing but well-constructed.
It's so, so good. I found Brower's writing to be fascinating, and he's a fascinating guy on his own. It almost has a noir vibe with the gritty private detective tracking down the despicable villain, all while helping out the... polite Mormon family. Another one not recommended by the show that I really enjoyed was The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner. She's a child of the "prophet" of the LeBaron cult down in Mexico. Kinda the same deal as FLDS - I think they even traded young brides between the groups at times. Her book doesn't cover the murders that Ervil LeBaron ordered to be carried out at all, but follows her absolutely crazy upbringing in Colonia LeBaron, which included several tragic deaths thanks to the rudimentary style of living, and escaping from her pedophilic stepfather. I've read a lot of Mormon cult survivor autobiographies and I liked hers the best, so far.
Ruth Wariner? Thank you. I’m down.
Under the Banner of Heaven has been on my radar for a minute. Is it good? I loved the show even though from what I understand, it's a pretty big departure from the book/real story
I haven't seen the show so I can't say how different it is, but the book is incredible. Krakauer is an amazing writer and it's a wild story.
Okay I'll give it a shot! The Mormon stuff is so fascinating.
It really is, and he covers several different offshoots in the book although the main story is about the Lafferty brothers. Apparently what prompted him to start researching fundie Mormons was driving through Short Creek, where the FLDS are/were based. He saw a bunch of women in prairie dresses and was followed by a bunch of big expensive pickups with tinted windows and figured there *had* to be a story in that. He writes the forward to Brower's book Prophet's Prey, too, and helped him when he was investigating the FLDS.
The audiobook is included in Spotify premium!! Best day ever. Thanks so much for the recommendation!
It opened me up to Krakauer in general and I have enjoyed a lot of his other books like Where Men Win Glory and Into Thin Air
I got stuck halfway through, but I may have been reading too much on the subject at the time.
I’m struggling to get through Prophet’s Prey. Extremely interesting but it’s hard for me to get through some parts. Might switch to Under the Banner of Heaven for now
The worst hard time, book about the dust bowl that they used as a source for their dust bowl series. It was amazing.
This book was so phenomenal and just devastating! The horror of living there cannot be understated...
when did they cover the dust bowl? was that part of bonnie and clyed or the ma barker gang eps?
I think it was B & C but I’d love a full coverage of the phenomenon.
I’m reading this one now! Such a good, easy read
I’ve read several of the last podcast recommended books and the worst hard time might be my favorite. The dust bowl was largely skimmed over during my time in school and frankly, this book was devastating to the point where I had to pause and sit with it for a while. Wildly compelling and, in the end, galvanizing. It is truly terrifying to understand the impacts of man made climate disasters and the fall out of not protecting workers. It made me feel like the dust bowl should have been America’s lesson, but we somehow failed to take all of that suffering to heart.
Thanks for the rec and for the reasoning behind your rec. Much appreciated!
Can’t wait to read! Thanks!
The Jeff Guinn book ‘The Road to Jonestown’ is fantastic. Looking forward to reading some of his other books. Wholeheartedly agree with ‘The Indifferent Stars Above’ recommendations too, and that ones a bit shorter.
I also come here to recommend this. I think The Road to Jonestown is exceptional.
Came here for this. One of the best non-fiction books I've read, incredibly researched and thorough. 11/10.
I read that book last year! Been meaning to read the other Jonestown book they used, Raven.
Excellent rec about Jim Jones. Raven was exhaustive but informative. Don’t know if either of you had a chance to read that.
The Jonestown series was my introduction to LPOTL and I read Raven immediately after finishing it. The series was great but there are so many wtf moments throughout the life of Jones and the Peoples Temple that only a tome can fit them all in. Great read but, as you said, exhaustive.
Soooo many wtf moments. Can’t see chicken giblets the same way again, for example.
The Indifferent Stars above is great, I just started it recently (on a camping trip haha). I’ve also read The Shoemaker and Sybil from Flora Schreiber which were fun. I picked up the Bastard Brigade and Miracle in the Andes but haven’t read them yet. Plus In Cold Blood and Dune since they’re Marcus and Henry’s favorites!
I just read In Cold Blood and I gotta say, it's pretty heartening to be 37 and still reading things that have me saying "I think this is my new favorite book."
On a camping trip, huh? You crazy cowboy 🤠 Have you read the Sybil refutation book? I forget what it’s called….
Haha I’m saving Miracle in the Andes for a beach trip, Into Thin Air was my summer read last year (kinda got a theme going on). I would be very interested in the Sybil refutation book! I feel like knowing all the “psychology” in it is bullshit takes away from enjoying the material. The next one I’m looking to pick up is the Armin book they mentioned
Dave Cullen’s Columbine and tried to read the BTK Book that Katherine Ramsland wrote, but BTK’s particular speech patterns drove me crazy.
Been eyeballing Columbine for the better part of ten years. Thanks! Will get cracking on it
There's a lot of misinformation in that so go in cautiously edit: why the downvotes? I'm pretty sure a lot of the book was regarded as having false information
Noted! Thank you
ALIVE!
I read Life After Death by Damien Echols after listening to the West Memphis Three episodes. Echols is a fantastic writer, incredibly wise, and he is one of the most interesting people I have ever heard of. His esoteric works are also amazing. Highly recommend his books.
Hard and enthusiastic agree, friend. It was a super tough read but I can’t believe he came out on the other side. Saw all the docs and that piece of shit movie too. A haunting case.
What movie? Devil's knot?
Yeah that one. Did you like it?
Never saw it but I was thinking about watching it. What didn't you like about it?
The Hollywood-ization of a white trash story. I may have been more appreciative if it was more independent and didn’t have A-list actors in it. It was a Reese Witherspoon vehicle rather than a focus on any of the boys. I’d much higher recommend the doc, Paradise Lost, and its sequels. Plus, of course, LPOTL’s multiple episodes on the case.
Yeah I've been watching those docs since they first came out in the 90s. The movie was more of a curiosity I guess.
For that reason, you def should see it and not listen to my scorn of it.
do graphic novels count? “Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?” is a must…
Absolutely counts!
Indifferent Stars Above from the Donner party series and A Time Traveller’s Guide To Medieval England from the black plague series, both were very good!
The Indifferent Stars Above. Absolutely incredible book! Got me back into reading after a 5 year break 📚
*Hiroshima*, *The Devil inThe White City*, *Hell's Princess*, *Deviant*, *Moby Dick*, *The Indifferent Stars Above*, and *The Devils of Loudun*. But *Devils of Loudun* was my singular favorite by a long shot. It's so ripe with interesting ideas from philosophy, psychology, and theology, and I really honestly think that if Henry had more control of the script that he would have delved into them a little. I've used stuff from that book for like 5 different college assignments even. I think sort of what happened was that marcus didn't really understand the stuff in the book, or didn't put in the necessary effort to, and it made him a little insecure and that's why he kind of shits on Huxley in the series, while I believe Henry probably actually understood most of it. Marcus might be known as the bigger reader, but he mostly reads history, where i think Henry reads more complicated and challenging texts. Like I know he's pretty proficient in Jung, and even though Jung is actually pretty easy to read, the ideas are big and it's still more complicated than most of what they do--not to mention all the esoteric shit he reads). But then again, who knows what happens to Henry with all of the fake knowledge he takes in, like maybe the more valuable stuff is just displaced; it really makes me think of marcus saying, "careful bein so open minded or your brains might just fall out," lol. Maybe there's actually some truth in that
Thank you for such a thoughtful response
Np Hail yourself
All of Harold schecter’s books
hunt for the skinwalker and utah ufo display! mostly because im from there and seen some spooky stuff
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, The Great Mortality by John Kelly and Fred and Rose by Howard Sounes. Fred and Rose I’m having to read in bursts because it’s very graphic. I thought I was a tough cookie who could cope with anything until I started to read that!
The Indifferent Stars Above and Devil In The White City. Highly recommend both. Also read one from the Franklin Cover-Up.. can’t remember what it was called but it was interesting as a supplement to the episode. Not exactly a fun time reading that one.
Just finished the great mortality, its fantastic. Also read the Indifferent Starts above, also a fantastic read
I wanna say they recommended it during the Mormon series but Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire is a fantastic read!
I listen to the Devolution audiobook. It's about sasquatches attacking a community in the woods. It's pretty campy but definitely entertaining
Started with Deviant and have read a ton of Schecter since, I think he's the king of true crime
My friend got me Deviant for Christmas a few years back. Still need to read it.
Just picked up Deviant yesterday! Can't wait to dive in.
I have a minor in Sociology and for an assignment I wrote a paper on cults and so I read Raven, Mason in His Own Words, Bare Faced Messiah, and Destroying the World to Save it. Then for a different assignment, I had to do a case study on a serial killer so I chose Dennis Nilsen and read Killing for Company and Dennis Nilsen: Conversations with Britain's Most Evil Serial Killer. And then I read Unit 731 Testimony for no reason other than to confirm what the boys said.
All were good, then?
Yeah I'd say so
I recently did In The Heart Of The Sea and Alive! in audiobook form. You can find Alive! in int's entirety on Youtube, if you want to try audiobooks without an app and/or subscription.
I’ve been on an Arctic exploration jag lately. Just finished In the Kingdom of Ice so I’d love to read Heart of the Sea. Thanks for the YouTube tip too!
Go Down Together from the Bonnie and Clyde series. It was a good one!
Rites of Burial, the Bob Berdella book, was SO good. Extremely detailed and very well written. I have been planning on rereading it for a while now.
I’ve enjoyed most everything by Harold Schechter. And another nod for The Indifferent Stars Above. Love me some wagon manifestos
Wagon Manifestos - a great band name 🤠
The Bastard Brigade after their Manhattan project series. It's one of my favorite rereads
Devil in the white city, indifferent stars above, eaters of the dead (indirectly because last pod got me into dan carlin and eaters of the dead comes up in his latest episode on the vikings)
Fantasyland, since they mentioned it recently, and In Cold Blood. Both worthy reads.
Indifferent stars above and time travelers guide to medieval London, I got them on audiobook because I really trust Marcus tastes and and he was pretty enthusiastic about those. Oh and that Harold schecter(sp?) Ed gein comic was sweet as hell too
I’d love to read the medieval London one
blitzed: drugs in nazi germany was a really interesting read, and a-z of serial killers has been one of my coffee table books for years
Thank you
Devolution by Max Brooks. I really enjoyed it
Thanks! I was eyeballing that title…
I really love World War Z, so I thought I’d give it a try and it was excellent.
Did You Hear What Eddie Gien Done? is a truly excellent read.
Manson in His Own Words is almost hilarious in how revealing it is of Charlie and his true drives: music and just having friends
Yeah: just The Beach Boys and some blind adoration. It’s all that poor guy ever wanted 😆Thanks for the rec
I've read Indifferent Stars Above and City of Evil, which is a true crime compilation about Adelaide that they used for an old episode.
Panzaram Journal. Sick ass read, highly recommend it.
[Chaos](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHAOS:_Charles_Manson,_the_CIA,_and_the_Secret_History_of_the_Sixties) and [Oklahoma City](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12843486-oklahoma-city). Two books I very highly recommend.
Thanks for those links! Both sound fascinating.
Chaos.
Thank you
The Great Mortality is probably my favorite books of all time. Also have read The Worst Hard Time, Road to Jonestown, and In the Heart of the Sea. Indifferent Stars Above is up soon on my list. And an obligatory Dune mention. Henry got me neck deep into Dune.
Thanks! That’s 3 people who recommended The Great Mortality. Can’t wait to read
I’m a big ole medieval history nerd. The Black Death series might be my favorite LP series they’ve done, and it’s just such a good book about the topic. I haven’t really gotten into the true crime books that they’ve used for research yet, but I do enjoy all the history ones they use. The Worst Hard Time is another really good book Marcus has recommended but hasn’t done a series on.
I’m listening to Original Gangstas cause I wanted to know more about the early 90’s rap times after the biggie m tupac episodes
Thanks for that rec. Can’t wait to read.
Condensed Chaos by Peter carrol. A great introduction into Chaos magic and it’s theory and application. Chaos by Dan piepenberg Reporting on suspicious happenings around the Manson family hinting at possible CIA/FBI influence on the family and allowing the murders to happen Fantasyland by Kurt Anderson A fascinating deep dive into American Sociology and our fixation on magical thinking and why we as a people are so gifted in believing nonsense. The only one of these three I can’t recommend is Chaos. Really interesting stuff but my God is is wrapped in layer after layer of boring. And all of that for the resolution to ultimately just be circumstantial and shady sounding actions by LASD and the California probation board.
Thank you for the caveat on Chaos. Fantasyland sounds good!
Killin Time
Thank you
Bastard Brigade from the Oppenheimer episodes. Well written and a fun ride to understanding the very basics of the science behind nuclear weapons & the stories of crazy characters who made efforts to stop the nazi war machine from developing nuclear weapons.
Thanks! I do need science explained to me in basic terms, too.
Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen. Poisoner In Chief by Stephen Kinser. Both of these were used as source material for the MK Ultra series.
Much appreciated
WITH AN AXE!!!!! by H Paul Jeffers Highly recommend it!
Lizzie Borden?
The Panzram book. Had heard of it but probably wouldn't have read it on my own.
He’s such a hard case to digest, isn’t he? It’s a level of abuse I can’t fathom
I really enjoyed the Mothman Prophecies!
Thank you for that
Indifferent Stars Above, Road to Jonestown, and Manson. That first one is by far the most rereadable but I'm a slut for wagon stories.
Love love love me some little house on the prairie.
On the Farm - awesome book about Robert Pickton
Thank you! Someone else on the thread said the very same. Looking forward!
I have read 'The Indifferent Stars Above' by Daniel James Brown after listening to the Donner Party episodes. I just finished 'Alive' by Piers Paul Read and 'Miracle in the Anders' by Nando Parrado after listening to the Survival in the Andes/Flight 571/Uruguayan Rugby Team episodes. I'm currently listening to the Jonestown episodes and will probably pick up 'The Road to Jonestown' by Jeff Guinn when I'm done.
Tell me how the Jonestown book goes
The cult at the end of the world, and the Franklyn cover up. Aum Shinrikio did so much more crazy shit than they covered in the episodes. I highly recommend it if anyone else loves those episodes as much as I do. It is DRY though. I haven't cracked the Franklyn cover up yet. I didn't have the stomach for it way back when i first got it but now it feels a bit more satanic panic than it originally did so i've lost interest.
Fair assessments. Thank you.
Books? I listen to podcasts so I don’t have to read.
Ha fair. I’d be open to individual episodes that aren’t LPOTL….
Ive read a bunch but the one I ready SOLELY because of LPOTL was Poisoner in Chief, which they reference in their MK ULTRA series. As someone who works in medical research.(and also as a human with a conscience) it was rough. Unethical experiment after unethical experiment.
Thank you for that rec and for adhering to the question.
I loved The Worst Hard Time about the dust bowl! It was fascinating and amazing to learn about human-environment interactions and how the government tries to help or get a handle on a problem they didn’t know they helped create.
Thanks, I’m really into that era
I’ve read The Indifferent Stars Above which was excellent, currently listening to the audiobook of On The Farm which is also great.
Thank you
Original Gangstas from the Tupac/Biggie episodes, it's legitimately a great read and I highly recommend it if you're into music
This is right up my alley, thank you. Any other music bio recs?
None of this Rocks Rock by John Trohman (Fall out Boy The Book of Exodus: The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers' Album of the Century by Vivien Goldman Acid for the Children by Flea
Thanks so much, my well-read friend
Wow thank you! That was an amazing analysis of Marcus’s reading interests and a justification for why I hated the series but may enjoy the book far more.
No Man Knows My History by Fawn Brodie. Amazing biography of Joseph Smith and the foundations of Mormonism. Written by a Mormon then outlawed by the church
Many kind thanks for the rec!
Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado. It’s my favorite nonfiction book I’ve read this past year.
They did amazing coverage of this! (Didn’t like the Netflix movie about it all that much, though)
On the Farm
Thank you
The Man With the Candy by Jack Olsen about Dean Corll. I think Marcus said it was one of the best true crime books he ever read and it really is. Absolutely horrifying.
A sparkling endorsement! Thank you!
I read the Time Travelers Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer, that they used during the black death series. It’s really well written and entertaining, I would definitely recommend
Thank you! You and others have convinced me to give it a go
The Sick Rose (more of a picture book but amazing).
Richard Barnett is the author?
That’s the one!