Book Club From Hell

David McGowan's Programmed to Kill (2004) is a seminal work of conspiratorial thinking, well-regarded among members of the online commentariat on parapolitics, as well among conspiracy theory aficionados generally. Paedophile rings, satanic cults, the Phoenix Program, mind control, psychiatric induction of alternate personalities for the purposes of mind-control assassination, the creation by the FBI of the concept of 'serial killer' to terrorise the American public; there's a lot going on here. For this episode, we were joined by David from Tooky's Mag and the Tooky's Side Bar Book Club podcast. He was a wonderful guest, and I encourage everyone to check out the projects he's part of.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONTooky's Mag: https://tookys.substack.com/David's book, Improvidence: https://www.amazon.com/Improvidence-David-Herod/dp/B0CWCF7J13Jack has published a novel called Tower!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetThe first nine chapters of Tower are available for free here: jackbc.substack.comOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Caleb Caudell is an American author who has recently released 'Hardly Working'. Described as 'semi-auto fiction', Hardly Working uses Caudell's experiences working in the service industry, dating, writing, and living in terrible apartments to explore our deracinated moment.Caleb is an outrageously erudite man, and I had a lot of fun hearing him talk about medieval theology, Dostoyevsky, short stories, the concept of the secular, and much more.Caleb's Books:Hardly Working: https://www.amazon.com/Hardly-Working-Semi-Auto-Caleb-Caudell/dp/0645776874Novelty: https://www.amazon.com/Novelty-other-stories-Caleb-Caudell/dp/0645776815The Neighbour: https://www.amazon.com/Neighbor-Caleb-Caudell/dp/0645066427Caleb's Substack: https://middleamericanliterature.substack.com/VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel called Tower!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetThe first nine chapters of Tower are available for free here: jackbc.substack.comOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Vladimir Nabokov finished writing Lolita in 1953. It took him, an established author, until 1955 to have it published. Why? It's a book about a middle-aged man who has a sexual relationship with a twelve-year-old girl. Publishers were uncomfortable, etc. The thing is, it's also a phenomenally well-written book. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetWebsite: thebookclubfromhell.comPatreon: patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: levimk.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/bcfhWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @levimk_com

Among other things, Abbie Lucas is a filmmaker, and Kevin Kautzman is a playwright and podcaster (shout out to The Art of Darkness podcast). They've co-written a play, Basilisk, about spooky internet AI horror story Roko's Basilisk. We talked to them about their play, about AI, about crypto, about film versus theatre, and more.Basilisk radio play (produced by Dark Pony Radio): https://open.spotify.com/episode/29EGS0THzSnq2fPE1GVBmI?si=iviG232_T4ed0RcYTZGEbQKevin Kautzmanhttps://kevinkautzman.com/https://badmouthtc.com/https://artofdarkpod.com/Abbie Lucashttps://abbielucas.com/Voices (directed by Abbie): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRKDNWXOEXMVERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel called Tower!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetThe first nine chapters of Tower are available for free here: jackbc.substack.comOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

The Accursed Share (vol. 1 published in 1941) lays out Bataille's concept of general economy. What do Aztec human sacrifice, potlach, Islamic conquest, Calvinism and the rise of capitalism, the Marshall Plan and avoiding World War III all have in common? Bataille has the answers.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

I (Jack) talk to Dan Baltic about his book, Nutcrankr. To quote the blurb of Nutcrankr, "NUTCRANKR is a comic examination of fringe ideology, social atomisation, and sexual dysfunction in modern America. Dan Baltic's debut novel is a sardonic look at a certain type of Extremely Online character we're all too familiar with and what happens when their delusions and flights of fancy come into contact with the real world." Yes, I changed the blurb's spelling from American ('atomized': hideous, uncouth) to British ('atomised': elevated, spiritually fulfilling). No, I won't change it back. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONWhere to buy Nutcrankr: https://www.amazon.com/NUTCRANKR-Dan-Baltic/dp/195189779XDan Baltic's Substack: https://danbaltic.substack.com/Dan and Matt's New Write podcast is available on basically every podcast platform! Authors recommended by Dan:Matt PegasCaleb CaudellARX-HanAdem Luz RienspectsBrad KellyKevin Kautzman Delicious TacosJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetThe first nine chapters of Tower are available for free here: jackbc.substack.comOur Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Ernst Jünger, a man who fought in two World Wars, was an entomologist, award-winning author, philosopher, traveller, psychonaut and much more, wrote The Forest Passage (1951), a book which explores how one can retain freedom in a time of mass ideology and titanic technological change. It's a really, really good book.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Justin Murphy joins us to talk about 'Simulacra and Simulation' (1981), a book by French philosopher and cultural critic Jean Baudrillard. What happens when a society schematises too much, copies copies of copies and loses touch with 'reality'? Hyperreality. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONOther Life (probably the best place to see what Justin Murphy is working on): www.otherlife.coJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

The A above middle C is often tuned to 440Hz. Why? Because of a multi-decade conspiracy to degrade the spiritual connection of the human race, involving Joseph Goebbels, John Deagan, the Frankfurt School, sacred numerology, and a very wealthy American dynasty.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi 

Jack talks to ARX-Han, author of Incel (2023), about the process of writing Incel, as well as the thought behind it. Rather than sum up Incel myself, I'll quote ARX-Han:"Savage, hilarious, and everything in between , INCEL is a pitch-dark comedy about one man's harrowing quest to ascend.Suicidally depressed, twenty-two year old anon has settled on a if he can't find a way to lose his virginity by the date of his next birthday, he’s going to pick a fight with the biggest, baddest man he can find, and get himself killed.For anon, social alienation is a simple matter of unvarnished America in the year 2012 is a brutal Darwinian hellscape where every man is engaged in a ruthless competition for access to attractive females-and losers like him are left to rot.As he begins his first year of graduate studies in evolutionary psychology, the looming threat of his personal deadline mutates into a totalizing obsession to validate his theories and achieve sex for the first time. Convinced that he's discovered a special method for "hacking" the mating patterns in human behavior, he starts upon a path that only threatens to further destabilize his already fragile psyche, hurtling him toward a crucible of his own design."VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONARX-Han's website: https://www.decentralizedfiction.com/Amazon page for Incel: https://www.amazon.com/INCEL-Novel-ARX-Han/dp/B0C9SNQK9CJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismleviBooks and Podcasts Recommended by ARX-HanMixtape Hyperborea by Adem Luz Rienspects Nutcrankr by Dan Baltic The Black Album by Matt Pegas Podcasts: Tooky's Mag (Tooky's Mag literary sidebar podcast) New WriteMagazines: The Mars Review of Books Articles: Asian American Psycho in Current Affairs by Christopher Jesu Lee Substacks Salieri's Redemption by Christopher Jesu Lee (literary crit) Political Currents by Ross Barkan (includes literary crit + politics as he's a journo and novelist)random book Why? by Philip Goff Atta by Jarrett Kobek (reviewed on Post Era)

We reflect on 100 episodes of the Book Club from Hell (or on the 99 prior to this one, if you want to be pedantic). Big shout out to moog for the intro music, and to Alex from Masticate (https://masticate.bandcamp.com) for the outro music. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

We were joined by Kevin Kautzman and Brad Kelly from the Art of Darkness podcast for this episode! We talked about Point Omega, by Don DeLillo, a short, mysterious novel published in 2010. If you haven't listened to Art of Darkness, we highly, highly recommend you do.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONhttps://artofdarkpod.com/If you ever cared about us, you'll send Art of Darkness your money: https://www.patreon.com/artofdarkpodJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meJack's Substack: jackbc.substack.comLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Paul R Ehrlich is the Bing Professor Emeritus of Population Studies at Stanford University. In 1968 he published The Population Bomb, co-authored with his wife Anne Ehrlich. In it were predicted, among other catastrophes, famines in the 1970s which would kill hundreds of millions. The cause? Human overpopulation. The optimal solution? A trans-national governing body which would regulate the fertility rates of humans the world over.In 2009, when asked about The Population Bomb's success in predicting the future, Ehrlich replied that its only problem was in being too optimistic. I should note that the predicted global famines never took place.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

Paladin Press (rest in peace) liked to court controversy. So when a mother of two approached them with a manuscript for a crime novel, they asked her to write something spicier. The result? Hit Man: A Technical Manual for Independent Contractors, a step-by-step guide on how to work as a contract killer. The power of marketing was so strong that this book was implicated in a triple murder, leading to Paladin Press being sued. Flying too close to the sun, et cetera. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi

James Burnham, a Trotskyite-turned-conservative, wrote The Managerial Revolution in 1941. In it, he describes the processes by which capitalist societies become managerial, and by which capitalists are displaced by managers as those who control the means of production.VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATIONJack has published a novel!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC-ebook/dp/B0CM5P9N9M/ref=monarch_sidesheetApple Books: http://books.apple.com/us/book/id6466733671Our Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheBookClubfromHellJack's website: www.jackbc.meLevi's website: www.levioutloud.comwww.thebookclubfromhell.comJoin our Discord (the best place to interact with us): discord.gg/ZMtDJ9HscrWatch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0n7r1ZTpsUw5exoYxb4aKA/featuredX: @bookclubhell666Jack on X: @supersquat1Levi on X: @optimismlevi