Person
Every book Talia Lavin recommended on podcasts
Talia Lavin’s most recommended books
- Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard
- For your own good by Alice Miller
- Pigs in the Parlor by Frank Hammond
- The Strong-willed Child by James C. Dobson
- To train up a child by Michael Pearl
Talia Lavin discussed several books across her appearances on Behind the Bastards, ranging from her own published works to controversial parenting and religious texts. She promoted her book Wild Faith, describing it as a compelling read suited for metalheads, atheists, and everyday readers alike. In exploring religious extremism and historical texts, she examined Frank Hammond and Ida Mae Hammond's popular 1970s demonology book Pigs in the Parlor, noting how it appealed to people by framing everyday struggles as demonic afflictions. Lavin also analyzed authoritarian parenting manuals during her research, strongly critiquing books such as Michael Pearl's To Train Up a Child, James C. Dobson's The Strong-willed Child, and Ginger Hubbard's Don't Make Me Count to Three for their abusive advice and emphasis on total obedience. In contrast, she cited Alice Miller's book For Your Own Good, noting that Miller, a Holocaust survivor, made a compelling argument about how early twentieth-century pedagogical violence fosters dangerous authoritarian cultures. Finally, she reflected on her own writing experience, comparing the intensive nine-month timeline of her earlier book Culture Warlords to her newer projects.
Books recommended by Talia Lavin
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Don't Make Me Count to Three
Ginger Hubbard's Don't Make Me Count to Three is a parenting manual that emphasizes strict obedience and behavioral control in raising children.
Critiqued“like the people I spoke to had sort of broken away largely from this culture, but many of the sort of most obedient soldiers in the armies army of God are that way because again I can't overemphasize how much these parenting manuals”
Where to get it
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For your own good
For Your Own Good by Alice Miller is a penetrating psychological examination of how abusive child-rearing practices and corporal punishment sow the seeds of authoritarianism and societal violence.
Discussed“So, the the author like Alice Miller, the um the author of the book for your own good, lays out a pretty she was also a Holocaust survivor. She lays out a pretty strong case for like, you know, early 20th century Germany having this poisonous pedagogy”
Where to get it
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Pigs in the Parlor
Pigs in the Parlor by Frank Hammond and Ida Mae Hammond is a prominent demonology text that attributes everyday ailments and distress to demonic influence.
Discussed“Pigs in the Parlor was this really big hit in like the 70s and it's been like reissued and reissued and millions of copies and it's just like on one level it's really compelling because it's like are you tired?”
Where to get it
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The Strong-willed Child
James C.
Critiqued“I'm like appalled reading like to train up a child by the pearls or or the strong willed child by James Doson which like to be clear the strong willed child is a bad thing.”
Where to get it
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To train up a child
To Train Up a Child by Michael and Debbie Pearl is a controversial 1994 self-published parenting guide that advocates for immediate, unquestioning obedience and harsh disciplinary practices for infants and children.
Critiqued“And like I interviewed over a hundred people largely about their experiences with experiencing child abuse in an evangelical millu as is laid out with painstaking instructions. And like all of these parenting manuals actually like I think reading the parenting manuals was even more disturbing than talking to people”
Where to get it
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Wild Faith
Wild Faith: How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America by Talia Lavin is an investigative book that explores the growing influence and political strategies of the Christian right.
Recommended“If you're looking for a book to give to the metal head in your life, oh yeah, it's pretty metal. Metal heads, atheists, degenerates, uh, everyone is going to love this book. It's perfect for everyone.”
Where to get it
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Culture Warlords
Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin is an investigative look into the online and physical ecosystems of neo-Nazis, 4chan extremists, and aspiring terrorists.
Discussed“Like, I wrote Culture Warlords in 9 months, so I was like totally immersed constantly. You just like didn't come up for air. Yeah. At all.”
Where to get it
Books Talia Lavin wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Could Happen Here Weekly 158 | Behind the Bastards | 2024-11-30 | 6 |
| It Could Happen Here Weekly 149 | Behind the Bastards | 2024-09-28 | 6 |