Book Dumb

In this episode, the hosts discuss the second part of Hanya Yanagihara's highly anticipated 2022 release, To Paradise. This episode is full of spoilers for the first part and second part of the book (Book One, "Washington Square" and Book Two, "Lipo-Wao-Nahele,"). They share some updates on their plan moving forward handling this book. (*Huge apologies for any disruptive background noise! We did our best to navigate recording around some major construction happening and didn't want to skip *another* week. We did our best to edit it out.)

In this episode, August and Kendra share a number of their favorite television adaptations of books, as well as some that they would like to watch and/or read. TV shows listed in this episode: Sharp objects Good Omens Game of Thrones Sherlock Station Eleven Alias Grace I'll Be Gone in the Dark Handmaid's Tale Honorable mentions: American Gods Hannibal North and South Haunting of Hill House Queen's Gambit Mindhunter Shadow & Bone Little House on the Prairie To watch/read: Brideshead Revisited The Leftovers Normal People Little Fires Everywhere Lovecraft Country Watchmen The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Firekeeper's Daughter Final Girls Support Group Ninth House People mentioned: jessdekkerreads on Instagram

In this episode, the hosts discuss the first part of Hanya Yanagihara's highly anticipated 2022 release, To Paradise. This episode is full of spoilers for just the first part ("Washington Square"). Stay tuned for further discussion in the coming weeks!

In this episode, the hosts discuss film adaptations of books--the good, the bad, and everything in-between. Films discussed in the episode: Pride & Prejudice (2005) Macbeth (2015) Sense & Sensibility (1995) Mystic River (2003) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Anna Karenina (2012) Romeo + Juliet (1996) Gone Girl (2014) Practical Magic (1998) Howl's Moving Castle (2005) Ella Enchanted (2004) The Girl on the Train (2016) The Devil All the Time (2020) New Moon (2009) North & South (2004) A Single Man (2009) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) The Great Gatsby (1974 & 2013) Carol (2015) Emma (2020) O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) No Country for Old Men (2007) Maurice (1987) Howard's End (1992) Little Women (2019)

In this episode, the hosts share the winners of their reading bracket. They do this by choosing a favorite book from each month of 2021 and pit each month against each other. The books knock each other out one by one, until there is a clear winner. August and Kendra have both fiction and nonfiction brackets. And, believe it or not, some of their picks are different from the top 5 of 2021 due to the nature of the bracket knockouts. This episode is completely spoiler-free.

Happy New Year, all! In this episode, the hosts share the books they loved the most this year. In total, they discuss 10 books in total and the episode is completely spoiler-free. Books mentioned in the episode: Comfort Me with Apples by Cathrynne M. Valente (2021) In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (2019) A Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris (2021) Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (1995) The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi (2021) Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder (2021) Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Jones (1985) Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval 2018) In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (2019) The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (2021) Stoner by John Williams (1965) The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (1977) Know My Name by Chanel Miller (2019) Little Weirds by Jenny Slate (2020) Maurice by E.M. Forster (1971) Passing by Nella Larson (1929) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021) American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)

In this episode, the hosts review the TBRs they created for 2021 and reflect on how well they did sticking to their goals. This episode is completely spoiler-free. Tune in to see which books they read, which ones they're looking forward to getting to in 2022, and which books have been dropped from their TBRs completely.

In this spoiler-free episode, the hosts talk about the 5 books that disappointed (or enraged) them the most this year. Remember, everyone likes different things! These are just the books that they didn't like this year :) Books mentioned in the episode: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins (2021) Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018) The Roanoke Girls Amy Engel (2018) Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell (2017) The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn (2018) Mexican Gothic by Silvia Morena Garcia (2020) The Collective by Alison Gaylin (2021) Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet (1983) Bossypants by Tina Fey (2011) The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (2021)

In this episode, the hosts share some gift recommendations for the upcoming holiday season. They'll give brief synopses (spoiler-free) and context for why they chose each book for that category. Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday season! Books mentioned in the episode: Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945) Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021) The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020) American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2001) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (2001) Little Weirds by Jenny Slate (2019) Educated by Tara Westover (2018) Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (2019) Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (2019) Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (2021) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon (2003) The Midnight Library by Mat Haig (2020) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990) These Wilds Beyond Our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity's Search for Home by Bayo Akomolafe (2019) Passing & Quicksand by Nella Larson (1929 & 1928) Stoner by John Williams (1965) Writers & Lovers by Lily King (2020) Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters (2021) Circe by Madeline Miller (2019) To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara (2022) The Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (2021)

In this episode, the hosts discuss the classic children's horror story, "The Girl with the Green Ribbon" alongside Machado's retelling of it, "The Husband Stitch". This episode contains spoilers for both stories. Stories mentioned in the episode: "The Girl with the Green Ribbon" by Alvin Schwartz from In a Dark, Dark Room (1984) "The Husband Stitch" by Carmen Maria Machado from Her Body & Other Parties (2014) "My Body, Herself" by Carmen Maria Machado (2020)

The time is finally here!! Kendra has read one of August's favorite book and is ready to discuss it. In this episode, the hosts will share their thoughts on Donald Ray Pollock's The Devil All the Time. They will first share some spoiler-free impressions before moving into a spoiler-filled discussion. AND today is August's birthday. What better way to celebrate her than to spend some time thinking/talking about a book she finds perfect! TW: discussions include brief mentions of sexual assault/abuse, murder, substance abuse, pedophilia, body mutilation, and religious sacrifice. Please take care before listening!

Here is our September-October wrap up! This is completely spoiler-free and we'll offer short reviews for each. Check out our Goodreads profiles to keep track of our reading in real-time. August: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122578796-august-braddock Kendra: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/93348303-kendra-l

In this episode, the hosts discuss Tartt's very popular 1992 book, The Secret History. This book often shows up everywhere when the weather turns colder and the leaves change. It is a giant in the dark academia genre, and we can see why. It subscribes to all of the major tropes. That being said, August and Kendra had very different experiences reading it. They will begin with having a spoiler-free discussion where they give brief impressions and a basic summary. Then, they will move into an in-depth spoiler-filled discussion. As always, the hosts will give you plenty of warning when the spoilers will come up.

We are so excited to share this spooky-themed episode! Halloween is our favorite holiday, so here are some texts that help use get into the holiday spirit.

In this episode, August and Kendra share their favorite short stories. It was difficult for them to choose, and as the episode progresses, they remember great ones they've left out. What are some of your favorite short stories? Books mentioned in the episode: “The Company of Wolves” by Angela Carter (197) "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1965) "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant (1888) "To Build a Fire" by Jack London (1902) "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities" by Delmore Schwartz (1937) “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield (1921) "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin (1894) "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin (1957) "No Flesh Over Our Bones" by Mariana Enríquez (2016) "The Witch of Duva" by Leigh Bardugo (2012) "Continuity of Parks" by Julio Cortazar (1964) “Childfinder” by Octavia Butler (1971/2014) The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (1948) “How to Talk to a Hunter” by Pam Houston (1990) "Don't Look Now" by Daphne Du Maurier (1973) "The Night Driver" by Italo Calvino (1967) "Ariadne" by Anton Chekhov (1895)

Happy Fall! We love this season and we are so excited to share our favorite autumnal reads with you all. Remember to check us out on Instagram @bookdumbpodcast to ask us any questions + send us your recommendations.

In this episode, the hosts share their favorite texts that can be read in a single sitting. This episode is completely spoiler-free! Books mentioned in the episode: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966) The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943) The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers (1951) Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West (1933) A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood (1964) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee (1962) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (2000) Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi (2018) Blow Up & Other Short Stories by Julio Cortázar (1963) Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges (1944) Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval (2018) Samson Agonistes by John Milton (1671) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (2016) Franny & Zooey by J. D. Salinger (1961) Crush by Richard Siken (2005) Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson (2019) I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid (2016) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon (2003) Written on the Body by Jeannette Winterson (1992) Slipping by Mohamed Kheir (2021)

In this episode, Kendra and August share their favorite dark academia reads ('tis the season!). This episode is completely spoiler-free. Books mentioned in the episode: Bunny by Mona Awad (2019) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (1842). Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Maurice by EM Forester (1913/1971) Portrait of an Artist by James Joyce (1916) Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy (1895) Dracula by Bram Stoker (1892) Howard's End by EM Forester (1910) Stoner by John Williams (1964) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890) The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (2021) Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (2019) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847) The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russel (2020) Vicious by V.E. Schwab (2013)

Here is a very special episode where the gals answer your questions--about books, about life, about anything!

In this very special episode, August and Kendra discuss Dennis Lehane's 2001 thriller Mystic River. They both have A LOT to say about this amazing book, so definitely listen even if you haven't read the book! The first 20 minutes or so will be spoiler-free. Warnings will always be given before the episode moves into spoiler territory. TW: discussions of violence, including murder, abduction of a child, and pedophilia.

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from July-August! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each. Check out our Goodreads profiles to keep track of the books! August: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122578796-august-braddock Kendra: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/93348303-kendra-l

In this very special episode, the hosts are joined by some dear friends to discuss Jennifer Saint's 2021 novel Ariadne. So much gratitude to Noelle Gallagher and Jess Dekker for coming onto the podcast to share their brilliance. There will be a very short spoiler-free segment in the beginning with just August and Kendra. Then, the episode will transition into a spoiler-filled discussion between the four where they give impressions, answer discussion questions, and grapple with the pronunciations of Greek names! Please check out the amazing work being done by both Jess and Noelle! Jess Dekker: Follow her on Instagram @jessdekkerreads and you will find amazing book reviews, a gorgeous aesthetic, and mind-blowing embroideries. She also has a wonderful youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkj7pwSZZtu0aZ71zy19oxQ Noelle Gallagher: Subscribe to Noelle's sensational youtube channel!! Noelle is a shining light on the Booktube scene, where she shares hilarious jokes, clever insights, and succinct summaries. You will also enjoy the chance to envy her many fun earrings! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bhtu1HRRPbtRngYDtx_uQ

In this week's spoiler free episode, August and Kendra share their top 5 favorite works that were originally published not in English, as well as a handful of honorable mentions and books they'd like to get to soon. Books mentioned by August: 1. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (translated by Mirra Ginsburg). 2. The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (translated by Benjamin Moser) 3. The God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza (translated by Christopher Hampton). 4. Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez (translated by Megan McDowell). 5. The Plague by Alfred Camus HM. No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre HM. A Man Called One by Fredrik Backman HM. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi TBR. Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov TBR. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Marquez TBR. Dead Girls by Selva Almada. Books mentioned by Kendra: 1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1877) - Russian 2. Out by Natsuo Kirino (1997) - Japanese 3. A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen (1879) - Norwegian 4. Beowulf disputed (c. 700–1000 AD) - Old English 5. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (1980)- Italian HM. The Iliad by Homer (~8thC BCE) - Ancient Greek HM. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1880) - Russian HM. The Stranger by Albert Camus (1942) - French TBR. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

In this Episode, August and Kendra share the books that include road trips (or just traveling in general!). This episode is completely spoiler-free, so do enjoy whether you've read any of these books or not. Books mentioned in the episode: The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (1944) Intimations by Zadie Smith (2020) The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016) The Odyssey by Homer The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1988) Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1954) On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957) Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones (1986) Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001) Euphoria by Lily King (2014) Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes (1605) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1817) The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1392) The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith (1952) World Travel by Anthony Bourdain (2021)

In this episode, August and Kendra share their favorite books (fiction and nonfiction) of the year so far. They pit the months against each other and decide on their favorite books for the first half of the year. Some really hard choices had to be made, but there can only be one favorite! Tune in to find out which ones they each pick. ***This episode is completely spoiler-free***

In this episode, the hosts discuss the highly controversial My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell. Kendra and August share their reactions, analyze the major themes, and rage, rage, rage. They also discuss the alleged plagiarism controversy involving Wendy C. Ortiz's memoir Excavation (2014). This episode is full of spoilers, so please only listen if you are comfortable with learning all about this book. TW: sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, & pedophilia. Books mentioned in the episode: My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell (2020) Excavation by Wendy C. Ortiz (2014) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov (1962)

At some point in their life, every reader experiences a reading slump. It can be frustrating and demoralizing--and it is incredibly common! In this episode, the hosts discuss their experiences with reading slumps and share a variety of books that either put them IN the slump or pulled them OUT. At the end of the episode, they share tips on how to get excited about reading again during those times when the drive just isn't there. This episode will have no spoilers.

In this episode, Kendra and August ask each other a question that has been haunting each of them respectively over the past year: "How can you not like a genre I love?" August gushes about her love for an American/Southern Gothic while Kendra begs August to consider reading a fantasy. Will either of them be successful in their endeavor? Will the other finally give in and read their cohost's favorite? Only time will tell. This episode is completely spoiler free! Books mentioned in the episode: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (1986) Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008) Circe by Madeline Miller (2018) Darker Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab (2015) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (2015) Harry Potter Series Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1954) Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (1985) In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965) The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe (1839) The Lottery by Shirley Jackson (1948) Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987) The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (2011)

In this episode, the hosts talk about censorship. They share a few of their favorite banned books and discuss some of the reasons those books were banned. Censorship sucks, but both August and Kendra had a lot of fun with this one! Books mentioned in the episode: Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde (1890) Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya (1972) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) Areopagitica by John Milton (1644) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2000) The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (1928) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1985) American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937) Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945) Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire (1968) Ulysses by James Joyce (1918-1920, 1922)

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from May-June! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each. Check out our Goodreads profiles to keep track of the books! August: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122578796-august-braddock Kendra: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/93348303-kendra-l

In this episode, the hosts talk everything true crime: books, podcasts, movies, documentaries, and everything that comes to mind! TW: brief mentions of kidnapping, murder, and sexual assault. Books: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (2020) The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2020) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (2018) Zodiac by Robert Graysmith (1986) I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (2018) The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (2003) The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (1980) In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965) Green River, Running Red by Ann Rule (2004) Helter Skelter by Curt Gentry and Vincent Bugliosi (1974) Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe (2021) Season of the Witch by David Talbot (2012) Podcasts: True Crime Obsessed Catch & Kill Tenfold More Wicked Dr. Death Uncover Obsessed with Disappeared Down the Hill Dirty John The Serial Killers The First Degree Crime Junkie Documentaries: Class Action Park The Ripper The Jinx Heaven's Gate The Life & Death of Marsha P. Johnson Murder on Middle Beach How to Survive a Plague Mcmillions The Staircase The Ripper Wild Wild Country

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from May-June! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each. Check out our Goodreads profiles to keep track of the books! Kendra: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/93348303-kendra-l August: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/122578796-august-braddock

In this episode, the hosts discuss Shakespeare's Macbeth. They share some historical context, their favorite moments, and August can't resist relating the text to the mob. This episode is filled with spoilers, so please only listen if you're okay with knowing the play's main plot points. Books mentioned in the episode: Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606) The Complete Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020)

In this episode, August and Kendra recommend some vacation reads. Everyone looks for a different experience when reading on their vacation, so the hosts offer their own preferences and what makes a book a vacation read for them (big surprise, they have very different picks!). This episode is completely spoiler-free. Books mentioned in the episode: Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (2019) Home by Toni Morrison (2012) Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion(1968) Laura by Vera Casparay (1943) Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020) A Burning by Megha Majumdar (2020) White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2000) The Thief's Journal by Jean Genet (1949) The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman (2018) Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (2021) A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (1947) No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (2005) The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (1977) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (1950) Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (2001) The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (1999) The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020) Dear Girls by Ali Wong (2019) The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (2021) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (2020) My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russel (2020) Anxious People by Fredrick Backman (2019) If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin (1974) The Fever by Megan Abbott (2014) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

In this episode, Kendra and August discuss The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Books mentioned in the episode: The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (2021) The Awakening by Kate Chopin (1899) The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin (1894) The Storm by Kate Chopin (1892)

In this episode, the hosts discuss Amy Engel's thriller The Roanoke Girls (ICK!). Lot's for August and Kendra to unpack there. They share how they feel about the book, representations of grooming and abuse, and some books that The Roanoke Girls reminds them of. The first half of the episode is SPOILER FREE and includes the recommendations, so do enjoy the episode even if you have not read the book! Warnings will come right before the spoiler section. TW: mentions of sexual abuse, incest, grooming, and murder. Books mentioned in the episode: Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo (2021) Perfume by Patrick Süskind (1985) The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel (2017) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006) The Girls by Emma Cline (2016) Dare Me by Megan Abbott (2012) Into The Water by Paula Hawkins (2017) The Wife Between Us by Greeer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen (2018) The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster (1987) The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (2018) The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (1939) The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn (2018) Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter (2015) Bunny by Mona Awad (2015) Trust Exercise by Susan Choi (2015

Kendra and August list their favorite books with unreliable narrators in this spoiler-free episode. Both hosts enjoy reading from the perspective of an unreliable narrator because it requires a critical approach and a degree of skepticism towards what is presented to the reader. Books mentioned in the episode: The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel (2017) The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (2017) Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006) Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov (1962) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) Despair by Vladimir Nabokov (1936) Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuick (1996) The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012) American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991) Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955) I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (2016) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963) Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (1996) The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (2019)

In this episode, August and Kendra discuss the popular and polarizing book A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. There is a brief spoiler-free portion in the first half of the episode, but the majority of the episode is filled with spoilers for the book. There will be plenty of warnings before the spoiler-filled portion if you'd like to listen before reading!

In this episode, the hosts share their favorite historical fiction novels. One host finally overcomes their denial that this might be their favorite genre, while the other gets to gush about a familiar favorite. No spoilers in this episode, so enjoy whether you've read any of the books mentioned or not! Books mentioned in the episode: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Calypso by David Sedaris (2018) Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (1996) The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1905) City of Thieves by David Benioff (2008) The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne (2006) Praisesong For The Widow by Paule Marshall (1983) Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (2011) The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (2015) The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (1985) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987) The Devil All the Time by Donald Ray Pollock (2011) Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

In this episode, hosts August and Kendra share their 5 (and a few bonus) LGBTQ+ narratives. This is a list episode, so no spoilers will be shared. Books mentioned in the episode: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado (2019) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeannette Winterson (1985) The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011) Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman (2007) Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado (2017) Outlawed by Anna North (2021) Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (2015) On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019) The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi (2020) Maurice by E. M. Forster (1971) The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (1928) Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx (1997) Orlando by Virginia Woolf (1928) Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (2000) The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein (1933)

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.

Here is a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from March-April! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each.

A bildungsroman is "a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education". Often, it is recognized as Coming of Age. And it's a genre that August and Kendra both love! In this episode, the hosts list their five favorite coming or age texts of all time. This episode is spoiler-free, so feel free to enjoy whether you have read any of the texts or not. Books mentioned in the episode: Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (2016) Dare Me by Megan Abbott (2012) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (2007) White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2000) Clash by Ellen Wilkinson (1929) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (2007) The Female of the Species by Lionel Shriver (1987) Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson (1985) History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund (2017) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (1962) Maurice by E.M. Forster (1971) Good Omens by Novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990) Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2000) North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell (1854) A Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (1916) A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (2015) The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde (1890)

In this episode, hosts August and Kendra discuss Fitzgerald’s famous novel, The Great Gatsby. This is one of August’s favorite books, but Kendra isn’t as wild about it, so there is definitely a healthy dose of both raving (August) and ranting (Kendra). This episode is also full of spoilers—so please only listen if you are okay with knowing everything that happens in this book. Books Mentioned in the Episode: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) 84 Charring Cross Road by Helene Hanff (1970) Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers (2021) Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler (2013)

In this spoiler-free episode, hosts Kendra and August list their five favorite audiobooks. They also list where they listen to audiobooks and give suggestions for getting into audiobooks for the very first time. Check out Libby and Hoopla for free audiobooks through your local library!

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In the first of this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.

In this episode, hosts Kendra and August discuss James Baldwin's classic Giovanni's Room. This episode is filled with spoilers, so please only listen if you have read the book or are okay with spoilers! TW: the conversation includes mentions of sexual assault, rape, alcoholism, homophobia, and misogyny.

In this spoiler-free episode, the hosts list their 5 favorite gothic narratives. August and Kendra explore very different texts within the genre and sub-genres of Gothic literature, so there is a little bit of something for everyone!

In this episode, the hosts cover stigmas in the reading and academic communities. They draw from their experiences to discuss elitism, ableism, and gatekeeping, and rage about the enduring lack of diversity in the English canon. There might have been too much to cover, so a part 2 may be needed at some point!

The great, big classics of Literature have been taught, debated over, dismissed, and then taught again in an attempt to answer one essential question: do we really need to still read this? In the first of this series, this is the question that August and Kendra attempt to answer. They each choose one historically lauded work from the English canon and try to prove why it is still worth reading by going into what they love about them and why they are so culturally pervasive.

We're dropping a short bonus episode to update you all the books we've read from January-February! This is completely spoiler-free, we'll only offer short reviews for each.