Questioning the Canon

Now that holidays are over, maybe it's time you started to process some of the trauma you've been accumulating for all of these years, and there's no better book to highlight trauma than Toni Morrison's Beloved. We do a deep dive into despair, dissociation, and what it can mean to come to terms with something you never thought you'd be able to face. We also take the time to explore several famous black tragedies that inspired this book and helped shape Toni Morrison as an artist and author. There isn't typically a convenient time for our past to come back and haunt us (sometimes literally), but we need to make room for it when it does. This is how we grow.

This month we're back with a traditional Christmas ghost story.  Because Christmas and ghosts are a thing, right?  Well, according to A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens they are, and, as we discuss in this episode, whatever this books says is Christmas is DEFINITIVELY Christmas.   We visits topics such as the meteorological conditions of when this book was written as well as nighttime hallucinations and, especially, the lifetime of the extremely famous author of this returned to classic.  This is all for your benefit so trust us as we guide you through important things you need to know to survive your Christmas season.  And, maybe you'll be better for it in the end, who can say?  Merry Christmas!

Welcome to our house...Hop a train with us to far off Carpathia and dank dark evils of Castle Dracula as we explore what made this 1897 novel such an enduring story through the years. We spend extra time talking about all things medical and what Bram Stoker may have been trying to say about women in the Victorian society he lived in. We drank our fill on the biggest movies the feature the dear count as well and had a bloody good time doing it. Listen to us, the podcasters of the night...

Have you ever gone back to really examine something you loved when you were younger? This month we dig into our record collection and put a fresh spin on Nick Hornby's 1995 novel High Fidelity. The movie of this film from 2000 made a big impact on me in high school, so much so that I didn't even realize how much I thought about it in my day to day life. We have a compilation of takes on the book, including why I think the protagonist Rob struggles so much. Make sure you turntable speed is set to 33 RPM, this is definitely and LP.

Here we go! In this hot, stormy summer weather, we've decided to take a field trip to Oz and explore the 1900 book the Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Of course we cover the 1939 movie as well and we found we had a A LOT to say about it and other related projects. If you want to learn about the life of Baum and even what poppy plants are famous for, we've got all of that packed up and ready for you. Come on and get inside, I see a twister comin'.

It's fitting that our longest episode to date should be covering the longest book we've done so far. Gone With the Wind is a monolithic book and movie that has had heavy influence on American history, certainly well beyond whatever Margaret Mitchell may have intended with it in 1936. In this episode, we cover the landscape of the Civil War, survival, and the Myth of the Lost Cause and some of what that means for America after Reconstruction. Further, we get into why Scarlett is such a frustrating yet irresistible character whose appeal has endured for decades. Join us as we sort out fiction from fact in this famous/infamous piece of historical fiction.

It's time to drift out across the farmlands of Iowa to find your one true love on a random encounter. Or not. This month we cover the wildly popular Bridges of Madison County and discuss what made the book so impactful and maybe why it hasn't stayed alive in public discourse over the years. For not being a particularly long book, we found a lot of great topics to cover, even though we definitely had our opinions on the book itself. Maybe this is who we are and who we're meant to be. Or maybe we should just get over ourselves. Either way!

All aboard for Season 4! We crash through snowy Russian landscapes and meander about pastoral Russian farmlands in our exploration of Russian foundational novel Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. We certainly had enough to say on this one, which is not surprising as the book is well over 700 pages in length with overflowing detail on every page. If you've never made the trip all the way through this one (just like I hadn't until recently), travel along with us as we sojourn to light and dark places alike. Sometimes it's more about the journey than it is about arriving anywhere in particular.

We round out season 3 of our little podcast with another graphic novel, this time from revered author Alison Bechdel and her 2006 masterpiece, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. There was so much to discuss here, including, but not limited to sexual identity, death in the family, and toxic citrus spokespeople of the 1970's. This is an important book for anyone struggling with their sense of self that may clash with the world and family they grew up in. Even with our best coverage, there were still topics in this book that we didn't get to, but we at least try to put the fun in "perfunctory"!

Now is the time to explore strange new alien civilizations, and thereby explore strange new ideas within ourselves with Ursula K. Le Guin's 1969 sci-fi classic The Left Hand of Darkness! We found a lot to engage with this month, especially in gender and how it impacts our personal lives and even how we think about ourselves. As humans, we may not have a physical shifting sexual identity like the citizens of Gethen, but perhaps how we think about ourselves can shift. Be aware, though, that speed is relativistic and we all get where we're going in our own time.

None of us can ever know what it was like to live the harrowing experience of being a black slave in America in the early 1800's, but Octavia Butler was determined to try and give her readers a taste in 1979's Kindred. While the book was not perfect, it did leave us asking and mulling over some important questions about who we are and who we might be in different situations. Plus we get to talk about mosquito born illnesses! Slip away with us and learn about some often overlooked roots of American history, it's a trip that you won't soon forget.

Let us sit upon the ground and listen to nerdy podcasts about the death of kings. Alas, poor Hamlet! We reviewed it, dear listener! There was so much ground to cover in this legendary play by William Shakespeare and we mulled over wordplay, anachronisms, and a surprising amount of historical religious talk. As this is one of Felicia's favorite plays and the first time Ben has read it, there was a lively conversation to be had all around. Let's go to the theater tonight, it's only a penny to stand in the pit!

It can be hard putting your life back together after the traumas of war, especially if you are perceiving different portions of your life out of order. Or at least you think you are. Come unstuck with us as we wander passively through the life and times of Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five and the many events that were inspired from author Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s life. We had a blast talking about aliens, post-modernism, and current treatments for ancient psychiatric conditions. Listen along with us and so it will go.

It's time we come clean about something with you...we covered the Secret History by Donna Tartt and we just can't hold it in any longer. Listen in on our confessions of researching the details of the murder filled book along with the mysterious life of its author. We also ask the question, should studying Classics be killed off once and for all? The weather is getting colder, put on your houndstooth jacket and let's go for a walk by the ravine.

The pumpkins are out, the wind is getting colder, it's time to hit the books and resurrect the dead! This month, we climb the glaciers of Switzerland and explore the involved and fascinating life of Frankenstein's author Mary Shelley. Further, we doggedly pursue topics including forceps delivery, the Year Without a Summer, and whatever Kenneth Branagh was trying to do with the 1994 film. If you don't deal with this episode now, you'll be haunted by it forever.

Come along with us as we try to rescue ourselves from our young demographically targeted book yet, A Wrinkle In Time! While we may not cover impossible distances instantaneously, we do cover our regular broad range of topics, this time including child prodigies, maturity, and Ben Franklin quotes taken badly out of context. If you want to fight It and the Darkness, all you need to do is tune into this episode. And probably some other things, too, but never mind that.

This month we're going underground talking about the book, movie, and phenomena that is Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club. We break the first two rules of the club pretty brazenly as we discuss masculinity, facing your feelings honestly, and "hitting rock bottom", whatever that means. We even discuss having more than one perspective on life in our medical corner. If tonight is your first time with Questioning the Canon...then you have to listen.

For America's birthday month, we decided to peruse Mark Twain's much discussed Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There were so many topics to cover including geography, the long-term effects of alcoholism, river travel, and, of course, the unique life of the author himself. What better way to pass a hot July afternoon than floating down the podcast river with us? Everyone aboard? We're casting off!

Set out with us on our summer reading journey with the Hobbit by the wizard himself, J.R.R. Tolkien. We find a lot of comfortable knowledge holes to explore in our travels without too many bumps or things we wish we didn't know along the way. In our medical corner we give a shout out to Elizabeth Rowley and T1 International and the work they do to make insulin affordable and available for everyone, heroic work if there ever was such. Our discussion of Tolkien gets downright explosive, too, especially when talking about his service in WWI. Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll all be home in time for second breakfast.

Here's quite a book for our season 3 opener! If you've ever been curious what the Fountainhead is and what it's all about, come join for a rousing discussion on this much pointed to tome. We dive into the details of Ayn Rand's life, her followers, and what exactly it means to be "truly selfish". We also discuss a particularly relevant medication that had a big influence on Rand's writing style. The most individualist thing you can do is listen to us! Also thank you to Jeremy Kanne for our updated show icon!

In our giant-sized season closer, we square up against Alan Moore's seminal graphic novel Watchmen. This book contains so many details, nuggets, and plot elements that we had more than usual to say. Too much? You decide true, believer! We had a great time with this one, though, and are looking forward to what next season is going to bring, too. Ka-pow!

The winds and rain of March seem like the perfect time to bring you our take on Truman Capote's true crime novel, In Cold Blood. In the episode, we discuss about the appeal of the true crime genre, prisons, and of course something relevant from the book in our medical corner. We had a lot to say and had a good time doing it was we careened recklessly from topic to topic like Dick and Perry careened around the country. Will we ever get caught? Tune in and find out!

Sometimes beautiful things are also very hard things and the Color Purple by Alice Walker is just like that. In our discussion we range over topics including abuse, racial tensions, and also the idea of rebuilding yourself after tremendous trauma. Our talk on the author, too, goes down some rabbit holes that I was frankly not expecting to go down. Appreciate the color purple and avoid pissing off God, join us!

Perhaps appropriate for January and the post-holidays slump, we take a look at the Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath's singular novel. As we swim out, we discuss honesty in writing, personality disorders, and even have a culinary portion where we try a "delicacy" from the book. There's much to discuss with this classic but if you expect nothing from us, you'll never be disappointed.

Okay, hear me out, there was a lot more to talk about with Little Women than I thought there would be. We cartwheel over the topics of domesticity, sexual orientation, and transcendental history, all while wondering if Beth is going to pull through (spoiler, she's toast). If our train is on time, we hope to be home in time to surprise you for Christmas. Make a guy of it and paddle your own canoe!

In this month's episode, we finally get around to reading a book I had deliberately been avoiding my whole life, The Kite Runner. I'm not exactly sure what made me want to read it, but coming back to things you've long been avoiding did to turn out to be on point at least. Come along with us as we discuss unfamiliar cultures, classes in society, and even lung cancer. For you, I'd do this a thousand times over.

For our October episode, we ran into the darkness with horror master Steven King and his first novel Carrie. We touch on high school trauma, anatomy, and have an in depth discussion on the life and works of King himself. Of course, we watched the 1976 Sissy Spacek film and of course we have plenty to say about that, too, as well as question what we really even mean by "the canon" to being with. Come get spooky with us!

Come along with us as we explore sex, drugs, and camp in Jacqueline Susann's bestseller Valley of the Dolls. We also...talk about the movie...yeesh. And because nothing's ever easy, we paired our conversation with a host of technical problems including the internet fuzzing out, portions needing rerecorded, and an apartment hallway smoke detector that needs new batteries! You'll find it all and in this month's episode, which, as always, for a ton of fun for us to make.

It's late summer and that means it's time to celebrate the great American road trip! Maybe this trip with the Joads wasn't so great after all, but the Grapes of Wrath sure was. Ride with us in our podcast jalopy as we talk about unions, socialism, and sticking up for the little guy, all the while trying to keep the fambly together. We got just a dollar in the tank, we can make it.

Next on our summer reading list, we voyage into a little science fiction with Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. We dig into biases, warfare, and latent messages within the book and it turns out there was a lot of important topics to talk about. Suit up! We've got Battle in five minutes!

Perhaps you've heard of this little book? For our summer reading, we start with To Kill a Mockingbird and discuss not only its obvious racial implications but also the creative writing process, world building, and character development. Stay tuned and you may even learn why outhouses were important (spoiler, it's not what you're thinking!). Our podcast icon is by Jeremy Kanne Our intro and outro music is "Piggly Wiggly" by the Johnny Dodds Trio

Here we go on season 2! We're very excited to bring you our discussion on what is probably Jane Austen's third most famous book, Emma. We cover a wide range of topics including topiaries and cognitive biases but, most importantly, the risks that come with meddling in other people's affairs. Fetch the carriage! Our podcast icon is by Jeremy Kanne Our intro and outro music is "Piggly Wiggly" by the Johnny Dodds Trio

We saved a GREAT book to round out season one and we threw ourselves a little party.  Despite covering such a crushing and dour topic, our conversation on Art Spiegelman's brilliant Maus was lively and fun.  You can mix up your own szarlotka or just sip on some apple juice if you'd prefer.  Here, have some cheese.  Settle in for a story.

This month we dive into the difficult journey of the complicated narrator in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man.  This novel provides a million important things for us to talk about and we have our typical good time doing it.   It goes without saying that most of the points about racism presented in this 1952 book still resonant strongly today.

This month we dive into J.D. Salinger's Catcher In the Rye and question why a 16 year old in New York would be so angry and disaffected in the first place.  We learn a lot about the reclusive author of this American standard and have a lot of fun with our discussion.  Let's solve the mystery of what happens to the ducks in the winter!

It's time to talk about tortured love and obsession on the moors of Yorkshire.  That's right, this month, we get into Emily Bronte's 1847 masterpiece Wuthering Heights.  Put on something warm against the cold as we discuss status, affection, and silent infectious killers.  This one was a romp and we hope you enjoy it!  Happy New Year's!

This month, we discuss developing feelings, lashing out, and living wounded in the WWII-era classic A Separate Peace.  This book was a great read and ton of fun to talk about.  We also attempted to get to the heart of the matter of what John Knowles wrote about his characters Gene and Finny (spoiler, they may have been more than friends).

Let's go to ancient Lebanon by way of Brazil, shall we?  In this month's episode, we dive deep into the life of author Paulo Coelho, the prophet Elijah, and ideas around self-worth and privilege.  Also, before anyone comes at me, yes, I know there is no such biblical person as "King Daniel", I meant King David.  All of my Sunday school teachers are shaking their heads at me, surely.

Come explore spooky hallways and isolated estates with us as we discuss Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House.  This book was a lot of fun but also disturbing at points.  We definitely had fun talking about it and its numerous film adaptations.  This makes Liam Neeson appearance number two in our podcast so far...

This month we cover F. Scott Fitzgerald's first and career making novel This Side of Paradise.  My money is that you've never read this and you can hear about it with us!  Maybe grab a drink, like we did...

We get swept up in this true American classic by Zora Neal Hurston.  In this episode we cover Halle Berry, mules, and rabies, just to name a few appropriate topics.

Let's head out west to experience one of the most merciless books we've ever read.  You've probably heard about Blood Meridian before, but you've definitely never seen the movie (let's pray they never make it).  To be fair, though, we at least had a good time discussing the book.  Giddy-Up!

The month, we take off into Ray Bradbury's fix-up novel The Martian Chronicles.  Arguably Bradbury's second most famous book, we cover a wide a variety of themes found in the book, but, also importantly, themes that are noticeably absent.

Our first episode!  We decided to start with the most dreary book we've read in a long long time, Ethan Frome!  Get ready for cold hearts, cold roads, and sledding accidents!