Sophomore Lit

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A podcast about your 10th grade reading list, hosted by John McCoy.

John McCoy


    • Apr 23, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 58m AVG DURATION
    • 175 EPISODES

    4.9 from 51 ratings Listeners of Sophomore Lit that love the show mention: high school english, mccoy, takes me back, literature, john, books, smart, hosts, guests, fun, show, great, listening.


    Ivy Insights

    The Sophomore Lit podcast is a delightful show that brings back the joy of reading for book nerds and avid readers alike. As someone who has always been a voracious reader, I found myself falling out of the habit due to the busyness of life and the distraction of digital entertainment. However, this podcast has reignited my love for literature and reminded me of the magic that lies within the pages of a good book. I am grateful to have stumbled upon this podcast as it has truly brought me back to reading once again.

    One of the best aspects of The Sophomore Lit podcast is the insightful and fun discussions that take place between host John McCoy and his guests. They delve deep into classic books, discussing their themes, characters, and impact on both past and present readers. The back and forth between John and his guests is always engaging, offering new perspectives and interpretations that make you appreciate these books even more. It's a joy to listen to these conversations unfold as they bring to life some of our favorite books from high school.

    While The Sophomore Lit podcast is a delight to listen to, there have been occasional audio issues that can be a bit distracting. However, these issues are minor and do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the show. Despite this small drawback, I eagerly look forward to each new episode in anticipation of more deep dives into classic literature.

    In conclusion, I highly recommend The Sophomore Lit podcast to anyone who wants to revisit their favorite books from high school or discover new ones that they may have missed. John McCoy's thoughtful insights, along with his guests' perspectives, offer a refreshing commentary on these classics. Whether you're an English nerd or simply enjoy good storytelling, this podcast is sure to entertain and inspire you on your literary journey. Don't miss out - subscribe today!



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    Latest episodes from Sophomore Lit

    174: The Chrysalids

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 52:27


    Podcasts are the original voices in your head. David Dredrick discusses John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids (1955). John McCoy with David Dedrick.

    173: The Visit

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 46:04


    Make money fast with this one weird trick. Glenn Fleishman discusses Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s play The Visit (1956). John McCoy with Glenn Fleishman.

    172: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 37:06


    And indeed there will be time to discuss this, the most mid-life white-guy crisis poem of all. Lisa Schmeiser discusses T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915). John McCoy with Lisa Schmeiser.

    171: Frank O'Connor Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 58:20


    I’ve heard it said by men of wide experience that podcasts used to be better in the old days. Kieran Healy discusses three short stories by Frank O’Connor: “First Confession,” “The Majesty of the Law,” and “Guests of the Nation.” John McCoy with Kieran Healy.

    170: Emily Dickinson Poems

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 60:09


    Forever is composed of podcasts. Caroline Fulford discusses selected poems by Emily Dickinson (c. 1860-65). John McCoy with Caroline Fulford and Marina McCoy.

    169: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 24:57


    Cigars are always trouble. Marina McCoy discusses Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1972). John McCoy with Marina McCoy.

    168: The Time of Your Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 61:03


    Sometimes you want to go where everybody is a thread in the fabric of the human condition. Also they know your name. Phil Gonzales discusses William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life (1939). John McCoy with Phil Gonzales.

    167: Thanksgiving Special: Comfort Reads

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 24:43


    Hey, things are tough. The McCoy Bros, Rob, John, and Dan, discuss the books that get them through. John McCoy with Rob McCoy and Dan McCoy.

    166: The Owl Service

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 44:18


    Ross Cleaver returns to talk owls, plates, and Welsh mythology in Alan Garner’s The Owl Service (1967). John McCoy with Ross Cleaver.

    165: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2024 58:06


    This episode has many omissions, and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate. Jacob Haller tries to make sense of Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1979). John McCoy with Jacob Haller.

    164: Lysistrata

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2024 49:23


    What’s more cultivated and genteel than classical theater? David Loehr discusses Aristophanes’s Lysistrata (411 B.C.E.) John McCoy with David J. Loehr.

    163: The Twenty-One Balloons

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 53:51


    Because twenty would be too few and twenty-two would be ridiculous. Shaenon K. Garrity discusses William Pène du Bois’s The Twenty-One Balloons (1947). John McCoy with Shaenon K. Garrity.

    162: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 46:16


    Rain Main meets Air Bud. Dan McCoy discusses stims and happy endings and Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). John McCoy with Dan McCoy.

    161: A Canticle for Leibowitz

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 57:38


    This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with a bunch of monks sitting around copying stuff. Jelani Sims returns to discuss Walter M. Miller Jr.’s A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959). John McCoy with Jelani Sims.

    160: Why I Live at the P.O.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2024 44:07


    Stick some stamps on the top of our heads. Deborah Stanish discusses Eudora Welty’s “Why I Live at the P.O.” (1941) John McCoy with Deborah Stanish.

    159: The Phantom Tollbooth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 52:18


    The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between. Moisés Chiullán discusses Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth (1961). [We’ve re-issued this episode to correct an audio problem.] John McCoy with Moisés Chiullán.

    159: The Phantom Tollbooth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 52:18


    The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between. Moisés Chiullán discusses Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth (1961). John McCoy with Moisés Chiullán.

    158: A Perfect Day for Bananafish

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 37:31


    Podcasters: What Do They Know? Do They Know Things?? Let’s Find Out! Jason Snell talks about marine life in J.D. Salinger’s “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” (1948). John McCoy with Jason Snell.

    157: The Veldt

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 30:29


    Lions and tigers and bea— you know what, just lions. Jordan Morris is here to discuss Ray Bradbury’s story “the Veldt” (1950). John McCoy with Jordan Morris.

    156: Heart of Darkness

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2024 58:27


    The Podcast! The Podcast! John Holt discusses the ill-fated cruise that is Joseph Conrad’s novelette Heart of Darkness (1899). John McCoy with John Holt.

    155: Tom Sawyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 59:50


    Though his mind is not for rent, it still is the subject of this episode. Jacob Haller discusses Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer (1876). John McCoy with Jacob Haller.

    154: Wide Sargasso Sea

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024


    Actually, I need this sea in an extra wide. Caroline Fulford discusses postcolonialism and recurring fires in Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea (1966). John McCoy with Caroline Fulford.

    153: The Burglar's Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 22:30


    The Burgermeister Meisterburger has nothing on this burglar! My wife Marina joins me for our annual Christmas episode. This time we discuss Willa Cather’s “The Burglar’s Christmas” (1896). John McCoy with Marina McCoy.

    152: The Prince in Waiting

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 47:45


    The waiting is the hardest part. Ross Cleaver and James Randall discuss the apocalypse, palace intrigue, and the charm of 80’s BBC television in this episode about John Christopher’s The Prince in Waiting (1970). John McCoy with Ross Cleaver and James Randall.

    151: Thanksgiving Special: Poor Richard's Almanack

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2023 24:07


    Fish and visitors stink in three days, but podcasts are evergreen! Dan and Rob return for the annual Thanksgiving nonsense with Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack (1732-1758). John McCoy with Dan McCoy and Rob McCoy.

    150: Valley of the Dolls

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 56:34


    Raggedy Ann, Barbie, Chucky—they’re all here. That’s what this book is about, right? Erin Gambrill discusses Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls (1966). John McCoy.

    149: On the Beach

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2023 40:52


    Why just sit around waiting for the end of the world when you can hear a podcast about it? Jelani Sims discusses Nevil Shute’s On the Beach (1957). John McCoy with Jelani Sims.

    beach john mccoy nevil shute
    148: History of the Peloponnesian War

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2023 38:02


    Kids today love Thucydides, right? Anyone? Daniel Daughhetee returns to discuss this late fifth century BCE chronicle of Athens v. Sparta. John McCoy with Daniel Daughetee.

    147: James Thurber

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 42:43


    It’s a naive literary podcast without any breeding, but I think you’ll be amused by its presumption. Dan Cassino discusses James Thurber’s “The Catbird Seat” (1942) and The 13 Clocks (1950). John McCoy with Dan Cassino.

    146: Through the Looking-Glass

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 58:00


    If you’ve believed six impossible things before breakfast, why not listen to this podcast before lunch? Phil Gonzales discusses Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871). John McCoy with Phil Gonzales.

    145: The Grapes of Wrath

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 59:58


    After eight years of the podcast I finally do the inevitable. Shelly Brisbin discusses John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath (1939). John McCoy with Shelly Brisbin.

    144: Howl's Moving Castle

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2023 45:54


    Howl likes to move it, move it. Audrey Lazaro and Dan McCoy are on to discuss Diana Wynne Jones’s book Howl’s Moving Castle (1986). John McCoy with Dan McCoy and Audrey Lazaro.

    143: Long Day's Journey Into Night

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2023 49:40


    I don’t care how long this day’s journey has been, so help me I will turn this car around if you kids don’t stop. Kris Markel discusses Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night(written 1941, published 1956). John McCoy with Kris Markel.

    142: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 58:58


    Jean, Jean, the roses are red and all of the leaves have gone green, so Glenn Fleishman and John are discussing Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961). John McCoy with Glenn Fleishman.

    141: Carrie's War

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 37:54


    Ross Cleaver discusses Carrie’s War (what is it good for?), Nina Bawdwin’s 1973 children’s book about evacuations, skulls, and grumpy Welshmen. John McCoy with Ross Cleaver.

    140: The Snows of Kilimanjaro

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 41:03


    Grab a whisky and soda and put your leg up. My dad and I discuss Ernest Hemingway’s “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” (1936). Bonus content: a visit to the Hemingway Home in Key West! John McCoy.

    139: Beloved

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2023 53:10


    Jelani Sims returns to discuss the literal and metaphorical ghosts of Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel Beloved (1987). John McCoy with Jelani Sims.

    138: Great Expectations

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2023 62:12


    I have good feelings about this one! Zach Powers returns to discuss desparate criminals and mysterious benefactors in Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations (1861). John McCoy with Zach Powers.

    137: A Christmas Carol

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2022 31:19


    There are many podcasts from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited. John and Marina discuss Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843). John McCoy with Marina McCoy.

    136: Stuart Little

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 57:27


    This is one weird mouse book. Phil Gonzales and John discuss E. B. White’s Stuart Little(1945). John McCoy with Phil Gonzales.

    135: Thanksgiving Special: The Wreck of the Hesperus

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2022 18:11


    It’s Thanksgiving, so of course Rob, John, and Dan drink and discuss “The Wreck of the Hesperus” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1842). John McCoy with Rob McCoy and Dan McCoy.

    134: Macbeth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2022 48:46


    Probably best not to listen to this episode while you’re in a theatre. Shannon Campe and John discuss Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1605-ish). John McCoy with Shannon Campe.

    133: The Picture of Dorian Gray

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2022 53:13


    The podcasts that the world calls immoral are podcasts that show the world its own shame. Tamar Avashi and John discuss Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1831). John McCoy with Tamar Avishai.

    132: The Canterbury Tales

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2022 51:13


    Those smale foweles maken melodye got nothin’ on us: Kathy Campbell and John discuss Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (c. 1400). John McCoy with Kathy Campbell.

    131: Beowulf

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2022 50:00


    The original Farewell to Arms. Nathan Alderman discusses Beowulf (c. 1000). John McCoy with Nathan Alderman.

    130: Epic of Gilgamesh

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2022 72:01


    Gilgamesh, a king, at Uruk. It’s not just a Star Trek meme. Gregory Fried talks ritual sex, heavenly bulls, and sneaky snakes in the Epic of Gilgamesh. John McCoy with Gregory Fried.

    129: The Metamorphosis

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2022 39:31


    Gregor’s mother warned him about days like this. Jason Snell discusses Franz Kafka’s inescapable novella, The Metamorphosis (1915). John McCoy.

    128: Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Tale of Wall Street

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 60:39


    Audrey Lazaro discusses Mellville’s 1853 story, “Bartleby the Scrivener,” one of the top three bits of scrivener fiction ever. John McCoy with Audrey Lazaro.

    127: The Egypt Game

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2022 55:57


    No, I won’t make a Bangles joke. Erin Gambrill discusses Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s The Egypt Game (1967). John McCoy with Erin Gambrill.

    126: Bambi, a Life in the Woods

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 44:43


    Bambi’s not so cute in this gritty new reboot. Glenn Fleishman discusses Felix Salten’s 1923 parable about what goes on in the woods. Also we talk a lot about copyright. John McCoy with Glenn Fleishman.

    125: At the Mountains of Madness

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 74:34


    Climb ev’ry mountain—except these mountains, they’re nuts. Phil Gonzales discusses H.P. Lovecraft’s “At the Mountains of Madness,” written in 1931 and published in 1936. John McCoy with Phil Gonzales.

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