Structured Rambling

Follow Structured Rambling
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Exploring literature and ideas. Inspired discussion on great or pertinent texts and the ideas that grow from them.

Paul Sonsteby


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 132 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Structured Rambling with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Structured Rambling

    Thr Last (?) Dark Tower Aside: Insomnia

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 31:37


    Paul looks at the massive 1994 novel Insomnia that Stephen King set up as connection to the Drak Tower. 

    Number 24: What's in a Norwegian Name?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 20:59


    Paul takes a look at Number 24, the biopic of Gunnar Sonsteby

    Dark Tower Double Aside: Winds and Hearts

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 31:42


    Paul takes on two more of the side novels from Stephen King's Dark Tower series: The Wind Through the Keyhole and Hearts in Atlantis. 

    Alice in Chains: For Layne Friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 42:41


    Paul talks this episode about the tragic story of Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley, and the attempts of his friends in music to save him. Alice in Chains, "Grind," Alice in Chains. Seattle, Columbia, 1995. Alice in Chains, "I Stay Away," Jar of Flies. Seattle, Columbia, 1994. Alice in Chains, "Man In The Box," Facelift. Seattle, Columbia, 1990. Alice in Chains, "Nutshell," Jar of Flies. Seattle, Columbia, 1994. Alice in Chains, "Over Now," Unplugged. Seattle, Columbia, 1996. Alice in Chains, "Them Bones," Dirt. Seattle, Columbia, 1993. Alice in Chains, "What the Hell Have I," Last Action Hero Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Seattle, Columbia, 1993. Dylan, Bob. "Ring Them Bells." Performed by Heart. Desire Walks On. USA, Capitol, 1993.   Mad Season, "All Alone," Above. Seattle, Columbia, 1995. Mad Season, "River of Deceit," Above. Seattle, Columbia, 1995. 

    Revisit: Game of Thrones Season 8

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 34:24


    No, it doesn't suck. It just has some bad pacing and lame story choices. It's 65% good. 

    Arthur, Once, Future, King

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 27:28


    Paul talks about the endearing appeal of King Arthur of Camelot

    Flaguary: 28 Days That Gave our Nation Back Its Leaf

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 17:41


    F Trump. F Elon. F Vlad. Effin right, bud. 

    Maybe It's an Offer You Should Refuse? Gangster Shows

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2025 17:30


    Paul discusses the unending appeal of the Gangster movie or tv show. Bad folks

    Royals, Who Needs 'Em: Peter Morgan's The Crown

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 24:24


    I looked Ahead: Pre-Destiny, Fate, Prophecy, Luck . . .

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2025 19:31


    Another Dark Tower Aside: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 22:54


    KIng, Stephen. 'Salem's Lot. New York, Vintage, 1975. 

    The Texts of '24

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 5:00


    Stephen King's The Stand (The Dark Tower Series Aside Part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 39:49


    Paul tackles what is considered by many Stephen King's masterpiece.King, Stephen. The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition. New York, Doubleday, 1990. 

    Profane Decency: Ted Lasso

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2024 25:53


    Paul discusses the most remarkable series of the decade: Ted Lasso.

    My Love Letter To Pearl Jam

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 50:43


    No explanation needed. 

    That Thing Isn't IT: John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 20:49


    Paul talks about the horrow cult classic, The Thing

    The 5Ws of Tom Bombadil

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 36:41


    Paul discusses one of the most bizarre but beloved characters in all of Tolkien.Ryelund, Morten. "Tom Bombadil's Song (I)", The Fellowship of the Ring. CDklassic, 2000. Tolkien, Christopher. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. London, Houghton Mifflin, 2000.Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring. London, HarperCollins, 2010.

    Dirty Rotten Superheroes: The Boys

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 12:47


    Paul looks at Amazon's nasty and fun superhero satire, The Boys. 

    Ancient Applicability: Our Man Marcus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2024 12:19


    Paul discusses why Emperor Marcus Aurelius's Meditations remains a worthwhile read almost two millennia after it was written. Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. (Translated by Gregory Hays). New York, Modern Library, 2002.  

    Stephen King's The Dark Tower Series: 4. The Wizard and Glass

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2024 25:58


    Paul Continues his journey through King's fantasy opus

    Stephen King's The Dark Tower Series: 3. The Waste Lands

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 17:52


    Paul picks up on his continuing study of Stephen King's fantasy opus. 

    I Hate Deadpool, #notmyWolverine, but a Fun Movie

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2024 31:35


    Paul kicks the hornet's nest and talks the good and considerable bad of Deadpool & Wolverine.For a much nicer review, check out The Good Enough Gaming Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/good-enough-gaming-pod/id1553128355?i=1000663926773

    Great Scott's Great, Serious-Ridley

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 22:53


    That's an awful title. Here's an episode on director Ridley Scott. 

    Trump, Terrorism, and Eight Texts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 31:46


    Paul discusses the recent near-assissnation of Donald Trump but keeps that rambling structured. Adler, Mortimer. Aristotle for Everybody. New York, Macmillan, 1978. 

    "Trickling into the Stream"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 16:42


    Paul considers what generational technology usage and the advent of AI writing will do to reading, thinking, and writing. 

    Rewatch: Game of Thrones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 37:21


    Paul talks Game of Thrones . 

    A Brief Discussion on the Mentor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 15:09


    Paul chats about the mentor character, so significant to the Hero's Journey. 

    Villeneuve In Review: Dune 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 15:57


    Paul talks about the second take on his favourite book. 

    The Better Story Post Script: Papa Lu and "Man of the Hour"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2024 18:29


    Vedder, Eddie. "Man of the Hour," Big Fish: Music from the Motion Picture. Seattle, Pearl Jam, 2003. 

    The Better Story: Life of Pi and Big Fish

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2024 25:13


    Inspired by one of his teaching lessons, Paul discusses the concept of "the better story" which forms a connection between Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi and Tim Burton's 2004 film, Big Fish.Burton, Tim. Big Fish. United States, Sony Pictures, 2003. Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. Toronto, Vintage, 2001.

    Stephen King's The Dark Tower Series: 2. The Drawing of the Three. Best book in the series? Best SK book EVER?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 22:36


    Paul continues his exploration of the Dark Tower series with this Master's Class of character building. King, Stephen. The Drawing of the Three. New York, Plume, 2003. 

    Stephen King's The Dark Tower Series: 1.The Gunslinger. Mostly just get through it.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2024 16:16


    Paul starts an extended re-read and analysis of Stephen King's Dark Tower series. 

    Dys or Dat-Topia? (Brave New World Vs. 1984)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 40:10


    Paul compares the futuristic worlds presented in two classic novels of 20th century speculative fiction: Brave New World  and Nineteen Eighty-Four.Huxley, Aldous. Brace New World. Toronto, Vintage, 2007.Orwell, George, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Toronto, Signet, 1977. 

    Pop-Punk's Power People: Green Day

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2024 26:22


    I'm not gonna lie, I probably broke a bunch of copyrights for this episode. I'm gonna trust the boys to be cool with it. 

    Snorri Sturlason

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 17:03


    Paul gushes about his favourite Viking-Age historian and poet. 

    The Texts of '23

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2024 10:09


    Paul waxes retrospective.https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8864790044362597696/8064845359125547896

    Alpha Symbols

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2023 18:48


    Sometimes we overread symbols. But there are SOME objects--water, fire, a door--that are ALWAYS symbolic. 

    The False Myth of the American Western

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 23:56


    Paul discusses that most derivative, forced, and American of genres: The Western 

    What Should We Know About the War?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2023 26:26


    As memory fades and current events become history, what are the specific things "kids these days" should need to know about World War 2?

    The Beauty of the Short Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 16:04


    Paul talks about this lovely and underappreciated form of text. 

    On Re-Reading Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2023 16:28


    Paul talks about the revelations that can happen on second and subsequent of books. 

    Heat (1995) By Michael Mann.

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2023 30:00


    Way better than a great a$$

    Vinland and the Norse Sagas (for Tim and Allie)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 29:41


    Paul explores the sketchy history of the Norse landings in Newfoundland, after fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting the site at L'anse aux Meadows last month.This episode is dedicated to Tim and Allie. 

    The Barbarity of Banning Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2023 32:49


    Paul weighs in on literary fasciscm. Thomposon, Hunter S. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. New York, Random House, 1971. 

    Speaking of a Death, Let's Talk About Death: Cormac McCarthy's the Sunset Limited

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2023 28:45


    Don't read or watch this play if you're feeling low.McCarthy, Cormac. The Sunset Limited: A Novel in Dramatic Form. New York, Dramatists Play Service, Inc., 2006. 

    Canada Day, 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2023 9:47


    Hey, for what it is, have a happy one.Downie, Gord. "Fireworks" from Phantom Power. Ontario, Universal, 1998. 

    The Love of the Stage

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2023 15:31


    Paul talks about his love for the often-misunderstood and mis-appreciated genre of theatre. 

    Spoiler: The King Returns

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2023 28:23


    After far too long of promising, Paul discusses the third volume of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.Tolkien, J.R.R. The Return of the King. London, Harper Collins, 2010. 

    Stoicism in the Modern World

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 22:50


    It's amazing how Ancient Greek philosphy is still so applicable to us today, and Paul argues that none is MORE applicable still than stoicism. But, you have to jettison the weaknesses. Aurelius, Marcus. Meditations. New York, Pengion, 2006.  Herbert, Frank. Dune. New York, Chilton, 1965. 

    METALLI-f*#$ing-CA

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 18:53


    In today's episode, Paul talks about Metallica, a band he's never going to be too proud to like, although his favourite era is often the band's most-reviled. 

    Best-PERIOD-Show-PERIOD-Ever-PERIOD: The Newsroom by Aaron Sorkin (for J. on her birthday)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2023 39:55


    Paul analyzes the exceptional three seasons of The Newsroom for his favourite person. Newman, Thomas, "The Newsroom Main Theme," Apple Music. 

    Claim Structured Rambling

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel