Table of (Mal)Contents

While our hiatus as a podcast continues, I started a new podcast called Your Next Favorite Book, where I share about one book I really enjoy in every episode. These books run the spectrum of genres and styles—in much the same way the books Dave and I would share here do. But this is a bit of a deeper dive, almost a book review experience. And today, I want to share with you one of my favorite episodes so far, which focuses on a book that I discovered by accident. This is Faith, Hope, and Carnage by Nick Cave and Sean O'Hagan. And if you like what you hear, I hope you'll subscribe to Your Next Favorite Book on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app.

Even though we're still on a hiatus, it doesn't mean that Dave and Aaron aren't still doing things together. In fact today's episode is a conversation recorded at Landmark Booksellers in Franklin Tennessee on March 1, 2023, to commemorate the release of Aaron's new book, I'm a Christian—Now What? A Guide to Your New Life with Christ. In this conversation, we discuss why Aaron wrote the book and some of its key themes. We also talk about some of the advice he wishes he'd been given and things he would have done differently if he could have a do-over as a new believer. We even had a chance to take a few questions from the audience at the store! I'm a Christian—Now What? A Guide to Your New Life with Christ is available now. Order today from Amazon or wherever you buy books.

Introducing Your Next Favorite Book, a new podcast from Aaron Armstrong. Learn more and subscribe at https://anchor.fm/aarmstrong

It's the most wonderful time of the year. The trees are decorated. The stockings have been hung with care. The lights are all over every tree. And Aaron is grinching about the whole thing. Which means it's a perfect time for us to drop a very special episode of Table of (mal)Contents! Listen in as we discuss Our favorite books of the year Getting and receiving books as gifts What's happening with the show—are we back? A few of the books in this episode Some of Aaron's favorites of 2021 The Storyteller by Dave Grohl Hail Mary by Andy Weir American Gospel by Lin Enger Art Matters by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell The Hardest Job in the World by John Dickerson A few of Dave's favorites of 2021 Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber The High Divide by Lin Enger The Apollo Murders by Chris Hadfield A quick note for listeners: I'm using new software for editing and it's taking a bit to get used to, so if it's a bit echo-y, I apologize. 

Wildwood Flower: Stories of Women who Built Country Music is back for Season 2! Intro episode will drop on October 1st! Available on all platforms. To find out more about the podcast, listen to the introductory episode here. Subscribe and follow on Instagram at wildwoodflowerpod to stay updated on new episodes and special announcements.

Welcome back to the Area Code neighborhood: Feel For the Game. Nick and Noah return with a series of (mainly basketball) conversations about nostalgic moments in NBA history, current issues plaguing the league, how coping and mental health play a role in sports, and more. Tune-in as they unprofessionally, but sincerely explore why sports are bigger than just the score of the game. Subscribe now, and follow along to find out how many times Noah makes an unwarranted Kansas Jayhawks basketball reference. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelforthegamepod/ ✌️

Welcome the newest resident to the Area Code neighborhood:Wildwood Flower: Stories of Women who Built Country Music. Season 1 premiering on June 4th! Available on all platforms. To find out more about the podcast, listen to the introductory episode here. Subscribe and follow on Instagram at wildwoodflowerpod to stay updated on new episodes and special announcements.

Dave and Aaron have to have a talk. It's a hard talk, but it's a good one. Feel the randomness as we discuss: The realities of our lives right now If Grease 2 is the best sequel of all time (and why does Dave think the answer is yes) The best horror writers (since we don't read those books) A Stranger Things and Lonesome Dove connection Introducing kids to Nicolas Cage A few of the books we mentioned Superman: Exile & Other Stories Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Freedom by Sebastian Junger

Our friend Mary Wiley joins us this week for a chat about publishing, writing theology books for kids, why we need more books like Gentle and Lowly, and the time a group of people lost their minds when Dave told them about a little book she wrote. A few of the books mentioned on today's episode Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund The Gospel Story and Everyday Theology by Mary Wiley The Last Kind Words Saloon by Larry McMurtry

It's the day of random on today's episode and Aaron & Dave share different moments from silly and ridiculous books they love. A few of the books mentioned on this episode Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost A Hard Thing on a Beautiful Day by Ted Kluck Radical by David Platt Open by Andre Agassi

This week we're taking things easy and letting the Internet guide our discussion, with three questions from our friends over at Goodreads: What's the last book that busted a reading slump for you? What was the last book you stayed up too late reading? Is there a best time to read? A few of the books we mentioned in this episode The Clanlands Book by Sam Heughan and Grant McTavish The High Divide and American Gospel by Lin Enger Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund The Multi-Directional Leader by Trevin Wax The Secular Creed and 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin South of Broad by Pat Conroy Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield Norco '80 by Paul Houlahan

Dave and Aaron are back in the saddle with a promptly released episode, recorded within an hour of Dave getting his shot of a certain vaccine. Will he grow a second head? Will he have a sudden urge to by Microsoft products? Will his cell signal improve? We don't know! But we do know he can't stop thinking about the end of the world, so we're talking about that, World Book Day, and why writers need to write what connects with themselves first. A few of the books we mentioned in this episode Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders The Multi-Directional Leader by Trevin Wax

After a tiny delay due to Aaron being tired and Dave being busy, we're back with a brand new episode recorded roughly 8 hours before it found its way onto the Interwebs. Listen in as we discuss why it's not bad for people to read books where sports play a key role—especially for people like Aaron who don't have a sports at all. A few of the books we mentioned in this episode Shoeless Joe by WP Kinsella Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissenger Open by Andre Agassi A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston Beartown by Fredrik Backman

Nature may or may not be healing, folks, because Aaron is back on duty in an exhibit hall for TGC's Women's and National Conferences! But that didn't Aaron from taking a few minutes on a Friday afternoon to talk with Dave about what it's like being back in exotic Indianapolis and to be around all the books after all this time. Meanwhile, Dave woke up at 2 in the morning to watch Ken Burns' Hemingway documentary and couldn't wait to talk about it and to ask an important question: who is Canada's Ken Burns? A few of the books mentioned on this episode: The Terrifics Vol. 3: The God Game by Gene Luen Yang Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger The Last Kind Words Saloon by Larry McMurtry 2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stravridis Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

The literary world lost another giant when Beverly Cleary died a couple of weeks before her 105th birthday. Listen in as we discuss her enduring legacy, some of the surprise books we didn't realize she wrote, and a whole lot more. A selection of Beverly Cleary's books mentioned in this episode Henry Huggins Ralph S. Mouse Ramona & Beezus But really, all her books are delightful. A couple of other books we discuss The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman Undiscovered Country Vol. 2 by Scott Snyder & Charles Soule Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod. Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us out. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

A trend has emerged in recent years within Christian publishing circles: the book contract announcement photo. As it has evolved, it has taken on many different forms, beginning with the blurry contract corner and getting progressively more interesting as they go. Today we're discussing several styles—what we like, what we don't, and what we wish we'd see—along with Aaron making a special announcement of his own. But what is that announcement? You'll have to listen to this special bonus episode to find out! (And keep a close watch on Aaron's social medias too.) Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

The literary world lost a legend last week when it was announced that Larry McMurtry, acclaimed author of Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, and more than two dozen others, died at age 84. Listen in as we discuss what we know (and learn) about his work, and make plans to read one of his books together. A selection of Larry McMurtry's books mentioned on today's episode The Last Picture Show Anything for Billy Terms of Endearment Comanche Moon Streets of Laredo Dead Man's Walk A couple of other books we discuss True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman The Whole Story for the Whole Family by Michael Kelley Big Truths Bible Storybook by Aaron Armstrong Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Every organization, church, blog, and even podcast can succumb to mission drift if its identity is not continually being clarified. So today, much like Derek Zoolander did when he saw his reflection in a puddle, we're getting a little introspective on the show and asking the question, "Who am I?" Listen in as we discuss: What we're really all about—and who are we really trying to be Why our faith can't not be a part of the show (even when we rarely discuss books connected to our faith) Carrying conversations when we're having a bad day Dave's thoughts as he's finally reading A Man Called Ove A few of the books mentioned on this episode: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

One of the creative cohorts & publishing companies Dave and Aaron both love is The Rabbit Room, for many different reasons, not the least of which being the people running it. So this week, Dave and Aaron are joined by none other than Pete Peterson, its executive director and managing editor. Listen in as we discuss: The story of The Rabbit Room The publishing philosophy of "do less better" The challenges of reading for pleasure when working in publishing The feedback Pete—and his brother Andrew—has received because of the content of his books Why it can be challenging for some authors to be too Christian and not Christian enough How Pete quit smoking A few of the books mentioned on this episode: Every Moment Holy Vol. 1, and the forthcoming Every Moment Holy Vol 2 by Douglas McKelvey The Fiddler's Gun and Fiddler's Green (the Fin's Revolution series) by Pete Peterson (Though really, get these direct from The Rabbit Room store—it's a great way to support them directly!) Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Dave and Aaron are excited to one of our favorite authors, Lin Enger, join us on the podcast this week for an outstanding chat about… well, pretty much everything. (In fact, we were having such a good time that we completely forgot the time and went about 20 minutes over—and you get to reap the benefits of it!) Listen in as we discuss: The recurring themes of religion, sacrifice, forgiveness, and father-son dynamics in Lin's writing The importance of place to storytelling What does Lin need to teach students about writing The danger of over-editing The relationship between end-times prophesying and the weird climate in which we find ourselves today Books written by Lin Enger: Undiscovered Country The High Divide American Gospel Comeback: A Gun Pederson Novel (co-authored with Leif Enger) Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

The day has finally arrived—Dave and I are talking about reading Undiscovered Country volume 1 by Charles Soule and Scott Snyder, which is his first time reading a graphic novel! But to make it extra fun, we decided to invite along a longtime listener, and extremely rare Zoomer, Deb Wampler to join in the conversation with us, for a good old fashioned Comic Book Club. Listen in as we discuss: How to read a graphic novel Different formats genres of graphic novels Whether we should have had Dave ease in with something a little easier (like Batman: The Long Halloween) What the experience of reading a graphic novel is like for someone who hasn't done it before If Dave and Deb are going to read Undiscovered Country volume 2 Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Dave and Aaron are joined by Russ Ramsey for a conversation about art, pastoring in a pandemic, and why we can't stop banging the drum on reading fiction. Listen in as we discuss: The results of the Dave's haircut poll How pastoring in a pandemic has affected Russ' reading The multiple-time guest jacket Why culture warriors should tell stories instead Does Calvin & Hobbes count as a graphic novel? When we might be doing the discussion of Undiscovered Country Some breaking news in the life of Russ Ramsey! A few of the books we mentioned: Norco '80 by Peter Houlahan A Contract with God by Will Eisner Maus by Art Spiegelman Art & Faith by Matoko Fujimura The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Dave and Aaron are joined by friend and former coworker Brandon Smith for a fun conversation about the Church Fathers, Batman, and the revolving door of heresy. Listen in as we discuss: How Christianity actually had faithful teachers before the Reformation What Batman graphic novels are good ones to read for a first-timer If there's such a thing as new heresy The only part of hockey Aaron talks about Should Dave take his hair all the way down, or keep working with what he's got A few of the books we mentioned: Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory by Jeff Loeb and Tim Sale Batman by Tom King Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller Batman: Year One by Frank Miller & David Mazzuchelli Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Dave, Scarlet, and Aaron are joined by former co-host/recurring guest Barnabas Piper to talk about… well, you'll just have to listen to hear. Listen in as we discuss: Dave's feelings on the graphic novel our listeners chose for him to read The dedication of Scarlet's next book How much we don't know about copyright law and fair use doctrine as it applies to music Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Check out another show on the Area Code Network, No Chill Enneagram: Watch Party: We can't stop talking about the enneagram, so we started a podcast to get it all out of our system. No Chill Enneagram: Watch Party is a safe space for ennegram and pop culture fanatics. Each week, pop culture expert, Richard Clark, and enneagram expert, Bethany Perkins watch a movie or tv show and talk about it through the lens of the enneagram.

Dave & Aaron are back on Zoom talking about all kinds of not-at-all controversial subjects. As one does when on a Zoom call with a microphone. Instead, we talked current events, Star Wars, stock markets, and books. Listen in as we discuss: The winning book in our graphic novel reading challenge Whether the president should have a job title The opening scene of the inevitable book about Wall Street Bets (and future film starring Nicolas Cage) Being inspired to read again How to rank the Disney-era Star Wars films so far A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Undiscovered Country by Scott Snyder, Charles Soule, et al. The Hardest Job in the World by John Dickerson My Last Name by Eric Schumacher In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Recently I (Aaron) went to the local Dollar General and was confronted with the most ridiculous book title I've seen in a long time. So naturally, I sent a picture to Dave and Scarlet, to which Dave immediately suggested that we talk about this on the show! So, with Scarlet out this week, that's what we did. And it was as silly and amazing as you would hope. Listen in as we discuss: Our favorites from a list of silly book titles we can't share (there are some that would definitely cross the line of the "don't get fired rule," so…) My vetting failure before making recommendations on graphic novels last week New graphic novel options for Dave to (maybe) read After last week's encouraging poll, we're back at it with another, which will go live sometime on Monday on Twitter. This one will, hopefully, be one that helps point Dave in a direction on which graphic novel he's going to try. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Undiscovered Country by Scott Snyder, Charles Soule, et al. Birthright Vol 1: Homecoming by Joshua Williamson Paper Girls Vol 1 by Brian K Vaughan & Cliff Chiang Once & Future by Kieron Gillen Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're back at it this week, discussing all the latest and greatest in our lives (reading, writing, and otherwise), including a possible near-death experience! Listen in as we discuss: Scarlet's tales of adventure over the Christmas break My first stab at the graphic novel reading challenge options My incredible progress on my reading challenge for the year Reading dry spells and ultimatums This week, we're kicking off a Twitter poll for you all to help us in this quest to find the right graphic novel for the team to read together. But there's just one problem: none of the books on our list are going to make the final cut because of a second review for content issues. So, we're back to square one. But hopefully the poll will be helpful, so check it out on Twitter. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire Sentient by Jeff Lemire & Gabriel Hernandez Walta The Big Book of Barry Ween, Boy Genius by Judd Winick Forward curated by Blake Crouch American Gospel by Lin Enger Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're kicking off the new year in style—although sadly sans Scarlet—as we talk about all kinds of wild and crazy things that have happened in the last week or so. Listen in as we discuss: Whether or not a publisher has the right to cancel a contract and why they might How we feel about the events of this past week Ideas for how to organize our bookshelves Teasers for a few upcoming items and events that we hope we can share more about in the future A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Big Truths Bible Storybook (available for preorder) American Gospel by Lin Enger A Promised Land by Barack Obama Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Clanlands by Sam Heughan & Graham McTavish CSB Every Day With Jesus Daily Bible Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Just as the end of the year brings with it scores of end-of-year book lists, so too does it bring a bevy of plans for how to make this next year the best year ever! Whether it's choosing a theme word (something I'm pretty sure none of us on this show has done), planning to read the Bible 37 times in a year, or reading 1,000,000 books, we often come up with goals and plans that are entirely unrealistic, and suck the joy out of life. So we thought we'd talk about plans that can make us happier, healthier readers. Listen in as we discuss: What we're thinking about in terms of how we want to be reading in 2021 How many books Scarlet's going to read this coming year The problem with Goodreads' Reading Challenge, despite us all using it The next big shared reading plan for the three of us Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Check out another show on the Area Code Network, We Wonder: Advent. The podcast where we wonder together about the story of God. We Wonder is a contemplative devotional for children. Find our more here: wewonderpod.com

It's that time of year where every website, podcast, and Twitter-er is spreading holiday cheer with annual favorite book lists. And, as good friends to our listeners and lovers of books, how could we leave you all hanging without sharing our favorites of the year? And so, we present you the inaugural (mal)Contents Book Awards, with categories carefully selected to suit our… unique sensibilities. Be sure to spread the good news and congratulate all the winners by getting copies of their books using the links below. The Categories Books by someone we know Hoping for Happiness by Barnabas Piper (Aaron) A Voice Within The Flame by Henry O. Arnold (Dave) Iron Lake by Kent Krueger (also Dave) Sick of Me by Whitney Capps (Scarlet) Books by someone we know and like Echo Island by Jared Wilson (Aaron) Hoping for Happiness by Barnabas Piper (Dave & Scarlet) Books other people love but we gave up on Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (Aaron) North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson (Dave—who stresses that this is only due to competing priorities) Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (Scarlet) Books that made us laugh out loud So, Anyway… by John Cleese (Aaron) Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick de Semlyn (Dave) Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (also Dave) Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld (Scarlet) Books that made us feel feelings This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (Aaron) Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (also Aaron) Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe (Dave) The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby (also Dave) The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis (Scarlet) Books that surprised us Death Without Company by Craig Johnson (Aaron) The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer (Dave) The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Scarlet) Remember God by Annie F. Downs (also Scarlet) Books with pictures Superman: Up in the Sky by Tom King and Andy Kubert (Aaron) The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (Dave) But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton (Scarlet) Books we learned from Range by David Epstein (Aaron) Love Your Enemies by Arthur C. Brooks (also Aaron) The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt (Dave) Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk MD (Scarlet) Books we haven’t finished yet but really enjoy American Gospel by Lin Enger (Aaron) A Promised Land by Barack Obama (also Aaron) A Time for Mercy by John Grisham (Dave) Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (Scarlet)

By popular demand, we've got a brand new bonus episode for you all this week as Abigail Armstrong returns to the show for a quick dad to big kid chat about bad parenting advice, public school, how to get books out of libraries under the COVID-19 protocols, and whether or not cursing in our writing is a good idea. Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

What makes or breaks an audiobook? Almost as important as the content itself is the narrator. These often unsung heroes of the medium are the people who keep you coming back time and again, carrying the ideas of this or that author into your ears. One of those narrators is Henry O. Arnold (or as his family calls him, Chip). Henry is a stage actor, writer, and narrator of over 40 audiobooks, including all of John Maxwell's books, Yawning at Tigers by Drew Dick, and Boundaries by Henry Cloud. He is also the author of a new historical fiction book, A Voice Within the Flame. Listen in as we discuss: How being a stage actor makes Henry a better writer The value of biblical fiction What it takes to read an audiobook well How Aaron's boss is treating Aaron And, of course, we share a little of what we're reading. A few of the books mentioned on the show The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk MD No One Asked For This by Cazzie David A Promised Land by Barack Obama The Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're about to enter into that special time of year that is full of holiday cheer, and so we are going to try to celebrate it well here on the podcast. But in order to really kick it off well, we felt the best way to do it was to ask the man who loves Christmas more than anyone else to join us for the conversation. This week, Ronnie Martin, pastor at Substance Church, author and co-author of several books, and the co-host of The Happy Rant Podcast and The Art of Pastoring, joins us to talk all things merry and bright. Listen in as we discuss: The question Aaron's been saving for Ronnie for more than a year When is the appropriate time to start celebrating Christmas (and for how long) How to pronounce "accreditation" The best Christmas books and authors Ronnie's favorite type of Christmas persecution Defining what makes a Christmas movie (and why they only make superhero movies) The start of a grassroots campaign to get Ronnie's future festive book, The Christmas Tree Farm, published The godfather of Christmas stories A few of the books mentioned on the show The Best Gift Ever Given by Ronnie Martin The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk MD Every Moment Holy by McKelvey Davis No One Asked For This by Cazzie David A Promised Land by Barack Obama Batman: The Three Jokers by Geoff Johns & Jason Fabok A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Okay, I'll admit: when I see the words "Christian" and "fiction" together, I generally assume the book with that label will be terrible. But that is also totally unfair of me, because while there is a lot of bad fiction written by and for Christian audiences, there are are also really good books that can fall under this label. And our friend Jared Wilson, author of many, many books, has written one of them that's out now called Echo Island. Jared joined Dave and me (while Scarlet was reading the book on a plane) to talk about storytelling, Vermont, and the good news that this is not a Rapture book. Listen in as we discuss: Why Jared wanted to write this story Why we can't actually talk about the book too much without giving away pretty much the whole plot The honesty of New Englanders about their faith (or lack thereof) Why calling Echo Island a good book isn't a throwaway compliment How fiction help your imagination as a writer and as a reader The relationship between storytelling and close-up magic Why people who are jaded or cynical toward Christian fiction (or fiction by Christians) should give this book a shot Echo Island is available now through your favorite bookseller. Get a copy for yourself Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Sometimes a conversation is full of… how can I say this? Tenuous connections. Abrupt changes of topic, subject matter, and tone is often the way a real-life conversation goes. And this week, Dave and I are joined by our friends Nick Rynerson and Richard Clark to talk about, well, pretty much everything—including their new podcast network, Area Code. Listen in as we discuss: Conspiracy theories and the power of the word "Consider" to make anything sound sinister Finding the Dark Web What is the Area Code Network and why are we talking about it on our show? Why Nick needs to read our meeting requests How good a job I'm doing at being my own executive assistant A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Weather by Jenny Offill Make Russia Great Again by Christopher Buckley Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Sell Montana by Steve Gilreath Lipstick Traces by Greil Marcus The Varieties of Religious Experiences by William James The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer Privilege the Text by Abraham Kuruvilla Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're two days past Halloween, which means two things: higher blood sugar for all, and stores have become winter wonderlands overnight. But we don't want to be grumpy about it—instead, we're reclaiming the season, standing in the gap as it were, and choosing to be thankful. About what? Well, a few things as you'll hear in this episode. Listen in as we discuss: Who we're thankful for that helped us to develop a love of reading Aerosmith and the possibility of an asteroid hitting Earth on Wednesday Some friends who are going to be joining us on the show in the next few weeks Scarlet caring for a doglet All that and a few other teases in a whopping 28 minute show! A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick de Semlyn Echo Island by Jared Wilson Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman North! Or Be Eaten by Andrew Peterson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

It's almost Halloween, and we're talking… well, we're talking Christmas, apparently. But not intentionally. Dave wanted to talk about Halloween and spooky books, but we don't really read those all that often. We don't even watch those movies. So, instead we have some fun talking through some listener questions! Listen in as we discuss: What happened when Mormons came to the door while we were recording If Scarlet and her girls have read Bunnicula What books we read around Christmas times Unexpected Christmas books from unlikely authors How we feel about book clubs (a longer discussion can and should be listened to here) The Christmas songs that annoy me (Aaron) the most All this and a whole bunch of apologies from… well, you'll see. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode Bunnicula by James Howe Skipping Christmas by John Grisham The 19th Christmas by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro The Christmas Train by David Baldacci The Expected One by Scott James A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Wild and Crazy Guys by Nick de Semlyn Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson Echo Island by Jared Wilson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

There are two topics you traditionally don't bring up at family dinners over the holidays: religion and politics. (Scarlet, meanwhile, is glad she missed out on this one.) The spectrum of types of political books and the weirdness of that part of the publishing industry John Quincy Adams being a terrible president and a great congressman What conservatism means Why the Great American Reads booklist is problematic If changing your Good Reads Reading Challenge is cheating (it's not and Dave is wrong) A Lonesome Dove update All this and a whole bunch of apologies from… well, you'll see. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger Decision Points by George W. Bush The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris The Politics of Prudence by Russell Kirk A Grief Observed, The Great Divorce, and Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We typically don't talk a ton about Bible reading on the podcast. Not because we don't care about it (because obviously we do), but because we typically assume that our Christian listeners are actively doing so. However, that's not always a safe assumption to make, especially when we see how rampant biblical illiteracy has become. So this week, we are joined by Tara-Leigh Cobble, host of The Bible Recap podcast and author of the forthcoming book of the same name. Listen in as we discuss: How adding verse numbers ruined Bible reading Who wrote Hebrews Why Tara-Leigh doesn't like Ezekiel (and who would win in a fight between him and Luke) Why Apollos is cool Why I (Aaron) read so dang much The unexpected surprise of an incredibly successful podcast Audiobook playback speeds Ways we cheated in school All this and a whole bunch of apologies from… well, you'll see. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble Anxious People by Fredrik Backman Echo Island by Jared C. Wilson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

It's been a week. Read into that whatever you wish, and you're probably going to be correct. We could all use a little bit of happiness (I know I could), so this week, Scarlet, Dave, and I are joined once again by our good friend Barnabas Piper, to celebrate the official release of his brand-new book, Hoping for Happiness, available now wherever books are sold. Listen in as we discuss: Barnabas' release day announcement Where my copy of Barnabas' book is (and why they all got sent to Scarlet) Canned interview questions Dave repeatedly violating the Nashville Rule* Why we feel bad about being happy and enjoying things Books that make us happy Why I can't keep it together long enough to complete a sentence Why this episode probably should have been called, "Sorry vegans, this one's not for you." And for those who missed it, here's the way Barnabas announced the book's release: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFzGKFMBlUS/ Hoping for Happiness by Barnabas Piper is available now, so go get a copy! Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Fall—or rather, Autumn—is finally here! With it comes cardigans, superfluous scarves, and pumpkin spice, as well as thinking about what to read in this new season. Listen in to discuss: What makes a book an "Autumn book" Scarlet and Dave test my knowledge of Canadian geography Where the idea from this episode came from Pronouncing "Autumn" fancy The role of nostalgia in seasonal reading Rereads and one-time only books Our shared excitement over a new Fredrik Backman book How to convince Scarlet's husband to join us on the show to talk dragons What happened to 90 minute movies? A Few of the Books Mentioned in This Episode Canadian History for Dummies by Will Ferguson Anxious People by Fredrik Backman Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan Virgil Wander by Leif Enger Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Archer's Cup by S.D. Smith (preorder direct from the publisher here) The Giver by Lois Lowry The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Justice League: The Justice/Doom War by Scott Snyder and Jorge Jimenez Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

So, the trailer for the Dune movie was released last week, and the folks who made it clearly did a great job. In honor of this, we're getting extra nerdy as we talk Dune, sci-fi, and Dave having meetings to run to. Listen in to hear: The difference between hard and soft sci-fi If Dune is a good option for jumping into the genre How ET ruined sci-fi for Scarlet If speculative fiction counts as sci-fi Another Lonesome Dove progress report Be sure to check out the NYPL article mentioned in the show on the differences between hard and soft science fiction as well. The Sci-Fi List This week, we're forgoing our traditional "what we're reading" list in favor of a few recommendations of generally accessible science fiction reads: The Oracle Year by Charles Soule The Martian and Artemis by Andy Weir The Time Machine by H. G. Wells Ready Player One by Ernest Cline The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (this is really more absurdist comedy with sci-fi trappings) Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne Dune by Frank Herbert (note: this one requires some commitment) Recursion by Blake Crouch 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke Ringworld by Larry Niven Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're back with a new episode, recorded on a life-changing date for most of the modern world. But that doesn't stop us from getting downright silly at times as we talk about books, history, and pet clothing. Listen in to hear: Where we were on 9/11 Whether or not we have (or should) read books about the event Why it's probably not a good idea to be writing books about our current circumstances just yet How we choose what we re-read (if at all) Dave & Scarlet on dressing pets Recommendations for read-aloud books All this and a progress report on Lonesome Dove! A few of the books mentioned on today's episode The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff Redwall by Brian Jacques Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett And, of course, Scarlet's bunny leash. :) Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We don't always have friends of the podcast on the show, but when we do, it's Matt Redmond! Matt is a Christian counselor, teacher, author, and longtime listener of the podcast. We have wanted to chat with Matt for a while because of our shared love of books, C.S. Lewis, music, and more. Listen in as we discuss: What's so great about Jane Austen Why Matt isn't a fan of the enneagram Books you should read about Bach If Bono should write a book, and his appreciation for Eugene Peterson Favorite C.S. Lewis books and fake Lewis quotes A few of the books mentioned on today's episode Evening in the Palace of Reason by James R. Gaines Bach and God by Michael Marissen Bono by Michka Assayas Chronicles by Bob Dylan From Cradle to Stage by Virginia Grohl Tom Petty by Warren Zanes A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of the Ramones by Everett True Teaching to Change Lives by Howard Hendricks The Catalyst by Jonah Berger Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

One of the things we love best about this show is our audience. Seriously, we have some really fun and fantastic people who listen to this show and put up with our silliness week in and week out. So, this week, Dave and I (Scarlet couldn't join us this week due to scheduling issues) thought it would be fun to answer some of your questions! Listen in as we discuss: Our preferences in coffee and/or tea One of the worst trends in evangelicalism which some folks may or may not have tried to talk about on a previous episode of the show If Abigail (my daughter) will do another episode with us in the future Why a family might have kept a last name that has been marred all kinds of awfulness My favorite graphic novels to recommend And of course, we also talk about several books along the way. A few of the books mentioned on today's episode Maus by Art Spiegelman HiLo by Judd Winick Superman by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Parable of the Sower by Olivia E. Butler Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We're back once again with our latest episode of Table of (mal)Contents! This week, Scarlet, Dave, and I are joined by our friend Jenaye White. Jenaye works as part of B&H Publishing Group's marketing team, where Dave previously worked as well. Now, Dave is sure that he had a plan that would involve talking about the Enneagram as much as possible as we recorded this episode on my birthday. But he failed because I was ready for it. Instead, listen in as we discuss: How book publicity has changed in 2020 What new insights have been discovered in the ancient (that is, the product of the 1980s) art of the enneagram (because of course I'm going to tease about it) Where the influencers for books are on social media (and where do we fall on the spectrum) What being behind on a reading challenge means for Dave vs Aaron And check out the cover of American Gospel, the upcoming novel by Lin Enger (and don't forget to pre-order your copy!): A few of the books mentioned on today's episode American Gospel by Lin Enger (available now for pre-order!) Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Jesus Over Everything by Lisa Whittle Batman: Knightfall by Doug Moench, Chuck Dixon, et al. Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

We've got a new episode of Table of (mal)Contents this week, and it's a big one—our 100th episode of the show in its current form! And what better way for us to celebrate than to have Barnabas Piper rejoin us for our look back on 100 episodes of book recommendations, Listen in as we discuss: Barnabas's wedding and how his life has improved even during a pandemic What books we've enjoyed that we were recommended by someone else on the show Our favorite conversations and guests The Mandela Effect Our favorite moments making fun of Dave And, of course, an audience important question for Dave that will make the title of this episode make so much more sense. A few of the books mentioned on today's episode Hoping for Happiness by Barnabas Piper Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway The Parable of the Sowers and The Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler  Any Other Name by Craig Johnson One Second After by William Forstchen Recursion by Blake Crouch The Son by Philipp Meyer Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

I wanted to make some sort of reference to Wayne Gretzky in this episode's title, but it wouldn't make any sense. Aside from it being the 99th episode of the podcast since we relaunched as Table of (mal)Contents. Yes, we're really there after all this time. But this week, we're back with mostly good mics, and joined by a friend of the podcast, Will Mitchell. Will is a teacher, longtime listener, and a lover of books, and he kindly jumped on Zoom for a weird and wonderful conversation that covers… well, pretty much everything from public health to Dave's cats. Listen in as we discuss: Scarlet shares her grievance with a recent editing choice If math teachers read math books for fun How many cats Dave currently has (and why he's a cat lady but Will's a cat man) How far we have to go if we have any hope of solving the ongoing health crises of the day How we can support teachers going into the new school year Will’s reading habits during the COVID-19 shutdown in Nashville Will’s choice for the (semi-retired) sucker-punch of the week A few of the books mentioned on today's episode No Country for Old Men, The Road, and Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson Hemingway’s Cats by Carlene Fredericka Brennen On The Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom Educated by Tara Westover Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson The Parable of the Sowers and The Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler  Rogue Heroes by Ben MacIntyre Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

This past week was rough on Team (mal)Contents, y'all. Scarlet's shared a bit about what's going on with her family on social media recently (so go read about it there). Dave was feeling pretty rough on Friday, so we had to postpone recording. But rather than skip this week, I decided to do something fun and introduce you to a member of the next generation of the Armstrong army: my eldest daughter Abigail. Abigail loves reading, and she's becoming quite the writer herself, spending many hours each day working on her stories. Listen in as we discuss: Some of Abigail's favorite series What she likes reading the most What it's like growing up in a house full of books What the best and worst things about having a dad for a writer is What plotting a story looks like for her If she feels resentful about being the gatekeeper on books for her siblings A few of the books mentioned on today's episode The Gateway Chronicles by K.B. Hoyle Bone by Jeff Smith The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parker Davis Keep of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show. Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let's talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.