The To Read List Podcast

Well, Page-Os, after six years of irreverent book reviews, we have come to the end of The To Read List Podcast. In this, our final episode, we reminisce about our most loved (and most hated) books and share memorable moments from the pod's 150-episode run. We give out our final Bookend Awards, play a final Andrew game, and face the final Russian Rou-List. Plus, a mini-review from the podcast baby, Maggie! Thank you so much for listening. See you in the next chapter. Books books books!

THE BRIGHT SWORD by LEV GROSSMAN THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by JEAN M. AUEL Du nuh nuh, nuh nuhhh (to the theme song of A Charlie Brown Christmas) Page-O's! It's our last review-centric episode, and boy howdy do we have some good ones. First Toby unsheathes his reviewing rapier to tackle Lev Grossman's new Arthurian epic The Bright Sword, then Bailey rakes her critical claws across the prehistoric potboiler (not really but I'm having fun here) The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. All this plus a time-centric game from Andrew, a pod poll on the new Sally Rooney, and an air of ending and vague sadness that's perfect for fall! Tell people your tears are cold wind related!

HIS DARK MATERIALS by Philip Pullman WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams   In our 148th episode, Andrew covers not one, not two, but three books! That's right, it's HIS DARK MATERIALS week on the pod. Will Andrew be captivated by this classic, which Toby reveres? And just in case you were worried that we didn't have enough touchstone works of fiction for children featuring animals, Bailey dives into WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams. There's also a healthy heaping of speed reading discussion, sassy author quotes, and capybaras - aka something for everyone!   *If you'd like to have your voice on our last episode, please send a voice note of your best "Books, books, books!" to our email - more info in the episode!

THE SHADOW OF THE TORTURER by Gene Wolfe / A SEPARATE PEACE by John Knowles Why, hello, Page-os. We apologize for the delay with this episode's release--we had an important announcement to make, and we wanted to do it right. Also, Bailey's been traveling and totally messing with the recording schedule. Shame! After our bittersweet announcement, Toby reads a book written by someone named Gene about a man remembering his glory days, and Bailey reads a book written by a man about someone named Gene remembering his glory days. Add in the keywords "high fantasy" and "World War II," and you get THE SHADOW OF THE TORTURER and A SEPARATE PEACE! We also discuss an imaginary friend and torture Andrew with academia. Enjoy! xo

ASSASSIN'S APPRENTICE by ROBIN HOBB THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS by URSULA K LE GUIN All hail King Smart, Page-O's! This episode is a genre fiction double-shot as Andrew checks out the Six Duchies and lets us know what he thought of Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice (Toby has opinions). Meanwhile, Bailey travels light years away to the planet of Gethen and evaluates The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (Toby has even MORE opinions). All these Toby opinions, plus a game that pits your hosts against each other in a battle of wits to see who can serve King Thinks Good best!

THE GUEST by Emma Cline / THE PROSPECTS by K.T. Hoffman This week, we review the classic film BULL DURHAM...I mean...we review books! After Toby writhes in the tense discomfort of Emma Cline's THE GUEST, Bailey joins the minor league with THE PROSPECTS, a romantic sports comedy featuring a bevy of trans joy. Finally, Andrew takes us out to the ballgame by testing our knowledge of ridiculous mascots. Will anyone make The Show? What is The Show? Why are we still talking about The Show? All this and more will be revealed...maybe.

SLEEPING MURDER & A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED by Agatha Christie / THE TURNOUT by Megan Abbott   Miss Marple has entered the chat! This week our valiant hosts cover not one - but two! - Agatha Christie mysteries, SLEEPING MURDER and A MURDER IS ANNOUNCED. Will they solve the crime before the murderer strikes again?? And - if that wasn't enough intrigue for you - Bailey read a twisty thriller of her own, Megan Abbott's THE TURNOUT. There's also an unhealthy amount of love for a certain non-fiction book, a bizarro game, and Andrew is... a bit of a butthead about ballet.  

GHOSTS by EDITH WHARTON FAMILY MEAL by BRYAN WASHINGTON   Set your plates and don your capes, Page-O's! This week on the pod Toby dives into Ghosts by Edith Wharton, which is, well, maybe you can guess what it is. Bailey dines on Family Meal by Bryan Washington, Andrew serves up a game of ghostly food, and all the hosts absolutely tear apart the New York Times' Top 100 Books of the 21st Century!

TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN by John Green / THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET by Catriona Ward In today's new episode, Andrew tries desparately to make John Green notice him, while Bailey tries desperately not to spoil the book she spoiled for herself. Plus, Bailey shares the shameful result of a trip to a romance bookstore, Andrew brags about his dream SSR vacation, and Dillon leads us down the turtle-hole with the hardest game ever. Enjoy! 

THE NINE BILLION NAMES OF GOD (and RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA) by Arthur C. Clarke / ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. by Judy Blume Fellow "pleasures to have in class," join us this week for Toby's rollercoaster of a review plus a short journey through Bailey's puberty. First, Toby surprises us all with a review of the film ARMAGEDDON...oh wait, we mean the sci-fi classic RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA by Arthur C. Clarke! Then, Bailey tries to relate to an eleven-year-old when she finally reads the seminal coming of age novel ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME, MARGARET. We have time to share our non-book-buying shame, to give ourselves report card comments, and to play a game identifying all the Daisys...oh wait, we mean Margarets!

THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller SPEECH TEAM by Tim Murphy   Prepare your position papers and make sure you have your humorous interpretation memorized, because this week, Bailey dives into SPEECH TEAM by Tim Murphy! High School competition not really your style? That's okay, Andrew has plenty of thoughts about Madeline Miller's bestselling novel, THE SONG OF ACHILLES to tide you over. There's also a host of obscure Greek Gods, a breakdown of Andrew's caterpillar situation, and Bailey shames her former teachers!

THE LATHE OF HEAVEN by URSULA K LE GUIN THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD by CLAIRE LOMBARDO  Dream a little dream of us, Page-O's! In this episode, Toby gives an ‘effective' review of Ursula K Le Guin's The Lathe of Heaven plus an explanation of what exactly a lathe is. Then Bailey has a rip-roaring good time reviewing Claire Lombardo's The Most Fun We Ever Had. All this AND a terrifying tale of plants gone mad await your ear-holes!

THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE by Erik Larson / BEACH READ by Emily Henry In this episode, we get to talk about two of our favorite authors--Emily "The Love Book" Henry and Erik "The Larsman" Larson. Will we be able to stop ourselves from reading every book they've ever written? Will we ever stop talking about Winston Churchill's bathtime? Will our college crush return our texts? Tune in to find out!

PALE BLUE DOT by Carl Sagan / THE GIFT OF FEAR by Gavin de Becker Toby makes his triumphant return to the podcast only to reveal his greatest shame yet! While "reviewing" PALE BLUE DOT, he makes us question how much we all care about space. Next, Bailey dives into THE GIFT OF FEAR, a thrilling self-help book that demonstrates why you should listen to your gut feelings (and be friends with Meryl Streep). Finally, we re-name the planets with the help of Gen Z. Enjoy!

THE UNWOMANLY FACE OF WAR by Svetlana Alexievich / UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN by John Krakauer   The choosening really brought some heavy hitters to the book nook this time - these tomes pack a punch! First Andrew learns about the women of the Soviet Army during World War II in Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich's THE UNWOMANLY FACE OF WAR, a harrowing oral history. Then Bailey dives into John Krakauer's part true crime, part history UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN. There's plenty more in this episode, including a very intense job interview, some truly wild facts, and GAK!

THE LIAR'S CLUB by MARY KARR SURVIVOR by CHUCK PAHLANIUK Tell the truth, Page-Os, you're excited for this one! In this episode, Toby reads Mary Karr's The Liar's Club, a memoir so powerful that it is rumored to have revitalized the genre as a whole in the 1990s, and Bailey has her first Chuck Pahlaniuk experience (what!? I know, right?) with Survivor, his slightly lesser-known but possibly-just-as-good-or-BETTER follow up to Fight Club. Plus, we get some advice about visiting Istanbul from Andrew, hear about Toby's shame, and play a game where we say, “UM, ACTUALLY…” quite a lot!

THE CITY OF BRASS by S.A. Chakraborty / THE MITFORDS edited by Charlotte Mosley Today's the day that Bailey finally reviews THE MITFORDS, the 800-page epistolary non-fiction that's been glaring at her from the shelf for over a decade. Plus, Andrew dives into a new fantasy series with THE CITY OF BRASS and gets a song stuck in our heads in the process. Don't miss a game that reveals our limited Broadway knowledge, an admission of delayed shame, and a series of wild speculations about the making of the Mitfords. Enjoy!

SORROWLAND by Rivers Solomon THE WANGS VS. THE WORLD by Jade Chang Bailey and Dillon are back, baby! Now that the crew has re-assembled, Toby can introduce us to a new friend in Rivers Solomon, and Bailey can finally review the Jade Chang book she read two months ago. Plus, Dillon shares his latest reads, Andrew witnesses an unexpected fight, and we all leave Toby by the side of the road. Enjoy!

BABEL by R.F. Kuang BIRNAM WOOD by Eleanor Catton   This week the boys are joined by none other than composer extraordinaire (and Andrew's wife) Gillian Beth Durkee to discuss books, life, and New Zealand! First, Toby gives his verdict on BookTok sensation BABEL by R.F. Kuang. Then it's a group discussion of Eleanor Catton's eco-thriller BIRNAM WOOD off of resident bad boy Andrew's list. There are plenty of laughs, tears, and a game that tests the international cred of Toby and Gillian - it's a rollicking good time!

STAY TRUE by Hua Hsu IN THE MISO SOUP by Ryu Murakami   Lads episode! Andrew and Toby take the wheel this week and it is as ROWDY and CHAOTIC as you would expect a book review podcast recorded by two men in their 30s to be! So, pretty normal and chilled out! Andrew reviews Hua Hsu's Pulitzer-Prize-winning memoir Stay True and flirts with a band that threatens to dominate his aesthetic and Toby, seemingly influenced by Ryu Murakami's sex-thriller In the Miso Soup, can't stop saying things like ‘School is a seductive place.' Plus, the boys discuss their holiday shame, share their Goodreads goals of the past year and the year to come, and play a game with REAL FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES.

Call your headphone mechanic and your earbuds back from the shop, Page-O's, because HIATUS IS CANCELLED. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode - have a listen for the full details! 

Hi loyal Page-os! This is a quick announcement to explain the lack of new episode this week: we're taking a brief hiatus to regroup. We'll be back before you can say "shame." Stay tuned!

Check it, Page-O's: it's our favorite episode of the year, and also the most bowl-shakingly terrifying episode of the year — the Bookend Awards! Join us as we take a look at our stats, hand out superlatives (both positive and negative), and play a pair of games that alternately fill us with shame and dread. Plus, well, actually that's it for this episode. Trust us, it's plenty!

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT by Fyodor Dostoevsky / SOUR HEART by Jenny Zhang Sacre bleu! This week, Andrew digs into his first Dostoevsky—CRIME AND PUNISHMENT— while in Parisian quarantine. Plus, Bailey reviews SOUR HEART, a surprisingly lewd collection of short stories à clef. And of course, we learn how to feel shame in multiple languages. Raskolnikov!

THE LEFT-HANDED BOOKSELLERS OF LONDON by Garth Nix /  THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin Would you like to play a game? In this very special episode of The To Read List, comedian and podcast creator Ella Gale joins us to discuss the classic middle grade mystery THE WESTING GAME by Ellen Raskin. We riff on overly complicated inheritance schemes, methods of passive research, and the dark habits of ravens. Plus, Toby reviews a book suggested by a listener-- THE LEFT-HANDED BOOKSELLERS OF LONDON by Garth Nix! Don't forget, Ella's narrative podcast, CANDY CLAUS, PRIVATE EYE, is available wherever you listen to podcasts!

CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY by Alan Paton / THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood In this very NOT spooky episode, we have a classic pairing of novels. They go together as well as peanut butter and jelly! First, Andrew reviews Alan Paton's 1948 classic, CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY and finds it a bit... surprising. Then Bailey delves into the world of STEM with Ali Hazelwood's buzzy romance, THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS. There are plenty of laughs, cries, and more shipping than a port town in the 1800s! 

MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE by Marguerite Henry / TRUST by Hernan Diaz Don't make a sound, Page-O's! Bailey's on the warpath after she reads MISTY OF CHINCOTEAGUE by Marguerite Henry, and she totally takes it out on the boys. Meanwhile, Toby tries his best to encapsulate the many levels of the .5 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel TRUST by Hernan Diaz. All this plus striking out on spooky books, Toby's opinion on the best Stephen King ending of all time, and Andrew's reasons behind why he's reading all the books Bailey and Toby hated!

TUFF by Paul Beatty / ELEKTRA by Jennifer Saint This week, Andrew attempts to summarize Paul Beatty's poetic style and finds it... TUFF. (You're welcome.) Then, with ELEKTRA, Bailey comes to the tragic conclusion that she doesn't know as much as she thinks she does about Greek Mythology. Finally, we celebrate the masterful career of the one and only Rufus Sewell. (You're welcome.)

DRIVING FORCE by Dick Francis / THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES by Tom Wolfe And we're off! This week, Toby reviews DRIVING FORCE by Dick Francis, a certified dad book set in the glamorous world of horse transport. Then Bailey finally discovers what THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES is about (fire is surpisingly not involved) and finally gets what everyone likes about Tom Wolfe. Plus, we break Andrew down with the power of film trivia. Neigh!  

I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU by Rebecca Makkai SIDDHARTHA by Herman Hesse   Take a journey with us on this week's episode as our hosts dive into Herman Hesse's class, SIDDHARTHA, and I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, your friend and my - Rebecca Makkai's - new novel. We'll laugh, we'll cry, we'll grow, and one of us will get absolutely schooled in this week's game. There's also more shame than ever before - it's a rip-roaring good time!

FALCONER by JOHN CHEEVER THE WHISPER MAN by ALEX NORTH   Caw-CAW, Page-O's! Join us this week as Toby gets incarcerated by John Cheever's prison novel FALCONER (sadly not about a man who trains falcons) and Bailey gets A24'd by Alex North's THE WHISPER MAN. We also discuss just how fast of a reader Bailey is, unmask Alex North (probably) against his wishes, and uncover a disturbing revelation as to the true age of Gillian's cousin. Doesn't that sound exciting as all get-out?

A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN by James Joyce / RODHAM by Curtis Sittenfeld The books we read for this episode spark provocative questions, like: "What would happen if Hillary never married Bill?" (RODHAM) and "Does James Joyce really think we can't tell he's writing about himself?" (A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN). Plus, Andrew taunts us with his vacation plans, we discuss if "boogers" is a curse word, and we discover that we know way more than we thought about First Ladies.    

PLANET OF THE APES by Pierre Boulle / BOY, SNOW, BIRD by Helen Oyeyemi If you've ever wanted to live inside a Grimm fairy tale and/or a Charlton Heston movie, this episode is for you! Toby takes us into outer space with his review of MONKEY PLANET--oops! strike that--PLANET OF THE APES by Pierre Boulle. Then Bailey gets far too hung up on how BOY, SNOW, BIRD by Helen Oyeyemi connects to the Snow White fairy tale. Plus, we learn about the majesty of Eastern Europe, rescue Dillon from space, and stick to a strict schedule of fun.

THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone / THE PROPHET by Khalil Gibran This week our intrepid hosts navigate time and space and contemplate their life choices by reading THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone and Khalil Gibran's classic, THE PROPHET. There's also discussion of our dream book club, predictions for future bestsellers, and Dillon finally reviews a fantasy book for the show (and he maybe even liked it)!

WISE BLOOD by FLANNERY O'CONNOR SUMMER SONS by LEE MANDELO   Page-O's, grab your sweet teas and hop in a car with a hot boy because it's a Southern Episode. Listen in as Toby tries as hard as he can to outsmart Flannery O'Connor's ‘comedic' novel WISE BLOOD and Bailey drag-races her way through Lee Mandelo's queer horror SUMMER SONDS. Plus, we declare a certain airline to be our mortal enemy, learn what REALLY scares Bailey (poor study habits), and test our knowledge of fictional foods!

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid /  THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE by John Irving This week, Andrew revisits friend of the podcast (we wish) Taylor Jenkins Reid when he reviews THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, a twisty journey through imagined old Hollywood scandal. Then, Bailey journeys to the bizarre world of John Irving's HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE, thereby crossing paths with not one but two performing bears. We also share our latest shame, plan the books we'll take on vacation, and discover one of Bailey's secret book passions.

STREETS OF LAREDO by Larry McMurtry / FAT WITCH SUMMER by Lizzy Ives This is a very special episode because we have fabulous author Lizzy Ives on to talk about her fantastic fat-positive fantasy novel, FAT WITCH SUMMER! In addition to answering all our questions about the book, Lizzy shares her star sign, her cat's unique nickname, and the size of her to read list. Plus, she agrees to play a silly game with us! And we can't forget that Toby also read a book this week: STREETS OF LAREDO, the second in Larry McMurtry's epic LONESOME DOVE series. Are cattle drives as exciting as they sound? Tune in to find out!

A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES by Howard Zinn / DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD by Olga Tokarczuk Hope you're ready for some Zinn-sanity, Page-Os, because on this week's episode, Andrew wades into Howard Zinn's oft-selected tome for AP History class, A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. Then Bailey turns up the earth and turns up the stars, while she talks about Olga Tokarczuk's Nobel Prize winning DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD. Plus, we get to find out who's sick and who's not, hear AI Bailey yell at us, and play a game made just for DA BOIS.

KINDRED by Octavia E. Butler / PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen On this week's episode, two old friends return to the podcast! We cover our third book each from two giants of literature in Octavia E. Butler's KINDRED and Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Will Toby like this as much as his previous Butler experiences? How will Bailey and Andrew like the tentpole of the book world? There's also our typical shame, discussion of adaptations, and - of course - the terrors...

TENTH OF DECEMBER by George Saunders /  THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED by John Green This week, we present you some reviews on short stories and some short stories on reviews! Andrew (finally!) dives into the odd world of George Saunders with TENTH OF DECEMBER, and Bailey digs into THE ANTHROPOCENE REVIEWED, John Green's essay collection evaluating the human world. Plus, we test the strength of our friendships in a ranking game. Five stars!

WIZARD'S FIRST RULE by Terry Goodkind / THE LIGHTNING THIEF (PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS, #1) by Rick Riordan It's a fantasy-filled episode this week, but please don't tell Terry Goodkind! Toby digs into WIZARD'S FIRST RULE, the first book in Goodkind's epic (and supposedly not fantastical) series about dragons and magic. Don't worry, Toby doesn't need a Sword of Truth to share his candid thoughts on the book! Then, Bailey meets tween hero Percy Jackson in THE LIGHTNING THIEF, thereby discovering that the Greek underworld is only a few blocks away. Plus, we celebrate our friends' publishing successes, Andrew quizzes us on Roman mythology, and Dillon finds a new way to torment us with book shame. 

THE WAVES by Virginia Woolf / TRUE BIZ by Sara Nović  This week our hosts surf a stream of consciousness with Virginia Woolf's classic, THE WAVES. Will the author's return to the podcast hang 10? Bailey also reviews a newcomer (and new favorite?) in Sara Nović's new novel, TRUE BIZ. Will Bailey fall for this novel and, just maybe, learn something? There's also plenty of shame, plenty of silliness, and plenty of, frankly, nonsense. A lot of nonsense. 

A WALK IN THE WOODS by BILL BRYSON THE HUSBAND'S SECRET by LIANE MORIARTY   Popcorn… Page-O's! We hope you remember that classroom gimmick, because we talk about it A LOT while Toby tries to link Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods with Infinite Jest, and Bailey (and Dillon and Toby) learn what they shouldn't ever know: The Husband's Secret. By Liane Moriarty. Plus we got to hear about Italian Peppa Pig, play a post-death-centric game, and learn what Toby and his wife do in bed!

THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO AND OTHER STORIES by ERNEST HEMINGWAY / OUR MISSING HEARTS by CELESTE NG Hope you're up on your Iceberg Theory, because in this episode Andrew scales the heights of Ernest Hemingway's THE SNOWS OF KILIMANJARO AND OTHER STORIES, informing us which of these stories are a Kilimanjar-Go and which are a Kilimanjar-No. Then Bailey makes her case for Celeste Ng's newest novel OUR MISSING HEARTS: will she convince you to read it? Probably! We also learn about Bailey's new… questionable library habit, find out what the youths are still doing, and ponder a world that contains a Bailey-Starred review. Plus, a game that turns the hosts into rapid-fire authors!

INFINITE JEST by David Foster Wallace /  THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones   If you've ever doubted that Toby is an intellectual, doubt no more -- he's read INFINITE JEST! The book is footnotes and absurdity all the way down, and luckily Toby's here to explain it all to us. After a raucous discussion of the tome and its problematic author, Bailey dives into horror novel THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS. Will the basketball subplot ruin the book's elk-based scares? Finally, Dillon leads us on the weirdest game yet!

THE GREAT BELIEVERS by Rebecca Makkai / LAPVONA by Ottessa Moshfegh On this week's show we welcome back an old friend, with Ottessa Moshfegh's medieval styling, LAPVONA, as well as welcome a brand new player with Rebecca Makkai's sweeping novel, THE GREAT BELIEVERS. Will Bailey find another five star read? Will Andrew take a field trip for the show? Will Toby ever finish Infinite Jest? Should we replace Dillon? The answers to all of these questions - plus a healthy helping of scrapple - await you!

HERE IS NEW YORK by E.B. White / QUEEN BEES & WANNABES by Rosalind Wiseman This takes the cake for oddest book pairing ever on our show! First, Toby reviews 1948 travelogue HERE IS NEW YORK and finds similarities between author E.B. White and Grampa Simpson. Then, Bailey offers far too many quotes from MEAN GIRLS as she covers the movie's source material, 2002 parenting manual QUEEN BEES & WANNABES: HELPING YOUR DAUGHTER SURVIVE CLIQUES, GOSSIP, BOYFRIENDS, AND OTHER REALITIES OF ADOLESCENCE by educator Rosalind Wiseman. Will they make "fetch" happen and find common ground between the two books?! Plus, the hosts share their latest bookworm problems, practice their spelling, and question Dillon's role on the podcast. 

OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas / BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter  On this episode, Andrew examines OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas, a story of wealth, privilege, and fierce ponies, while Bailey tangles with book-club favorite BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter to see if she can fall in love at first sight with it. Join the hosts as they ring in the new year with a hefty stack of Christmas Shame (from some people, at least), hear about Andrew's possibly controversial list-amending, and get an INFINITE JEST update from the least lucky member of the pod!

It's the most wonderful time of the year -- the Bookend Awards, where we honor the best (and worst) books we covered in 2022! Join us as we go over the fastest reads, the hottest protagonists, and the characters we'd most like to lock in a wine cellar under Venice. Plus, we play not one but TWO games, one with the highest stakes of all... who will be the next host tasked with reading their most feared book (and have no one to blame but themselves)? Tune in to find out!

THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND by Jonathan Stroud / THE KITE RUNNER BY KHALED HOSSEINI. On this week's episode, we pull two books our hosts missed from 2003 in Jonathan Stroud's middle grade fantasy, THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND, and Khaled Hosseini's bestseller, THE KITE RUNNER. Will these prove to be blasts from the past? Also we dig deep on how to get un-scared after reading a spooky book, think about what famous literary characters would wish for, and prove once and for all that Bailey is the best at getting through TSA!

BEASTS OF NO NATION by Uzodinma Iweala / THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue This week, Andrew reviews BEASTS OF NO NATION, the powerful, evocative, and creative exploration of a fictional child soldier. Then, Bailey brings an Irish Gothic mystery to the table that everyone's dying to read--THE WONDER by Emma Donoghue. Plus, we meet a Freaky Bat, discuss Netflix's prestige films, and debate the proper amount of time to wait between books.