Unknown Friends

That Hideous Strength, the last volume of Lewis's Space Trilogy, takes an unexpected turn after the first two books and explores a philosophical argument Lewis had previously expounded in The Abolition of Man. Nonetheless, the novel is primarily about human relationships, especially marriage. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. You can get in touch with me by email at kittywham@gmail.com. Thank you for listening!

Dr. Ransom's adventures and spiritual education continue in Perelandra, book two of C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. He voyages to the Edenic planet Venus where he must wage spiritual and physical war against the forces of evil. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Starting with the 1938 publication of Out of the Silent Planet, C. S. Lewis turned science fiction upside-down with his Space Trilogy. He rejected the evolutionary, dehumanizing trends in sci-fi and offered instead a worldview that acknowledges the inherent value of all created beings. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The fierce Furies are transformed into "the kindly ones" in The Eumenides, the play that not only concludes the Oresteia on a hopeful note but also features the first-ever jury trial in recorded Western literature. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The second play in the Oresteia introduces our title character Orestes and complicates the trilogy's themes of revenge and justice. Can righteous motives, or even a command from a god, ever justify murder? I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

First staged nearly 2500 years ago, The Oresteia is a trilogy of tragic dramas written by Greek playwright Aeschylus. As the only tragic trilogy that survives from the Hellenistic world, The Oresteia gives us insight into the structure and style of ancient theater. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Isaac Asimov's Second Foundation develops psychology into a science of mind control, giving its members enormous power all across the galaxy. Unfortunately, freedom and individuality must be sacrificed to achieve such power. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

In Book 2 of Asimov's trilogy, new threats arise to Hari Seldon's Foundation. First a general of the fading Galactic Empire and then a mutant known as The Mule jeopardize Seldon's plan to maintain civilization in a barbaric universe. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Science fiction author Isaac Asimov wrote his celebrated Foundation trilogy in his twenties, as he worked for the US Navy and toiled through graduate school. The trilogy was inspired by Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and explores Asimov's innovative concept of "psychohistory." I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

In The Return of the King, we witness the blossoming of virtues that were just seeds at the start of the trilogy: simple hobbit virtues of humility, tenacity, hopefulness, and, above all, faithful friendship. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The middle book of the Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, raises questions about Tolkien's understanding of good and evil. His heroes confront terrifying powers of darkness, but Tolkien shows us that evil is blind, self-destructive, and pitiful in contrast to goodness. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien developed through a difficult childhood into a man of endurance and imagination. Philology was his first love, and out of his invented languages came the world of Middle-Earth, complete with history and legend, geography and cosmology, and of course the characters whom readers learned to love in his masterpiece The Lord of the Rings. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

After Dante confesses and repents at the top of Mt. Purgatory, he can finally return to the way of truth and follow Beatrice into heaven. And in Paradiso, the culmination of The Divine Comedy, we learn how love for God's created beings can be transformed into love for God Himself. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

After Inferno corrected Dante the pilgrim's disordered understanding of sin and justice, Purgatorio teaches him positive truths about virtue and freedom. Further spiritual formation awaits him in Paradiso, but at the summit of Mount Purgatory he has received a full education in self-knowledge and self-control. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Dante Alighieri's epic poem is a 'comedia' in the classical sense, using the Italian vernacular and an upward-moving storyline. The Divine Comedy's first part, Inferno, features 'contrapasso,' a guiding principle for sin's punishment in which divine justice merges with man's free will. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Wang Lung's grandson, Wang Yuan, tries to create a life for himself balanced between the traditions of his fathers and the freedoms of a new culture. Meanwhile, author Pearl S. Buck uses one of her characters to criticize Christianity, a faith which she believes the Chinese people will never embrace. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The second book of Pearl Buck's House of Earth trilogy surprises us by echoing the first book: Wang Lung's son, Wang the Tiger, tragically finds new ways to repeat many of his father's worst mistakes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Author of The Good Earth and its sequels, Pearl S. Buck wrote hundreds of realistic and sympathetic stories about China and its people, stories that helped lessen the barrier of misunderstanding between American and Asian cultures. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

N. D. Wilson widens the gap between good and evil in The Chestnut King, the finale of his 100 Cupboards trilogy. In contrasting Henry York's self-giving magic with the witch's predatory magic, Wilson affirms the truth that self-sacrifice ultimately leads to abundant life. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

In the second book of N. D. Wilson's 100 Cupboards trilogy, our hero Henry York grapples with who he is and who he wants to be. We begin to glimpse N. D. Wilson's vision of a truly good life: one that is lived tenaciously and unreservedly for others. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

This week we embark on a new trilogy! Drawing from sources as diverse as The Magician's Nephew and The Wizard of Oz, the 100 Cupboards series by N. D. Wilson shows us what American fantasy looks like (baseball is central!) and teaches us to view our own, real world as magical. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The parent-child relationship is at the very heart of the Kristin Lavransdatter books, as Sigrid Undset explores the themes of earthly motherhood and heavenly Fatherhood. This week we conclude our review of this Norwegian masterpiece by considering the trilogy's conclusion, appropriately titled The Cross. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Email me: kittywham@gmail.com Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

This week the discussion of Kristin Lavransdatter continues with The Wife, the second book in Sigrid Undset's trilogy. After some necessary plot spoilers from book one and an introduction to book two's new characters and storyline, we take a closer look at Undset's realism and her themes of responsibility and redemption. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Welcome to the launch of Unknown Friends, Season 3! I've got big plans for the podcast this year, and I'm thrilled to be able to share the news with you in today's episode. We're starting the season with a three-part discussion of Sigrid Undset's masterful trilogy, Kristin Lavransdatter. In today's episode you'll get details about Sigrid Undset's writing career and personal life, an overview of the trilogy's structure and style, and an introduction to the characters and events of Book 1, The Wreath. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my biweekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and access exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The Last Battle portrays heroism at its finest. In Narnia's darkest hours, young King Tirian and a few faithful friends stay true to each other and to Aslan - though they've never seen him - and keep resisting evil at all costs. And, in the end, our heroes find themselves surprised by joy. As mentioned in the episode, you can watch the live-streamed premiere of my new Christmas drama, The Fontanelle House, on YouTube! The performances are Sunday, Dec. 12, at 4pm, and Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 14 & 15, at 6:30pm (Central Time). Just go to the Kittywham Productions YouTube channel to watch live online: www.youtube.com/channel/UCqFdPxWx60pMwbvSBeA1ftw. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Published sixth but functionally a prequel to the other Chronicles, The Magician's Nephew tells of Narnia's creation by Aslan, witnessed by the boy Digory Kirke. Digory eventually learns that people only see what they want to see, and they get what they want to get: a warning to us all to be careful what we wish for. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

In The Horse and His Boy, C. S. Lewis's fifth Chronicle of Narnia, a boy called Shasta is searching for freedom and identity, and he can only learn where he belongs when Aslan tells him the true story of his life. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Tests of faith and faithfulness return in The Silver Chair, but this time our new heroes Eustace, Jill, and Puddleglum must defy enchantments, false appearances, and their own expectations if they hope to fulfill the quest on which Aslan has sent them. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader explores the temptations and transformations of Caspian, Lucy, and Eustace and consistently reminds us that Aslan is the source of all joy. Interestingly, in a letter to a young reader, C. S. Lewis simply said that The Voyage portrays "the spiritual life (especially in Reepicheep)." I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia, the second book in C. S. Lewis's Chronicles, shifts our perspective on the reliability of myth, explores the relationship between faith and faithfulness, and teaches simple but profound life lessons along the way. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content (including a limited-time offer to get a free copy of Leif Enger's Peace Like a River): www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Published 71 years ago (almost to the day), C. S. Lewis's children's book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe deserves the respect it has long received. Accessible to young readers and inspiring to readers of any age, the story of Aslan's restoration of the land Narnia vividly portrays essential truths about the nature of good and evil. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

A military sci-fi novel that almost feels like a psychological thriller, Daniel Schwabauer's Operation Grendel probes and pushes past the normal boundaries of the human mind, exploring deception, impersonation, and artificial intelligence that can integrate with and influence a person's thought processes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Jane Austen's youthful, hilarious, and scathing novel Northanger Abbey demonstrates the truth that stories shape how we think but relationships have an even greater power to teach and mold us. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Far more than just a maritime adventure story, Rudyard Kipling's 1897 novel Captains Courageous thoughtfully juxtaposes two distinct American lifestyles: the tradition of the rough seaman and the prosperity of the innovative businessman. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Support the podcast and unlock bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Anti-Semitism is the chief accusation lodged against Shakespeare's difficult comedy The Merchant of Venice, but religious prejudice may be less of an issue in the play than is commonly thought. Truly, the drama's thematic core is a complex endeavor to reconcile law and liberality. Pro tip! If you want to experience The Merchant of Venice for yourself, try listening to an unabridged audio dramatization of the play, like Naxos Audiobooks' production: https://naxosaudiobooks.com/merchant-of-venice-the-unabridged/. Other audio performances are available as well, but I've listened to the Naxos edition and can personally recommend it. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Help support the podcast and get access to bonus content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Shakespeare's tragedy about the assassination of Julius Caesar taps into timeless questions about honor, justice, pride, and wisdom, and the play ultimately requires audience members to interpret its characters and themes for themselves. Pro tip! If you want to experience the play Julius Caesar for yourself, listen to the Folger Shakespeare Library's unabridged audio dramatization of the play (www.folger.edu/julius-caesar-audio-edition), available from Audible, Scribd, and other audiobook sources. It's a great production that helps make sense of some of Shakespeare's difficult diction and syntax, but I'd recommend following along in the text to make sure you keep track of who's speaking, as it can get a little confusing if you're just listening. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Help support the podcast and get access to exclusive content: www.patreon.com/unknownfriends Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

In her Celtic-influenced fantasy novel The Door on Half-Bald Hill, Helena Sorensen pits life against death and declares life to be the undeniable winner, but her thematic content lacks coherence thanks to the story's combination of Christian and pagan perspectives. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Welcome back to regular weekly book reviews! This week we take a look at Clare Vanderpool's Newbery-winning novel set in Kansas, Moon Over Manifest, a tale about a 12-year-old girl searching for a good story, for the truth about her father, and ultimately for a home. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 9: The Wild Weddings; or, The Polygamy Charge, & Chapter 10: How the Great Wind Went from Beacon House Although Dr. Pym proves that Smith has wooed and wed many women, Michael Moon still insists that Smith is innocent of the charge of polygamy. And after Moon wraps up the trial to (almost) everyone's satisfaction, Mary Gray has some simple but surprising life advice for Diana Duke and Rosamund Hunt. This episode concludes our reading of G. K. Chesterton's novel Manalive! Thanks for following this series over the last six weeks, and I hope you'll join me next Wednesday, September 1st, for our return to weekly book reviews. Also, thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 8: The Round Road; or, The Desertion Charge A series of statements from people around the world - a French innkeeper, a Russian stationmaster, and more - defends Smith against the accusation of having deserted his family. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our weekly book reviews, and instead I'm reading aloud G. K. Chesterton's novel Manalive! Chapter readings are posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 7: The Two Curates; or, The Burglary Charge (part two) To disprove the prosecution's claims about theft, Arthur Inglewood reads Rev. Raymond Percy's account of his midnight adventure with Smith the housebreaker. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our weekly book reviews, and instead I'm reading aloud G. K. Chesterton's novel Manalive! Chapter readings are posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 7: The Two Curates; or, The Burglary Charge (part one) Dr. Pym and Moses Gould present the extraordinary testimony of the Canon of Durham in an effort to pin on Innocent Smith the crime of burglary. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our weekly book reviews, and instead I'm reading aloud G. K. Chesterton's novel Manalive! Chapter readings are posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 6: The Eye of Death; or, The Murder Charge (part two) Arthur Inglewood shares the true story of the "attempted murder" of the Warden of Brakespeare College...with a written statement from the Warden himself. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 6: The Eye of Death; or, The Murder Charge (part one) Dr. Pym presents his case against Innocent Smith for attempted murder, but Michael Moon quickly pokes holes in Pym's argument (and pokes fun at his style). From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 5: The Allegorical Practical Joker (part two) Michael Moon enlists Arthur Inglewood's help to defend Innocent Smith in the High Court of Beacon against the scientific and commonsensical accusations of Dr. Pym and Moses Gould. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 5: The Allegorical Practical Joker (part one) Mary Gray seems strangely unconcerned by the criminal charges laid against Innocent Smith, and Michael Moon suggests that Smith be tried privately by the High Court of Beacon. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 4: The Garden of the God As if Smith's presence at Beacon House hadn't already caused enough surprises, three marriage proposals take place in one evening...followed by a shocking announcement. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 3: The Banner of Beacon The irrepressible Smith, with the help of Michael Moon, invents the High Court of Beacon and turns his friends' hobbies into fantastic institutions. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 2: The Luggage of an Optimist Innocent Smith becomes a boarder at Beacon House, unpacks his eccentric belongings, and initiates a picnic on the roof! From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out Episode 26 of Season Two. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Chapter 1: How the Great Wind Came to Beacon House Meet the residents of Beacon House and share their astonishment at the outlandish arrival of Smith, a man with two legs. From July 21st through August 28th, we're taking a break from our usual weekly book reviews and instead I'm reading aloud the complete novel Manalive by G. K. Chesterton! Chapter readings will be posted twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you haven't yet listened to my review of Manalive, just check out last week's episode. Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!

Published in 1912, G. K. Chesterton's novel Manalive introduces an exuberant guest among the bleak residents of Beacon House and makes the case that goodness is the true path to happiness. According to Chesterton expert Dale Ahlquist, "This novel is Chesterton's most practical and least theoretical book. This is the book on how to live Chesterton." (Be sure to listen to the end of the episode for an announcement about what to expect on the Unknown Friends podcast from now until the end of August.) Thank you to all who've joined the Unknown Friends community on Patreon! I love getting to share extra content with you there. Learn more at www.patreon.com/unknownfriends, where you can explore the different ways to join as a patron and get access to bonus content like free books and monthly preview episodes. I'm Rachelle Ferguson of Kittywham Productions, and Unknown Friends is my weekly book review podcast. Visit the Unknown Friends homepage at www.kittywhamproductions.com/podcast. To learn more about me and my work as a Christian playwright, explore my website at www.kittywhamproductions.com. Get in touch with me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelle.ferguson Connect with me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittywhamproductions Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast, leave a quick review, and share with your book-loving friends!