Podcast appearances and mentions of Donna Tartt

Tuve la revelación de que la risa era luz, y la luz risa, y que ese era el secreto del universo… llega #donnatartt con #eljilguero a #libroclaroscuro para recordarnos: “estamos tan acostumbrados a disfrazarnos para los demás, que al final nos disfrazamos para nosotros mismos”

Have you ever felt like the universe was speaking directly to you through coincidence? Writer and philosopher J.F. Martel joins Dr. Bernard Beitman to explore how synchronicity can be more than chance, but rather an artistic conversation between mind and world. Together they dive into Jung's idea of acausal meaning, the playful intelligence behind coincidence, and how art might reveal the deeper order of reality itself.Martel is a writer and lecturer on art, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice, recently reissued by Basic Books with a foreword by Donna Tartt. With musicologist Phil Ford, Martel co-hosts the popular podcast Weird Studies on SpectreVision Radio.http://www.reclaimingart.com Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/tit... Weird Studies Podcast: https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts Dr. Bernard Beitman, MD is a Yale- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist and the founder of The Coincidence Project. He is the author of Connecting with Coincidence and Meaningful Coincidences, and the host of the Connecting with Coincidence podcast, where he explores how synchronicity and serendipity shape our lives. His work bridges science and spirituality, helping people recognize and engage with the hidden patterns that connect us all.00:00 - 01:36 Intro Clip 01:36 - 03:01 Welcome and Introductions 03:01 - 07:33 The Truck That Blocked My Path 07:33 - 12:00 No Coincidence, No Story 12:00 - 16:05 The Trickster's Check 16:05 - 22:20 Artists Who See the Future 22:20 - 29:19 The Shape of Time 29:19 - 36:08 The Acausal Universe 36:08 - 43:46 Crows Over a Wheatfield 43:46 - 49:57 Reading the Signs 49:57 - 59:31 A Universe That Notices Us

De legendarische klassieker waar Donna Tartt in een klap beroemd mee werd is nu ook verkrijgbaar luisterboek. Dit is deel twee van vier. Uitgegeven door Bezige Bij b.v., Uitgeverij De Spreker: Thijs Miedema

How can you be more relaxed about your writing process? What are some specific ways to take the pressure off your art and help you enjoy the creative journey? With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre. In the intro, Spotify 2025 audiobook trends; Audible + BookTok; NonFiction Authors Guide to SubStack; OpenAI and Disney agreement on Sora; India AI licensing; Business for Authors January webinars; Mark and Jo over the years Mark Leslie LeFebvre is the author of horror and paranormal fiction, as well as nonfiction books for authors. He's also an editor, professional speaker, and the Director of Business Development at Draft2Digital. Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Mark and Jo co-wrote The Relaxed Author in 2021. You can listen to us talk about the process here. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights, and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why the ‘relaxed' author Write what you love Write at your own pace Write in a series (if you want to) Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. You can find Mark Leslie Lefebvre and his books and podcast at Stark Reflections.ca Why the ‘relaxed' author? Joanna: The definition of relaxed is “free from tension and anxiety,” from the Latin laxus, meaning loose, and to be honest, I am not a relaxed or laid-back person in the broader sense. Back in my teens, my nickname at school was Highly Stressed. I'm a Type A personality, driven by deadlines and achieving goals. I love to work and I burned out multiple times in my previous career as an IT consultant. If we go away on a trip, I pack the schedule with back-to-back cultural things like museums and art galleries to help my book research. Or we go on adventure holidays with a clear goal, like cycling down the South-West coast of India. I can't even go for a long walk without training for another ultra-marathon! So I am not a relaxed person — but I am a relaxed author. If I wanted to spend most of my time doing something that made me miserable, I would go back to my old day job in consulting. I was paid well and worked fewer hours overall. But I measure my life by what I create, and if I am not working on a creative project, I am not able to truly relax in my downtime. There are always more things I want to learn and write about, always more stories to be told and knowledge to share. I don't want to kill my writing life by over-stressing or burning out as an author. I write what I love and follow my Muse into projects that feel right. I know how to publish and market books well enough to reach readers and make some money. I have many different income streams through my books, podcast and website. Of course, I still have my creative and business challenges as well as mindset issues, just like any writer. That never goes away. But after a decade as a full-time author entrepreneur, I have a mature creative business and I've relaxed into the way I do things. I love to write, but I also want a full and happy, healthy life. I'm still learning and improving as the industry shifts — and I change, too. I still have ambitious creative and financial goals, but I am going about them in a more relaxed way and in this book, I'll share some of my experiences and tips in the hope that you can discover your relaxed path, too. Mark: One of the most fundamental things you can do in your writing life is look at how you want to spend your time. I think back to the concept of: ‘You're often a reflection of the people you spend the most time with.' Therefore, typically, your best friend, or perhaps your partner, is often a person you love spending time with. Because there's something inherently special about spending time with this person who resonates in a meaningful way, and you feel more yourself because you're with them. In many ways, writing, or the path that you are on as a writer, is almost like being on a journey with an invisible partner. You are you. But you are also the writer you. And there's the two of you traveling down the road of life together. And so that same question arises. What kind of writer-self do you want to spend all your time with? Do you want to spend all your time with a partner that is constantly stressed out or constantly trying to reach deadlines based on somebody else's prescription of what success is? Or would you rather spend time with a partner who pauses to take a contemplative look at your own life, your own comfort, your own passion and the things that you are willing to commit to? Someone who allows that all to happen in a way that feels natural and comfortable to you. I'm a fan of the latter, of course, because then you can focus on the things you're passionate about and the things you're hopeful about rather than the things you're fearful about and those that bring anxiety and stress into your life. To me, that's part of being a relaxed author. That underlying acceptance before you start to plan things out. If the writing life is a marathon, not a sprint, then pacing, not rushing, may be the key. We have both seen burnout in the author community. People who have pushed themselves too hard and just couldn't keep up with the impossible pace they set for themselves. At times, indie authors would wear that stress, that anxiety, that rush to produce more and more, as a badge of honor. It's fine to be proud of the hard work that you do. It's fine to be proud of pushing yourself to always do better, and be better. But when you push too far — beyond your limits — you can ultimately do yourself more harm than good. Everyone has their own unique pace—something that they are comfortable with—and one key is to experiment until you find that pace, and you can settle in for the long run. There's no looking over your shoulder at the other writers. There's no panicking about the ones outpacing you. You're in this with yourself. And, of course, with those readers who are anticipating those clearly communicated milestones of your releases. I think that what we both want for authors is to see them reaching those milestones at their own paces, in their own comfort, delighting in the fact their readers are there cheering them on. Because we'll be silently cheering them along as well, knowing that they've set a pace, making relaxed author lifestyle choices, that will benefit them in the long run. “I'm glad you're writing this book. I know I'm not the only author who wants peace, moments of joy, and to enjoy the journey. Indie publishing is a luxury that I remember not having, I don't want to lose my sense of gratitude.” —Anonymous author from our survey Write what you love Joanna: The pandemic has taught us that life really is short. Memento mori — remember, you will die. What is the point of spending precious time writing books you don't want to write? If we only have a limited amount of time and only have a limited number of books that we can write in a lifetime, then we need to choose to write the books that we love. If I wanted a job doing something I don't enjoy, then I would have remained in my stressful old career as an IT consultant — when I certainly wasn't relaxed! Taking that further, if you try to write things you don't love, then you're going to have to read what you don't love as well, which will take more time. I love writing thrillers because that's what I love to read. Back when I was miserable in my day job, I would go to the bookstore at lunchtime and buy thrillers. I would read them on the train to and from work and during the lunch break. Anything for a few minutes of escape. That's the same feeling I try to give my readers now. I know the genre inside and out. If I had to write something else, I would have to read and learn that other genre and spend time doing things I don't love. In fact, I don't even know how you can read things you don't enjoy. I only give books a few pages and if they don't resonate, I stop reading. Life really is too short. You also need to run your own race and travel your own journey. If you try to write in a genre you are not immersed in, you will always be looking sideways at what other authors are doing, and that can cause comparisonitis — when you compare yourself to others, most often in an unfavorable way. Definitely not relaxing! Writing something you love has many intrinsic rewards other than sales. Writing is a career for many of us, but it's a passion first, and you don't want to feel like you've wasted your time on words you don't care about. “Write what you know” is terrible advice for a long-term career as at some point, you will run out of what you know. It should be “write what you want to learn about.” When I want to learn about a topic, I write a book on it because that feeds my curiosity and I love book research, it's how I enjoy spending my time, especially when I travel, which is also part of how I relax. If you write what you love and make it part of your lifestyle, you will be a far more relaxed author. Mark: It's common that writers are drawn into storytelling from some combination of passion, curiosity, and unrelenting interest. We probably read or saw something that inspired us, and we wanted to express those ideas or the resulting perspectives that percolated in our hearts and minds. Or we read something and thought, “Wow, I could do this; but I would have come at it differently or I would approach the situation or subject matter with my own flair.” So, we get into writing with passion and desire for storytelling. And then sometimes along the way, we recognize the critical value of having to become an entrepreneur, to understand the business of writing and publishing. And part of understanding that aspect of being an author is writing to market, and understanding shifts and trends in the industry, and adjusting to those ebbs and flows of the tide. But sometimes, we lose sight of the passion that drew us to writing in the first place. And so, writing the things that you love can be a beacon to keep you on course. I love the concept of “Do something that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life.” And that's true in some regard because I've always felt that way for almost my entire adult life. I've been very lucky. But at the same time, I work extremely hard at what I love. Some days are harder than others, and some things are really difficult, frustrating and challenging; but at the end of the day, I have the feeling of satisfaction that I spent my time doing something I believe in. I've been a bookseller my entire life even though I don't sell books in brick-and-mortar bookstores anymore—that act of physically putting books in people's hands. But to this day, what I do is virtually putting books in people's hands, both as an author and as an industry representative who is passionate about the book business. I was drawn to that world via my passion for writing. And that's what continues to compel me forward. I tried to leave the corporate world to write full time in 2018 but realized there was an intrinsic satisfaction to working in that realm, to embracing and sharing my insights and knowledge from that arena to help other writers. And I couldn't give that up. For me, the whole core, the whole essence of why I get up in the morning has to do with storytelling, creative inspiration, and wanting to inspire and inform other people to be the best that they can be in the business of writing and publishing. And that's what keeps me going when the days are hard. Passion as the inspiration to keep going There are always going to be days that aren't easy. There will be unexpected barriers that hit you as a writer. You'll face that mid-novel slump or realize that you have to scrap an entire scene or even plotline, and feel like going back and re-starting is just too much. You might find the research required to be overwhelming or too difficult. There'll be days when the words don't flow, or the inspiration that initially struck you seems to have abandoned you for greener pastures. Whatever it is, some unexpected frustration can create what can appear to be an insurmountable block. And, when that happens, if it's a project you don't love, you're more likely to let those barriers get in your way and stop you. But if it's a project that you're passionate about, and you're writing what you love, that alone can be what greases the wheels and helps reduce that friction to keep you going. At the end of the day, writing what you love can be a honing, grounding, and centering beacon that allows you to want to wake up in the morning and enjoy the process as much as possible even when the hard work comes along. “For me, relaxation comes from writing what I know and love and trusting the emergent process. As a discovery writer, I experience great joy when the story, characters and dialogue simply emerge in their own time and their own way. It feels wonderful.” — Valerie Andrews “Writing makes me a relaxed author. Just getting lost in a story of my own creation, discovering new places and learning what makes my characters tick is the best way I know of relaxing. Even the tricky parts, when I have no idea where I am going next, have a special kind of charm.” – Imogen Clark Write at your own pace Mark: Writing at your own pace will help you be a more relaxed author because you're not stressing out by trying to keep up with someone else. Of course, we all struggle with comparing ourselves to others. Take a quick look around and you can always find someone who has written more books than you. Nora Roberts, traditionally published author, writes a book a month. Lindsey Buroker, fantasy indie author, writes a book a month of over 100,000 words. If you compare yourself to someone else and you try to write at their pace, that is not going to be your relaxed schedule. On the other hand, if you compare yourself to Donna Tartt, who writes one book every decade, you might feel like some speed-demon crushing that word count and mastering rapid release. Looking at what others are doing could result in you thinking you're really slow or you could think that you're super-fast. What does that kind of comparison actually get you? I remember going to see a talk by Canadian literary author Farley Mowat when I was a young budding writer. I'll never forget one thing he said from that stage: “Any book that takes you less than four years to write is not a real book.” Young teenage Mark was devastated, hurt and disappointed to hear him say that because my favorite author at the time, Piers Anthony, was writing and publishing two to three novels a year. I loved his stuff, and his fantasy and science fiction had been an important inspiration in my writing at that time. (The personal notes I add to the end of my stories and novels came from enjoying his so much). That focus on there being only a single way, a single pace to write, ended up preventing me from enjoying the books I had already been loving because I was doing that comparisonitis Joanna talks about, but as a reader. I took someone else's perspective too much to heart and I let that ruin a good thing that had brought me personal joy and pleasure. It works the same way as a writer. Because we have likely developed a pattern, or a way that works for us that is our own. We all have a pace that we comfortably walk; a way we prefer to drive. A pattern or style of how and when and what we prefer to eat. We all have our own unique comfort food. There are these patterns that we're comfortable with, and potentially because they are natural to us. If you try to force yourself to write at a pace that's not natural to you, things can go south in your writing and your mental health. And I'm not suggesting any particular pace, except for the one that's most natural and comfortable to you. If writing fast is something that you're passionate about, and you're good at it, and it's something you naturally do, why would you stop yourself from doing that? Just like if you're a slow writer and you're trying to write fast: why are you doing that to yourself? There's a common pop song line used by numerous bands over the years that exhorts you to “shake what you got.” I like to think the same thing applies here. And do it with pride and conviction. Because what you got is unique and awesome. Own it, and shake it with pride. You have a way you write and a word count per writing session that works for you. And along with that, you likely know what time you can assign to writing because of other commitments like family time, leisure time, and work (assuming you're not a full-time writer). Simple math can provide you with a way to determine how long it will take to get your first draft written. So, your path and plans are clear. And you simply take the approach that aligns with your writer DNA. Understanding what that pace is for you helps alleviate an incredible amount of stress that you do not need to thrust upon yourself. Because if you're not going to be able to enjoy it while you're doing it, what's the point? Your pace might change project to project While your pace can change over time, your pace can also change project to project. And sometimes the time actually spent writing can be a smaller portion of the larger work involved. I was on a panel at a conference once and someone asked me how long it took to write my non-fiction book of ghost stories, Haunted Hamilton. “About four days,” I responded. And while that's true — I crafted the first draft over four long and exhausting days writing as much as sixteen hours each day — the reality was I had been doing research for months. But the pen didn't actually hit the paper until just a few days before my deadline to turn the book over to my editor. That was for a non-fiction book; but I've found I do similar things with fiction. I noodle over concepts and ideas for months before I actually commit words to the page. The reason this comes to mind is that I think it's important to recognize the way that I write is I first spend a lot of time in my head to understand and chew on things. And then by the time it comes to actually getting the words onto the paper, I've already done much of the pre-writing mentally. It's sometimes not fair when you're comparing yourself to someone else to look at how long they physically spend in front of a keyboard hammering on that word count, because they might have spent a significantly longer amount of a longer time either outlining or conceptualizing the story in their mind or in their heart before they sat down to write. So that's part of the pace, too. Because sometimes, if we only look at the time spent at the ‘writer's desk,' we fool ourselves when we think that we're a slow writer or a fast writer. Joanna: Your pace will change over your career My first novel took 14 months and now I can write a first draft in about six weeks because I have more experience. It's also more relaxing for me to write a book now than it was in the beginning, because I didn't know what I was doing back then. Your pace will change per project I have a non-fiction work in progress, my Shadow Book (working title), which I have started several times. I have about 30,000 words but as I write this, I have backed away from it because I'm (still) not ready. There's a lot more research and thinking I need to do. Similarly, some people take years writing a memoir or a book with such emotional or personal depth that it needs more to bring it to life. Your pace will also shift depending on where you are in the arc of life Perhaps you have young kids right now, or you have a health issue, or you're caring for someone who is ill. Perhaps you have a demanding day job so you have less time to write. Perhaps you really need extended time away from writing, or just a holiday. Or maybe there's a global pandemic and frankly, you're too stressed to write! The key to pacing in a book is variability — and that's true of life, too. Write at the pace that works for you and don't be afraid to change it as you need to over time. “I think the biggest thing for me is reminding myself that I'm in this to write. Sometimes I can get caught up in all the moving pieces of editing and publishing and marketing, but the longer I go without writing, or only writing because I have to get the next thing done instead of for enjoyment, the more stressed and anxious I become. But if I make time to fit in what I truly love, which is the process of writing without putting pressure on myself to meet a deadline, or to be perfect, or to meet somebody else's expectations — that's when I become truly relaxed.” – Ariele Sieling Write in a series (if you want to) Joanna: I have some stand-alone books but most of them are in series, both for non-fiction and for my fiction as J.F. Penn. It's how I like to read and write. As we draft this book, I'm also writing book 12 in my ARKANE series, Tomb of Relics. It's relaxing because I know my characters, I know my world; I know the structure of how an ARKANE story goes. I know what to put in it to please my readers. I have already done the work to set up the series world and the main characters and now all I need is a plot and an antagonist. It's also quicker to write and edit because I've done it before. Of course, you need to put in the work initially so the series comes together, but once you've set that all up, each subsequent book is easier. You can also be more relaxed because you already have an audience who will (hopefully) buy the book because they bought the others. You will know approximately how many sales you'll get on launch and there will be people ready to review. Writing in a non-fiction series is also a really good idea because you know your audience and you can offer them more books, products and services that will help them within a niche. While they might not be sequential, they should be around the same topic, for example, this is part of my Books for Authors series. Financially, it makes sense to have a series as you will earn more revenue per customer as they will (hopefully) buy more than one book. It's also easier and more relaxing to market as you can set one book to free or a limited time discount and drive sales through to other books in the series. Essentially, writing a book in a series makes it easier to fulfill both creative and financial goals. However, if you love to read and write stand-alone books, and some genres suit stand-alones better than series anyway, then, of course, go with what works for you! Mark: I like to equate this to no matter where you travel in the world, if you find a McDonald's you pretty much know what's on the menu and you know what to expect. When you write in a series, it's like returning to hang out with old friends. You know their backstory; you know their history so you can easily fall into a new conversation about something and not have to get caught up on understanding what you have in common. So that's an enormous benefit of relaxing into something like, “Oh, I'm sitting down over coffee, chatting with some old friends. They're telling me a new story about something that happened to them. I know who they are, I know what they're made out of.” And this new plot, this new situation, they may have new goals, they may have new ways they're going to grow as characters, but they're still the same people that we know and love. And that's a huge benefit that I only discovered recently because I'm only right now working on book four in my Canadian Werewolf series. Prior to that, I had three different novels that were all the first book in a series with no book two. And it was stressful for me. Writing anything seemed to take forever. I was causing myself anxiety by jumping around and writing new works as opposed to realizing I could go visit a locale I'm familiar and comfortable with. And I can see new things in the same locale just like sometimes you can see new things and people you know and love already, especially when you introduce something new into the world and you see how they react to it. For me, there's nothing more wonderful than that sort of homecoming. It's like a nostalgic feeling when you do that. I've seen a repeated pattern where writers spend years writing their first book. I started A Canadian Werewolf in New York in 2006 and I did not publish it until ten years later, after finishing it in 2015. (FYI, that wasn't my first novel. I had written three and published one of them prior to that). That first novel can take so long because you're learning. You're learning about your characters, about the craft, about the practice of writing, about the processes that you're testing along the way. And if you are working on your first book and it's taking longer than planned, please don't beat yourself up for that. It's a process. Sometimes that process takes more time. I sometimes wonder if this is related to our perception of time as we age. When you're 10 years old, a day compared to your lifetime is a significant amount of time, and thinking about a year later is considering a time that is one-tenth of your life. When you have a few more decades or more under your belt, that year is a smaller part of the whole. If you're 30, a year is only one-thirtieth of your life. A much smaller piece. Just having written more books, particularly in a series, removes the pressure of that one book to represent all of you as a writer. I had initial anxiety at writing the second book in my Canadian Werewolf series. Book two was more terrifying in some ways than book one because finally, after all this time, I had something good that I didn't want to ruin. Should I leave well enough alone? But I was asked to write a short story to a theme in an anthology, and using my main character from that first novel allowed me to discover I could have fun spending more time with these characters and this world. And I also realized that people wanted to read more about these characters. I didn't just want to write about them, but other people wanted to read about them too. And that makes the process so much easier to keep going with them. So one of the other benefits that helps to relax me as a writer working on a series is I have a better understanding of who my audience is, and who my readers are, and who will want this, and who will appreciate it. So I know what worked, I know what resonated with them, and I know I can give them that next thing. I have discovered that writing in a series is a far more relaxed way of understanding your target audience better. Because it's not just a single shot in the dark, it's a consistent on-going stream. Let me reflect on a bit of a caveat, because I'm not suggesting sticking to only a single series or universe. As writers, we have plenty of ideas and inspirations, and it's okay to embrace some of the other ones that come to us. When I think about the Canadian rock trio, Rush, a band that produced 19 studio albums and toured for 40 years, I acknowledge a very consistent band over the decades. And yet, they weren't the same band that they were when they started playing together, even though it was the same three guys since Neil Peart joined Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. They changed what they wrote about, what they sang about, themes, styles, approaches to making music, all of this. They adapted and changed their style at least a dozen times over the course of their career. No album was exactly like the previous album, and they experimented, and they tried things. But there was a consistency of the audience that went along with them. And as writers, we can potentially have that same thing where we know there are going to be people who will follow us. Think about Stephen King, a writer who has been writing in many different subjects and genres. And yet there's a core group of people who will enjoy everything he writes, and he has that Constant Reader he always keeps in mind. And so, when we write in a series, we're thinking about that constant reader in a more relaxed way because that constant reader, like our characters, like our worlds, like our universes, is like we're just returning to a comfortable, cozy spot where we're just going to hang out with some good friends for a bit. Or, as the contemplative Rush song Time Stand Still expresses, the simple comfort and desire of spending some quality time having a drink with a friend. Schedule time to fill the creative well and for rest and relaxation Mark: What we do as writers is quite cerebral, so we need to give ourselves mental breaks in the same way we need to sleep regularly. Our bodies require sleep. And it's not just physical rest for our bodies to regenerate, it's for our minds to regenerate. We need that to stay sane, to stay alive, to stay healthy. The reality for us as creatives is that we're writing all the time, whether or not we're in front of a keyboard or have a pen in our hand. We're always writing, continually sucking the marrow from the things that are happening around us, even when we're not consciously aware of it. And sometimes when we are more consciously aware of it, that awareness can feel forced. It can feel stressful. When you give yourself the time to just let go, to just relax, wonderful things can happen. And they can come naturally, never feeling that urgent sense of pressure. Downtime, for me, is making space for those magic moments to happen. I was recently listening to Episode 556 of The Creative Penn podcast where Joanna talked about the serendipity of those moments when you're traveling and you're going to a museum and you see something. And you're not consciously there to research for a book, but you see something that just makes a connection for you. And you would not have had that for your writing had you not given yourself the time to just be doing and enjoying something else. And so, whenever I need to resolve an issue or a problem in a project I'm writing, which can cause stress, I will do other things. I will go for a run or walk the dogs, wash the dishes or clean the house. Or I'll put on some music and sing and dance like nobody is watching or listening—and thank goodness for that, because that might cause them needless anxiety. The key is, I will do something different that allows my mind to just let go. And somewhere in the subconscious, usually the answer comes to me. Those non-cerebral activities can be very restorative. Yesterday, my partner Liz and I met her daughter at the park. And while we quietly waited, the two of us wordlessly enjoyed the sights and sounds of people walking by, the river in the background, the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees above us. That moment wasn't a purposeful, “Hey, we're going to chill and relax.” But we found about five minutes of restorative calm in the day. A brief, but powerful ‘Ah' moment. And when I got back to writing this morning, I drew upon some of the imagery from those few minutes. I didn't realize at the time I was experiencing the moment yesterday that I was going to incorporate some of that imagery in today's writing session. And that's the serendipity that just flows very naturally in those scheduled and even unscheduled moments of relaxation. Joanna: I separate this into two aspects because I'm good at one and terrible at the other! I schedule time to fill the creative well as often as possible. This is something that Julia Cameron advises in The Artist's Way, and I find it an essential part of my creative practice. Essentially, you can't create from an empty mind. You have to actively seek out ways to spark ideas. International travel is a huge part of my fiction inspiration, in particular. This has been impossible during the pandemic and has definitely impacted my writing. I also go to exhibitions and art galleries, as well as read books, watch films and documentaries. If I don't fill my creative well, then I feel empty, like I will never have another idea, that perhaps my writing life is over. Some people call that writer's block but I know that feeling now. It just means I haven't filled my creative well and I need to schedule time to do that so I can create again. Consume and produce. That's the balance you need in order to keep the creative well filled and the words flowing. In terms of scheduling time to relax instead of doing book research, I find this difficult because I love to work. My husband says that I'm like a little sports car that goes really, really fast and doesn't stop until it hits a wall. I operate at a high productivity level and then I crash! But the restrictions of the pandemic have helped me learn more about relaxation, after much initial frustration. I have walked in nature and lain in the garden in the hammock and recently, we went to the seaside for the first time in 18 months. I lay on the stones and watched the waves. I was the most relaxed I've been in a long time. I didn't look at my phone. I wasn't listening to a podcast or an audiobook. We weren't talking. We were just being there in nature and relaxing. Authors are always thinking and feeling because everything feeds our work somehow. But we have to have both aspects — active time to fill the creative well and passive time to rest and relax. “I go for lots of walks and hikes in the woods. These help me work out the kinks in my plots, and also to feel more relaxed! (Exercise is an added benefit!)” –T.W. Piperbrook Improve your writing process — but only if it fits with your lifestyle Joanna: A lot of stress can occur in writing if we try to change or improve our process too far beyond our natural way of doing things. For example, trying to be a detailed plotter with a spreadsheet when you're really a discovery writer, or trying to dictate 5,000 words per hour when you find it easier to hand write slowly into a journal. Productivity tips from other writers can really help you tweak your personal process, but only if they work for you — and I say this as someone who has a book on Productivity for Authors! Of course, it's a good idea to improve things, but once you try something, analyze whether it works for you — either with data or just how you feel. If it works, great. Adopt it into your process. If it doesn't work, then discard it. For example, I wrote my first novel in Microsoft Word. When I discovered Scrivener, I changed my process and never looked back because it made my life so much easier. I don't write in order and Scrivener made it easier to move things around. I also discovered that it was easier for me to get into my first draft writing and creating when I was away from the desk I use for business, podcasting, and marketing tasks. I started to write in a local cafe and later on in a co-working space. During the pandemic lockdown, I used specific playlists to create a form of separation as I couldn't physically go somewhere else. Editing is an important part of the writing process but you have to find what works for you, which will also change over time. Some are authors are more relaxed with a messy first draft, then rounds of rewrites while working with multiple editors. Others do one careful draft and then use a proofreader to check the finished book. There are as many ways to write as there are writers. A relaxed author chooses the process that works in the most effective way for them and makes the book the best it can be. Mark: When it comes to process, there are times when you're doing something that feels natural, versus times when you're learning a new skill. Consciously and purposefully learning new skills can be stressful; particularly because it's something we often put so much emphasis or importance upon. But when you adapt on-going learning as a normal part of your life, a natural part of who and what you are, that stress can flow away. I'm always about learning new skills; but over time I've learned how to absorb learning into my everyday processes. I'm a pantser, or discovery writer, or whatever term we can apply that makes us feel better about it. And every time I've tried to stringently outline a book, it has been a stressful experience and I've not been satisfied with the process or the result. Perhaps I satisfied the part of me that thought I wanted to be more like other writers, but I didn't satisfy the creative person in me. I was denying that flow that has worked for me. I did, of course, naturally introduce a few new learnings into my attempts to outline; so I stuck with those elements that worked, and abandoned the elements that weren't working, or were causing me stress. The thought of self-improvement often comes with images of blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn't have to. You don't have to bleed to do this; it can be something that you do at your own pace. You can do it in a way that you're comfortable with so it's causing you no stress, but allowing you to learn and grow and improve. And if it doesn't work but you force yourself to keep doing it because a famous writer or a six-figure author said, “this is the way to do it,” you create pressure. And when you don't do it that way, you can think of yourself as a failure as opposed to thinking of it as, “No, this is just the way that I do things.” When you accept how you do things, if they result in effectively getting things done and feeling good about it at the same time, you have less resistance, you have less friction, you have less tension. Constantly learning, adapting, and evolving is good. But forcing ourselves to try to be or do something that we are not or that doesn't work for us, that causes needless anxiety. “I think a large part of it comes down to reminding myself WHY I write. This can mean looking back at positive reviews, so I can see how much joy others get from my writing, or even just writing something brand new for the sake of exploring an idea. Writing something just for me, rather than for an audience, reminds me how much I enjoy writing, which helps me to unwind a bit and approach my projects with more playfulness.” – Icy Sedgwick You can find The Relaxed Author: Take the Pressure Off Your Art and Enjoy the Creative Journey on CreativePennBooks.com as well as on your favorite online store or audiobook platform, or order in your library or bookstore. The post The Relaxed Author Writing Tips With Joanna Penn and Mark Leslie Lefebvre first appeared on The Creative Penn.

We’re tracking down the wellspring of “dark academia” in Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, and plucking on threads that stretch out to current fantasy and science fiction literature, with reviewer Roseanna Pendlebury as our guide. Casella manages to throw some shade at Arrival, somehow, and also references Dumb & Dumber.   Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at the Ancillary Review of Books.   Please consider supporting ARB’s Patreon! Guest: Roseanna Pendlebury Title: The Secret History Host: Jake Casella Brookins Music by Giselle Gabrielle Garcia Artwork by Rob Patterson Opening poem by Bhartṛhari, translated by John Brough Transcribers: Kate Dollarhyde and John WM Thompson References: Isaac Fellman’s Notes from a Regicide E.J. Swift’s When There Are Wolves Again Ned Beauman’s Venomous Lumpsucker  Rebecca Campbell's Arboreality Simon Roy's Griz Grobus & A Star Called The Sun Ursula Whitcher's North Continent Ribbon Tartt’s The Goldfinch Euripides’ The Bacchae Jane Alison's Meander Spiral Explode: Design and Pattern in Narrative Roger Ebert's review of Roger Avary’s film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's The Rules of Attraction (which, we didn’t get into this in the episode, is sort of in the Expanded Secret History Universe) Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Sofia Samatar's The Practice The Horizon and the Chain R.F. Kuang's Katabasis & Babel Fellman's The Two Doctors Górski Marina & Sergei Dyachenko's Vita Nostra, translated by Julia Meitov Hersey Ceaușescu's bathroom Peter Farrelly’s film Dumb and Dumber Sir Arthur Conan Doyles’ Sherlock Holmes story A Study in Scarlet Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life" vs. Denis Villeneuve's film Arrival Becky Chamber’s To Be Taught if Fortunate Emily Tesh’s The Incandescent Jill Murphy’s The Worst Witch "All art is perfectly useless" C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces Samatar's A Stranger In Olondria and The Winged Histories Fellman's The Breath of the Sun Katherin Addison's The Goblin Emperor & sequels Dungeons & Dragons Roseanna’s Small Press Dispatch series at ARB Roseanna's blog Tolkien's Beowulf & The Tolkien Reader Lina Palera’s Seikilos Epitaph with the Lyre of Apollo, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0*   *Note that ARB & AMOT are generally distributed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, but will match the CC of any incorporated material for particular posts/episodes.    

De legendarische klassieker waar Donna Tartt in een klap beroemd mee werd is nu ook verkrijgbaar als luisterboek. Dit is deel een van vier.  Uitgegeven door Bezige Bij b.v., Uitgeverij De Spreker: Thijs Miedema

Hello All the Books! listeners! We're off this week due to illness, but we didn't want to leave you empty-handed, so we're sharing an episode from our newest podcast, Zero to Well-Read, that covers one of Liberty's favorite books: The Secret History. Jeff and Rebecca revisit Donna Tartt's cult classic, the OG of dark academia, The Secret History. Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to help you get the most out of your reading life. This season of Zero to Well-Read is sponsored by Thriftbooks. Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Match+Book, librarian Paul recommendssome longer reads for the upcoming winter nights. Check out these titles with your EBPL or STELLA library card: https://ilove.ebpl.org/adults/news/matchbook-long-reads-long-nightsThe Stand by Stephen KingMiddlemarch by George EliotThe Goldffinch by Donna Tartt

This week we're sharing all the details of our recent trip to Italy, specifically Florence and Venice. If you're planning to travel to one of those places, or if you're in the mood to just travel vicariously through our stories, it's gonna be a big story time episode today.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: For a limited time, you can try OneSkin with 15% off using code [MESS] at oneskin.co. Visit GrowTherapy.com/MESS today to get started   Florence: What we did : Art museum Combo movie theater/book store Perfume shop What we ate: Cacio e pepe Squash blossom Gnocchi What we bought: Got tiny tattoos Emma - silk scarf, stove-top espresso maker charm necklace Elsie - moth and butterfly platter, Italian translation of The Secret History, 3 toys for Oscar, marbled journal, tiny marbled books for kids   Venice: What we did: Canals Peggy Guggenheim collection Gondola tour What we ate: Pizza Pasta Sign up for Elise's newsletter at elisejoy.com   Book report Elsie: Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico Emma: Secret History by Donna Tartt   You can support us by leaving us a couple of 5 star recipe reviews this week at abeautifulmess.com Have a topic idea for the podcast? Write in to us at podcast@abeautifulmess.com or leave us a voicemail at 417-893-0011.  

Today, I review The Secret History, by Donna Tartt!Goodreads/Fable: Ellie ManoInstagram/TikTok: @hookofabookEmail: hookofabookpodcast@gmail.com

Vanaf de eerste zin is het plot van dit boek duidelijk: een groep studenten heeft hun vriend vermoord. Wat volgt is een fascinerend, ingrijpend verhaal over een disfunctionele vriendengroep die een moord pleegt en daarmee probeert te leven. Het boekenpanel oordeelt unaniem: 'De verborgen geschiedenis' van Donna Tartt is een meesterwerk. Alhoewel het ene panellid enthousiaster is dan de ander ...Het boek uit 1992 brengt veel thema's naar boven: van klassenverschillen tot het verlangen om te vluchten van de werkelijkheid. Maar ook veel vragen. Want zit er schoonheid in het gruwelijke? Hoe ga je om met de gevolgen van je daden? En hoe krijgt Tartt het toch voor elkaar dat je begrip krijgt voor een paar jonge moordenaars? 'Je wilt eigenlijk dat ze ermee wegkomen, ondanks dat het moreel verwerpelijk is.'Het boekenpanel bespreekt het in deze nieuwe aflevering van de Boekenclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mirko Zilahy"La stanza delle ombre"Mondadori Editorewww.mondadori.itTra le torbide acque del Tevere, ai piedi della basilica di San Paolo, viene ritrovato il cadavere di una donna, in posa come se fosse vittima di un misterioso rito. È allora che il commissario Zuliani convoca Nemo Sperati, giovane docente all'Accademia delle Belle Arti. Quando posa lo sguardo sulla scena del crimine, Nemo sprofonda nella Stanza delle Ombre, il teatro mentale dove è in grado di vedere l'invisibile, riconoscere la firma dell'autore e attribuire l'opera. Perché lui possiede un talento arcano per il tenebrismo, la tecnica di chiaroscuri con cui a partire da dipinti e da scene del crimine evoca particolari nascosti, anomalie impercettibili anche alle più sofisticate tecnologie di indagine. Nel corpo della “Dama delle acque”, il professore riconosce subito la celebre Ophelia di John Everett Millais – esattamente come due settimane prima aveva fatto con il cadavere del direttore di Palazzo Barberini, che riproduceva Giaele e Sisara di Artemisia Gentileschi, da poco rubato. Il caso si complica quando il quadro viene rinvenuto e Nemo scopre che non è autentico, ma opera di Rufo Speranza, il più grande falsario del Novecento morto suicida molti anni prima. E soprattutto… suo padre. È così che Miriam Tiberi, sanguigna ispettrice di polizia che affianca Zuliani, si ritrova sulla pista che conduce direttamente a lui. Per scagionarsi, Nemo dovrà scendere negli abissi del proprio passato, separare il vero dal falso e far luce sul mistero che ammanta la vita e la morte di Rufo Speranza. Ambientato in una Roma notturna e decadente, popolato da personaggi ambigui e pieni di segreti, La Stanza delle Ombre è una corsa attraverso un labirinto di menzogne e verità nel mondo dell'arte e dei falsari. Un romanzo sulle maschere che scegliamo di indossare per proteggerci, per ingannare il mondo, o per gridare la nostra verità.Mirko Zilahy è nato a Roma. Ha conseguito un Phd presso il Trinity College di Dublino, dove ha insegnato Lingua e letteratura italiana. Collabora con il “Corriere della Sera” ed è stato editor per minimum fax nonché traduttore letterario dall'inglese (sue, fra le altre, la traduzione del Cardellino di Donna Tartt, premio Pulitzer 2014, e quella del bestseller Mystic River di Dennis Lehane). È così che si uccide, il romanzo con cui ha esordito nel 2016, è stato un grande successo internazionale di pubblico e critica. Sono seguiti La forma del buio (2017), Così crudele è la fine (2018) e L'uomo del bosco (2021), editi da Longanesi, e Nostra signora delle nuvole (2023) per HarperCollins.IL POSTO DELLE PAROLEascoltare fa pensarewww.ilpostodelleparole.itDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/il-posto-delle-parole--1487855/support.

Welcome to the Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing from June through mid-August.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights Catherine and Sarah share some big releases coming this summer (lightning-round style). Of Catherine's six book picks, 3 are about sisters and most are from repeat authors. Sarah's choices feature 3 debut authors, 2 repeat authors, and 1 new author. And, 5 of Sarah's six books are European novels. From literary picks to thrillers to romances, they've got a range of books for summer. Sarah has already read two of her picks — and they're on the 2025 Summer Reading Guide (be sure to check out the full list) Plus, their #1 picks for summer. Big Summer Releases Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:12] With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:18] Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:32] The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:36] A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:45] The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 15) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:57] The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:08] Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:13] A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:17]  Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:27]  The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:29]  Don't Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:32]  The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen (August 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:36]  Summer 2025 Book Preview [4:07] June Sarah's Pick The Compound by Aisling Rawle (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:19] Catherine's Picks The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:40] King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:02] I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:01] Other Books Mentioned  Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) [10:01]  FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven (2016) [10:04]  The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969) [20:29]  All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby  (2023) [20:55]  Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (2021) [21:00]  Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) [21:01]  White Houses by Amy Bloom (2018) [27:08]  This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) [27:52]  The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (2019) [27:57]  The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (2024) [28:28]  July Sarah's Picks Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:36] Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:44] The Rabbit Club by Christopher J. Yates (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:48] Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke (July 15*) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:38](Updated release date following the recording of this episode.) August Lane by Regina Black (July 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:44] Catherine's Picks The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang (July 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:37]  Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[39:32] Other Books Mentioned Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (2023) [18:12]  Writers and Lovers by Lily King (2020) [18:17]  The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) [25:06]  Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler (2023) [25:09]  Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates (2013) [28:57]  The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (2013) [31:13]  The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) [31:15]  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) [31:16]  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) []  If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) [32:37]  Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang (2021) [35:16]  Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (2023) [35:40]  Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) [35:42]  The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (2022) [35:45]  Girl A by Abigail Dean (2021) [38:21]  The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) [38:24]  Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (2022) [38:28]  The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon (2023) [40:16]  The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (2023) [41:58]  Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner (2024) [43:30]  Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (2021) [43:41]  The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (2021) [43:46]  Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019) [45:01]  August Catherine's Pick The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins (August 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:15] Other Books Mentioned She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (1992) [48:08]  Other Links Sarah's Bookshelves | The Possibility of a Black Chalk Sequel: Guest Post by Christopher J. Yates 

“I tell kids that books are not there to torment you. The author has to get you in the first ten pages. If they do not, they fail, because a book is like a lawnmower—you pull it, and either it starts or it doesn't start.” –Soman ChainaiSoman Chainani wants reading to feel irresistible. The bestselling author of "The School for Good and Evil," series and the recently released graphic novel, "Coven," shares how his own reading life began—powered by Anne Rice, Michael Crichton, and a complete lack of adult supervision—and how those early obsessions shaped his belief that stories should be bold, boundary-pushing, and personal.In this episode, Soman explains why middle grade books can (and should) feel dangerous, how his grandmother's glamorous storytelling shaped his imagination, and what a book needs to do in its first ten pages to hook a reader. He also unpacks the “moral grayness” that defines his favorite novels and his own writing, and makes a compelling case for why kids need more honesty, not less, in the stories we give them.Tune in for a fast-paced episode that includes Madonna, hot takes, and tips for breaking (all) the rules. ***Soman's reading challenge, Immersive, is all about getting lost in a story. The books he curated blur the line between fiction and reality, pulling the reader in so completely you forget the world around you. Learn more and download Soman's recommended reading list at threadingculturepod.com/soman-chainani***This week's featured librarian is Jasmine Haverly from Aldine Independent School District in Texas. Jasmine shares how competitions and “book tastings” are growing the reading culture in her library.Show ChaptersChapter 1 - Florida Man Chapter 2 - Well, That Escalated Quickly Chapter 3 - The Picture of Dorian GrayChapter 4 - The Rules Are Made UpChapter 5 - Main Character Energy Chapter 6 - Use Your ImaginationChapter 7 - Express YourselfChapter 8 - Reading ChallengeChapter 9 - Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupSoman ChainaiSoman Chainani SubstackSoman Chainani Instagram“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar WildeFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

WARNING: This Episode Contains Spoilers for the 2013 Novel The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt.Follow us on twitter for goodness sake, it's fun! And it's probably the best way to contact us, all things considered.Special Thanks as always to Sydney and Benjamin Paul and Tyler Button, and our Big Freak Spacejamfan!This episode features additional sound design by Michaël Ghelfi. Michaël creates brilliantly crafted soundscapes and ambient tracks for all sort of productions and they make perfect accompaniment to your ttrpg home games. Find his work on YouTube, and support that good stuff on Patreon.Subscribe and Rate Rude Tales of Magic on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave us a review!Advertise on Rude Tales of Magic via Gumball.fm.Support the show: https://www.rudetalesofmagic.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Shruti and Neha discuss the Gothic masterpiece Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. We talk about the main characters and what they might represent, and the way the book plays with ideas of identity and relationships. We also discuss the themes of memory, innocence and maturity, gender roles and sexuality, the symbolism of flowers, and so much more!*This episode contains serious spoilers!Links:The Secret History by Donna Tartt: aesthetics and paranoia (Spotify | Apple Podcasts)The Secret History, Dark Academia, and Academic Elitism [The Novel Tea Newsletter]Books Mentioned & Shelf DiscoveryJane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëWide Sargasso Sea by Jean RhysGone Girl by Gillian FlynnThe Secret History by Donna TarttMy Cousin Rachel by Daphne du MaurierIf you would like to get additional behind-the-scenes content related to this and all of our episodes, subscribe to our free newsletter.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com.This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thank you for tuning in to Episode 293 of the Down Cellar Studio Podcast. Full show notes with photos can be found on my website.   This week's segments included:   Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins From the Armchair Knitting in Passing KAL News Events Contest, News & Notes Life in Focus On a Happy Note Quote of the Week   Thank you to this episode's sponsor- The Yarn Sellar. Fiber Marketplace 2025- SATURDAY APRIL 5 , 2025 from 10-3pm at the Union Bluff Hotel 8 Beach Street, York Beach Maine 207-363-1333. Join us for a fun-filled party on Friday, April 4th from 5:30-7:00 Andra Asars (Berroco rep) will be hosting our event. Tickets are on sale in the shop and our online shop. You may win a prize. $25 (only 25 tickets)   Off the Needles, Hook or Bobbins   Aurealis Pattern: Aurealis by Jennifer Steingass ($8 US Ravelry Knitting Pattern) Needles: US 6 (4.0 mm) & US 4 (3.5 mm) Yarn: Cloudborn Fibers Highland DK in the Gray Heather colorway (MC) & Junction Fiber Mill Making Tracks DK in the Vermont Vice colorway (CC) Ravelry Project Page Size: C Mods: Bottom ribbing- 2x2 instead of 1x1. Ribbing on sleeves is also 2x2   Love Bugs Pattern: Love Bug by Trish Hoskin (free crochet pattern on Ravelry) Hook: C- 2.75 mm Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Worsted & Knit Picks Brava Worsted Ravelry Project Page   On the Needles, Hook or Bobbins   Ebb & Flow Socks Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the Ebb & Flow colorway Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page Progress: first sock done. I cast on the second.   Cold Goat Farm Spinning Project Fiber: Cold Goats Farm; believe it is a merino/mohair batt (8oz) in a natural, undyed cream color Ravelry Project Page Twist direction: singles = Z plied = S This means when I'm spinning, my wheel is spinning clockwise and when plying my wheel is moving counter-clockwise. Progress: Nearly finished with my 3rd bobbin of fiber   Calendula Christmas Quilt Pattern: Calendula Quilt by Elena Fedotova available on Ravelry for $7.50 US. Yarn: Big Twist Value Solids in Ivory, Deep Red, Varsity Green, Aqua, Medium Rose, Gray Hook:  G (4.0 mm) Ravelry Project Page granny squares- 1 color or 2 (colors on each half a diagonal) I used Canva to help me figure out color placement to extend out the quilt pattern. I am seaming squares using the Mattress Stitch. I started working on this after being inspired by NDJen04's video about her scrappy blanket- you can find that find on YouTube. I had the 2 color (on the diagonal) granny square memorized but totally forgot how to do those. Here's a helpful video I found that helped refresh my memory. Goal: 6 per week Crocheted 7 last week.   Aila's Daisy Socks Yarn: On The Round Nimble Sock (85%/15% SW Merino/Nylon) in the Forage colorway Pattern: None (will likely use OMG heel) Needles: US 1.5 & US 2 Ravelry Project Page I cast on 60 sts. Worked 1x1 ribbing and daisy pattern I charted out using US 1.5 needles. Way too tight. In listening to another podcast, I was reminded that going up a needle size may help. Reknit colorwork section with US 2. Too tight. Washed and blocked to be sure AND to see if I liked the fabric with a US 2. I do. Increased up to 64 sts. Used US 2 for colorwork. Then decreased back to 60 sts shortly after, a few rows later back to 56 sts. Knit about 2 inches.   Adrift on an Inland Sea Socks Yarn: Woolens & Nosh SW Targhee Sock in the Adrift on an Inland Sea Socks colorway Pattern: OMG Heel Socks by Megan Williams ($5 knitting pattern available on Ravelry) Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm) Ravelry Project Page   From the Armchair The Secret History by Donna Tartt.  Amazon Affiliate Link. How to Stop Time by Matt Haig.  Amazon Affiliate Link. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore.  Amazon Affiliate Link.   Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.   Knitting in Passing Annissa from The Stitch House sat down next to me on train and asked about knitting. It was great catching up with her.   KAL News All Pigskin Grand Prize Winners have been emailed.   Events Boston Public Market Fiber Fest- Sunday March 23 from 10a-5p. Free Admission Fiber Marketplace- April 5th at the Union Bluff Hotel in York, Maine (kick off party on the 4th at the Yarn Sellar store) Fiber Witch Festival: April 11-13 in Salem, MA Gore Place Sheep Sheering Festival- Saturday April 26 from 10a-5p in Waltham, MA. Connecticut Sheep & Wool: Saturday April 26 from 9a-4p in North Haven, CT Yarncentrick: May 2 in Fredrick, MD Maryland Sheep & Wool: May 3 & 4 in West Friendship, MD Sheep & Wool Festival at Coggeshall Farm: May 17 in Bristol, RI Massachusetts Sheep & Wool Festival- May 24 & 25 in Cummington, MA   Contest, News & Notes   Stitched by Jessalu FearLESS Living Fund Bags have raised $194! You can find the bags here & 30% of the sales go towards the FearLESS Living Fund!   Life in Focus   25 in 2025 List- I've made progress on these items Donate Blood at least 4 times (1 in January) Buy new ski boots- DONE Record 2-5 things I'm grateful for each day before bed (more days than not counts) Read all of Simple Abundance (ideally daily or close to) Get at least 2 massages at Oasis scheduled See 2-5 movies in the theater (Paddington in Peru) Knit 2-5 garments for me (Aurealis & WIP- Monsoonee Sweaters) Finish and enjoy my Christmas Granny Square Blanket Crochet at least 5 toys (1: hedgehog, 2 love bugs) Use my spinning wheel at least once a month (Jan & Feb, March done) Try out 3 new to me podcasts (Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend) Buy a fireproof box and put important papers inside (working with Dan on list of things to put in it)   On a Happy Note A luxurious mani/pedi Dinner with my cousins down in Plymouth. A lovely visit with my grandmother- got her TV working so she could watch the Red Sox again. Pushing outside of my comfort zones in music rehearsals for Kiss Me Kate, but really enjoying the dancing. 2 hours of tap on Sunday! Loved every second. I went to dinner and to see a local production of Rent on Friday evening. My all time favorite show. Season 2 of Silo on Apple TV Paradise on Hulu   Quote of the Week   I cannot think of myself apart from the influence of the two or three greatest friendships of my life, and any account of my own growth must be that of their stimulating and enlightening influence.   –Edith Wharton ------   Thank you for tuning in!   Contact Information: Check out the Down Cellar Studio Patreon! Ravelry: BostonJen & Down Cellar Studio Podcast Ravelry Group Instagram: BostonJen1 YouTube: Down Cellar Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarstudio Sign up for my email newsletter to get the latest on everything happening in the Down Cellar Studio Check out my Down Cellar Studio YouTube Channel Knit Picks Affiliate Link Bookshop Affiliate Link Yarnable Subscription Box Affiliate Link FearLESS Living Fund to benefit the Blind Center of Nevada Music -"Soft Orange Glow" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/ Note: Some links are listed as Amazon Affiliate Links. If you click those, please know that I am an Amazon Associate and I earn money from qualifying purchases.  

For this month's edition of the Book Club, we are joined once again by Canadian correspondent JR to talk about Donna Tartt's massive novel The Secret History. Let's dive into some dark academia. Ω ιτε Βακχαι The post The Secret History by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes.

For this month's edition of the Book Club, we are joined once again by Canadian correspondent JR to talk about Donna Tartt's massive novel The Secret History. Let's dive into some dark academia. Ω ιτε Βακχαι The post The Secret History by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes.

Welcome to series 13, episode 2 of In Suspense - a podcast for fans and writers of crime fiction. Today we're chatting to the fabulous Rob Parker about his latest book; The Troubled Deep and our topic today which is Juggling Multiple Roles as an author. We have book recommendations for:-Son by Johana Gustawsson and Thomas Enger, The Tomorrow Project by Heather Critchlow, Memorial Park by Louisa Scarr, It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara, The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey and The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

Rachel and Simon speak with the literary agent Clare Alexander. For the first portion of her career she worked in publishing, starting out in 1973 in the rights department at Penguin; after stints at Hamish Hamilton and Viking she became editor-in-chief of Macmillan and Picador. Clare published first novels by Helen Dunmore, Alex Garland, Amitav Ghosh, Haruki Murakami and Donna Tartt. In 1995, while at Viking, she was the editor of the winners of the Booker Prize, the Orange Prize (now the Women's Prize) and the Whitbread Award (the erstwhile Costa Book Awards) - the first editor ever to achieve this hat-trick. In 1998 Clare became a literary agent. Her client list includes Diana Evans, Helen Fielding, Armando Iannucci, Nicholas Shakespeare, Rory Stewart and Colin Thubron. We spoke to Clare about her early career as an editor, becoming an agent in the late 1990s, and working with authors including Pat Barker, Mark Haddon and Sebastian Faulks. A new edition of “Always Take Notes: Advice From Some Of The World's Greatest Writers” - a book drawing on our podcast interviews - is available now. The updated version now includes insights from over 100 past guests on the podcast, with new contributions from Harlan Coben, Victoria Hislop, Lee Child, Megan Nolan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Philippa Gregory, Jo Nesbø, Paul Theroux, Hisham Matar and Bettany Hughes. You can order it via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Waterstones⁠⁠. You can find us online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwaystakenotes.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Twitter @takenotesalways and on Instagram @alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/alwaystakenotes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

In season 4 episode 153, we discuss The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Visit our website at https://www.tbrlowdown.com to see our show notes, join our Discord, book club, and subscribe to our Substack newsletters.

Perhaps best known for his novels Motherless Brooklyn (1999), The Fortress of Solitude (2003), and Chronic City (2009)—or, more recently, Brooklyn Crime Novel (2023)—the author, essayist, and cultural critic Jonathan Lethem could be considered the ultimate modern-day Brooklyn bard, even if today he lives in California, where he's a professor of English and creative writing at Pomona College. His most celebrated books take place in Brooklyn, or in the case of Chronic City, on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and across his genre-spanning works of fiction, his narratives capture a profound sense of the rich chaos and wonder to be found in an urban existence. Lethem is also the author of several essay collections, including the newly published Cellophane Bricks: A Life in Visual Culture (ZE Books), which compiles much of his art writing from over the years written in response to—and often in exchange for—artworks by friends, including Gregory Crewdson, Nan Goldin, and Raymond Pettibon.On the episode, Lethem discusses his passion for book dedications; the time he spent with James Brown and Bob Dylan, respectively, when profiling them for Rolling Stone in the mid-aughts; how his work is, in part, a way of dealing with and healing from his mother's death in 1978, at age 36; and why he views his writing as “fundamentally commemorative.”Special thanks to our Season 10 presenting sponsor, L'École, School of Jewelry Arts.Show notes:Jonathan Lethem[5:35] Cellophane Bricks[5:35] High School of Music and Art[5:35] Motherless Brooklyn[5:35] The Fortress of Solitude[5:35] The Disappointment Artist[5:35] Maureen Linker[7:15] Carmen Fariña[8:26] Julia Jacquette[8:26] Rosalyn Drexler[9:08] The Great Gatsby[9:08] Brooklyn Crime Novel[10:59] Lynn Nottage[13:08] Bennington College[13:08] Bret Easton Ellis[13:08] Donna Tartt[23:41] The Collapsing Frontier[23:41] Italo Calvino[23:41] Cold War[23:41] Red Scare[23:41] J. Edgar Hoover[27:37] Dada movement[27:37] Ernest Hemingway[27:37] Gertrude Stein[27:37] Dissident Gardens[29:38] Reaganism[29:38] “Does intergenerational transmission of trauma skip a generation?”[31:21] John Van Bergen[31:21] Nan Goldin[34:33] “The Ecstasy of Influence”[34:33] Lawrence Lessig[35:31] Copyleft movement[35:31] Hank Shocklee[38:46] Hoyt-Schermerhorn Station[42:32] “Being James Brown: Inside the Private World of the Baddest Man Who Ever Lived”[42:32] “The Genius and Modern Times of Bob Dylan”[51:00] Chronic City[54:04] The Thalia[55:50] “Lightness” by Italo Calvino[1:06:26] Jorge Luis Borges

Tune in to the newest season of NAMI OC's It's Okay to Feel with hosts Dave Hill, Madi Morrison, and Breann Durham! We begin with a candid tribute to the podcast's original host, Ed Portillo, who will be missed dearly. After some catching up with Dave, Madi, and Bre, we jump into an informative and exciting conversation about NAMI Walks with coordinator Jennifer Lewis! Contact: ⁠itsokaytofeel@namioc.org Books Referenced: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara The Concept of Anxiety by Soren Kierkegaard Not in It to Win It by Andy Stanley Scattered Minds by Gabor Mate The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Show Notes and Links to Porochista Khanpour's Work   For Episode 258, Pete welcomes Porochista Khakpour, and the two discuss, among other topics, her harrowing departure from Iran to the US at a young age, her voracious reading and writing and storytelling, amazing life experiences that have fed her writing, her love of contemporary stan culture and KPop, how her latest book's release is different, seeds for Tehrangeles, modern wellness and conspiracy theory cultures, her experiences with the real Tehrangeles, the role of the outsider as a writer, and so much about themes and topics related to her novel, like celebrity worship, assimilation, cancel culture, and racism.      Porochista Khakpour was born in Tehran and raised in the greater Los Angeles area. She is the critically acclaimed author of two previous novels, Sons and Other Flammable Objects and The Last Illusion; a memoir, Sick; and a collection of essays, Brown Album. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bookforum, Elle, and many other publications. Her latest book is Tehrangeles. She lives in New York City.   Buy Tehrangeles  Porochista's Official Website Porochista's Wikipedia Page “Writing Iranian America…”-2020 Interview from Columbia Journal   At about 1:45: Pete gets the wrong vegetable in remembering his first exposure to Porochista's excellent work   At about 2:45, Porochista talks about the year in publishing and the ways in which this year's tragedies have been in juxtaposition to careful and affectionate feedback for her novel   At about 7:30, Porochista and Pete discuss some politicians' cowardice and Porochsta's book as a “weird distraction”   At about 10:20, Pete asks Porochista about writing satire in an increasingly off-its-hinges world   At about 13:20, Porochista talks about the 1%, richest of the richest, and how “this sort of madness of wealthy people during the beginning of the pandemic”   At about 15:10, Porochsta gives background on the acquisition of her novel    At about 17:25, The two highlight Danzy Senna's great work   At about 18:20, Porochista cites examples of “dark humor” that at times run through Persian cultures    At about 20:10, Porochista reflects on the idea of “perpetual outsiders” and the effect on writing   At about 21:40, Porochista details her family's fleeing Iran and the traumas and memories that came with her odyssey to arriving in the US   At about 24:30, Porochista traces the way that Iran was often viewed by Americans at the time in which her family arrived in the US   At about 25:15, Porochista responds to Pete's questions about her early reading and writing and language life, both in English and Persian    At about 31:45,    At about 32:50, Porochista talks about she's been described as a “maximalist” and the connection to Persian as her first language   At about 34:35, Porochista talks about representation in the texts she read growing up and her early love of particular works that allowed her to learn about the Western canon in order to enjoy it and resist it   At about 37:30, Porochista charts her reading journey from Faulkner to Morrison to Sartre to the Beat Poets and describes her self-designed silent book reading “retreat”   At about 40:20, Porochista describes her reading and writing as responses to her life experiences and her identity revolving around writing   At about 41:35, Porochista describes transformative and formative texts and mentors and her time at Sarah Lawrence College and Oxford   At about 43:50, Porochista talks about the ways in which her reading was affected by how women writers are often limited, and how this connects to her seeking out adventure and life experience in living as a writer, including her going to William Faulkner Country   At about 49:45, The two make appreciations of James Joyce's work    At about 50:55, Porochista makes a case for contemporary writing as comprising a “golden era”   At about 52:00, Pete wonders if and how Porochsta has been influenced by Bret Easton Ellis and David Foster Wallace   At about 54:45, Porochista talks about ways in which Less than Zero and American Psycho and Donna Tartt's work have affected the sensibility of Tehrangeles and especially its ending   At about 59:15, Porochista talks about “dream” casting in case the novel becomes a movie, including Tara Yummy   At about 1:01:00, Porochista talks about the “twisted logic” found on many of the chat rooms/forums she spent time in for book research    At about 1:04:15, Porochista talks about how Louisa May Alcott's Little Women and Alcott's experience informed the writing of Tehrangeles   At about 1:07:55, The two discuss how Shahs of Sunset affected the novel   At about 1:10:00, Porochista explains her rationale in making the book's reality show producers a collective   At about 1:10:45, Porochista responds to Pete's question about the book's epitaphs     At about 1:13:55, Porochista talks about the book's untranslated Persian section and “progress” in people's understanding   At about 1:15:20, Pete cites and quotes the book's opening litany and the exposition of Book I   At about 1:16:20, Porochista describes a raucous scene where Roxana, a main character, goes through a “zodiac reassignment”   At about 1:17:50, Porochista digs into Roxana's “Secret”   At about 1:19:10, The two lament Kanye West's horrible recent behavior and other misogynists and abusers, in connection with the setting of the book   At about 1:22:30, The two discuss the world of influencers and their effect on younger generations in line with the characters of the book   At about 1:24:20, Pete recounts the Milani family members and their views of the    At about 1:26:00, Porochista recounts inspiration for Violet's sweets diet from an interview with Momofuku's Christina Tosi and Porochista's time at Sarah Lawrence   At about 1:28:00, The two discuss Violet's experience with a racist and demeaning model shoot that plays on her Iranian heritage    At about 1:29:30, Porochista reflects on Tehrangeles culture and its connection to religion    At about 1:30:35, Porochista discusses KPop and “stan culture” and how Mina “found her voice” through these online forums    At about 1:34:20, Porochista talks about purposely focusing on realistic and empathetic portrayals of gender identity    At about 1:38:30, The two discuss Hailey as representative of the intersections between Covid conspiracy theories and racism and “hidden” CA racism and wellness culture   At about 1:40:00, Porochista talks about her own experiences with the “dark wu wu” of the wellness cultures during her own fragile    At about 1:44:00, The two discuss Ali (Al) and his leaving Iran behind and how he seeks Americanization and how he makes his fortune   At about 1:46:15, Porochista likens events of the book, “The World of Al” to the DJ Khaled song    At about 1:48:05, The two discuss Roxana's desire to have a blowout early Covid-era party and how the physical “wings” of the house connect to the sisters' different growing pains and goals and ethics   At about 1:50:40, The two riff on some beautifully absurd scenes in the book, including a pet psychic's appearance    At about 1:51:50, Porochista gives background on deciding to do untranslated Persian in the book and about Homa and the ways she doesn't want to be part of Tehrangeles; also Editor Maria Goldberg Love   At about 1:55:10, Pete asks about the rationale and background for the book's ending using stream of consciousness   At about 1:57:15, Porochista shouts out Golden Hour Books and City of Asylum Books, and other places to buy her book, including Shawnee, Kansas' Seven Stories, run by 17 yr old Halley Vincent   At about 1:59:45, Porochista shouts out the stellar Deep Vellum and Verso and writers like   At about 2:01:05, Porochista talks about exciting upcoming projects    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.       I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Deesha Philyaw, Luis Alberto Urrea, Chris Stuck, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writing and writers that have inspired their own work. I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 259 with Jessica Whipple. Jessica writes for adults and children, and her poetry has been published recently in Funicular, Door Is a Jar, and many more. She has published two children's picture books in 2023: Enough Is… and I Think I Think a Lot.  The episode will air on October 29. Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Donna Tartt's novel The Secret History is a loveletter to Greek tragedy, that begins with a dedication from Nietzsche and Plato. Central to the story is the concept of the Dionysian, and the attempt of the main characters to experience the Dionysian. Richard Papen's fatal flaw is his "morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs". His undying quest for a beautiful aesthetic life leads him to become part of an elite clique of students at Hampden College in Vermont. All six of them are under the sway of a charismatic and mysterious professor named Julian Morrow. After his friends accidentally kill someone while attempting a modern-day bacchanalia, Richard finds himself drawn into their crime, as he does everything he can to help them cover it up. This year becomes the defining event of Richard's life, and the story is his retelling of this 'secret history' of how he became what he is. We will examine the novel's use of truth and appearance, and how the Dionysian in this story serves as a "pure fire of being" which burns away the false appearances of the characters in order to unify their appearance and essence, and force each person's nature to draw its final consequences.

This week, we talk with Evan Friss, author of The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore, out now from Penguin Random House. Starting with Benjamin Franklin and moving up to the present day, it is a love letter to bookstores that The New York Times calls "A spirited defense of this important, odd and odds-defying American retail category."Books We Talk About: The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs and the works of Donna Tartt, Haruki Murakami, Kurt Vonnegut and George Saunders.

Welcome to a special episode of Reeding Between the Lines with Sara and Nicole Reed! As autumn sets in, our reading moods shift to embrace the darker, moodier themes of the season. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Dark Academia—a genre known for its gothic atmosphere, intellectual pursuits, and the sometimes dangerous paths they lead to.Join us as we discuss iconic and intriguing Dark Academia books, starting with the classic The Secret History by Donna Tartt. We'll also explore more recent gems like Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House, the hauntingly beautiful Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, and the suspenseful The Cloisters by Katy Hays. Plus, we'll touch on The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Broken Girls by Simone St. James, and more!If you're ready to immerse yourself in stories that combine academia, mystery, and a touch of the supernatural, this episode is for you. Tune in, get cozy, and let's explore the darker side of literature together!LinksPodcastreedingbetweenthelines.buzzsprout.com/sharewww.youtube.com/@ReedingBetweenTheLinesInstagraminstagram.com/reedingbetweenthelinespodSupport the Podcastbuzzsprout.com/2378509/support#DarkAcademia #BookRecommendations #BookTube #ReadingVlog #FallReading #BookReview #NinthHouse #Piranesi #TheSecretHistory #TheCloisters #LiteraryFiction #DarkBooks #PodcastEpisode #Bookish #MysteryBooksSupport the Show.

The Gladstone gallery director Alissa Bennett was one of a legion to fall under the thrall of Donna Tartt's 1992 novel The Secret History. A years-spanning mystery told in reverse, the book has sold some five million copies and remains a cult fan favorite. It details a small cadre of college students studying ancient Greek at an isolated North East campus. Myth, reality, and ritual overlap and ultimately Dionysian rites collide with hubris. Here is how Bennett sums up the protagonists: "while their fantasies ricochet around a technicolor past filled to overflowing with gods and mysteries and the seismic tragedies of Homer, their bodies remain tethered to a Taco Bell present." The book has yet to be seen on the big screen, but Bennett has managed to find a super-low-budget obscure video art adaption from 2006, which is now on view as part of the "The Secret History," (on view through August 2) a group art exhibition she curated, on view now at Gladstone 64, the gallery's upper east side outpost in a converted townhouse. The artists featured in the fascinating show range from familiar names like Matthew Barney, Rachel Rose, and Hope Atherton to younger artists like Matt Hilvers and Karyn Lyons, and her own personal astrologer (and former Art Angle guest) Micki Pellerano. Bennet joined Artnet editor William Van Meter to discuss the show, and her meandering path in life that includes a stint as a runway model, a co-host alongside Lena Dunham of the acclaimed podcast The C-Word, a teacher at the Yale School of Art, and author of the zine "Dead is Better." Now, she holds a post as a gallery director, and along the way she remembers her mentor, Barbara Gladstone, the legendary gallerist who passed away last month.

Welcome to a full length episode of PCMC! On today's fully Mike is joined, once again, by Anthony. Together the guys discuss pop culture news, review new trailers, and confess their current media obsessions. Topics on today's show include: reading slumps, Mike Flanagan's Exorcist, Practical Magic 2, Sony buys Alamo Drafthouse, Paddington in Peru (2024), Mr. Birchum (2024), Nosferatu (2024), Jimmy Kimmel, Cheers, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, Martin Mull, The Bear, Paul Schrader, Hacks, Blue Eye Samurai, and much, much more! Find us everywhere @PCMCpod 

This week on Weird Studies, Phil and JF explore the intersections of the beautiful and the terrible in art and literature. There is a conventional beauty that calms and placates, and there is a radical beauty which, taking horror's pale-gloved hand, gives up all pretense to permanence and fixity and joins the danse macabre of our endless becoming. This episode is a preamble to a five-week course of lectures and discussions starting June 20th on Weirdosphere, JF and Phil's new online learning platform. For more information and to enroll in The Beauty and the Horror, visit www.weirdosphere.org. REFERENCES JF Martel, Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/j-f-martel/reclaiming-art-in-the-age-of-artifice/9781668640289/?lens=basic-books), the audiobook, with a new introduction written and read by Donna Tartt. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239678/) William Blake, “The Tyger” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780918172020) Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/) Walter Pater, The Renaissance (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781604597042) David Lynch, Twin Peaks: The Return (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4093826/) Anna Aikin, “On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror (https://biblioklept.org/2018/10/25/on-the-pleasure-derived-from-objects-of-terror-anna-letitia-aikin/) Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781400031702) Keiji Nishitani, Religion and Nothingness (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780520049468) Charles Baudelaire, “Le Voyage” (https://fleursdumal.org/poem/231) Franz Schubert, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._14_(Schubert)) Franz Schubert, Piano Sonata in C major, D. 840 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_in_C_major,_D_840_(Schubert)) J.R.R. Tolkein, The Hobbit (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780547928227)

This week on Weird Studies, Phil and JF explore the intersections of the beautiful and the terrible in art and literature. There is a conventional beauty that calms and placates, and there is a radical beauty which, taking horror's pale-gloved hand, gives up all pretense to permanence and fixity and joins the danse macabre of our endless becoming. This episode is a preamble to a five-week course of lectures and discussions starting June 20th on Weirdosphere, JF and Phil's new online learning platform. For more information and to enroll in The Beauty and the Horror, visit www.weirdosphere.org. REFERENCES JF Martel, Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/j-f-martel/reclaiming-art-in-the-age-of-artifice/9781668640289/?lens=basic-books), the audiobook, with a new introduction written and read by Donna Tartt. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15239678/) William Blake, “The Tyger” (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger) Junichiro Tanizaki, In Praise of Shadows (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780918172020) Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/) Walter Pater, The Renaissance (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781604597042) David Lynch, Twin Peaks: The Return (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4093826/) Anna Aikin, “On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror (https://biblioklept.org/2018/10/25/on-the-pleasure-derived-from-objects-of-terror-anna-letitia-aikin/) Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781400031702) Keiji Nishitani, Religion and Nothingness (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780520049468) Charles Baudelaire, “Le Voyage” (https://fleursdumal.org/poem/231) Franz Schubert, “Death and the Maiden” Quartet (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_Quartet_No._14_(Schubert)) Franz Schubert, Piano Sonata in C major, D. 840 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_in_C_major,_D_840_(Schubert)) J.R.R. Tolkein, The Hobbit (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780547928227)

Connor and Dylan are joined by West End sensation Rob Houchen (Les Misérables, Light in the Piazza). It's POP girl summer, and this trio is ready for it! This London lad is a breath of fresh air as we chat ahead of his New York stage solo debut at Chelsea Table + Stage on June 10. Rob teases his special guest stars and excitement for this thrilling moment in his career! The Anglophile twins soak up every second talking to Rob about his West End appearances, including his 1000+ performance run as Marius in Les Misérables, the brilliance of Eugenius, and roughly 9 shows of City of Angels starring Vanessa Williams and Theo James. The camp convo covers the television talent shows that shaped them, especially Rob's brush with X Factor. We learn about Rob's early days, finding his voice, and his West End Does concert series and company. This fast-paced and fun chat also gets into The Secret History by Donna Tartt, Vanessa Williams' single “Legs,” and the rise of Chappell Roan. We adore Rob, and you will too, so be sure to get your tickets to see Rob in NYC on June 10!Follow Rob on Twitter, Instagram, & TiktokGet tickets to his Chelsea Table + Stage concert on June 10! Follow DRAMA. on Twitter & Instagram & TiktokFollow Connor MacDowell on Twitter & InstagramFollow Dylan MacDowell on Twitter & InstagramEdited by DylanSupport the podcast by subscribing to DRAMA+, which also includes bonus episodes, Instagram Close Friends content, and more!

Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year's Summer Reading Guide, some shorter books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for each category featured in my 2024 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here. Summer Reading [9:19] Books That Missed Last Year's Summer Reading Guide [10:14] Sarah All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:21] Vera Wong's Unsolicited Guide for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:22] The Hop by Diana Clarke | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:22]  Susie Shark Heart by Emily Habeck | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:58] Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:04]  The Last Ranger by Peter Heller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:24]  Other Books Mentioned Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby [11:08] Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby [11:10]  Dial ‘A' for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto [16:26] Take It Back by Kia Abdullah [20:07] Shorter Books Great for Summer Reading [26:00] Sarah All Together Now by Matthew Norman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:13]  Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:48] Be spoiler ready: The murders and endings of The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith, The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne, Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles, Double Indemnity by James M. Cain, The Drowner by Robert Drewe, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and Deathtrap by Ira Levin are discussed in detail as noted in the book.  But many readers have lamented that the endings and main plots were also spoiled for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and And Then There Were None, both by Agatha Christie. FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:29] Susie Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:09]  I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:52] One Woman Show by Christine Coulson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:06] Other Books Mentioned In Five Years by Rebecca Serle [28:49] One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle [28:51]  The Measure by Nikki Erlick [31:00] The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson [31:54] Our #1 Summer Picks by Category  [42:43] Something Light / Fun Sarah: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:20]  Susie: Annie Bot by Sierra Greer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:13]  Other Books Mentioned: The Measure by Nikki Erlick [45:19] The One by John Marrs [45:23] Slow-Burn Suspense Sarah: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[49:37]  Something Fast-Paced / Intense Susie: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan | Amazon | Bookshop.org[51:49]  Something With a Bit More Substance Sarah: Real Americans by Rachel Khong | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:50]  Susie: Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:11]  Other Books Mentioned: Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong [57:42] Something Different Sarah: The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:08]  Susie: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:00]  Other Books Mentioned: We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter [1:03:55] Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin [1:05:50]

Today Dominic talks to Jesse about The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

In this conversation, the participants discuss their thoughts on various book series, including A Song of Ice and Fire and The Second Apocalypse. They share their opinions on the unfinished status of these series and the impact of the TV adaptations. They also discuss the writing style of George R.R. Martin and R. Scott Bakker, highlighting their strengths in world-building, dialogue, and thematic depth. The conversation touches on the challenges of creating the next big cultural phenomenon and the importance of organic storytelling. The conversation covers various topics including the TV show 'The Expanse', the influence of other works on storytelling, and the magic of certain books and games. The hosts discuss their experiences with different series and how they compare to each other. They also explore the concept of comparing works to others and the impact it has on the audience's expectations. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the influences and inspirations of the hosts in their own writing. The conversation in this part revolves around the process of starting and continuing writing, the challenges faced by authors, and the role of beta readers. The participants discuss their motivations for writing, the difficulty of finding time to write, and the addictive nature of creativity. They also touch on the length of time it takes to write a book and the pressure to meet deadlines. The conversation explores the role of publishers and the challenges of marketing and getting books into bookstores. The participants also discuss the importance of receiving feedback and criticism from beta readers and the different approaches to beta reading. In this final part of the conversation, the participants discuss the books they would love to read before they are published. They mention authors like Donna Tartt, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Stephen King, and George R.R. Martin. They also share their thoughts on the length and pacing of certain books, including those by Joe Abercrombie and Patrick Rothfuss. The conversation concludes with each participant sharing the last book they finished reading.Find Susana:  https://susanaimaginario.com/about.htmlFind Thomas J. Devens: https://fallofemros.blogspot.com/Support the showPageChewing.comPAGECHEWING: Comics & Manga PodcastFilm Chewing PodcastBuy me a coffeeLinktreeLogo by The GlimmerTwin Art HouseJoin Riverside.fm

To make this show, our team listens through hours upon hours of audio. But sometimes, a few excellent shows will slip through the cracks.This week, Leah is joined by the Podcast Playlist crew to share some amazing podcasts that you may have missed.Like Once upon a time...at Bennington College. Our senior producer Kate Evans likes it because listening feels like, "a summer page turner, but for a podcast." The show shares the history of the unique Liberal arts college where authors Brett Easton Ellis, Jonathan Lethem and Donna Tartt all went to school together. Plus, producer Julian Uzielli shares a heartfelt podcast about a group of Armenian soliders who survived months of being trapped behind enemy lines.That and more, this week on Podcast Playlist.Featuring: Once Upon A Time...At Bennington College, Freeway Phantom, The Ballad of Billy Balls, Country Of DustFor more info, head to cbc.ca/podcastplaylist.

Maggie Thrash is a lesbian writer wrestling with important themes, including sexuality, transphobia, and identity. She is unafraid of plumbing dark waters with an off-kilter humor and storytelling bravado reminiscent of the writing of Nell Zink, Alissa Nutting, Donna Tartt, and Ottessa Moshfegh, as well as TV series such as Euphoria, Skins, Yellowjackets, Bad Sisters, and Fleabag. Besides Honor Girl, she is the author of Lost Soul, Be At Peace, as well as two other novels for young adults. Born and raised in Atlanta, she now lives in New Hampshire. Killer Women is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #podcast #author #interview #authors #KillerWomen #KillerWomenPodcast #authorsontheair #podcast #podcaster #killerwomen #killerwomenpodcast #authors #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #authorsontheair #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors #thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers #writersinspiration #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #daniellegirard #daniellegirardbooks #maggiethrash #harpercollins

Neha and Shruti discuss The Secret History, a book that has gained a cult following in the last few decades - and as we discuss the book, we start to see why. We talk about the characters, the atmospheric setting, and how Tartt brilliantly creates and sustains tension. We also provide some background for the book's classical allusions, and share all our theories about the book's shocking climax. And as always, we provide recommendations in our Shelf Discovery segment for books to read next if you loved The Secret History, based on the aspect of the novel that you loved most.What is the significance of the line 'Beauty is terror'? Which character functions as a cult leader? What is dark academia? You'll find all this and more in this episode. True spoilers start at 19:20If you would like to hear more in-depth literary analysis, curated book recommendations, and cultural commentary, you can also subscribe to our free newsletter.Books Mentioned & Shelf Discovery:Wuthering Heights by Emily BrontëPassing by Nella LarsenThe Starless Sea by Erin MorgensternThe Idiot by Elif BatumanEither/Or by Elif BatumanBabel by R.F. KuangMy Cousin Rachel by Daphne du MaurierEuphoria by Lily KingThe Shining by Stephen KingNinth House by Leigh BardugoLinks:Once Upon a Time... at Bennington College*We mistakenly stated that Icarus is a god; Icarus in Greek mythology is the son of a craftsman.We love to hear from listeners about the books we discuss - you can connect with us on Instagram or by emailing us at thenovelteapod@gmail.com. This episode description contains links to Bookshop.org, a website that supports independent bookstores. If you use these links we may earn a small commission (which helps support our work) at no additional cost to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are Traci and Ellie, two bookish friends who read in any spare minute that we have.  This week we are continuing our “I Love” series with I Love…Snow!  To shop the books listed in this episode, visit our shop at bookshop.org.   Literally Reading: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon Open the Book:  The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah One by One by Ruth Ware Beartown Trilogy by Fredik Backman Snowed In by Catherine Walsh  The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf The Secret History by Donna Tartt  

Jo recommends Tomorrow, Perhaps the Future, by Sarah Watling, while Charlotte (14:00) has some deep thoughts about The Bridges of Madison County and bad books in general. At (32:00), they're joined by New York magazine's finest, Rachel Handler, who has a fraught relationship with Donna Tartt's The Little Friend.Read Rachel's writing and find her on Twitter at @rachel_handler or on Instagram at @rachlyha. Send questions, requests, recommendations, and your own thoughts about any of the books discussed today to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. Charlotte is on Instagram and Twitter as @Charoshane. She has a newsletter called Meant For You, with additional writing at charoshane.comJo co-edits The Stopgap and their writing lives at jolivingstone.com.Learn more about our producer Alex at https://www.alexsugiura.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you're a stay-at-home mom who is trying to build your business while also raising the next generation of world changers this is for our stay-at-home mom girlies. In our conversation today with Whitney, she shares her remarkable story of starting her photography business at 31, with barely any financial security after the craziest tumultuous season of their lives, all while balancing the responsibilities of being a stay-at-home mom to 3 littles. --------------------------------- Show notes: https://theheartuniversity.com/357-growing-your-business-as-a-stay-at-home-mom-with-whitney-olson --------------------------------- Lightroom Editing Style Freebie: www.theheartuniversity.com/style --------------------------------- Heart Shop Apparel: www.theheartuniversity.com/apparel  --------------------------------- Heart Shop Contracts: www.theheartcontracts.com Use the link above for 10% off!  --------------------------------- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: https://amzn.to/3DNOwZV The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt: https://amzn.to/3OQ5OvC Book Lovers by Emily Henry: https://amzn.to/3saGtn7 --------------------------------- Follow along with Whitney:  www.instagram.com/olsondesignphotography www.olsondesignphotography.com --------------------------------- If you want to connect with us and other listeners in the Heart and Hustle community join our Facebook group here. --------------------------------- PODCAST10 for 10% off anything from The Shop! www.theheartuniversity.com/shop --------------------------------- Follow along: www.instagram.com/mrslindseyroman www.instagram.com/evierupp www.instagram.com/theheartuniversity    

There are works of weird fiction that dispense their strangeness so subtly that many readers never pick up on it, books that allow themselves to be pass for mundane, the better to haunt us after we put them down. Donna Tartt's debut novel The Secret History, published in 1992, is such a work. On the surface, it is a brilliant, yet completely naturalistic, telling of the lead-up and aftermath of a murder. But The Secret History is also a work of the depths, and readers who go in seeking the Weird will find it lurking on every page. More than a masterpiece of psychological exploration, it is a story about the resurgence of the old god Dionysus, and a chronicle of fate; fate conceived, in the manner of the Ancient Greeks, as a cosmic force. Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/weirdstudies). Buy the Weird sountrack, volumes 1 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-1) and 2 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-2), on Pierre-Yves Martel's Bandcamp (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com) page. Listen to Meredith Michael and Gabriel Lubell's podcast, Cosmophonia (https://cosmophonia.podbean.com/). Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/weirdstudies) Find us on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/Jw22CHfGwp) Get the T-shirt design from Cotton Bureau (https://cottonbureau.com/products/can-o-content#/13435958/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s)! REFERENCES Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781400031702) Robertson Davies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robertson_Davies), Canadian novelist Weird Studies, Episode 98 on Exotica (https://www.weirdstudies.com/98) M. R. James (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._R._James), English author Weird Studies, Episode 3 on “The White People” (https://www.weirdstudies.com/3) E. R. Dodds, The Greeks and the Irrational (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781773239187) Jean Cocteau, La Machine Infernale (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9782253009160) John Crowley, Little, Big (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780061120053) Star Trek: The Next Generation, “The Outrageous Okana” (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708816/) Weird Studies, Episode 110 on “The Glass Bead Game” (https://www.weirdstudies.com/110) Gabriel Faure, Nocturne No. 11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8vrmePFUdg) Pierre-André Boutang, L'Abécédaire de Gilles Deleuze (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyXMmx2Ofgs) Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780316055444)

On the last week of July, 2023, Phil and JF were delighted to speak at Shannon Taggart's Science of Things Spiritual Symposium in Lily Dale, the nerve centre of the Spiritualist movement. As speakers, your hosts were part of an inspiring lineup of scholars, artists, and researchers committed to exploring the borderlands of art, science, religion, and the paranormal. They also had the honour of launching the symposium with a live recording held on the evening of the July 27th. The topic was Frederic W. H. Myers' autobiographical essay, "Fragments of Inner Life," first published in full in 1961, some sixty years after the author's death. Myers was one of the original members of the Society for Psychical Research in England. A poet and classicist, he remained committed to the scientific promise of paranormal investigation until the end of his life. His book Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death, also published posthumously, argues that psychical studies have confirmed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that death is just the beginning. In this talk, JF and Phil discuss Myers' relevance to 21st-century thinking on the Weird. Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/weirdstudies) and gain access to Phil's podcast on Wagner's Ring Cycle. Listen to Meredith Michael and Gabriel Lubell's podcast, Cosmophonia (https://cosmophonia.podbean.com/). Download Pierre-Yves Martel's new album, Mer Bleue (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/mer-bleue). Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/weirdstudies) Find us on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/Jw22CHfGwp) Get the T-shirt design from Cotton Bureau (https://cottonbureau.com/products/can-o-content#/13435958/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s)! REFERENCES The Science of Things Spiritual Symposium (https://www.lilydaleassembly.org/copy-of-what-s-happening): July 27-29, 2023 Frederic Myers, Fragments of Inner Life (https://www.esalen.org/ctr/fragments-of-inner-life) Alan Bennett, [History Boys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TheHistoryBoys) Arthur Machen, A Fragment of Life (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781731557421) Alan Gauld, The Founders of Psychical Research (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780367182878) Donna Tartt, The Secret History (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780367182878) Arthur Machen, The Great God Pan (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781644398913) Frans de Waal, Mama's Last Hug (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780393357837) Daniel Dennett, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Dennett) American cognitive scientist Frederic Myers, Human Personality and its Survival of Bodily Death (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781544632636) Gabriel Marcel, The Mystery of Being (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781015410480) Phil Ford, Dig (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780199939916) William James, Principles of Psychology (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781420973396) Akashic Record (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashic_records), Theosophical idea Jeff Kripal, Authors of the Impossible (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780226453873)

In Episode 145, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I dive into micro genres — the niches within niches that we've come to adore. Over the past year, we've discovered even more unique themes and types of books that consistently captivate us. Today, we're thrilled to present a special episode where we share an abundant list of our favorite micro genres, the books that define them, and the reasons why we find them so irresistible.  This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Get Even More Summer Reading Recommendations with Summer Shelves: In addition to my annual 2023 Summer Reading Guide, I'm once again offering Superstars Patrons ($7/mo) exclusive access to Summer Shelves, featuring even more recommendations for the season. Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from 17 former podcast guests, our team members, and — for the first time — 20 Superstars patrons! The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you'll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon. If you'd like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You'll also get access to a monthly bonus podcast series called Double Booked (where Catherine or Susie and I share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show) and my Rock Your Reading Tracker. Get Summer Shelves Micro Genres We Love Romances that Deal with Fame [3:47] Sarah The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:08] Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:15] Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:18] How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:23] The Idea of You by Robinne Lee | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:31] Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:44] Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:52] Susie Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org[6:06] Speculative Fiction that Involves Climate Change(a.k.a. Cli-Fi) [7:02] Susie The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:34]  The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:40] American War by Omar El Akkad | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:48] Greenwood by Michael Christie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:18] Bewilderment by Richard Powers | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:57] Migrations by Charlotte McConaughey | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:05] Other Books Mentioned: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [7:31] The Power by Naomi Alderman [7:32] Novels about the Dynamics of the Creative Process [11:35] Sarah Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:28] The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:31] If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:34] The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:40] Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:47] The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (August 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:52] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:08] Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:17] The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:21] The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:47] Seven Days in June by Tia Williams | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:50] Yellowface by R. F. Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:53] The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:55] A Likely Story by Leigh Abramson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:57] The Wife by Meg Wolitzer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:01] Susie City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:30] Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:41] Fake by Erica Katz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:44] Writers and Lovers by Lily King | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:12] Groundskeeping by Lee Cole | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:16] No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:19] Other Books Mentioned: The Ensemble by Aja Gabel [12:40] Novels With a Focus on Found Family [17:11] Susie The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:42]  A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:47] We Are the Light by Matthew Quick | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:08] The Measure by Nikki Erlick | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:12] The Celebrants by Steven Rowley | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:33] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:39] The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:45] Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:53] Other Books Mentioned: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue [20:49] Literary Authors Leaping into Genre Writing [22:07] Sarah When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:16] I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai | Amazon | Bookshop.org[23:26] Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:46] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead | Amazon | Bookshop.org[24:17] Susie On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:35] Other Books Mentioned: The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai [23:29] The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead [24:27] The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff [26:04] Watergate by Garrett M. Graff [26:04] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [26:54] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne [27:22] A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne [27:32] The Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett [27:54] Retellings of Classics or Beloved Books [29:10] Susie Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:45]  Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:00] Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:06] The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:08] Circe by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:16] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:19] Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:22] Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:25] Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:32] Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:55] The Girls at the Kingfisher Club by Genevieve Valentine | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:58] Wicked by Gregory Maguire | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:05] Sarah Anna K by Jenny Lee | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:36] The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:48] Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:11] Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:44] Be spoiler warned: The murders and endings of The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, Strangers on a Trainby Patricia Highsmith, The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne, Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles, Double Indemnity by James M. Cain, The Drowner by Robert Drewe, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and Deathtrap by Ira Levin are discussed in detail as noted in the book.  But many readers have lamented that the endings and main plots were also spoiled for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and And Then There Were None, both by Agatha Christie. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson | Amazon| Bookshop.org [37:56] Other Books Mentioned: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen [30:58] Little Women by Louisa May Alcott [32:15] The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald [33:03] Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [36:38] Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith [36:54] Emma by Jane Austen [37:02] Character Twists [38:38] Sarah The One by John Marrs | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:51] The Marriage Act by John Marrs | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:53] Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson | Amazon| Bookshop.org [40:01] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue | Amazon | Bookshop.org[40:07] Susie The Family by Naomi Krupitsky | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:00] Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:07] Stories Taking Place in a Single Day (a.k.a. Circadian Novels) [41:24] Susie Atomic Family by Ciera Horton McElroy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:55]  Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:04] I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:16] All Stories Are Love Stories by Elizabeth Percer | Amazon | Bookshop.org[43:51] The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:06] Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister | Amazon | Bookshop.org[44:32] Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:51] Sarah One Day by David Nicholls | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:53] The Dinner by Herman Koch | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:04] Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org[45:19] If We're Being Honest by Cat Shook | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:38] Other Books Mentioned: Ulysses by James Joyce [42:40] Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf [42:43] The Hours by Michael Cunningham [42:46] Foe by Iain Reid [43:41] Intense, (Sometimes) F-ed Up Love Stories, that Most Definitely Are Not Romances  [46:00] Sarah I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin | Amazon | Bookshop.org[46:37] White Fur by Jardine Libaire | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:23] Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:36] Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:41] Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:47] Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:03] A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:13] Normal People by Sally Rooney | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:17] Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org[48:28] Susie The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue | Amazon | Bookshop.org[49:14] The Most Fun We've Ever Had by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org[49:25] The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:33] Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:47] Big Swiss by Jen Beagin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:53] Everything's Fine by Cecilia Rabess | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:58] Novels Where Musicians or the Music Industry Play a Dominant Role [50:15] Susie Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org[51:39]  The Ensemble by Aja Gabel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:50] The Storyteller by Dave Grohl | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:15] The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez | Amazon | Bookshop.org[52:42] How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:55] The People We Keep by Allison Larkin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:20] Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:33] Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:35] The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton | Amazon | Bookshop.org[54:34] Other Books Mentioned: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner [54:00]

For our third Do Overdue episode, we return to a book that Andrew wanted to like more than he did, Donna Tartt's debut novel about murder at a small-town college. It went better the second time, thankfully!  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/overdue and get on your way to being your best self. Our theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis. Advertise on OverdueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donna Tartt's The Secret History turned 30 this year. Since the book's release, the novel has sold millions of copies and become a classic - the blueprint for a cluster of aesthetic and literary works under the label "dark academia." Host Brittany Luse and culture writer Alice Vincent examine the novel's long shelf life and why it's still relevent to young people today. Then she sits down with author Olivie Blake, who shares how authors are bringing new perspectives to the genre.Then, Brittany is joined by Avery Trufelman, host of the podcast Articles of Interest. In her latest season, Trufelman explores the classic look of ivy style, and its journey from the hallowed halls of academic institutions to retail stores near you.You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.

It's our final book club of the year! Today we're talking about The Cloisters by Katy Hays. We chat about which plot twists we saw coming in this atmospheric mystery (and which surprised us!), and also dive into our love for the historical mystery embedded in this book, which led us to talk about our feelings on historical fiction in general. Plus, we're sharing our own personal clairvoyant experiences. If you liked this book, you may enjoy The Secret History by Donna Tartt, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, and A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.    Obsessions Olivia: Stutz on Netflix  Becca: Her home printing setup   What we read this week! Olivia: The Cloisters by Katy Hays Becca: Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli   Sponsors Uncommon Goods - To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/BOP    Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.