Podcasts about Rowling

Throughout the Draculae miniseries, about the Swedish and Icelandic translations of Dracula that played fast and loose with the original text, I've been wondering a couple of questions: why are cover versions of songs and remakes of films so normal and acceptable, whereas cover versions in book form cause such a stir? And do these Scandinavian Draculae count as fan fiction? And if not, why not? Fansplaining.com's Elizabeth Minkel explains what fan fiction can mean.Visit theallusionist.org/transformation for more information plus a transcript of the episode. And though this is the fourth and last part of the Draculae miniseries, it is more inspired by than directly connected to the other episodes, so you don't have to listen to them beforehand. But do listen to them, they're very fun and intriguing!Content note: this episode contains some references to (but not descriptions of) sexual content and sex slavery. There is also mention of J.K. Rowling.Sign up at theallusionist.org/donate to fund the continuing existence of this independent podcast. In return, you can join me for regular livestreams where I read relaxingly from my ever-expanding collection of vintage dictionaries, plus behind the scenes info about every episode, membership of the Allusioverse Discord community, and watchalong parties for films and TV shows.Find the Allusionist at youtube.com/allusionistshow, instagram.com/allusionistshow, facebook.com/allusionistshow, @allusionistshow.bsky.social… If I'm there, I'm there as @allusionistshow. Our ad partner is Multitude. If you want me to talk compellingly about your product, sponsor an episode: contact Multitude at multitudeshows.com/ads. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, your one-stop shop for building and running your online forever home. Go to squarespace.com/allusionist for a free trial, and get 10 percent off your first purchase of a website or domain with the code allusionist.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

En octobre 2020, Jean-Alphonse Richard consacrait un épisode de "Confidentiel" à J. K. Rowling. Elle n'a jamais inventé Harry Potter. Elle le connaissait depuis l'enfance, habitait la maison d'à côté et se perdait dans la même forêt. Comme le petit sorcier, elle était meurtrie par son passé. Comme lui, elle était une survivante condamnée à avoir peur du bruit, de la lumière et de la foule. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

En octobre 2020, Jean-Alphonse Richard consacrait un épisode de "Confidentiel" à J. K. Rowling. Elle n'a jamais inventé Harry Potter. Elle le connaissait depuis l'enfance, habitait la maison d'à côté et se perdait dans la même forêt. Comme le petit sorcier, elle était meurtrie par son passé. Comme lui, elle était une survivante condamnée à avoir peur du bruit, de la lumière et de la foule. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this episode of John Solomon Reports, host John Solomon dives into the latest developments surrounding President Trump's negotiations with Iran, highlighting the significant progress made on the nuclear weapons issue. Solomon discusses Iran's agreement to allow International Atomic Energy inspectors back into the country, emphasizing the implications this could have on sanctions and diplomatic relations. He counters claims from Democrats regarding the perceived failures in handling Iran, presenting a perspective that underscores the military and economic decline of the Iranian regime.Listeners are then introduced to the day's guests, including KT McFarland, former Deputy National Security Advisor, who provides expert analysis on the Iran deal, and David Giralt, a congressional candidate from Wyoming, who shares his vision for the future. The episode also features historian Solomon Schmidt, who discusses his new biography on J.K. Rowling and the cultural shifts observed in the lives of once-liberal figures.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

** این اپیزود در تاریخ ۱۶ دی ضبط شده **در روزهایی که وحشت قدرت گرفتن مرگ‌خوارها و آزار به ماگل‌ها سایه سنگینی روی دنیای جادوگری انداخته، حتی شجاع‌ترین آدم‌ها هم ممکنه در برابر ترس‌های درونی‌شون تسلیم بشن. در این قسمت از پادکست لوموس، خشایار، میلاد و امید به سراغ فصل «رشوه» می‌رن. این بار درباره فروریختن تصویر بی‌نقص ریموس لوپین، تلاش او برای فرار از واقعیت پدر شدن و درگیری لفظی شدید و بی‌سابقه‌اش با هری گپ می‌زنیم. در کنار این تنش‌ها، بالاخره سر و کله ماندنگاس فلچر در خانه گریمولد پیدا می‌شه تا با یک اعتراف شوکه‌کننده، مسیر جست‌وجوی هورکراکس‌ها رو پیچیده‌تر کنه: گردنبند اسلیترین حالا به‌عنوان رشوه در دست دولورس آمبریجه.آنچه در این قسمت می‌شنوید:اجراکنندگان: خشایار، امید و میلادمترجم: حسین غریبیراوی: آرشیدا لاریآهنگساز: علی خانیکپی‌رایت: Warner Bros and J.K.Rowlingارتباط با ما: podcast@wizardingcenter.com (توییتر و اینستاگرام)

‘Fiona F' is a Hogwarts Professor subscriber in Adelaide, Australia, the truly down under capitol of the South Pacific island-continent. She works as an environmental scientist on the days she isn't combing through the Cormoran Strike novels of Rowling-Galbraith in search of answers to the over-arching mysteries of that series.The Hogwarts Professor Talking Heads duo invited her to a discussion of her potential solutions to two of the unresolved questions that have to be answered before the epilogue of Strike 10, namely, ‘What really happened in the ruled-a-suicide deaths of Leda Strike and Charlotte Campbell?' Fiona seems to have broken both cases using information dropped as asides in Hallmarked Man.The Ten Questions that guided their conversation are below with the promised links and Fiona's time-lines and comments on the Moderator Backchannel they discuss.In brief, about Leda's death Fiona notes that we learn in Strike 8 that Shanker is familiar with ‘Barnaby's, the preferred body-disposal business used by the London under-world, to include the Ricci Crime Syndicate. She connects that dot with (1) Strike's memory of making a drug delivery for Shanker to the Ricci Godfather way back in the day when the two shared a flat and (2) Shanker's near panicked warnings to Strike not to investigate the Riccis in Troubled Blood. Fiona's theory? Means, motive, and opportunity point to the possibility that Leda's heroin overdose was a Ricci ‘message' to Shanker that he had better not cross them in a drug deal. Readers have missed this possibility because Shanker loved Leda like a mother, which love unfortunately made her a perfect target for the gangsters to ‘get at' Strike's adopted brother.And Charlotte's death? Fiona, unlike much of Strike fandom, accepts the Jeffery hypothesis (see here, here, and here) that Ms Campbell-Ross did not kill herself but was murdered in a staged-suicide (a la Leda Strike, Lula Landry, Jasper Chiswell, and Kevin Pirbright). After a close reading of Hallmarked Man, Fiona realized that Dino Longcaster, whom Tara Campbell married after she had divorced Charlotte's supposed biological father, may have been, based on his fathering Rupert Fleetwood in an adulterous relationship, Milady Bezerko's real sperm-donor daddy (and at home molester). Which possible parentage would have made Charlotte and Valentine Longcaster half-siblings. Fiona theorizes from there that the baby Charlotte says was Strike's was Valentine's (a la Rupert and Decima's Lion), that Jago Ross' children might have been Valentine's, or both. Valentine, Jago, and Tara shoot to the top of the ‘Charlotte Murder' suspect list, with Sasha, Rupert, and Amelia as Tara's agents all possibilities.Fiona, Nick, and John discuss the various Rowling Golden Threads in play with each of these theories — incest, pregnancy traps, staged suicides — and how both Fiona's Ricci-Shanker and Secret Charlotte theories are textbook illustrations of Rowling misdirection while planting clues in plain sight.John and Nick are grateful to Fiona for getting up as early as she did to chat with them and for sharing her theories here with the Serious Strikers at Hogwarts Professor. Hats doffed with a bow from the waist in admiration and gratitude! The Ten Questions With Links and Notes1. Fiona, you, Nick, and I have been chatting on the moderator back channels since May and we've shared your Daddy Dino theory in which Charlotte was another Longcaster child conceived in adultery and Valentine was her incestuous lover and abuser. Nick and I discussed that idea on our ‘Incest Golden Thread' program. But none of us know who you are really and I just learned you're living in Central Australia. Tell us about Fiona, a Welsh name?, and what brought you to Serious Striker land?12 April Fiona Comments on Moderator Backchannel:In response to a post by Cheryl Rose Orrocks on 17 Feb 2026, my current theory is that Dino Longcaster is Charlotte's father and that his son, Valentine Longcaster, will be revealed as her abuser and the possible biological father of Charlotte's children. Hence the 2nd incest storyline will also involve the Langcaster family. This could be why Charlotte's mother, Tara, despised Charlotte so much.If Jago Ross is somehow linked to the matter of the DNA test involving Bijou and Strike, it may be because he had Charlotte's birth children DNA tested to confirm parentage. Maybe Jago discovers he is not the biological father and assumes Strike is, hence the reason he wants to obtain Strike's DNA results.2. Nick was telling me the other day that he has been re-reading the series and it's changed his thinking about how he would rank the books, especially in light of Hallmarked Man. I hope he'll clarify what he means by that – and that you'll share, Fiona, where Strike 8 is on your list of best to worst Strike novels and if or how it changed your thoughts about the first seven.3. By the time this conversation is posted, I hope to have put up a short summary of your Birthday Party Theory, Fiona, or else it will be the text beneath this conversation. In brief, you lay out the calendar dates after Sacha Legard's birthday party with respect to Charlotte's death. Can you tell us why you thought that party had something to do with her death and how you went about setting up the time-line?May 6 Fiona note on Moderator Backchannels:In this video, your comments regarding Rupert Fleetwood and Charlotte's murder (1:00:17) got me thinking. If Charlotte was murdered, her murderer was likely present at Sacha Legard's birthday party.After checking out several sources (books (physical copies) 7 TRG and 8 THM, Strike Fans, the Farting Faculty Lounge and Hogwarts Professor) I put together a rough timeline to assemble my thoughts.* Saturday 21 May 2016: Sacha Legard's birthday. Valentine and Cosima Longcaster are at the party. Rupert Fleetwood gatecrashes and he and Valentine have some kind of confrontation (refer THM Chapter. 36, pages 291 and 292). I presume Charlotte and Amelia would have been at the party as they are Sacha's half siblings, however I have no evidence to support this.* Friday, 27 May 2016: Strike listens to Charlotte's voicemail messages. (TRG, Chapter 55, pages 421 and 423).* Tuesday, 14 June 2016: Charlotte is arrested for assault on Landon Dormer (TRG, Chapter 59).* Thursday, 23 June 2016: Strike deletes three voicemails from Charlotte before heading up to his attic flat (Chapter 61). Charlotte Campbell dies (commits suicide?).* Friday, 23 December 2016: When Strike goes to the National Theatre to interview Sacha Legard (THM, Chapter 36, pg. 289). Sacha says he ‘was shooting a film in Mexico (Conquest?) when all this business with him [Rupert] and Dessie happened.'I'm unsure when Sacha was in Mexico (before and/or after his birthday party on 21 May 2016). If he was filming in Mexico after his birthday then he may not have been in London when Charlotte died. If filming in Mexico finished before his birthday, he would have to be on the short-list of murder suspects.As Charlotte loved tension, conflict, and rows, she may have overheard the confrontation between Rupert and Valentine. Presuming the confrontation was about DNA testing and Dino Longcaster being Rupert's biological father, maybe the DNA results also contained information about other unknown (and related) people with a similar DNA profile to Rupert and the Longcaster's (Dino, Valentine, Decima and Cosima) and Rupert threatened Valentine with this information. Valentine is scared of his father, Dino, and wouldn't want the DNA paternity information to reach Dino.If Valentine Longcaster (as possible Charlotte abuser), finds out he is the biological father of Charlotte's children and realises that Charlotte has found this out, that could be a strong motive for murder, particularly as he was appalled by the incest between Decima and Rupert.It will be interesting to see if Rupert makes an appearance in Book 9.* See Louise Freeman Davis' Strike and Ellacott Timelines at The Farting Sofa Faculty Lounge.4. Your conclusion is a mind-blower as I've written in my notes you to invite you to wake up early down under to talk about it. To skip to the Big Reveal, you think, if Charlotte was at the birthday party or learned from Cosima or Valentine about the Dino-Decima-Rupert genetic conjunction, that Valentine Longcaster has to jump to the top of the Campbell-Ross ‘assisted suicide' list. How so?5. This is fascinating theorizing, Fiona, and it highlights what Nick has said that the complexity and crowdedness of Hallmarked is a marker of Rowling crafting a “target rich” environment for Books 9 and 10 possibilities. You wrote on 4 June that what if, instead of being molested at home by Trevik, her supposed biological father, she had been abused by a schoolteacher. Why did you think that was possible and how would it color your thinking about her life and death?4 June Fiona CommentHave you considered the possibility that Leda Strike (Peggy Nancarrow) was molested by a school teacher, rather than a victim of incest. Both scenarios are obviously awful. I have been pondering this because Leda/Peggy packed up and moved so often and Cormoran and Lucy never stayed in the same school for very long.6. On 10 June you sent your magnum opus, the Leda Strike life timeline and a ‘Means Before Motive' examination of her death. Again, why bother and how did you track down the dates?7. What did the data reveal about Leda that you hadn't seen before?10 June Fiona Timeline for Leda StrikeI have been systematically going back through the Strike books using the JKR finder in an attempt to work out who killed Leda Strike.I am relying on Rowling playing fair and that the answer to the question of Leda's death and the evidence to support this has already been given to us in the books.My attempt at Leda's timeline and my murder theory are attached. There are gaps in Leda's timeline and changing dates in the books. I mostly focused on Leda's childhood, then the last few years of her life in London. I'd be interested in your thoughts.Constructing Leda's timeline was also about reaching a conclusion on whether Cormoran Strike was the product of incest. At this stage, I don't think he was. The timeline doesn't support the incest theory and I suspect Leda was away from St Mawes from when she married at 18 and left Strike Snr two weeks later until she returned to give birth to Cormoran at Truro hospital at age 20. Too many parties and gigs to go to!I'd be interested in your thoughts.Leda Strike TimelinePeggy (Leda) born in 1954.Ted and Peggy (Leda) mother died when Ted 16 and Peggy (Leda) 2.Peggy (Leda) forcible separation from Ted at the age of two.Peggy (Leda) lived with her paternal grandmother. Ted stayed with their father, Trevik.Ted leaves home for National Service (age 18?)Ted returns from National Service after Trevik dies. (age 25?) Married Joan. Peggy (Leda) (age 11?)Peggy (Leda), at age 18, escapes her paternal grandmother, and runs away with a youth who'd come to Truro with the fair. Changed her name to Leda. Ted (32 years old).Leda married youth from the fair when she was 18 years old. She had run out on her husband after only two weeks and that her sole motivation in marrying Strike Snr. (who, according to Aunt Joan, had arrived in St. Mawes with the fair) had been a new dress, and a change of name.“Leda had never stayed still long enough to present a stable target. Often her children remained in a school for mere weeks before a new enthusiasm seized her, and off they went, to a new city, a new squat, crashing on her friends' floors or, occasionally, renting. The only people who knew what was going on, and who might have contacted social services, were Ted and Joan.”1990? Leda brought Shanker (age 16), who had been stabbed, home to their squat.1991 Leda Strike met Jeff Whittaker.1992 Nick Herbert and Strike had a joint eighteenth birthday party at the Bell pub in Whitechapel.1992 Leda had fallen pregnant in Strike's eighteenth year, while he was applying for university.Leda married Jeff Whittaker in 1992.Switch born in December 1992.Leda died in 1994, (age 40?), when Lucy (age 19?) and Strike (age 20?)8. Okay, now that we have Leda's life in a mental picture, walk us through your Means Before Motive breakdown of the most likely suspects.Fiona's Theory about Leda's death: Means before motive* Means: Three Suspects1. Member(s) of Ricci family or Ricci gang member.2. Jeff Whittaker.3. Shanker.All had access to drugs.* Motive1. Unpaid drug debt (Whittaker) and Ricci's killed Leda as a warning, or2. Rival gang to Shanker's cousin's takes revenge (knowing Shanker is close to Leda) and kill Leda as a warning, or3. Drug induced murder by Whittaker.Shanker's knowledge of organised crime in London is peerless. He knows what happened, blames Whittaker, but has never said anything to Strike. (Refer Troubled Blood, chapter 27, where Strike recalls helping Shanker make a ‘delivery' in ‘92 or '93 and Shanker's reaction to Strike's recall of that).Maybe Leda was suffocated while she slept (similar to Margot Bamborough's death), then injected with heroin by her killer.* Opportunity· Jeff Whittaker (lived at squat; a drug user).· Shanker (frequently visited the squat; was close to Leda).· Member(s) of Ricci family or Ricci gang member (local drug dealers) making a delivery.9. So Shanker is both a suspect and a person of knowledge; he either did it or knew who did it? How important is Strike's memory of the Ricci drug deal delivery for Shanker in all this?10. The beauty of this theory is that it's been so well set up; who has Shanker who revered Leda on their suspect list when she revered her so – and yet it was just that relationship that would have made her so vulnerable to targeting by the Riccis if Shanker stiffed them… Hence his warning Strike off the Riccis with such care in Troubled Blood and obscuring how he knows about Barnaby is Hallmarked?John Notes 10 JuneI'm intrigued by the Ricci-Shanker connection. Shanker knows about Barnaby's and that Knowles was dispatched there; Strike sees Marco Ricci later in the story making a delivery to Barnaby's. If I'm following your notes, Shanker's panic about Strike investigating the Riccis in Troubled Blood isn't out of concern for his adopted brother but from the fear that Cormoran will learn of his relationship with the family -- and, as you speculate, that Leda was killed by them as a message to young Shanker not to cross them. Shanker testified against Whittaker to scapegoat him and perhaps because he knew the Riccis would kill him if he told the truth.* Great plot twist and one that explains the whole Knowles plot line in Hallmarked Man and the police interest in Strike's source of information; Shanker is being presented as a dangerous criminal to readers who are blind (as are Strike and Robin) to the possibility that he was the natural suspect in Leda's death because of his proximity to nihilist forces. The delivery Strike made for Shanker to Ricci and Shanker's response to Strike's memory is a critical catch in all this; well spotted!I don't think your timeline precludes either Ted being Strike's father or Trevik molesting Leda as a young woman -- or another possibility. Her birth years and years after Ted's suggests that Trevik was not her father, that her mother's death wasn't natural, and that Ted may have been Leda's father via an incestuous relationship with his mum, both victims of Trevik's abuse. Leda's adoption by her grandmother after her mother died may have been to protect her from Trevik or her simply being cast out by him. Incest is a live issue, I think, in the Cornwall household. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Kanye West, Roman Polanski, Michael Jackson, Picasso, Woody Allen, J.K.Rowling... Canavarlar ve eserleri ne kadar ayrılabilir? Kanye West konserine gitmek ile Spotify'dan dinlemek arasında fark var mı? Erkek dehasına tanınan alanın sebepleri? Canavar kadın sanatçılar var mı? Cancel Culture ne kadar etkili? Canavarların eserlerini tüketmek suç ortaklığı mıdır? Algoritmanın dışına çıkarak söylem üretmek mümkün mü? Claire Dederer'in Canavar kitabını ve kitap etrafındaki meseleleri İçerik Üreticisi Aylak Damla ile konuşuyoruz.

** این اپیزود در تاریخ ۲ دی ضبط شده **گاهی جواب بزرگ‌ترین معماها نه در میدان جنگ، بلکه در خاطره‌های تلخ یک الف خانگی پنهان شده. در این قسمت از پادکست لوموس، همراه با شادی، خشایار، ایاز و امید سراغ راز ریگولوس بلک، هویت واقعی R.A.B و گذشته‌ای می‌ریم که مسیر جست‌وجوی هورکراکس‌ها رو تغییر می‌ده. دربارهٔ وفاداری پیچیدهٔ کریچر، مأموریت مرگبار ریگولوس در غار، نقش خانوادهٔ بلک در ماجرای ولدمورت و دزدیده شدن گردنبند توسط ماندنگاس صحبت می‌کنیم. این فصل یکی از جاهایی‌ست که نگاه‌مون به کریچر، سیریوس و حتی مفهوم وفاداری در دنیای هری پاتر عوض می‌شه.آنچه در این قسمت می‌شنوید:اجراکنندگان: خشایار، امید، شادی و ایازمترجم: حسین غریبیراوی: آرشیدا لاریآهنگساز: علی خانیکپی‌رایت: Warner Bros and J.K.Rowlingارتباط با ما: podcast@wizardingcenter.com (توییتر و اینستاگرام)

Videobeschreibung Wenn Sie sich auch nur ein bisschen auskennen in der deutschen Literatur, genügen Ihnen zwei, drei Sätze, um einen Text von Thomas Mann, von Franz Kafka, von Thomas Bernhard oder von Peter Stamm zu erkennen. Obwohl alle vier in derselben Sprache schreiben, drücken sie sich völlig unterschiedlich darin aus. Anders gesagt: Ihr Sprachstil unterscheidet sich. Auf Englisch spricht man von der eigenen Stimme, «his own voice». Das ist ein schöner Ausdruck: Mein eigener Sprachstil ist tatsächlich meine eigene Stimme. Diese individuelle sprachliche Stimme ist keine Einbildung: Der Sprachstil lässt sich mathematisch vermessen. Wie gut das funktioniert, zeigte 2013 der Fall um den Roman «The Cuckoo's Calling», also: Der Ruf des Kuckucks, von einem Autor namens Robert Galbraith. Bald wurde gemunkelt, es handle sich dabei um ein Pseudonym von J.K. Rowling. Ein amerikanischer Computerlinguist analysierte die Sprache des Romans und verglich ihn mit J.K. Rowlings Büchern und mit Werken anderer Krimiautorinnen. Die sprachstatistische Analyse zeigte, dass der Roman stilistisch deutlich näher bei J.K. Rowling lag als bei jeder der Vergleichsautorinnen. Wir alle erzeugen beim Schreiben offenbar einen eindeutigen sprachlichen Fingerabdruck, eine Sprachsignatur, die unseren Stil oder eben: unsere sprachliche Stimme ausmacht. Doch diese eigene Stimme ist in Gefahr: Die redigierende und korrigierende KI mittet Sprache ein und bügelt Eigenheiten weg. Wir hinterlassen sprachlich keine Fingerabdrücke mehr – es ist, als würden wir alle Plastikhandschuhe tragen beim Schreiben. Ich zeige Ihnen deshalb diese Woche, welche Elemente den eigenen Sprachstil ausmachen und ich biete Ihnen mit meinem Stil-O-Meter ein digitales Werkzeug, mit dem Sie Ihren eigenen Sprachstil vermessen und verbessern können.woko2624Matthias Zehnder ist Autor und Medienwissenschaftler in Basel. Er ist bekannt für inspirierende Texte, Vorträge und Seminare über Medien, die Digitalisierung und KI.Website: https://www.matthiaszehnder.ch/Newsletter abonnieren: https://www.matthiaszehnder.ch/abo/Unterstützen: https://www.matthiaszehnder.ch/unterstuetzen/Biografie und Publikationen: https://www.matthiaszehnder.ch/about/

In this hard-hitting episode of the Adult in the Room podcast, Victoria Taft tackles the massive stories shaking the geopolitical and cultural landscape. First, an American Apache helicopter is shot down over the Strait of Hormuz, pushing U.S.-Iran tensions to a knife-edge as President Trump prepares a response. Next, we expose the staggering House Judiciary hearing where Jim Jordan leveled explosive evidence against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), alleging the group used millions in donor funds to literally manufacture hate groups and coordinate the 2017 Charlottesville riots.We are joined by former UN Sanctions Coordinator Edmond Fitton-Brown to break down the cold reality of negotiating with terrorists, and author Solomon Schmidt joins to launch "Hot Book Summer" with shocking revelations about J.K. Rowling's abusive past. Plus, a look at Spencer Pratt's jaw-dropping $2.5 million California housing rebuild nightmare.

** این اپیزود در تاریخ ۲۵ آذر ضبط شده **این قسمت از پادکست لوموس با فرار شروع می‌شه؛ فراری ناگهانی از یک عروسی به دل لندن ماگلی. همراه با خشایار، امید، ملیحه و ایاز درباره شوک اولین درگیری مستقیم هری، رون و هرماینی با مرگخوارها وسط شهر، حس ناامنی دائمی و این واقعیت تازه حرف می‌زنیم که «هیچ‌جا واقعا امن نیست». بعد سراغ خانه شماره ۱۲ گریمولد می‌ریم؛ خانه‌ای که قراره پناهگاه باشه، اما خودش پر از سوال، ترس و تردیده. در این قسمت بررسی می‌کنیم مخفی شدن چه بهایی داره، چرا گذشته هنوز دست از سر قهرمان‌ها برنمی‌داره و این خونه فرسوده چطور دوباره به مرکز داستان برمی‌گرده.آنچه در این قسمت می‌شنوید:اجراکنندگان: خشایار، امید، ملیحه و ایازمترجم: حسین غریبیراوی: آرشیدا لاریآهنگساز: علی خانیکپی‌رایت: Warner Bros and J.K.Rowlingارتباط با ما: podcast@wizardingcenter.com (توییتر و اینستاگرام)

Fantasy awards have given us some incredible winners over the years.But what about the books that didn't win?In this episode of Fantasy for the Ages, we're counting down the 30 greatest fantasy novels ever nominated for major fantasy awards that never actually took home the trophy. These are the bridesmaids of fantasy literature—the books that earned Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, or British Fantasy Award nominations, captured the hearts of readers, sold millions of copies, and became genre classics… yet somehow never heard their name called on awards night.From epic fantasy giants and beloved dragon adventures to urban fantasy masterpieces and modern classics, this list is packed with books that many readers would argue deserved a win.Which fantasy masterpiece was the biggest awards snub of them all?Let's find out.

Last week Ed Shardlow posted his thoughts about The Hallmarked Man being written in playful but meaningful parallel with Rowling's “political fairy tale,” ‘The Hallmarked Man Meets The Ickabog.' Nick Jeffery and John Granger called him up both to congratulate him on Arsenal winning the Premier League Cup — Go, Gunners! — and to learn as much as they could about the parallels he noted. After acknowledging the correspondences with Casual Vacancy, the trio explored Ed's argument about the Ickabog echoing just beneath the surface of Hallmarked Man, straight up and in inversion.The Ten Questions, Links, and Helpful Notes1. Nick, can you provide some context for this conversation? How did we get to the point that we expected Hallmarked Man to echo in characters, plot points, and themes either Casual Vacancy or The Ickabog? No one thought that was in the cards when Rowling-Galbraith and her publishers locked down the series at ten books.* ‘Parallels Series Idea' Pillar Post* Evan Willis' Tetractys Theory: Part 1, Part 2, Part 32. Open subject for the triumvirate to discuss here: there are a bunch of Casual Vacancy parallels in Strike 8 that have to be acknowledged. Name your favorites; I'll start this ball Rowling…* Ironbridge and Pagford seemed to be sister cities* each book ‘begins' with the sudden and tragic death of a man who haunts the rest of the novel, Barry Obama Fairbrother and Tyler Powell* The peanut allergy that Tyler and Andrew Price have; and* The incest secret in the Longcaster and Wall families3. Having noted those, Ed, why are you so sure that it's The Ickabog which is the parallel text with Hallmarked Man? Is the quantity of the parallels you and others have found, their quality, or the overarching feel of the works?* Ed's Post: ‘The Hallmarked Man Meets The Ickabog'4. I was surprised by your sheep parallel. I know my Ickabog memories are not fresh, but were there a lot of lambs and ewes in Strike 8?* Ed's Post: ‘The Hallmarked Man Meets The Ickabog'5. And the fish?* Ed's Post: ‘The Hallmarked Man Meets The Ickabog'6. Is there something akin to the Freemasonry of Hallmarked Man in The Ickabog?* Inversion of ‘Political Fairy Tale' with modern touches and gritty detective novel and Medieval coloration via Freemasonry symbolism and ritual7. Sandy Hope, our partner in the Group Adventure of charting Hallmarked Man, had a bunch of parallels that she shared in the comment thread to your post:* One of my favorite parallels you mention is the Old Forge and the Ickabog's cave, in which both Robin and the Ickabog tell tragic stories of birth. The Old Forge also reminds me of the transformation of the dungeon once Mrs. Beamish gets a stove installed and starts baking and feeding the prisoners. Mr. Dovetail's broken mind is restored by Mrs. Beamish helping him remember better times, and Robin's own brokenness is soothed by Strike's transformation from a self-serving, manipulative jerk to a selfless, compassionate listener and genuine friend. In both stories the fire is warm and purifying. Comment Url * One of my favorite parallels was “sticking to the game plan,” the ill-fated idea shared by Strike via Uncle Ted and also Lord Spittleworth. RFM reminds me of Ma Grunter, trying to appear sober when they're actually drinking on the sly. Dangerous Dick de Lion is not unlike King Fred the Fearless, who both have to learn about being contrite. Robin's bracelet is rather like Daisy's bandalore: both gifts are initially a hit but end up secretly hidden or stolen. Comment Url8. My favorite parallels were between the incest and ectopic pregnancy in Hallmarked Man and the Ickabog's manner of conceiving children and birthing them. Did you laugh out loud when you figured that out? I did when I read your post -- but it bears some explaining --* Ed's Post: ‘The Hallmarked Man Meets The Ickabog'9. Let's go around the table again and talk about the connection between the two books we haven't talked about yet --* Avenging Ghost of Beamish and Powell* Eslanda/Jolanda* Sandy Hope's Footprint Clue* Image of St George* The monster's cave, the Old Forge on Sark, and an ectopic pregnancy* Woman talking monster into returning to human society* Ed's brilliant parallel Character list10. You discuss in your post that you went through two stages before arriving at your conviction that The Ickabog was the model: first the overarching story and then on re-reading The Ickabog for specific detailed parallels. Do you think we should do a re-read of Casual Vacancy -- Nick is always ready for a trip to Pagford -- to see if there aren't specifics there, too? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Depuis plusieurs semaines, je travaille sur "Moldu·es et fièr·es de l'être", un programme que je co-crée avec Anne Favier Barthéléry autour de notre relation à Harry Potter, à nos imaginaires et plus largement aux récits qui nous ont construits.Si tu veux en savoir plus, c'est ici : https://molduesetfieresdeletre.mailerpage.io/Et avant de demander à d'autres personnes de raconter leur histoire, j'ai ressenti le besoin de raconter la mienne.Dans cet épisode, je reviens sur mon enfance de fan d'Harry Potter, sur ce que cette œuvre a représenté pour moi, sur les liens qu'elle a créés avec mon père et ma sœur, sur mon attachement à Sirius Black, au Terrier, à l'idée de Poudlard, mais aussi sur les questions et les contradictions qui sont apparues au fil des années.Je parle de nostalgie, d'imaginaire, d'identité, de sentiment d'être différente, de J.K. Rowling, de désillusion, de créativité, de deuil, de pouvoir d'agir et de ce que l'on fait lorsque les histoires qui nous ont aidé·es à grandir commencent à se fissurer.Ce n'est pas un épisode pour dire aux gens quoi penser de Harry Potter.C'est une enquête personnelle.Une archive sonore.Une tentative honnête de comprendre ce que cette histoire a construit en moi... et ce que j'ai envie d'en faire aujourd'hui.Et peut-être que si vous avez vous aussi grandi avec Harry Potter - ou avec n'importe quel autre récit qui a compté dans votre vie - certaines questions résonneront.Bonne écoute !

Que bem que ela fala. E sabemos o bem que escreve e canta. A Carolina trouxe alguns dos livros que a mudaram e lhe entraram pelo coração, o lugar de onde se revela. Soube a pouco e muito falámos nós. Obrigada Carolina.Os livros que a cantautora escolheu:Estela sem Deus, Jeferson Tenório;A palavra que Resta, Stênio Gardel;Balada para Sophie, Filipe Melo e Juan Cavia;O Ano do Pensamento Mágico, Joan Didion.Outras referências:Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling;A Sombra do Vento, Carlos Ruiz Zafón;A Natureza da Mordida, Carla Madeira;A Papisa Joana, Donna Woolfolk Cross.Noites Azuis, Joan Didion;Capitães da Areia, Jorge Amado;Se Deus me chamar não vou, Mariana Salomão Carrara.Recomendei:As Primas, Aurora Venturini;ACOTAR, Sarah J. Maas;A Correspondente, Virginia Evans;A Educação de Eleanor, Gayle Honeyman;Lições de Química, Bonnie Garmus.O que ofereci:A Sombra das Árvores no Inverno, Carla Pais (Prémio Leya 2025);BeautyLand - Terra Bela, Marie-Héléne Bertino;O Retrato de Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde.Filme de animação referido: Coco.Os livros aqui:www.wook.pt

En su sección de ciencia en Más de uno, Alberto Aparici ha aprovechado la posible clasificación del CD Castellón para el playoff de ascenso a Primera para introducir un tema muy distinto: la desaparición progresiva de la escritura a mano. Junto a Begoña Gómez de la Fuente y Jorge Abad, el divulgador ha recorrido manuscritos originales de autores como Tolstói, Kafka, Dickens o J.K. Rowling para reflexionar sobre cómo la tecnología ha cambiado nuestra relación con la escritura. Aparici ha recordado además estudios recientes que apuntan a que escribir a mano podría favorecer una actividad cerebral más rica y una mejor comprensión de los conceptos frente al teclado. El programa contó también con la participación del biólogo y experto en neuroeducación David Bueno, profesor de la Universitat de Barcelona, que explicó cómo influye la escritura manual en el aprendizaje y el funcionamiento del cerebro.

En su sección de ciencia en Más de uno, Alberto Aparici ha aprovechado la posible clasificación del CD Castellón para el playoff de ascenso a Primera para introducir un tema muy distinto: la desaparición progresiva de la escritura a mano. Junto a Begoña Gómez de la Fuente y Jorge Abad, el divulgador ha recorrido manuscritos originales de autores como Tolstói, Kafka, Dickens o J.K. Rowling para reflexionar sobre cómo la tecnología ha cambiado nuestra relación con la escritura. Aparici ha recordado además estudios recientes que apuntan a que escribir a mano podría favorecer una actividad cerebral más rica y una mejor comprensión de los conceptos frente al teclado. El programa contó también con la participación del biólogo y experto en neuroeducación David Bueno, profesor de la Universitat de Barcelona, que explicó cómo influye la escritura manual en el aprendizaje y el funcionamiento del cerebro.Conviértete en un supporter de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/mas-noticias--4412383/support.ESCUCHAR RADIO 

Imagine you and your teenager are sitting down for a nice meal and she/he asks, “What do you know about depression?” and you're stumped for an answer.Faced with that question, D. (Doug) Earl Johnston set out to find the answer and, along the way, identified 271 additional and distinct emotional states that formed the basis of his latest book, Choosing Emotions: Thinking with Your Head and Acting with Your Heart.Doug shares what he learned about the amazing array of emotions all of us feel and how they protect us this week on Spirit Gym.Learn more about Doug and his work at his website and on social media via Instagram. Timestamps4:58 Doug's daughter asked him a question he couldn't answer: What do you know about depression?10:42 Identifying 272 distinct emotional states through famous quotes.21:41 Our emotions are tools that protect us.32:15 The fundamental misunderstandings people have about emotions.43:15 A consilience.47:35 Name it, blame it and tame it.56:30 “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.”1:06:35 Where do you draw the line between an emotion, mood, condition, pattern or life?1:23:54 “Can you change a default emotion?”1:33:38 Doug's reckoning with ego.1:39:05 Vocabulary and emotions.1:48:03 The domains of the head, heart and gut.1:52:55 One of Paul's guiding principles he learned from a student.ResourcesAtlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené BrownThe work of Rollo May, J.K. Rowling, Eckhart Tolle, Dr. Antonio Damasio, Jonathan Heidt, Daniel Kahneman, Niels Bohr, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Charles Kettering, Noam Chomsky, Dan Siegel, Stanley Krippner, Edgar Cayce and Sir Winston ChurchillPaul's podcast conversations with Rollin McCraty and Keith WittHow Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa BarrettSwitch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard by Chip and Dan HeathFeelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol TrumanThe Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk Tao Te Ching: A New English Version by Stephen MitchellThe Second Book of the Tao by Stephen MitchellFind more resources for this episode on our website.Music Credit: Meet Your Heroes (444Hz), Composed, mixed, mastered and produced by Michael RB Schwartz of Brave Bear MusicThanks to our awesome sponsors:PaleovalleyBIOptimizers US and BIOptimizers UK PAUL15Organifi CHEK20Wild PasturesPique LifeCHEK InstituteWe may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using affiliate links.

In this episode of the Hugonauts we're breaking down what truly defines great Young Adult fiction and answering the ultimate question: do these books actually hold up when you read them for the first time as an adult? We look at the core guidelines of YA literature—from exploring the human condition through a young protagonist's eyes to (ideally) teaching profound stuff that resonates beyond teenhood.  We count down the absolute best YA sci-fi books and YA fantasy recommendations. We dive into legendary dystopian hits like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, masterclass sci-fi like Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card and Red Rising by Pierce Brown, and classic fantasy staples like Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, and C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. But we don't just look at the masterpieces.  We also separate the true YA novels from books that are actually meant for middle-grade kids (like The Giver, Redwall, and The Phantom Tollbooth). Finally, we tackle the controversial "duds" of the genre. Why are massive bestsellers like The Maze Runner, Divergent, and Scythe so incredibly popular, and why did they fall totally flat for us? Grab your reading list and let's find out which books are actually worth your time!  No spoilers anywhere in this episode. Join the Hugonauts book club on discord Or you can watch our episodes on YouTube if you prefer video This episode is sponsored by Memoirs of the End by Vincent Rylan All the books we recommend, plus timestamps: 00:00 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins  04:16 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card  07:02 The Chrysalids by John Wyndham  08:55 SPONSOR - Memoirs of the End by Vincent Rylan  09:30 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline  12:54 Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff  15:20 Red Rising by Pierce Brown  18:47 Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden  20:15 A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket  22:39 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien  23:56 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman  26:40 The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis  29:10 The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett  31:38 Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin  34:14 The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King  35:14 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman  36:55 Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling  39:10 Redwall by Brian Jacques 41:17  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien  41:55 The Giver by Lois Lowry  42:41 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster  43:34 Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer  44:40 Cinder by Marissa Meyer  45:56 Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix  46:54 How are these duds so popular?

Day Break | Freedom, Fraud & the Fight for America --- 00:00 - Monologue 19:18 – Amy King, widow of fallen Army Reserve Captain Andy King and author of Saying It Out Loud: A Young Widow's Triumph Over Tragedy. King discusses honoring her late husband's legacy following his death in a 2023 Humvee training accident in Virginia. She reflects on grief, resilience, motherhood, and the efforts behind the Captain Andy King Memorial 5K and scholarship fund created in his honor. 28:09 – Wayne Morrow, CEO of the John Birch Society. Morrow discusses concerns about government overreach, civil liberties, and parallels between modern society and themes found in George Orwell's 1984. He also examines the influence of Fabian socialism and political ideology in America. 38:19 - Monologue 47:24 – Solomon Schmidt, 22-year-old author of ten books, including A Pen to Change the World: The Life of J.K. Rowling. Schmidt discusses the life and cultural impact of J.K. Rowling, including controversies surrounding her public positions and the influence of her writing on generations of readers. 1:06:21 – Dr. Matthew Mehan, educator and author of The American Book of Fables. Mehan discusses his new book and the importance of storytelling, moral lessons, and civic education in shaping American culture and values. 1:16:25 - Monologue 1:25:23 – Steve Dulan, professor and attorney. Dulan discusses a lawsuit filed by civil liberties advocates challenging a blue-state firearm law requiring individuals to effectively “show papers” in order to exercise gun rights. He explains the constitutional concerns surrounding the legislation. 1:35:29 – Robert VerBruggen, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. VerBruggen discusses government fraud, abuse, and accountability, explaining why combating fraud is critical for public trust, economic stability, and taxpayer protection. --- Check out our brand new podcast, 'Forgotten America'... Episode 15 is live NOW at Steve Gruber on YouTube! Link below: https://youtu.be/2DY74e9ffLY

In yesterday's Hallmarked Man Notes: The Christmas Charm Bracelet Decoded, Tod Jameson and the Ectopic Pregnancy, and Venetian Blinds, Ed Shardlow explained three sub-texts within Strike 8 that, though invisible on first and second reading, pop up during structural analysis and in light of other Rowling-Galbraith notes.* The Christmas gift charm bracelet that Strike gives to Robin, for example, appears to be a ring and a key to Hallmarked Man, a meaning that occurred to Ed in light of Rowling's own bracelet gift to fandom last year as a key to Sleep Tight, Evangeline;* John Granger's posts about Strike 8's cryptonyms similarly encouraged Ed to think about the meaning of ‘Todd Jameson' and how the “egg-shaped” man had several names and seemed to be stuck on the Tube; and* Ed's efforts to finish his charting of each Part of Hallmarked Man brought up the theme of Robin's blindness and mental struggles in Part Three's chapter correspondences.In conversation with Nick and John explore these ideas as well as the potential importance of A. H. Murdoch, a historical figure that Rowling-Galbraith invented whole-cloth, the meaning of his name (‘Alexander Hughson'), and the passages from his book, Secrets of the Craft, which of course are also Rowling-written.Below are relevant links to the subjects the trio discuss and copies of the ten questions John and Nick asked Ed. Enjoy!Links to Conversation Subjects* Hallmarked Man Notes: The Christmas Charm Bracelet Decoded, Tod Jameson and the Ectopic Pregnancy, and Venetian BlindsCharm Bracelets* The Christmas Charm Bracelet of Strike 9 Clues (Part One)* The Christmas Charm Bracelet of Strike 9 Clues (Part Two)* 'Sleep Tight, Evangeline,' Miniature Psalters, and the Head of Persephone: A Conversation with Dimitra FimiCryptonyms of Hallmarked Man* The Allegorical Cryptonyms of The Hallmarked Man, Part One* What do Tyler Powell, Rupert Fleetwood, Jolanda Lindvall, and Lady Jensen Have in Common?* The Allegorical Cryptonyms of The Hallmarked Man, Part Two* Wet Squibs, Islamic Cub Names, the Seven Strike Series Structure Theories, and How a Human Being Reads a Story* The Lost Child Golden Thread in the Work of J. K. Rowling (Kanreki)* The Pre Natal Infanticide Theory Explaining the Lost Child Golden Thread (Kanreki)Rowling as Sacred Artist: A Perennialist Reading* Ray Livingston's 'The Traditional Theory of Literature' (Chapter 1: Preface and Prologue)* Ray Livingston's 'The Traditional Theory of Literature' (Chapter 2: Man, Society, Art )* Ray Livingston's 'The Traditional Theory of Literature' (Chapter 3: The Creative Process)* Martin Lings' The Sacred Art of Shakespeare* J. K. Rowling's ‘G-Spot' and ‘Triple Play:' The Lake & Shed Secret of Her SuccessThe Ring Readings of Rowling's Hallmarked Man Chapter Sets* Index to the Group Adventure of Charting Hallmarked Man (scroll to bottom)* Ed Shardlow's ring notes for Part ThreeA. H. Murdoch's Secrets of the Craft Excerpt in Hallmarked Man:[Strike skim read the entry under Degree Thirty Two.]The Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret becomes with the degree's endowment none other than a Christian Knight, the spiritual and legitimate successor of the Knights Templar…When she elevates and illuminates, a pure and chaste woman is as silver, or the moon. The […] Freemason is sure never to mistake base lead for the nobler metal, else he may find himself forever entombed in the dungeons of lust and lasciviousness. (ch 53, pp 400-401)The parenthetic ellipsis is in text, presumably there because “Murdoch's book hadn't been properly formatted, but scanned into digital form, so that the occasional word was illegible.” The Ten Questions1. We have a special guest today, Ed Shardlow, the author of a commissioned post that went up this week, one we begged him to write up. It's a weird post erven for a site that embraces the exotic, weird in the sense that it's actually three posts rolled into one. What's up with that, Ed?2. So the three topics are:* The charms on the Christmas gift bracelet Strike gives to Robin;* The meaning of Todd Jameson's name; and* Robin's sight and memory issues, ‘Venetian Blinds'Is there a thread running through these ideas?3. Tell us your charm bracelet idea and the meaning you think each charm has --4. And it's a ring, right? What a hoot. --5. I loved the charm bracelet piece, not only because you read it as a ring and showed that the charms together and separately act as something of a cipher for the book, but because you linked it with Rowling's Strike 9 charm bracelet. Do you think per Shanker's advice that Rowling-Galbraith is giving us jewelry as a gift, one that acts as a key to the work in Hallmarked and before Evangeline, because she wants to make up with us for the hardship readers are having with the book?6. True confession, though I was laughing out loud and delighted with your breaking the Todd Jameson cryptonym, I was also pretty disappointed; that name was number 1 on my not-yet-written third cryptonym post. What consoles me is that I doubt I would have picked up on what you saw, which is mind-blowing. Tell us how you figured it out as well as what you found --7. Now this is a new variant of Rowling-Galbraith inserting a text within the text. This ectopic sub-story isn't a written text, a fairy tale, an epigraph, a song playing in the background, an illustration based on a mad detective's Tarot card throws, or the story the bad guy is selling that we have to unwind and re-write; we've seen those books-inside-the-book before. This is Rowling concealing a narrative inside the narrative with really only the name to act as the cipher for the coded message. Hence her talking up the importance of names in this book (e.g. Jolanda -- violets)?8. You make a fascinating connection with Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and Todd Jameson, the Son Who Killed His Mother (?). Do you think she finally wrote in a Chosen One echo in the Strike series via Jameson?9. I want to leave the board here because I know you have to run -- thank you for joining us on such short notice! -- and talk about something you've been sharing on the Moderator's Back Channels, namely, A. H. Murdock. His Secrets of the Craft is another text within a text, right? Have you thought about his name or why Rowling gave his book that title?10. When will you be done with The Ickabog project? Inquiring minds want to know! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, has led a life of ups and downs and on way to becoming one of the world's best-selling authors, has overcome much adversity. She's also a complex woman — as complex as the characters she's developed in her much-beloved books. Even her faith and love for Jesus has not come without controversy. Solomon Schmidt, author of "A Pen to Change the World," dove deep into her background.

La ciudad de Edimburgo mantiene una estrecha relación con la literatura universal. En el programa Gente viajera, Sandra Martín recorrió algunos de los escenarios vinculados a autores como Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle o J. K. Rowling. El audio completo puede escucharse en Gente viajera, el programa de viajes de Onda Cero que se emite sábados y domingos de 12:00 a 14:00h, presentado por Carles Lamelo.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4016: Steve Pavlina reframes failure as an unavoidable and even valuable part of pursuing meaningful goals, using Disneyland's disastrous opening day as proof that spectacular setbacks don't have to destroy a bigger vision. By exploring J.K. Rowling's fear of failure alongside Walt Disney's persistence, he shows how resilience, adaptation, and long-term thinking can turn embarrassment and mistakes into momentum for growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/06/your-relationship-with-failure/ Quotes to ponder: "Fear of failure is the saddest reason on earth not to do what you were meant to do." "Ultimately, wouldn't you rather be the person who actually finished the project you're dreaming about, rather than the one who talks about ‘always having wanted to'?" "Don't equate the failure of your projects with the death of your long-term goal." Episode references: J.K. Rowling Harvard Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4016: Steve Pavlina reframes failure as an unavoidable and even valuable part of pursuing meaningful goals, using Disneyland's disastrous opening day as proof that spectacular setbacks don't have to destroy a bigger vision. By exploring J.K. Rowling's fear of failure alongside Walt Disney's persistence, he shows how resilience, adaptation, and long-term thinking can turn embarrassment and mistakes into momentum for growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/06/your-relationship-with-failure/ Quotes to ponder: "Fear of failure is the saddest reason on earth not to do what you were meant to do." "Ultimately, wouldn't you rather be the person who actually finished the project you're dreaming about, rather than the one who talks about ‘always having wanted to'?" "Don't equate the failure of your projects with the death of your long-term goal." Episode references: J.K. Rowling Harvard Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 4016: Steve Pavlina reframes failure as an unavoidable and even valuable part of pursuing meaningful goals, using Disneyland's disastrous opening day as proof that spectacular setbacks don't have to destroy a bigger vision. By exploring J.K. Rowling's fear of failure alongside Walt Disney's persistence, he shows how resilience, adaptation, and long-term thinking can turn embarrassment and mistakes into momentum for growth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2020/06/your-relationship-with-failure/ Quotes to ponder: "Fear of failure is the saddest reason on earth not to do what you were meant to do." "Ultimately, wouldn't you rather be the person who actually finished the project you're dreaming about, rather than the one who talks about ‘always having wanted to'?" "Don't equate the failure of your projects with the death of your long-term goal." Episode references: J.K. Rowling Harvard Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHGqp8lz36c Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Jeffery and John Granger sat down last weekend to discuss John's post, The Literary Alchemy of Hallmarked Man: What Do the Structural Models Tell Us? They'd talked about this subject briefly before John had written it up and he came to rather different conclusions in the process of writing and preparing slides for the post, all of which are rolled out in this inquisition.The questions Nick asked are below after the links in the post in case you want to follow up on what is said above about literary alchemy, the sequence of colors and symbols, and about the structural models for understanding the Strike series, especially Extended Play and Tetractys Theory.Enjoy!Links for Follow-Up and Easy Reference: Strike Alchemy* Literary Alchemy – A Primer for Those Interested in J. K. Rowling's Artistry* ‘Literary Alchemy' Pillar Post* Metallurgical, Literary, and Psychological Alchemy: Is Jung a Good Guide for Understanding J. K. Rowling's Artistry and Meaning?* The Literary Alchemy of Hallmarked Man: What Do the Structural Models Tell Us?* , ‘The Connection of Ring Composition and Literary Alchemy in the Layout of the Seven Book Harry Potter Series.' (William Sprague)* ‘Parallel Series Idea' Pillar Post* Robin Ellacott and Reverse Alchemy: Transformation Through the First Three Strike Texts (Louise Freeman)* ‘Troubled Blood: Strike's Transformation'* ‘Water, water everywhere: Baptism, baths, rivers, rain and showers as unifying themes in The Running Grave' (Louise Freeman)Seven Structural Theories for Strike Ten Book Series* (1) straight up Decalogy, no structural connection between books;* (2) Big Ring Composition, Double Wedding Band (Louise Freeman);* (3) Seven book series with Trilogy finale (Nick Jeffery, John Granger);* (4) Extended Play theory (John Granger per ‘Kathleen'),* (5) Sonnet Corona Form (Robyn Gomillion);* (6) Tetractys theory (Evan Willis with back-up explanations here, follow-up from Evan here); and* (7) Celtic Cross (John Granger) scroll down to bottom).Tetractys Theory in Depth:* Alastair Fowler's Triumphal Forms* Why the Cormoran Strike Novels are a Ten Book Series: Mythological Clues and Tetractys Parallelism with a Touch of Tarot Reveal the Strike Series Structural Echoes with Rowling's First Ten Book Set [Evan Willis, 10 July 2023]* Is Tetractys Theory the Best Explanation of Why the Cormoran Strike Series is Ten Books in Length? First Thoughts on Evan Willis' Numerological Exegesis of Rowling's Two Ten Novel Series and the Meaning of This Structure [John Granger, 18 July 2023]* Evan Willis: Running Grave Review In which the Tetractis theory is revisited in light of Strike 7 and the Theory is Updated [Evan Willis, 30 September 2023]* See The Literary Alchemy of Hallmarked Man: What Do the Structural Models Tell Us? for excerpts from and discussion of each.* The Tetraktys Tarot Card Spread!The Charts!The Ten Questions and John's Answers (notes!)1. So, John, you finally got the alchemy post you promised an age ago; what was the hold-up?· Tried to put too much into the posts…· Changed my mind several times as I was writing them!· had to relearn Tetractys ideas!2. You start off this Alchemy of Hallmarked Man discussion with a review of the literary alchemy of the first three Harry Potter novels; why did you have to reach that far back?· Because of the Parallel Series Idea, not alchemy at all, oddly enough.· Rowling seems to be writing Strike decalogy in parallel with Potter to include its alchemical sequences so I reviewed the ‘Reverse Alchemy' theory, how that worked for Strikes 1-3 but broke down at 6 and 7· To get Hallmarked Man‘s alchemical stage right, I wanted to figure out why Ink Black Heart and Running Grave weren't the alchemical stages we'd expect3. Some of our listeners may not have the literary alchemy three stages firmly in mind; can you go over what they are and why they're important in Rowling Studies?· Black, White, Red stages: what each represents in metallurgical and literary alchemy;· Rowling's one interview comment about alchemy, her PotterMore notes about colors;· Rowling's use in Harry Potter‘s last three books, fourth book, and first three books;· Galbraith's use in Strike series' first three books, fifth book, and six and seven;· Ward on astrology in CSL's Narniad ('Donegality'); similar use of alchemy in Rowling-Galbraith4. So the alchemical parallelism seemed to stop at Ink Black Heart but the other correspondences continued?· That's right, the first seven books paralleled their Harry Potter apposite numbers in structure, plot points, and some symbolism but the last two broke from the alchemical pattern;· I decided that the best place to look for a way that the new pattern could be explained would be looking at the seven theories about the Strike-Ellacott series structure;· If a specific structure had a very clear idea about the alchemical stage sequencing in the books, then I'd have a real head-start in what to look for in Hallmarked Man.5. The Seven theories -- last time we talked it was six! Remind me what they are and what each says about the alchemy...· No structure, Big Ring/Double Wedding Band, Septology and trilogy combo, Extended Play, Corona Sonnet, Tetractys, and Celtic Cross (see links above!);· Only Extended Play and Tetractys theories had clear theories about the alchemy; and· Oddly enough, they both explained why Hallmarked Man had to be considered an albedo or white novel even though they disagreed about what Ink Black Heart and Running Grave were...6. We've got slides here that help make what seems hopelessly nerdy something you can see. We'll start way back with the ring structure of The Harry Potter series and work our way toward Evan Willis' Tetractys ideas.· Harry Potter series, Sprague/Thacker ‘Reverse Alchemy:' Slides 1 and 2 (see above)7. And via the Parallel Series Idea we should see those same relationships that were found in the Potter books in the Strike series?· Extended Play idea: Slides 3 and 4 (see above)· Where it breaks down -- Running Grave like Troubled Blood an “aquatic Nigredo“8. And you think the Tetractys idea is better. We really need to have Evan on the show to talk about where he learned about this figure, its use in English literature prior to Rowling, and why he thinks Rowling is writing her second ten book series. Can you summarize his two Hogwarts Professor posts on this subject and why Rowling Readers will benefit from learning about this ancient ten point peg board model?· See Tetractys pyramid slides above;· Four levels: meaning of monad, dyad, triad, quaternity symbolism; (first Evan Willis post above)· Pyramid to climb, something akin to four levels of reading and knowledge; [Fowler, Triumphal Forms]· Benefit to Rowling Readers: Willis thinks the second Quaternion parallels Rowling's first -- and the differences explain the alchemical stage of Running Grave;· It also was used to predict three things about Hallmarked Man: it was all about silver, it would be an albedo or White stage novel, and it would parallel The Ickabog9. Three bullseyes with a special merit badge for figuring out the silver part before the title was announced. Let's go to the Tetractys slides for the Potter and Strike series:· All above!10. Both the Extended Play and Tetractys theories, then, have Hallmarked Man as an albedo. How will that influence your examination of Strike 8 for its alchemical symbols and sequences as well as your interpretation of them?· I'll be looking for the alchemical signatures of the second stage, leukosis or the ‘whitening,'· I'll be looking for evidence that contradicts the albedo dyad idea, and· I'll be researching if alchemical ideas, as in, say, incest, ‘Jason and the Medea,' and ‘dog and b***h,' are best read as white stage tokens This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Nick Jeffery and John Granger sat down to discuss four Hogwarts Professor posts. Here are links to those posts with an excerpt from each and the most relevant urls embedded in them. Enjoy!What is a Squib, Really? And Where Would Rowling Have Met the Word? (John Granger, 27 April 2026)I confess that I assumed the word for barely magical witches and wizards born into magical families in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, the folk she calls ‘Squibs,' were given that name because of its onomatopoeic source in fireworks; per the Harry Potter Lexicon invaluable online resource, a squib is English idiom for “a dud firework that will not ignite properly.” It sounds like its meaning (as does “dud”) and a reader can feel in it the disappointment of magical parents when their child turns out not to have the gift that will make them full members of their community.I learned this morning, however, that a squib is not a dud firework, or wasn't originally though it may have that meaning today, and that it is mentioned more than once in one of Rowling's known literary influences.* ‘Squibbing' at the Bridgewater Carnival Fireworks Festival (YouTube video)* Toyohashi Tengu: Japanese Quidditch Team (Harry Potter Lexicon)* Tengu — Japanese Fantastic Beast not in Newt Scamander's textbook (Wikipedia)* Toyohashi Tezutsu fireworks 2022 (Tezutsu-hanabi — Wikipedia)* Dimitra Fimi's ‘A Kind of Elvish Craft' Substack site* The Fireworks of Gandalf: in which ‘squibs' are discussed (not duds!)* ‘The Slow Lord of the Rings Re-Read' Prof Fimi's Tolkien Reading Day Introduction* Reading Rowling as Myth Maker and Myth Re-Writer: A Conversation with Dr Dimitra Fimi * ‘Sleep Tight, Evangeline,' Miniature Psalters, and the Head of Persephone: A Conversation with Dimitra FimiHogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Ray Livingston's 'The Traditional Theory of Literature:' Chapter 2: Man, Society, Art (John Granger, 30 April 2026)In brief, the Perennialist reading of literature begins with a different idea of what a human being is, which reflects the social environment or society and culture that best fosters his achievement of his end or telos, which reflects what role art in general and story specifically plays in his best life. The human being as primarily spiritual, his end as profound communion with what is most Real, and story as non-liturgical sacred art (not necessarily or even usually ‘religious') which supports him in his vocation to that end are the premises of the traditional or theocentric understanding of man, society, and art.Which is the title of Livingston's second chapter and a description of its organization as well as of its contents. It's not easy reading; the subject matter is quite dense and he covers an enormous amount of ground relatively quickly so he can get to the ‘literature' in the remaining chapters of the work. Without setting out the premises of the Perennialist understanding with respect to what it means to be human, how a community is designed to make a fully human life possible, and how the art of everyday objects as well as set pieces for appreciation or entertainment — there being no meaningful difference in the value of practical and fine arts here — bring that polity to fruition, discussion of literature from the traditional view would be a waste of time.The Allegorical Cryptonyms of Hallmarked Man, Part 2: Ten More Cratylic Character Names and Best Guesses about their Embedded Meanings (John Granger, 1 May 2026)This is the second part of at least a three part series of articles with supplementary video discussion in which I take a long look at Rowling-Galbraith's choices for character names in the eighth Strike-Ellacott novel, The Hallmarked Man. For the first posts in this series, in which I explain why this is a worthwhile effort, one critical to Rowling's intentional artistry and complementary to her other Shed tools, see ‘The Allegorical Cryptonyms of The Hallmarked Man, Part One' and my conversation with Nick Jeffery about it ‘What do Tyler Powell, Rupert Fleetwood, Jolanda Lindvall, and Lady Jensen Have in Common?'Almost half of today's ten posts are about characters named ‘Lion' or variants on the leonine theme. I think the number of lions prowling through Hallmarked Man, not to mention the dogs from Hell and the bears benign and grizzly, deserve their own post, especially to contrast it with the predominant swan symbolism of the first seven books. Or are they conjoined in Jonny Rokeby, whose middle name is the lionesque ‘Leonard' and who plays the part of a Jovian swan in the Leda mating that produced Cormoran Strike (we think?). [Be sure to check out Ed Shardlow's full catalogue of the lions afoot in the pages of Hallmarked Man!]* ‘I'm an Essex Girl' (YouTube video)The Literary Alchemy of Hallmarked Man: What Do the Structural Models Tell Us? Seeking Pointers to the Hermetic Meaning of Strike 8 within (a) the Extended Play and Tetractys Ten Book Series Pictures and (b) the Parallel Series and Reverse Alchemy Ideas (John Granger, 8 May 2026)There are currently seven theories that I have read about of how best to think of the Strike-Ellacott series structure:* (1) straight up Decalogy, no structural connection between books;* (2) Big Ring Composition, Double Wedding Band (Louise Freeman);* (3) Seven book series with Trilogy finale (Nick Jeffery, John Granger);* (4) Extended Play theory (John Granger per ‘Kathleen'),* (5) Sonnet Corona Form (Robyn Gomillion);* (6) Tetractys theory (Evan Willis with back-up explanations here, follow-up from Evan here); and* (7) Celtic Cross (John Granger) scroll down to bottom).The first idea is that there isn't a series structure worth noting, which is the default position of the great majority of readers. They (we?) enjoy each book and appreciate the over-arching story parts and conflicts without wondering about the author's intentional narrative scaffolding. Rowling has repeatedly said that special sauce secret of her success is structure but as story organization artistry is very rarely discussed today in English classrooms even Literature wonks neglect it. The other six ideas have their advocates and rather than review each I've embedded links above to these proponents' online arguments in favor of their best guesses.All of these structure theories have advantages and support from previous work we and others have done in the field of Rowling Studies; all of it, however, it must be remembered is laughably speculative guesswork – we're not going to grasp the series structure with any certainty until it's done or Rowling actually answers questions about it or shares the information gratis (neither of which is likely given her history). Those of us who give any time to this, not to name those who are pre-occupied with it, are hunting phantom fandom garlands (as well as having a lot of fun).There actually is, however, a reason beyond personal insecurities and a search for redemption for thinking about how the ten book series is organized before all the books are out. If you're trying to figure out the alchemical quality or stage of a book already in print, understanding the sequence of books should theoretically reveal the sequence of stages (and vice versa). As explained above, Rowling seems to be writing the Strike series in parallel with her Harry Potter seven books. Until we got to the sixth book in Robin and Cormoran's adventures, those parallels included the alchemical coloration or stage the Potter numerical equivalent had. Other correspondences between the series continued, most notably, the seven book ring structure and playful plot point parallels (see my conclusions post Running Grave here, here, and here). The alchemy did not.In terms of alchemy, the most compelling ideas I think are Extended Play (EP) and Evan Willis' four-three-two-one pyramid, the Tetractys figure of the ancients, the ‘Great Quaternion.' Let's look at each.* Why the Cormoran Strike Novels are a Ten Book Series: Mythological Clues and Tetractys Parallelism with a Touch of Tarot Reveal the Strike Series Structural Echoes with Rowling's First Ten Book Set [Evan Willis, 10 July 2023]* Is Tetractys Theory the Best Explanation of Why the Cormoran Strike Series is Ten Books in Length? First Thoughts on Evan Willis' Numerological Exegesis of Rowling's Two Ten Novel Series and the Meaning of This Structure [John Granger, 18 July 2023]* Evan Willis: Running Grave Review In which the Tetractis theory is revisited in light of Strike 7 and the Theory is Updated [Evan Willis, 30 September 2023]* Literary Alchemy – A Primer for Those Interested in J. K. Rowling's Artistry* Metallurgical, Literary, and Psychological Alchemy: Is Jung a Good Guide for Understanding J. K. Rowling's Artistry and Meaning?The Ten Questions!Introduction: It's been a busy week, John, with posts on traditional reading, cryptonyms, and literary alchemy. I've got a bunch of questions about each subject so let's jump right in -- with some thoughts about Squibs in Bridgewater and Toyohashi, Japan!1. Ray Livingston: You're sending out a chapter of The Traditional Theory of Literature every week to our Paid Subscribers which I think everyone has access to, at least for one or two chapters. It's no small effort to type up this public domain book that isn't available anywhere on the internet, especially with the embedded links to the obscure references in the footnotes; why are you bothering?2. Ray Livingston: The first chapter you sent out went to everyone and included the glossary of terms as well as the Table of Contents, preface, and prologue (chapter one). I'm guessing this is more than throat-clearing and publisher's data; why does a literary theory text, for example, need a glossary?3. Ray Livingston: The second chapter, ‘Man Society, and Art,' was a dense read, I confess. Am I right in thinking this was Livingston's attempt to introduce the Perennialist ‘Theory of Everything' in one short chapter to lay the foundation for the literature chapters?4. Cryptonyms 2: It's been a minute since Part One of the Cryptonyms series, why the hold-up?5. Cryptonyms 2: [John] And part of my cryptonym-hesitancy was how much of this post was UK specific, as in the Branfoot = Branson idea and the Essex Girl bit, all of which was new to me. As a Brit living in Wales, should I have resisted the urge to speculate on those subjects? And is the anti-Semitism part of my Hafsa Mohamed interpretation just looking backward from current events?6. Cryptonyms 2: Do we have a Cryptonyms, Part 3, in queue? [Ottolie, ‘Jim Todd' (‘Jim Philpott,' Todd Jameson), Calvin ‘Oz' Osgood, Sofia Medina, Gretchen Schiff, Sapphire Neagle, Susan Iverson, Kim Cochran, Trevik Nancarrow, Peggy (Margaret ‘Leda') Nancarrow,, Carmen Ellacott (Dirk Ellacott, Barnaby Ellacott), Ralph Lawrence/ John Auclair – Open Invitation to readers to make name-deciphering requests in the comments; there are more than 150 names in Hallmarked Man so tell me the ones you want to hear more about]7. Alchemy (Series) We've been writing and talking about ‘how to understand literary alchemy best,' i.e., by taking a Jungian or a Perennialist perspective on how Rowling uses it, but this latest piece on the Literary Alchemy of Hallmarked Man is much more straight-reading or interpretation, no? And it starts out with how to understand Strike 8 in light of the series sequence of alchemical stages; what's the struggle with this kind of reading that we're only getting to this six months after the book came out?8. Alchemy (Hallmarked): How does your reading of specific alchemical images in Hallmarked Man differ from how you read them in, say, Troubled Blood?9. Alchemy (Hallmarked): There were quite a few finds in the ten images you found in Abraham's Dictionary that resonated with subjects we've been talking about -- the mythological backdrop to the story, to incest, to Lions and Masonry. What are we to make of this? Do you think it's a coincidence that Rowling-Galbraith's plot points and other artistry reflects these alchemical glyphs or is the hermetic symbolism driving the other elements?10. Coming Week: So what can we expect in the coming week, John? Lots and lots! Please send in your cryptonym deciphering requests — and your ideas for Hogwarts Professor merchandise (AI generated logo designs welcome)!Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

THE COMEBACK ECONOMY | How to Monetize Your Story When the Market Drops YoThe market crashed. Your story didn't."If you've been laid off, passed over, displaced by AI, or just feel like the economy left you behind — this episode was made for you.We are living through the most disorienting economic shift of our generation. Mass layoffs. AI replacing entire departments. The traditional career path collapsing in real time. And millions of people are sitting at home wondering — what do I do now?Here's what nobody is telling you:Every major economic downturn in history has created a new class of self-made people. The 2008 recession birthed Uber, Airbnb, and Instagram. The Great Depression built some of the most resilient entrepreneurs America has ever seen. And THIS moment — right now — is doing the same thing.The people who win in a down economy are not the ones with the most credentials.They are the ones who learned how to turn their story into their most valuable asset.And that is exactly what we break down today.In this episode you'll learn:

Paul Sloane joins James Smith to dismantle the myth of bad luck and reveal why the most successful innovations in history happened entirely by accident. A Cambridge engineer, former IBM marketer, and bestselling author, Sloane argues that what most people write off as misfortune is actually a hidden opportunity, and the people who notice it are the ones who change industries.

HARRY EARNS THE SWORD OF GRIFFINDOR & FIGHTS THE BASILISK!! Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Full Length Reaction Watch Along + Early Access:   / thereelrejects   HARRY POTTER and the Sorcerer's Stone Reaction:    • HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE REAC...   Gift Someone (Or Yourself) An RR Tee! https://shorturl.at/hekk2 Roxy Striar & Jon Maturan react to and review Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), the second installment in the beloved Wizarding World franchise directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire) and based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Follow Jon Maturan: https://www.instagram.com/jonmaturan/?hl=en Follow Roxy Striar YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@TheWhirlGirls Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxystriar/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/roxystriar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8:05PM: The Bruins cleaned up their turnovers and simplified their game, and they live to fight another day. Guest: Kevin Paul Dupont – Boston Globe Senior Staff sportswriter and columnist 8:15PM: A Pen to Change the World: The Life of J.K. Rowling-The only complete biography of the world’s most famous author, which includes exclusive interview content with relatives of Rowling. Guest: Solomon Schmidt - Author 8:30PM: Bridges Homeward - a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families through innovative programs and services that promote safety, stability, and opportunity.-Upcoming event: 2026 Circle of Friends Celebration and Gala at Fenway Park. Guest: Yoyo Yau – CEO of Bridges Homeward 8:45PM: S.S. Pierce: A Boston Tradition – The story and history of Samuel Pierce’s iconic gourmet food and wine emporium. Guest: Anthony Sammarco - renowned Boston historian and authorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Going back ten years to 2016, Sarah and Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide) dive into the annual Bookish Time Capsule episode and revisit the book world from that year. They cover big bookish highlights — from the buzziest books of the year to the award winners — along with what was happening in the wider world at the time. They also look back at their own reading from 2016, including their favorite releases, and share a quick round-up of listener-submitted favorites. This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR!   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. Highlights The big news that was going on outside the book world Book stories and trends that dominated 2016 The 2016 books that have had staying power Big books and award winners for the year Reading in the blog years before the Rock Your Reading Tracker Sarah's and Catherine's personal 2016 reading stats Listener-submitted favorites from 2016 2016 Bookish Time Capsule [1:45] The World Beyond Books Bad Blood by John Carreyrou (2018)| Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:09]  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:59]  My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [5:11] Ferrante's true identity has never been confirmed, despite multiple attempts by journalists and various theories pointing to different people. Book Industry Sales and Trends Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:02] The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:10] Killing the Rising Sun by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:21] A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:36] Me Before You by Jojo Moyes (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:40]  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [10:45]  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:57]  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:12]  Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:16]  StrengthsFinder 2.0 from Gallup (2007) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:20]  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:30] The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:33] After You by Jojo Moyes (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:49] The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [11:52] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:59] Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter (2016)| Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:36] Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (2004) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:49] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:04]  Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:05] The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George (English Translation, 2015) | Amazon| Bookshop.org  [13:32] My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman (English Translation, 2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:39] In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [13:51]  Big Books of 2016 It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [15:47] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 2) by Sarah J. Maas (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [16:28]   Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [17:25] Pines (Wayward Pines, 1) by Blake Crouch (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:57] Recursion by Blake Crouch (2019) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:17] A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[18:34] Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [18:58] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:29] James by Percival Everett (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:42] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:51]  Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:10] When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:28] Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [22:46] Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [23:19] Award Winners of 2016 The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:54] The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:06] Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:35] The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:51] Let Me Die In His Footsteps by Lori Roy (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:50] Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [25:56] All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [26:05] Catherine's Top Books Forty Rooms by Olga Grushin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [27:46]  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:11] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [28:35]  The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin (June 2, 2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:03]  Before the Wind by Jim Lynch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [29:57] Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [30:57] Miss Jane by Brad Watson (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:48]   Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:57] Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:08]  Adnan's Story by Rabia Chaudry (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [32:40]  Sarah's Top Books Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:45] Shelter by Jung Yun (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:58]   All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun (2026) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:06]  The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:16]  My Name Is Lucy Barton (Amgash, 1) by Elizabeth Strout (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:22] Oh William! (Amgash, 3) by Elizabeth Strout (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:38] Tell Me Everything (Amgash, 5) by Elizabeth Strout (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [40:47]   Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:05]  Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:30] Tender by Belinda McKeon (US Release, 2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:44] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:03]  When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[42:05] The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:31]  Listeners' Top Books A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[44:14] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:19] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, 2) by Sarah J. Maas (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:35]   Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:47] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:01]  Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:24] Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:30] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (English Translation, 2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:32] Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:40]  The Unseen World by Liz Moore (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:45] Long Bright River by Liz Moore (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [46:58] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [47:00] The Mothers by Brit Bennett (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:16] 

Golden ThreadsLast July, Nick Jeffery and I put together a month long review of Rowling's work in celebration of her 60th birthday, a Kanreki party. Every day we posted conversations about each of Rowling's works with Nick discussing a ‘Lake' point, something biographical or bibliographical, and me talking about a ‘Shed' quality of the work, the author's traditional tools, artistry, and meaning.That worked great for about twenty days. Then we ran out of books. What to do for the remaining days of the month?We decided to talk about Golden Threads, the plot points, themes, and twists that run through everything Rowling has written. We started out with a survey of the fifteen-plus already identified by Rowling Re-readers and Fourth Generation types (see here and here) and then with more in depth looks at the ones that were controversial or more difficult to see. We closed off the month with the ‘Lost Child' Golden Thread and the possibility that Rowling's inspiration for the Harry Potter series was the trauma of pre-natal infanticide (‘abortion').As disturbing as that Golden Thread was to many Rowling fans and Feminist Gate Keepers, there was another third-rail string we didn't discuss, namely, the plot point of incest that readers encounter again and again in the Potter and Strike series as well as the stand-alone stories.Incest as Golden ThreadNick and I discuss the Incest Golden Thread on the fly in the conversation above about Strike-Ellacott fandom theories about Sleep Tight, Evangeline and the series finale. Here are some written references if you want to review them by looking at the books in question on your shelf.* Harry PotterThe foundation crime of the Hogwarts Saga is the abuse of Merope Gaunt by her father Marvolo and her brother Morfin. The abuse in question in this children's book series is not explicitly sexual. As with the abuse of Ariana Dumbledore by the Muggle boys, however, that Merope's father and brother violated her is there between the lines; her trauma is so great that she loses her capacity for magic (as she does after her Riddle lover leaves her) and the family does not send her to Hogwarts lest their shameful secret be revealed. No broken Merope, no Lord Voldemort, no Potter family murder and orphan Harry — no series. Though the Saga's foundation crime, the Gaunt family's abuse of its only young woman, is not revealed until Order of the Phoenix, it is the tragedy on which all the core conflicts of the septology are built.* Casual VacancyStuart ‘Fats' Wall is the adopted son of Tessa and Colin Wall. A teenager in Vacancy, he and Krystall Wheedon are the star-crossed lovers around whose choices and behaviors the ensemble drama largely turn. Fats at the end of the book claims responsibility for all the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother posts by means of which the secrets of Padford citizens are spilled.In the climax of the Wall family drama after Robbie's drowning and Krystall's suicide, Tessa reveals to Fats his personal history. His biological mother was only fourteen when he was born, an age that sadly means it is possible-to-likely that he is the fruit of incest. Tessa, a diabetic woman unlikely to carry a baby to term successfully, compelled her unwilling husband to agree to the adoption despite his mental fragility. Again, the foundation crime of this very involved story is incest, the abuse of a young woman by her family. * Lethal WhiteIn the first of only two Rowling books in which every epigraph was taken from a single work, the fourth Strike novel takes all of its headings from Henrik Ibsen's Rosmersholm, a play in which suicide and incest go hand in hand, especially in the White Horse finale. The novel parallels its epigraph source in astonishing ways.The Chiswell family has its secrets. The Minister of Culture hires Strike's agency to find ‘dirt' on Jimmy Knight and Geraint Winn that can used as counter “bargaining chips” to end their capacity to blackmail him. He shares neither what information they have that they are holding over his head to extort money and revenge nor what Billy Knight witnessed years ago. If Jasper or Izzy Chiswell had told Strike this information in the beginning, it is likely the pater familias would not have been murdered. The biggest secrets, of course, are about the sexual relationship between Raphael and his step-mother and the step-son's plans to murder father and eventually Kinvarra in order to be free to spend the millions he'll make from sale of the Stubbs. Not quite incest, a step-mother in bed with her step-son, but something like it.Rosmersholm‘s family secrets are if anything more disturbing. Kroll reveals to Rebecca that Dr. West, her adoptive father, was very likely her biological father as well. It is implied heavily that after her mother's death Rebecca's relationship with Dr. West changed from filial to sexual; Kroll's revelation about this is something of an Oedipus Rex moment. Rebecca realizes that she had been sleeping with her father and the incest taboo crushes her ability to accept Rosmer's overdue marriage proposal, a proposal for which she had convinced the ailing Mrs Rosmer to commit suicide.* Troubled BloodThe psychopathic murderer and torturer of children that the police and public believe killed Margot Bamborough is Dennis Creed. We learn in chapter 8 of Strike 5 via the Peg-Legged PI reading The Demon of Paradise Park that Creed was the incestuous rape off-spring of Agnes Waite and her step-father Awdry, a man who wanted to kill the child at birth but which the mother prevented (to her eventual regret). Awdry abused the boy all through his childhood, especially after Agnes' escape as a young woman (reminiscent of Peggy Nancarrow's flight from St Mawes). Troubled Blood is haunted by the victims of Creed's madness, all of whose deaths can be traced back to Awdry's violent sexual violation of his step-daughter.* Hallmarked ManThe mystery Cormoran Strike agrees with no little hesitation to try to solve is ‘What happened to Rupert Fleetwood?' Decima Longcaster Mullins, mother of Fleetwood's son Lion, believes her baby-daddy was the unidentifiable murdered man in the Ramsey Silver Vault. We learn before that victim's identity is revealed that Fleetwood fled the UK after he learned that the woman he loved was his half-sister and his son the product of unwitting incest. Rowling-Galbraith reveals only in the epilogue that Ian Griffiths murdered Tyler Powell because the young man was determined to rescue the young woman living with Griffith as his daughter who was pregnant with his child. Once again, the foundation crimes of a Rowling work turn on the intentional sexual abuse of a girl by a father-figure, here compounded by an Oedipus Rex like incest-in-ignorance episode. Incest Notes* Fantastic BeastsAs in the Harry Potter novels, there are no explicitly incestuous relationships in the Fantastic Beasts screenplays. The conception of Leta Lestrange, however, checks the ‘rape,' ‘power abuse,' and ‘inter-family' boxes of father-daughter incest nightmare. Her mother, Laurena Kama, was desired by Corvus Lestrange III even though she was married to Mustafa and the mother of Yusof. Corvus compelled her by the Imperius Curse to join him and, while she was under his control, which is to say ‘unable to consent or resist his will,' conceived Leta, who took his name as if her mother had been his wife. Leta unknowingly avenges the Kama family by her switching her younger half-brother Corvus IV with the Dumbledore baby that results in his death by drowning.* IckabogNick Jeffery points out in our conversation that there can be no more incestuous means of conceiving a child than the Ickabog species' parthenogenic reproduction. If one accepts that as incest, the Ickabog's death after delivery and the imprinted character of the Ickaboggle by its first contact post partum have to be read allegorically.* Cuckoo's CallingThere is no mention made in the first Strike novel of John Bristow's having sexually abused his younger also-adopted sibling-sister, Lula Landry. I'm going to include it in these ‘Incest Notes' because I think it possible that the man who killed his brother Charlie and envied his sister Lula ‘played' with her cruelly, which fostered her mental instability. I think this is more than imaginative free association head-canon because of Lula's successful search for and planned meeting her real sibling brother Jonah Agyeman the night of her death. Bristow-Agyeman, the false and true brothers, are figures of erotic and anterotic love in her life, so much that I don't think incest is a stretch for John Bristow, the unloved chick in the nest.Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.So what?There has been a real up-tick in speculation about how the Strike series will finish in its last two books with the guess work largely turning on how the Big Unresolved Mysteries will play out. The reason I've written up these thumbnail etchings of incest occurrences through Rowling's work is because several of the theories Nick and I are seeing in the comment boxes here and on the YouTube HogwartsProfessor channel are incest driven.To get that, a Serious Striker, beyond grasping that incest is a ‘thing' to expect in a Rowling piece like Bad Dad, Divine Mother, Violence Against Women, and at least one Lost Child, has to have in sight at all times three ideas that act as premises:* Closing Trilogy Theory: Hallmarked Man the first of a three book finale which introduces the main characters;There's a real split in Strike fandom about what to think of Hallmarked Man. The great mass of readers on Reddit I'm told and at least one Substack Sage believe it is “the worst book of the series,” a real stinker. Nick and I — and most of the Hogwarts Professor readers who comment on our posts and conversations — in contrast think it is a brilliant book, one that may eventually be considered one of the best in the Strellacott decalogy.The difference is that the one group reads Strike 8 as if it were just like the first seven books in the series, i.e., a stand alone mystery whose cast of characters will in large part disappear from the stage before the next book begins. That working assumption makes the extraordinarily large cast of players in Hallmarked Man and the five different story-lines just with respect to whom the silver vault corpse might be, not to mention the Strike-Ellacott romance and over arching mysteries clues seem a confusing pile-up of plot points and people, few of which made this book fun-to-read. The author seems like she just lost control of the story and threw everything that occurred to her into the story and cut none of it out.Our working theory disagrees with that Just-Like-All-the-Others assumption and finds the possibility that Rowling has just lost her way very unlikely. Having just finished charting each of Strike 8's chapter sets or ‘Parts' and found that each is an intricate ring, as well as those Parts working as a ring, too, believing that the author is asleep at the wheel seems borderline preposterous.We think that the first seven books, each written playfully on the model of its Harry Potter numeric counterpart, are a closed set — and that the last three books in the ten book series are being written as a trilogy in which the Great Mysteries introduced in the first seven will be resolved.Hallmarked Man, as the first book in this three part series, is burdened with introducing all the principal players of this extended finale inside a book whose mystery allows their appearance and character reveal without pointing too obviously to their part in the upcoming drama. Hence Tara, Dino, Valentine, Ralph Lawrence, Sacha, and at long last Rokeby playing the roles they do in this book.* Trilogy will resolve at last the Leda Margaret, Charlotte, and Strike/Ellacott story line mysteries; The end of Strike 10 seems to be a hard stop according to Rowling. She is obliged, consequently, in the next two books to give her readers satisfaction on the many hanging threads in the series, most notably:* The story of Strike's conception, the IED explosion, and his SIB medal;* Peggy Nancarrow, a.k.a., Leda Strike, why she left St Mawes as she did, why she raised her children as she did, and all the circumstances of her seeming suicide (Where's Switch?); and* Charlotte Campbell-Ross, sometimes referred to as the Honorable Milady Bezerko, and the baby she claims to have conceived with Strike, her backstage efforts to upend Strike's relationship with Robin, her break-up with the hotelier billionaire, her suicide note, and, echoing Leda, the circumstances of her seeming suicide.That's the shortest of lists obviously with nothing about Murphy or Robin or the host of other key players in the series. Given the ending of Hallmarked Man, I'm very much inclined to think that Sleep Tight, Evangeline's mystery will turn on where Robin went after Strike's proposal on the stairs which will necessarily involve Murphy, and, forgive me, many of the players from Strike 8 as Rowling-Galbraith begins rolling out the stunning twists hidden beneath the surface of Strike 8. All those fun confrontations with Charlotte's bizarro family, from Emilia at the end of Grave to Tara, Dino, Valentine, and Sacha? My bet is we'll learn in the next books how much Strike and Ellacott missed in their meetings with each.* Serious Strikers think incest is at the heart of the Strike, Nancarrow, and Campbell mysteries.Leda's Conception* Ted's Daughter with an Unknown WomenA real stretch, I know, but Ted, per the invaluable Cormoran Strike Timeline, was fourteen years older than his younger sister Peggy. If you think it inconceivable that Ted was Leda's father, you either imagine that just-barely-teenage boys cannot sire children (see George Hamilton's life for his sexcapades at age twelve with his stepmother) or you make nothing of the fact that Trevik gave up his daughter for his mother's upbringing when his wife died. Perhaps the cause of the Nancarrow house nightmare and Ted's departure for the Army “lest murder be done” was because, a la Hamilton, Leda's mother was not a young lass with whom Ted met outside The Victory but Trevik's abused wife, Ted's own mother. Which is to say he was both Leda's brother and biological father. Hence the otherwise almost inexplicable relationship of Ted, his barren wife, and Peggy-Leda. Just sayin'!Strike's conception:* Son of Leda and Ted;Leda is 23, give or take a year, at Strike's conception early in 1974 and her older brother is 37 and married to Joan who cannot have children. It's possible that Ted is Cormoran's dad, just as Joan is delighted to hear Strike say he is in Troubled Blood, the only barrier being our being told repeatedly that Ted was a “proper man.” Perhaps that repeated telling is a marker that he wasn't always that proper but did his best to set his sister (daughter?) up well with the Rokeby paternity evidence. See ‘Uncle Ted It' for more speculation along these lines.* Son of Leda and Trevik Nancarrow;I'm thinking that if Rowling is pointing to an incest relationship in the Nancarrow family it isn't with “proper man” Ted, the long-suffering and ever vigilant older brother but to the “pure terror” and “hard-drinking” man despised by sister and brother. You'll forgive for thinking that anything to which Rowling-Galbraith is clearly hopeful her readers will believe is not the surprise ending of her ten book series.* Rokeby deception If Strike's or Leda's conception was incestuous, especially if Ted was the father of either, then Rokeby was deceived about his parentage, I presume with Ted's SIB-driven assistance. The best motivation I have read about why Leda was murdered and her death staged as a seeming suicide, beyond even the Mad Guillespie theories, is that she tired of this deception, hence her refusal to accept Rokeby's child support, and intended to tell Cormoran who his father really was. So Ted killed her. Charlotte Conception and Abuse by Father, Relations with Half-Brother:* Tara and Dino's DaughterFiona wrote to me privately to share her theory that Dino is not only the father of Valentine, Cosima, Decima, and Rupert, but also of Charlotte:In response to a post by Cheryl Rose Orrocks on 17 Feb 2026, my current theory is that Dino Longcaster is Charlotte's father and that his son, Valentine Longcaster, will be revealed as her abuser and the possible biological father of Charlotte's children. Hence the 2nd incest storyline will also involve the Longcaster family. This could be why Charlotte's mother, Tara, despised Charlotte so much.If Jago Ross is somehow linked to the matter of the DNA test involving Bijou and Strike, it may be because he had Charlotte's birth children DNA tested to confirm parentage. Maybe Jago discovers he is not the biological father and assumes Strike is, hence the reason he wants to obtain Strike's DNA results.This would need a whole longish post to unfurl but the high points of Fiona's idea is that, just as with the Fleetwoods, Dino impregnated Campbell's wife Tara unknown to the father. When the Campbells divorced (he doesn't seem to have found out?), Dino then became Charlotte's stepfather in addition to being her biological father.And maybe even the father of her children that she claimed were Cormoran's and Jago's? Whew.* Dino's Sexual AbuseRubes posted her theory on a thread here on 3 March that Dino Longcaster abused Charlotte his step-daughter after his marriage to her then mother, Tara Campbell Longcaster:I think Charlotte got involved with Dino as a teenager (whether willingly or not). That is why she ran away and attempted to kill herself. She told her mother who disbelieved her or knew and it is the source of their conflict. Dino was also maybe the stepfather that tried to have her committed.Dino and his daughter [Cosima] gave me Ivanka and Donald Trump vibes. Maybe he sublimated that incestuous desire with young Charlotte. He is also obsessed with looks and perfection and we know Charlotte as Venus is the epitome of beautyI think Charlotte either extorted him all these years or else continued the on-and-off affair so he would help support her lifestyle.He might even be the father of the twins. It would support both the false paternity and incest themes in THM. We also have multiple examples of (step)fathers grooming/abusing their stepdaughters throughout the series.* Valentine or Sacha relations; Strike child, Ross twinsBoth the ‘Dino Did Her' theories suggest in turn that, a la the Brockbank twins Noel and Holly, the Longcaster and Legard half-siblings Valentine and Sacha had sexual relationships with their beloved swinging sis Charlotte. Either man could be the father of the mystery baby she told Strike was theirs and either one could also be the baby daddy of Jago Ross' supposed twins.As Fiona suggests, if the results of Bijou's DNA testing of Strike winds up in Ross' hands — perhaps Rowling makes the whole effort Ross-inspired after he discovers the twins are not his? — he is the one who reveals to Strike that neither of them was the father of Charlotte's only children. If so, I look forward to reading how Rowling has Strike or Robin connect the dots with the incestuous Campbell-Legard-Longcaster family love-pit.ConclusionsDoes incest tie up all the loose threads in this series? No way. I suppose incest or at least cousin-marriage is a way of life in Afghanistan but I don't see how incest explains for us all the questions surrounding the IED blast.But with respect to the several conception questions we've been straddled with, incest definitely throws up some fascinating possibilities (and ‘throws up' reflects the nausea inducing aspects of this viscerally felt taboo). If you accept the Finishing Trilogy Idea and its corollary that all the mysteries will be resolved in the last three books and that Hallmarked Man has given us our cast of characters, then the possibility that the soft-incest of Decima and Rupert with its sort of happy ending in Strike 8 was an introit to an inbreeding heavy finish in the last two books.Please share your thoughts in the comment boxes below about these theories and about my conversation with Nick in the video above!Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham, Jamie Franklin and Daniel French sit down to talk about the biggest stories in church and state. This week including: - J.K. Rowling's TERF-themed Twitter spat with Alastair Campbell- The latest Mandelson-related scandal to rock Number 10 Downing Street and former top civil servant Olly Robbins' explosive testimony; - And 'Does the Church of England have a death wish?' as the Diocese of Southwell announce spending review aimed at reducing the amount of parish clergy.Email the Show with comments and questions! irreverendpod@gmail.com You make this podcast possible. Support us and get episodes early, bonus Uncollared audio podcasts, monthly epic chats between Jamie and Nick Dixon and more!On Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/irreverendOn Substack - https://irreverendpod.substack.com/Buy Me a Coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend To make a direct donation or to get in touch with questions or comments please email irreverendpod@gmail.com!Notices:Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFollow us on Twitter: https://x.com/IrreverendPodBuy Jamie's Book THE GREAT RETURN!: https://amzn.to/4pwAH8RDaniel French Substack: https://undergroundchurch.substack.com/Jamie Franklin's "Good Things" Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Substack: https://irreverendpod.substack.comFind me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Support the show

Warner Brothers is rebooting Harry Potter as a television series. Bayleigh Ackman and I both enjoy the Harry Potter universe but, given J.K. Rowling's positions on trans rights, we are reluctant to watch the new show. In this conversation Bailey and Jerome talk about the things they enjoy about the Harry Potter universe and question whether or not you can ever really separate the art from the artist.GUEST INFO Bailey Ackman https://www.instagram.com/bayleighackmanYOUTUBE https://youtu.be/n-ipinKUX4s Our website is https://www.bottomlesscoffeeshow.comMORE FROM JEROME https://www.jerometevans.com (contact details and social links are there too)

[Apologies but the recording is quite poor at the start, but improves. Please bear with it - Nick]John Granger shared privately with Nick Jeffery that he thought it would be a good idea to read C. S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces, a re-telling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, to get a better grip on Rowling-Galbraith's re-imagining of the same myth in her Cormoran Strike series.Nick, as is his wont, promptly read the book, wrote up the possible connections between the chapters of Till We Have Faces and the books in the Strike series — C. S. Lewis' ‘Till We Have Faces' and Rowling-Galbraith's Cormoran Strike Series (Part One) — which ‘Part One' constituted a challenge to John to write up his contrarian notes as ‘Part Two,' which he did yesterday.Today? They talk about CSL's Till We Have Faces, what it tells us (and doesn't tell us) about JKR's Strike series, and the reasons why a Serious Striker or ‘every thoughtful reader' really should read Lewis' last novel, one he and Tolkien thought was his best.Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Links to everything they discuss can be found in their respective write-ups: C. S. Lewis' ‘Till We Have Faces' and Rowling-Galbraith's Cormoran Strike Series (Part One) by Nick and C. S. Lewis' ‘Till We Have Faces' and Rowling-Galbraith's Cormoran Strike Series (Part Two) from John.Here is a copy of the ten questions that kept their conversation — for the most part! — between the guard rails. Enjoy!CSL and JKR Tackle ‘Cupid and Psyche:' The Ten Questions1. (Nick) So, why, John, are we talking about a book Rowling has never mentioned, in a genre she has never attempted, by an author from whom she has tried to distance herself, and which has no obvious connection to what Rowling is writing today? [See the first paragraphs of John's Part Two.]2. (John) Can you give our listeners a quick review of the book's history, Nick, that is, the story behind the story? [Nick discusses information here not in either of their posts!]3. (Nick) Which is all very interesting from the Lake side of the reading, but it's the story itself that is the connection to Rowling. Give us the plot points, structure highlights, and spoil the ending, too, won't you, John? [John reads Nick's plot summary from his Part One (below). Another summary can be found on the Faces wikipedia page.]Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C.S. Lewis is a first-person retelling of the Cupid and Psyche myth, narrated by Orual, the eldest daughter of the King of Glome (a fictional barbarian kingdom). Orual frames Part One as a bitter complaint or accusation against the gods, particularly Ungit (a cruel fertility goddess akin to Aphrodite/Venus, represented by a black stone) and her son, the god of the Grey Mountain (the “Shadowbrute” or Brute). She writes in old age as queen, claiming the gods have wronged her, especially by taking her beloved half-sister Istra (whom she calls Psyche). The novel is divided into two parts. Part One (the bulk of the book, spanning 21 chapters) recounts events from Orual's perspective as she experiences them, portraying her actions as justified love and the gods as unjust. Part Two (a short addendum of about 4 chapter) is written later, as Orual nears death. Here, she gains new insight through dreams, visions, and self-reflection, realizing how her “love” was often possessive, jealous, and devouring—much like Ungit's. The veil she wears becomes a central symbol: initially to hide her ugliness, later as a barrier to truth and self-knowledge. “Till we have faces” suggests that true self-revelation and honest relationship (with gods or others) require facing reality without masks or illusions.4. (John) We know for sure that CSL was re-telling the Cupid and Psyche myth here; Lewis and the text make that undeniable. I argued from the text five years ago that Rowling-Galbraith was doing something similar and she suggested strongly by tweet this was the case. In your post, Nick, you swung for the fences to explore the possibility that Till We Have Faces was a model of sorts for the Strike series. Did you establish or eliminate that possibility -- and what were the most interesting connections you found? [See Part One!]5. (Nick) You've recently re-read this, too, John; were you struck by story echoes in Strike from Faces? [John discusses CSL's wonderful cryptonyms, several of which have alchemical notes, a point he didn't write up in Part Two, and then talks about the allusion to Psyche as “Artemis and Aphrodite combined” in Faces, the importance of ‘The Real' in Lewis and Rowling, and the importance of “the riddle” to Lewis and a “debate” to Rowling, all in Part Two.]6. (John) The key connection, though, of course, is in the use of the myth and how the modern and postmodern authors parallel the original version and depart from it. Care to compare and contrast the two adaptations, Nick? [Nick answers this with some references to Part One and John offers a Planet Narnia inspired opinion.]7. (Nick) You brought up in our alchemy conversation earlier in the month, John, and in your Faces post that Rowling seems to want to foster a “debate” within and among her readers about how to best understand her work, specifically between a psychological or spiritual interpretation. That seems to be on Lewis' agenda, too, no, in Faces? [Part Two, Point #4]8. (John) As fascinating as that parallel is, Nick, the structural one is better, I think. What do you make of Faces' two Parts and our conversations about how the ten book series seems to be playing out? [Part Two, Point #5]9. (Nick) You've played with the names a bit, John; what do you think is the meaning of the title? There's a specific passage in which Till We Have Faces is spoken as dialogue and we know Lewis' preferred title was Bareface, but what do you think Lewis was after with the Faces idea -- and does it have any relevance to Strike?[Part Two, Point #6]10. (John) So, let's do another tally of CSL/JKR correspondences. And what are the differences between Lewis and Rowling?List: Ten Points of Correspondence1. Christian symbolism,2. kappa atmosphere artistry,3. literary alchemy,4. psychomachia,5. ring composition,6. the debate/riddle about God7. Mythic retelling8. Genre blending9. Narrative misdirection, big twist10. Most famous for magical world behind portalDifferences:* Violence against women!* Old White Man; Old White Woman* [Fill In Your Best Contrast between CSL and JKR]Hogwarts Professor is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hogwartsprofessor.substack.com/subscribe

This audio clip from Erik Qualman's #1 bestselling book The Focus Project explores the true meaning of meditation. It challenges the idea that meditation requires a perfect setting (like sitting in the lotus position surrounded by candles) and instead reframes it as simply being fully present in any given moment.   5x #1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 55 countries and reached over 50 million people this past decade. He was voted the 2nd Most Likable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.   Have Erik speak at your conference: eq@equalman.com   Motivational Speaker | Erik Qualman has inspired audiences at FedEx, Chase, ADP, Huawei, Starbucks, Godiva, FBI, Google, and many more on Focus and Digital Leadership.   Learn more at https://equalman.com

Você já estava curtindo demais um filme e, do nada, aquela informação inconveniente sobre o diretor apareceu na sua timeline e arruinou tudo? Bem-vindo ao dilema mais chato, e necessário, da cultura contemporânea.Neste episódio, Rafael Arinelli, Daniel Cury e Fabiana Lima debatem sobre a relação espinhosa entre a obra e o artista. Sem respostas fáceis, sem julgamentos apressados, mas com muita discussão honesta e alguns incômodos necessários.O papo passa por casos que você já conhece: Woody Allen, cujos filmes parecem ecoar de forma perturbadora sua vida pessoal; Roman Polanski, condenado e aplaudido de pé em Hollywood na mesma década; e J.K. Rowling, cujo ativismo anti-trans transforma cada Galleon gasto em Hogwarts numa escolha política, queira você ou não.Para dar embasamento teórico ao debate, o episódio apresenta dois lados da moeda: a Morte do Autor, de Roland Barthes, que defende que a obra pertence ao público assim que sai das mãos de quem a criou; e o Intentismo, que insiste que ignorar o autor é dar um cheque em branco para quem produz arte.No fim, a conversa não é sobre cancelamento, é sobre consumo consciente. Afinal, onde você coloca seu tempo, sua atenção e seu dinheiro diz muito sobre quem você é.Coloque seus fones de ouvido e venha pensar junto!• 05m50: Pauta Principal• 1h26m04: Plano Detalhe• 1h42m17: EncerramentoOuça nosso Podcast também no:• Spotify: https://cinemacao.short.gy/spotify• Apple Podcast: https://cinemacao.short.gy/apple• Android: https://cinemacao.short.gy/android• Deezer: https://cinemacao.short.gy/deezer• Amazon Music: https://cinemacao.short.gy/amazonAgradecimentos aos padrinhos: • André Marinho Moreira• Bruna Mercer• Charles Calisto Souza• Daniel Barbosa da Silva Feijó• Diego Alves Lima• Eloi Xavier• Guilherme S. Arinelli• Thiago Custodio Coquelet• Wilmar Arinelli Jr• William SaitoFale Conosco:• Email: contato@cinemacao.com• X: https://cinemacao.short.gy/x-cinemacao• BlueSky: https://cinemacao.short.gy/bsky-cinemacao• Facebook: https://cinemacao.short.gy/face-cinemacao• Instagram: https://cinemacao.short.gy/insta-cinemacao• Tiktok: https://cinemacao.short.gy/tiktok-cinemacao• Youtube: https://cinemacao.short.gy/yt-cinemacaoApoie o Cinem(ação)!Apoie o Cinem(ação) e faça parte de um seleto clube de ouvintes privilegiados, desfrutando de inúmeros benefícios! Com uma assinatura a partir de R$30,00, você terá acesso a conteúdo exclusivo e muito mais! Não perca mais tempo, torne-se um apoiador especial do nosso canal! Junte-se a nós para uma experiência cinematográfica única!Plano Detalhe:• (Daniel): Livro: A elegância do ouriço• (Daniel): Revista: Cascártica• (Daniel): Filme: Oi, Sumido!• (Fabi): Texto: What Do We Do with the Art of Monstrous Men?• (Fabi): Filme: Repulsa ao Sexo• (Fabi): Filme: Limite• (Fabi): Série: Hacks• (Rafael): Vídeo: Roda Viva - Erika Hilton• (Rafael): Vídeo: Erika Hilton mostra pilha de livrosEdição: ISSOaí

Author J. K. Rowling said, “I appear to have a God-shaped vacuum inside me, but I never seem quite able to make up my mind what to do about it." Timmerie dives into helping others find God. Episode Guide Why we should help others desire Baptism (0:43) Rethinking the content we consume (24:17) Finding rest on Sundays starts on Friday (42:19) Resources mentioned: J.K. Rowling on Religion: https://x.com/jk_rowling/status/1966488315890123141 Scientific evidence for God – Shroud of Turin: https://omny.fm/shows/trending-with-timmerie-catholic-principles-applied/scientific-proof-for-the-resurrection-the-eucharist Fridays are for making Sundays restful https://schoolforhousewives.substack.com/p/fridays-are-for-making-sundays-restful

“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling's trans persecution feeds off her vast fortune. Rowling uses her estimated $1.2 billion net worth to directly fund anti-trans causes.As executive producer of the upcoming Harry Potter HBO show, Rowling will make even more money that she can funnel into what she calls “women's and girls' sex-based rights.” Early media criticism of the Harry Potter reboot is just starting to contend with Rowling's commitment to erasing trans people from public life.This week, Jessie Gender returns to the podcast to discuss HBO's Harry Potter show with Katelyn and Christine. The three discuss the shortcomings of nostalgia with the HBO reboot and how media criticism must include J.K. Rowling's trans obsession. It is not possible to separate this artist from her art.Stream on our YouTube channel—remember to ring the bell! Listen via Apple or Spotify. Be sure to check out the merch store—Merch Me, Daddy!Links for Apple:- Subscribe to YouTube's Jessie Gender and Jessie Gender After Dark- Stream Jessie Gender's Frak This Podcast - A Battlestar Galactica journey- Katelyn Burns for MS NOW: A new trans character doesn't fix ‘Hogwarts Legacy' transphobia- Charles Pulliam-Moore for The Verge: There is no ethical consumption of HBO's Harry Potter series- Ryan Adamczeski for The Advocate: J.K. Rowling uses Harry Potter wealth to fund anti-transgender organization- Samantha Riedel for Them: John Lithgow Says J.K. Rowling's Trans Views Have Been “Twisted and Misrepresented”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Neste episódio do PodClássica, reunimos um time de professoras para enfrentar uma das maiores polêmicas entre pais cristãos: a saga Harry Potter. Discutimos o que a Bíblia realmente condena quando fala de magia, o papel da fantasia na formação das crianças e o que acontece quando tentamos eliminar toda a magia das histórias. Pelo caminho, descobrimos elementos surpreendentes escondidos na obra de J.K. Rowling que você provavelmente nunca tinha notado. Neste episódio, Anne Kathleen e Barbara Lores recebem as professoras Juliana Poiares, Renata Knupp e nossa convidada especial Bárbara Ehler Andrade, mestre em Literatura Inglesa pela Universidade de Oxford e doutoranda em Artes Liberais pela Faulkner University. Recursos mencionados no episódio:

Þróunaraðstoð hefur dregist mikið saman undanfarið og í raun aldrei minna en á nýliðnu ári. Þjóðir heims forgangsraða þessari aðstoð sífellt aftar á listann. Mest munar þarna um Bandaríkin, sem hafa dregið saman seglin þegar þróunaraðstoð er annars vegar um eina 24 milljarða. Þýskaland, Frakkland, Bretland, Holland, Belgía, Sviss og Svíþjóð hafa gert það sömuleiðis. Og afleiðingar þessara ákvarðana geta haft mikil áhrif á líf fjölda jarðarbúa. Hallgrímur Indriðason fjallar um málið og ræðir við framkvæmdastjóra Mannfjöldastofnunar Sameinuðu þjóðanna. Það eru að verða 30 ár síðan Harry Potter leit fyrst dagsins ljós í bókinni Harry Potter og Viskusteinninn. Um jólin verða nýir sjónvarpsþættir frumsýndir sem segja söguna upp á nýtt, eins og hún birtist í bókum J.K. Rowling. Ekki eru þó allir á eitt sáttir með nýju þættina og með Rowling almennt. Hún hefur á síðustu árum stundað mótmæli gegn réttindabaráttu trans fólks, einkum og sér í lagi trans kvenna, sem hún segir að sé rekin á kostnað kvenna. Mörgum aðdáendum er svo gróflega misboðið að þeir hafa hætt með öllu að samsama sig galdraheimi Rowling og öllu því sem hún hefur skapað. Oddur Þórðarson fjallar um málið.

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics! It's been a hectic start to the year here at "Tis the Podcast" Headquarters—between kids, work, home life, accidents, and everything in between—so episodes have been a bit inconsistent this first quarter. Not wanting to miss another week, though, Anthony (sadly flying solo without Thom and Julia) invited Santa Matt from "North Pole Radio" and Ashley from "The Christmas Chapters Podcast" to join him for a special episode that, while a little light on Christmas, dives into something many of you care about: "Harry Potter". That's right! This week, the trio sits down to break down HBO Max's first teaser trailer for "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone"—the upcoming television adaptation of J.K. Rowling's beloved story about the boy wizard and his magical journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Tune in as they tackle the controversies surrounding the series—from Rowling's personal views to the race-swapping of certain characters and everything in between—while also debating whether this adaptation is even necessary. They share their reactions to this first official look and go shot-by-shot through the trailer, comparing what's shown to both the original novel and the 2001 film. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this fun, geeky episode! And be sure to let us know your thoughts on this new take on Harry Potter and his world. One thing's for sure: we here at "Tis the Podcast" are hyped. With a Christmas 2026 premiere on the horizon, it's only making us even more excited for the most wonderful time of the year! As always, thank you all for your love and support!

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Analytic Dreamz reacts to the official teaser for the HBO Original series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first season of the highly anticipated live-action television adaptation. Premiering Christmas 2026 on HBO and streaming on HBO Max, the series marks a new era of Hogwarts as it faithfully brings J.K. Rowling's beloved first novel to the screen with fresh casting and expanded storytelling.In this dedicated reaction segment on Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz provides a detailed breakdown of every key moment from the teaser, including visuals of Privet Drive, early glimpses of young Harry Potter, the Dursley family, and hints at the magical world awaiting at Hogwarts. The analysis covers production quality, cinematography, tone, casting impressions, and how the adaptation honors the source material while introducing the story of the boy who lived to a new generation.This timely reaction from Analytic Dreamz examines the teaser's record-breaking viewership and discusses expectations for the full eight-episode season. Listeners gain clear insights into narrative choices, visual style, and the potential for deeper exploration of the Wizarding World.Tune in for the complete teaser reaction and thoughtful commentary from Analytic Dreamz on the upcoming HBO Max Harry Potter series.Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The new play “Giant,” on Broadway, dramatizes the scandal around Roald Dahl, the beloved children's-book author who, in the nineteen-eighties, began making antisemitic statements and invoking stereotypes about Jewish influence. John Lithgow portrays Dahl as he faces off against his American publisher, who presses him to retract his statements. The events that the show focusses on took place more than forty years ago, but they couldn't be more relevant today, as antisemitism surges during a war in the Middle East. Lithgow joins David Remnick to discuss the question of whether to separate the art from the artist—and about his own hesitation regarding his role as the wizard Dumbledore in HBO's new “Harry Potter” series, because of J. K. Rowling's history of anti-trans statements.    Further reading:  “‘Giant' Takes on Roald Dahl and his Antisemitism,” by John Lahr   New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians.

She was the first girl Harry Potter called his "girlfriend." But, she was also a seeker, Cedric's date, a defender of her best friend, a member of Dumbledore's Army, and the only person brave enough to feel all the feelings when Cedric was taken. In this episode, we give Cho Chang the full Critical Magic Theory treatment.Listeners weighed in, and chaos ensued! What does it mean that J.K. Rowling's only (??) East Asian character is named Cho Chang, sorted into the house synonymous with intelligence, and written to be most desirable when she is least demanding? How do we reconcile the fact that her emotions are treated as a weakness? Who is this girl outside of what Harry sees?Let's find out together!

This audio clip from Erik Qualman's #1 bestselling book The Focus Project highlights the importance of sleep quality and shares practical ways to improve your sleep habits.   5x #1 Bestselling Author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman has performed in over 55 countries and reached over 50 million people this past decade. He was voted the 2nd Most Likable Author in the World behind Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling.   Have Erik speak at your conference: eq@equalman.com   Motivational Speaker | Erik Qualman has inspired audiences at FedEx, Chase, ADP, Huawei, Starbucks, Godiva, FBI, Google, and many more on Focus and Digital Leadership.   Learn more at https://equalman.com

The story continues. In part 2 of this episode of the True Geordie Podcast, we go deeper into the fallout between J.K. Rowling and Emma Watson, exploring the reactions, long-term consequences, and cultural impact of their very public divide. The True Geordie Podcast examines how online backlash, ideology, and celebrity pressure intensified the conflict, separating fact from emotion with careful research and balanced analysis. This episode adds vital context to the controversy, revealing why the feud escalated — and what it means for both figures moving forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What really caused the explosive fallout between J.K. Rowling and Emma Watson? In this episode of the True Geordie Podcast, we break down the deeper reasons behind the public clash, examining ideology, personal values, and the pressure of fame. With detailed research and thoughtful, compassionate analysis, the True Geordie Podcast goes beyond headlines to uncover how this conflict escalated and why it matters. From social media backlash to long-term consequences, this episode explores the real story behind one of pop culture's most divisive feuds only on the True Geordie Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices