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Today we are re-airing one of our very first episodes of Novel Pairings: Episode 18 on Homer’s Odyssey, in which Sara reveals her nerdy middle school obsession, Chelsey has strong opinions on defining “the classics,” and we have a LOT of fun discussing the complicated character of Odysseus. You don’t need to have any knowledge of mythology or The Odyssey in order to enjoy this episode. This episode is mostly spoiler-free, except for a brief discussion of the ending. We’ll warn you in advance before we get into it, and timestamps are listed below. 

If, after listening to today’s rerelease, you’re interested in joining us for a Slow Down Summer Odyssey, head over to the Novel Pairings Patreon page and join us at the $8 literature scholar tier. In addition to weekly podcast recaps of each section of The Odyssey, you’ll also get invitations to monthly book club discussions and classes to help you get more out of this epic poem, along with our regular Friday bonus episodes and access to our entire back catalog of bonus episodes and class recordings. Perhaps most exciting of all, Patreon supporters will get first access to our limited edition merch shop opening this month! We’d love to explore The Odyssey and beyond with you this summer so head to patreon.com/novelpairings to join our classics crew.

Listen now.

Our discussion includes:

•  What is a “mythology girl?” [13:08]
•  Analyzing Odysseus: a larger-than-life character [20:10]
•  More on Odysseus as a complex, flawed and nuanced hero [29:30]

Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic,  including a business book and a book in translation.

Notes:

Edith Hamilton’s Mythology

“Siren Song” by Margaret Atwood

“ Penelope” by Carol Ann Duffy

The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy

Madeline Miller: Circe and The Song of Achilles

Gareth Hinds graphic novel The Odyssey

Bull by David Elliot

Pairings:

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger [40:35]

The Martian by Andy Weir [46:06]

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown [53:05]

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood [37:10]

The Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth [42:55]

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera [48:35]

Also mentioned:

Chelsey: A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow recommended by Bezi @beingabookwyrm

Sara: Rick Riordan Presents

We’re closing out our spring semester of children’s classics with one final book about a book—and another richly imagined story in translation, The Wild Book. This modern story reached great acclaim in Mexico, with an English translation finally reaching America in 2017.  We found this work a  compelling companion to our first children’s work in translation, Inkheart, and we share our thoughts on the book’s proposed relationship between books and reading, how this modern work stacks up besides tried-and-true classics, and the supernatural elements that feel grounded in the magical realism traditions of incredible Lantix authors.

We love reading and discussing books with our listeners, and we hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers for a summer of EPIC reading over on our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price.

Pairings Timestamp: 25:50 

Books Mentioned: 

• The Wild Book by Juan Villoro
• Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
• Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
• Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng 
• The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

Get ready to load your summer totes (ahem…your summer Novel Pairings totes, more to come on that) with lots of good reads; we’re talking about our most anticipated summer reads on today’s episode! We’ve carefully culled our long lists of interesting books coming out this summer to provide some high-interest titles that are sure to topple your TBR while also providing backlist books that will pair perfectly and are available right now.  

Today we talk about forthcoming humorous memoirs (including one woven with lots of 90s nostalgia), a searing, fictional critique of contemporary publishing, and plenty of engrossing tales you’ll want to curl up with poolside. And if that’s not enough, we take a shot at solving the mystery surrounding the unnamed Flatiron title prior to it being settled by the New York Times (and Chelsey will add amateur sleuth to her list of alternate career options should occasion arise). 

We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price!

Books Mentioned

• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
• Disorientation by Elian Hsieh Chou
• Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea by Rita Chang-Eppig
• The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
• The Memory of Animals by Claire Fuller
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• All Sinners Bleed by S.A. Crosby
• Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
• My Murder by Katie Williams
• Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
• Chouette by Claire Oshetsky 
• Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
• Banyan Moon by Thao Tai
• Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo 
• Loot by Tania James
• The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson
• Wannabe: Reckoning with the Pop Culture that Saved Me by Aisha Harris
• Piccolo is Black by Jordan Calhoun
• Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens
• A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley
• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
• Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
• All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
• The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi
• Babel by R. F. Kuang
• Half-Life of a Stolen Sister by Rachel Cantor
• Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg
• Charlotte Bronte: A Fiery Heart by Claire Harman
• The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell
• History’s Angel by Anjum Hassan
• Members Only by Sameer Pandya
• The Lost Ranger by Peter Heller
• Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas
• Here for It by R. Eric Thomas 
• Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
• Our Town by Thornton Wilder

As voracious readers we love to dive into stories about books and reading, whether it’s paying homage to the source of procuring books (think publishing, bookshops, and libraries) or the physical books themselves. In today’s episode, we’re taking you on a dark, mysterious, and twisty adventure in translation with Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart. A plot-packed novel for the not-so-faint-of-heart, we discuss what Funke’s international bestseller has to say about the power stories hold for children, the necessity to engage a child’s imagination, and how the tone of this children’s classic spooked us (just a little bit). If you’re looking for more imaginative fantasies, we’ve paired this sweeping novel with a rich, outlandish romantic historical fantasy and a slim work of non-fiction about the nature of books from one of the most renowned writers and translators of our time. 

Pairing Timestamp: 41:33

Pairings Mentioned:

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield 
•  Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex E. Harrow

Other Books Mentioned:

• The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
• Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

Pack your bags and get ready for an adventure. This week, we’re discussing E. L. Konigsburg’s Newbery award-winning novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a 1960s romp about a pair of siblings who find refuge and mystery at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. From the Mixed-Up Files is a story simple in prose, yet imbued with rich descriptions and detail to leave a lasting impression. In today’s episode, we talk about our own mixed-up, nostalgic memories of reading Mrs. Frankweiler, the alluring nature of Konigsburg’s novel for generations of readers, and the need to have our own private “somethings.” Plus, we help you dive deeper into the world of art and art forgery with a novel in translation and prepare for beach reading with a summer-y story about two teenage misfits, first love, and their creative endeavors.

We’re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature, and there’s still time to join us for the last month that we’re reading children’s classics! Sign up to join our community of nerdy readers where we host bonus mini-episodes, lectures, seminars, and book clubs. Head on over to patreon.org/novelpairings to join our Classics Club today. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price.

Pairings Timestamp: 39:22

Listen HERE.

Books Mentioned:

Portrait of an Unknown Lady by María Ganzia

Now That I Found You by Kristina Forest

Possession by A. S. Byatt

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish

Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley

Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson

Anne-with-an-e Shirley, a hallmark figure in children’s literature, provides a formative childhood reading experience for many readers. An imaginative and loquacious orphan who finds home and community with the Cuthbert siblings at Green Gables of Avonlea, Anne is a feisty, feminine, and dramatically charming protagonist. In today’s episode, we talk about how this sweet and endearing novel worked for us compared to other “warm hug” classics that missed the mark, the aspects of Anne’s character that make her loveable and realistic, our favorite scenes from the book, and whether Montgomery’s work can be considered feminist. Plus—our pairings today include a whimsical fairy story loosely based on the premise of Anne, as well as a novel that features another unforgettable protagonist from a Canadian author. 

We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Thank you for supporting the show!

Listen to this episode.

Pairings Timestamp: 44:16

Books Mentioned

• The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
• The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett
• Blue Cedar Falls series by Jeannie Chin: try The House on Mulberry Street
• Fight Night by Miriam Toews
• J. Ryan Stradal: try Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club
• The Lucy Barton series by Elizabeth Strout: try My Name is Lucy Barton

Also Mentioned:

• Why Anne Makes Us Dizzy by Julia McQuillan and Julie Pheiffer (Critical Study)
• Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a staple in high school classrooms and a foundational piece of American literature. This children’s classic is a boisterous and satirical novel addressing a vast array of social and political issues couched in an episodic coming-of-age tale. In today’s episode, we address some of the teaching baggage that comes along with this book, consider Huck’s moral development, and wrestle with the complexities of encountering this book as a modern reader. As always, we also offer contemporary pairings including a National Book Award winner and a sweet and tender father-and-son story.

Together, we’re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature. We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price. 

Pairings Timestamp: 39:14

Books mentioned:

• Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
• The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

Also mentioned:

• Percival Everett’s Huck Finn Retelling
• Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
• Lonesome Dove episode
• Toni Morrison on Huck Finn
• Jane Smiley on Huck Finn

Catherine, Called Birdy has been a surprise hit with our listeners and book club community, and today Chelsey and Sara share their experience with Karen Cushman’s award-winning work of middle grade historical fiction. We share what we remember about the book from childhood, why we connected with it more now, and why a book about a girl trying to avoid marriage in the 13th-century feels so relevant today. We also go down a couple of rabbit holes of our own this episode, including a discussion about how we teach and model gender for children and the role of literature in that development. 

Together, we’re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature. We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price. 

LISTEN HERE.

Pairings Timestamp: 42:00

Books mentioned:

• Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton
• Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
• Matrix by Lauren Groff
• My Lady Jane, My Plain Jane, My Contrary Mary, My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand,  Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows 

Also mentioned:

• Dear America, The Royal Diaries, and American Girl Dolls 
• The Men–and the Boys–are Not Alright

While we’re spending most of this season discussing classic children’s literature, today Chelsey and Sara break from form to share our most anticipated spring book releases. Spring is a busy time in the publishing cycle and we will topple your TBR with feel-good fiction, literary books from favorite writers, and a surprising number of intriguing nonfiction titles, all releasing between late February and early May. Today is all about those new releases, but if you want to hear us offer backlist pairings for these anticipated buzzy titles, head over to our Patreon community to get that bonus content delivered to your podcast feed. To shop for all of the titles mentioned in today’s episode while supporting our show, head to our Bookshop.org affiliate storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings.

Listen HERE.

Books mentioned:

• I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
• The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
• Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson 
• Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
• In Springtime by Sarah Blake
• How to Think Like a Woman by Regan Penaluna 
• Ten Planets by Yuri Herrera
• Lone Women by Victor Lavalle
• Above Ground by Clint Smith
• Cursed Bread by Sophie Mackintosh
• Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
• Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal
• Greek Lessons by Han Kang
• The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
• Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
• Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Chelsey and Sara discuss Mildred D. Taylor’s Newberry Award winning novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. We gush about the writing, share our favorite characters, and unpack a few memorable scenes. We also spend some time considering why this book feels like it could be classified as an adult novel and the value it would add to a middle or high school curriculum. And, of course, we each offer a couple of books to pair with this middle grade classic. This conversation is largely spoiler-free, and we encourage you to listen whether or not you’ve read this book recently or at all!

Together, we’re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature. We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price. 

Listen now.

Pairings Timestamp: 42:05

Books mentioned:

• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
•  Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose
• Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes

• Stealing by Margaret Verble
• Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Also mentioned:

• Profile: Mildred D. Taylor
• Novel Pairings Not Without Laughter episode