Book Club For Masochists: A Readers Advisory Podcast

In this episode we discuss Space Opera and all the endless tangents. This is a LONG conversation (we almost split it in two, but we’re trying to catch up episodes to our current reading topic). We talk about losing our solid footing on genre definitions, defining the term “worldbuilding”, when re-reading books from your youth goes horribly wrong, wondering just what is up with those TV and movie tie-ins, misogyny infecting Sci-Fi classics (Oh, hello there Sad Puppies), the delight of scientists reading Sci-Fi, and so much more. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Amanda Wanner Space Opera We Read (or kinda): Recommended Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding (lukewarm recommendation by a reader who is deeply ambivalent about anything speculative, Sci-Fi, or Fantasy in nature) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (not spectacular but a slow-burn, exploratory read) Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (difficult to like narrator warning) Ancillary Mercy (and the enti

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Aboriginal, Indigenous, and First Nations Books.   This episode we're looking at another thematic genre/non-genre, so join us as we discuss the problems of reading aboriginal or indigenous characters written by non-indigenous authors, how we really didn’t get enough education in First Nations/Native Americans in school, and why it’s hard to find Australian Aboriginal or Sami books in Vancouver libraries. Your Hosts This Episode  Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Amanda Wanner  Recommended A Short History of Indians in Canada: Stories by Thomas King (Cherokee) The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (Spokane/Coeur d'Alene) Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis (Gwich'in Athabascan) Read The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (The Tribe #1) by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Aboriginal Australian - Palyku) Sweat by Lesley Belleau (

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Christmas and Holiday Reads.   It's Christmas in July as we talk about library displays, book stickers, the wonders of Terry Pratchett and Edward Gorey, Christmas and holiday series’, finding Christmas books in every genre, nostalgia, and coziness. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Matthew Murray | Amanda Wanner Recommended The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown Hogfather by Terry Pratchett Greetings from Christmas Past by Bevis Hillier Other Books Read The Haunted Tea-Cosy: A Dispirited and Distasteful Diversion for Christmas by Edward Gorey Undead and Unreturnable (Undead, #4) by MaryJanice Davidson The Christmas Escape (Christmas Stories #13) by Anne Perry Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story by Paul Auster Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies The Red Satin Collection by Giselle Renarde (recommended if lesbian transgender erotica is of interest

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Cozy Mysteries.   Listen to your hosts Anna Ferri, Meghan Whyte, Matthew Murray, and Amanda Wanner discuss why people read cozy mysteries, character vs. plot, how everything seems to be a series, and their favourite punny titles. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Amanda Wanner Cozy Mysteries We Read (or kinda): Recommended The Handsome Man's Deluxe Café (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #15) by Alexander McCall Smith Books Can Be Deceiving (Library Lover's Mystery, #1) by Jenn McKinlay The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart (I finally finished it!) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce #1) by Alan Bradley Read Ming Tea Murder (Tea Shop Mystery, #16) by Laura Childs Swag Bags and Swindlers (Haley Randolph #8) by Dorothy Howell The Body in the Library (Miss Marple, #3) by Agatha Christie The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing (Vish Puri, #2) b

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Books in Translation.   Listen to your hosts Anna Ferri, Meghan Whyte, Matthew Murray, and Jorge Cardenas discuss the reasons for reading books in translation, publishing barriers to international works, the importance/effect of a translator, which language should you read a book in, the Canadian context, grants to read War and Peace, and what makes a great book. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Jorge Cardenas | Matthew Murray Recommended One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn; translated by H.T. Willetts (Russian) If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino; translated by William Weaver (Italian) Bitter Rose by Martine Delvaux; translated by David Homel (Quebec) Closely Watched Trains by by Bohumil Hrabal; translated by Edith Pargeter (Czech) Silk by Alessandro Baricco; translated by Guido Waldman (Italian) Conversation in the Cathedral by

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Religion (non-fiction).   Listen to your hosts Anna Ferri, Meghan Whyte, and Matthew Murray discuss how/whether reading non-fiction is different than fiction, Scientology, new religious movements, travelogues, biographies, how religion interacts with different cultures, accessibility, and Meghan geeks out about charismatic Christianity. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray Religion (Non-Fiction) We Read (or kinda): Recommended Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright (Scientology) Read Silence and Noise: Growing Up Zen in America by Ivan Richmond (Buddhism) Holy Laughter and the Toronto Blessing: An Investigative Report by James A. Beverley (Christianity) Generation J by Lisa Schiffman (Judaism) Speaking of Faith by Krista Tippett (interfaith) Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the Mi

In our ongoing quest to become better librarians by reading every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we tackle Psychological Thrillers.   Listen to your hosts Anna Ferri,Meghan Whyte, and Matthew Murray discuss appeal factors (atmosphere vs plot, literature vs pulp), the violence against women trope,grown-ass women, the Twist (plot, not dance), reading a book because you mistake it for something else, search strategies,non-linear narratives and unreliable narrators, science with fairies, board games, word-cloud based thriller descriptions, and the Bestsellers problem. Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri| Meghan Whyte| Matthew Murray Psychological Thrillers We Read (or kinda): Recommended The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison (AF) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (MW) Dare Me by Megan Abbott (MW) Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (AF/MW) (sci-fi crossover) Other books read Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane (MM) Along Came a Spider by James Patterson (MW) (beach read) The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins Defending

 Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Amanda Wanner | Matthew Murray We discuss online reading vs book reading (“I just want to read the wiki article”), whether pop science is formulaic, if we read non-fiction to learn explicit facts or provoke thought generally, the impact of blog writing/reading on technology books, our audiobook preferences, anti-narratives (handbooks), edutainment, “There is some fiction in my non-fiction!,” lying by omission, hate reads, and more… Technology (Non-Fiction) We Read (or kinda): Recommended What is Code? by Paul Ford, long-form article from Bloomberg Magazine  The Making of Crash Bandicoot by Andy Gavin (The series of blog posts Matthew read; for the deep nerds out there)  The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr  Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter by Tom Bissell  Kitten Clone: Inside Alcatel-Lucen by Douglas Coupland (for a unique experience of technology reading)  The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story of

In a podcast where we set out to read every genre (regardless of our actual interest) our second episode features: Gothic Literature. Listen to hosts Anna Ferri, Meghan Whyte, Amanda Wanner, and Matthew Murray discuss dread, castles, fear of foreigners, just what exactly counts as "gothic" literature, and all the vampires.  (With a slightly lower sound quality than the first; our apologies!) Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Amanda Wanner | Matthew Murray Gothic Literature We Read (or kinda): Recommended Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafón The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Anna read this one after recording this episode and enthusiastically backs up Amanda’s recommendation) Anno Dracula by Kim Newman (not Gothic, just using lots of Gothic references) Baltimore, Vol. 1: The Plague Ships by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden, art by Ben Stenbeck The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates The Picture of Dorian Gray by O

  In a podcast where we set out to read every genre (regardless of our actual interest) we are hit with a doozy for our first episode: Historical Romance. Listen to hosts Anna Ferri, Meghan Whyte, Amanda Wanner, Sam Mills, and Matthew Murray discuss royal marines, princesses, pirates, concubines, and far too many rakes and dukes.  Your Hosts This Episode Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Amanda Wanner | Sam Mills | Matthew Murray Historical Romances We Read (or kinda): Recommended Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory The Other Boleyn Girl The Boleyn Inheritance The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook *Steampunk* Not Recommended Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan Destiny’s Captive by Beverly Jenkins The Virgin’s Lover by Philippa Gregory My Fair Concubine by Jeanne Lin Did Not Finish Awful free kindle books like Sea Scoundrel by Annette Blair (not recommended) 9 Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean A few more books