Table Of (mal)contents

So, we had a plan for this episode. We were going to have some fun talking through some decent questions Goodreads has been posting lately. But instead… well, you'll have to listen to what exactly happened this week. Because none of us are entirely sure. But we did have a lot of fun as we discussed: Nicolas Cage's method of acting Dave's unexpected trip to the ER (and pro-tips for getting to the front of the line) Real bacon vs turkey "bacon" Aaron butchering the pronunciation of a Nigerian author's name Books that have affected us over the past few months A few of the books we mentioned this week One Year After by William R. Forstchen The Looming Tower: Al-Quaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes Seeing Jesus from the East by Ravi Zacharias & Abdu Murray The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Adult Children of Alcoholics by Dr. Janet G. Woititz EdD Sharing and supporting the show Leave

So with everything that's happening in the world recently, we decided to talk together about books we've read that have helped us explore the experiences of others. Specifically, the experiences of African Americans. This conversation was, honestly, a pretty awkward one for us to have since none of us are African American, and we didn't want it to be perceived as "three white people helping you understand the African American experience." That's not how we roll, and it's not something any of us are qualified to do anyway. Instead, we're sharing about books we've read and advice we've been given that have been helpful in our desire to be good learners and good neighbors in our community. In this episode you'll hear: A few of the books we've found helpful so far Reading recommendations from our listeners Why it's important not just to read about the African American experience, but to read good African American authors As promised in the episode, here are a couple of articles we found particularly he

Recently it looked like we were maybe hopefully getting toward a happier and healthier place in this pandemic. The sun was shining, stores were opening… and well, 2020 keeps happening. But we're not talking about terribly serious stuff on this episode because it was recorded before 2020 got even worse. Maybe we'll get serious and talk about some of that next week. We'll see. But in the meantime, we do talk about some pretty fun and hopefully life-giving subjects, including: What it was like to go back into a bookstore for the first time When Scarlet’s going to start writing her rabbit book We workshop a new kids book (and it gets weird) Whether or not we should do a live show someday Audience participation! We've got a couple of activities for y'all: Share a photo of you in or outside your favorite bookstore and tag @malcontentspod on Twitter and Instagram If it ever becomes safe to do so, should we host a live recording—and would you come? A few of the books we mentioned this week Wa

So, many weeks ago, back in the long forgotten times when people socialized together and we recorded our podcast in-person, and before Scarlet teamed up with us to class up this show and keep it firmly in the mostly-family-friendly radio space, there was another co-host. But his life got too busy with a new job, his other show, and a book deadline, so he had to say goodbye to his regular gig here. It took us—especially Dave—some time, but we healed. So, today, Barnabas joins us on the show to catch up! Listen in as we discuss: What we should really call endorsement requests If Scarlet is becoming a weird pet person Writing in normal times vs in the time of social distancing Why Dave should read an advance copy of Barnabas' new book What Scarlet might like about westerns (even if she probably won't read them) The category of books Barnabas wants to sucker punch A few of the books we mentioned this week Hoping for Happiness by Barnabas Piper Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson Doc Savag

As you all know, Dave loves history (almost as much as he loves cats). And because I am a Canadian, he and Scarlet both wanted to help me learn more about American history, in the hopes that I can someday pass a citizenship test. So, we thought, why not have Thomas Kidd join us to help with both? Listen in as we discuss: Is there really more that can be said about some of these well-known historical figures? Why we need to be careful to not read back in our views and context into the past Why he is (and we all should be) fascinated by the biblicism of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin Great modern history writers A book Scarlet is endorsing And, of course, whether Dr. Kidd enjoys the West Wing Thomas S. Kidd teaches history at Baylor University, and is Associate Director of Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion. Dr. Kidd writes at the Evangelical History blog at The Gospel Coalition. He also regularly contributes for outlets such as WORLD Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Wall Stree

Recently I discovered that McKay's, our favorite second-hand bookstore, has been offering themed grab bags of books to help people stay on top of their reading during this season. So, of course, I bought one—and it was 100% YA fiction. But what kind of YA fiction was it? You'll find out as Scarlet, Dave and I discuss: When we can record in person again Which books from our bag seem like they're worth reading If our McKay's bag accurately reflects Nicholas Cage's career choices Dave prepping for the apocalypse The hot mess of Aaron's (abandoned) quaranbeard Our reflections on talking about Canada for 30 minutes last week How James Patterson could possibly write as much as he does (completely out of jealousy) A few of the books we mentioned this week Death Without Company by Craig Johnson Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron One Second After by William R. Forstchen All Star Superman by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely Me and Earl and

Two countries unite on today's episode of the show as Drew Dyck joins us for a chat about being Canadians in Americaland, Canadian geography, and life on the interwebs. For those not in the know, Drew Dyck is an acquisitions editor at Moody Publishers, an author, and a fellow Canadian. Listen in as we discuss: What Drew loves best about the online world right now What's the worst thing online right now Fun Canadian city names Why everyone hates Toronto If Canada would be a good place to be in a post-apocalyptic wasteland The right name for an anchor baby Tom Holland vs Tom Holland A few of the books we mentioned this week Your Future Self Will Thank You by Drew Dyck Dominion by Tom Holland The Decadent Society by Ross Douthat Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for

As we continue to trudge through this season of social distancing and everyone sheltering at home, we're all finding it to be a struggle to do some of our favorite things. Y'know, like reading. So today, Karen Swallow Prior—one of our favorite guests from 2019—makes a return visit to the show to talk about reading habits, binge-watching, and generally class up the program. Listen in as we discuss: Which female literary characters men should make a point of studying Why it's hard to read in high-stress situations How we can overcome losing the art of deep, uninterrupted reading Why "TL;DR" is the worst Why Karen started her new B&H classic literature series with Sense and Sensibility and Heart of Darkness Where are our favorite reading spots Why it's a great idea to cite the people on your thesis panel All this, plus a few listener questions! (Thanks Joe Waller and Richard Harbison!) Karen Swallow Prior is the author of On Reading Well and has been a Professor of Literature at Liberty Univer

We're back with a brand-new episode, and we've brought a friend along! Daniel Darling joins us to talk about some nice, easy subjects including politics, online discussion, and the nature of celebrity. Listen in as we discuss: The difference between being Christian famous and actually famous Why we need to be wise with how we speak online The continued debate over retiring the sucker punch Becoming a writer before social media Scarlet's plan to go back to school Diet ice cream and parenting techniques A few of the books we mentioned this week A Nice Little Place on the North Side by George F. Will The Second Mountain by David Brooks Half Time by Bob Buford A Way With Words by Daniel Darling Anyone by Charles Soule Ember's End by S. D. Smith Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts Good Faith by David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson Misreading Scripture with Modern Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon O'Brien Sharing and supporting the show

We're back with a brand-new episode, in which Scarlet takes over as our benevolent dictator (she wanted me to call her our benign dictator, but I can't do it). Listen in as we discuss: The myth of extra time Giving books as gifts If giving a book as a gift has ever backfired on us When and why to quit reading a book If we've ever quit books that were convicting and/or offensive How many Churchill biographies Dave has read By the way, this week, we changed our category listing for the show. Let us know if you see it change! A few of the books we mentioned in this episode JLA Vol. 4 by Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and Howard Porter Ember's End by S. D. Smith Schulz and Peanuts by David Michaelis The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Ins

Well, we're a day later than normal, friends, but we've got a fun episode featuring the whole crew—and our friends, Scott James, as our special guest!Scott is a pediatric physician based in Birmingham, Ala., and the author of several books for families, including the newly released Where is Wisdom?. Listen in as: We weigh in on your answers about retiring the sucker punch Scott corrects us with science We talk wisdom and proverbs Dave leads us through a new segment that maybe doesn't turn out so hot (or does it?) We discuss C.S. Lewis-ish stuff and inspiration from Jimi Hendrix I (Aaron) hot-take Mark Twain's autobiography We discover if John Le Carre worked for MI5 or MI6 A few of the books we mentioned in this episode Where is Wisdom? by Scott James God's Wisdom for Navigating Life by Tim and Kathy Keller The Autobiography of Mark Twain by Mark Twain Dead Wake by Erik Larson The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White Ember’s End by SD Smith The Gateway Chronicles by K.B. Hoyle The Spy and the Traitor by

We're coming at you with a special bonus episode of the show today, one that we hope is filled with optimism and joy as Dave continues to prep for the apocalypse. Listen in to hear: An announcement about a very special project from our team Our first very important business meeting, working through last episode's issues The multiple ways to spell Charlotte What books we would take on a deserted island and/or have with us if the world was coming to an end The books we're reading right now Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones SeinLanguage by Jerry Seinfeld The Prodigal God by Tim Keller The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baronness Emmuska Orczy Great Expectations by Charles Dickens High Fidelity by Nick Hornby Churchill by Andrew Roberts Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel JLA by Grant Morrison Omnibus The Man Called Cash by Steve Turner Ember’s End by SD Smith And, of course, here's the cover to our upcoming new book: Look for a pre-order link soon!

We're not going to lie: this whole social distancing thing is taking its toll on us here at (mal)Contents HQ. Dave's wearing Tina Turner's outfit from Thunderdome, I'm preparing to put spikes on my car, and Scarlet is… raising chickens and going to the urgent care clinic. It's a dark time, as you can imagine. But still, you might be surprised at how fun this one is, especially when we discuss: Back alley book shopping (I'm not even joking) The new—and very real—project I'm working on If McKay’s is still open during this season Our plans for living in a dystopian nightmare Why we need sucker punch 2020 All this and Dave references Good to Great. The books we're reading right now The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon Batman Universe by Brian Michael Bendis and Nick Derington Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on

We step back in time to the week to the beginning of the month when we last sat in a room together to record a podcast! This time around, we had some fun that’s  We riff on different title ideas for this episode (that I don’t think we ended up using) Advice for past Scarlet, studying publishing Being dependent on Jesus as a writer What’s really frustrating about titling The kind of writers no publisher really want to work with If you can listen to a book you want to read while simultaneously reading a book you have to read If libraries bad for bookstores A few of the books mentioned on this episode The Death of Santini by Pat Conroy Turtles All the Way Down by John Green Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show. Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links

Since we're all being encouraged to practice social distancing these days, Dave, Scarlet and I decided to plug in our mics and record our first-ever episode where we weren't in the room together (something that hasn't been done on this show since the old Reading Writers days). Listen in as we discuss from the safety of our own homes (and Dave's office): We officially introduce our new co-host! Whether or not it's a good idea to read post-apocalyptic novels when we're kinda maybe sorta at risk of living in one What it's like to be at home all-the-time What I (Aaron) had to do to get on Amazon's "special handling" list Read-aloud time at home and online bookclubs What Dave thinks of Paul Coelho's The Alchemist My commitment to our listeners during this difficult time A few of the books mentioned on this episode Children of Men by P.D. James The Alchemyst by Michael Scott The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Making Sense of God by Tim Keller The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara Nothing to

Coming to you from an undisclosed location in Franklin Tennessee, Dave and I are back together, and we’ve got a friend with us! Scarlet Hiltibidal, longtime friend of the podcast, is joining us on the show.  For how long? The short answer is, as long as she wants.  Listen in as we discuss: Dave’s first week at the new job The books Scarlet pitched that someone needs to pick up What other pop culture phenomenon should Twilight be compared to The things that might surprise you about publishing celebrity memoirs What books about Nicholas Cage exist on Amazon Scarlet's beef with Barnabas All while landscaping work is happening outside the conference room window. A few of the books mentioned on this episode When Life Gives You Pears by Jeannie Gaffigan Death By Meeting by Patrick Lencioni Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope by Una McCormack Raising Worry-Free Girls by Sissy Goff The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson Sharing and supporting the show Leave a f

Dave and I are back recording in Nashville after our adventures in Minneapolis, and I've been a bit concerned about something of late: have we become too sincere? Listen in as we also discuss: Why comedy directors do a great job directing dramatic films What are a few leadership books we’ve found actually helpful Why Dave is cleaning out his office A few of the books we mentioned on this episode: Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath Good Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt Four Disciplines of Execution by McChesney, Covey, & Huling Leading Change by John Kotter Called to the Ministry by Edmund Clowney The First 90 Days by Michael D Watkins Essentialism by Greg Mckeown Team of Teams by Gen. Stanley McChrystal Conversations with Major Dick Winters by Cole C. Kingseed The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Gibraltar by Roy Adkins and Leslie Adkins So, Anyway… by John Cleese Sharing and supporting the show Leave a five-star rating and re

Shortly before heading out to Minneapolis, Dave and I were starting to get into a couple of books by William Kent Krueger. Well, it turns out that he lives in the area, so while we were in town, he graciously agreed to let us swing by and set up shop in his dining room to talk the mechanics of mystery writing, how he got his start, and, of course, what he's reading. Listen in as we discuss: What makes a good mystery story Why he frequently include 13-year-olds as primary characters in his books A shared favorite book of Aaron & Kent’s Why we might want to revisit The Catcher in the Rye Mystery and crime authors to read and learn from How reading affects his writing Great Minnesotan authors and the role place plays in his stories This episode is sponsored by Gospel-Centered Discipleship. On April 13th, GCD will host their 2020 Writer's Intensive in Louisville KY (right before T4G) featuring Ronnie Martin, Jonathan Dodson and Jared C. Wilson. Learn more and register at gcdiscipleship.com/writers-

Continuing our adventures in balmy Minneapolis, Dave and I had the chance to chat with our friend Jeremy Writebol. Jeremy is the director of Gospel-Centered Discipleship (our sponsor for the last few episodes), as well as an author and a pastor. During our chat in a relatively quiet executive lounge, we discussed: The time I gave Jeremy a critical review on his book Dave's commitment to the show and our long introductions Why we need to have a community around us, especially as writers What it's like to build an editorial process from scratch How reading broadly (and beyond your intended genre or field) will make you a better writer What would it be like to write a story about just one moment What a good side gig looks like How writing gives an opportunity to serve the church globally and not just locally When you can mark a book as "done" on Goodreads This episode is sponsored by Gospel-Centered Discipleship. On April 13th, GCD will host their 2020 Writer's Intensive in Louisville KY (right before T4G) featu

While in exotic Minneapolis, sitting in a fancy executive lounge at our hotel, Dave and I had a chance to talk with Canadian blogger and author Tim Challies—and as soon as the mics were on, things got heated. Listen in as we discuss: If Aaron is still a Canadian The fluidity of the English language Trends that Tim’s seen in publishing over the last 15 years The benefit of visual theology Tim’s advice for aspiring authors What’s unique about American Christianity from an outsider’s perspective? This episode is sponsored by Gospel-Centered Discipleship. On April 13th, GCD will host their 2020 Writer's Intensive in Louisville KY (right before T4G) featuring Ronnie Martin, Jonathan Dodson and Jared C. Wilson. Learn more and register at gcdiscipleship.com/writers-intensive. A few of the books we mentioned on this episode: A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? by J. M. Boice The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur Th