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#58 Sheldon Costa's: The Great Work

The Great Work by Sheldon Costa is a debut novel, and it was also Ian's pick for the month of May. The novel follows a man named Gentle Montgomery who is a self styled alchemist living in the American west just before Washington became a state. A salamander or dragon has been seen in the countryside and is driving animals to act strange, causing hallucinations, and water to go bad. Gentle also believes this salamander has killed his friend Liam, and so he sets off with Liam's body, his nephew, Kitt, and their donkey, Abe, in search of the salamander. Gentle believes this creature to be "prima material" which can be used to complete The Great Work and create the Philosophers Stone which can then resurrect Liam. Along the way the encounter a frontier warlord, a town of progressives called the Harmonites, and many other strange things. This novel has a very original plot and we enjoyed reading and discussing it! 

 

Next month's pick is Ronnie's, and she choose: Icarus by K. Ancrum.

#57 Toshikazu Kawaguchi's: Before the Coffee Gets Cold

For April, Ronnie chose a novel that was recommended to her by a friend, and that novel was Before the Coffee Gets Cold! Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a collection of four short stories that take place in the same café. The stories involve the employees and people who frequent the space, and each of them involves time travel! If a person sits in the correct chair they can travel back in time, but there are a few specific rules. The big one being: you must return to the present before your coffee gets cold, otherwise you'll be trapped in the past. Along with this, nothing one does in the past will change the future which lends a unique aspect to the idea of time travel! These stories deal with lost opportunities, lost loved ones, and disease, and each has a rather unique premise. We also recently learned that Kawaguchi is primarily a playwright which changes some of our interpretation of these stories. 

 

Also, Ian spent a bit of time learning how to mix audio better, so hopefully this is an enjoyable listen!

 

For next month, Ian chose a debut novel: The Great Work by Sheldon Costa!

#56 Tara Westover's Educated

Ian's pick for March 2026 was Tara Westover's memoir: Educated. He chose this book partially because he had read excerpts from it, partially because was a guest at the Babel reading series in Buffalo, NY this year, and partially because it's an interesting read. Babel is the story of Westover's childhood in Buck's Peak, Idaho. She was raised by her strictly religious parents along with her siblings, some of who left home, and some of whom stayed. Westover goes from rural Idaho to King's College and Harvard, and her story is one that facilitates thought, belief in the self, and a desire to grow. We hope you enjoy our discussion!

 

April's pick is Ronnie's and she chose Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

 

#55 Emily Brontë's: Wuthering Heights

Ronnie had a particularly difficult time choosing what to read this year, but when the Wuthering Heights trailer popped up, she jumped on the chance to reread this classic. This is not an endorsement of the film, and you'll hear a few of our opinions about it as we discuss the novel, but we try to stick to the text. Wuthering Heights, in our opinion, is usually mistaken for a romance when it's really a gothic horror. The novel follows Catherine, Heathcliff, and their families as the story winds its way toward revenge. 

 

Next month's read is Ian's choice, and he picked: Educated, by Tara Westover!

#54 László Krasznahorkai's: Sátántangó

I can't believe we're already through the first month of 2026, but here we are. This month, Ian started us off with László Krasznahorkai's: Sátántangó. The Hungarian author was last year's Nobel Laureate, so we decided that we'd better take a look at his oeuvre. Sátántangó is a bleak novel that describes the lives of the people living on an "estate". The people lie, cheat, and steal from each other, wallowing in their own problems, until Irimiás, a man they thought dead returns. The residents think that he's going to better their lives, but Irimiás is a conman. Sátántangó is a difficult text, especially only having read it once, but upon discussing the text, had more to say than we thought. We hope you enjoy our discussion! Maybe you have your own theories about what is really going on in this book? 

 

February's book is a classic: Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Brontë. Ronnie chose this one because Emerald Fennel's new movie!

#53 Simon Jimenez's: The Spear Cuts Through Water

We're two days late, but happy New Year! Last month's pick was Ronnie's and she chose: Simon Jimenez's, The Spear Cuts Through Water. A novel that we both found truly fascinating and difficult in equal measure. The Spear Cuts Through Water won the British Fantasy Award and Crawford Award, and is highly raved about it. The story follows warriors, Jun and Keema, as they escort an escaped goddess across the land while being hunted by the recently deceased emperor's sons. The story is told in a truly unique fashion, with a theatrical framing device, and the story bouncing around between first, second, and third person point-of-view. Honestly, there's a lot to unpack in this one, and we only scratch the surface. If you liked the story, leave a comment and let us know why!

 

Our first book of 2026 is Ian's pick, and he chose Sátántangó by László Krasznahorkai who won last year's Nobel Literature prize!

 

#52 Nghi Vo's: The Empress of Salt and Fortune

Happy Thanksgiving to our North American listeners, and to everyone else, we hope things are going well for you! This month was Ian's pick, and he chose: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo. This novel is part of a series (which Ian didn't know at the time), and follows Cleric Chih who is visiting an abandoned palace known as Thriving Fortune. While there, they meet Rabbit, a former servant to the recently deceased Empress In-yo. Rabbit tells Chih many stories about the Empresses' reign and her life as the wife of the Emperor of Pine and Steel. The Empress of Salt and Fortune is a tight, short novella that wont a Hugo. It deals with power, and vengeance, and ambition, and we had a great time reading and discussing it! 

 

Next month's pick is Ronnie's (and the last of 2025). She chose: The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez!

#51 C.G. Drews': Don't Let the Forest In

It's officially Halloween and time for some spooky stories. This month, Ronnie choose C.G. Drew's: Don't Let the Forest In. An atmospheric story about a high school senior named Andrew, his best friend/crush Thomas, and twin sister Dove. Upon returning to school for the year, Andrew finds his sister keeping him at arm's length, Thomas being questioned for the disappearance of his parents, and worst of all, strange monsters who seem to come from Thomas' drawings. Together, the boys must fight the monsters and ensure that nobody dies. 

 

Join us as we discuss this young adult, queer, horror story, and see what we thought! Next month's book is Ian's choice and he chose: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo!

#50 James Michener's: The Bridge at Andau

It's October already, and this episode is going up a little late (the evening instead of the morning) but this month was Ian's pick and he chose James Michener's: The Bridge at Andau which details the events of the Hungarian student revolution of 1956. Ian chose this book because of a familial interest, but both Ian and Ronnie found something to chew on in this text. The Bridge at Andau discusses the siege at Radio Budapest, the Battle at Killian barracks, and of course, the titular Bridge at Andau. In the this episode, we summarize the book, discuss the composite characters, and discuss how little of Eastern Europe is taught in US schools.

 

Next month's book is Ronnie's and she chose: Don't Let the Forest In by CG Drews. A perfect read for spooky month! 

#49 Jacquelin Holland's: The God of Endings

The God Endings is a meditative take on the immortal vampire story. August's pick was a Ronnie choice, and this novel follows Collette LeSange, a vampire who has been alive for two hundred years, rungs a fine art school, and is suddenly experiencing strong cravings for blood. Told alternatively in present tense and flashbacks, The God of Endings asks readers to consider what it means to be alive, to be isolated, and to what it means for something to end. After all, every ending begins something else. Listen to this month's episode and let us know what you thought of The God of Endings if you've read it. 

September's pick is Ian's choice and he chose The Bridge at Andau by James A. Michener. A non-fiction text that chronicles the Hungarian revolution of 1956