There Will Be Books

We are back from a nice fall break. Peter went to the big apple and Matt stayed around, working on his sourdough starter. While we were away we both have been reading books on the side, and we begin this episode discussing some of our fall reading highlights. And finally we end by picking an October book to read. Will we continue to pick a horror book or will we go another direction? Thank you for...

We begin by discussing Matt's recent reads, courtesy of his losing sports teams. Then we dive into another installment of nominating and selecting new books to add to our TBR. Lots of serious literary choices this time around. Also discussed; Sally Rooney, NYC bookstores, and twitter feuds. Thanks for listening. Enjoy! TBR Additions Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead The Spectre of Alexander W...

This week we are discussing the much praised, and beloved novel, "My Brilliant Friend" by Elena Ferrante. We delve into Ferrante's mysterious identity and discuss criticism in the modern age. But mostly we discuss this brilliant, personal, and captivating novel. One of the great things about this novel is the many layers it contains and we geek out on how Ferrante uses all the tools...

Widely hailed as one of the best books of 2023, David Grann's latest, "The Wager" is a remarkable true story that amazes at every turn. We discuss Grann's gift as a story teller and the various fascinating layers to this best selling book. Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitter @therewillbbooks Email willbebooks@gmail.com Goodreads: Therewillbebooks ko-fi.com/therewillbbo...

As you can tell from the title, we are discussing the much beloved and somewhat feared author, Thomas Pynchon. I use the word feared because Pynchon can be difficult to read and thus, readers are often left wondering, where do I start with one of the most important authors of the last 60 years? We certainly felt this way, and so we invited back on the show, Aldous Asterion, host of the podcast &qu...

This week we start by discussing "Black Spider" by Jeremias Gotthelf. This little known book, reprinted by the fabulous people over at NYRB, packs quite a punch in little over 100 pages. Gotthelf writes a tale with a little bit of everything, from idyllic country sides, to a menacing black spider, all within a Christian allegory that makes for a rewarding reading experience. And finally,...

Are you a fan of serious books or fun books? Both? Well this week we are adding two books to the TBR, a "fun" book and a "serious" book? We discuss a large pile of books from the well known to the obscure and end up adding over 1,000 pages of fun and serious fiction to the ever growing TBR. But I've buried the lede, also in this episode Matt reads from his reading journal f...

We're back this week discussing the famous Truman Capote novella, "Breakfast at Tiffany's." We discuss the book, and the 1961 movie adaptation starring Audrey Hepburn. And finally we riff on the idea of author as a celebrity. Have we lost that? If so, who was the last celebrity author? Fun episode with a few hot takes but mostly just two friends discussing books. As always, thank...

How do you describe a mysterious episode title? Begin with Matt's brain, add in a John Fowles novel, and there you go! If you listen past the odd beginning, you'll hear us go through our extensive TBR and touch base on where we're at with each book. You'll also learn what a cellar book is. And finally, we add to our TBR with a May selection. As always, thanks for listening and happ...

History fans, the episode this week is for you. We delve into the first part of Adrienne Mayor's fantastic book, "The Poison King." A riveting history of Mithradates, the legendary king who for a time was the biggest threat to the Roman Empire. We discuss fascinating details, stories, and more. Thanks for listening! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitter @therewillbbooks Emai...

This week we're reviewing the latest Ripley adaptation, and discussing two essays from prominent 20th century writers. We begin by discussing a short bookish essay by Christopher Hitchens and then review Joan Didion's essay on John Wayne. And lastly, we heap all kinds of praise on the Ripley series debuting on Netflix. Fun episode for everybody. Enjoy! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbook...

We are back this week talking about one of Matt's desert island books. "A Question of Upbringing" is challenging too describe and even recommend broadly, but as we discuss characters, themes, and plot lines we find there is so much to enjoy and love from this 20th century classic. A rewarding read that favors a curious and patient reader. As always, thanks for listening and supportin...

Spring is upon us and what better way to celebrate than to add to our TBR? This month we decided to add a "dad bio" and a bestseller to our TBR but the real question is did we add just two books? Lots of fun this week, with a great list of books discussed. Matt's question to everybody is, "Are we at a TBR tipping point?" As always thanks for listening and supporting us! Con...

It's that time again, to pick our favorites from the last year. What was our favorite book? Who wrote our favorite prose? Who was the best villain? Join us for our annual Book Oscars! We have those categories plus lots more. Let us know if you agree or disagree with our selections by reaching out to us on our socials. As always thanks for listening! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitt...

Are we clowns? Do we not discuss books in a serious enough manner? We discuss these questions plus two more short works from Franz Kafka and Paul Bowles. And finally, we nominate books for March. In typical fashion, we select more than one book! Thanks for listening! Books added to TBR: Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitte...

We are back with a jam packed episode. First off, we discuss the massive 2005 hit, "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova. We gave inklings that one of us didn't like the book and Peter details why. Next, we discuss the essay "Fear and Loathing at the Super Bowl" by Hunter S Thompson. We discuss the writer vs the persona. And finally, we give our predictions for our latest th...

We have a fantastic novel to discuss this week. Laurent Binet's debut novel "HHhH" has been on both our radars since its release over a decade ago and our high expectations were met and exceeded by this brilliant, thrilling, and important book. We highly recommend this book and we hope you enjoy our conversation about all things "HHhH." Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbook...

We came in with a plan to add some shorter works to our TBR, and because of Matt's ear infection and because Peter can't help himself, we added two novellas and six essays/short stories. Reasonable, right? Lots of interesting nominations this week so be sure to grab a pen and paper. As always thanks for listening. Enjoy! Jan/Feb TBR Additions: Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky Br...

It's beyond cold outside and we've both been under the weather but we are back this week with our annual Flashman episode! We are discussing the fourth book in the series, "Flashman at the Charge." Perhaps the best of the series so far and a possible jumping off point for new readers to the series. We gush over George MacDonald Fraser's creation, and dive deep into what makes...

We are back after a busy holiday season to talk Christmas movies, both good and bad. This year we both watched the 2000 movie, Reindeer Games. We discuss if the movie was as bad as everybody said and more. And finally, Peter discusses the stack of books he hauled and Matt talks about the mammoth book he got for Christmas. Another fun episode in the books. Also, let us know if you got any books ove...

To close out another great year of book nominations, our December nominations are the best group yet. We could have picked a half dozen books to add to our TBR but we settled on a classic. We also discuss Napoleon's education, attempt insightful analogies, and discuss upcoming Patreon content. Thanks for listening and enjoy! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitter @therewillbbooks Email...

We are back this week to wrap up Burr by Gore Vidal. To finish up this entertaining and informative novel, we discuss Burr's duel with Hamilton and his treason charge. We discuss Vidal's plausible theories that he puts forth during this fascinating chapter in American history. High recommend for historical fiction fans. Enjoy! Contact Us: Instagram @therewillbbooks Twitter @therewillbbooks...

We're back after a week off, and ready to talk books, or is that missing crockpot lids or egg yolk in coffee or free range pork. Never mind, we begin with randomness before getting to some exciting news from Matt and thats all before getting to selecting a November book. This time we turned our attention to the world of Non-fiction and selected a very interesting title. As always, thanks for l...

As baseball celebrates another World Series champion, we decided awhile ago to read the classic baseball book, "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton. A sensation, when it was released in 1970, we discuss how much Bouton's book still shocks and what seems relatively tame nowadays. A must read for baseball fans but Bouton's talent as a writer makes for an interesting read for not just the devo...

Many moons ago Matt's dad insisted with we read "Jayber Crow" by Wendell Berry, and this week we are ready to discuss this fantastic book and author. A great book to take your time reading, we unpack the life philosophies Berry seems to hold true as well as praise the beautiful prose and character development. A fantastic author that we hope to return too in the near future. And fina...