Beyond the PhIrst Page

In Club Meeting 18 Phebe, Isaac and Phil give their readers a complete break down of the massive cast of characters from Tommy Oranges critically acclaimed novel There There. This book follows native narrators from across Oakland as the prepare to attend The Big Oakland Powpow. The siblings also talk about privilege, the contemporary native voice and books they recommend if you liked There There....

In book club 17, Phebe, Isaac and Phil discuss Van Gogh: The Life. They discuss what “it” was to Vincent and also what “it” is to them. The siblings draw comparisons between Van Gogh and Micheal Jordan and provide commentary on what they would change about the way this biography was written. As always they provide great recommendations for their listeners on what to read next including a Game of T...

This weeks episode the siblings are in their element talking about A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan! They talk favorite mythical creatures and what they like to see in a good fantasy series. They also discuss the unique way this story was written and how the memoir style of writing really captured them! As always they concluded the club meeting with recommendations for their listeners...

This week's club meeting dives into Beloved by Toni Morrison. The siblings discuss how they are blown away by the research Morrison did and the messages she conveyed throughout the book that really shed light on the atrocities of slavery and the repercussions it had on Sethe, the main character, and her family and community. Also in this episode they share books that readers would enjoy if the...

Go beyond the PhIrst Page in this week’s club meeting with siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac as they discuss Lord of the Flies by William Golding. They kick off the discussion with a debate on what to bring to a deserted island and then get into contemplating outcomes of different scenarios based on age and gender of the people abandoned on the island. The siblings also debate why Lord of the Flies i...

On this week’s episode of Beyond the PhIrst Page podcast with siblings Phebe, Isaac and Phil the siblings analyze T.S. Eliot’s poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, using the MITSL acronym. They discuss the Meaning, Imagery, Tone, Structure, and Figurative Language of the poem to go beyond the PhIrst page of Eliot’s first professionally published poem. Also, Phil shares some haikus he wrote a...

Beyond the PhIrst Page mixes it up this week during their virtual book club meeting! Siblings Phil, Phebe and Isaac use professor and author George Saunders method of analyzing literature to discuss Foster a short story by Claire Keegan. Each of the siblings read you one of their favorite passages from the story and then answer the following four questions: What do we know so far? What are we curi...

This week during their virtual book club meeting siblings Phil, Phebe and Isaac discuss The Hunter by Tana French. They get into a dispute about whether this book is a slow burn or a final glowing ember. Phil also floats the "meta" concept that the town is the main character in this novel. Listen along as they also give you some fabulous murder mystery recommendations as well as keep you...

Siblings Phil, Phebe and Isaac's virtual book club discussing The Women by Kristin Hannah. This week, Phebe Isaac and Phil talk about whether they prefer historical fiction or based on a true story, love stories, and their aversion to them in Isaac's case, and PTSD and how well Hannah did at portraying that throughout The Women. They also share which fictional characters the other siblings...

Siblings Phil, Phebe and Isaac's virtual book club discussing The Fury by Alex Michaelides. This week, they discuss how point of view can effect how you perceive the narrator and friend group dynamics. Isaac also raises the question in a book like this, if you hated the narrator does that mean that the story was in fact well written? The siblings discuss whether the Silent Patient author deliv...

Siblings Phil, Phebe and Isaac's virtual book club discussing The Hearts Invisible Furies by John Boyne. They talk about the challenges that the main character Cyril faces being gay in Ireland in the mid to late 1900s, as well as concepts of home and how Boyne used humor to lighten the heavy topics this sweeping novel addresses. At the end get some great recs both related to The Hearts Invisib...

Virtual Book Club talking about J.K. Rowling's novel The Casual Vacancy. Listen along as siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac talk about the relatability of the characters, as well as their overall thoughts on the books and other reading recommendations they have!

A virtual book club discussing Doppelgänger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein. Listen along as siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac discuss how this book covers conspiracy theories, Zionism, radical political views and many more topics relevant to today's world.

Virtual Book Club discussing The Bourne Identity. This will have spoilers and plot giveaways! Join siblings Isaac, Phebe and Phil as they discuss their favorite parts of Robert Ludlum's, "The Bourne Identity. " 📚 About the Book: "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum is a book about a man who is rescued at sea, with no memory of who he is. The doctor charged with nursing h...

Listen along as siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac discuss My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult in their 4th book club meeting this year! 📚 About the Book: "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult follows the distressing story of a 13 year old girl, Anna, who was only born to be an organ donor for her sister who has leukemia. She approaches lawyer big shot Campbell Alexander in order to s...

Beyond the Phirst Page - Episode 3 - "The Rosie Project 📚 About the Book: This is a heartwarming story about a man who is undiagnosed on the autism spectrum who is looking for a wife but inadvertently gets involved with helping a woman, Rosie, with finding her biological father. 🎙️ Episode Highlights: - This book in 60 seconds - Fun Fact about the book Link to study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih...

eyond the Phirst Page - Episode 2 - "The Golem and the Jinni" Description: Welcome back to "Beyond the Phirst Page" with Phebe and Phil! In our second episode, we dive into the mystical world of "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker. This tale blends elements of Jewish and Arab folk mythology in the setting of turn-of-the-century New York City. 📚 About the Book:...

Beyond the Phirst Page - Episode 1 - "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Description: Join us, Phebe and Phil, in our debut episode of Beyond the Phirst Page as we delve into Carlos Ruiz Zafón's enthralling novel, "The Shadow of the Wind." Happy New Year and let's embark on this literary journey! 📚 About the Book: Discover the enigmatic world of "The Sha...