Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch

Michael and Ethan conclude their discussion of the first book of the new season, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman . In this episode: You know how deeply uncomfortable experiences can be deeply uncomfortable? A human is someone who looks other humans in the eyes A Krispy Kreme donut dunked in a cup of tea The Underdark: A Modified Craftalk, by Brandon Taylor Glib pull-quotes often assert an...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of the first book of the new season, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman . In this episode: The finest wood Sherlock Holmes, or, coffee shop brags from Ethan, or, amusement park brags from Michael A paean to Japanese convenience stores Irasshaimase! Ethan invents a new segment: doing background research during the show What is normal? What is the purpos...

Michael and Ethan conclude their discussion of this year’s extra-mondo mondo book, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace . In this episode: Ethan is surprise-attacked about his love of Natasha The Thackery T. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases Conventions of marriage, or, everyone loves Natasha (not just Ethan) Romanticism! The zeitgeist of the 19th century! Other topics the hosts...

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of this year’s extra-mondo mondo book, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace . In this episode: Remember a couple notes ago when we apologized for all of our French pronunciation? cf. Ethan’s pronunciation of “Dubonnet” Some real in-depth stuff about chance, fate, free will, and faith—not super good material for sassy or funny footnotes The infinite sky (also not...

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of this year’s extra-mondo mondo book, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace . In this episode: Tolstoyan compliments Things Tolstoy thinks are impossible to know War and Peace is funny, we promise Tolstoy’s biography is WILD ANARCHISM YUSSSS Natasha, Pierre, and a Bunch of Distracting Side Plots In Tolstoy, no two horses are the same Tolstoy does us dirty We will...

SORRY FOR OUR ABSENCE, LEO TOLSTOY ALMOST KILLED US. ALMOST. Today, FINALLY, Michael and Ethan have finished reading and begin discussing this year’s extra-mondo mondo book, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace . In this episode: Controversial Audrey Hepburn hot-takes Butt comparisons Translation comparisons, everyone try to contain your excitement We would like to formally apologize for all the French pro...

In this special episode, Michael and Ethan work their way in to Russian literature by discussing The Seagull, by Anton Chekhov. It was supposed to be a one-episode special, but there was too much! Chekhov was too good! So stay tuned for part 2. CONTENT WARNING: The Seagull deals explicitly with the topic of suicide. If that’s not something you want to hear discussed, it might be best to skip these...

In this special episode, Michael and Ethan work their way in to Russian literature by discussing The Seagull, by Anton Chekhov. It was supposed to be a one-episode special, but there was too much! Chekhov was too good! So stay tuned for part 2. CONTENT WARNING: The Seagull deals explicitly with the topic of suicide. If that’s not something you want to hear discussed, it might be best to skip these...

In this special episode, Michael and Ethan check in about what books they’ve read for reasons other than the podcast, like work and fun! In this episode: Being very wrong and owning it It’s Crazy to Stay Chinese in Minnesota , by Eleanor Wong Telemaque What blogs are Lavie Tidhar is actually a collective cult Tim Powers is master of the Strange Middle Kaye Gibbons is the ruler of the first line, a...

Michael and Ethan conclude their discussion of Where the Light Fell, by Philip Yancey , while drinking Shieldaig 12. In this episode: Letting problematic be neutral Do we contradict ourselves? Mountains out of molehills, one way or another Fractals again (and again and…) Throwing spaghetti at Michael Thankfully no one cries Next time Michael and Ethan will begin their giant mondo book for the year...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of Where the Light Fell, by Philip Yancey , while drinking Shieldaig 12. In this episode: Family drama and family trauma Leaning into the darkness A very boring debate we could have A long edition of a non-segment We Are Too Many, by Hannah Pittard People don’t die when they’re supposed to Where the light fell but with a question mark Ethan’s dad says “wher...

In this episode, Michael and Ethan are joined by two very special guests: Risha Lilienthal, host of Tapestry’s newest addition, Shakespeare in the Village , and Lydia Grabau, friend of the show and Shakespeare afficianado! In this episode: Cut Medieval Brian This play slaps Abandonment issues vs. intelligence issues A short digression Don John: interestingly uninteresting Beatrice slaps Hero is a...

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of Nobody’s Angel, by Thomas McGuane , while drinking Shieldaig 12. In this episode: Michael says “gentle” multiple times Tattoo reveal! Ethan says “Madonna-virgin” complex when he obviously means “Madonna-whore” complex Prose! Including some exciting phrases like “3rd person limited” and “omniscient narrator” and “close reading” Inferences from Kevin’s...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of Nobody’s Angel, by Thomas McGuane , while drinking Shieldaig 12. In this episode: Introducing our new mascot, Bobblehead Polonius Huck Finn manages to come up, of course We define what a classic is, it’s easy! Michael and Ethan refuse to answer each other’s questions What we know about Patrick’s father, or, the inevitable The Empire Strikes Back comparis...

In this special, Michael and Ethan do a very serious job (without jokes or sarcasm) of analyzing Lord of the Flies, a commonly assigned AP English/college intro-level text, so that if you are assigned it, but don’t want to read it, you can just go ahead and use our very good analyses! In this episode: Some pretty good discussion of The Count of Monte Cristo, you’re welcome New whiskey toys Turns o...

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson , while drinking Glenmorangie 10. In this episode: Gaslighting Eleanor Present-tense mothers who are dead The real journey is the puzzle boxes we met along the way SO MANY ATMOSPHERES Secret fan fiction segment Sudden Shakespeare, almost as a matter of chance Love triangle arrows Next time Michael and Eth...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson , while drinking Glenmorangie 10. In this episode: SPOOKY TIMES A girl can be a red herring A house can be a character Subjective genitive, objective genitive, or plenary genitive? The debate is definitely scintillating Ethan talks about the Ghormengast trilogy for some reason Is someone/who is gaslighting E...

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig , while drinking Glenmorangie 10. In this episode: Ethan leads with some very specific brags Michael follows a rule Unofficially taboo topics that are nebulous, endless, and very important The word Ethan was looking for around 16:00 was “counterfactual” So much table-setting, but for a purpose? IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE...

CONTENT WARNING: this episode contains brief discussion of suicide. The discussion begins a little past the 45:30 mark, and concludes by the 50:00 mark. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org anytime, 24/7. — Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig , while drinking Glenmorangie 10. In...

To prepare for their episodes discussing The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig , Michael and Ethan spend a very special episode discussing the idea of multiverses and going over some (SOME) examples of the idea in fiction. In this episode: The book Ethan can’t remember is The Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book Launches into a discussion of quantum physics in which this podcast is deeply unqualified to engage “...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of the graphic novel The Sherriff of Babylon, by Tom King , while drinking the Glenlivet Nadurra cask-strength bottling. In this episode: The August referenced in the opening is a friend of Michael and Ethan’s. This is not properly set up because Ethan didn’t know he was telling this anecdote for an audience (ie, it’s Michael’s fault). Spoilers for Tom King...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of the graphic novel The Sherriff of Babylon, by Tom King , while drinking the Glenlivet Nadurra cask-strength bottling. In this episode: The August referenced in the opening is a friend of Michael and Ethan’s. This is not properly set up because Ethan didn’t know he was telling this anecdote for an audience (ie, it’s Michael’s fault). Spoilers for Tom King...

Michael and Ethan conclude their discussion of The House on Vesper Sands, by Paraic O’Donnell, while drinking the Glenlivet Nadurra cask-strength bottling. In this episode: There must be no change Ethan loses! Michael fails to notice, or at least to call it out. Will Ethan confess in the future? Good thing Ethan avoids sounding pedantic, now or ever The unmooring of the book Good thing Michael avo...

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of The House on Vesper Sands, by Paraic O’Donnell, while drinking the Glenlivet Nadurra cask-strength bottling. In this episode: A fearful Scotch Some deeply inside jokes The Gothic Genre: A TEDm&e Talk The term “sensibility” is used a lot of times for a podcast not discussing Jane Austen The term “vibes” is used a lot of times for a podcast run by two...

Michael and Ethan conclude their discussion of Gargantua and Pantagruel, by Francois Rabelais, as translated in one case by Thomas Urquhart and Peter Motteaux and in the other by M.A. Screech, while drinking Benriach distilliery’s The Smoky Twelve. In this episode: Ethan tried to research “here’s mud in your eye” while writing these notes but the internet is full of obvious nonsense on the subject...