Paper Cuts

Next up in our big batch of episodes this month, we get further into the colors of space, this time following Bartol in his clever little ruse, the habits of a space-worker settling in comfortably. Does he survive that which should fell him without a second thought? Well, I know, and if you've read the book, you know, but hey, there's no way to tell without giving the episode a listen, so feel fre...

This episode, we dive into a brand new book! Coincidentally, we're pushing this batch of episodes right after the fourth anniversary of this show, I first started doing Paper Cuts live at SAU on September 8th, 2018! The book we're picking up is a good deal newer than the average fare around here, I managed to rustle up something in that little period of copyright in the middle where you had to ren...

Our last episode on this english class favorite, this time we learn a little bit about some favored poetry of a man already made melancholic by the divorce of his form from the passage of time that adds contrast to all our lives, only to watch him spiralling further and further until he spins to a half-hearted halt. His experimentation has gained him nothing, and his soul is made wicked and empty...

Having finally learned of the particulars of that titular portrait, we can get into the meat and bones of this lovely little tale. Immediately, and shockingly so, Dorian has a change of mannerisms that puts Basil off of their friendship, and a whole new sort of tension enters the fray here. Just how will that resolve, or perhaps twist the vision of the story as it passes by? That's the bit you'll...

This time, we delve further into the tale of Dorian Grey, first resolving his shocking engagement (poor Sybil), then learning more about the particulars of just why it's so shocking, despite Dorian's insistence to the contrary. Basil has some opinions on the matter, and shocking nobody, so does Lord Henry. But how far does the slide into darkness go for our dear centerpiece of this tale? Well, you...

We dive into another new story this episode, one that, if I'm honest? Needs a new big budget retelling. I say that a lot, and it's a cultural fixture for sure, but, like many of its fellow well-remembered classics, a lot of details of the story have gotten lost in the cultural shuffle! Sure, we all know about the painting, but what about the very Dorian tension, hm? It would fit right in in a mode...

Summerwe'en has struck our dear podcast, and we're feeling pretty spooky because of it! Lots of Edgar Allen Poe on the way, and the first story in particular is on the nose for the past year or so we've been having, or at least, the internet at large would have you think that way! Wanna find out if they're right? Gotta give this episode a listen! We then dive into tales that also feel appropriate...

This time round, we draw our journey with good ol' hotfeets mcgee (That's definitely a name for the devil that's catching on, right?) to a close, in a suitably dramatic fashion. Personally, I was hoping for a fiddle battle, but hey, I'll take the ending we got anyway! I was really pleasantly surprised by this book overall, I wasn't expecting anything special. Thoroughly glad a viewer suggested it!...

We delve into fantastic descriptions of a fantastic place, and a little story some or most would know: that of the serpent Causing Problems On Purpose for the newly split humans, who were just working out their own relationship with the world and each other. The damage is just as great as you'd expect, given the trouble that crops up. Up next episode is the 10th book through the finale, so look fo...

Despite the storm outside, we continue to learn more about the journey that the old Lightbringer goes on. A war among those fallen, and those who remain in the more hallowed lights is detailed this time, and even though the obvious conclusion is just what one would expect for when this was written, the way things are explained still remains enjoyably fascinating. You can find the text (to read alo...

We hop into a new story, this time one chosen by a listener! Let's dive into Paradise Lost, a public domain favorite that I knew existed, vaguely, but hadn't gotten around to yet. Honestly, I wasn't sure whether I'd enjoy this one, but I wound up really getting into it. Oh, and before I forget! There's two ways to suggest new books (though it'll take 20 episodes before I get to them). You could jo...

Getting further into our tale of a Paradise that enshrines us no longer, we dive into the details of Eden itself, in quite the lyrical manner. This is technically a poem after all! Not only does that world built in Genesis get detailled here, but also we're given faces and names to several other players in the story at this point... Or maybe they're just being dramatic about how they describe the...

Hello, my name is elder Nester, and I would like to share with you the most amazing book! No, no, not the one you're expecting, it's Around the World in 80 Days! It really is quite the wonderful story, if you ask me anyway! We wrap it up this episode, and find out if Phileas and Passepartout (whose name I've been saying THOROUGHLY wrong basically this whole time, oops) can, in fact, manage their c...

52 days into the journey (just like the title would have you guess!) we head from Singapore to Hong Kong. The detective is thoroughly suspicious of just what's what here, and does his best to jam up the works of everything. Just how will our intrepid travellers resolve this particularly sticky misunderstanding? Well, that's in the telling of the tale, gotta tune in for that! You can find the text...

So as usual, I do some wikipedia digging to write tags for the episodes, and I was shocked to find that apparently Verne was actually acting as a member of the french coast guard while writing this, and that he had aligned the seriallized publishings so that last piece came out on the date the story ends. That's certainly one way to drum up hype! You can find the text (to follow along with) here:...

New episode, new book! We keep on the popular classics train by starting in on Around the World in 80 Days! This particular tale of globetrotting has inspired countless other stories, let alone all the modern retellings. To be honest with you, though, my favorite adaptation is the muppets one. Regardless of all that, I'm somewhat shocked this is the only Verne novel I've done on stream. We'll have...

This week, we find ourselves at the finale of Phantom! Just how does the beloved tale of Christine, Raoul, and the Punjab Lasso-weilding Erik resolve? Gotta listen to the episode for that one, but uh, I'll give you a hint: There's a lot of water involved. Like I've mentioned quite a few times, this is a childhood favorite of mine, and I'm glad we got it read! You can find the text (to follow along...

There's something up with the cuts of this episode and the next on youtube, so I'm comfortable saying that this is the Full, Proper cut of the episode! You, lucky podcast listeners, get the exclusive right to hear this episode for the first time since 2018 when it ran live! Just what did the youtube audience miss? Well, that's a question you'll have to answer by listening! Knowing Phantom, it's no...

We soldier on further into Phantom this episode, finally getting to that most memorable of scenes, the MASQUERADE! Every face a different shade, masquerade, hide your face there's another mask behind you! 🎵 I considered at one point doing a longer-form scripted video about my feelings on the musical vs the book in particular, it's an interesting way to look at the material and see how it adapts t...

This time on Paper Cuts, we dive into a childhood favorite of mine, The Phantom of the Opera! You'll have to forgive some of my pronunciations here, French isn't exactly a language I'm abundantly familiar with, so I stumble on some of the personal titles in particular. Still, the story of Christine Daae, Carlotta, Raoul de Chagny, and the Phantom himself haunting the Paris Opera House stuck to me...

After we finish up the last bits and pieces of the invisible man, we dive into another H.G. Wells story. Honestly, as I recall, I had never read The Door In the Wall before this, but I figured that given how much I enjoyed some of his other work that this story would do quite nicely. The mystery of this door unravelled quite well, to be honest! Come with me on this journey through a new story, and...

This episode, we finish up the horrowing tale of the invisible man, as he runs off into the world only to find that the world isn't about to go his way. Griffin has quite the time in store for him with the remainder of this story, huh? We wind up on quite the cliffhanger, so make sure to pick up the tail end of the story in the next episode! You can find the text (to follow along with) here: https...

This episode, we dive into another personal favorite classic of mine, The Invisible Man! H.G. Wells is honestly a favorite author of mine in the public domain, so I was really excited to get down to business reading this one. There's no shortage of intrigue here, and I'd love to see a modern take on the story as a film, to be honest. I mean, it's public domain, so anyone can take a swing at it, it...

We once again dive into the psyche of one Henry Jekyll, whose name is altogether too easy to misspell, as we unweave his transformation into Edward Hyde. Will he be able to procure the things he needs to continue his life? How willful will his alter-ego be? More importantly, what are we reading after we're done, there's no way it takes me the whole episode to read! We'll find the answer at our doo...

A mind lurks beneath the surface, roiling out of the horrifying chemistry knowledge of one Dr. Henry Jekyll. What writhes beneath the surface? Well, the title spoils it, but I promise it's a fun twist for the characters in the story! Nobody knows who this Edward Hyde guy is, and it comes together in a fascinating way. Did you know this was a commentary on Scottish difficulties with Britain? I alwa...