Socratica Reads

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates the joys of reading. In creating a new illustrated audiobook series for our kids’ channel, Socratica Kids, Kim is revisiting some of her favourite coming-of-age stories that inspired her. In this episode, Kim discusses “The Book of Three” by Lloyd Alexander. If you would like your own copy of the book discussed, i...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates the joys of reading. For the start of spooky season, we are turning to the theme of Dark Academia. In this episode, Kim discusses the book “Down a Dark Hall” by Lois Duncan.  If you would like your own copy of the book discussed, it is available here: https://amzn.to/4f5zyPv Kim’s book: How to Be a Great Stud...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates the joys of reading. In this episode, Kim discusses the book “Stir of Echoes” by Richard Matheson. Matheson is maybe best known for penning several books that were later made into thrilling movies, as well as some timeless Twilight Zone episodes. If you would like your own copy of the books discussed, they are ava...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates a love of reading and discovery. In this episode Kim shares a new-to-her author (Charles Beaumont) she learned about by reading the letters of one of her favourite authors (Ray Bradbury). She poses the question: how do you find new books to read? What leads you to them?  If you would like your own copy of the...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that is a home for people who love reading and want to revel in how good it makes you feel when you find a great book, or revisit a much-loved classic. In this last episode of the year, Kim returns to the “Dark Is Rising” series by Susan Cooper. Last year at this time, we discussed “The Dark Is Rising,” the second book in the ser...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates the power of reading to inspire. In this episode, Kim returns to her favourite Hallowe’en friend, Ray Bradbury. Back in the day, every Hallowe’en, RDB would read from his book The Hallowe’en Tree at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena. But that’s not the only work of Bradbury’s that is appropriate for Hallowe’en! “Skel...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates the power of reading to inspire. In this episode, Kim presents a surprising vision of the future from a celebrated novelist of manners and society, E.M. Forster (author of A Room With a View, A Passage to India, etc.).  If you would like your own copy of this story, it is available here: The Machine Stops, Th...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) hosts this podcast that celebrates books and authors. She introduces you to the wide variety of writing that has influenced the work at Socratica. Often, it’s the incomparable Ray Bradbury. It’s his birthday, and we’re talking about his short story “The Pedestrian.” “The Pedestrian” used to be in “The Golden Apples of the Sun” story collection, but...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her love of reading and encourage others to develop this habit. In this episode, Kim introduces a short story by Poul Anderson called “Call Me Joe” that may remind you of a certain movie franchise with humans colonizing a land by impersonating the blue natives.  Call Me Joe (Collected Short Works) by Poul Anderson...

Socratica Reads Episode 20: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her love of reading and to help others find their way back to reading, or to develop a new habit. In this episode, Kim gets around to reading something off her TBR list: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. She didn’t love it, but that’s okay. You don’t have t...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her love of reading and to foster the development of this excellent habit. In this episode, Kim talks about what happens when everyone is recommending a book that just isn’t that great (cough cough The Three Body Problem ) and how you can come back with a better book that explores similar themes ( Childhood’s End by Ar...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast as a way to share her love of reading. She credits most of her professional success (and much personal joy) to her lifelong habit of reading everything she could get her hands on. In this episode, Kim discusses the special pleasure of seasonal re-reading. The context: it’s the Winter Solstice, which is the perfect time to read...

Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her love of reading, that most accessible of learning tools. Today Kim talks about how the shortest stories can create an indelible impression. And for those short on time, or finding it hard to commit to a long work, this can be a good way to ease into the reading habit. The short story Kim introduces is All Cats Are...

Socratica is known for spreading a love of learning. Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her favourite reading experiences. Today Kim talks about her favourite part of Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz.  Get your copy here: Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz  https://amzn.to/3SpJ05e How to Be a Great Student ebook: https://amzn.to/2Lh3...

One of the missions of Socratica is to share the joy of learning, especially the power of reading. Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her favourite reading experiences. Today Kim talks about her favourite part of I Sing The Body Electric by Ray Bradbury. Get your copy here: I Sing the Body Electric and other stories https://amzn.to/3c3eTkj I Sing the Bo...

Do you love to read? Can you think of something you read lately that changed how you did things? Or made you feel better about something you are dealing with in your life? Like…MATH? Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her favourite reading experiences. Today Kim talks about her favourite part of At Sixes and Sevens by Rachel Riley and Dr. Gareth Moore G...

Not all education happens in the classroom, or from reading textbooks. Be on the lookout for ALL the places where you can learn. If you’re really looking, you can find inspiration in the most unlikely places. Even…TWITTER.  Do you love to read? What are you reading that sparks your curiosity and brings you joy?  Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to sh...

Do you love to read? What are you reading that sparks your curiosity and brings you joy?  Kimberly Hatch Harrison (co-founder of Socratica) created this podcast to share her love of reading - a love that has the power to transform your life.  Today Kim talks about her favourite part of Star Daughter , by Shveta Thakrar  Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3M5R72U How to Love Reading...

After a brief hiatus, we’re starting Season 2 of Socratica Reads with a new theme: My Favourite Part . To foster and develop your love of reading, Kimberly shares her favourite parts of the books she’s reading. What are you reading that sparks your curiosity and brings you joy? Today Kim talks about her favourite part of Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury.  If you'd like to talk about this podca...

Socratica Reads Episode 10 - The Magician’s Nephew by CS Lewis What do you consider “real” science fiction? Does it include books like The Narnia Chronicles ? In this episode of Socratica Reads , our host Kimberly Hatch Harrison talks about the increasingly common narrowing of the definition of science fiction, and recalls one of the Narnia Chronicles that she read as a child that does meet many o...

Isaac Asimov was trained as a chemist, but he achieved true immortality as a science fiction author. He wrote on every conceivable topic, including nonfiction works on the history of science and technology, The Bible, Shakespeare...His first big splash in sci-fi was the short story Nightfall, published when Asimov was only 21. You can buy your copy here: Nightfall and other stories https://amzn.to...

It’s hard to pick one book that Ray Bradbury is best known for.  He only wrote a handful of longer books ( Fahrenheit 451 , Something Wicked This Way Comes , etc.). Mostly he was a creator of perfect little stories — stories that were usually about something other than what you initially thought. 26 strange, lovely little stories about Mars are woven together in The Martian Chronicles. Today,...

Have you been snacking on a steady unwholesome diet of Dystopian Science Fiction? Does anyone write Utopias anymore? Kimberly revisits Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and considers how this work influenced her thinking (and ultimately influences her work with Socratica). Buy your copy of Brave New World here: https://amzn.to/2TjyH9C My first book - How to Be a Great Student ebook: https://amzn.t...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION: When Flowers for Algernon came out in 1959, It was science fiction. What if you could go in for surgery and come out with more intellectual potential? In this episode of Socratica Reads, Kimberly ponders how some of this concept has actually come to pass (informed by her stint in Joe Tsien's "smart mouse" lab). How has this book influenced our work at Socratica? The messa...

Ender's Game is an essential read for gifted kids and adults who were gifted children. And anyone who is supposed to be raising or educating gifted kids. We don't just root for Ender. We ARE Ender. Although Ender's Game is ostensibly science fiction, much of it reads as a slice of real life for gifted kids. They've all experienced the mix of pride and shame when a teacher singles them out for prai...