The Fascinating Podcast

What happens when you tell a story that turns out to be an echo of some ancient wisdom? Graci Kim returns to the show for a special deep dive into the conclusion to her Korean-mythology-inspired fantasy trilogy. We explore how Korean mythology evolved, how she chose which versions of the various myths to recontextualize and how she discovered her legacy as a storyteller. Plus, we meditate on what...

What would happen if churches dedicated ourselves to healing our communities? Jose Humphreys returns to the podcast to take us through his new co-authored book ECOSYSTEMS OF JUBILEE. We explore how Sabbath is good news for everyone - and why it means so much more than just going to church on Sundays. 

What does it mean to belong? As a woman of two worlds, Tasha Jun was never quite sure where she fit. But again and again, she returned to the dream her mother had - Tasha as a fierce tiger. Tasha's book is an exploration of identity, ethnicity and belonging. She takes us into the ideas she explores and what it looks like to make a home between two worlds.

What does it take to fit into US culture? Gene Luen Yang first asked that question in 2006 with his groundbreaking graphic novel AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. Now it has become a show on Disney+. We welcome Gene back to the show, and he brings the show's composer Wendy Wang. We explore how their faith shapes their art, and the surprising ways it shows up in the show. It's a season finale you won't want t...

Who gets to tell a story? Can a white person write black or Asian characters? Can a person of color play a traditionally white role? We dive into this perennial conversation. We're informed by R. F. Kuang's new bestseller YELLOWFACE, Halle Bailey's Little Mermaid and Miles Morales as Spider-man. PLUS: our non-spoiler thoughts on ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE!

What do we mean when we say the Bible is "inspired"? Zack Hunt, author of GODBREATHED, joins us to explore why we're so hung up on inspiration. We dive into issues like who wrote the books of the Bible, how much it matters, and who decided what made it in, or not. Oh and also Dan Brown because why not?

Christian mission work has a long, dark history of colonialism and decimation of indigenous cultures. Despite some reforms, the problems haven't disappeared. Author and activist Mekdes Haddis joins us to offer a vision of a Just Mission. She shares how growing up in Ethiopia shaped her experience of mission, and some of her vision for how we can fulfill Jesus' great commission without sacrificing...

The debate about immigration feels like it's at an impasse. What does it mean for our perspective to be just? Karen Gonzales challenges us to change the conversation by centering the very people who are already in the middle: immigrants. How does the our perspective on this issue change when we listen to the people we usually just talk about?

Andrea Stewart returns to the show to celebrate the epic conclusion of The Drowned Empire trilogy and her newly-minted status as Best-selling author. We do a spoiler-free exploration of Andrea's writing process and what it takes to deliver on the big questions her series asks. PLUS: Matt gives us some details on the latest Writer's Strike.

With Kathy in Paris and the internet abuzz with talk about God's gender, Matt and JR. welcome Rev. Tara Thomas Smith as a guest co-host. Tara takes us deep into what's at stake in this conversation, and we explore how best to refer to God in terms of gender. Trust us, this is an episode you don't want to miss!

Best-selling author Julianna Baggott returns to the show as we explore her trippy new short story collection, I'D REALLY PREFER NOT TO BE HERE WITH YOU. Why did she return to short fiction? What has she learned from screenwriting about how ideas are forged into stories? Plus, a tour of some of our favorite stories from the collection!

Dr. Emily Friedman returns to the show. Last time (which was admittedly way too many years ago), she was an expert on the way history smells. Now she's become the premier public scholar on the burgeoning world of table top role playing games. What are her favorite hidden gems - simple enough even kids can play?  And what's going on with D&D these days? Speaking of D&D, Kathy and JR. do a quick rev...

Screenwriter Henry Gayden returns to the podcast to discuss his new film, SHAZAM!: Fury of the Gods. He takes us into the process of writing a superhero movie in a shared universe. How did that skittles gag happen? What about THAT cameo? And how does he balance humor, action and so much heart?

This installment of the Fascinating Book Club welcomes science-fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky to discuss his new classic space opera series CHILDREN OF TIME. Adrian talks about his writing process, where the ideas for these creatures come from and what real empathy looks like in a world where we're not actually all the same.

It's March Madness and that means it's time for our super-sized Bracketology episode! What will win in this year's annual bracket? And, for that matter, who even are the contenders?! Listen up and brace yourself for surprise match-ups and even a surprise guest! PLUS: Don't forget that YOU get to vote on the final winner!

Author S. B. Divya returns to the show to unveil her latest novel MERU. While most of her work has been near-future, MERU is a far-futuristic space opera with giant humanoid mermaid space-fairies. How does she go about crafting the far future? How does she imagine the ways humanity might evolve (or evolve ourselves)? And what does this sort of science fiction tell us about how to navigate our worl...

Your hosts review the Best Picture Nominees for the 2023 Oscars, then make predictions. Hey... you already know who won, so it's pure schadenfreude for you!

The new film COCAINE BEAR plays fast and loose with historical events for the sake of entertainment. In honor of the film, we turn to the Bible - what stories from scripture would make good (and loose) adaptations? Then, we explore how a playful attitude toward Scripture can be fruitful. So what stories did we miss?

A freak scheduling conflict has thrust our cohosts into the Quantum Realm. You know what that means - a Feral Hog update! Well... not JUST a hog update. Since time moves differently in the Quantum Realm, we spend some extra time on what's been fascinating us lately and then we end up exploring Marvel's latest film, Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania!

What's the difference between deconstruction and decolonization? Author and activist Tamice Spencer-Helms joins us to share insights from her new book FAITH UNLEAVENED. How did Tamice meet White Jesus? Why was he so detrimental to her faith? And how has she learned to walk away from him and back to the brown Palestinian liberator? 

The Bachelor turns 21 this year, so we take a deep dive into the world of reality dating. Our guide is reality TV show expert Nguhi Ross, who leads us through the highs and lows of Bachelor Nation. Why does this franchise have such staying power? What is the best reality dating show to follow in its wake? And what has this done to our culture as a whole?

Heather Radke joins us to talk about, well, butts. What is a butt, exactly? Why don't we have a proper term for it? And how did she come to write a whole book about them? We do a deep dive into the Booty revolution of the 90s, including that ultimate booty song, Baby Got Back. Don't worry... this is a very serious conversation (with surprisingly few puns!).

Social Media platforms aren't agnostic; they have a particular purpose - one that's often invisible to casual users. Author Jason Pargin joins us to explore the implications of this reality. How do we trace what social media wants from us? How can we tell if we should use carefully or abandon it all together? Oh yeah, and what about Jason's latest book?

Wakanda Forever is out and the response has been... mixed. This major Marvel release tries to tackle grief head-on. How does it do? Join us as we dive deep into this film and discuss what we loved and what didn't work.

What is America's fascination with the macab? Author and professor Scott Poole returns to the show to take us into the Dark Carnivals of American Empire. And since we just had an election, we consider how our devices are haunted houses - and whether we're scared of the right things.