The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast

This week is all about the most intimidating books on our TBR piles. You know, the ones you really want to read someday and yet never quite seem to make it to the top of the pile? We each share five of the most terrifying tomes on our shelves, and share some some listener input as well. Oh, and we each *gulp* commit to read one book from our list! Want to join us by committing to read a formidable...

Have you ever forgotten one of your all-time favorite books? If you’re anything like the two of us, the answer is a resounding yes! This week, we talk about some of the best books we’ve forgotten about over the years . . . and how this is even possible.   For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visit The Mookse an...

This week, we are joined by an all-star cast to discuss our 2023 summer read, Natalia Ginzburg’s The Dry Heart . Two of the most insightful readers we know, Merve Emre and Kim McNeil, share wonderful insights and thoughts and help us uncover aspects of Ginzburg’s brilliant work that we had never considered before. We hope your enjoy the conversation as much as we did! For complete shownotes, pleas...

Summer is a perfect time to take a break from real life and completely disappear into a good book. But what makes a book immersive? Plot? Writing? Characters? This week, we explore this topic and share some of our favorite immersive reads. We also announce the winner of our latest giveaway: a copy of Natalia Ginzburg’s The Dry Heart, which we’ll be discussing  for our Summer Book Club during our n...

This week, we ignore our towering TBR piles and the many shelves bulging with backlist masterpieces and instead look ahead to the upcoming new releases we’re most excited about in the second half of 2023. From small indie presses and relatively unknown authors to well-known headliners, the next few months promise a treasure trove for bibliophiles. Hold on to your wallets, everyone! We also announc...

A minor author focused only on small-town vicars and spinsters, or the next Jane Austen? This week, we are joined by Bonnie Renzi to discuss the complicated and fascinating Barbara Pym. In this author episode, we hear from a variety of experts and fans and offer our own experiences from her works. Let's just say there's a lot more than meets the eye! We also announce the winner of our latest booki...

This week, Trevor and Paul call a quick audible and talk about summer books and reading horizons (an homage to The Readers!) They chat about their short-term reading plans, a few books that are calling out to them right now, and summer reading in general. And be sure to listen closely for another bookish giveaway!   For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsl...

Would a book by any other name smell as sweet? This week, we have fun talking all about titles: How much do they matter? Are they truly art or more of a marketing tool? Do certain genres lend themselves to better titles? We also share (more than) a few of our favorites! What are your top titles? For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like...

Inspired by Brian Dillon’s new book “Affinities,” Trevor and Paul have fun exploring the question: Why do we like what we like? The answers are not always black and white or even logical—but they are sure are fun to talk about! For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast  Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visit The Mookse and the Gripes  Patreon . Vis...

Art and literature is filled with idylls -- picturesque and happy moments that can take the form of vacations, journeys or even a stolen afternoon. What is it about these brief moments that haunts us and can even change the course of lives? This week, Trevor and Paul delve into these question and share some of their favorite literary idylls. They also unveil five surprise winners of a bonus giveaw...

This week, we talk about passing on a love of reading between generations. Whether reading aloud to each other or quietly side by side, going on bookstore and library visits, or attending author events, there are countless ways to enjoy books together. What are your favorite stories and memories? We also announce a big giveaway: one year of Open Letter books! For complete shownotes, please sign up...

This week’s episode is all about one of our favorite publishers: Open Letter Books. Trevor and Paul are joined by translated lit super fan, Ron Restrepo, as they share a few favorite Open Letter titles, talk about the ones they can’t wait to pick up next, and discuss the importance and magic of this vital and exciting press.   We also announce the winner of our giveaway of A r a b e s q u e s ! Oh...

Would you only visit a favorite city once? Enjoy a  delicious meal and then never eat it again? Meet a fascinating new person and then go your separate ways - forever? Of course not. So why should it be any different with books? In this episode, we discuss the many benefits (and a few potential pitfalls) of rereading and share some of our favorite experiences. What books do you return to most ofte...

Are you an underliner? Tab-user? A worshiper of the unblemished page? A *gulp* dogearer? This week, Trevor and Paul discuss marginalia and the various other ways readers engage with what they're reading. As always, the conversation takes some very unexpected detours!   For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast  Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visi...

How do we love books? Let us count the ways. This week, Trevor and Paul have a little fun and answer a set of Valentine’s-influenced bookish questions. Find out all about their literary breakups, long-term relationships, flings, and more. Love is in the air! For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visit The Mookse...

This week, Trevor and Paul discuss the difficult but vital and beautiful work of Scholastique Mukasonga. Although her books cover incredibly tough subject matter, they serve as, among other things, a haunting elegy and love letter to her family and friends lost in the Rwandan genocide. For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to suppor...

This week, Trevor and Paul look ahead to another exciting year of reading. From goals and strategies to some books they plan to read from their shelves to the 2023 new releases they're most looking forward to, there's a whole lot to talk about! For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visit The Mookse and the Gripe...

In this episode, Paul and Trevor end the year on a high note by each unveiling their top 5 reads of 2022. To add to the fun, they’re again joined by a few friends who also share their top picks. Happy reading!   For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to support the show, visit The Mookse and the Gripes  Patreon . Visit our blog at ht...

It’s that time of year again! This week, Trevor and Paul unveil the first half of their lists of top reads of the year.  And to add to the holiday cheer, some friends and familiar faces (voices?) gather 'round to share their favorites, as well. Your TBR pile will never be the same--and that’s a good thing.   For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter ....

What makes the perfect winter reading experience? A hot drink? A cozy fire? And what types of books draw you in during the cold, dark times of the year? Long tomes you can sink into? Seasonal favorites that remind you of days gone by? This week, we discusss our ideal winter reading experiences, share some favorite memories and chat about a few wintery reads (and rereads). As usual, our discussion...

This week, Trevor and Paul sit down with author and librarian extraordinaire, Nancy Pearl, to discuss the magic and importance of libraries. We share some favorite memories and stories, talk about what the future might hold and just gush about how much we love all things library. As always, we also have a nice chat about what we’re reading, so be sure you have a pen and paper handy! For complete s...

Book prizes tend to create a lot of buzz and conversation in the literary world. And that surely can’t be a bad thing, right? Some of us are longlist completionists, some patiently wait for the winner and others just let it all pass them by. This week, we’re joined by book critic and bookstore owner Lori Feathers to discuss literary prizes, including the newly launched Republic Of Consciousness pr...

Some of us read for escape, others for the beauty of language. And then there are those on a never ending quest to be scared witless! In this episode, we discuss a variety of scary reads, from ghost stories, to tales of dread to downright horror. We each share three of our favorite spooky books, discuss three short stories, and ask for a little help in finding books that will truly keep us up at n...

Borges’ library. Middle Earth. Avonlea. Literature is filled with wonderful and intriguing places we wish were real. This week, we chat about the different things that make these worlds so appealing and fascinating. And, of course, we each pick a few of our very favorites to discuss! For complete shownotes, please sign up for The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast Newsletter . If you'd like to support...

What is your preferred hotel experience? Do you go for a break from it all? A secret meeting? Do you like seedy crime scenes, or ghosts from the past? Are you there in a crowd of interesting and troubled individuals? Or do you prefer to go out of season? This week, we are pleased to have Jacqui from JacquiWine's Journal as a guest to discuss hotel novels (with one short story from Paul). And happy...