Episoder

  • We’re excited to be back in your podcast feeds to pair highly anticipated fall book releases with beloved backlist favorites. Prepare to overload your TBR pile as we dive into an exciting fall publishing season filled with moody, atmospheric titles.

    In today’s episode, we’ll share our carefully curated lists of outstanding upcoming fiction from both renowned authors and indie presses, along with a selection of diverse fiction and nonfiction we think you’ll enjoy, all paired with a backlist book to explore while you await your library holds and pre-orders.

    Before diving into the books, we want to remind our community that Chelsey will be on maternity leave this fall. As a small (very small!) business, this requires significant planning and adjustments. To best manage our schedules while preserving the community we've created, we will take a short break from the main feed while focusing on providing fun, nerdy new content on Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings.

    We aim to return to the main feed in December or January with a special episode featuring the best books of 2024, along with a thrilling spring season. In the meantime, we will continue to offer bonus episodes, discussion-based classes, and book club events through our Patreon community. You can join us at either the $5 or $10 level, depending on your desired level of participation.

    We are incredibly thankful for your support. Thank you for being with us!

    Books Mentioned

    The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

    Guide Me Home by Attica Locke

    The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

    Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

    Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia

    The Professor by Charlotte Bronte

    Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

    The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout

    Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

    My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

    Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

    Graveyard Shift by ML Rio

    If We Were Villians by ML Rio

    The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmond

    The Wildes by Louis Bayard

    The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

    The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

    Jackie & Me by Louis Bayard

    The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

    Heir by Sabaa Tahir

    Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

    The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

    Don’t Be a Stranger by Susan Minot

    Sandwich by Catherine Newman

    All Fours by Miranda July

    The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

    Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

    The Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

    Curdle Creek by Yvonnne Battle-Felton

    Ours by Philip B. Williams

    Lone Women by Victor Lavalle

    The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews

    The Lily of Ludgate Hill by Mimi Matthews

    Persuasion by Jane Austen

    The Wedgford Trials by Courtney Milian

    The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

    Homefire by Kamila Shamsie

    Rental House by Weike Wang

    Chemistry by Weike Wang

    Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang

    Goodbye Vitamin by Rachel Kong

    The Fortnite In September by RC Sheriff

    Also Mentioned

    The English Teacher

    A Discovery of Witches

    Fiction Matters Substack

    Joyce Carol Oates

    Algonquin Books

    Anonymous Divorce/Sex Substack

    Cup of Jo Substack

  • As the summer reading season comes to a close, we’re turning our eyes to fall. With Chelsey on maternity leave, we’ve made some thoughtful adjustments to our plans and structure here at Novel Pairings. Our goal is to ensure that we stay connected and continue to foster the amazing community we’ve built together. The best way to stay connected this fall is through our Patreon community; we’re excited about the bonus episodes, discussion based classes and book club events we have planned!

    On today’s episode, we revisit last summer's buzzy book reviews from our Patreon archives. Each summer, we sit down for a conversation where we share our thoughts on the latest buzzworthy books we've read. Today, we're re-airing last summer's discussion on popular titles, which features some unconventional opinions on well-known works.

    Follow us on Instagram @novelpairingspod and subscribe to our newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com.

    Books Mentioned

    The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

    The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’ Donaghue

    The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Saddiqi

    Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

    Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

    Congratulations, the Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas

    Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

    Happy Place by Emily Henry

    Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

    Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Loot by Tania James

    Also Mentioned

    Our Town on YouTube

    Chelsey's Recipe for a Summer Romance Reading Guide

    Sara's Reading in Public newsletter on long books and active attention

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  • In today's recap episode, we discuss Book One of The Custom of the Country (that's chapters 1-10 if your book is not divided into books). This episode includes detailed discussion of the plot and characters introduced in this first section of the novel, so spoilers abound. We discuss our initial impressions of the unforgettable character that is Undine Spragg, how well this book would translate to the screen, a close read of a mythology reference, and what we've learned about parenting from this portion of the novel because we desperately want to avoid raising Undines!

    Some more background on this episode: twice a year, we choose a big bucket list classic to read together as a community. For every book we read, we dust off our English teacher skills to break down plot, themes, style, and more in recurring recap podcast episodes.

    We have our Big Book Summer Read Along of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables on the horizon and we’d love for you to join us! We do know that it can be hard to sign up for a subscription community if you don’t know what you’re getting so we wanted to give you a taste for what we do in our Patreon Classics Club by putting two of our recent recap episodes here on the main feed. Over the winter months, we read Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country and we think it would make for a great summer read if you haven’t read it yet.

    If you love these two episodes, head over to our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Enrolling at the $10 Literature Scholar level will get you access to the rest of our Custom of the Country recap series, the corresponding classes, our entire Odyssey recap series from last summer, and all of our previous bonus episodes and class recordings. Plus, you'll get access to our current summer recap series of Les Misérables.

    Books Mentioned:

    The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

    Eloise at The Plaza by Kay Thompson

    Also Mentioned:

    Gossip Girl

  • Today’s episode is a special one! Twice a year, we choose a big bucket list classic to read together as a community. For every big book we read, Chelsey and Sara dust off their English teacher skills to break down plot, themes, style, and more in recurring recap podcast episodes.

    We have our Big Book Summer Read Along of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables on the horizon and we’d love for you to join us! We do know that it can be hard to sign up for a subscription community if you don’t know what you’re getting so we wanted to give you a taste for what we do in our Patreon Classics Club by putting two of our recent recap episodes here on the main feed. Over the winter months, we read Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country and we think it would make for a great summer read if you haven’t read it yet.

    If you love these two episodes, head over to our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Enrolling at the $10 Literature Scholar level will get you access to the rest of our Custom of the Country recap series, the corresponding classes, our entire Odyssey recap series from last summer, and all of our previous bonus episodes and class recordings. Plus, you'll get access to our current summer recap series of Les Misérables.

    In today's first recap episode, we discuss the introduction materials from the Penguin Classics (Sofia Coppola & Sarah Blackwood) and Scribner (Brandon Taylor) versions of the text. You do not need to read the intros in order to listen to this episode. Future recaps will include plot spoilers, of course, but this introduction episode is completely spoiler-free! We discuss initial impressions of the introductions, lenses and questions for guided reading, literary relevance and contemporary comparisons, and three big things to look for as you read.

    Books Mentioned:

    The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

    Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

    Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

    Also Mentioned:

    The Buccaneers

    Bridgerton

    The Gilded Age

    Downton Abbey

  • We’re taking it back to the classroom in today’s episode! Chelsey and Sara reflect on their experience with high school summer reading as both students and teachers: the good, the great, and the hot takes. While we aren’t assigning any reading in this episode, we are sharing 10 classics that would make for great summer reads at any age! For an enhanced reading experience, pair a past Novel Pairings episode with each of these classics to listen as you go.

    Of course, our main summer reading recommendation is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, our BIG summer readalong hosted in Patreon with classes, bonus episodes, and special recaps to get the most out of this huge novel.

    Novel Pairings operates on an academic calendar to keep our work sustainable. But like most teachers, just because we have summer “off” doesn’t mean we aren’t hard at work behind the scenes! This summer, we will take off from sharing new episodes on the main feed in July and August to devote more time and energy to planning for the year ahead, restoring our creativity, and strengthening our bond with Patreon community members.

    If you are missing Novel Pairings in your podcast feed, we would love for you to join our community for extra nerdy summer fun.

    Books Mentioned:

    The Once and Future King by T.H. White

    The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

    Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham

    Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    The Joyluck Club by Amy Tan

    Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

    Passing by Nella Larsen

    To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

    James by Percival Everett

    Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

    The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

    The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

    The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

    Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

    Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

    The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson

    The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

    Novel Pairings Episodes

    Episode 86: Palpable tension and shocking twists in Passing by Nella Larsen

    Episode 136: To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

    Episode 117: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

    Episode 114: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

    Episode 68: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson and contemplative books for moody summer reading

    Episode 66: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part Two

    Episode 64: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part One

    Episode 61: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, plus books about complicated families, romance, and boundaries

    Episode 20: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and romantic Black feminist heroines

    Episode 126: Leaving a Legacy: The Odyssey in modern literature

    Episode 142: The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

    Stay Connected with Novel Pairings

    Novel Pairings Substack

    Novel Pairings Instagram

    Novel Pairings Patreon

  • Today, we’re wrapping up our spring season with Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, a theme-driven novel that recreates the social world of an elite liberal arts college, exploring issues through nuanced satire on race, class, and beauty. We dig into the stories of the Belsey and Kipp families and Smith’s use of the academic setting to discuss identity and social satire. Our pairings for On Beauty include callbacks to previous classic episodes, essays by Zadie Smith, and surprising historical fiction.

    Our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is starting soon! Just like our readalongs for The Odyssey and The Custom of the Country, you can expect exclusive Patreon content, including book clubs and classes, to guide you through this ginormous classic. We’d love for you to join us! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up.

    Books Mentioned:

    Howard’s End by E.M. Forster

    There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

    Passing by Nella Larsen

    Members Only by Sameer Pandya

    Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smith

    Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

    Love Marriage by Monica Ali

    Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

    The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

    Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

    A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

    Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

  • Get ready for your summer TBR to pile high as we share our most anticipated titles releasing this summer! Plus, each new release that we preview in today’s episode is perfectly paired with a backlist book or two, giving us plenty to read while waiting for pre-orders and library holds to come in.

    If you enjoy our recommendations on today’s episode, we have even more book suggestions to explore in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great place to discuss books with a smart group of readers, and now is the perfect time to join as we're about to start our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. Visit patreon.com/novelpairings to learn more.

    You can also stay up-to-date with all things Novel Pairings by following us on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting our book-loving community!

    Books Mentioned:

    Fire Exit by Morgan Talty

    LaRose by Louise Erdrich

    The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma

    At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

    Every Day Is For the Thief by Teju Cole

    The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

    Unseen World by Liz Moore

    In the Woods by Tana French

    Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan

    On Beauty by Zadie Smith

    One Star Romance by Laura Hankin

    Beach Read by Emily Henry

    Bear by Julia Phillips

    The Hunter’s Wife by Anthony Doerr

    Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

    Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

    Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

    The Latecomer by Jean Hanf Korelitz

    The Plot by Jean Hanf Korelitz

    The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

    You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

    The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

    Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

    Liars by Sarah Manguso

    Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

    Colored Television by Danzy Senna

    Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

    A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abudrraqib

    Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

    The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

    The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

    The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto

    By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

    Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

    Also Mentioned:

    Novel Pairings Summer 2023 Book Preview and Backlist Pairings

  • On today’s Modern Readers episode, we’re placing “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift in context with pieces of contemporary political satire. We'll explore how satire is being used today to comment on politics and social issues, and the power, or limits, of its influence. Throughout our discussion, we discuss the lasting legacy of Swift’s essay, the rise of satirical media, and how satire is used as a rhetorical tool. Listen to the end for contemporary satirical examples in TV, online media, and comedy.

    We’re also excited to announce our Summer Big Book Read Along: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. We’re looking forward to digging into this classic with you! This Big Book Read Along includes 5 recaps spread over June, July, and August, 3 book club meet ups to discuss along the way, an active Discord chat for support and motivation, classes and bonus content. The summer is a great time to join our scholarly community!

    Find more details on our summer plans in our free Substack newsletter or head to patreon.com/novelpairings to join our community.

    Books Mentioned:

    A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

    Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

    The Odyssey by Homer

    Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

    Also Mentioned:

    A Modern Proposal on Project Gutenberg

    Little Women Musical

    Jo Musical

    A Point of View: What’s the point of satire?

    The Onion

    Saturday Night Live

    The Daily Show

    The Colbert Report

    White Lotus

    Abbott Elementary

    Veep

    The West Wing

    John Oliver

  • In today’s episode, we’re discussing The Importance of Being Earnest by the ever-delightful Oscar Wilde. A classic example of British theater, this play is known for its biting social satire and brilliant comedic dialogue. Throughout our conversation, we dive into the play’s themes, discuss Wilde’s mastery of wordplay, and his ability to write characters that satirize Victorian society in the cleverest ways. As always, we share our complementary pairings, and we hope this episode adds a few books to your TBR pile!

    If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love participating in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

    Books Mentioned:

    Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard

    Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

    Nevada by Imogen Binnie

    Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

    The Best of Me by David Sedaris

    I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett

    Dr. No by Percival Everett

    What a Difference a Duke Makes by Lenora Bell

    On Beauty by Zadie Smith

    Also Mentioned:

    Bonus: 127. An Introduction to The Importance of Being Earnest

    Hamlet by William Shakespeare

    Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

    R. Eric Thomas

  • We're thrilled to welcome back Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks Podcast, for a thought-provoking discussion on one of Shakespeare's darkest comedies, Measure for Measure. In this conversation, we'll dive deep into the play's timeless themes including punishment, gender, power, and politics. We discuss how these themes continue to resonate with modern audiences, revealing the parallels between the play and our contemporary world. We also talk about how Shakespeare masterfully uses this satire in this work, even when satire doesn't necessarily equate to laugh-out-loud humor. Listen to the end for Traci’s book recommendations, including Shakespeare pairings and a soon-to-be-released title.

    Connect with Traci:

    The Stacks Podcast

    Unstacked

    Instagram: @thestackspod

    Join our community!

    Patreon

    Substack

    Instagram: @novelpairingspod

    Books Mentioned:

    Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

    The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race by Farah Karim-Cooper

    Blackface (Object Lessons) by Ayanna Thompson

    New People by Danzy Senna

    Color Television by Danzy Senna

    Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

    Erasure by Percival Everett

    Severance by Ling Ma

    Victim by Andrew Boryga

    Love’s Labor Lost by William Shakespeare

    All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare

    Othello by William Shakespeare

    Richard III by William Shakespeare

    Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

    Also Mentioned:

    Ask a Shakespeare Professor

    Macbeth

    The Stacks episode on Romeo and Juliet

  • If aesthetics, British aristocracy and nostalgia sounds like an appealing combination, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh is the book for you. In today's episode, we talk through the key themes, relationships, Waugh's stated purpose for writing Brideshead, and we ask: is Brideshead Revisited a satire or a novel with satirical elements? Plus, today’s pairings include a fantasy novel, historical fiction and a psychological thriller.

    If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

    Books Mentioned:

    The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen

    The Secret History by Donna Tartt

    The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

    Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

    Come and Get It by Kiley Reid

    This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell

    American Gods by Neil Gaiman

    Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles

    The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

    Also Mentioned:

    Downton Abbey

    Brideshead Revisited Mini Series

    The Crown

  • Today, Chelsey and Sara share their most anticipated spring book releases paired with backlist selections. After listening today, your TBR will be filled with delightful fiction, thrilling mysteries, historical romance and literary books from favorite writers, all releasing between late February and May. As always, our go-to pairings will keep your spring both entertaining and engaging.

    If you love our recommendations on the podcast, we have even more books to share over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

    Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship!

    Books Mentioned:

    Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

    Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

    The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

    Intimacies by Katie Kitamura

    The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

    Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrush

    Victim by Andrew Boryga

    Erasure by Pervical Everett

    The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett

    Sirens of Sussex series by Mimi Matthews

    James by Percival Everett

    The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn by Mark Twain

    Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

    Clear by Carys Davies

    Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

    The Colony by Audry McGee

    This Other Eden by Paul Harding

    A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay by Octavia Butler

    The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

    How Long ‘Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin

    The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

    The Oracle of Delphi by William J. Broad

    The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

    Oye by Melissa Mogollon

    The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

    Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

    House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

    A Gamble at Sunset by Vanessa Riley

    Also Mentioned:

    Beforeigners

    Bridgerton

    Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

    Episode 141: Bookish Pairings for our favorite period dramas

  • In today’s episode, we’re wrapping up Wharton in Winter with a conversation about The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton. We focus on Undine and question whether she’s a signature unlikable heroine or an anti-hero. Our conversation also digs into the other dynamic characters, themes of motherhood, greed, marriage, business, and Edith’s incredible writing. Every plot point builds to a bigger narrative in this timely classic. At the end of the episode, we share our complementary pairings , and we hope you add one to your TBR pile!

    If you loved our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have even more content to enjoy over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

    Shows Mentioned:

    Mad Men

    Breaking Bad

    Selling Sunset

    Downton Abbey

    Books Mentioned:

    Italo Calvino

    Vanity Fair by William Thackeray

    The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

    Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

    There Is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

    Emma by Jane Austen

    Free Food For Millionares by Min Jun Lee

    These Truths: A History of the United States by Jill Lepore

    Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage by Stephanie Coontz

    One Woman Show by Christine Coulson

    Wahala by Nikki May

    Trust by Hernan Diaz

  • Reading The Custom of the Country this winter has felt like stepping into the most lush, dramatic, and marathon-worthy period piece–so today we’re sharing some of our favorite period dramas and pairing them with excellent books for cozy winter reading. We discuss the appeal of watching historical fiction versus reading it, the throughline from reading Dear America books to watching Downton Abbey as a comfort show, and the complex nature of colorblind casting. We hope you find a new, or old, TV series or novel to enjoy after listening to today’s episode.

    PS: if you hear some odd background noises in this episode, just imagine little toddler feet stomping above Chelsey's head!

    For more pairings, classes, and nerdy conversation join our Patreon community! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up today.

    Don’t miss our FREE weekly newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com.

    Shows Mentioned:

    Downton Abbey

    Poldark

    Miss Scarlet and the Duke

    Gentleman Jack

    The Gilded Age

    Bridgerton

    Queen Charlotte

    The Crown

    Outlander

    The Empress

    The Great

    The Good Lord Bird

    The Underground Railroad

    Reign

    Books Mentioned:

    The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

    American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin

    Longbourn by Jo Baker

    Poldark series by Winston Graham

    Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

    Knockout by Sarah Maclean

    Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas

    Sarah Waters

    The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles

    The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

    The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan

    The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

    Fiona Davis

    Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn

    A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin

    Jane Austen

    The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan

    The Countess by Sophie Jordan

    Victoria by Daisy Godwin

    Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

    The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

    Shakespeare’s history plays

    Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

    The Lost Queen by Signe Pike

    Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

    Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

    Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton

    James McBride

    John Brown by W.E.B. DuBois

    The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

    Beloved by Toni Morrison

    Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

    The Water Dancer by Ta Nehisi Coates

    Royal Diaries series

    My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, et al

    Alison Weir

    Philippa Gregory

    Margaret George

  • Today we’re sharing five tips for “reading” your favorite (or least favorite) TV shows and movies. These close reading tricks will help you get more critical while you watch television, which we hope prompts more engaging discussions with your friends and family. We’re using The Buccaneers (Apple TV) as our main example in this episode, but you don’t need to watch the show in order to listen. In fact, if you like episodes in which we get a little sassy, well, this one’s for you. We also share questions to make you a more critical viewer, what we’re reading with a literary lens, and book recommendations to pair with The Buccaneers show. We’ve included a bunch of resources in our free weekly newsletter, so be sure to visit novelpairings.substack.com to supplement today’s listening.

    For more public scholarship and continued literary learning, sign up for our community at patreon.com/novelpairings. We would love to see you in our classes and book club meetings!

    Books mentioned:

    The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton

    Anna K by Jenny Lee

    Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

    The Great White Bard by Farah Karim-Cooper

    The Fifth Avenue Rebels series by Joanna Shupe

    Also mentioned:

    Close reading Fiction Matters Substack: Book Reviews with Traci Thomas Leave The World Behind The Culture Study Podcast The Atlantic review of The Buccaneers The Guardian review of The Buccaneers
  • It's time for our annual Superlative Soirée! (Okay, so we've never called it that before, but it fits, right?!)

    Today Chelsey and Sara share their favorite and least favorite books of 2023, plus everything in between. YOU helped us come up with some creative categories to cover in this official wrap-up episode, and we can't wait to hear what you think of the titles we discuss.

    To get your very own superlative printable, subscribe to our newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com--and to join us for Wharton in Winter, go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up. We're so excited for the year ahead!

    Find us on Instagram @novelpairingspod. Shop for your 2024 TBR through our Bookshop.org storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings

    Books Mentioned:

    The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

    The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson

    A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

    To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

    From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

    Gone Girl & Rebecca

    Wellness & To the Lighthouse

    Congratulations, the Best is Over! By R. Eric Thomas

    Wellness by Nathan Hill

    Disoriental by Negar Djavadi

    Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park

    The Employees by Olga Ravn

    One Woman Show by Christine Coulson

    The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

    The Pleasing Hour by Lily King

    Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

    The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill

    The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sheriff

    Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls

    Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat

    The Land of Milk and Honey by C. Pam Zhang

    Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

    The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses

    Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

    Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

    Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop

    All the Right Notes by Dominic Lim

    Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt

    The Centre by Ayesha Manazir Saddiqi

    Big Swiss by Jen Beagin

    Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

    Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

    Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

    Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

    The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

    Loot by Tania James

    North Woods by Daniel Mason

  • We’re wrapping up the 2023 season with a final Short Story Club, this time exploring a prime example of Postmodern fiction with Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Garden of Forking Paths.” Borges is often considered one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century and credited as an early writer of magical realism, lo real maravilloso.

    In today’s discussion, we take a close work at Borges’ popular story and share our interpretations on this text that begs us to stretch our concept of time and causality and consider the infinite possibilities and choices that shape history and destiny. We also share background on Jorge Luis Borges’ life as well as discuss the Argentinian writer’s contribution to the literary canon. And as always, we can’t help but talk about what texts we’ve read that use tropes and elements developed in Borges Ficciones.

    If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have even more content to enjoy over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.


    Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship!

  • Ever wonder what it’s like to attend a class at Novel Pairings University? We have a special treat for our listeners as we prepare for #WhartonInWinter and our readalong of Edith Wharton’s Custom of the Country. Today on the main feed, we’re releasing the audio from our Patreon Class Gilded Age Literature: Entering Edith Wharton's World for everyone to enjoy.

    In today’s class we talk about key literary figures of the Gilded Age, historical events and social movements that shaped this period, and how they connect to today. Plus, we share details about the grandiose drama, architecture, and wealth that give this period its weighty name. This episode is just one example of the public scholarship we’re creating on Patreon, where we teach classes on author and historical context, literary movements, critical lenses and more. We are working hard to convert past classes into exclusive Patreon episodes so you can catch up and listen on-the-go!

    If you’d like to access more classes like the one you heard in today’s episode, to join our monthly book club, to get handouts, to listen to weekly bonus episodes, and to join our engaging Discord community, you can sign up for our Classics Club over at patreon.com/novelpairings for just $10 a month. We’d love to see you in book club, class, or on social media this winter!

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  • Today, Chelsey and Sara explore TO THE LIGHTHOUSE by Virginia Woolf, investigating Woolf’s intention to put “real life” on the page, analyzing her prose and structure, discussing themes and characters, and contextualizing historical references. For a deeper reading and listening experience, check out our episode on A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN and our bonus episode on Patreon all about The Bloomsbury Group. We can’t wait to hear your thoughts about Woolf’s masterpiece.

    Order your Novel Pairings University Sweatshirt today! Our shop closes on 11/30.

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    Books mentioned:

    To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (Norton Critical Edition)

    The Long Form by Kate Briggs

    Wellness by Nathan Hill

    Day by Michael Cunningham

    And Yet by Kate Baer

    Orbital by Samantha Harvey

    Shakespeare in Bloomsbury by Marjorie Garber

    Assembly by Natasha Brown

    Also mentioned:

    Maggie Smith’s Substack

  • We’re kicking off our month of Virigina Woolf with an episode exploring Woolf’s dense and sprawling extended essay, “A Room of Own’s Own.” At just over one hundred pages, Woolf gives herself ample space on the page to explore and consider the issues that keep women from the forefront of the literature and what might be done to give them the creative freedom to write unencumbered.

    In today’s episode, we’re following along closely with the text while helping our fellow readers pull out key takeaways from Woolf’s work. We share our own experiences reading and teaching this seminal piece of feminist critique, Woolf's use of figurative and practical language to provide compelling arguements, and limitations of the essay, including who was included in Woolf’s critique and who was left out.

    If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have even more content to enjoy over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

    Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship!

    Books Mentioned:

    The Baby on the Fire Escape by Julie Phillips Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde How to Think Like A Women by Regan Penaluna Cross Stitch by Jasmina Barrara The Marriage Question by Claire Carlilse