Does the last part define the book?

We’ve talked about the promises made as a book opens as well as the strange territory of its middle. In this episode we turn our attention t o the closing movement of a book. How do we know when a novel has started to close? Why do some books gather momentum while others slow down? What makes the ending feel inevitable, surprising, satisfying . . . or imposed? We talk about a Sanderlanche, Stephen King’s struggles with endings, possibilities narrowing, secrets being revealed, and the wonderful sense that everything we’ve been reading is new again.

2026 Novella Book Club

We have announced the four novellas we will be reading for The Mookse and Gripes Novella Book Club in 2026!

* January: Daisy Miller, by Henry James

* April: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira

* July: The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector

* September: Prelude, by Katherine Mansfield

Discussions will be hosted at The Mookse and the Gripes Discord (see below!).

We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you’ll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:

* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor

* Episode 155: Naguib Mahfouz

* Episode 165: Annie Ernaux

* Episode 175: Henry James

There’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!

Join the Mookse and the Gripes on Discord

Want to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.

We’re also just about to read the second novella book club book of 2026: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!

A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you’d like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe