Novel Pairings

Today Chelsey and Sara are trying something a little different and discussing a short story. First, we’ll deep dive into the dishy, gossipy, and glitzy world of Edith Wharton’s Roman Fever (this conversation sounds more like a discussion of The Bachelor than a work of classic lit!) and then we’ll share some contemporary authors who remind us of Wharton and short story collections we’re eager to read. Today’s discussion includes:   Our relationships with short stories and why this one in particular made our jaws drop. Why Edith Wharton is the perfect classic author for lovers of Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls, and anyone who loves reading about “rich people problems.” The contemporary author Chelsey realized was the perfect pairing for Wharton’s sassy and drama-filled books.   Plus, as always, we’re recommending lots of contemporary books along the way, including short story collections we love and our favorite rich people problems books.   Read Roman Fever online for free: https://blogs.baruch.cuny.edu/pleasureofthetext/files/2016/10/Roman-Fever.pdf   Books discussed in today’s episode:  Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty (29:03) The Garden Party and Other Stories Katherine Mansfield (30:08) Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (31:10) The Six Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (31:40) The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney (32:22) All this Could be Yours by Jami Attenberg (32:24) Succession (32:30) How Long til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemison (33:20) Tales of Two Cities: The Best and Worst of Times in Today’s New York (35:13) Florida by Lauren Groff (37:03) Laugable Loves by Milan Kundera (38:22) You Think It, I’ll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld (39:22) Heads of the Colored People  by Nafissa Thompson-Spires (40:06) Lot by Bryan Washington (40:49) Sabrina and Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (41:20) Cowboys are My Weakness by Pam Houston (41:43)   Shop all of the books we mentioned today through our Bookshop storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings Follow us on Instagram at @novelpairingspod or get in touch with us at novelpairingspod@gmail.com

Hey listeners! Today we’re talking about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As you probably know, this play ends tragically with the two star-crossed lovers taking their own lives. Today’s episode includes a conversation about using this play as a bridge to discuss mental health and suicide with high schoolers. We believe this is an important part of the conversation about this play, but if this topic is triggering for you, we recommend skipping ahead about 2 and a half minutes starting at minute 26 to minute. Alright, let’s get into the episode!   Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This play is the perfect match for spring fever, and for many of us, it was our first encounter with Shakespeare. We share lots of thoughts on reading this play as freshmen in high school and later as English teachers. Plus, we have opinions on how Shakespeare should be read and taught in general. Listen in for book recommendations that capture the star-crossed lovers theme but don’t end quite so tragically. Our discussion includes:   How we may have misunderstood the main characters (11:58) Why Mercutio is our favorite character (20:57) Content warning: brief discussion on teaching suicide awareness as part of the Romeo and Juliet curriculum (26:10-29:00) Why this play endures, and is still read in high schools (31:18)   Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic include an unexpected literary retelling and a few YA romances.   Today’s episode is brought to you by Libro.fm, the only audiobook company that allows you to purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite indie bookstore. You can get THREE audiobooks for $15 by clicking this link or by using code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout.   Librofm: https://libro.fm/membership/new   Shop our pairings at Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-romeo-and-juliet   Shakespeare in Love Prologue Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing Ian McKellen as King Lear The American Player’s Theatre 10 Things I Hate About You She’s the Man Chelsey’s Pairings: The Opposite of Always by Jason Reynolds (47:00) When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (51:31) The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (55:41)   Sara’s Pairings: The Shakespeare Miscellany by Ben and David Crystal (45:41) If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson (49:02) Circe by Madeline Miller (53:06)   Sara: Don’t Quill the Messenger podcast  Chelsey: No Holds Bard “So You’re Going to See Shakespeare” podcast episodes

Today Chelsey and Sara are celebrating National Poetry Month. We chat about our strong feelings towards poetry in high school, how our view has changed as teachers, and the ways in which we incorporate poetry into our daily reading lives. Our discussion includes: How we feel about poetry and how our high school experiences shaped our view (1:45) Our favorite poets and poetry collections (28:30)  Amazing YA novels in verse (42:30) Shop this episode in our affiliate shop at Bookshop.org to support independent bookstores.  Today’s episode is brought to you by Libro.fm, the only audiobook company that allows you to purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite indie bookstore. You can get THREE audiobooks for $15 by clicking this link or by using code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout. --Scroll down for titles and timestamps--       Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins Eating Poetry by Mark Strand If I Should Have a Daughter by Sarah Kay (13:38) 3 Ways to Speak English by Jamila Lyiscott (13:55) Romantic poets A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver (17:40) Japan by Billy Collins (24:35) Emily Dickinson (28:47) Funeral Blues by WH Auden (31:22) Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay (31:44) No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay (31:49) The World’s Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (32:56) Felicity by Mary Oliver (34:33) Audre Lorde (35:33) Shakespeare’s Sonnets (36:33) Sir Patrick Stewart Reading a Sonnet a Day Sonnet 116 Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda (38:37) Langston Hughes (38:45) Theme for English B Rupi Kaur I, Too I Hear American Singing by Walt Whitman (40:54) With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (42:42) The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson (43:32) Red at the Bone  Brown Girl Dreaming  Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (44:36) Kwame Alexander (45:39) Poem-a-day emails Poetry Foundation Poets.org Button Poetry  

Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in 1954, this Booker Prize winning novel follows a quintessential English butler named Stevens on a road trip to visit his manor’s former housekeeper Miss Kenton. This is the perfect novel for Downton Abbey fans, but it’s darker and more introspective than the show. In addition to the historical context of this modern classic, we discuss character-driven novels and four of Sara’s all-time favorite books.  Our discussion includes:  Personal reading preferences and the appeal of character-driven novels (6:55)  The theme of regret (20:00)  Connections to Downton Abbey and why fans needs to read this book  (28:28) Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic including a time-hopping literary fiction novel and a cozy historical mystery. Today’s episode is brought to you by Libro.fm, the only audiobook company that allows you to purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite indie bookstore. You can get THREE audiobooks for $15 by clicking this link or by using code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout. Librofm: https://libro.fm/membership/new Bookshop List: https://bookshop.org/lists/novel-pairings-for-the-remains-of-the-day-by-kazuo-ishiguro-and-downton-abbey-fans           Contemporary Pairings & Timestamps:  Chelsey’s Pairings: Atonement by Ian McEwan (33:45), Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (39:24), Americanah by Chimamamnda Ngozi Adichie (46:15) Sara’s Pairings: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (36:37), The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng (42:08), Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (49:07) Sara’s Pick: You’re Wrong About Podcast (52:38) Chelsey’s Pick: The Plot Against America on HBO (55:10)

Today Chelsey and Sara dig  up some well-loved English major lingo and dust it off. We’re talking about critical theory and how it enhances our reading lives, starting with the feminist or gender lens. We provide examples and suggestions for how to incorporate critical theory into your everyday reading life because you don’t have to be a teacher, English major, or scholar in order to get the most out of this tool! Books Discussed in Today’s Episode: Emma by Jane Austen: https://bookshop.org/a/1300/9780143107712  The Awakening by Kate Chopin: https://bookshop.org/a/1300/9780743487672  A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf: https://bookshop.org/a/1300/9780156787338  If you’d like to learn more, check out these resources: Introduction to Literary Theory: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/index.html  Feminist Criticism: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_theory_and_schools_of_criticism/feminist_criticism.html  The Bechdel Test: https://bechdeltest.com/ Resources for Middle and High School teachers: Critical Encounters in Secondary English by Deborah Appleman: https://bookshop.org/a/1300/9780807756232  “Teach the How”: https://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/1034-mar2014/EJ1034Teach.pdf  How and Why to Teach Literary Theory in Secondary ELA: http://doccopteaching.com/2019/03/26/how-and-why-to-teach-literary-theory-in-secondary-ela/

Today Chelsey and Sara are toppling your TBR with classics and pairings to keep you company during the pandemic. Comfort reading is different for everyone, so we’ve got a wide range of books to recommend including books with cozy communities, classic comedies (and modern pairings), and big books to last you through many weeks of social distancing.   Full Show Notes: https://fictionmattersbooks.com/article/comfort-reading-notes Shop the Episode: https://bookshop.org/lists/comforting-classics-and-other-absorbing-reads   Topics Discussed:  Current Reads (5:20)  Comfort Reads (10:40)  Cozy Communities (32:49)  Page Turners (40:15)  Big Books (49:54)  Escapist Reads (56:28)  Comedies (1:04:48)  Books that Make You Think (1:10:57)

Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about The Awakening by Kate Chopin. This novella published in 1899 follows Edna Pontellier as she discovers her desires and her identity outside of wifehood and motherhood. Our discussion includes how this book illustrates the constraints placed on 19th century women, why we don’t seem to have any issues with the infidelity in the novel, and how Kate Chopin speaks to modern-day mom-shaming. We also dig into some of the problematic content in this book and offer suggestions on how to read it through a more modern lens. Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic include a young adult novel full of evocative nature imagery and a closed door second chance romance. Today’s episode is brought to you by Libro.fm, the only audiobook company that allows you to purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite indie bookstore. You can get THREE audiobooks for $15 by clicking this link or by using code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout. Books, Pairings, and Time Stamps Books Discussed: The Awakening Modern Library Torchbearers Edition (23:50), Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (30:36), Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (30:38) Chelsey’s Pairings: Educated by Tara Westover (39:45), Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper (44:08), We Are Okay by Nina Lacour (48:40) Sara’s Pairings: Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (41:40), Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (46:02), Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes (50:20) Picks of the Week: Love is Blind (52:35) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (54:45)

Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about the new Emma movie directed by Autumn de Wilde. In this sparkling new film adaptation, Emma is just as snarky and delightful as she is in the book. Our discussion includes us gushing over the vivid colors and costumes, some love for how the female characters are depicted, and a few serious problems with period piece adaptations in general. . . Today’s episode is brought to you by Libro.fm, the only audiobook company that allows you to purchase audiobooks directly from your favorite indie bookstore. You can get THREE audiobooks for $15 by clicking this link or by using code NOVELPAIRINGS at checkout.

In this episode, we're discussing Jane Austen's final novel, Emma. We admit our love for Emma's sass and bossiness, debate her potentially problematic friendship with the orphan Harriet Smith, and swoon over Mr. Knightley. Plus we're offering six contemporary reads that perfectly pair with Austen's most memorable heroine.

Welcome to Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun. In this welcome episode, Chelsey and Sara introduce themselves and the podcast format, and share exactly what they mean by "pairings."