February Feature: Novel Pairings | Podcast

A year ago, my college roommate introduced me to Novel Pairings and it quickly consumed my earbuds. The podcast is hosted by two former high school English teachers that feature classic books and pair them with contemporary titles that contain similar themes, topics, or styles. They often refer to books being in conversation with one another, particularly when one has shaped a genre or led to various adaptations. Tuning in is like eavesdropping on a cozy and intellectual book club between friends -- whether they're defining literary lenses, speculating genres, sharing a 'pick of the week', recommending audiobooks, or sharing personal reflections, the show is an absolute delight!

When first listening, I chose episodes with titles I was already familiar with -- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Little Women, but soon after decided to start at the beginning and listen straight through in order. I genuinely think you could start with any episode, including their current semester of Children's Literature, but I've grouped some of my favorites below. 

Classics I picked up because of the podcast -- these all became favorites!:
Passing by Nella Larsen
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson 
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes (inspired by their J-term covering Not Without Laughter)

High school required reading that I enjoyed revisiting through their conversation:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

'Short Story Club' Episodes that were fun to quickly read and then listen to:
Speech Sounds by Octavia Butler
All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

Titles I don't necessarily intend to read, but still enjoyed their discussions:
Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Romance in Marseille by Claude McKay
There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

Episodes I'm waiting to listen to until after I read the book:
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Additional titles I picked up from their recommendations:
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives by Mary Laura Philpott

Their Quarterly Favorites are especially fun and help provide a sense of their reading tastes. I'm often intrigued by Sara's fiction and Chelsey's nonfiction selections. Their podcast helped revamp my reading life and is my go-to resource for determining what to read next. I'm so smitten that I joined their Patreon Community in order to support their work and receive access to an archive of classes, lectures, seminars, and bonus episodes. 

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Effusively gushing, 
- SJW