Beyond the PhIrst Page

Club Meeting 26 has the siblings discussing the first younger adult book they have read for the book club, Impossible Creatures by Kathrine Rundell. They discuss what makes a book suitable for readers who are just starting to get into chapter books and how this book is much more fast paced than the siblings are used to reading. They also compare and contrast books they read when they were in elementary school and middle school to Impossible Creatures for a little feeling of nostalgia for the listeners. They finish with talking about what they prefer when it comes to introducing fantasy worlds in books. Listen along as the siblings go Beyond the PhIrst Page of Impossible Creatures.

As the year draws to a close the siblings discuss Erik Larson’s Dead Wake in Club Meeting 25. They discuss things this nonfiction book taught them along with some of the short comings they thought it had. Since the siblings can’t pass up a good conspiracy they discuss the possibility that the Brits knew the Lusitania was going to be sunk. They also throw out some books they think listeners would enjoy if they enjoyed Dead Wake. 

On Club Meeting 24 of Beyond the PhIrst Page Podcast siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac discuss Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword. The siblings talk about representation in fantasy and fiction and discuss the merits or lack there of, of Arthurian lore. Isaac and Phebe also wish Phil a happy 26th birthday during the club meeting. As always the siblings end the club meeting with recommendations for the listeners if they liked The Bright Sword. 

In this special episode, siblings Phebe, Phil, and Isaac chat with author Aaron Fischman about his book A Baseball Gaijin: Chasing a Dream to Japan and Back. Together, they explore who deserves a biography and why Aaron chose to write about Tony Barnette. They also discuss how to introduce complex foreign concepts to readers and the challenges of becoming a professional athlete.

A Baseball Gaijin has been selected as a finalist for the 2024 CASEY Award for Spitball Magazine’s Best Baseball Book of the Year, and this episode marks a special milestone as the podcast’s very first author interview!

Win a Zoom with Tony Barnette:
The next 34 people who purchase A Baseball Gaijin will be entered for a chance to win a Zoom call with Tony Barnette! To enter, simply send a proof of purchase (receipt or screenshot) to [email protected].

Join us for an insightful conversation and a peek into the world of professional baseball!

The Cornell siblings discuss one of their favorite books ever written during club meeting 23! Phil and Isaac especially enjoyed My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk, a Nobel laureate. This book is a murder mystery that is steeped in philosophy and artful writing and explores art, the Islamic faith, vanity and originality. It really does have something for everyone. The siblings push back on each other in this episode allowing them to see deeper meanings through out the club meeting. As always at the end the siblings give their recommendation for books similar to My Name is Red. 

On club meeting 22, the Cornell siblings discuss Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The siblings identify themes of masculinity and prosperity and discuss how the Igbo tribe viewed their mothers versus their fathers. They also give an early year in review of all the books the club has listened to outlining what books to read and what books to avoid from their diverse booklist. As always they wrap up the podcast with recommendations of books to read if you liked Things Fall Apart.

This week in book club meeting 21, Phebe Phil and Isaac discuss Mind Games by Nora Roberts. Starting off, the siblings play a few rounds of “This or That” book addition to get their literary juices flowing! They offer alternate endings to the novel as well as talk about Goodreads ratings versus the ratings they would give to this “thrilling” tale. Join them at the end for some recommendations if you liked Mind Games by Nora Roberts. 

This week's book club is filled with laughter and reflection as the siblings talk about niche hobbies they are passionate about as well as what they loved about Amy Tan's collection of essays, The Backyard Bird Chronicles. This novel had deeper meanings peppered throughout as well as beautiful hand drawn sketches by the author of birds from her backyard. Also, listen till the end for more books like this one recommended by the siblings! Go Beyond the PhIrst Page with Phebe, Phil and Isaac to discuss Amy Tan's latest hit!

An epic of a podcast for an epic of a novel!! This weeks read was Brothers K by Fyodor Dostoevsky and the siblings get candid about the amount of research and digging they had to do to get the most out of this 19th century philosophical Russian novel. The siblings take three passages from the book and help each other to understand the deeper meanings they believe the author intended from those excerpts. Go beyond the PhIrst page with siblings Phebe, Phil and Isaac in one of their best discussions yet!

In Club Meeting 18 Phebe, Isaac and Phil give their readers a complete break down of the massive cast of characters from Tommy Oranges critically acclaimed novel There There. This book follows native narrators from across Oakland as the prepare to attend The Big Oakland Powpow. The siblings also talk about privilege, the contemporary native voice and books they recommend if you liked There There. Come along as the siblings go beyond the PhIrst Page of Tommy Orange’s, There There.