During this mini episode we turn the Authors Spotlight onto Lukas Klessig and his book “Words With My Father: A Bipolar Journey Through Turbulent Times”.

Words With My Father offers a gripping portrait of the evolution of a young man's mental illness and how it manifested into a dramatic and often dangerous existence through the turbulence of the Civil Rights, Peace and Conservation movements.

Lowell Klessig's posthumously-released story, infused with reflections by his son Lukas, provides an intimate window into one man's life in flux with bipolar disorder. As the author narrates a postwar upbringing and describes the manic-depressive travails of developing his identity, he offers us a view into the turmoil of the times - and of his mind.

Through mania- and danger-filled months fighting for Civil Rights, protesting the Vietnam War and furthering the Conservation Movement, we see the purpose that sustained him. Through darkened panes, we witness the isolation and malaise of depressive winters that nearly took his life. This masterful chronicle allows us to peer into a restless and kinetic existence in one moment and a chasm of fatigue and hopelessness on the next page.

It's an account that will change your perspective. It's a bipolar journey that you won't ever forget.

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Lukas’s website: Words With My Father

Words With My Father: A Bipolar Journey Through Turbulent Times by Lukas Klessig and Lowell Klessig

Audio Book

Hold on to your bookmarks! Book Interrupted is Off The Shelf. We’ve never picked Twilight by Stephanie Meyer as a book pick, but it doesn’t mean Book Interrupted hasn’t discussed it! Sarah is clearly obsessed and it doesn’t take much for the conversations to veer towards Twilight at any given time. Is Kim right, should we rename the podcast Twilight Interrupted?

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Twilight

Pride and Prejudice

The Hunger Games

Sapiens

Sapiens for Kids - Unstoppable Us

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin Of The Earth by William Bryant Logan

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Fifty Shades of Gray by EL James

The Handmaid Tale by Margaret Atwood

Lia’s Sapiens Book Cutting

Sarah, Meredith, and Lindsay get together to recap Season Four. Why so few members? Many interruptions happened all at once.  The women discuss this season and what books, movies or both they liked or disliked. Meredith can’t stop plugging the importance of using your local library and Sarah brings up Twilight again!. Let’s be honest – Would it even be an episode of Book Interrupted without some kind of twilight discussion? We discuss must see TV and Horror movies and the new segment Author’s Spotlight. Season Four where we attempted to watch movies and books has gone and the Book Interrupted Club is excited to start talking about Season Five and the theme: For Women, By Women, About Women!

Discussion Points: 

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted: 

Book Interrupted

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Eat Prey Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanna Collins

Twilight by Stephanie Meyers

The Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The BFG by Roald Dahl

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Season 5 Book Interrupted Photos

The Memoirs of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle: A True and Exact Accounting of the History of Turtle Island
by Kent Monkman and Gisèle Gordon

Lola by Melissa Schooner Love

The Change by Kirsten Miller

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh

We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr

Nobody cries at Bingo by Dawn Dumont

Harry Potter by JK Rowling

Jurassic Park

The Substance Horror Movie

Vinyl Cafe Radio Show

Shrinking - Apple TV

Ted Lasso

Going the Wrong Way by Chris Donaldson

Dead Rock Stars by Kyle Wiltshire and Jay Watson

Join Lindsay, Meredith and Sarah for our first Holiday Episode. We discuss Christmas movies, holiday songs, and the few holiday books we know.  We sing, reminisce, complain and debate if a famous Christmas song is flirty or threatening.

Discussion Points: 

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted: 

Book Interrupted

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

All I Want for Christmas is you

Blue Christmas

Jingle Bell Rock

Jingle Bells

Bing Crosby White Christmas

White Christmas

It’s a Wonderful Life

Santa Baby

Baby, its Cold Outside

Love Hard- Baby It’s Cold Outside Scene

Crown for Christmas

Elf

Grinch 1

Grinch 2

Grinch 3

Jim Carey on Graham Norton talking about the Grinch

The Christmas Pig by JK Rowling

The Nightmare before Christmas

A Visit from Saint Nicholas

The Vinyl Cafe Christmas Book

The Vinyl Cafe Christmas CD

Saw

The Night before Christmas

Off The Shelf -Little T Trauma Episode

Lee Valley Tree Stand

Love Actually

Klaus

The Family Stone

Last Holiday

Holidate

During this mini episode we turn the Authors Spotlight onto Carew Papritz and his novel “The Legacy Letters: his wife, his children, his final gift.”

Winner of 5 national awards including the Mom's Choice Award, The Legacy Letters reveals to us the rediscovered private letters from a dying father to his children and his wife.

His words of wisdom, interwoven between deeply personal stories and poignantly-told memories, ultimately become the practical, moral, and spiritual guidebook for his children he'd never live to see, and for his wife, his redemptive act of love. "Live Life to the Fullest" becomes the father's passionate plea to his family and to all of us desiring to live the same way.

Woman's World Magazine writes, "This inspirational classic is the perfect comfort book for people hungry to find meaning in their lives." Combining the best elements of such inspirational bestsellers as Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, and Chicken Soup for the Soul, author Carew Papritz creates a timeless work that The Huffington Post calls, "A Must-Read Book of Wisdom for Life...exquisite, intimate, passionate, humorous, and genuine..."

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Carew Papritz

The Legacy Letters: his wife, his children, his final gift book

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L James

Hold on to your bookmarks! Book Interrupted is Off The Shelf. We take a glimpse behind the scenes while the Book Interrupted women discuss clothing or lack of and get a sneak peek into Season 5’s theme.  Can Sarah finally choose Twilight? And will we do another Hunger Games?

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Twilight

Pride and Prejudice

Hunger Games

Sapiens

Sapiens for Kids - Unstoppable Us

Gone Girl Book

Gone Girl Movie

The Glass Castle Book

The Glass Castle Movie

Marco Polo App

Join Lindsay, Kim, Meredith, Ashley and Sarah as they discuss our first romance novel “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne. The women go from hot elevator scenes to pick up artists and murderous incels. They reflect on the ‘bad guy’ storyline in books, movies and their own lives.  Would adding a little crime to this romance spiced things up for the members, maybe?

Everyone shares whether they would recommend the book and/or the movie and which one they enjoyed more, except Kim because she forgot to watch the movie again (haha)!

This book was made into a movie in 2021 and stars Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Damon Daunno, Kathryn Boswell and Sakina Jaffrey.

Discussion Points: 

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted: 

Book Interrupted

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

The Hunger Games 4 Book Box Set

Twilight By Stephanie Meyer

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert

The Game by Neil Strauss

The Pick up Artist by Neil Strauss

The Forth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Can you Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella

Something Borrowed by Emily Griffin

The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

Twilight Film

Fifty Shades of Grey Film

Jurassic World Film

Arrival Film

Leap Year Film

Enchanted Film

CanPrev Mood and Memory

During this mini episode we turn the Authors Spotlight onto Chris Donaldson and his novel “Going the Wrong Way”.

Driven by a desire to break free from his mediocre, middle-class existence and escape the Belfast (IRA) “Troubles” of the 70’s, Chris Donaldson strikes out on his café racing Moto Guzzi on a cross-country road trip of self-discovery.

But when the Iranian revolution stops the planned motorcycle trip to Australia, he switches gears and begins a 33-country, 50,000-mile odyssey across Europe, Asia, and the Americas including 10,000 miles on an ocean-going racing yacht.

As Chris leaves the “Belfast Troubles” behind, he creates his own trouble. Along the way, there are formidable roadblocks: trigger-happy soldiers with AK-47s in war-torn Africa, getting bogged in the Sahara Desert, waves the size of Everest that threaten to sweep him overboard, hepatitis E in South America, and PTSD when he gets home.

A ‘coming of age’ road trip like no other...

Going the Wrong Wayis raw in its exposure, thoughtful in its deliberations, and revealing about the regimes and cultures it passes through. What an amazing adventure in the days before Google maps, mobile phones and social media. Chris encounters a near-death experience around almost every corner, and a cast of characters that will change his life forever. All told in an honest style with the best of Belfast humour.

This is not just a solo travel memoir. It's a story about finding oneself in the midst of chaos, and about the transformative power of travel. As Chris navigates the challenges and joys of the open road, he learns important lessons about perseverance, friendship, and the importance of following your dreams.

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Chris Donaldson Website

Going the Wrong Way by Chris Donaldson Book

Going the Wrong Way by Chris Donaldson Audio Book

Top Gear

Long Way Down by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman

Hold on to your bookmarks! The following episode of Book Interrupted is Off The Shelf. During this episode we play Never Have I Ever.  The Book Interrupted women discuss bad dates, pranks, false names, alibis and a new form of wine tasting.

Discussion Points:

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted:

Book Interrupted Website

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Big Brother tv show

Amazing Race

American Idol

Survivor

Virginia, Sarah and Kim discuss Bonnie Garmus’s debut novel Lessons in Chemistry. The women discuss the book, characters, and compare the novel to the limited series on Apple TV.  They speak about the storytelling in the book vs the tv show, but most importantly how inspirational the character of Elizabeth Zott is. They reflect on the feminist themes in the book and how critics and writers may have lost the essence of the messaging. They even get into the chemistry of cooking, talking dogs and the many benefits of having a pencil handy.

This book was made into a TV Mini-Series in 2023 and stars Brie Larson, Lewis Pullman, Aja Naomi King, Kevin Sussman, Stephanie Koenig and Patrick Walker. 

Discussion Points: 

Mentioned on this episode of Book Interrupted: 

Book Interrupted

Book Interrupted YouTube Channel

Book Interrupted Facebook Book Club Group

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry Limited Series on Apple TV

The BFG by Roald Dahl

The Beach by Alex Garland’s Book

The Beach - Video Game Scene

Next Level Chef

Alton Brown Chef

Li Ziqi Cooking

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Book

Killers of the Flower Moon Film

Game of Thrones Series

Shawshank Redemption Film

The Green Mile Film

Would you Rather- Feminist - 17 REAL-LIFE WOULD-YOU-RATHERS I, A WOMAN, HAVE HAD TO ASK MYSELF