How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books

Have we finally figured out Cathy's character motivation? This week the HEE team follows our villain where angels fear to tread, comparing and contrasting her to Samuel Hamilton along the way.

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It's ladies' day at HEE! (Gentlemen listeners can still tune in..) Emily and Megan forge ahead with a conversation that touches on Samuel Hamilton's intuitive insight into Cathy, overcoming first impressions of Liza, and what in the world lies ahead for Adam and his newborn twins.

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This week Ian, Emily, and Megan discuss Steinbeck's ideas about individualism. He wants to protect the rights of the individual over the collective at all costs, but what do we do about the "rugged individualism" of characters like Cathy? We also laugh about Olive's chapter and explore water imagery in the novel thus far.

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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The conflict of our story comes into a little more focus in today's reading as the Cathy and Trask plotlines converge. We take a final crack at comparing the two brothers and then end our conversation by looking at Steinbeck's introduction to Part II. Believe it or not, we're once again talking about the philosophy of history...

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠.

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Have we found the Eve to our Adam Trask? Before we dive into the terrifying world of Cathy Ames, the HEE team talks about Steinbeck's ideas concerning love and faith and continues to wrap their heads around the complex characterization of Adam and Charles.

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Come discuss The Grapes of Wrath and learn more about CenterForLit's Pelican Society Membership.

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This week we're discussing Chapters 4-6 of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. We compare Charles and Adam’s relationship to the Cain and Abel story, wonder about Steinbeck’s use of water imagery, and provide our initial reactions to the Hamilton family. We also reveal the kinds of books we read when we're not reading elephants!

To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠.

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

Surprise! How to Eat an Elephant is FINALLY back for our season on John Steinbeck's East of Eden.

We kick off our conversation of the first three chapters by discussing the biblical overtones of the novel. We consider themes of genesis as they may come to apply to artistic creation, westward expansion in America, and individual human lives.

To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.

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

You thought it'd never happen! (We were getting nervous ourselves...) Ian, Megan, and Emily are finally back to reveal the next large book the podcast will be consuming, one bite at a time!

We also introduce our new host, Charlotte Andrews! (Just kidding...although she makes a rather insistent contribution to this trailer, she will not be joining us for future episodes.)

Find a copy of our edition of the next title and the episode schedule at www.centerforlit.com/hee.

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

Surprise!! We’ve got a bonus episode for you. Thus far the How to Eat an Elephant podcast has covered War and Peace and Les Misérables. Napoleon Bonaparte features heavily in both of these novels, and so we thought we’d get the crew together to watch Ridley Scott’s recent film about the notorious French Emperor and see how his take compares to those of Tolstoy and Hugo. What did we think? Well…you’ll have to listen and find out…

Our new crew member, Charlotte Andrews, also chimes in a bit in the background of this episode… ;)

P.S. We’d love to hear what you think of the film! If you decide to buy Napoleon, please consider using our affiliate link here to help support our work at CenterForLit!

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How to Eat an Elephant will be taking a temporary break. But lest you despair: tune in to find out our plan for returning and what we’ll be doing in the meantime!

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