How does Michael Chabon use alternate history to explore the relationship between resettled people and people who have lived in communities like Sitka, Alaska? Does one need chess experience to understand the great metaphorical resonance of the game in The Yiddish Policemen’s Union? How does the book fit into the noir genre? Join a chess expert* (Rosianna Halse Rojas) and a chess novice (John Green) as they mull over Chabon’s 2007 novel.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in July 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

*ran her street’s chess club when she was five

Magical realism, multi-generational family dynamics, the relationship between the personal and the political—The House of the Spirits has got it all, and John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss these themes and more in this episode of the Life’s Library’s podcast.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in May 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

Content warning: This episode contains brief mentions of torture.

We Crossed a Bridge and It Trembled weaves together stories from Syrian refugees while recognizing the multiplicity of their experiences and perspectives. John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss how to resist the urge to essentialize and simplify complex situations, the act of listening vs. making statements, and moments of human solidarity in the book.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in April 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

What does it mean to look and observe without immediately searching for an answer? What are the many implications of the color blue? How do we make sense of the distance between our younger selves and current selves? Join John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas as they discuss A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in March 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.

John Green and Rosianna Halse Rojas discuss If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson and associated topics like love at first sight, alternating perspectives, and the book’s impact on YA literature.  This episode contains plot spoilers.

This episode was originally released to subscribers in January 2019. The Life’s Library Discord and subscriptions are now closed after a wonderful three years of reading together. Check out past books at www.lifeslibrarybookclub.com, Twitter, and Instagram.

Episode transcript.

Life’s Library logo by Bethany Mannion.