Novel Pairings

In today's recap episode, we discuss Book One of The Custom of the Country (that's chapters 1-10 if your book is not divided into books). This episode includes detailed discussion of the plot and characters introduced in this first section of the novel, so spoilers abound. We discuss our initial impressions of the unforgettable character that is Undine Spragg, how well this book would translate to the screen, a close read of a mythology reference, and what we've learned about parenting from this portion of the novel because we desperately want to avoid raising Undines!

Some more background on this episode: twice a year, we choose a big bucket list classic to read together as a community. For every book we read, we dust off our English teacher skills to break down plot, themes, style, and more in recurring recap podcast episodes.

We have our Big Book Summer Read Along of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables on the horizon and we’d love for you to join us! We do know that it can be hard to sign up for a subscription community if you don’t know what you’re getting so we wanted to give you a taste for what we do in our Patreon Classics Club by putting two of our recent recap episodes here on the main feed. Over the winter months, we read Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country and we think it would make for a great summer read if you haven’t read it yet. 

If you love these two episodes, head over to our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Enrolling at the $10 Literature Scholar level will get you access to the rest of our Custom of the Country recap series, the corresponding classes, our entire Odyssey recap series from last summer, and all of our previous bonus episodes and class recordings. Plus, you'll get access to our current summer recap series of Les Misérables.

Books Mentioned:

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Eloise at The Plaza by Kay Thompson

Also Mentioned:

Gossip Girl

Today’s episode is a special one! Twice a year, we choose a big bucket list classic to read together as a community. For every big book we read, Chelsey and Sara dust off their English teacher skills to break down plot, themes, style, and more in recurring recap podcast episodes.

We have our Big Book Summer Read Along of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables on the horizon and we’d love for you to join us! We do know that it can be hard to sign up for a subscription community if you don’t know what you’re getting so we wanted to give you a taste for what we do in our Patreon Classics Club by putting two of our recent recap episodes here on the main feed. Over the winter months, we read Edith Wharton’s The Custom of the Country and we think it would make for a great summer read if you haven’t read it yet. 

If you love these two episodes, head over to our Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings. Enrolling at the $10 Literature Scholar level will get you access to the rest of our Custom of the Country recap series, the corresponding classes, our entire Odyssey recap series from last summer, and all of our previous bonus episodes and class recordings. Plus, you'll get access to our current summer recap series of Les Misérables.

In today's first recap episode, we discuss the introduction materials from the Penguin Classics (Sofia Coppola & Sarah Blackwood) and Scribner (Brandon Taylor) versions of the text. You do not need to read the intros in order to listen to this episode. Future recaps will include plot spoilers, of course, but this introduction episode is completely spoiler-free! We discuss initial impressions of the introductions, lenses and questions for guided reading, literary relevance and contemporary comparisons, and three big things to look for as you read.

Books Mentioned:

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Also Mentioned:

The Buccaneers

Bridgerton

The Gilded Age

Downton Abbey

We’re taking it back to the classroom in today’s episode! Chelsey and Sara reflect on their experience with high school summer reading as both students and teachers: the good, the great, and the hot takes. While we aren’t assigning any reading in this episode, we are sharing 10 classics that would make for great summer reads at any age! For an enhanced reading experience, pair a past Novel Pairings episode with each of these classics to listen as you go. 

Of course, our main summer reading recommendation is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, our BIG summer readalong hosted in Patreon with classes, bonus episodes, and special recaps to get the most out of this huge novel. 

Novel Pairings operates on an academic calendar to keep our work sustainable. But like most teachers, just because we have summer “off” doesn’t mean we aren’t hard at work behind the scenes! This summer, we will take off from sharing new episodes on the main feed in July and August to devote more time and energy to planning for the year ahead, restoring our creativity, and strengthening our bond with Patreon community members. 

If you are missing Novel Pairings in your podcast feed, we would love for you to join our community for extra nerdy summer fun. 

Books Mentioned:

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

The Joyluck Club by Amy Tan

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Passing by Nella Larsen

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 

James by Percival Everett

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson

 The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

Novel Pairings Episodes

Episode 86: Palpable tension and shocking twists in Passing by Nella Larsen

Episode 136: To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Episode 117: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Episode 114: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Episode 68: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson and contemplative books for moody summer reading

Episode 66: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part Two

Episode 64:  The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part One

Episode 61: The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, plus books about complicated families, romance, and boundaries

Episode 20: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and romantic Black feminist heroines

Episode 126: Leaving a Legacy: The Odyssey in modern literature                               

Episode 142: The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

Stay Connected with Novel Pairings 

Novel Pairings Substack

Novel Pairings Instagram

Novel Pairings Patreon

Today, we’re wrapping up our spring season with Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, a theme-driven novel that recreates the social world of an elite liberal arts college, exploring issues through nuanced satire on race, class, and beauty. We dig into the stories of the Belsey and Kipp families and Smith’s use of the academic setting to discuss identity and social satire. Our pairings for On Beauty include callbacks to previous classic episodes, essays by Zadie Smith, and surprising historical fiction.

Our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is starting soon! Just like our readalongs for The Odyssey and The Custom of the Country, you can expect exclusive Patreon content, including book clubs and classes, to guide you through this ginormous classic. We’d love for you to join us! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up. 

Books Mentioned:

Howard’s End by E.M. Forster

There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset

Passing by Nella Larsen

Members Only by Sameer Pandya

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smith 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Love Marriage by Monica Ali

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Get ready for your summer TBR to pile high as we share our most anticipated titles releasing this summer! Plus, each new release that we preview in today’s episode is perfectly paired with a backlist book or two, giving us plenty to read while waiting for pre-orders and library holds to come in.

If you enjoy our recommendations on today’s episode, we have even more book suggestions to explore in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great place to discuss books with a smart group of readers, and now is the perfect time to join as we're about to start our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. Visit patreon.com/novelpairings to learn more.

You can also stay up-to-date with all things Novel Pairings by following us on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting our book-loving community!

Books Mentioned:

Fire Exit by Morgan Talty 

LaRose by Louise Erdrich

The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma

At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop

Every Day Is For the Thief by Teju Cole 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 

Unseen World by Liz Moore

In the Woods by Tana French

Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan 

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

One Star Romance by Laura Hankin 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Bear by Julia Phillips 

The Hunter’s Wife by Anthony Doerr

Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

The Latecomer by Jean Hanf Korelitz

The Plot by Jean Hanf Korelitz

The Coin by Yasmin Zaher 

You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman 

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Liars by Sarah Manguso 

Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill

Colored Television by Danzy Senna 

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang

A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abudrraqib

Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell

Also Mentioned:

Novel Pairings Summer 2023 Book Preview and Backlist Pairings

On today’s Modern Readers episode, we’re placing “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift in context with pieces of contemporary political satire. We'll explore how satire is being used today to comment on politics and social issues, and the power, or limits, of its influence. Throughout our discussion, we discuss the lasting legacy of Swift’s essay, the rise of satirical media, and how satire is used as a rhetorical tool. Listen to the end for contemporary satirical examples in TV, online media, and comedy.

We’re also excited to  announce our Summer Big Book Read Along: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. We’re looking forward to digging into this classic with you! This Big Book Read Along includes 5 recaps spread over June, July, and August, 3 book club meet ups to discuss along the way, an active Discord chat for support and motivation, classes and bonus content. The summer is a great time to join our scholarly community! 

Find more details on our summer plans in our free Substack newsletter or head to patreon.com/novelpairings to join our community. 

Books Mentioned:

A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

The Odyssey by Homer

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Also Mentioned:

A Modern Proposal on Project Gutenberg 

Little Women Musical

Jo Musical

A Point of View: What’s the point of satire?

The Onion

Saturday Night Live

The Daily Show

The Colbert Report

White Lotus

Abbott Elementary

Veep

The West Wing

John Oliver

In today’s episode, we’re discussing The Importance of Being Earnest by the ever-delightful Oscar Wilde. A classic example of British theater, this play is known for its biting social satire and brilliant comedic dialogue. Throughout our conversation, we dive into the play’s themes, discuss Wilde’s mastery of wordplay, and his ability to write characters that satirize Victorian society in the cleverest ways. As always, we share our complementary pairings, and we hope this episode adds a few books to your TBR pile! 

If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love participating in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

Books Mentioned:

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Nevada by Imogen Binnie

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

The Best of Me by David Sedaris

I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett

Dr. No by Percival Everett

What a Difference a Duke Makes by Lenora Bell

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

Also Mentioned:

Bonus: 127. An Introduction to The Importance of Being Earnest

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

R. Eric Thomas

We're thrilled to welcome back Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks Podcast, for a thought-provoking discussion on one of Shakespeare's darkest comedies, Measure for Measure. In this conversation, we'll dive deep into the play's timeless themes including punishment, gender, power, and politics. We discuss how these themes continue to resonate with modern audiences, revealing the parallels between the play and our contemporary world. We also talk about how Shakespeare masterfully uses this satire in this work, even when satire doesn't necessarily equate to laugh-out-loud humor. Listen to the end for Traci’s book recommendations, including Shakespeare pairings and a soon-to-be-released title. 

Connect with Traci:

The Stacks Podcast 

Unstacked 

Instagram: @thestackspod 

Join our community!

Patreon

Substack

Instagram: @novelpairingspod

Books Mentioned:

Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race by Farah Karim-Cooper

Blackface (Object Lessons) by Ayanna Thompson

New People by Danzy Senna

Color Television by Danzy Senna

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu

Erasure by Percival Everett

Severance by Ling Ma

Victim by Andrew Boryga

Love’s Labor Lost by William Shakespeare

All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare

Othello by William Shakespeare

Richard III by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Also Mentioned:

Ask a Shakespeare Professor 

Macbeth

The Stacks episode on Romeo and Juliet

If aesthetics, British aristocracy and nostalgia sounds like an appealing combination, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh is the book for you. In today's episode, we talk through the key themes, relationships, Waugh's stated purpose for writing Brideshead, and we ask: is Brideshead Revisited a satire or a novel with satirical elements? Plus, today’s pairings include a fantasy novel, historical fiction and a psychological thriller.

If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

Books Mentioned:

The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Come and Get It by Kiley Reid

This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

Also Mentioned:

Downton Abbey 

Brideshead Revisited Mini Series

The Crown

Today, Chelsey and Sara share their most anticipated spring book releases paired with backlist selections. After  listening today, your TBR will be filled with delightful fiction, thrilling mysteries, historical romance and literary books from favorite writers, all releasing between late February and May. As always, our go-to pairings will keep your spring both entertaining and engaging. 

If you love our recommendations on the podcast, we have even more books to share over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.

Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship!

Books Mentioned:

Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft 

Intimacies by Katie Kitamura

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrush 

Victim by Andrew Boryga

Erasure by Pervical Everett

The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett 

Sirens of Sussex series by Mimi Matthews 

James by Percival Everett 

The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn by Mark Twain

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

Clear by Carys Davies

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

The Colony by Audry McGee

This Other Eden by Paul Harding

A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay by Octavia Butler

The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

How Long ‘Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

The Oracle of Delphi by William J. Broad 

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Oye by Melissa Mogollon

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

A Gamble at Sunset by Vanessa Riley

Also Mentioned:

Beforeigners 

Bridgerton

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story 

Episode 141: Bookish Pairings for our favorite period dramas