This episode was recorded November 4 2024

Comedian and writer Niles Abston joins me to discuss Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, often referred to as America's first (and greatest?) novel.

Young Huckleberry Finn escapes his abusive father and embarks on an adventure down the Mississippi. Beside him is the escaped enslaved person Jim.

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Actor and writer Olive Lorraine joins me to discuss a perfect misanthropist’s heaven: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë from 1847.

Summary: Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before: of the intense passion between the foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, and her betrayal of him. As Heathcliff's bitterness and vengeance is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past. (Storygraph)

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This might be the most I've ever laughed in an episode? Slay.

Adriene Vento joins me to discuss several entries into the Mercy Watson series written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. We cover Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride (book 2) and Mercy Watson Fights Crime (book 3), a series about a pig who loves toast and the people who love her.

Check out an excerpt of the book! To see the illustrations!

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Check out Adriene's previous episode Cupid Doesn't Flip Hamburgers!

Rishi Mahesh joins me to discuss Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture from 2008. Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch delivered a "last lecture" of life lessons for his young children in the months preceding his death due to pancreatic cancer.

I'm really eager to hear thoughts on this episode!

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John Paul Sarni of Stampede Ventures and the Page and Screen podcast joins me to discuss Michael Crichton's 1990 staple: Jurassic Park!

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Sometimes mosquitos get in the pancakes and you have to eat them anyway. Writer Emily Schmidt walks me through one of the most popular and traumatizing series of the late 90s/early 00s: Dear America and in particular its Oregon Trail diary Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie from 1997 by Kristiana Gregory.

Summary: After the death of her 2 sisters, 13-year-old Hattie and her family make for a fresh start on the Oregon Trail. Hattie's diary chronicles the hardships of such a harrowing journey, but also captures the small moments, the friendships and celebrations of life, that keep hope alive. (Google Books)

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I wouldn't have predicted that I would ever say the phrase "acquiescence mushrooms," but here we are. Bailey Benningfield joins me to discuss Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted. And yes we discuss the movie, don't you know my passion for Anne Hathaway?

Synopsis: At her birth, Ella of Frell was the unfortunate recipient of a foolish fairy's gift - the "gift" of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot for a day and a half, or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse - once and for all. (back of the book)

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What's this? A bonus episode? This week Jess Woodworth returns to discuss a seasonal staple that I had never seen before: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS from 1993.

The film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of "Halloween Town", who stumbles upon "Christmas Town" and schemes to take over the holiday. It was directed by Henry Selick and written by Caroline Thompson.

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Check out Jess' previous episode on The Tale of Despereaux!

It's a picture book - with lore. Delaney Circe joins me to discuss Chris Van Allsburg's The Mysteries of Harris Burdick from 1984.

In an encounter between a children's book editor named Peter Wenders and an author and illustrator named Harris Burdick – who says he has 14 stories that he has written – Burdick brings one picture from each story with a caption. He leaves with a promise to deliver the complete manuscripts if the editor chooses to buy the books. The next day, Burdick did not show up. Burdick had mysteriously disappeared. Over the years, Wenders tried to find out who Harris Burdick was, but he never found out. Burdick was never seen again, and the samples are all that remain of his supposed books. (Wikipedia)

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Shelby Copple joins me to discuss a book about lovin books: INKHEART by Cornelia Funke.

The story follows bookish twelve-year-old Meggie, who learns that her bookbinder father Mortimer or 'Mo' has a special gift: he can bring fictional characters to life.

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