Today, I'm examining Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey, comparing it to the film, and taking a look at the relevance of oral storytelling in a world where no one reads anymore.

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

"Democracy, Neo-Orality, and the Unraveling of Political Norms: What Can We Social and Political Scholars Do?" by Jacqueline Fendt https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=143088

"The End of Reading is Here" by Rose Horowitch https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/08/reading-crisis-postliterate-age/687618/

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780393356250

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Beloved" by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781400033416

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Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Author (and former literary agent for the Try Guys) Jessica M. Felleman stops by the Boston Bureau to discuss Mary Oliver, solarpunk, local poetry, staying ON (not in) Cape Cod, and her debut novel "Last Kiss of Summer".

In the Patreon bonus segment, Jessica talks about working with the Guys to sell their NYT bestseller The Hidden Power of F*cking Up, and about working with Eugene to sell his upcoming fantasy duology The Unders.

Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmfelleman/

Buy "Last Kiss of Summer" https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9798217001910

Help stop the destruction of wild habitat in Southern California: https://nocanyonhills.org/

Poetry reading in LA: https://www.sundayjump.com/

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"New and Selected Poems Vol 2" by Mary Oliver https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780807068878

"A Psalm for the Wild-Built" by Becky Chambers https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781250236210

"Once There Were Wolves" by Charlotte McConaghy https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781250244154

"Envelope Poems" by Emily Dickinson https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780811225823

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Beloved" by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781400033416

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Luke Goebel (Kill Dick, the films Causeway and Eileen) shares 3 books that influenced his writing, and he almost shares his phone number, too.

Kill Dick is available everywhere via Red Hen Press

Check out Tyrant Books: https://nytyrant.com/

Find out more about the Alano Club of Portland: https://www.portlandalano.org/

Find out more about Bridgeway Community Health: https://bridgewayrecovery.com/

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"Kill Dick" by Luke Goebel https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781636284651

"The Golden Hour" by Matthew Specktor https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780063008342

"The Shards" by Bret Easton Ellis https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780593469163

"Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780679732761

"The Mars Room" by Rachel Kushner https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781476756585

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780393356250

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Today, I'm going over the 16 books I've read so far in 2026, and I'm sharing some of the ways I've found more time for reading.

To learn how you can help fight tuberculosis, visit: https://www.pih.org/ and https://tbfighters.org/about

Science agrees that audiobooks count as reading: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/03/audiobooks-dont-really-count-as-reading-think-again/

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781501117015

Everything Is Tuberculosis https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780525556572

The Disappointment by Scott Broker https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781646222858

Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780374619237

Speak Now by Ash Perez https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Speak-Now/Ash-Perez/9781668117927

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780141441146

The Outsiders by SE Hinton https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780142407332

Down Time by Andrew Martin https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780374617066

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780060913076

A Good Person by Kirsten King https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9798217048045

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780345806567

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781400078776

Kill Dick by Luke Goebel https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781636284651

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781594631931

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9798217287857

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780393356250

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Sarah Bonsignore joins the pod to discuss airport mystery authors, zipless f*cks, the magic of bugs, and more.

Follow Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petesybon/?hl=en

Follow Sarah on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@petesybon

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"Stoner" by John Williams https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781590171998

"Fear of Flying" by Erica Jong https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780451209436

"Julian" by Gore Vidal https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780375727061

"Siddartha" by Hermann Hesse https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781720469360

"The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780767913737

"White Teeth" by Zadie Smith https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780375703867

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780393356250

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

We finish out Modern Spring (in the middle of summer) with Min Jin Lee's Pachinko. There's a lot to love about this book…but is it really worth reading?

for early, ad-free, extended episodes, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson: https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780393356250

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Kirsten King, author of the deliciously unhinged novel "A Good Person", stops by to discuss Eve Babitz, John Waters, and prepping for the apocalypse.

For the extended, ad-free version where Kirsten reminisces on the golden (and I do mean golden) days of BuzzFeed, subscribe to the Shoulda Books Patreon or purchase the episode for $3 here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

Follow Kirsten on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirstenlking/

"A Good Person" is available everywhere via G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"A Good Person" by Kirsten King https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9798217048045

"Slow Days, Fast Company" by Eve Babitz https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781681370088

"Walking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black" by Cookie Mueller https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781635901665

"Parable of the Sower" by Octavia E. Butler https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781538732182

"SAS Survival Handbook" by John "Lofty" Wiseman https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780062378071

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Ryan W. Garcia (Try Guys, Big Nate, Krapopolis) graciously allows me to record in the lovely studio for his podcast Big Theatre Kid Energy. We discuss leveling up, reading the signs of the universe, and protecting your voice when you're out there in the podcast mines.

Follow Ryan on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muchosgarcias/?hl=en

Follow Big Theatre Kid Energy: https://www.instagram.com/bigtheatrekidenergy/?hl=en

Watch my episode of BTKE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boLHSnQir5o&t=1914s

for the ad-free, extended version of this episode, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780593820254

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780062315007

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780142407332

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Zachary Donohue is the co-writer of the horror film Passenger, in theaters now. He shares 3 books that shaped him and his career, even though none of them are technically horror books.

Check out the ad-free, extended episode–where we discuss Stephen King a bit more–over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

Follow Zachary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donohuezach/

Go see Passenger, in theaters now

Watch The Unknowable (original series) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z8rt8c-FsI

Watch The Unknowable: Darkland on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/The-Unknowable-Darkland/dp/B0G49WGNW5

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"Sideways Stories from Wayside School" by Louis Sachar https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780380698714

"Replay" by Ken Grimwood https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780688161125

"Heavier Than Heaven" by Charles R. Cross https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780316492447

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg

Khaled Hosseini's debut novel The Kite Runner has sold over 10 million copies since its publication in 2003. What made it achieve such a stratospheric level of popularity? Is the story just that good? Or is there something else at play?

Review by Harvey Thompson https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2008/03/kite-m25.html

for the ad-free version of this episode, sign up for the Shoulda Books Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/ShouldaBooks

books discussed below. these are affiliate links for bookshop.org. by purchasing books through these links, you support local bookstores, and I earn a (very small) commission.

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781594631931

"Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780679734505

"The Sympathizer" by Viet Than Nguyen https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780802124944

"Charlie Wilson's War" by George Crile III https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9780802141248

join the Shoulda Book Club on Fable: https://fable.co/club/the-shoulda-book-club-with-shoulda-books-225140024638?brid=yapSJjJ6zqETOwu3XngDDw

This month, we're reading "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee https://bookshop.org/a/120498/9781455563920

follow Shoulda Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shouldabooks/

follow Shoulda Books on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shouldabooks

follow Jonathan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jf.kirk/?hl=en

Shoulda Books theme song by Skyler Klingenberg