Smug Book Club

2022 was a long time ago, but that's not stopping the Smug Book Club boys from reflecting on the best books they read in that year! And trust 'em, there are some absolute belters on this go-around.

• The Buddha in the Attic — Julie Otsuka
• Persepolis — Marjane Satrapi
• One Hundred Years of Solitude — Gabriel García Márquez
• Death With Interruptions — José Saramago
• Story of Your Life and Others — Ted Chiang
• They — Kay Dick

Make sure to follow the squad on Twitter (or X, I guess) and Instagram, just search @SmugBookClub.

Manga, eh? Anime, yeah? Why is it when the 'Murricans get their grubby hands on it to adapt for their screens, they always seem to balls it up? Do they even know what they're doing with it? Is it all just a culture clash? Or is there a slither of merit in what they're creating?

Callum and Ryan (somewhat) answer these questions, alongside their standard literature chit chat.

Another author has stepped off this mortal coil, a different author earned their due in a most unexpected way, and a world-renowned postmodern author isn't impressing one member of the parish. Get stuck in!

Callum and Ryan are back again! In the spirit of chatting about more ai and some dodgy poetry, they thought they'd just let ChatGPT sort out this week's episode description. Enjoy!

In the realm of words and stories, a tale unfolds, Where Very Novel's hosts bring insights untold. Callum and Ryan, their voices intertwined, Unveiling the podcast's latest episode in kind.

They ventured into a literary terrain, Where politics and music's poets reign. Jeremy Corbyn and Drake, a curious pair, As they released their collections with scholarly flair.

In the realm of AI, an intriguing sight, Generative books flooded Amazon's charted heights. Words birthed by algorithms, a digital dance, Weaving tales with a touch of artificial romance.

But amidst the surge, a concern took hold, For TikTok's BookTok community, a tale untold. A publishing arm born, a worrisome sight, Where trends and algorithms might steer the write.

Yet through it all, the hosts shed light, Discussing, dissecting, opinions taking flight. Very Novel's episode, a journey to explore, In the land where literature's tales do soar.

So listen closely, dear friends, at the podcast's start, Where Callum and Ryan impart wisdom from the heart. A glimpse into a world where creativity thrives, Where spoken words weave tales that come alive.

Produced by: Callum Booth and Ryan Jay Edited by: Ryan Jay and Daniel Staley Music by: Daniel Staley

No podcast for sad men? Well, there's always this one. Cormac McCarthy died, and Ryan and Callum are bummed. But it's okay – they have each other to talk about the man's legacy and what made him so darn special.

There's also some encyclopaedia chat, as well as an honest assessment of some kneejerk review bombing following Elizabeth Gilbert's decision to pull her upcoming Russia based book from publication. You can also expect the usual natter on what they're reading. Produced by Callum Booth and Ryan Jay Edited by Daniel Staley Music by Daniel Staley

Yee-haw! It's time to saddle up for another Very Novel. Down at the ranch Callum and Ryan are rounding up the latest book stories for y'all. Like why are they banning the ol' bible in schools across the pond? Why are young fellas not getting the diverse reading they need? Why is Ulysses such a pain in the chaps to get through? And why did we make this episode description cowboy themed? Only one of those questions doesn't get answered.

We also check in on our reading, and get embroiled in a book challenge despite swearing off them last episode.

Produced by: Callum Booth and Ryan Jay

Edited by: Ryan Jay and Daniel Staley

Music by: Daniel Staley

It's another round of Very Novel — and Ryan and Callum are snapping into the spines of some fresh book chat. This week, we revel in the joy of a thriving independent bookshop scene, and contemplate the pitfalls of online reading challenges and book tracking. We pay our respects to Martin Amis — a dude we know virtually nothing about — while the Bradford Literature Festival is washing its hands clean of their AI artwork controversy.

And did Ryan finish the 'Count of Monte Cristo?' Did Callum finish 'Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow?' You can only go and find out today.

Your boys are back with a fresh take at what's going on in the world of books.

This week, a storm in a teacup involving Bradford Literature Festival and Midjourney has us anticipating the wider implications of AI in literature, we ponder the point of displaying fake books in your gaff, and what the hell are revered writers like Neil Gaiman getting up to in their spare time? (Spoiler: it's writing other things, mostly).

We also check in on our latest reads — Callum's got a new fantasy series on the go and Ryan's embracing the slog with The Count of Monte Cristo.

Hello, what's this? It's only a new flippin' topical book series, right here on the feed, featuring your two favourite book boys. Every fortnight we cover the latest book news, opinions and titbits, all the while going, erm, nose deep in our current reads. What's not to love?

In our debut episode, we talk recent censorship woes, Matthew Perry's latest desperate attempt to sell his book, and the reasons people get so wound up over their favourite book getting the big screen adaptation treatment.

Uh oh. UH OH. It's our yearly update on our favorite books, but... it's almost a year late.

Look, we can't be perfect all the time, so you're just gonna have to accept this wonderful content whenever it rolls around.

So... what were the best novels we read in 2021? Well, those were:

• Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

• Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi

• The Song Of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

• Middlemarch, by George Eliot

• Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead

• Calypso, by David Sedaris

So, sit back and enjoy those lovely Smug Book Club boys talk through why these were their most-enjoyed books of 2021.

Until next time, friends!

Okay, yeah, we may actually be closer to 2022 than 2020, but when do the Smug Book Club boys let tradition stand in the way of a good time?

No, that's not a rhetorical question: WHEN? ANSWER US, WHEN?!?! (Spoiler: never).

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter when we released this episode, because books are nearly always good. And damn, do we have some good recommendations for you.

So, in no particular order, here's a list of the 6 best books we read in 2020:

• Moonglow, by Michael Chabon
• The Living Mountain, by Nan Shepherd
• Pond, by Claire Louise-Bennet
• Salt Slow, by Julia Armfield
• Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
• At Night All Blood Is Black, by David Diop, translated by Anna Moschovakis

We tried to keep all mentions of the books spoiler-free, but of course some little tidbits may have snuck out. What can you do?!?!

Anyway, enjoy the episode — and we'll catch you all soon.