Teaching My Cat To Read: The “very serious” Book Review Podcast

It's our Christmas Episode! Join Eli, M, Lotti and the Cat(s!) as they discuss everything about “A Christmas Carol” By Charles Dickens, a touching and funny classic novel that we recommend everyone reads, or at least watches the Muppet version. 

Can Charles Dickens save Christmas? How many ghosts can you see while still being in denial about ghosts? Would Scrooge survive a horror film? And what will the cats think?

Content Tags

Discussion of death, and capitalism 

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Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

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Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

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This week Lotti introduces Eli and M to the wonders of the Cosmere, with The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson. When Shai is caught trying to switch a painting with a Forged fraud of her own making, she must earn her freedom by performing another Forgery, this time on the soul of the Emperor himself!

We re-encounter the arch-nemesis that is pronouncing fantasy names, discuss modem art, and ponder the implications of a magic system that lets you rewrite yourself.

We do discuss spoilers for this book (as always) and there are also very mild spoilers for the Cosmere series as a whole, including the book “Elantris”. 
Included guest review from Huxley the puppy!

Content Tags

Discussion of mind alteration by magic.

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

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Summary of us reading Persuasion by Jane Austen:

Anne Elliot: "I have done nothing wrong in my life, ever"

Us: "We know this, and we love you"

Join the team as they review this classic novel, with the cat!

Content Warnings
None

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
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Artemis isn’t actually evil, he’s just 12. What 12 year old wouldn’t do a kidnapping? Join us for a discussion of the ethics of press-ganging prisoners into participating in your retrieval missions, troll welfare and adolescent Irish crime lords. Spoilers: the cat approves of this one.

Colne Valley Books are a second hand bookshop with an extensive collection of fiction, non-fiction and antiquarian books. They are also friends of the Pod! 

You can find then at https://colnevalleybookshop.co.uk or on Facebook where you can find their guide on how to virtually browse their shelves at https://www.facebook.com/ColneValleyBooks/photos/a.2085245081735195/2743246295935067/

Content Tags
Discussion references police misconduct and misogyny 

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
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The gang read the original vampire story, Dracula by Bram Stoker,  the origin of so many clichés.

We discuss:

• How much you can fix with brandy?
• Is the most disturbing thing about Dracula his moustache?
• Can you enjoy this if you’re not a horror fan?

Listen to find out which bits of this story made us cry their hearts out, if Victorian book actually pretty feminist and how important the sacred duties of the estate agent are.

Content Tags
Horror, Sexuality, and Death

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
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Join us for a discussion of Sabriel, the first book in the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix - and the first book we’ve reviewed which actually features a cat (well, sort of). Also featuring: musical necromancy, an Enid Blyton schoolgirl saving the world, and dangers of having your entire kingdom’s government controlled by a single family which could theoretically be wiped out by a single traitor. We also tackle the following very difficult question: would you rather be royalty, an ice psychic, or a magic rock?

Content Tags
Discussion of character death

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
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Eli, Em and Lotti take a look at a “Scandal in Bohemia” its many adaptations, and where they fall short. Who is the real Irene Adler? Are any of the adaptations worth watching? And what does this story tell us about the classic character Sherlock Holmes?

Content Tags

Discussion of the portrayal of sex work in BBC’s Sherlock 

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
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Join us for a ‘very serious’ review Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. In this episode, we discuss:our favourite characters, which characters we want to fight, and the perils of keeping flamingos in a magic room. What score will the cat give the book? Listen to find out!

Follow us on social media for all the latest behind the scenes updates, blog posts on other books we’ve read, and many photos of the cat. 

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
https://forms.gle/TBZUBH4SK8dez8RP9

Join us for a review of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. What makes it so readable even to this day? Which adaptation is the best? Are there enough ribbons in this book to keep the cat interested?

Editor note: we recommend "Why I No Longer Talk to White People about Race" by Reni Eddo-Lodge. As per the author's request if you want to read this book, please try and borrow to book from a library and friend and donate the price of the book to a racial justice organisation. 

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
https://forms.gle/TBZUBH4SK8dez8RP9

Welcome to the new, very serious, book review podcast, Teaching my Cat to Read.

First episode will be up next weekend!

Support the show

Recommend us a Book!
If there’s a book you want to recommend to us to read, just send us a message/email and we’ll pop it on our long list (but please read our review policy on our website first for the books we accept).

Social Media
Website: https://teachingmycattoread.wordpress.com/
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachmycat2read/
Tumblr: https://teachingmycattoread.tumblr.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXi9LNQv8SBQt8ilgTZXtQ

Listener Survey
https://forms.gle/TBZUBH4SK8dez8RP9