This week we have an announcement on the show: We will change our format to produce one longer, more formal episode per month. Look out for our next episode on Natalia Ginzburg’s “Family Lexicon” on 13 September.

Today MacKenzie discusses her thoughts on the various organizational systems she has kept throughout the last several years. Her impetus for this episode was the book “Hyperfocus” by Chris Bailey.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

MacKenzie discusses a topic near and dear to her reading system: finishing every book she reads.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

MacKenzie reviews her book podcast style with another favorite episode from the back catalogue, episode 166 on “Garden by the Sea” by Mercè Rodoreda.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

How do you plan for peace, rather than productivity? Mackenzie discusses her journey with productivity over the past nine months as it relates to reading on this episode.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

How does an investigation of language science change one’s approach to language learning? What is the classical language learning model, and how did it develop? What strategies work (and not so much) to learn a new language? All these questions and more on today’s show, hosted by phoneticist Mackenzie Gentz.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

What would you do if you found yourself in a woman-sized hole? In the first book review since her return to the show, MacKenzie discusses societal pressures and magical realism in reference to the contemporary, prize-winning novella “The Hole” by Hiroko Oyamada.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

Would you be willing to try an experiment with us? This week, Mackenzie picks one of her all-time favorite episodes to re-hear in an effort to reconstruct her thoughts on what makes a good literature review. I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as she did.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

How do you explore a new book genre? Mackenzie walks through several practical tips on how to brave a new genre.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net

Why do people always say they “don’t have time to read”? MacKenzie discusses her own experience with this phrase and what she thinks rests behind it in common discourse.

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Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/

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Music by Leo Discenza

Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com

Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net