The Bookcast Club

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In today's episode we're talking Booker! Two previous, wonderful guests to the podcast, Kieran from KD Books and Christine from Storycraft are back to discuss all things International Booker. We discuss our feelings on the longlist and shortlist, and discuss all the shortlisted books (except for Cursed Bunny).

Links to Christine
https://www.storycraft.nl/
Instagram | @storycraftnl

Links to Kieran
Youtube channel | @KDBooks
Instagram | @kdbooks
Playlist of Kieran's International Booker 2022 reviews

Past episodes with Christine
#49 Reading More Asian Authors
#30 My Life in Books

Past episodes with Kieran
#59 Reviewing the 2021 Booker Shortlist
#42 My Life in Books
#34 Reviewing the 2020 Booker Shortlist

International Booker 2022 Shortlist

• Heaven (ヘヴン) by Mieko Kawakami, translated from Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd
• Elena Knows (Elena sabe) by Claudia Piñeiro, translated from Spanish by Frances Riddle
• Tomb of Sand (रेत समाधि) by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell
• The Books of Jacob (Księgi Jakubowe) by Olga Tokarczuk, translated from Polish by Jennifer Croft
• A New Name: Septology VI-VII (Eit nytt namn - Septologien VI - VII) by Jon Fosse, translated from Norwegian by Damion Searls 
• Cursed Bunny (저주토끼) by Bora Chung, translated from Korean by Anton Hur 

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

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We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

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Jen and Sarah read two of Alice's favourite books (not all-time faves; more on that in the episode!), The Time Traveller's Wife and The Poisonwood Bible. They share their thoughts on that and discuss the issues brought up in the two novels, as well as what they've each currently been reading.

There are no major plot spoilers in the discussion of the two novels, although we do discuss the plot in broad terms. This episode has chapter markers so you can skip the sections if you would like (If your app doesn't have chapter markers - Time Traveller's Wife discussion starts at 14:31 and Poisonwood Bible at 33:55!).

Other episodes mentioned
#45 Reading Sarah K's Favourite Books (The Secret History and Grief is the Thing with Feathers)
#56 Reading Sarah T's Favourite Books (The Harry Quebert Affair and The Nightingale)

Other books mentioned
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda
Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake


Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today we welcome Mercedes of Mercy's Bookish Musings to the pod to chat all things non-fiction. Sarah, Jenny and Mercedes share why they love non-fiction, where they get their recommendations from and talk through some of their favourites. And, as always, we share our recent and current reads.

Books mentioned
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar
Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country by Sierra Crane Murdoch
How the Pill Changes Everything by Dr Sarah. E. Hill
Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness by Catherine Cho
I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell
Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India by Shashi Tharoor
The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King
Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thomson
Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land by Toni Jensen
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Missoula by Jon Krakauer

Other stuff mentioned

Bailie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction
Walter Scott Prize
Graywolf Press

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today, Chris and Sarah talk about some of their favourite short stories and short story collections and what they think makes a good short story. They also discuss what they're currently reading. including discussions of death row and missing Russian mountaineers. Do you read short stories? Love or loathe?

Books/stories mentioned
How Not To Be A Boy by Robert Webb
Half A Lifelong Romance by Eileen Chang
Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka
The Five by Hallie Rubenfeld
After The Eclipse by Sarah Perry
Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar [about the Dyatlov Pass incident]
The Merchant at the Alchemist's Gate by Ted Chiang
The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin
After We Walked Away by Erika L. Satifka
All The Acorns On The Forest Floor by Kim Hooper
If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love by Rachel Swirsky
Storyland by Catherine McKinnon [only available outside of Australia via Amazone/Book Depository]
Off by Aimee Bender
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri [short story was Nobody's Business]
David Mitchell: Slade House, Cloud Atlas, and The Bone Clocks

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today, Jen and Sarah chat about what they're currently reading and  some of the longlists for various book prizes that are out and about at the moment. They discuss which ones they would like to read, how they each get swept up in the excitement of prize season, and their vegetable-growing plans for 2022. 


Books mentioned
Taste by Stanley Tucci
Severance by Ling Ma
Phenotypes by Paulo Scott
See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill
Bodies Of Light  by Jennifer Down
Permafrost by SJ Norman
Consumed by Arifa Akbar
Keeping the House by Tice Cin
The Mischief Acts by Zoe Gilbert
The Khan by Saima Mir
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami
Love In The Big City by Sang Yong Park
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
Things We Lost In The Fire by Monique Enriquez
The Book Of Mother by Violaine Huisman
Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
The Sentence by Louise Eldrich
Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith
Salt Lick by Lulu Allison
The Island Of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton  


Other stuff mentioned
Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy
International Booker
Women's Prize for Fiction
Stella Prize
National Book Award
Books on the Go podcast
Jhalak Prize
Bailie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction
Russell | Ink &  Paper Blog
Eric Karl Anderson's video on the Women's Prize
Dylan Thomas Prize 
Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing
Shirley Jackson Awards 
Bram Stoker award 
The Kitschies
Republic of Consciousness  prize

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on Ko-fi.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

In support of Ukraine we would like to point you in the direction of Book Aid for Ukraine, an amazing bookish auction with a whole host of items from signed books, agent 1:1s, book shopping trips with authors, workshops and lots more. Friend of the pod Abigail Mann is auctioning her amazing Write Funny Workshop, which Jenny can vouch is excellent!

***

It's a book club episode! Jenny, Chris and Alice share their thoughts on The Mad Women's Ball by Victoria Mas, translated by Frank Wynne, as well as recent and current reads. Recorded on 1st March, much hilarity ensued as Jenny and Alice introduce Chris to the concept of pancake day and dressing as a Welsh Lady.

Books mentioned
The Chimes by Anna Smaill
Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell
The Girls by Emma Cline
In the Kitchen: Essays on Food and Life by Various
Gold Fame Citrus by Claire Vaye Watkins
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins
Affinity by Sarah Waters
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell
Spirited by Julie Cohen
The Ballroom by Anna Hope
The Taxidermist's Daughter by Kate Mosse
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on our website.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today, Sarah welcomes Shawn Mooney on for an episode of My Life in Books. Shawn is a Canadian Booktuber and book reviewer who is based Japan, and loves to enthuse about underrated or forgotten pieces of literature. We hope you enjoy the episode! If there is someone you would like us to interview for My Life in Books, please let us know!

This episode is fully transcribed. The episode transcript should be accessible from within your podcasting app or directly from Buzzsprout. 

Shawn's links
Shawn's booktube channel
Instagram: @shawnthebookmaniac
Twitter: @shawnmooney
Litsy: @shawnmooney
Sarah appearing on Shawn's channel

Books mentioned

• Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien 
• A Constellation Of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra 
• Anthony Marra's short story collectionsThe Tsar of Love and Techno and The Lion's Den
• Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra [release expected in July 2022]
• The Known World by Edward P Jones
• The Erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie [this is the one Sarah couldn't remember the name of!]
• The One Who Did Not Ask by Altaf Fatima
• A Brief History Of Seven Killings by Marlon James
• The Yield by Tara June Winch 
• Some Tame Gazelle  by Barbara Pym 
• A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym
• No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym

People and things mentioned
Britta Böhler
 Book Riot podcast
The Readers podcast [no longer making episodes]
Litsy
Simon Savidge
Eric Karl Anderson
Reading Envy podcast
Books on the Go podcast



Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on our website.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today it's Alice, Jenny and Chris's (who we're pleased to say will be a regular guest on the pod!) turn to share their reflections on last year's reading. We share a few favourites, chat the dire reading year that was 2021 and set some resolutions for 2022.

Books mentioned
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Wine Girl by Victoria James
Educated by Tara Westover
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mandell
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Folk by Zoe Gilbert
Mischief Acts by Zoe Gilbert
Sea of Tranquillity by Emily St. John Mandel

Other mentions
Short stories by Karen Russell and Amiee Bender
The Baillie Gifford Prize

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on our website.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Today we welcome Akinyi from the Semi Scribbled Podcast to talk her 'life in books.' Akinyi chats to Sarah and shares the books that have had a lasting effect on her life. Semi Scribbled Podcast discusses inspirational books written by black authors. We're always in awe that Akinyi hosts this podcast solo, yet manages to be hugely engaging, thought provoking and a joy to listen to.

Books mentioned
The Wind in the Willow by Kenneth Grahame
Anthills of the Savannah by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks
Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor
The Havoc of Choice  by Wanjiru Koinange
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi

Semi Scribbled episodes mentioned
All About Love
Dust
The Havoc of Choice
Freshwater

Other stuff
The Smart Brown Girl Book Club
BBC Book Club Podcast

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at £2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on our website.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media, rate us on Spotify or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.

Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a Text Message.

Happy new year friends! In this episode, the Sarahs discuss their favourite reads of the second half of the year and reflect on how 2021 was for them. Sarah T also shares some sad news with us.

Stuff mentioned
Women's Prize episode

Books mentioned
How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House by Cherie Jones
Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn
Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Devotion by Hannah Kent

Support The Bookcast Club

• You can support the podcast on Patreon. Our tiers start at $2 a month. Rewards include early access to the podcast, monthly bonus episodes, tailored book recommendations and books in the post.  
• If you would like to make a one-off donation you can do so on our website.  
• A free way to show your support is to mention us on social media or review us on iTunes.

Newsletter
Sign up to our monthly newsletter for more book recommendations, reviews, new releases, podcast recommendations and the latest podcast news.


Get in touch
Twitter | Instagram | Website | Voice message

We encourage you to support independent bookshops or libraries. You can find a list of independent bookshops to support on our website, many of which do home delivery.

Support the Show.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.