The Brook Reading Podcast

Tonight’s episode is a reading of the open letter to the McMinn County Board of Education by Gregory Paul Silber regarding the banning of “Maus” by Art Spiegelman. The link to read this letter is included here: https://www.comicsbeat.com/an-open-letter-to-the-mcminn-county-board-of-education-regarding-maus/

Stop Censorship. Read Banned Books. Educate yourselves and your children. We all must do our part.

This week, I have provided with you a classic Brook Reading episode, full of 5 minute rants, an author biography, and a review of a text that is as integral to our society as Shakespeare and as censored as Salinger. Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel, Maus, is the historically accurate tale of the author’s parents’ horrific capture and imprisonment at Auschwitz during World War II. The novel has recently been banned by a school district in Tennessee, and due to this, is nearly impossible to find in libraries and booksellers.

As I have previously discussed in episodes dealing with banned and censored works, the message of the text is always more important and necessary to our society than the reasons behind the censorship. This novel outlining the horrors inflicted upon the Jewish population should not be forgotten by, or banned from, our students.

Continue the conversation. Find yourself a copy of “Maus”. Share with others. Stop the Censorship.

“When books are run out of school classrooms and libraries, I’m never much disturbed. Not as a citizen, not as a writer, not even as a schoolteacher…which I used to be. What I tell kids is, don’t get mad, get even. Don’t spend time waving signs or carrying petitions around the neighborhood. Instead, RUN, don’t walk, to the nearest non-school library or the local bookstore and get whatever it was that they banned. Read whatever they’re trying to keep out of your eyes and your brain, because that’s exactly what you need to know.” - Stephen King

Promo: Book Sweet Shop in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and online at https://www.shopbooksweet.com/ Go visit them on Instagram @shopbooksweet

Visit https://www.brookreadingpodcast.com for all the links mentioned in the episode.

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

Welcome back, Brookworms! I am SO happy to welcome back my friend, comedian and podcaster Kyndra Crump! We always have such fun conversations, and this one is no different! We discuss salons and upselling, our own personal angels, and Ken’s eternal quest to find Mr. or Ms. Right!

Come along for the ride, and join me next week as I review the graphic novel, Maus, and the controversy surrounding its banning.

As always, Happy Reading!

Promo: @thekyndracrumpshow on Instagram, and find the Kyndra Crump Show on Anchor!

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

This week’s episode is such a special one for me! I had the distinct honor and pleasure to interview Emme Lund, the author of “The Boy With a Bird in His Chest”. Emme and I had such an amazing conversation, and the novel was such a joyous, emotional roller coaster of a read. I hope you enjoy our conversation, the review, AND go out there and pick yourself up a copy! “The Boy With a Bird in His Chest” releases in TWO days, on Feb. 15th, and it is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever you buy books. Visit https://emmelund.net/ for more information.

Author Information: Emme Lund is an author living and writing in Portland, Oregon. She has an MFA from Mills College. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Time, The Rumpus, Paper Darts, and many more. In 2019, she was awarded an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship in Fiction. “The Boy With a Bird in His Chest” is her first novel.

You can find Emme online on Instagram @_emmelund, on Twitter @emme_lund and on Facebook @LundeEmme

As always, Happy Reading!

Promo: Emme Lund

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

TONIGHT’S episode is a crazy ride! For the first time in the history of Brook Reading, I’m LIVE! I have released this episode right after I recorded, mainly due to the timely content of the conversation. I wanted to touch upon the current conversation regarding Spotify, and I also included some housekeeping and schedule information for upcoming shows, so I hope you enjoy the show!

As always, Happy Reading!

Promo: Pitney and Amelia’s Bitchen’ Boutique

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

This week’s episode is a blast from the past, an oldie but a goodie, and another love letter to my favorite author, Stephen King. Listen along as I review the novella and film, “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, GUSH over all of it, and even have a chance to interview my parents! They both loved that film, and it was such fun watching it with them and reviewing it. I am gearing up for a very exciting episode in a couple of weeks, so thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy this reboot, and as always, Happy Reading!

Promo: Gareth’s Random Ramblings

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

This week was a landmark for the Brook Reading Podcast - my first interview with a comedian! I had the opportunity to chat with the hysterical, fantastically funny Kyndra Crump! Ken hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and has been performing in clubs in and around her area. She has also been featured on a YouTube show on the Rise Up Worldwide channel called “Laugh at Home” and hosts her own podcast, The Kyndra Crump Show. You can find her on Instagram @thekyndracrumpshow and check out her virtual show at the link below! Come have a laugh with us, and as always, Happy Reading!

Link: https://bit.ly/3GWKyOz

Promo: Mouse and Weens

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

Tonight’s episode of Encyclopedia Brooktanica has been brought to you by the Church of England! I bring you the fascinating histories of such literary powerhouses as A.A. Milne, Edgar Allen Poe, Patricia Highsmith, George Orwell, and Marcus Parks! I also provide you with the origin story of “The New Yorker” magazine, as well as shoutout some of my pals! Thank you for listening, and Happy Reading!

Promo: Invasion of the Remake

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

(Comedy clip from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVH0gZO5lq0 - “Dress to Kill” by Eddie Izzard, 1999)

Welcome back to the Brook and Happy 2022! My first episode back from holiday break is the fourth in my Encyclopedia Brooktanica series! This week, I cover Lucille Ball’s involvement in “Star Trek”, the life of James Joyce, Ernest J. Gaines, Susan Sontag, and many others, and the origin of “National Geographic” magazine! I have also included a promo for you for Nikoli’s Kitchen, a truly inspiring podcast that I would love for you to check out. Thank you so much, and Happy Reading!

Promo: Nikoli’s Kitchen

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro

This episode of Brook Reading is the last episode of the year and my special Holiday episode! I want to dedicate this episode to ALL of you! Thank you for listening and supporting Brook Reading throughout the course of this year, and I wish you and yours a very happy and healthy holiday season! I look forward to seeing you in 2022 and, as always, Happy Reading!

Promos:
2 Girls on a Bench
Cinematically Correct
Invasion of the Remake
Reel Feels
Super Movie Bros
Pitney and Amelia’s Bitchin Boutique
3 Spooked Girls
Not Your Little Lady
Nerdy Bitches
Feminists without Mystique
Happily Ever Aftermath
Drinking and Screaming
Mouse and Weens
Make it Modern
Movie Geek and Proud
Brunch with the Halliwells
Nikoli’s Kitchen
St. Paul Filmcast
The Rant with Herman James
We Watched a Thing
The Blume Saloon
Dig on America
BS3 Sports and Music
The Forgotten News Podcast
Assorted Goods Podcast
The Fuckin’ Eh Podcast
Bats and Balls Podcast
The Deuce Podcast
Gareth’s Random Ramblings

Intro music: Sean Faust
Outro music: Victoria Timpanaro