The Grand Thunk

In this episode, Alex and Rhiannon delve into what it means to be a feminist, particularly in light of new rulings by the British government wand with the help of Aisling Bea’s Feminist Commandments. They dive back into the Heart’s Invisible Furies with new intel and input from Alex, and Rhiannon takes us on a journey through Holly Bourne’s So Thrilled For You, a book that explores four different women and their attitudes towards motherhood. We’re really proud of this episode!

Show notes:

London Writers’ Salon

Flamingo Chicks

Aisling Bea’s Five Feminist Commandments

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne

Stacey and Joe, BBC One

Sigmund Freud

Correction: In Episode 51, Alex said that 1 million men were killed in the Battle of the Somme. To clarify, she meant there were 1 million casualties: people that were wounded, missing, or killed.

We’re back with season 6 and have a jam-packed episode for you to dive straight in to! Rhiannon’s reading has taken a baby book and nursery rhyme themed nose dive, but she was rescued by the brilliance of John Boyne in his stunning novel The Heart’s Invisible Furies. Alex was moved by the tender and tragic love story set against the brutality of World War II in Alice Winn’s In Memoriam. We both get our teeth stuck in to the somewhat unanswerable questions we were left with, after watching Netflix’s tour de force, Adolescence, as well as some lighter tangents featuring David Tennant, potatoes and of course, this week’s Who’d a Thunk.

Episode transcript available - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lBMRV0dnscJmnfHe1O-FV5telSnEJGMZUt_A1r6of1k/edit?usp=share_link

Show notes

Maternity Service by Emma Barnett

Together, Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy

Motherland, BBC

Amandaland, BBC

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

Adolescence, Netflix

Toxic Town, Netflix

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne

Richard Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, talks to The Today Podcast about the issues raised in the Netflix drama Adolescence (via Rachel Parris’ instagram story) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DH2lcCIidmY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The Rest is Entertainment, podcast by Goalhanger

Temptation Island, Netflix

David Tennant on Off Menu Podcast

Roman de Fauvel

Alex is joined by her husband, Rufus Martin, whilst Rhiannon is stunning the New Vic Theatre with her Mad Hatter adventures. Rufus asks Alex 50 (quite surprising) questions, including questions such as Best Book for Mowing the Lawn and Book You'd Wish People Would Shut Up About. A short but sweet episode about the books Alex has read over the last year (ish). 

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts in our linktree in our bio on our instagram @thegrandthunk. (We're a little behind on our transcripts but we will catch up soon!)

Message us or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Charlotte's Web by E B White

American Dirty by Jeanine Cummins

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas

Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag

The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste

Detransition, Baby by Torey Peters

The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Little Scratch by Rebecca Watson

Passing by Nella Larsen

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

Why I Write by George Orwell

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Pandora's Jar by Natalie Haynes

Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer 

The Trees by Percival Everett

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Story of Art (Without Men) by Katy Hessel

Wahala by Nikki May

Strandings by Peter Riley

Argonauts by Maggie Nelson

Hamnet by Maggie O' Farrell

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

Giving Birth Like a Feminist by Milli Hill

Chocolat by Joanne Harris

Seeds, Sex and Civilisation by Peter Thompson

Such a Fun Age by Kiely Reid

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Inseparables by Simone de Beauvoir

Perfume by Patrick Suskind

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

What Writer's Read edited by Pandora Sykes

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien 

Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

Letters to Nora by James Joyce

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas

Border Nation by Leah Cowan

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier

Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan

Crust by Eliza Bacon

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

Wander Women: Tales of Transgression in a Bordered World by Alex Howlett and Alexandra Blanchard

We have a very special guest this episode, Alex Howlett, who is currently a reporter with Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit but most importantly, she is Alex B's co-author for their newly released book, Wander Women: Tales of Transgression in a Bordered World - OUT NOW! In this episode, the Alexes natter about their writing processes, delving into the details of the book and what they're wearing for the launch party on 14th Dec in London. 

BUY THE BOOK HERE - https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/wander-women/

Check out these reviews! 

A deeply thoughtful, intimate yet political exploration of women’s free and unfree movement, sharing stories from refugees, disability activists and more.

‘A searing examination of human mobility at the margins, in this age of criminalisation and violence against those who move in search of safety and opportunity.’ — Nanjala Nyabola, author of Travelling While Black and Strange and Difficult Times

‘Urgent and affecting, Wander Women brings forth extraordinary stories of courage and resistance.’ — Aanchal Malhotra, author of Remnants of Partition: 21 Objects from a Continent Divided

‘Everyone should read this. Wander Women shows viscerally that we are all united by the pain caused by the patriarchy and our longing to be free. It takes a village to change the world–and I am more confident than ever that we can do it.’ — Charlotte Proudman, award-winning barrister, and author of Female Genital Mutilation: When Culture and Law Clash

‘Wander Women explores the physical and social experiences of some remarkable individuals, navigating a bordered world and overcoming a complex intersection of vulnerabilities arising from war, migration, disability, sexual orientation, gender queerness and more.’ — Lipika Pelham, author of Passing: An Alternative History of Identity

‘Intimate and powerful storytelling through the voices of women on the move whose experiences and struggles are too often marginalised or ignored.’ — Leonie Ansems de Vries, Director of the King’s Sanctuary Programme and Chair of the Migration Research Group, King’s College London

Alex’s writing retreat antics spark a conversation about youth and creation while Rhiannon takes us on a journey through Dame Judi Dench’s garden and the special way in which she remembers those who have died with Louis Theroux. Alex has delved deep into the narrators behind fairy tales, from the women who inspired the Brothers Grimm to Artemisia Gentileschi, who was not only an extraordinary painter, but who gave perspective to the female characters in early versions of Cinderella and Rapunzel. Finally, Rhiannon tells us about an episode of Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast with Matt Edmondson as he talks about music and being diagnosed with Cyclothymia.

P.S. For Season Five, our episodes will be coming in a different rhythm to our weekly releases! Hope you enjoy!

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts in our linktree in our bio. Message us or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Fleabag by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Banshees of Inisherin, Three Billboards Ebbing Missouri by Martin McDonagh

Tick Tick Boom

Louis Theroux Interviews with Dame Judi Dench - BBC iplayer

Matt Hancock in I’m a Celebrity (Get Me Out Of Here!)

Brothers Grimm (2005 film)

Bridport Literary Festival

The Fairy Tellers by Nicholas Jubber

The Story of Art (Without Men) by Katy Hessel

The Happy Place (Podcast) with Fearne Cotton and Matt Edmondson

The Grand Thunk, the podcast in which Alex Blanchard and Rhiannon Kearns discuss the books they've been reading, the films and TV shows they've been watching and the podcasts they've been listening to!

We’re back (again!) and this week we’re talking weddings, peak dancing outfits, Christmas recommendations and … what we’ve been reading, watching and listening to! Rhiannon has joined The Prosecco Express with the hilarious Joanne McNally on her comedy road trip. Alex has been learning about the history of art (without men) as well as reading an extraordinary book by Nawal El Saadawi. And finally, Rhiannon confesses her most guilty pleasure, that for 46 episodes, she has managed to keep a secret. 

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts in our linktree in our instagram bio @thegrandthunk. Message us there or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! 

 See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Wander Women: Tales of Transgression in a Bordered World by Alexandra Blanchard and Alex Howlett

Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi

Joanne McNally, The Prosecco Express tour

My Therapist Ghosted Me by Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally

Made in Chelsea

Everything I Know About Love, BBC adaptation of the book by Dolly Alderton

What Writers Read Edited by Pandora Sykes

Elizabeth Day

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Libby, Borrow Box - Library

The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel

The Great Women Artists podcast

Portrait Artist of the Year on SkyArts Featuring Alex’s MIL Binny Matthews!

Collins Dictionary top 10 words of 2022

SURPRISE! Rhiannon and Alex are popping up, out of the blue, with a Bonus episode! They have missed the podcast so much and are looking forward to starting a new season soon - but not just yet! In this episode Alex and Rhiannon discuss what they've been up to on their long poddy break, from pub crawls to getting married - and most importantly, what they've been enjoying!

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio @thegrandthunk. Follow us on social media @thegrandthunk or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe, rate, review and tell all your friends. 

See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Alexandra Blanchard and Alex Howlett Wander Women https://www.waterstones.com/book/wander-women/alexandra-blanchard/alex-howlett/9781787387973

Emily Ratajkowski My Body

Jeanne Cummins American Dirt

Dolly Alderton Everything I Know About Love (book and TV series)

V.E. Schwab The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

Audrey Niffenegger The Time Traveller's Wife

Madeline Miller The Song of Achilles

Troy (film)

The Grand Thunk, the podcast in which Alex Blanchard and Rhiannon Kearns discuss the books they've been reading, the films and TV shows they've been watching and the podcasts they've been listening to!

We have MOVED the date of our Book Club, to 31st March! Alex and Rhiannon’s conversation meanders through eco-friendly baking, a whole host of new words and book characters living outside their books. Alex has been exploring the notion of ‘That Girl’, a woman who lives for wellness and productivity as an extension of The Beauty Myth. Rhiannon has been discovering an accessible guide to feminism that makes the history, theory and current discussion of the women’s rights movement less intimidating. And then an interesting ramble into the meaning of life.

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio @thegrandthunk. Follow us on social media @thegrandthunk or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe, rate, review and tell all your friends.

Visit our patreon www.patreon.com/thegrandthunk for bonus episodes, extra content, exclusive interviews and deep-dives into favourite things. 

See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Should I bake? https://shouldibake.com/ 

Mob Kitchen - Comfort Mob

Things I Don’t Want to Know by Deborah Levy

The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy

Inkheart

The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe

Jane Eyre

Ella Enchanted

Feminism, A Graphic Guide by Cathia Jenainati

The Take - ‘That Girl’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hVlxNGPvDo

Mad Madam Min

Alex and Rhiannon contemplate going back in time and having one conversation with someone after Alex’s recommendation Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Rhiannon has been thinking about toxic friendships with the gripping TV show Chloe. They sync up to coincidentally both recommend the same two articles to each other. And Alex has been branching out and reading literature by men. 

CN: Grief and loss

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio @thegrandthunk. Follow us on social media @thegrandthunk or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe, rate, review and tell all your friends.

Visit our patreon www.patreon.com/thegrandthunk for bonus episodes, extra content, exclusive interviews and deep-dives into favourite things.

See below for a full list of what we discuss:

Before the Coffee gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi 

Sonnet by Pablo Neruda

Emma Thompson on living in a woman's body. My daughter thrums with life. My mother is frail. And I'm balanced in between. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/feb/10/living-in-a-womans-body-my-daughter-thrums-with-life-my-mother-is-frail-and-im-balanced-between

The Big Lebowski

The Mighty Boosh

The Bechdel Test

Chloe, BBC iPlayer, written by Alice Seabright
Sex Education 
The Crown, Netflix

The Inseparables by Simone de Beauvoir

Elena Ferrante’s books

Petition: Offer fast track asylum to any Ukrainians displaced due to the invasion https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/609382

We Lived Happily During the War by Ilya Kaminsky

My Best Friend's Wedding

https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/my-best-friends-wedding-ending-changed.html

Sentimental Garbage

Whenever it Kicks by Jessie Cave

Give Birth Like a Feminist by Milli Hill

In this light-hearted episode, we discuss rogue dreams, dinner ladies and cheese jokes as well as, more somberly, the feelings of our NHS staff whilst watching ‘This Is Going To Hurt’. Alex has broken her heart with this week’s book club book ‘The Song of Achilles’ and James’ Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room. Rhiannon has been mesmerised by Animal Farm’s puppetry whilst Alex has been debunking sleeping myths. This episode was recorded before recent world events.

We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio @thegrandthunk. Follow us on social media @thegrandthunk or email us - [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you! Subscribe, rate, review and tell all your friends.

Visit our patreon www.patreon.com/thegrandthunk for bonus episodes, extra content, exclusive interviews and deep-dives into favourite things. 

See below for a full list of what we discuss: