The Lamppost in the Woods

In this episode, the team celebrates the back-to-school season with some required reading, Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. Join us as we unravel the dubious life of Jane and explore this novel's many gothic and religious themes.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods Episode 6.9 - Back-to-School: Jane Eyre

In this episode, the team reviews four works of non-western literature: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe (Nigeria), The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Vietnam), The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong (China), and The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji (Japan). Join us as we discuss the themes, experiences, and cultures expressed through these unique pieces literature from across the world.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods Episode 6.8 - Around the World: A Journey Through International Literature

In this episode, the team looks at two great American novels: John Steinbeck's East of Eden and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Join us as we explore the developmental themes of American literature, its prominence among world literature, and what makes these stories so compelling after all these years. What is your Great American Novel?

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods Episode 6.7 - The Great American Novel

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the podcast, Rev. Steven McDaniel to discuss one of Shakespeare's prolific works, The Merchant of Venice. Class is in session as we explore its comedic themes, historic reception, and what it means to modern readers today.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods Episode 6.6 - The Merchant of Venice with Rev. Steven McDaniel

In this episode, the team examines the story of King David's life from from I & II Samuel and I Kings. Join us as we explore the many literary themes that inspired the modern stories we know and love. From shepherd boy to regal ruler, the story of David has something for every type of reader.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.5 - The David Story

In this episode, the team explores the historical fiction piece Silence by Shūsaku Endō. Join us as we look at its spiritual significance, impact, and how it elevates ideas of suffering, faith, and silence.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.4 - Silence

In this episode, the team explores stories of non-western cultures that has peaked our interests over the years. While we have generally covered western literature, being familiar to us, we wanted to highlight some cultures' stories and story-telling styles to better expand our own literary experiences as well as our audiences. Join us as we scratch the surface of popular stories from Africa, South America, India, and the Middle East.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.3 - World Literature: Stories from Non-Western Cultures

In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2025. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up!

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.2 - 2025 Reading Review

Welcome back listeners to our first episode of 2026. In our search to discover the greatest stories ever told, we keep coming back to the question: what makes a story great? In this episode, the team approaches that question from the angle of Harold Bloom's “the Western Canon,” the idea that there exists a canonical list of books that underpin the literary enterprise of the Western World.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.1 - The Western Canon: What Makes a Story Great?

In this episode the team explores one of the most well-known stories of the Christmas season, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by E.T.A. Hoffman. A work perhaps best known for its ballet performances, this story had transcended mediums and imaginations for over a hundred years, during a season of joy, whimsy, and the magical. Merry Christmas dear listeners, we cannot wait to show you what 2026 has in store.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.12 - The Nutcracker and the Mouse King