This week, Josh and Dietrich build another reading playlist, and because Dietrich was feeling diabolical, he selected the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the inspiration. The pair briefly discuss the good and the bad of this juggernaut success story before jumping into suggestions. Josh looks at a supernatural series by a Russian author that builds a remarkable universe with the scope of a comic book. Dietrich looks at the superhuman characters in various series, including the sniper Bob Lee Swagger and the superspy John Clark. They discuss the tremendous accomplishment of F Paul Wilson's Nightwatch series, and look at a unique example of characters from different books coming together in Jack Kilborn's Haunted House. In addition, Josh raves about an astonishing run of comic books written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Dietrich discovers a horrifying and wonderful book about stinging insects written by a man who's earned the authority, and they wrap up with discussions of Deadpool 2 and Brooklyn 99. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich sit down to discuss the amazing novel The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani. The pair discuss the unusual structure of the book, and how it eschews the expected murder mystery, instead conducting a post mortem on a horrifying crime. Josh discusses the character development in the book, and how Slimani fleshes out a trio of deeply flawed yet very human characters. Dietrich raves about the unexpected ending that would have been infuriating in a lesser book, but seems to fit more in this book. In addition, Josh discusses a crime novel that has inspired the likes of Dennis Lehane and Elmore Leonard, Dietrich continues his appreciation of the Broken Earth trilogy, and they wrap up with a discussion of a YouTube television series that's much better than expected, a film that's much more disappointing than expected, and a podcast examining the cheerful topic of ISIS. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich look at a pair of genres nearly always bundled together, and discuss the commonalities and differences between science fiction and fantasy. They talk about why the complex and elaborate world building of fantasy doesn't often make an appearance in scifi, and why fantasy rarely explores the deeper philosophical or political questions raised by so many science fiction greats. Josh discusses the difference in stakes in the two genres, and the pair look at several authors of each genre that borrow some of the best attributes from the other. In addition, Dietrich talks about a young adult series about a teenager desperately trying to not become an actual supervillain, Josh raves about a nonfiction book about North Korea and an abducted film director, and they wrap up the episode discussing the second season of The Handmaid's Tale, a Netflix adaptation of one of their favorite young adult series, and the brilliant final season of The Americans. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

After having fun assembling a reading playlist in the last episode, Josh and Dietrich decide to do it again, trading in a thoughtful and tense spy thriller as inspiration for a surreal nightmare of a superhero story. Using Noah Hawley's visual masterpiece Legion, the pair come up with books that explore sanity, push the boundaries between what's real and what's not, and just generally leave you baffled. From iconic explorations of delusions such as One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and The Shining, to Philip K. Dick and Kurt Vonnegut, Josh and Dietrich look at some of the best surreal fiction in the world. In addition, Josh takes over the first section (Dietrich started a new job and hasn't read a lot), talking about a sequel to a short story collection that blows the first out of the water, an excellent steampunk western by a talented genre author, and an iconic children's book by Neil Gaiman. Finally, they wrap up with a delightful video game that wears out its welcome far too quickly, a discussion of the wonderful Chattanooga Film Festival, and an explanation as to why Dietrich started getting bizarre letters in the mail. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich try something new, creating a type of reader's playlist inspired by the astonishing and chilling television drama The Americans. Dietrich talks about a pair of books exploring Cold War espionage and Russian politics with the astounding Cardinal of the Kremlin and Child-44. Josh looks at a chilling Vonnegut book that explores the dangers of pretending to be something you hate, and an alternate history book that explores the ramifications of slavery. The pair talk about the icons that are Ian Fleming and Robert Ludlum, and whether or not they're the best examples of espionage and political thrillers for those fascinated by the world of Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings. In addition, Josh discovers an already complete fantasy trilogy that he adores, Dietrich talks about a realistic alternative history series that suffers from a bit too much realism, and they wrap up with a discussion of the astonishing work of film director Ryan Coogler, a joyous independent film set in New Zealand, and a series from Germany that's being compared to some of the best television in history.  You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich sit down to respond to a listener's email in which they confess to a hesitation in reading young adult fiction. The pair discuss where they suspect much of this hesitation comes from, but quickly agree that missing out on young adult fiction means missing out on countless extraordinary books. Josh raves about the iconic trilogy by Phillip Pullman, Dietrich touches on the flawless and melancholy apocalypse in The Age of Miracles, and both agree that missing out on John Green's work would be a shame. They also discuss the juggernaut that really launched this golden age of young adult writing, breaking down the weaknesses and strengths of the Harry Potter series. In addition, Josh mulls over the challenges of coauthoring books, Dietrich talks about a quietly devastating alternative to the grim Handmaid's Tale, and they wrap up with several amazing films, the second season of Jessica Jones, and a wonderful convention in Middle Tennessee. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

Now that Dietrich has returned uneaten by bayou alligators from his trip to New Orleans, the duo return to discuss the last three books of Stephen King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower. It's a mixed discussion, with one book being an unqualified joy, one being kind of a mess, and the finale being one of the most brilliantly heartbreaking things that the pair have ever discussed. In addition, Dietrich raves about an average book with a spectacular twist ending, and Josh talks about a monumental comic series by one of the more important writers working today, as well as one of the first books that manages to seamlessly blend fantasy and science fiction. Finally, they wrap up with a discussion of a wonderful blend of board game and choose your own adventure, a surprisingly successful escape room in a box, and wrap up with Dietrich struggling to figure out how to explain a video game that might be one of the greatest of all time. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich discuss how you can begin exploring the fantasy genre. Full of multi-volume epics and thousand-page long tomes, this is a daunting genre to get into, and as the pair discuss, it's just as important that you don't start at the wrong place as it is to find the right place. They talk about steering clear of classics such as Lord of the Rings and George RR Martin, and why these legendary books are just about the worst place to start. Instead, they look at authors such as Scott Lynch, Lev Grossman, and JK Rowling, and talk about what makes their books so much more approachable. It's an unusual primer episode, seeing both Josh and Dietrich set aside some of their most beloved authors in favor of those that better represent the most enjoyable parts of the genre. In addition, the pair talk about Phillip Pullman's iconic trilogy, as well as one of the most deliriously insane books Josh has read in a long time. Finally, they wrap up with Josh recommending a pair of films to seek out, and Dietrich recommending a film and a television series to avoid like the plague. You can send question or comments to [email protected].

This week, Josh and Dietrich take a bit of a detour, combining their earlier topics of books for people who hate to read, and media for readers, and work to come up with some non-book media that can act as a bridge for non-bibliophiles to get into reading. They talk about some of the more literary adaptations in recent years, from the nightmarish "Hannibal" to the phenomenon "Gone Girl". They look at a sitcom that can introduce people to moral philosophy, video games that can step people to horror novels, and an anthology that's a spiritual companion to science fiction authors like Philip K. Dick. Before that, they discuss the recent loss of two giants of the literary world with the passing of Ursula K. Le Guin, and Jack Ketchum. Finally, they wrap up with a wonderful adaptation of the Lemony Snicket books, a wonderfully heartwarming children's film, and a terrible game that you absolutely, positively need to buy. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].

Have you made New Year's Resolutions to lose weight, double your pay, and read more books? Well, we can't help you with two of those, but Josh and Dietrich are here with some suggestions on how to jump start your reading habits for the year. The duo dismiss the idea of "guilty pleasures", encouraging you to grab whatever makes you grin. Josh talks about the joy of always having a book in his pocket, and how technology makes it easier than ever to read a few pages while waiting for your oil change. Dietrich recommends revisiting some favorite books, reminding yourself why it is that you love this hobby in the first place. Finally, they talk about reading as part of a group, and taking recommendations from people you trust. In addition, Dietrich is disappointed with the third book in Brandon Sanderson's new epic series, but raves over a gonzo journalism-style look at professional kitchens, and Josh is pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoyed a reread. Finally, they wrap up with a spoiler-free discussion of The Last Jedi, a Star Wars film that left them both quite happy. You can send questions or comments to [email protected].