Things We Read Instead

Things We Read Instead

By Victoria Cargill-James & Chris SimpsonSociety & CultureArtsBooks
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Things We Read Instead episodes

  • What Chris Read Instead of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club - Part 2

    Hello Readers!


    Welcome back to the second half of the War Bore reading The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers Let's see what Vic has found for Chris to read and watch instead :) along with a good old trivial argument to wrap up the show.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and substack and get in touch via email at [email protected].


    Here’s a list of the books, movies, shows and podcasts mentioned in the podcast.


    To Read Instead

    The Tiger In The Smoke by Margery Allingham

    Thirteen Problems by Agatha Christie

    Murder by Candlelight by Cecily Gayford


    To Watch Instead

    Death on the Nile (1978)

    Miss Marple: A Murder is Announced (1985)

    Clue (1985)


    We will see you in a couple of weeks for our next episode where the Girly Swot will let us know what she thought of Vic's suggestion of The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy by Douglas Adams

    along with what she got distracted by as well :)


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    56 min
  • What Chris Read Instead of The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club - Part 1

    Welcome back Readers!


    We're back from our summer break and ready to get going again with another rip roaring edition of Things We Read Instead! This month the Girly Swot has challenged the War Bore to read

    The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy L. Sayers Let's see what our Bore of War thinks and in a couple of weeks Vic will be back with what you could have read instead :)


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram. and get in touch via email at [email protected],


    Here’s a list of the books, movies, shows and podcasts mentioned in the podcast.


    What Chris Read Instead

    The Price of Glory by Alistair Horne

    The Ultimate Horror Collection (2022)


    Other Honourable Mentions

    Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers

    The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916 by Alistair Horne

    The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

    A Warning to the Curious by M. R. James

    The Mezzotint by M. R. James

    Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

    Edgar Allan Poe Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe

    The Horus Heresy / Warhammer 40,000 Series by Various Authors (Games Workshop)

    Sherlock Holmes Stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

    Jeeves & Wooster Stories by P. G. Wodehouse

    Works of Sir Walter Scott by Sir Walter Scott:

    The Mezzotint (BBC TV Adaptation)

    BBC Ghost Stories for Christmas by BBC

    The Death of Stalin directed by Armando Iannucci

    Christopher Nolan's Odyssey directed by Christopher Nolan


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    57 min
  • What Vic Read Instead of Promise of Blood - Part 2

    Hello Readers!


    Welcome back to the second half of the Girly Swot reading Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan Let's see what Vic has found for Chris to read and watch instead :) along with a bit of a discussion to wrap up the show.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and substack and get in touch via email at [email protected].


    Here’s a list of the books, movies, shows and podcasts mentioned in the podcast.


    To Read Instead

    The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan

    The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan

    (II & III in the Gods of Blood and Powder Trilogy)

    Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell

    The French Revolution by Christopher Hibbert


    To Watch Instead

    Sharpe 1993

    Waterloo 1970

    Zulu 1964


    We will see you in a couple of weeks for our next episode where the War Bore will let us know what he thought of Vic's suggestion of The Unpleasantness at the Bellonna Club by Dorothy L Sayers

    what he decided to read instead :)


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    45 min
  • What Vic Read Instead of Promise of Blood - Part 1

    Hello Readers.


    Here we are again with a brand new episode, and this month the Girly Swot has been challenged to read Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan sit down with a brew and listen to how she got on and what she read instead. Feel free to read along and prepare for the second half in a couple of weeks. Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. Like, subscribe, email at [email protected], and follow us on Instagram.


    Here’s a list of the books, movies and shows mentioned in the podcast.


    That Close by Suggs

    The October Man by Ben Aaronovitch

    Startup Hell by Caitlin Rozakis


    Make sure you are subscribed for part two when the War Bore will give you his recommendations for what you could read and watch instead :)


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    45 min
  • What Chris Read Instead of The Song of Achilles - Part 2

    Hello Readers!


    Welcome back to the second half of the War Bore reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Let's see what Vic has found for Chris to read and watch instead :) along with a bit of a discussion to wrap up the show.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and substack and get in touch via email at [email protected].


    Here’s a list of the books, movies, shows and podcasts mentioned in the podcast.


    To Read Instead

    Circe by Madeline Miller

    The Iliad by Homer (Stephen Mitchell translation)

    A Thousand Ships (Natalie Haynes)


    To Watch Instead

    Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics (2021)

    Medea (2014)

    O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)


    We will see you in a couple of weeks for our next episode where the Girly Swot's will let us know what she thought of the War Bore's suggestion of Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan fallout and what she decided to read instead :)


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    36 min
  • What Chris Read Instead of The Song of Achilles - Part 1

    Welcome back Readers!


    We're back from our summer break and ready to get going again with another rip roaring edition of Things We Read Instead! This month the Girly Swot has challenged the War Bore to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Let's see what our Bore of War thinks and in a couple of weeks Vic will be back with what you could have read instead :)


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram. and get in touch via email at [email protected],


    Here’s a list of the books, movies, shows and podcasts mentioned in the podcast.


    What Chris Read Instead

    The Country Under Heaven by Ferderic S. Durbin

    Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch

    The Lovecraft Investigations on BBC Sounds


    Other Honourable Mentions

    Rivals: Season 2 2026

    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

    More info for Julian Simpson's additional lovecraft series - https://www.pleasantgreen.co.uk/


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    54 min
  • Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey - The Big Summer Holiday Watch!

    Konnichiwa Readers!


    We interrupt our scheduled Summer shorts for a not so short review of the big summer blockbuster that everyone is talking about! No - not Spiderman, its Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated version of The Odyssey - adapted from the translation by Emily Wilson.


    Get ready to hear what the pair of nerds thought about this adaptation, and hold onto your hats! They may be on their holibobs but they arent holding anything back!


    As promised in the pod, here is the link to Emily Wilson's article in the London Review of Books that Vic and Chris mention - An Uncomplicated Man


    We will be back very soon with or our next episode where Vic will be challenging Chris to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and in the meantime we will be keeping you in content over on our instagram and substack.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and get in touch via email at [email protected],

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

    36 min
  • War Bore Holiday Reads

    Bonjourno Readers!


    The War Bore is at the end of his travels now and is wrapping up his leisurely reads by the pool manner. For the final time this break he's re-reading an old favourite fantasy romance that Kimberley Lemming's That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Human. Blush along with the War Bore and enjoy his poolside review, and keep your eyes and ears peel for the last of our summer shorts soon.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and get in touch via email at [email protected],


    We will see you all after our summer break for our next episode where Vic will be challenging Chris to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and in the meantime we will be keeping you in content over on our instagram and substack.


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    4 min
  • Girly Swot Holiday Reads

    Guten Tag Readers!


    The Girly Swot is back with another of her summer reads! This time out its Homer's The Odyssey - translated by Emily Wilson


    Grab a suitable beverage with your favourite coloured umbrella to enjoy Vic's review, and keep your eyes and ears peel for more of our summer shorts over the next few weeks.


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and get in touch via email at [email protected],


    We will see you all after our summer break for our next episode where Vic will be challenging Chris to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and in the meantime we will be keeping you in content over on our instagram and substack.

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

    6 min
  • War Bore Holiday Reads

    Bienvenue Readers!


    The War Bore is back by the pool and suitable beverage is in hand. This time he's been reading James Mace's Broadswords Over England, and time to wac lyrical has arrived. Sit back and enjoy Chris' speedy review and we will be back with some more soon :)


    Don't forget to get in touch with your praise or arguments, you never know you may get a mention. Thanks for your support. To follow our adventures like and subscribe, follow us on Instagram and get in touch via email at [email protected],


    We will see you all after our summer break for our next episode where Vic will be challenging Chris to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and in the meantime we will be keeping you in content over on our instagram and substack.


    All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com

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

    5 min

About Things We Read Instead

From the publisher's feed

A monthly podcast where two distractable nerds spend their time chatting bubbles about the enjoyment of something unintended but fabulous, while also trying to get their to be read piles under…