Things We Read Instead

By Victoria Cargill-James & Chris Simpson

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 control... more

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FAQs about Things We Read Instead:

How many episodes does Things We Read Instead have?

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.

Things We Read Instead episodes:

January 16, 2026 What Vic Read Instead of The War Of The Worlds - Part 1
Hello Lovely Readers!

Welcome to the start of the THIRD season of Things We Read Instead! What a treat we have for you lucky readers! Chris & Vic are kicking things off this season with H G Well's The War of the Worlds . Let's see what our Girly Swot thought and in two weeks we'll 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.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
Is This a Mind of My Own? by Kathy Burke
Meditation for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
Vagabond by Tim Curry

Other Honourable Mentions
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Somnium by Johannes Kepler
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Independence Day 1996
Muppet Treasure Island 1996
The Fugitive 1993
The Rest Is History (Podcast)

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...more
50min
December 29, 2025 The Things We Read Instead Christmas Special 2025 - Part 3
Hello Lovely Readers!

Welcome to the final part of our Christmas Special, Chris & Vic are going through their top three books for the year and the feature we've all been waiting for... SHAG MARRY KILL!

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.

Vic's Top Three Books of 2025
Killing Thatcher by Rory Carroll
Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Chris' Top Three Books of 2025
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Other Honourable Mentions
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
Scrooged 1988
The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993
Apocalypse Now 1979
1917 2019
Clash of the Titans 1981
Rosemary's Baby 1968
The Rest is History - Belgian Congo Episodes

We will see you very soon for the next part of our Christmas Special, where we will be find out both Chris & Vic's top three books for the year and the feature we've all been waiting for... SHAG MARRY KILL!
stay tuned and raid the biggest box of chocolates you can find.

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...more
49min
December 22, 2025 The Things We Read Instead Christmas Special 2025 - Part 2

Hello Lovely Readers!

Welcome to Part 2 of our Christmas Special, covering the final round of the festive dust up between Ira Levin & John Wyndham, try not to spill your Baileys (other Christmas tipples are also available) while Chris & Vic cover their final choices in this Horror rumble.

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.

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
Rosemary's Baby 1968
The Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham

Other honourable mentions
The Omen by David Seltzer
The Omen 1976
Get Out 2017
The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham
The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

We will see you very soon for the next part of our Christmas Special, where we will be find out both Chris & Vic's top three books for the year and the feature we've all been waiting for... SHAG MARRY KILL!
stay tuned and raid the biggest box of chocolates you can find.

All music and sound effects by www.pixabay.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
44min
December 16, 2025 The Things We Read Instead Christmas Special 2025 - Part 1

Merry Christmas Readers!

Welcome to Part 1 of our Christmas Special, covering the inter talent festive dust up between Ira Levin & John Wyndham, hold onto your baubles as Chris & Vic cover 3 books each by these two Sci-Fi heayweights.

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.

The Boys From Brazil by Ira Levin
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
The Stepford Wives 1975
The Stepford Wives 2004

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
The Day of the Triffids 1963
The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham
The Village of the Damned 1960
The Midwich Cuckoos 2022

We will see you very soon for the next part of our Christmas Special, where we will be find out what the talent thought about the final two of their favourite Ira Levin & John Wyndham books on their lists, stay tuned and have a mince pie at the ready.

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...more
1h 26min
November 24, 2025 What Chris Read Instead of The Pursuit of Love - Part 2
Hello Readers.

Here are Vic's recommendations for what you could read and watch instead of The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford. 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. or 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
Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford
The Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell
Decca The Letters of Jessica Mitford edited by Peter V Sussman
The Bolter by Frances Osborne
Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro

To Watch or Do Instead
Bright Young Things (2003)
Brideshead Revisited (1981)
Campion (1989)
A Very British Scandal (2021)
Chatsworth House

We will see you in December for our very special Christmas episodes, have your baileys and mince pies at the ready :)

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...more
37min
November 10, 2025 What Chris Read Instead of The Pursuit of Love - Part 1
Here is what Chris made of The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford and what he 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.

Ancient Sorceries by Algernon Blackwood
The King in Yellow by Robert W Chambers

Make sure you are subscribed for part two when the Girly Swot will give you her recommendations for what you could read and watch instead.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
45min
October 20, 2025 What Vic Read Instead of The Fall of the House of Byron - Part 2
Hello Readers.

Here's Chris' recommendations for what you could read and watch instead of Emily Brand's The Fall of the House of Byron. 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. or 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 Wager by David Grann
Don Juan by Lord Byron
The Vampyre by John Polidari

To Watch or Do Instead
Pirates exhibition
Myth and Reality: Military Art
Lady Caroline Lamb 1972
Beau Brummell: The Charming Man 2006
Gothic 1986
Newstead Abbey

We will see you in September for our next episode and you can find out what the War Bore thought about next month's read and what else he read instead.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
48min
October 08, 2025 What Vic Read Instead of The Fall of the House of Byron - Part 1
Hello Readers.

Here's Vic's take on Emily Brand's The Fall of the House of Byron and what she read instead. Feel free to read along and prepare for the second episode of the month 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, shows and museums mentioned in the podcast.

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association by Caitlin Rozakis
What’s That Lady Doing? by Lou Sanders
Am I Having Fun Now? by Suzi Ruffell
The Peepshow by Kate Summerscale
Making Movies by Sidney Lumet

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.
...more
41min
September 22, 2025 What Chris Read Instead of The Color Purple - Part 2
Hello Readers.

Here's Vic's recommendations for what you could read and watch instead of The Color Purple by Alice Walker. 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. or 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 Same River Twice by Alice Walker
Singin’ & Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas by Maya Angelou
Just As I Am by Cecily Tyson

To Watch Instead
The Color Purple (1985)
Sinners (2025)
Rye Lane (2023)

We will see you in October when the Girly Swot and War Bore return for our next episode and you can find out what Vic thought about next months read and what else she read instead. :)
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...more
35min
September 08, 2025 What Chris Read Instead of The Color Purple - Part 1

Hello Readers.

Here is what Chris made of The Color Purple by Alice Walker and what he 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.

Culloden by Murray Pittock
Culloden by John Prebble
The Anarchy by William Dalrymple
The Essential Lovecraft edited by Leslie S Klinger

Make sure you are subscribed for part two when the Girly Swot will give you her 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.
...more
49min

FAQs about Things We Read Instead:

How many episodes does Things We Read Instead have?

The podcast currently has 44 episodes available.