Welcome to Season Two! You know the magical feeling when something you do is easy and fantastic? Or, maybe you know the feeling of doing something that everyone says you're good at, but it makes you exhausted? Dr. Robin L. Owens visits to discuss the difference between excellence and genius, and how to know when your life could be more your own. The book that makes her think hard about life purpose is Gay Hendrick's The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level.

It's a return to full nerdgasm here on TBMM! My guest is Pat Harrigan, a writer, podcaster, and reader extraordinaire. We talk at length about Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel Watchmen. Along the way, we discuss how narrative form works, the stakes of contemporary comic books/superhero culture, and there's a special audio appearance by a can of Guiness.

I hope you'll follow the show so that the next episode drops right into your feed.

You can contact me with feedback and suggestions at [email protected], and follow our Instagram page for updates, shelfies, and additional content.

Many thanks for the music by Twisterium from Pixabay

In this Mother's Day-inspired episode, I interview mother/daughter, reader/writer team Lisa Metzgar and Sadie Forkner. They talk about Virginia Woolf's canonical novel Mrs. Dalloway, and the enduring impact that it has had on them as individuals, and together.

Along the way, we discuss:

• writing, and reading a shared consciousness
• the transcendence of everyday life
• how NOT to fight a book, at least until you're done reading it.

I hope you'll follow the show so that the next episode drops right into your feed.

You can contact me with feedback and suggestions at [email protected], and follow our Instagram page for updates, shelfies, and additional content.

Many thanks for the music by Twisterium from Pixabay

Hi there! I'm delighted that you're joining us today.

In this episode, I interview documentary filmmaker, artist, and dancer Mary Trunk. We talk about the profound effect that the book Yvonne Rainer, Work 1961-73, has on Mary's artistic process, and how it gave her the courage to experiment early on in her development as an artist.

Along the way, we discuss:

• Yvonne Rainer as a choreographer and multimedia artist
• How to read a book about dance
• New ways of thinking about art, as both a maker and an audience member

I hope you'll follow the show so that the next episode drops right into your feed.

You can contact me with feedback and suggestions at [email protected], and follow our Instagram page for updates, shelfies, and additional content.

Many thanks for the music by Twisterium from Pixabay

Hi there! I'm delighted that you're joining us today.

In this inaugural episode of the podcast, I explain how This Book Made Me sets out to discover the books that have changed people's lives--how they work, and why they matter. I'm joined by Drew Urbanek, a librarian/potter/game master from Auburn, New York, to talk about the impact that the 1982 fantasy classic The Elfstones of Shannara has had on him.

Along the way, we discuss:

• the habits and tendencies of the fantasy genre
• race, ethics, and magic libraries
• how to wrestle with books that don't age well
• the evolution of nerd culture

I hope you'll follow the show so that the next episode drops right into your feed.

You can contact me with feedback and suggestions at [email protected], and follow our Instagram page for updates, shelfies, and additional content.

Many thanks for the music by Twisterium from Pixabay