Wordstruck

Topic: Season 2 is here! Ready your ears for Clark's wild speculations about hippogryphs, a mysterious threat at Hogwarts, and the magic of House Elves. 

Alyssa and Clark reenter the Potterverse to discuss Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Chapters 1 and 2. They talk of the House Elf Underground, Hedwig shooting lightning, and the inevitable appearance of snakes and/or spiders. 

In their final Preseason episode, Alyssa and Clark discuss books that helped them work more effectively and books that fed their interests. 

Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard - Chip and Dan Heath

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Calvin and Hobbes - Bill Watterson

Alyssa and Clark talk about the books that changed their perspectives, and the books they don't plan on finishing.

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

The Ellimist Chronicles by K.A. Applegate

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Good to Great by James C. Collins

Topic: Long live Maggie Smith. 

In the long-awaited Season One finale, Alyssa and Clark discuss the Sorcerer's Stone motion picture, featuring the charming Daniel Radcliff, the delightful Robbie Coltrane, and the perfectly cast Maggie Smith. 

Alyssa, having just returned from Harry Potter World in Florida, also brings a few concessions to pair with the conversation. Enjoy, and thank you so much for tuning in to Wordstruck! We'll see you soon for Season Two, where we'll be discussing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 

Topic: Say goodbye to the delightful characters found in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 

Alyssa and Clark discuss the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and announce their plans for Season 2. Join the two as they discuss the Final Boss Battle™, a very talkative Voldemort, and a tense moment between Harry and Hagrid. Clark is also super infuriated by the House Cup results. 

Topic: Red and Gold forever!

Alyssa and Clark take the official Ilvermorny Sorting Quiz, and are surprised at the results. Log in to Pottermore and take the quiz, and check out the Sorting Hat Spectacular while you're at it! 

Pottermore on Ilvermorny: https://www.pottermore.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/ilvermorny

The Official Ilvermorny Sorting Quiz (you have to create an account): https://my.pottermore.com/ilvermorny-sorting

Sorting Hat Spectacular: http://www.secretweaponproductions.com/wordstruck/4-5

Topics: Hermoine's snuffbox was probably beautiful, Snape might have cancer, and Clark sings a wizard-themed sea shanty. 

Alyssa and Clark discuss Chapter 16 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Join them as they discuss wizard finals, whether or not the Potterverse has a Bag of Holding, and how the third floor corridor has some pretty weak booby traps.

Topic: Things probably could have been worse.

Alyssa and Clark discuss Chapter 15 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Join them as they ponder proper punishments , speculate about celestial Centaurs, and debate Dumbledore's departure. They also meet Firenze - the first exposition bot with hooves. 

Topics: Snape's the bad guy, remember? 

Alyssa and Clark discuss quidditch and Nicolas Flamel's sexuality in Chapter 13, and the various implications of the Sorcerer's Stone in Chapter 14. There's also a dragon, a (hypothetical) side quest for an invisibility cloak, and a secret meeting in the Forbidden Forest. 

Topics: Dumbledore needs to make a gift registry.   

Alyssa and Clark discuss the finer points of Seeker strategy in Chapter 11, and Dumbledore's greatest desire in Chapter 12. Oh, and there's a bunch of invisible sneaking and Fluffy feeding in the middle.