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PODCAST

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast

In each episode Trevor Berrett and Paul Wilson have a pleasant conversation about books and reading. Visit our blog at http://mookseandgripes.com/reviews. Follow us on Twitter @mookse and @bibliopaul. Email mookseandgripes@gmail.com. mookse.substack.com

arts books

All Episodes

104:39

Episode 110: The End: Last Lines That Stick the Landing

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/07/10

How do you wrap up a great book? in this episode, Paul and Trevor dive into the final sentences that left them stunned, satisfied, or haunted. From quiet farewells to explosive conclusions, we’re celebrating the art of the last line—and how a final passage can reshape everything that came before.What’s a last line that you’ll never forget?We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along

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105:20

Episode 109: The Lighter Side of the Stacks: Funny Books

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/06/26

In this episode, Paul and Trevor are joined by Kate from The Book Club Review Podcast for a lively discussion about funny books. From dry wit to outright absurdity, we explore the kinds of humor that make us laugh out loud—or quietly smirk into our sleeves—and why comic novels deserve a place on every bookshelf. We also announce the winner of our June giveaway and introduce a brand-new challenge for July. Tune in for some laughs and let us know which books have made you laugh the most.We’ve got some

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87:21

Episode 108: From Our Shelves with Pride: LGBTQIA+...

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/06/12

Happy Pride Month! In this episode Trevor and Paul share some of our favorite works of LGBTQIA+ literature (and films)—works that have moved us, challenged us, and expanded our sense of the world. We reflect on how queer literature has shaped our understanding over the years and discuss the importance of lifting up these voices—especially in a moment when so many are under threat. Join us in a heartfelt conversation about storytelling, solidarity, and the power of books to open us up to the lives of

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84:28

107: Goals or Guilt? A Check-in on Our Reading Ambitions

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/05/29

In this episode, Paul and Trevor check in on our 2025 reading goals—where we’ve succeeded, where we’ve faltered, and most importantly how our goals are impacting our reading experience. Are we setting ourselves up for success, or are we creating unnecessary pressure? We dive into the positives and potentials pitfalls of reading ambitions, exploring what’s working for us. Tune in for a reflective conversation on how to make reading goals meaningful.Plus, we announce the winner of our May giveaway and

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76:22

106: Bookshelf Roulette: Surprises from the Shelf

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/05/15

In this episode we’re shaking things up with Bookshelf Roulette! No pre-planned selections—just pure randomness. Using a random number generator, we each pick a few books from our shelves and dive into spontaneous discussions. Did we read them? Do we love them? Do we remember them? From forgotten gems to books we’ve been meaning to get to, we explore what’s lurking in the corners of our collections. Tune in for some unexpected literary discoveries, personal stories, and maybe even a few surprises as

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120:51

Episode 105: Wrists Be Damned: or, How We Learned to...

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/05/01

In this episode, Trevor and Paul are joined by Chris Via of Leaf by Leaf to celebrate the experience of reading big books. From the books that once intimidated us to the ones we now can't imagine our overburdened shelves without, we dive into what makes a book feel "big." Along the way, we share personal stories, favorite strategies for tackling doorstoppers, the books that stretched us as readers, and reflect on why some big books stay with us for life. Whether you're a lifelong lover of big books

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78:46

Episode 104: Hanne Ørstavik

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/04/17

What happens when a writer turns silence, fear, grief—and love?—into novels that are barely a couple hundred pages but echo for days? Whether it’s love withheld, misplaced, or mourned, Ørstavik’s novels speak to each other through unspoken longing and the disorienting nature of grief—with a quiet, cumulative power that’s hard to shake. In this episode, we explore the devastating brilliance of Hanne Ørstavik, the Norwegian author whose emotionally precise novels—Love, The Pastor, Ti Amo, and Stay

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82:25

Episode 103: Charco Press

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/04/03

It’s time for another publisher-centric episode, and it’s another stunner—we’re heading to Latin America (via Scotland!) to talk about the brilliant Charco Press! We dive into what makes Charco Press such a standout: their dedication to bringing contemporary Latin American literature to English-language readers, their thoughtful support of authors and translators, and, yes, their absolutely gorgeous books.We each share three Charco titles we love and three more we can’t wait to get our hands on

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113:26

Episode 102: Diving into the Past with Historical...

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/03/20

In this episode of The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast, we’re joined by Rohan Maitzen to explore the multifaceted world of historical fiction. Rohan guides us through the genre, unpacking its many layers and surprising complexities. From timeless classics to unexpected gems, we share some of our favorite examples from the genre and discuss how historical fiction challenges our perceptions of the past and sparks conversations about the present, all while whisking us away to another time. Whether you're

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59:54

Episode 101: Big News, Short Books

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/03/06

Introducing the Mookse and Gripes Novella Reading Group! Through this year, we’re reading three novellas about love, longing, and leadership gone slightly off the rails. In this episode, we kick things off with some bookish banter before unveiling our new novella reading group on Discord. We have a short intermission for a special new game with a giveaway and then share the three novellas we’ll be reading in 2025, diving into why we chose these books.Join us as we celebrate the art of the novella

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177:30

Episode 100: Questions, Answers, Books

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/02/20

In this special centenary episode of The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast, we're shaking things up with an Ask Us Anything celebration! Join us as we answer listeners’ questions covering everything from our favorite books and authors to the behind-the-scenes moments of the podcasting process. We’re answering it all, sharing some fun stories, and offering a glimpse into what’s next for the show—more books!Whether you’ve been with us since episode one or are a recent listener, this milestone episode is

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108:08

Episode 99: Books We Think About All the Time

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/02/06

We’re joined by the amazing poet and essayist Elisa Gabbert to discuss some of the books that we think about all the time. We each share three books that are always on our minds and discuss the many reasons some works become such and important part of who we are.Which ones would you pick?ShownotesBooks* Any Person Is the Only Self, by Elisa Gabbert* The Unreality of Memory, by Elisa Gabbert* The Word Pretty, by Elisa Gabbert* The Hurting Kind, by Ada Limón* 77 Dream Songs, by John Berryman* The

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76:47

Episode 98: City Books

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/01/23

From glistening skyscrapers and bustling downtowns to dark alleys and creeping urban decay, cities are endlessly complicated and diverse. And so are the books that take place in urban settings. This week, we share some of our favorite city books and chat about what makes these environments so fascinating. What are your favorites?ShownotesBooks* Pink Slime, by Fernanda Trías, translated by Heather Cleary* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* Lies and Sorcery, by Elsa Morante, translated by Jenny McPhee*

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94:10

Episode 97: 2025 Reading Horizons

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2025/01/09

To kick off the new year, we discuss some of he 2025 new releases we’re most excited about. We also share our personal 5 in ‘25—five books (new or old) that we can’t wait to read this year.What are yours?ShownotesBooks* Miss MacIntosh, My Darling, by Marguerite Young* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* Lies and Sorcery, by Elsa Morante, translated by Jenny McPhee* On the Evolution of All Political Parties, by Simone Weil, translated by Simon Leys* Wind and Truth, by Brandon Sanderson* The Empusium: A

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122:23

Episode 96: Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024, Part II

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/12/26

For our final episode of 2024, we finish our annual best of the year extravaganza! Here we are joined by more friends sharing their favorite reads of the year as we go through our top five.Happy New Year! We will see you in 2025!ShownotesBooks* The Overstory, by Richard Powers* Septology, by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls* A Shining, by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls* Boathouse, by Jon Fosse, translated by May-Brit Akerholt* Scenes from a Childhood, by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion

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102:26

Episode 95: Our Favorite Books We Read in 2024, Part I

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/12/12

Trevor and Paul are back with the fourth annual best of the year extravaganza! In Part I, we count down the first half of our en favorite reads of 2024—and we are once again joined by a cast of friends and listeners who share some of their top books and best reading experiences of the year! Another great chance to grow your TBR pile for 2025!ShownotesBooks* The Postcard, by Anne Berest, translated by Tina Kover* Gabriëlle, by Anne Berest and Claire Berest, translated by Tina Kover* Two Hours, by

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81:55

Episode 94: Javier Marías

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/11/28

Since his death in 2022, we have been wanting to dedicate an episode to Spanish novelist Javier Marías, a master of the distrusting, long sentence. We had a lovely time reflecting on his books, which we could read again and again.What is your favorite Javier Marías book?ShownotesBooks* Doctor Thorne, by Anthony Trollope* Great Fear on the Mountain, by Charles Ferdinand Ramuz, translated by Bill Johnston* David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens* Three Days in June, by Anne TylerThe Works of Javier

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94:56

Episode 93: Books We Wanted to Reread Immediately

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/11/14

What books have you wanted to reread as soon as you finished them? Inspired by this fascinating prompt from our friend Nora, we decided to dive into this fun topic. We talk about the categories of books that inspire immediate rereads, share a few of our own examples, and discuss when (or if) we’ve ever actually done it. What books have inspired you to turn the last page and immediately go back to the beginning?ShownotesBooks* Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities, by Rebecca Solnit*

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84:43

Episode 92: Essays, Part II

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/10/31

We love talking about essays so much, we decided to do it again! This week, we pick up where we left off a few episodes ago, chatting about more of our favorite essayists and collections. We also share a few from our essay TBR piles. What are some of your favorites?ShownotesBooks* Greenglass House, by Kate Milford* Ghosts of Greenglass House, by Kate Milford* The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin* The Unforgivable, by Cristina Campo* You Like It Darker, by Stephen King* Every Arc Bends Its Radian, by

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100:29

Episode 91: Digressions with Mark Haber

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast ·

2024/10/17

This week, we’re joined by our good friend Mark Haber to discuss his wonderful books, including the brand new Lesser Ruins. Fittingly, this episode features numerous digressions into literary influences and loves, coffee, music, art, travel, and much more!ShownotesBooks* The Cemetery of Untold Stories, by Julia Alvarez* The Rainbow, by D.H. Lawrence* Fog at Noon, by Tomás González, translated by Andrea Rosenberg* Difficult Light, by Tomás González, translated by Andrea Rosenberg* Living Things, by

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130 results

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