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PODCAST

The Grand Thunk

The Grand Thunk

The podcast in which Rhiannon Kearns and Alex Blanchard discuss what they"ve been reading, watching and listening to. Listen every Wednesday for your mid week top-up of culture and fun!

arts books

All Episodes

00:54:50

Who'Da Guest? It's Chelsey Pippin!

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/02/21

Chelsey is a writer and journalist who uses tarot and oracle cards to help spark creativity and guide her writing. We had a fascinating chat discussing her path to tarot, the ways in which tarot helps her as well as the ways in which it intersects with the heroes journey. Chelsey tells us about some of her favourite books that inspire and nourish her, including Wintering by Katherine May and Harry Potter. Through these books we dive into topics like cycles of productivity and the different ways to

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00:51:56

41 - Being Spat on by James McAvoy

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/02/14

Rhiannon watched Hamilton live and Alex has finally gleaned a recommendation that Rhiannon will actually like. Rhiannon was entranced by Martin Freeman’s transformation in his thought-provoking ‘The Responder’ as it explores the nuances of the penal system. Alex has been reading Levy’s memoir and attempting to trace its links to Orwell’s Why I Write. And finally, both Alex and Rhiannon tell stories of their experiences of sharing bodily fluids with James McAvoy. Signing off, the Best of Wives and

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00:53:05

40 - The Freaky Chairs of Monarchs, Periods and the...

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/02/07

40 - The Freaky Chairs of Monarchs, the Importance of Napping and Periods We discuss babies, Nadal’s success and the importance of sanitary products in hospitals. Rhiannon has been reading about the importance of sleep whilst Alex has found her sleep impacted by the ninth book in the Outlander series. Rhiannon has been listening to the moving stories of diagnoses that turn lives upside down on Radio Four. And finally, we are so excited about our book club on the 10th March, where we will be reading

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00:51:12

39 - A Guide to When To Flash Your Tits and...

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/01/31

The book for our next book club - on 10th March - is THE SONG OF ACHILLES. Let’s get reading! This episode, Alex has been exploring the purpose of having distance between a character and the audience, as well as the motivation behind unlikeable protagonists. Meanwhile, Rhiannon has been delving into the genius of Ricky Gervais’ acerbic grief in After Life, as well as a modern perspective of body image. We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio

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00:52:12

38 - Crisps and Sexy Disney Characters

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/01/24

Listen up for Rhiannon’s top, never-before-heard, crisp tips! Alex has been interrogating the standards of beauty as a tool of the patriarchy with Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth, whilst winding down with a hilarious early 2000s rom-com. Meanwhile, Rhiannon has been pondering how women are treated in the workplace with a gripping murder mystery as well as breaking hearts with a moving story about a hen called Sprout. We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in our instagram bio

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00:51:17

37 - SEASON FOUR: Old Favourites, McConaughey Madness...

The Grand Thunk ·

2022/01/17

We’re back for Season 4! Can you believe it? After a beautiful Christmas break, we’re brimming with joy, verve and recommendations! Rhiannon has been luxuriating in the well of Julia Davis’ work whilst Alex is delighted that the podcast, Strippers in the Attic, are back with a second season. Alex and Rhiannon disagree about Naiose Dolan’s Exciting Times and Alex will share with you the best and worst books of her holiday. We’re so happy to be back! We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on

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01:04:16

36: END OF SEASON: Giggles, Edging and Nonsense

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/11/22

We have such a fun, bumper episode filled with so much nonsense and laughter. Rhiannon is buzzing about the Harry Potter Reunion, has been adoring Stanley Tucci’s open and touching interview with Elizabeth Day and has dived into the real-life story of Mahmood Mattan and the Cardiff justice system. Alex has been finding out more about the tragedy at Travis Scott’s concert and on a lighter note, delighting in a horni fantasy series called The Court of Thorns and Roses. If you miss us on our break,

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00:58:08

35 - Who’da Guest? It’s Susan Furber!

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/11/15

Today we had the pleasure of speaking to Susan Furber about her debut novel, The Essence of an Hour, her writing processes as well as her recommendations. Susan comes in hard with corkers like Simone de Beauvoir’s recently released novel, The Inseparables - which Susan tells us is an excellent entry point into de Beauvoir’s oeuvre - as well as diving into her simultaneous love for and eye-rolling at the Titanic. CW: Sexual assault. Solace Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis and Mind are all organisations if

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00:46:36

34 - Saying Timothee Chalamalamet’s Name Wrong, Dud...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/11/08

Alex crept out of her home to consume large amounts of popcorn at the cinema whilst marvelling at the epic resplendence of Dune whilst Rhiannon has been enjoying the hilarious Andy Samberg in an infinite time loop. Alex still hasn’t let go of Halloween with the bizarre but vastly entertaining Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Rhiannon, meanwhile, has been exploring the heart-wrenching politics of the compensation scheme after 9/11. Following a number of dud reads, Alex was charmed by Piranesi and its

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00:47:28

33 - Spooky Season, The Spanx that Gives Back and...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/11/01

This episode heralds the last of our spooky watching (just joking, it will never end) with The Cabin in the Woods, as Alex delves deep into the meta-language of horror films. Rhiannon has been exploring complex family dynamics with Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere. Alex has been on a little jolly to London and has come back bursting with events and exhibitions to tell you about whilst Rhiannon has been on tenterhooks, waiting for the next episode of Succession. And we have some more EXCLUSIVE

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00:51:51

32 - James Bond, Smear Tests and Who has a Right to...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/10/25

We natter about the newest James Bond and whether it feels more feminist that previous Bonds while Alex has been reading Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again, a nuanced breakdown of sex, consent, vulnerability and feminism. We talk about the politics of Sebastian Faulks’ recent announcement that he won’t be describing the physical characteristics of women any more for fear of offending. We get down to the real, gritty questions, such as ‘What really is a shapely breast?’ before moving onto the lighter

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00:40:23

31 - Casual Misandry, Guarding Your Time Ferociously...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/10/18

Alex reminds us of the importance of time and using it in a worthy manner with Seneca’s On the Shortness of Life. Rhiannon has been entertained by the bureaucratic fireworks of Joe Lycett but is less convinced by Sally Rooney's much awaited novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You. Alex has been gripped, truly, by Caroline O’Donoghue’s novel Promising Young Women whilst Rhiannon was touched by the poignancy of The Starling. And finally, Alex delivers a hopeful Halloween watchlist, for anyone wanting to

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00:45:25

30 - Accepting the Love We Think We Deserve,...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/10/11

We are so excited to announce that we will be reading Happy Hour: A Novel by Marlowe Granados for our first *LIVE* book club on Friday 12th November at 7.30pm (UK time). We are also so proud to collaborate with Verso Books to give you, our lovely listeners, a discount on Happy Hour when you sign up to the event. Please message us or email us to book your place in our book club and receive the discount link! In this episode, we chat about the caustic and toxic relationship between mother and

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00:39:19

29 - Worth Yer Travels, Sex Education and the...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/10/04

We have a hard-hitting intro that dives straight into the pressing issues of the day: petrol shortages, the weather and the importance of windows. Alex has been racing through Sex Education and throughly enjoying Season Three’s developments. Rhiannon has continued with the Connor Swindells theme by watching Vigil and divulging a taste of the tension that that show evokes. Alex has been reading Zadie Smith’s Grand Union, a collection of short ‘pieces’, while Rhiannon has been loving Elizabeth Day’s

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00:44:22

28 - Valuing Garbage, A Day in the Nude and Raging at...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/09/27

A snappy and varied episode today as Rhiannon gives a rave review of murder thriller ‘How to Kill Your Family’ by Bella Mackie. Alex has been syphoning articles from Emma Gannon’s newsletter and Rhiannon has been raging at Laurence Fox’s Twitter. Alex deconstructs the Moulin Rouge and Cruella and Rhiannon has been rating supes, otherwise known as superheroes. Plus some nourishment for struggling creatives in the form of Amie McNee. We are an accessible podcast so find transcripts on our linktree in

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00:51:16

27 - Abortion Laws, Met Gala Musings and Pumpkin...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/09/20

Listen to the end for a very exciting announcement! Back in full flow, we discuss a hilarious new podcast, our speculations on the Met Gala, our thoughts on the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte, as well as releasing an exclusive preview into Alex’s masterpiece and what might have been our jingle. We have a couple of Guilty Pleasures lined up to recommend as well as a very serious discussion about the Texan abortion laws. We have lots of articles to recommend on this subject which give insight into these

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00:52:10

26 - Who’Da Guest? It’s Rosie Price!

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/09/13

Today we speak to the author of What Red Was, Rosie Price, about her writing practice, her favourite books and T.V. shows as well as her guiltiest pleasure and her next novel! We discuss getting into the writing mood, the links between yoga and writing, nervous pooing, as well as the moral incentive behind watching Love Island. We had so much fun and we highly recommend her novel What Red Was! CW: Sexual assault. Solace Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis and Mind are all organisations we would point you

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00:45:50

25 - Sliding down the Aisle with Sweat, A Shapely...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/09/06

It’s MotherThunking Season 3! We’re so happy to be back with you all with all our delicious news and recommendations collected in our hiatus. Rhiannon encountered a rogue priest and we mull over the need for male writers to include shapely, heaving breasts in every scene featuring a woman. We discuss the big events in the media over the past month, including Afghanistan, the Olympics, incels and of course, the man with a box on his head on the A37. And we have some stunning books for those of you

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00:47:48

24 - SEASON 2 FINALE: A Whopping List of Summer...

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/06/28

It’s the end of Season 2 and to send us on our merry way, Alex has a big list of her favourite books on discount from Verso Books and Pluto Press. Rhiannon has been asking the big question of ‘Who Am I?’ this week and finding out with the help of a couple of quizzes. She has also been loving Billie Piper’s Desert Island Disc and discovering Billie’s past as a child star. Meanwhile, Alex has dived headlong into The Bodyguard and is in love. Rhiannon is debating her commitment to Love Island whilst

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00:43:25

23 - Beekeepers, Rodin and A Lot of Young Adult Novels

The Grand Thunk ·

2021/06/21

Alex has been relishing the opening of galleries and has been to not one but two exhibitions of Rodin. She’s also been splurging in Waterstones on young adult novels, including a tarot mystery with Caroline O’Donoghue, the first novel in the Shadow and Bone series and a novel that the bookseller described as a ‘Brokeback Mountain with zombies’. What more could you ask for?! Meanwhile, Rhiannon has been devouring the touching comedy, ‘Feel Good’ by Mae Martin, adoring the funny and realistic

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62 results

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