Dickens and memorable opening acts

In this episode, we begin a three-part series on the movements of a novel, starting with the opening. Not just the first line or even the first chapter, but that early stretch where a book begins to take shape, sets the tone, introduces its concerns, and makes its promises to the reader.

What do we look for in an opening movement? What helps us trust a book? And how do great openings draw us in? We talk about some of our favorite examples and consider how novels teach us how to read them from the very start.

2026 Novella Book Club

We have announced the four novellas we will be reading for The Mookse and Gripes Novella Book Club in 2026!

* January: Daisy Miller, by Henry James

* April: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira

* July: The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector

* September: Prelude, by Katherine Mansfield

Discussions will be hosted at The Mookse and the Gripes Discord (see below!).

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 with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you’ll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:

* Episode 135: William Faulkner

* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor

* Episode 155: Naguib Mahfouz

* Episode 165: Annie Ernaux

* Episode 175: Henry James

There’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!

Join the Mookse and the Gripes on Discord

Want to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.

We’re also just about to read the second novella book club book of 2026: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.

Shownotes

What are we reading?

* Paul: My Friends, by Hisham Matar

* Trevor: The Witch, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

Other books mentioned:

* A Month in Sienna, by Hisham Matar

* Rosie Carp, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Tamsin Black

* All My Friends, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* Self-Portrait in Green, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* My Heart Hemmed In, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* Ladivine, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* The Cheffe: A Cook’s Novel, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* Vengeance Is Mine, by Marie NDiaye, translated by Jordan Stump

* Three Strong Women, by Marie NDiaye, translated by John Fletcher

* Finnegans Wake, by James Joyce

* Paradise Lost, by John Milton

* The Divine Comedy, by Dante

* If on a winter’s night a traveler . . ., by Italo Calvino, translated by William Weaver

* David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens

* Austerlitz, by W.G. Sebald, translated by Anthea Bell

* Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke

* Villette, by Charlotte Bronte

* The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James

* Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens

* The Outsider, by Stephen King

* Pedro Páramo, by Juan Rulfo

* Don Quixote, by Miguel Cervantes

* The Unconsoled, by Kazuo Ishiguro

* The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann

* The Comforters, by Muriel Spark

* Memento Mori, by Muriel Spark

* The Ballad of Peckham Rye, by Muriel Spark

* An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews

* The Literary Conference, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews

* The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri

* The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner

* Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, by Ed Catmull

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!

A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you’d like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe