The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast

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 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 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’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 DiscordWant 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 now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. 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.ShownotesBooks* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin* The Bell, by Iris Murdoch* The Sea, the Sea, by Iris Murdoch* Miaow, by Benito Pérez Galdós, translated by Margaret Jull Costa* Tristana, by Benito Pérez Galdós, translated by Margaret Jull Costa* Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir* The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald* Ulysses, by James Joyce* Augustus, by John Williams* Butcher’s Crossing, by John Williams* Stoner, by John Williams* The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway* Brideshead Revisited, by Evelyn Waugh* The Dead, by James Joyce* Finnegans Wake, by James Joyce* A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce* Swann’s Way, by Marcel Proust* A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean* Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë* The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck* East of Eden, by John Steinbeck* Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck* Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West, by Cormac McCarthy* The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri* The Black Prince, by Iris Murdoch* The Green Knight, by Iris Murdoch* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* Sons and Lovers, by D.H. Lawrence* The Member of the Wedding, by Carson McCullers* My Ántonia, by Willa Cather* The Transit of Venus, by Shirley HazzardOther* Proust Curious PodcastThe 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

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 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 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’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 DiscordWant 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 gearing up for our second novella book club, where we'll be reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin at the start of July. 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.ShownotesBooks* Lockwood & Co. Series, by Jonathan Stroud* Alex Verus Series, by Benedict Jacka* Southern Reach Series, by Jeff VanderMeer* Slanting Towards the Sea, by Lidija Hilje* Waiting for the Fear, by Oguz Atay, translated by Ralph Hubbell* The Pursuit of Love, by Nancy Mitford* All Systems Red, by Martha Wells* Hons and Rebels, by Jessica Mitford* Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy* Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* The Girls, by John Bowen* Catch-22, by Joseph Heller* Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, by Mary Roach* Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, by Mary Roach* Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach* Hyperbole and a Half, by Allie Brosh* The Book Lover’s Joke Book, by Alex Johnson* The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Code of the Woosters, by P.G. Wodehouse* Leave It to Psmith, by P.G. Wodehouse* Wodehouse: A Life, by Robert McCrum* A Swim in the Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders* The Nose, by Nikolai Gogol* The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them, by Elif Batuman* War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy* Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller, by Oliver Darkshire* Greta and Valdin, by Rebecca K. Rilley* The Literary Conference, by César Aira* The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, by E. Lockhart* A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson* A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson* The Summer Book, by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal* The White Bear, by Henrik Pontoppidan, translated by Paul LarkinOther* “The Murder of Leo Tolstoy,” by Elif BatumanThe 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

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 others. As two people who don’t speak from within the queer community, we approached this conversation with deep admiration, gratitude, and care, hoping to honor the writers and stories that have meant so much to us.What are some of your favorite LGBTQIA+ books?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 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’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 DiscordWant 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 gearing up for our second novella book club, where we'll be reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin at the start of July. 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.ShownotesBooks* The Book of Mutter, by Kate Zambreno* The Light Room, by Kate Zambreno* Drifts, by Kate Zambreno* A House and Its Head, by Ivy Compton-Burnett* Daniel Deronda, by George Eliot* The Guermantes Way, by Marcel Proust* Manservant and Maidservant, by Ivy Compton-Burnett* Angels in America, by Tony Kushner* The Hours, by Michael Cunningham* Brokeback Mountain, by Annie Proulx* The Song of Achilles, by Madeleine Miller* Circe, by Madeleine Miller* Desert of the Heart, by Jane Rule* The works of David Seders* Bluets, by Maggie Nelson* The Argonauts, by Maggie Nelson* You Better Be Lightning, by Andrea Gibson* A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood* Hearstopper, by Alice Oseman* The Price of Salt, by Patricia Highsmith* Strangers on a Train, by Patricia Highsmith* Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin* The Line of Beauty, by Alan Holinghurst* Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel* Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, by Jeannette Winterson* The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makai* I Have Some Questions for You, by Rebecca Makai* All Down Darkness Wide, by Seán Hewitt* The Night Watch, by Sarah Waters* The Fingersmith, by Sarah Waters* Dancer from the Dance, by Andrew HolleranFilms* The Hours, d. Stephen Daldry* Brokeback Mountain, d. Ang Lee* Desert Hearts, d. Donna Deitch* A Single Man, d. Tom Ford* Carole, d. Todd Haynes* Paris Is Burning, d. Jennie Livingston* All About My Mother, d. Pedro Almodóvar* Happy Together, d. Wong Kar Wai* Portrait of a Lady on Fire, d. Céline SciammaThe 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

They check in on midyear reading ambitions, debating whether goals motivate or create pressure. They talk long-book strategies, pacing for Proust, and savoring big projects. Small-press love and upcoming author-focused reads are teased. There is a playful giveaway game and community reading plans including a novella book club.

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 we take a fresh, unplanned look at what’s on our shelves.What surprises are hiding on your bookshelf? Join in the fun—pull out a random book, whether you follow our rules or come up with your own way to pick, and share what you find with us! From forgotten classics to books you’ve been meaning to read, we’d love to hear about the unexpected gems in your collection.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 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’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 DiscordWant 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 gearing up for our second novella book club, where we'll be reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin at the start of July. 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.ShownotesBooks* Lesser Ruins, by Mark Haber* Your Absence Is Darkness, by Jón Kalman Stefánsson, translated by Philip Roughton* Three Summers, by Margarita Liberaki, translated by Karen Van Dyck* Great Granny Webster, by Caroline Blackwood* The Short Stories of Elizabeth Hardwick* Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin* Gould’s Book of Fish, by Richard Flanagan* Question 7, by Richard Flanagan* Quartet in Autumn, by Barbara Pym* Hopscotch, by Julio Cortázar, translated by Gregory Rabassa* The Nose and Other Stories, by Nikolai Gogol, translated by Susanne Fuso* Dead Souls, by Nikolai Gogol* A Swim in the Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Masterclass on Writing, Reading, and Life, by George Saunders* The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri* The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov* First Love, by Ivan Turgenev* The Forgery, by Ave Barrera, translated by Ellen Jones and Robin Myers* Cautery, by Lucía Lijtmaer, translated by Maureen Shaughnessy* On Earth as It Is Beneath, by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan* Chilco, by Daniela Catrileo, translated by Jacob Edelstein* The World We Saw Burning, by Renato Cisneros, translated by Fionn Petch* The Oppermanns, by Lion Feuchtwanger, translated by James Cleugh* The Aesthetics of Resistance, by Peter Weiss, translated by Joachim Neugroschel* Hotel du Lac, by Anita Brookner* A Start in Life, by Anita Brookner* Providence, by Anita Brookner* Look at Me, by Anita Brookner* Proustian Uncertainty: On Reading and Rereading In Search of Lost Time, by Saul Friedländer* Paintings in Proust: A Visual Companion to In Search of Lost Time, by Eric Karpeles* Monsieur Proust, by Céleste Albaret, translated by Barbara Bray* Lost Time: Lectures on Proust in a Soviet Prison Camp, by Józef Czapski, translated by Eric Karpeles* Strike Your Heart, by Amélie Nothomb, translated by Alison Anderson* Pétronille, by Amélie Nothomb, translated by Alison Anderson* Life Form, by Amélie Nothomb, translated by Alison Anderson* The Neapolitan Quartet, by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein* H Is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald* Vesper Flights, by Helen Macdonald* Is a River Alive?, by Robert MacfarlaneOther* The Eclipse Viewer PodcastThe 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

Chris Via, creator of Leaf by Leaf known for long-form video guides to big books, joins to talk about what makes a book feel enormous. They discuss strategies for tackling doorstoppers, the thrill of rare book hunts, and why some lengthy works demand living in them. Expect talk of translations, immersive reading habits, and the books that stretch readers' attention.

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 with Me (neither of us has read The Blue Room, but we have it on order)—have deeply moved and unsettled us.We dig into what makes Ørstavik’s emotional landscapes so haunting, and why these books, though spare on the surface, feel endlessly deep. From unspoken longing to the disorienting nature of grief, these novels speak to each other in unexpected and beautiful ways.We’d love to hear your thoughts: Have you read any of Ørstavik’s work? Which novel struck you most—or which are you most curious to read?Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordAn easy place to respond to our question above is over on Discord!We’re creating a welcoming space for thoughtful, engaging discussions about great novellas—and other books things. Whether you want to share insights, ask questions, or simply follow along, we’d love to have you.ShownotesBooks* Love, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Martin Aitken* The Pastor, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Martin Aitken* Ti Amo, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Martin Aitken* Stay with Me, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Martin Aitken* The Ice-Shirt, by William T. Vollmann* The Bear, by Andrew Krivak* The Sojourn, by Andrew Krivak* The Road, by Cormac McCarthy* The Blue Room, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Deborah Dawkin* Lesser Ruins, by Mark Haber* First Love, by Ivan Turgenev* Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin* The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark* Within a Budding Grove, by Marcel ProustOther* Reading in Translation: Narrating and Translating Love and Grief in “TI AMO”: Norwegian Author Hanne Ørstavik and English Translator Martin Aitken in Conversation with Nataliya DelevaThe 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

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. There’s something for everyone—from the surreal to the political, the tender to the explosive. Plus, we announce the winner of our March giveaway and introduce an amazing new prize for April: a 2025 bundle of Charco Press books! You do not want to miss this one.Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWe’re creating a welcoming space for thoughtful, engaging discussions about great novellas, starting with First Love by Ivan Turgenev in April. Whether you want to share insights, ask questions, or simply follow along, we’d love to have you. The discussion will unfold gradually, so you can read at your own pace and jump in whenever you're ready. It’s a great way to connect with fellow readers, explore new works together, and deepen your appreciation for the novella form.For the first book, the schedule will be as follows:* April 6: Start of the book through Section 9* April 9: Section 10 through Section 16* April 13: Section 17 through the endShownotesBooks* On the Calculation of Volume I, by Solvej Balle, translated by Barbara Haveland* The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher* Fated, by Benedict Jacka* Cursed, by Benedict Jacka* First Love, by Ivan Turgenev* The Wind That Lays Waste, by Selva Almada, translated by Chris Andrews* Dead Girls, by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott* Brickmakers, by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott* Not a River, by Selva Almada, translated by Annie McDermott* Catching Fire: A Translation Diary, by Daniel Hahn* Never Did the Fire, by Diamela Eltit, translated by Daniel Hahn* Homesick, by Jennifer Croft* The Cemetery of Untold Stories, by Julia Alvarez* The Metamorphosis, by Franz Kafka* An Orphan World, by Giuseppe Caputo, translated by Sophie Hughes and Juana Adcock* Dislocations, by Sylvia Malloy, translated by Jennifer Croft* Elena Knows, by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle* A Little Luck, by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle* Fish Soup, by Margarita García Robayo, translated by Charlotte Coombe* The Distance Between Us, by Renato Cisneros, translated by Fionn Petch* Time of the Flies, by Claudia Piñeiro, translated by Frances Riddle* Two Sherpas, by Sebastián Martinez Daniell, translated by Jennifer Croft* Trout, Belly Up, by Rodrigo Fuentes, translated by Ellen Jones* Fresh Dirt from the Grave, by Giovanna Rivero, translated by Isabel Adey* The Adventures of China Iron, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre* A Perfect Cemetery, by Federico Falco, translated by Jennifer Croft* Cautery, by Lucía Litmaer, translated by Maureen Shaughnessy* The Delivery, by Margarita García Robayo, translated by Megan McDowell* The Forgery, by Ave Barrera, translated by Ellen Jones and Robin Myers* Restoration, by Ave Barrera, translated by Ellen Jones and Robin Myers* Die, My Love, by Ariana Harwicz, translated by Sarah Moses and Carolina Orloff* Feebleminded, by Ariana Harwicz, translated by Annie McDermott and Carolina Orloff* Tender, by Ariana Harwicz, translated by Annie McDermott and Carolina OrloffOther* The Book Club Review Podcast* Charco Press Website* Episode 74: Canadian Literature, with Jerry Faust* Episode 88: Women in Translation, with Robin MyersThe 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

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 drawn to sweeping epics or intimate character studies, tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that will enhance the way you think about historical fiction!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWe’re creating a welcoming space for thoughtful, engaging discussions about great novellas, starting with First Love by Ivan Turgenev in April. Whether you want to share insights, ask questions, or simply follow along, we’d love to have you. The discussion will unfold gradually, so you can read at your own pace and jump in whenever you're ready. It’s a great way to connect with fellow readers, explore new works together, and deepen your appreciation for the novella form.For the first book, the schedule will be as follows:* April 6: Start of the book through Section 9* April 9: Section 10 through Section 16* April 13: Section 17 through the endShownotesBooks* Widening the Skirts of Light: Essays on George Eliot, by Rohan Maitzen* Middlemarch for Book Clubs, by Rohan Maitzen* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* Daniel Deronda, by George Eliot* Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen* The Lymond Chronicles, by Dorothy Dunnett* My Lady Jane, by Cynthia Hand* Stone Yard Devotional, Charlotte Wood* All Fours, by Miranda July* Mrs. Death Misses Death, by Salena Godden* Telephone, by Percival Everett* Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend, by Rebecca Romney* Evelina, by Frances Burney* Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen* The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe* The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry* Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since, by Walter Scott* Adam Bede, by George Eliot* Romola, by George Eliot* The Cater Street Hangman, by Anne Perry* The Whitechapel Conspiracy, by Anne Perry* Kindred, by Octavia Butler* An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, by P.D. James* The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas* Burial Rites, by Hannah Kent* The Young Mary Queen of Scots, by Jean Plaidy* Murder Most Royal, by Jean Plaidy* Lives of the Queens of England, by Agnes and Elizabeth Strickland* Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks* Siege of Krishnapur, by J.G. Farrell* Troubles, by J.G. Farrell* The Singapore Grip, by J.G. Farrell* Hamnet, by Maggie O’Farrell* A Long Long Way, by Sebastian Barry* Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson* Birdsong, by Sebastian Faulks* The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara* Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson* My Lady Of Cleves, by Margaret Campbell Barnes* Child of the Morning, by Pauline Gedge* The Eagle and the Raven, by Pauline GedgeOther* Episode 64: Victorian LiteratureThe 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

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. We hope you’ll read along!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWe’re creating a welcoming space for thoughtful, engaging discussions about great novellas, starting with First Love by Ivan Turgenev in April. Whether you want to share insights, ask questions, or simply follow along, we’d love to have you. The discussion will unfold gradually, so you can read at your own pace and jump in whenever you're ready. It’s a great way to connect with fellow readers, explore new works together, and deepen your appreciation for the novella form.For the first book, the schedule will be as follows:* April 6: Start of the book through Section 9* April 9: Section 10 through Section 16* April 13: Section 17 through the endShownotesBooks* Lesser Ruins, by Mark Haber* Melvill, by Rodrigo Fresán, translated by Will Vanderhyden* Like a Sky Inside, by Jakuta Alikavazovic, translated by Daniel Levin Becker* The Case of Cem, by Vera Mutafchieva, translated by Angela Rodel* Your Absence Is Darkness, by Jón Kalman Stefánsson, translated by Philip Roughton* Small Rain, by Garth Greenwell* Command Performance, by Jean Echenoz, translated * Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* The Waves, by Virginia Woolf* The Voyage Out, by Virginia Woolf* Mrs Dalloway: Biography of a Novel, by Mark Hussey* Trafik, by Rikki Ducornet* We’re Safe When We’re Alone, by Nghiem Tran* Cecilia, by K-Ming Chang* Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan* Chess Story, by Stefan Zweig, translated by Joel Rotenberg* The Guest Cat, by Takashi Hiraide, translated by Eric Selland* The Stepdaughter, by Caroline Blackwood* Great Granny Webster, by Caroline Blackwood* So Long, See You Tomorrow, by William Maxwell* Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell* Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson* The Body, by Stephen King* The Long Walk, by Stephen King* First Love, by Ivan Turgenev, translated by Isaiah Berlin* Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldwin* The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark* The Turn of the Screw, by Henry JamesOther* Episode 27: Short Books, Fiction* “Ten haunting, atmospheric novellas I highly recommend”: JacquiWine’s JournalThe 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