You Don’t Know Lit

306. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:37:41 -0500

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, and Steven L. Hopp (2007)

305. AI

Mon, 04 May 2026 11:23:31 -0500

Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024) vs Golem XIV by Stanisław Lem (1978)

304. Jane Austen's Bookshelf

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:03:35 -0500

Jane Austen's Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector's Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend by Rebecca Romney (2025) vs Journals and Letters by Frances Burney (1752-1840)

303. Modern Classics

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:14:52 -0500

The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) vs My Brilliant Friend (2011/2012) by Elena Ferrante

302. I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:42:08 -0500

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (2016)

301. Darwin Awards

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:30:06 -0500

The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action by Wendy Northcutt (2000) vs Death in Yellowstone by Lee H Whittlesey (1995)

300. 300

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:51:39 -0500

300 by Frank Miller (1998) vs Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (1998)

299. MKUltra

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:36:00 -0500

Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control by Stephen Kinzer (2019) vs Project Mind Control: Sidney Gottlieb, the CIA, and the Tragedy of MKULTRA by John Lisle (2025)

298. NYTimes Best Sellers

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:14:56 -0500

Football by Chuck Klosterman (2010) vs Theo of Golden by Allen Levi (2023)

297. Batman vs Superman

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:57:06 -0500

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (1986) vs Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar (2003)

296. The Sandman

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:28:08 -0600

The Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman (1989)

295. Outcast Characters

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:14:37 -0600

The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel (2017) vs The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (1915)

294. Robin Hobb

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:54:41 -0600

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb (2001) vs Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb (1995)

293. Poets

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:58:42 -0600

Elizabeth Bishop vs Billy Collins

292. Devolution

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:02:00 -0600

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max Brooks (2020)

291 Epic Quests

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:09:19 -0600

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (1962) vs The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King (1982)

290. Space

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:31:19 -0600

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (1966) vs Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey (2012)

289. Telephone Tales

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:49:35 -0600

Telephone Tales by Gianni Rodari (1962)

288. Public Domain Day

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:59:56 -0600

The Maltese Falcon by Samuel Dashiell Hammett (1929) vs As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (1930)

287. Hallmark Books

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 15:17:50 -0600

Beastly & Bookish: Horned Up for the Holidays by Catrina Bell (2023) vs Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison (2021)

286. Best of 2025

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 15:01:05 -0600

285. The Last Season

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0600

The Last Season by Eric Blehm (2006)

284. Nick's Picks

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:46:25 -0600

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare (1595/1596) vs Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (1986)

Baby's First Tolstoy

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:34:36 -0600

The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy (1886)

282. Percy vs Potter

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:00:52 -0600

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling (1997) vs The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (2005)

281. Psychological Fiction

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:30:08 -0600

The Diary of a Rapist by Evan S. Connell (1967) vs The Current by Tim Johnston (2019)

280. Strong Female Protagonist

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:16:29 -0600

Strong Female Protagonist written by Brennan Lee Mulligan and drawn by Lee Knox Ostertag (2014)

279. Spooktacular

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:32:14 -0500

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1798) vs The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

278. Merry Grishmas

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:04:07 -0500

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham (2010) vs The Partner by John Grisham (1997)

277. Back to School

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:07:21 -0500

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) vs Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (1993)

276. Historical Non-Fiction

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:38:33 -0500

The Winter Fortress by Neal Bascomb (2016) vs Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer (2003)

275. The Cheese and the Worms

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 09:20:00 -0500

The Cheese and the Worms by Carlo Ginzburg (1976)

274. A Divine Language

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 09:41:27 -0500

A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age by Alec Wilkinson (2022)

273. The Trumpet of the Swan

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:55:24 -0500

The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White (1970)

272. An Immense World

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:19:36 -0500

An Immense World by Ed Yong (2022)

271. The American West as Living Space

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:30:24 -0500

The American West as Living Space by Wallace Stegner (1987)

270. Raising Hare

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:56:28 -0500

Raising Hare: A Memoir by Chloe Dalton (2024)

269. Noor

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 10:31:22 -0500

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor (2021)

268. Kiss Or Kill

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:01:49 -0500

Kiss Or Kill: Confessions of a Serial Climber by Mark Twight (2001)

267. Longitude

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 09:11:48 -0500

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel (1995)

266. Dungeon Crawler Carl

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 09:50:10 -0500

265. Borne

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:00:28 -0500

Borne by Jeff VanderMeer (2017)

264. Fun Home

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 09:12:26 -0500

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel (2006)

263. Theodore Roosevelt

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:36:48 -0500

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris (1979) vs The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard (2005)

262. Parnassus on Wheels

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 09:07:59 -0500

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (1917)

261. Giovanni's Room

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:22:56 -0500

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956)

260. Spouses' Last Books

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:28:25 -0500

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (2012) vs Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater (2020)

259. How to Stay Married

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 08:13:10 -0500

How to Stay Married: The Most Insane Love Story Ever Told by Harrison Scott Key (2023)

258. Puzzle Books

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 10:38:23 -0500

S. (Ship of Theseus) by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams (2013) vs Cain's Jawbone by Edward Powys Mathers (1934)

257. The Nineties

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:51:20 -0500

The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman (2022)

256. Maryland

Mon, 19 May 2025 15:23:47 -0500

Chesapeake by James A. Michener (1978) vs Beautiful Swimmers by William W. Warner (1976)

255. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Mon, 12 May 2025 09:23:50 -0500

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer (2005)

254. Awesome Anthropomorphic Animals

Mon, 05 May 2025 11:08:56 -0500

Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakiss (1997) vs Gun, with Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem (1994)

253. Guilty Pleasure Books

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:32:30 -0500

What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell (2009) vs Vintage 1975 Map Book Pacific Coast Highways Automobile Club of Southern California (1975)

252. NYT Bestsellers

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:38:53 -0500

Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green (2025) vs The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer (2024)

251. Thinking Inside the Box

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 10:10:40 -0500

Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel (2020)

250. 250 Years of American History

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:07:00 -0500

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire by Kurt Andersen (2017) vs Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges (2009)

249. Millions of Cats

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:43:32 -0500

Millions of Cats by Wanda Gág (1928)

248. YA Fiction

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:31:41 -0500

Harun Aur Kahaniyo Ka Samunder by Salman Rushdie (1990) vs The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (1961)

247. Your Attention

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:44:21 -0500

Superbloom: How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart by Nicholas G. Carr (2025) vs The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource by Chris Hayes (2025)

246. Jorge Luis Borges

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:54:36 -0500

Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges (1944-1955) vs The Aleph by Jorge Luis Borges (1945)

245. Oscars

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 09:53:52 -0600

Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties by Elijah Wald (2015) vs The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (2019)

244. Wine Books

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 14:19:12 -0600

The Widow Clicquot by Tilar J. Mazzeo (2008) vs Wine and War: The French, the Nazis and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure by Donald Kladstrup and Petie Kladstrup (2001)

243. Oz vs Wicked

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 16:04:00 -0600

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900) vs Wicked by Gregory Maguire (1995)

242. The Silent Patient

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:17:14 -0600

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (2019)

241. Self Help

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 11:05:22 -0600

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (180 AD) vs Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1841)

240. A Darker Shade of Magic

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 11:44:31 -0600

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (2015)

239. Foreign Books

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:52:57 -0600

The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir (2024) VS Simpatia by Rodrigo Blanco Calderón (2024)

237. Top 10 of 2024

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:09:32 -0600

Joe and Ian share their top 10 books of 2024!

236. Public Domain 2025

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 11:30:34 -0600

Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do by E. B. White and James Thurber (1929) VS Gods' Man by Lynd Ward (1929)

235. Delay, Deny, Defend

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 09:08:08 -0600

Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It by Jay Feinman (2010)

234. Pope Books

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:01:14 -0600

The Legend of Pope Joan: In Search of the Truth by Donna Woolfolk Cross (1996) VS Conclave by Robert Harris (2016)

233. You and I Eat the Same

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:36:33 -0600

You and I Eat the Same: On the Countless Ways Food and Cooking Connect Us to One Another by René Redzepi (2018)

232. The City of Trembling Leaves

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:38:09 -0600

The City of Trembling Leaves by Walter Van Tilburg Clark (1945)

231. A Calling for Charlie Barnes

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:29:26 -0600

A Calling for Charlie Barnes by Joshua Ferris (2021)

230. Foodsgiving

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:53:34 -0600

The Most of Nora Ephron by Nora Ephron (2013)

EP 229. Faust

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:51:44 -0600

Faust, a Tragedy by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1808) VS Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann (1947)

228. Foreign Dystopia

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:11:01 -0600

The Membranes by Chi Ta-wei (2021) VS The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza (2018)

227. National Book Awards (Non-fiction)

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:00:48 -0600

Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are by Rebecca Boyle (2024) VS The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives by Ernest Scheyder (2024)

226. Spooktacular Grishmas

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 11:06:51 -0500

Camino Ghosts by John Grisham (2024) vs Skipping Christmas by John Grisham (2001)

225. Nonsense Lit

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:03:04 -0500

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (1974) vs Tiger on a Tree by Anushka Ravishankar (1997)

224. National Book Awards (Fiction)

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 10:03:59 -0500

James by Percival Everett (2024) VS The Most by Jessica Anthony (2024)

223. Merry Grishmas!

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:43:40 -0500

The Pelican Brief by John Grisham (1992) VS The Rainmaker by John Grisham (1995)

222. Epistolary

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0500

Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher (2014) VS Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn (2001)

221. Banished Books

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (2001) VS Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (2019)

220. GOATS

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:02:42 -0500

The Fight by Norman Mailer (1975) vs Just Add Water: My Swimming Life by Katie Ledecky (2024)

219. Everything I Never Told You

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014)

218. Bel Canto

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 09:44:12 -0500

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (2001)

217. The Year of Magical Thinking

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 08:46:24 -0500

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (2005)

Ep 216: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 10:03:58 -0500

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin (2010)

215. Raft of Stars

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 10:04:30 -0500

Raft of Stars: A Novel by Andrew Graff (2021)

214. My Family and Other Animals

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:12:48 -0500

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell (1956)

213. The Westing Game

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:12:44 -0500

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (1978)

212. Netflix (RERUN)

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:23:15 -0500

Travel back in time to episode 26 to when Armie Hammer wasn't yet a cannibal and JD Vance was still a prick. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938) vs Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance (2016)

211. East of Eden

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:17:11 -0500

East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952)

210. String Theory

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 09:04:15 -0500

String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis by David Foster Wallace (2014)

209. Wisconsin Death Trip

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 10:44:12 -0500

Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy (1973)

208. The Devotion of Suspect X

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 08:57:08 -0500

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino (2005)

207. Tennessee

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 10:14:19 -0500

Suttree by Cormac McCarthy (1979) vs The Firm by John Grisham (1991)

206. Pity the Beast

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:37:11 -0500

Pity the Beast by Robin McLean (2021)

205. Knife

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 09:15:53 -0500

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie (2024)

204. The Dwarf

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:47:10 -0500

The Dwarf by Pär Lagerkvist (1944)

The Dwarf is a 1944 novel by Pär Lagerkvist. It is considered his most important and artistically innovative novel. The main setting is a fictionalized version of Milan. The character Bernardo of the novel is a fictionalized version of Leonardo da Vinci, who served as a court artist and military architect in Milan from 1482 to 1499. The novel depicts the Italian Renaissance through the eyes of a misanthropic assassin.

203. Locke & Key

Mon, 20 May 2024 10:05:16 -0500

Locke & Key written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez (2008)

202. Social Media

Mon, 13 May 2024 09:15:38 -0500

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport (2019) VS So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson (2015)

202. Famous Feuds

Mon, 06 May 2024 07:29:00 -0500

Literary Rivals: Feuds and Antagonisms in the World of Books by Richard Bradford (2014) VS Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe (2019)

201. Unputdownable (RERUN)

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 07:01:00 -0500

Basking in our 200th episode for one more week as we take this week off. Throwing it back to our first episode with Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937) VS The Hobbit by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1937).

200. Tolkien Archivist William Fliss

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 08:04:00 -0500

We're joined by William Fliss - Marquette University's Tolkien Archivist and co-curator for the exhibition J.R.R. Tolkien: The Art of the Manuscript at the Haggerty Museum of Art on Marquette’s campus. Marquette owns the manuscripts for The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Farmer Giles of Ham, and Mr. Bliss as well as research collections totaling over 11,000 pages.

Ep 199: Books by Billionaires

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 08:00:00 -0500

The Testing of Luther Albright: A Novel by MacKenzie Scott (2005) VS Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton (1992)

198. Self Help II

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:04:45 -0500

Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman (2021)

197. Self Help Books I

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 09:20:52 -0500

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown (2012)

196. Dystopian Shorts

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 10:13:00 -0500

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin (1973) VS The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster (1909)

195. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:02:00 -0500

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (2022)

194. Fictional Autobiographies

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:29:51 -0500

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes (2016) VS The Color Purple by Alice Walker (1982)

193. Women's History Month

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 08:05:51 -0600

Circe by Madeline Miller (2018)

192. Child Authors

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0600

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton (1976)

191. Corporate Drama

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:47:06 -0600

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (2010) VS DisneyWar by James B. Stewart (2005)

190. Arizona

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 10:58:04 -0600

Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey (1912) VS The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey (1975)

189. Public Domain II

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 07:00:00 -0600

Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf (1928)

188. Best Books of 2023

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 11:50:55 -0600

The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight by Andrew Leland (2023) VS A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy by Nathan Thrall (2023)

187. 2024 Public Domain I

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:50:18 -0600

Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence (1928)

186. Debunked Books

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:52:05 -0600

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey (2003) VS Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (2008)

185. Tender is the Flesh

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 12:24:30 -0600

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica (2017)

184. Joyce Carol Oates

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 10:26:03 -0600

Wild Nights! by Joyce Carol Oates (1985) vs Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates (2001)

183. Letters from Father Christmas

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0600

The Father Christmas Letters by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1976)

182. The Art Thief

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:07:19 -0600

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finke (2023)

181. The Woman in Me

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:24:00 -0600

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears (2023)

180. Louisa May Alcott

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 09:37:52 -0600

Hospital Sketches by Louisa May Alcott (1863) VS Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

179. Napoleon

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 08:17:30 -0600

Talleyrand by Alfred Duff Cooper (1935) VS Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian (1969)

178. Perfect Adaptations

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:21:43 -0600

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (2001) VS Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (1990)

177. Shame Books

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 07:30:00 -0600

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (1989) VS The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947)

176. Nevada

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 12:34:01 -0600

Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins (2012) VS Basin and Range by John McPhee (1981)

175. Spooktacular

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 07:32:00 -0500

New moon by Stephenie Meyer (2006) VS Fifty Shades Darker by E. L. James (2011)

174. Slump Books

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 09:34:12 -0500

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey (1943) VS His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (1995)

173. Overrated II

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 09:11:51 -0500

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (1970)

172. Overrated Books I

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 07:09:15 -0500

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (1599-1601)

171. Gender

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:44:10 -0500

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (2002) VS The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)

170. Wrinkle in Time

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 07:47:00 -0500

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1962)

169. Conspiracy Theory Books

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:53:28 -0500

Killing King: Racial Terrorists, James Earl Ray, and the Plot to Assassinate Martin Luther King Jr. by Larry Hancock and Stuart Wexler (2014) VS The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe by Jay Novella, Steven Novella, Cara Santa Maria and Evan R. Bernstein (2018)

168. AI Books

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:09:00 -0500

The Lifecycle of Software Objects by Ted Chiang (2010) VS Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)

167. Climate Change

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:28:05 -0500

How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going by Vaclav Smil (2022) VS The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet by Jeff Goodell (2023)

165. Athlete Autobiographies

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:37:48 -0500

Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold (2015) VS Open by Andre Agassi (2009)

164. Coming of Age

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 06:57:01 -0500

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (2018) VS On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (2019)

163. Alien Invasion

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 07:07:00 -0500

Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force) by Craig Alanson (2016) VS The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin (1972)

162. Written in Prison

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 08:56:17 -0500

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1962) VS Conversations With Myself by Nelson Mandela (2010)

161. New York

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Here Is New York by E. B. White and Roger Angell (1949) VS Jazz by Toni Morrison (1992)

160. Evil Cars

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:55:19 -0500

Christine by Stephen King (1983) vs The Haunted Car by R. L. Stine (1999)

159. War

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 13:32:20 -0500

The Hooligans of Kandahar: Not All War Stories are Heroic by Joseph Kassabian (2016) vs Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

158. America IV

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 07:01:00 -0500

American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Colin Woodard (2011)

157. Robert Gottlieb

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 10:14:48 -0500

Avid Reader: A Life by Robert Gottlieb (2016)

156. Why Fish Don’t Exist

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 09:25:08 -0500

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller (2020)

155. Newish-berry Winners

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:45:46 -0500

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (2021) vs The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (2016)

154. Pulitzer

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 07:22:32 -0500

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022)

153. Pulitzer

Tue, 30 May 2023 09:02:54 -0500

Pulitzer Prize Winner Trust by Hernan Diaz (2022)

152. Boats II (PART II)

Mon, 22 May 2023 09:14:46 -0500

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (1889)

151. Boats II (PART I)

Mon, 15 May 2023 17:34:03 -0500

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann (2023)

150. Architecture

Mon, 08 May 2023 10:53:12 -0500

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke (2020) VS The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton (2006)

149. Banned Books

Mon, 01 May 2023 09:59:02 -0500

All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson (2020) vs Looking for Alaska by John Green (2005)

148. When Breath Becomes Air

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:49:45 -0500

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (2016)

147. Crying in H Mart

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 06:26:05 -0500

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021)

147. Project Hail Mary

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 10:03:07 -0500

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021)

146. Stiff

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 08:14:14 -0500

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach (2003)

145. The Peregrine

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:59:37 -0500

The Peregrine by J. A. Baker (1967)

144. The Baron in the Trees

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 07:00:00 -0500

The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino (1957)

143. Vermont

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 07:40:00 -0600

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (1962) vs The Animal One Thousand Miles Long: Seven Lengths of Vermont and Other Adventures by Leath Tonino (2018)

142. Farming

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 06:58:37 -0600

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young (2003) vs Gaining Ground: A Story Of Farmers' Markets, Local Food, And Saving The Family Farm by Forrest Pritchard (2013)

141. Queens of Crime

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 09:01:04 -0600

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939) vs Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh (1968)

140. Dragons

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 11:32:42 -0600

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke (2020) vs Wings of Fire: Dragonslayer by Tui T. Sutherland (2020)

139. California

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 09:45:56 -0600

The Mountains of California by John Muir (1882) vs Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion (1968).

138. Spare

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 09:02:35 -0600

Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (2023)

137. Stella Maris

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 09:22:53 -0600

Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy (2022)

136. The Passenger

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:39:15 -0600

The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy (2022)

135. The Two Towers

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 07:00:00 -0600

The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien (1954).

134. Public Domain Day

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 10:12:36 -0600

The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger by Arthur Conan Doyle (1927) vs The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place by Arthur Conan Doyle (1927)

133. Christmas

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:45:09 -0600

The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn (1994) vs How Mrs. Claus saved Christmas by Jeff Guinn (2005)

132. Japanese-American Incarceration

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 09:19:17 -0600

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei (2019) vs No-No Boy by John Okada (1957)

131. Comfort Books

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 07:03:00 -0600

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney (1990) vs Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar (2005)

130. Revenge

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 07:01:00 -0600

The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd (1587) vs The Beast Must Die by Cecil Day-Lewis (1969).

129. Fast Food

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 09:29:30 -0600

Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America by Marcia Chatelain (2020) vs Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser (2001)

128. Oklahoma

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 07:17:00 -0600

Boom Town: The Fantastical Saga of Oklahoma City, Its Chaotic Founding... Its Purloined Basketball Team, and the Dream of Becoming a World-class Metropolis by Sam Anderson (2018) vs Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann (2017)

127. Literary Nonsense

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 12:54:58 -0600

Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco (1974) vs The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1981).

126. Annie Ernaux

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0500

The Years by 2022 Noble Prize Winner Annie Ernaux (2008)

125 Spooktacular

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0500

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991) vs The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (1963).

124. NY Times Best Sellers

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 06:38:48 -0500

Fairy Tale by Stephen King (2022) vs I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (2022).

123. Sudden Extreme Traumatic Event

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 07:07:03 -0500

The greatest thing since sliced bread by Don Robertson (1965) vs Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman (2008).

122. Truman Capote

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 13:06:06 -0500

The Muses Are Heard by Truman Capote (1956) vs Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote (1958).

121: Roald Dahl

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 10:39:39 -0500

The Gremlins by Roald Dahl (1943) vs Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1964).

120: Microhistory

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 10:24:27 -0500

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky (2002) vs Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky (1997)

119. 90s Tween Horror

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 11:23:16 -0500

The Midnight Club by Christopher Pike (1994) vs The Haunted School by R. L. Stine (1997).

118. The Case Against Education

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 09:24:52 -0500

We finally see if education is worth it on today's episode. The Case Against Education by Bryan Caplan (2018).

117. Salman Rushdie

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 10:19:04 -0500

The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie (1988) vs Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie (2012)

116. Hawaii

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 11:25:08 -0500

Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku by David Davis (2015) vs Sharks in the Time of Saviours by Kawai Strong Washburn (2020).

115. Eragon

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 11:38:22 -0500

Lit Head recommendation this week! Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2002)

114. Big City (RERUN)

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:25:30 -0500

In honor of Ian and Joe being on vacation, here's a rerun of the YDKL classic covering America's most popular genre: Big City books. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952) vs Native Son by Richard Wright (1940).

113. Spies

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 11:16:00 -0500

Blood of Victory by Alan Furst (2022) vs The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré (1963).

112. Bookspirations

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 09:12:06 -0500

Mrs. Doubtfire bookspired by Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine (1987) vs The French Dispatch bookspired by An Editor’s Burial: Journals and Journalism from the New Yorker and Other Magazines by Wes Anderson (2021).

111. Lord of the Flies

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 10:32:00 -0500

Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954)

110. Boats

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 07:17:47 -0500

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick (2000) vs The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown (2013)

109. America III

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:56:30 -0500

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie (1993) vs The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich (2005).

108. ReWrites II

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 14:00:47 -0500

Hey, hey, hey it's part two of rewrites! On Beauty by Zadie Smith (2005) loosely based on Howards End by E.M. Forster (1910).

107. ReWrites I

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 11:47:14 -0500

Got book? This week you get two, kinda. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966), a companion novel for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847).

106. Little Books

Sun, 12 Jun 2022 21:10:00 -0500

Keeping this description little. Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang vs The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943).

105. Buzzy Bestsellers

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 06:52:04 -0500

Two Litheads enter literary Thunderdome, two Litheads leave Thunderdome richer for having participated. This week, two recommendations face-off: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (2013) vs Kiss the Girls by James Patterson (1995).

104. Taoism

Mon, 30 May 2022 10:48:26 -0500

This week, two owls explain Taoism to a rabbit. The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff (1982) vs The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia by Ursula K. Le Guin (1974).

103. Newbery 100th

Wed, 25 May 2022 09:19:57 -0500

Today we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Newberry Award AKA that weird bronze seal on some of those books you read in middle school. The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg (1996) vs A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck (2000).

102. Flannery O’Connor

Mon, 16 May 2022 07:00:00 -0500

Controversial Flannery O'Connor has entered the chat. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor (1953) vs Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor (1962).

101. Michael Branch

Mon, 09 May 2022 07:23:06 -0500

We're honored to have Michael Branch join us to discuss his most recent book On the Trail of the Jackalope: How a Legend Captured the World's Imagination and Helped Us Cure Cancer (2022).

100. Too Many Butlers: Chapter One

Mon, 02 May 2022 07:00:00 -0500

It's a cold drop, like Beyonce would do. Too Many Butlers: Chapter One

99. Louisiana

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:00:00 -0500

Fives Guys. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980) vs Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (1976).

98. Kingkiller Chronicle Series

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 08:46:05 -0500

Who says a series has to be complete before you can discuss how good it is? Not us. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (2007) vs The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (2011).

97. Ukraine

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 09:23:21 -0500

If you're like us, you've heard a lot about Ukraine but don't really know anything about Ukraine. So here's two (asterisk) books about Ukraine: The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen (2012) vs Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov (1996).

96. A Short History of Nearly Everything

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 07:00:00 -0500

This week, we briefly cover the universe. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (2003).

95. Juicy Cowboys

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 11:52:42 -0500

Pew, pew, pew. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (1985) vs Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (1985).

94. Prison

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:16:22 -0500

Sorry for the late episode! Enjoy this abbreviated cop-out episode: No Friend But the Mountainsn by Behrouz Boochani (2018).

93. Maine

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 07:16:04 -0500

Bark, boats, Bildungsroman. Our 50-part state series continues with Maine. The Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee (1975) vs The Cider House Rules by John Irving (1985).

92. NY Times Best Sellers

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 07:13:34 -0600

Endless regret, Wilhelm screams, and Ian quits. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020) Vs. The Lincoln Highway: A Novel by Amor Towles (2021).

91. Florida

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:24:15 -0600

We're kicking off this 50-part series about states with the best state and that state without question is Florida. Oranges by John McPhee (1967) vs To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway (1937).

90. Presidents

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:36:46 -0600

Washington V Lincoln. FINALLY. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) Vs Finding George Washington: A Time Travel Tale by Bill Zarchy (2020)

89. Valentine’s Day

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 09:27:05 -0600

This week, our sixth love language is murder! HVD, Lit Heads! The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman (1992) vs Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (2003).

88. Gateway Books

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 07:03:00 -0600

Where it all started for two high school English teachers Ian and Joe. It's like their origin story but instead of saving the world it's book. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg (1967) vs Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (1943).

87. Historical Fiction

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:39:49 -0600

Wyrms, beef investment advice and tea 'n tea explosions on this week's episode. The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker (1911) vs 11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011).

86. Rock n Roll

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 08:12:29 -0600

Rock n Roll finally dies on this week's episode: 150 Glimpses of the Beatles by Craig Brown (2020) vs Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010).

85. MLK

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 07:02:00 -0600

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr.! This week we talk about MLK's 1963 book Why We Can't Wait.

84. Philip K. Dick

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:04:34 -0600

Short stories from the Prince of Premise himself. Paycheck by Philip K. Dick (1953) vs We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick (1966).

83. Novelizations

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 10:10:34 -0600

This week we final answer the age-old question: What came first, the chicken or the book that was written about a movie? The Fifth Element by Terry Bisson (1995) vs 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke (1968).

82. Rudyard Kipling

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 10:52:41 -0600

Another troublesome author takes center stage on YDKL this week. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling (1894) vs With the Night Mail by Rudyard Kipling (1909).

81. Money Christmas

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 11:35:10 -0600

Two high school English teachers provide financial advise for your Xmas season through books: The Man Who Invented Christmas by Les Standiford (2008) VS Hundred Dollar Holiday by Bill McKibben (1998).

80. National Book Award Winners

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 07:04:00 -0600

No matter what happens, we're all winners. All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Tiya Alicia Miles (2021) vs Hell of a Book by Jason Mott (2021).

79. Anne of Green Gables

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 09:27:50 -0600

In this abbreviated episode we chit-chat about Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908).

78. Food III

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 09:53:59 -0600

The long awaited and final episode in our three-part food series is served: Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat by Bee Wilson (2012) vs An Edible History of Humanity by Tom Standage (2009).

77. Food II

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 08:17:27 -0600

Part two of our three part food series continues with Salt Fat Acid Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat (2017) vs Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton (2011).

76. Food

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 08:46:45 -0600

On the first episode of our three part food trilogy we chat about Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain (2000).

75. Levels of the Game

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 07:06:00 -0600

On this abbreviated episode we chat about Levels of the Game by John McPhee (1969).

74. Books About Books

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 09:52:51 -0500

Joe's weekly in memoriam, child labor ideas for Audible, and a tell-all interview with the car that hit Stephen King. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (2016) vs On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (2000).

73. Ghost Writers

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 13:49:53 -0500

Happy spooky season! The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2007) vs Nancy Drew, The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene (1942).

72. LGBTQ History Month

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:31:38 -0500

Fall weather, ribs and blatant pandering on this weeks episode. The Age of Anxiety Poem by W. H. Auden (1947) vs The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (2011).

71. National Book Month

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 12:05:45 -0500

Happy National Book Month! This episode we feature previous National Book Award winners. The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer (2013) vs The Yellow House: A Memoir by Sarah M. Broom (2019).

70. Learning New Skills

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 12:43:08 -0500

Nick becomes a plumber in real-time, Big Mama Jamas, and we finally learn what a crawdad is but not really. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018) vs Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear (2018).

69. Georgette Heyer

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 07:10:02 -0500

Many, many Creed references, we discover it's all about the journey, and we enter the Argarian Era. Cotillion by Georgette Heyer (1952) vs Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer (1932).

68. Self Help

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 11:37:30 -0500

The world's longest book titles, action items and Joe says yes. The World Beyond Your Head: On Becoming an Individual in an Age of Distraction by Matthew Crawford (2014) vs Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes (2015).

67. Space Operas

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Hard science: What is it and where does it come from? We explore this completely new topic on this weekend episode. Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey (2011) vs Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds (2000).

66. Fitness

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 08:55:41 -0500

Shed those pounds on this week's episode - Happy Labor Day! Grand Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery (2014) vs What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami (2007).

65. Road Trip Series (22-Hour Book)

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 09:18:15 -0500

In our final Road Trip Series episode, Nick and Ian present to Joe the 22-hour audiobook Moby Dick by Herman Melville (1851).

64. Road Trip Series (4-Hour Book)

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 08:14:53 -0500

In our first ever anti-recommendation episode Ian and Joe pan the 4-hour audiobook The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (1988).

63. Road Trip Series (8-Hour Book)

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 11:22:27 -0500

Welcome to our end-of-summer Road Trip Series featuring some of our favorite audiobooks. This week is the 8-hour audiobook Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck (1962).

62. Deep Cuts

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 10:20:39 -0500

Ian and Joe share their super hero origin stories, Joe reads his entire book and Nick at one time owned a Buick. From a Buick 8 by Stephen King (2002) VS Deadeye Dick by Kurt Vonnegut (1982).

61. Cry Books

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 07:00:00 -0500

We laughed, we cried, we discovered Nick is the Devil. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (2014) Vs A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (1859).

60. Sir Terry Pratchett

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 08:00:23 -0500

Bust out your homemade swords, large grey beard you've been growing for decades, and sexy specs for this week's episode on Sir Terry Pratchett. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett (1983) vs Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (1990).

59. Hard to Talk About

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 07:28:25 -0500

Another breakout theme in the books this week as we present two new books this week: The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet by John Green (2021) VS Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees (1926).

58. Parenting

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Ian, Joe and Nick achieve their collective maximum potential on this week's episode. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (2011) vs Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman (2012).

57. America 2: Canada

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 10:11:21 -0500

In this abbreviated episode we celebrate the 4th of July by celebrating Canada Day with of course Canada by Mike Myers (2016).

56. Weird Sequels

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:56:24 -0500

Willy Wonka is the greatest villain ever, Wheelers, and the campaign to make Arnold Schwarzenegger the next Vice President begins. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl (1972) vs The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1904).

55. The Rich

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:14:30 -0500

Finical advise from two high school English teachers, two more Nicks and name-dropping friend-of-the-show photographer Russel Wong. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan (2013) vs The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925).

54. Dust Collectors

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 14:29:13 -0500

Dr. Dre health updates, 12-word books, and detailed instructions on how to make a sharp knife. Swann's Way by Marcel Proust (1913) vs Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig (1974)

53. Pirates

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 11:40:17 -0500

Hip youth words, terrible pirate metaphors and the sailing the high seas of the Jersey Shore on this episode. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1883) vs Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie (1911).

52. Aliens

Mon, 31 May 2021 09:37:45 -0500

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (2008) vs Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953).

51. Jane Eyre

Mon, 24 May 2021 08:34:44 -0500

In this abbreviated episode we discuss Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë published in 1847.

50. Gold

Mon, 17 May 2021 06:47:11 -0500

Happy 50th episode, Lit Heads! Goldfinger by Ian Fleming (1959) vs The Man with the Golden Gun by Ian Fleming (1974)

49. Isolation: Alone vs A Gentleman in Moscow

Mon, 10 May 2021 17:46:54 -0500

Alone by Richard E. Byrd (1938) vs A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016).

48. Survival Guide: Nomadland vs Blueprint for Revolution

Mon, 03 May 2021 08:30:25 -0500

Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder (2017) vs Blueprint for Revolution: How to Use Rice Pudding, Lego Men, and Other Nonviolent Techniques to Galvanize Communities, Overthrow Dictators, or Simply Change the World by Srdja Popovic (2015).

47. Cop-out: To Kill a Mockingbird

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0500

In this abbreviated episode we discuss To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee published in 1960.

46. Shakespeare: Macbeth vs The Winter's Tale

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:11:09 -0500

A special thank you to the host of That Shakespeare Life Cassidy Cash for joining us on this episode. Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1606) vs The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (1611).

45. The Worst: Twilight vs Fifty Shades of Grey

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:50:08 -0500

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (2009) vs Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James (2011).

44. March Basketballs: The Mamba Mentality vs They Call Me Coach

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 08:43:27 -0500

A special thank you to Dr. Dribbles for joining us on this episode. The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant (2018) vs They Call Me Coach by John Wooden (1972).

43. Women's History: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks vs Becoming

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 09:06:33 -0500

No matter the winner, here are two good books to enjoy during Women's History Month or any other time during the year: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (2010) vs Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018)

42. True Crime: I'll Be Gone in the Dark vs In Cold Blood

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:49:36 -0500

A special thank you to all the gumshoes out there for joining us on this episode. I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara (2018) vs In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965).

41. Global Pandemic: Station Eleven vs Zone One

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 07:45:00 -0500

A special thank you to Settlers of Catan for joining us on this episode. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) vs Zone One by Colson Whitehead (2011).

40. Faithful Adaptations: 84, Charing Cross Road vs A Streetcar Named Desire

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:37:50 -0600

A special thank you to STEEEEEELLLLLLLLAAAAAAAA for joining us on this episode. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff (1970) vs A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (1947).

39. Dr. Seuss: Dr. Seuss Goes to War vs The Lorax

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 07:01:00 -0600

A special thank you to StoryRaps host Wes Tank on Kidoodle.TV for joining us. Dr. Seuss Goes to War by Dr. Seuss/Richard Minear (1999) vs The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (1971).

38. Harlem Renaissance: Passing vs The Poetry of Langston Hughes

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:37:20 -0600

A special thank you to Burma Shave for joining us on this episode. Passing by Nella Larsen (1929) vs the poetry of Langston Hughes.

37. Pulitzer Prize: The Underground Railroad vs The Warmth of Other Suns

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 13:21:15 -0600

A special thank you an El Camino car for joining us on this episode. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) vs The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (2010)

36. Success Stories: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, the African vs Born a Crime

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 07:00:00 -0600

This month we're celebrating Black History Month by featuring Black authors and books about Black history. A special thank you to the Chorizo Racing Sausage for joining us on this episode. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, the African by Olaudah Equiano (1789) vs Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (2016)

35. Big City: Invisible Man vs Native Son

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 11:36:50 -0600

A special thank you to chutzpah for joining us on this episode. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952) vs Native Son by Richard Wright (1940).

34. Game Changers: Neuromancer vs Dune

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 10:27:25 -0600

A special thank you to Neo for joining us on this episode. Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984) vs Dune by Frank Herbert (1965).

33. Fun Reads: Ready Player One vs Holes

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:14:56 -0600

A special thank you to The Mandalorian, Pus Plug and Michael Jackson for joining us on this episode. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011) vs Holes by Louis Sachar (1998).

32. One Hit Wonder: The Art of War vs A Canticle for Leibowitz

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 11:54:56 -0600

A special thank you to Conan the Barbarian for joining us on this episode. The Art of War by Sun Tzu (5th century BC) vs A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. (1959)

31. Cop-Out: The Fellowship of the Ring

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:21:31 -0600

A special thank you to The Nerd Herd for joining on this episode! In this abbreviated episode we discuss The Lord of The Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien published in 1954.

30. Final Exam

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 09:29:18 -0600

Join us for a year-in-review episode as we revisit, in addition to Nick's failings as a student, The Right Stuff, Pimp, Heart of Darkness, The Sun Also Rises and several new book recommendations.

29. Spooktacular II: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 07:00:00 -0600

A special thank you to Mr. Chickens for joining on this episode! In this abbreviated episode we discuss A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens published in 1843.

28. In Memoriam: Alex Trebek vs Sean Connery

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 08:31:59 -0600

A special thank you to The King of Segues for joining us on this episode. The Answer Is . . .: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek (2020) vs Being a Scot by Murray Grigor and Sean Connery (2008).

27. London Shorts: The Mexican vs To Build a Fire

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 07:06:00 -0600

A special thank you to Rocky for joining us on this episode. The Mexican short story by Jack London (1911) vs To Build a Fire short story by Jack London (1902).

26. Netflix Adaptations: Rebecca vs Hillbilly Elegy

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 18:00:09 -0600

A special thank you to Arm & Hammer™ Premium Baking Soda for joining us on this episode. Rebecca by Dame Daphne du Maurier (1938) vs Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance (1969)

25. Thankful: Slapstick vs Silverlock

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 13:07:45 -0600

A special thank you to Rachel for joining us on this episode. Slapstick by Kurt Vonnegut (1976) vs Silverlock by John Myers Myers (1949).

24. Unexpected Books: Shrek! vs Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 10:10:22 -0600

A special thank you to the entire cast of Childs & Childs for joining us on this episode. Shrek! by William Steig (1990) vs Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (1968)

23. Biographies: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl vs Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 09:17:21 -0600

A special thank you to Andy Griffith for joining us on this episode. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs (1861) vs Plain Speaking: An Oral Biography of Harry S. Truman by Merle Miller (1973).

22. Cop-Out: Watchmen

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 09:42:13 -0600

A special thank you to Dr. Big Blue Dong for joining on this episode. In this abbreviated episode we discuss the comic book Watchmen by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons, Dave Gibbons, Dave Gibbons published in 1986–1987.

21. Spooktacular: Bram Stoker's Dracula vs The Turn of the Screw

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 09:25:11 -0500

A special thank you to Ian's lab for joining on this episode! Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) vs The Turn of the Screw by Henry James (1898).

20. Cormac: All the Pretty Horses vs The Road

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 13:15:33 -0500

A special thank you to Tom Stichyshelt for joining us on this episode. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy (1992) vs The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006).

19. Weirdo Authors: Ender's Game vs Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:09:14 -0500

A special thank you to Joe Biden's creepy breathing for joining us on this episode. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1985) vs Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

18: Satire: The Most Excellent Comedie and Tragical Romance of Two Gentlemen of Lebowski vs Slaughterhouse-Five

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 07:02:00 -0500

A special thank you to Armeld Schwarzenegger for joining us on this episode. The Most Excellent Comedie and Tragical Romance of Two Gentlemen of Lebowski by Adam Bertocci (2010) vs Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)

17. Great Outdoors: A Walk in the Woods vs Desert Solitaire

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:32:53 -0500

A special thank you to our guest Big Sur for joining us on this episode. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (1997) vs Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (1968).

16. Murder Mystery: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead vs The Nine Tailors

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 11:56:22 -0500

A special thank you to Jeff "Jersey" Jeeves for joining us on this episode. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (2009) vs The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers (1934).

15. Fun Robots: Metropolis vs We Are Legion

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 11:23:12 -0500

A special thank you to 01101000 01101001 01110100 01101100 01100101 01110010 for joining us on this episode. Metropolis by Thea von Harbou (1925) vs We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor (2016)

14. No Theme: Persepolis vs The Right Stuff

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 15:00:35 -0500

A special thank you to R2D2 for joining us on this episode. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2000) vs The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe (1979)

13. Cop-Out Episode: Romeo and Juliet

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 07:00:00 -0500

It's back-to-school month at YDKL so this month we're featuring some of the books Joe and Ian are teaching in their class rooms. A special thank you to John Legumeszaman for joining us on this episode. In this abbreviated episode we discuss Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare published in 1597.

12. Journeys: Heart of Darkness vs Fear and loathing in Las Vegas

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 07:00:00 -0500

It's back-to-school month at YDKL so this month we're featuring some of the books Joe and Ian are teaching in their class rooms. A special thank you to Evel Knievin' for joining us on this episode. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1899) vs Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson (1971).

11. Happy: A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There vs The Three Musketeers

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:09:49 -0500

A special thank you to Samuel Jackson's agent for joining us on this episode. A Sand County Almanac: And Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold (1949) vs The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (1844).

10. Dystopia: Brave New World vs Nineteen Eighty-Four

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 09:54:10 -0500

It's back-to-school month at YDKL so this month we're featuring some of the books Joe and Ian are teaching in their class rooms. A special thank you to Wonder Woman for joining us on this episode. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932) vs Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949.)

9. Monsters: Beowulf vs Odyssey

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 07:00:00 -0500

It's back-to-school month at YDKL so this month we're featuring some of the books Joe and Ian are teaching in their class rooms. A special thank you to The Indian in the Cupboard for joining us on this very special episode. Beowulf by Unknown (disputed c. 700–1000 AD) vs Odyssey by Homer (8th century BC).

8. Talking Animals: Charlotte's Web vs The Wind in the Willows

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 07:00:00 -0500

A special thank you to Mr. Sorry Fuck for joining us on this episode. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White (1952) vs The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908)

7. Hemingway: The Old Man and the Sea vs The Sun Also Rises

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 07:00:00 -0500

A special thank you to Guy Ferrari for joining us on this very special Hemingsode. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (1952) vs The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926).

6. Cop-Out Episode: A Wizard of Earthsea

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 07:00:00 -0500

A special thank you to Bildungsroman for joining on this episode! In this abbreviated episode we discuss A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin published in 1968.

5. Unteachable: Pimp: The Story of My Life vs The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 07:00:00 -0500

A special thank you to Foghorn Langhorne for joining us on this episode. Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim (1967) vs The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (1884)

An Introduction: You Don't Know Lit

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 16:14:46 -0500

Book club meets fight club - each week high school English teachers Dr. Ian DeJong and Joe Holschuh each bring a book to share with their friend Nick Argires. Weekly winners, themes and recommendations.

4. America: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin vs Beloved

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 07:00:00 -0500

A special thank you to our dead ancestors for joining us on this episode. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (1791) vs Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

3. Challenging: Ulysses vs The Faerie Queene

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:26:52 -0500

A special thank you to Southern General Ulysses for joining us on this episode. Ulysses by James Joyce (1922) vs The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser (1590)

2. Getting Old: Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life vs The Picture of Dorian Gray

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:18:28 -0500

A special thank you to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (Lord Voldemort) for joining on this episode. Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan (2015) vs The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890)

1. Unputdownable: Of Mice and Men vs The Hobbit

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 14:43:12 -0500

A special thank you to Colin Firth's nipples for joining us on our first episode. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937) VS The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) by J. R. R. Tolkien (1937)