In this episode, Trevor and Paul turn their attention to Nobel Prize–winner Kazuo Ishiguro, whose eight novels over the past forty years have earned both admiration and debate. Together, we trace Ishiguro’s remarkable range: the restrained heartbreak of Remains of the Day, the dream-logic labyrinth of The Unconsoled, the quiet devastation of Never Let Me Go, the ambitious allegory of The Buried Giant, and the AI exploration of Klara and the Sun. Along the way, we weigh Ishiguro’s signature themes of memory, regret, art, and the stories we tell ourselves—and ask what makes him one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary literature, even when his experiments don’t always succeed.
Whether you’re a longtime devotee or just curious where to begin, we hope you’ll join us for a conversation about masterpieces and misfires.
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 125: Flannery O’Connor
* Episode 135: William Faulkner
* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor
* Episode 155: Naguib Mahfouz
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 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.
Shownotes
What are we reading?
* Paul: A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry
* Trevor: The Ice Palace, by Tarjei Vesaas, translated by Elizabeth Rokkan
Books by Kazuo Ishiguro
* A Pale View of Hills
* An Artist of the Floating World
* The Remains of the Day
* The Unconsoled
* When We Were Orphans
* Never Let Me Go
* The Buried Giant
* Klara and the Sun
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!
