In this episode, historian and storyteller Dr. Liam recounts the true—and unexpectedly funny—story behind the founding of the Old Gentlemen’s Reading Experiment (OGRE), a men’s book club that began on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. What started as a simple attempt to gather a few men around short, less-demanding books, beginning with Babette’s Feast and South by Ernest Shackleton, nearly collapsed over personalities, reading habits, and even the pronunciation of an author’s name. Instead, the group grew into a thriving community of readers, culminating in a memorable retreat inspired by Shackleton’s leadership and perseverance. This reflective and entertaining episode explores men’s book clubs, reading groups, lifelong learning, and the surprising power of shared reading to build friendship, discipline, and thoughtful conversation among men.
