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Rabbitt Stew ComicsEpisode 533Weekly Comic Reviews: DC DC K.O. Knightfight 1 by Joshua Williamson, Dan Mora, Triona Farrell Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes 1 by Erica Henderson Marvel Alien vs. Captain America 1 by Frank Tieri, Stefano Raffaelle, Neeraj Menon Echo: Seeker of Truth 1 by Taboo, B. Earl, Jim Terry, Elisabetta D'Amico, Matt Milla Melissa Flores, Kyle Charles, Carlos Lopez Planet She-Hulk 1 by Stephanie Phillips, Aaron Kuder, Sonia Oback Marvel Unlimited It's Jeff Halloween 5 Marvel Meow 31 Ahoy Death Dog 1 by Bryce Ingman, Alan Robinson Dark Horse Space Scouts 1 by Matt Kindt, David Rubin Dynamite ThunderCats: Pumyra 1 by Ed Brisson, Alice Leclert, Arancia...
2025-11-202h 33
Just In Case We DieNovember 2025 -- Bonus (Purging of the TBR)Send us a textAll three cast members of Just In Case We Die are acknowledging that their accumulation of books has gotten out of control. The to-be-read piles get increasingly more problematic. This is not a problem that appears to be remedying itself in the near future.Consider:1) Next month, each cast member will be given two books by their co-hosts.2) Every month for the next year, they’ll be reading one book from the list for discussion.3) Each of them will, more than likely, receive many books fo...
2025-11-121h 01Just In Case We Die#577 "If On A Winter's Night A Traveler" by Italo CalvinoSend us a textIt's Aaron's turn to handpick a book from the list, and he selected Italo Calvino's 1979 post-modern masterpiece. This novel is one that he has admired for more than a quarter century. In fact, he's been trying to foist it on Rebecca seemingly ad nauseum since 2001.The real reason he picked it, though, is because he wants Rodney to gain a greater appreciation of post-modernism, and there are college courses that consider If On A Winter's Night A Traveler a core text for academic study. Rebecca and Aaron have placed a friendly...
2025-10-221h 12Just In Case We DieOctober 2025 -- Bonus ("Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir)Send us a textWhen it turned out that maybe Aaron and Rodney might be able to convince Rebecca that not all science-fiction was a waste of her time, Aaron recommended Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary. It was a gamble, to be sure, because this is a Science Fiction novel (note the capital S and F). Space exploration? Alien race first contact? Scientific calamity that might bring on the apocalypse? Check, check, and check.Guess what? It took two years and a well-crafted trailer for the upcoming film adaptation, but Rebecca has finally read it...
2025-10-0956 minJust In Case We Die#97 "Barabbas" by Pär LagerkvistSend us a textPär Lagerkvist, the recipient of the 1951 Nobel Prize for Literature, was not a writer that had ever been in the to-be-read piles of any of this podcast’s participants. All three of them, though, were affected by this novel’s message. This short 1950 novel takes a character briefly mentioned in the Holy Bible, expounds on his story, and prompts a discussion that starts with one opinion and ends with a change in perspective. How can such a slight little volume have such a profound effect on people who don’t consider themselves religio...
2025-09-241h 12Just In Case We DieSeptember 2025 -- Bonus (Banned Book Trivia/Revision of the List)Send us a textAll three members of the cast are in different locations this month, so our bonus discussion might seem a little lackluster.There are, though, three excellent reasons to give this one a listen:You will learn all kinds of new things you didn’t know about books that have been banned or challenged.Aaron really screwed up (BIG TIME!) when we compiled the list for this podcast and takes some time to remedy the situation.You might win our first ever trivia contest, which might allow you, dear listener, to wi...
2025-09-101h 12Just In Case We Die#1,275 "Where Angels Fear To Tread" by E. M. ForsterSend us a textIt would stand to reason that a writer that has led an interesting life could write an interesting novel.Unless you’re E. M. Forster.If you’re him, you would lead an interesting life and then write a real clunker about despicable people doing deplorable things. You might posit that you’ve written a work filled to the brim with themes that your prose would never adequately explore.None of which will matter when you eventually write A Passage To India.Yeah, we didn’t care f...
2025-08-2757 minJust In Case We DieAugust 2025 -- Bonus Episode ("Sum: Forty Tales From the Afterlives" by David Eagleman)Send us a textWhat happens when we die? Do we exist in an ethereal plane that cannot be perceived by human conscience? Are we forced to spend eternity as the background characters in another person's dreams? Do we have to exist eternally seeing ourselves from the perspectives of those who knew us when we were alive? Will we get to meet Mary Shelley?All of these possibilities-- and quite a few more-- are posited in neuroscientist David Eagleman's delightful (and short) book of stories. Rodney discovered this book as part of another discussion club...
2025-08-1356 minJust In Case We Die#409 "In The First Circle" by Aleksandr SolzhenitsynSend us a textIn 1967, Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn edited his new novel down from 96 chapters to 87 chapters in the hopes that a censored version would be more palatable to Soviet publishers. It was not.In 1968, he was able to successfully get the novel published in Europe. It was, however, the shortened 87-chapter version.In 1978, the full unedited version was finally published in Russia. A full English translation would not land in America until 2009.In 2025, seeing that In The First Circle was a lengthy Russian novel about military prisons in WWII...
2025-07-301h 08Just In Case We DieJuly 2025 -- Bonus Episode (Mike Trippiedi)Send us a textIn Champaign, Illinois– the city that serves as the home base for this podcast– there is a man named Mike Trippiedi. He is an award-winning filmmaker, an accomplished stage actor and director, and the author of three novels. He also happens to be someone that Aaron has known for most of his life.Mike’s new novel is called Abraham Lincoln’s Traveling Medicine Show. It’s a very entertaining revision of the assassination of our nation’s 16th President, as well as the ensuing aftermath. Aaron really enjoyed this novel and wanted t...
2025-07-0944 minJust In Case We Die#932 "Play It As It Lays" by Joan DidionSend us a textIt's June! This means that we discuss a book hand-selected from the list by Rebecca.The last time she did this, she selected The Book of Illusions, a novel she had never read that was written by a novelist she admires. She took a wholly different approach this time: couple the desire to read a writer she had never experienced before with the realization that we almost never read books by women. The end result was Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion. Considered one of the classic "Los Angeles...
2025-06-251h 01Just In Case We DieJune 2025-- Bonus Episode (Literary BBQ)Send us a textIt’s summertime!That means beautiful weather, afternoons at the pool, and maybe some time to relax and catch up on our ever-growing TBR piles. It also means, however, that things are going to get chaotic around here– prepping for trips to Alaska, summer camp with the kids, schoolwork, jobs. Before the three of us get bogged down in real life, we decided to throw ourselves a backyard patio BBQ . . . and invite some of our favorite writers.Each of us invited three writers to the shindig– one living, one dead...
2025-06-111h 09Just In Case We Die#564 "The Expedition of Humphry Clinker" by Tobias SmollettSend us a textThe first movie released in the DVD format was the 1996 disaster film Twister.Bullfrogs never sleep.The nation of China is credited with the invention of ice cream.Africa is the only continent with land in all four hemispheres.Queen guitarist Brian May holds a PhD in astrophysics.Aaron, Rodney, and Rebecca are going to remember these five random bits of trivia before they ever remember anything about The Expedition of Humphry Clinker.
2025-05-2158 minJust In Case We DieMay 2025 -- Bonus Episode (National Short Story Month)Send us a textRemember last year when we decided to celebrate National Short Story Month by discussing six short stories hand-selected by the cast? Well, we had so much fun last year that we decided to do it again!This year, Rodney actually chooses a short story instead of a novella, Rebecca reveals an interesting way to select material for our show, and Aaron must endure insulting words about one of his favorite writers. Also– and probably most importantly– Aaron and Rodney are once again vindicated when Rebecca is impressed by one of their favo...
2025-05-141h 24Just In Case We Die"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers -- Veto #2Send us a textSo what happened was this . . . At the end of the episode on “Les Miserables” by Victor Hugo, the random number generator gave us #355. The book corresponding to this number was “Emma” by Jane Austen. Rebecca ixnayed that itshay quicker than quick, but she then had to use the random number generator to pick a tome from her veto list. The redraw gave us A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers’ powerful 2000 memoir about caring for his younger brother after the death of his parents.This book is hard to categorize. The Pulitz...
2025-04-231h 03Just In Case We DieApril 2025 -- Bonus Episode (National Library Week)Send us a textDid you know that there is a library in Oslo doing quite possibly the coolest literary event that we have ever read about? Too bad none of us will be alive to experience it!It's National Library Week, and the cast here at Just In Case We Die are celebrating with some reminiscing about our favorite memories of the library. They talk about Aaron's mother and what she is doing for the library in a small town with a population of 500 people. We discuss some fun facts about libraries, librarians, and...
2025-04-091h 00Just In Case We Die#1157 "The Third Policeman" by Flann O'BrienSend us a textA nameless narrator commits a murder. As a result, he must traverse an absurdist landscape of two-dimensional buildings, bumbling police officers, and philosophical meanderings about bicycles. What percentage of one man can become a bicycle before he ceases to be more man than bicycle? Born in 1911, Irish novelist and playwright Brian O'Nolan made a name for himself in the metafiction movement of the 1940s under the pseudonym of Flann O'Brien. The Third Policeman, a novel that never found a publisher until after the author's death in 1966, is truly one of the s...
2025-03-1959 minJust In Case We DieMarch 2025 -- Bonus Episode (Independent Bookstore Crawl)Send us a textOn Saturday, February 22, 2025, Rodney and Aaron spent a rather brisk winter day wandering around the town of Rockford for an annual event called The Independent Bookstore Crawl. It's like a bar crawl with books. There was also comics, though. And vinyl. There was lunch at a local burger joint. We bought battered paperbacks of Robert Heinlein, fantasy novels written by a Rockford native, and a lot of coffee. They met a very interesting woman who seemed to live and breathe charity for her community. They talked with strangers about their favorite writers from...
2025-03-121h 06Just In Case We Die#677 "Les Miserables" by Victor HugoSend us a textVictor Hugo's epic novel of the French revolution is inarguably a classic. Originally published in 1862, it has endured and rightfully been considered one of the greatest novels of all time. It's long, though-- clocking in at 1,662 pages in one version we found-- and tangential, which causes a good amount of trouble for Aaron. Rodney and Rebecca are quick to defend Les Miserables, however, and will go to any lengths to prove him wrong, even if Rebecca has to break his brain.Can Aaron get through this episode without bursting into song...
2025-02-191h 18Just In Case We DieFebruary 2025 -- Bonus Episode (Love and Romance)Send us a textThis week’s episode is a milestone for us, as it is the first episode of our third season. Our very first episode premiered in February of 2023. Here we are– two full years later– with a larger cast, more monthly content, and a decent-sized dent in our list of 1,316 novels. Fun fact: we are actually only 1.6% of the way through the curated list. At our current rate of one novel per month, we should be finished with the list in just over 107 years. Only 105 years left to go!Our bonus episode this m...
2025-02-121h 04Just In Case We Die#338 "Drop City" by T. C. BoyleSend us a textT. C. Boyle has written nineteen novels. He is the celebrated author of more than 150 short stories. He has won the PEN/Faulkner Award and been shortlisted for the National Book Award. He is Aaron's favorite living novelist, and has been since 1998.In "Drop City", Boyle does what he does best-- biting satire, sympathetic villains, remarkable sense of place-- in a saga about a 1970s hippie commune picking up their California roots and heading north to Alaska. Will Rodney and Rebecca enjoy this book as much as Aaron does?
2025-01-221h 02Just In Case We DieJanuary 2025 -- Bonus Episode (Adaptation)Send us a textSome of the greatest movies ever made started out as novels. A vast majority of contemporary stage plays started their life as a book. Written prose have proven to be a wellspring of inspiration for television shows. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo's 1862 epic masterpiece and our selection for discussion in February, by itself has been fodder for comic books, stage plays, television miniseries, feature films, and animated cartoons.This month, our bonus discussion centers around adaptations. We discuss some of our favorites. We discuss how an adaptation, good or bad, can change...
2025-01-081h 18Just In Case We Die#1,088 "Sorrow of Belgium" by Hugo KlausSend us a textThe Sorrow of Belgium by Hugo Klaus? No one here has ever heard of it. No one here has ever even heard of the author. This book was approached with a high degree of trepidation.As it would turn out, this novel was one of the more thought-provoking works to ever be explored on this podcast. By turns amusing and disturbing, Hugo Klaus’s meandering and emotional examination of a childhood spent in Nazi-occupied Belgium is just as confounding as it is enjoyable– all fodder for an in-depth discussion.This...
2024-12-181h 25Just In Case We DieDecember 2024 -- Bonus (National Read A New Book Month)Send us a textIt's Christmas time!But it's also National Read A New Book Month!Which do we celebrate? It seems strange to make a big deal out of reading new books since the majority of novels the random number generator assigns are new to at least one member of the cast. "New books" are, basically, what they do here every month. Rodney was inspired to combine Christmas and National Read A New Book Month into one very unique gift exchange. Each member of the cast came to the table w...
2024-12-0448 minJust In Case We Die#1,000 "Remembering Babylon" by David MaloufSend us a textThe book for November provides a great opportunity for listeners to engage with the cast. They are urging someone out there to read this book and then email them to explain why they believe that this book should be on a list of books that are essential novels to read before we die. Remembering Babylon, the Booker Prize-winning novel by Australian "master" David Malouf, is, ultimately, nothing more than a book that the cast of Just In Case We Die read because they had to. Be warned if you are a f...
2024-11-271h 01Just In Case We DieNovember 2024 -- Bonus Episode (The Art of the Ending)Send us a textThe bonus material this month has its genesis in the book discussion from last month. You may recall that Rodney and Rebecca were less than pleased with the ending of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, citing it as abrupt and implausible. Does the ending ruin an otherwise great book?This month, the discussion centers around the art of the ending. Are there really great books ruined by a terrible final chapter? Are some endings too abrupt? What writers, for the cast of Just In Case We Die...
2024-11-141h 02Just In Case We Die#274 "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark HaddonSend us a textThis novel-- Mark Haddon's emotional depiction of a teenager with Asperger's Syndrome-- meant a lot to Aaron when he first read it back in 2007. He selected it for his choice off of the list because he thought that Rebecca would have a personal attachment to it and he wanted Rodney to appreciate a post-modern novel that wasn't as complicated as The Recognitions. The end result of this experiment to cater to everyone's tastes? One of the best books they've read so far sullied by a flat and lifeless ending.Can a...
2024-10-3052 minJust In Case We DieOctober 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Scary Stories That Are Not Written By Stephen King)Send us a textIt’s October!All three cast members of Just In Case We Die are in agreement that autumn is the best time of the year. It’s not just because of the cool temperatures or the pumpkin spice. It’s not just because of the beautiful changes in scenery as the leaves and foliage change color before winter. Fall is also their favorite season of the year because that’s the best time to break out the dusty books of scary stories!This month, the bonus discussion centers around horror...
2024-10-091h 15Just In Case We Die#232 "Claudine's House" by ColetteSend us a textThe temptation to accurately depict the general consensus on this (apparently) "essential" "novel" by leaving this space wordless and blank is almost overwhelming. That would be poor form, though. This is a website and it must have content. Novels should have content, too, though.We're talking to you, Colette!
2024-09-2651 minJust In Case We DieSeptember 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Roald Dahl)Send us a textFor the bonus material this month, the crew at Just In Case We Die takes a deep dive into the life and works of beloved children's author Roald Dahl. Listeners may know him as the mastermind behind such classic works as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. Would they also realize that he also penned a good amount of racy work for adults? Do listeners know that he was also a decorated fighter pilot, one of the forefathers of the pro-vaccination movement, and the inventor of medical equipment...
2024-09-111h 11Just In Case We Die#1,258 "The War of the Worlds" by H. G. WellsSend us a textIn 1898, William Heinemann published H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds in novel form for the very first time. In the 126 years that have passed since, this novel has never been out of print. It has been adapted into movies, television shows, radio productions, comic books, and musicals. It has also been the base inspiration for multitudes of other well-known science-fiction projects. Is The War of the Worlds the most famous science-fiction novel of all time? Does this novel actually fit into the genre? Why is H. G. Wells a wizard?...
2024-08-211h 07Just In Case We DieAugust 2024 -- Bonus Episode (We Love Memoirs Day)Send us a textThe final day of August has been declared as We Love Memoirs Day. The gang here at Just In Case We Die has no idea how that holiday should be celebrated, but it did give them a good topic for this month’s bonus episode.This month, the discussion centers around memoirs. What is a memoir? What makes for a good one? Are there specific memoirs that might be recommended? What happens when Oprah Winfrey discovers that your memoir is actually a bunch of crap that you made up for fame? Sa...
2024-08-071h 11Just In Case We Die#612 "Jack Maggs" by Peter CareySend us a textRodney: Meh.Rebecca: Blech.Aaron: OHMIGERD! OHMIGERD!Yeah. That pretty well sums up the direction this week’s discussion goes.In 1997, Peter Carey, perhaps Australia’s most important contemporary novelist, presented a pastiche of Charles Dickens with this enigmatic examination of inspiration. The cast of Just In Case We Die has never been more divided.
2024-07-2657 minJust In Case We DieJuly 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Guilty Pleasure Beach Reads)Send us a textThis month, the crew here at Just In Case We Die took an opportunity to discuss a genre that doesn’t normally come up on a podcast that discusses fine works of literature: “trashy” summer beach reads. You know, the books that only take you a couple of days to read and are utterly forgettable? The books you might not admit to loving in conversation with your college literature professor friends?This month’s discussion is a lively one, with time devoted to childhood favorites, the differences between two of the bestsell...
2024-07-121h 08Just In Case We Die#149 "The Book of Illusions" by Paul AusterSend us a textThis month’s selection was hand-picked from the curated list by Rebecca. She selected this novel because she is an ardent admirer of this author’s work and this work was one that she had not personally read. Her selection– The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster– proved to be an excellent choice. Not only did everyone involved here at Just In Case We Die really enjoy this book, but it is the first selection in our uploading history to have garnered feedback from our audience before the discussion episode dropped.What mak...
2024-06-2854 minJust In Case We DieJune 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Pride Month)Send us a textAaron can hear just well enough to record if all three cast members are within a few feet of each other, so, at long last, Just In Case We Die presents the bonus material for June. This month, the discussion celebrates Pride Month with an exploration of some personal favorite writers in the LGBTQIA+ community. There are horror writers, journalists, science-fiction writers, Booker Prize winners, and a beloved American novelist close to the hearts of all three cast members.
2024-06-1953 minJust In Case We Die"The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury -- Veto #1Send us a textThe Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury’s 1950 collection of loosely-connected stories that chronicle the human colonization of Mars has long been a favorite of Aaron. Aaron is, in fact, a devoted acolyte of all of Ray Bradbury’s work and thinks it unfathomable that at least one work by this stalwart of the golden age of science-fiction isn’t included on the original list.In this episode, the cast of Just In Case We Die reflect on the exclusion of a great American author, discuss the eloquence of sci-fi, and celebrate one of thei...
2024-05-221h 01Just In Case We DieMay 2024 -- Bonus Episode (National Short Story Month)Send us a textMay is National Short Story Month and the cast of Just In Case We Die decided to celebrate by devoting an entire discussion to the craft and art of short stories. Aaron, Rodney, and Rebecca each selected two short stories for the others to read. In retrospect, this conceit may not have been the best option for listeners who have no context for the stories being discussed, but the discussion does go into great depth about the individual writers and their works. Perhaps you end this discussion with some suggestions for your own...
2024-05-081h 21Just In Case We DieApril 2024 -- Bonus Episode #2 (Independent Bookstore Day)Send us a textIt would appear that there are two bonus episodes this month! April 27th is Independent Bookstore Day. In collaboration with a favorite independent bookstore (The Lit in Champaign, Illinois), Just In Case We Die is pleased to present a special episode to help celebrate. Aaron and Rebecca made an in-store appearance and had conversations with patrons of the store. Rodney wasn't present, but Aaron's children were. They recommend a hamburger joint because, well, because they're twelve.
2024-04-291h 05Just In Case We Die#326 ("Doctor Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak)Send us a textDid you know that the C.I.A. seized an opportunity to embarrass the Soviet Union by publishing a special edition of Doctor Zhivago in 1958? The cast of Just In Case We Die didn’t know this either. As far as they’re concerned, this is the only reason why anybody should have ever cared about this pointless, plotless, horribly-written novel by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Boris Pasternak in the first place.
2024-04-171h 14Just In Case We DieApril 2024 -- Bonus Episode (International Children's Book Day)Send us a textAaron was introduced to Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, and J. M. Barrie in third grade. Rebecca spent her childhood devouring Nancy Drew. Rodney has an obsessive need to reread The Chronicles of Narnia in its entirety throughout his life. All three members of this podcast’s cast became avid readers at a very young age.This month, to celebrate International Children’s Book Day, the cast of Just In Case We Die participate in a round table discussion about their favorite authors when they were youths, the children’s books they k...
2024-04-101h 09Just In Case We Die#875 "On the Road" by Jack KerouacSend us a textRemember last month when Aaron, Rodney, and Rebecca discussed Disappearance by David Dabydeen? Do you recall that Aaron and Rebecca didn't like it very much? Remember how Rodney tried to build a case that Dabydeen's slight tome spoke to him because one of its recurring themes was about the narrator's quest to discover who he was and how he fit into the world around him?On the Road, Jack Kerouac's 1954 bible for the beatnik generation, could not have been a more fitting follow-up to that discussion. To put it simply: On...
2024-03-201h 19Just In Case We DieMarch 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Problematic Authors)Send us a textHow do Aaron, Rodney, and Rebecca reconcile problematic content in the books they recommend? What are their responsibilities as podcasters in this regard? It’s an interesting discussion that lays some groundwork for what listeners can expect in the upcoming year of episodes.
2024-03-061h 05Just In Case We Die#317 "Disappearance" by David DabydeenSend us a textWe’re not gonna force you to listen to the entire episode to get to our general unanimous opinion that this book doesn’t belong on a list of books you must read before you die. Aaron’s not even convinced that David Dabydeen actually finished writing it. Rodney got something out of it, though, and he tries very hard to change Rebecca and Aaron’s mind about whether or not there’s actually a point to be made with this tome. Does he succeed?
2024-02-211h 03Just In Case We DieFebruary 2024 -- Bonus Episode (Let's Meet Rebecca!)Send us a textRodney and I made a pretty big decision about the format of our show by deciding to add a third person to our discussions. After some debate, we landed on Rebecca. Her wit, intelligence, and established rapport with us made her an obvious choice. Our bonus episode for February 2024, the first episode of our second year of upload, is an opportunity for listeners to get to know a little bit more about her. We take some time to let her talk about her interests in reading and some of her favorite writers. She h...
2024-02-071h 00Just In Case We Die#486 "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott FitzgeraldSend us a textF. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was published in 1925 to little fanfare. Sales of the novel were poor, and critics of the day could not resist mentioning how “slight” this offering was in comparison to Fitzgerald’s previous efforts as a novelist. It seemed destined to be a footnote in an otherwise noteworthy career.During WWII, free copies of this novel were donated by the Council on Books in Wartime to American soldiers serving overseas. This prompted a new (and somewhat confounding) interest in The Great Gatsby. Today, this novel is a mai...
2024-01-241h 19Just In Case We DieJanuary 2024 -- Bonus Episode ('The Fisherman" by John Langan)Send us a textFull disclosure before you listen to this episode: our discussion of this novel does not shy away from spoilers. If you are planning to read this title based on our recommendation, then we urge you to finish the novel before listening.With that said, we also urge you to read it. It’s a damn fine novel.John Langan’s The Fisherman ended up on both of our to-be-read piles for two very different reasons. It’s a horror novel of the more cosmic variety (full description of wha...
2024-01-101h 17Just In Case We Die#1,138 ("The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Ann Bronte)Send us a textThis month Aaron and Rodney learned a valuable lesson about not judging a book by its cover. They also learned to not judge a book by a one-sentence blurb on Google. They were expecting a dull, overly dramatic, and schmaltzy 19th-century romance novel, and what they got was a riveting portrait of one woman’s attempt to protect her child from the influence of a deplorable husband by defying the law and moral code.They loved it.So did Aaron’s girlfriend, Rebecca, who joins them for this discussion.
2023-12-201h 18Just In Case We DieDecember 2023 -- Bonus Episode (Philip K. Dick)Send us a textWe have made no secret in our discussions for this podcast that we are both tremendous fans of science-fiction. Our collective love for the genre is absolute and actually extends far beyond the authors we admire. It is reflected in the movies we love, the TV shows we DVR, and the obsessions we have carried since childhood. It is actually a source of lamentation for us that more writers and titles in the genre are not included in the list of 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die.Because there is...
2023-12-061h 11Just In Case We Die#991 ("The Recognitions" by William Gaddis)Send us a textIf Aaron were asked to make a top 10 list of his all-time favorite novels, William Gaddis’ The Recognitions would find a spot somewhere in the top 5. This 900+ page masterwork of the beginnings of the post-modern movement spoke to a college-age Aaron in ways that are often hard to articulate. A work that examines the relationship between the artist and his final product, the complicated reasons that the creative can be inspired, and the oft-tumultuous connections between fathers and sons, The Recognitions is a difficult novel that challenges readers with unattributed dialogue, murky character mo...
2023-11-221h 22Just In Case We DieNovember 2023 - Bonus Episode (Kurt Vonnegut)Send us a textFor this month’s bonus episode, Aaron and Rodney are going to take a deep dive into the life and works of American novelist Kurt Vonnegut. Between his humanistic views, his uncanny knack for unintentional world-building, and his macabre sense of gallows humor, there are more than a few qualities that make Mr. Vonnegut’s body of work unique amongst his contemporaries. Our podcast seemed an appropriate place to dissect them as we’ve made no secret in our catalog of episodes that Kurt Vonnegut holds a special place in Aaron’s heart.In...
2023-11-081h 09Just In Case We Die#1,082 ("Solitude" by Victor Catala)Send us a textIn 1898, Caterina Albert won the prize for literature in the Jocs Florals literary competition. This win sparked a considerable scandal when the jury learned that the author was actually a young girl. As a result, Caterina Albert refused to present her work or accept the award, and from then on she used the male (and snarkily patriotic) pseudonym of Víctor Català for her writings, taking the name from the protagonist of a novel she was planning but never finished.Unfortunately, this intriguing tidbit of trivia is the most interesting thing ab...
2023-10-181h 07Just In Case We DieOctober 2023 - Bonus Episode (Banned Books)Send us a textThe American Library Association has designated the week of October 1 through October 7, 2023 as Banned Books Week. Both Rodney and I are in passionate and adamant opposition to book censorship in any form. We both also have many books that have meant a great deal to us over the years that have somehow managed to find themselves on the overgrowing list of novels that have been challenged or censored. We wanted to take some time to have a conversation about these works of literature, about the nature of banning in general, and whether, in...
2023-10-0349 minJust In Case We Die#146 ("The Book of Daniel" by E. L. Doctorow)Send us a textOf the six books we’ve read for this podcast, only one of them so far has not featured a fictionalized version of a real historical figure. This month’s novel even ups the ante on that conceit by presenting a fictionalized account of a historical event. E. L. Doctorow changes the names and some of the details, but this novel is very much about the trial and eventual execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, an American married couple convicted (and subsequently executed) in 1951 of spying for the Russian government, despite the prosecution pres...
2023-09-061h 22Just In Case We Die#139 ("Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West" by Cormac McCarthy)Send us a textThis month, we decided to take a break from our normal routine of using a random number generator on Google to pick our book. Instead, Aaron hand selected a title from the list to honor the passing of one of his favorite novelists.Blood Meridian, our selection for this month’s discussion (and #139 on our alphabetized list) is Cormac McCarthy’s fifth published novel. It is an epic historical novel, set in the American frontier. It is rightly considered one of the “great American novels”, but it is not for the faint of...
2023-08-091h 21Just In Case We Die#832 ("Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro)Send us a textNever Let Me Go– one of the more unique coming-of-age novels that either Rodney or Aaron have read in years– follows the residents of a boardinghouse for pre-adolescent children over the course of several years. Is it really a boardinghouse, though? Exactly what are “the guardians” of this facility preparing its residents for?Aaron and Rodney both really loved this heartbreaking novel about loss, friendship, the need for identity, and the very nature of what it means to be a human being. How did the elegant prose of this Nobel Peace Prize-wi...
2023-07-051h 12Just In Case We Die#910 ("Patterns of Childhood" by Christa Wolf)Send us a textOur selection for discussion this month has a few things in common with the book we read for our last episode:–We had never heard of it before–The author was unknown to us–The novel was originally written in German–The book’s narrative uses a real event in history as a backdrop to the driving plot trajectoryOur selection this month also had a few differences that we were intrigued by:–The author of this book is a woman–The real event in history utiliz...
2023-06-071h 20Just In Case We Die#974 ("The Radetzky March" by Joseph Roth)Send us a textAt long last, Rodney and I are finally presenting our discussion of The Radetzky March by Joseph Roth. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to trash our first attempt at this episode completely. This episode is our second attempt to record a discussion for this novel. There's probably a lot that we left out from our first conversation, but the general gist of our thoughts and feelings on this novel are still intact. It's a varied discussion, complete with hateful diatribes about technology, monumentally anti-climactic character deaths, and the announcement of o...
2023-05-101h 12Just In Case We Die#272 ("Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson)Send us a textNeal Stephenson's justly-lauded Cryptonomicon is more than 900 pages of math, cryptography, techno-thriller intrigue, military shenanigans, and revisionist history. Spanning fifty years in time, this novel intertwines an implausible military mission in WWII with a contemporary attempt to create a data haven for the burgeoning (at least, in 1990) internet. The novel is also hysterically funny. Is it a science-fiction novel, though? Does it even belong on this list?
2023-03-081h 25Just In Case We DieIntroductionsSend us a textBefore Aaron and Rodney can expect you to listen to their new podcast, they need to give you some background information on what it is, who they are, and why the heck you should care about their opinions on great works of literature. In reality, this episode is little more than a conversation between two friends who love to read, but therein, one will get some insights into their friendship, their individual tastes, and their plans for making this podcast unlike any book podcast you've ever heard before.
2023-02-071h 02
Last Word On Sports Media PodcastNFL Week One, Amazon Prime, College Football, MLB And Tom McCarthy Conversation, | Announcer Schedules PodcastThis week on Episode 15 of the Announcer Schedules Podcast, Mike Gill and Phil de Montmollin welcome Tom McCarthy of CBS, Westwood One and the Philadelphia Phillies to talk about his compelling career as one of nation’s highest regarded play-by-play announcers. Highlights from the conversation include McCarthy’s origin story; how he juggles football, baseball and basketball schedules; the success of his son Pat McCarthy, and the experience of filling in for Jim Nantz on the NFL. Throughout the show, a podcast-record 138 different announcers from past and present are mentioned with an array of topics discussed including: NFL...
2022-09-151h 32
Rabbitt Stew ComicsEpisode 351Comic Reviews: DC Blood Syndicate Season One 1 by Geoffrey Thorne, ChrisCross, Juan Castro, Wil Quintana Jurassic League 1 by Juan Gedeon, Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer Marvel Captain America: Symbol of Truth 1 by Tochi Onyebuchi, R.B. Silva, Jesus Aburtov Hulk vs. Thor: Banner of War Alpha by Donny Cates, Martin Coccolo, Matt Wilson Moon Knight: Black, White, and Blood 1 by Jonathan Hickman, Marc Guggenheim, Mureqa Ayodele, Jorge Fornes, Adedotun Akanda, Chris Bachalo Patsy Walker Infinity Comic 1 by Trina Robbins, Derek Charm, Rico Renzi, Clayton Cowles Image Eight Billion Genies 1 by Charles Soule, Ryan Browne, Kevin Knipstein Dark Horse Avatar: Adapt o...
2022-05-102h 55
Legends of S.H.I.E.L.D.: A Marvel Studios TV & Film Fan Podcast"AKA Shark In The Bathtub, Monster In The Bed" S2E9 & "AKA Pork Chop" S2E10 Jessica Jones Review (A Marvel Fancast) LoS326The Legends Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director SP and Agent Michelle discuss the Netflix series Jessica Jones season 2 episodes “AKA Shark In The Bathtub, Monster In The Bed” and “AKA Pork Chop.” The Agents debrief you on First Contact Day and Martian rover wheels, what Grade D meat is used for, the “breather” slower episode, if Pryce is competent, was Jessica shot or grazed, Trish abuse admission, why Trish really quit her radio show, the best MCU Netflix-Defenders series crossover ever, Jessica’s tough choice about Alisa, what the cost of Jeri’s life is, the gory prisoner nu...
2020-04-0956 minLegends of S.H.I.E.L.D.: A Marvel Studios TV & Film Fan Podcast"AKA I Want Your Cray Cray" S2E7 & "AKA Ain't We Got Fun" S2E8 Jessica Jones Review (A Marvel Fancast) LoS325The Legends Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director SP, Agent Lauren and Agent Michelle discuss the Netflix series Jessica Jones season 2 episodes “AKA I Want Your Cray Cray” and “AKA Ain’t We Got Fun.” The Agents debrief you on flashbacks including Trish Walker’s attempt to break out from Patsy child star status, Trish’s mom Dorothy is Kris Jenner, how Alisa disapproves of Jessica’s boyfriends, Alisa’s rage control issues, the origins of Alias Investigations and Jessica’s coat, Inez’ horrific first day on the job, how Netflix de-aged Trish and Jessica twelve years, Alisa’s wet Shawshank...
2020-04-021h 37Legends of S.H.I.E.L.D.: A Marvel Studios TV & Film Fan Podcast"AKA The Octopus" S2E5 & "AKA Facetime" S2E6 Jessica Jones Review (A Marvel Fancast) LoS324The Legends Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director SP, Agent Lauren and Agent Michelle discuss the Netflix series Jessica Jones season 2 episodes “AKA The Octopus” and “AKA Facetime.” The Agents debrief you on their Octopod Overlords, the “Monster’s” identity revealed, Griffin’s proposal results, Dorothy’s stage management skills, Detective Costa’s backstory, the Superhero wet phone rice bag trick, what a Tony Stark – Jessica Jones meeting would be like, a shirtless scene without a gaping oozing wound, what bettered toast has to do with a country club, Trish’s public display of withdrawal, the artwork behind Oscar, Jessica’s...
2020-03-261h 10