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How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 31-33
In this episode we ride the highest highs and the lowest lows. On the one hand, the HEE team triumphs in Adam’s victory over Cathy. On the other, we mourn the loss of Tom and puzzle over Steinbeck’s view of the world. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider be...
2025-07-18
43 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 28-30
After a few weeks of traveling hither and yon, HEE is finally back for the summer!In this episode, Megan and Emily discuss Lee’s backstory and consider the nature of modern art in light of his concept of “dreadful beauty.” They then look at the Trasks’ disturbing inability to confront the truth of their own dark history. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.Cent...
2025-06-26
38 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 25-27
Did this week’s reading make you cheer or cringe? The HEE team discusses the triumph of Adam over Cathy and the unmasking of her true nature, but we also worry over the future of Cal and Aron. At the risk of sounding like fools to those who have already read the whole novel, we spend time hypothesizing about what the second half of the story holds.What do you think? Is history doomed to repeat itself or will there be a repetition with a difference?To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.
2025-05-15
54 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 22-24
Today's episode is a big one! In our reading this week we're finally introduced to "timshel." The HEE crew wrestles with the term's significance and the power of naming. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2025-04-24
1h 12
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 19-21
Have we finally figured out Cathy's character motivation? This week the HEE team follows our villain where angels fear to tread, comparing and contrasting her to Samuel Hamilton along the way.To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2025-04-10
40 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 16-18
It's ladies' day at HEE! (Gentlemen listeners can still tune in..) Emily and Megan forge ahead with a conversation that touches on Samuel Hamilton's intuitive insight into Cathy, overcoming first impressions of Liza, and what in the world lies ahead for Adam and his newborn twins.To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ce...
2025-04-05
45 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 13-15
This week Ian, Emily, and Megan discuss Steinbeck's ideas about individualism. He wants to protect the rights of the individual over the collective at all costs, but what do we do about the "rugged individualism" of characters like Cathy? We also laugh about Olive's chapter and explore water imagery in the novel thus far. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other su...
2025-04-01
49 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 10-12
The conflict of our story comes into a little more focus in today's reading as the Cathy and Trask plotlines converge. We take a final crack at comparing the two brothers and then end our conversation by looking at Steinbeck's introduction to Part II. Believe it or not, we're once again talking about the philosophy of history...To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode! This is a public episode. If you'd like to disc...
2025-03-20
46 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 7-9
Have we found the Eve to our Adam Trask? Before we dive into the terrifying world of Cathy Ames, the HEE team talks about Steinbeck's ideas concerning love and faith and continues to wrap their heads around the complex characterization of Adam and Charles. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee.Subscribe to our Substack so that you never miss a new episode!Come discuss The Grapes of Wrath and learn more about CenterForLit's Pelican Society Membership. This is a p...
2025-03-03
52 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 4-6
This week we're discussing Chapters 4-6 of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. We compare Charles and Adam’s relationship to the Cain and Abel story, wonder about Steinbeck’s use of water imagery, and provide our initial reactions to the Hamilton family. We also reveal the kinds of books we read when we're not reading elephants!To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2025-02-20
57 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
East of Eden: Chapters 1-3
Surprise! How to Eat an Elephant is FINALLY back for our season on John Steinbeck's East of Eden.We kick off our conversation of the first three chapters by discussing the biblical overtones of the novel. We consider themes of genesis as they may come to apply to artistic creation, westward expansion in America, and individual human lives. To follow our reading schedule, visit www.centerforlit.com/hee. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
2025-02-13
49 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Season 3 Trailer
You thought it'd never happen! (We were getting nervous ourselves...) Ian, Megan, and Emily are finally back to reveal the next large book the podcast will be consuming, one bite at a time!We also introduce our new host, Charlotte Andrews! (Just kidding...although she makes a rather insistent contribution to this trailer, she will not be joining us for future episodes.)Find a copy of our edition of the next title and the episode schedule at www.centerforlit.com/hee. This is a public episode. If you'd like to...
2024-09-12
13 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Conclusion
In the final episode of our season on Juvenile and YA Fiction, the entire CenterForLit crew gathers to reminisce about how they got hooked on reading as children. We also discuss how to go about guiding young readers through the current environment of juvenile and YA literature. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! American Adventure Stories for Boys Forever Island by Patrick D. Smith A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett A Girl...
2023-12-12
46 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: John Green
Emily joins Ian in this episode to talk about our first author who writes solely in the YA genre: John Green. They discuss what makes his work so different from others we’ve covered this season and what that means for parents and readers who want to benefit from his rich, literary voice. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! Turtles All the Way Down Longing for an Absent God: Faith and Doubt in Great American Fiction by Nick Ripatrazone ...
2023-11-28
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Jeanne Birdsall
In this episode, Megan joins Ian to talk about the magic of Jeanne Birdsall’s Penderwicks series. They discuss what it is about this series that appeals so well to audiences of all ages and what that can teach us about good writing for young readers. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! The Penderwicks Boxed Set The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy The Penderwicks on Gardam St...
2023-11-21
35 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Gary D. Schmidt
What can CenterForLit’s favorite children’s author teach us about the difference between juvenile and YA fiction? Adam and Missy sit down with Ian in this episode to talk about what makes the work of Gary D. Schmidt so special. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! BiblioFiles Episode #19: An Interview with Author Gary D. Schmidt Orbiting Jupiter Okay for Now The Labors of Hercules Beal Straw Into Gold Lizzie Bright and the...
2023-11-10
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Mystery Novels
The next genre we're discussing this season has a special place in Andrews family lore. By tradition, each new generation is handed a mystery novel as they come of age to encourage a lifetime love of reading. Adam joins Ian in this episode to discuss his own affinity for the genre, and the two reminisce about their first encounters with detective fiction. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie And...
2023-10-23
35 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Dystopia!
No other genre has been influenced by the emergence of YA fiction quite like dystopian literature. In this episode, Megan and Emily join Ian to compare recent dystopian contributions aimed at young adults like Divergent and The Hunger Games to 20th century classics like 1984 and Lord of the Flies. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! The How to Eat an Elephant podcast The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Mazerunner by James Dashner Ender’s Game by...
2023-10-16
43 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Monster Stories
Emily and Megan join Ian for a conversation about our culture's fascination with the monstrous. They discuss how we progressed from the beasts of Greek and Anglo-Saxon mythology all the way to love-struck vampires and werewolves, and they ask why it is that humans remain so intrigued with the mystery and danger of the Other. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Dracula by...
2023-10-06
40 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Fantasy Literature
In this episode, Ian and Megan sit down to talk about what is arguably the most popular genre among young readers today: fantasy literature. They discuss the history leading up to the state of fantasy today, the unique thematic features of world-building, and their own childhood obsession with these books. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald The Light Princess by...
2023-09-29
46 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: Historical Fiction
The first corner of juvenile literature we are exploring this season is historical fiction! Adam (our resident historian) and Missy (the one who stuffed the Andrews shelves full of historical fiction titles) join Ian for a conversation about what makes a good contribution to this genre, how the art of literature relates to the study of history at this age level, and which titles stand out as family favorites. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by making a purchase through our affiliate programs! A Tale of Two...
2023-09-22
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Juvenile and YA Fiction: What's the difference?
BiblioFiles is back! To launch our season on Juvenile and YA Fiction, Adam and Missy join Ian for a conversation about the state of literature for young readers today. What is the difference between a “juvenile” and “YA” classification? Should such a differentiation between genres exist in the first place? The CenterForLit Directors talk about the history of the split, their concerns for such specialization in the publishing industry, and a few ways they also see YA fiction currently being used for good. Referenced Works: You can support the CenterForLit Podcast Network by makin...
2023-09-16
41 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles: Season 3 Trailer!
BiblioFiles is back at long last with a new season on juvenile and YA fiction! Look for our first episode to drop on Friday September 15th. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2023-09-08
01 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Book 1, Chapters 7-8
Ian, Emily, and Megan follow Jean Valjean down the twisty-turny corridors of his subconscious and try not to get lost along the way. Join the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2022-11-02
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: And....Scene!
In this wrap-up episode to our season “At the Moves,” the CenterForLit crew members take turns casting their own literary film adaptations and offering final thoughts on the genre. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-10-28
46 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Book 1, Chapters 5-6
The story of Fantine continues. Meanwhile, we meet both M. Madeleine and Javert: one suspiciously familiar, the other a compelling but unambiguous symbol. Join the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2022-10-26
43 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: The Miniseries, or the Novelization of Television
This week we’re talking about what differentiates a film from a miniseries. Using our beloved BBC production of War and Peace, we discuss the strengths that this increasingly popular form brings to the art of adaptation. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-10-21
46 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Joe Wright
British director Joe Wright has a unique ability to use cinematography in his film adaptations to convey what is otherwise only communicable in words. The CenterForLit crew discuss his use of the medium, the great Pride and Prejudice debate, and more in this episode of BiblioFiles. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-10-15
51 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Book 1, Chapters 3-4
n this episode, the HEE team walks through Fantine’s tragic backstory and tries to process that firehose of a chapter on “The Year 1817.”Join the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2022-10-12
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Sir Kenneth Branagh
n this episode, we form a mutual admiration society around a CenterForLit hero: Sir Kenneth Branagh. We talk about his directorial principles on the topic of film adaptation, why we think he’s great, and why some people disagree with us. Conversation ranges from Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing to Cinderella and Branagh’s Agatha Christie ambitions. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to f...
2022-10-07
44 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Book 1, Chapter 2
This week we are at last introduced to Jean Valjean! The HEE team members discuss “The Fall” and try to pinpoint the conflict which will carry our protagonist throughout the rest of the novel. Join the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2022-10-06
53 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: The Tale of Disappointment
In this episode, Missy presents the CenterForLit crew with what is, in her opinion, a bad film adaptation: the visually stunning 2008 rendition of The Tale of Despereaux. We try to pinpoint what it is that actually causes an adaptation to fail, even when the cinematic elements are on point. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-09-30
49 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Book 1, Chapter 1
Our journey begins! Ian, Emily, and Megan discuss “An Upright Man.” They unpack Monseigneur Bienvenu’s character and try to determine why Hugo began his novel from such an indirect angle. Join the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2022-09-28
57 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Sir Gawain and Responsive Art
In this episode of BiblioFiles: At the Movies, Emily takes a shot at defending a work of responsive art. Thus far the CenterForLit crew has said that a good film adaptation at least echoes the themes of the original, but what happens when a director uses a story to say something different from the author? Learn more about Teaching the Classics. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www...
2022-09-23
1h 01
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: The Limitations of Film in To Kill a Mockingbird
Missy takes centerstage in this episode of BiblioFiles to discuss what is arguably the best film adaptation of all time: the 1962 rendition of To Kill a Mockingbird. The crew discusses what makes this classic so great, and takes a chance to hash out the differences between the mediums of novel and film. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate...
2022-09-16
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Close Reads x BiblioFiles: What to Make of "Rings of Power"
The discourse around Amazon’s Rings of Power has been fraught. So in this special crossover episode between Close Reads and BiblioFiles, David Kern and Ian Andrews try to figure out what works, what doesn’t, and why the conversation has been they way it is. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-09-16
55 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
Les Misérables: Introduction
How to Eat an Elephant is back! Ian, Emily, and Megan kick off their discussion of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables with an introductory overview of the historical context of the novel and author. Download a timeline of relevant French history.Purchase the edition we’re reading.Victor Hugo: A Biography by Graham RobbJoin the Facebook discussion group here!Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get acces...
2022-09-14
40 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Interpreting Gatsby
Adam compares notes on the 1974 and 2013 adaptations of The Great Gatsby. Then the CenterForLit crew considers whether or not a director has a responsibility to stay faithful to the text, and the extent to which a classic story can be effectively updated for contemporary audiences. Learn more about CenterForLit’s Online Academy. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in...
2022-09-09
51 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Little Women – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Megan is first in the hot seat to give us her rankings of three Little Women film adaptations. We talk about the relative values of the different movies and, to our own peril, discuss whether or not it’s possible to improve on a work of literature without doing violence to it. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in...
2022-09-02
56 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
At the Movies: Understanding Film Adaptations
BiblioFiles is back! In the first episode of our new season, the CenterForLit crew sits down to wrap their heads around what makes a good film adaptation. What distinguishes the mediums of film and literature? And what does a movie version need to do to appease the angry mob of book lovers? Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate...
2022-08-26
56 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles: "At the Movies" Trailer
Ian and Emily tease the upcoming season of BiblioFiles, set to begin airing on Friday August 26th. We’ll be talking all about the process of adapting books for the big screen: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Shop BiblioFiles: www.centerforlit.com/the-bibliofiles-shop We love hearing your questions and comments! You can contact us by emailing i.andrews@centerforlit.com, or you can visit our website www.centerforlit.com to find even more ways to participate in the conversation.
2022-08-19
05 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Bonus Episode: An Interview with Leslie and Carey Bustard (Square Halo Books)
Surprise! We’re jumping into your podcast feed with a special bonus episode this week. Ian recently interviewed Leslie and Carey Bustard, the masterminds behind the recently published essay collection, Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children from Square Halo Books. Leslie and Carey talk about their vision for encouraging others to share God’s kingdom in all of its beautiful variety with the children in their lives through good books and thoughtful reading. Visit their website to get a hold of this beautiful book (which includes an essay from our very...
2022-08-13
59 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "Is this the end or the beginning?
The CenterForLit crew wraps up our first official season of the new and improved BiblioFiles with a look back at where we’ve been. We talk about the relationship between questions and answers in literature, and how that relationship influences the way we approach contemporary works of art. Be sure to stay tuned to the end to find out what you can expect from season 2! Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – The Buried Giant and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab –...
2022-03-18
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is love?"
For our last Great Question this season, we’re taking up “What is love?” and we promise not to hurt you. We look over a variety of love stories from vastly different periods in literary history, and are surprised to find a common thread through them all. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy–Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis– Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers– Miranda (2009-2015), written by Miranda Hart– The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien– The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis– Modern L...
2022-03-11
53 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is friendship?"
Our next Great Question leads us on a romp through some old CenterForLit favorites. We’re asking, “What is friendship?” And we look at some of the best friendships in literature, adding a couple of contemporary examples along the way, in pursuit of identifying what C.S. Lewis meant when he said friendship “has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.” Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – “On Friendship” in The Prophet by Khalil Gibran – The Office (2005-2013), NBC – The Professor and the Madman (2019), directed by Farhad Safinia – The Profes...
2022-03-05
45 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "Why do we suffer?"
In this episode the CenterForLit crew looks at what is perhaps the most universal of all the questions: the problem of pain. It goes something like this, “If we live in a world governed by a good and just God, why do innocent people suffer?” We trace a common desire for justice and revenge in works of art old and new, and look for signs of hope that one day our wrongs will be righted. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – You’ve Got Mail (1998), directed by Nora Ephron – While You Were Sleeping (1995), directed by John Turte...
2022-02-25
59 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is a good death?"
It had to come up eventually. In this episode, the CenterForLit crew tackles the question, “What is a good death?” But what could easily have become a morose conversation quickly becomes an occasion for joy and laughter with a little help from the Christian tradition. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – Pride and Prejudice (1995), screenplay by Andrew Davies – The Bishop’s Wife (1947), directed by Henry Koster – Enchanted April (1991), directed Mike Newell – Midnight in Paris (2011), directed by Woody Allen – Harry Potter (2001-2011), Warner Bros. Pictures – “Prediction-based neural mechanisms for shielding the self from existential threat” by Zidermanm, Lutz, and Gol...
2022-02-18
52 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is a good life?"
In today’s episode, the CenterForLit crew tackles the next question in our series of conversations about the Great Questions of art and literature. This time we’re asking, “What is a good life?” Nobody wants to come to the end of their life and feel it has been wasted. But how can we be sure we’ll be satisfied? We look for answers in all kinds of places as we meditate on the significance of this question. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – Teaching the Classics: A Socratic Method for Teaching Literature – “Why Georgia” by John Mayer – Jayb...
2022-02-11
1h 00
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is the image of God in man?"
Scripture tells us that God made man in his image, but what does that mean? If man is not god, what part of human nature reflects his creator? The CenterForLit crew dives into another of the tradition’s great questions, and the answers they suggest might not be what you expect. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – Bladerunner (1982), directed by Ridley Scott – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick – Westworld (2016-present), created by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan – I, Robot by Isaac Asimov – The Terminator (1984), directed by James Cameron – The Great Tradition, edited by Richa...
2022-02-04
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "What is man?"
Our season on “The Great Questions” continues with an episode in which we ask, “What is man?” As our attention turns from the heavens to earth, Shakespeare is a natural companion, and we find some new and unexpected voices to add to the conversation along the way! Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/333790777396633 Referenced Works: – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), directed by Wes Anderson – “Every Riven Thing” by Christian Wiman – Rev. (2010-2014), created by Tom Hollander and James Wood – “That Nature is a Herclitean Fire and of the comfort of the Resurrection” by Gerard Manley Hopkins – Hamlet, King Lear, and Henry V by William Shake...
2022-01-28
49 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
The Great Questions: "Is there a god?"
We’re opening our season on “The Great Questions” by asking the most important question of them all: “Is there a god?” In this episode, the CenterForLit crew talks about why this question is important, even if someone already believes they have the answer. Then they look to works of art, new and old, to see how culture wrestles with the problem now, and how we have wrestled with it in the past.
2022-01-14
1h 07
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: War and Peace Volume 1 Recap
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-11-25
57 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.3.16-19
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-11-11
50 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.3.11-15
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-11-04
37 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.3.6-10
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-10-28
43 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.3.1-5
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-10-21
46 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.2.16-21
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-10-14
55 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.2.11-15
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-10-07
56 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.2.6-10
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-30
48 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.2.1-5
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-23
53 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.1.21-25
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-16
57 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.1.16-20
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-09
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #94: Should Literary Criticism Uncover Hidden Meaning?
2020-09-04
42 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.1.11-15
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-02
53 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.1.6-10
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-08-26
51 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #93: The Search for Meaning in Camus's The Plague (What Are We Reading?)
2020-08-22
44 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
War and Peace: 1.1.1-5
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-08-19
55 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #92: Literary History with Dr. Sam Negus
2020-08-10
1h 03
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
How to Eat an Elephant: Introduction
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-08-05
25 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
How to Eat an Elephant: Trailer
2020-07-27
02 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #91: Cancel Culture and the Great Books
2020-07-25
45 min
How to Eat an Elephant: A Little Book Club for Large Books
How to Eat an Elephant: Trailer
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit centerforlit.substack.com/subscribe
2020-07-22
02 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #90: The Good Society
2020-07-10
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Lit, Period #11: The Victorian Novel
2020-06-19
46 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #89: Writing Habits, Mystery Reads, and Atmospheric Escapes (WAWR)
2020-06-05
47 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #88: Facing Our Control Issues
2020-05-22
39 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #87: Literary Criticism for Children's Literature
2020-05-09
39 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #86: Productivity and Quarantine
2020-04-24
37 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #85: Post-Apocalypic Fiction – Too Soon?
2020-04-10
44 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #84: Mr. Norrell, Very Long Reads, and the Library Fine System (What Are We Reading?)
2020-03-27
32 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Lit, Period #10: English Renaissance
2020-03-14
40 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #83: You Are What You Read?
2020-02-28
46 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BONUS EPISODE: A BiblioFiles Book Match
2020-02-21
14 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #82: Learning to Love Little Women
2020-02-14
39 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #81: Netflix's The King and Literary Film Adaptations
2020-01-31
30 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #80: Anagogical Reading
2020-01-17
48 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #79: The First Thanksgiving and Historical Deconstruction (What Are We Reading?)
2020-01-03
42 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #78: The High School Booklist Game
2019-12-20
43 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #77: On Misreading by the Literary
2019-11-29
39 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #76: Literature as Life in the Russian Tradition
2019-11-15
38 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Lit, Period #9: Middle English
2019-11-01
38 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #75: Memory, Human Dignity, and the Lions
2019-10-19
40 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #74: Virginia Woolf and the Nature of Art (What Are We Reading?)
2019-10-04
55 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #73: How Do You Measure a Literary Education? (Introducing CenterForLit Schools)
2019-09-13
42 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #72: Genre, the Moral Imagination, and Literary Education
2019-08-30
41 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #71: Insincerity, the Search for Truth, and Catcher in the Rye (What Are We Reading?)
2019-08-16
40 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Lit, Period #8: The Anglo-Saxons
2019-07-26
51 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #70: On Censorship and Book Banning
2019-07-12
52 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
BiblioFiles #69: "On Three Ways of Writing for Children" by C.S. Lewis
2019-06-28
53 min
BiblioFiles: A CenterForLit Podcast about Great Books, Great Ideas, and the Great Conversation
Bonus Episode: What Is CenterForLit Up To?
2017-03-31
1h 21