Shows
75 ReadsThe Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark & What Makes One "The Crème de la Crème"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark is our latest read, and our last read before we take a few weeks off for spring break. One of us loved this book, and one of us really and truly did not, and that’s what makes for a fun book club chat! Miss Brody is a progressive teacher at a rather formal and traditional girls’ school, who’s girls (the Brodie set) are being groomed to be the “crème de la crème. “ She’s in her prime, she’s got two lovers on the faculty, she’s i...2020-03-1720 min75 ReadsOn Having No Head by Douglas Harding & What If We Didn't Have An Eight Inch BallOne day in the early 1940s Douglas Harding, an English architect, was hiking in the Himalayas when he had a shocking realization…he had no head. He realized that we can’t see what he called the eight inch ball on the top of our body, except by looking at a photo or a reflection in a mirror. If we cannot see ourselves the way other people see us, how do we know who we are? At the moment he realized this, all sense of time past and future fell away. He forgot his name, gender, even what...2020-03-0322 min75 ReadsSilence by John Cage & Why There Is Always SoundSilence by John Cage is a collection of lectures and stories. Some are written in vertical columns. Some have, let’s call it interesting, spacing. And some, as Cage will tell you, have piano accompaniments, street noises, and the like. There was a lecture where he gave himself one minute to tell each story. So if the story had three lines, he had to stretch it. If a story was long, he’d have to talk fast to fit it into a minute. There’s a lecture called What Are We Doing? It’s actually three lectures sharing the same spa...2020-02-1831 min75 ReadsStrange People by Frank Edwards & Is "Freak" Really The Right Word?A “monkey girl”, sleepless people (one named David Jones - not our David Jones), water diviners, an author who was a channeled spirit, psychic detectives, and so many more “Strange People”. This collection of stories relayed by Frank Edwards will entertain, will make you wonder, and will sometimes tug at your heart. Perhaps the most heart wrenching story, and the story with the biggest Bowie connection, is that of Joseph Merrick, the so-called Elephant Boy. Bowie played this character beautifully on Broadway in 1980. In subsequent books, Frank Edwards tackled the subject of UFOs. In the 1960s, Bowie...2020-02-0429 min75 ReadsThe Divided Self by R.D. Laing & Why This Book Seemed PersonalTo start with, Laing states that the basic purpose of this book is to make madness, and the process of going mad, comprehensible. The full title is The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness. Okay, what’s the definition of existentialism? It’s a philosophical movement that stresses the individual’s unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for making meaningful, authentic choices in a universe seen as purposeless or irrational. What did this all mean to Bowie? We do know that his brother was schizophrenic. And, we go into that in more d...2020-01-2128 min75 ReadsAll The Emperor's Horses by David Kidd, aka Peking StoryIf you follow us on Twitter you know that we’re reviewing All The Emperor’s Horses in one episode. And you know that this read is also found under the title Peking Story, which is the newer version with a chapter added at the end, which was written years after the original story was told. Intrigued? You should be! The Emperor’s Horses is the story of a young American teaching and studying in China. He marries into the aristocratic Yu family, and into the family mansion and gardens, which are characters in this book just as muc...2020-01-0731 min
TV Guidance CounselorTV Guidance Counselor Episode 390: Jo Bozarth and April BowlbyOctober 19-25, 1985 This week Ken welcomes the hosts of the 75Reads Podcast, Jo Bozarth and April Bowlby. Ken, Jo and April discuss jacuzzin', Ken's bad jokes, growing up in California, no bedtimes, screen time, The Furchester Hotel, Star Track star makers, Hollywood, Universal Studios, The Best of Times, Robin Williams, Mork, Taxi, the dark 70s, the perfection of the 1980s, dating baseball players and musicians, loving Niles, fat camp, pregnancy on TV, Cheers, Ted Danson, Golden Girls, Facts of Life, Backdoor pilots, roommates later in life, spin-offs, The Tortellis, 227, Designing Women, how kids hate being...2020-01-061h 4775 ReadsBilly Liar by Keith Waterhouse & Why Two Ways of Thinking Aren't Better Than OneWe typically split our reads in half and record two episodes per book here on the pod, but Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse was such a quick read that we felt one episode would do the job. The story is in the title, Billy is a liar. He’s a 19 year old who is living at home with his parents and grandmother, working at a job he hates, dreaming of being a comedy writer. Even though this book was published in 1959, it sounds like your typical kid of today. But, the thing that sets Billy apart is th...2019-10-2222 min75 ReadsThe Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, Part 2 & Why The Prince Is Really A ServalWe’re wrapping up The Leopard, so you may wonder, “What the heck is that animal in the photo? It doesn’t look like a leopard.” You would be correct! It is, in fact, not a leopard. It is a serval. A much smaller feline, it is the symbol on the Tomasi di Lampedusa coat of arms. One of the serval’s few North African ranges is near Lampedusa. And, servals were (not very commonly) owned by some Sicillians as exotic pets. But, we suppose that in English, “The Serval” might not have sold as many books as “The Leopard”. So, th...2019-10-0821 min75 ReadsThe Leopard by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, Part 1 & Why the Prince is Swoon-worthyThe Leopard, by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, is an historical fiction novel centered around Prince Fabrizio (the leopard) and a decadent, dying Sicilian aristocracy in 1860 that is threatened by the forces of democracy and revolution. One of us swooned over The Leopard, and one of us chuckled, but by the end of the first half we were both looking forward to the rest of the book. Listen to find out why! (Oh, and here’s a fun tid bit: The title of the book in Italian did not actually translate to “The Leopard” in english. We’ll tell you what...2019-09-2429 min75 ReadsOn The Road by Jack Kerouac, Part 2 & Why Your Feelings About Sal and Dean Might Change Over TimeWe’re wrapping up our journey with Sal and the gang with the second half of On The Road by Jack Kerouac. And we are a house divided. One of us liked it, one of us not so much. There were some beautiful life lessons, mostly learned by watching the supporting characters, the jazz musicians and the people encountered on the Mexico trip. Did we continue to see Bowie in the book? Mmmm, not really. Does the book hold up today? Well, geographically yes. But, if you are in a different phase in life than you were when you fi...2019-09-1027 min75 ReadsOn The Road by Jack Kerouac, Part 1 & Why Bowie Might Be A DeanWe’re going On The Road with Bowie as we read Jack Kerouac’s classic. And in some very specific instances, we did feel we were seeing a Bowie connection in one of the characters. For us, in the first part of the book, it was Dean, and we'll tell you why. Did you see it, too?? And we imagined another friend of Bowie’s as we traveled through the pages of this book, as well. We’ve also taken the liberty of suggesting a few songs that might accompany you on Sal’s journey. Take a listen and share your...2019-08-2724 min75 ReadsThe Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard, Part 2 & Why We're Living in the 1950sWe’re wrapping up The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard, and yes, there are more case studies. Loads of them. And they’re actually quite interesting, but to inject a little fun into the second half of our discussion, we’ve decided to try something new. We’re playing a little game called, “Is This Still True Today?” If you play along, tweet us some of your answers and let’s discuss! You can find us on Twitter and Insta @75reads.2019-08-1332 min75 ReadsThe Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard, Part 1 and Why We Are JohnnyWe’re diving in to The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard, an examination of how our thoughts and feelings are manipulated by advertisers and media. The book was first published in 1957 and is chock-full of case studies that took place in the 1950s. Yes, it’s dated. And yes, some of the phrasing makes us want to punch the author in the face, but the book does show how the manipulation of the American consumer began. The book cites studies that will make you laugh and make you angry at the same time. Join us as we, two American cons...2019-07-3030 min75 ReadsA Grave For A Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno, Part 2 & Why Our Way Isn't The Only WayWe’re wrapping up A Grave For A Dolphin discussing some of the most beautiful and heart wrenching love stories we’ve come across. There’s the tale of young Hassib who is the most tragic character in a true love story we have ever read. From the book: “I had always thought that ‘to love to distraction’ was an idiomatic expression: an unlettered ragamuffin fourteen years old had taught me that it can also literally be true.” And there’s the story of the relationship of Camara and Shambowa…and a dolphin. So magical! Part two is filled...2019-07-1625 min75 ReadsA Grave For A Dolphin by Alberto Denti di Pirajno, Part 1 & Why We Should Talk To The AnimalsTen year old Alberto Denti di Pirajno met a man at a retirement party he attended with his mother who was celebrating fifty years of making Punchinello’s noses. Fifty years at this job. Making puppet noses day in and day out. Unimaginable! The author thinks perhaps this was partially at the root of his wander lust. Alberto grew up to become a doctor, and the material for A Grave For A Dolphin came from his experience as a doctor and an administrator in Italy’s former African colonies. The themes for this collection of stories are chil...2019-07-0226 min75 ReadsRoom At The Top by John Braine, Part 2 & Why We Still Love JoeWe continue riding on Joe’s emotional rollercoaster. There’s true love. There’s loss. There are affairs and fights. And, some of the things that Joe says has us wondering if maybe we hate him. But, he knows who he is. He calls himself out on his flaws. He’s human. So maybe we still love him a little bit. One thing we’re both sure of is that we absolutely, positively love this book. We cannot recommend it enough! Listen to the episode to hear why! Twitter: @75reads IG: @75reads2019-06-1835 min75 ReadsRoom At The Top by John Braine, part 1 & Why The Thin White Duke Is EverywhereOkay, we know we said that our previous read was our favorite yet. Let’s just say that Room At The Top is our favorite fiction book on the list thus far. And a Bowie character clearly comes to mind while reading this book! Clearly. We see him in several of the characters actually, especially the protagonist, Joe. Which Bowie persona do we see? The Thin White Duke. He's everywhere in this book. Would love to know if you agree. Tweet and let us know: @75reads2019-06-0428 min75 ReadsThe Outsider by Colin Wilson, Part 2 & Why We Think Bowie Was Not An OutsiderWhat can we say? This is our favorite book, yet! By the end of The Outsider, we felt as though we could almost see Bowie’s thought process as he read it. In part two of the book, we were introduced to more Outsiders, some of whom seemed to have it a little more together than the Outsiders from the first half of the book. And we formed an opinion about what type of Outsider we think Bowie might have been. Our conclusion was definitely unexpected! For links to socials and our complete reading list: www...2019-05-2136 min75 ReadsThe Outsider by Colin Wilson, Part 1 & Why This Book Is The Most Bowie Thus FarAt first we didn’t get it, then we got it…in a big way. There are bits of this book that feel very Bowie. In so many interviews, we can see that part of his genius was that he was always searching. So are the various types of Outsiders described in this book. Which type of Outsider was Bowie? Was he, in fact, an Outsider? Are you? Join us as we begin to figure it all out. www.75reads.com 2019-05-0734 min75 ReadsLolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Part 2 & Why We Are No Longer CharmedIf you listened to our last episode you know that, while we knew ol’ Humbert Humbert was a horrible human being, we still found him humorous and quite sharp. Well friends, in part two H.H. has lost his charm. We see him for what he is, an incredibly cruel, horribly narcissistic pedophile. Of course, one of the best death scenes ever written occurs at the end of this book. It alone makes part two worth the read. Join us as we wrap up Lolita, and let us know if you felt the way we fe...2019-04-2335 min75 ReadsLolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Part 1 & Why We Have Conflicting EmotionsThis book is timely, given the release of the Leaving Neverland documentary and the Me Too movement. It’s the story of a middle aged literature professor / poet named Humbert Humbert, who is obsessed with a 12-year-old girl whom he calls Lolita, and with whom he becomes sexually involved after the death of her mother, once he is her guardian. For such a hard subject to stomach, we actually found Nabokov’s writing to be quite beautiful. At the end of part one of the book, we found Humbert to be clever and funny, even though he is d...2019-04-0936 min75 ReadsDiamond Dogs and 1984Are you a Diamond Dogs fan, or not so much? Does it correlate to how you feel about George Orwell’s 1984, the inspiration for the album? We can recognize 1984 as a great work. We can agree it’s a great work, and be very happy not to have to read it again any time soon. And most people we’ve spoken with, whether they enjoyed 1984 or not, do recognize its merit. That isn’t always the case for Bowie’s Diamond Dogs. We dive into that, as well as some history behind the making of the album. And, we talk about...2019-03-2027 min75 Reads1984 by George Orwell, Part 2 & And Why Now May Not Be The Best Time To Read This BookWell, we are back at it again with 1984. And we are so ready to be finished with this book. In the current political climate, it all hits a little too close to home. What we've learned from Winston and Julia is that when the mind just changes opinions like a switch that's flipped at the whim of the few who are in power, and when we deny what we see and what we know, we really are "as good as dead".2019-03-0534 min75 Reads1984 by George Orwell, Part 1 & Why It's Killing UsWe read it as kids, and now we're revisiting it. 1984 by George Orwell. Originally published in 1949, it seems only to grow more relevant with time. And that is a frightening statement. Friends, to put it mildly, we are terrified. And while this book is an amazing work of literary genius, we can't wait to never have to read it again. Join us for part one of 1984, won't you? Let's all be afraid together. 2019-02-1933 min75 ReadsThe Street by Ann Petry, Part 2 & Why It's So FrustratingWe're talking about the second half of The Street, by Ann Petry. And we have feelings. More specifically, we were bothered. On so many levels. The second half of this wonderful book really struck some nerves with both of us, and we’re letting it all out in this episode. Is it just us? Were you slightly enraged, as well? How far would you go to save the person you love most? And was Lutie somewhat delusional? Was she, or wasn’t she, a good mother? Maybe it’s not that simple. Let us know what you think! http...2019-02-0538 min75 ReadsThe Street by Ann Petry & Why We Love ItThe Street is the story of a young, black, single mom, named Lutie Johnson who is struggling to raise her son, Bub, in the racial dissonance that was Harlem in the late 1940s. In this episode of 75 Reads, we’re covering chapters one through nine. We talk about Lutie’s cheating ex-husband, her sweet eight year old son (who, in our opinion is left alone entirely too often), her job working for a white family in the country, the reason why Lutie and several other characters in the book hate white people and blame them for the harsh circumstances they...2019-01-2239 min75 ReadsHappy Birthday, Bowie This episode isn’t a book review, it’s kind of a love letter to our beloved David Bowie on the month he came into this world and also left it. It’s a few thoughts, a few facts, a few laughs. We hope you’ll take a listen, and then take a moment to share how the art and the life of David Bowie has touched you, and impacted your life. Kindly tweet us at @75reads or comment on Instagram @75reads. If tweeting isn't your jam, we love snail mail: P.O. Box 1564, South Pasadena...2019-01-0824 min75 ReadsBlack Boy by Richard Wright, Part 2Join us as we follow young Richard to the north. Will Chicago be the place where the color of his skin is no longer a factor in how Richard lives his life? Friends, we had some feelings about part two of this wonderful book. Things we were afraid to say, but said anyway. Things we loved, things we wish we’d loved. It’s all here in episode two. For bonus info and blog posts by hosts, Jo Bozarth and April Bowlby, head over to https://www.75reads.com And join in on the b...2018-10-1135 min75 ReadsBlack Boy by Richard Wright, Part 1In our first 75 Reads book club episode, we're discussing part one of Black Boy by Richard Wright. We begin our journey with Richard as he goes from a young boy living in the Jim Crow south, and we follow him through high school and his impending departure to find a new life in the north. Join us as we read the books that inspired the people who inspire us. Season 1 begins with David Bowie's recommended reads! We're starting with book 75 and working our way through to number 1. For bonus info and 75 Reads blog posts by...2018-09-1837 min
75 ReadsIntro to 75 ReadsIt's the 75 Reads book club podcast! In season one, hosts Jo Bozarth and April Bowlby make their way through David Bowie's reading list. Here's a teaser of what's to come! Join the book club! Find 75 Reads on Twitter: https://twitter.com/75reads And keep up with posts from the ladies at: www.75reads.com 2018-07-2502 min