Novel Pairings
Novel Pairings
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Top 10 Novel Pairings Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Novel Pairings episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Novel Pairings for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Novel Pairings episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
0. Introducing Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun
Novel Pairings
03/03/20 • 30 min
Welcome to Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun. In this welcome episode, Chelsey and Sara introduce themselves and the podcast format, and share exactly what they mean by "pairings."
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03/03/20 • 59 min
In this episode, we're discussing Jane Austen's final novel, Emma. We admit our love for Emma's sass and bossiness, debate her potentially problematic friendship with the orphan Harriet Smith, and swoon over Mr. Knightley. Plus we're offering six contemporary reads that perfectly pair with Austen's most memorable heroine.
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141. Bookish pairings for our favorite period dramas
Novel Pairings
02/13/24 • 62 min
Reading The Custom of the Country this winter has felt like stepping into the most lush, dramatic, and marathon-worthy period piece–so today we’re sharing some of our favorite period dramas and pairing them with excellent books for cozy winter reading. We discuss the appeal of watching historical fiction versus reading it, the throughline from reading Dear America books to watching Downton Abbey as a comfort show, and the complex nature of colorblind casting. We hope you find a new, or old, TV series or novel to enjoy after listening to today’s episode.
PS: if you hear some odd background noises in this episode, just imagine little toddler feet stomping above Chelsey's head!
For more pairings, classes, and nerdy conversation join our Patreon community! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up today.
Don’t miss our FREE weekly newsletter at novelpairings.substack.com.
Shows Mentioned:
Downton Abbey
Poldark
Miss Scarlet and the Duke
Gentleman Jack
The Gilded Age
Bridgerton
Queen Charlotte
The Crown
Outlander
The Empress
The Great
The Good Lord Bird
The Underground Railroad
Reign
Books Mentioned:
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin
Longbourn by Jo Baker
Poldark series by Winston Graham
Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn
Knockout by Sarah Maclean
Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas
Sarah Waters
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
Fiona Davis
Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin
Jane Austen
The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan
The Countess by Sophie Jordan
Victoria by Daisy Godwin
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Shakespeare’s history plays
Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller
Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton
James McBride
John Brown by W.E.B. DuBois
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
The Water Dancer by Ta Nehisi Coates
Royal Diaries series
My Lady Jane by Brodi Ashton, et al
Alison Weir
Philippa Gregory
Margaret George
09/17/24 • 56 min
We’re excited to be back in your podcast feeds to pair highly anticipated fall book releases with beloved backlist favorites. Prepare to overload your TBR pile as we dive into an exciting fall publishing season filled with moody, atmospheric titles.
In today’s episode, we’ll share our carefully curated lists of outstanding upcoming fiction from both renowned authors and indie presses, along with a selection of diverse fiction and nonfiction we think you’ll enjoy, all paired with a backlist book to explore while you await your library holds and pre-orders.
Before diving into the books, we want to remind our community that Chelsey will be on maternity leave this fall. As a small (very small!) business, this requires significant planning and adjustments. To best manage our schedules while preserving the community we've created, we will take a short break from the main feed while focusing on providing fun, nerdy new content on Patreon at patreon.com/novelpairings.
We aim to return to the main feed in December or January with a special episode featuring the best books of 2024, along with a thrilling spring season. In the meantime, we will continue to offer bonus episodes, discussion-based classes, and book club events through our Patreon community. You can join us at either the $5 or $10 level, depending on your desired level of participation.
We are incredibly thankful for your support. Thank you for being with us!
Books Mentioned
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia
The Professor by Charlotte Bronte
Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmond
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Don’t Be a Stranger by Susan Minot
The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister
Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann
The Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Curdle Creek by Yvonnne Battle-Felton
The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews
133. The modern reader's guide to historical fiction
Novel Pairings
10/17/23 • 54 min
What is the difference between literary historical fiction and “woman with her back turned on the cover” historical fiction? In today’s episode of Modern Readers, we’re discussing the literary landscape and rise in popularity of the historical fiction genre. We explore the definition of historical fiction, significant time periods, craft vs. plot, and “literariness” to understand whether a historical book is literary or a really entertaining read—or both! Plus, we share Novel Pairings episodes and book recommendations to pair with our nuanced conversation.
If you enjoyed today’s episode and want more conversations similar to this nerdy genre deep dive, you should check out our Patreon community where for just $5 a month, you can access weekly bonus episodes just like this one. At our $10 Literature Scholar level, patrons have access to classes and our virtual book club, where we’ll be discussing The Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat this month. To join, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
For more updates from Novel Pairings, make sure to follow us over on our Instagram or subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter.
Timestamps
Recent Reads - 2:13
What is Historical Fiction? - 10:23
What makes a text Literary Historical Fiction? - 23:19
Novel Pairings Historical Fiction Episodes
The Remains of the Day (Episode 6)
Beloved by Toni Morrison (Episode 9)
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (Episode 98)
Books Mentioned
Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
The Fraud by Zadie Smith
Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel
Phillipa Gregory (try The Other Boleyn Girl)
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
87. Perfectly paired gifts for every bookworm
Novel Pairings
11/16/21 • 46 min
Our penchant for pairings goes far beyond books and in today’s gift guide rerelease we’re offering a variety of suggestions for what to give the literary minded loved ones in your life. Each book and gift pairing is put together with a particular type of reader in mind to help you find the perfect holiday gift no matter who you’re shopping for this season.
Our Gift Guide: https://novelpairings.com/2020/11/10/35-a-2020-gift-guide-for-every-literary-taste/
For more bonus episodes, nerdy classes, and extra book talk, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com.
Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info.
Get two audiobooks for the price of one from Libro.fm. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS and support independent bookstores.
Books mentioned:
Luster by Raven Leilani (9/1)
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (9/1)
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Daddy by Emma Cline (9/1)
The Girls by Emma Cline
Florida by Lauren Groff
Sabrina & Corina by Kali Farjado-Anstine
Lot by Bryan Washington
Recommended for You by Laura Silverman (9/1)
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
By the Book by Amanda Sellet
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (9/1)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- 13th on Netflix
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- When They See Us on Netflix
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Pride by Ibi Zoboi
His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie (9/1)
Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Never Look Back by Lilliam Rivers (9/1)
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole (9/1)
The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin
Jack by Marilynne Robinson (9/15)
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson (9/15)
Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
150. Ten classic novels you should read this summer
Novel Pairings
06/04/24 • 40 min
We’re taking it back to the classroom in today’s episode! Chelsey and Sara reflect on their experience with high school summer reading as both students and teachers: the good, the great, and the hot takes. While we aren’t assigning any reading in this episode, we are sharing 10 classics that would make for great summer reads at any age! For an enhanced reading experience, pair a past Novel Pairings episode with each of these classics to listen as you go.
Of course, our main summer reading recommendation is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, our BIG summer readalong hosted in Patreon with classes, bonus episodes, and special recaps to get the most out of this huge novel.
Novel Pairings operates on an academic calendar to keep our work sustainable. But like most teachers, just because we have summer “off” doesn’t mean we aren’t hard at work behind the scenes! This summer, we will take off from sharing new episodes on the main feed in July and August to devote more time and energy to planning for the year ahead, restoring our creativity, and strengthening our bond with Patreon community members.
If you are missing Novel Pairings in your podcast feed, we would love for you to join our community for extra nerdy summer fun.
Books Mentioned:
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
The Summer Book by Tove Jansson
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton
Novel Pairings Episodes
Episode 86: Palpable tension and shocking twists in Passing by Nella Larsen
Episode 136: To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
Episode 117: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Episode 114: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
Episode 68: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson and contemplative books for moody summer reading
Episode 66: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part Two
Episode 64: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende Part One
72. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and contemporary novels with plenty of drama
Novel Pairings
08/03/21 • 70 min
Today, Chelsey and Sara discuss a melodramatic classroom staple: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. We relive our classroom experiences, investigate why this play is still taught, and dig into the iconic characters made famous by Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh in the 1951 film adaptation. Plus, as always, we offer six contemporary pairings that capture similar themes.
For more bonus episodes, nerdy classes, and extra book talk, join our Classics Club: patreon.com/novelpairings.com.
Connect with us on Instagram or Twitter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get updates and behind-the-scenes info.
Get two audiobooks for the price of one from Libro.fm. Use our Libro.fm affiliate code NOVELPAIRINGS and support independent bookstores.
Skip to the pairings: [43:50]
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Books mentioned:
Thank you for supporting the show by shopping our affiliate links!
Chelsey
- Luster by Raven Leilani (Amazon)
- Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison (Amazon)
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (Amazon)
Sara
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (Amazon)
- Real Life by Brandon Taylor (Amazon)
- Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters (Amazon)
Picks of the Week:
134. Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat
Novel Pairings
10/24/23 • 74 min
If a dark and twisty stream of consciousness narrative in translation sounds like an intriguing read, Blind Owl by Sadeq Hedayat is perfect for you. Penned by the forefather of the Modernist movement in Iranian literature, this surrealist story blends Western influences, Iranian folklore, and psychology. In today’s episode, we discuss key themes and questions raised by Hedayat’s text (so. many. questions). Today’s pairings include a contemporary Iranian work in translation, a Persian fairy tale retelling, and a polarizing love-it-or-hate-it novel that is perfect for group discussions.
If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
Listeners can also stay in the loop with all things Novel Pairings by giving us a follow on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting public scholarship!
Books Mentioned:
Girl Serpent Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Disoriental by Negar Djavadi
The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
05/14/24 • 55 min
On today’s Modern Readers episode, we’re placing “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift in context with pieces of contemporary political satire. We'll explore how satire is being used today to comment on politics and social issues, and the power, or limits, of its influence. Throughout our discussion, we discuss the lasting legacy of Swift’s essay, the rise of satirical media, and how satire is used as a rhetorical tool. Listen to the end for contemporary satirical examples in TV, online media, and comedy.
We’re also excited to announce our Summer Big Book Read Along: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. We’re looking forward to digging into this classic with you! This Big Book Read Along includes 5 recaps spread over June, July, and August, 3 book club meet ups to discuss along the way, an active Discord chat for support and motivation, classes and bonus content. The summer is a great time to join our scholarly community!
Find more details on our summer plans in our free Substack newsletter or head to patreon.com/novelpairings to join our community.
Books Mentioned:
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
Also Mentioned:
A Modern Proposal on Project Gutenberg
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FAQ
How many episodes does Novel Pairings have?
Novel Pairings currently has 159 episodes available.
What topics does Novel Pairings cover?
The podcast is about Leisure, Hobbies, Podcasts, Books and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Novel Pairings?
The episode title '1. Emma by Jane Austen and our favorite modern romantic heroines' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Novel Pairings?
The average episode length on Novel Pairings is 57 minutes.
How often are episodes of Novel Pairings released?
Episodes of Novel Pairings are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Novel Pairings?
The first episode of Novel Pairings was released on Mar 3, 2020.
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