This Must Be The Book: Recent Episodes
Underbrush Books
This Must Be the Book is a bi-weekly literary podcast brought to you by Underbrush Books, a book club designed for better books and better conversations.
You can join by visiting our website at www.underbrushbooks.com
In today's episode, our staff discusses our April read, When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo. We also give additional recommendations for those who enjoyed this read, and, of course, talk about what we're currently reading.
It's time for a staff discussion! Listen in as Dom, Courtney, and Emily discuss our Underbrush Book Club March pick, The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher! We also give 4 (yes 4!) additional books to read if you liked this month's pick. Want to join in on the discussion yourself? You can do so by visiting www.underbrushbooks.com.
Dom's out on vacation, so Emily and Courtney run the show! Listen to their chat about The Lost Generation (plus Walt Whitman), how attractive young Ernest Hemingway was, and recent legislation against public schools and libraries.
It's our first book discussion of season 4! Listen in as our team talks about the history behind and our impressions of our February book pick, Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez.
Welcome to season 4 of This Must Be the Book! We’re recapping our last season, talking about what books we loved (did NOT love) in 2021, what we’re looking forward to in 2022, and having a grand time. We hope you’re just as excited as we are to be back!
In this week's episode, the team introduces graphic memoirs as a genre in preparation for our November book pick, They Called Us Enemy by George Takei. We also talk about the imprisonment of Japanese Americans in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and how that aspect of American and Arkansas history are glossed over.
Join us for our November read, They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei by visiting our website at www.underbrushbooks.com!
CONTENT WARNING – In this episode we will discuss topics like gun violence in schools, racism, homophobia, bullying, abuse, and suicide. Please be advised before listening.
Listen as our staff discusses our October book pick, The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass. Specifically, Douglass' use of the horror genre and horror elements, such as ghosts and ghouls, to tell an anti-racist, anti-bullying, queer-centric story. We also give our staff recommendations for further reading for those who enjoyed The Taking of Jake Livingston.
This Must Be The Book is brought to you by Underbrush Books, a book club designed for better books and better conversation. You can join us by visiting our website at www.underbrushbooks.com
Our first theme episode of the year is probably our favorite to date, because this episode we're talking about monsters, ghosts, and all things spooky! We'll be diving into the history of monsters and their meaning in literature, along with a quick survey of the horror genre from gothic horror all the way to modern day.
Join us for our October read, The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass by visiting our website at www.underbrushbooks.com!
It's our first discussion episode of the season and we're starting off with a hit – Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette. Listen in as our staff talks about this surprise fav for both Dominic and Emily, getting Courtney one step closer to her goal of making Lit-Fic readers out of them both. We also discuss additional recommendations for readers who enjoyed Agatha of Little Neon, what we're currently reading, and continue to grumble about Dom's latest game invention.
This Must Be The Book is brought to you by Underbrush Books, a book club designed for better books and better conversation. Join us by visiting our website at www.underbrushbooks.com.
We're back with season 3 of This Must Be The Book! In today's episode, Emily, Courtney, and Dom talk about their favorite (and least favorite) reads of the summer, how they did in our staff reading challenge, and what fall releases they're most looking forward to. We also chat a bit about the launch of Underbrush Books and what that means for book club members and our Rogers community. Oh, and Dom makes us play a bookish trivia game that Courtney hates.
It’s sadly here: the finale of season two. Your hosts Dom, Emily, and Court wrap up this their reading so far for 2021. Listen along to hear more about the gang reflect on the last season of This Must Be the Book, our recommendations for each other’s summer reading, as well as what we’re currently reading!
Summer Releases:
The Witch King HE Edgmon, June 1 The Library of the Dead by TL Huchu, June 1 Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw, October 19 One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, June 1 The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo, June 1 The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig, July 20 Black Out by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, June 22 The Council of Animals by Nick McDonell, July 20 Write It In Blood by Rory McConville
Staff Reading Challenges:
Dom: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Elmet by Fiona Mozley
Emily: White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
Courtney: The Willows by Algernon Blackwood The Feed by Matthew Tobin Anderson
What We're Currently Reading:
Emily – Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado Courtney – Hot Stew by Fiona Mozley Dom – Cold Skin by Albert Sánchez Piñol
In this episode, we discuss our May book, The Funny Thing About Norman Forman! Listen along to hear more about the team’s thoughts on the book, our recommendations, as well as what we're currently reading!
Staff Recommendations:
Emily – Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech and Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya Courtney – Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson and Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams Dom - The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
What We're Reading:
Emily – The Crown of Guilded Bones by Jennifer Armentrout and The Shades of Magic Series by VE Schwab Courtney – Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon Dominic – Woodcraft by Owen Jones
In this episode, we discuss our April book, Mozart's Starling! We discuss a lot: anthropocentric views of nature, invasive species, and when The Art of War was written. Listen along to hear more about the team’s thoughts on Mozart’s Starling, our recommendations, as well as what we're currently reading!
Staff Recommendations:
Emily – Anything by Mary Roach Dom – The Lay of the Land by Annette Kolodny Courtney – World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
What We're Reading:
Emily – Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade Courtney – The Lost Village by Camilla Sten Dom – Dark Matter by Michelle Paver
In this episode, we discuss our April theme, nature writing and eco-centrism! We discuss the American tradition of nature writing, and how it pertains to our April read, Mozart’s Starling. Listen along to hear more about our theme, as well as what we’re currently reading!
What We're Reading:
Dom – The Family Handyman Emily – Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson a& Blood and Ash Trilogy by Jennifer Armentrout Courtney – Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi and The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers
In this episode, we discuss our March read, A Tip for the Hangman! We discuss what we thought of the book, Marlowe as a character, and Epstein’s use of historical fiction. Listen along to hear more about our March read, our recommendations, as well as what we're currently reading!
Media Mentioned: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare Henry the V by William Shakespeare The Tudors Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Dr. Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
Staff Rec: Dom - Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Emily - House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune Courtney - The Library of the Unwritten by AJ Hackwith
What We're Reading Emily - We Hunt the Flame from the The Sands of Arawiya Hafsah Faizal Courtney -Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour Dom - Mozart’s Starling by Lyanda Lynn Haupt
In this episode, we discuss our March theme, historical fiction! We discuss the history behind our March pick, A Tip For the Hangman and what we gain from reading historical fiction. Listen along to hear more about our March theme, as well as what we're currently reading!
Media Mentioned: The Other Boleyn Girl The Tudors The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick 11/22/63 by Stephan King Kindred by Octavia Butler How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang East of Eden by John SteinbeckWhat We're Reading: Emily - Dear Martin by Nic Stone Courtney - Piranesi by Susanna Clark Dom - Tales From the Hinterland by Melissa Albert
In this episode, we discuss our March read, Pride, by Ibi Zoboi! We discuss Zoboi's narrative as a mode of retelling, gentrification and income inequality, and what we thought of the book overall. Listen along to hear more about our March book, as well as what we're currently reading!
Media Mentioned: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice (2005 film adaptation) The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett Emma by Jane Austen
What We Recommend: Emily - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Courtney - These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong (Honorable mention to Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender) Dom - The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
What We're Reading: Emily - Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Courtney - American Delirium by Patina Gonzáles Dom - Les Miserablés by Victor Hugo
In this episode, we discuss our February theme, retellings! We'll dive into the history of retellings, from their start in ancient cultures, and work our way up to present day reiterations of stories. We're also joined by our new cohost, Emily Walker. Listen along to hear more about our February theme, as well as what we're currently reading!
Media Mentioned:
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta N.K. Jemisin City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty The Metamorphoses by Ovid Mahabharata by Vyasa Odyssey by Homer The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Hamlet by William Shakespeare MacBeth by William Shakespeare Lives by Plutarch, translated by Thomas North The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Iuliet Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The Six Main Arcs in Storytelling, as Identified by an A.I. The Shape of Stories from Kurt Vonnegut The Dark Knight Rises The Myth of Icarus Oedipus Rex by Socrates The Lion King (1994, animated) A Cinderella Story Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas The Lion King (2019, live action) The Witches (2020, movie) The Witches (1990, movie) The Witches by Roald Dahl Frankenstein by Mary Shelley The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White Young Frankenstein (1974, movie) Cursebreakers Series by Brigid Kemmerer Beauty and the Beast Into the Spiderverse The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith Sense, Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Seth Grahame-Smith Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer Tim Burton explains why his movies are full of white people As I Descended by Robin Talley Lovecraft Country (HBO series) S1E7 - Witchcraft 101 Snow White by The Brothers Grimm
What We're Reading:
Dom – How to Tell a Raven From a Crow and Cicada Brood 10 Emerges in 15 States
Emily – The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon
Courtney – A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos
Welcome back to season 2! We're so excited to get back to chatting about our favorite subject after our short holiday break. In this episode we will be reintroducing ourselves and Dandy Roll Book Club, talking about some exciting changes happening in 2021, and talking a little bit about our January read, How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned:
Waiting For Godot, absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which Vladimir and Estragon wait for Godot, who never arrives Americana by Luke Healy Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Berry The Need by Helen Phillips So Many Damn Books Podcast How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
What We're Reading:
Courtney – The Liar’s Dictionary by Ellie Williams Dom – The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
It's our season finale and we're doing something special in today's episode! Yes, we talk about our December book pick, The Uncommon Reader, but we also highlight some ways you can give back to your community this holiday season. Thanks so much for listening! We will see you all again in January!
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Ways to Give Back:
Buy our December box and give back to NWA Children's Shelter
Donate to First Book
Donate to We Need Diverse Books
Shop locally and shop small all year round
Staff Recommendations
Sophie – My Bison by Gaya Wisniewski Dom – The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg Courtney – Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake
What We're Reading
Courtney – The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwag Dom – Bone by Jeff Smith Sophie – Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
Courtney, Dom, and Sophie discuss our November DRBC pick, Americana by Luke Healy. Listen in as we discuss our interpretation of this graphic work. As always, we also provide additional staff recommendations and update you on what we're reading for fun.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer On the Road by Jack Kerouac Fun Home by Alison Bechdel How to Survive in the North by Luke Healy
Staff Recommendations
Sophie – Pantheon by Hamish Steele Courtney – The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power Dom – Louis Riel by Chester Brown
What We're Reading
Sophie – Monstress by Marjorie Liu Courtney – The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin Dom – Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Today's episode is another history crash course taught by your three errant professors, Courtney, Dom, and Sophie. In this episode we will be discussing the history of the term "graphic novel", the implications of the comic code, and the rise of the graphic memoir in preparation for our November DRBC pick, Americana by Luke Healy.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned
Garfield by Jim Davis Peanuts by Charles Schultz Zits by Jim Borgman Beetle Bailey by Mort Walker Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Marvel Comics Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster A Contract With God by Will Eisner Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger Wonder Woman by William Marston and H. G. Peter The Flash by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert Bone by Jeff Smith Archie by Bob Montana and Vic Bloom The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé The Sandman by Neil Gaiman Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Maus by Art Spiegelman Cassandra Calin Sarah Anderson A Million Little Pieces by James Frey Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui Red Rosa by Kate Evans
What We're Reading
Sophie – Around the World in 80 Trees by Thomas Pakenham Courtney – Elmet by Fiona Mozley Dom – The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Please note, this episode contains a few light spoilers for We Ride Upon Stick by Quan Barry. You have been warned...
In Episode 008 of This Must Be The Book, Dom, Sophie, and Courtney discuss our October DRBC selection, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry. Specifically, Barry's portrayal of witchcraft and how it relates to historical representations of witches.
Media Mentioned:
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Additional Recommendations:
Sophie – Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang
Courtney – Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey
Dom – Circe by Madeline Miller
What We're Reading:
Sophie – The Resident Evil Movie Series
Dom – Lovecraft Country (HBO Series)
Courtney – Hell's Library Trilogy by A.J. Hackwith
Welcome to Witchcraft 101! In today's episode, we will be discussing representations of witches and witchcraft in western literature and popular culture from the ancient Greece all the way to Harry Potter. We'll be using this discussion to set up our October book club pick, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry!
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte The Odyssey by Homer Circe by Madeline Miller Jason & the Argonauts Macbeth by William Shakespeare Celtic Blood Series by Melanie Karsak Hansel and Gretel by the Brothers Grimm Witches, Midwives, and Nurses by Barbara Ehrenreich The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum Wicked by Gregory Maguire Loose Canon: The Wicked Witch of the West The Crucible by Arthur Miller Archie Comics Sabrina the Teenage Witch (90s version) Harry Potter by JK Rowling
What We're Reading
Sophie – Ask A Mortician by Caitlin Doughty Courtney – Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings Dom – Hundreds of Americans Planted “Chinese Mystery Seeds” by Jason Koebler
In this episode of This Must Be The Book, Sophie, Dom, and Courtney discuss our September DRBC book pick, The Bed Moved by Rebecca Schiff. We talk about the things we like... and the things we didn't. We also give our recommendations for books that we think tackle some of the same themes in a slightly more successful way.
PS: It's the first episode where Sophie doesn't mention Portland, so is she really even from Portland?
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Staff Recommendations
Courtney – Temporary by Hilary Leichter Sophie – Varieties of Disturbance by Lydia Davis Dom – Love is a Dog from Hell by Charles Bukowski
What We're Reading
Dom – Aubade as Fuel by Traci Brimhall Courtney – Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, narrated by Ell Potter Sophie – We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
In this week's episode, Sophie, Dom, and Courtney discuss our September DRBC box theme – short stories! We talk about some of our favorite short stories, why we chose a short story collection for DRBC, and how you can find, read, and learn to love short stories.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned
The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Daisy Miller by Henry James The Pupil by Henry James The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Conner The Paris Review Halloween Scary Stories, read by Frank N. Stein The Complete Short Stories of H.G. Wells by H.G. Wells Skin by Roald Dahl The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks Lydia Davis Ghost Summer Stories by Tananarive Due Black Mirror American Horror Story True Detective Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe The Paris Review Literary Hub The New Yorker Actually Naneen by Malka Older The Best American Nonrequired Reading Steven King Tor Publishing Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman American Gods by Neil Gaiman
What We're Reading
Courtney – Dominicana by Angie Cruz, narrated by Coral Peña Sophie – Creative Quest by Questlove Dom – Stardust by Neil Gaiman
In today’s episode Courtney, Sophie, and Dom talk about our August DRBC Book Pick, Clap When You Land, by Elizabeth Acevedo. We discuss the book, what we liked and disliked, if we changed our opinions of YA, as well as our additional recs if you liked Clap When You Land!
Additional Media Mentioned:
Ulysses by James Joyce
Staff Recommendations
Sophie – Calling Dr Laura by Nicole Georges Courtney – Turtle Under Ice by Juleah del Rosario Dom – Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac
What We're Reading
Sophie – Creative Quest by Questlove Courtney – Supper Club by Lara Williams Dom – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Sophie, Dom, and Courtney discuss the merits of Young Adult literature, why adults should read YA, and why we choose, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, a YA novel, for our August book club pick. Plus, hear what we're all currently reading.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo Bone by Jeff Smith The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, narrated by Tim Curry Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman Ulysses by James Joyce Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
What We're Reading
Sophie – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo Courtney – The Down Days by Ilze Hugo Dom – Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm's Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman (read the Vogue article here)
Music by Adrian Walther
Sophie, Dom, and Courtney discuss our July DRBC read, Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui. Listen in to find out what we liked, what we disliked, and what we wanted to see a bit more of. Plus, hear our recommendations for continued reading!
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Media Mentioned: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, S6E5, Mac and Charlie: White Trash Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn Bathing Suits Over Baghdad by Bonnie Tsui
A Rape On Campus from Rolling Stone
Staff Recommendations
Sophie – The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison
Dom – The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich Courtney – Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland
What We're Reading
Sophie – East of West by Jonathan Hickman and Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush Dom – Guy by Steve Earle and There Will Be Blood by Paul Thomas Anderson, based on Oil! by Upton Sinclair Courtney – Temporary by Hilary Leichter
Music by Adrian Walther
Meet the team, Courtney, Dominic (Dom), and Sophie, and learn how our love for books started and why we're excited for this Dandy Roll Book Club journey! Plus, hear our tips and tricks for creating and engaging with a book club.
Dandy Roll Book Club is a monthly book subscription box created to inspire conversation. Join us today!
Books Mentioned:
The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez To The Lighthouse by Virgina Woolf
What We're Reading
Sophie – Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui Dom – The Education of an Idealist by Samantha Power and North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud Courtney – Wonderland by Zoye Stage