Cracking the Spine: Recent Episodes
Sean Curran
Cracking the Spine is a weekly podcast centered around the world of literature. Topics cover the wide range of issues associated with books, publishing, and the literary world in general. Host Sean Curran is a passionate bookseller and life-long readers who strives for open and honest conversation, occasionally moving into the realm of debate. While the discourse may be serious at times, the hosts hope that there is an air of fun to the proceedings. The goal is for every topic to be handled truthfully, every opinion given its fair time, and every guest receive a respectful welcome.
Our listeners never fail to blow our minds. Listener TrendyMoron wrote to us about Aphantasia, a condition where you cannot voluntarily visualize imagery. Are any of you familiar with this condition? Do you have it yourself? How do you experience books? WE NEED TO KNOW. This topic inspired some great conversation for this episode, and for that, we owe you our gratitude, TrendyMoron.
We owe you a deep, sincere apology. The last few months have proven incredibly busy, and as such posting (and recording) hasn't happened the way you deserve. We're here to try to make it up to you, starting with finally posting a new episode.
In the long-awaited one hundred and sixteenth episode, we discuss magazines. Do you still read print magazines? Do you think there's still a need for them? Do you think "zines" count? Listen the episode and sound off!
Have you ever been so excited for a book that the disappointment was inevitable? A listener asks us when the last time we were let down by our literary expectations, and you can imagine that we have THOUGHTS. Enjoy!
Listener John wonders how books have influenced your life - for instance, he felt braver wearing glasses as a child after reading Harry Potter. Have books ever inspired or influenced you to make changes in your own life? We cover lots of topics, but mostly we find that books make us hungry...
Zane and Sean luxuriate in a Josh-free week, and discuss the one topic Josh can't contribute to: reading! We talk about everything we love and don't love about the act of reading, and give Josh a hard time. Make sure to listen to the end when a special guest shows up!
Holy crap, this week has been long. Almost like it's taken....months? Who knows. As ever, I BLAME JOSH. This week we're discussing bad reading habits courtesy of an email by listener Luke. We also get pulled for copyright infringement and celebrate Sean's one hundred and eleventh birthday.
This week we're talking about everyone's favorite subject: Jake! I mean Josh! Did you know that Josh went to England recently? Well, somehow we found a way to turn that into an entire episode. Special shout out to reptile anatomy, which weirdly plays an important part in our discussion this week. Good times ahead, Crack Heads. Good. Times.
How do you organize your books? Turns out it's a pretty personal, and occasionally inexplicable thing. Thanks to listener Aimee (AGAIN!?) for this surprisingly complex topic. Check it out and let us know how you organize your books and thoughts.
Aaaaaand we're back! Blame Zane...
But take this episode as our apology. Super Jesus comes through with a brilliant topic suggestion: what books would you NOT want to be adapted to film or television? This might shock you, but we have OPINIONS on this topic. Get ready to get all fired up with us, listeners. It's episode 108!
Sorry for the brief hiatus, listeners. But like always, we're back! We discuss an oft-submitted topic suggestion: audio books! Many of you have asked us to delve into this subject, and we graciously oblige. Make sure you listen all the way through because we're also bringing back the Special Reading!
Sorry for the delay, crackheads! Another week, another topic from Sean's brain. In this episode we put together our favorite authors and moviemakers...who would make the best adaptation of your favorite book? What author would be the best screenwriter for your favorite film? PLUS find out which of your favorite hosts is sick! All this and more in episode 105!
What's the best first line in a book? That's the brilliant topic that Sean came up with for this week, and...it gets heated, y'all. Readings, pedantry, and tangents galore. All this and more! in episode 105.
We've heard your prayers, and we're bringing back readings! Get introduced to Zane's new house (and frog), and listen to the gang read 3 different stories that remind them of Memorial Day, Americana, & the start of Summer.
As you can imagine, we're extremely fond of libraries here at Cracking The Spine. Listener Aimee once again gives us a great topic, and asks us how to make the most of our library cards. AND BOY HOWDY do we have some advice for her. Also, naturally, we delve into a big argument about The Crystal Skull. PART TIME.
Thanks to awesome listener Aimee for this week's great topic. We discuss merchandise for the things that we love, and our desperate need to own it. We just need it, okay? We can stop anytime we want. Quit judging us!
Sorry for the brief hiatus, dear readers! Life gets in the way, but we're here now. This week we get super topical, and discuss true crime. Inspired by Michelle McNamara's help in finding the Golden State Killer, we talk about true crime's influence in the real world.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! We made it to 100 episodes, and we couldn't have done it without your patronage and the help of a German economics podcast. For this very special episode we take a look back at our history, and reminisce about the good times and the butthurt. Thanks for sticking with us! We love you.
What would we do without our precious listeners? This week we discuss a topic submitted by Michael. (Thank you, dude, for giving us something to talk about!) We discuss experiencing physical sensations from well-written books, and Zane loses her mind thanks to a headache.
Sometimes when we need topic ideas, we take to googling. We're only human, after all. This week's googling unearthed a surprisingly deep topic of conversation. Do readers have the right to critique the work of a writer, even though they can't claim ownership over the work? Also we ate too much food before we recorded and...there's a lot of burping. Sorry.
Are you capable of multi-tasking while reading? Listener Nick comes through yet again with a great topic for us. He asks us if we can listen to music or podcasts while reading, and we talk about our abilities to juggle. PLUS we discover that somehow Sean has never seen Coneheads. WTF.
Listener Nicholas sends us into uncharted territory with this great topic suggestion: the wide world of sports! We discuss our experience with sports related literature, Josh goes off the TMI deep end, and Zane wins the show. Six week streak, keep the faith alive!
Well, the honeymoon is over. This week's episode is fraught with tension. We field a great topic suggestion from listener John Glessner about the future of the book industry. Can it survive the collapse of the corporate book store, or will it go the way of the music industry? We get grumpy and argumentative, and Zane confesses a deep dark secret.
The gang is back again this week (yes, THIS WEEK) to talk about fantasy fiction. No, not that THAT fantasy fiction. The fiction where we fantasize about who writes our story. What author would you choose to tell the story of your life? We discuss our choices, and Josh brags about how famous his friends are.
Up a day early to help soothe your snow day woes! This week we're discussing the recent Terry Goodkind scandal, and why literature is a collaborative art that requires teamwork.
Two weeks in a row?!? You bet your butts. We're back with a vengeance, and we're talking about how Barnes and Noble is tanking the industry. Check it out and let us know if you agree.
Happy new week! We're discussing what fictional worlds we'd actually want to live in, but don't worry - we're also arguing about...well, anything and everything. We've missed you, but we promise this episode will make it feel like we were never gone.
Okay guys, we admit it - it has been longer than a week since we posted. What we intended to be our Halloween/Thanksgiving episode has become our Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's episode. But we're pretty sure it was worth the wait. Dramatic reading abound!
This WEEK your intrepid friends shake off the dust of a week and get into the deeper recesses of their privileged upbringings. Some kids were afraid of hunger or gun violence. Tune in to listen to the horrific nightmare scenarios that kept us up at night.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking "Damn, if only I knew what personality type Josh is"? WELL WONDER NO MORE! We heeded the suggestion of a listener and together took the Myers-Briggs test. Listen and take the test with along with us, and find out what famous authors (or podcast hosts) you share a personality type with!
We took the test at 16personalities.com.
Everything is kind of the worst, which means we are all relating to dystopian fiction HARD. We get political and discuss how the apocalypse seems to be encroaching at a much slower rate in real life than our books and films would suggest. To summarize: Thanks for nothing, Roland Emmerich.
We're a day late, which we'll go ahead and blame on the holiday weekend (Thanks, AMERICA), but we think you'll be pleased with today's episode. Thanks to an intrepid listener we're able to breathe new life into an old topic. Do we read the novel first, or watch the adaptation? We get introspective and the conversation inevitably turns to Star Trek. Enjoy!
Sometimes you love a book so much that you just feel compelled to rewrite it. Or at least...some people do. This week your intrepid hosts discuss their experience with fan fiction (or lack thereof).
We also address a well intentioned but creepy email that we received, and discuss internet manners. So keep your elbows off the table, chew with your mouth closed, and heed our advice.
Welcome to our Passover/Easter spectacular! The gang gets together at an unconventional family gathering, and discuss what it's like to be late to the proverbial party. We welcome Sean's daughter as our newest (and most professional) host, and she makes a valiant effort to keep us on topic. Consider it a spring miracle. Happy belated holidays, listeners!
Have you ever wished for a full hour of Cracking The Spine? Then today is your lucky day! We discuss if we've ever read books to impress anyone...so in true CtS fashion we never get sidetracked or bogged down in minutiae, and we wrap up our very civil discourse efficiently and succinctly. Just kidding, we talk for forever about whatever. We can't be anyone but ourselves.
When the week stretches on as long as this, there's a lot to talk about. The gang catches up on all the reading they've been doing (no, really!), discuss the emotional power of literature, and get worked up about listener emails. Just another week in the CtS universe. Listen and enjoy!
Seems like you can't swing a dead cat around your head these days without hitting one or more depressing news story. So our gang puts on their political hats and talks about the role of literature during tough times. Be warned - it's a politically-themed discussion. Proceed with caution.
Happy merriness and holiday yuletide greetings listeners! We've made it to our second Christmas spectacular. This time around, instead of reading previously published works by famous writers, we opted to read personal missives sent to us by soon-to-be famous (or infamous in some cases) listeners. We got a wide array of letters, from the humorously sublime to the deeply heartfelt. Light up a log (in whatever way is meaningful to you) and give a listen!
Your favorite weekly podcast returns a day early from its normal weekly posting schedule to deliver another week's worth of content and hilarity. We decided to post on Wednesday this week (as opposed to every other week) in case you have some traveling to do. As you might. We post weekly. Oh, we talk about books and podcasts and something this week. Because we post every week.
This week, while celebrating a High Holiday, Zane, Sean and Josh tackle the not-at-all controversial topic of our civilization's fascination with Stone Age texts. While (attempting) to stay respectful, they (attempt) addressing the seemingly incongruous connection humanity feels with books written before the advent of any modern kind of thinking. Join us, and remember, it's not offensive!
Based on another great listener suggestion (from what is arguably one of the most powerful emails we've ever received) Josh, Sean and Josh dive into the world of bookstores and libraries. Sure, yeah, they've talked about those amazing respositories before, but not to the extent they delve into it tonight. Listen as they expound on their love of the idea of collecting human understanding in the printed form.
Ok, that sounds more serious than it is. Trust me, there's the more than enough of the usual Sean-boasting, Zane-eye-rolling, and Josh-not-reading that you guys have come to know and love. But also, maybe serious?
This week your three intrepid hosts. . . HOLD ON! Did you say three?! Why yes, I did, because JOSH IS BACK! Anyway, your three intrepid hosts (one of whom is Josh) discuss an incredibly meta topic - how do you actually read a book? Are you a skimmer? Do you skip ahead? Pore over every word? You may be surprised to learn that Zane, Josh and Sean each have their own preferred method, and we all quickly learn that no one way is the "right way".
Did I mention that Josh is back? He so is. . .
This week marks a triumphant return of 2/3 of the CtS crew! Josh couldn't make it (NO YOU HATERS, WE DIDN'T FIRE HIM) but Sean and Zane sit still long enough to talk about how it feels to get wrapped up in a series that isn't finished. It's kind of like listening to a podcast that is inconsistent in posting episodes. The crew also welcomes on a very special guest for the show, one whose appearance will be the stuff of legends for years to come.
Josh, Zane and Sean take their show on the road, quite literally. With scheduling becoming an issue, the gang takes the opportunity of a long drive to a special dinner to talk about travel books in all their forms. They get distracted by thoughts of meat and alcohol, as well as the meat and alcohol themselves. Buckle up, buckaroos! It's a wild ride!
This week we dip into the Cracking the Spine Reddit in order to get a great topic. Sean, Josh and Zane delve into what books our children will read when they get into high school. Will 1984 stand the test of time, or will The Hunger Games become the new classic. And, like, it's not that we're obsessed with The Hunger Games, but we may or may not spend some time talking about it.... but we talk about other things too.... Listen up. You may learn something (that your kids will learn later).
This week the group makes its triumphant return, and boy are you lucky they did! Taking another awesome listener suggestion, Josh, Zane and Sean talk about their own personal evolutionary arcs as readers. Where did each of their tastes come from? Did the Cro-Magnon steps of their early twenties help influence the homosapien tastes of their now? Is this analogy stretched to its limit? They attempt to apply some intelligent design to the conversation, and delve into the origin of reading. Join in!
Josh couldn't make it to the recording this week, so Zane and Sean thought it would be a good opportunity to talk about something they never can when Josh is around: reading books. For us, and maybe for you, there is a very ritualistic feeling associated with reading. There needs to be a specific time, the perfect place, the ideal inspiration. It's a fairly meta conversation, but one we think you'd enjoy. Listen and see if you agree!
For sixty nine episodes we have discussed the human side of books. This week we finally get in touch with our animal sides. Who are the most memorable non-human characters from literature, and what do they reveal about our shared humanity? Sean and Josh, while not as accomplished in the animal world as Zane, try to keep up. You can keep up too by listening! So do it!
How far are we willing to take a joke? Let's say we go one past sixty eight and one before seventy. But it's not what you think. Unless it is what you think. In which case, man, you're smart. Listen. Josh, Zane and Sean go to places in books you've likely never been before.
When our listeners suggest topics, we listen. And this time, we dig down deep to discuss book analysis. You might be surprised that one third of the hosts doesn't think of himself/herself as overly analytic, one third feels he/she is incredibly analytical, and the other comes down right in the middle. The gang also manages to work Skyrim into the conversation, and Zane goes off the reservation and picks her own book to read. Sean is flabbergasted. You'll laugh. We promise.
Have you guys sent us an email recently? If not, you really should. It's a good way to stay in touch with us, but also, it's a great way for us to hear from you. And this week we hear from a listener who gave us a fantastic show suggestion. Memorial Day has come and gone, which means that summer has (unofficially) started. Zane, Josh and Sean talk about what makes a book a particularly good summer read. There's also some J. Lo talk, some klaxons, a frog, and a motorcycle. Just the usual joyousness that is Cracking the Spine!
The greatest subreddit on the Internet comes through again with an incredibly interesting topic - in terms of novels, do you prefer a larger world view or something smaller and more intimate? Trust me: Sean, Zane and Josh have opinions on this. They also coo over a business card and lament the very real threat of book censorship.
A listener comes through again this week with another great topic: is there any truth behind the perception that reading a book is a "smarter" way of getting a story or is it just a time-honored bias that has no meaning. You'll discover that the crew has no easy answers. Unless the question is, "What is Josh's big snack this week?" Tune in, and we guarantee* you'll be smarter than before you listened!
(*not a guarantee)
Once again the listeners come through with a topic that at first glance may seem trivial, but is in fact quite thought-provoking. Josh, Sean and Zane discuss the pressure one feels from loaning out a book, or from having a book loaned to them. They each come at the stress of the idea from a different place, making this week's show feel more like group therapy than a podcast. And when you consider how much some people pay for psychoanalysis, you're pretty lucky to get this for free! And they obviously couldn't avoid the one, the only Dr. Chuck Tingle.
Books mentioned:
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things by: Iain Reid
Soolie Beetch And The Dying Light by: Gypsie Raleigh
War Porn by: Roy Scranton
Haunted by: Chuck Palahniuk
The Fireman by: Joe Hill
Snow Crash by: Neal Stephenson
This week the crew discusses a topic of Sean's choosing - the protagonists that you love to hate. And with these three, you know the vitriol is all over the place. There's also talk of Hugo Award puppies, a show listener's first published novel, and, of course, Mr. Chuck Tingle. If you love hate, this is the show for you!
Books mentioned:
Thirst by: Benjamin Warner
Soolie Beetch And The Dying Light by: Gypsie Raleigh
The Name Of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
Don’t You Cry by: Mary Kubica
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past By: Chuck Klosterman
The Catcher In The Rye by: J. D. Salinger
The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer by: Mark Twain
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
Great Expectations by: Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol by: Charles Dickens
Return Of The King by: J. R. R. Tolkien
The Green Mile: The Complete Serial Novel by: Stephen King
The Girl On The Train by: Paula Hawkins
A Gray Man by: Luke Gelheiser
Your heroes (that is: Zane, Josh and Sean) get a suggestion from one of their heroes (that is: you wonderful listeners) and talk about villains (that is: bad guys). They do such a good job of it, that we're pretty sure they talk about every single villain in all of written literature. You should listen to see if they missed anyone. There's also a lengthy (but very much needed) discussion of the world of Paw Patrol. It's deep.
Books mentioned:
Don’t You Cry by: Mary Kubica
Fellside by: M. R. Carey
Thirst by: Benjamin Warner
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
Fight Club by: Chuck Palahniuk
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
Moby Dick by: Herman Melville
Red Dragon by: Thomas Harris
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by: J. K. Rowling
The Lord Of The Rings by: J. R. R. Tolkien
The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by: Arthur Conan Doyle
The Dark Tower by: Stephen King
It by: Stephen King
Dracula by: Bram Stoker
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by: Stieg Larsson
The Lies Of Locke Lamora by: Scott Lynch
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by: Ken Kesey
The Three Musketeers by: Alexandre Dumas
The Count Of Monte Cristo by: Alexandre Dumas
Something Wicked This Way Comes by: Ray Bradbury
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales From The Making Of The Princess Bride by: Cary Elwes
This week the gang stays completely on topic and never once wavers nor gets off on tangents. Really. Never. Not even once. We stay so laser-focused on the topic of book clubs that if you pointed this week's episode at a mass of hydrogen gas, there would be pure nuclear fusion. You've never heard us so focused. Don't believe me? Listen up and learn something!
Books Mentioned:
The Woman In Cabin 10 by: Ruth Ware
Fellside by: M.R. Carey
The Girl With All The Gifts by: M.R. Carey
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
Thirst by: Benjamin Warner
Haunted by: Chuck Palahniuk
Feeling The Bern In My Butt by: Chuck Tingle
This week you get to listen to an audio podcast with audio hosts talking about audio books. This is one from way back in the listener suggestion vault, but no less worthy for sitting for so long. Sean, Zane and Josh opine on what literary audio excursions they've been on, and how often they make the trip. Come along and LISTEN!
Books Mentioned:
Disappearance At Devil’s Rock by: Paul Tremblay
Pax by: Sara Pennypacker
The Woman In Cabin 10 by: Ruth Ware
In A Dark, Dark Wood by: Ruth Ware
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
Ready Player One by: Ernest Cline
Nothing’s Sacred by: Lewis Black
Bossypants by: Tina Fey
Yes, Please by: Amy Poehler
Game Of Thrones by: George R. R. Martin
Our listeners come up with the best stuff! This week we get the suggestion of remakes and retelling. While we start off on books, we quickly jump over into the world of movies (who could've guessed?!). Do we love hearing the same stories over and over again? Hate it? Feel 100% apathetic about it? Listen and we'll find out together.
Books mentioned:
Disappearance At Devil’s Rock by: Paul Tremblay
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things by: Iain Reid
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by: David Peterson
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by: Jane Austen, Seth Grahame-Smith
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by: Seth Grahame-Smith
Mr. Happy by: Roger Hargreaves
Go The Fuck To Sleep by: Adam Mansbach
Goodnight iPad: A Parody For The Next Generation by: Ann Droyd
Zane and Sean enjoy the quiet efficiency of a Josh-less show to take on another great listener suggestion. Everyone knows about the concept of a novel's voice - first person, third person omniscient, and the ever-elusive second person, but how does one choose a favorite? Tune in to find out! (And listen for Sean's improving klaxon skills.)
Books mentioned:
Clive Barker’s Books Of Blood 1-3 by: Clive Barker
Don’t You Cry by: Mary Kubica
Disappearance At Devil’s Rock by: Paul Tremblay
Bright Lights, Big City by: Jay McInerney
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things by: Iain Reid
The Shawshank Redemption by: Stephen King
Set This House In Order: A Romance Of Souls by: Matt Ruff
Dracula by: Bram Stoker
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky
Black Chalk by: Christopher J. Yates
This time out, Zane, Josh and Sean discuss the idea of reading and seeing plays. What is it about play scripts that make them such a different literary experience, and why do we love them so? Well, we don't all love them. Josh's relationship with plays would be better described as. . . well. . . just listen and find out. Make sure to stick around for the triumphant return of the dramatic reading!
Books Mentioned:
Clive Barker’s Books Of Blood by: Clive Barker
Inherit The Wind by: Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee
Willnot by: James Sallis
Disappearance At Devil’s Rock by: Paul Tremblay
Life Moves Pretty Fast: The Lessons We Learned from Eighties Movies (and Why We Don't Learn Them from Movies Anymore) by: Hadley Freeman
Romeo And Juliet by: William Shakespeare
Richard The Third by: William Shakespeare
We set out trying to tackle the gigantic beast that is the Amazon Kindle store, but end up getting completely hung up on one specific author. Really, there are a lot of weird, weird, WEIRD things that you can buy for your e-reader. Maybe stick to real books?
Black Chalk by: Christopher J. Yates
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by: Grady Hendrix
What If We’re Wrong? by: Chuck Klosterman
Lexicon by: Max Barry
Hedging His Bets by: Celia Kyle
Dragon Her Feet by: Celia Kyle
Gay T-Rex Law Firm: Executive Boner by: Chuck Tingle
Turned Gay By The Existential Dread That I May Actually Be A Character In A Chuck Tingle Book by: Chuck Tingle
Proving that you can find anything on the internet, the gang this week tackles the evil inherent in coloring mandalas in adult coloring books. Yes, apparently there are people out there who will tell you that coloring symbols of Eastern philosophy literally leads to demons possessing you. Sean, Zane and Josh have feelings on that. They share those feelings. You listen. That's how this whole thing works.
There's nothing sacred for your intrepid show hosts, as this week they peek behind the bathroom door to find out what they're reading on the toilet. Or, you know, what they're not reading. Naturally, this leads to a discussion of how one becomes Voldemort. Listen up, and no hand washing needed!
Books mentioned:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
Security by: Gina Wohlsdorf
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff In Simple Words by: Randall Munroe
Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader by: Bathroom Reader’s Institute
Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise? and Other Imponderables: Mysteries of Everyday Life Explained by: David Feldman
Thanks once again to a listener's suggestion, Zane and Sean get deep into the literary tropes they love and hate. Which cliches never fail to lure them in, and which ones have become hackneyed. Meanwhile, Josh is nowhere to be found.
Books mentioned:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by: Grady Hendrix
But What If We're Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by: Chuck Klosterman
The Girl On The Train by: Paula Hawkins
Seveneves by: Neal Stephenson
Aurora by: Kim Stanley Robinson
Diamond Age by: Neal Stephenson
A Decent Ride by: Irvine Welsh
Lovecraft Country by: Matt Ruff
There are fifty two weeks in a year, and this is episode fifty and two, so we're declaring this the Official Cracking the Spine One Year Anniversary show! We couldn't have made it this long without such great support from our listeners, and we once again draw on that support for this week's topic. Our hosts discuss the books that are the most important books in each of their lives. While every book is important to someone, what is that one book (or more than one book) that Zane, Josh and Sean absolutely cannot be without.
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
The Regional Office Is Under Attack by: Manuel Gonzales
My Best Friend’s Exorcism by: Grady Hendrix
Neuromancer by: William Gibson
The Hero WIth A Thousand Faces by: Joseph Campbell
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by: J. K. Rowling
The Lord Of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Because we love you so much (so very very much... like... really... it could be considered an unhealthy amount of love) we bring you a special Valentine's Day episode of CtS! Sean, Josh and Zane share stories and letters of love, love and MORE LOVE OH MY GOD SO MUCH LOVE! We hope you enjoy it, maybe even... love? it?
Come with me and we'll be in a world of pure imagination! The gang jumps all over another listener suggestion to talk about what genre they would stock their dream library with. 2/3 of your hosts know exactly where to go. One of them, let's call her "Zane", isn't so sure.
Books mentioned:
Security by: Gina Wholsdorf
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
Dark Matter by: Blake Crouch
The Regional Office Is Under Attack by: Manuel Gonzales
Man, our listeners come up with the best ideas! This week, at the suggestion of one of those awesome listeners, your hosts and friends (and potential Valentines) discuss all those books they've always wanted to read, but never got around to. Josh's list is longer than most...
Books mentioned:
The Devil In The White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America Trade Book by: Erik Larson
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by: Erik Larson
A Head Full Of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
Grendel by: John Gardner
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Jane Eyre by: Charlotte Bronte
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by: Douglas Adams
There Is No God and He Is Always with You: A Search for God in Odd Places by: Brad Warner
In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made by: Norman F. Cantor
Invincible Compendium, Vol. 1 by: Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker (Illustrator), Ryan Ottley (Illustrator)
Watchmen by: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons (Illustrator)
Frankenstein by: Mary Shelley
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by: Arthur Conan Doyle
The Girls by: Emma Cline
The Name of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
The Wise Man’s Fear by: Patrick Rothfuss
The Twelve by: Justin Cronin
The City Of Mirrors by: Justin Cronin
This week another listener has tossed out a great topic, and your three undaunted hosts tackle it head on. Zane, Josh and Sean are forced to think about what book they would write, were they tasked to write a book. It's not quite as easy as you may think. Also, Josh doesn't have a FitBit and is mocked soundly for it.
Books mentioned:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens by: Alan Dean Foster
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by: Erik Larson
The Cuckoo’s Calling by: Robert Galbraith
The Martian by: Andy Weir
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
A Game Of Thrones by: George R. R. Martin
Aurora by: Kim Stanley Robinson
The Fold by: Peter Clines
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by: J. K. Rowling
This week, Zane, Josh and Sean take another great listener suggestion to talk about how we store and maintain our libraries. Books are very important in our lives, so taking care of them merits a conversation. You decide if it's interesting! Also, there's a Valentine surprise at the end...
Books mentioned:
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
Lovecraft Country by: Matt Ruff
Star Wars: The Force Awakens by: Alan Dean Foster
Something Wicked This Way Comes by: Ray Bradbury
Quicksilver: Volume One of the Baroque Cycle
Happy new year spine crackers! The gang makes its triumphant 2016 debut (albiet a week late...)with another great listener suggestion. With a recent announcement from George RR Martin, we decided to tackle the idea of media creators who do (or don't) match the expectation of the audience. Listen on up!
Books mentioned:
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by: Stephen King
Lovecraft Country by: Matt Ruff
The Gunslinger by: Stephen King
Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire by: George R. R. Martin
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by: J. K. Rowling
The CtS team wants to wish you and yours nothing but joy and merriment at this festive time of year. So this week we bring you a trio of Christmas readings from some of our favorite writers. We hope that this show brings some comfort and cheer to your Yuletide season.
When in the course of human events does it become acceptable to hate an artist, regardless of the relative quality of the art, based on his personal lifestyle? Our intrepid trio delve into this thorny issue.
Music Used: Fractal Planetoid by: imp
Books mentioned:
The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams by: Stephen King
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
The Fireman by: Joe Hill
Ender’s Game by: Orson Scott Card
Atlas Shrugged by: Ayn Rand
A Million Little Pieces by: James Frey
Dipping back into the listener mailbag, Zane and Sean discuss their own personal golden ages of writing. Josh sits this one out with a newly discovered illness. Enjoy!
Music Used: Fractal Planetoid by: imp
Books Mentioned:
The Fireman by: Joe Hill
The Cuckoo’s Calling by: Robert Galbraith
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by: Stephen King
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
Twilight by: Stephenie Meyer
The crew meets at a family Thanksgiving get together to talk about what they're thankful for, as well as reading some listeners gratitude. Spoiler alert: a lot of people are indebted to butts.
Music used: I Want to Believe by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Dodgers by: Bill Beverly
The Cuckoo’s Calling by: Robert Galbraith
The Fireman by: Joe Hill
The Da Vinci Code by: Dan Brown
A listener suggestion gives Zane, Sean and Josh fits as they struggle to come up with their favorite character, in any medium. Also,the gang gives thanks.
Music Used: Sean’s Song by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
A Decent Ride by: Irvine Welsh
Dodgers by: Bill Beverly
The Cuckoo’s Calling by: Robert Galbraith
The Count Of Monte Cristo by: Alexandre Dumas
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
Maniac Magee by: Jerry Spinelli
Lolita by: Vladimir Nabokov
Anathem by: Neal Stephenson
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by: J. K. Rowling
Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott
The Authoritative Calvin And Hobbes by: Bill Watterson
NOS4A2 by: Joe Hill
This week, Sean admits a bit of an addiction to coffee table books, Zane brings her usual awesome statistical analysis to the discussion, and Josh likes nekkid ladies. Makes a great gift!
Music Used: Winter Pageant by: Honeychurch
Books Mentioned:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
And Again by: Jessica Chiarella
A Decent Ride by: Irvine Welsh
Bunny Yeagers Pin-Up Girls Of The 1950s by: Bunny Yeager
Josh and Sean get really deep down in the geekery this week, discussing the points where Peter Jackson's film adaptations depart from the source Tolkien mythology. Fortunately for Zane, she misses the whole thing.
Music Used: Tennessee Valley by: Honeychurch
Books Discussed:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
A Head Full of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
And Again by: Jessica Chiarella
The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook by: Rosanna Pansino
The Hobbit by: J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings by: J.R.R. Tolkien
Music used: The Dinner Song by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Fold by: Peter Cline
Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by: Chuck Palahniuk
The Children’s Home by: Charles Lambert
Made To Kill by: Adam Christopher
And Again by: Jessica Chiarella
Mad Max: Fury Road by: Lee Bermejo, George Miller
A Story Of God And All Of Us by: Roma Downey, Mark Burnett
Happy Halloween from your friends at Cracking the Spine! Sean, Josh, and Zane bring you a trio of scary stories to celebrate the spooky day.
The usual gang o'three get together to discuss the phenomenon of binging out on media. Television shows, authors, and other kinds of binge consumption of entertainment are broken down to their core elements. It's neat!
Music Used: Miko II by: Honeychurch
Books Mentioned:
The Children’s Home by: Charles Lambert
The Fold by: Peter Clines
Berkeley Breathed S Academia Waltz and Other Profound Transgressions by: Berkeley Breathed
There Is No God And He Is Always With You: A Search For God In Odd Places by: Brad Warner
Heart Shaped Box by: Joe Hill
NOS4A2 by: Joe Hill
Quicksilver: Volume One Of The Baroque Cycle by: Neal Stephenson
This week the gang delves deeply and greedily into a topic near and dear to their hearts - video games. While most of the conversation centers around Skyrim, it turns out there are other games too.
This week is dedicated to Don Barnes, Donnie Van Zant, and everyone who holds on loosely.
Music used: Never by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Sleeping Giants by: Sylvain Neuvel
Mr. Eternity by: Aaron Thier
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
The Fold by: Peter Clines
Once again we go to the listener mailbox for a topic, this time taking on why people don't read. Josh, being a bit of an expert in these things, weighs in. Sean and Zane provide some insight as well. You decide if that insight is worthy!
Music used: Welcome Home, Spacegirl by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Windup Girl by: Paolo Bacigalupi
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Sleeping Giants by: Sylvain Neuvel
The Fold by: Peter Clines
Armada by: Ernest Cline
The Diary Of A Young Girl by: Anne Frank
The Girl On The Train by: Paula Hawkins
Great Expectations by: Charles Dickens
The Martian by: Andy Weir
This week we discuss young adult literature, and why we do or don't read it. It doesn't quite come to blows, but boy, it comes close!
Music used: The Dream is Over by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Duma Key by: Stephen King
The Windup Girl by: Paolo Bacigalupi
Sleeping Giants by: Sylvain Neuvel
Mad Max: Fury Road by: Lee Bermejo, George Miller
The World’s Worst Poetry by: Stephen Robins
The Joy Of Sex by: Alex Comfort, Susan Quilliam
Maniac Magee by: Jerry Spinelli
A Head Full Of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
The Maze Runner by: James Dashner
Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by: Rick Riordan
The Outsiders by: S. E. Hinton
Twilight by: Stephenie Meyer
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
Divergent by: Veronica Roth
Zane and Sean tackle the perception of science fiction in popular culture. Is it just for stunted male children, or can anyone explore the worlds of the genre? Listen and learn!
Music Used - Chancery Lane by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Bream Gives Me Hiccups by: Jesse Eisenberg
Duma Key by: Stephen King
The Martian by: Andy Weir
The Girl On The Train by: Paula Hawkins
Corrections by: Jonathan Franzen
Freedom by: Jonathan Franzen
Killing Regan: The Violent Assault That Changed A Presidency by: Bill O’Reily, Martin Dugard
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1): The Illustrated Edition
The gang sets off with no road map, no destination, and no stated topic for discussion. They end up talking hobbies, sharpening pencils, and the bossiness of a host's child.
Music Used: Falling Leaves by Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
Dead House by: Dawn Kurtagich
The Cure For Dreaming by: Cat Winters
Bream Gives Me Hiccups by: Jesse Eisenberg
This week we discuss the art form of making words into things called poems. Originally the gang is all pretty convinced that it is a crap form, but come to discover that maybe it's awesome? And then Josh and Sean battle, slam-poet style. Can you dig it, Jackson?
Music used: Before you Leave by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Cure For Dreaming by: Cat Winters
Dead House by: Dawn Kurtagich
Bream Gives Me Hiccups by: Jesse Eisenberg
Press Start To Play by: Daniel H. Wilson, John Joseph Adams
Abomination by: Gary Whitta
The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by: Mark Twain
The Aeneid by: Virgil, translation by Robert Fagles
Dante’s Inferno adapted by: Sandow Birk and Marcus Sanders, illustrated by Sandow Birk
Beowulf: A Translation And Commentary by: J. R. R. Tolkien
The Poems Of Catullus by: Gaius Valerius Catullus
Where The Sidewalk Ends by: Shel Silverstein
This week our valiant trio talks titillating (a word that always makes Josh giggle) books, as well as love stories. Together they discover that creating believable romance in literature isn't as easy as it seems. We also hear the triumphant return of JoshBot. And as a bonus: fifty shades of a dramatic reading!
Music Used: Bottle of Tears by: Honeychurch
Zane and Sean take another listener suggestion and delve into the world of banned books. Who is banning these things? Why would that happen? The bad news: Josh had a last minute emergency and couldn't make it. The good news: We were able to plug in a replacement co-host. Enjoy!
Music Used: Sean’s Song by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Executioner’s Heart by: George Mann
Blackbirds by: Chuck Wendig
Press Start To Play by: Daniel H. Wilson, John Joseph Adams
The Essential Bernie Sanders And His Vision For America by: Jonathan Tasini
Children Of The Matrix - How An Interdimensional Race Has Controlled The World For Thousands Of Years - And Still Does by: David Icke
In Cold Blood: A True Account A Multiple Murder And Its Consequences by: Truman Capote
Lolita by: Vladimir Nabokov
Looking For Alaska by: John Green
Speak by: Laurie Halse Anderson
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky
The Catcher In The Rye by: J. D. Salinger
Huck Finn by: Mark Twain
Holy Blood, Holy Grail by: Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, Henry Lincoln
Cracking the AP Statistics Exam by: The Princeton Review
Endings. Every book has at least one. This week we delve into what makes an ending successful, or what makes it the opposite word of what successful means. We also yell at Zane. A lot.
Music Used: Winter Pageant by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Immorality Engine by: George Mann
The Executioner’s Heart by: George Mann
The Missing by: Sarah Langan
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
Contact by: Carl Sagan
Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by: J. K. Rowling
The Mist by: Stephen King
The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Natural by: Bernard Malamud
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
Armada by: Ernest Cline
Ready Player One by: Ernest Cline
The Giver by: Lois Lowry
This week those wacky Cracking the Spine kids talk about authors who may or may not have lost contact with reality. Is insanity a rare find in literature, or is it almost a prerequisite? And Sean channels his inner goddess to deliver an empowering self-help dramatic reading.
Music Used: A Work Suspended by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Aurora by: Kim Stanley Robinson
A Head Full Of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
Make Something Up: Stories You Can’t Unread by: Chuck Palahniuk
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by: Ken Kesey
Watchmen by: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
V For Vendetta by: Alan Moore, David Lloyd
Hyperion by: Dan Simmons
Ender’s Game by: Orson Scott Card
The Bell Jar by: Sylvia Plath
The Immorality Engine by: George Mann
A Confederacy Of Dunces by: John Kennedy Toole
A Million Little Pieces by: James Frey
Take 2: Your Guide To Creating Happy Endings And New Beginnings by: Leeza Gibbons
This week the gang serves up the laughs and chuckles as they delve into the topic of bleak and depressing books. Why do we read them? What do we gain? It's also a week of firsts as we give our first ever birthday shout-out, as well as witnessing our first ever dramatic reading rage-quit. Let's go!
Music used: I Want to Believe by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
Aurora by: Kim Stanley Robinson
A Head Full Of Ghosts by: Paul G. Tremblay
The Girl With All The Gifts by: M. R. Carey
The Road by: Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian: Or The Evening Redness In The West by: Cormac McCarthy
Trainspotting by: Irvine Welsh
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
We Need To Talk About Kevin by: Lionel Shriver
The Girl On The Train by: Paula Hawkins
Dog Heaven by: Cynthia Rylant
Once again our hosts take a listener suggestion, this time talking about the aesthetics of books. That is, does the physical appearance of a book influence our decision to read (or not) a particular work. With the dramatic reading, it's fair to say we've spared no expense.
Music used: Turning Leaves by Honeychurch
Books discussed:
Aurora by: Kim Stanley Robinson
Crooked by: Austin Grossman
Horrorstör by: Grady Hendrix
Marabou Stork Nightmares by: Irvine Welsh
Filth by: Irvine Welsh
The Martian Chronicles by: Ray Bradbury
Red Seas Under Red Skies by: Scott Lynch
Snakes on A Plane: A Novelization by: Christa Faust
The Dinosaur Lords by: Victor Milan
This week's topic, suggested by a loyal listener, is guilty pleasures. What books make our hosts red-faced if they get caught reading them? And today's dramatic reading takes us deep inside the mind of Dr. Sam Beckett.
Music: The Winter Part One by: Honeychurch
Books mentioned:
The Name Of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
Horrorstör by: Sam Stall, Grady Hendrix
Until We Meet Again by: Renee Collins
The Maze Runner by: James Dashner
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by: L. J. Smith
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
Quantum Leap: The Wall by: Ashley McConnell
Fantasy! Sean, Zane and Josh delve into the fantastical world of the fantasy genre. What makes it tick? Why do we read it? Apologies for no dramatic reading this week...
Books mentioned:
The Fold by: Peter Clines
The Name Of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
Horrorstör by: Grady Hendrix
Go Set A Watchman by: Harper Lee
To Kill A Mockingbird by: Harper Lee
The Lies Of Locke Lamora by: Scott Lynch
Eragon by: Christopher Paolini
Anathem by: Neal Stephenson
A Game Of Thrones by: George R. R. Martin
The Lord Of The Rings by: J. R. R. Tolkien
The Last Unicorn by: Peter S. Beagle
Stardust by: Neil Gaiman
The Gunslinger: The Dark Tower I by: Stephen King
Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone by: J. K. Rowling
Today Zane and Sean get into a discussion over old-fashioned paper books as compared to e-books/tablets/etc. Also Zane provides an informative and lively reading from a children's picture books (note to self: picture books are tough for an audio podcast...)
Books discussed:
Let The Right One In by: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Blood And Salt by: Kim Ligget
Hollow Man by: Mark Pryor
The Name Of The Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
A Game Of Thrones by: George R. R. Martin
Warm Bodies by: Isaac Marion
Grey: Fifty Shades Of Grey As Told By Christian by: E. L. James
The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by: L. J. Smith
Sean and Josh give Zane a much needed break from their stupidity this week and delve into a conversation about comedy. Two of the funniest living humans talk comedy. It literally cannot go wrong. Or can it?
Books discussed:
A Head Full of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
The Fold by: Peter Clines
The Name of the Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
Bossypants by: Tina Fey
Not That Kind of Girl by: Lena Dunham
Born Standing Up by: Steve Martin
Modern Romance by: Aziz Ansari
The Time Machine Did It by: John Schwarzwelder
The Pirates in an Adventure with Communists by: Gideon DeFoe
The Pirates in an Adventure with Scientists by: Gideon DeFoe
The Areas of My Expertise by: John Hodgman
Brain Droppings by: George Carlin
When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops by: George Carlin
Science. . . For Her! by: Megan Amram
American Cornball by: Christopher Miller
Writing Movies for Fun and Profit by: Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant
Monologue: What Makes America Laugh Before Bedtime by: John Macks
This week our intrepid trio (that's right, Josh is back!) talk about truth versus fiction. Why pick one over the other? Josh also gives a dramatic reading from a "political text" from a Fox News host. Classic Josh...
Books Discussed:
The Girl With All The Gifts by: M. R. Carey
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by: Milan Kundera
Adios America by: Ann Coulter
Scrapper by: Matt Bell
The Fold by: Peter Clines
The Drafter by: Kim Harrison
The Name of the Wind by: Patrick Rothfuss
A Headful of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
Grendel by: John Garnder
Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded by: Simon Winchester
One Summer: America 1927 by: Bill Bryson
At Home by: Bill Bryson:
Hardcore Zen by: Brad Warner
South: The Endurance Expedition by: Ernest Henry Shackleton
The Good Lord Bird by: James McBride
Quicksilver by: Neal Stephenson
George Washington’s Secret Six by: Brian Kilmeade
Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by: Neal Gabler
Jim Henson by: Brian Jay Jones
Mao: The Unknown Story by: Jung Chang
Not Cool: The Hipster Elite and Their War on You by: Greg Gutfeld
Zane and Sean decide to give Josh the week off today (though he may or may not have made an appearance). The duo dig deeply into the horror genre, a personal favorite of each of them. There's also a spooky reading from a terrifying new novel ( - not a guarantee of terror). Pull the covers up tight and prepare for the nightmares!
Music - Fields on Fire by: Honeychurch
Books discussed:
The Girl With All The Gifts by: M. R. Carey
The Fold by: Peter Clines
Scrapper by: Matt Bell
The Drafter by: Kim Harrison
Grendel by: John Gardner
The Troop by: Nick Cutter
Heart Shaped Box by: Joe Hill
Haunted by: Chuck Palahniuk
Lunar Park by: Bret Easton Ellis
American Psycho by: Bret Easton Ellis
It by: Stephen King
Duma Key by: Stephen King
The Amityville Horror by: Jay Anson
We Need To Talk About Kevin by: Lionel Shriver
Gerald’s Game by: Stephen King
The Haunting Of Hill House by: Shirley Jackson
The Martian by: Andy Weir
South: The Endurance Expedition by: Ernest Henry Shackleton
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account Of The Mount Everest Disaster by: Jon Krakauer
This week the gang takes a suggestion from a listener and talk about the books that they read when they were younger. From Judy Blume to Stephen King to Gary Paulson and everything in between. Sean also treats us to another dramatic reading from a new American classic. Join us, won't you?
Music - Tennessee Valley by: Honeychurch
Books discussed:
A Head Full Of Ghosts by: Paul Tremblay
The Book Of Five Rings by: Musashi Miyamoto
Armada by: Ernest Cline
The Fold by: Peter Clines
The Girl With All The Gifts by: M. R. Carey
Frog And Toad Are Friends by: Arnold Lobel
Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town by: Richard Scarry
Mr. Happy by: Roger Hargreaves
The Boxcar Children by: Gertrude Chandler Warner
The Adventures Of Ali Baba Bernstein by: Johanna Hurwitz
The Mouse And The Motorcycle by: Beverly Cleary
Hatchet by: Gary Paulson
My Side Of The Mountain by: Jean Craighead George
The Outsiders by: S. E. Hinton
Bridge To Terabithia by: Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle In Time by: Madeleine L’Engle
The Virgin Suicides by: Jeffrey Eugenides
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky
Little Women by: Louisa May Alcott
The Crystal Cave by: Mary Stewart