Bookbabble

Bookbabble Episode 13: Jason vs Dracula! Recorded 16 July 2008 Babblers: Gem, Bjorn, Donny Synopsis: To commemorate Episode 13, the babblers made horror and superstition as a theme for today's show.  Didn't eventually talk about superstition, but plenty of horror movie talk, horror-related reads and some recommendations.  Also, terrifying developments on Nicole Ritchie's new book, Bjorn's thoughts on the terrifying Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris, and is there such a thing as a soul? Show Length:  58:38 mins Special Note: Look up the reference to The Big Lebowski yourself!   Links: Wikipedia entry on 13 (because you won't know how to find it, of course!) Tech Nation with Michio Kaku - the teleportation is a reality! Southern Vampire series

Bookbabble Episode 12: Collective Human Knowledge Gone Wilde! Recorded 5 July 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Katherine, Donny, with special guest Renee Wallace Synopsis: The babblers are joined by a special guest, Renee Wallace, more popularly known as Irene Wilde, in a discussion about the collective knowledge that is captured in books, and how we are accessing this store of information and knowledge and whether it is being accessed at all.  Also, the wonderful story of the Christmas Truce, serialized story by Benjamin Black (aka John Banville), and Internet book catalog sites. Show Length:  72:02 mins Links: Carl Sagan's CosmosThe Christmas TruceGoodreadsListalLibraryThingShelfariBenjamin Black - Serially Thrilling

Bookbabble Episode 11: Helping Ourselves To The Secret Recorded 25 June 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Katherine, Donny Synopsis: The group talks about self-help books, and whether they are more stink than substance.  Lars braved the entirely of The Secret and gives a brilliant summary - in all of 5 seconds (nobody was counting, anyway).  Others in the discussion include diet books, art of being happy, tools for communications, etc.  Also, Donny highlights a software tool for poets. Show Length:  49:04 mins Links: The Secret Psycho-cybernetics - A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life  

Bookbabble Episode 10: Bad Leeks Recorded 18 June 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: The group talks about award-winning books that seem to fall short of the expectations that follows recognition, why it's not as easy as it seems (at least to us).  Find out why Bjorn loves leek so much, just before he explains his love for Pynchon.  Also, a quick update from our resident Harry Potter correspondent, Amazon sanctions authors, Lars's quick discussion on Who Speaks for Islam by John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed, and Bjorn's masterful treatment of a classic Swedish poem. Show Length:  59:29 mins Special Note:  Hmm... let's see... I forgot to chip in when everyone else said f**k.  I've got to take note of that.  Also, Lars mentioned this mysterious entity called 'Beer Good'. Links: Amazon Sanctions Authors (Link from Glenda Larke) Who Speaks for Islam - as highlighted by Lars in Bookbabble

Bookbabble Episode 9: Iamb What Iamb - The Iambic Pentametre, that is. Recorded 13 June 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: The babblers talk poems!  An incredibly well-thought out podcast, filled with deliberate ponderings and critical analysis of the artform this episode is most certainly NOT.  Favourite poems get recited, emotions and thoughts that accompany them are shared.  Tidbits include a syair recital, a cheeky piece by Lars, serious one by Gem, an original by Donny, and a poetry textbook by Stephen Fry.  Also, the guys bring exciting ebook news to diehard ebook fan Gem. Show Length:  45:24 mins Special Note: Delicate ears should not listen at 2 points in the podcast, at the 42nd and 44th second mark. Links: P Ramlee's Syair Panca Delima Stephen Fry's An Ode Less Travelled Paulo Coelho's MySpace Page Cybook Gen 3

Bookbabble Episode 8: What you thought you knew about reading... is probably right. Recorded 5 June 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny, with special guest Katherine! Synopsis: Bookbabble has a guest!  The babblers are joined by a fellow bookworm Katherine aka Pontalba from New Orleans, as they all mull about how we experience the process that is book reading.  We took a little time to talk about a Nabokov fan's view about The Original of Laura, a little about the new Bond novel, and dish a little dirt on book forums. Show Length:  63:33 mins

Bookbabble Episode 7: And the cry rang out all around the town, Good Heavens the Tay Bridge has blown down! Recorded 29 May 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: The babblers ramble on about works that are influenced by other people's works, under what circumstances would it be allowed and how much of it is acceptable?  Quite a few books were mentioned that builds on existing and established literature, premises and explores interesting mashups.  Also discussed are why writers should have a will, impatience with George RR Martin and having some fun at the expense of apparently the worse poet ever. Note: There are a couple of places where the audio breaks a little for a few seconds, so take note and press on.  The quality returns to normal shortly after. Show Length:  50:59 mins Links: William Topaz McGonagall

Bookbabble Episode 6: What're You Reading For? Recorded 22 May 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: This episode was a leisurely-paced show where the babblers mull about what would constitute a good book.  A great many books were mentioned in this podcast, and you get a full short story thrown in for good measure!  Also, our resident Harry Potter correspondent comes up with the goods again, and Bjorn is true to form with his thought-provoking idle rambling. Books mentioned in this episode: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas C FosterHow to Read a Novel: A User's Guide, John SutherlandA Secret History, Donna TarttThe Little Friend, Donna TarttThe BFG, Roald DahlWuthering HeightsGone with the WindOliver Twist, Charles DickensRemains of the Day, Kazuo IshiguroPresumed Innocent, Scott TurowAsylum Piece, Anna KavenThe Master and Margarita, Mikhail BulgakovNo Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthyThe Gospel According to Jesus Christ, Jose SaramagoDemian, Herman HesseSteppenwolf, Herman HesseLegendsLegends IIThe Overcoat, Nikolay Vasilyevich GogolWhite Nights, DoestoyevskyCrime and Punishment, Fyodor DostoyevskyThe Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor DostoyevskyThe Black Monk, Anton ChekovChess, Stefan ZweigThe Death of Ivan Illyich Answer, Friedich BrownThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas AdamsMein Kampf, Adolf HitlerCutting It Short, Bohumil HrabalA Doll's House, Henrik IbsenThe Helmet of Horror: The Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, Victor Pelevin and Andrew Bromfield The Sea, John BanvilleThe Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Jean-Dominique Bauby Show Length: 49:46 mins Links: Michael Rosen: What I really said about Harry PotterStephen King: The last word on Harry Potter

Bookbabble Episode 5: The FrankenRitchie Recorded 14 May 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: The group takes a look at self-publishing, from Dickens's day to the present day incarnation, and briefly examines what has changed in terms of perception and technology.  Gem braves the waters to sample celebrity-written fiction, and lives to tell the tale.  Also discussed: the trailblazer of a novel that is Frankenstein, what Mary Shelley had in common with Nicole Ritchie, the Best of the Booker shortlist, the 10 most challenged books in 2007 and a fanboy gush on Guy Gavriel Kay.   Show Length: 62:06 mins Links: Self-publishing Hall of Fame You're an author?  Me too! Scott Sigler American Library Association    

Bookbabble Episode 4: Ebooks?  That's doolally! Recorded 3 May 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: Lars invites the others to ponder on the importance of language, of the responsibilities of translators and of the English language's propensity to adapt words from other languages into its own.  Also discussed are the good and bad about ebooks, and if it could this be the future of reading.  Discover Gem's secret feelings for the Kindle.  Other chitchat include finding love in the library, mobile bookstores and Donny's book warehouse sales haul! Show Length: 53:40mins Links: Can we have a word?Singles Night offered at libraryNew, a pop-up book(shop)

Bookbabble Episode 3: The New Shakespeare: Gary Barlow? Recorded 26 April 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: Shakespeare was the topic of the day, with the babblers talking about his influence and the various incarnations of the bard's work today.  Also touched on the supposed controversy surrounding the authenticity of Shakespeare.  Also, Donny gives some tips and tricks for speed reading, and talks about World Book Day.  Finally a gem (sorry!) of a story on the ultimate list: the world's best books as voted by the people, and why the results are not what they seem.  Lars's parting soundbite says it all. Show Length: 51:31 mins Links: pollthepeople.com Research explores what 1.3 billion Muslims think - http://shrinkster.com/xjm

Bookbabble Episode 2: Harry Potter News Correspondent Recorded 20 April 2008 Babblers: Lars, Gem, Donny Synopsis: The significance of the Orange Prize for Fiction and Donny attempts to explain the perceived differences between male and female authors. The babblers disagree on Rowling's decision to block the publication of a fan-created encyclopedia of Harry Potter's universe, and ponders on the absolutely, incredibly difficult question of reading vs watching TV. Also in the menu: book blogs, a turkish writer's quest for freedom of speech, and Jose Saramago. Show Length: 52:58 mins Important Notes: - A couple of words unsuitable for young listeners towards the end. I think. - I mention running times during the show, but the times are inaccurate, as I've edited stuff out. - There's a spoiler for the Hobbit, so if you haven't read it yet, and intend to, please plug your ears (or unplug them, if you're using earphones) at 40:41 for 5 seconds. Links: Orange Prize for Literature - http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/show/feature/home/orange-prize-2008-shortlist Turkish Writer - http://shrinkster.com/x57 hp-lexicon.org Booklit - http://www.booklit.com/blog/ Jabberwock - http://jaiarjun.blogspot.com/

Bookbabble Episode 1: Podcast Starting Recorded 28 March 2008 Babblers: Bjorn, Lars, Gem, Donny Synosis: Inaugural episode! The cast is introduced, and starts off the projected weekly podcast on everything that a booklover would love to talk about in the world of reading. Here, the babblers talk about the the causes and effects of book banning, whether book lists or book charts barometers of what's really good out there, and what Umberto Eco thinks about his bestsellers. Also find out the latest planned incarnation of Enid Blyton's Famous Five, and what Lars thinks about The Wheel of Time as he re-reads the series in preparation for the forthcoming Memory of Light.