Fredrik Backman is a Swedish writer best known for his books (A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, etc.) Today, I’m talking about one of his most recent works “Beartown,” a book that focuses on a small town’s relationship with ice hockey and the interwoven lives of the people who live there. Spoiler alert: I think this book is great, and I hope you do too. There are a ton of themes and ideas that come up in Beartown, but the one I’m most excited to discuss is loyalty. Is loyalty always a good thing? What happens when we misplace it? These are the questions Backman asks in the Beartown narrative – and just a few of the ones he answers as well.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Beartown by Fredrik Backman
- A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
- Us Against You by Fredrik Backman
- My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
- Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman
Join me as I discuss The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury with guests Josiah and Benji! For those of you who have tuned in before, you might remember Josiah and Benji from a few months ago when we talked about
Let’s talk about collectible books! First things first: Did you know there’s a difference between a first edition and a first printing? Both are cool, but many collectors prefer the first printing to the first edition. I’ll tell you why, and relay a few hacks I’ve discovered in my own book collecting pursuits to help you find and identify first and collectible editions of your favorite titles.
Today’s episode features a review of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor. When I first heard about We Are Legion, I wasn’t convinced that I’d like it – mostly because the main character is a spaceship. (That’s kind of an oversimplification, but you’ll understand why after hearing the review.) This book surprised me because it’s not only super fun but also deals with some pretty interesting questions – like what it means to be alive and the nature of individuality. If that sounds cool, you’re in luck because it’s actually the first of three books in the Bobiverse trilogy. I definitely plan on reading the next two – and I might review them, too!
In today’s episode, I’m reviewing The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This book is not only one of Atwood’s most acclaimed novels, but the basis for the American television show by the same name. If you know anything about Margaret Atwood, you know she has a flair for dark, gritty, and utterly captivating dystopian and speculative fiction with a political or feminist slant. Sound intriguing? It is. But in order to get her ideas across effectively, it’s important to have good characters and story structure as well – and that’s exactly what I wanted to explore when I picked up this book.