Discussion Notes: Black Leopard Red Wolf
For this discussion we read Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.
In two weeks we will read The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yoko Tawada.
Rated: Exlicit. SUPER Explicit!
We were supposed to release this book discussion in April. However, this book really did a number of Gerald, Colette and Anais. The gratuitous violence and sexual violence made the book difficult to read. We finally discussed it in May, and were slow to publish for similarly anguished reasons.
We start the discussion by focusing on what we did like about the book, and there was a lot to love and admire. James’s talent is undeniable. However those talents were at times difficult to appreciate. There was too much unnecessary (and at times borderline silly) violence to get through. We reserve our rants for the last 15 minutes of the discussion.
We will be releasing the next three book discussion two weeks apart to help us get back on schedule.
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We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Exit West
In January we read Exit West by Mohsin Hamid.
Next month we will read Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James.
Rated: Clean
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, which was short listed for the 2017 Booker prize. At the heart of this book is a romance, tested by a civil war, the painful life of a migrant on the run in foreign countries, and the labyrinthine system of fictitious doors that lead them on their difficult trip across the globe. All three hosts loved the book, it’s tone, and light element of magical realism that tied the story together.
Sorry we’re late with this one! Gerald and Anais run the editing behind the scenes in whatever free time they can find in busy lives. Gerald’s moved house and had no internet for 2 weeks, and Anais couldn’t keep up with all the shows without him! April should be back on track.
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We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
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Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Milkman
In January we read Milkman by Anna Burns.
Next month we will read Exit West by Mohsin Hamid.
Rated: Adult Themes, Clean-ish Language
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss the 2018 Booker prize winner Milkman by Anna Burns. This challenging book examines gender, tribalism, the power of rumor, shame, and violence during The Troubles of the 1970s in what is presumably Belfast. As many reviewers before us have said, the prose can be difficult to read in long sittings. So we start there, get the complaints out of the way, then dive into all the rich storytelling, insights, and plot tendrils embedded in this breathtaking novel.
We apologize for audio issues. Colette’s professional microphone had to be sent to the manufacturer to be replaced, and in the meantime we rolled the dice on a gaming headset, and the bet didn’t quite pan out, but it’s worth it for her invaluable insights and comments.
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We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: American Pastoral
In December we read American Pastoral by Philip Roth.
Next month we will read Milkman by Anna Burns.
Rated: Adult Themes, Clean Language
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss American Pastoral by Philip Roth, the Pulitzer Prize winning book of 1998 about how a happy and conventional upper middle class life is ruined from within. All three hosts thoroughly enjoyed the book, but took some issue with the repetitive prose. Nonetheless, the brilliant insights into humanity, immigration, assimilation, violence, and the futility of control sucked our hosts right into the plot and characters’ lives. They discuss the novel’s unusual framing device, clever setting, and much, much more.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
We’d love to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Sing, Unburied, Sing
In November we read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.
Next month we will read American Pastoral by Philip Roth.
Rated: Difficult Themes, One F-bomb
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, a book the three of them thoroughly enjoyed. Despite being under 300 pages long, the novel felt full of spirit, meaning, and plot. Tune in to the gush fest and dig deeper into the themes Ward explores through her poetic prose, resonant symbols, and perfectly paced plot.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
We’d love to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Crazy Rich Asians
In October we read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
Next month we will read Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.
Rated: Explicit
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. Though not technically a literary novel, we decided to read this story due to its cultural relevance and novel subject matter. Be forewarned that we discuss this book as lovers of the literary, and often find ourselves demanding more. Nonetheless, we find plenty of gems inside this book, appreciate its cultural significance, and were entertained, no small feat for any novel – literary or otherwise.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Manhattan Beach
In September we read Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.
Next month we will read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.
Rated: Explicit
This week we welcome back Colette Sartor who joined us on the weekly short story discussion podcast to discuss “The Proxy Marriage” by Maile Meloy on Ep 123. Colette will be joining the bookclub as a regular host. Hooray!
Gerald, Anais, and Colette discuss Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan. In 2017, the novel was long listed for the National Book Award and selected by Time magazine as one of its top ten novels of that year. This historical crime novel gripped all three hosts  with its broody mood, brilliant prose, and vivid characters. Through discussion, they try to unravel meaning from Egan’s twisty, fast-paced plot.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
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Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Here Comes the Sun
In August we read Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn.
Next month we will read Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.
Rated: Explicit
This week the bookclub makes due with just Gerald and Anais! In spite of scheduling conflicts and the hurricane in Hawaii, the discussion  went on! Our two hosts tackle Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn and grapple with the shades of darkness in this beautifully written novel that dwells on difficult and heavy themes. Through discussion, Gerald and Anais tease apart the plot from the themes and discover the moments they enjoyed most, and the moments that left them bewildered.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.
We’d love to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
Support us on Patreon
We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


 

Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Discussion Notes: Reservoir 13
In July we read Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor.
Next month we will read Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn
Rated: Clean

Winner of the 2017 Costa Novel Award, Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor challenges reader expectations by subverting mystery tropes and dwelling on the aftermath of a disappearance, such as it may be.
Gerald, Maya and Anais were joined by Erika Liodice. She is the author of Empty Arms: A Novel as well as the new children’s book series High Flyers: Rookie of the Year. 
Erika pens “The Indie Way” column on the popular fiction writing website, Writer Unboxed, and is a contributor to Author In Progress, the Writer Unboxed team’s first anthology.
To learn more about Erika and her work, visit erikaliodice.com.
Interview with Erika
Anais sat down with Erika to discuss her novel which is also focused on a missing girl of sorts, and to discuss her more recent adventures in writing children’s books and racing pigeons. Yes, really, racing real pigeons. The interview is available to our patrons on Patreon.  
To become a patron, you determine how much to donate to Literary Roadhouse to keep our show going.
We’d love to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.

Discussion Notes: The Sympathizer
In June we read The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.
Next month we will read Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor.
Rated: Explicit

Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, this gripping novel centers around a mole in the Vietnamese army. The story follows his journey after he flees Vietnam. The book  is often funny, sometimes horrifying, and always clever.
Gerald and Anais were joined by Gael Gilliland. She is the founder of The Legacy Recorder (www.thelegacyrecorder.com) which  helps people preserve their favorite moments and wisdom for generations to come. The Legacy Recorder works with both individuals and assisted living facilities to help preserve individual’s life stories.
If she looks familiar, that’s because Gael had previously joined our weekly show for a discussion of The Kitchen Child by Angela Carter. 
We’d love to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.

Discussion Notes: The Heirs
Next month’s novel: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Rated: Adult Themes

In May we read The Heirs by Susan Rieger, a character-driven novel chock full of thrilling plot twists. Gerald and Anais were joined by guest host Susan Pogorzelski (www.susanpogorzelski.com), the author of the Gold in the Days of Summer novella series. She’s a YA author who founded Brown Beagle Books (www.brownbeaglebooks.com) to help emerging writers share their literary vision and develop their writing talents.
 
All three hosts loved the story which Anais and Susan described as a mature, subdued soap opera. Gerald fell in love with Eleanor, Susan loved Sam, and Anais could not stand Jim. Surely characters that elicit such strong responses must be vivid and worth the read.
The hosts also analyzed the novel’s prose and themes.
We’d like to hear from you
Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.

Discussion Notes: Lincoln in the Bardo
Next month’s novel: The Heirs by Susan Rieger
Rated: Explicit

The bookclub read the 2017 Man Booker Prize winner Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. The hosts are split with Anais vehemently defending a novel she loved that Gerald disliked and Maya found disappointing, even as she saw its merits. While Gerald liked the beginning, it quickly went downhill for him, while Maya felt the experiment didn’t quite pan out. Anais  enjoyed the book so much and found it so funny that she, while reading, yelped with excitement.
And you?
We’d like to hear from you
Did we miss something? Let us know what you think of the novel in the comment section below. Or, if you prefer, leave a voicemail by clicking on the feature to the right. By the way, we may play your voicemail on our next show, so tell us if you would prefer we did not.
Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.
We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.