Podcasts by The Yak Babies Book Podcast

245- Don DeLillo’s White Noise - Canon or Cannon 2.0 from 2023-11-16T07:00

The pals all read Don DeLillo's 1985 novel, White Noise. Should it be enshrined int he canon or blasted into the sea by cannon?

244b- Yak Picks: Horror Flicks from 2023-11-02T07:00

The pals follow up the episode on horror novels with an episode sharing their favorite horror movies and shows, including their individual Mt. Horrormores.

244- Yak Picks: Horror from 2023-10-26T07:00

The pals share their favorite horror novels.

243- Intros and Backmatter from 2023-10-19T07:00

The pals discuss books with forwards and afterwards. Do you read them or skip those parts? What about supplementary matter in comics and other media?

242- Yak Picks: Mysteries from 2023-10-12T07:00

The pals discuss their favorite mystery and thriller novels.

241- Questions About Book Reviewing from 2023-10-05T07:00

Nico asks his pals if friends are owed an automatic 5 stars on Goodreads. Is giving 4 stars and asshole move? Also, do people still read professional book reviews?

240- Phone Addiction from 2023-09-28T21:41:54

Brick is increasingly vexed by his phone's grip on his time and wonders if phones are making us dumber. Bonus Bro2Bro included!

239- Yak Picks: Science Fiction from 2023-09-14T07:00

The pals discuss their favorite sci-fi novels.

238- Kaya; Mouse Guard; Moonshadow; Marlfox; Kitchens of the Great Midwest; Wool; Demolition Angel; The Hunter; The Great Transition; ”Mall of America”; 33 1/3; It Never Ends; Endzone from 2023-09-07T07:00

Books this month: Kaya, by Craig Wes; Mouse Guard, by David Petersen; The Compleat Moonshadow, by Jean Marc DeMatteis; Marlfox, by Brian Jacques; Kitchens of the Great Midwest, by J. Ryan Strada...

237- Toni Morrison’s Beloved - Canon or Cannon 2.0 from 2023-08-31T07:00

The pals read and review Toni Morrison' brutal and haunting novel 1987 Beloved. It's generally recognized as a masterpiece, will the Yaks keep it in the canon or shoot it into the sea? The delib...

236- Yak Picks: Short Story Collections from 2023-08-17T07:00

The pals share their favorite short story collections as well as a list of runners up they enjoy.

235- AI Writing Part 2: Sudo Elf Trap from 2023-08-10T07:00

The pals enlist the AI chatbot Sudo to write the first draft of the long promised Elf Trap novella. Nico commits to proving he's smarter than a robot.

234- Reading Books in Translation from 2023-07-27T19:53

The plebeian pals discuss reading books written in languages other than English.

233- Yak Picks: 21st Century Literature from 2023-07-20T07:00

The pals share their favorite titles of the last 23 years, and a surprise Canon or Cannon decision is made.

232- Memorable Short Stories Assigned in Schools from 2023-07-13T07:00

The pals recount stories they read in grade school that stuck with them.

231- Comics Roulette 2023 from 2023-07-06T07:00

Aaron shares some comics first issues he thinks his pals will enjoy.

230- Yak Picks: 20th Century Lit from 2023-06-30T17:39:59

The pals share their favorite novels from the 20th century.

229- Memorable Antagonists from 2023-06-22T21:46:07

The pals discuss antagonists that have stuck in their minds.

228- Euphoria; Writers and Lovers; Lessons in Chemisty The Last Housewife; I Have Some Questions for You; You Only Live Twice; Astro City Vol 2; All the Marvels; 33 1/3 Unknown Pleasures from 2023-06-15T07:00

Books this time: Euphoria, by Lily King; Writers and Lovers, by Lily King; Lessons in Chemisty, by Bonnie Garmus; The Last Housewife, by Ashley Winstead; I Have Some Questions for You, by Rebecc...

227- Underrated Authors from 2023-06-08T07:00

The pals discuss some great authors that don't seem to ge the love and attention they deserve.

226- Yak Picks: 19th Century Lit from 2023-05-29T07:00

The pals share their favorite reads from the 19th century (and earlier).

225- Memorable Plot Twists from 2023-05-11T07:00

The pals discuss plot twists as a narrative device and examples of when it has worked well or not.

224- Reaction to ”How to make students hate English” from 2023-05-04T07:00

The pals react to Pamela Paul's NYTimes op-ed "How to make students hate English"

223- Books That Made Us Uncomfortable from 2023-04-27T07:00

The pals share some reading experiences that were difficult, whether by making them feel unease or revulsion, or because it challenged their thinking.

222- AI Writing from 2023-04-20T07:00:43

The pals talk about the implications of ChatGPT and "creative" AI technology on writing and teaching.

221- The Song of Pentecost; Anger; Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone; The Writing Retreat; I’m Glad My Mom Died; A Heart that Works; The Candy House; The Human Target from 2023-04-06T07:00

Books this time: The Song of Pentecost, by W.J. Corbett; Anger, by Thicht Naht Hahn; One Story; Boulevard; Boston Review; Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, by Benjamin Stephenson; The Wr...

220- Nico’s Masterclass Hot Takes Vol. 2 from 2023-03-30T07:00

Nico brings a fresh batch of spicy literary takes to share with the pals.

219- Dana Spiotta’s Stone Arabia from 2023-03-23T07:00

Next in our recommendation roulette of Secret Santa books, Aaron read Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta upon Dave's recommendation.

218- Who is the Most Overrated Author? from 2023-03-16T07:00

The pals each share the name of the author they think is most overrated in reputation.

217- Historical Fiction from 2023-03-09T07:00

That is the role of responsibility of fact in historical fiction? Is there a distinction between historical fiction and fiction in an historical setting?

216- Tommy Orange’s There There - Canon or Cannon 2.0 from 2023-02-23T07:00

The pals read Tommy Orange's acclaimed 2018 novel There There and consider whether it should be canonized or launched into the sea.

215- The Best Bookstores from 2023-02-16T07:00

The pals share the names and features of their favorite bookstores.

214- Books Everyone Should Read from 2023-02-09T07:00

The pals each share three books they think everyone in the world would benefit from reading.

213- What Makes a Story Compelling? from 2023-02-02T07:00

The pals discuss what about a story hooks them and makes them want to read more.

212- Alan Moore’s From Hell from 2023-01-26T07:00

The next assignment in the pals' Secret Santa / Reading Roulette. Aaron assigns Nico to read Alan Moore's historical fiction Jack the Ripper comic opus From Hell. Bricks joins as well.

211- Reading Resolutions for 2023 from 2023-01-19T07:00

The pals share their reading goals for the coming year as well as introduce their new meta game: Brag Points.

210- The Best Books We Read in 2022 from 2023-01-05T07:00

The personal pals discuss the best books they read in 2022, very few of which were actually written in 2022.

209- Wordle and Word Games from 2022-12-29T07:00

The pals sans Aaron talk about Wordle and other app distractions from reading, as well as share some of their favorite word-based board and card games.

208- Scott Hawkins’s The Library at Mt. Char from 2022-12-22T07:00

Brick reports back after reading his assignment for Recommendation Roulette: The Library at Mt. Char, by Scott Hawkins.

207- Books in the Bathroom from 2022-12-15T07:00

Do you keep books in the bathroom? Do you read books in the bathroom? Would you re-shelf a bathroom book? What is your Desert Bathroom Book?

206- The Only Good Indians; Headlopper; Man’s Search for Meaning; Light from Uncommon Stars; The Woman in my Home; The Picture of Dorian Grey; Rosemary’s Baby; 1st Issue Special from 2022-12-08T07:00

Books this time: The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones; Headlopper, by Andrew Maclean; Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl; Light from Uncommon Stars, by Ryka Aoki; The Woman in ...

205- Scheduled Reading Time from 2022-12-01T07:00

The pals discuss their efforts to reclaim regular reading habits in their lives.

Bonus: Mailbag June 2022 from 2022-11-14T15:35

The pals share and respond to write-ins by listeners Sebastian, Bonnie, and Andrew.

204- Together We Will Go; The Greenbone Saga; Arlington Park; Invisible Things; The Deluge; The Annual Migration of Clouds; The Slynx; The Last Ronin; Superman Space Age; Batman: One Bad Day from 2022-10-13T07:00

What are we reading, boys? Together We Will Go, J. Michael Straczynski; The Greenbone Saga, Fonda Lee; Arlington Park, Rachel Cusk; Invisible Things, Matt Johnson; The Deluge, Stephen Markley; T...

203- Gone Girl 10 Years Later from 2022-10-06T07:00

Nico leads the pals in a retrospective of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and its cultural impact 10 years later.

202- Is an MFA worth it in 2022? from 2022-09-22T07:00

The pals revisiting one of their most popular episodes, reflecting on their MFA experiences and evaluating whether the experience was worth the cost.

201- Recommendation Roulette Round 1 Selections from 2022-09-15T07:00

The pals draw names then suggest a book for a friend to read.

200- Episode 200 from 2022-09-08T07:00

The pals ring in a milestone by discussing their most and least listened to episodes.

199- Expiring Book Recommendations from 2022-09-01T07:00

Nico asks the pals if they've ever changed their minds on books they've recommended.

198- Books with Glossaries from 2022-08-25T11:56:23

The pals discuss books that include glossaries (or could but don't) due to using made up or esoteric language that the reader may need help understanding. When is it appreciated and helpful and ...

197- Plagiarism from 2022-08-18T07:00

The pals discuss recent cases of literary plagiarism. Why does this keep happening? Does anyone actually care?

196- Cormac McCarthy’s The Road - Canon or Cannon 2.0 from 2022-08-04T23:43:15

The pals all read Cormac McCarthy's literary post-apocalyptic The Road and discuss whether it deserves immortalization in the first entry in our rebooted Canon or Cannon.

195- Books with Maps from 2022-07-28T07:20:45

The pals discuss the pleasure of opening a book and seeing a map.

194- Spiderhead from 2022-07-21T07:00

The pals read the short story "Escape from Spiderhead" by George Saunders then watched the Netflix adaption. How do the two compare? Read and watch then tune in.

193- Summer Reading from 2022-07-14T21:50:21

The pals discuss the practice of assigning summer reading in school and share their approaches to reading in the summer. Nico talks about a book he is reading.

192- Blood Meridian; Conversations with Friends; The Idiot; The Plot Against America; Sea of Tranquility; The Insecure Mind of Sergei Kraev; Counterfeit; The Thin Man; AstroCity; Sandman from 2022-07-07T07:00

The pals open Season 6 by actually talking about books. Books touched on: Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy; Conversations with Friends, by Sally Rooney; The Idiot, by Elif Batuman; The Plot Ag...

BONUS: 101 Ghost Jokes RANKED #1 from 2022-06-16T07:00

It's the beginning of a long strange journey. The pals chopped up 101 Ghost Jokes the seminal Scholastic Book Fair pick up by Lisa Eisenburg and Katy Hall, and are reading and ranking every joke...

191- Newspaper and Web Comics from 2022-06-09T07:00

Do you remember the funnies being funny?

190- Would You Give Up Books? from 2022-05-26T07:00

Brick presents a Faustian dilemma.

189- Letter Writing from 2022-05-19T07:00

The pals talk about the lost art of letter writing. A good chunk of these one ended up in the bonus pile. Head over to patreon to hear what you're missing.

188- Lessons from 10 Years of Book Podcasting from 2022-05-04T22:17

The pals look back at a decade of friendship published to the internet.  

187- Nico’s MaterClass Hot Takes (part 1) from 2022-04-28T07:00

Nico's been taking lots of author MasterClass courses, and shares with his pals his spiciest notes. This time he shares advice from RL Stine, David Mamet, Judy Blume, and Walter Mosley.

186- Literary Movie Adaptions We Want to See from 2022-04-21T07:00

The pals fantasize about film adaptations of books they'd like to see, then cast their dream projects.

185- Easter Eggs in Books from 2022-04-14T07:00

'Not quite as literal as the rabbit episode, the pals share their thoughts on hidden references in books (as well as comics, games, and movies).

184- All the Light We Cannot See; Eye of the Needle; East of Eden; The Salvage Crew; How the World is Passed; My Grandmothers Hands; Journalist and the Murderer; Step by Bloody Step; Love Everlasting from 2022-04-07T07:00

Reading again! Touched on: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr; The Mask of Mirrors and The Liar's Knot, by M.A. Carrick; Eye of the Needle, by Ken Follett; East of Eden by John Steinb...

183- Books with Rabbits from 2022-03-31T07:00

We aren't jumping the shark quite yet, but we are talking about books with rabbits in them. Nico loved recording this one.

182- Satirical Magazines from 2022-03-17T07:00

The pals follow up the Magazines episode with a discussion of Mad, Cracked, Weekly World News and the like.

181- Reading for Quality or Quantity from 2022-03-10T07:00

The pals discuss the disconnect between wanting to finish books and deciding to pack it in.

180- Magazines from 2022-03-03T07:00

The pals discuss magazines old and new, lit mags, zines, even blogs. 

179- The New Canon (or Cannon) from 2022-02-24T07:00

The pals construct a list of 21st century books they think will still be talked about if humanity survives into the 22nd century--and establishes their reading list for the Canon or Cannon 2: Re...

178- Hard Rain Falling; Snow Country; Cloud Cuckoo Land; Lighthouse; April in Spain; Live and Let Die&Moonraker; X-Men: Inferno from 2022-02-10T20:47:50

Reading Books! Hard Rain Falling, by Don Carpenter; Snow Country, by Yasunari Kawabata; Cloud Cuckoo Land, by Anthony Doer; Lighthouse, by William Monahan; April in Spain, by John Banville; Live...

177- Reading Resolutions 2022 from 2022-02-03T07:00

The pals share their aspirations for the new year.

176- Our Best Reading Experiences of 2021 from 2022-01-20T07:00

The pals discuss their most memorable reading experiences of the year 2021.

Plot v Character: a follow-up to A Swim in the Pond in the Rain from 2022-01-11T21:45

It's part 2 of our Swim in a Pond in the Rain podcast, recorded before part 1. Mostly Nico wanted to share some grievances. 

Snack Babies #6 from 2022-01-06T07:44:06

It's a long over due snack update. Dave converts to Takis, Nico feeds his dog a Swiss futbol, Brick eats ghost pepper chips but doesn't "live squirt" which disappoints Aaron.

175- Name of the Rose; Blind Assassin; Termination Shock; Midnight Library; Call Us What We Carry; Ultramega; Milwaukee Noir; Journey to the End of the Night; Human Target; Superman&the Authority from 2021-12-30T07:00

Talking about books again! The Name of the Rose, by Umberto Eco; The Blind Assassin, by Margaret Atwood; Termination Shock, by Neal Stephenson; The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig; Call Us What W...

174- Dr. Seuss‘s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! from 2021-12-23T07:00

The pals threaten a holiday classic with a blast into the sea.

172- A Swim in a Pond in the Rain from 2021-12-16T07:00

The Yaks dive into George Saunders' course in a book: A Swim in a Pond in the Rain.

173- Is Amazon Changing the Novel? from 2021-12-08T23:19:36

The Yaks flirt with the metaverse. 

171- Opening Fiction with Dialogue from 2021-12-02T07:00

The pals talk about the the effectiveness of opening shot stories with dialogue, as well as other techniques.

170- Writing Pet Peeves from 2021-11-25T07:00

The pals share things in books--and tv--that get their goat.  

169- Bad Art Friend from 2021-11-18T07:00

The pals discuss the New York Times article, "Who is the bad Art Friend?" by Robert Kolker.

168- Afterparties: Stories; Paper Girls; The Last Ronin; Virtual Boy Works; Gravity‘s Rainbow; Catch-22; Rorschach; X-Men; Blubber from 2021-11-11T10:35:51

What are we reading, boys? Paper Girls Vol. 3, by Brian K Vaughn; The Last Ronin, by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird; Virtual Boy Works, by Jeremy Parish; Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon; Cat...

167- Retellings from 2021-11-04T07:00

3/4s of the pals discuss novels and films that are retellings and adaptions of known texts.

166- Sherlock Holmes from 2021-10-21T07:00

The pals discuss the great detective, his literary past and his many influences and appearances in popular culture.

165- Trilogies and Serialized Fiction from 2021-10-14T07:00

The pals talk about serialized stories, and struggle pin down just what defines a series.

164- How Many Concurrent Reads is Too Many? from 2021-10-07T07:00

The pals discuss how many stories they can keep in their head at once.  

163- Does Poetry Matter? from 2021-09-30T22:49:34

The pals discuss on their podcast --which doesn't really matter--the kerfuffle around Barren magazine firing it's poetry editor for a tweet.

162- Difficult Books from 2021-09-23T07:00

The pals discuss books that demand a lot of the reader. When is a challenging book rewarding and when doe difficulty get in the way?

161- The Mysticism of Inspiration from 2021-09-16T07:00

Can genius be learned? Do great artists tap into something beyond themselves? Do some authors have an innate aptitude for linguistics or abstract thinking that eludes others despite how hard the...

160- North American Lake Monsters; Never Let Me Go; Roadside Picnic; When the Reckoning Comes; The Word for World is Forest; Red Room; and more from 2021-09-09T07:00

We're back and talking books: North American Lake Monsters, by Nathan Balingrud; Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro; Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon; The Last Day, by Andrew Hunter Murray; ...

159- Reading to De-stress from 2021-09-02T07:00

The Yaks are back for Season 5! The pals talk about reading habits when faced with high levels of stress. Are books a solace and an escape, or an added stressor to be avoided?

Bonus!The First Annual Yakkies Awards (2020) from 2021-08-28T12:11:15

The year's most anticipated gala, the Yakkies! The personal pals reminisce through 27 categories of Yak-tactular retrospective content and vote on the winners! Nico will hate calling it first an...

Snackbabies #5 from 2021-08-20T08:51:32

The pals discuss what they've been snacking on as well as the pandemic grocery store experiences.

Bonus! Game: Yak Memoirs from 2021-08-12T07:00

The pals to commit to titles for their personal memoirs.

Bonus! EIME: Calvin and Hobbes or Calvin or Hobbes? from 2021-08-05T07:26:23

Brick delivers one of the toughest EIMEs yet. Are these translation-garbled quotes from Bill Watterson's venerated comic Calvin and Hobbes, French theologian John Calvin, or British philosopher ...

Bonus! Bro2Bro: Corpses (explicit) from 2021-07-29T21:00:19

Another bonus released from the Patreon vault while we prep for Season 5. Last October, Aaron asked the pals about what defines a corpse, Dave time delay volleys a death erection question, and B...

Snackbabies #3 from 2021-07-22T07:00

Now with fewer bag crinkle sounds! Lot's of snacks this episode, including Blue Heat Takis, Polar summer flavors, and EuroCreme!

tiny...

158- Canon or Cannon: Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre from 2021-07-15T07:00

The pals reach deep into the canon and put one of the most esteemed novels in English literature to the cannon test.

157- Midnight's Children; Gravity's Rainbow; Galapagos; Ultramega; Batman: The Adventures Continue; Squadron Supreme from 2021-07-08T07:00

It's another What Are We Reading episode! Books this time: Midnight's Children, by Salman Rushie; Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon; Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut; Ultramega, by James Harren; B...

156- Star Wars from 2021-07-01T07:00

The pals discuss their fondness for Star Wars, except Nico who predictably talks about Star Trek instead.

155- Book Fairs and Bookstore Memories from 2021-06-24T07:00

The pals reminisce about Scholastic Book Fairs in their elementary schools, as well as childhood bookstore experiences and jobs they've had at bookstores.

Bonus! EIME: Beginning Lines from 2021-06-17T07:00

No new episode this week because Brick is too busy to finish an edit, but we're breaking a game out from the Patreon vault. Guess along with the pals at these garbled first lines to famous novel...

154- What We're Looking Forward to Reading, Summer 2021 from 2021-06-10T07:00

The pals share the books they are most excited to read this summer.

153- Good Books You Hate from 2021-06-03T07:00

The pals discuss books that are generally lauded but they hate. What books do you recognize as good books, but just don't like or don't get why they are so beloved?

152- Women Talking; Steppenwolf; Project Hail Mary; Peanuts; Dalai Lama; Marcus Aurelius; Ask Iwata; Hey Kids! Comics!; The Good Asian; Monk! from 2021-05-27T07:00

It's another What Are We Reading episode! Books this time: The Complete Peanuts, by Charles Schultz; An Introduction to Buddhism, by the Dalai Lama; Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius; Ask Iwata, e...

151- Zack Snyder's Justice League from 2021-05-20T07:00

The pals discuss the four-hour DC movie resurrection know as The Synder Cut. Like any good comic book discussion, there are opinions and there are questions. Questions like: why is there a dream...

150- Herman Melville's Bartleby, the Scrivener from 2021-05-13T07:00

It's another round of Canon or Cannon! This time we read Herman Melville's classic story "Bartleby, the Scrivener" and choose whether we want to keep it a required read or prefer not to. 

149- Fanfiction from 2021-05-06T07:00

The pals discuss and try and pin down a clear definition of fanfiction. 

148- George Saunders's Lincoln in the Bardo from 2021-04-29T07:00

Dave shares Saunders's first novel with his pals.

147- Influences on Reading Taste from 2021-04-22T07:00

Aaron asks the pals what led to their preferences and tastes in books and the pals all sort of answer.

146- Writing Tech from 2021-04-15T07:00

Nico asks the pals if they've ever wasted money on niche writing gadgets.

145- The Worst Books We Ever Read from 2021-04-08T07:00

The pals discuss the worst books they ever read. Most they read while drunk.

144- Canon or Cannon: George Orwell's 1984 from 2021-04-01T07:00

Canon is Cannon. The pals discuss George Orwell's 1984 and whether it's as important as everyone who hasn't read it says it is.

143- Revolver; You're Ruining the Dystopia for Everyone; The Cement Garden; The Force; Sorcery of Thorns; Throne of Glass; Shadow and Bone; Golden Hits of the Shangri-Las; The Immortal Hulk from 2021-03-25T07:00

Let's talk about the books: Revolver, by Evan Schwartz; Bat Boy Lives, by Weekly World News; You're Ruining the Dystopia for Everyone, by Frank Conniff; The Cement Garden, by Ian McEwan; The For...

141- Dr. Seuss and Cancel Culture from 2021-03-18T07:00

The pals discuss the latests brouhaha in the alt-right echo chamber concerning Dr. Seuss books and generally what it takes to be a decent person.

142- Long Term Relationships with Authors from 2021-03-11T07:00

The pals are joined by special guest Kathleen to discuss the experience of reading authors over the course of their careers.

140- Author Biographies from 2021-03-04T07:00

Books written about authors by (lesser?) authors. Do we read them?

139- Audiobooks from 2021-02-25T07:00

The pals discuss the experience of engaging with books using their ears rather than their eyes.

138- Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself from 2021-02-18T07:00

The pals read (listened to anyway) a grimdark fantasy book at Nico's behest: The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. They liked it more than Early Work.

137- Books and Memory from 2021-02-11T07:00

The pals talk about what sticks most with memorable books, and how long the effects of books last for them.

136- Story Club: "Sea Oak" by George Saunders from 2021-02-04T07:00

Story Club is back from hiatus with the pals discussing George Saunders's wackadoo zombie story "Sea Oak"

135- Lolita, Rhythm of War, The Awkward Black Man, Rorschach, Strange Adventures, Batman and Catwoman, Last Night at the Lobster from 2021-01-28T07:00

The pals share what they have been reading: Last Night at the Lobster, by Stewart O'Nan; Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov; Rhythm of War, by Brian Sanderson; The Awkward Black Man, by Walter Mosley; ...

134- Tom King's Mr. Miracle from 2021-01-14T07:00

The pals (most of them) discuss Mr. Miracle, the book that almost destroyed Aaron.

133- Our Best Reading Experiences of 2020 from 2021-01-07T21:34:08

The pals share their most memorable, if not enjoyable, reading experiences of the year that was.

132- Alan Moore's Watchmen (Issues 7-12) from 2020-12-31T07:00

The pals conclude the two-part deep dive into one of comics' most celebrated works: Watchmen by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Gibbons.

131- A Christmas Carol from 2020-12-24T07:00

The pals celebrate the yuletide with a discussion of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol as well as the many movie adaptions we enjoy.

130- The Best Books We Read in 2020 from 2020-12-17T18:10:20

The pals share the books they got the most out of in a year that took the most out of all of us. 

129- Turnoffs When Selecting a Book from 2020-12-10T07:00

The pals discuss the deciding factors when choosing to put a book back on the shelf or walk it to check out.

128- Alan Moore's Watchmen (Issues 1-6) from 2020-12-03T07:00

The pals take the advice of listener Andrew and embark on a (two-part) deep dive into one of comics' most celebrated works: Watchmen by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Gibbons.

127- The Best Books Nobody Talks About from 2020-11-26T07:00

The pals share their favorite books that nobody has read: Skippy Dies, by Paul Murray; My Unsentimental Education, by Deborah Monroe; Misadventure, by Millard Kauffman; The Justice Society of Am...

126- Romance Novels (and Cozy Mysteries) Part 2 from 2020-11-19T07:00

The pals return to talking about romance and cozy mystery genre fiction, shallow-diving into two reads: Candy Coated Murder, by Kathleen Suzette and Spaniards Baby of Revenge by Clare Connolly.

124- A Gentleman in Moscow; Batman; Witcher; Old Country Music; Living and Dying on the Factory Floor; Green Lantern; Spaniard's Baby of Revenge (REPOST) from 2020-11-18T21:28:20

W'RE REPOSTING THIS EPISODE AS APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T PUSH OUT TO  RSS FEEDS. 

The pals share books they've been reading. Books touched on: A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles;...

Re-release ->EIME: Presidential Books from 2020-11-03T19:40:19

It's election night in America and potentially the verge of a cold civil war, so nobody wants to hear us talk about fanfiction or toilets. Instead something from the Patreon vault: an EIME game ...

125 - Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from 2020-10-29T07:00

The pals discuss a Scholastic Book Fair staple that spooked a generation of readers.

123- Universal Monsters and Their Literary Antecedents from 2020-10-22T07:00

The pals discuss the classic Universal monsters (and other silver age horror films) and the books that inspired them. 

122- Spooky Non-Books from 2020-10-15T07:00

The yeeks take a break from books to talk about some of their favorite movies and games to enjoy around Halloween.

121- The Scariest Book You've Ever Read from 2020-10-08T07:00

The pals discuss the scariest books they've ever read.

120- Canon or Cannon: August Wilson's Fences from 2020-10-01T07:00

The pals load another classic into the cannon. Will Fences be shot into the sea or returned to the canon?

119- New Magical Realism? from 2020-09-24T07:00

The pals discuss literary books that introduce single breaks with reality or rely on extended metaphor.

118- Quitting Books from 2020-09-17T07:00

What causes the pals to give up on a book before finishing it to completion (as Aaron so eloquently phrases it)?

117- How to Be an Anti-Racist; The Trauma of Everyday Life; Between the World and Me; The Boy; F*ckface; Strange Adventures; The Ludocrats from 2020-09-10T07:00

The pals share the books they've been reading. Books touched on: The Trauma of Everyday Life, by Mark Epstein; How to Be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi; Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nahesi...

116- Brushes with Literary Fame from 2020-09-03T07:00

The pals share their stories that are not nearly as good as Bonnie's.

Bonus: Mailbag from 2020-08-27T07:00

We read and respond to listener mail.

115- Philip Roth's Goodbye, Columbus from 2020-08-20T07:00

The pals discuss one of Aaron's favorite books, Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth.

114- Canon or Cannon: William Golding's Lord of the Flies from 2020-08-12T22:56:48

Introducing our new series Canon or Cannon, in which the pals read and discuss notable works from the Western Canon, particularly those typically assigned in high school, and determine whether t...

113- Shameful Reading Omissions from 2020-08-06T07:00

The pals discuss the books they should have read and haven't, and books they have read that they wish they hadn't.

112- Author Readings from 2020-07-30T07:00

The pals discuss author readings and what distinguishes those that feel worthwhile from those that are a waste of time.

109- White Fragility; Longmire; Exile's Return; Goodbye, Columbus; 33 1/3; Welcome to the Monkey House; The New Gods from 2020-07-23T07:00

The audio got borked, so this WAWR is a bit of a Frankenstein--or maybe a cyborg since some of Aaron's comments are replaced with a farting robot. Books touched on: White Fragility, by Robin DiA...

111- The Death and Return of eReaders from 2020-07-16T07:00

Thousands of years ago, the Yak Babies ran Chamber Four, which featured the internet's most prominent (good luck fact checking that) eReader hub. Few really cared about eReaders then, and less d...

110- Romance Novels from 2020-07-09T07:00

The pals discuss romance, a genre they are wildly ill-equipped to discuss intelligently. (Updated file with noise reduction.)

108- Typeface and Book Design from 2020-07-02T07:00

The pals talk about how the design and aesthetics of a published book affect their reading and enjoyment.

107- High School Reading Lists from 2020-06-25T07:00

Aaron gets huffy about a woke twitter thread badmouthing Jane Eyre and leads the pals in a discussion of how required reading is approached in American schools.

106- Kevin Barry's Night Boat to Tangier from 2020-06-18T07:00

The pals discuss the novel Night Boat to Tangier by Nico's neighbor and Dave's fantasy lover Kevin Barry.

105- Judging People by Their Bookshelves from 2020-06-11T07:00

What do the books a person displays in their home say about them?

104- Reading Books in Public from 2020-06-04T07:00

The pals discuss "booksibitionism" or factoring in what strangers may think of you when selecting what to bring in public or when packing for a trip.

103- Burnout from 2020-05-28T07:00

The pals talk about burnout with reading and writing and the toll work (and just life really) can take on creative and literary pursuits. Recorded in February, if only they had know COVID was co...

102- The Less-Essential Yak Babies Reading List (Part 2) from 2020-05-21T06:45

In part 2, the babies commemorate 100 episodes by creating a list of the 25 less-essential reads for personal pals--much of it categorized as "Aaron's Sadness."

100- The Essential Yak Babies Reading List (Part 1) from 2020-05-12T22:23:53

The babies commemorate 100 episodes by creating a list of the 25 essential reads for personal pals.

101- The Cockroach; Eleanor Oliphant; Far from the Tree; The Silent Patient; Fall or Dodge in Hell; Ironweed, by William Kennedy; Go All the Way; House of X/ Powers of X; 20XX from 2020-05-07T07:00

UPDATED (Nico's audio was desynced in the original upload)

The pals share what they've been reading: The Cockroach, by Ian McEwan; Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman; ...

99- The Witcher from 2020-04-30T23:39:20

A slightly different gang this time around, thanks to COVID-19 quarantine. Brick talks with Nico and wife Kathleen about the Witcher games, books, and Netflix show, as well as the fantasy genre....

98- Reading Books for Work from 2020-04-23T07:00

The pals discuss reading books for professional purposes and how that changes their critical approach.

97- Novelizations from 2020-04-16T07:00

The pals talk about the faded genre of movie novelizations.

96- Taming the Inner Critic from 2020-04-09T07:12

The gang chats about that voice in your head, especially what is sounds like when you are reading or writing.

95- Kentucky Route Zero from 2020-04-02T07:00

Nico and Brick discuss a video game that maybe wants too much to be a book: critical darling magical-realist postmodern adventure game Kentucky Route Zero.

94- 2020 Reading and Writing Resolutions from 2020-03-26T07:06

The pals checked in earlier on this year about their personal reading and writing goals for 2020. Stay tuned for the eventual coronavirus update.

93- Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano from 2020-03-19T07:00

The pals all read an under-appreciated modernist masterpiece: Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry.

92- Best Reading Experiences of 2019 from 2020-03-12T06:05

The pals discuss some of their favorite reading moments from last year.

91- Noah van Sciver's One Dirty Tree from 2020-03-05T07:00

The pals review One Dirty Tree by indie comic darling (and non-toxic brother) Noah van Sciver.

90- Forcing Books on People from 2020-02-06T07:00

An episode in need of more time in the oven: making everyone in the world read a book.

89- Lifetime Books from 2020-01-30T07:00

As much a game as an episode, get to know the pals a little better as they guess each others' Top 5 favorite books.

88- Reading Multiple Books at Once from 2020-01-23T07:00

 The pals explore their habits when it comes to reading more than one book and how to manage the juggle.

87- Book Clubs from 2020-01-16T07:00

It's a Nico episode! The pal from Ireland tells the gang about how book clubs work, and they mostly admit ignorance.

86- Unlikeable Protagonists We Like from 2020-01-09T07:00

The pals discuss characters who are well crafted, but bad people. What do authors need to do to pull this off successfully?

85- The Best Books We Read in 2019 from 2020-01-02T07:00

The personal pals recap their reading in 2019, and look forward to reading in 2020.

84- Christmas Movies from 2019-12-25T07:00

The pals put books aside to discuss holiday movie watching traditions, and Nico reveals the existence of the Netflix extended Christmas universe.

Bonus! EIME: Christmas Songs from 2019-12-24T08:00

Merry Christmas! We're opening the Patreon vaults to all our listeners this year. 

Brick cranks up the EIME machine and churns some classic Christmas tunes through its innards. L...

83- Rereading Books from 2019-12-19T07:00

The pals discuss the pull between reading new books, and re-opening trusted, known reads.

82- Nostalgia from 2019-12-12T07:00

The gang talk about nostalgia and how it influences what we choose to read. Aaron makes up a word.

81- Criticism & Reviewing from 2019-12-05T07:00

The gang discusses book reviews and wonders if they still have value in the age of aggregate reviewing and entrenched marketing. Dave supposes a difference between reviewing and criticism.

80- A-Ha Moments from 2019-11-28T09:33:41

The personal pals discuss the moments in which they realized literature and/or writing would be a part of their life paths.

79- Spoilers! from 2019-11-21T07:00

The personal pals discuss their preferences on avoiding spoilers and spoiler panic on the internet. Nico mostly wants to talk about Game of Thrones.

78- Sigrid Nunez's The Friend from 2019-11-14T07:00

The pals all read the same book, National Book Award Winner The Friend by Sigrid Nunez. Two interpretations of the ending are discussed, and a mind is changed. Not all contemporary books about w...

77- Vision; House of X; Powers of X; Superman's Pal Jimmy Olson; Super Mario Adventures; The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past from 2019-11-07T07:00

The pals share what they've been reading in comics. Books touched on: Vision, by Tom King; House of X and Powers of X, by Johnathan Hickman; Superman's Pal Jimmy Olson, by Matt Fraction; Super M...

76- Dead Authors from 2019-11-03T16:28:30

The pals discuss the surge in popularity for an author's books immediately following his/her death.

75- YA & Children's Books from 2019-10-24T08:00

The pals discuss the evolution of YA and children's books and explore a theory of three ages of YA. They also discuss the influence the rise of the genre has had on writers, particularly young w...

74- Story Club: Bonnie West's "Song Loon" from 2019-10-17T08:00

The pals discuss the short story "Song Loon" written by Patreon supporter Bonnie West.

73- Movie/TV Adaptations of Comic Books from 2019-10-10T08:00

The gang discusses comics made into movies and streaming TV shows. The also make predictions of the upcoming Joker movie.

72- The Painted Bird, Slaughter-House Five, Normal People, Recursion, The Dagger and the Coin, Songs for the Missing, Under the Volcano from 2019-10-03T08:00

The personal pals share some fiction they've been reading: Slaughter-House Five, by Kurt Vonnegut; The Painted Bird, by Jerzy Kozinsky; Normal People, by Sally Rooney; Recursion, by Blake Crouch...

71- What We Look For In... Comics from 2019-09-26T08:26:11

The pals talk about comics again, this time what they look for when choosing what to read.

70- Humor in Books from 2019-09-19T08:00

The pals discuss humor writing and comedic novels and why humor seems to land so rarely in good books. The also get distracted talking about classic newspaper comics.

69- Books That Shocked Us from 2019-09-12T08:00

The pals discuss books that delivered more than they were expecting, and as a result changed them in some way.

68- 1st 2nd 3rd Person from 2019-09-05T22:38:38

The pals discuss the differences in reading books in the 1st, 3rd, and 2nd person perspectives.

67- Deathbed Books from 2019-08-29T08:00

The gang chooses what one book to read when faced with impending demise.

66- Shakespeare Movie Adaptations from 2019-08-22T08:00

The pals discuss movies based on Shakespearean plays. They also discuss cake.

65- write drunk edit sober from 2019-08-15T08:00

The gang considers whether there is any merit to the old adage (which Hemingway likely never uttered), "write drunk, edit sober."

64- Comics Club: DIE Issues 3-4 from 2019-08-08T08:00

The pals discuss issues 3 and 4 of DIE by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans.

63- Beginnings from 2019-08-01T08:00

The personal pals dig into the beginnings of books and stories. What hooks us, what sends us looking for something else to read?

62- Ideal Reading and Writing Environments from 2019-07-25T08:00

The pals discuss the conditions they prefer when reading as well as writing.

61- What Are We Reading? Comics Edition from 2019-07-18T08:00

It is an all-comics installment of WAWR! Books discussed: The Indiana Jones Omnibus, by Dark Horse Books; Papergirls Volume 2, by Brian K. Vaughan; Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, by Hayao M...

60- Intimidating Bibliographies from 2019-07-11T08:00

The personal pals discuss authors who have bibliographies so broad, deep, or difficult that they feel intimidating to even approach.

Bonus! EIME: President Books from 2019-07-04T10:22:39

Happy 4th of July. We couldn't manage a lavish tank parade in our honor, so instead we're cracking open the Patreon vault and giving everyone a chance to play some EIME with us. Can you tell whi...

59- Books with Multiple Points of View and Nonlinear Narratives from 2019-06-27T08:00

Using Brick's recently read The Other Americans and an example, the gang discusses novels that jump around in time or between perspectives.

58- Stewart O'Nan's Last Night at the Lobster from 2019-06-20T08:00

The gang takes a deep dive into Stewart O'Nan's excellent 2007 novel(la?) Last Night at the Lobster.

57- What we look for in literary fiction from 2019-06-13T08:00

Instead of grousing about literary fiction they hate, the personal pals discuss what they look for in literary fiction and what keeps them coming back to the books they love.

56- Andrew Martin's Early Work from 2019-06-06T08:00

The gang earns a hundo by giving the ol' college try to a book they were probably pre-disposed not to like.

55- Under the Volcano, Machines Like Me, The Other Americans, King of the Mississippi from 2019-05-30T08:00

The pals talk about the books they've been reading: Under the Volcano, by Malcom Lowry; Machines Like Me, by Ian McEwan; The Other Americans, by Laila Lalami; King of the Mississippi, by Mike Freed...

54- Do you expect books to "move" you? from 2019-05-23T10:00

The pals talk about feelings. Does a book need to elicit an emotional reaction to be great or even good? Is a book making you feel something different from a book that makes you think something? Wh...

53- Seasonal Reading Habits from 2019-05-16T10:00

The pals discuss how the changes in seasons affect their reading habits.

52- Insert yourself Into a Book from 2019-05-09T10:00

The pals talk about which books feature worlds they would want to inhabit, and those in which they wouldn't want to live. As is often the case, it devolves into therapy for Aaron who wishes Jesus w...

51- Endings from 2019-05-02T10:00

The personal pals discuss endings. Does an ending make or break enjoyment of a book?

50- Comics Club: DIE Issues 1 & 2 from 2019-04-25T10:00

The pals dive into the first 2 issues of DIE by Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans in the newest run of Comics Club.

49- Understanding Comics, Green Lantern, Hey Kids! Comics!, William Gibson's Alien 3, Aliens: Dead Orbit from 2019-04-18T10:00

The personal pals discuss comics they've been reading. This episode: Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud; Green Lantern, by Grant Morrison and Liam Sharp; Hey Kids! Comics! by Howard Chaykin; Wi...

48- Libraries from 2019-04-11T10:00

The gang discusses libraries. What is their value? Do they have a future? Brick might not, he nearly choked to death on this episode.

47- Story Club: "Paper Lanterns" and "The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket" from 2019-04-04T10:00

It's a new Story Club episode. This time we go back once again to the Dybek well with the story "Paper Lanterns" and compare it with one of its inspirations, Yasunari Kawabata's "The Grasshopper an...

46- Keeping Books from 2019-03-28T09:00

The personal pals discuss their personal libraries (or lack thereof) and share their thoughts on books they've kept for years. 

45- Comics Club: Ms. Marvel Issues #1-4 from 2019-03-21T09:00

The personal pals are joined by former host of The Page Count Podcast, Marc Velsaquez, to discuss the first four issues of Ms. Marvel by Sana Amanat, G. Willow Wilson, and Adrian Alphona. This is o...