Best Peculiar Book Club Podcast Podcasts (2024)

1
We'll give you something to Chew On with Bill Schutt and Bite: A Natural History of Teeth 1:02:45

16h ago1:02:45

1:02:45

If you follow the Peculiar Book Club Facebook group, you’ll know Bill Schutt is EXACTLY our kind of weird. He’s a vertebrate zoologist and author of six nonfiction and fiction books, including Pump, Cannibalism, and Dark Banquet! Recently retired from his post as professor of biology, Bill’s now a research associate at the American Museum of Natura…

1
We'll dance around the issues with Black Swan (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:02:34

8d ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Hurts So Good, we are doing the 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into the world of ballet and pain. We'll discuss the th…

1
We're bringing the Pain with Leigh Cowart (and Rachel Feltman) and Hurt So Good 1:07:02

1M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

Can pain… be pleasure? I was never one to experience a runner’s high, or to enjoy ‘feeling the burn’ after a workout. But are there ways—or times—when pain provides something extra, or even extraordinary? Leigh Cowart sets out to ask and to answer this very question. Sure, we might first think of masochism as something to do with sex—but it gets ou…

1
We're on the case with An Inspector Calls (Peculiar Movie Club) 56:34

2M ago56:34

56:34

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of The Framed Women of Ardemore House, we are doing the 2015 BBC One made-for-tv adaptation of An Inspector Calls. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as they take a deep dive into this British Thrill…

1
You're going to need a drink to watch Grabbers (Peculiar Movie Club) 39:02

2M ago39:02

39:02

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, for some Halloween fun, we are discussing the Irish Horror Comedy film Grabbers. Join Davey Berris as he takes a deep dive into this fun monster movie. There aren't many deep themes in this movie but we will …

1
You are all Suspects with Brandy Schillace and The Framed Women of Ardemore House 1:10:34

2M ago1:10:34

1:10:34

An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever muder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horwitz.Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out mor…

1
You're going to be Obsessed with Maria Dong and Liar, Dreamer, Thief 1:02:09

2M ago1:02:09

1:02:09

Katrina Kim may be broke, the black sheep of her family, and slightly unhinged, but she isn’t a stalker. Her obsession with her co-worker, Kurt, is just one of many coping mechanisms—like her constant shape and number rituals, or the way scenes from her favorite children’s book bleed into her vision whenever she feels anxious or stressed. But when …

1
You're wondering what we have to say about Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:10:03

3M ago1:10:03

1:10:03

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Tremors in the Blood, we are discussing a movie about the invention of the lie detector with Professor Marston and the Wonder Women . Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep …

1
One thing will lead to another with Lucy Santos and Chain Reactions 1:05:47

3M ago1:05:47

1:05:47

Tracing uranium’s past, and how it intersects with our understanding of other radioactive elements, this book aims to disentangle our attitudes and to unpick the atomic mindset. Chain Reactions looks at the fascinating, often-forgotten, stories that can be found throughout the history of the element. Ranging from glassworks to penny stocks; medicin…

1
Amit Katwala (Tremors in the Blood) and Patti McCracken (Angel Makers) plus Deborah Blum 1:04:10

3M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

You asked and we delivered! Pulitzer-prize winning science journalist Deborah Blum—author of The Poisoner’s Handbook—returns to PBC! This time, she comes to us as HOST! Two additional authors will be joining us, picked by Deborah herself: Amit Katwala as author of TREMORS IN THE BLOOD and Patti McCracken for ANGEL MAKERS. Where did lie detectors co…

1
We've got trouble, right here on the Peculiar Book Club, with The Music Man (Peculiar Movie Club) 55:27

4M ago55:27

55:27

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book A Gentleman and a Thief, we are discussing our own gentleman conman with The Music Man. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this classic Hollywood (and Broadway…

1
We'll confess our crimes with Dean Jobb and A Gentleman Thief 1:00:03

4M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

Suave and movie-star handsome, Arthur Barry charmed New York celebrities as he planned and executed some of the most brazen and lucrative heists of the 1920s. Think Cary Grant’s character was clever and slick in the Hitchcock classic To Catch a Thief ? This gentleman thief was smarter, smoother. It sounds like fiction. But it isn’t. Barry was real-…

1
The chase is on for Moby Dick (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:02:02

5M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Whalefall, we are discussing the greatest tale of Whales ever told, the classic Moby Dick. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this classic tale of temptation, …

1
We're having a Whale of a Time with Daniel Kraus (and Mary Roach) and Whalefall 1:03:05

5M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Just imagine for a moment—you are swimming in the cold dark of the Pacific Ocean, trying to find the lost remains of your father. But you aren’t alone. There are shapes moving in the gloom, great, dark shapes. Shapes with mouths. That’s what happens to Jay Gardiner in the latest novel by award winning author (and collaborator with Guillermo del Tor…

1
This episode will be a real Beauty with Zara Stone and Killer Looks 59:37

5M ago59:37

59:37

How much do looks really matter? In society, whether we like it or not, how we look affects how we are treated—and even what opportunities we might have in life. A one-time New York prison commissioner, Henry Solomon, once stated that “physical defects…might conduce to crime” because a man with a poor physical appearance would have an easier time s…

1
Make sure to Scrub In for Anthony Chin-Quee and I Can't Save You 1:04:49

6M ago1:04:49

1:04:49

What happens when racism is not a bug in the system—but in fact IS the system? And the Health System, at that. Imagine being a high-achieving person of color, courted by prestigious medical institutions, but then denied the support you needed when you got there? Fighting through burnout and the grueling pace of residency, only to wind up a cog in a…

1
We are traveling the stars with 2001: A Space Odyssey (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:05:41

6M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The Computer's Voice, we are discussing maybe the most iconic computer voice in cinema history with Hal 9000 and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a dee…

1
Hey Siri, put on the Peculiar Book Club with Liz Faber (and Rebecca Gibson) and The Computer Voice 1:02:09

6M ago1:02:09

1:02:09

“Siri, what does it mean to have gender?” We have become very used to the dis-embodied voices that surround us, from the voice answering to ‘Siri’ to the one giving us directions on our GPS apps. But have you ever stopped to wonder why some of these voices are coded “male” and others “female?” The tech isn’t gendered, but the voices are—and it’s tr…

1
We are making contact with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:00:53

7M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book We Are Not Alone, we are discussing the legendary alien encounter movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this classic Spie…

1
We're following the Law with AJ Jacobs and The Year of Living Constitutionally 32:27

7M ago32:27

32:27

A.J. Jacobs learned the hard way that donning a tricorne hat and marching around Manhattan with a 1700s musket will earn you a lot of strange looks. In the wake of several controversial rulings by the Supreme Court and the on-going debate about how the Constitution should be interpreted, Jacobs set out to understand what it means to live by the Con…

1
We're Invading your Minds with Marc Hartzman and We Are Not Alone 1:05:32

8M ago1:05:32

1:05:32

Ever look up at the night sky and wonder what else is really out there? Or, like me, do you watch shows like Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk and realize you might actually be the extra-terrestrial (I mean, it would SO much sense). Seriously, though, do we just laugh off the X-files and move on? Note: we did have X-files producer Frank Spotnitz on ou…

1
You'll really Dig our conversation with Greg Melville and Over My Dead Body 1:04:04

8M ago1:04:04

1:04:04

Grave yard. Cemetery. These are some of my favorite things! But walking through graveyards isn’t just about getting your goth on. Cemeteries tell our human history—and they tell national history, too. Take central park for instance. In 1857, it was Seneca Village, a “rare haven of Black ownership” stretching from West 82nd to 89th Streets. NY took …

1
We are getting Microscopic with Innerspace (Peculiar Movie Club) 55:01

8M ago55:01

55:01

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book What's Gotten Into You, we are discussing the 80's science fiction comedy Innerspace. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this silly yet action packed movie as …

1
You'll fall in love with Wendy Moore and Jack and Eve 27:06

8M ago27:06

27:06

In this bonus episode of the Peculiar Book Club we got a chance to sit down with author Wendy Moore for a preview conversation of her new book Jack and Eve. Jack and Eve: Two Women in Love and at War, is published by Atlantic Books in the UK. It tells thestory of Vera 'Jack' Holme and Evelina Haverfield, pioneering suffragettes who became lovers. J…

1
We are Positively Charged to talk with Dan Levitt and What's Gotten Into You 1:05:25

8M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

You know those amazing science document-aries you love so much? National Geo-graphic, Discover, Science, and History Channels? Yeah, you need to thank Dan Levitt—responsible for producing such shows as Unsolved History (2002), Great Transitions: The Origin of Birds (2015) and Naked Science (2004). That one sounds right up our street. Well, now Dan …

1
We're on a Collision Course with Don't Look Up (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:07:03

9M ago1:07:03

1:07:03

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Unscientific America, we are discussing the recent dark comedy Don't Look Up. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this funny yet terrifying look at a possible n…

1
You won't be able to Deny what you learn from Sheril Kirshenbaum and Unscientific America 1:00:20

9M ago1:00:20

1:00:20

The earth is not flat. Vaccines work and they don’t make you magnetic. Global warming is real. Covid is airborne. But you will hear a great deal to the contrary, too, from vaccine and climate deniers, flat-earthers, and plenty of conspiracy theorists willing to die on the hill of their chosen belief. Why? What happened? I thought it might be intere…

1
ASK US ANYTHING! Our first open show! 1:06:47

10M ago1:06:47

1:06:47

Surely you have questions… Weird, pressing questions. Tonight, we host our first ever AMA! You can try to stump Davey! You can inquire about my weirder exploits… we can talk movies and books and cocktails! We can talk about who we might want to join us in future! Free to all!

1
We're showing off our flair bartending with Cocktail (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:02:20

10M ago1:02:20

1:02:20

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Doctors and Distillers, we are discussing the 80's Tom Cruise "classic" Cocktail. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this fun movie as we discuss the mindset o…

1
Glam up for revolution with GLITTER AND CONCRETE - A Cultural History of Drag in New York by Elyssa Max Goodman. 38:15

11M ago38:15

38:15

From journalist and drag historian Elyssa Maxx Goodman, an intimate, evocative history of drag in New York City exploring its dynamic role, from the Jazz Age to Drag Race, in queer liberation and urban life. Follow us on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@peculiarBC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), Facebook (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/peculiarbooksclub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

1
You're Guaranteed to get Tipsy with Camper English and Doctors and Distillers 1:00:12

11M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Ever read The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart? I have. Several times, actually. Well, guess what book SHE is reading? “At last,” she writes, “a definitive guide to the medicinal origins of every bottle behind the bar! This is the cocktail book of the year, if not the decade.” What hallowed tome is she referring to? Folks, it’s a book so perfect for…

1
You're really bugging us for Bethany Brookshire and Pests 1:05:44

11M ago1:05:44

1:05:44

Let’s imagine you’re nestling down for a good nap. You’ve already been to the market for food stuffs, you have filled your larder, and you even managed to get some brand new bedding. It’s cold out, and you are definitely ready for a long winter’s nap—when suddenly, someone rudely breaks into your home. Screaming. And maybe standing on a chair. Even…

1
Trust us, there's a lot of fun things to talk about with Antitrust (Peculiar Movie Club) 58:52

11M ago58:52

58:52

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The Internet Con, we are discussing the early 2000's tech thriller Antitrust. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross as we take a deep dive into this internet, tech company thriller and the t…

1
We're pulling a Job with Cory Doctorow and The Internet Con 56:18

12M ago56:18

56:18

Remember when wasting time on Twitter and Facebook was… fun? When we thought a future of connection awaited us, with endless promise? Those hopes have not aged well, have they? Twitter, Facebook and other Big Tech platforms made things easier… and then, when we weren’t looking, those easy-buttons became bricks in a prison wall. Just try leaving, th…

1
Getting into the Peculiar Holiday Spirit with The Nightmare Before Christmas (Peculiar Movie Club) 31:49

1y ago31:49

31:49

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, for a little bit of fun during the Holiday season, we are discussing the Stop Motion Animated classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. Join Davey Berris for a solo adventure, as he takes a deep dive into this …

1
We have the Power with Masters of the Universe (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:00:10

1y ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of Amanda Deibert's work on the new animated He-Man show, we are discussing the 80's cult classic movie Masters of the Universe. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross, for a deep dive into this fantasy,…

1
Wonder Woman? He-Man? Yes, please! An evening with Amanda Deibert! 58:06

1y ago58:06

58:06

We are THRILLED to have the multi-talented and best selling Amanda Deibert on our show! Author, screenwriter, and much more--AND her newest book, the daily guided gratitude journal, YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWERS is currently available for pre-order. At PBC, we will be talking to Amanda about the world of comics and graphic novels!Amanda’s comic book…

1
It's a Differential Diagnosis with the TV Show House (Peculiar Movie Club) 1:13:19

1y ago1:13:19

1:13:19

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Aroused by Randi Hutter Epstein, we are discussing the TV Show House. Specifically we are watching Season 1, Episode 16 "Heavy", then Season 2, Episode 13 "Skin Deep", and finally Season …

1
AROUSE yourself with Randi Hutter Epstein and the history of HORMONES 1:07:56

1y ago1:07:56

1:07:56

How about a guided tour through the strange science of hormones and the age-old quest to control them?Metabolism, behavior, sleep, mood swings, the immune system, fighting, fleeing, puberty, and sex: these are just a few of the things our bodies control with hormones. Armed with a healthy dose of wit and curiosity, medical journalist Randi Hutter E…

1
It's an extra Halloween Treat with The Wicker Man (Peculiar Movie Club) 56:43

1y ago56:43

56:43

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, as a special treat for Halloween, we are discussing the iconic folk horror movie The Wicker Man. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross, for a deep dive into this classic british . We'll be looking into the theme…

1
Get SHOCKED and AMAZED for HALLOWEEN! 1:09:58

1y ago1:09:58

1:09:58

It's our annual HALLOWEEN show! Costume contest (see our FB for how to sign up and vote), give-aways, candy, prizes, game--and how about some circus performance? SURE! A kooky evening of music and mayhem, with guests Charming Disaster and Sarah Mack (squid facts!) Don't miss it!James Taylor is the planet’s foremost authority on sideshow. You saw Ja…

1
Get SPOOKY with Mary Roach! 1:09:20

1y ago1:09:20

1:09:20

"What happens when we die? Does the light just go out and that's that―the million-year nap? Or will some part of my personality, my me-ness persist? What will that feel like? What will I do all day? Is there a place to plug in my lap-top?" In an attempt to find out, Mary Roach brings her tireless curiosity to bear on an array of contemporary and hi…

1
Ride along with the Dalton Gang and The Pale Door (Peculiar Movie Club) 49:45

1y ago49:45

49:45

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian, we are discussing the movie The Pale Door. Join Davey Berris and Darren Cross, for a deep dive into this witchy western movie. We'll be looking into the themes…

1
Find your THRILL with Alex Grecian and Red Rabbit! 1:05:21

1y ago1:05:21

1:05:21

Join us for the LAUNCH of RED RABBIT!Alex Grecian is the New York Times bestselling author of The Yard and its sequels The Black Country, The Devil’s Workshop, The Harvest Man, and Lost and Gone Forever, as well as the contemporary thriller The Saint of Wolves and Butchers, and the ebook The Blue Girl. He has also written multiple award-winning gra…

1
It's a classic monster movie with The Bride of Frankenstein (Peculiar Movie Club) 42:49

1y ago42:49

42:49

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book Golem Girl by Riva Lehrer, we are discussing the movie The Bride of Frankenstein. Join Davey Berris (unfortunately Darren couldn't make it this month, but he'll be back), for a deep dive …

1
Go Back to the FUTURE (of life on Earth) with Rob Dunn! 1:00:47

1+ y ago1:00:47

1:00:47

What if the world went on without us? Guess what. It will.A leading# ecologist argues that if humankind is to survive on a fragile planet, we must understand and obey its iron lawsOur species has amassed unprecedented knowledge of #nature, which we have tried to use to seize control of life and bend the planet to our will. In A Natural History of t…

1
Be Peculiar with Riva Lehrer, the Artist behind GOLEM GIRL! 1:11:21

1+ y ago1:11:21

1:11:21

What do we sacrifice in the pursuit of #normalcy? And what becomes possible when we embrace monstrosity? Can we envision a world that sees impossible creatures?Lehrer was born with spina bifida, essentially a hole in the spine. In spina bifida patients, the spine does not fuse properly, leaving a fissure or lesion, creating an easy entry point for …

1
We're taking a deep dive with Daniel Kraus and Whalefall! 30:37

1+ y ago30:37

30:37

In this bonus episode of the Peculiar Book Club, suggested by Mary Roach, we got a chance to sit down with author Daniel Kraus for a preview conversation of his new book Whalefall. Don't worry, Brandy and Davey have not read the book yet, so there will be no spoilers, but you will get a great conversation about Daniel's inspirations and process for…

1
It's a memorable episode with Little Fish (Peculiar Movie Club) 58:25

1+ y ago58:25

58:25

Welcome to the Peculiar Movie Club, a bonus podcast linked to our main show the Peculiar Book Club through common themes in media. This week, in honor of the book The Memory Thief by Lauren Aguirre, we are discussing the movie Little Fish. Join Davey Berris and his podcasting partner Darren Cross, for a deep dive into this tragic movie. We'll be lo…

1
Catch The Memory Thief with Lauren Aguirre! 1:05:56

1+ y ago1:05:56

1:05:56

Could you lose your entire memory overnight? If so--what does it mean for the rest of us? The day neurologist Jed Barash sees the baffling brain scan of a young patient with devastating amnesia marks the beginning of a quest to answer those questions. First detected in a cluster of stigmatized opioid overdose victims in Massachusetts with severe da…

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