We're starting a new adventure, a monthly Big Book Club Podcast... http://bigbookclubarlington.libsyn.com/By Arlington VA Public Library

As a special post-Moby-Dick bonus, Jennie and Megan previewed the new book, "Ahab's Rolling Sea: A Natural History of Moby-Dick," and interviewed author Richard King by phone from his home in Mystic, Connecticut. Rich's book does a great job of putting Moby-Dick in context, with lots of maps and photos. And for anyone who might fear that King's sty…

And so we come to the conclusion of our voyage... was the destination worth the ride? Opinions vary... Palate cleansers: Pete - "What We Do In The Shadows" - available on DVD Jennie - "The Business of Bees" from Bloomberg Podcasts and "Blown Away" glassblowing show Megan - "Cover-Up" podcast from People, "The Drop Out" podcast from ABC Radio, and "…

The gang's all back in town again! In this week's discussion of chapters 102-121, we contemplate biblical history and prophecy, and Megan solves the meaning of Moby-Dick once again. Want to listen to an early version of The Pacific, from the Moby-Dick musical? Visit Dave Malloy's website. Read a review of the Moby-Dick performance Megan attended. P…

This week, half of Arlington is on vacation, so Jennie and Pete set sail on their own. The two cover chapters 87-101, discussing the unpleasant topics (racism, whale slaughter) and the absurd (Stubb's nose, the ineptness of whale ship captains.) And with no co-hosts, there's no one to stop them from making references to The Simpsons but also no one…

In chapters 71-86, no amount of action could keep us from feeling sedated by the seemingly endless chapters on phrenology... Although maybe all of Moby-Dick would improve if read like a jazz poem? Chapter 79: The Prairie - read like an experimental jazz poem by the Mob-Dick Big Read project Before Dave Malloy's new musical Moby-Dick makes its world…

This week we tackled the most action packed reading yet, chapters 60-70, in which we encountered bloody whale killing, racial stereotyping, and ugly power structures. Palate cleansers: Megan - "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nuter, Witch" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman Jennie - "Sixth The Musical" Alex - "Somewhere Only W…

In discussing chapters 42-59, we mentioned "The Card Turner," a YA novel by Louis Sachar. Also, giant squid are scary, Fedallah's whaleboat crew are eerie, and and Melville is not subtle. Palate cleansers: Jennie - "Ayesha At Last" by Uzma Jalaluddin and "The Lady and the Highwayman" by Sarah M. Eden Alex - "Storm of Locusts" by Rebecca Roanhorse P…

Who got the gold star for reading all about whale-fish, including the footnotes? Who is actually caught up on the reading? Who thinks Ahab is headed for a reconning of, well, mythic proportions? And who is ready to read something completely different this week? We referenced: "I''ll Make a Man Out of You" from the Disney musical, Mulan. On the tv s…

180 pages in, and we've barely left port... This week we discussed knowing that we're reading a "Big Book," and therefore expecting more drama out of Ahab as character. We also wondered whether, if we'd read Moby-Dick when it first was published, would we have been bored out of our minds by this point? Books we reference: "A History of the World in…

This week we realize that running off to sea and adopting a nome-de-mer is usually a sign that you're trying to escape from something... PSA: You can learn pirate in the Mango Languages app, free with your library card. Palate cleansers: Megan - Lore Olympus web comic Pete - "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Jennie - "Comrade Detectiv…

We're ready to set sail with plenty of whale puns... Don't have your book yet? The Library has unlimited copies in eBook and eAudiobook. Or you could listen to the Moby-Dick Big Read podcast produced by the Arts Institute at the University of Plymouth. And don't forget to join the What the Whale! Facebook group before Sunday night's online discussi…

For our final week of Middlemarch we were joined by guest host Heather, who loves soup with pasta, baseball of all kinds, as well as the work of Charles Dickens. Missing Middlemarch? We have a book list for you! Thanks to Gale for getting it started. Things we plan to read after Middlemarch: Heather - Ron Chernow's biography of "Grant and Mark Z. D…

This week we were joined by return-guest host Gale, who we happened to find out loves horror books and films. Palate cleansers - Gale - "In a Dark, Dark Wood" by Ruth Ware Pete - "Chamber Music: Wu-Tang and America (in 36 pieces)" by Will Ashon Gale - "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster Alex - "Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit" by Amy Stewart…

This week we were joined by guest host Elisia, who loves fountain pens and board games. This week's notes include: Pi Day, celebrated on March 14, which corresponds with 3.14 The Ides of March is a day on the Roman calendar that corresponds to 15 March. The Romans did not number days of a month from the first to the last day. Instead, they counted …

A Big Book Club mini episode about Arlington Reads Signature Author Susan Orlean's "The Library Book." References include: Susan Orlean appeared on episode 158 of the Lady Lady podcast "Adaptation," based on Susan Orlean's "The Orchid Thief" "Life's Swell" - Susan Orlean's 1998 article about girls surfing in Maui is now available from Outsideonline…

This week we were joined by guest host Vicky, who loves dogs (she has 3) and books. We discussed: The 1834 Poor Law, which ensured that the poor were housed in workhouses, clothed and fed. Children who entered the workhouse would receive some schooling. In return for this care, all workhouse paupers would have to work for several hours each day. - …

This week we were joined by guest host Brit, who loves Halloween and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. We discussed: 19 Old Fashioned Compliments We Should Bring Back - Bustle The origins of Whig and Tory - The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica The London Corresponding Society and the Treasonable Practices Act and the Seditious Meetings Act of 1…

This week we were joined by Gale, our first guest host. We had a great discussion covering lustful eyes, the invention of stethoscopes, Edith Wharton, reform bills and more. Shownotes: Gale mentions authors Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, Edith Wharton and William Makepeace Thackeray ("Vanity Fair") as favorites. The stethoscope was invented in Fra…

A Big Book Club mini episode about Marie Kondo and what she actually said. While recording our January 15 "Ides of Middlemarch" episode, Megan's palate cleansers included the Netflix show, "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo." Pete mentioned a rumor that's been floating around social media about what Marie Kondo says about books.... and Jennie had a lot t…

In which we have many feelings, especially about the importance of good footnotes and endnotes, as well as our disappointment in Fred, Lydgate, Mr. Garth and Casaubon. This week's references include: Folger Shakespeare Library Editions and "The Annotated Alice: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll, with a…

What Makes a Book "Big"? We thought that because "Middlemarch" only weighs in at the 700-800 page range (compared to the 1200+ pages of "War and Peace"), there would somehow be less characters and relationships to keep track of... We were wrong. Luckily, other intrepid readers have come before us! Charles found and shared this hand drawn "Relations…

We recorded this week's podcast a day late due to a snowstorm, but nothing could stop our first Sunday night group discussion on Goodreads! Today we got to Tuesday-morning quarterback the discussion. Shownotes - Shmoop.com is an education website aimed at students. The introduction and character analysis sections on Middlemarch are especially helpf…

Welcome back to the Big Book Club! In our introductory episode of Season 2, Jennie, Megan and Pete chat about the reading schedule for "Middlemarch" and the discussion format of this season's Big Book Club: We're reading for 3 weeks, and then taking a week off to catch up (and repeat) We're hosting 2 in person chats in the off weeks, for people who…

A Big Book Club mini episode: A Rogue by Any Other Name vs. The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's the first in a new series of mini episodes about reading outside our comfort zones! Pete challenged Megan to read his very favorite book, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," by Douglas Adams... Megan challenged Pete to read one of her favorit…