Sitting Down With Florida Man This week, BBE welcomes the Florida Men on Florida Man podcast back to the show. Jennifer sits down with Wayne to discuss Dave Berry’s book, Best State Ever , a heartfelt defense of his beloved state of Florida. Episode Highlights Sponges. Yes, sponges. We know, you're hooked already. The Villages: your favorite quasi-dystopian retirement community. When are you considered a Floridian? What about a Mainer? The Skunk Ape makes an appearance, which is unsurprising giv...
Mar 22, 2022•49 min•Season 5Ep. 2
The Never-To-Be-Read List This week Jennifer gives a [belated] look at her 2021 reading and talks about her reading goals for 2022. Yes, she knows that it is already March. Paige Presents Webtoons : One of Jennifer’s latest Webtoon obsessions, The Gentle Way follows the Judo practitioner Jun as she learns how to confront her fears and overcome her anxiety. Super cute, romance vibes, but also great lessons on how to live your life bravely and authentically. Visit the author's Instagram or Patreon...
Mar 08, 2022•16 min•Season 5Ep. 1
BBE is transitioning to a new phase. One that unfortunately lacks Paige. Tune in to hear about her new adventures, plans for the future, and a wrap up of season 4. Stay tuned for a new phase of BBE where Jennifer will continue to bring you all the bookish content you could hope for! Support the show
Jan 18, 2022•58 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Listen along as we take a dive into what some might consider fanfiction. Whether or not it is, we here at BBE loved hearing Captain Wentworth's side of the Persuasion story. Support the show
Sep 26, 2021•20 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Paige needed to compensate for the discomfort brought on by reading a spicy romance novel. She went with aliens. Area 51 , by Bob Mayer Learn more about the author and his books on his website . Want to read about flying saucers and shadowy military ops? Support us by buying a copy from our Bookshop store . Paige Presents Fun with Comics : Jennifer talks Webtoon Like Wind On A Dry Branch . Click on for some plague, demons, and magic. Creative’s Corner: For some amazing commentary content and zan...
Aug 28, 2021•19 min
Bring the Romance: Jennifer’s Fav Spicy Webtoons Carrying on the trend of our July episode, Jennifer dives into some of her favorite ~spicy~ romance Webtoons. With some incredible stories and art, this is just another reason to download the app and get reading stat. Some of Jennifer’s fav spicy Webtoons: Freaking Romance At Arm’s Length Let’s Play SubZero Midnight Poppy Land Support the Pod Find us on Instagram Find us on Twitter Don’t forget to leave us a review if you are enjoying the pod. Che...
Aug 13, 2021•17 min
BBE branches out with this month's pick into uncomfortable territory for both Jennifer and Paige (but mostly Paige). Tune in to hear out thoughts on our first Guilty Pleasure Pick: The Kiss Quotient. The Kissing Quotient , by Helen Hoang Learn more about the author on her website . Want in on the spice? Grab a copy for yourself on our Bookshop store . Paige Presents Fun with Comics: Girls of the Wild’s on Webtoon. Creative’s Corner: Paige serves up an Iceland-inspired podcast: Saga Thing . Hoste...
Jul 31, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Shame, Shame: An Intro to Guilty Pleasure Reads In this first episode of BBE Shorts, Jennifer spends some time musing over what “guilty pleasure reads” means to her, and even reveals some of her favs to fall back on when she’s feeling down. She also explores what our listeners think of as guilty pleasure reads and hints at future episodes that dig more into why we feel guilty about reading certain things rather than others. Some of Jennifer’s fav guilty pleasure reads: Any Jane Austen books Mr. ...
Jul 22, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 1
As you may remember, we experienced some technical difficulties back in February and weren't able to release our normally scheduled episode. Well, we're back with Tiger's Daughter, for real this time. Tune in to hear our lost episode and what Paige thinks about this Mongol inspired pick. Mythology & Folklore: Mongolia Here are the references Paige used for Mongolian mythology: http://www.antor.org/mongolia-culture.html https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.201108031101438...
May 31, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 4
For our final bonus episode of this season, our coworker Dianna has come on to talk about Period Power. Let us know what you think! We may have a part 2 in store for you! Period Power , by Maisie Hill Visit the author’s website to learn more about her and her work. Purchase a copy for yourself and support the podcast at the same time! Folio Facts: This month, Paige tackles the witch hunting manual, Malleus Maleficarum , which translates to Hammer of the Witches! Despite an awesome name, this boo...
May 28, 2021•14 min
Paige finally gets her chance to make everyone listen to a story from Irish Mythology. Tune in to hear about an Irish epic centered around a cattle raid and a protagonist with the weirdest superpower. Mythology & Folklore: Irish Most of this came from the preface of the Tain Wikipedia got Paige through the info on the Morrigan and Lugh Paige Presents Fun with Comics : Get real bookish and check out The Reference Desk podcast , hosted by two librarians and discussing the topics that fascinate...
May 18, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 10
For Jennifer's final episode of the season, she has chosen a slightly different pick with the Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. Tune in as she analyzes Campbell's theories on comparative mythology. The Power of Myth , by Joseph Campbell Resources Jennifer used: Joseph Campbell has a rather robust wikipedia article , that also details and links some of the critiques leveled against him that you can check out. Like Jennifer mentioned in the episode, these are all pretty old at this point. Intervie...
May 04, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This episode we are doing Horror Lite! Paige's friend Sammie chose a book for us that has just enough horror elements to not scare the uninitiated but also has an original concept that all of us appreciated. Tune in to hear about the Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. The Library at Mount Char, by Scott Hawkins Check out Scott Hawkins’ website . Buy your own copy of The Library at Mount Char . Folio Facts: This month Jennifer digs into the story of Mark Hoffman , who’s story was recently hi...
May 01, 2021•15 min
For this episode, Paige chose a classic feminist retelling of King Arthur: The Mists of Avalon. However, on closer inspection of the author we found some information that casts the novel in a very different light. Mythology & Folklore: the legend of King Arthur Resources Paige used for the folklore surrounding King Arthur: Britannica articles on King Arthur , Arthurian Legend , and Culhwch and Olwen . Paige Presents Fun with Comics: This week Jennifer talked about one of her new favorite Web...
Apr 20, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Mythology & Folklore: Pre-Columbian Resources used for general Pre-Columbian mythology: The Britannica article on Pre-Columbian cultures was very in-depth Lost World of the Maya (Full Episode) | National Geographic And here is what Jennifer used in relation to Black Sun specifically: Queztalcoatl Paige Presents Fun with Comics: This week Paige talked about New Spring , a graphic novel interpretation of Robert Jordan’s prequel to the Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately, Jennifer was not able ...
Apr 06, 2021•1 hr 57 min•Season 3Ep. 7
For this episode we brought in an expert! Jennifer's compatriot from graduate school, Ryan, joined us to discuss The Knife Man: Blood, Body Snatching, and the Birth of Modern Surgery, which focuses on the wild life and times of surgeon John Hunter. Both gruesome and fascinating in equal parts, you won't want to miss out on this one. The Knife Man , Wendy Moore For more info about the author and her other books check out her website . Buy a copy of The Knife Man for yourself. Folio Facts: This mo...
Mar 27, 2021•17 min
This episode, Paige chooses a tale firmly rooted in Norse Mythology. Tune in to hear about everyone's favorite Trickster and his take on some less well known myths. Mythology & Folklore: Norse Resources used for general Norse mythology: The Creation of the Cosmos: https://norse-mythology.org/tales/norse-creation-myth/ The Nine Realms in Norse Mythology: https://skjalden.com/nine-realms-in-norse-mythology/ And here is what Paige used for Loki specifically: Loki the Trickster in Norse Mytholog...
Mar 23, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Tune in for a dive into Greek mythology and a book that Jennifer says is the best she's read in a while and one that WILL make you cry: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. Mythology & Folklore: Greece Resources used for general Greek mythology: A Brief Summary of Greek Origin Story: https://youtu.be/4VaO1tx29ek Crash Course Mythology on Greek creation: https://youtu.be/XNCQ9w59I7M Greek Gods family tree: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_tree_of_the_Greek_gods And here are the links ...
Mar 09, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Because Paige's computer ate some of our raw audio for our normally scheduled episode delaying our release, BBE decided to publish a bonus episode for everyone. Enjoy as Paige's sister Kayla joins BBE to discuss a true crime murder mystery as shown in Janice Hisle's Submerged . Submerged : The Story of Sarah and Ryan Widmer Kayla recommends checking out true crime and conspiracy podcast: Mile Higher Also, take a look the Netflix true crime docuseries, Trial by Media , which features episodes foc...
Feb 27, 2021•1 hr 19 min
This week we discuss a classic of Japanese Literature: Tales of Moonlight and Rain by Ueda Akinari. Tune in to hear some wild stories and to hear Jennifer's opinion on a classic. Mythology & Folklore: Japan Jennifer did her best to give a brief summary of Japanese religious history during this episode, and here are a few of the sources that she used: A bullet list of the main points of Japanese religious history: https://www.uwosh.edu/facstaff/barnhill/244-japan/bits-of-history Wikipedia art...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This season we are doing Phone a Friend for our bonus episodes! Tune in to hear guest host Brooke join us to discuss Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House ! Ninth House & Leigh Bardugo Learn more about the author on her website: https://www.leighbardugo.com/about/ Watch the trailer for the new Shadow and Bone series here: https://youtu.be/vDd_IEBwP2U Buy a copy of Ninth House for yourself: https://bookshop.org/a/9616/9781250751362 Folio Facts: The Codex Gigas This month, Paige presents the Codex Gigas...
Feb 02, 2021•17 min
This episode we dive into the Witcher franchise with The Last Wish. Tune in to continue our talks on Slavic folklore and our thoughts on the Witcher book and Netflix series. Slavic Folklore Resources Brendan Noble on the Striga: https://youtu.be/eIAUemZb1vo Dogman Narrative’s Recap of a Strigoi Legend: https://youtu.be/DBmXA0SKyk8 Listen to a podcast episode reading the story of Vasalisa the Wise and the Sea Tsar: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sea-tsar-and-vasilisa-the-wise-a-russian...
Jan 26, 2021•59 min•Season 3Ep. 2
We open up season 3 with The Bear and the Nightingale, a story inspired by Slavic and Russian Folklore. Tune in to learn a bit about this story and the mythology it is based on. Russian Folklore Resources Russian Folklore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore_of_Russia A Brief History of Russian Folklore: https://www.pushkinhouse.org/blog/2020/5/13/a-brief-history-of-russian-folklore Routledge Companion to Russian Literature: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Routledge_Companion_to_Russ...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 45 min•Season 3Ep. 1
We're back for Season 3! This season is all about mythology and folklore. We're also bringing on some of our listeners as special co-hosts during our bonus episodes. Tune in for another exciting season of BBE! Support the show
Jan 11, 2021•3 min
We are finishing out the season with our final Movie Magic Pick, cult favorite The Princess Bride. Listen in as we gush over a mutually favorite movie title... and also the book. You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show
Dec 01, 2020•16 min
Paige chooses one of her favorite SciFi books to read for the final episode of Books We Love: The White Plague by Frank Herbert. It's a great book, but perhaps the middle of a pandemic was not the best time to read it. Folio Facts: Oldest printing press in British North America BBE Bookstore: Sick by Porochista Khakpour Creatives' Corner: Roman Empire, Netflix You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Season 2Ep. 11
For Jennifer's final pick of the season she chose Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez. Tune in to hear about an amazing magical system in an unusual setting for a fantasy novel. Folio Facts: Lost Languages on Medieval Manuscripts BBE Bookstore: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor Creatives' Corner: Story Graph You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show...
Nov 10, 2020•1 hr 37 min
For Spooky Season's Movie Magic pick, we pushed the limits of Jennifer's horror endurance. Tune in to hear if she thought the book was scary or not. You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show
Oct 31, 2020•24 min
For Paige's Spooky Season pick, she has chosen a book that gave her nightmares last time around. Tune in to hear about a book that has consistently shown up on internet lists as one of the scariest books ever written. Folio Facts: Agatha Christie novels solve real world crimes BBE Bookstore: Humans by Brandon Stanton Creatives' Corner: Watercolor by Shibasaki, YouTube You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show...
Oct 27, 2020•1 hr 52 min•Season 2Ep. 9
It's official. Jennifer has declared a favorite book and it is The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Tune in to hear about H.H. Holmes and the Chicago World Fair. Folio Facts: Tale of Genji BBE Bookstore: Njal's Saga Creative's Corner: Bookish Realm, YouTube You can support BBE at patreon.com/bigbookenergy or through our bookstore at bookshop.org/shop/BigBookEnergy Support the show
Oct 12, 2020•1 hr 49 min•Season 2Ep. 8
