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Overdue

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Overdue is a podcast about the books you've been meaning to read. Join Andrew and Craig each week as they tackle a new title from their backlog. Classic literature, obscure plays, goofy childen’s books: they'll read it all, one overdue book at a time.


Episodes

Genie Babies, a One Thousand and One Nights miniseries - Episodes 3 & 4

Welcome to another episode of Genie Babies, a magic carpet ride of a podcast from the boys here at Overdue! On this show-within-a-show, we're reading Husain Haddawy's translation of Muhsin Mahdi's manuscript of The Thousand and One Nights (also known by its westernized title, The Arabian Nights).  Some Patreon supporters get these episodes monthly, but every two months we'll combine them for general consumption. In the first half, you'll hear us discuss the beginning of a "wacky" night with...

Oct 02, 20201 hr 42 min

Ep 437 - Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, et al

This week we answer the question on everyone's minds: why, the last man? This mid-2000s graphic novel imagines a world without men, a specific kind of apocalypse with a different flavor from The Leftovers or other "what if X suddenly disappeared from Earth forever" fiction. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Sep 28, 20201 hr 7 min

Ep 436 - How Much of These Hills Is Gold, by C Pam Zhang

C Pam Zhang's Booker Prize-listed debut novel focuses on a family of Chinese immigrants working coal mines, panning streams, and laying railroads in the American West. Her characters, myth-making, and lyrical style work to correct the historical record with specificity and humanity. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Sep 21, 20201 hr

Ep 435 - The Yiddish Policemen's Union, by Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon's 2007 alternate history novel is a murder mystery featuring a hard-boiled detective, though neither the detective nor the murder mystery are the most memorable parts of it. The alternate history part, along with Chabon's prose, are enough to make up for whatever other shortcomings the novel might have. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info...

Sep 14, 20201 hr 9 min

Ep 434 - Roadside Picnic, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

What if all we knew about alien culture was their garbage? Or is it their garbage? The Strugatsky brothers' most famous novel is about a world where stalkers crawl through hazardous Zones for precious artifacts. Also it's about hope, bureaucracy, and our relationship to the unknown. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Sep 07, 20201 hr

Ep 433 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0), by Suzanne Collins (Bonus Episode)

We just couldn't resist another trip to Panem! This origin story for the trilogy's primary villain, Coriolanus Snow, takes us all the way back to the 10th Annual Hunger Games. Things are a little less flashy, but no less deadly. Struggle along with us through the hunger, through the games, and through the limits of fiction told through the antagonist's eyes. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . Find our how to join us for bonus episode recordings at patreon.com/overduepod . See ...

Sep 04, 20201 hr 25 min

Ep 432 - Harvey, by Mary Chase

Join us and our possibly imaginary gigantic anthropomorphic rabbit for a discussion about a play that just HAPPENS to be about a man who is friends with a possibly imaginary gigantic anthropomorphic rabbit. Funny how that works out! Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Aug 31, 202058 min

Ep 431 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith

We've all heard that a tree grows in Brooklyn. But what ELSE grows there? A love of reading? A bootstraps narrative? We get to the root of the mystery this week on Overdue. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Aug 24, 20201 hr 7 min

Ep 430 - Eggs, by Jerry Spinelli

Eggs is a book that has eggs in it, but also adolescent pain and friendship. Eggs! Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Aug 17, 202054 min

Ep 429 - Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver

Lauren Oliver's first novel is about a teenage girl forced to relive the last day of her life over and over again. What can she change? What should she change? And how will she change? Find out the answers to those questions and more (namely, how all time loop fiction is beholden to the 1993 film Groundhog Day ) in this week's episode. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#d...

Aug 10, 20201 hr 2 min

Ep 428 - Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone takes familiar fantasy tropes and puts them in a new context, which makes them unexpectedly poignant and powerful.  Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Aug 03, 20201 hr 9 min

Genie Babies, a One Thousand and One Nights miniseries - Episodes 1 & 2

Welcome to Genie Babies, a magic carpet ride of a podcast from the boys here at Overdue! On our newest show-within-a-show, we're reading Husain Haddawy's translation of Muhsin Mahdi's manuscript of The Thousand and One Nights (also known by its westernized title, The Arabian Nights).  Some Patreon supporters get these episodes monthly, but every two months we'll combine them for general consumption. In the first half, you'll hear us discuss the some of the background scholarship as well as ...

Aug 01, 20201 hr 58 min

Ep 427 - Deacon King Kong, by James McBride

Everything happens for a reason in James McBride's new novel. It's September of 1969 and a doddering Brooklyn deacon just shot the neighborhood's top drug dealer. The events set in motion touch every member of the community - from its 102-year-old founder to the fire ants in the boiler room - and help them build a future as the world changes around them. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://...

Jul 27, 20201 hr 2 min

Ep 426 - The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector

Can our podcast truly capture the depth of a renowned Brazilian novelist's final work? This question mirrors one asked by the narrator of The Hour of the Star, whose attempts to portray a young woman's pitiable existence are hindered by his fears that he will never do her story justice. Also, Craig talks into a sock. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ...

Jul 20, 20201 hr 4 min

Ep 425 - Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), by Suzanne Collins

The Games may have ended, but we're still hungry! We travel back to Panem for the close of Collins' trilogy about Katniss, Peeta, and revolution. It's time to talk (a)political messages, rickety love triangles, the limits of a hero's POV. If you aren't caught up on our Hunger Games journey, go give  Episode 400 or Episode 410 a listen! Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...

Jul 13, 20201 hr 33 min

Ep 424 - My Sister the Serial Killer, by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Sometimes a book is about exactly what it says on the cover. Oyinkan Braithwaite's debut novel is plenty dark but surprisingly funny, exploring sibling dynamics heightened by the fact that there is serial killing involved. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Jul 06, 202056 min

Ep 423 - The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, by Steve Brusatte (Bonus Episode)

Craig loves dinosaurs, so Andrew let him talk for an hour about Steve Brusatte's recent book for dino devotees. Time to talk T-Rexes, Sauropods, and graphic depictions of the end of the world with our live Patreon chat. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . Special thanks to the Patreon supporters who joined us in the live chat. For more info on how to participate in bonus episode recordings, head to  patreon.com/overduepod . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy a...

Jul 03, 20201 hr 13 min

Ep 422 - An Unseen Attraction, by KJ Charles (w/ Margaret H. Willison)

Special guest Margaret H. Willison joins us this week to talk about the consensual, gay, historically accurate romance novels of KJ Charles. Our theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Jun 29, 20201 hr 7 min

Ep 421 - The Vegetarian, by Han Kang

How could a dream upend your life? Would you stop eating meat? Embark on a ruinous affair? Desert your family? Han Kang's The Vegetarian asks visceral questions about our capacity for violence and what'd be willing to give up to be rid of it. Our new theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Jun 22, 202058 min

Ep 420 - Candide, by Voltaire

Candide is a novella-length takedown of the idea that we are living in the best of all possible worlds, as ordained by God. These days it's hard to believe we need a whole book about this but it's pretty funny anyway? Our new theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Jun 15, 202046 min

Ep 419 - Inferno, by Dan Brown (HELLBOYS Bonus Episode)

Noted symbologist Robert Langdon has to "solve" a "mystery" that "references" Dante's Inferno! Let's see if he can crack the clues before the whole world succumbs to a transhumanist disease (yes, that's a real sentence that makes real sense.) For context, this was originally released in late May for some of our Patreon supporters. *** As we say in the pre-show, we've donated to the Marshall Project , which seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice sy...

Jun 08, 20201 hr 30 min

Ep 418 - Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel

This week we read an (1) explicitly autobiographical (2) non-fiction (3) graphic novel, things we don't usually do! But we try to have a useful discussion anyway. This episode, like most of our shows, does not pass the Bechdel Test. Our new theme music was composed by  Nick Lerangis . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Jun 01, 202056 min

HELLBOYS, a Divine Comedy miniseries - Episode 11

Welcome to the last official installment of HELLBOYS, a Divine Comedy podcast from the boys here at Overdue! On this episode, we wrap up our journey through Robert and Jean Hollander's translation of Dante's Divine Comedy. Some Patreon supporters get these episodes monthly, but every other month we release them for general consumption. This episode carries us to the end where we meet a Who's Who of Biblical heroes and stare directly into the face of God (Paradiso XXVIII-XXXIII). Then it's time t...

May 29, 202057 min

Ep 417 - Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Jhumpa Lahiri's second short story collection focuses on the experiences of second- and third-generation Bengali-Americans, people caught between the futures they're trying to build and the pasts they're trying to honor. Her direct, compelling writing style makes these slices of life particularly affecting, as do the characters and the misfortunes that befall them. Our new theme music was composed by Nick Lerangis . We hope you dig it! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...

May 25, 20201 hr 3 min

Ep 416 - Orlando: A Biography, by Virginia Woolf

Orlando is an English nobleman in the 16th century who, by the end the Woolf's tongue-in-cheek biography of the character, is an English noblewoman in the 20th century. It's quite a journey for all involved! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

May 18, 20201 hr 8 min

Ep 415 - My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, by Fredrik Backman

My grandmother asked me to tell you about this podcast. It's about a book by Swedish author Fredrik Backman, and it's about a precocious young girl named Elsa and her quest to deliver her Granny's letters of apology. It's a fairy tale - of sorts. It's also a story about coming to grips with the world's complications, with the ways in which we are all more than we appear at first glance, and with grief. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

May 11, 202058 min

Ep 414 - Llama Llama Red Pajama (Series), by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama Red Pajama On a podcast with his mama! We read llama books to kids To make them close their small eyelids. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

May 04, 20201 hr

Ep 413 - Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective, by Donald J. Sobol (Bonus Episode)

What's a boy to do when his dad is the bumbling Chief of Police? Solve crimes, of course! Join us as we solve The Mystery of How Donald J. Sobol Wrote Detective Fiction for Kids! Special thanks to the Patreon supporters who joined us in the live chat. For more info on how to participate in bonus episode recordings, head to  patreon.com/overduepod . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

May 01, 202059 min

Ep 412 - A Death in the Family, by James Agee

Fair warning: this book's a bit of a bummer! Agee's autobiographical A Death in the Family centers on the aftermath of the automobile accident that took his father's life in 1915. It's a poetic exploration of grief and trauma -- which may not be everyone's cup of tea these days! Ways we try to lighten the mood include: It's a Wonderful Life musings, Andrew's Heavenly Dogs, and a bunch of words that Craig may or may not have made up. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California ...

Apr 27, 20201 hr 3 min

Ep 411 - Smoke Jumpers (Choose Your Own Adventure) by R.A. Montgomery

For this, the highest of holy days, we've revisited the Choose Your Own Adventure-verse with R.A. Montgomery's Smoke Jumpers. Come for the information about what it's like to be a trainee firefighter, stay for the ranger who sounds a whole lot like Strong Bad. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....

Apr 20, 20201 hr 25 min
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