The Spouter-Inn
@thespouterinn.bsky.social
A podcast about “great books” that isn’t entirely sure what that phrase means. Hosted by @wordgarbler.bsky.social and @sakbari.bsky.social and available on your podcast app or at https://megaphonic.fm/spouter/
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
"I'm afraid the award has really been completely overshadowed. The eviction of the encampment was such a trauma." - Maggie Helwig on winning the City of Toronto Book Award less than 24 hours before the city cleared the encampment she writes about in the book.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
Maggie Helwig
Podcast Episode · What Happened Next: a podcast about newish books · 11/17/2025 · 26m
podcasts.apple.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:37 PM
"I'm afraid the award has really been completely overshadowed. The eviction of the encampment was such a trauma." - Maggie Helwig on winning the City of Toronto Book Award less than 24 hours before the city cleared the encampment she writes about in the book.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/m...
With her 250th birthday just around the corner, we revisit two of Jane Austen's novels: Pride and Prejudice (at last!) and Northanger Abbey.
Yes, we also talk about Colin Firth. It's a fun episode!
Listen at the link below or on your podcast app.
Yes, we also talk about Colin Firth. It's a fun episode!
Listen at the link below or on your podcast app.
86. Pride and Prejudice / Northanger Abbey. | The Spouter-Inn
For Jane Austen’s 250th birthday, we’re rereading Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey.
megaphonic.fm
November 1, 2025 at 4:14 PM
With her 250th birthday just around the corner, we revisit two of Jane Austen's novels: Pride and Prejudice (at last!) and Northanger Abbey.
Yes, we also talk about Colin Firth. It's a fun episode!
Listen at the link below or on your podcast app.
Yes, we also talk about Colin Firth. It's a fun episode!
Listen at the link below or on your podcast app.
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
New! @wordgarbler.bsky.social finally reads Wuthering Heights, and @sakbari.bsky.social revisits Laurie Colwin's essay collection Home Cooking. And we admit to a few canonical books that we didn't get on with.
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/85
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/85
85. Wuthering Heights / Home Cooking. | The Spouter-Inn
Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights and Laurie Colwin’s essay collection Home Cooking.
megaphonic.fm
September 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
New! @wordgarbler.bsky.social finally reads Wuthering Heights, and @sakbari.bsky.social revisits Laurie Colwin's essay collection Home Cooking. And we admit to a few canonical books that we didn't get on with.
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/85
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/85
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Finally catching up on this episode, I LOVED hearing Chris and Suzanne on Gatsby and its EXTRAORDINARY STRUCTURE..
In our new episode, @sakbari.bsky.social celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social talks about Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris (and more). Also, happy Pride!
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
82. The Great Gatsby / Solaris. | The Spouter-Inn
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on its 100th birthday, and Stanisław Lem’s science fiction classic Solaris.
megaphonic.fm
August 20, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Finally catching up on this episode, I LOVED hearing Chris and Suzanne on Gatsby and its EXTRAORDINARY STRUCTURE..
It's a big special birthday episode over at The Spouter-Inn, and we're reading some old favourites. @sakbari.bsky.social revisits the poetry of Wallace Stevens, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social goes back to James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.
Listen at megaphonic.fm/spouter/84 or on your podcast app.
Listen at megaphonic.fm/spouter/84 or on your podcast app.
84. The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens / Finnegans Wake. | The Spouter-Inn
The poetry of Wallace Stevens and James Joyce’s experimental novel Finnegans Wake.
megaphonic.fm
August 15, 2025 at 4:15 PM
It's a big special birthday episode over at The Spouter-Inn, and we're reading some old favourites. @sakbari.bsky.social revisits the poetry of Wallace Stevens, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social goes back to James Joyce's Finnegans Wake.
Listen at megaphonic.fm/spouter/84 or on your podcast app.
Listen at megaphonic.fm/spouter/84 or on your podcast app.
Chris has been working on a little something…
The new songs, the new songs, the new songs...
The Minor Thirds' first full album of new songs in 18 years is out, and here's the video for its title track, The New Songs. Enjoy.
The Minor Thirds' first full album of new songs in 18 years is out, and here's the video for its title track, The New Songs. Enjoy.
The Minor Thirds - The New Songs (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by The Minor Thirds
www.youtube.com
August 2, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Chris has been working on a little something…
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Many months after having my curiosity piqued by @thespouterinn.bsky.social 's ep on Rings of Saturn by Sebald, I finally read it and found it one of the most moving books I've ever read, despite not quite ... knowing what it's about? Well. Time to rellisten to the episode... megaphonic.fm/spouter/54
54. The Rings of Saturn. | The Spouter-Inn
W.G. Sebald's curious book The Rings of Saturn.
megaphonic.fm
July 30, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Many months after having my curiosity piqued by @thespouterinn.bsky.social 's ep on Rings of Saturn by Sebald, I finally read it and found it one of the most moving books I've ever read, despite not quite ... knowing what it's about? Well. Time to rellisten to the episode... megaphonic.fm/spouter/54
Is it more fun if we give a hint about our upcoming episode?
I may have just gotten to the end of the book I’m bringing to the table (spoiler: “the”) and I may be very excited to try to talk about it.
(Of course I’m also excited to hear @sakbari.bsky.social talk about one of her favourite poets!)
I may have just gotten to the end of the book I’m bringing to the table (spoiler: “the”) and I may be very excited to try to talk about it.
(Of course I’m also excited to hear @sakbari.bsky.social talk about one of her favourite poets!)
July 30, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Is it more fun if we give a hint about our upcoming episode?
I may have just gotten to the end of the book I’m bringing to the table (spoiler: “the”) and I may be very excited to try to talk about it.
(Of course I’m also excited to hear @sakbari.bsky.social talk about one of her favourite poets!)
I may have just gotten to the end of the book I’m bringing to the table (spoiler: “the”) and I may be very excited to try to talk about it.
(Of course I’m also excited to hear @sakbari.bsky.social talk about one of her favourite poets!)
Tonight at 7 Eastern! Chris will be solving a series of crossword puzzles by @bewilderingly.bsky.social, each devoted to one of James Joyce's major works (plus one for Virginia Woolf, because why not).
Join the fun at twitch.tv/MegaphonicFM (and solve the puzzles first if that's your jam).
Join the fun at twitch.tv/MegaphonicFM (and solve the puzzles first if that's your jam).
July 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Tonight at 7 Eastern! Chris will be solving a series of crossword puzzles by @bewilderingly.bsky.social, each devoted to one of James Joyce's major works (plus one for Virginia Woolf, because why not).
Join the fun at twitch.tv/MegaphonicFM (and solve the puzzles first if that's your jam).
Join the fun at twitch.tv/MegaphonicFM (and solve the puzzles first if that's your jam).
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
"Why," @sakbari.bsky.social asks, "why on earth did you pick Peter Rabbit to talk about this month?"
Oh, I had a reason, don't worry. Even beyond it being an important and charming and influential book!
Oh, I had a reason, don't worry. Even beyond it being an important and charming and influential book!
New episode! @wordgarbler.bsky.social takes a poke at Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and @sakbari.bsky.social pays tribute to the late Edmund White by revisiting his first novel, Forgetting Elena.
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
83. The Tale of Peter Rabbit / Forgetting Elena. | The Spouter-Inn
Beatrix Potter’s charming children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Edmund White’s novel Forgetting Elena.
megaphonic.fm
July 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
"Why," @sakbari.bsky.social asks, "why on earth did you pick Peter Rabbit to talk about this month?"
Oh, I had a reason, don't worry. Even beyond it being an important and charming and influential book!
Oh, I had a reason, don't worry. Even beyond it being an important and charming and influential book!
New episode! @wordgarbler.bsky.social takes a poke at Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and @sakbari.bsky.social pays tribute to the late Edmund White by revisiting his first novel, Forgetting Elena.
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
83. The Tale of Peter Rabbit / Forgetting Elena. | The Spouter-Inn
Beatrix Potter’s charming children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Edmund White’s novel Forgetting Elena.
megaphonic.fm
July 14, 2025 at 4:37 PM
New episode! @wordgarbler.bsky.social takes a poke at Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and @sakbari.bsky.social pays tribute to the late Edmund White by revisiting his first novel, Forgetting Elena.
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/83
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
In our new episode, @sakbari.bsky.social celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social talks about Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris (and more). Also, happy Pride!
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
82. The Great Gatsby / Solaris. | The Spouter-Inn
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on its 100th birthday, and Stanisław Lem’s science fiction classic Solaris.
megaphonic.fm
June 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
In our new episode, @sakbari.bsky.social celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social talks about Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris (and more). Also, happy Pride!
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
In our new episode, @sakbari.bsky.social celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social talks about Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris (and more). Also, happy Pride!
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
82. The Great Gatsby / Solaris. | The Spouter-Inn
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby on its 100th birthday, and Stanisław Lem’s science fiction classic Solaris.
megaphonic.fm
June 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM
In our new episode, @sakbari.bsky.social celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby, and @wordgarbler.bsky.social talks about Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris (and more). Also, happy Pride!
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Listen on your podcast app or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/82
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Edmund White has left the room. A brilliant novelist, memoirist and biographer, and one of the seven gay writers who founded the influential Violet Quill circle in 1980, he will live on through his remarkable body of work and in the memories of those of us who were lucky enough to meet him.
June 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Edmund White has left the room. A brilliant novelist, memoirist and biographer, and one of the seven gay writers who founded the influential Violet Quill circle in 1980, he will live on through his remarkable body of work and in the memories of those of us who were lucky enough to meet him.
NEW! Chris rereads L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Suzanne considers Margareta von Oswald's study Working Through Colonial Collections: An Ethnography of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin.
So yeah, the tone of the conversation might change halfway through…
megaphonic.fm/spouter/81
So yeah, the tone of the conversation might change halfway through…
megaphonic.fm/spouter/81
May 26, 2025 at 5:11 PM
NEW! Chris rereads L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Suzanne considers Margareta von Oswald's study Working Through Colonial Collections: An Ethnography of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin.
So yeah, the tone of the conversation might change halfway through…
megaphonic.fm/spouter/81
So yeah, the tone of the conversation might change halfway through…
megaphonic.fm/spouter/81
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Mrs. Dalloway turned 100 yesterday. To celebrate I read @markhussey.bsky.social’s Mrs. Dalloway: Biography of a Novel, a fascinating exploration of the novel’s creation, reception, and lasting impact, just out from @manchesterup.bsky.social. I loved it! mookseandgripes.com/reviews/2025...
Mark Hussey: Mrs. Dalloway: Biography of a Novel - The Mookse and the Gripes
Mrs. Dalloway turns 100 this year, and to celebrate, I had the opportunity to read Mark Hussey’s Mrs. Dalloway: Biography of a Novel, a fascinating exploration of the novel’s creation, reception, and ...
mookseandgripes.com
May 15, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Mrs. Dalloway turned 100 yesterday. To celebrate I read @markhussey.bsky.social’s Mrs. Dalloway: Biography of a Novel, a fascinating exploration of the novel’s creation, reception, and lasting impact, just out from @manchesterup.bsky.social. I loved it! mookseandgripes.com/reviews/2025...
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
My beloved friend and mentor David Townsend has started a newsletter to explore the world of Julian of Norwich, in conjunction with his forthcoming novel, The Ram in the Thicket. Please share! 🕯️ #medievalsky
davidrtownsend.substack.com/p/imagining-...
davidrtownsend.substack.com/p/imagining-...
Imagining the World of Julian of Norwich: The Ram in the Thicket
In 1373, a thirty-year-old woman had a near-death experience.
davidrtownsend.substack.com
May 15, 2025 at 11:47 PM
My beloved friend and mentor David Townsend has started a newsletter to explore the world of Julian of Norwich, in conjunction with his forthcoming novel, The Ram in the Thicket. Please share! 🕯️ #medievalsky
davidrtownsend.substack.com/p/imagining-...
davidrtownsend.substack.com/p/imagining-...
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Dalloway! A good day to reshare our 📚 visit with her @thespouterinn.bsky.social: megaphonic.fm/spouter/56
May 14, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Dalloway! A good day to reshare our 📚 visit with her @thespouterinn.bsky.social: megaphonic.fm/spouter/56
Happy Indie Bookstore Day! Uh, I may be in the middle of a bookshop crawl, and it may be doing no favours to reducing my to-read pile. Oh darn.
April 26, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Happy Indie Bookstore Day! Uh, I may be in the middle of a bookshop crawl, and it may be doing no favours to reducing my to-read pile. Oh darn.
This month we talk about:
- William Carlos Williams's book-length poem Paterson (and related works)
- Magda Szabó's novel The Door
- oddly alluring book covers
- reading work from familiar vs. unfamiliar places
- and more!
Available at all the usual podcast places or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/80
- William Carlos Williams's book-length poem Paterson (and related works)
- Magda Szabó's novel The Door
- oddly alluring book covers
- reading work from familiar vs. unfamiliar places
- and more!
Available at all the usual podcast places or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/80
80. Paterson / The Door. | The Spouter-Inn
William Carlos William's book-length poem Paterson, Magda Szabó’s novel The Door, and oddly enticing book covers.
megaphonic.fm
April 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
This month we talk about:
- William Carlos Williams's book-length poem Paterson (and related works)
- Magda Szabó's novel The Door
- oddly alluring book covers
- reading work from familiar vs. unfamiliar places
- and more!
Available at all the usual podcast places or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/80
- William Carlos Williams's book-length poem Paterson (and related works)
- Magda Szabó's novel The Door
- oddly alluring book covers
- reading work from familiar vs. unfamiliar places
- and more!
Available at all the usual podcast places or at megaphonic.fm/spouter/80
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day is on April 26th! We’re very fortunate in this country to have absolutely amazing indies and if you’re looking for some local Canadian businesses to show some love, we’ve got suggestions! We can't name every shop, but here are some we'd love to give a shout-out to.
April 19, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day is on April 26th! We’re very fortunate in this country to have absolutely amazing indies and if you’re looking for some local Canadian businesses to show some love, we’ve got suggestions! We can't name every shop, but here are some we'd love to give a shout-out to.
Reposted by The Spouter-Inn
In case anyone wants to get a taste (ahem) of The Jungle via podcast @thespouterinn.bsky.social megaphonic.fm/spouter/25
25. The Jungle. | The Spouter-Inn
Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel takes place around the slaughterhouses of Chicago.
megaphonic.fm
April 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
In case anyone wants to get a taste (ahem) of The Jungle via podcast @thespouterinn.bsky.social megaphonic.fm/spouter/25
Oho! Jared’s novel, which I talked about in our latest episode, has won an award! Much deserved. I’m absolutely mellified for him.
I keep trying to type something and all I can get out is “honor” before the screen goes all blurry
The West Passage Wins Crawford Award
Jared Pechaček’s The West Passage (Tor) won this year’s the Crawford Award, presented at the International Conference of the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando FL on March 22, 2025. The a…
locusmag.com
March 23, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Oho! Jared’s novel, which I talked about in our latest episode, has won an award! Much deserved. I’m absolutely mellified for him.
New episode! @wordgarbler.bsky.social has been rereading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and @sakbari.bsky.social has been rereading The Nine Tailors. They also talk about whether they keep up with the latest novels (and films).
(I bet there's one recent and relevant novel that gets discussed...)
(I bet there's one recent and relevant novel that gets discussed...)
79. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn / The Nine Tailors. | The Spouter-Inn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers, and keeping up with the latest books.
megaphonic.fm
March 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM
New episode! @wordgarbler.bsky.social has been rereading Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and @sakbari.bsky.social has been rereading The Nine Tailors. They also talk about whether they keep up with the latest novels (and films).
(I bet there's one recent and relevant novel that gets discussed...)
(I bet there's one recent and relevant novel that gets discussed...)