Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 11: The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Release Date: 05/29/2025
Season 8, Episode 6: Octogenarians in the Spotlight + Diving into Reading Deeply
Currently Reading
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: being told what to read by our past selves + insomnia reading on my kindle Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: how to read deeply The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). . . . . 1:30 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 2:01 - by...
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Season 8, Episode 5: The 4th C: Relaxing Your Chestal Region + Boss My TBR
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Season 8, Episode 4: Bookish Bling + Using AI to Improve Your Reading Life
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Season 8, Episode 3: Let There Be Light + Avoiding Book Amnesia
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Season 8, Episode 2: Reader Roulette + Our Assigned Summer Reading
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On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: devoting unexpected extra time on morning reading + journaling and embracing chaotic reading with reader roulette Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: we circle back to the summer reads we assigned to each other The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site)...
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Season 8, Episode 1: Deciding Once + What We Did On Our Summer Break
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Season 7, Episode 50: Best of Season 7
Currently Reading
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are finishing up season seven with a look back and a look forward! Season Seven In Review: interesting stats, regrets, and exciting upcoming content! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . . 1:24 - Season Seven, In Review The most downloaded episodes of the season 1:58 - - Our Top Reads of 2024 2:09 - - Mary and Roxanna's Top Reads of 2024 3:24 - - Reading Routines + The Journey Of Currently Reading (Our...
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Season 7, Episode 49: The Listener Press!
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On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Listener Presses: This year we have 20 fantastic titles from our listeners. Our TBRs exploded, and we hope yours do too! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . . 1:54 - Your Listener Presses 2:02 - by Lisa McInerney (pressed by Katie) 3:42 - by Inga Simpson (pressed by Carlye) 5:24 - by Jacqueline Harpman 6:07 - by Michelle von Eschen and Jonathan Butcher (pressed by Kat) 9:10 - by M. J....
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Season 7, Episode 48: Our 2025 Group Show!
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On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are joined by show regulars Roxanna and Mary and they are discussing: Unique or Shared!: We give you a statement that may make us either unique or shared, and discuss! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 2:52 - Unique Or Shared 3:22 - I am the worst library user ever. (Roxanna) 5:21 - by Jessica Townsend 12:37 - I love a buzzy book moment. (Mary) 14:23 - by Taylor Jenkins Reid 14:46 - by Rebecca Yarros 14:47...
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Season 7, Episode 47: Reading Life Temp Check + Pressing Books Into Each Other's Hands
Currently Reading
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: readerly badges and DNFing books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we’ve been reading lately Deep Dive: we check in on our reading lives and press book into the other’s hands The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 2:19 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 8:02 -...
info_outlineWelcome, readers. We are thrilled to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don’t shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes.
Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
1:24 - Setup
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
3:42 - Previews
Release date. Sales info and awards.
Released in 1999
NYT #1 Bestseller
ALA’s Best Book for Reluctant Readers in 2000
“Cult classic”
Movie name and release date. Box office and awards.
Released September 2012
20 Wins, 51 Nominations
Budget of 13M, Earned 33M
“Cult classic”
6:59 - The Cutting Room
Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen
The tunnel
Charlie being high
Charlie’s revelation at the end
Changes from Book to Movie
Change from love story as secondary plot to main plot
Friendships with Charlie seemed disingenuous in the movie
Song in the tunnel is changed from Fleetwood Mac to David Bowie
Mary Elizabeth’s college acceptance
Bill’s girlfriend is now his wife in the movie
Bill and Charlie’s relationship in the movie
Left out of the adaptation
Charlie doesn’t cry in the movie
Masturbation scene
Developed relationship between Charlie and his sister
Abortion
Lack of importance of Rocky Horror
The scene where Sam tells Charlie not to think of her that way
Added to the movie
Charlie’s siblings have names
Charlie is a “normie”
Casting and alternates
Charlie: LoganLerman → Freddie Highmore, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Nicholas Hoult, Asa Butterfield
Sam: Emma Watson → Jennifer Lawrence, Sarah Hyland, Emma Roberts, Brie Larson
Patrick: Ezra Miller → Timothee Chalamet,
Mary Elizabeth: Mae Whitman → Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Rose McIver
Problematic elements
Lack of POC
Queer representation
Excessive drug and alcohol usage
32:41 - Award Season
Worst and best parts of the adaptation.
Film quality
Unbelievable characters due to casting/age
Casting - outside main characters
20 years later letter was omitted from the movie (a best part)
Paul Rudd
Derek’s ponytail
Charlie’s hot brother
Worst and best actors.
Emma Watson - Sam
Paul Rudd - Bill
Ezra Miller - Patrick
Worst and best book characters.
Mary Elizabeth
Sam
Patrick
44:26 - Book/Flick Energy
Book scored on a 5 star scale.
Movie scored on a 10 point scale.
50:20 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel
If they made an after school special about our time in high school, what do you think would be the most after school special plot point? (Kaytee)
If you could do high school all over again, would you? (Shad)
What’s your most significant or best memory from high school? (Shad)
56:30 - End Credits
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The movie is available to stream on HBO Max for a limited time but is available to rent on other streaming services
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