Episode 18: What We've Been Reading in 2016
Portable Magic
This episode, Emily and Kyle catch up on what they've been reading so far in 2016 – including a long-overdue discussion of Scott Hawkins' The Library of Mt Char. ...
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Episode 17: Finding the Motivation to Read (& Gift Recs!)
Portable Magic
This episode, Emily and Kyle discuss how they find the time and motivation to read, even amongst all the other distractions of modern life. ...
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Episode 16: Which Books Will Become Classics?
Portable Magic
This episode, Emily and Kyle discuss which contemporary books will become classics. Along the way, they touch on Infinite Jest, Harry Potter, and many, many more. ...
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Episode 15: Books We Read in High School
Portable Magic
This episode, we take a trip back to our awkward high-school years to discuss what we read, what we didn't, and what stuck with us. ...
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Episode Fourteen: Bill Bryson
Portable Magic
This episode, we take a closer look at the bibliography of the amiable travel, science, and memoir writer Bill Bryson. ...
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Episode Thirteen: Post-Apocalyptic Fiction
Portable Magic
This episode, we take a hopefully-not-too-grim look at the genre of post-apocalyptic fiction. Emily wonders why the genre attracts so many hyper-masculine writers and Kyle talks about one of his favorite and one of his least favorite novels. ...
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Episode Twelve: The Martian
Portable Magic
This episode, we take a close look at Andy Weir's hard sci-fi novel The Martian and discuss its unusual publication history, its narrative structure, and how effective we thought the book turned out to be. ...
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Episode Eleven: eBooks & Audiobooks
Portable Magic
This episode, we're talking about the alternative book formats: eBooks and audiobooks. We talk about our habits with each, our favorite examples of each medium, and what might be stopping these alternative formats from reaching their full potential. ...
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Episode Ten: Adaptations
Portable Magic
Welcome back to Portable Magic! In this episode, we're talking about adaptations – good and bad. In the mix are The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Princess Bride, The Great Gatsby, Game of Thrones, and many more. ...
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Episode Nine: Short Stories
Portable Magic
We forgot to introduce ourselves this week! If you're new to the show, Portable Magic is hosted by Emily Hughes and Kyle Deas. ...
info_outlineThis episode, we take a closer look at the bibliography of the amiable travel, science, and memoir writer Bill Bryson.
Plus, our quick thoughts on China Mieville, The Devil in the White City, and pop history vs. scholarly history.
Episode Breakdown:
- 0:00 – 10:00: What We're Reading
- 10:00 – 53:00: Bill Bryson
What Emily's Reading:
- Three Moments of an Explosion by China Mieville
- The Devil and the White City by Eric Larsen
What Kyle's Reading:
- Cuba in Revolution: A History Since the 50s by Antonin Kapscia
Bill Bryson Books We Discuss:
- The Lost Continent
- Notes from a Small Island
- In a Sunburned Country
- A Walk in the Woods
- I'm A Stranger Here Myself
- A Short History of Nearly Everything
- At Home: A Short History of Private Life
- One Summer: America 1927
Other Works Mentioned:
- The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
- Gulp by Mary Roach
- The Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams
We love hearing from readers! Email the show at portablemagicpodcast@gmail.com or tweet us @PortableMagicPC.