Episode 18: What We've Been Reading in 2016This 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/4219425
Episode 17: Finding the Motivation to Read (& Gift Recs!)This episode, Emily and Kyle discuss how they find the time and motivation to read, even amongst all the other distractions of modern life.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/4031338
Episode 16: Which Books Will Become Classics?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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3882323
Episode 15: Books We Read in High SchoolThis 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3850223
Episode Fourteen: Bill BrysonThis episode, we take a closer look at the bibliography of the amiable travel, science, and memoir writer Bill Bryson.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3786814
Episode Thirteen: Post-Apocalyptic FictionThis 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3735173
Episode Twelve: The MartianThis 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3687593
Episode Eleven: eBooks & AudiobooksThis 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3658983
Episode Ten: AdaptationsWelcome 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.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3617646
Episode Nine: Short StoriesWe forgot to introduce ourselves this week! If you're new to the show, Portable Magic is hosted by Emily Hughes and Kyle Deas.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3528185
Episode Eight: Horror FictionThis episode, Kyle and Emily take a close look at horror fiction – why we read it, how it scares us, and what our favorite horror novels are. Kyle tells us what his pick is for the scariest Stephen King book and Emily talks about the books that got her into horror in the first place.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3468326
Episode Seven: Literary FanfictionThis episode, Kyle and Emily talk about "literary fanfiction": the sub-genre of books by established authors that inhabit the world of older works of literature. We couldn't find a good term to refer to these sorts of books, but think of works like Ahab's Wife or Rosencrantz and Guilderstern are Dead.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3436664
Episode Six: In the WoodsThis episode, Kyle and Emily devote the whole show to discussing Tana French's debut novel In the Woods.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3391905
Episode Five: Should Adults Read YA Literature? Last year, Ruth Graham arguing that adults should feel embarrassed to read young-adult fiction. This episode, Emily and Kyle weigh in on the debate and talk about how to balance reading what you like with finding material that challenges you.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3340382
Episode Four: The Works of Neil GaimanThis episode, Emily and Kyle dive deep into the bibliography of Neil Gaiman, including his novels (especially American Gods, Neverwhere, and Anansi Boys), his children's books, and his two episodes of Doctor Who.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3309328
Episode Three: The Veneer of SillinessThis week, Emily and Kyle talk about forgotten novels – books they've stumbled across, picked up at the used bookstore, or been recommended that it seems like nobody's ever heard of.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3281583
Episode Two: Look At This Treasure I Found For YouIt’s the Holiday Season, and Portable Magic has you covered! Listen to Emily and Kyle talk about the tricky act of giving books as gifts, what makes a book a great gift, and give some book recommendations for the people in your life.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3251420
Episode One: Always Bring a PaperbackIn this inaugural episode of Portable Magic, Emily and Kyle talk about reading on the road, their best and worst travel reading experiences, and ponder the mystery of the airport bookstore.
/episode/index/show/portablemagic/id/3222019
