Overdue Podcast discussion

I don't always have people around me who read the same books so most of my thoughts knock around in my brain and stay there. But listening to Craig and Andrew, I sometimes find I agree wholeheartedly, or vehemently disagree with their takes on a book, author, story, plot, character, etc. What book or episode influenced your opinion or made you change your mind?

this isn't exactly a change in opinion but Stop Homer Time really got me interested in classics and motivated me to read more of them!

Hello! In the book Behold the Dreamers, the discussion about what the author wanted to show from each character at different moments in the novel made me enjoy the reading a lot more.

On another book: I read Little Women for the 1st time when I was 9 y/o. Listening to an adult discussion about it changed perspective, not to like it more or to dislike it.

Mrin wrote: "this isn't exactly a change in opinion but Stop Homer Time really got me interested in classics and motivated me to read more of them!"

I feel the same way whenever they read classics, or Western lit canonical texts. I have way more of an appreciation for them now than when I was forced to read them in school. I've learned to not take books so seriously or put them on a pedestal. I like that they can talk about these classical characters in very casual ways.

gabymck wrote: "Hello! In the book Behold the Dreamers, the discussion about what the author wanted to show from each character at different moments in the novel made me enjoy the reading a lot more.

On another ..."

Behold the Dreamers is on my TBR but I like that I can look forward to that ep when I read the book.

Also, I totally get the difference between the childhood lens and adulthood lens. It's always great to revisit those stories but with a more complex understanding. I felt that way about The Island of the Blue Dolphins and Where the Red Fern Grows.

Yes! So growing up in a super conservative home I wasn’t allowed to read the Golden Compass and just never did as an adult! Listening to the podcast on it, 1 changed my mind that it wasn’t as evil as all the Christians said and 2 made me pick up and read it for myself! And now it’s one of my favorite series! Thanks guys!

Typically, I very much enjoy the books and authors Andrew and Craig talk about! And since I try to only listen to the episodes of books I've read or am currently reading, I already have thoughts and opinions of my own. Usually, even if I disagree with what they say on the show, it doesn't change my mind or my point of view. But there is one episode that really opened my eyes to an author:

I've emailed Overdue about this already, but after I listened to the episode on Ember's Game I was taken aback by what they said on the author, Orson Scott Card. I had no idea how bigoted and homophobic he was, and generally everything Craig and Andrew said about his politics was very disturbing to me.

I can't say I had much of an opinion about him before, because I didn't know anything about him really, but I definitely have an opinion now because of this episode. I still love Ender's Game, and it's a little bit harder to wrap my mind about that after knowing how awful the author is, but I feel better for knowing it.

One of the things I love about the show is that the guys are not afraid to expose the nitty gritty of authors or books that maybe got away with certain things before, but are definitely important disclaimers to make when reading them in the present day.

Ava wrote: "I first read The Divine Comedy a few years ago (Mad Men) and I never made it through. I just couldn't follow it. Listening to the Hellboys episodes makes me want to give it a second go."

Ahh yes, there are some books or series that I feel are best suited for a classroom where a classics professor can tell me what the hell is going on because I'm not an expert on Medieval politics and class disparities, or all the other contextual information that's missing from older texts.

Brittany wrote: "Yes! So growing up in a super conservative home I wasn’t allowed to read the Golden Compass and just never did as an adult! Listening to the podcast on it, 1 changed my mind that it wasn’t as evil ..."

Ha! If I had followed the Catholic etiquette and omitted several books based on "what's bad", then I would have been robbed of some of the best stories of queer characters, women fighting back or taking ownership of their bodies, murder and crime novels where everyone is an alcoholic, and all things magical and sci-fi. Who knew lapsed religiosity would make me a better reader!

Miriam wrote: "Typically, I very much enjoy the books and authors Andrew and Craig talk about! And since I try to only listen to the episodes of books I've read or am currently reading, I already have thoughts an..."

Ditto on the nitty, gritty stuff on authors or the culture that informs the authors' writing. I appreciate their ability as readers to interrogate the text; it's even more layered and nuanced when they have guests who bring other experienced to the table.

I also used to only listen to the books I'd read, but Overdue is one my favorite chit-chat pods so I'll sometimes listen to episodes on books I know I'll never read because of time or desire (I'm looking at you, Infinite Jest). Sometimes I re-listen to episodes on books I read a long time ago because my brain in 5th grade has gone through enough transformation to appreciate the books as they are read now.

Miriam wrote: "Typically, I very much enjoy the books and authors Andrew and Craig talk about! And since I try to only listen to the episodes of books I've read or am currently reading, I already have thoughts an..."

On the subject of an author's beliefs and actions, there is a very interesting situation going on in France right now.
It is a well known fact that there is, specifically in Paris elite, an indulgence about authors. They can say or do pretty much whatever they want and they will get away with it, because "he is such a great writer"!

Vanessa Springora (I think she is chief editor at Julliard publication but I have to check that up) just published a book entitled Le Consentement (the consent). It talks about how French writer Gabriel Matzneff seduced her when she was 13 years old. Matzneff wrote (a lot of) books talking about his "relationships of real love" with underage girls and also about his raping 8-10 years old boys in sexual tourism. The Paris literary intelligentia thought he was such a great writer! No one every questioned this... well with one exception. Matzneff was invited to a very popular television show about literature "Apostrophe" where he was talking about one of his books. Denise Bombardier a French Canadian author was also invited. When it was her turn to talk, she made a historic reply which can easily be found on Youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjZmJ...
The next one is only an excerpt but the text is writen over so if you can't really understand French but can read it, it would be easier with this next one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0LQi...
She said she felt like she was on another planet, that in Quebec that man would be in prison because he was a pedophile, he was destroying children's lives and it was disgusting. No one, no one on that television set supported her and the French editors refused to publish her books for some years after that.
Now Vanessa Springora has put it out in the open, in a book which everyone says is beautifully written and suddenly every one is taking notice! An inquiry has been opened and criminal charges might be up. But he is now 83 years old... I think he will not have enough years to pay for all the damage he has done. And now, finally all the publishing houses who published him have recalled all the books from bookstores. Probably not because of what Matzneff did, but only because they are afraid for their reputation if they are not showing some indignation.

I think it is very important to know what we can about an author before reading his/her books.

Spot on, @Margot!

I think the incredible thing about the reckoning that is #MeToo is calling out people who, despite great artistic work, did awful things as people. Unfortunately, US culture (and I'm almost certain) globally means artists can be "eccentric" and "genius" and therefore beyond reproach. This means movie directors can scream at actors because they're brilliant, musicians can mistreat staff at venues, or athletes can abuse their partners, and all in the name of craftsmanship, high skill and mastery. At this point I feel like I've "canceled" so many people no one is left, but then I remember there are billions of others that are producing and creating and writing books that have yet to be discovered. I feel like YA lit does a better job of diversifying who gets to tell whose story.

RefrigeratorRunning wrote: "Spot on, @Margot!

I think the incredible thing about the reckoning that is #MeToo is calling out people who, despite great artistic work, did awful things as people. Unfortunately, US culture (and..."

I think #metoo changed sooo many things!

I have been listening on Youtube to a lot of interviews on French television and it is quite unbelievable!

Some intellectuals are trying to "explain" what happened with the May 68 movement.
There was a huge movement at that time in Paris. Students strikes from universities, everybody in the streets. The young people were tired of their parents' old school fashion. They wanted to be free and live free. The moto was "Forbid forbiding".

Some intellectuals at the time took advantage of that, saying that having sexual contact with children was liberating and should be encouraged. Gabriel Matzneff even wrote a petition saying that everyone should do it and he had all his "friends" sign it... Writers, artists, politicians signed it.

And today those people say as their excuse, "it was the time, you know. Everybody wanted to be free to do whatever they wanted."

Instead of saying: We were wrong, we were dead wrong and we cannot apologize enough.

Today on French television it said that the police had a search warrant for Gallimard a very important publishing house in France. They are trying to find some parts of books written by Matzneff which could have been taken out by the editor but kept in a safe place.

The whole thing is horrible. I can't wait to read Vanessa Springora's book.

I think this Podcast just hit me at the right time for it to influence my opinion on some books. I'm also in my last year of undergrad and cramming in an English minor, so I'm doing a lot of literature studies right now, which also helps.

Honestly I think the way they talk about the books, especially including the author portions, makes a difference to me.

Dani wrote: "I think this Podcast just hit me at the right time for it to influence my opinion on some books. I'm also in my last year of undergrad and cramming in an English minor, so I'm doing a lot of litera..."


Yes, definitely! Good job making it through school, it ain't easy. I was a double major and one was English creative writing, but I still took many of the classics, American Literature I (19th century), Shakespeare, Classic Literature II (20th century), etc. I also would have loved to have this podcast back then only because I felt like a basic bookworm compared to classmates who knew how to find that elusive sub-text and vocalize it in a way that was smart and sophisticated. Overdue is the right mix of goofy and accessible while being really intelligent. Reading and literature should be fun and enjoyable.