PODCAST · fiction
SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling
by Clare Walker & Hannah Kubiak
We are a mother-daughter team of creative artists irreverently discussing books, movies, TV shows, theater, art, bad grammar, or whatever else has captured our imaginations. This is a very serious podcast!!
Episodes
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Book Club: "No Country for Old Men"
Clare and Hannah discuss themes of isolation, greed, and old age in Cormac McCarthy's 2005 Western Gothic novel, "No Country for Old Men." We’d love to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us a text message! Support the show We provide links and other resources to help you find and enjoy the...
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Book Club: "Ready Player One"
Clare and Hannah read "Ready Player One," Ernest Cline's 2011 LitRPG novel in which every challenge can be solved by being chronically online. Contestants plug in to the OASIS, a virtual universe where anything is possible, if you have the credits and enough one-joystick two-button dexterity to...
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Why We Love Stories (story structure breakdown)
Story structure is what makes us love stories in the first place. We love a nice set of bookends. We root for characters who save cats. A hero's journey "there and back again" resonates with the human psyche. In this episode, Clare and Hannah talk about several kinds of story structures…
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Book Club: Wise Blood
This episode, Clare and Hannah talk about Flannery O'Connor's first novel, Wise Blood, published in 1952. O'Connor's stories are rich with symbolism, from a beat-up jalopy of a car to a stolen gorilla suit, and from a preacher's blindness to a shrunken mummified body in a museum. It's a darkly...
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What Happens to a Book Series Unfinished?
Does it dry up like A Game of Thrones in the sun? Or fester like A Wise Man's Fear, and then run? Clare and Hannah talk about book series that authors have left unfinished, and the repercussions of that. Should authors be obligated to finish their stories? Should Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R....
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Book Club: That Hideous Strength
Clare and Hannah struggle to untangle the final book in C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy: That Hideous Strength. Clare declares this book did not require a wizard. Hannah finally discovers a romantic subplot she's invested in. Once again, we mention The Abolition of Man, but only because Lewis mentioned...
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Creation Myths Across Cultures
After reading Perelandra, Clare and Hannah have been thinking about creation myths. In this episode, Hannah shares the whacky ideas the Greeks, Norse, and Chinese cultures had about how the world came to be. Listener discretion advised for the following reasons: We mention the raunchy aspects of...
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Book Club: Perelandra
Clare and Hannah continue their journey through Deep Heaven with C.S. Lewis, to a pure and unfallen planet where everyone is naked without shame. Seriously. The only clothed person in this entire book is literally the Devil. The planet is Perelandra—what we call Venus—a newly created Paradise,...
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The 5 Types of Science Fiction, According to C. S. Lewis
Clare and Hannah have a close encounter! In this episode we go over C.S. Lewis' five kinds of science fiction, as detailed in his essay, "On Science Fiction.” For complete show notes, including a list of the books we discussed, click through to the episode page on the Splanchnics website. CSL’s...
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Book Club: Out of the Silent Planet
In this book club episode, Clare and Hannah travel into space and try not to embarass themselves as they discuss C.S. Lewis's science fiction classic, Out of the Silent Planet. Naturally, they mention The Abolition of Man. For complete show notes, including a list of the books we discussed and…
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Songs that Rocked Our World: Changeless Whisper
Clare and Hannah both share a song that rocked their world. Hannah tries to rap (sort of), and Clare tells the story of the 10,000-pound haircut. Like the comments section of George Michael's "Careless Whisper," we hope you find this episode charmingly, wholesomely, vaguely off-color. The songs:...
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Book Club: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
Clare and Hannah take on Jekyll and Hyde in a battle of Victorian proportions. In other words, we slink furtively through darkened doorways, scandalize young housemaids sitting up past their bedtime, and write letters to our lawyers with the tantalizing instruction: "Do not open until I have died...
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Tragedy vs. Evil
This is a very serious episode. Clare and Hannah tackle a topic that is probably far beyond them, but that's never stopped them before. Today we discuss the difference between tragedy and evil. Hannah brings up vampires because at least she knows something about those. We’d love to hear your...
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Songs that Rocked Our World: I Can't Help But Wonder About Your Fast Car
Clare and Hannah each share another song that rocked their worlds. Clare's song is a universal story about the plight of the working poor, just as relevant today as it was forty years ago. Hannah spends most of her allotted time describing what happens if you trespass at a war vet's house and...
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2024: The Year that Blew Our Minds
Clare and Hannah look back on 2024 as the year that blew their minds every other day. A few examples: The day that Israel blew the pants off their enemies. The presidential candidate who almost got his head blown off on live television. Amazing health discoveries that will keep you from blowing…
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Book Club: The Island of Dr. Moreau
Clare and Hannah read H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau," and discuss universal themes like the hubris of science, the true nature of humanity, and their uncanny ability to shoehorn a C.S. Lewis shoutout into any discussion. Get your own copy of The Island of Dr. Moreau. We’d love to hear…
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The Art of Nope
Clare and Hannah share their experiences practicing martial arts. By share their experiences, we mean they soared with exquisite grace through a grove of bamboo trees, exchanging blows that shook the surrounding wilderness and awakened a long-dormant volcano. The Karate Kid Collection. Includes…
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Book Club: Catch 22
Clare and Hannah return with another book club, this time covering Joseph Heller's Catch 22, a satirical commentary on corporate malfeasance, nonsense, incompetence and bureaucracy. A classic war novel that coined a phrase still prominent in the modern zeitgeist, Catch 22 left Clare feeling like…
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Breakfast Chat: "Your vet did what?" (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)
In this breakfast chat, Clare shares a truly embarrassing story from a fellow veterinarian. Names and locations have been changed to protect those involved from further shame. This episode may be troubling for more squeamish listeners, as it contains terms like: uterine horn, testicles…
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Those Nutty Kings and Queens of England
In part 2 of our series on the kings and queens of England, Clare and Hannah talk about two kings who embodied the term, "man-child." Henry II spent his entire wedding reception goofing off with his best friend and ignoring everybody else, including his new queen. Richard II surrounded himself…
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The Life and Times of Henry and Henry
Hannah takes the "reigns" for part 1 in a series about the kings and queens of England. Because royalty in England just cycled through the same three names over and over, today we learn about two kings named Henry: Henry II: the highlights of his reign were murdering his best friend in a…
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Songs that Rocked Our World: One Cat's in the Cradle
Clare shares a song that terrifies both her and the man who wrote it. Hannah's song of choice did not so much rock her world as haunt her every waking moment for two weeks straight. Clare's song: "Cat's in the Cradle." Music, lyrics, and performance by Harry Chapin. In December of 1974 it was the...
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Book Club: True Grit
Clare and Hannah read Charles Portis' 1968 novel, True Grit, and have not been able to talk normally since. We also analyze two movie adaptations of the book: the 1969 adaptation directed by Henry Hathaway and the 2010 adaptation directed by the Coen Brothers. To get your own copy of this amazing...
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Breakfast Chat: “Snickers is due for his annual exam!” (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)
This is a weird one. Not at all what you'd be expecting. The names of locations, individuals, and 4-legged lifeforms have been changed to protect the innocent. If you enjoy funny vet stories, you might enjoy the books of James Herriot, a veterinarian plying his trade in the beautiful Yorkshire...
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Our Favorite Circles of Hell (Dante's Divine Comedy)
Clare has been doing some light reading... of Dante's Inferno. The translation Clare's been reading is by Robert Hollander and Jean Hollander. The commentaries are A Beginner's Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy by Jason M. Baxter and Spiritual Direction from Dante: Avoiding the Inferno by Paul...
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"Curse You, Harper-Collins!" (How to Read The Chronicles of Narnia)
Today we discuss whether The Chronicles of Narnia should be read in chronological order or in order of publication. Clare has strong opinions about this one. Hannah doesn't care either way, but that may change... You already have your own copy of The Chronicles of Narnia, right? Wait...what? You...
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Songs that Rocked Our Worlds: I See Fire Between the Stars
Clare and Hannah share some more of the songs that rocked their worlds. Turns out they both really love heavy metal. Who knew? Clare's songs: "I See Fire" -- metal version! Performed by Malinda and Violet Orlandi "Clean Up Your Room" by Akira the Don featuring Jordan Peterson "What Faith Can Do"…
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What is Your Deal? (Understanding the Four Temperaments)
The four temperaments have been around since Hippocrates, who theorized that our human behavior is influenced by the quantities of various fluids present in our bodies. The four temperaments are: Sanguine (blood), Choleric (Yellow bile), Melancholic (black bile), and phlegmatic (phlegm). Clare (a...
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Breakfast Chat: "Your dog ate what?” (weird veterinary stories from Dr. Walker)
Clare shares some of her veterinary exploits. WARNING: This episode is gross. If any of the following words or phrases gross you out, you may wish to forgo listening: Poop Vomit Bile Rectum Rectal exam Ringworms Anal gland Wheel of vomit "Head falling off" Moist If you enjoy funny vet stories…
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Breakfast Chat: "What makes a good character?"
Whether you're writing a book, a movie, or a play, there are three elements you need to think about when creating a character. Clare and Hannah discuss these three things, debate whether James Bond is funny, and discover that they both struggle to say the word "nemesis." We’d love to hear your...
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Book Club: Brave New World (Pt. 2)
In this episode, Hannah and Clare continue to talk about Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," through the lens of one of our favorite "Star Trek" episodes. We also manage to mention "Abolition of Man" again. See if you can spot it! Brave New World by Aldous Huxley includes adult themes. Listener...
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Book Club: Brave New World (Pt. 1)
In this episode, Clare and Hannah come off the reservation and step into a Brave New World where people are made in bottles, Henry Ford is God, and the police are armed with water-pistols. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley includes adult themes. Listener discretion is advised. Please enjoy this...
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Wizards and Hunchbacks and Fairies, Oh My!
Don't be fooled by the title. We're still talking about Shakespeare. This time Hannah and Clare talk about the elements of tragedy and comedy, why the Lancasters had to look good in the histories, and what kind of play The Tempest is anyway. We’d love to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us…
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Why You Should Watch Shakespeare
Hannah finally uses her drama degree! In this episode, our mother-daughter duo discuss Shakespeare, its challenges, its beauty, and its relevance to us today. This week's installment of "Splanchnics Math:" According to Clare (3:50), Shakespeare was born in 1864 and died in 1616 at the age of 52....
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Book Club: A Canticle for Leibowitz
Spanning 18 centuries, Walter M. Miller's "A Canticle for Leibowitz" follows a Catholic monastery's attempts to preserve knowledge through several apocalypses. In this episode, Clare and Hannah talk about very serious topics like the cyclical nature of history, mankind's self-destructive nature,...
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Songs that Rocked Our World: A Simple Man in Hotel California
Clare and Hannah share some of their favorite songs and explain why music is an essential part of character development. We manage to quote both Plato and Michael Jackson. Hannah's picks: I'm a Funny Dame (Eartha Kitt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3l1K13naLM Blue Healer (Birdtalker):...
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Robots, Humans, and the Potential for Independent Thought
“To have a thought, you have to have a thing that can have a thought.” In this episode, Clare and Hannah continue to geek out about robots, but to be honest we spend more time discussing humans. Typical humans, always talking about ourselves. We talk about the nature of beauty, being stewards of...
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Robots: Automation & Isolation
"The humans, who can think, are so afraid of those who cannot think..." In this episode, the first half of a two-part discussion, Clare and Hannah chat about the progress of robotics over the years, laying the groundwork for the second part, where we get super-duper philosophical and stuff. We’d...
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Book Club: Lord of the Flies (Pt. 2)
In our second episode about Lord of the Flies, things go hog wild. For your very own copy of Lord of the Flies, stampede to Clare’s Bookshop.org store. It’s in the Splanchnics Book Club section (across from the in-store cafe…) Special thanks to The Twilight and Donald Kozinski from...
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Book Club: Lord of the Flies (Pt. 1)
Clare and Hannah discuss William Golding's classic 1954 novel, Lord of the Flies. Like all civilized people, they pass the pig mug, and things get philosophical. Clare is an independent author who would love it if you checked out her books! If you like exciting thrillers featuring normal people...
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Kids These Days: Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation
Clare (Gen X) and Hannah (Millennial) talk about how different generations were shaped by technology, historical events, and in Clare's case, a whole lot of geopolitical mayhem. Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation! We’d love to hear your thoughts! Click here to send us a text message! Support the show We...
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The Duke Leto Atreides Fan Club
Clare and Hannah watch Denis Villeneuve's 2021 film adaptation of Dune and immediately sit down to talk about it. We're both big fans of Duke Leto, and Hannah keeps wanting to talk about the Gom Jabbar for some reason. Dune by Frank Herbert (This link goes to our Bookshop.org store, where you can...
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Book Club: Watership Down (Pt. 2)
Clare and Hannah continue to dive down the rabbit hole and talk about Richard Adam's beloved 1972 adventure novel Watership Down. In Part 2 of this discussion, we talk about the qualities of a great leader: trusting your followers, offering peace to hostile neighbors, and saving the lives of…
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Book Club: Watership Down (Pt. 1)
Clare and Hannah talk about Clare's favorite childhood book: Watership Down! Spoiler alert: this book has nothing to do with sinking nautical vessels. We talked briefly about Watership Down in Season 1, Episode 3 ("Hobbits and Rabbits and Gnomes…Oh My!" -- an episode about our favorite childhood...
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Introversion and Extroversion
Clare and Hannah may look exactly the same, but they're a lot different under the surface. One of them is introverted, and the other is extroverted. I wonder if you can guess which is which? The Temperament God Gave You by Art and Laraine Bennett. Not a personality test, but a way of discovering...
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Breakfast Chat: Medical Miracles
Clare and Hannah talk about the Plague, amputations, and blood spurting everywhere. Just your typical breakfast table conversation. Follow us, on Instagram if you wish: @splanchnics_podcast Intro and outro music (“Splanchnics Riff)” composed and performed by Clare T. Walker. We’d love to hear…
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Book Club: The Human Chronicles?
Clare and Hannah had so much to say about the Martian Chronicles, we decided to record another episode about it. We talk almost exclusively about Hannah's favorite story in the book, and we manage to sneak a C.S. Lewis reference in there, too. This one gets pretty existential (which it usually…
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Book Club: The Martian Chronicles
This episode, Clare and Hannah leave the planet in our discussion of Ray Bradbury's Science Fiction classic, The Martian Chronicles. To purchase your own copy of this excellent book, take the nearest interplanetary transport to our Bookshop.org store and go to the "Splanchnics Book Club" section....
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The Charm of Handmade Things
Clare and Hannah talk about the positive effects of handcrafts: sewing, gardening, cooking, and building your own home! "Every tool invented by mankind is an extension of man's hand or mind." (CTW) The books we mentioned in this podcast: A Handmade Life: In Search of Simplicity by William S....
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Tolkien Time: Shiny Rocks and the Hands of a Healer
We've both been reading Tolkien recently! It's a different experience every time, so we decided to share what stood out to us. Hannah dissects the theme of power and corruption throughout the legendarium, from Feanor to Frodo. Clare shares her favorite passages from the Lord of the Rings about…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
We are a mother-daughter team of creative artists irreverently discussing books, movies, TV shows, theater, art, bad grammar, or whatever else has captured our imaginations. This is a very serious podcast!!
HOSTED BY
Clare Walker & Hannah Kubiak
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How many episodes does SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling have?
SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling currently has 87 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling about?
We are a mother-daughter team of creative artists irreverently discussing books, movies, TV shows, theater, art, bad grammar, or whatever else has captured our imaginations. This is a very serious podcast!!
How often does SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling release new episodes?
SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling has 87 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
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Who hosts SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling?
SPLANCHNICS: The Society for the Preservation of Literature, the Arts, Numinosity, Culture, Humor, Nerdiness, Inspiration, Creativity & Storytelling is created and hosted by Clare Walker & Hannah Kubiak.
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