The Lamppost in the Woods

In this episode, we are joined by friend of the podcast, Rev. Steven McDaniel to discuss one of Shakespeare's prolific works, The Merchant of Venice. Class is in session as we explore its comedic themes, historic reception, and what it means to modern readers today. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods Episode 6.6 - The Merchant of Venice with Rev. Steven McDaniel

In this episode, the team examines the story of King David's life from from I & II Samuel and I Kings. Join us as we explore the many literary themes that inspired the modern stories we know and love. From shepherd boy to regal ruler, the story of David has something for every type of reader. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.5 - The David Story

In this episode, the team explores the historical fiction piece Silence by Shūsaku Endō. Join us as we look at its spiritual significance, impact, and how it elevates ideas of suffering, faith, and silence.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.4 - Silence

In this episode, the team explores stories of non-western cultures that has peaked our interests over the years. While we have generally covered western literature, being familiar to us, we wanted to highlight some cultures' stories and story-telling styles to better expand our own literary experiences as well as our audiences. Join us as we scratch the surface of popular stories from Africa, South America, India, and the Middle East.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.3 - World Literature: Stories from Non-Western Cultures

In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2025. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up!To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.2 - 2025 Reading Review

Welcome back listeners to our first episode of 2026. In our search to discover the greatest stories ever told, we keep coming back to the question: what makes a story great? In this episode, the team approaches that question from the angle of Harold Bloom's “the Western Canon,” the idea that there exists a canonical list of books that underpin the literary enterprise of the Western World. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.1 - The Western Canon: What Makes a Story Great?

In this episode the team explores one of the most well-known stories of the Christmas season, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by E.T.A. Hoffman. A work perhaps best known for its ballet performances, this story had transcended mediums and imaginations for over a hundred years, during a season of joy, whimsy, and the magical. Merry Christmas dear listeners, we cannot wait to show you what 2026 has in store.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.12 - The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

In this episode the team does the impossible, agreeing on a Top Ten list ranking the best books of all time (that we've read). Join us as we debate the merit of some of the greatest stories ever told, and feel free to share some of your favorites with us on social media!To get connected with us, check us out on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.11 - The Lamppost in the Wood's Top Ten Books of All-Time

In this episode, the team contemplates the nature of beauty, vanity, and the curse of eternal youth as presented by Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. A surprisingly deep novel portrayed by a host of shallow characters, this novel shocked many with its departure from morality and its unkind portrayal of England's performative elites. Perhaps, like Dorian's portrait, this book offers a glimpse into the broken soul of Oscar Wilde and reveals the struggles that defined the man.Listeners Beware! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.10 - Evan's Choice: The Picture of Dorian Gray

In this month's episode, the team looks at two animalistic tales: E. B. White's Charlotte's Web and George Orwell's Animal Farm. While seemingly similar on the the surface these two books produced very different themes and and views of their animal-centric worlds. Join us as we explore how animals can help to subvert the expectations of the reader to deliver powerful statements about life, loss, and REVOLUTION!To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.9 - Talking Animals: Charlotte’s Web & Animal Farm.

In this episode the team interviews Dr. Tony Perrello, Professor of Renaissance Literature at CSU (California State University Stanislaus), regarding his love of literature; primarily, Shakespeare's Hamlet. Join us as we explore the many themes of this Shakespearean classic, the historical context, and its greater impact on poetry and literature today.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.8 - Hamlet with Dr. Tony Perrello

In this episode, the team analyzes one of the most prolific novels of 20th-century American living, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. This exceptional work of Americana became a staple for its exploration of the Great Depression, the struggle for survival, and the importance of family. Join us as we talk about The Grapes of Wrath's influences, impact, and if this truly is one of the greatest stories ever told.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.7 - Literature and History: The Grapes of Wrath

In this episode, the team explores the magical world of Harry Potter. Join us as we discuss our experiences with this literary universe, its cultural impact, and its seemingly neverending reach across this enchanted world. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.6 - The Magical World of Harry Potter

In this episode the team discusses morality in literature. So often, our literary heroes are forced to make decisions that threaten to betray their heroic status, ultimately humanizing them. In this episode we will discuss Murder on the Orient Express, The Light Between Oceans, the Road, and Dune. Join us as we try to navigate the churning waters of ambiguity together!To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.5 - Moral Ambiguity in Literature

In this episode, the team takes on a story (and book) that is as old as time, John Milton's Paradise Lost. On the heels of our villains episode, we try to wade through this larger than life cast of characters, creation, and the fall of mankind.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.4 - Spotlight on Classics: Paradise Lost

In this episode, we explore the age old question: What makes a villain? Join us as we explore the dark side of the equation, discuss why villains are important, and talk about our favorites in the pantheon of the sly, dastardly, and the downright evil.To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.3 - The Fall from Grace: How Villains Are Made

In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2024. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up!To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.2 - 2024 Reading Review

Listeners, welcome to Season 5 of the Lamppost in the Woods. In this episode, the team takes a look at all the books we've ever discussed on the podcast as we draft our favorite selections from the Lamppost Library. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/⁠⁠ or Head to ⁠⁠https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/⁠⁠ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.1 - The Lamppost Library

Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful listeners! We hope that during this holiday season, you would take this podcast with you wherever you may be going. In this episode, the team discusses the Christmas classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. So whether your heart is two-sizes too small or full of Christmas cheer, come along with us as we explore the whimsical world of Whoville. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/⁠ or Head to ⁠https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/⁠ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.12 - How the Grinch Stole Christmas

In this episode, the team discusses the New York Times best-seller The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. We grabbed this book off of airport shelves to talk about just why this novel is so popular with readers around the world. Dealing with themes of life, death, and the something in between, this book explores a multiverse of lives and possibilities. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.11 - Airport Read: The Midnight Library

In this episode, the team gets stuck with another one ofEvan's stranger reads, Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on Halloween of all nights. A foundation piece of science fiction, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? envisioned a future of flying cars, rampant capitalism, and androids that look just like you and me. Join us as we discuss themes of empathy, the value of life, and what it truly means to be human.Listeners Beware! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram:https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/orHead to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.10 - Evan's Choice: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

This week we are joined by a very special guest and fried of the show Pastor Steven McDaniel to discuss the next book of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis. Pastor McDaniel takes us all back to school as we talk about Lewis's evolution as a writer, the origins of Narnia, and where the Lamppost in the woods came from in the first place. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.9 - The Magician's Nephew

This week the team looks at a staple of many our high school english courses, The Odyssey. Join us as we dissect this instant and ancient classic through all the good, and all the bad. Does this epic still rank as one of our favorite books or has it fallen to the bottom of our piles? To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.8 - Back to School: The Odyssey

In this episode the team talks modern fairytales with The Princess Bride and The Tale of Despereaux. How do these modern stories measure up the classics, do they have a placein our reading, and what might the next generation of fairytales look like to an ever-changing world? To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.7 - Modern Fairy Tales: The Princess Bride & The Tale of Despereaux

In this episode, the team looks at a variety of tales from Arthurian legend, if King Arthur existed, and what these stories might be based on. In this episode we discuss Le Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (translated by Jesse Weston), The Story of Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle, and The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.6 - King Arthur: Legend, Literature & Legacy

Dinosaurs and puritanical ministers? Jungle theme parks and pre-revolutionary America? What kind of juxtaposition is this? Join us as we compare two incomparable novels and explore the consequences of fanatical devotion. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.5 - Jurassic Park & The Scarlet Letter

In this episode, the team discusses what many consider the birth of science fiction (and the birth of a monster), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the original story of an overreaching scientist and his tragic creation. Through many cultural changes, retellings, and iterations, the source material is still the most unsettling version of the story. Join us as we explore the themes of ethics, morality, and shocking realization that this may in fact be the first Young Adult Fiction novel ever written. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.4 - Spotlight on Classics: Frankenstein

In this episode, the team talks about literature revolving around themes of pain, suffering and ultimately salvation. In this episode we discuss the Book of Job, the various retellings of Snow White, as well as a number of other works that inspired our attraction to this theme. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 4 Episode 3.

In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2023. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ or Head to https://www.thelamppostinthewoods.com/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 4 Episode 2.

In this episode the team reminisces about the childhood books and stories that inspired us and fueled our passion for literature at a young age. Stories like Where the Red Fern Grows, Treasure Island, Little House on the Prairie, and the American Girl Doll books formed the way we look at books today. What inspired you growing up? To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 4.1 - Children's Classics

In this week's special Christmas episode, the team talks about Hans Christian Anderson's 7 part story, The Snow Queen. From its inspirations to its many retellings and everything that it has inspired over the years, The Snow Queen is sure to get you into the mood for the festivities of the season. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, light a fire, and settle for the final episode of season 3 of the Lamppost in the Woods. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 3.12 - Spotlight on Classics: Shane

In this episode, the team discusses what some would consider the definitive western, Shane, by Jack Shaefer. Sporting a multitude of adaptations, both classic and modern, as well as a series of influences played out in present-day film, Shane offers a pure look at life on the range, cowboys, and the tropes that this book made famous. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 3.11 - Spotlight on Classics: Shane

In this episode, the team get's stuck with another one of Evan's scary reads, on Halloween of all nights. A short story, the Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft represents our first foray into the realm of existential dread and fear of the unknown. Less jumpscare and more the unlimited expanse of space, we read to find just how true those whispered stories from far off places really are, and how deep this rabbit hole goes... Listeners Beware! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 3.10 - Evan's Choice: The Call of Cthulhu

In this episode, the team takes a look at a book you might find on airport bookshelves around the country: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. With compelling characters and an interweaving narrative that spans 4 separate timelines, this book effectively balances a variety of themes without getting bogged down in the details, and while we may not agree with some of the themes presented, it is difficult to ignore the talent and care with which Doerr writes. Cloud Cuckoo Land brings together an unforgettable cast of dreamers and outsiders from past, present and future to offer a vision of survival against all odds. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 3.9 - Airport Read: Cloud Cuckoo Land

You knew we couldn’t stay away from Lewis for long! This episode, the team tackles our obligatory "one C.S. Lewis book per season" in the form of The Screwtape Letters. Join us as we study morality from the viewpoint of the diabolical demon uncle Screwtape and his bumbling nephew Wormwood. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 3.8 - Spotlight on the Classics: The Screwtape Letters

This week the team dives into The Greatest Story Ever Told: The Bible to answer important questions like how does the Bible stack up against our other stories so far? How does it relate? Which authors were influenced by it? Where can we see that influence? How can we learn from the Bible on how to tell and write our own stories. From myths and legends to classic literature and popular retellings, the Bible serves as the source of inspiration for countless stories throughout time. Come along with us as we explore the greatest story ever told. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 7 - The Greatest Story Ever Told

This week, the team welcomes a very special guest, Dr. Jeremy Painter. Join us as we pick his brain about literature, the Bible, the Bible and literature, and all things Tolkien. Dr. Jeremy Painter works as the General Studies Program Director & the Assistant Professor of English at Urshan College. Dr. Painter has a Doctor of Letters from the University of Pretoria, a Doctor of Ministry from Regent University, and a PHD from Radboud University. He currently teaches English & Composition, literature, and a variety of other courses for Urshan College, Lindenwood Unversity, and Urshan Graduate School of Theology. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 6.

What’s a podcast in the twenty-first century without a little gender-based disagreement? Today we split our fellowship down the middle as the girls pick one of their favorite books to go head-to-head with one of the guys' favorites. We hope you've read The Clockmaker’s Daughter and Ender’s Game because in this episode, there are no neutral parties. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 5.

We all deal with guilt, so it’s no surprise to find that many of the greatest stories in history portray a guilty conscience. This episode, the team takes on Shakespeare’s Macbeth and the Son of Perdition himself, Judas Iscariot as we discuss the portrayal of guilty characters in literature and try to give a little hope for dealing with guilt in real life. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 4.

Time to break out your scones and milky tea, because for this season's spotlight we’re doing that absolute classic of female romance fantasy written by a life-long spinster: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. No, but seriously, P & P is a classic, and we would be remiss in our duties as bibliophiles if we left it out. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 3.

In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2022. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 2.

The team is back this month to discuss: "What makes a book a flop?" Between familiar jabs of Catch 22, we take a look at maligned literature and ask ourselves "what went wrong" with some of the most hated books of all time. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 3 Episode 1.

The second-most famous Christmas character has become possibly the most legendary folk hero in world history. In this episode, the team interrogates the many faces of the "fat man in the red suit" while trying to answer that age-old question: Should you believe in Santa Claus? To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 12.

Join our fellowship as we dive into one of our very favorite classics: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings (yes, it’s all one book). Get ready to laugh, cry, and fangirl as we ponder a burning question: who is the Lord of the Rings? To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 11.

This episode, the team gets a spooky surprise as they review Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. This novel interweaves the story of a young woman plunged into a labyrinth where the secrets of her family’s past connect to an inconceivable evil and the dark history and folklore of Vlad Tepes, a 15th-century prince of Wallachia known as "Vlad the Impaler", and his fictional equivalent Count Dracula. Listeners beware! To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 10.

Finally. We told you it was coming, and here it is: our throw-down, knock-out, WWE-style wrestling match over Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Is it the masterpiece so many believe it to be or is it a literary failure? Find out today as our team discusses the triumphs and shortcomings of this polarizing novel.  To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 9.

This episode, the team digs into the listener's choice, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi.  Gifty is a sixth-year PhD candidate in neuroscience at the Stanford University School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family's loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 8.

Motherhood may just be the toughest job of all, so join four non-mothers as we discuss the best (and worst) aspects of motherhood in literature. This episode contains references to An Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie, Rapunzel, and various other works over the last few hundred years. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 7.

This episode we turn to the historical time period of World War I and the literature it spawned. Join with us as we discuss the events surrounding the war that informed a generation of writers and take the time to reflect on two classic novels: All Quiet on the Western Front and The Great Gatsby This episode includes references to The Sun Also Rises, Testament of Youth, and Rilla of Ingleside To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 6.

This week the team connects the dragon slayer themes of 2.4 to "Beauty and the Beast" as they explore the primal nature of mankind and the themes of sin, forgiveness, and redemption. To get connected with us, check us out on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamppostinthewoods/ Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Season 2 Episode 5.