A Deadman's Books

This week, academic, poet laureate of Cookeville, Tennessee, and mom Dr. Erin Hoover of Tennessee Tech University sits down to speak with us about her a couple of her poetry selections: her debut Barnburner and No Spare People. Hoover also talks to us about her inspirations as a poet, her life as a single-mother and academic, dealing with generative artificial intelligence in the classroom, and even reads a couple of poems for us. Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episode: Barnburner by Erin Hoover https://www.amazon.com/Barnburner-Erin-Hoover/dp/1932418679/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3D2YR8WW39H7O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tuywH-Nqv1cEIQhgakvYHA._uS41QJPUyGYqXCI0w6TC-sFgfrBoH6nz6kQnIxYOio&dib_tag=se&keywords=barnburner+by+erin+hoover&qid=1777522531&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=barnburner+by+erin+hoov%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1No Spare People by Erin Hoover https://www.amazon.com/No-Spare-People-Erin-Hoover/dp/1625570597/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EZ7E4QQ1PMQO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.e1NoLAP8WPWzSdjT391a6Q.jh2vrRz-J3foPOGcsfpN_wJKRRvnndMjZtftaD42sr4&dib_tag=se&keywords=No+Spare+People+by+erin+hoover&qid=1777522563&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=no+spare+people+by+erin+hoover%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #poetry #wingsup #techyeah Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Andy Dufresne is wrongly convicted for the double murder of his wife and her lover, he spends the next three decades of his life in The Shank methodically building up the prison library, maintaining a solo cell, and hammering a hole behind a poster for his escape to a dream that awaits him. We're asking the tough questions: Can anyone play it as cool as Andy Dufresne? Does life and literature always offer us true justice? Why do we as an audience receive film different than literature? How do you say obtuse in German? Jason Crockett joins us as we ask these and more on today's episode.Thanks for listening!Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananasResources for today's episode:Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #StephenKing #king #TheShank #Shawshank Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a school shooting takes place in a small southern town, Sheriff Titus Crown begins to pull a string that unravels a much deeper and sinister plot. S.A. Cosby's All the Sinners Bleed is dark, moody thriller that will have you reading until the very end.This week's curation:Silence of the Lambs (film)Miracle Creek by Angie KimDouble Indemnity by James CainL.A. Noire (video game)#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #SACosby Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the NAP is elected into power, Ireland slowly descends into fascism. Suddenly teachers are vilified by the government. Larry Stack, teacher and leader of the teachers union, takes to the streets to lead his fellow teachers in a peaceful protest march. However, Larry is arrested and never heard from again leaving his wife Eilish alone with four children and a father suffering from dementia. Paul Lynch's dystopian novel Prophet Song feels as if it isn't a far cry from modern reality as we follow how Eilish Stack attempts to survive and keeping her family together during the breaking down of society around her. She's ostracized for her beliefs, she loses her job as a molecular biologist after the NAP appoint their own in charge, and seemingly loses every man in her life. Lynch's novel will grab you by the collar and possibly shake you into awareness of the world around us. Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Prophet Song by Paul LynchTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did F. Scott Fitzgerald make it so hot at the Plaza Hotel? What was Will Andrews really finding on his quest in Butcher's Crossing? Why is Mina Plover reminiscent of a siren in The Land Breakers? Why did it storm the night before Caesar's death in Shakespeare's play? Are Astrophage from Project Hail Mary vampires? Author's use many different devices to craft their stories that we fall for every time. What if we had a guide that helped us read between what is literally there, and cross the river, baptizing ourselves in the figurative, and coming out the other side? Luckily Thomas C. Foster has done that for us, and now you too can read literature like a professor. It's not a superpower. It's just a matter of opening the mind. Jason Crockett joins us as we walk through Foster's compendium for literary devices, archetypes, and symbols.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas C. FosterTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alfred Mann was born into slavery. It was the only world that he ever knew. But after marrying Frankie from a nearby plantation, and learning through their first born-child that he has been forced to share his wife with his wife's white masters, Alfred begins to have thoughts of breaking free. Soon, he hears that the Union army is just on the other side of the river, and they are taking any runaway slaves, granting them freedom, and turning them into soldiers. After Alfred makes it across that river, he is sent on a journey in which he aims to find out what freedom really means. Author, Dr. Troy D. Smith joins us on this episode as we talk about what he says is his proudest achievement: his Spur Award winning novel, Bound for the Promise-Land.Thanks for Listening!Resources for today's episode:Bound for the Promise-Land by Dr. Troy D. SmithTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two men are seeking redemption. Both of their hopes intersect and land on the same set of interviews to change their public image and restore them back to the figures that they once were. David Frost thinks that he will be going up against a loser, clumsy ex-president in Richard Nixon. Nixon thinks that he will be going up against softball questions from a British talk show host who is on the verge of washing out. Both are in store for a surprise. As always, our in-house Richard Nixon expert Russ Witcher sits down with us to answer the hard questions: Did these interviews shape modern journalism? Is Richard Nixon really a likeable, relatable person who just made a mistake that went too far? Who has the best Richard Nixon impersonation? Jason Crockett and Russ Witcher join us today as we answer these questions and more. Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Frost/Nixon by Peter MorganTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #frostnixon #nixon #richardnixon #POTUS #america #president #vietnam #play #broadway Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Julius Caesar dies, he leaves in his will for his adoptive son Octavius to ascend as his heir. Caesar the August comes to Rome, but finds that there are many plots surrounding him in the world of Roman politics. John Williams's epistolary novel AUGUSTUS covers the political rise and life of Octavius Caesar the August through letters, journal entries, and memoirs from those that surrounded him. From close friends and family, to bitterest enemies and schemers, John Williams's novel brings out this interesting period of history in a unique way. We're asking the tough questions: What would you do to cover for you child? What would a modern Marc Antony look like? Would you help some one that was floating down a river? Jason Crockett joins us as we ask these and more on this week's episode.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Augustus by John WilliamsTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #rome #romanempire #casear #augustus #ancientrome Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Ides of March come upon them, Brutus and Cassius decide that they must take the fate of their beloved Rome into their hands. With the assassination of Julius Caesar, Rome is thrown into chaos. With seemingly no plan after they finish the killing, two sides develop between Brutus and Cassius / Marc Antony and Octavius. William Shakespeare walks us through a story of loyalty, betrayal, pride, and blindness. We're asking the tough questions: Is Brutus sympathetic? Is Marc Antony a good guy? Can you separate politics from your friends? Jason Crockett joins us as we answer these and more. Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William ShakespeareTheme song to A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Nazis are rising. They are attempting to dominate Europe through land and through culture. That includes the world of motorsport. Enter American-French heiress Lucy Schell. Her attempts to enter a "mans-world as a driver were met with stiff competition. Undeterred, Schell uses her inheritance to fund a French team to take on the Nazi propaganda machine, and defeat Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union in a grand-prix race. Her choice to lead the team on the track was Renee Dreyfus, who was Jewish. In a true good guys vs. bad guys story, Schell and Dreyfus take on the Nazis on the track to show that even in the darkest of times, good still wins out.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Faster by Neal BascombTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #motorsport Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Pearson meets the love of his life, Lucy, and begins his life with her as a preacher and contractor. Unfortunately, John's weakness for women lead him to a tumultuous experience between he and Lucy, and his next wife who captures him through voodoo.This week's curation:Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neal HurstonSweat by Zora Neal HurstonZora Neal Hurston on Zombies (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmKPjh5RX6c)Meet the Past featuring Zora Neal Hurston (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=023WLvot4Y8) #booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janie Crawford's grandmother has a plan for her life, and it's one that Janie doesn't agree with. After attempting to make the plan happen, she leaves her arranged marriage with Logan Killicks for the sweet talking Joe Starks. Starks takes Janie to Eatonville, Florida where Janie seems to be living her dream life. However, before long, she sees she is still in the same relationship she was before. After Starks dies, Janie comes across someone younger than her in Tea Cake. While Tea Cake may seem like someone you don't write home about, he gives Janie the life she has always dreamed of. One of true love. However, a storm is brewing, and things will change. Today, we cover our 2025 best read of the year: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. This episode is split into two parts. In part two, we're asking the tough questions. How is a book about a state's heritage banned by that state? Where does Hurston stand in top 5 books in American canon? Jason Crockett joins us as we answer these and more.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episdoe:Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #hurston #ZoraNealeHurston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janie Crawford's grandmother has a plan for her life, and it's one that Janie doesn't agree with. After attempting to make the plan happen, she leaves her arranged marriage with Logan Killicks for the sweet talking Joe Starks. Starks takes Janie to Eatonville, Florida where Janie seems to be living her dream life. However, before long, she sees she is still in the same relationship she was before. After Starks dies, Janie comes across someone younger than her in Tea Cake. While Tea Cake may seem like someone you don't write home about, he gives Janie the life she has always dreamed of. One of true love. However, a storm is brewing, and things will change. Today, we cover our 2025 best read of the year: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. This episode is split into two parts. In part one, we're asking the tough questions. Is Hurston's dialogue harmful or authentic? Would we let our daughters date Tea Cake? Did the dog bite her? Jason Crockett joins us as we answer these and much more in today's episode. Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episdoe:Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale HurstonTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #hurston #ZoraNealeHurston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a stranger and his daughter are stranded, single mother Collie Wright welcomes them into her home. Little does she know that those walking up to her house will be the future half of her family, and also reveal a deep secret through an accidental murder that she has been covering up. We're asking the tough questions: What sacrifices are parents willing to make for their children? How should we as parents react if our children turn into people we didn't expect them to be? Why are those in Appalachia so connected to the land? Amy Hawkins joins us as we talk about this and more in today's episode.Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episode:The Winter People by John EhleTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For 25 years, a local television show captured time that defined a region. WBIR's The Heartland Series began as a way to showcase the most beautiful place in the world: The Great Smoky Mountains. However, the show evolved into much more as it expanded in documenting the culture and people of East Tennessee, the Upper Cumberland, and parts of Western North Carolina. On the heels of our fantastic interview with the icon and host of The Heartland Series Bill Landry, Jason Crockett joins us as we take a walk back through some of our favorite episodes of The Heartland Series. We also play a little Appalachian vocabulary quiz, and this or that Appalachia edition.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's show:The Heartland SeriesFoxfire: StoryTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #Appalachia #appalachian #easttn #Tennessee #BillLandry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the heart of an adventurer and the soul of a poet, Bill Landry climbed a ridge and found below him the heartland. Our land. A land of the principal people. A land full of storytellers, deep thinkers, and hard workers. Today, we have a very special guest. The legendary Bill Landry joins us and talks about his life of doing the Heartland Series on WBIR in Knoxville, the people he met, the lessons he learned, and the books he's written. Bill even talks with us about his career in theater as actor and playwright. Jason Crockett joins us as we get the chance to sit down and talk with childhood hero and East Tennessee icon, Bill Landry.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:WBIR's The Heartland Series (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gPCpuxCodY)Appalachian Tales & Heartland Adventures by Bill LandryTellin' it for the Truth by Bill LandryEinstein the Man by Bill Landry#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #heartland #heartlandseries #BillLandry #appalachia #easttennessee #EastTN #tennessee #appalachianTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bootlegger Marion Sylder kills a man on his way home from Atlanta back to East Tennessee. He carries the body with him back to the mountains, and dumps the body in an abandoned concrete pit. Little does he know that he end up crossing paths with the dead-man's son and becoming a mentor type figure. All the while, an old man of the mountains witnessed Sylder dump the body of the man that was murdered, and he has tended to the body the last seven years. Cormac McCarthy's debut novel follows the comings and goings of three characters with the backdrop of East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. There's bootlegging, there's mink trapping, and there are Wampus cats. We're asking the tough questions. Did McCarthy try too hard in his first go? How authentic are the characters that are presented in the book? Why are the Appalachian people so afraid of cats? Jason Crockett joins us today as we answer these and more.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthyTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #mccarthy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Mary leaves Bill for another man, Bill becomes bitter towards women. However, when the two cross paths fifteen years later, their love lives have taken completely opposite roads. In our first review of a short-story, we look at Langston Hughes's micro-story, Early Autumn which was first published in 1950 for The Chicago Defender. We're asking the tough questions. Is micro-fiction overlooked? How can such a short story pack such a huge punch? Is this the perfect story? Hannah Randolph joins us as we answer these and more. Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episode:Early Autumn by Langston HughesTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The number four book in 2025's top 5, In Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, a shepherd named Santiago has a dream interpreted and is sent on a journey to find his treasure at the Pyramids of Egypt. Before leaving, he runs into a mysterious king who tells him about omens and his Personal Legend. The story then follows the boy's expedition for that Personal Legend while teaching us along the way how to seek our own.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:The Alchemist by Paulo CoelhoStar Wars Episode IV: A New HopeThe Story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)Sadie and Maud by Gwendolyn BrooksGreenlights by Matthew McConaugheyTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's time for thei first annual Deadman's Books awards, The Deadies. In this episode we will hand out awards to our books from 2025 in categories such as, the longest, the grossest, and the worst book of the year amongst others. We will also reveal our Top 5 reads from 2025, revealing our favorite book we read from the previous year. Live from Frankfurt, Germany, it's The 2025 Deadies!Thanks for listening!Theme song for A Deadman's books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Crockett sits down with us as we look back over our favorite moments of the year. We are thankful for one year of podcasting, and are looking back at the many memories we have made this year. We have interviewed authors, discovered new books, and asked the tough questions. Also, we want to thank you all for listening along with us. Thanks for a great first year. We are looking forward to what this next year has in store for us. Thanks for listening! Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today at the movies, we continue looking at A Christmas Carol through the adaptation performed by the one and only Muppets. Michael Caine stars next to Kermit the Frong, Gonzo, and Rizzo in this Christmas classic. The kids sit down and talk about their favorite parts, songs, and what message they got out of this timeless story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacob Marley was dead...and so was his partner Scrooge's heart. After denying his nephew's invitation to Christmas dinner, refusing to give to charity, and reluctantly giving his worker's Christmas Day off, Scrooge heads back to his home where his old partner is waiting for him. Marley's ghost tells him that he will be visited by three ghosts in an effort to get Ebenezer to change his ways so that his afterlife would not be the same or worse than Jacob Marley's. After being taken to Christmases of the past, present, and future, Scrooge realizes that he can change. We're asking the tough questions: Has A Christmas Carol been adapted as many times as Shakespeare's work? Is it impossible to view A Christmas Carol without taking in its heavy social comments? Is A Christmas Carol even more relevant today than it has ever been? Is A Muppet's Christmas Carol the best adaptation? Jason Crocket joins us for a our Christmas special as we answer these questions and more.Merry Christmas!Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #Classic #ClassicLit #Christmas #ChristmasCarol #Muppets #Dickens #charlesdickens Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A chase begins as The Gunslinger chases the Man in Black across a desert landscape. Seemingly the old west at first, we soon find out that this chase could be taking place in some sort of variant dimension that the Man in Black is pulling people into as a way to distract the Gunslinger from his ultimate mission: killing the Man in Black. Or is that the mission? We're asking the tough questions. Could Randall Flagg be the villain in most of Stephen King's novels? How can we conversate sometimes with our biggest enemies? How should we take it when authors go back in later publications and change their stories? Jason Crockett joins us as we answer these questions and more.Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episode:The Gunslinger by Stephen KingTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #stephenking Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, Jason Crockett joins us as we sit down and talk about Appalachian literature. We have curated a starter pack for you if you love Appalachia like we do. We're talking what defines Appalachia as a region, what are true trademarks of the people of Appalachia, and the harmful stereotype that has been created. We also will discuss what makes Appalachian authors so fantastic, and why they are deep storytellers. We hope you enjoy this starter pack!Lord yes, thank you for listenin'Today's resources:The Land Breakers by John EhleCold Mountain by Charles FrazierThe Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthyDemon Copperhead by Barbara KingsolverCades Cove: The Life and Death of an Appalachian Community by Durwood Dunn#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #author #appalachia #eastTN #appalachianmountains Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's bonus episode, we bring in our in-house Richard Nixon expert Dr. Russ Witcher to take us on a field trip to the past and discuss one of the key, pivotal figures from our book this week: Hogs, Horns, and Nixon Coming. We're asking the tough questions: Is today's political climate comparable to the Nixon's? What can we take from Nixon's legacy apart from Watergate and Vietnam? Where does Nixon rank on the all-time POTUS list? Dr. Witcher lends his expertise to answer these and more on today's episode.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Hogs, Horns, and Nixon Coming by Terry Frei Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In college football's centennial year of 1969, a game is chosen at the beginning of the year that will represent a celebration of the sports first 100 years. Move forward to December 6 and this game has become all that it was hoped to be as the number one and two teams in the nation would face off against each other in Fayetteville, Arkansas with none other than sitting President of the United States Richard Nixon choosing to attend the game. However, while the Texas Longhorns and Arkansas Razorbacks were getting ready to meet on the field, there was another game that was happening outside of it. Terry Frei walks us through in his book the political upheaval of the time that was looking to gather at the University of Arkansas to use the game as a chance to get their message out. From war protests over the war in Vietnam, to the civil rights movement continuing its fight, this game shows how whether we want them to or not, sports and politics will always meet at some point.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Hogs, Horns, and Nixon Coming by Terry FreiTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #football #collegefootball #CFB #sportsbooks #sportslit #nonfiction #texas #arkansas #longhorns #razorbacks #Nixon #politics #richardnixon #vietnam #civilrights Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A group of kids are left stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. While there, the children begin to form society. In that society come contrasting ideas which leads to two dividing factors. At what point does the straw snap? Jason Crockett joins us, and we're asking the tough questions. At what point do people feel as if they have been pushed far enough? How do you keep doing what is right when the other side is winning and it looks so good? Where does Lord of the Flies land in British canon? Is it comparable to The Hobbit? Narnia? Harry Potter? We talk about these and more in this week's episode.Thanks for listening!Today's resources:Lord of the Flies by William GoldingTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #author #LOTF #lordoftheflies #british #classic #britishlit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A sudden worldwide plague strikes ending the lives of all creatures with a Y chromosome...except for two. Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand have found themselves in a post-apocalyptic world. While being the last man on Earth may seems like a dream scenario, Yorick is about to find out that there is more trouble ahead than pleasure. Jason Crockett joins us as we ask the tough questions. Can graphic novels be literary? If you had the chance to create a literary graphic novel, what would the necessary elements be? We answer these and more in today's episode.Thanks for listening!Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #author #graphicnovel #comicbook #dc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York Times bestselling author Kevin Wilson sits down with us to talk about a variety of topics including his latest novel, Run for the Hills. In this episode, Kevin talks to us about the value and longevity of books, how his ideas and characters find their way to his writing, and his writing process & how the writing process could look completely different not just for each person, but also for the stage of life they are in.Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episode:Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson Run for the Hills by Kevin WilsonTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #author #NYT #newyorktimes #NYTbestseller #KevinWilson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Cutter family is mysteriously murdered, a small town is shaken. The police work patiently to hunt down their murderers before eventually bringing them to justice. Truman Capote's famous true-crime novel looks back at his jailhouse interviews that he conducted to put together one of the most popular narrative-nonfiction novels of all-time, and giving birth to one of the most popular genres of today.#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #truecrime #murder #capote #trumancapote #infamous Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you are not a big reader of horror, our horror expert Jason Crockett will walk you through a curated starter pack fo those interested in starting the genre. From short stories to novels and podcasts, Jason gives us the right tricks and treats this Halloween to begin your horror journey.#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #horror #creepy #spooky #halloween #horrorstory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whenever Victor Frankenstein tests the limits of what science can do with a mishmash of various human body parts, he creates a monster that he becomes disgusted with. Grieved with tts rejection by its creator, the monster seeks love and acceptance leaving a trail of destruction and murder across Europe. We're asking the tough questions. How do we compare a work that reaches back like this to its modern counterparts in its genre? What defines horror? Why is Frankenstein still relevant today? Is Young Frankenstein the best adaptation? Our horror expert Jason Crockett joins us as we answer these questions and more in today's episode.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Frankenstein by Mary ShelleyTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #horror #creepy #spooky #halloween #horrostory #Frankenstein #Classic #ClassicLit #ClassicLiterature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Christopher and his mom move to a new city to leave her abusive boyfriend, he meets someone new. This "nice man" leads him to the site of an unfinished treehouse in the woods that secret leads to another world. We're asking the tough questions. What's the right amount of supernatural for horror? Can a book be long just for the sake of being long? What's with all of those baseball gloves and teeth? Hannah Randolph joins us as we look at another book in the horror genre in the month of October.Thanks for listening! Resources for today's episdoe:Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas #booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #horror #creepy #spooky #halloween #horrostory #ImaginaryFriend Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When supernatural "somethings" begin to appear around the globe, just the sight of them drives people mad beyond reason leading them to brutally kill themselves and any others within their destructive path. Pregnant from a one-night stand, Mallory loses her sister and parents to the phenomenon and must seek out a new family of sorts. However, when someone gets in that the group thinks won't be that bad, their attempt at survival during this event is greatly impacted. Our horror expert Jason Crockett joins us as we do a brief fun of horror throughout the month of October. We're asking the tough questions. How do we handle the fear of the unknown? What happens when we allow people in that we don't fully trust? Do you really need to identify yourself as American when abroad? We answer these and more in today's episode.Resources for today's episode:Bird Box by Josh MalermanBird Box starring Sandra Bullock (Netflix)Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #horror #creepy #spooky #halloween #horrostory #BirdBox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Rosemary goes back through her life, she sees the steps that she took to become the person that she is, and her problems are problems that we all deal with. Comparisons to other parents, questions about marriage and relationships, an examination of our relationship with our own parents. Gerber delivers a coming of a age story with a character that feels real and authentic. This week, Barbara Gerber sits down with us as we talk with her about her book, Love and Death in a Perfect World. You can purchase her book in the link below.Thanks for listening!Resources for today's show:Love and Death in a Perfect world by Barbara Gerber (https://www.amazon.com/Death-Perfect-World-Barbara-Gerber/dp/1938288467)Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literarture #f007 #womeninlit #comingofage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Her Majesty's Secret Service is knowingly baited into a trap, the send their best man for the job...James Bond. As Bond travels to Turkey for the job, he meets all different types of characters along the way which leads him to ask the question: what makes the good guys the good guys? Jason Crockett joins us on our 50th episode as we look over Ian Fleming's famous novel and ask the tough questions. Is it ok to like James Bond in the modern era? Should there be a Jane Bond? How do the James Bond movies reflect society during their time?Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:From Russia with Love by Ian FlemingTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literarture #f007 #JamesBond #spy #thriller #adventure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, we crossover and give you a look at our good friend Jason Crockett's new podcast, Second Stage. In Second Stage, Jason will look at plays that are overlooked in the classroom. He asks questions like what might be the reasons that we do not teach them, the merit that they provide in the class, and how would we teach them if we got the chance. Give him a follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you find your podcasts.Today's resources:Fences by August WilsonSecond Stage: https://podcasts.apple.com/mn/podcast/second-stage-podcast/id1837828585#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #plays #play #fences Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Yoo family finally gets all of their members to America, their patriarch Pak begins a business in which he owns a hyperbolic chamber that is used to allegedly help heal children with autism and other afflictions called the Miracle Creek Submarine. However, one day when the sub goes for one of its "dives", a horrific accident happens in which it explodes leaving a child and another child's murder dead. Was it an accident though? Was it a mom who said she wished her son was dead? Was it protesters against this non-proven medical technique? Or was it the Yoo family themselves looking for insurance money? Hannah Randolph joins us today as we go through the mystery that is unraveled through the court process in Angie Kim's Miracle CreekThanks for listening!Resources for Today's Show:Miracle Creek by Angie KimA Deadman's Books theme song: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literature #mystery #murdermystery #AngieKim Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the evil dragon Smaug sleeps in his stolen kingdom and treasure, a group of Dwarves seek out the help of wise Gandalf the Grey to help them retrieve it. Little did they know that Gandalf's plan all along was to leave the chances of regaining their home back to the most unassuming of all of Middle Earth's creatures: A Hobbit. Jason Crockett joins us today as we look back on this literary classic by one of our all time greatest writers. We're asking the tough questions. Why did Gandalf choose the Hobbits? Do we all have a side of the Hobbits inside of us? Will Jason take Benedict Cumberbatch's place as the actor of Smaug?Thanks for listening!Today's resources:The Hobbit by J.R.R TolkienThe theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 17th century, Jesuit priests attempted to spread Christianity throughout Japan despite enormous oppression from the Japanese emperor. In Shusaku Endo's novel, Silence, Endo takes the stories of various monks from that time period and combines them to create a fictionalized retelling of the experiences that all of those involved went through. With this novel, Endo presents questions that many of us will be left to contemplate. How far would we go for what we believe in? What is the true meaning of sacrifice? Is it better to stand strong for those that we are leading to affirm their beliefs, or to allow our sacrifice so that they will not be punished? Nathan Aaron and Jason Crockett sit down with us to discuss this and more in today's episode. Thanks for listening!Resources for today's episode:Silence by Shusaku EndoTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#booktube #booktok #bookstagram #ReadersofYouTube #Bookish #CurrentlyReading #BookCommunity #BookRecommendations #BookReview #BookLovers #Lit #Literarture #faith #Christianity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2009, the University of Tennessee hired Lane Kiffin to take over as head football coach after legendary coach Phillip Fulmer left the program. It had been 17 years since the Volunteers had a new coach. In 2010, Kiffin was gone and ensued a decade of chaotic, dysfunctional decisions that dragged one of college football's most storied programs to depths it had never seen before. This week, we are joined by Mark Nagi as he walks us through his book, Decade of Dysfunction. In his book, Nagi covers the decade that featured Lane Kiffin, Derek Dooley, Butch Jones, the craziness of the Greg Schiano hiring, and the ultimate hiring of Jeremy Pruitt.Thanks for listening!Resources from this episode:Decade of Dysfunction by Mark Nagi(link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1075446031/?bestFormat=true&k=decade%20of%20dysfunction&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_13_de&crid=1PWT0TKSRGTED&sprefix=decade%20of%20dys)Theme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#book #booktube #bookpod #cfb #vols #collegefootball #Tennessee #GBO #nonfiction #literature #footballbooks #TennesseeVols #bookish #ReadersofYouTube #BookTok #bookcommunity #booklovers #bookreview #CurrentlyReading Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, two Titanic lovers? experts? enthusiasts? get together as Hannah Randolph sits down and talks with us about Walter Lord's nonfictional account, A Night to Remember. A Night to Remember is the definitive retelling of the tragic night that The Titanic slipped beneath the waves. Lord uses passengers and officers first hand accounts to reconstruct the horror of what happened in the North Atlantic. We're asking the tough questions. Was the Titanic disaster the end of out-and-out blatant classism? What's our opinion on the break-up of the ship during the sinking? Was the Californian at blame to any extent? We talk about these and more in this episode.Thanks for listening!Resources for this episdoe:A Night to Remember by Walter LourdA Deadman's Books theme song: Surfing! by automaticbananas#books #booktube #bookpod #literature #lit #nonfiction #titanic #whitestarline #oceanliners #disaster #ocean #narrative Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a tragic accident driving down the backroads of East Tennessee, Knoxville native Pete Kreis looked to pursue his dream of becoming a champion of the Indianapolis 500. Starting his career in the late 1920's, Pete became one of the hottest young drivers in the circuit, even having strong showings at Formula 1's European Grand Prix at Monza. However, a developing reputation of being a hard-luck driver combined with the Great Depression and Indy Car's new "junk formula", Pete struggled to find a ride. After finally capturing one, Pete tragically crashed in turn 1 of his first lap of qualifying at the Indy 500, killing himself and his riding mechanic. This week, author William Walker will sit down with us and talk about his book, The Last Lap, that delves into the mystery surrounding the death of Kreis. Was it suicide? Was it a freak accident? Was it due to paralysis from PTSD? William Walker will sit down with us, and discuss these things in much more in today's very special episode. This episode's resources:The Last Lap by William Walker https://octanepress.com/book/last-lap-death-drive-pete-kreis-indy-500-william-walker?srsltid=AfmBOoq1vRikIsyQ3mmngfXcYX6kvL1S9qKpJTVNSqGErY1rBFO510beAlso, check out Bill's other book, Betrayal at Little Gibraltarhttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Betrayal-at-Little-Gibraltar/William-Walker/9781501117916Thanks for listening!Theme to A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#book #booktube #bookpod #lit #literature #motorsport #Indy500 #IRL #Indycar #F1 #formula1 #nonfiction Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The end has come. 2025's Big Summer Read has met its finale. What a ride it has been. In this final check-in Jason Crockett sits down with us and answers the tough questions. Is Nick Andros a static character? How can we use our characters as examples of overcoming addiction? What does it feel like to reach your true self? We answer these and more in today's episode. Thanks for listening!This episode's resources:The Stand - Stephen KingTheme song for A Deadman's Books: Surfing! by automaticbananas#book #books #stephenking #thestand #booktube #bookstagram #king #bigsummerread #literature #lit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we take a field trip through the beautiful streets of St. Augustine. We will talk about our walk down Marine Street, past the infamous Athalia Ponsell Lindsley house. We will also discuss other parts of the city that were mentioned in Elizabeth Randall's 2015 book about the murder and case of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley.Thank you for listening!Resources from today's episode:A Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley(link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/books/)Elizabeth Randall's website:(link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/)Please make sure to also check out Elizabeth's 'fictional dark comedy' Hating Harlon (link: https://www.amazon.com/Hating-Harlon-Elizabeth-Randall/dp/1624208312/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S6QlJeer13IVoC-W2a7hlbLzrbYIy_c2_DhR4vSaItA.OaTujHOzNGAa_BEAxkOwl6fljjmiJ76RWn-K_xDXCfA&qid=1753160249&sr=8-1)Also, her most recent book, Secret St. Augustine (link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/books/)A Deadman's Books theme song: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Jacksonville socialite Athalia Ponsell Lindsey moved into her home on Marine Street in St. Augustine, Florida, she was met with a neighborhood that wanted to push her out. After on-going feuds with some of her neighbors, Lindsley was murdered on her doorstep on January 23, 1974. Her murderer was never convicted. This week we sit down and speak to author Elizabeth Randall who researched this mysterious death in this beautiful city. Randall will share her thoughts on the murder, the City of St. Augustine, teaching high school English, and her own father's murder that remains unsolved today as well.Thank you for listening!Resources from today's episode:Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley(link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/books/)Elizabeth Randall's website:(link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/)Please make sure to also check out Elizabeth's 'fictional dark comedy' Hating Harlon (link: https://www.amazon.com/Hating-Harlon-Elizabeth-Randall/dp/1624208312/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S6QlJeer13IVoC-W2a7hlbLzrbYIy_c2_DhR4vSaItA.OaTujHOzNGAa_BEAxkOwl6fljjmiJ76RWn-K_xDXCfA&qid=1753160249&sr=8-1)Also, her most recent book, Secret St. Augustine (link: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/books/)A Deadman's Books theme song: Surfing! by automaticbananas#truecrime #southerncrime #southerntruecrime #florida #stafla #staugustine #books #booktube #literature #nonfiction #truecrimebooks #bookpod #beach Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Jason Crockett and James Seibers join us as we discuss the second part of Stephen King's The Stand, "The Dreams".We're asking the tough questions. What separates the good guys from the bad guys? What happens when we are growing as people and we are faced with decisions that could define the new us or reinforce the old? What does it look like when you choose winning over being good? We talk about these questions and more on today's episode!Thanks for listening!Sources:The Stand (1978) by Stephen KingTheme song for A Deadman's Books - Surfing! by automaticbananas#thestand #king #stephenking #summerread #bigsummerread #books #bookpod #booktube #literature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jason Crockett joins us as we discuss the various stops we made along the way in our local community that could be found in Troy D. Smith's novel, Good Rebel Soil. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Jason Crockett joins us as we get a chance to sit down with author Dr. Troy D. Smith to discuss his book, Good Rebel Soil. This book is a fictionalized retelling of the legend of Champ Ferguson. A Confederate guerilla who stormed the areas of the Upper Cumberland in Tennessee. Dr. Smith talks to us about his reasonings for writing the book, his writing process, and his thinking behind his lengthy writing record. We also talk about history, the modern mindset, and a few other great stories that Dr. Smith has at his disposal. What a delight it was to spend the afternoon with Dr. Smith and Jason Crockett on the campus of Tennessee Tech University.Resources:Good Rebel Soil by Troy D. Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Rebel-Soil-Champ-Ferguson/dp/0692365834/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LB38OVULWTAC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nbV_ORSzZ3UVDK5NzZ8CAA.F-zSGf_xE0nbN3SLrbJ3FEwsKusE41yaj4-ZWtcteYo&dib_tag=se&keywords=good+rebel+soil+troy+smith&qid=1750962049&sprefix=good+rebel+soil+troy%2Caps%2C1097&sr=8-1Thanks for listening!Champ Ferguson: An American Civil War Guerrilla (article) by Troy D. Smith:https://www.historynet.com/champ-ferguson-an-american-civil-war-rebel-guerrilla/ The Upper Cumberland Institute at Tennessee Tech University:https://www.tntech.edu/cas/history/uppercumberland-institute.phpVIsit:Jason Crockett's podcast, With Honors on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. A Deadman's Books theme: Surfing! by automaticbananas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.