The Reader and the Writer

Most happy she that most assured doth rest, But he most happy who such ones love best—Spenser (from epigraph in ch 37)Welcome back to our year(ish) long read, Middlemarch, by George Eliot. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss all the ways Book Four feels pivotal; the story lines begin to really boil in “Three Love Problems,” and there is no shortage of curiosities to go with it. First, they talk of reform in this section, and all the ways the greater idea of “reform” webs itself into the story’s greater themes. They discuss the “three love problems”: who exactly does Eliot want us to think of here? They talk about the “gossamer web” of young love-making, and wonder why Eliot applies it to Lydgate and Rosamond and not, say, Dorthea and Casaubon, or Dorthea and Will? Rhea recognizes the possible significance in the repeated mention of the “pale stag” (once in Ch 9, and then again in Ch 37). Shari wonders if the Bulstrodes really give a rip about Rosamond marrying Lydgate, or if their “caring” has a more selfish motive at heart. Finally, they do a “lightning” round (more like a slow thunder rumble), asking each other those burning questions they have moving forward.What about you? Any questions or predictions for what will happen next?If you haven’t already, go to the R&W Middlemarch page and download Rhea’s next set of bookmarks! Scroll down to find them.Finally, for your continued deeper dive into Middlemarch’s Book Four, or use in a book group, homeschool study, and all purposes in-between, here is a PDF of our Book Four outline:Thanks for this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our final episode on Anne of Green Gables! In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the Scripture in these last chapters, hidden in plain sight. They talk about how this Great Conversation serve the narrative turn of the novel toward its fullness: in Anne’s character, and as a human being into wholeness. They talk about the way ambition seems to be the theme-thread running strong through this last section of the story, in the same way imagination, goodness, and romance occupy important roles in other sections of the story. They talk a long time about the role nature plays through all of Anne of Green Gables, and the fundamental role it’s meant to play in our own lives. They talk about the role of imagination in faith, hope, and love, desires, duty, and knowing our place as sons and daughters, not orphans or slaves.Finally, we ended with two questions we invite you to consider and contemplate over the next several days:* In this season of life, what is Anne inviting you to see? To believe?* How then will you live?As a bonus to celebrate R&W’s reading of Anne of Green Gables, we’re attaching this episode’s outline for your personal use, whether to spend more time with Anne on your own, or in your book club, homeschool group, and more. Later this year, The Reader & Writer will be sharing our episode outlines regularly for all our paid subscribers. But for now, it’s free. :)Our next read is Beloved, by Toni Morrison. Our first episode will air the last week of May. In the intervening weeks, look for some bonus episodes on all things literary, great and small alike. Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, give it some ❤️ and share it with others. The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Anne of Green Gables. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the narrative shape that this story is taking in ways that are different than the traditional story arc structure. They talk extensively about goodness, Anne’s ideas of it, the ways her ideas are limiting and how much of the community seems to help foster those limits. They discuss goodness as in ideal versus goodness as a human charecteristic—how each is different and where the overlap occurs. This naturally leads to a discussion of beauty, truth, and goodness: how each one informs, strengthens and adds to the overflow of the others. And, they talk about how, for all Anne’s wild imaginations, her ability to imagine herself being vulnerable to the “other”—particularly Gilbert Blythe—is woefully stunted, or more likely, blocked by her fears.Be sure to check out Rhea’s reading guide for Anne of Green Gables:Also, please tell us how you’ve been inspired by Anne of Green Gables to stretch your imagination and find new ways to play!Thanks for reading The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, please give it some ❤️ and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“Dear me, it’s only been three weeks since she came, and it seems as if she’d been here always. I can’t imagine the place without her.” —MarillaWelcome back to Anne of Green Gables. In this episode, Shari and Rhea spend time discussing our narrator: When does she pop out from behind the book to talk to us? What effect does this have on our experience of the story? Our feelings about the characters? They also talk more about the imagination, and how critical it is to develop our imaginations, especially as it relates to the life of faith. They talk about romance, not the “kiss, kiss” kind, but rather romance in the grander sense. Finally, they ask whether or not Anne’s extreme emotion, imagination, and romance are hyperbole if it truly is Anne bringing all that is in her to bear in every joy and despair, with no real in-between’s.Rhea’s amazing Anne of Green Gables Reading Guide is available! You can find it here:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, please ❤️ it and pass it along.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“It’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it?But the worst of imagining things is that the time comes when you have to stop and that hurts.When the Lord puts us in certain circumstances He doesn’t mean for us to imagine them away.Welcome to our first conversation on Anne of Green Gables! In this episode, Shari and Rhea can’t get enough of Anne with an ‘e’. They share their favorite moments, favorite quotes, favorite things this story make them think about, and their favorite things about Anne, which, of course, is everything! They wonder what it takes for a wide scope of imagination. They ask if we treat our own imaginations well in this day and age, and what would it look like to cherish our imaginations? They talk about the connection between imagination and beauty, and how Anne sees beauty in everything but herself. They talk about naming, and wonder if Anne’s naming of places and objects transfigures them—not only for herself, but for those around her as well. Also, they ask one another the hardest question ever: Which would you rather be if you had the choice: divinely beautiful, dazzling clever, or angelically good??Look for the Rhea’s reading guide for Anne of Green Gables to publish on her Substack page, soon!Thanks for listening to The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, please ❤️ it and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Middlemarch! In this episode, Shari and Rhea think long and hard about our narrator: by what tactics is she (he?) getting us to see? Where are our eyes turned? On what do we gaze? And how does this gaze serve Eliot’s purposes for expressing her greater themes? They also talk about the symmetry in the story lines of Book Three, and the elegant arc they make. Of course, they discuss details: Fred Vincy’s extreme self-centerdness, Lydgate’s dunce-headedness, and poor Dorthea’s hopes of matrimonial bliss being popped so soon. They argue over passionately discuss whether Rosamond is manipulative or innocent in her pursuit of Lydgate. They bring up that tricky narrator again, and how we are given the turn in their relationship: from careless flirting to holy matrimony. They continue to scratch their heads over the British class system and where exactly every person and trade fits in. And furniture… What is up with this continual mention of furniture?? Finally, they take in the title of Book Three, Waiting to Die, and consider the full scope of its meaning.Show Notes:What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew, by Daniel Pool. (Rhea referenced)R&W Outline for Middlemarch, Book Three (Available for a limited time to all subscribers. Will go behind paywall mid-year). Great for use with:* Personal Study* Book Groups* Homeschool Supplement* Upper Level High School Curriculum SupplementThanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post give it some ❤️ and pass it around.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“Survival, it is called. Often it is accidental, sometimes it is engineered by creatures or forces that we have no conception of, always it is temporary.” —p. 324Welcome back to Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. In this episode, Shari and Rhea find themselves without words… more than once…! They talk about Charity’s way of controlling everything to the very end, and how still after all that, they couldn’t dislike her, or harbor ill feelings toward her. They talk about Sid and Larry’s simultaneous “journeys” they took at the end, and how each one came out on the other side. They talk about dying “right” v. dying “well,” living “right” v. living “well,” and how the two inform one another. They talk about fate, forgiveness, and the way suffering has the mysterious gift of enlarging us if we’ll let it. Finally, Shari declares Crossing to Safety as one of her top five books of all time—a statement that, if you’ve been listening to R&W for any length of time, you know she doesn’t make easily.Below is The Resurrection by Piero della Francesca that was mentioned multiple times in the narrative and acted as a critical image in the last section of the story. Our next book is Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery. Our first episode of that four-part series will air April 14th. Thanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, ❤️ it and pass it along.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“Order is indeed the dream of man, but chaos, which is only another word for dumb, blind, witless chance, is still the law of nature.” (p. 191)Welcome back to Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner. In this episode, Shari and Rhea talk (somewhat obsessively) about Charity Lang and her extreme need to control, and how it affects, well, everything! They talk more about Larry, the long-view narrator, the various narrative techniques Stegner uses through him, and how it continues to impact our understanding of Charity, Larry, both marriages, and the friendship at the heart of this story. They talk about the farce of control itself—how very little we actually have—what makes a person decide he or she has “no choice” but to sacrifice for the sake of another, and what it looks like to bend and not break. Oh, and they talk about the continual Eden imagery: Adam and Eve, and that damnable lurking snake.Next week will be their fourth and final episode with Crossing to Safety. Show note:Here is the quote Shari was talking about from Madeleine L’Engle’s book, Walking on Water (in reference to bringing order from chaos):Leonard Bernstein tells me more than the dictionary when he says that for him music is cosmos in chaos. That has the ring of truth in my ears and sparks my creative imagination. And it is true not only of music; all art is cosmos, cosmos found within chaos. At least all Christian art (by which I mean all true art, and I’ll go deeper into this later) is cosmos in chaos.—Madeleine L’Engle (p. 8)Thanks for reading The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode please give it ❤️ and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we do, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

And so, by circuitous and unpredictable routes, we converge toward midcontinent and meet in Madison, and are at once drawn together, braided and plaited into a friendship. (p. 96)Welcome back to Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. In this episode, Shari and Rhea continue their discussion of the long-view narrative style of the story’s first person narrator, Larry Morgan. They discuss his generous story telling style, his telling of deep intimacies, and the way they find themselves, at times, so overcome by the quiet beauty of the narrative they could weep. They continue to relate Larry and Sally’s story to their own marriages, and their own younger-self lives. They discuss Larry’s imagined historical telling of Sid and Charity’s meeting and early love: what more is revealed about Larry the narrator, and what Stegner the author gains by this creative narrative technique. They discuss Charity in-depth: her name, its meaning, and how Stegner, through his narrator, is training us in the way of true, charitable and lasting love. They talk about C. S. Lewis. Shari comes up with a fitting Hamilton quote about Sid. In their next episode, they will be reading through the end of Book One (pp. 142-239)Here’s a link to Rhea’s excellent reading guide for Crossing to Safety:Here is the poem by Robert Frost that inspired the story’s title:I Could Give All To Time by Robert FrostTo Time it never seems that he is braveTo set himself against the peaks of snowTo lay them level with the running wave,Nor is he overjoyed when they lie low,But only grave, contemplative and grave.What now is inland shall be ocean isle,Then eddies playing round a sunken reefLike the curl at the corner of a smile;And I could share Time’s lack of joy or griefAt such a planetary change of style.I could give all to Time except – exceptWhat I myself have held. But why declareThe things forbidden that while the Customs sleptI have crossed to Safety with? For I am There,And what I would not part with I have kept.Thanks for reading The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, please ❤️ it and share it with other literature lovers like you.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to R&W’s next 2026 read: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss the powerful beauty they see already this story of the mundane that makes both marriage and friendship lasting and gold. They talk about Stegner’s great influence on the American literary canon—both through his own work, and his teaching of those literary giants who followed him, Shari’s personal favorite being Wendell Berry. They spend a long time talking about the 1st person long-view narrator, and the effect it has our view of the story itself, the characters, and the events being narrated. They talk about the ways they see the themes of the story: marriage, friendship, and vocation, already being expressed and given foundation in these early chapters. And they wonder how all three will survive and thrive over the course of the decades to follow.Below is a link to Rhea’s reading guide for Crossing to Safety. Please do check it out. She has some great stuff in it!Also, here is the full poem by Robert Frost that inspired Crossing to Safety’s title:I Could Give All To Time– A Poem by Robert FrostTo Time it never seems that he is braveTo set himself against the peaks of snowTo lay them level with the running wave,Nor is he overjoyed when they lie low,But only grave, contemplative and grave.What now is inland shall be ocean isle,Then eddies playing round a sunken reefLike the curl at the corner of a smile;And I could share Time’s lack of joy or griefAt such a planetary change of style.I could give all to Time except – exceptWhat I myself have held. But why declareThe things forbidden that while the Customs sleptI have crossed to Safety with? For I am There,And what I would not part with I have kept.Thanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, hit the ❤️ button and share it with someone!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Middlemarch, our year-ish long read. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss what it means to be old and young, to have desire and duty, and the making of a person and a marriage. They talk about the various relationships in Middlemarch and how they are continuing to shape into being. They spend considerable time discussing the “big-hearted” narrator, and all they appreciate about her commentary. And they go through several quotes from Book 2, and scratch their heads over each one’s meaning.Be sure to check out our Middlemarch page: Be sure to find our chat section on the Middlemarch page for each week’s reading and join in the conversation!Our next Middlemarch episode covering Book Three is scheduled to air April 3rd. Until then, read wide and read well!Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our final episode of Frankenstein. In this episode, Shari and Rhea revisit the nesting narrative, also called framing. They examine each frame through the lens of several different themes and motifs. They ask what ideas they see repeatedly, and how the characters express the various themes. They talk about Shelley’s exploration of love through the pairing of different characters together, and how Victor and the Creature combine in such a way that desecrates love as well as one another. They discuss the significance of names in Frankenstein, and the extra-significance of the De Lacey family at the center of the story. And they circle back around on earlier discussions about creators and creations, not taking responsibility for what we make, not “killing our darlings” when we should, and the ways we end up with monsters of our own making.Journal Prompts for Frankenstein:Rhea had some excellent reflective questions we didn’t have time to discuss. I (Shari) would like to offer them here as journal prompts in case you’d like to do some final noodling over Frankenstein. * On Creation: What does Shelley want me to notice about creation? About my relationship with creation? My responsibility to creation? My responsibility to what I create?* On Companionship: What does Shelley want me to notice about companionship? About my expectations about companionship? My responsibilities within companionship?* On Love: What does Shelley want me to notice about love?We’d love to hear your thoughts or discoveries on any of the above. And if Frankenstein spurred you on to consider other big ideas, please share these, too!Our next slow read is Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner. We will be reading it over four weeks. Our first episode will drop March 10th. No new episodes will air between now and then. Great time to catch up on your Middlemarch reading!If you need a refresher of our 2026 reading list, you can find it here:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, give it some ❤️ and share it with a friend, enemy, or frenemy.We’re not picky.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Middlemarch, Book One. In this first “reading” episode of Middlemarch, Rhea and Shari dive headlong into the world of early-1800’s provencial England. They spend a great amount of time discussing the story’s witty, critical, big-hearted narrator. They examine the text for understanding how they are meant to feel about Casaubon, though they already know exactly how they feel about Casaubon. They talk about Dorthea as viewed from various points of view—especially her sister, Celia’s. They look at where the narrator offers us a critical eye, a wide lens, and always a quick witt. Rhea wonders if she’ll even be able to find a character she’ll love to hate. Shari declares Celia is her hero.If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to read through R&W’s Middlemarch page. It’s full of great stuff:Thanks for reading The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, please show it some ❤️ and share it around.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to R&W’s second episode of Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. In this episode, Shari and Rhea dive deeper into the complexities and questions begged by the nested narrative style of the story, Shelley’s use of nature as a metaphor and motif, the use of counterpoints in every character as they relate to Victor, the many Great Conversations embedded in Volume 2, a continued study of humans’ duties toward the works of our hands, and their severe discomfort at the Creature’s lack of a name.The final Frankenstein episode will air Tuesday, February 10th. (This is one week off the original reading schedule, due to inclement weather.) Here is a link to Rhea’s Frankenstein Reading Guide:Thanks for listening to The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, show it some ❤️ and share it with a friend.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we do, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, that he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.”—Victor Frankenstein to Capt. Walton (p 41, 1818 version)Welcome to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, R&W’s first deep read for 2026. In this episode, Shari and Rhea do a brief introduction to Mary Shelley herself, and those aspects of her life they can see informing aspects of the Frankenstein tale They talk about their experience reading the 1818 and 1831 versions side-by-side. They discuss the epistolary style of the narrative, the motifs they see, and the horrible moment of Victor Frankenstein’s creation coming to life. They talk about our own making and ask what responsibility we hold to that which we make: from marriage, home and children, to careers, inventions, and those physical works of our hands. All this, and they barely scratched the surface.Make sure to look at Rhea’s Reading Guide for Frankenstein:It's full of great resources, the reading schedule, Middlemarch connections, and bookmarks, of course! :)Thanks for listening to The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it around.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to Middlemarch! In this episode, Shari and Rhea lay the groundwork for R&W’s first yearish-long read. They discuss the author, George Eliot, the origin story of Middlemarch, and all the things they will be looking for while they read. Oh, and they try and figure out exactly what “provincial” means.To find the reading schedule, bookmarks, and other resources mentioned in the podcast, visit R&W’s Middlemarch page:For a list of R&W’s entire 2026 year of reading click here: Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it with a friend.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the final episode of R&W’s 2025 year-long read of War and Peace. It really is hard to believe it’s over (Except, if you’re Shari, it’s not. Six more Epilogue essays to go!)In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the way Tolstoy takes the characters off the stage in the end, and sets them squarely in the beautiful mundane of every day life. They talk about characters they wish they’d heard more from, characters they kept thinking might pop back up and play more of a role, the character Rhea loved to hate in the end. They talked about their favorite scenes and sections, as well as those places they could have done without. They talked about what part of spending an entire year with War and Peace they will miss. Oh, and what they’re looking forward to with their next (not quite) year-long read, Middlemarch, by George Eliot.Speaking of, if you haven’t seen The Reader and the Writer’s 2026 reading list in order with dates, to include our year-long reads: Middlemarch and the Harry Potter series (going into 2027), you can find it here:To follow my annotations, personal notes, and War and Peace story connections on Tolstoy’s Epilogue essays (12 essays in 12 days), start here:Thank you so much for reading along with us in 2025! And cheers to many more years of happy slow reading together. 🥂Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked what you heard, give it some ❤️ and share it with a fellow War and Peace lover like you.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

It’s hard to believe, but it’s time for the last episode of 2025.In this episode, Rhea and Shari ask each other questions about all things R&W and books this 2025. They talk about those most memorable scenes, where they found the Great Conversation most compelling in the books they read, what story most convicted them, reminded them of who they are, and surprised them by its beauty. They discussed Shari’s MFA work and how it’s informed her labors with novel writing and R&W. They talked about what they thought they did well this first full year of R&W’s existence, and what they hope to do better in 2026. And, of course, Rhea got bonus points for the best question ever: Which two characters from any of the books we read this year would you like to see married? Oh wow… What would you say??On a personal note:Rhea and I are beyond grateful for all of you who’ve journeyed along with us this 2025. We began doing this thing a year and a half ago out of our shared love for literature and the sheer fun we have when we’re together talking about the books we’re reading. Your own love of literature and participation with us here spurs us on to continue nurturing and growing the literary work we’ve begun.2026 is already shaping up to be our best year yet (not so hard considering we’re not even two full years old)! If you haven’t seen the R&W 2026 Reading list in order, be sure to check it out:R&W’s first book is Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. Below are the dates and reading schedule:* January 20: Frankenstein - Volume I* January 27: Frankenstein - Volume II* February 3: Frankenstein - Volume IIIThe first year-long|background read is Middlemarch, by George Eliot. Below are the first few episodes related to that book:* January 13: Welcome to Middlemarch* February 6: Middlemarch - Book 1* March 6: Middlemarch - Book 2See you next year! Until then, read wide, read well, and live always in witness to the Great Story.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“Hope,” he said. “Damn thing never leaves you alone.” —Paul, p. 219Welcome to the final episode of Klara and the Sun. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss all the motifs and how they bring to life the central question of this novel: What does it mean to be human? They talk about Klara and faith, Klara and friendship, Klara and the human heart, and what Jesus and C. S. Lewis have to say on all these matters. They discuss all the ways in which Klara, disturbingly, seemed throughout the story more human than the humans did. They discuss their own troubled reactions to the story’s ending. They talk about the difference between companionship and friendship. They talk about integration and disintegration, and how every effort at human-like connection with A.I. leads to the later, and never the former. They re-visit the Advent aspect of this story, and what Advent looks like with no Incarnation (God becoming human for us) in the end. And, Shari reads some poetry by Wendell Berry at the end.Resources cited in this episode:* The Four Loves, by C. S. Lewis* The Gospel of John, Chapter 15* Klara and the Sun in the Year of ubiquitous A.I. (from Substack MBH4H)* The Friend Necklace (Oct. 2025 review from Business Insider)Poetry Rhea was inspired to find and cite after finishing Klara and the Sun:* The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry* [i carry your heart with me (i carry it in] by e. e. cummings* The Sun by Mary OliverIf you haven’t seen it yet, here is R&W’s 2026 Reading List in order with (penciled in) dates:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, please give it some ❤️ and pass it along.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Klara and the Sun. In this episode, Shari and Rhea have a LOT to talk about, beginning and ending with the troubling Frankenstein-esque turn this story has taken. They discuss faith v. rationality and the irony that a lot of faith is needed to believe in rationality. They discuss blobs and boxes and shapes in general as a motif. They discuss the Bubble Game, eyes as the window to the soul, and hedges v. fences. They discuss the mothers, Helen and Chrissy, as counterpoints of one another, and what drives each one to act as she does. They discuss Rick and Josie’s plan. They discuss Advent, Mary, courageous surrender, and what happens when waiting becomes unbearable… and all these things from a place of knowing now what Mr. Capaldi’s “portrait” of Josie truly is.Next week they will finish the book.Resource mentioned in this episode:* Rhythms of Faith, by Claude Atcho. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

It must be great. Not to miss things. Not to long to get back to something. Not to be looking back all the time. Everything must be so much more… (p. 90)Welcome to R&W’s last deep read of the year: Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro. In this episode, Shari and Rhea piece together what they so far know about AF (Artificial Friend) Klara and the world in which she lives. They also talk about what they don’t know, what confuses them, and the world of AI as it is in the story, and in real life. They talk about the eerie quietness of the story, the formality of the relationships amongst the humans, and Klara’s eerie ability to make judgements and have feelings, though she’s a robot and “not supposed” to have the capacity to do either. They talk about what happens to humans when they interact with AI’s as humans. And they talk about how—at least so far—Klara and the Sun reminds them of Advent.Be sure to check out Rhea’s Reading Guide for Klara and the Sun:Below is the reading schedule for Klara and the Sun:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode be sure to ❤️ it and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

And there is no greatness where simplicity, goodness, and truth are absent. —Leo TolstoyWelcome back to our year-long read, War and Peace. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the way the novel is moving from story to essay, from narrative to critique. And yet, there is still much to discuss: why Tolstoy is so harsh on historians, why Kutuzov gets such a short exit, how the scenes of military camp life serve to illustrate Tolstoy’s essays, how Pierre can no longer see an aim now that he has faith, and how Natasha gains her life back and further gifts Pierre a depth to his by recounting Andrei’s final days. And all of this they consider in light of the quote on greatness above.For our history loving listeners, below is the link to Matthew Long’s post from his Substack, Beyond the Bookshelf, that Rhea mentioned near the end of the podcast. Matthew is doing a deep dive into the Civil War next year. He has a his study schedule, reading guide and timeline all mapped out, and has shared it for anyone who’d like to follow along:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode, ❤️ it and pass it along.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we do, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” —Lee to AbraWelcome back to East of Eden—the end! In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss all the “timshel” moments that lead to the final blessing, for Cal, and for us all. They talk about the Great Conversation happening here at the end of the story with Alice in Wonderland, and Meditations. They discuss smallness, greatness, and accepting one’s story as it is. They talk about control, and our lack of it; about taking responsibility for wrongs versus the cheap self-indulgence of being vulnerable and right-sized with the world. It’s a Wonderful Life and Rhea making peace with Cherry Valance. Basically, they discuss all that is east of Eden.R&W’s final book for 2025 will be Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. Below is the breakdown of the readings:* December 16: Parts 1 - 2 (pp. 3-109)* December 23: Part 3 - some of Part 4 (pp. 113-214)* December 30: Rest of 4 - Part 6 (pp. 214-303)Finally, if you haven’t yet listened, be sure to check out R&W’s 2026 Big Draw Episode, where Rhea and Shari drew and decided on all they will be reading next year!Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, give it some ❤️ and share it with someone.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

It’s that time again! The Reader & the Writer’s annual Big Draw Episode! In this bonus episode, Rhea and Shari draw for and decide the books they will read in 2026. Prior to the episode, the ladies decided they wanted to read books from the following three genres: love story, gothic, science-fiction/magical realism. Beyond the books they drew on air, they preselected two authors from their 2025 books to re-read (different book, of course). They also preselected another book by an author that was a “must read” for both of them. It was great fun to record!The R&W books for 2026 are listed below (not in order). But, still listen to the episode! It’s just plain fun. :)The Reader & the Writer 2026 Book List:* Lila, by Marilynne Robinson* Hannah Coulter, by Wendell Berry* The Constant Nymph, by Margaret Kennedy* Crossing to Safety, by Wallace Stegner* Anne of Green Gables, by L. M. Montgomery* Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley* Beloved, by Toni Morrison* A History of the Island, by Eugene Vodolazkin* Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne* A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller (added after the episode)R&W Long-Long Reads:* Middlemarch, by George Eliot (Jan - Aug)* Harry Potter Series, by J. K. Rowling (Sep - Mar 2027)Stay tuned for exact editions we will be reading from, if that’s something you care about. It’s not necessary, however, as long as you’re reading from an unabridged edition. Get excited! It’s time to buy books and start reading!! :DThanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to East of Eden, where “diplomacy by other means” is boiling over, abroad and at home. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss characters and characterizations, and why it seems the “innocent” characters are so much more flat than the conflicted, troubled characters. They circle back on greatness, and how it connects to timshel. They talk about freedom. And, they wonder whether it’s easier to give or to receive.Next week they will finish East of Eden: Chapters 50-55.Oh! And, be sure to tune in on Friday, December 5th, for their annual Big Draw Episode, where they will be drawing, debating, and deciding on their reading list for 2026. Yay!Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode give it some ❤️ and share it with others. The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we do, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to this Thanksgiving bonus episode of the Reader & the Writer! In this episode, Shari interviews author, Connie Hampton Connally. Connie has written two novels: The Songs We Hide, and Fire Music, both set in Hungary; and is currently at work on her third novel, set in Andean Peru. Connie holds a BA in English from University of Washington, and an MFA from Antioch University. Connie and Shari discuss the inspiration for her novels, her research and crafting process, and all the many aspects of the reading and writing life. You can find Connie at: conniehamptonconnally.comThanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to East of Eden. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the extreme amount of grayness at this point in the narrative: Tom’s Gray One, Aron’s gray mind, and Kate’s gray room. They discuss “fake it ‘til you make it” versus perseverance for the sake of the other. Shari questions her earlier thoughts on Samuel Hamilton’s version of greatness, and and how Hamilton “greatness” expresses itself in the various characters. And of course, they discuss the ONE TRUE story as Steinbeck expresses it, and whether or not they agree. Is the one story in the world the story of good and evil? Or is it of love and rescue?Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode, show it some ❤️ and share it with others. The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we do, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to East of Eden. In this episode, Shari and Rhea have a whole host of discussions: relationships, counterpoints, and how “thou mayest” factors into all of it. They talk about Lee as the new Samuel Hamilton, Lee as a friend, and Lee as the mother Cal and Aron never had. They talk about characters and their relationships to their own pasts and futures, and how considering this in our own lives could offer interesting insights as well. They discuss nature v. nurture, land and people - people and land, and lies that infect everything. Rhea offers a lively discourse over education. And then she give a spoiler about Santa Claus. You’ve been warned.Next week, they will discuss Chapters 33-40.Don’t forget to check out Rhea’s reading guide post for East of Eden. Lots of great stuff for learning and considering:Thanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

The human mind cannot grasp the causes of events in their completeness but the desire to find those causes is implanted in the human soul. And the human mind, without considering the multiplicity and complexity of the conditions of any one of which taken separately may seem to be the cause, seizes the first approximation to the cause that seems to him intelligible and says: “This is the cause!” —Leo Tolstoy (p. 1062, Oxford World Classics edition)Welcome back to R&W’s deep read of War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy!In this episode, Shari and Rhea’s discussion circulates through three major events and themes: Andrei’s death, Pierre’s new life, and the incalculable spirit of the army. They hold up each of these things to Tolstoy’s quote above. They talk about the counterpoint between Andrei and Pierre’s stories, between Kutuzov and the rest of the Russian generals, and between men’s hearts turned outward v. turned inward and how this affects the “spirit of the army.” They compare the narrative style and expression of themes in War and Peace v. East of Eden. And, they talk about how much Pierre digs his rope belt and homemade leather boots.For it being more or less a snoozer of a section (forgive me, military strategist lovers), the ladies end up finding a lot of interesting things to talk about!Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, please give it some ❤️ and share it with others.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to East of Eden. In this episode, Shari and Rhea begin at the heart of the story, which happens to also be the center. They talk about naming, symbols, timshel, and what it took to make Adam wake up after 11 years of fallowness. They talk about the Hamilton children: Tom wrestling with greatness, Una’s death, and Dessie’s love that destroyed her joy. They talk about the difference between the feel of the story between the Hamiltons and Trasks. They wonder about Lee’s ideas about rejectiona and guilt, Samuel’s ideas on greatness, and Cathy’s thoughts on goodness (which is wild). And, they make mention of how here in the heart of the novel is also the most excellent example of how to close read a story—a Bible story at that. :DNext week the ladies will be discussing Chapters 26-32.We’d love to hear what struck you about this section of the novel. East of Eden is full of the Great Story. What connections do you find most compelling? What about the Great Conversation in general?Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, please become a free or paid subscriber. Thank you! Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

You’re going to pass something down no matter what you do or if you do nothing. Even if you let yourself go fallow, the weeds will grow and the brambles. Something will grow.—Samuel HamiltonWelcome back to East of Eden!In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss Cathy, Cathy, and more Cathy. They talk about the narrator’s questioning of whether or not she truly is a monster, or simply lacks a common language with the rest of humanity. They discuss the art of listening, Samuel Hamilton’s sage advice to Adam, Liza’s certainty that Lee’s a Presbyterian, eyes and hands as windows into the soul, original sin, and chalk eating.Biblical references discussed in this section:* Genesis 3:20-21* Job 14:1-5* Matthew 25:31-46Next week’s discussion will cover: Chapters 22-25Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked it ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

The ways of sin are curious. I guess if a man had to shuck off everything he had, inside and out, he’d manage to hide a few little sins somewhere of his own discomfort.” —Samuel HamiltonWelcome back to East of Eden. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss the ways Steinbeck’s story “of everything” is unfolding: the juxtaposition between the Trasks and Hamiltons, the essays that open each new part of the story, and other continuing contrasts that Steinbeck isn’t trying at all to hide. They continue last week’s discussion of faith without love, and add to their wondering the glory of man, the glory of God, and the glory of God in man. They also ask a series of questions worth thinking about as we all read forward together:* Who is this story about? The Trasks? The Hamiltons? the Salinas Valley?* What is the effect of Steinbeck making himself so visible as the voice of the narrator?* Who is Cathy, really??* What is Samuel’s role in this story?* What is the “glory” being named in the story? What is the “glory” being expressed?* What is faith without love? Next week: Chapters 16-21Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to East of Eden, where life and death, good and evil, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, and even the flora and fauna live at Biblical proportions.In this episode, Rhea and Shari look closely at the opening two chapters for what it is showing us as it unfolds. They discuss the powerful living presence of the land, the repetition of words and ideas, the motifs of the east, parenting, light and darkness, life and death, plenty and waste. They talk about the strange nature of the narrator, sin and genetics, and the idea of timshel: “Thou mayest rule over sin.” And, they ask a couple really hard questions: Can a person have faith in someone and not love that person? Can a person be born evil to his or her core? If you haven’t seen Rhea’s reading guide post for East of Eden, you can find it here:Next week they will be discussing Chapters 9-15.Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this post, please ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to R&W’s final episode of The Feast! In this episode, Shari and Rhea have LOTS to discuss: what the end of each of the seven deadly sins looks like, those who were almost saved but weren’t, those who were almost NOT saved but were, and the wine that did the saving. They talk about “nonsense” and “foolishness” of the Kingdom and its joy, Noah’s ark, Lady Gifford’s ridiculous Mary-Martha reference, Kennedy’s head-nod to The Odyssey, Christian life in the final line, and what each of them wants the last conversations of their lives to be.The next R&W deep read will be East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. They are taking eight weeks for this epic American novel. Below is the reading plan: Pick up your copy ASAP and start reading!Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to the R&W year-long read, War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss in depth this “time between times” of the story. Using two different quotes from this month’s reading, they talk about all the story lines from this strange time of “life and death hanging in the balance,” and all the motivations that are—or are not—for the “good of the people.” Below are the quotes the ladies used to guide their discussion, and the questions that follow for each story line’s considering:* Quote 1: Life and death hanging in the balance:“...no one–least of all Natasha and Prince Andrei–spoke of this: the unsettled question of life and death, which hung not only over Bolkonsky but over all Russia, shut out all other considerations.” (991)* Quote 2: For the good of the people…??:“Since the world began and men have killed one another no one has ever committed such a crime against his fellow-man without comforting himself with this same idea. This idea is le bien public, the hypothetical welfare of other people.” (957)Questions to consider as we examine each story line:* Is life or death being chosen by the characters? Either literal or spiritual.* What is the motivating factor behind each one’s choice and in each situation?* Are the characters being honest about their motivations? Are they lying to themselves to justify their actions? Are they truly looking out for “the good of the people”?Links to books, people, and ideas discussed… and Rhea’s bookmarks!:* Rhea’s Oct - Dec Bookmarks* Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel* Violence and the Sacred, by René Girard* Deceit, Desire, and the Novel, by René Girard* The Four Quartets, by T. S. Eliot (about)Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to The Feast! Things are boiling over at Pendizack Manor Hotel, and Shari and Rhea are in for it. In this episode, they talk about the 7 evils spilling over in the host characters: the disgusting St. Merrick episode (termed by Shari as the Epstein Island escapade), soapstone insanity, envy’s constant pot-stirring, the super-righteous “symposium,” a mother ready to abandon her children to imminent doom (!), and more.And yet, beauty abounds through the turning of other characters toward goodness, truth, and beauty. And all the while preparations for the Feast continue, and the cliff slowly crumbles overhead.Next week, Shari and Rhea will discuss the final day, “Friday”, and wrap up their discussion of The Feast.As mentioned in the episode, below is the list and links to many of the references to poems, songs, myths, etc. that show up over “Wednesday” and “Thursday.”The Great Conversation happening in The Feast:* Scapegoat | Fairies at the bottom…* ‘There are Fairies at the Bottom of Our Garden’ - Michael Aspinall, the Surprising Soprano (Scapegoat)* There are Fairies at the Bottom of our Garden | Odyssey Theatre Ensemble* Bond or Free?* What to write in a headstone epitaph? - Mississauga Cemetery* “Wind, gentle evergreen!...”* Epitaph on Sophocles headstone.* Oh Shenandoah - Wikipedia (Duff, Robin, and Angie singing)* Symposium | My Aged Uncle Arly* Edward Lear | The Poetry Foundation* Limericks / playful* Mrs. Paley | The Quangle Wangle’s Hat | The Poetry Foundation* Robin | The Dong with a Luminous Nose | The Poetry Foundation* Gerry & Angie | Mr and Mrs Discobbolos by Edward Lear - Famous poems* Duff | The Pobble Who Has No Toes - Edward Lear* Nancibel | Carmen - Wikipedia (opera)Thanks for reading The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to The Feast! In this episode, Rhea and Shari have their own feast of a discussion, looking at all the ‘Love & Truth’ of Monday, and ‘Truth & Lies’ of Tuesday. They talk about the Cove girls’ other worldliness, the “man-of-war” love of Christina Paley, the surprise kindness of Henry Gifford, and the strange connections between Wuthering Heights and Bruce and Anna’s relationship. They talk about significant names, significant titles, significant words, phrases, and conversations.Next week they will discuss Wednesday - Thursday.Below is the reading schedule:Thanks for listening to this episode The Reader & the Writer! If you like this episode ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a paid or free subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to The Feast! Shari and Rhea are so excited to dive deep into Margaret Kennedy’s allegorical novel about the seven deadly sins. In this episode, they go straight to the speculation: who represents each of the sins? Who’s alive? Who died? They had a lot of fun setting up this story and are fully ready to have to renounce their deeply held beliefs on all of it. Be sure to check out Rhea’s Reading Guide on The Feast. Below are the links to the poetry pieces and the opera that have shown up so far in The Feast (Prologue - Sunday):Links to quoted literature within The Feast:* Nothing is certain but the certain spring* Robert Laurence Binyon - “Burning of the Leaves” (written during WWII)* Sunday | ch9 pg 89* And whispers to the worlds of space/A sentinel…I hear at times…* Alfred Lordy Tennyson* Sunday | ch 8 & 9 | pg 83 & 86* Their shoulders hold the sky suspended…* AE Housman* Saturday | Ch 3 | pg 16* Why this is Hell! Nor am I out of it!* Doctor Faustus by Christoher Marlow* Saturday | Ch 9 | pg 45* Il TrovatoreHere is the Reading Schedule for The Feast:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to this final episode of Deacon King Kong. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss all the story’s thread and how they all end up “in God’s hands.” They talk about salvation stories, good and evil, who the true antagonist of the story is, and the beautiful community of Christ. Oh, and they argue about where the climax of the story is.R&W’s next deep read is The Feast, by Margaret Kennedy. They will take four weeks to read this book. Reading segments are as follows:* Part 1: Prologue - Sunday* Part 2: Monday - Tuesday* Part 3: Wednesday - Thursday* Part 4: Friday Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to our close read of Deacon King Kong. In in this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the women at the center of this story and how they are the “still point” for each of their respective communities. They discuss motifs they see taking a center stage in this section: the water, Statue of Liberty, the “shining” harbor in the afternoon sun; and how these images continue to pop up and provide a strong juxtaposition to all that is not “normal” about The Cause, as Sister Gee laments to Potts. They discuss several important conversations that happened: Sister Gee and Potts, Elefante and Sportcoat, Sportcoat and young (dead) Hettie, and others. Oh, and they talk about the weeds.Next week they will discuss the final chapters of the story: Chapters 21-26.Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, show it some ❤️ and share it with someone.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to R&W’s 2025 year-long read, War and Peace.We know, it’s been a minute. After two months, Rhea and Shari were so glad to get back to this story. They focused their discussion on the “movements” of characters and events, and on “form v. substance.” They spend considerable time talking about Natasha’s movement from guilt to new freedom, Pierre’s movement toward war, Old Bolkonsky movement from life to death, and his son’s movement toward eminent death as well. They discuss the “form” of war—that of a chess game—versus the “substance” of war, something more terrible and chaotic; and the form of Hélène v. the substance of Marya…. and much, much more. Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to R&W’s deep read of Deacon King Kong by James McBride. In this episode, Rhea and Shari discuss all the ways the threads of the story are beginning to slowly weave together. They talk about McBride’s humor, his brilliance in bringing us into this community of The Cause House with kind hospitality, and allowing us to deal with hard realities through this hospitable way. They discuss Shari’s three-way Venn Diagram on the story’s territories from the first episode, expanding on the ideas laid out last week, and what may lie at the center of the three. Rhea notices the way “the Truth” has been popping up a lot in this section, as well as all the commonality between characters and 20 years. They spend a long time on Elefante and the Venus of Willendorf. They wonder where the story is going to go next.Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode hit the ❤️ button and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to an R&W new read! This week Rhea and Shari begin a four part discussion on Deacon King Kong by James McBride. In this episode, they introduce the wide and colorful cast of characters: Sportcoat, Hot Sausage, Deems, Jet, Bunch, Earl, and more. They wonder why some non-characters: like the community itself, the cheese, and the ants feel more like characters and less like places or things. They talk for some time about the “voicey-ness” of the story, particularly with regards to the narrator. They also talk about how the story is being told almost like an old-fashioned “yarn.” If you haven’t yet, check out Rhea’s Reading Guide for Deacon King Kong:Reading Schedule (Note date Change for Episode 2)Below is the Reading Schedule for Deacon King Kong, with the exception of Episode 2: PLEASE NOTE: Due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday and family/work obligations, Episode 2 will air Wednesday, September 3rd, rather than the 2nd.Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, ❤️ it and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to R&W’s three-part series on George MacDonald’s fantasy novel, Phantastes. In this episode Shari and Rhea discuss the ending of the book, the things they loved, and the things they didn’t. They discuss whether or not the continual semi-confusing dreamlike quality of the story was intentional on MacDonald’s part, or a storytelling hiccup. They talk about the motifs, the symbols, and the ultimate theme of love running through. And they talk about how reading Phantastes has rekindled their love for Narnia and deep desire to read the series again.R&W’s next deep read is Deacon King Kong, by James McBride. Below is the reading schedule:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode show it some ❤️ and share it with a friend (or stranger, or enemy. We’re not picky).The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to R&W’s deep read of Phantastes by George MacDonald. In this episode, Shari and Rhea spend considerable time discussing the many symbols they are recognizing in the story, and wonder about what deeper reality these symbols might be pointing us toward. They discuss how much they loved Chapter 13—the story within the story. And Rhea asks Shari what she thinks about MacDonald’s claim that a good story will mean many things and will change depending on the particular reader, and this is a good thing.Next week, Shari and Rhea will discuss through to the end of the story. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out and make use of the many resources Rhea provides in her reading guide to Phantastes. Thanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, give it some ❤️ and share it with a friend!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to a new deep read on The Reader & the Writer! This week Rhea and Shari kick off a three-week dive into George MacDonald’s fantasy novel, Phantastes. In this episode, they discuss George MacDonald’s background, his ideas about the imagination, and the intertwining nature of truth and beauty. They talk about the main character, Anodos, the episodic feel to the story so far, and the ways they already notice the strong use of symbols in the narrative. If you haven’t read Rhea’s introduction and reading guide for Phantastes, you must go check it out! You can read it here: Below is the reading schedule:Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you like this post, please give it some ❤️ and share it!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support the literary work we’re doing, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to this special edition of The Reader & the Writer. In this episode, Shari interviews author, Cynthia Beach. Cynthia is the author of the novel, Surface of Water, published with IVP Press in 2024, She’s also written and published a wonderfully inspiring as well as practical craft book, Creative Juices for Writers. She has an MA in journalism from Wheaton College and an MFA in fiction writing from the Northwest Institute of the Literary Arts. She is also a trained spiritual director. Cynthia directs faith-based writing workshop, Scriptoria with Gary D. Schmidt. She lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan on a quiet seven acres with her husband, Dave.Links to Cynthia’s website and Scriptoria:* cynthiabeach.com* scriptoriaworkshop.orgThanks for listening to this edition of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked it, ❤️ it and share it.The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our literary work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back! In this episode, Shari and Rhea conclude their discussion of Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. They get deep into ideas of transfiguration, baptism, endings that don’t do what they want, and where the beauty is despite the great sadnesses. There is much to lament, much to rejoice over, much to wonder at in these final chapters. It also makes the following quote from Robinson’s interview with Trinity Forum all the more poignant (you can find that interview on Rhea’s post on Housekeeping): There is a way in which a good writer can see into strange places and see beauty in places others can’t. —Marilynne RobinsonIf you’re journaling along with us, here is this week’s prompt:Journal from on high, outside yourself. Assume an imaginary position from a place above you. For example: the top of a nearby tree, as a bird flying overhead, a rooftop, mountaintop, etc. Further this prompt by writing from the p.o.v. of anything in your surroundings (an object on your desk, your pet, your mailbox, etc.). Again, focus on your five senses—especially to begin.R&W’s next deep read is Phantastes, by George MacDonald. Below is a reading schedule:Thanks for listening to The Reader & the Writer! If you liked this episode, ❤️ it and share it. Thanks!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To support the literary work we’re doing, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to R&W’s deep read of Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. In this episode, Shari and Rhea discuss the feeling of darkness and mystery surrounding much of this section of the novel. They discuss Sylvie’s strangeness, Ruthie’s eccentric imagination, and Lucille being fed up with all of it. They talk about the role of dreams, the continued motif of water, and the strangeness of death that seems to haunt this family no matter how they try to live.Next week they will finish the novel. In case you’ve missed it, below is the reading schedule, as well as a link to Rhea’s post introducing Housekeeping. If you’re journaling on place with us, this week’s prompt is: Journal about what’s beneath your feet. Choose a familiar location. First, journal on what you can see. Then, journal on what you can’t see, as you “drill” down beneath the surface of where you are. Use your five senses and your above ground surroundings to help you discern what might be below. You’ll have to use your sense of imagination for this one.Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked it, ❤️ it and share it. Thanks!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To support what we’re doing here, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to our year long read of War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. In this episode, Rhea and Shari break down the whole tragic event of Natasha’s inevitable break up with Andrei. They wonder how many more times Dolokhov will keep appearing where there’s trouble-making. They worry over Andrei’s heart and wonder over Marya’s words to him about forgiveness. They are finally satisfied with Tolstoy spending all those chapters last month on Nikolai and the hunt. They hope—multiple times—that Anatole and Hélène get what’s coming to them. Finally, they discuss the ways all things are positioning themselves to come to a head in Moscow with the War of 1812.If you’re looking for the next set of bookmarks, as well as where in the world the bookmarks are, read Rhea’s latest W&P post:A programming note: Due to scheduling and travel conflicts, our next War and Peace episode on July’s reading will drop later in August (not the first Friday as usual.)Thanks for listening to this episode of The Reader & the Writer! If you liked it, ❤️ and share it. Thanks!The Reader & the Writer is a reader-supported publication. To support the work we’re doing here, become a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Reader & the Writer at thereaderandthewriter.substack.com/subscribe