The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast

• Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro

  In this episode, Trevor and Paul turn their attention to Nobel Prize–winner Kazuo Ishiguro, whose eight novels over the past forty years have earned both admiration and debate. Together, we trace Ishiguro’s remarkable range: the restrained heartbreak of Remains of the Day, the dream-logic labyrinth of The Unconsoled, the quiet devastation of Never Let Me Go, the ambitious allegory of The Buried Giant, and the AI exploration of Klara and the Sun. Along the way, we weigh Ishiguro’s signature themes of memory, regret, art, and the stories we tell ourselves—and ask what makes him one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary literature, even when his experiments don’t always succeed.Whether you’re a longtime devotee or just curious where to begin, we hope you’ll join us for a conversation about masterpieces and misfires.We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We’re also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Paul: A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry* Trevor: The Ice Palace, by Tarjei Vesaas, translated by Elizabeth RokkanBooks by Kazuo Ishiguro* A Pale View of Hills* An Artist of the Floating World* The Remains of the Day* The Unconsoled* When We Were Orphans* Never Let Me Go* The Buried Giant* Klara and the SunThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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• Episode 114: Through a Glass, Darkly: Entering Schattenfroh and Other Books that Refuse to Yield at Once

  This week we are joined by translator Max Lawton to celebrate the release of Michael Lenz’s Schattenfroh from Deep Vellum. But rather than focus only on this one book, we open the conversation to a wider theme: the joy of reading books that resist. These are works that don’t give themselves up on a first pass, that refuse to be solved, that instead teach us how to read them as we go. With Schattenfroh as our starting point, we wander through the labyrinths of these kinds of books, asking why surrounding to the unknown might be one of the great rewards of reading.We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We’re also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Max: An Outcast of the Islands and The Rescue, by Joseph Conrad* Paul: Frontier, by Can Xue, translated by Karen Gernant & Chen Zeping, and The Stronghold, by Dino Buzzati, translated by Lawrence Venuti* Trevor: The Magic Mountain, by Thomas Mann, translated by John E. WoodsOn the Web:* Deep Vellum: Schattenfroh, by Michael Lenz, translated by Max Lawton* The Untranslated on Schattenfroh* The Untranslated: A Visual Guide to SchattenfrohThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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• Episode 113: Starter Libraries: A Shelf Full of Promises

  What does it take to build the perfect first shelf? This week we tackle the joyful—and surprisingly stressful—task of creating a starter library. We’re joined by John Williams, book editor at The Washington Post, to discuss how to choose ten books that someone can use as a starter library, offering comfort, surprise, and a little stretch along the way. We compare approaches, confess our struggles, and share the shelves we’d hand to a friend ready build their personal library.We’d love to hear from you—what books would make it onto your own starter library?We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We’re also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.ShownotesWhat are we reading?* Paul: The Endless Week, by Laura Vasquez, translated by Alex Niemi* John: Giovanni’s Room, by James Baldin* Trevor: Nadja, by André Breton, translated by Mark PolizzottiOur Starter LibrariesPaul* The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Waterson* Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville* Finding Beauty in a Broken World, by Terry Tempest Williams* The Complete Works of William Shakespeare* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry* The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson* The Complete Stories of Clarice Lispector* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* Kindred, by Octavia Butler* Pride and Prejudice, by Jane AustenTrevor* Ex Libris, by Anne Fademan* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas* A Good Man Is Hard to Find, by Flannery O’Connor* The Emigrants, by W.G. Sebald, translated by Michael Hulse* The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein* Cockroaches, by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated by Jordan Stump* So Long, See You Tomorrow, by William Maxwell* Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard* The Complete Poems of Emily DickinsonJohn* The Collected Stories of William Trevor* The Varieties of Religious Experience, by William James* The Collected Poems of Philip Larkin* Notes from Underground, by Fyodor Dostoevsky* The Book of Disquiet, by Fernando Pessoa* The Sellout, by Paul Beatty* The Black Prince, by Iris Murdoch* Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man, by Garry Wills* Essays in Disguise, by Wilfrid Sheed* Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf* Why Does the World Exist, by Jim HoltOther* The Library, Duncan FallowellThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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• Episode 112: In Her Words: Women in Translation 2025

  We’re back for another round of Women in Translation Month! Each August, readers around the world celebrate books written by women and translated into English, spotlighting voices the too often go unheard. In this episode, we each pick five WIT titles we’re planning to read this month. We promise our goal is not to derail your carefully curated TBR list, but this is an event where we’ll happily take responsibility for your reading detours!What WIT books are you reading to celebrate?We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We’re also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.ShownotesBooks* The Adventures of China Iron, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre* We Are Green and Trembling, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Robin Myers* The Ghost Writer, by Philip Roth* Love in a Cold Climate, by Nancy Mitford* The Sun King, by Nancy Mitford* The Pursuit of Love, by Nancy Mitford* Don’t Tell Alfred, by Nancy Mitford* Voltaire in Love, by Nancy Mitford* The Faces, by Tove Ditlevsen, translated by Tiina Nunnally* The Trouble with Happiness, by Tove Ditlevsen, translated by Michael Favala Goldman* Killing Stella, by Marlen Haushofer, translated by Shaun Whiteside* The Wall, by Marlen Haushofer, translated by Shaun Whiteside* Overstaying, by Ariane Koch, translated by Damion Searls* In Farthest Seas, by Lalla Romano, translated by Brian Robert Moore* A Silence Shared, by Lalla Romano, translated by Brian Robert Moore* Frontier, by Can Xue, translated by Karen Gernant and Chen Zeping* The Last Lover, by Can Xue, translated by Annelise Finegan* The Blue Room, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Deborah Dawkins* The Taiga Syndrome, by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana* New and Selected Stories, by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Sarah Booker with additional translations by Lisa Dillman, Francisca González Arias, and Alex Ross* Ultramarine, by Mariette Navarro, translated by Eve Hill Agnus* Voices in the Evening, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by D.M. Low* The Dry Heart, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Frances Frenaye* Family Lexicon, by Natalia Ginzburg, translated by Jenny McPhee* Traces of Enayat, by Iman Mersal, translated by Robin Moger* Motherhood and Its Ghosts, by Iman Mersal, translated by Robin Moger* Animal Stories, by Kate Zambreno* Migratory Birds, by Mariana Oliver, translated by Julia SanchesOther* PEN/America: Women in Translation Month Reading Series 2025* Women in Translation Month websiteThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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• Episode 111: Two Friends Walk into a Bookstore: A Day Out with Trevor and Paul

  This week’s episode comes with poor sound quality and excellent vibes. For the first time ever, Paul and Trevor met in person! Join us as we take the show on the road—through bookstores, libraries, and one unforgettable day of literary wandering. From the cozy aisles of The King’s English to the rarified shelves of Moon’s Rare Books, with stops at Poppy’s Books and the Salem City Library (Trevor’s wife makes as cameo!), this episode is a roving celebration of bookish friendship. We apologize in advance for the audio, but we hope you enjoy this day out with us. We’ll be back to our usual mischief in the next episode.We’ve got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you’d like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here’s what we have in store:* Episode 115: Kazuo Ishiguro* Episode 125: Flannery O’Connor* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib MahfouzThere’s no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you’re prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we’re discussing? Join us over on Discord! It’s the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you’re reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We’re also just now in our second novella book club, where we're reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s a fantastic book, and we’d love to have you join the discussion. It’s a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you’re reading.ShownotesBooks* Sun City, by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal* The King of a Rainy Country, by Brigid Brophy* Rhine Journey, by Ann Schlee* I Am Alien to Life: Selected Stories, by Djuna Barnes* Waiting for the Fear, by Oguz Atay, translated by Ralph Hubbell* Last Stories, by William Trevor* Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel García Márquez, translated by Gregory Rabassa* Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel García Márquez, translated by Edith Grossman* One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez, translated by Gregory Rabassa* The Adventures of China Iron, by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara, translated by Fiona Mackintosh and Iona Macintyre * The Sea, the Sea, by Iris Murdoch* Schattenfroh, by Michael Lenz, translated by Max Lawton* Miss MacIntosh, My Darling, by * The Stronghold, by Dino Buzzati, translated by Lawrence Venuti* The Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro* Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro* The Unconsoled, by Kazuo Ishiguro* Nocturnes, by Kazuo Ishiguro* An Artist of the Floating World, by Kazuo Ishiguro* A Pale View of Hills, by Kazuo Ishiguro* When We Were Orphans, by Kazuo Ishiguro* As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner* A River Runs Through It, by Norman Maclean* On the Clock, by Claire Baglin* Your Absence Is Darkness, by Jón Kalman Stefánsson, translated by Philip Roughton* Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke* The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien* Moby Dick, by Herman Melville* Songs of Innocence, by William Blake* Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen* Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. MontgomeryThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they’re released to the public. We’d love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

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