Novel Pairings Novel Pairings

Today, we’re wrapping up our spring season with Zadie Smith’s On Beauty, a theme-driven novel that recreates the social world of an elite liberal arts college, exploring issues through nuanced satire on race, class, and beauty. We dig into the stories of the Belsey and Kipp families and Smith’s use of the academic setting to discuss identity and social satire. Our pairings for On Beauty include callbacks to previous classic episodes, essays by Zadie Smith, and surprising historical fiction.
Our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is starting soon! Just like our readalongs for The Odyssey and The Custom of the Country, you can expect exclusive Patreon content, including book clubs and classes, to guide you through this ginormous classic. We’d love for you to join us! Go to patreon.com/novelpairings to sign up. 
 
Books Mentioned:
Howard’s End by E.M. Forster
There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset
Passing by Nella Larsen
Members Only by Sameer Pandya
Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays by Zadie Smith 
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Love Marriage by Monica Ali
Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

Get ready for your summer TBR to pile high as we share our most anticipated titles releasing this summer! Plus, each new release that we preview in today’s episode is perfectly paired with a backlist book or two, giving us plenty to read while waiting for pre-orders and library holds to come in.
If you enjoy our recommendations on today’s episode, we have even more book suggestions to explore in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great place to discuss books with a smart group of readers, and now is the perfect time to join as we're about to start our Slow Down Summer Read Along of Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. Visit patreon.com/novelpairings to learn more.
You can also stay up-to-date with all things Novel Pairings by following us on Instagram and subscribing to our weekly newsletter on Substack. Thank you for supporting our book-loving community!
Books Mentioned:
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty 
LaRose by Louise Erdrich
The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma
At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop
Every Day Is For the Thief by Teju Cole 
The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 
Unseen World by Liz Moore
In the Woods by Tana French
Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan 
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
One Star Romance by Laura Hankin 
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Bear by Julia Phillips 
The Hunter’s Wife by Anthony Doerr
Sharks in the Time of Saviors by Kawai Strong Washburn
Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
The Latecomer by Jean Hanf Korelitz
The Plot by Jean Hanf Korelitz
The Coin by Yasmin Zaher 
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman 
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
Liars by Sarah Manguso 
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Colored Television by Danzy Senna 
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
A Little Devil in America by Hanif Abudrraqib
Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa
The Premonition by Banana Yoshimoto
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
 
Also Mentioned:
Novel Pairings Summer 2023 Book Preview and Backlist Pairings
 

On today’s Modern Readers episode, we’re placing “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift in context with pieces of contemporary political satire. We'll explore how satire is being used today to comment on politics and social issues, and the power, or limits, of its influence. Throughout our discussion, we discuss the lasting legacy of Swift’s essay, the rise of satirical media, and how satire is used as a rhetorical tool. Listen to the end for contemporary satirical examples in TV, online media, and comedy.
We’re also excited to  announce our Summer Big Book Read Along: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. We’re looking forward to digging into this classic with you! This Big Book Read Along includes 5 recaps spread over June, July, and August, 3 book club meet ups to discuss along the way, an active Discord chat for support and motivation, classes and bonus content. The summer is a great time to join our scholarly community! 
Find more details on our summer plans in our free Substack newsletter or head to patreon.com/novelpairings to join our community. 
 
Books Mentioned:
A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
The Odyssey by Homer
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
 
Also Mentioned:
A Modern Proposal on Project Gutenberg 
Little Women Musical
Jo Musical
A Point of View: What’s the point of satire?
The Onion
Saturday Night Live
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
White Lotus
Abbott Elementary
Veep
The West Wing
John Oliver
 

In today’s episode, we’re discussing The Importance of Being Earnest by the ever-delightful Oscar Wilde. A classic example of British theater, this play is known for its biting social satire and brilliant comedic dialogue. Throughout our conversation, we dive into the play’s themes, discuss Wilde’s mastery of wordplay, and his ability to write characters that satirize Victorian society in the cleverest ways. As always, we share our complementary pairings, and we hope this episode adds a few books to your TBR pile! 
If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love participating in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
 
Books Mentioned:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett
Dr. No by Percival Everett
What a Difference a Duke Makes by Lenora Bell
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
 
Also Mentioned:
Bonus: 127. An Introduction to The Importance of Being Earnest
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
R. Eric Thomas
 

We're thrilled to welcome back Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks Podcast, for a thought-provoking discussion on one of Shakespeare's darkest comedies, Measure for Measure. In this conversation, we'll dive deep into the play's timeless themes including punishment, gender, power, and politics. We discuss how these themes continue to resonate with modern audiences, revealing the parallels between the play and our contemporary world. We also talk about how Shakespeare masterfully uses this satire in this work, even when satire doesn't necessarily equate to laugh-out-loud humor. Listen to the end for Traci’s book recommendations, including Shakespeare pairings and a soon-to-be-released title. 
Connect with Traci:
The Stacks Podcast 
Unstacked 
Instagram: @thestackspod 
 
Join our community!
Patreon
Substack
Instagram: @novelpairingspod
 
Books Mentioned:
Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The Great White Bard: How to Love Shakespeare While Talking About Race by Farah Karim-Cooper
Blackface (Object Lessons) by Ayanna Thompson
New People by Danzy Senna
Color Television by Danzy Senna
Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
Erasure by Percival Everett
Severance by Ling Ma
Victim by Andrew Boryga
Love’s Labor Lost by William Shakespeare
All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare
Othello by William Shakespeare
Richard III by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
 
Also Mentioned:
Ask a Shakespeare Professor 
Macbeth
The Stacks episode on Romeo and Juliet
 

If aesthetics, British aristocracy and nostalgia sounds like an appealing combination, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh is the book for you. In today's episode, we talk through the key themes, relationships, Waugh's stated purpose for writing Brideshead, and we ask: is Brideshead Revisited a satire or a novel with satirical elements? Plus, today’s pairings include a fantasy novel, historical fiction and a psychological thriller.
If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
 
Books Mentioned:
The Other Significant Others by Rhaina Cohen
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles
 
Also Mentioned:
Downton Abbey 
Brideshead Revisited Mini Series
The Crown