Reality Raincheck
39 episodes - English - Latest episode: 30 days ago -A guide to help you find the best ways to refresh and rejuvenate. Whether it be pool hopping, or book clubbing, there are so many great ways to get away. Hear about one new positive escape idea weekly. In addition, we will have a book club chat at the end of each month. Come get away with us!
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Episodes
Zion Earth Zen Sky: A Memoir, with author Dr. Charles Inouye
March 30, 2024 18:01 - 2 hours - 96 MBJoin us for this book club chat as we interview author Dr. Charles Inouye about his beautiful memoir, Zion Earth Zen Sky. He details the experiences from his life as a child growing up in rural Sigurd, Utah. As Japanese-Americans, his family eventually settled there after his parents met at an internment camp following Pearl Harbor. His religious backgrounds include a family culture of Buddhism, and then a conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. Though he began working al...
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot with guest John Bennion
February 29, 2024 20:13 - 1 hour - 77.6 MBGeorge Eliot, who's actual name is Mary Ann Evans, was one of the best Victorian authors to have emerged from England. Join us in this book club chat with author John Bennion, and former BYU professor of the British novel. While this novel has slow beginnings, the pace quickens and provides such a complicated love triangle, one is left wondering how things will possibly conclude. As with many victorian novels, the answer to that question is “tragically”. We try to rewrite the ending and come...
Bonus Episode: A selection of poems by Mary Oliver with guest Jessie Scoville
January 31, 2024 20:41 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBIf you want a glimpse into beautiful nature poetry, look no further than the poems of Mary Oliver. She was considered to be one of America's finest poets, winning the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. Her poems, and the reading of them, connect you more closely to the natural world and simultaneously the spiritual world. Join us as we read some of our favorite poems with our friend Jessie Scoville, who for a time shared Mary Oliver's poetry online in an effort to spread hope in an ...
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
December 31, 2023 04:19 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBEowyn Ivey’s debut novel The Snow Child is a beautiful journey into the imagination and the wilds of Alaska. Incorporating the Russian fairytale, the Snow Maiden, Ivey breaths new life into an old tale, and lets live the idea that hope (along with a child) can spring from even the most harsh and hopeless of circumstances. This book gives a very real glimpse into the struggles of infertility and feeling the loss of a child. It was a finalist for a pulitzer in 2013. There are spoilers in this...
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson with guest Dr. Carl Sederholm
November 30, 2023 23:43 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBIf you're curious about the origin story of the haunted house, look no further than Shirley Jackson's classic horror novel, The Haunting of Hill House. We are joined for this book club chat by horror professor, Dr. Carl Sederholm, who recently published a chapter in a work about Shirley Jackson. While his focus was on Steven King (who is an ardent lover of the works of Jackson) he is an expert on this book, which he regularly teaches his students at BYU. Read the book before listening to the...
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
November 02, 2023 01:02 - 1 hour - 66.1 MBBarbara Kingsolver's best selling novel The Poisonwood Bible is a masterful historical fiction about the Price family. While their story is fictional, the backdrop and historical events of the narrative are an accurate depiction of life in the Congo. It's an eye-opening tale told from the perspective of the women in the story. Join us as we retell our favorite moments and relive our initial reactions to this deeply moving and beautifully written book.
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen with guest John Bennion
October 01, 2023 03:41 - 1 hour - 63.7 MBJoin us for this book club chat about Austen's first novel Sense and Sensibility. Former BYU professor and author, John Bennion, will discuss the merits of the book and Austen's growth as a novelist as she improved upon her craft in subsequent books. The film adaptation of the book as written by Emma Thompson helped to give the novel new life. We compare the book and film, and come to the rare conclusion that the movie did great service to the book in rounding out the characters. But Austen ...
The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
August 30, 2023 18:17 - 1 hour - 52.9 MBJoanna Quinn's debut novel, The Whalebone Theatre, is historical fiction at its finest. We are transported to southern England off the coast of Dorset, where we meet three unlikely heroes--Cristabel, Flossie, and Digby. They are siblings who grow up against the backdrop of the second world war. Their childhood consists of little supervision, and jaunts to the seaside where they discover a washed up whale, and turn its carcass into a local theatre. The theme of overcoming trial, heartache, an...
All Things New by Fiona and Terryl Givens with guest Fiona Givens
August 01, 2023 02:45 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBThis conversation with author, mother, grandmother, scholar, and kind soul Fiona Givens, was healing. If you have not read the books she co-authored with her husband, Terryl Givens, you are missing out on some beautiful and poetic explorations of theology within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their most recent work, All Things New: Rethinking Sin and Salvation and Everything in Between, explores early christian history to see where some truths became hidden or distorted ove...
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
June 30, 2023 22:34 - 1 hour - 56.8 MBJoin us in our book club chat as we discuss Jonathan Haidt's work of social psychology, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided By Religion and Politics. Whether you find yourself politically on the left, right, or in-between, we could all benefit from a little application of empathy for others in understanding the moral matrices that make us think the way we do.
Silence By Shusaku Endo with guest Van Gessel
May 31, 2023 21:48 - 1 hour - 64 MBJoin us as we discuss Shusaku Endo's novel of historical fiction Silence, where he confronts the age old question of "Where is God during human suffering?" Van Gessel, our guest and translator of many of Endo's novels, joins us to clarify some of the discrepancies in the original translation, as well as the difficulty in general of teaching faith to an audience that doesn't share your language. If you're looking for an introduction to Japanese literature, Silence is a wonderful place to star...
How to have fun adventures with Sarah Cole
April 28, 2023 22:13 - 35 minutes - 24.3 MBSarah Cole joins me in this interview about the great escape of creating adventures. Find and follow her on instagram at hatgirladventures for some refreshing ways of getting out of the daily grind, and seeing the things around you that you never knew were always there. Dust off your favorite hat, and go snap a picture of yourself in one of your favorite places to visit. Or, try looking up atlasobscura.com for some random new ideas of the fun stuff to visit and document near you. You'll be w...
Possession by A.S. Byatt
March 31, 2023 13:34 - 1 hour - 64.2 MBI can't sufficiently sum up what this book accomplishes, but sufficeth to say that Dame Antonia Byatt won the Booker prize (England's most prestigious award for literature) because her book is masterfull in its telling. It is at once a romance and a mystery, modern and victorian, and a book that one can read again and again just for the shear enjoyment of her ingenious symbolism, color usage, and for the pleasure of the discovery of some dead poets that she has seemingly brought to life. The...
The Great Escape of Music
March 01, 2023 03:37 - 24 minutes - 16.5 MBIf you find yourself in a quaundry over how to best appreciate music, join me as I discuss some creative ideas for playlists, and how to surround yourself with the music that you had forgotten you always loved. We have such amazing access to mood-enhancing music in so many genres. When was the last time you got away through music and felt reconciled to life? It's time for another get away.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
January 31, 2023 17:07 - 1 hour - 46.1 MBJoin us for this book club chat about Alexandre Dumas classic adventure tale of revenge, The Count of Monte Cristo. It is clear why this book has withstood the test of time, and is so widely recogized as great french literature. But if you don't have time to give it a read, give this podcast a listen. You may be compelled to pick up this great tome after all!
The Box of Delights by John Masefield
December 20, 2022 02:52 - 43 minutes - 30.2 MBWe loved reading and discussing this Christmas classic, The Box of Delights. Author, John Masefield transports us to the wintery british world of the 1930's, where Kay and his young friends have many fanciful and sometimes dangerous adventures together. If you've ever wanted to enter the world of childhood and relive some of its magic, this book does a great job taking you there. Enjoy! And have a merry Christmas!
Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
November 30, 2022 20:12 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MBJoin us as we discuss Ray Bradbury's coming of age story Something Wicked This Way Comes. Bradbury uses the backdrop of a small town in Illinois with a traveling carnival that entices two teenagers with all of its attractions and curiosities. The carnival will ultimately imprison you in your own fears, and these boys must use their cunning, and ultimately the power of friendship, love, and laughter to vanquish the evil. One main theme is age, and ones desire to be older and more mature, or y...
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
October 31, 2022 02:36 - 1 hour - 45.1 MBJoin us for this book club chat as we discuss the guilded age of New York, and the american author who shed so much light on the time, Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence illuminates the rigid societal norms of pre-WWI New York, and the contraints that we make on our hearts, for better or worse, when it comes to love and marriage.
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
September 29, 2022 18:04 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBWe thoroughly loved reading and discussing this exciting travel narrative, The Salt Path. Raynor Winn has captured a beautiful and harrowing memoir about homelessness and surival. She redefines home as the relationships that mean the most, and the walking paths that keep you moving forward. It inspires one to get walking, particulary through southern England. If you need an extra boost of hope, and would like to be the cheering section for a couple with true grit, give The Salt Path a read, ...
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
August 31, 2022 19:29 - 1 hour - 44.1 MBBotanist Robin Wall Kimmerer weaves a beautiful story, rich with both scientific and native american culture. She tells the story of our relationship to the earth and what we can learn from indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the wisdom of plants. If you're looking for a book that will inspire you to give the gift of reciprocity to the natural world, give this book chat a listen! We can all improve in our stewardship of mother earth.
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
July 15, 2022 04:51 - 1 hour - 42.4 MBIn Maggie O'Farrell's novel, Hamnet, we are transported to the life of Agnes (Anne) Shakespeare. Though little is known historically about Shakespeares life, so much can be gleaned from what is known. O'Farrell has captured beautifully the grief that comes from loving and then losing a child. This book will at once make you weep, and look freshly upon the playwright that we know as William Shakespeare. Come along for our book club chat!
A House Full of Females by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
May 30, 2022 23:45 - 1 hour - 46.4 MBHarvard Professor and winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, is an extraordinary American Historian. She has woven together a work that is by far the most comprehensive of its kind. Ulrich uses first hand accounts to build a personal look into the women and men who practiced plurality in the newly established Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It also delves into womens rights from 1835-1870. Join us for this book club chat!
Lovely War by Julie Berry
April 30, 2022 22:16 - 43 minutes - 30.1 MBJoin us for this discussion of Julie Berry's young adult novel Lovely War. A romance that takes place during WWI as told by the gods of olympus. Highly readable, and highly serendipidous that I was able to find the recording of this podcast! I thought it was lost forever. Enjoy.
The Joys of Schadenfreudes and how to get through hard things
March 30, 2022 19:03 - 31 minutes - 25.2 MBHaving a spouse deploy is hard. Having him deploy for 11 months straight is even harder. Having him away while managing to keep healthy and alive your three young children is nigh impossible. Join me for a tell-all as I detail the comical crucible that has been my life for the last several months. Hopefully, it will make you think how glad you are to be you, and not me. Enjoy!
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
January 31, 2022 21:13 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBIn this book club chat, we discuss Ted Chiang's compilation of short stories titled Exhalation. Although a sci-fi writer, his ability to focus on the human element is what makes the stories readable, memorable, and very fun to discuss. Come with us to consider how we capture memories, whether we have free will, and the self-awareness achieved through time-travel.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
December 31, 2021 05:04 - 1 hour - 43.6 MBThis book is a beautiful memoir that takes us on a journey through the cold months of the year. If you're looking for some ideas about how to better endure the winter months, or the emotional winters that occur in our lives, you'll want to give this book club chat a listen. You will be among friends while we talk about depression and anxiety and how to seek additional help while wintering.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
November 17, 2021 19:47 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBFor those of us who love a good murder mystery, or 10 mysterious murders, consider reading Agatha Christie's novel And Then There Were None. Christie has the mind of a puzzler, and you won't be able to put the pieces together--try as you might. Join us as we talk about these suspicious characters and the creepy atmosphere that come together on the secluded Soldier Island.
The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
October 17, 2021 03:42 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBJoin us for this book club chat in which we discuss Thomas Hardy's novel The Woodlanders. We have the privilege of reuniting with our dear, BYU professor, John Bennion, who is a Hardy expert and himself a novelist. We talk about how Hardy was superb at his craft because he could weave interesting stories set in beautiful landscapes, where the roll of nature is almost equally important as the rolls of the characters molded from it. A beautiful yet somber autumn read for anyone who could use a...
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
September 30, 2021 22:38 - 1 hour - 47.9 MBThe Eye of the World is a fantasy book written by Robert Jordan. It is the first book in a very epic series, and in this episode we discuss some of the reasons that Jordan keeps the tension alive through using archetypes and impressive world and character building skills. A fun read to follow up with Tolstoy, as Jordan was a big fan.
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
August 28, 2021 01:58 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBJoin us as we discuss Sue Monk Kidd's most recent novel, The Book of Longings. It is the story of Ana, wife of Jesus, who gives voice to silenced women of New Testament times, and in the meantime, finds her own. This book will stick with you and make you reimagine a time in history you thought you knew a little about.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
July 06, 2021 18:50 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBJoin us in this book club chat as we discuss James Herriot's bestselling novel All Creatures Great and Small. It transports us to the dales of England and gives firsthand accounts of what it's like to be a veterinarian in the 1930's. A heartwarming and hilarious read for those who want a pleasant escape!
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
May 29, 2021 01:05 - 1 hour - 47.7 MBThere's a reason this book is known as the best novel ever written. In this book club chat, we discuss the Russian classic, War and Peace. Not a read for the light reader, but if you've ever wanted to get a brief overview of what this book achieves, give this a listen!
Underland by Robert McFarlane
April 30, 2021 01:29 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBJoin us for this book club chat about a deep time journey that is mostly underground. Whether by caving, or exploring catacombs, or understanding the underworkings of trees, this journey is DEEP!
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
March 01, 2021 01:37 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBJoin us in our third book club as we discuss Leif Enger's bestselling novel, Peace Like a River.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
March 25, 2020 16:00 - 41 minutes - 37.9 MBThis is our second book club chat in which we discuss the inequalities in our justice system as detailed by Bryan Stevenson in his book Just Mercy. This book had me weeping and has fundamentally changed my thinking in regards to racial inequalities in our penal system. It reads like a memoir and is beautifully written.
Ghost Tours and Good Scares
February 28, 2020 02:16 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBThis episode covers the positive escape of going on a ghost tour or seeking out something that scares you (in a good way.) Listen in for some ideas on boosting the old adrenaline and finding new energy for life... among the dead.
Two Old Women by Velma Wallis
February 01, 2020 04:59 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBJoin us for our first book club discussion about Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. It's based on an Athabaskan legend passed along for many generations from mothers to daughters of the upper Yukon River Valley in Alaska. We also introduce our book club and its beginnings.
Stargazing versus Gazingstock
February 01, 2020 04:01 - 9 minutes - 9.29 MBThis episode covers the escape of Stargazing and details how it is a better choice than gazingstock, the practice of looking at others with scorn.
Escapism, for better or worse
January 07, 2020 04:34 - 33 minutes - 45.7 MBThis episode covers escapism and the positive and negative ways in which we escape. I'll talk about two of my personal escapes--one good, one bad--and some methods to help us overcome our negative escapes by replacing them with positive escapes. Spoiler alert, my favorite escape is reading!