Tsundoku Book Club artwork

Tsundoku Book Club

100 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 1 rating

The podcast where we finally get to the books/movies/games that have been sitting on our shelves for forever. Hosted by Leif Nelson and Emily Miner.

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Episodes

#47 – Subnautica and Other Games

June 22, 2022 17:07 - 40 minutes - 92.5 MB

Leif sits down at the table with a bevy of video games to talk about. What starts as a simple journey through the waters of Subnautica and Abzu soon descends into a deeper, more frightening look at the interactive medium. Leif and Tim talk video game culture, games as art, and thalassophobia. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#46 – 1776 by David McCullough

May 10, 2022 16:28 - 34 minutes - 80 MB

Tim is finally given reign to let loose. How will he wow us with his newfound historical knowledge? We discuss the Revolutionary War, dry history, and hypothetical dereliction of duty. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#45 – The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World

April 19, 2022 16:08 - 48 minutes - 110 MB

Leif scratches the surface of Robert Jordan's fantasy epic, The Wheel of Time. Emily rejoins to talk of this Lord of the Rings-like book. Like, extremely Lord of the Rings. We discuss literary influences, returning to old books, and why fantasy adaptations tend to disappoint. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#44 – Lord of the Rings: Two Towers and the Return of the King

March 24, 2022 15:52 - 96.2 MB

Tim was all ready to get started talking about his book when Emily decided to visit us from beyond the grave! Apparently the afterlife has a healthy library. After our initial shock, we discuss defacing books, fantasy maps, and Peter Jackson's changes to Tolkien's fantasy epic. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#43 – Once and Forever: The Tales of Kenji Miyazawa

March 09, 2022 16:44 - 23 minutes - 54.5 MB

Leif returns with another late Christmas gift, with Once and Forever: The Tales of Kenji Miyazawa. Listen as he truly gushes over an excellent collection of stories from this 20th century Japanese author and poet. Leif and Tim discuss Pixar and Ghibli animation, and people who are too good for children's stories. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#42 – Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser

February 21, 2022 19:53 - 33 minutes - 75.9 MB

Leif and Tim return from a winter break to talk about their Christmas hauls, and some good old fashioned fantasy. Leif is reading Swords and Deviltry, a sword and sorcery fantasy book starring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, by Fritz Leiber. Topics of discussion include prolific authors, unlikeable characters, and D&D. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#41 – Lovecraft

December 19, 2021 18:32 - 46 minutes - 106 MB

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Emily is no longer with the podcast. She'll still drop in from time to time, but the fact of the matter is she didn't have what it took to put out a bi-monthly podcast. So, to step in and fill the void, Tim Everson has deigned to join us. This week, Leif read The Collected Works of Lovecraft, and comes to a shocking realization. We discuss racism, Cthulhu, racism, quitting books, and racism. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbit...

#40 – Ghost in the Shell

October 21, 2021 17:37 - 36 minutes - 37.9 MB

Leif returns with another belated Christmas reading, this time with Shirow Masamune's Ghost in the Shell. Leif and Emily discuss the manga, its various adaptations, and cyberpunk vs cyberfascism. Emily forgets Scarlet Johansson's name, and Leif also forgets the word for sweatshop. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! This week's stuff is some of the images mentioned in the episode. Music by Veltpunch.

#39 – Stories of Your Life and Others - By Ted Chiang

September 15, 2021 00:45 - 31 minutes - 33.5 MB

Leif begins the laborious process of finally reading through his Christmas gifts through the years. He starts with Stories of Your Life and Others, a collection of short stories by Ted Chiang, and gifted to him by none other than Emily! Join us as we talk about short stories, the grandaddies of science fiction, and adapting stories. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#38 – The Silmarillion

June 22, 2021 18:14 - 1 hour - 64.7 MB

Learn about what's going on in Palestine Decolonize Palestine Decolonization in Palestine w/ Ussama Makdisi How you can support Palestinians Islamic Relief The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund Addameer Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions More ways to help here... Emily has surpassed the average lore nerd and delved into the grandaddy of all fantasy bibles: The Silmarillion. Join Leif in learning what is up with Aragorn's bloodline, what is a Silmaril, and Middle Earth Colonialism. Follow us on...

#37 – Batman: Arkham Knight

February 12, 2021 02:42 - 44 minutes - 48.4 MB

Leif is back with another video game to complain about! This time, it's all about the Dark Knight, and his best friend the Arkham Knight. Leif and Emily talk about video games, comic books, and horny game developers. This episode will really make you feel like you played Batman. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#36 – FTL: Faster Than Light

January 26, 2021 19:24 - 31 minutes - 35.2 MB

Leif and Emily return for 2021, with a new episode, and some new cats! For the first episode of the new year, Leif is talking about rogue-likes, and how much he loves them. Emily joins him for discussions of video game difficulty, progression, and Supergiant Games. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#35 – Their Eyes Were Watching God

October 21, 2020 02:12 - 24 minutes - 23.6 MB

Emily returns with her second book of the quarantine! It turns out, enjoying a book makes it far easier to read. Who knew? Emily discusses "great books", gender, race, and global warming. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#34 – Eats, Shoots and Leaves

October 08, 2020 03:21 - 24 minutes - 26.1 MB

One month is better than three, right? No apologies though, it's time for us to rip into grammar and punctuation and other super interesting things. Leif and Emily discuss English degrees, snobs, and early 2000's internet humor. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#33 – Hyper Light Drifter

September 09, 2020 01:15 - 37 minutes - 40 MB

We are back, with some other podcast recommendations. But first, donate what you can! Hoodrat to Headwrap: a Decolonized Podcast by Ericka Hart and Ebony Donnley Hella Black by Blake Simons and Delency Parham The Red Nation Podcast by Nick Estes and The Red Nation Citations Needed by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson Ear Hustle by Nigel Poor, Earlonne Woods, and many more inside San Quentin State Prison Leif and Emily talk about Hyper Light Drifter, created by Heart Machine and Abylight S....

#32 – The Decision

May 28, 2020 16:50 - 38 minutes - 39.4 MB

Emily has big news, which will be broadcast across the country! Will Tsundoku Book Club survive this shake up? Will Leif ever learn to trust again? Leif and Emily discuss school, being forced to read, and ask each other: How many books is too many? Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#31 – A.D.: After Death

May 06, 2020 16:18 - 46 minutes - 34.3 MB

Leif liked Emily's A.D. comic book, so he decided to follow up with one of his own. A.D.: After Death asks important questions like: what is the cure for death? What killed off humanity? And should you get back with your ex? Leif also tries to get over his desire for newer, flashier art. A.D. After Death was written by Scott Snyder, and illustrated by Jeff Lemire. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for art from the book! Music by Veltpunch.

#30 – Song of Kali

April 15, 2020 20:19 - 29 minutes - 23.3 MB

Leif finishes off his Humble Bundle collection with Song of Kali, a horror novel by Dan Simmons, sort of. Join Leif and Emily as they discuss racism, humanity, and the Fairly Oddparents. It's... a strange one folks. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#29 – A.D.: After the Deluge

March 31, 2020 17:50 - 33 minutes - 24.5 MB

In order to get her mind off of the current coronavirus pandemic, Emily decided to read A.D.: After the Deluge, a comic about Hurricane Katrina and the people who lived through it. Your isolated hosts discuss crises, looting, and double-page spreads. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#28 – Running With Scissors and Ghostland

March 18, 2020 02:44 - 41 minutes - 30.7 MB

Tim returns to tell us a tale of two books, and how our podcast inspired him to quit reading one of them! We discuss relationships, hauntings, and how this episode definitely isn't sponsored by Amazon Prime shipping. Running with Scissors is written by Augusten Burroughs Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places is written by Colin Dickey Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#27 – Budayeen Nights

March 09, 2020 20:28 - 34 minutes - 27.2 MB

We're joined by Tim to discuss Budayeen Nights. This collection of short stories by George Alec Effinger center on the cyberpunk future in a nameless city, steeped in Middle Eastern culture. What does it take for Leif to enjoy a book? Apparently, good characters, humor, and not holding the reader's hand. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#26 – Me Talk Pretty One Day

February 13, 2020 03:00 - 23 minutes - 17.3 MB

Emily reveals her love of essay collections with Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris. But what do we do when those essays aren't quite what we were expecting? Leif and Emily discuss faulty memories, Rent, and somehow, Israeli apartheid. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S2E1 - Fall of Gods

January 28, 2020 03:22 - 42 minutes - 33.5 MB

It's 2020, and Tsundoku Book Club is back, leaving apologies for late episodes in the 2010s. Leif starts out strong by going back to his strong suit, complaining about genre fiction after reading Fall of Gods, an illustrated book. Emily and the birthday boy discuss Kickstarter, concept art, and compelling storytelling. Fall of Gods was created by Rasmus Berggreen and Michael Vogt. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunc...

#25 – Fall of Gods

January 28, 2020 03:22 - 42 minutes - 33.5 MB

It's 2020, and Tsundoku Book Club is back, leaving apologies for late episodes in the 2010s. Leif starts out strong by going back to his strong suit, complaining about genre fiction after reading Fall of Gods, an illustrated book. Emily and the birthday boy discuss Kickstarter, concept art, and compelling storytelling. Fall of Gods was created by Rasmus Berggreen and Michael Vogt. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

24 - Pride and Prejudice

December 31, 2019 19:24 - 45 minutes - 33.6 MB

Our final episode of the year We have special guest Jamie Bienhoff on to talk about Jane Austen's most famous work, Pride and Prejudice. We discuss required reading, audio books, and adaptations galore. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E24 - Pride and Prejudice

December 31, 2019 19:24 - 45 minutes - 33.6 MB

Our final episode of the year We have special guest Jamie Bienhoff on to talk about Jane Austen's most famous work, Pride and Prejudice. We discuss required reading, audio books, and adaptations galore. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#24 – Pride and Prejudice

December 31, 2019 19:24 - 45 minutes - 33.6 MB

Our final episode of the year We have special guest Jamie Bienhoff on to talk about Jane Austen's most famous work, Pride and Prejudice. We discuss required reading, audio books, and adaptations galore. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E23 - Media Control by Noam Chomsky

December 17, 2019 00:46 - 45 minutes - 33.9 MB

Emily warns us all about how the media is controlling us, and is being controlled itself. Naturally, a few political rants ensue. We discuss Noam Chomsky, The West Wing, and conspiracy theories. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

23 - Media Control by Noam Chomsky

December 17, 2019 00:46 - 45 minutes - 33.9 MB

Emily warns us all about how the media is controlling us, and is being controlled itself. Naturally, a few political rants ensue. We discuss Noam Chomsky, The West Wing, and conspiracy theories. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#23 – Media Control by Noam Chomsky

December 17, 2019 00:46 - 45 minutes - 33.9 MB

Emily warns us all about how the media is controlling us, and is being controlled itself. Naturally, a few political rants ensue. We discuss Noam Chomsky, The West Wing, and conspiracy theories. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

22 - Everything and That Dragon, Cancer

November 30, 2019 01:00 - 42 minutes - 34.5 MB

Leif officially dips his toes into his Steam library, and found two games to play. In one, you can play anything from a cow to a quark, while the other makes you live through the family experience of a child dying from cancer. The biggest similarity between the two is that they're both short. Leif and Emily discuss intention, theory, and what makes a game a enjoyable. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#22 – Everything and That Dragon, Cancer

November 30, 2019 01:00 - 42 minutes - 34.5 MB

Leif officially dips his toes into his Steam library, and found two games to play. In one, you can play anything from a cow to a quark, while the other makes you live through the family experience of a child dying from cancer. The biggest similarity between the two is that they're both short. Leif and Emily discuss intention, theory, and what makes a game a enjoyable. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E22 - Everything and That Dragon, Cancer

November 30, 2019 01:00 - 42 minutes - 34.5 MB

Leif officially dips his toes into his Steam library, and found two games to play. In one, you can play anything from a cow to a quark, while the other makes you live through the family experience of a child dying from cancer. The biggest similarity between the two is that they're both short. Leif and Emily discuss intention, theory, and what makes a game a enjoyable. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E21 - The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins

November 22, 2019 02:48 - 26 minutes - 20.3 MB

Emily gets a turn at a comic book! She talks about the Adventure Zone graphic novel and the podcast it was borne from. Leif and Emily talk Dungeons and Dragons, the McElroy Family, and fickle preferences. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

21 - The Adventure Zone: Here there be Gerblins

November 22, 2019 02:48 - 26 minutes - 20.3 MB

Emily gets a turn at a comic book! She talks about the Adventure Zone graphic novel and the podcast it was borne from. Leif and Emily talk Dungeons and Dragons, the McElroy Family, and fickle preferences. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

21 - The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins

November 22, 2019 02:48 - 26 minutes - 20.3 MB

Emily gets a turn at a comic book! She talks about the Adventure Zone graphic novel and the podcast it was borne from. Leif and Emily talk Dungeons and Dragons, the McElroy Family, and fickle preferences. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#21 – The Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins

November 22, 2019 02:48 - 26 minutes - 20.3 MB

Emily gets a turn at a comic book! She talks about the Adventure Zone graphic novel and the podcast it was borne from. Leif and Emily talk Dungeons and Dragons, the McElroy Family, and fickle preferences. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

20 - The Forge of God

October 31, 2019 03:45 - 49 minutes - 39.7 MB

This week, Leif gets to enjoy a book, even when it's super depressing! Leif read The Forge of God, by Greg Bear, which he found on the Humble Bundle site. Leif and Emily discuss alien invasions, how non-political presidents in fiction are, and how depressing climate change can be. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#20 – The Forge of God

October 31, 2019 03:45 - 49 minutes - 39.7 MB

This week, Leif gets to enjoy a book, even when it's super depressing! Leif read The Forge of God, by Greg Bear, which he found on the Humble Bundle site. Leif and Emily discuss alien invasions, how non-political presidents in fiction are, and how depressing climate change can be. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E20 - The Forge of God

October 31, 2019 03:45 - 49 minutes - 39.7 MB

This week, Leif gets to enjoy a book, even when it's super depressing! Leif read The Forge of God, by Greg Bear, which he found on the Humble Bundle site. Leif and Emily discuss alien invasions, how non-political presidents in fiction are, and how depressing climate change can be. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#19 – Celeste

October 16, 2019 03:32 - 29 minutes - 22.2 MB

This time, it's Emily's turn to discuss a gift that was appreciated a little late. That gift was Celeste, the pixel-platformer with a killer soundtrack and killer levels. We discuss difficulty and accessibility in videogames, and that's about it. No list of three for you this time around. Don't worry, it'll be back. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

19 - Celeste

October 16, 2019 03:32 - 29 minutes - 22.2 MB

This time, it's Emily's turn to discuss a gift that was appreciated a little late. That gift was Celeste, the pixel-platformer with a killer soundtrack and killer levels. We discuss difficulty and accessibility in videogames, and that's about it. No list of three for you this time around. Don't worry, it'll be back. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E19 - Celeste

October 16, 2019 03:32 - 29 minutes - 22.2 MB

This time, it's Emily's turn to discuss a gift that was appreciated a little late. That gift was Celeste, the pixel-platformer with a killer soundtrack and killer levels. We discuss difficulty and accessibility in videogames, and that's about it. No list of three for you this time around. Don't worry, it'll be back. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

18 - Ready Player One and 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back

September 29, 2019 23:24 - 53 minutes - 41.8 MB

In this episode, Leif tries to talk about the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back, but just ends up talking about Ready Player One, the bestseller by Ernest Cline. Leif and Emily talk about 80s film, 80s movies, and 80s cinema. They also reflect on how their trivia knowledge makes them better people. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E18 - Ready Player One and 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back

September 29, 2019 23:24 - 53 minutes - 41.8 MB

In this episode, Leif tries to talk about the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back, but just ends up talking about Ready Player One, the bestseller by Ernest Cline. Leif and Emily talk about 80s film, 80s movies, and 80s cinema. They also reflect on how their trivia knowledge makes them better people. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

#18 – Ready Player One and 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back

September 29, 2019 23:24 - 53 minutes - 41.8 MB

In this episode, Leif tries to talk about the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back, but just ends up talking about Ready Player One, the bestseller by Ernest Cline. Leif and Emily talk about 80s film, 80s movies, and 80s cinema. They also reflect on how their trivia knowledge makes them better people. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

18 - Ready Player One

September 29, 2019 23:24 - 53 minutes - 41.8 MB

In this episode, Leif tries to talk about the podcast 372 Pages We'll Never Get Back, but just ends up talking about Ready Player One, the bestseller by Ernest Cline. Leif and Emily talk about 80s film, 80s movies, and 80s cinema. They also reflect on how their trivia knowledge makes them better people. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don't make it into the episodes! Music by Veltpunch.

S1E17 - Redemption (Bonus Episode)

September 20, 2019 23:36 - 47 minutes - 35.8 MB

Believe or not, we do occasionally read the books we have just bought. Emily and Leif give their apologies for an irregular schedule by letting you know what they've been reading and playing. Emily discusses buying and eating local foods, and contrasting soothing and frustrating games. Leif talks about unrealistic sci-fi, realistic sci-fi, and wondrous sci-fi. Finally, they try and figure out what's wrong with their priorities. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don...

#17 – Redemption (Bonus Episode)

September 20, 2019 23:36 - 47 minutes - 35.8 MB

Believe or not, we do occasionally read the books we have just bought. Emily and Leif give their apologies for an irregular schedule by letting you know what they've been reading and playing. Emily discusses buying and eating local foods, and contrasting soothing and frustrating games. Leif talks about unrealistic sci-fi, realistic sci-fi, and wondrous sci-fi. Finally, they try and figure out what's wrong with their priorities. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don...

17 - Redemption (Bonus Episode)

September 20, 2019 23:36 - 47 minutes - 35.8 MB

Believe or not, we do occasionally read the books we have just bought. Emily and Leif give their apologies for an irregular schedule by letting you know what they've been reading and playing. Emily discusses buying and eating local foods, and contrasting soothing and frustrating games. Leif talks about unrealistic sci-fi, realistic sci-fi, and wondrous sci-fi. Finally, they try and figure out what's wrong with their priorities. Follow us on Twitter at @TsundokuPod for extra tidbits that don...

Books

Pride and Prejudice
3 Episodes

Twitter Mentions

@tsundokupod 25 Episodes
@novoamorjk 1 Episode