Booked and Banned: The Podcast

In this episode of Booked and Banned, host Naomi is joined by Lori, a retired Army civilian attorney and mental health counselor, to discuss John Irving’s 1989 classic, A Prayer for Owen Meany. The conversation touches on the novel's intricate struct... more

In this episode of Booked and Banned, we examine thecomplicated legacy of Helen Bannerman’s Little Black Sambo. First published in 1899, the book tells the story of a young boy in India who uses his wit to outsmart a group of tigers. While the origin... more

In this episode of Booked and Banned, we look at AlanBrennert’s international bestseller, Moloka'i. The novel spans nearly a century of Hawaiian history, seen through the eyes of a young girl exiled to the Kalaupapa leprosy settlement. We explore how... more

This installment of Booked and Banned examines PierceBrown’s science fiction debut, Red Rising. The narrative transports listeners to a terraformed Mars where society is organized by a rigid, color-coded caste system. We follow Darrow, a member of th... more

In this episode of Booked and Banned, we examine anovel that has navigated decades of scrutiny and acclaim with remarkable staying power: Sylvia Plath’s seminal work, The Bell Jar.

Our guest, Amanda Golden, an Associate Professor ofEnglish at the Ne... more

A Note to Our Listeners: Before we begin, we experienced some technical difficulties during this recording. While the audio remains clear throughout the entire episode, the video feed occasionally cuts to black. We appreciate your patience with these... more

In this bonus clip from a future episode, I explore thevital role of discomfort in literature. In a climate where many attempt to sanitize the reading experience to protect certain perspectives, we must remember that the true power of a story often l... more

In this episode we examine Daniel Keyes’ 1966 novel, Flowersfor Algernon. We are joined by Crissy Ladner, a high school Japanese teacher with a master's degree in journalism, to explore the story of Charlie Gordon. The conversation begins by tracing ... more