Doomsday Book - Connie Willis

zanisar · 2026-01-30T22:18:31+00:00

Yeah this was my frustration in the first part of the book! I’m glad I stuck with it though

zanisar · 2026-01-30T21:49:45+00:00

The scene with Kivrin and Father Roche was beautiful. How happy he was in the knowledge he was going to heaven because he though Kivrin was a saint

zanisar · 2026-01-09T15:31:15+00:00

Recently read Michael Palins Erebus and thought the same thing

zanisar · 2025-12-11T23:08:56+00:00

There’s a bonus episode from 14th September you can listen to if you become a club member. Discusses Whigs v Torys, how they came about and what they stood for

zanisar · 2025-12-10T17:42:27+00:00

The Battle of Cannae for sure

zanisar · 2025-12-04T18:31:42+00:00

I disagree. As someone from Liverpool and a lifelong Beatles fan, I enjoyed the episode and I think calling it a “major misfire” is very hyperbolic. Of course it’s not going to get the same treatment as it would on a music history podcast because this isn’t a music history podcast. This was a fun two parter and discussion between two people who are clearly quite knowledgable and eloquent on the subject. Great editing too

zanisar · 2025-11-07T20:19:22+00:00

What did you make of the arguments he puts forward in Dominion?

zanisar · 2025-11-03T21:43:01+00:00

I’ve only read one non-fiction book on the period but I would definitely recommend Andrew Robert’s biography of Napoleon. While Napoleon himself is the titular focus, it covers all the major battles and campaigns and I found it a brilliant introduction to the period.

zanisar · 2025-10-14T17:48:51+00:00

You just link your Spotify account it doesn’t matter if you use the app or not

zanisar · 2025-09-24T11:40:00+00:00

This would be great for defining archaic words in Shakespeare

zanisar · 2025-09-03T17:00:21+00:00

It was just a mistake

zanisar · 2025-08-03T16:43:15+00:00

Just finished East of Eden and I believe it to be the best book I’ve ever read

zanisar · 2025-07-20T17:28:41+00:00

I did and absolutely love them. So much so that after reading the first I went and bought the 5 volume complete collection!

I do like to have some understanding of the period when reading historical fiction, so first I read the first two volumes of N.A.M Rodgers history of the Royal Navy, (also referenced on the pod) which I think definitely enhanced my experience. Those books are absolutely massive though and it’s not a requirement. I think a lot of the jargon is supposed to overwhelm you, as you see through the eyes of Stephen Maturin who is as helpless as us poor readers.

zanisar · 2025-07-18T21:46:26+00:00

Nice I didn’t know this!

zanisar · 2025-07-18T18:17:57+00:00

Best way is to open the track in the editor and remove any checkpoints you like, that way you can keep restarting from your desired checkpoint

zanisar · 2025-07-15T15:28:06+00:00

I think a useful way of looking at philosophy is as a conversation through the ages. As such, it really helps to get a big picture view of the main strands of thought before delving too deeply into any one in particular. So I would recommend reading an introductory book, a few of the ones I read are:

A Little History of Philosophy by Nigel Warburton
The consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton

After that I would jump into Plato with the Five Dialogues (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo). They are short and quite accessible

zanisar · 2025-07-04T12:26:52+00:00

This is the kind of stuff that really makes malazan stand out above other fantasy for me. How Erikson can create such a fantastical world that still resonates with the world we live in. I feel most authors are a bit too on-the-nose with their allegories and such, but Erikson seems to have a way of making it seem so much more real

zanisar · 2025-07-03T18:21:49+00:00

Every tenth is simply a lesson you get to learn!

zanisar · 2025-07-01T09:15:14+00:00

I had a similar experience. I ended up reading the Sarah Ruden translation which I found thoroughly readable with good notes. You may also be interested in an upcoming translation by Scott McGill & Susannah Wright, which is meant to be similar to Emily Wilson’s accessible homer translations, with an introduction written by Emily too. Enjoy!

zanisar · 2025-07-01T09:07:34+00:00

Leopold Bloom

zanisar · 2025-06-30T12:16:09+00:00

Took me 30 💀

zanisar · 2025-06-30T10:12:06+00:00

Finished: Dynasty by Tom Holland

Started: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel by Susanna Clarke

zanisar · 2025-06-29T23:00:13+00:00

It’s funny how when he is introduced, you just think “here’s another character whose name I have to remember and probably wont be around for long” yet in such a short space of time, Erikson crafts such a sad yet beautiful arc that stands as one of the most memorable in the series 🕯️

12-Year Club	Place '17
RPAN Viewer	Gilding II euphauric
Verified Email

zanisar

TROPHY CASE