Just In Case We Die
In 2006, Quintessence Editions Ltd. published a book entitled "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die". Edited by academic Peter Boxall, this list was a curated selection of novels deemed "essential" for literature lovers. Over time, as books were added and removed to accommodate new tastes, the list has continued to grow into subsequent volumes. As of today, there have been 1,316 novels included in the list. Aaron, Rodney, and Rebecca will attempt to read and discuss every single one of them. Sort of.
Just In Case We Die
February 2026 -- Bonus Episode (J. R. R. Tolkien)
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It is February 2026. This means that this is the first episode of the fourth season. It also means that Rebecca has a pre-arranged prior commitment and cannot join the cast for their bonus discussion.
While the cat’s away . . .
This seemed like a perfect opportunity to bring Rodney’s friend Joe Tavano, former sci-fi podcaster and self-avowed expert on all things J. R. R. Tolkien, in for a discussion about two books that Rodney and Aaron knew that Rebecca would vehemently veto. Those books are The Hobbit and all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings (#s 538 and 714, respectively), novels that are very near and dear to the hearts of all three participants in this month’s discussion.
They discuss J. R. R. Tolkien. They discuss his rivalry with contemporary C. S. Lewis. They discuss the myriad differences between science-fiction and fantasy. They discuss their personal experiences with the discovery of this tremendous work of art. They talk shit about a very famous modern fantasy novelist. They also geek out. Big time.