Beyond the Walls Book Chat
J.R.R. Tolkien once said, "Fairy tales do not deny the existence of sorrow and failure; they give a fleeting glimpse of joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief."
This podcast is designed to take you on a journey beyond those walls to discover the joy, wisdom, and timeless lessons classic books offer. If you have a thirst for knowledge, a love for literature, and a desire to grow through the wisdom of authors long gone then this podcast is for you. Use these episodes to curate a personal reading list that enriches your mind and soul. Let's embark on a literary adventure together and find the joy that lies beyond the walls.
Please send all questions, comments, and book recommendations to beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com.
Episodes
107 episodes
Anne of Green Gables: Kindred Spirits
Tonight's episode introduces some of the main residents of Avonlea whose lives are impacted by the red-headed sprite Anne Shirley.
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Season 7
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Episode 3
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31:47
Anne of Green Gables and the Impact of Opening Lines
Tonight we look back over a history of powerful opening lines in classic books. Then we'll explore what we can learn from the very verbose opening Maud Montgomery writes for Anne of Green Gables.
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Season 7
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Episode 2
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30:41
The Multifaceted L.M. Montgomery
I'm beginning Season 7 with Anne of Green Gables. Tonight's episode gives a little author back story for the very complex, quiet, and famous resident of Prince Edward Island, Lucy Maud Montgomery.
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Season 7
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Episode 1
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27:56
Welcome to God's Spoken World
Tonight's episode begins with a correction from last week. Next, we'll go on to explore the unsteady, shifting ground of human philosophy and the solid rock of absolute truth. What does it mean that our world is spoken from the mouth of God? An...
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Season 6
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Episode 14
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32:42
Frankenstein's Finale: The Authority of an Author
After Victor refuses to make a companion for the monster things spiral out of control. The end of the novel takes us full circle back to Walton on the Arctic Ocean. Hopefully Walton has learned the lessons Frankenstein ignored.*Correctio...
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Season 6
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Episode 13
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37:21
Nature vs Nurture, Perspectives from Great Literature
There are so many sides to the story of Frankenstein. Tonight's episode takes a pause in the middle of Volume III and looks at the possible arguments Mary Shelley could be making for one of the oldest of debates.
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Season 6
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Episode 12
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25:09
Frankenstein Pathos: Make Me Happy
The looming question of what happened to Frankenstein's monster is answered in Volume 2. Tonight we cover his story and the pitiful request he makes of his creator.
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Season 6
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Episode 11
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30:10
The Deadly Consequences of Frankenstein's Actions
After Victor succeeds in what he has been killing himself to achieve his eyes are opened to the horror of what he's done. But rather than step up, he runs away and tragedy eventually catches up to him.
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Season 6
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Episode 10
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32:38
Is Victor Frankenstein An Unreliable Narrator?
Tonight we'll hear the beginnings of the cautionary tale that Victor Frankenstein shares with Walton. But rather than listening to the words themselves we'll pay attention to what isn't being said. We'll dig beneath the superficial, ro...
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Season 6
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Episode 9
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35:28
The Novel Frankenstein & Pitfalls of Romanticism
The world Frankenstein was born into was fraught with emotional madness. His story is one of intense passion and despair but also full of caution for the man who wants to follow his heart against all sound reason.For ...
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Season 6
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Episode 8
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25:28
The Trials & Tribulations of Mary Shelley
Tonight we cover the context and backstory of one of the most impactful novels of Western Culture. A young woman surrounded by tragedy and pain, poured her sorrow into authoring a fable that spawned a new literary genre and a character recogniz...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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25:48
An Insufferable Idea
What we read forms our minds. We will become what we behold.For thoughts, opinions, and insights email me at beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com
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Season 6
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Episode 6
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33:12
Reading Overview of 2025
Tonight is a brief recap of my reading in 2025. Find me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/betlapointe
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Season 6
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Episode 5
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19:51
The Scapegoat: John v Jean
Beware the doppelganger. Find out how tonight's featured author reworks the timeless theme of the villainous twin.Thoughts or comments? Email beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com
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Season 6
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Episode 4
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31:50
The Banned Master
Tonight's episode reviews an old book that was banned from being printed until 1973. Why are some books challenged? Should their questionable content stop us from reading them? What's a better way to approach different ideas and viewpoints?...
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Season 6
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Episode 3
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25:09
The Weight of the d'Urbervilles
How much of the cares of this world can one woman carry on her shoulders? Thomas Hardy tries to answer this question in his classic, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Tonight's episode explores the worldviews Hardy struggled with in Victorian...
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Season 6
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Episode 2
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41:33
What Are We Reading?
Our first episode of Season 6 looks at four things about better books that can change our lives when we read them.If you have any questions or comments, please email them to me at beyondthewallsbookchat@gmail.com.
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Season 6
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Episode 1
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30:58
Macbeth Act V: A Walking Shadow
Macbeth's hold on reality is in shambles, his fiend-like queen is being eaten up by guilt, and an army is marching to the gates of the castle. The house of Glamis is about to fall. What is special about Macduff that will allow him to be the vic...
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Season 5
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Episode 19
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22:33
Macbeth Act IV: Something Wicked
"Since only goodness can raise a man above the level of humankind, it follows that it is proper that wickedness thrusts down to a level below mankind those whom it has dethroned from the condition of being human." -BoethiusIn Act 4 Macbe...
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Season 5
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Episode 18
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23:10
Macbeth Act III: Blood Will Have Blood
Has Macbeth reached the point of no return? What is compelling him to kill again and when will he stop?
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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23:56
Macbeth Act II: Death's Counterfeit
In Act 2 Macbeth strikes the fatal blow to King Duncan and begins his slow descent into evil and madness. Throughout this part of the play Shakespeare alludes to the deep symbolism of sleep as death and demonstrates the corruption of Macbeth's ...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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30:48
Macbeth Act I: Tempting Fate
Foggy, rocky, foul, and mysterious the Scottish Play opens on the blasted heath. Nothing is as it seems. False faces hide traitorous thoughts, and weird sisters whisper cryptic predictions. Act 1 of Macbeth leads us into an uncertain and dark w...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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39:58
The Scottish Play
Tonight's episode looks at the context for Shakespeare's Macbeth. What was happening in England around the time it was written? What's the historical source for the characters and is that source reliable? What are the questions the bard asks of...
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Season 5
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Episode 14
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23:53