The Englewood Review of Books Podcast

Episode 20: Tania Runyan and Chris Smith

February 01, 2021
Episode 20: Tania Runyan and Chris Smith
The Englewood Review of Books Podcast
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The Englewood Review of Books Podcast
Episode 20: Tania Runyan and Chris Smith
Feb 01, 2021

Jen kicks off 2021 with a thoughtful and timely discussion of the reading life, and the connections between one's sense of place and mental wellness. The poet Tania Runyan joins Jen and Chris for this conversation.

Tania Runyan is the author of many poetry collections: What Will Soon Take Place, Second Sky, A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight and Delicious Air, which was awarded Book of the Year by the Conference on Christianity and Literature in 2007.  She’s also written the guides, How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and How to Write a College Application Essay. When she is not writing, Tania plays fiddle and mandolin, drives her kids to appointments, and gets lost in her Midwestern garden.

C. Christopher Smith is the Founding Editor of The Englewood Review of Books and the author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks, published by Brazos in 2019.


Books discussed in this episode:

  • What Will Soon Take Place: Poems by Tania Runyan
  • Second Sky: Poems by Tania Runyan
  • A Thousand Vessels by Tania Runyan
  • Simple Weight by Tania Runyan
  • How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Tania Runyan
  • How to Read a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Tania Runyan
  • How to Write a College Application Essay: Expert Advice to Help You Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Tania Runyan
  • A Plum Tree in Leatherstocking Country by Daniel Bowman Jr.
  • Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam
  • Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness and Gentle Discipleship by John Swinton
  • All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks
  • Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace by Carl Safina
  • The Library Book by Susan Orlean
  • Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron
  • The Hilarious World of Depression by John Moe
  • Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari
  • Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges by John Swinton
  • The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
Show Notes

Jen kicks off 2021 with a thoughtful and timely discussion of the reading life, and the connections between one's sense of place and mental wellness. The poet Tania Runyan joins Jen and Chris for this conversation.

Tania Runyan is the author of many poetry collections: What Will Soon Take Place, Second Sky, A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight and Delicious Air, which was awarded Book of the Year by the Conference on Christianity and Literature in 2007.  She’s also written the guides, How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and How to Write a College Application Essay. When she is not writing, Tania plays fiddle and mandolin, drives her kids to appointments, and gets lost in her Midwestern garden.

C. Christopher Smith is the Founding Editor of The Englewood Review of Books and the author of a number of books, including most recently How the Body of Christ Talks, published by Brazos in 2019.


Books discussed in this episode:

  • What Will Soon Take Place: Poems by Tania Runyan
  • Second Sky: Poems by Tania Runyan
  • A Thousand Vessels by Tania Runyan
  • Simple Weight by Tania Runyan
  • How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Tania Runyan
  • How to Read a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry" by Tania Runyan
  • How to Write a College Application Essay: Expert Advice to Help You Get Into the College of Your Dreams by Tania Runyan
  • A Plum Tree in Leatherstocking Country by Daniel Bowman Jr.
  • Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam
  • Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness and Gentle Discipleship by John Swinton
  • All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks
  • Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace by Carl Safina
  • The Library Book by Susan Orlean
  • Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron
  • The Hilarious World of Depression by John Moe
  • Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari
  • Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges by John Swinton
  • The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk