Category: Podcast

It’s Christmas time once again—which means it’s time for us to take a break from our podcast hiatus to present a very special episode!

Dave and Aaron have to have a talk. It’s a hard talk, but it’s a good one. Feel the randomness as we discuss:

• The realities of our lives right now
• If Grease 2 is the best sequel of all time (and why does Dave think the answer is yes)
• The best horror writers (since we don’t read those books)
• A Stranger Things and Lonesome Dove connection
• Introducing kids to Nicolas Cage

A few of the books we mentioned

• Superman: Exile & Other Stories
• Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
• Freedom by Sebastian Junger

Our friend Mary Wiley joins us this week for a chat about publishing, writing theology books for kids, why we need more books like Gentle and Lowly, and the time a group of people lost their minds when Dave told them about a little book she wrote.

A few of the books mentioned on today’s episode

• Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
• The Gospel Story and Everyday Theology by Mary Wiley
• The Last Kind Words Saloon by Larry McMurtry

It’s the day of random on today’s episode and Aaron & Dave share different moments from silly and ridiculous books they love.

A few of the books mentioned on this episode

• Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
• A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
• A Hard Thing on a Beautiful Day by Ted Kluck
• Radical by David Platt
• Open by Andre Agassi

This week we’re taking things easy and letting the Internet guide our discussion, with three questions from our friends over at Goodreads:

• What’s the last book that busted a reading slump for you?
• What was the last book you stayed up too late reading?
• Is there a best time to read?

A few of the books we mentioned in this episode

• The Clanlands Book by Sam Heughan and Grant McTavish
• The High Divide and American Gospel by Lin Enger
• Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
• The Multi-Directional Leader by Trevin Wax
• The Secular Creed and 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin
• South of Broad by Pat Conroy
• Man at Arms by Steven Pressfield
• Norco ’80 by Paul Houlahan

Nature may or may not be healing, folks, because I’m back on duty in an exhibit hall for TGC’s Women’s and National Conferences! But that didn’t me from taking a few minutes on a Friday afternoon to talk with Dave about what it’s like being back in exotic Indianapolis and to be around all the books after all this time.

Meanwhile, Dave woke up at 2 in the morning to watch Ken Burns’ Hemingway documentary and couldn’t wait to talk about it and to ask an important question: who is Canada’s Ken Burns?

A few of the books mentioned on this episode:

• The Terrifics Vol. 3: The God Gameby Gene Luen Yang
• Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
• The Last Kind Words Saloon by Larry McMurtry
• 2034: A Novel of the Next World War by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stravridis

Sharing and supporting the show

• Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show.
• Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod
• Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show.
• Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

The literary world lost another giant when Beverly Cleary died a couple of weeks before her 105th birthday. Listen in as we discuss her enduring legacy, some of the surprise books we didn’t realize she wrote, and a whole lot more.

A selection of Beverly Cleary’s books mentioned in this episode

• Henry Huggins
• Ralph S. Mouse
• Ramona & Beezus

But really, all her books are delightful.

A couple of other books we discuss

• The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
• True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman
• Undiscovered Country Vol. 2by Scott Snyder & Charles Soule

Sharing and supporting the show

• Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show.
• Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod
• Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links to help us out.
• Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

A trend has emerged in recent years within Christian publishing circles: the book contract announcement photo. As it has evolved, it has taken on many different forms, beginning with the blurry contract corner and getting progressively more interesting as they go. Today we’re discussing several styles—what we like, what we don’t, and what we wish we’d see—along with me making a special announcement of my own.

But what is that announcement? You’ll have to listen to this special bonus episode to find out! (And keep a close watch on my social media accounts, too.)

Sharing and supporting the show

• Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show.
• Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod
• Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show.
• Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

The literary world lost a legend last week when it was announced that Larry McMurtry, acclaimed author of Lonesome Dove, The Last Picture Show, and more than two dozen others, died at age 84. Listen in as we discuss what we know (and learn) about his work, and make plans to read one of his books together.

A selection of Larry McMurtry’s books mentioned on today’s episode

• The Last Picture Show
• Anything for Billy
• Terms of Endearment
• Comanche Moon
• Streets of Laredo
• Dead Man’s Walk

A couple of other books we discuss

• True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee by Abraham Riesman
• The Whole Story for the Whole Family by Michael Kelley
• Big Truths Bible Storybook by Aaron Armstrong

Sharing and supporting the show

• Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show.
• Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod
• Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show.
• Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.

Every organization, church, blog, and even podcast can succumb to mission drift if its identity is not continually being clarified. So today, much like Derek Zoolander did when he saw his reflection in a puddle, we’re getting a little introspective on the show and asking the question, “Who am I?” Listen in as we discuss:

• What we’re really all about—and who are we really trying to be
• Why our faith can’t not be a part of the show (even when we rarely discuss books connected to our faith)
• Carrying conversations when we’re having a bad day
• Dave’s thoughts as he’s finally reading A Man Called Ove

A few of the books mentioned on this episode:

• A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
• Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
• A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

Sharing and supporting the show

• Leave a five-star rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to the show.
• Give us a follow on Twitter and Instagram at @MalContentsPod
• Be sure to use the Amazon affiliate links above to help us pay for the costs of producing and hosting the show.
• Interested in sponsoring Table of (mal)Contents? Let’s talk via email or DM us on Twitter or Instagram.