Cracking Spines

Welcome back! Season two of Cracking Spines kicks off with a month-long celebration of Pride and four weeks of LBGTQ literature. First up is the notable lesbian love story The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, which later became the film Carol. Join Jon and Candice as they discuss the LGBTQ themes that run throughout this unprecedented novel and remain relevant even today, despite being published in 1952. 

As always, listener dis...

Step into the not-too-distant future with Jon and Candice this week as they explore and discuss M.T. Anderson’s Feed. National Book Award Finalist and New York Times’ ‘Notable Book of the Year’, Feed tells the love story of teenagers Titus and Violet, set against the backdrop of a late-stage capitalistic America where smartphones and social media algorithms have evolved into an implanted chips in the brain. Join Jon and Candice as ...

In today’s episode of Cracking Spines, Jon & Candice dive back into novels and find themselves in a clash of opinions over this week’s book. Winner of the Nobel Prize in literature, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go tells the story of three friends navigating their way through a complex and ambiguous reality. Tune in as they discuss the tangled relationships of the main characters, as well as the function of ambiguity in story-t...

Once upon a time… Rumpelstiltskin was called Ricdin-Ricdon and handed out magical wands used for ultimate make-overs. It’s true! For the final week of Folk & Fairy Tale Month, Jon and Candice analyze the Fate of Spinning collection (more commonly referred to as Rumpelstiltskin). Join them as they explore the themes that run throughout these stories and wrap up the month of fairy tale discussions. 

As always, listener discretion ...

Once upon a time…Little Red Riding Hood filled the Big Bad Wolf’s stomach with rocks as punishment for eating her and grandma. It’s true! Week three of Folk & Fairy Tale Month brings us the Dangerous Wolves & Naive Girls collection (more commonly referred to as the Little Red Riding Hood stories). Tune in as Jon and Candice discuss and discover the sinister and cautionary themes found in these seemingly innocuous stories. 

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Once upon a time…Cinderella wore a six-inch stiletto heel and the position of her fairy godmother was filled by a small roid-raging bird. It’s true! In week two of Folk & Fairy Tale Month, Jon and Candice discuss the various stories within The Revenge & Reward of Neglected Daughters collection (or as most audiences know it to be: Cinderella). Join them as they discover the underlying themes, symbols, and oftentimes humor th...

Once upon a time…Sleeping Beauty gave birth during her slumber and had an ogre for a mother-in-law. It’s true! March is Folk & Fairy Tale Month at Cracking Spines and today Jon and Candice will kick things off with The Fruitful Sleep (or as most audiences now call it: Sleeping Beauty). Join them as they discuss three different versions of this story, the symbols and themes that run throughout, and the shocking differences from ...

This week, Jon & Candice crack open Stephen King’s Misery and climb inside the minds of writer Paul Sheldon and ‘nurse’ Annie Wilkes. Despite her age and stature, the unpredictable Annie is arguably one of the more formidable villains in King’s repertoire. Tune in as Jon & Candice surprise even themselves as they uncover the themes driving the underlying fear of this story.

As always, listener discretion is advised.  (TW: Ad...

STEP RIGHT UP, FOLKS! On display this week, in all their horror and glory, are the compelling oddities of the Binewski family. A National Book Award Finalist, as well as a cult classic in the city of Portland, Geek Love tells the story of this traveling carny family and the cultish following they inspire. Join Jon & Candice as they discuss the themes and symbols that run throughout this circus of a book. Listener discretion is ...

This week’s book up for dissection and discussion is Bryn Greenwood’s All the Ugly & Wonderful Things. A New York Times Bestseller heralded as, “a beautiful and provocative love story,” this story follows the child of a meth dealer, as she develops an unbreakable bond with a thug who possesses a heart of gold. Tune in to hear Jon & Candice’s thoughts and if they find Ms. Greenwood’s book to be movingly wonderful, or just a ...