Announcement



This week we have an announcement on the show: We will change our format to produce one longer, more formal episode per month. Look out for our next episode on Natalia Ginzburg’s “Family Lexicon” on 13 September.


Organizational Systems – Episode 267



Today MacKenzie discusses her thoughts on the various organizational systems she has kept throughout the last several years. Her impetus for this episode was the book “Hyperfocus” by Chris Bailey. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net


Should You Finish Every Book You Read? – Episode 266



MacKenzie discusses a topic near and dear to her reading system: finishing every book she reads. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net


“Garden by the Sea” by Mercè Rodoreda – Episode 166 Repost



MacKenzie reviews her book podcast style with another favorite episode from the back catalogue, episode 166 on “Garden by the Sea” by Mercè Rodoreda. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net


How to Plan Reading – Episode 265



How do you plan for peace, rather than productivity? Mackenzie discusses her journey with productivity over the past nine months as it relates to reading on this episode. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net


How Linguists Learn Language – Episode 264



How does an investigation of language science change one’s approach to language learning? What is the classical language learning model, and how did it develop? What strategies work (and not so much) to learn a new language? All these questions and more on today’s show, hosted by phoneticist Mackenzie Gentz. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music … Continue reading How Linguists Learn Language – Episode 264


“The Hole” by Hiroko Oyamada – Episode 263



What would you do if you found yourself in a woman-sized hole? In the first book review since her return to the show, MacKenzie discusses societal pressures and magical realism in reference to the contemporary, prize-winning novella “The Hole” by Hiroko Oyamada. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and … Continue reading “The Hole” by Hiroko Oyamada – Episode 263


“The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers – Episode 243 Repost



Would you be willing to try an experiment with us? This week, Mackenzie picks one of her all-time favorite episodes to re-hear in an effort to reconstruct her thoughts on what makes a good literature review. I hope you all enjoy this episode as much as she did. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo … Continue reading “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter” by Carson McCullers – Episode 243 Repost


Explore a New Genre – Episode 262



How do you explore a new book genre? Mackenzie walks through several practical tips on how to brave a new genre. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net


“I don’t have time to read.” – Episode 261



Why do people always say they “don’t have time to read”? MacKenzie discusses her own experience with this phrase and what she thinks rests behind it in common discourse. — Show Notes: relevanceofliterature.com/notes/ — Music by Leo Discenza Our Show: relevanceofliterature.com Our old (and yes, still functioning) blog: didionandhawthorne.blubrry.net