JAMES by Percival Everett >> Dig in to all the ways Everett's re-imagining is a HUGE IMPROVEMENT on the source material.
Even if HUCK FINN is your favorite ever, you have to admit that what Everett has done is amazing. Listen in for all the nuance you need about HUCK (without spending days [re]reading Twain). Kimberly shares not only why JAMES is an insanely great revisioning of the 1884 adventure story--but why Everett's crucial text is hilarious, unique and JUST SO GOOD.
--------
1:15:11
--------
1:15:11
MOBY DICK by Herman Melville >> Whether this doorstop is your favorite of all time, or whether you don't quite get the hype--listen in to why it deserves its status as one of the very best.
Melville's classic is always right at the top of BEST EVER novels lists. We really dig into what is so appealing about this masterpiece: its weird structure, its likeable, unique narrator, an open-mindedness that seems pretty radical for 1851 (including some serious homoeroticism)--and, of course, the appeal of Queequeg, everyone's favorite harpooner.
--------
1:08:28
--------
1:08:28
HEARTBURN by Nora Ephron >> Rom-com tropes and history are waaay more interesting than you think. See how Ephron blazed a trail!
Before When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and Julie andJulia, Nora Ephron wrote the BEST NOVEL. Heartburn is light and funny, but also complex, nuanced and full of compassion.
Kimberly runs through the history of romantic comedy--not as simple as you'd think--and all the tropes that make the genre what it is. She then takes a close look at how Ephron UPENDS so many of these rom-com conventions. For a new appreciation of this excellent art form, tune in now.
--------
53:33
--------
53:33
THE BOOK OF BASKETBALL by Bill Simmons >> Sure, you might need to like basketball to love this lecture--but it's a good one!
NO READING REQUIRED! NO SPOILERS! (lol)
Kimberly expected this to be some kind of sports encyclopedia--which, let's be honest, it is. But it's also a really compelling memoir! Simmons's prose, which she does subject to a (brief) close reading, allows fans to RELIVE and deepen iconic moments (some new to Kimberly) because of its narrative voice and structure, its selection of details and all those footnotes.
She does acknowledge that this is NO FEMINIST TREATISE. But she also understands that the book knows its audience and even succeeds with someone who's really NOT the intended reader.
And maybe most importantly Simmons reveals, in these pages, THE SECRET. One that has the potential (does it???) to change Kimberly's life. Listen in to find out how!
--------
29:38
--------
29:38
THE SUMMER BOOK by Tove Jansson >> Sad that summer’s ending? Quick! Treat yourself to this slim masterpiece and listen in!
If you’re even remotely sad that summer’s ending, if you have any feelings about the beauty of nature, if you have aging parents, if you think even occasionally about mortality (lol), you MUST read this book. It’s slim, gorgeous, funny, sad and a complete joy. Of all Kimberly’s recommendations, The Summer Book might be the one that's most universally loved. And honestly, Kimberly must say, this deep dive is some of her very best analysis. Tove Jansson is TOO GOOD to warrant anything less.
If you love to read, The Foxed Page is for you. With these deep dives into the best books, you’ll gain a richer understanding of the title at hand, all while learning to read everything better.
Choose from long-form lectures, quick recommendations, talks on old favorites and plenty of episodes from the archives.
Listen to The Foxed Page--with Kimberly Ford, best-selling author, former adjunct professor and Ph.D.
USA