In today’s episode, we’re discussing The Importance of Being Earnest by the ever-delightful Oscar Wilde. A classic example of British theater, this play is known for its biting social satire and brilliant comedic dialogue. Throughout our conversation, we dive into the play’s themes, discuss Wilde’s mastery of wordplay, and his ability to write characters that satirize Victorian society in the cleverest ways. As always, we share our complementary pairings, and we hope this episode adds a few books to your TBR pile!
If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have a hunch that you would also love participating in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
Books Mentioned:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
Nevada by Imogen Binnie
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
The Best of Me by David Sedaris
I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett
Dr. No by Percival Everett
What a Difference a Duke Makes by Lenora Bell
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Also Mentioned:
Bonus: 127. An Introduction to The Importance of Being Earnest
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
R. Eric Thomas
92. Middlemarch by George Eliot Part One
91. Bookish superlatives from an unprecedented reading year
90. Our love/hate relationship with Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
89. Behind the scenes of the shop around the corner with Annie B. Jones
88. A new-to-us and nuanced novel of manners: There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset
87. Perfectly paired gifts for every bookworm
86. Palpable tension and shocking twists in Passing by Nella Larsen
85. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and perfectly psychological pairings
84. Literary terms, book recommendations, and learning about the horror genre with Raelyn Torngren
83. Revisiting Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
82. How to read a BIG book: an introduction to Middlemarch by George Eliot
81. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe and creepy fictional houses to explore
80. Forecasting our fall reading with anticipated backlist titles from our shelves
79. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Part Two
78. Raising Readers with biblio therapist Anne Bogel
77. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Part One
76. Our favorite tips, tricks, and insights for reading Jane Eyre
75. Wrapping up summer with our favorite reads and reflections
74. The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor and stories of friendship, community, and resilience
73. Greek mythology-inspired novels to topple your To Be Read list
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