What We've Been Reading: We kick things off this week with Dietrich adding another author to his list of "authors who will make me feel insecure when I write" as a result of finishing the amazing American Gods. Also: ever wonder what it might look like if Australia has its own version of Red Dawn? Now you don't have to worry anymore. Meanwhile, I read the latest entry in the Harry Bosch series and discuss the possibility of the series coming to an end. But we wrap things up on a different note by reviewing an audiobook...that's six minutes long.

An Interview with Dan Wells: Dan Wells first came to my attention as the author of the John Wayne Cleaver series, an incredible set of books about a teenager struggling with his sociopathic tendencies. For Dietrich, though, Wells was the host of a great podcast called Writing Excuses, which looks at writing from an author's perspective. However we came to his work, though, there's no denying that we were both fans of his, and this week we got the chance to talk with him about all of that and more. We learn about why Wells may have creeped out a few morticians, hear about a writing professor who had a pretty insanely prestigious class, discuss historical fiction, and much more.

Off the Bookshelves: It's a week of cinematic oddballs this week, with both Dietrich and I discussing movies that are deeply flawed but not entirely without merit (though to greatly differing degrees). But more than that, it's time for some TV talk. We take a midseason look at Game of Thrones and discuss how well the interpretation is going; after that, we have a talk about the recently ended fourth season of Fringe, a season that fits right in with our "flawed but not bad" discussion that opened the section.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: We start off this week's episode with several e-mails, including some thoughts on books that appeal to the senses and a lot of reaction to our science-fiction episode. But the recent reads don't get neglected either. I've been on a short story binge as I've finished off the collected works on H.P. Lovecraft as well as tearing through a series of short stories by Joe Lansdale. Dietrich, on the other hand, is filling up on the classics for the week, reading through one of the most famous books by Victor Hugo as well as diving into a modern classic by Neil Gaiman.

Black Hawk Down: If there was a single non-fiction book that Dietrich and I might hold among the best works the genre has ever produced, there's a good chance that Black Hawk Down would be that book. A harrowing, intense account of an American mission in Somalia that goes drastically awry, Black Hawk Down is a compelling, riveting book that focuses on the people involved in the event while never losing a sense of the bigger picture that's going on. It's an incredible juggling act, one that manages to make numerous salient points about how things go wrong while never falling into easy answers, to say nothing of managing to capture the Somali perspective just as solidly. It's a book we both hold in the highest regard, not just as military writing, but as writing, pure and simple, and this week we discuss it in our book club.

Off the Bookshelves: This week, Dietrich plunges into the world of low-budget, indie films that have an audience of three or four people when he sees a little-known movie called The Avengers. Turns out, he liked it in spite of its low-key, understated feel. Me, I'm checking out Indonesian action flicks and Polanski-helmed takes on Shakespeare, so I've got a bit more variety going on. But we wrap up the week with a discussion of the latest season of Mad Men, which just may be the best this already superb show has put on to date.

E-mails: We've got a few e-mails this week, including one that gave birth to our main topic. But first off, we hear from the too-long absent Rob Kristoffersen, who gives us a question that's far less easy to answer than it originally sounds. From there, we hear again from Gravy Jones, who shares some thoughts on the books that followed the amazing Child 44 as well as offering us a great idea for a future topic.

What We're Reading Now: Lots and lots of books to talk about this week, with a publication spread of almost a century from the oldest to the newest. Dietrich has a pair of great non-fiction books to talk about, to say nothing about the fact that he got to meet one of the pre-eminent authors of the genre. As for me, I finish up my sojourn through the Sherlock Holmes canon (including some thoughts about one of the weakest stories of the series), respond to a reading suggestion from the incomparable Neil Gaiman, and catch up on the newest entry in Stephen King's Dark Tower series.

A Primer on Science Fiction: We open the segment with a letter from a listener who wants to move beyond "literary" fiction and into more popular stuff, but wants to know how to begin. So we take a run at creating a guide to getting into the science-fiction genre. The signal-to-noise ratio is pretty daunting, to say nothing of the fact that the genre contains everything from slapstick comedy to thought-provoking philosophical treatises and beyond. So where to begin? We take a look at a lot of the best entryways to the genre, ranging from Douglas Adams to Robert Charles Wilson, from Dune to Ender's Game, from Rendezvous with Rama to 1984. And we do it all while trying to avoid the worst excesses of the genre and appeal to those who think the genre has nothing to offer them.

What We've Been Reading: We kick off the week with a bit of scolding for our apparently widely divergent moral code as it pertains to Twilight and a feeble attempt to defend ourselves of the charges. As for our current reads: Dietrich may have only read one book this week, but it's a great one: Generation Kill, by Evan Wright. We talk about why that's such an incredible book and whether I'm right in my opinion that it should almost be required reading for every American citizen. Meanwhile, I've got a lot more diverse set of offerings, kicking things off with a great black comedy that steps awry only in the last pages, but does so in a pretty sharp way. Then, it's on to a reader suggestion: Child 44, which turned out to be one of the best serial killer novels I've ever read, if only for its entirely unique premise. Finally, I wrap things up with Tritium Gambit, a pulp science-fiction novel that doesn't take itself at all seriously, a choice that ends up making it a lot of fun to read through.

The News Brief: There's been a lot of major news in the book industry this week, with the two biggest contenders being a massive anti-trust lawsuit against e-book publishers and J.K. Rowling's announcement of details about her new (non-Harry Potter) novel. But there's more book news in the world to touch on to, from a pleasantly surprising new survey about reading habits to a soon-to-come children's book that makes us both laugh with glee. On top of those, there's Fifty Shades of Grey, the new publishing sensation that has lots of people talking - some with scorn, some with overflowing praise. We talk about all of these and more, discussing the news of the day and finding ourself in peals of giggles at an online alias that makes it hard to be taken all that seriously.

Off the Bookshelves: We flip our positions from the opening section, with Dietrich having a ton to talk about and me only having the one. Once again, though, that one is a great one: the outstanding meta-horror film The Cabin in the Woods, which gave me one of the most entertaining theatrical experiences in recent memory. Meanwhile, it's documentary week for Dietrich, with movies about real-life superheroes, chess prodigies, and comic book conventions, as well as a short film that may give you a little more hope for the world.

What We've Been Reading: It's a lighter than usual reading week for the two of us, with each of us only making it through a single book apiece (an oddity, for us!). For Dietrich, the week's been dedicated to a revisiting of Stephen King's short story collection Just After Sunset, a collection that produced some of our favorite King stories in a long time. Meanwhile, I check out Audrey Niffenegger's followup to the amazing Time Traveler's Wife, a ghost story called Her Fearful Symmetry, to see how it lives up to its incredible predecessor.

Into the Mailbag: Every so often, we find ourselves with so many good e-mails to read and discuss that we decide to forgo a main topic in favor of responding to our listeners, and this is one of those weeks. From dystopian futures to the plausibility of The Hunger Games, from serial killers in Stalinist Russia to the painful analogies that populate the Twilight books, we discover once again that our listeners give us far too much credit for being knowledgeable, but it's credit that we love using and responding to. And if none of that grabs you, don't worry - there's still a discussion about how we get turned on to books and why books might be turning more people on, if you get the not-so-subtle innuendo...

Off the Bookshelves: We kick things off with a traitorous action: the recommending of another podcast. But when it's hosted by the inimitable John Hodgman, how can you blame us? But there's plenty more to talk about, with an incredible deal on a classic video game, the return of Game of Thrones, a state-of-the-series discussion about Awake, and Dietrich finally getting around to checking out Generation Kill.

What We've Been Reading: We're joined this week by my wife Maria and Dietrich's fiancee Jennifer Finley for our discussion of the Twilight series, because let's be honest - an all-male discussion of the series probably wouldn't do anyone any favors, would it? But before we get to the heart of the episode, it's time for a quick round-up of current reads, as always. Jennifer shares some thoughts on one of her first exposures to Stephen King (in the form of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon), while Maria does some extra credit work for the main topic by reading Meyer's novella about a tertiary character from the series. As for the boys, well, Dietrich finally finishes up the Chaos Walking series, while I catch up with the North Pole murder mystery The Blood in Snowflake Garden and share some thoughts on the early goings of the complete works of H.P. Lovecraft.

The Twilight Saga: Beloved by millions, hated by just as many, The Twilight Saga has become a publishing industry leviathan, one that polarizes people before they even come to the books. We do our best to take a level-headed look at the series without prejudice or unfair assumptions, and the ladies in our lives come along for the ride to provide a different perspective on it all. And the end result? Well, it might be more balanced than you think. Sure, there's a lot for us to complain about, but there's also some great ideas scattered throughout the series, even if they're often frustratingly handled. And then there's the insanity of the fourth book, which is kind of joy in of itself. There are some strong opinions, a few assumptions about what makes the series popular, and a lot of back and forth about where the books succeed and fail. It's a solid discussion about a book that many judge without ever reading, and while we may not be able to whole-heartedly endorse the books, I think the discussion shows that there's plenty to talk about in this series, even if you hate them.

Off the Bookshelves: In which we learn the importance of reminding guests about the pattern of the show. Or, to put it more fairly, in which the ladies suddenly have to come up with things to talk about and end up covering iPad games, the return of Mad Men, the greatness of Justified, and why Dietrich stinks at The Old Republic. As for us: one of us catches a midnight showing of the B-movie classic Army of Darkness, while the other watches a documentary about a font. Which one watches which? You may be a little bit surprised at the answer.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: We kick off the week with a brief discussion about anachronistic language in fantasy and historic fiction, a topic that probably could fill a lot more time if we let it. From there, we delve into our current reading habit. I dive into Terry Pratchett's YA Discworld books and find that they more than hold their own against any other Discworld book; meanwhile, Dietrich finally catches up on 20th Century Ghosts, the phenomenally brilliant short story collection from horror author Joe Hill.

The Hunger Games - Book vs. Film: It didn't take us many episodes of this podcast to dive into The Hunger Games books, a series that we were both really passionate about. Now the movie is out - how does it compare to the books? We have a lengthy discussion about the adaptation process, looking at how the movie addresses the limitations of the first-person narrative, opens up the boundaries of what the book covers, and uses some fantastic casting smartly to reduce the reliance on exposition and narration. In short, we compare the book to the film not just to see how they're different (though we've got a list of some fascinatingly minor and nitpicky changes that people are bringing up), but more to see how good a job the filmmakers did turning a great book into a solid film.

Off the Bookshelves: Well, Mad Men is back, and you know there's no way we could go without talking about it at least a little bit. But there's more to talk about here, with Dietrich singing the praises of The Muppets right before I turn things darker and more serious with the chilling Cold War film Fail-Safe and the profoundly moving documentary The Interrupters.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: We kick off this week with new equipment, a better sound, and a fantastic e-mail that manages to be hilarious despite opening with some horrifying news. Recent reads are a little thinner than usual, with both Dietrich and I making our way through the Twilight books for our upcoming discussion, but we still manage to find a few things to talk about. I've started into the third book in the Hap and Leonard series by Joe Lansdale, finding it hilarious, twisted, and still really gripping - in other words, everything I've come to expect from Lansdale. As for Dietrich, he indulges his inner geek with a biography of the world's most famous science equation while continuing to finish up Chaos Walking.

Tired of Serial Killers: Ah, serial killers. Ever since Thomas Harris created a little character named Hannibal Lecter, the thriller genre has been absolutely awash in serial killers, ranging from the brilliant and gruesome to...well, to the brilliant and gruesome. It's a staple of the genre, but with agents rapidly saying they want nothing to do with serial killers anymore, we take a look at this overused trope and try to figure out how to make it work. We come up with a few rules and guidelines about things we're tired of seeing, but we also discuss books that broke those rules beautifully, leading us to explain that with enough talent, cretaivity, and interesting ideas, you can make it work for you. It's a fun discussion, one filled with lots of hilariously bad examples, as well as quite a few really good ones as well.

Off the Bookshelves: While a lot of this closing segment is spent with both of us raving about the unexpectedly hilarious and smart 21 Jump Street film, there are still a few other topics to round things out. I try to make sure everyone knows how good the new Bruce Springsteen album is (answer: very) and share some thoughts on the unexpectedly early cancellation of HBO's low-rated but critically-praised Luck. Dietrich, on the other hand, checks out the ambitious failure In Time and find that the critically acclaimed The Descendants deserved all the praise that it got.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: This week's episode starts off with one reader picking up the heaviest "escape" reading I know off offhand and another asking us how often we've played hooky from work because of books. As for our current reads, Dietrich continues to make his way through the Chaos Walking series (and continues to struggle with finding things to say without being able to talk about the story) and shares some good news about the exceptional gamer journal Kill Screen. As for me, I take on the "ultra-noir novel" The Long Drunk and find it enjoyable with some serious qualifications; after that, it's on to the B-movie splattery goodness of Draculas, with a lengthy discussion of how the book uses the e-book format to novel advantage.

Return of the Short Stories: This week, we return to the short story medium, this time singling out some of the best stories we've had the privilege of reading. Dietrich kicks us off with his love for the Machine of Death, while I bounce off of his science-fiction opening to discuss works of Philip K. Dick, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, and others. From there, it's on to horror and fantasy, with recommended stories from Harlan Ellison, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman. But don't worry - there's some solid literary giants represented here, too, including Tobias Woolf and J.D. Salinger. In other words, we take on a huge variety of styles and genres here, coming up with some of the best examples of short stories we can, all for your enjoyment. So check them out - I think you'll find a lot to love here.

Off the Bookshelves: I take the chance to brag about seeing the amazing Jack White in concert before talking about a couple of movies, including the incredible A Separation, which deserves to be seen by everyone, even those who might be scared off by its Iranian origins. After that, Dietrich brings us to a close by sharing some love for The Oatmeal and giving his thoughts on the greatly anticipated Mass Effect 3.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: We kick off this week with some thoughts from Robert Kristoffersen about our Titans of Literature episode and some early feelings on how The Hunger Games movie might turn out (something we're quite excited to see). From there, it's on to recent reads. I've got quite a bit to discuss this week, including the newest Jack Reacher novel, a short story from an author I knew from a Big Lebowski/Shakespeare mashup that I loved, and a great coming-of-age tale from the inimitable Joe Lansdale. Meanwhile, Dietrich finishes up Bloodman (and loves it), follows up on a listener's recommendation about an unexpectedly solid novelization, and continues to make his way through the Chaos Walking trilogy and finds that I wasn't exaggerating in how hard it is to talk about the books without giving much away.

White Noise: One of the most acclaimed literary novels of the past 30 years, White Noise follows a college professor as he floats through academia and life, crippled by his fear of death and his disconnection from the world around him. But does it work? I feel that it's a book I have a huge amount of respect for, but can't necessarily say that I enjoyed; meanwhile, Dietrich finds it pretentious and finds himself violently angry at the book and at author Don DeLillo by proxy. Who's right here? We have a pretty passionate discussion about White Noise in this week's podcast, with both of us arguing our cases, interrupting each other, and attempting to convert the other over to our own side. It's a lively discussion, and we'll be curious to see what your own thoughts on the book turn out to be.

Off the Bookshelves: I start off the week by sharing some thoughts on TV shows that I gave a shot, and find that while The River is pretty badly collapsing, Luck only gets better and better as it goes. I also can't help but raving about the new horror film Kill List before bringing us into a discussion about the new show Awake, which has one of the more intriguing pilots in recent memory. From there, Dietrich gets his documentary on, checking out docs about violent animals and ad agencies, before gushing uncontrollably (and righfully so) over Martin Scorsese's Hugo.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: Our e-mails this week take us international, as we get taken to task for our lack of Twilight coverage by an American living in Israel, which prompts us to do some soul-searching about our upcoming book club selections. After that, it's onto recent reads, with me finishing and Dietrich beginning Robert Pobi's Bloodman, and both of us finding a lot to praise in what turns out to be an incredible debut novel. Beyond that, Dietrich also shares some thoughts on the first volume of the Chaos Walking trilogy, leading us to discuss whether the book's flaws are enough to detract from its greatness.

The Titans of Publishing: This week, we take a look at the titans of the publishing industry, using Wikipedia's list of the best-selling authors in history as a jumping-off point. Turns out, there's a lot of surprises on that list, including several we never would have considered being among the best-sellers of all time. We try to do what so many have attempted: trying to understand exactly what makes these authors stand out so far above the others, and what makes these names so prominent in the publishing field. And does making the list mean you're great, a sell-out, or none of the above? We talk about it all and then some in a free-wheeling conversation.

Off the Bookshelves: Dietrich changes up his usual videogame obsession with a thought-provoking (if hyperbolic) piece about the game Mass Effect and what it means in terms of the larger science-fiction picture. Meanwhile, I hit the widest spectrum possible in moviegoing, with a week that included both the transcendence of Casablanca and the miraculously awful The Room. Finally, we wrap up the week with a look at the current season of Fringe, which turns out to have had a much better plan than we ever dreamed to hope.

What We've Been Reading: It's a bit of a Killer Nashville week on the reading list this week, as both Dietrich and I share some thoughts on books by authors we interviewed at the conference. Dietrich finds a lot to love about D. Alan Lewis's tale of murder and Santa Claus (yes, you read right), while I share some thoughts on the debut novel of Robert Pobi. More than that, though, this week belons to the Chaos Walking trilogy for me, which I finished up and was left staggered by. Listen as I try to review a whole trilogy while not even spoiling the first novel of the set - it's certainly a challenge, but for me, the books are worth the effort to praise them.

Action Scenes in Books: Action sequences: if there's every a time when you have to do more showing than telling, it's these. But what separates the great from the awful here? We take on a lot of different authors, with Dietrich criticizing Tolkien's take on action (because he likes being a villain) while I single out Ender's Game for its perspective on gravity and space combat. There's lots more here, from Robert Jordan to Pat Conroy and beyond, but more than that, we try to figure out exactly what makes these sequences really resonate and work for us, and why it is that some authors just never seem to be able to pull it off in an exciting, involving way.

Off the Bookshelves: Dietrich and I get a chance to rave about our recent chance to see John Oliver perform standup (spoiler alert: he was amazing), and we also give our thoughts on ABC's new horror series The River. Meanwhile, Dietrich catches up on The Grey, another January release that's better than you might think, as well as explaining how his home life has turned into a buddy cop movie with an obese Jedi. Seriously.

E-mails and What We've Been Reading: We kick the week off with a few e-mails, including thoughts on Point of Impact from Robert Kristofferson, another way to get some cheap and free e-books via the web, and a listener who takes me to task for some of my complaints about Point of Impact. From there, as always, it's on to our recent reads. I once again attempt to review a trilogy without even spoiling the first book, which is a challenge, but given how astonishingly great the Chaos Walking series is, it's a challenge worth taking. After that, Dietrich shares some thoughts on a fresh look at The Hunger Games books as well as a most unique murder mystery that takes place in the last place you'd ever expect.

Relationships: It's Valentine's Day, which means it's a time for love. But with so many books taking the Dirk Pitt approach to love (a quick fling, followed by a tragic death or a disappearing character), where are all the good examples of these? We take on a lot here, from how Jack Reacher's women are more interesting than Dirk Pitt's to how Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro make a compelling couple, from the time-sprawling love at the core of The Time Traveler's Wife to the historical cruelties of Memoirs of a Geisha to the skewed but hilarious assessments pronounced in High Fidelity. But more than that, we come again and again to the keys to making a relationship truly work in a novel - the importance of making both characters compelling, the willingness to ignore the boundaries of a book, and more. It may be a peculiarly masculine take on relationships this week (who else would seriously discuss Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling as a relationship?), but it's an interesting discussion all the same.

Off the Bookshelves: Lots to cover, as always, here, with me as usual diving into a bunch of movies and television. I've recently caught up on the controversial but gripping Shame and the absolutely riveting BBC miniseries State of Play, both of which get some detailed thoughts from me. Meanwhile, Dietrich gives a glowingly mediocre review of Tower Heist and suddenly discovers Mumford and Sons. But we close out the section with some discussion of the new film Chronicle, which defied both of our expectations by being surprisingly engaging, smart, exciting, and just generally great.

What We've Been Reading: No e-mails this week, but a surprisingly high number of recent reads gives us plenty to discuss here in our opening. While much of my week was spent reading Point of Impact for our main topic, I had some time to get into some other books as well, namely two more entries in the Sherlock Holmes series, which only gets better and better the longer it goes, and a not-too-surprisingly violent Western by Jack Ketchum. To top it all off, I share some opening thoughts on the Chaos Walking young adult series. Meanwhile, Dietrich ended up pretty disappointed with Ready Player One, but had a much happier experience with the newest Elmore Leonard book, Raylan, where Leonard adds another volume to the character that inspired the outstanding series Justified.

Point of Impact: Our second book club selection, Point of Impact tells the tale of a military sniper who finds himself set up for an assassination he didn't commit. It's a great premise, but do the book's flaws overwhelm its strengths? That's the heart of our debate here, with Dietrich loving the book warts and all, while I find myself unable to get past some major issues with the writing style, dialogue, and characters. Over the course of our discussion, we talk about ballistics details, prison rape, accents, isolation, and even Futurama to try to explain how we feel about this one. Do we persuade each other? Probably not...but it's an interesting listen nonetheless.

Off the Bookshelves: This week, I finally catch up with the recently Oscar-nominated film The Artist and find a lot to love, while also checking out the new HBO series Luck and finding it pretty promising indeed. As for Dietrich, he raves about the surprisingly great 50/50, laments the end of Chuck, enjoys Real Steel well enough, and tries his best to ignore the filmed version of One for the Money.

Emails and What We've Been Reading: We kick off this week with a listener e-mail that inspires a discussion about whether we're right in our predictions of the fall of Barnes and Noble, while our regular listener Robert Kristofferson sharing some funny books he's read as of late. Then it's on to our recent reads, which I kick off with a discussion of Clive Barker's young adult Abarat series, which is imaginative, incredible, and really dark. Meanwhile, Dietrich looks at a Tom Brokaw book surveying the new generation and what's to come, begins reading the comic series Y, The Last Man, and shares some thoughts on the beginning of Ready Player One.

So You Have a Kindle...Now What?: In the wake of a Christmas where the Kindle was the runaway best-selling present, we thought we'd take a week to give a beginner's guide to getting the best books you can for your Kindle or other e-reader. We talk about some of the advantages of disadvantages of free books and public domain stuff, the growing trend of digital lending through major libraries, and also share some feelings about the new burst in ad-supported Kindles and why they may be a better deal than you expect. On top of all that, we share some feelings on other ways to get deals, including author Twitter feeds, Project Gutenberg, Amazon's Daily Deal e-mails, and much, much more.

Off the Bookshelves: It's time for me to dive into some new releases, and I share some thoughts on the incredible Paradise Lost films, the underrated (and pitch-black) Young Adult, and the complex but rewarding Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Also, I give a shout out to the addictive but wonderful Carcassonne, the iPhone game that is really sucking away my free time these days. Dietrich, too, shares some cheap game thoughts on games like Ticket to Ride and Spell Tower, and also finally catches up on the incredible 2011 film Drive. Finally, Dietrich shares some thoughts on the new TV series Alcatraz and Touch, and we join up to share our love for the new season of Justified.

Emails and What We've Been Reading: This week, our e-mails include Rob Kristofferson's thoughts on the best reads of 2011 and a challenge for Dietrich and I to come up with some predictions as to what the new year might hold for the book industry. Meanwhile, Dietrich shares some thoughts as he savors John Hodgman's That Is All while I wrap up Dan Wells' outstanding John Wayne Cleaver trilogy with I Don't Want to Kill You.

Tickling the Funny Bone: Inspired by our recent reading of John Hodgman's incredible and hilarious That Is All, this week Dietrich and I take a look at the books that have made us laugh. More than that, though, we take a look at why humor is so hard to make work on the written page and fully admit that our sense of humor may be a little sillier than that of other people. In addition, we take a look at how humor can be used in non-comedic works for a variety of purposes. But we couldn't do this topic without bringing up some of our favorite books that have made us laugh, ranging from the iconic Douglas Adams to the gleefully despicable characters of A Confederacy of Dunces and beyond.

Off the Bookshelves: This week, Dietrich spends some time checking out new cult classics, finally catching up on Tucker and Dale vs. Evil and re-watching the amazing and brilliant Black Dynamite (which leaves me wanting to rewatch it too). Meanwhile, I rave about the Nick Hornby-scripted An Education and implore people to check out The Intruder, a provocative and intense film about racial tensions that's lapsed into the public domain (and is watchable on YouTube here).

Emails: We kick off this week with a trio of very different e-mails, all of which focus on very different things. To start with, Robert Kristofferson shares his thoughts on Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Next, we get a slew of great-sounding recommendations, including a discussion as to why the novelization of the Star Wars prequels might just be worth reading after all. Finally, we try to help a parent who's working to show his son how to balance video games with reading, offering some thoughts about books and selections that might be right up a gamer's alley.

What We've Been Reading: Once again, a holiday break finds us with lots to talk about, book-wise. Dietrich catches up with the astonishing and stunning Winter's Bone, which both of us pretty easily pick as our best book of 2011. Beyond that, he finally reads the first book in the Discworld Watch series, and he shares some thoughts about a wide-ranging collection of essays from a favorite author. Meanwhile, I find an icy-cold and disturbing piece of noir from Jim Thompson, get back into the adventures of John Wayne Cleaver, and report back on the final fate of the insane world created by John Hodgman.

The Best of 2011: It's been a good year for reading, and while Dietrich and I both have lots to talk about - from the new Stephen King to a great Depression story of immortality, from a surprisingly moving romance to Texas horror - we both pretty easily settle on our favorite book of the year, the astonishingly beautiful Winter's Bone, by Daniel Woodrell. But there's time to get into lots of other favorites from the year, and we take the time to give out lots of shoutouts to the books that we loved this year. And, as a bonus, we share some thoughts on our favorite games and movies of the year, while deciding that our thoughts on the best TV of the year would kind of be unnecessary...

Off the Bookshelves: For once, Dietrich has a lot more movies than I do to talk about - a side effect of having Christmas traveling to do. All I have to share is some thoughts on the middling Sherlock Holmes sequel and the generally great The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; meanwhile, Dietrich looks at the docudrama Margin Call, the sociologically provocative The Wave, and we share some thoughts on Waiting for Superman (and why I don't know that I'll be able to watch it).

What We've Been Reading: In this, our last recording for 2011, Dietrich and I have a lot less books to talk about (due in no small part to the fact that we were both in the process of finishing up our respective school tenures). But we'd feel awkward if we left you with nothing! So I share some thoughts on the newest Terry Pratchett book and why I think it's good, but not up to par with his best, while Dietrich tries to sell people on a book about economics - a job I hope he succeeds with.

Off the Bookshelves: Dietrich shares some videogame knowledge, as is his wont, as he discusses Metro 2033, and we debate whether you would have had to play the first 2,032 volumes in the series to follow this one. Meanwhile, I try to review four movies in a very short amount of time while giving them all the attention and love they deserve.

E-mails and What We're Reading Now: This week, we're joined this week by Jessica Davis, a middle school teacher from Springfield, Missouri, and Dr. Jennifer Kates, an English professor at Middle Tennessee State University. We kick off our time together this week with a discussion of unsympathetic and even dislikable main characters in fiction, a conversation prompted by some of our thoughts on A Confederacy of Dunces and an e-mail from a listener. As for our current reads, we hit a wide array of materials here, from the latest entry in the Eragon series to an unfocused fantasy read, from a supernatural thriller by Joe Lansdale to one of Pratchett's greatest works.

Listener E-mails: We're joined by my good friend Ryan Williams this week for our main topic, but before we get there, it's time for e-mails. We cover lots this week, including the question of whether characters become less interesting as a series goes on and what advice we can give for an aspiring writer choosing a major. But the centerpiece of this section has to belong to a former shipmate of Dietrich's, who absolutely lays into us for our failings on the sports fiction question, all while giving Dietrich's fingers plenty of workout with regards to the profanity-editing buttons.

Terry Pratchett: It's no secret that Dietrich and I are giant fans of Terry Pratchett, nor have I made it a secret that Ryan got me into the man's work in the first place. So it's fitting that he joins us this week for a discussion of Pratchett's talent, genius, creativity, and world. We take it all on here, from good books to start with to some of the various arcs within the series, from attempting to describe Pratchett's writing to laughing about some of our favorite episodes while giving nothing away. It's a long, passionate discussion about an author we all adore, and if we can convert even one person out there to reading Pratchett, then I think we'll end the episode quite satisfied.

Listener E-mails: A few e-mails are waiting for us as we return this week, including one from our loyal listener Robert Kristofferson, who expands on our "thankfulness" list with some ideas of his own. Next, we go international with a great e-mail from a German listener who provides a massive list of books to check out, as well as making us a little sad that so little foreign literature comes to America. Finally, we try to explain why our e-mailers started abusing us, and we flail about sadly while attempting to come up with a list of modern sports fiction.

Off the Bookshelves: We give a short reaction to The Walking Dead finale (summary: thumbs down) before getting into other stuff. I share some nostalgic love for The Muppets and try my best to convey how awesome Bigger Than Life is without giving away any of the fun. Meanwhile, Dietrich explains his misgivings about 30 Minutes or Less while further loving Saints Row the Third. And I wrap things up with a brief reaction to a game Dietrich loved and a short little freeware game that's well worth taking the time to check out.

What We've Been Reading: We kick off the week with a long discussion of tips on writing, with me offering the perspective of an English teacher and Dietrich looking at it all from the author's point of view. From there, we move on to our week's reads, as Dietrich takes on a lengthy analysis of a critical issue within the modern news media, and I look into both a classic children's book and a disappointing new work from the usually reliable Robert McCammon.

Off the Bookshelves: With shows about to move into their winter breaks, Dietrich and I take a look at two shows that have stumbled this season: Fringe and The Walking Dead. We talk about why each one is struggling, but why only one of them may be one that we stick with. Outside of that, Dietrich gets to dive into the bizarre insanity that is the new Saints Row game, and I immerse myself in the damaged title character of Martha Marcy May Marlene, all before bidding everyone adieu as we take a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday.

What We've Been Reading: We're joined this week by our friend and frequent guest Beth Terrell, who kicks off our recent reads with the debut novel by Bruce DeSilva, Rogue Agent. Meanwhile, I'm making my way through The Five, by Robert McCammon...but all in all, this week belongs to Stephen King, as Dietrich reads Mile 81, Beth takes on Full Dark, No Stars, and best of all, Dietrich and I both savor King's newest novel, 11/22/63, which we both think may rank among the best books he's written not just recently, but period.

Off the Bookshelves: We hit a wide range of stuff this week, kicking things off with Beth's feelings on the alien invasion comedy Paul. Meanwhile, I rave about an all-too-overlooked Hitchcock classic (Shadow of a Doubt) and one of the year's best films (Take Shelter). And, of course, it's a huge time for gaming, and there's no way Dietrich could avoid talking about Skyrim and Modern Warfare 3, is there?

E-Mails and What We've Been Reading: We start off this week with an e-mail from loyal listener Robert Kristofferson, who reminds us of a few horror tales we definitely should have thought of, including the seminal "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream." From there, it's on to current reads. Dietrich kicks us off with a couple of acclaimed comic series, reading the first entries in Y: The Last Man and Locke and Key. Meanwhile, I've been slacking, giving me only two half-books to talk about: the surreal genius of Fugue State and the lexicon-driven anarchy of The Phantom Tollbooth.

Off the Bookshelves: It's a lowbrow week for me in this section, as I share some thoughts on a very late-in-life viewing of the original Godzilla (Gojira, if you want to be technical) and the new Harold and Kumar film. Meanwhile, Dietrich becomes the last person on the planet to watch Aladdin, as well as joining the viewers of the show Grimm.

E-Mails and What We've Been Reading: We kick off our big 5-0 with some detailed listener e-mails that get into some other entries in the children's books discussion as well as a rave about Joe Hill's Locke and Key. From there, it's off to what we've been reading, and both of us have a lot of love to share for The Infernals, the latest from John Connolly. Individually, Dietrich finally finishes up the Machine of Death short story collection, while I give some thoughts on Lee Child's entry into the Kindle Singles collection, Second Son.

Also, we take some time this week to announce our first book club novel: the amazing Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke. We'll be devoting an entire episode to this book in four weeks, so we hope you join in by reading the book over the next few weeks. We hope you'll share your thoughts on the book with us - we're hoping to make this a community discussion, so e-mail us with your feelings!

Finally, throughout this week, you'll hear some congratulatory and/or insulting messages in celebration of our 50th podcast. So thanks this week to Rob Kristofferson, Larry Sterling, Ryan Williams, Adam Francescon, and Christopher Merchant for their contributions and for listening to us!

Off the Bookshelves: Dietrich gets his PBS documentary on with a look at a documentary about the 19th century version of the Internet, and comes away quite impressed with all he learned from it. Meanwhile, I plunged into a bunch of horror films this week, and share some thoughts on the best ones I saw, including the mind games of Anguish, the punk-rock zombie fun of The Return of the Living Dead, and the brutal, ambitious, and unforgettable French new-wave horror film Martyrs.

What We've Been Reading: Having gotten a Kindle for his birthday, Dietrich's embraced it all the way, checking out a book I loved (I Am Not a Serial Killer, by Dan Wells) and picking up a collection we're both excited about (a complete H.P. Lovecraft collection for 99 cents!). Meanwhile, I finish up another Sherlock Holmes collection and reread John Connolly's gleefully demented The Gates...but all of that's just prelude for our discussion of the final Repairman Jack book. Spoiler warning: there's no way to talk about the Jack book without getting into plot discussion. So skip ahead if you need to - the discussion lasts from about 12:20 until 22:17, just so you know.

Off the Bookshelves: I share some thoughts on The Binding of Isaac, a game that Dietrich raved about last week, as well as sing the praises of Freaks, an oddball classic horror film that's unlike anything you've ever seen. Dietrich, meanwhile, is videogaming it up (as usual), with comments on Arkham City and Battlefield 3. And we don't neglect TV, either - Dietrich shares some thoughts on Once Upon a Time, and we debate how we're feeling about the new season of The Walking Dead.

What We've Been Reading: Dietrich is back into school full time again, which means his reading this week is limited to a reread of the seminal Jurassic Park, which we both love, but don't have much new to say about. Meanwhile, I return from vacation with a lot read, but I can't say much about the heavy hitter on my list, the final Repairman Jack novel, since Dietrich hasn't gotten to it yet. Instead, I find myself trying to parse my complicated feelings for the Jack Ketchum novel Stranglehold, which left me horrified and uncomfortable, and yet left me impressed with its skill in many ways.

Off the Bookshelves: Dietrich beats me with stuff to talk about here, discussing a game based on Biblical child sacrifice and a film about economic theory applied to baseball. Meanwhile, I give some thoughts about the new season of Fringe, and we both share some expectations about the new season of The Walking Dead. In addition, we share some thoughts about the state of the podcast itself, and ask for listener feedback about some ideas we're considering implementing.

Library Police Jr. Deputy Edition: To start off this children's literature-themed episode, Dietrich and I begin talking about the books we loved as kids, but find ourselves focusing more on the books our children love now. I focus on my son's love of the Magic Tree House series, Pippi Longstocking, and The Hobbit, and we both reminisce about the genius of writers like Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, and Judy Blume.

An Interview with Linda Sue: Linda Sue, author of A Long Walk To Water, 39 Clues: Storm Warning, and the 2002 Newbery Award Winner A Single Shard, discusses drawing inspiration from her Korean heritage, writing a children's book about a Sudanese lost boy, and her approach toward writing for children.

Listener E-Mails and Kindle Discussion: We kick off the week with a discussion of October book-reading: do we find ourselves drifting more towards horror novels at this time of year? From there, we segue into a discussion of the news from the world of Amazon, which last week announced new models and prices of the Kindle, including multiple models that are below $100. We talk about what we think all of this means for the industry and e-reading in general, as well as what everyone's new Christmas present is going to be now.

The Relationship Between the Past and the Present: This week's podcast is a response to a recent episode of the AV Club's podcast, itself a response to a recent GQ article that, in arguing that the present has plenty of worthwhile films to watch, also determined that the past was utterly without value and not worth checking out. The AV Club discussed this issue as it pertained to film, TV, and music; Dietrich and I decided to take the discussion to the world of books. We found ourselves disagreeing a little more than we expected here, but at the same time, I think we both found a lot of common ground in the discussion, but more than that, we discussed how dislike of both the past and the present can arise, and why both have their problems for any serious reader.

Listener E-Mails and What We're Reading Now: This week, we're joined by Christopher Merchant, the editor for Middle Tennessee State University's student newspaper, Sidelines. To kick off the episode, we enjoy a pat on the back for talking about The King of Kong, but we also field a listener question about the apparent dearth of female writers in the horror/thriller sections of the bookstores. From there, it's on to current reads, with Chris pondering how Samuel Coleridge ever became famous, Dietrich revisiting the earliest Repairman Jack book, and me returning to the Sherlock Holmes series. Finally, we wrap it all up by talking a little bit about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, which Chris has recently begun.

Off the Bookshelves: We've got a pretty diametrically opposed pair of films to talk about this week, as I rave about the moody, existential neo-noir Drive, while Dietrich feels let down by the recent female-led comedy Bridesmaids. And, of course, it wouldn't be an "Off the Bookshelves" without videogame chat, so we touch on Gears of War 3 and revisit BioShock 2, which Chris is diving into. Oh, and I do my best to encapsulate just how amazing Patton Oswalt's new comedy album is. (Spoiler alert: very.)

Listener E-Mails and What We're Reading Now: This week, we get an e-mail from a listener who shares some of our recent joys with regards to authorial love, and we also end up discussing our feelings on the upcoming season of The Walking Dead. As for recent reads, Dietrich sings the praises of The Burning Soul, while I try to explain exactly what makes Dan Wells' fascinating I Am Not a Serial Killer such a riveting read, despite what should be a stupid premise.

Off the Bookshelves: I further alienate anyone who wants "regular" movie advice from me by recommending a documentary about video games (The King of Kong) and a silent horror film about a circus performer (The Unknown). (In my defense, both of them are amazing, albeit in entirely different ways.) Dietrich, meanwhile, has a bit of a disappointing experience with the new videogame Dead Island, but gets a genuinely pleasing surprise in the form of a Sports Illustrated article about an incredibly talented young girl.

Listener E-Mails and What We're Reading Now: This week, one listener asks a tough question: when is horror genuinely edgy and effective, and when is it just wallowing in filth? Also, we quickly reach a consensus for another listener who wonders if it's even worth checking out Jeffery Deaver. (Spoiler: yes.) After that, I give some thoughts on a nicely creepy short story by Stephen King that's available on the Kindle, followed by some praise for the second volume in Joe Lansdale's Hap and Leonard books. Dietrich closes us up this week with two books he's currently in the middle of: the latest from John Connolly and an entry in the Kathy Reichs series that (apparently very loosely) inspired the TV show Bones.

Off the Bookshelves - Breaking Bad Season 4: In the first part of Off the Bookshelves, we have a lengthy discussion about the current season of Breaking Bad, discussing the events so far and the possible ramifications. This is a pretty spoiler-heavy section, so if you're wanting to save yourself the spoilers on the show, jump on ahead to the next part...

An Interview with Ryan Mecum: Dietrich sits down with author Ryan Mecum to talk about his wholly unique combination of poetry (in haiku form) and zombie horror. Ryan opens up about how this unusual idea arose, gives some nods to the zombie horror greats, and discusses where one can go from writing zombie haiku.

What We've Been Reading: After a couple of weeks without being able to talk reads, Dietrich and I finally get to discuss our opinion of The Magician King (podcast spoiler alert: it's really, really good). We also both take on some reads by Joe Lansdale, with Dietrich finally experiencing The Complete Drive-In and me diving into the Hap and Leonard series with Savage Season. Finally, I have two solid new books by two favorite authors with very similar names: I return to John Connolly's Charlie Parker series with The Burning Soul and Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller books in The Fifth Witness.

Off the Bookshelves: As is our wont, Dietrich shares some love for a new videogame (Deus Ex: Human Revolution), and I catch up with a surprisingly strong recent release (Kung Fu Panda 2). But in a bit of a different mode this week, we also share some recent music that's really working for us. Dietrich looks at Jonathan Coulton's new album, in which the nerd culture songmaster moves a little more mainstream. Meanwhile, I dive into the latest releases by Nashville's own rock band The Features and singer/songwriter/rocker Butch Walker.

What we're reading now: We discuss our recent reads, including an entry in Dietrich's guilty pleasure series One for the Money by Stephanie Evanovich; The Sladen Suit, a great Kindle short story by Brian Evenson; and one of the seminal spy novels, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John Le Carré.