In this episode, the team breaks down the best, worst, and the most surprising reads of 2025. Listen along to find out what books to avoid reading for yourself as well as some books that are just too good to pass up!

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.2 - 2025 Reading Review

Welcome back listeners to our first episode of 2026. In our search to discover the greatest stories ever told, we keep coming back to the question: what makes a story great? In this episode, the team approaches that question from the angle of Harold Bloom's “the Western Canon,” the idea that there exists a canonical list of books that underpin the literary enterprise of the Western World.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 6.1 - The Western Canon: What Makes a Story Great?

In this episode the team explores one of the most well-known stories of the Christmas season, The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, by E.T.A. Hoffman. A work perhaps best known for its ballet performances, this story had transcended mediums and imaginations for over a hundred years, during a season of joy, whimsy, and the magical. Merry Christmas dear listeners, we cannot wait to show you what 2026 has in store.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.12 - The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

In this episode the team does the impossible, agreeing on a Top Ten list ranking the best books of all time (that we've read). Join us as we debate the merit of some of the greatest stories ever told, and feel free to share some of your favorites with us on social media!

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.11 - The Lamppost in the Wood's Top Ten Books of All-Time

In this episode, the team contemplates the nature of beauty, vanity, and the curse of eternal youth as presented by Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. A surprisingly deep novel portrayed by a host of shallow characters, this novel shocked many with its departure from morality and its unkind portrayal of England's performative elites. Perhaps, like Dorian's portrait, this book offers a glimpse into the broken soul of Oscar Wilde and reveals the struggles that defined the man.

Listeners Beware!

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.10 - Evan's Choice: The Picture of Dorian Gray

In this month's episode, the team looks at two animalistic tales: E. B. White's Charlotte's Web and George Orwell's Animal Farm. While seemingly similar on the the surface these two books produced very different themes and and views of their animal-centric worlds. Join us as we explore how animals can help to subvert the expectations of the reader to deliver powerful statements about life, loss, and REVOLUTION!

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.9 - Talking Animals: Charlotte’s Web & Animal Farm.

In this episode the team interviews Dr. Tony Perrello, Professor of Renaissance Literature at CSU (California State University Stanislaus), regarding his love of literature; primarily, Shakespeare's Hamlet. Join us as we explore the many themes of this Shakespearean classic, the historical context, and its greater impact on poetry and literature today.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.8 - Hamlet with Dr. Tony Perrello

In this episode, the team analyzes one of the most prolific novels of 20th-century American living, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. This exceptional work of Americana became a staple for its exploration of the Great Depression, the struggle for survival, and the importance of family. Join us as we talk about The Grapes of Wrath's influences, impact, and if this truly is one of the greatest stories ever told.

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Thanks for listening to the Lamppost in the Woods - Episode 5.7 - Literature and History: The Grapes of Wrath