Around the Long Fire

We begin our largest book yet as we read the overly long introduction to The Iliad and talk a little bit about our time with this book before the podcast. Then, the usual yapping. Em has gotten increasingly horse-pilled. Niamh’s seen the heart of the cards.Things Discussed: bookmark habits, day off activities, Gundam Build Fighters, movie recommendations, Pokemon cards, mental health, book update, new gaming horizons, Persona 5 The Phantom X, Umamusume (game and Beginning of a New Era), Arknights, Infinity Nikki (if you point out Em mixed this up with Yume Nikki she’s going to time you out for an entire day in the discord) See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 1, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

A one and done for this small book of magic and esoterica, but we manage a pretty good discussion out of it anyway! This was a pleasant break of an episode before we climb the mountain for our final book this season.Things Discussed: ritual and magic/spirituality, Hololive chess, scheduling, Gundam X, robots, K-Pop Demon Hunters, A Safe Girl to Love, trans stuff and feminism, Wuthering Heights, GarfieldSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, introduction, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

We finish the saga, reflect on some books, compare horses and mermaids, and much more on this action packed episode. Things Discussed: Nodame Cantabile, Umamusume, A Safe Girl to Love, Guinea Pig 4: Mermaid in a Manhole, Do You Know Who Jackie Is?Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia, The Book of Evil Spirits, L. W. De Laurence (Martino Fine Books)

Somehow our boy Cu has managed to turn a gay story even gayer this week, but we soldier on undeterred. We’re just cool and strong like that.Things Discussed: What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Poker Face season 2; ripping CDs; Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist; music scenes; Vive L’Amour; a trip to the zoo; Guinea Pig 3: He Never Dies; vtubersOpening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts X to the end from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

A surprise week off due to medical stuff but we’re back with more murder, lots of books, horse girls, and vtubers! Things Discussed: Umamusume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top; Nodame Cantabile; Detransition, Baby; the ren faire; The Blue Fox, galloping ghost gaming, purses, card pack meta, Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood, Alien Autopsy, All For One, Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, part IX from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

A long episode mostly because Em has started watching movies again. But we have a good time chatting about all sorts of stuff, including the Táin!Things Discussed: FFX metaphysics, DAPs (that’s MP3 players for normal people), Yo Gabba Gabba show, KPop Demon Hunters, The Double Life of Veronique, Red Rooms, Guinea Pig: Devil’s Experiment, Cece and Raora’s 3D debuts, manga corner, the circus!Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts VII through VIII from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

Em survived surgery so she’s getting back in front of a microphone again and talking about anime, vtubers, and other such ALF staples. Please enjoy this short but good episode. We’ll return with sagas next week!Things Discussed: Em’s surgery update, the story of the get well present, hopes on the other side of all this, Niamh’s scheduling woes, Gigi Murin’s 3D Live, other vtuber stuff, IDW’s TMNT comic and other Turtles talk, It’s MyGo!!!!!, Lycoris Recoil, Stairwells reactions about BoundSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts V through VI from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

The final episode before our little break, we talk about Cú Chulainn, some books, and the vtuber news of the week. Things Discussed: death and illness, Detransition, Baby, Tehanu, the Vshojo implosion, Nimi Nightmare is getting married!, Pootan 2 and 3Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts V through VI from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

We finish off La Vita Nuova, and have a general chat mostly about what we’ve been reading. Please enjoy!Things Discussed: the weather, Seattle part 1, Niamh's got a throat thing, upcoming time off, what to do between Seattle parts, Seattle part 2, crab boils and Reubens, Dune Messiah, Gender Outlaw, Nodame Cantabile, The Sluts, Question Bucket x2, a very important Mario rankingOpening music for this book is La vita nuova by Christine and the QueensSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, intro & part 1 from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

We break format and put the Pootans in various places around the episode. You know, figured we’d get a little meta with it. Dante has a bad dream, but it’s fine. :) Things Discussed: Blue Prince, Pokémon Sleep, Hokuto and Kamiyama's Pondering Pootan, Vinyl, Researching Purchases, The Lathe of Heaven, Nodame Cantabile, Clothing Disaster, Eureka Seven, Incredible Animation, Gender Outlaws, Fountain Pens, Relistening to Podcasts, Pondering Proctors, SuperstitionOpening music for this book is La vita nuova by Christine and the QueensSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Next episode (in two weeks!): La Vita Nuova, part 24 to the end from Vita Nuova, Dante Alighieri, trans. Joseph Luzzi (Liveright Publishing)

We begin season five of Around the Long Fire by going back to the classics that forged Em into the weirdo she is today, as we crack open Dante and talk about pining and eating hearts, among other things. Usual ALF fun follows, in classic fashion. Things Discussed: Dante studies, Wotakoi, Nodame Cantabile, Hey Kids Watch This, The Beginning of the Slow Bucket Draining, Pokemon, Dagger: On Butch Women, Dear Brother, Piercings, Clothes Shopping, Hokuto and Kamiyama's Pondering Pootan, Pondering Proctors, GGP Backup ShowsOpening music for this book is La vita nuova by Christine and the QueensSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Next episode: La Vita Nuova, intro & parts 9-23 from Vita Nuova, Dante Alighieri, trans. Joseph Luzzi (Liveright Publishing)

The mighty question bucket arrives and we manage to get through about 30% of the questions we got. We’ll hold onto these and chip away at them in the future, thank you to everyone who wrote in and also thank you to Autumn for showing up this season!NOTE: Autumn’s audio is a little weird, hopefully they aren’t too quiet I did my best to adjust them. You’ll hear it on the pod. It was a mess.See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: La Vita Nuova, intro & parts 1–8 from Vita Nuova, Dante Alighieri, trans. Joseph Luzzi (Liveright Publishing)

We watch a modern adaptation of BA reframing it as a story of the now. How does it do? Wellllllll, not great, turns out.Things Discussed: scams, King of Fighters characters and other fighting games, Wotakoi, Autumn not finishing manga, DuneNon-Autumn Zone: Faggots, armpits, haircuts, recording podcasts while sick, Switch 2, Hokuto and Kamiyama’s Pondering Pootan, Pondering ProctorsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Season 4 question bucket

A century of excellence comes to a close and we reach the end of the tale of Franz Biberkopf for the second time, but certainly not the last. We get reflective about our time adjacent to or within games culture on this episode, and then rotate some stupid Star Trek stuff for a bit. Things Discussed: Animal Crossing, star ratings, Nerissa musical, Gigi Murin coming out as ace and demi, talking about demisexuality, Pride talk, Hokuto and Kamiya's Pondering Pootan: A Podcast within a Podcast, Pondering ProctorsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (2020)

A century of excellence comes to a close and we reach the end of the tale of Franz Biberkopf for the second time, but certainly not the last. We get reflective about our time adjacent to or within games culture on this episode, and then rotate some stupid Star Trek stuff for a bit. Things Discussed: Idle Thumbs, Giant Bomb, Star Gladiator, Rival Schools, indie games, media length, Wayside Stories from Wayside School, Star Trek, Hadestown, a welcome surpriseNon-Autumn Zone: Hokuto and Kamiya's Pondering Pootan: A Podcast within a Podcast, Pondering ProctorsThe opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 14 "Mein Traum vom Traum des Franz Biberkopf von Alfred Döblin - Ein Epilog"

It feels in many ways like the entire season was building to this episode, though I’m sure we’ll feel the same way in two weeks. A harrowing show today, and then we enjoy talking about some manga and some books, before Em gets heated about Online and we reflect on the Autumn months (months with Autumn as co-host, not the months of fall).Things Discussed: balancing act of doing stuff, Honey and Clover, currently running and long running manga, X/1999, Wotakoi, How Do We Relationship, Dune, Gundam Seed, some thoughts on the Andor BDS boycott and criticism at large, winding down the Autumn season, picking songs for the podcastNon-Autumn Zone: Hokuto and Kamiya's Pondering Pootan: A Podcast within a Podcast, Pondering ProctorsThe opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 13 "Das Äußere und das Innere und das Geheimnis der Angst vor dem Geheimnis"

Things go bad on this episode of Berlin Alexanderplatz and they probably won’t go right again until we’re done, so please hang on for the next few weeks. We still have a good episode, even if the mood on the saga is melancholy. Things Discussed: fursonas, Abnormal Mapping, Pondering Pootan, Honey and Clover, misremembering the plot of Forrest Gump, Dune, the Stairwells bracket predictions, Non-Autumn Zone: new NANA art, Chobits manga (including tons of spoilers), Hokuto and Kamiya's Pondering Pootan: A Podcast within a Podcast, Pondering ProctorsThe opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 12 "Die Schlange in der Seele der Schlange"

We get to one of our favorite sections of the book we’d been eagerly seeing adapted, and then have Vtuber talk so long that it ends up taking up two whole segments. Also Em and Autumn get on a goddamn tear about the internet and how people spend their attention. It’s a bit of a gripe session, but hopefully people enjoy it.Things Discussed: Vtubers, ADHD and scheduling, medical stuff and doctors appointments, self-destructive behavior and coping strategies, Gawr Gura, Vtuber chat 2, Jeff Gerstmann, Northernlion, the attention economy, recommending stuff, surprise Rick cameo, Eevee evolutions, Pokémon sleep, Pondering Pokémon, Non-Autumn Zone: Hokuto and Kamiyama's Pondering Pootan, Proctoring Pootan, we totally forgot to talk about Chobits it was a long episode and we were tired. We’ll try to do it next week.The opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 10 "Wissen ist Macht und Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund"

Berlin Alexanderplatz discovered a whole new gear of simmering homosexuality so we’re having a good time even before Franz decided to berate some anarchists and we hoot and holler about politics in this rowdy episode. Then the rest happens, as usual. It’s a great time. As usual.Things Discussed: Gamer Supps (we know about the gamer supps thing but didn't as of recording, this is the last one I promise), Question Bucket!, regionalisms, vtuber corner, Cyberpunk 2077, Mission Hill (does anyone know where the good music version is?), everyone yells at Autumn, Beavis & Butthead, Daria, King of the Hill, The Critic, rotating guys in RPGs, Final Fantasy VIII, Metaphor vs Persona 4, Etrian Odyssey and Wizardry, brief discussion of phobias including litmus testing Autumn's arachnophobia, being mean on the podcast, audiobook listening, social media etiquette, Honey & Clover, How Do We Relationship vol 6-8 spoilers, posting about things you like online, TikTok intentionsNon-Autumn Zone: Hokuto and Kamiyama's Pondering Pootan, Proctoring Pootan, translator notes in manga, whatever you are doing at this moment stop what you're doing and send an email to ghostdiverspod@gmail.com it can be about anything at all don't worry about that just send the email I insistThe opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at polarbearsummer.online and on twitter @em_being Autumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 10 "Einsamkeit reißt auch in Mauern Risse des Irrsinns"

We have more announcements as the next season is finally revealed! It’s … very ambitious. Also, Autumn finished Persona 4, we talk about the silent protagonist, Niamh gets a very cool tattoo, and Em talks about some of the weirdness around meeting new people online. Question Bucket, Season 5 Revealed!, Persona 4, Silent Protagonists, Persona 5, Shenmue (briefly), Niamh gets a tattoo (go check out sun.doesnt.set on Instagram), making friends online when you're a very minor person of note, brief vtuber corner, brats and who is oneNon-Autumn Zone: Hokuto and Kamiyama's Pondering Pootan, Proctoring PootanThe opening theme this season is “Das lila Lied” sung by Ute LemperSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on twitter @foxmomnia and on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.ioEm hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. They post on twitter @em_being and on bluesky at polarbearsummer.onlineAutumn podcasts on on Export Audio with Coffee & Comic Books and Ornate Stairwells. They’re on bluesky at autumnalcoffee.exportaud.ioNext episode: Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) part 9 "Von den Ewigkeiten zwischen den Vielen und den Wenigen"