Around the Long Fire

The sagas are pretty good this week, and we try not to let life get us down, so this all in all is a quiet, pleasant episode of chit chat. Please enjoy!Things Discussed: mid-00s fantasy epics, Hunter X Hunter, NANA, anime takes, Divey vs GGP, gacha check in, Chicago news, health check inSee 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 4, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Sorry for the short episode again, health and mental health are pretty low right now. Hopefully things will pick up in a few weeks!Things Discussed: Straight culture, Umamusume, vtuber stuffSee 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 3, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

A shorter episode this week as we begin the Iliad and have a bunch of podcast work to do after we record, we manage a nice solid hour on both the book and other stuff. Mostly horse girls and food. Y’know, the basic needs. Things Discussed: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Wuthering Heights, Umamusume, Vodka,  Green Yuri, Cooking Talk, 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 2, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

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)