Joel reads Middlesex, a swirling multi-generational novel that sees a Greek family migrate to Detroit and struggle with their middle class status. The basis of pretty good novel - and it won the Pulitzer - but does Joel rate it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joel's broken two of his rules this time round by reading a book that is 1) a hardback, and 2) came out this year. It's Miranda July's All Fours, a book where the narrator is supposed to spend a load of money on a life-changing road trip, but ends up blowing all the cash on renovating a motel room just outside town to look like a Parisian hotel suite. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What's the best writing snack? How important is it to plan your character arc? What do you make of The Hardest Geezer book announcement? Joel answers your questions! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Joel's picked out another book that everyone seemed to read before he did. Jenny's Offill's Weather came out in 2020 and is set around the inauguration of Donald Trump's presidency and it's a book that feels like it's set in 2016, but does it hold up in 2024? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joel watched a great TV show based on Benjamin Myers' 'The Gallows Pole' only to find out that everyone had been reading Benjamin Myers for years. This week, he's reading the 2014 novel set in idillic Northern English countryside, Beastings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
You asked for it, you got it. Joel's read a book that he hated and it's Jonathan Ames' collection of articles and short stories that have not dated well and probably weren't very good at the time either. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joel's got really into heading down to his local pond and counting the different types of flowers and fish he can see after reading a mind-altering set of essays on exploration, faith and nature by Anne Dillard. Good for him! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joel's got the answers to all your questions on reading, writing and books in general. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A self-confessed "Egg Head To The Bones", Joel has picked up A Hologram For The King for the first time in 11 years. But will he love it as much as he did the first time? Probably, yes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After last week's venture into 'Cherry', a masterclass in dialogue, Joel's been on the hunt for more conversation. As you'll hear on the episode, they've not all been the most captivating, but he did read Rachel Cusk's 'Outline' which is a novel (novella?) set over ten conversations with strangers. Is it better than the chat he had with a stranger in a post room? Let's hope so. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We've look at books that have done 'alcohol' well, we've looked at books that has done 'sex' well, and now it's time to look at a book that does 'war' and 'drugs' really well. So let's get stuck in to Cherry by Nico Walker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this special bonus episode, Joel speaks to Sheena Patel about her creative influences, the process of writing and crafting her incredible debut novel, 'I'm A Fan'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We've looked at a few books on JGBC with themes desire as of late, and 2022's I'm A Fan took on a life of its own post-release for absolutely nailing the topic through a modern day lens. It's an astute, sharp and witty book that Joel has recommended "the arse out of" since it came out. So yeah! A good one this week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Joel's broken every rule in the book and reviewed his own book, which is a book of reviews. It's all very meta, but essentially, 'Four Stars', his new book comes out in a couple days and he's broken it down, told some anecdotes, shared some influences and given you the first taste of what's to come.Get 'Four Stars' now: https://www.waterstones.com/book/four-stars/joel-golby/9780008284091 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the tenth episode of Joel Golby's Book Club, we're exploring Desire, a memoir from Jonathan Dollimore; a book which explores theories of identity, mortality and, as the name might suggest, desire. It's also book filled with motorbikes (cool), dick sucking (cool) and falling in love with Latvian dudes you don't know the surnames of (cool). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Joel dives into the oldest book so far. From 1976, it's Ann Beattie's 'Chilly Scenes Of Winter' - a book in which a pretty normal guy called Charles - deliberates over whether he's zipping up his coat too quickly. Is it good? Let's find out! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joel's not messing around on this one and has pulled in one of his top ten books of all time (and he only discovered it last year). From 1992, Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson isn't quite a novel but it's also not quite a collection of shorts stories - more a collection of questionable memories from an incredibly unreliable narrator called 'Fuckhead'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Joel's launching into a book that's been described as one of the most important pieces of 20th Century feminist literature, but it's also a book with "I LOVE DICK" in massive letters on the cover so, you know, highs and lows innit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Grab your Raybans, stick on MTV and read a quick, stylish novel by a freakishly young author: it's time for Joel to break down the 80s rollercoaster that is Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Okay, Joel wanted a change from the "woo woo little prayer book" that he read last week (Eat, Pray, Love) so he's picked a book about a guy exploring the world of cucking. So... yeah. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.