Episode 47: Novels with Spiritual Journeys

The Book XChange Podcast

This time around, the brothers are looking at novels with overt spiritual themes - novels in which the main character, or characters, undergo some type of transformation or evolution (or devolution?) in what they believe and how they look at life. As we say in our introductory comments, the "Big Questions" and spiritual themes are something we've never shied away from on this podcast. Now, these thorny questions take center stage. Mind you, we're not going to solve any of them for you - but we're fascinated when writers have the guts to take them on and send their characters on a spiritual journey in some way. Ranging from ancient texts to contemporary stage plays, picaresque tales and dark allegories, this episode isn't afraid to dive into the deep end of the pool.

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MUSIC BY YOUNG WOLF, VOIDZ PANDA

BOOKS DISCUSSED/MENTIONED/RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE:

What John is currently reading/plans to read next:

'Narcissus and Goldmund,' Hermann Hesse -

'In The Eye of The Wild,' Nastassja Martin -

What Jude is currently reading/plans to read next:

'Obsidian,' Jude Joseph Lovell -

'So You Wanna Be a Teacher: A Memoir,' Peter Kravitz -

Books/Writers discussed in this episode:

'Narcissus and Goldmund,' Hermann Hesse -

'Laurus,' Eugene Vodolazkin -

'Les Miserables,' Victor Hugo -

Various works of Marilynne Robinson, Wendell Berry -

'In This House of Brede' and 'Black Narcissus,' Rumer Godden -

'The Violent Bear it Away,' Flannery O'Connor -

'The Epic of Gilgamesh' -

'The Sunset Limited,' Cormac McCarthy -

'Heaven's My Destination,' Thornton Wilder -

'The Damnation of Theron Ware,' Harold Frederic -

'The Sojourn,' Andrew Krivak -

'Obsidian' and 'Little Fathers,' Jude Joseph Lovell -

Planned next episode of the Book XChange podcast:

In Episode 48, Jude and John will share their favorite collections of essays/essay writers, which will go in all kinds of interesting directions. Next time on the XChange...