Tea or Books?

Simon and Rachel

Simon (Stuck in a Book) and Rachel (Book Snob) debate the difficult decisions of books and reading.

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August 16 · length unknown
#153: Do We Care If Writers Exaggerate? and When The Cranes Fly South vs Only About Love
Liars, Lisa Ridzen, and Debbi Voisey – welcome to episdoe 153! In the first half, we talk about our expectations of truth in the non-fiction we read, inspired by the hoo-ha over The Salt Path. In the second half, we compare When
July 28 · length unknown
#152: Novels about women’s home life vs work life, and The Professor’s House by Willa Cather vs The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout
Elizabeth Strout, Willa Cather, and women’s lives – welcome to episode 152! In the first half, Rachel and Simon discuss whether we prefer reading novels about women’s professional lives or their home lives. In the second half, we compare two
July 2 · length unknown
#151: A Q&A special! (part 2)
Thanks again for all your questions for our special Q&A episode of Tea or Books? It took longer than planned, but here is part 2… Do get in touch at teaorbooks[at]gmail.com with suggestions and questions for future episodes!
May 25 · length unknown
#150: A Q&A special! (part 1)
Thank you so much for all your questions for episode 150 of ‘Tea or Books?’! Because we had so many questions, we’re doing it over two episodes – so today’s is the first half. Watch out for part 2, next
April 16 · length unknown
#149: Do We Like Campus Novels? and Two Books By Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark and campus novels – welcome to episode 149! In the first half of this episode, we answer Lisa’s question: do we like campus novels? In the second half, we compare two novels by Muriel Spark. Not necessarily the
March 30 · length unknown
#148: Is There A Right Time To Read A Book? and The Dutch House vs The Party
Ann Patchett, Tessa Hadley, and finding the right time to read a book – welcome to episode 149! In the first half, we answer the question: is there a right time for each particular book? In the second half, we
February 28 · length unknown
#147: Quality vs Quantity and Two Books About Artists
Douglas Bruton, Carolyn Trant, and quality vs quantity – welcome to episode 147 or Tea or Books?! In the first half, we discuss quality vs quantity in our reading goals (inspired by this Guardian article). In the second half, we
January 17 · length unknown
#146: Our Top 10 Books of 2025
Our favourite reads of the year! Welcome to episode 146. We turn the whole episode over to our run-down of our ten favourite books from a year in reading. As has become a tradition, we will then choose one book
Dec 16, 2025 · length unknown
#145: Younger vs Older Authors and Rhine Journey vs Fenny
Ann Schlee! Lettice Cooper! Authors! Welcome to episode 145 of Tea or Books? In the first half of this episode, we discuss whether we prefer younger authors or older authors (thank you Lindsey for the suggestion!) In the second half,
Nov 25, 2025 · length unknown
#144: Simple vs Ornate Style, and Sylvia Plath vs Janet Malcolm
Sylvia Plath, Janet Malcolm and our thoughts on writing style – welcome to episode 144! In the first half of this episode, we discuss whether we prefer writing style to be ornate or simple. In the second half, we compare
Oct 31, 2025 · length unknown
#143 : Do We Avoid Books That Will Upset Us? and Agatha Christie vs Ethel Lina White
Agatha Christie, Ethel Lina White, and sad books – welcome to episode 143! In the first half, we use Geraldine’s suggestion – do we avoid books that will upset us? In the second half, we compare They Came To Baghdad by Agatha
Sep 27, 2025 · length unknown
#142: Can We Like A Character Who Makes Stupid Decisions? and Other People vs A Five Year Sentence
Celia Dale! Bernice Rubens! Stupidity! Welcome to episode 142 of Tea or Books? In the first half of the episode, we ask if we can like characters in novels who make stupid decisions. In the second half, we compare Other People
Aug 20, 2025 · length unknown
#141: Do We Care About Weather in Novels? and Crooked Cross vs The Spring Begins
Sally Carson, Katherine Dunning, and the weather – welcome to episode 141! In the first half, Rachel and I discuss significant weather scenes in novels, and whether knowing about the weather in novels makes a difference to us. In the
Jul 21, 2025 · length unknown
#140: Our 10 Favourite Books from 10 Years
It’s time for our favourite 10 books from 10 years of ‘Tea or Books?’! Rachel and I have looked through the books we read for the first ten years of the podcast and have each picked our ten favourites –
Jun 28, 2025 · length unknown
#139: 10th anniversary special! O Caledonia vs The Sundial, and celebrating 10 years
Shirley Jackson, Elspeth Barker, and your emails – welcome to episode 139 of Tea or Books?! Can you believe we’ve been going for ten years? It’s wild to me! In the first half of the episode we compare two gothic-inspired
May 26, 2025 · length unknown
Help us celebrate 10 years of Tea or Books?!
A super quick mini-episode – well, not really an episode – asking for your contributions to the next episode of ‘Tea or Books?’. It will be TEN YEARS since Rachel and I first put an episode out into the ether
May 11, 2025 · length unknown
#138: Do We Care About Authors’ Personal Lives? and The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne vs The Beautiful Visit
Elizabeth Jane Howard, Brian Moore, and authors’ personal lives – welcome to episode 138! In the first half of the episode, we do a question that Lindsey suggested: do we care about authors’ personal lives? It takes us to questions
Apr 4, 2025 · length unknown
#137: Resolved or Unresolved Endings? and Perfection vs Catherine Carter
Resolved endings, Pamela Hansford Johnson, Vincenzo Latronico – welcome to episode 137 of Tea or Books?! In the first half of the episode, we take a suggestion from Lindsey – do we prefer resolved or unresolved endings? In the second half,
Mar 11, 2025 · length unknown
#136: Does Reading Make Us Better People? and And Then There Were None vs The Invisible Host
Agatha Christie, Gwen Bristow, Bruce Manning and reading morality – welcome to episode 136 of Tea or Books?! In the first half of this episode, we discuss whether or not we take moral instruction from the books we read –
Feb 6, 2025 · length unknown
#135: Can Literary Fiction Be A Comfort Read? and Enter Ghost vs Lady Living Alone
Isabella Hammad, Norah Lofts, comfort reads – welcome to episode 135!   In the first half, we discuss whether or not literary fiction can be comfort reads – thank you for the suggestion, Marcy! In the second half, we compare

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