Episode 43: And Now for Something a Little Different: The BXC 2022 Kick-Off Show

After a 33-day hiatus, which felt really long for us if not for our listeners, the BXC brothers return and finally kick off 2022 with a looser, less structured episode filled with a little of this and that. First, in response to a suggestion from a listener, we share what books we gifted each other for Christmas at the end of last year (and why). Second, we kick around the idea of setting "resolutions" for the upcoming year in reading, and share a few of the ones we made for ourselves. And finally (there's a reason we titled this episode "something a little different") we cross over to another medium entirely and offer short reviews of two excellent, recent movies adapted from literary works: 'The Tragedy of MacBeth' and 'The Green Knight.' Hope you enjoy this grab bag of an episode, and we're looking forward to continuing "the great conversation" with you all through 2022 and beyond...

MUSIC BY VOIDZ PANDA, YOUNG WOLF

BOOKS DISCUSSED/MENTIONED/RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE

What John is currently reading/plans to read next:

'SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome,' Mary Beard -

'Transcendent Kingdom,' Yaa Gyasi -

What Jude is currently reading/plans to read next:

'Bleak House,' Charles Dickens -

'The Death and Life of the Great Lakes,' Dan Egan -

Books/Writers discussed in this episode:

CHRISTMAS XCHANGE PICKS -

Jude gave to John: 'Perchance to Dream,' Charles Beaumont; 'The Sea Trilogy,' Rachel Carson -

John gave to Jude: 'Paradise,' Abdulrazak Gurnah; 'The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo,' Tom Reiss -

THE BXC TWINS' READING RESOLUTIONS FOR 2022 -

Jude: Listed first 12 books to read in 2022; read 3 BIG books from his shelf; read 2 "Collected Stories" volumes from major fiction writers; read 3 biographies -

John: continue spiritual reading and vacillating between fiction and non-fiction; read more books about the natural world in 2022 -

THE BXC TWINS' SURPRISE MOVIE REVIEWS/RECOMMENDATIONS:

'The Green Knight,' directed by David Lowery, based on the anonymously-written medieval epic poem -

'The Tragedy of MacBeth,' directed by Joel Coen, based on the play by William Shakespeare -

Planned next episode of the Book XChange podcast:

Episode 44 is once again... TBD! (Sorry folks, we will get back on track with teasing upcoming episodes very soon)