Keene on Books

Keene on Books returns with an episode discussing Maia Kobabe's 2019 graphic memoir, Gender Queer. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Eleanor Green, Teen Librarian at Keene Public Library, Alyssa Hamilton, English teacher at ConVal High School, and Ian Kaplan, Coordinator of LGBTQ+ Student Support at Keene State. Only Eleanor had the deluxe edition of the book, but our whole conversation is really pretty deluxe. 

Keene on Books returns with an episode discussing Min Jin Lee's 2017 novel, Pachinko. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Cindy Cheshire, biblical scholar, JEDI Faculty Fellow, and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Communication and Philosophy at Keene State as well as Molly Parsons, Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Writing. We may not have found 100% of the biblical allusions, but 100% of the ones we did find were found by Cindy.

Keene on Books returns with an episode discussing 2023's Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, edited by Jordan Peele. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Kirsti Sandy, Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and English prof at Keene State as well as illustrious KSC senior students and writers Kyla Culver and Moses Fisher. 

Keene on Books returns with an episode discussing Kaveh Akbar's 2024 novel, Martyr!. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Celia Rabinowitz, Director of Mason Library and Molly Parsons, Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Writing. Cue a dream sequence where you listen to this podcast with a family member and your favorite basketball player / cartoon character.

Keene on Books is back with an episode discussing Emma Cline's 2023 novel, The Guest. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Dr. Kirsti Sandy, Professor and Chair of the Keene State English Department and Kyla Culver, an English literature major and studio art minor at KSC. Spoiler: in the story of our conversation, we make it to Simon's Labor Day party but do NOT die on the manicured grass.

Keene on Books returns with an episode discussing Nana Kwame Adjei Brenyah's 2023 novel, Chain-Gang All-Stars. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Celia Rabinowitz, Director of Mason Library and Molly Parsons, Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Writing. Depending on how you think about it, this is either the least or most appropriate novel to think about near the Super Bowl...

Just in time for the holidays and year-end book lists, Keene on Books is back with an episode discussing Zadie Smith's 2023 novel, The Fraud. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Kirsti Sandy, Professor and Chair of the Keene State English Department and William Stroup, Professor of English. If you are deciding between listening to this podcast and reading a novel by William Ainsworth, it is our humble opinion as English professors that you should listen to us.

Keene on Books returns with a romance novel double feature with Casey McQuiston's 2022 novel I Kissed Shara Wheeler and Ruby Dixon's 2020 novel When She Purrs. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Amber Davisson, Professor and Chair of Communication and Philosophy and Meriem Pagès, Professor of English and Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Forum. Come for the break down of the genre conventions of romance; stay for the blushing.

Keene on Books returns with a podcast discussing Celeste Ng's 2022 novel, Our Missing Hearts. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Celia Rabinowitz, Director of Mason Library and Molly Parsons, Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Writing. Get thee to a library!

Keene on Books returns with a podcast discussing Jennifer Egan's 2022 novel, The Candy House. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Emily Robins Sharpe, Chair of the English Department, and Molly Parsons, Assistant Director of the Center for Research and Writing. 

Keene on Books returns with a podcast discussing Danya Kukafka's 2022 novel, Notes on an Execution. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Amber Davisson, Professor and Chair in the Communication Department and Meriem Pagès, Professor of English and Director of the Medieval and Renaissance Forum. 

No fiction: Keene on Books returns with a podcast discussing Elizabeth McCracken's 2022 novel, The Hero of This Book. Host / Associate Professor of English Education Chris Parsons is joined by Celia Rabinowitz, Director of Mason Library and Brinda Charry, Professor of English and author of the recently released novel, The East Indian.