Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 29

Misunderstood Authors, Tom Clancy, and the Wendell Berry Jar

Our friend Nick Rynerson joins us as he auditions to take over for our former co-host (but still friend of the podcast), Barnabas. Listen in as we discuss:

Why Nick’s coworkers have a Wendell Berry jar in the officeMisunderstood authors (both their work and their lifestyles)How Keanu Reeves can be the nicest man in the world and Neil Young is seemingly not, yet both are CanadianWhy Dave is reading a Tom Clancy novel when we normally make fun of such things

All this and the usual silliness...

The Talk

It’s time for our last new episode until 2020, and it’s time for the three of us to have “the talk.”

Wait…what?

What kind of talk are we talking about?

You’ll have to listen to find out.

But in addition to that, a few other important things happen on the show:

We play another round of our favorite game, “Leadership Book or Captain Picard”We discuss if we’ve embraced the “no hugging, no learning” rule (or if we’re okay with side hugging)We talk about why Chevy Chase is terrible

And what’s...

Our Best Books We Read For Our Enjoyment in 2019

‘Tis the season for exhaustive lists of top- something or others from bloggers and podcasters everywhere. So, we’re getting right down to business on this episode as we present to you our completely self-serving end-of-year book lists. Along the way, we also discuss:

When Aaron sounds most pretentiousHow we rank Tim Keller’s booksThe challenge of enjoying poetryOur happiness about our friend Scarlet being okay after a health scareWhat we thought about The Last Jedi Aaron’s favorites: My...

The One With All The Swearing

After a lengthy (?) sabbatical, Barnabas is back with us in the studio to gift you a very special and highly censored discussion of:

Where Barnabas has been all this timePeople using nouns as verbs, and why it should never, ever happen againTerrible ideas for the title of Barnabas’s next bookFather wounds and our attempt to read a book by a certain ex-megachurch pastorWhy parents should post review books on behalf of their children on Amazon (like this one and this one)

All this and Dave...

We’re Thankful For That Time We Talked to Leif Enger

About a year ago, Dave and I had the privilege of being joined in-studio by acclaimed novelist Leif Enger while Barnabas was out on a work-related trip.

He declared us really bad friends, and we’re okay with that.

So, today, as we all gear up for Thanksgiving, we’re representing this interview as a special holiday gift to you!

Listen in as we discuss:

Leif’s writing process and why it took 10 years for Virgil Wander to be released;Why his latest is his “most Christian but least evangelical”...

Poetry & Plumbing, Good Illustrations, and a Defense of Leadership Books

With Barnabas still out trying to get his book written, Dave and I are joined by our friend and colleague Todd Adkins, who is the Director of LifeWay Leadership at LifeWay and the host of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast. Here’s what you’ll hear:

Why leadership books needs to offer both theory and practice Which leadership book Aaron thought was the one he hated (but was actually one he liked)What makes a good illustrationThe two books Todd would walk through when developing a leaderAnother round of Leadership Book or Captain Picard! A few of the...leaderAnotherillustrationTheliked)What

Hutchmoot, Life Changes, & a New eBook

While Barnabas is off trying to meet a deadline or working or something, Aaron & Dave discuss all the things, including:

The podcast’s birthday and a look back on all its iterationsDutch Family SwearsThe Armstrong family lifestyle changesDave’s big takeaways from Hutchmoot and PubUIf you can survive in publishing if you don’t really love booksAaron’s new ebook A few of the books referenced this week: Educated  by Tara Westover Seinfeldia  by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong 11/22/63  by Stephen King

As always, be sur...

ArmstrongbooksAaron’sPubUIfchangesDave’sSwearsTheiterationsDutch

Pyramid schemes, trolling literary people, & marginalia

It’s a special bonus episode of the show as Dave, returning guest co-host Elizabeth Hyndman, and me tackle some very serious subjects:

Essential oils and pyramid schemesSome of our favorite books where the characters are placesWhat would happen if you shared that your favorite book was The DaVinci Code in a high brow book clubIf we should write in booksWhat makes us keep reading vs give up on a book A few of the books referenced this week: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peeling Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows booksWhatclubIfplacesWhatschemesSome

Epic Devotions is Now Available!

My latest book, Epic Devotions: 52 Weeks in the Story that Changed the World, is now available! If you’ve already ordered the book, you should be receiving it in your mailbox today. If not, now’s the perfect time to get it!

[image error] Family Devotions Through the Big Story of Scripture

Like Epic before it, Epic Devotions is a great way to help your older kids and preteens—and the whole family—engage with the gospel story through 52 weekly weekly readings from al...

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What Women Really Want…

Dave is back in the studio and now Barnabas is MIA! But that’s okay, because our friend, Elizabeth Hyndman to take his place and class up the show, while representing all women everywhere. Listen in as we discuss:

The types of books she enjoys Books men should read to better understand womenIf people really need constant reminders to review booksIf people cosplay Jane Austen charactersWho Elizabeth nominates for our sucker-punch fo the week (besides us) A few of the books referenced this week: Educated by Tara Westover charactersWhobooksIfwomenIf