The Mill On The Po

In this episode, we get into Rudyard Kipling’s seafaring classic, Captains Courageous. It depicts a "man’s world" and the arduous journey of coming of age. The story follows Harvey Chaney, a spoiled teenage millionaire who falls overboard a steam liner only to be rescued by the crew of a humble fishing schooner, the We’re Here. Harvey must learn that respect is earned through merit and hard work, not inherited through status. We discuss the book's vivid use of sailor lingo and accents, the hierarchy of the ship, and the "hard knocks" methodology that transforms a boy into a man. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

We took a long break. Not because we ran out of books but because we’re an actual family, not content creators. There were trips. There were kids, and homeschool, and a big yard, and enough sewing to swallow a whole house. We kept reading great books the whole time. We just didn’t talk about it into a microphone.We’re well-rested and ready to start again, but at a slower pace. So, two books a month, give or take. Paid subscriptions are back on, and if you’ve been supporting the show, thank you. You’ll get what you paid for.Now. Dracula.Go look for commentary on this book online and you’ll be told, very seriously, that it’s about stuffy Victorian morality. Everybody knows Victorian morality was stuffy. Why? Because it was Victorian! That’s all we know about it, apparently. Or it’s a coded story about disease, again because Victorians or something.In our opinion, sometimes an author just wants to tell a story. Bram Stoker tells a real horror story. He spends page after page on people who love each other and trust each other and are good all the way down. Then he sends something in to ruin them, and it goes after them because they’re good.We explore more of this “classic” in our return episode. One warning for parents: in the last third, Dracula’s second attack on Mina has sexual overtones, and her husband lies there unable to move while it happens. It’s horror done horrifically. Know it’s coming before you hand this one to your teenager. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit arslibri.substack.comStep through the roots and into the hollows of the Old Oak for a journey into the miniature, moss-covered world of Brambly Hedge, where every season is a celebration and the tea is always brewing. Fun reading for young girls and boys.This is the book edition we own: The Complete Brambly Hedge

In this episode of Ars Libri, guest Sean Russell joins the show to explore the enduring legacy and historical evolution of Robin Hood. Our conversation traces the character’s development from 13th-century “jailhouse records” and 14th-century poems like Piers Plowman to the “gentrified” nobleman popularized by later playwrights and novelists. Russell—author of the Greek-inspired fiction works Thelo and Dunamai—shares insights into how early canon stories such as The Gest of Robin Hood established staples like the archery tournament and the death of the outlaw. We also discuss how figures like Friar Tuck and Maid Marian were integrated into the mythos over centuries. Russell explains the “wax nose” nature of the legend, its political subversions, and its colorful cinematic history, ranging from Kevin Costner’s 90s Americana portrayal to the “perfect aesthetics” of the spoof Men in Tights. Listeners will also get an exclusive preview of Russell’s upcoming novel, Robin Hood: The Green Knight, which reimagines the hero as a battle-hardened veteran of the Third Crusade struggling with his return to England. Checkout these versions:* Robin Hood by Paul Creswik, Illustrated by NC Wyeth* The Adventures of Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green* The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

The novelization of his non-fiction work The Abolition Of Man. Many call it prophetic. The Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength) by C.S. Lewis (2011) Paperback This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

Step back into the churning currents of the 19th-century Po River, where one family’s floating mill becomes the fragile stage for an epic struggle against the relentless tides of history and the unification of Italy.The version of the book that we own: The Mill on the Po This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

James Baldwin’s The Story of Roland (1883) is a classic retelling of the medieval legends surrounding the greatest of Charlemagne’s knights. It combines chivalry, epic battles, and old-school heroism in a web of interweaving adventures. This is one of the best books for boys and girls alike. Old original copies from Scribner and Sons are still available with wonderful artwork by Peter Hurd. 10/10 recommend. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

Pulp adventure with violence (sword fights, arena battles) and mature themes (slavery, false gods, brutal combat). The series is best for older teens or adults. It is a classic sci-fi that was the first at world-building, planetary romance, and blending futuristic imagination with old-world heroism. Ok for mature teens, but not ideal for younger readers without guidance. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

My wife tells me why she likes this book and why she thinks I’m her Mr. Knightley. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe

Crime and Punishment is a psychological novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky that follows Rodion Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in St. Petersburg who murders an unscrupulous pawnbroker, believing himself to be a superior being exempt from moral law. Tormented by intense guilt and paranoia, Raskolnikov wrestles with his conscience while evading detection by the cunning investigator Porfiry Petrovich. Through suffering, spiritual redemption, and the influence of the compassionate Sonya, he ultimately confesses and begins a path toward moral regeneration.Intense psychological exploration of guilt, murder, and redemption; philosophical depth, moral complexity, and disturbing content make it appropriate only for mature adult readers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arslibri.substack.com/subscribe