Scientists Who Read

The Marriage Game

Jen and Mags are back to discuss our Her Story book club read; The Marriage Game by Alison Weir. We chat historical fiction vs historical non fiction, marriage vs no marriage and the many other Her Story books we have on our shelves and TBRs. Books Mentioned: The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir The Captive Queen by Alison Weir A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir The Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir The Lady In The Tower by Alison Weir Cleopatra by Saraa El-Arifi Faebound by Saraa El-Arifi Cursebound by Saraa El-Arifi The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Stoneblind by Natalie Haynes Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot The Rise Of The Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt The Adventures Of Amina Al-Sirafi by S A Chakraborty By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon The King’s Witches by Kate Foster Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

An Equal Music

Join Mags and guest host Ruth to delve into the world of An Equal Music, problematic main characters, bad decisions and beautiful music and books and the emotions they invoke. You can find Ruth on Instagram here & pre-order her book recommendation Almost Life by Keiran Millwood Hargrave here Books Mentioned: The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald The Secret History by Donna Tartt Tender Is The Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica The Novel Cure by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman Almost Life by Kiran Millwood Hargrave The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave In Memoriam by Alice Winn The Lamb by Lucy Rose A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth References: An Equal Music playlist Beethoven Symphony No 6 La Traviata Act 3 - Prelude Largo al factotum from The Barber of Seville Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

• Chapters

The Hunger Games

Chef’s kiss, no notes, will read again! But wait, there is still a whole episode to listen to, because of course we won’t miss a chance to talk about one of our favourite books. Jen is back and her and Mags chat The Hunger Games trilogy and the newer additions to the universe, and what more we’d like to see. Books Mentioned: The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood The Testaments by Margaret Atwood Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes by Suzanne Collins Sunrise On The Reaping by Suzanne Collins References: Info about Panem Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

• Chapters

Who’s Afraid Of Gender

In this episode Mags and her wonderful guest host Alicia (she/they) use the book as a starting point for conversations about the misuse of science in anti trans arguments, feminism, philosophy and its intersection with science, and of course; memes! Books Mentioned: The Picture Of Contented New Wealth by Tariq Goddard Brainwyrms by Alison Rumfitt The Companion Species Manifesto by Donna Haraway A Cyborg Manifesto by Donna Haraway References: Gaysper’s wiki page ​​ The gaysper origin story Study about the rate of detransition Accompanying article about how very few regret legal gender change in Sweden More about Donna Haraway Alicia’s Instagram Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Frankenstein

Your ears do not deceive you, we are back! Appropriately returning to your feeds with a rather creepy tale of this year’s Science & Fiction book club read Frankenstein. Join Mags and Jen as we discuss Victor Frankenstein as a scientist, the ethical implications of his experiments and how Frankenstein still impacts science today. Books Mentioned: Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood His Dark Materials books by Philip Pullman Witchlore by Emma Hinds References: Mags’ new PhD Instagram The science behind Frankenstein blog post More info about defibrillators from the British Heart Foundation Find a defib in the UK Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Adventures Of Amina Al-Sirafi

Come with us and Amina and her crew on an adventure as we chat about our April book and the ways in which it fit our new beginnings theme. And there may be a surprise quiz at the end! Take the quiz here and let us know in the comments what pirate you are! Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

A New Beginning: April Theme Talk

Let’s chat new beginnings! In life, in nature, and in books (and for Wilf the cat) Books Mentioned: The Adventures Of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa More Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa Welcome To The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Boreum The Martian by Andy Weir The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams Pageboy by Elliot Page Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson Atomic Habits by James Clear Unmasking Autism by Dr Devon Price The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Last Murder At The End Of The World

Join us for what might be our most exciting podcast episode yet! We discuss our March Mysteries book The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton. Books Mentioned: The Devil And The Dark Water by Stuart Turton The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot References: Our The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks podcast episode https://scientistswhoread.buzzsprout.com/2256193/episodes/14158381-the-immortal-life-of-henrietta-lacks Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

March Mysteries: March Theme Talk

Join us for a mysterious chat about our March theme, where Mags is in her element and Jen realises that she does actually read quite a lot of mysteries (and recommends some really good ones!) Books Mentioned: The Last Murder At The End Of The World by Stuart Turton The Devil And The Dark Water by Stuart Turton The Martian by Andy Weir The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell Fifty-Fifty by Steve Cavanagh Kill For Me, Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh Strangers On A Train by Patricia Highsmith The Mirror Man by Lars Kepler The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke A Haunting In The Arctic by C J Cooke The Book Of Witching by C J Cooke Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins The Perfect Wife by J P Delaney My Darling Daughter by J P Delaney Playing Nice by J P Delaney The New Wife by J P Delaney The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley The Guest List by Lucy Foley The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley One By One by Ruth Ware Breathless by Amy McCulloch The One by John Marrs The Holiday by T M Logan The Perfect Couple by Elin Hildebrandt Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh Twisted by Steve Cavanagh Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Reading List

We chat about our birthday month book The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams; how books connect people and can help us find meaning and perspective in life. Books Mentioned: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen Little Women by Luisa May Alcott Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier Life Of Pi by Yann Martel The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Blindness by José Saramago Pageboy by Elliot Page The Gender Games by Juno Dawson Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson The Testaments by Margaret Atwood The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood The Martian by Andy Weir Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Yellowface by R F Kuang Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus The Six Tudor Queens by Alison Weir Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Beloved by Toni Morrison A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth References: Join the Queer Liberation Library from anywhere in the world Listen to or read your library ebooks on Borrowbox or Libby Our Pride & Prejudice podcast episode The StoryGraph The Reading List reading challenge Our Project Hail Mary episode Our Her Majesty’s Royal Coven episode Our Lessons In Chemistry episode Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Books About Books: February Theme Talk

This episode gave us the perfect excuse to talk about books even more so than usual. We chat Books About Books and how much books mean to us and have accompanied us during our lives as we reminisce about five years of Scientists Who Read! Books Mentioned: The Martian by Andy Weir Artemis by Andy Weir Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore The Pumpkin Spiced Cafe by Laurie Gilmore The Christmas Tree Farm by Laurie Gilmore The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore Welcome To The Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum Days At The Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa Inkheart by Cornelia Funke The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke Whit by Ian Banks Yellowface by R F Kuang Katabasis by R F Kuang Butter by Asako Yuzuki The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern References Last year’s Books Squared episode Gingersnaps Bakes The chocolate Guiness cake recipe Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Thief Lord

We discuss our January book for our theme “2000 Was How Long Ago?!, we chat about whether it stood the test of time and how it felt reading a childhood favourite years later. Books Mentioned: His Dark Materials (Series) by Philip Pullman Six Tudor Queens (Series) by Alison Weir Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

2000 Was How Long Ago?!: January Theme Talk

Join us as we chat about the start of the year and reminisce about the 2000s (or as much as we remember of them). We discuss events and books of the year 2000 and onwards, and briefly jump back to 2020 to talk about banana bread. Also join us to do some quizzes to figure out how much you know or remember about the 2000s (they’re linked below) Books Mentioned: The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke Inkheart by Cornelia Funke The Colour Of Revenge by Cornelia Funke The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket Vicky Angel by Jacqueline Wilson Angels And Demons by Dan Brown The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood The Testaments by Margaret Atwood The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood The It Girl by Ruth Ware References Our Scientist Who Reads episode with Dr Alice Hesse Jen’s cousin’s baking instagram The super hard 2000 quiz Identify novels based on their covers quiz What soup are you based on your 2000s tv show preferences Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Very Secret Society Of Irregular Witches

Join us as we discuss our Winter Of Witches December book club book and our final book of 2024 (we are catching up!). We discuss all things witchy, including additional witchy book recommendations and how we’d love to go for a coffee with Mika Moon. Books Mentioned: The Witch And The Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson Queen B by Juno Dawson A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness The Martian by Andy Weir The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes The Once And Future Witches by Alix E Harrow The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner Witchcraft: A History In Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson The Ruin Of All Witches by Malcolm Gaskill Rebel Folklore by Icy Sedgwick The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave The Dancing Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Babel by R F Kuang Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen This Is How You Lose The Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar Gwen And Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree Lies We Sing To The Sea by Sarah Underwood References: The 2025 Scientists Who Read Story Graph challenge The 2025 SWR Themes Story Graph challenge The 2024 Scientists Who Read Story Graph challenge The 2024 SWR Themes Story Graph challenge Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Lies We Sing To The Sea

Join us to chat about our Nautical November book Lies We Sing To The Sea by Sarah Underwood. We discuss the origin story of the monthly theme, sapphic love stories, and a much used fantasy trope we think really needs to go away. Books Mentioned: Saltblood by Francesca De Tores Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan Heroes Of Olympus by Rick Riordan References: Lies We Sing To The Sea reviews on The StoryGraph Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Bookshops & Bonedust

Grab the nearest delicious baked good and join us for a chat about our cosy October book club read. Find out whether the stakes were too low for Jen this time, and why this podcast will now be called Chaos & Cappuccinos. Books Mentioned: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell Goblins & Greatcoats by Travis Baldree The Martian by Andy Weir References: Our Legends & Lattes episode from last year Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

The Cloisters

Join us as we delve into yet another dark academia story, filled with all the intrigue and sinister stuff. But is it like The Secret History? Books Mentioned: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Boreum The Secret History by Donna Tartt Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwood The Turn Of The Key by Ruth Ware A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly References: Our Love On The Brain Episode Fact check about the Yale library fire procedures Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Cosy Autumn: October Theme Talk

Join us as we talk about all the different ways of being cosy this autumn as well as the different sides of the autumnal spectrum represented by Jen and Mags. Including chatting about tea and the weather (of course), bags of cinnamon rolls, and what kind of books count as cosy. Books Mentioned: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree A Discovery Of Witches by Deborah Harkness Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly Welcome To The Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The Martian by Andy Weir Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo Rewitched by Lucy Wood Her Majesty’s Royal Coven by Juno Dawson Daughter Of Smoke And Bone by Laini Taylor Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman The Lighthouse Witches by C J Cooke Morgan Is My Name by Sophie Keetch The Witch And The Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore The Mercies by Keiran Millwood Hargraves The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The Devil And The Dark Water by Stuart Turton The Guest List by Lucy Foley The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon Peter Pan by J M Barrie The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman References Our Legends & Lattes podcast episode Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

Pride & Prejudice

Join us as we reveal some Pride & Prejudice related secrets, discuss our somewhat different feelings about this book and adaptation, and find out why it’s called Pride & Prejudice in the first place. Join in with the quiz to find out which Bennet sister you are! Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon

TBR: September Theme Talk

This month we chat about TBRs, how books come to be on our TBRs, some of the ones currently on ours, and how often we actually read the books we intend to read. Books Mentioned: The Cloisters by The Martian by Andy Weir Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Artemis by Andy Weir Support the show Where to find us: Join the Scientists Who Read book club & community Follow Scientists Who Read on Instagram & TikTok Follow Mags on Instagram Follow Jen on Instagram Find all of our other links, such as our merch shop here Support us & get exclusive bonus content on Patreon