Surprise!! We’ve got a bonus episode for you. Thus far the How to Eat an Elephant podcast has covered War and Peace and Les Misérables. Napoleon Bonaparte features heavily in both of these novels, and so we thought we’d get the crew together to watch Ridley Scott’s recent film about the notorious French Emperor and see how his take compares to those of Tolstoy and Hugo. What did we think? Well…you’ll have to listen and find out… Our new crew member, Charlotte Andrews, also chimes in a bit in the background of this episode… ;) P.S. We’d love to hear what you think of the film! If you decide to ..read more

How to Eat an Elephant will be taking a temporary break. But lest you despair: tune in to find out our plan for returning and what we’ll be doing in the meantime ..read more

In this episode, the HEE crew frolic about in their love for Schönberg and Boublil’s classic musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel. They compare the musical to the book and discuss the ways in which the medium of theater (and film!) allows creators to emphasize Hugo’s themes in unique ways. Ian’s Comprehensive List of the Best “Bring Him Home” Performances: Colm Wilkinson at the 10th Anniversary concert (my all-time favorite) Alfie Boe at the 25th anniversary concert Gary Morris on the complete symphonic recording John Owen Jones Four tenors rendition featuring Wilkinson, Boe, Jones, and a ..read more

In this episode, the HEE team takes a moment to look back and contemplate our journey through Les Misérables. We attempt a bird’s eye view of themes like the historical importance of the 19th century, the role of duty and love, Hugo’s definition of education, and his ultimate vision of hope for the miserable ones. (We apologize for the poor sound quality in areas of this episode. Ian and Emily are rearranging their recording studio and haven’t quite gotten it fine-tuned yet.) Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more

Today’s the day! In this episode, we discuss the conclusion to Jean Valjean’s story. Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more

In this second to last “official” episode for Les Misérables, the HEE team discusses the idealistic joy of Marius and Cosette’s wedding as it compares to the realistic struggle of Jean Valjean’s decision to take up his real name. Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more

The payoff of the novel is upon us! In this episode we discuss two magnificent scenes: the profound conclusion of Javert’s story and the reconciliation of Marius and his grandfather. **Due to 2/3 members of the HEE crew being on the road and the fact that our talented audio editor is on paternity leave, the sound quality of this episode is not up to our usual standards. Please accept our apologies, our assurance that quality will return for future episodes, and our opinion that the thematic content we discuss in this episode is still WORTH IT!! Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow a ..read more

At long last the HEE crew ventures into the Paris sewers! They do their best to navigate its powerful, metaphorical layers while avoiding junior high humor. Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more

The HEE crew is back! We’re discussing Book One of Jean Valjean – it’s the beginning of the end. Topics include Hugo’s philosophy of history, the tension between ideal and real in the story, and Cosette’s strange interlude in this passage about the barricades. Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more

In this very musical edition of How to Eat an Elephant, the team compares the various attitudes toward revolution that we see in this section as they are expressed by Grantaire, Enjolras, Gavroche, and Marius. Join the Facebook discussion group here! Follow along with our reading schedule: https://www.centerforlit.com/hee ..read more