Two friends, one book at a time, and everything in the margins.
Hosts Cristiano Sanchez and Stranton Aiono dive into literature, life, and everything in between. Each episode breaks down a book, explores big ideas, and opens up real conversations about the margins, where creativity and life meet.
What if Hell wasn’t pain, fire, or torture? What if it was time? In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we dive into A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck, a short philosophical horror novella that turns an impossible library into one of…
What happens when humanity learns we are not alone, and someone decides the aliens might be better at running things than we are?This week on The Margins Podcast, we dive into The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, the first novel in the Reme…
What makes Anxious People such a memorable novel? Why do flawed characters feel so real? And what should readers expect from the upcoming adaptation? In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we dive into Anxious People by Fredrik Backman, ex…
Stranton missed our scheduled recording time this week, so his punishment was simple. He had to do the episode by himself. In Season 2, Episode 8 of The Margins Podcast, Stranton looks back at the books connected to different stages of his…
For Season 2, Episode 7 of The Margins Podcast, we cover A Game of Thrones, the first book in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.We discuss the characters, the conflict between honor and power, and a few major differences b…
What makes revenge stories so satisfying? Why are family secrets so compelling? And how is AI changing the future of publishing? In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we dive into Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden, exploring the novel's…
In this episode of The Margins, we dive into Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea, one of fantasy’s most influential coming-of-age stories. We talk about Ged’s journey, the danger of unchecked power, the weight of true names, and why pa…
In this episode of The Margins, we discuss Strangers by Belle Burden and use the memoir as a jumping off point for a deeper conversation about betrayal, relationship breakdowns, trust, money, community loyalty, and the quiet damage left beh…
In this episode of The Margins, we discuss John of John by Douglas Stuart, a novel about family, faith, identity, masculinity, and the pressure to belong.We talk through John’s struggle for self-expression, Cal’s relationship with family se…
What does it mean to live a life shaped by grief, and how can art help us survive it? In this episode, we explore the profound themes of martyrdom, suffering, and the search for meaning through the lens of Kave Akbar's incredible novel…
The Margins is back for Season 2.In this premiere episode, we dive into Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, a sharp, strange, and compelling novel about family, belonging, identity, and the unexpected turns that shape how people find their place.W…
We’re currently between seasons, so for the next few weeks we’re rereleasing some of our favorite episodes with improved audio and cleanup. Season 2 of The Margins Podcast returns the first week of June.This week, we’re revisiting our Dunge…
In this Season Finale episode of The Margins Podcast, we sit down with our guests Keala Kendall and Britt Rubiano for a conversation about storytelling, editing, collaboration, publishing, and the emotional connection readers build with boo…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we try something new. We got a little thrown off dealing with some studio hardware upgrades, but we kept it rolling. Each of us brings a book to recommend to the other and makes the case for why it is…
We hit 50 episodes.Cristiano Sanchez looks back on the run so far. The books that held up. The ones that didn’t. The moments that worked on mic and the ones that forced changes behind the scenes.You’ll hear how the show evolved, what shifte…
This week, we break down The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller.We focus on what middle school actually feels like. Identity shifts. Friendship pressure. The awkward reality of growing up.We talk through:How identity forms early and shifts…
In this episode, we break down Unsouled by Will Wight. We focus on Lindon’s starting point, the structure of the world, and how the story builds tension through limitation instead of power.We talk about:What it means to start at the bottomH…
In this episode, Cristiano and Stranton break down Flatland by Edwin Abbott. They explore how a simple geometric world exposes rigid social hierarchies, limits of perception, and the consequences of thinking inside fixed dimensions.This con…
In this episode, Cristiano and Stranton explore Jeanette McCurdy's novel 'Half His Age,' delving into themes of forbidden love, power dynamics, and personal growth. They discuss the book's portrayal of complex relationships, societal bounda…
In this episode, we sit down with Stephen Blackmoore, author of Dead Things and the Eric Carter series, to talk about writing dark urban fantasy that doesn’t pull punches. From necromancy and morally gray characters to building a gritty ver…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, Cristiano Sanchez sits down with author and Emmy award winning journalist Nikesha Elise Williams to talk about her novel The Seven Daughters of Dupree.They unpack how journalism shaped her fiction. Wh…
Author Jake Korell joins The Margins Podcast to talk about his debut novel, The Second World.We unpack the journey behind the book. The conversation moves through the early inspiration for the story, how the project evolved from a pilot int…
Audible Free Trial Link: https://www.audibletrial.com/c/6793257/1059353/12951 In this episode of The Margins Podcast, Cristiano is joined by Chené Lawson and Joel Peissig to talk through the creative journey behind All Things Undone. The co…
Audible Free Trial Link: https://www.audibletrial.com/c/6793257/1059353/12951In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we mark Black History Month by diving into the audiobook The Prophecy by Randy McKinnon. Told through a full-cast productio…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we unpack My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney, a psychological thriller built on shifting identities, fractured trust, and competing versions of the truth.We break down the characters, the unreliable na…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we sit down with author Nicholas Binge to talk about how travel, culture, music, and lived experience shape the way he tells stories. We dig into his life as a nomad, the role of food and place in und…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we dive into Empire of Silence by Christopher Ruocchio, the opening book in The Sun Eater series.We talk about why this story moves at a deliberate pace, how its memoir style shapes the reading experi…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we dive into The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss, a sequel that expands Kvothe’s legend while digging deeper into what makes him compelling, frustrating, and impossible to ignore.We break down Rot…
In this episode of The Margins Podcast, we break down Beartown by Fredrik Backman, a story about a small town built around one thing: hockey.But this book isn’t really about the sport. It’s about community pressure, reputation, loyalty, and…
In this recap episode of The Margins Podcast, we slow things down and take stock. We talk about the stories that stayed with us, the authors who shaped our reading year, and the conversations we want to make room for going forward.This epis…
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