Pages Past is a visit to the library of memories. In each episode, a guest chooses a book from their far past to read and discuss. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books.
Courtney Gustafson, community cat caretaker and author of Poets Square: A Memoir in Thirty Cats, revisits a book she calls a turning point in her life: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (2005), which we read through the theme of belonging. Topics discussed: Prep school names, female friendship, overthinking, and why anyone would choose to wear a weird hat.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is a journey through the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books. Audio production by the incredible Caleb Buys.
As always, you DO NOT need to read the book to enjoy the episode!
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
14 May 2026
Pages Past is back! Here's a little teaser of what's to come: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, with Courtney Gustafson of Poets Square Cats
Pages Past is back this month from hiatus! Here's a sneak peek of the episode that will be in your ears soon. Caleb and I love you, our audience, more than words can say!
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is a journey through the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books. Audio production by the incredible Caleb Buys.
As always, you DO NOT need to read the book to enjoy the episode!
Follow us on Patreon or on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
18 Nov 2025
The Tennis Partner by Abraham Verghese with Dr. Steven Parra
Dr. Steven Parra (https://www.instagram.com/parra.steven/), resident physician in anesthesiology and recurring favourite on The Newest Olympian (https://www.thenewestolympian.com/) and other shows in the Schubertverse, revisits a book that deeply affected him as an aspiring medical student: The Tennis Partner (1998) by Abraham Verghese, which we read through the theme of denial. This episode contains discussions of medical topics, suicide and self-harm, mental illness, divorce and infidelity, misogyny, Covid-19 and HIV/AIDS. The opinions discussed in this episode are Steven's own and not those of any employer.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is a journey through the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books. Audio production by the incredible Caleb Buys.
As always, you DO NOT need to read the book to enjoy the episode!
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
15 Sept 2025
Quest for a Maid by Frances M. Hendry with Anne Thériault
Anne Thériault, author of the Queens of Infamy series and many other works, revisits one of the first books she picked out all by herself: Quest for a Maid (1988) by Frances M. Hendry, which we read through the theme of power. Topics discussed: Feminist readings of witchcraft and plucky heroines, wanting to say "See you never" to your family when you're a teen, and whether we care who the King of Scotland is (nope!).
Anne is at work on a book expanding on her amazing piece about the radical mental health program inspired by St. Dymphna in Geel, Belgium.
We stood on the shoulders of many giants in this episode: Anna Carter Florence (Rehearsing Scripture), Hannah McGregor (A Sentimental Education), Jia Tolentino (Pure Heroines from Trick Mirror), and Lindsey from Young Adult Historical Vault (the only summary of Quest for a Maid online).
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is a journey through the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books. Audio production by the incredible Caleb Buys.
As always, you DO NOT need to read the book to enjoy the episode!
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
11 Aug 2025
Pet Sematary by Stephen King with Will Young
Will Young—blogger, podcaster, and children's television scholar—revisits a formative and ever-so-slightly blasphemous book from his teen years: Pet Sematary by Stephen King, which we read through the theme of responsibility.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is a journey through the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books.
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
14 Jul 2025
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine with Alyssa Esteban
Alyssa Esteban (https://www.alyssaesteban.com/)—artist, podcaster, and storyteller—is a student of the fantasy genre and the host of the Breakfast in Beauclair podcast, which examines The Witcher books, games, and Netflix show. Together we revisit a book that helped her fall in love with fantasy: The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine, which we read through the theme of identity.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is the podcast where we visit the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books.
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose, Evening, and Morning, licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
16 Jun 2025
The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton with Ankit Madhira
Ankit Madhira (https://www.instagram.com/ankitmadhira/)—actor, musician, and host of the Post Finale and Flip the Scripts podcasts—joins Genna to revisit the one book he didn't hate in high school English class: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, which we read together through the theme of fear.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is the podcast where we visit the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books.
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
Content warnings: gang violence (not graphic), death (not discussed in detail), suicide (I said "commit suicide" rather than "die by suicide" in this episode, which I know not to do! I will work on that in the future)
2 Dec 2024
Pages Past pilot: Holes by Louis Sachar with Mike Schubert
Mike Schubert (https://www.schub.es/), creator of The Newest Olympian (https://www.thenewestolympian.com/), Potterless, and many other podcasts, joins Genna to revisit the first book he ever loved: Holes (http://www.louissachar.com/holes.html) by Louis Sachar, which we read together through the theme of justice.
Pages Past (https://pagespastcast.com/) is the podcast where we visit the library of memory. In each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be something that meant a lot to you in the far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find new meanings in our old favourite books.
Follow us on Instagram at @pagespastcast.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast. It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod. Pennsylvania Rose licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
22 Jun 2024
Pages Past Preview: Pet Sematary by Stephen King, with Will Young of the Elwood City Limits podcast
This is a sneak peek of Pages Past, a new podcast coming in 2024. On each episode, host Genna Buck invites a guest to choose a book to read and discuss. It must be a book that meant a lot to you in your far past—so long ago, that you were a different person the last time you read it. Through conversation and close reading, we will find some new meanings in our old favourite books.
This is a snippet of my conversation with Will Young, co-host of the Elwood City Limits podcast. He chose Pet Sematary by Stephen King.
To be notified when new episodes are released, sign up at Patreon.com/PagesPast (https://www.patreon.com/PagesPast). It's free to join, but your support would be very appreciated.
Pages Past was a project of the SUNY Stony Brook Audio Podcast Fellows podcast incubator.
Music is generously provided by Kevin McLeod.
"Evening" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Pennsylvania Rose" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
33
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
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