Thumbing Through Yesterday

107 - Falling Free

21 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is a fun, standalone adventure set in her Vorkosigan Saga universe. It's a story of corporate greed, shady et...

106 - Burning Chrome

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

William Gibson's Burning Chrome is a collection of his early cyberpunk short stories, and a favorite of Tony's. Or is it? Does this book, and ...

105 - Lucifer's Hammer

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle is one of Tom's favorites. In it, Tim Hamner, an amateur astronomer, discovers a new com...

104 - Lost Boys

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card is Tony's pick, and a first-read for Tom. This is one of those quietly unsettling novels that sneaks up on you. It s...

103 - Rendezvous With Rama

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke is pure, distilled classic science fiction — wide-eyed wonder, cool-headed astronauts, and mysteries big en...

102 - Jurassic Park

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is a favorite of both Tom and Tony, and a real page-turner. Dinosaurs run amok in the 20th century... what's not...

101 - Conan the Barbarian

21 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Conan the Barbarian is Robert E. Howard’s iconic swordslinger, the gold standard of sword-and-sorcery heroes. It’s hard to imagine a more quintess...

100 - Among Others

07 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Among Others by Jo Walton is Tony's pick for this episode. This is the first Walton we've featured, which seems like a terrible oversight. Wha...

99 - In Conquest Born

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Conquest Born is the first novel by C.S.Friedman, one of Tom's favorite authors, and marks her fantastic appearance in the realm of published s...

98 - Marooned in Realtime

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Marooned in Realtime is Tony's pick, and wraps up our Vinge Binge for now. A first read for Tom, this is a direct sequel to The Peace War, set a m...

97 - At the Mountains of Madness

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft is Tom's choice this time. Mountains is perhaps the most objective look into Lovecraft's universe ...

96 - A Deepness in the Sky

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge is the (pre) sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep, which we visited in episode 91. Although a first read, Tom chose th...

95 - Lord Valentine's Castle

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg is Tony's pick this time. A lengthy science fantasy tome, it follows the adventures of Valentine,...

94 - The Peace War

07 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Peace War, by Vernor Vinge, is a favorite that Tom hasn't revisited in decades. Talk about dusting off a long-forgotten classic! Turns out tha...

93 - Podkayne of Mars

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Podkayne of Mars is one of Robert Heinlein's juvenile series and Tony's pick for this episode. Join us as we explore Heinlein’s take on grow...

92 - Lord of the Flies

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lord of the Flies, the debut novel of William Golding, is something you probably encoutered in grade school. Tom did, and it stuck with him over the d...

91 - Liar's Poker

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis is Tony’s pick this time around, and definitely not Tom’s usual fare. This insider look at the world of 1980s Wall...

90 - Moby Dick

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Moby Dick by Herman Melville is Tom’s pick for this episode, and let’s just say… the whale wasn’t the only one dragging. Tony hadn’t read it...

89 - A Fire Upon The Deep

21 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge is Tony’s pick this time; a long-time favorite of his and a first read for Tom. And wow… mind blown. From gal...

88 - Dream Park

07 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dream Park by Larry Niven & Steven Barnes is Tom’s pick this time around, a favorite from his high school days. What brought it back to mind? A ...

87 - The Magicians

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is Tony's pick this time, the first of a trilogy about some of the worst people you'll ever encounter. Brilliant...

86 - Eaters of the Dead

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton is Tom's pick. Is it really "the least Crichtony Crichton novel?" Maybe. But both Tom and Tony lo...

85 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling is Tony's pick this time around. The third book in the series, this one shows a depth and com...

84 - On The Beach

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On The Beach by Nevil Shute is an early,chilling tale of nuclear warning. After just 30 days of missles and bombs, the entire northern hemisphere is i...

83 - The Anubis Gates

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is a mind-bending blend of historical fiction and fantasy, where 20th-century scholar Brendan Doyle is unexpectedly tra...

82 - The Good Shepherd

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Good Shepherd by CS Forester is a thrilling, tension-packed story set during WWII. Commander George Krause heads a 4-ship defense force escorting ...

81 - Roadmarks

21 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Roger Zelazny's Roadmarks is a bizarre book about time travel. And magic. And dragons. And sentient AI. And cars. And dinosaurs. A favorite of Tony's,...

80 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

07 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is one of Phillip K. Dick's best-known novels, and the basis for the Bladerunner film franchise. Tom loves this bo...

79 - Slaughterhouse Five

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut is probably his best-known novel, a quasi-autobiographical account of the fire-bombing of Dresden mixed with a ty...

78 - Watchmen

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Watchmen by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins, is one of the finest graphics novels ever made. Perhaps the best? A favo...

77 - The Legacy of Heorot

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Legacy of Heorot by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, and Steven Barnes, is Tony's pick this time around, a book that is also on Tom's list. We had ve...

76 - Who Goes Here?

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Who Goes Here? by Bob Shaw is a quirky Sci-Fi adventure. Our protagonist, Warren Peace (yes, Warren Peace!) awakens in a doctor's office with literall...

75 - Hyperion

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a Hugo Award-wining novel that Tony loves and Tom hasn't read before. It's structured like Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, but ...

74 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne is often regarded as a classic of early science fiction, but is it any good? Tom has fond memories of read...

73 - Tunnel in the Sky

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Robert Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky kicks off our 4th year of continuous podcasting. One of Heinlein's juvenille series, this is a fast-paced ...

72 - The Meta Episode

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode, we talk a bit about making Thumbing Through Yesterday. No novel to discuss, just an exploration of the podcast itself. Why did we start ...

71 - Elric of Melniboné

21 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Michael Moorcock's Elric saga is one of the most influential bodies of work in early fantasy. Elric, the titular character, is the last emporer of a w...

70 - Arcadia

07 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard is a little bit of a deviation, being a play script instead of a novel. Still, it's a fascinating read, showcasing Stoppar...

69 - For Whom the Bell Tolls

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is one of his best novels, a story about the nobility of war. Or is it about the futility of war? It de...

68 - The Little Prince

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry is a beloved childrens' book that should have a place of honor in your bookshelf. A favorite of bot...

67 - The War of the Worlds

21 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

H.G. Wells is often referred to as one of the fathers of science fiction. The War of the Worlds is one if his masterpieces. It has been made into thre...

66 - The Comedy Writer

07 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Comedy Writer is a novel by Peter Farrelly. If you know the name Peter Farrelly, it's likely from his screenplays. He's written such hits ...

65 - Vampire$

21 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Vampire$ is John Steakley's second novel. It's about a group of church-funded mercenaries who hunt, you guessed it, vampires. It's an inte...

64 - Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow is a strange tale about a new society, the first generation of immortal humans. Told from the first...

63 - Ringworld

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Larry Niven's RIngworld is a masterpiece of classic SciFi. WInner of teh Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards, this is a favortie of both Tom and Tony. ...

62 - Camouflage

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Camouflage by Joe Haldeman is Tony's pick this time around. A completely new experience for Tom, this book explores the life of an alien shapshift...

61 - Starship Troopers

21 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Starship Troopers is iconic Robert Heinlein. One of his best sellers, and arguably his most recognized novel, Starship Troopers explores life under th...

60 - Agent to the Stars

07 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

John Scalzi's first novel, Agent to the Stars, is a fun story about Tom Stein, a moderately-successful talent agent, who finds himself with a race...

59 - Heavy Time

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Heavy Time by CJ Cherryh is one part her Company Wars series. Filled with political intrigue and hard sci-fi, we follow a small cast of asteroid miner...

58 - Masters of Doom

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Masters of Doom by David Kishner is our first non-fiction choice, and one of Tony's favorites. This tale focuses on John Carmack and John Romero, ...

57 - Logan's Run

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Before it became an iconic film, Logans Run was a novel by William F. Nolan. Tony didn't realize that the novel existed, while Tom read this many ...

56 - A Wrinkle in Time

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline L'Engle is a young adult scifi that both Tony and Tom read in their youth. It's a very accessible story about a ...

55 - Brave New World

21 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is one of Tom's favorite dystopian novels, although it's arguable whether the world is a dystopia or a utopia...

54 - The Great Brain

07 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald is the first of a series of childrens books that Tony fell in love with during his youth. The stories center...

53 - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This epsiode marks the first time we've had a guest on the show! Dr. Eva Rose Washburn-Repollo joins us in discussing one of her favorite books, T...

52 - Winnie the Pooh

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Winnie the Pooh, along with The House at Pooh Corner, document the stories that author A.A. Milne told to his son, Christopher Robin. Two delightful c...

51 - Dune

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Frank Herbert's Dune has been called the most important novel in science fiction. A winner of both the Hugo and Nebula awards, and a favorite of b...

50 - Lovecraft

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

H.P. Lovecraft is both the father of cosmic horror and the creator of the Cthulhu mythos. Since he didn't write novels, join us as we explore a co...

49 - Neverwhere

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman set out to write a book that would do for adults what the books he had loved when he was younger had done for him as a kid....

48 - Animal Farm

07 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a classic dystopian allegory, paralleling 1984 in showing Orwell's disdain for communism. Why does this book appea...

47 - Big Trouble

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You probably know Dave Barry as a Pulitzer prize winning humorour columnist. Did you know he is also a novelist? Tony's pick this time is Big Trou...

46 - Dragon's Egg

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tom's return to yesterday is Dragon's Egg by Robert L. Forward. Tony characterizes this book as the epitome of hard sci-fi, and loved getting ...

45 - Appaloosa

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Robert B. Parker is a favorite author of Tony's, and he's chosen Appaloosa, the first Western of a series featuring Virgil COle and Everett HI...

44 - A Fine and Pleasant Misery

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Fine and Pleasant Misery by Patrick McManus is a favorite from Tom's youth. Together with his best friends at the time, Tom lived many of the ad...

43 - Glory Road

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Glory Road is one of Tony's all-time favorite books, and his Robert Heinlein selection for our 2nd year. This is an atypical Heinlein in that, in ...

42 - This Day All Gods Die

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This Day All Gods Die is the conclusion to Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle, and what a conclusion it is! This is a novel-length climax that's...

41 - Chaos and Order

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We continue our journey through Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle with Chaos and Order, book 4 of the series. Events continue to accelerate and the...

40 - A Dark and Hungry God Arises

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Dark and Hungry God Arises is the 3rd book in Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle. Tony isn't enjoying the read, but acknowledges the mastery o...

39 - Forbidden Knowledge

21 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Forbidden Knowledge by Stephen R. Donaldson is the 2nd book in his Gap Cycle. We read the first for episode 9; now, we're undertaking the rest of ...

38 - Shogun

07 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Shogun by James Clavell is quite a read! This was Tony's pick, and a first-time read for Tom. It's a monster of a book, but completely fun and...

37 - Under the Green Star

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lin Carter's Under the Green Star is something Tom fell in love with when it was fresh off the presses in the early 70s, and which has been unavai...

36 - Demon

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Demon concludes John Varley's Gaea trilogy, and what a conclusion it is! Giant snakes! Giant Marilyn Monroe! WAR!! Sirocco has been fired from her job...

35 - Wizard

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wizard is the 2nd book in John Varley's Gaea trilogy. We return to the ring 75 years after the events of Titan. Sirocco is an alcoholic. Gaby is on th...

34 - Titan

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Titan by John Varley is the beginning of a trilogy about Gaea, a sentient alien megastructure in orbit around Saturn, and the loves of the human crew ...

33 - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a Pulitzer prize winning novel by Michael Chabon, whose writing is definitely worthy of the honor. We...

32 - Jhereg

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jhereg by Steven Brust is a favortie of Tony's and the springboard to a series which currently contains 15 novels. Part scifi, part fantasy, and all f...

31 - The Mote in God's Eye

21 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle is a first-contact novel by two masters of scifi. There's a lot to appreciate when two such...

30 - The Stainless Steel Rat

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat is an old favorite of Tony's, and a forgotten pleasure of Tom's as well. The adventures of "Slippery Jim" deG...

29 - Thieves World

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thieves World is a shared-world anthology edited by Robert Lynn Asprin. This book is a collection of short stories by assorted authors, each exploring...

28 - The Girl of the Sea of Cortez

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Girl of the Sea of Cortez by Peter Benchley is a favorite of Tony's and a first-read for Tom. This is a wonderful adventure that manages to bring ...

27 - White Fang

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jack London's White Fang has long been a favorite of Tom's, and a fondly-remembered story of Tony's as well. We revisit this childhood classic. Will i...

26 - Midnight at the Well of Souls

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack Chalker holds a fond place in Tony's memories. A first read for Tom, this is one of those books that proves a bo...

25 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Marking the start of our second year, we return to Robert E. Henlein, a grand master of science fiction and favorite of us both. The Moon is a Harsh M...

24 - Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been almost a year since we visited the works of Douglas Adams, and now we return with one of Tony's favorites: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective ...

23 - The Princess Bride

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you've only seen the movie, you have no idea how much of a treat awaits you in the book! The Princess Bride by William Goldman does tell the story ...

22 - Hearts in Atlantis

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hearts in Atlantis is a Stephen King novella lifted from the midst of a collection by the same name. Set in the era of the Vietnam war, this very un-K...

21 - I Am Legend

21 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I Am Legend is a fantasticly fun read about the sole human survivor in a world overrun by vampires. Sort of. A longtime favorite of Tom's, and much ap...

20 - Confess, Fletch

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Confess, Fletch is the 2nd in Gregory McDonald's series of comic mysteries. Fletch finds himself accused of a murder he didn't commit, which seriously...

19 - A Scanner Darkly

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Scanner Darkly is arguably Phillip K Dick's best-know novel, and certainly is one of his finest. This has been a favorite of Tom's for decades. Its ...

18 - Passage

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tony's choice, Passage by Connie Willis, is Tom's introduction to this amazing author, one of the Grand Masters of science fiction. Listen to our resp...

17 - The Madness Season

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Madness Season is one of the few stand-alone novels by by C.S.Friedman, one of Tom's favorite authors. Both the novel and the author are firsts fo...

16 - A Clockwork Orange

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess may be one of the most disturbing dystopian visions ever penned. See how Tom & Tony react to revisiting Alex...

15 - 1984

21 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Big Brother is watching. And listening. George Orwells's 1984 is a powerful book with some big ideas, and one that Tom keeps revisiting. Enjoy our dou...

14 - The Andromeda Strain

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton's first novel published under his own name, is a techno-thriller set in the earliest days of space exploration ...

13 - Armor

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

John Steakley's Armor is the definitive book about smashing hordes of bug-eyed aliens while wearing powered combat armor... and so much more! Join us ...

12 - Gateway

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Gateway by Frederick Pohl is a favorite from Tony's youth, and a first-read for Tom. A little book with a lot of big ideas, Gateway was written as a s...

11 - Star Trek Log 10

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Star Trek Logs are a series of novelizations of the animated Star Trek series, written by Alan Dean Foster. Tom grew up with a collection of these...

10 - Nine Princes in Amber

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny is a favorite for both Tom and Tony. In this first book of the Chronicles of Amber, we meet Corwin, a man who w...

09 - The Real Story

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The opening to an epic sci-fi series, The Real Story is an example of Stephen R. Donaldson doing what he does so well. A favorite of Tom's, and a firs...

08 - Zodiac

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A choice from Tony's youth, and a first-read for Tom, Neal Stepehson's Zodiac is "a fast ride on a rough road." We discuss what worked, and what didn'...