The Podgoblin’s Hat is a Moomins read-through show. Tune in for weekly synopses, discussions, analysis and feelings by Dave, who has been reading Tove Jansson t...
For this Christmas-adjascent bonus, we're welcoming Helen Zaltzman, a podcaster and thinker about words.
Helen came to the Moomins as a young child while she was devouring the entire contents of her local library and volunteered to re-read Moominland Midwinter for us. We talk about how lovely the writing is, the art of translation, and what a relief it is when you revisit a beloved childhood story and find that it's still good. So many good quotes are pulled up and lovingly read aloud. The praises of Too-Ticky are lavishly sung.
We also asked Helen to read the Fir Tree, which was new to her. We're still delighted with how much of a stone cold classic this story is. Helen notices the particular pagan and pre-Christian notes, and we're all appalled at Moominpappa's cavalier attitude to his neighbour's trees.
Helen recommends Field Recordings by Eleanor McDowall and Twice upon a Time, with Janet Ellis. Helen's own very good podcast is The Allusionist. We particuarly recommend the Christmas episodes, if you want to think about how weird Christmas is!
--------
53:35
Bonus #9 Hanna Wołoszyn
Our guest for this out-of-season bonus episode is Hanna: a lifelong Moomins fan and reader of the books in Polish!
We talk about faithfulness in adaptation, the differences between the Polish and English translations, and being out on the raw shore of the Baltic sea.
Hanna has a unique perspective on the Hemulen Who Loved Silence, which we read last season. A case is made for quiet people who don't want to have to bite to be heard.
Hanna's Spirit recommendations are bang on topic! Her Spirit of the Moomins is London Drawing Group's online class Tove Jansson: drawing Moomin landscapes. Her Spirit of the Podgoblin's Hat isthe BBC documentary Moominland Tales: the life of Tove Jansson.
--------
46:23
Cedric
And just like that, it's the end of the season! We're going out on a story that actually shows us what happens when someone has a problem and wonders "What would Snufkin do?"
Sniff is inconsolable over the loss of his favourite toy, a small dog called Cedric, with bejewelled eyes (?!). Even Moominmamma can't help him, so he wanders down to Snufkin's camp and gets told a story. It's a very classic story-shape about belongings not making you happy, but you know what we say? There's nothing wrong with playing the hits well!
This story is a real two-hander between Snufkin and Sniff. It really wouldn't be the same without Sniff's many, pertinent, exasperating interruptions. We have a go at filling some plot holes, like: when did Sniff get back from wherever it was he went? Who gave him the toy dog, and why did this put jewels in its eyes?
Next season we'll be reading the Moomin comics, so dig out your copies if you want to read along!
Our Spirits of the Moomins this week are The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander and Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit by Julius Lester. Dave has sneaked three (three!) Spirits of the Podgoblin's hat in this season finale to keep you going until we get back: Cane and Rinse, Girl Mode and Rainbow Road.
--------
1:17:53
The Secret of the Hattifatteners
How many times has Moominpappa gone off with the Hattifatteners? Are they really as wicked as they're cracked up to be? What does the birch bark scroll mean? Hop along and find out none of the answers to these questions!
This is supposed to be a story about the Hattifatteners, but it might more appropriately be named: The Feelings and Projections that Moominpappa has about the Hattifatteners. Which is a bit disappointing for Hattifattener fans but it's still a pretty good story!
Dave's done some serious research into queer species in the Moomins, and Hattifatteners as cyborgs in particular. Nina's got a super bumper natural history corner about birch bark and parthenogenic mothers, with additional rustling sound effects. There's a maths corner too, which is unlikely to happen again. Have we all got our little pieces of birch bark in hand? Good, now we'll begin.
Our Spirits of the Moomins this week are Thistle & Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland by Sorche Nic Leodhas, and The Dark Crystal, Age of Resistance on Netflix. Our Spirit of the Podgoblin's Hat is Research Hole.
--------
1:22:12
Bonus #8 Ali Baker
Our guest Ali Baker is a researcher in children's literature with a particular interest in children's voice and children's rights, so it's no surprise she chose to come on and talk to us about The Invisible Child!
Ali makes a strong case for Bjork as a Spirit of Little My and reminisces about finding the Moomins in her local library as a kid. We situate the Moomins as a type of fantasy, and Ali recommend's Dr Farah Mendlesohn's Rhetorics of Fantasy. We talk about the mixed up class elements of the Moomin family, and go on a long tangent about femme-shaming (#JusticeForTheSnorkMaiden), with reference to Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small quartet.
Ali's article about the the sensitivity edit's to Roald Dahl's work is here. Her Spirit of the Moomin's is Bjork's album Vespertine, and her Spirit of the Podgoblin's Hat is her podcast Fantasy Book Swap.
The Podgoblin’s Hat is a Moomins read-through show. Tune in for weekly synopses, discussions, analysis and feelings by Dave, who has been reading Tove Jansson their whole life, and Nina, who’s just started. We’ll be wending our way through the peaks and troughs of the stories, discussing, thinking and feeling about Tove Jansson’s books for children. Listen in if you like stories about soft round creatures being brave and flawed. Write in if you’ve ever wondered, What Would Snufkin Do?
Sverige