meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Worst Bestsellers

Episode 45 – Hollow Earth

The Worst Bestsellers

Worst Bestsellers

Books, Comedy, Arts

4.5609 Ratings

🗓️ 28 March 2016

⏱️ 80 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hollow Earth by John & Carole Barrowman

 

For part 2 of Nemesis Month, Kait, Renata, and returning guest Naomi read Hollow Earth by Kait’s nemesis John Barrowman (and Carole Barrowman, with whom Kait has no particular beef). It’s a confusing middle grade novel about twins with magic art powers, and the totally not derivative secret society that wants to control those art powers. Or destroy their art powers. Or use their art powers to somehow unleash a bunch of monsters on earth, which for some reason some people would want to do. Or whatever! Listen now to listen to us struggle through good art gone bad.

Retraction: We mistakenly took the Barrowmans to task for putting a Chicago-based painting into their London-based narrative but it turns out the painting in question is the Bathers at Asnières by Georges Seurat, which is in London’s National Gallery. OUR BAD, BARROWMANS. Good job with your art research.

Readers advisory: Here.

Footnotes: John Barrowman & Daniel Boys – I Know Him So Well

Candy pairing:  Kait says chocolate coated candy gems, Naomi says saltwater taffy, Renata says sherbet lemons.

Coming up next: Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly.

 

* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello and welcome to the worst bestsellers, where we read a book by Kate's nemesis

0:15.9

so you don't have to.

0:17.5

I'm Renata.

0:18.5

And I'm Kate.

0:19.5

And for this episode, we read Hollow Earth by John and Carol Barrowman.

0:24.6

Joining us to discuss this artsy middle grade fantasy is Naomi, practicing misandrous and former

0:30.6

searcher for secret doorways to other lands. Welcome. Hi, thanks for having me. Thanks for

0:37.2

joining us again. Longtime thanks for having me. Thanks for joining us again.

0:39.6

Longtime worst bestsellers listeners may remember Naomi from, what was that book called?

0:46.3

I don't remember.

0:47.2

I was just trying to think of it.

0:49.0

You know the one about the Pumpkin Spice Colt.

0:52.0

Under the radar.

0:53.2

There you go.

0:56.9

Well, she's back.

0:59.9

Naomi got drafted to do this because I put out a call on Twitter if there was anyone

1:04.0

who hated John Barrowman as much as I did.

1:06.8

And on chat, she was like, well, if you can't find anyone else, I guess I could do it.

1:12.6

And we couldn't find anyone else.

1:14.6

He is a beloved figure of science fiction and fantasy, Kate.

1:19.6

Literally everyone except for me.

1:22.6

Well, actually, I'll let you explain to everyone why he's your nemesis, and I'll chime in with my own two cents about John Barrowman.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Worst Bestsellers, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Worst Bestsellers and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.