1. The Prologue (or, Donald Duck is a Childless, Friendless Loser)

<p>Welcome to the Cool & Smart Book Club! Sit down, have some slice and a glass of cheap red! Don't be alarmed - things will be silly for a bit, then serious for a bit, and continue to alternate in that fashion for the duration of the experience. In this debut episode, Matt and Barney discuss their reasons for reading, their reasons for starting this podcast, and what they're getting stuck into at the moment. </p><p>Barney's reading:</p><ul><li>Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson</li><li>Turns Out, I'm Fine by Judith Lucy</li></ul><p>Matt's reading:</p><ul><li>A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson</li><li>The Tempest by William Shakespeare</li><li>The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch</li><li>Mastery by Robert Greene (audiobook)</li><li>The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson (audiobook)</li></ul><p>The Cool & Smart Book Club is a literature lovers podcast by Barney and Matt. Follow us on Instagram at @kewlandsmert, and email us at coolandsmart@gmail.com.</p>