Likely Stories - The Book of Doors

It feels like The Night Circus, Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Willy Wonka all rolled together, and it’s a beautiful thing. Cassie works in a bookstore and has wonderful, regular conversations with an old man who is a frequent patron. When this man dies in his chair at the bookshop and leaves Cassie a mysterious leather-bound book full of runes and drawings, she is surprised and intrigued. This is the Book of Doors, and it makes any door into every door, giving the holder the ability to go literally anywhere they imagine by simply possessing the book. Soon Cassie and her roommate Izzy are imagining all the possibilities at their fingertips—travel, exploration, adventure, all for free and as soon as they wish. But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in existence, and there are those who would seek such books for power and malice instead of personal pleasure.

There is the Book of Light, which casts away all shadows; the Book of Pain, which gives the user the ability to render immense harm; the Book of Luck, which provides fortuitous advantages; the Book of Despair, which alters the mental state of a user; the Book of Shadows, which allows a holder to operate under cover of darkness; and so many more. Drummond Fox, also known as The Librarian, has been chasing down books to collect them and running from his own trauma for decades, and he is keen to help protect Cassie as well as to secure the Book of Doors from nefarious would-be owners, the worst of whom is simply named “the woman”.

There are elements of time travel in the book (going in and out of doors can lead you back and forth in time, resulting in seeing a new or old version of yourself—a little hard to keep straight) as well as elements of people using magic, but this is a book that is grounded in reality. It asks the question “What if this were possible?” and then shows us every eventuality. The ability Brown has to see the scope of the story is admirable and his creativity for using books as plot devices is brilliant. I had a few quibbles with Cassie’s own belabored descriptions, and by the time we reached the end, I really wanted just five more pages to wrap everything back together and address every little detail. But sometimes the beauty of a story is leaving something unsaid, leaving the reader’s imagination to fill in those gaps, leaving the door open for the reader to either close or walk through.

RECENT EPISODES OF LIKELY STORIES

Likely Stories - Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri

Hello, I'm Rebecca Flavin, director of engaged learning curriculum and senior lecturer of political science at Baylor University. My friends will all attest. Two of my favorite things are reading and traveling. And when I can combine the two by reading books about places I travel, I am in heaven.

Likely Stories - The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, The Rise of Improv and The Making of an American Film Classic by Daniel De Vise

Kevin Tankersley is in the host seat for this weeks Likely Stories. Behind the music, the comedy, and the car chases, The Blues Brothers was a passion project fueled by friendship. The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship explores the rise of Belushi and Aykroyd, the film’s impact, and the legends it helped reignite.

Likely Stories - A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd

As an English teacher. Shakespeare has been in my lesson plans for years. I could teach the bard with my eyes closed. But what if we could reimagine one of the most classic plays in a new light, and take the famous couplet 'for never was there a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo', and flip it on its end. For never was a story of more whimsy than this. Of the Montagues and their daughter Rosie.

Likely Stories - Hope by Pope Francis

Host - Likely Stories

Likely Stories - The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig

Have you ever found yourself inexplicably moved by something incredibly simple and innocuous? A blinking street light in the dead of night. A solitary shopping cart in an empty parking lot. If so, then you might like to know, that sudden shift of emotion is known as a heartspur.

Likely Stories - Bitter Soil by Mahasweta Devi

This is Guilherme Feitosa DeAlmeida, senior lecturer of Musical Theatre at Baylor University. I'm here with this week's edition of Likely Stories. Award winning author Mahasweta Devi is an environmental crusader. Bitter Soil is her narrative manifesto.

Likely Stories - You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Kate Murphy

In my goal to read more nonfiction books, I picked up You’re Not Listening – what you’re missing and why it matters by Kate Murphy. I admit I can’t remember who recommended this book, I probably wasn’t listening… but reading it is a great opportunity to learn how to become a better listener and who doesn’t want that.I’m Lucy Petter. Welcome to today’s Likely Stories.

Likely Stories - I Who Have Never Known Men by Jaqueline Harpman

My name is Heather White, I teach Art History classes at Baylor and manage my household, I have two toddlers and a ten year old. Today I am reviewing, “I Who Have Never Known Men,” by Jaqueline Harpman. If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry, it’s an older, obscure book with a somewhat wordy title.

Likely Stories - Midnight Cowboy by James Kendrick

If you haven’t seen the movie Midnight Cowboy, don’t read Baylor professor James Kendrick’s new book Midnight Cowboy. It is full of spoilers…full.

Likely Stories - The Favorites by Layne Fargo

You know, investing my soul into a story about fictional competitive ice dancers was not what I had on my 2025 BINGO card, yet there I was, poring over the pages of this book and pouring out my emotions over this debut that is an homage to Wuthering Heights and reads like part fictional account and part Netflix Olympic documentary. Dig in your toepicks to 'The Favorites' by Layne Fargo and get ready for one heck of a spin.