When most of us hear “ dulcimer,” we think of Irish peasants in the Middle Ages. Or maybe that “damsel with a dulcimer” in the poem “Kubla Khan.” The actual hammered dulcimer, however, is something else entirely. It’s a unique blend of percussion and stringed instruments with ancient roots across the world. And it’s capable of creating gorgeous music.
Musician and composer Joshua Messick joins the table to discuss all things hammered dulcimer. He’s composed ten albums of hammered dulcimer music, and played for the soundtracks of major movies and video games. He explains the hammered dulcimer’s unique ability to tell a story through its music.
Musician and composer Joshua Messick explains the hammered dulcimer’s unique ability to tell a story through its music.
Author Neve Foster joins the table to discuss her new novel, Of Ink and Spirit.
Join our cohosts in a discussion of what makes a book cover good, bad, memorable, or even misleading.
Middle grade fantasy author Carolyn Leiloglou returns to the pub table to chat about the conclusion of her award-winning Restorationists trilogy, Beyond the Far Horizon (available 09/09/2025).
Can our favorite colors tell us something about ourselves? Join us as we turn to painter Mark Rothko's masterful approach, using the relationship between color and human brain to engage his audience.
Author JL Gerhardt and her husband Justin collaborate on the podcast Holy Ghost Stories. Gerhardt joins the table to talk about one of their recent projects: "The Happiest Saddest People."
Author Leilani Mueller’s new chapter book, All Aboard the Grandparents Express, explores grief, loss, and imagination from the perspective of its 8-year-old narrator.
Summer may be over, but Beach Reads are always relevant. Is it possible to be the sort of person who cares deeply about the great stories, and who also enjoys a fun beach read?
Kreg Yingst’s medium of choice is printmaking. Join Mandy and guest co-host Isaac Hans as they talk with Kreg about his art, his books, and how the very act of making art can be a prayer.
Meredith Davis, author of the Amazing Adventures of Noah Minor series, joins the pub table to discuss how her stories use superheroes to explore themes of friendship, integrity, and self-control.
Believe to See Podcast
A podcast of the Anselm Society Arts Guild. Join host Matt Mellema, Mandy Houk, Christina Brown, and a rotation of guests at the digital pub table to explore how art and storytelling matter for faith and to connect our stories, great stories, and the Great Story.