Were Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Books the First interactive Novels?

Episode 190

10th February 2026

Host Austin delves deep into the origins and cultural impact of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books While they are commonly credited with popularizing interactive fiction, were they REALLY the first? Is Wikipedia wrong about where this entire genre of fiction comes from? How could wikipedia be wrong? Why must we live in an unjust world?

Episode notes

Host Austin delves deep into the origins and cultural impact of Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books While they are commonly credited with popularizing interactive fiction, were they REALLY the first? Is Wikipedia wrong about where this entire genre of fiction comes from? How could wikipedia be wrong? Why must we live in an unjust world?

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Two friends, Austin and Brenda, delve into the rich history of secret nerd mysteries near and dear to their hearts in their own loose, light-hearted way. If you’ve ever wondered “Why Saturday morning for cartoons?” or “How come Chuck E. Cheese cares so much about other people’s birthdays?”, this is the show for you!

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