Episodes

  • LECTURE 78: YOU DREAMED OF EMPIRES by Álvaro Enrique >> Want an even deeper understanding of this complex, hilarious, dark, unique novel?? Tune in!

    LECTURE 78: YOU DREAMED OF EMPIRES by Álvaro Enrique >> Want an even deeper understanding of this complex, hilarious, dark, unique novel?? Tune in!
    Jan 5 2025
    As soon as she opened it, Kimberly knew she needed a deep dive into YOU DREAMED OF EMPIRES. Listen in for a deeper understanding of the title, the unique narrative stance, why the book feels so dreamy, the humor and whether or not we can read this as a FEMINIST novel.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • REPOST: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (and its SEQUEL??)

    REPOST: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (and its SEQUEL??)
    Dec 16 2024
    NO READING REQUIRED! Find out why we are SO DRAWN to this unlikely, enduring classic from 1957. Also: Kimberly grapples with the sequel.
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    53 mins
  • REPOST: Agatha Christie! (and her Midwinter Murder!) (NO READING REQUIRED!)

    REPOST: Agatha Christie! (and her Midwinter Murder!) (NO READING REQUIRED!)
    Dec 9 2024
    Tune in to hear how detective novels are inherently conservative but why Kimberly LOVES CHRISTIE ANYWAY. You'll learn why the "queen of crime" is so exceptional and why it should be no surprise that she's the best-selling writer OF ALL TIME (except Shakespeare and the Bible...). Also--see which volume is the perfect gift for everyone on your holiday list.
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    57 mins
  • Lecture 77: THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS and ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE >> Ever thought about these two classics in dialogue with one another? Want to know more about magic realism? Tune in!

    Lecture 77: THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS and ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE >> Ever thought about these two classics in dialogue with one another? Want to know more about magic realism? Tune in!
    Dec 2 2024
    Isabel Allende's THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS didn't just build upon the magic realism established by García Márquez's ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE. Allende's 1982 novel (published in Spain, not her native Chile for political reasons) was immensely popular with Americans when it was published in English in 1985. Indulge in a reminder of these absolute masterpieces while learning more about how they relate to one another, more about magic realism in general, and how the historical-political situations in Colombia and Chile influenced both works. Kimberly had SO much fun with this. Join in now.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Holiday Repost: Robin Wall Kimmerer's BRAIDING SWEETGRASS >> Did you love this when it came out? Did you mean to read it but didn't quite? Allow Kimberly to remind you of the CRUCIAL WISDOM Wall Kimmerer imparts!

    Holiday Repost: Robin Wall Kimmerer's BRAIDING SWEETGRASS >> Did you love this when it came out? Did you mean to read it but didn't quite? Allow Kimberly to remind you of the CRUCIAL WISDOM Wall Kimmerer imparts!
    Nov 28 2024
    Braiding Sweetgrass is one of those books we should be going back to again and again. If you don't quite have the time to do that, Kimberly will give you a hand. Want to feel like you could maybe help make the world a slightly better place in some small way?? Want to feel better about the environment?? Want to feel inspired and informed--with sometimes RADICAL new ways to conceptualize the world? Listen in!
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    33 mins
  • REPOST: Five-Minute Recommendation of James Joyce’s DUBLINERS

    REPOST: Five-Minute Recommendation of James Joyce’s DUBLINERS
    Nov 25 2024
    Kimberly will share whether you should—or should not—dig into Dubliners. She’ll treat you to a snippet of the prose to give you a sense of the work, but for a deeper analysis, check out the lecture.
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    7 mins
  • REPOST: James Joyce’s DUBLINERS >> And finally, Ireland's literary giant. This NO-READING-REQUIRED lecture will give you even more depth in your understanding of Ireland--all while making you feel smarter

    REPOST: James Joyce’s DUBLINERS >> And finally, Ireland's literary giant. This NO-READING-REQUIRED lecture will give you even more depth in your understanding of Ireland--all while making you feel smarter
    Nov 25 2024
    Kimberly focuses on creepy, haunting “An Encounter” before her deep dive into the keystone work, the subtle, sad, masterful “The Dead.” Find out how Joyce’s prose changed the face of literature, and how his portrayal of the Irish is actually a portrayal of EVERYONE.
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • REPOST: Five-Minute Recommendation for Anna Burns’s MILKMAN >> SAY NOTHING devotees, here's another AMAZING novel.

    REPOST: Five-Minute Recommendation for Anna Burns’s MILKMAN >> SAY NOTHING devotees, here's another AMAZING novel.
    Nov 23 2024
    Kimberly will share whether you should—or should not—dig into Milkman. She’ll treat you to a snippet of the prose to give you a sense, but for deeper analysis, check out the lecture.
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    7 mins