Left Shelf
75 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 17 ratingsProving politics is downstream of culture. Tune in to hear leftist takes on books and short stories on topics like gender, humanism and the alt right.
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Episodes
Genderswaps in the Dark and Humorous Fairy Tale “Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower” by Tamsyn Muir
May 30, 2022 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.1 MB“It's also not fair at all that stupidity has gotten you this far. That's another creature you've killed simply by having no brains, which makes anyone with brains feel as if it isn't worth the headache of having them.” This type of quick, witty humor is what characterizes the treat of a read that is “Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower” by Tamsyn Muir. It’s got all the ingredients of a modern day fairy tale: a badass princess, a stuck-up fairy, and an entrepreneurial witch. But ...
Buying a New Life Package in “Standard Loneliness Package” by Charles Yu
April 18, 2022 06:00 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBIn a (not-so-distant) future world where the experience of pain is outsourced to the third world, a man tries as he might to find intimacy. That is the premise of the short story, “Standard Loneliness Package” by Charles Yu, under today’s discussion. In this episode, we talk about emotional labor, the corruption of intimacy and the quiet piecewise loss of one’s life. 📚📖💝 Read Standard Loneliness Package (free): here 💫😊😎 Follow Left Shelf on: Twitter Facebook Email Website Instag...
Truly Dark Academia: The Precarious World of Private School Kids in “Smokers” by Tobias Wolff
March 29, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 43.5 MBA train is whizzing across the plains of New England, carrying with it two young boys full of hopes and dreams – one with a green alpine hat carelessly tossed over his head, large suitcases clumsily blocking the train car doors, while the other haughtily looks upon the scene. They are heading to a private boarding school named Choate where their loyalties and allegiances will be tested. In this episode, we are talking about “Smokers” by Tobias Wolff and debunking the myths of upward mobility...
The Metaverse Before the Metaverse in “Snow Crash” by Neal Stephenson
March 15, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBWhat’s up with Facebook changing their name to “Meta”? What is the “Metaverse” and where did it originate? In this episode, we tackle Neal Stephenson’s book “Snow Crash”, which first conceived of the Metaverse. Join us as we discuss late-stage capitalism and its next technological frontier that aims to transform our lives as ones lived and experienced exclusively through the internet. Read Snow Crash (free): here Featuring Mike from Turn Leftist Podcast: Turn Leftist Patreon Turn Lefti...
Deformities, Beautiful Bodies and Product Placement in “The Girl Who Was Plugged In” by James Tiptree Jr.
February 28, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 67.9 MBJames Tiptree Jr. (spoiler alert!) is actually the pseudonym for Alice Sheldon, who in her cyberpunk short stories like “The Girl Who Was Plugged In”, addresses gender issues head on. The short story is snarky, crazy, fast-paced, and explicit in its criticism of rigid gender roles and clearly outlines the inevitable tragedies that result from it. In this episode, we talk about what it means to be a woman as a political entity, how beauty and ugliness are defined, and how technology mediates ...
Episode 34: Mirrors and Metaphysics in “Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius” by Jorge Luis Borges
February 14, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MB“Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius” is an almost prophetic short story by Jorge Luis Borges about reality and the experiment of thought. In this episode, we sit down with our valued guest Thomas to discuss this complex labyrinth of a story. In our conversation, we dive into the strange world of Uqbar and the even stranger world of Tlön. Read Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email Website Instagram Youtube Become a monthly contributor ...
Mirrors and Metaphysics in “Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius” by Jorge Luis Borges
February 14, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 53.7 MB“Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius” is an almost prophetic short story by Jorge Luis Borges about reality and the experiment of thought. In this episode, we sit down with our valued guest Thomas to discuss this complex labyrinth of a story. In our conversation, we dive into the strange world of Uqbar and the even stranger world of Tlön. Read Tlön, Uqbar and Orbis Tertius (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email Website Instagram Youtube Become a monthly contributor ...
Episode 33: Trees and Humans Sharing a Planet in “The Overstory” by Richard Powers
February 01, 2022 12:00 - 2 hours - 83.8 MBRoots: the connections we have with the natural environment around us; Trunk: the connections we have with each other; Crown: the connections we have with the mystical; Seeds: the hope that propagates life forward. “The Overstory” is a book that, through the structure of trees, expands the size of a singular human life and re-contextualizes the scales of time and geography. In this episode, we sit down with a guest, Navel Orange, to discuss this impassioned and moving work by Richard Powers....
Trees and Humans Sharing a Planet in “The Overstory” by Richard Powers
February 01, 2022 12:00 - 2 hours - 83.9 MBRoots: the connections we have with the natural environment around us; Trunk: the connections we have with each other; Crown: the connections we have with the mystical; Seeds: the hope that propagates life forward. “The Overstory” is a book that, through the structure of trees, expands the size of a singular human life and re-contextualizes the scales of time and geography. In this episode, we sit down with a guest, Navel Orange, to discuss this impassioned and moving work by Richard Powers....
Race, Democracy, and Human Dignity in “Letters To Martin: Meditations on Democracy in Black America” by Randal Maurice Jelks
January 17, 2022 07:00 - 39 minutes - 27.3 MB“Letters to Martin” is a book that, through the flow of twelve meditations on historical as well as present events, leads to an understanding of contemporary political struggles. Written as letters to Martin Luther King Jr., this book addresses many of the issues faced by millions of people across the country today — economic inequality, freedom of assembly, police brutality, ongoing social class conflicts, and geopolitics. In this episode, we sit down to talk with the author of the book, Dr...
The Collapse of Korea’s Paternalistic Corporations in "The Salaryman" by Krys Lee
January 03, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBThe Salaryman by Krys Lee is a painfully real rendition of what happened as the South Korean economy collapsed in the mid-1990s. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s strict bailout policy forced large lay-offs and what were once guaranteed jobs for people quickly disappeared. In this episode, we touch on Korea’s history and how it shaped the setting described in this piece. We also touch on alcohol consumption as an aspect of culture, disillusionment and the act of being a human being. R...
Episode 31: The Collapse of Korea’s Paternalistic Corporations in "The Salaryman" by Krys Lee
January 03, 2022 07:00 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBThe Salaryman by Krys Lee is a painfully real rendition of what happened as the South Korean economy collapsed in the mid-1990s. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s strict bailout policy forced large lay-offs and what were once guaranteed jobs for people quickly disappeared. In this episode, we touch on Korea’s history and how it shaped the setting described in this piece. We also touch on alcohol consumption as an aspect of culture, disillusionment and the act of being a human being. R...
Extra: Holiday Special on Looting
December 27, 2021 17:00 - 26 minutes - 18 MBThis holiday season, when your next door neighbor approaches you and once again complains about all the looting that's taking place, what should you say? Listen to find out! Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email: [email protected] Website Instagram Youtube Support the show
The Stories of Others Weaving One’s Personhood in "Outline" by Rachel Cusk
December 13, 2021 07:00 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MBOutline by Rachel Cusk tries to grasp personhood and identity in the midst of absence and loss through the (titular) outline of the narrator. The narrator tries to understand herself by understanding others. She listens to the stories about marriage and divorce, family, ambitions or even writing itself. In this episode, we discuss the stylistic and philosophical aspects of the book, and whether or not we agree with it. Read Outline (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Ema...
Episode 30: The Stories of Others Weaving One’s Personhood in "Outline" by Rachel Cusk
December 13, 2021 07:00 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MBOutline by Rachel Cusk tries to grasp personhood and identity in the midst of absence and loss through the (titular) outline of the narrator. The narrator tries to understand herself by understanding others. She listens to the stories about marriage and divorce, family, ambitions or even writing itself. In this episode, we discuss the stylistic and philosophical aspects of the book, and whether or not we agree with it. Read Outline (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Ema...
The Stories of Others Weaving One’s Personhood in "Outline" by Rachel Cusk
December 13, 2021 07:00 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MBOutline by Rachel Cusk tries to grasp personhood and identity in the midst of absence and loss through the (titular) outline of the narrator. The narrator tries to understand herself by understanding others. She listens to the stories about marriage and divorce, family, ambitions or even writing itself. In this episode, we discuss the stylistic and philosophical aspects of the book, and whether or not we agree with it. Read Outline (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Ema...
Episode 29: Small Kindnesses People Do For One Another in "Thank You Ma’am" by Langston Hughes
November 29, 2021 07:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBThank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes (Communist? Communist!!) follows a young boy named Roger as he tries to steal a woman’s purse. The story follows a simple arc -- one event, two characters in three pages -- and yet is ripe with hope and optimism. In this episode, we explore Langston Hughe’s life and touch on the Harlem Renaissance, while also discussing themes of mutual aid and reciprocity. Read Thank You Ma’am (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email: leftshelfpodcast@...
Small Kindnesses People Do For One Another in "Thank You Ma’am" by Langston Hughes
November 29, 2021 07:00 - 46 minutes - 32.2 MBThank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes (Communist? Communist!!) follows a young boy named Roger as he tries to steal a woman’s purse. The story follows a simple arc -- one event, two characters in three pages -- and yet is ripe with hope and optimism. In this episode, we explore Langston Hughe’s life and touch on the Harlem Renaissance, while also discussing themes of mutual aid and reciprocity. Read Thank You Ma’am (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email: leftshelfpodcast@...
Concoctions and Vagaries in "The Case For and Against Love Potions" by Imbolo Mbue (with Colored Pages Book Club)
November 15, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.6 MBTrue to its name, the short story The Case For and Against Love Potions by Imbolo Mbue both heeds caution and encouragement about using love potions. In this episode, we sit down with the Colored Pages Book Club Podcast to talk about what a love potion might look like in our world, and who wins and loses from its existence - is it a means of subverting patriarchal systems or does it feed into it? Read The Case For and Against Love Potions (free): here Thank you again Colored Pages Book Cl...
Episode 28: Concoctions and Vagaries in "The Case For and Against Love Potions" by Imbolo Mbue (with Colored Pages Book Club)
November 15, 2021 07:00 - 1 hour - 45.6 MBTrue to its name, the short story The Case For and Against Love Potions by Imbolo Mbue both heeds caution and encouragement about using love potions. In this episode, we sit down with the Colored Pages Book Club Podcast to talk about what a love potion might look like in our world, and who wins and loses from its existence - is it a means of subverting patriarchal systems or does it feed into it? Read The Case For and Against Love Potions (free): here Thank you again Colored Pages Book Cl...
Episode 27: The (Root C)annals of History in "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith
November 01, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBZadie Smith’s debut novel, one she wrote at the tender age of 19, is full of irony, witty sayings, and wild rollercoaster storylines. It is the epitome of social and personal chaos spanning several generations, families and cultures. In this episode, we discuss immigrant psychology, radicalization (left or right), genetic manipulation (?) and the tides of history. Read White Teeth (free): here Featuring Mike from Turn Leftist Podcast: Turn Leftist Patreon Turn Leftist Linktree (with li...
The (Root C)annals of History in "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith
November 01, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBZadie Smith’s debut novel, one she wrote at the tender age of 19, is full of irony, witty sayings, and wild rollercoaster storylines. It is the epitome of social and personal chaos spanning several generations, families and cultures. In this episode, we discuss immigrant psychology, radicalization (left or right), genetic manipulation (?) and the tides of history. Read White Teeth (free): here Featuring Mike from Turn Leftist Podcast: Turn Leftist Patreon Turn Leftist Linktree (with li...
Episode 26: The Mastery and Failure of David Foster Wallace in "The Depressed Person"
October 18, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBDavid Foster Wallace is singular at putting you straight into the minds of his characters, who are tragically sympathetic and simultaneously deplorable. The depressed person in “The Depressed Person” is no exception - her loneliness, self-obsession, agonies and fears are intricately described so that even in moments where one feels exhausted by her, one can also relate to her pain. In this episode, we discuss David Foster Wallace as an author and as a person while also talking about mental i...
The Mastery and Failure of David Foster Wallace in "The Depressed Person"
October 18, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBDavid Foster Wallace is singular at putting you straight into the minds of his characters, who are tragically sympathetic and simultaneously deplorable. The depressed person in “The Depressed Person” is no exception - her loneliness, self-obsession, agonies and fears are intricately described so that even in moments where one feels exhausted by her, one can also relate to her pain. In this episode, we discuss David Foster Wallace as an author and as a person while also talking about mental i...
Extra: Critiques of Capitalism in Squid Game
October 12, 2021 06:00 - 26 minutes - 18.6 MBIn this month's extra episode, we talk about the politics on Squid Game and its reception. Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email Website Instagram Youtube Become a monthly contributor on Patreon: www.patreon.com/leftshelf. Support the show
Episode 25: Soviet and Post-Soviet Georgia (and Journey to Karabakh by Aka Morchiladze)
October 04, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MBWhat is freedom and captivity? Can these concepts be talked about without a proper material basis? In this episode, we use the book Journey to Karabakh by Aka Morchiladze as a basis to talk about Soviet and post-Soviet Georgia and how romanticization of suffering has changed public sensibilities and reshaped memories of the USSR. Read Journey to Karabakh (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email - [email protected] Website Instagram Youtube Become a monthl...
Extra: The Absolute Darkness that is "This Is Water" by David Foster Wallace
September 27, 2021 15:00 - 1 hour - 45.8 MBDavid Foster Wallace's famous 2005 commencement speech "This is Water" gets a lot of hype. Thank God we're here to set the record straight: this speech is just pure darkness of post-modernism and embracing the consumerism of capitalism as sacred. Support the show
Episode 24: Without Inspection by Edwidge Danticat
September 20, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBThe opening scene of Edwidge Danticat’s story is that of a detached man falling to certain death, all Without Inspection. The fall takes six and a half seconds, but it is enough time to think about his lifetime. In his freefall, Arnold thinks about his life in Haiti, his brutal journey to the US and Darlene and Paris, the two people he calls his family. In this episode, we go over the history of Haiti, its relation with the US and talk about key moments that might define the life of an immig...
Episode 23: Cattle Haul by Jesmyn Ward
September 06, 2021 07:00 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MBIf you want someone to break your heart, Jesmyn Ward should be the one to do it. As someone intimately familiar with grief, her stories give voice to the forlorn, strength to the hopeless. In this episode, we talk about her short story Cattle Haul, which follows Reese, a trucker, as he drives a truck of cows across the country. In this episode we explore the complex relationship of Reese with his father, his past and himself. Read Cattle Haul (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Fac...
Episode 22: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
August 23, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 45.3 MBIt does not matter that you do not understand the reason. You are the Beloved Child of the House. Be comforted. Strange and comforting, eerie and delightful - in her latest fantasy novel Susanna Clarke makes it possible to hold both contradictory feelings about the house at the same time. In this week’s episode, we go a little bit more philosophical and talk about the ontology of the house and the dimensions of its existence. Read Piranesi (free): here Follow the show on: Twitter Faceb...
Episode 21: The Cartographer Wasps and Anarchist Bees by E. Lily Yu (w/ Works in Theory)
August 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBWith very delicate brushstrokes, E. Lily Yu creates a complicated world of map-making wasps and anarchist bees in a world filled with power struggles within societies and nature. In this episode, we sit down with the hosts of Works in Theory podcast to dissect the intricacies of the characters in this short story - the humans, wasps and bees - how they related to each other, and what we can learn from their successes and failures. Read The Cartographer Wasps and Anarchist Bees: here Find ...
Extra: Is Social Media Any Good?
July 26, 2021 06:00 - 32 minutes - 22.6 MBHi all! We ran into some technical difficulties, so had to delay the publication of the next episode. But in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this extra content! In June's special episode for Patrons, Ethan and Nino talk about what, if anything, we can get out of being active on social media. Follow the show on: Twitter Facebook Email - [email protected] Website Instagram Youtube Become a monthly contributor on Patreon: www.patreon.com/leftshelf. Support the show
Episode 20: Fantasy Roundtable (w/ Man Carrying Thing)
July 12, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 54.3 MBLet’s admit it: we’ve all seen Lord of the Rings at least five times and held Game of Thrones watch parties. Why? Because fantasy is just that damned good of a genre, allowing for magic and the fantastical to ignite our imaginations and take us off into another world. In this week’s episode, while swooning over fantasy, we also discuss the political elements that make up traditional high fantasy stories, tear apart the tropes and talk about ways in which this genre could become even better. ...
Episode 19: New Waves by Kevin Nguyen
June 27, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.8 MBTo cut straight to the chase: Kevin Nguyen’s book New Waves is good but it could’ve been so much butter. In his debut book, Kevin Nguyen tackles many issues - racism in the workplace, big tech, the grief from the loss of a friend, interracial dating and the difference between the real and virtual lives. While the book takes on a lot of heavy subjects, it seems to just throw them to the wall and never quite connect the dots. In this episode, the hosts talk about all the interesting parts to t...
Episode 18: Dead Men's Path
June 14, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBIf reading Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe felt familiar to you, it’s because this three-page short story so accurately captures histories of colonialism. Even through its brevity, it attacks the notions of “out with the old, in with the new”, juxtaposing education and spirituality. In this Left Shelf episode, we discuss the history of Nigeria n conjunction with this short story as Chinua Achebe’s writing is rife with politics and his life was spent in pursuit of forming a more equitable Ni...
Episode 18: Dead Men's Path by Chinua Achebe
June 14, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBIf reading Dead Men’s Path by Chinua Achebe felt familiar to you, it’s because this three-page short story so accurately captures histories of colonialism. Even through its brevity, it attacks the notions of “out with the old, in with the new”, juxtaposing education and spirituality. In this Left Shelf episode, we discuss the history of Nigeria n conjunction with this short story as Chinua Achebe’s writing is rife with politics and his life was spent in pursuit of forming a more equitable Ni...
Episode 17: The House of Spirits
May 31, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.2 MB“If this world is going to be a better place for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, it will be women who make it so” - Isabelle Allende This - our lives, the lives of our ancestors and the lives of our descendants - is the story. What happens now, what we do now, is history and makes history. In this Left Shelf episode, we discuss The House of Spirits by Isabelle Allende, which centers the lives of four generations of women and how the fabric of history stretches, changes and, somet...
Episode 17: The House of Spirits by Isabelle Allende
May 31, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 53.2 MB“If this world is going to be a better place for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, it will be women who make it so” - Isabelle Allende This - our lives, the lives of our ancestors and the lives of our descendants - is the story. What happens now, what we do now, is history and makes history. In this Left Shelf episode, we discuss The House of Spirits by Isabelle Allende, which centers the lives of four generations of women and how the fabric of history stretches, changes and, somet...
Episode 16: Bartleby the Scrivener - A Story of Wall Street
May 17, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBIf your boss asks you to do anything at work today, respond with “I would prefer not to” because what is work these days if not an act devoid of meaning yet ripe with repetition and mechanization. In this week’s episode, we’ll be talking about Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street, a tragic yet humorous short novella by Herman Melville. The piece deals with how work in the modern sense makes us desolate, both in terms of extinguishing our inner lives as well as our external relation...
Episode 16: Bartleby the Scrivener - A Story of Wall Street by Herman Melville
May 17, 2021 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MBIf your boss asks you to do anything at work today, respond with “I would prefer not to” because what is work these days if not an act devoid of meaning yet ripe with repetition and mechanization. In this week’s episode, we’ll be talking about Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street, a tragic yet humorous short novella by Herman Melville. The piece deals with how work in the modern sense makes us desolate, both in terms of extinguishing our inner lives as well as our external relation...
Episode 15: The Ones Who Stay and Fight
May 03, 2021 06:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBDoes the title of this episode sound familiar? That’s because The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin is a story in response to the very first Left Shelf episode The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K. LeGuin. Jemisin’s story begins in the same way as Le Guin’s, with descriptions of a Utopian city’s beauty and happy citizens. However, there’s a twist. In this episode, we discuss how Jemisin might have interpreted LeGuin’s story and what she is asking the reader when she says “sta...
Episode 15: The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin
May 03, 2021 06:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBDoes the title of this episode sound familiar? That’s because The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin is a story in response to the very first Left Shelf episode The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K. LeGuin. Jemisin’s story begins in the same way as Le Guin’s, with descriptions of a Utopian city’s beauty and happy citizens. However, there’s a twist. In this episode, we discuss how Jemisin might have interpreted LeGuin’s story and what she is asking the reader when she says “sta...
Episode 14: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (Part II)
April 26, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBDid you ever imagine yourself wearing a trenchcoat, walking through the silent streets of Berlin at night, a lonely man who has seen too much and who knows little of love? A man who is too skilled with a bottle of whiskey, too forlorn and just too darn familiar with the cold? Well, lucky, you no longer have to imagine because Le Carré’s most famous spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold depicts all those elements among an intricate web of spies and lies. In Part 2 of this episode series...
Episode 14: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carré (Part II)
April 26, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBDid you ever imagine yourself wearing a trenchcoat, walking through the silent streets of Berlin at night, a lonely man who has seen too much and who knows little of love? A man who is too skilled with a bottle of whiskey, too forlorn and just too darn familiar with the cold? Well, lucky, you no longer have to imagine because Le Carré’s most famous spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold depicts all those elements among an intricate web of spies and lies. In Part 2 of this episode series...
Episode 14: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold Part II
April 26, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBDid you ever imagine yourself wearing a trenchcoat, walking through the silent streets of Berlin at night, a lonely man who has seen too much and who knows little of love? A man who is too skilled with a bottle of whiskey, too forlorn and just too darn familiar with the cold? Well, lucky, you no longer have to imagine because Le Carré’s most famous spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold depicts all those elements among an intricate web of spies and lies. In Part 2 of this episode series...
Episode 14: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (Part I)
April 19, 2021 05:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBDid you ever imagine yourself wearing a trenchcoat, walking through the silent streets of Berlin at night, a lonely man who has seen too much and who knows little of love? A man who is too skilled with a bottle of whiskey, too forlorn and just too darn familiar with the cold? Well, lucky, you no longer have to imagine because Le Carré’s most famous spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold depicts all those elements among an intricate web of spies and lies. In Part 1 of this episode series...
Episode 14: The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John Le Carré (Part I)
April 19, 2021 05:00 - 48 minutes - 33.4 MBDid you ever imagine yourself wearing a trenchcoat, walking through the silent streets of Berlin at night, a lonely man who has seen too much and who knows little of love? A man who is too skilled with a bottle of whiskey, too forlorn and just too darn familiar with the cold? Well, lucky, you no longer have to imagine because Le Carré’s most famous spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold depicts all those elements among an intricate web of spies and lies. In Part 1 of this episode series...
Episode 13: Cat's Cradle
April 05, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBBusy, busy, busy. In this week’s episode, we are busy discussing the cult classic “Cat’s Cradle” with Mike from the Turn Leftist podcast. It’s obvious from the very first chapter why this Vonnegut novel is a fan favorite - a new religion called Bokononism, the end of the world brought about by a chemical called ‘ice-nice’ and of course, an eccentric cast of characters. In our discussion, we’ll be talking about the big themes of the novel such as the role of technology, where the power for h...
Episode 13: Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
April 05, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBBusy, busy, busy. In this week’s episode, we are busy discussing the cult classic “Cat’s Cradle” with Mike from the Turn Leftist podcast. It’s obvious from the very first chapter why this Vonnegut novel is a fan favorite - a new religion called Bokononism, the end of the world brought about by a chemical called ‘ice-nice’ and of course, an eccentric cast of characters. In our discussion, we’ll be talking about the big themes of the novel such as the role of technology, where the power for h...
Episode 12: What You Pawn I Will Redeem
March 22, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.3 MBJackson Jackson, from this week’s story What You Pawn I Will Redeem by Sherman Alexie, is a homeless Native American living in Seattle on a quest to win back an ancestral regalia. The simultaneously lighthearted and tragic tone of the story led us to discussing topics around loss and identity, about creating values outside of the commodity chain and the warmth and kindness in the story that exists in spite of the bleak realities. You can read What You Pawn I Will Redeem (free) here. Follow...