Get Lit Podcast

Meet Dorothy Thompson! We've mentioned her in past episodes and are delighted to bring her story to you all. Thompson was a powerful speaker and writer, who had her own syndicated column for over a decade, a radio broadcast, and long legacy of calling out oppression. Her work during both World Wars and beyond offered a very human way of encountering the news and documenting critical moments in World history. Join us this week to learn more about her life and work.

Join us to explore the legacy of Sherwood Anderson, an often overlooked American writer who explored the American landscape as it changed after the Victorian period. Anderson's writing reflected on culture, politics, and society and helped shape the careers of Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and others. His life took many turns, including a rather sharp one in the end.

We have a Get Lit first this week: Jamie Jones, who first appeared on our Herman Melville Episode is back to discuss her book Rendered Obsolete! Steph and Jamie set sail through a conversation about this book, the whaling industry, climate change, and of course, Herman Melville. Join us for this delightful, insightful interview and then go get the book yourselves!

Get a copy here or through your local indie bookstore!

This Earth Day, join us as we cover the legacy and life of environmental writer, activist, and general walking guy, John Muir! Muir advocated for the preservation of natural lands across the United States and traveled the country reporting, story telling, and learning more about the impact human beings have on the environment! Join us to celebrate the earth and the writers inspired by it!

Recording from The Pile Bookstore in Berwyn, IL, we're delighted to bring you some fabulous adventures across time and London! Featuring the experiences of six different female authors, we examine this literary pilgrimage through the lens of these extraordinary ladies. Jon brings us some tea time trivialities and there's plenty of fun to be had! Join us, LIVE!

It's our 5th birthday and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with the legacy of Sinclair Lewis! And to have Dan Esquivel on as our guest host! Lewis was the first American author to win the Nobel Prize for literature, along with 1.5 (ish - we'll explain...) Pulitzer Prizes. He held up a mirror to American society, writing novels and stories that helped us consider our values with his signature unflinching prose. Join us to celebrate this extraordinary author and our momentous occasion!

Since we recorded on April Fool's Day, it seems only natural to pull a bit of a prank to get in the spirit of the thing! Steph and Jack whip up an episode about an entirely fake author who just happens to have lived a very similar life to host, Jon. He catches on... eventually... We share a list of literary pranksters and the theorized literary origins behind April Fool's Day! Join us for a bit of fun as we pull on over on Jon!

This week, Jack takes over hosting to tell Jon about Elizabeth von Arnim! This British author led a very storied life that took her across the world. She wrote 22 novels, mostly anonymous during the course of her life and pulled from various creative concepts and personal sources to develop her original voice. Did we mention she's also a countess? Multiple times?

Women's History Month continues with Margaret Fuller! This extraordinary woman is considered by many to be the model of early feminist scholarship, writing about issues including independence, suffrage, and autonomy. Her work laid the foundation in many ways for other later thinkers during her time and today. She lived a powerful, passionate but tragically brief life. Celebrate her legacy with us this week!

Our celebration of Women's History Month continues with Modernist poet Marianne Moore! Her life was varied and storied as she made her way from the the Midwest to the East Coast and through poetry, prose, and criticism. She surrounded herself with colorful characters as she explored the new landscape of American poetry, mentoring and inspiring the likes of William Carlos Williams, Elizabeth Bishop, and H.D! Also featuring tricorn hats, bathtub dinners, and children's books come to life!