We return next week with a new episode, but we'd never leave you without a dope book to discuss. So, here's another favorite episode from our past! Hyde yo' kids! Hyde yo' wife! A young doctor allows his obsession with the duality of human nature to lead him down a path littered with lies, murder, and destruction. His name is Doctor Henry Jekyll; t…

Have you ever had to cut someone out of your life? No phone calls, texts, and your friends know not to invite both of you to the same event? This week, our theme is inspired by Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover. Tara didn’t have a birth certificate until she was nine years old and she didn’t see her first classroom until the age of 17. It’s like …

A man's enemies will be persons of his own household. In one of the most tragic classics, we are forced to stare unflinchingly into a household descending into madness and chaos. The play: King Lear The playwright: William Shakespeare LET'S GET LIT!!! - View the video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@litsocietypod Find Alexis and Kari online:…

"As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.." The most kafkaesque book we've ever read is about isolation, capitalism, and the meaning of family - we think. The book: The Metamorphosis The author: Franz Kafka LET'S GET LIT!!! - View the video podcast here: https://www.youtube…

One family's matriarch does all she can to honor her late husband's memory, save her son from despair, and support the dreams of her daughter — Is there hope for them, a family who the world is against, a family who already feels death inside the walls of their dwelling? The play: A Raisin in the Sun The playwright: Lorraine Hansberry LET'S GET LIT…

What would you give for 2.4M dollars? Would you give up everything, and if so, in what order would you choose to abandon your life and everyone in it? One man must quickly decide his answer. What he chooses and what happens next is a story that uncovers the not-so-secret depravity of an entire country. The book: No Country for Old Men The author: C…

This episode was first published on April 14, 2022, and it's still one of our favorites. We return next week with a new episode covering No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy. Enjoy! America's Most Wanted was a television show launched by a man who knew what it meant to lose a child forever, in the blink of an eye, to the hands of a monster. He…

Not all heroes wear capes or have long epic trilogies written about them. Some live quiet lives, doing what they can to protect the most vulnerable. In a small Irish town, one man must choose if he'll become a hero or remain a silent enabler of a horrific system perpetrated by the church of his community. The book: Small Things Like These The autho…

An enslaved woman on a cotton plantation is considered an outcast by her fellow Africans, and as she comes into womanhood, her problems increase. What will she decide when a new enslaved man, Caesar, invites her to escape? The book: The Underground Railroad The author: Colson Whitehead LET'S GET LIT!!! - View the video podcast here: https://www.you…

Alexis and Kari are on a well-deserved break this week, so we'd like to share one of their favorite past episodes with you, The LITeratti. This week's theme, How to Survive a Crisis, is inspired by an amazing non-fic graphic novel, now turned into a film! One girl, the beloved only child of progressive parents, is sent to school in Austria. This is…

Why do you travel? Is relaxation your strongest motivation, or is it a desire to fill your IG feed with enviable photos? Do you look for comfort when abroad? Or do you hunger to taste the culture of others? Would you like to be treated like royalty? Or do you humbly present yourself as a guest in the home of another? One woman shares with us her tr…

When should you give your kids cell phones, and what's the best way to teach a child about technology? We discover the answer in this episode's theme of the week, but first — It is a riveting story of a company that toppled global giants before succumbing to the ruthlessly competitive forces of Silicon Valley. The book: Losing the Signal: The Untol…

Do you have what it takes to endure in the wilderness if lost? Chances are you have everything you need to survive in your backpack. In this week's themed discussion, we'll explain how to use your tools to live another day if lost. Share this episode with your hike-loving friend. Then, it's on to our book. Helena has a loving husband and two beauti…

A filmmaker pulls together a writer's unfinished work to reveal truths about racial relations in America. The writer: James Baldwin The book: I Am Not Your Negro LET'S GET LIT! - View the video podcast here: https://youtu.be/OXCf8CaUJ2Q Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod; Twitter — www.twitter.com/litsocietypod…

One of the most iconic figures of the 21st century faces the impact of a life-threatening conspiracy. After serving his country for decades, Oppenheimer's government proceeded on a campaign to take down this leader and burn his world to the root. This is the thrilling conclusion of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheim…

A brilliant and ambitious physicist whose connection to communism makes the FBI suspicious pushes through moral dilemmas to become the father of the atomic bomb. The Book: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer The Authors: Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin LET'S GET LIT! - View the video podcast here: https://youtu.be/O…

You just boarded a flight to New York. There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard. What you don't know is that your pilot's family was kidnapped thirty minutes before the flight. For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die. The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.…

SEASON 5 IS HERE - and our first book is a doozie! The year is 1920, and the wealthiest people on earth all belong to one Native American tribe, The Osage Nation of Oklahoma. Soon, a trail of corpses unearths a sinister plot involving greed, murder, and the foundation of the FBI. After a spoiler-filled discussion, we'll break down some of history's…

Hi readers! Our fourth season has ended, and we're preparing for year five (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!). In the meantime, we're revisiting our favorite episodes from the past and sharing them again with all of you. This week, we're rediscovering the thrilling heist of Harlem Shuffle by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Colson Whitehead. Looking for somethin…

Hi readers! Our fourth season has ended, and we're preparing for year five (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!). In the meantime, we're revisiting our favorite episodes from the past and sharing them again with all of you. This week, we're rediscovering the book Black Cake, now an Oprah-produced miniseries on Hulu. Looking for something new? Check us out on YouT…

Hi readers! Our fourth season has ended, and we're preparing for year five (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!). In the meantime, we're revisiting our favorite episodes from the past and sharing them again with all of you. This week is for the LAMBLY. Mariah Carey is a girl from New York State with Irish and Black American roots. She has a father, mother, brothe…

While this season might be coming to a close, the world of literature continues to expand endlessly. With a fifth season on the horizon, we eagerly anticipate unearthing new narratives, unexplored genres, and captivating conversations with authors and bibliophiles alike. Stay connected with us on YouTube, where we'll share weekly bonus content (htt…

Popular obsession with genealogy has some twisted roots. Let's talk about it - but first: An award-winning actress and gladiator receives a call from her parents on a routine afternoon. Their nervous hesitations let her know something is wrong. She turns her car around, drives to the home, and sits in the living of the people she's known all her li…

Two men have formed an unlikely friendship, traveling from place to place, working toward one united dream: Owning their own ranch, a place in the world where they'll belong. This dream becomes their life's purpose, but it is as unreachable as happiness. The men: George and Lennie The book: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck LET'S GET LIT! View the …

In a memoir that is part true crime, part horror, a pop princess details how her life was taken captive by her family and how we all just stood by and watched. The pop princess: Britney SpearsThe book: The Woman in Me LET'S GET LIT! View the video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@litsocietypod THEME OF THE WEEK SOURCES: PBS: https://www.pbs.o…

SURPRISE! It's a bonus episode!!! Today, we want to share an exciting preview of a Shakespeare podcast we think you will enjoy: Play On Podcasts! Each episode explores plays from Macbeth to A Midsummer Night's Dream in a way anyone can easily understand, created by some of America's most captivating playwrights, directors, and composers and perform…

From the streets of Baltimore to the big screen, this actress has done a lot of living. You may have heard about her, read the blogs, and listened to the gossip revolving around her marriage to megastar Will Smith, but this is her life, her story, in her own words. The actress/mother/daughter/friend/wife/mother: Jada Pinkett Smith The book: Worthy …

The former president of the United States is on a manhunt for his daughter's killers. With the help of current and ex-military and foreign operatives, he will travel half the world for the most significant moment of his life. Will he be successful? Is more at stake in this mission than he realizes? The book: This is PART 2 of The President's Daught…

Bloodthirsty enemies of the state have kidnapped the president's daughter. With more enemies than friends in the white house and abroad, the commander-in-chief is unsure whom he can trust and if he'll ever bring his baby girl home safely. The Book: The President's Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson LET'S GET LIT!!! View the video podcast …

In an intimate letter to his son, a father explains his identity and fears within the galaxy of America, its race invention, and the mythology it has produced. The father: Ta-Nehisi Coates The Book: BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME BY TA-NEHISI COATES LET'S GET LIT!!! *Businesses from our theme of the week: Not Ok (App) by Hannah and Charlie Lucas: https:/…

Willa Noble is on a quest to discover who killed the person dearest to her. She discovers nearly everyone she knows is a suspect. Dancing with danger, she soon finds herself in the nation's capital alongside her benevolent employer, a strange and mysterious woman invested in the case's outcome. The benevolent employer: Emily Dickenson The Book: Bec…

Alex and Josie are from different worlds. They've come to know each other after discovering they're "birthday twins." Alex's work inspires Josie, and she soon decides she wants Alex to document her transformation story as she steps out of her tainted world into a new life. The book: None of This Is True: A Novel by Lisa Jewell LET'S GET LIT!!! - Vi…

Obi Okonkwo, grandson of deceased village leader Okonkwo, is returning to Nigeria from England after earning a proper British education. He quickly finds his world is riddled with bribes and corruption, but Obi is determined never to accept an illegal payment and never compromise his principles. But as his black-and-white world becomes grey, he mus…

Hi readers! Kari here. Just a reminder: This week, we're revisiting Things Fall Apart to properly set the tone for next week's book, No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe. Published in the 1960s, No Longer at Ease is the second work of Achebe's African Trilogy. It deals with themes such as cultural integrity versus colonialization and assimilation. If…

Hi readers! Kari here. Alexis and I are switching up the schedule this and next week to correctly set the stage for No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe. Published in the 1960s, No Longer at Ease is the second work of Achebe's African Trilogy, which begins with the distinguished High School required read Things Fall Apart. It deals with themes such a…

From Herman Petty to LaVan Hawkins, Franchise tells the hidden history of the intertwined relationship between fast food and civil rights. (Be prepared for surprises and thought-provoking discussions about this book for years to come!) LET'S GET LIT! - View the video podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@litsocietypod Find Alexis and Kari online: …

Athena is a writing wunderkind, and June, an unsuccessful author, is jealous of her friend's success. When a tragedy leaves one dead, will the other exploit the memory of her companion for her personal gain? After diving into the plot of this week's book, we'll discuss the question that keeps popping up while reading Yellowface: Is it right for aut…

In a novel that reads like nonfiction, two girls find love at the end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood. The choices made with that newfound love lead to consequences neither imagined and in the end, they must fight for their destiny and future, alone or lonely. The girls becoming women: Ruby and Eleanor The book: The House of Eve by Sa…

Myriam loves her children, but after months of caring for her newborns, she feels they're literally "sucking the life out of her!" She's ready to get back to her craft as a lawyer. Fortunately, her family finds and hires the perfect nanny, a woman who is in many ways a child but utterly devoted to her duty and the children. She goes above and beyon…

An English ship embarks on a covert mission to steal Spanish treasure, but as hunger and exhaustion seize the men, they enact a mutiny. Ultimately, it is not just the seamen who are on trial but the very ideology of colonialization. In this true story, who will live, who will die, and which side will be proved right by history? LET'S GET LIT!!! - V…

Before we get into the book, we're discussing what to do if you're in the middle of being kidnapped. The short version: Call 911 if you can (preferably on speaker). Scream out "HELP!" along with your name. Go for the eyeballs. Of course, there are a few more tips here that we hope you'll never need. Then, on to our book... A five-year-old boy lets …

Can you stop a tragedy that's already occurred? One woman is eagerly waiting for her 18-year-old son to return home before curfew. Relieved, she sees him walking along the street but notices a shadowy figure catching up to him. In an instant, one of the men is dead. After a restless night, the woman awakes ... to yesterday. The woman: Jen Brotherho…

BONUS: A Lil' Literally - Welcome to A Lil' LITerally , ten minutes discussions of the bookish topics on our radar. Since last week's episode, many of you have shared your opinion of Mr. Perry and his plays and films. No matter what you think of Tyler Perry, his work is undeniably prolific, life-changing, and unforgettable. So here is your future f…

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ ReLIT ♥ The Wedding by Dorothy West Before Tom Joyner was cruising with your parents, Black Americans enjoyed resorts and vacations for us by us. What is the history of Black getaways? That’s our theme this week. It’s a lot of fun. Then, on to our book... There’s death in the air, even though this summer on the island of Martha’s Vineyard…

BONUS: A Lil' Literally - Welcome to A Lil' LITerally , ten minutes discussions of the bookish topics on our radar. No matter what you think of Tyler Perry, his work is undeniably prolific, life-changing, and unforgettable. Sir Perry is throwing babies out of windows and paraplegics into bathtubs. And we let him. We've worked with the scientists at…

Flight 587, which inspired this week's book, was the second deadliest aviation crash in history. It occurred just two months and one day after 9/11 and rocked families from NYC to the Dominican Republic. Today, we're diving into the details of that historic tragedy. Then it's on to our book, a unique novel written in poetic stanzas: A tragedy in th…

Visit Brooklinen.com today and receive a special discount plus free shipping on orders of $100+ with code [litsociety]. Grab Kari's "MORRISON" t-shirt here: https://www.litsocietypodshop.com/products/womens-relaxed-t-shirt A member of the Thursday Murder Club has received a letter from a dead man inviting her over for tea. The mystery that unravels…

Visit Brooklinen.com today and receive a special discount plus free shipping on orders of $100+ with code [litsociety]. After painfully losing her three children, a young wife is filled with joy when she and her husband find a newborn baby in an abandoned boat. She cajoles her husband into keeping the little girl, reasoning that she must be an orph…

BONUS: A Lil' Literally - We have a surprise! Today, we're introducing a new bonus show within LIT Society. Welcome to A Lil' LITerally , ten minutes discussions of the bookish topics on our radar. In the first season of our podcast, April 10th, 2020, we covered The Great Gatsby. This week, everyone's favorite play cousin, Keke Palmer, brought up a…

The year is 1926, and a quiet community on the island of Australia is recovering from the death and grief caused by a war that swallowed the world. It is in this setting that one man meets a woman. They fall in love. Their small family begins living on an isolated isle off the coast, guarding a lighthouse. Away from the eyes of anyone they've ever …