Welcome back listeners! After a short break, join Jen and Lane once again, today with the hilarious "Three Men in a Boat" by Jerome K. Jerome. This tale is based on a real adventure taken by Jerome on the Thames, and includes all of the chaotic shenanigans that happen when you take a trip with your closest friends. Especially when just about everything seems to go wrong.

Referred to in the episode:

• Jerome K Jerome Society: https://www.jeromekjerome.com/
• Tom Stoppard's “Three Men In a Boat” (1975) (IMDb Link)

Buy the Book:

• ⁠Three Men in a Boat (Bookshop.org paperback)
• ⁠Three Men in a Boat (libro.fm audiobook)

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠

Show Links:

Bard's Alley Bookshop Website

Welcome back listeners! Join Jen and Lane once again in diving deep into an absolute favorite of classic literature, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. In this twisted romance (or, should we even call it that?), dark themes provide the foundation for one of the most complex characters in the English canon: Heathcliff. Throughout the novel, Heathcliff’s obsession, need for revenge, and constant plots lead to regular success, but at the devastating expense of those around him.

And yet, perhaps his actions could be heroic romanticism? Could his obsession be more of a youthful passion, and his machinations born out of necessity, created by his surroundings? Are his actions towards those who took his love from him justified? Grab a cup of tea and decide for yourself!

Episode Links:

Referred to in the episode:

• ⁠Céline Dion - It's All Coming Back to Me Now (YouTube.com link)

• Emily Brontë: "I Am the Only Being Whose Doom" (Poetry Foundation)

• Withering Heights is a Virgin’s Story, and Other Opinions of Brontë’s Classic (Lit Hub article)

Buy the book:

• ⁠Wuthering Heights (Bookshop.org paperback)

• ⁠Wuthering Heights (libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠

Welcome back and happy holidays, listeners! In today’s festive episode, dive into the enchanting world of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker, the beloved holiday tale with a dar, whimsical twist. Jen and Lane explore the story’s origins, its evolution from a fairy tale to the iconic ballet, and the complex characters came to be. Along the way, they discuss Hoffmann’s unique style, blending fantasy with psychological depth, and how The Nutcracker reflects themes of childhood innocence, transformation, and the blurred lines between dreams and reality. Whether you’re a mega fan of the ballet or just now learning of the original story, tune in for a festive discussion, even if there are no sugar plum fairies.

Episode Links:

Buy the book:

• Nutcracker and Mouse King and the Tale of the Nutcracker (⁠Bookshop.org paperback)

• The Nutcracker and The Mouse King (⁠Libro.fm audiobook⁠)

Show Links:

• ⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠⁠