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

Welcome back listeners! In this episode, Jen and Lane dive deep into Thornton Wilder’s timeless play Our Town. Together, they explore its themes of life, death, and the beauty of everyday moments. Tune in for an engaging conversation about this classic piece of American theater, its lasting impact, and the lessons it offers for modern audiences.

Episode Links:

Referred to in the episode:

• Our Town (2003) (IMDb Link)

• “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett (Bookshop.org paperback)

• A Psalm for the Wild-Built: A Monk and Robot Book (Bookshop.org hardcover)

Buy the book:

• Our Town: A Play in Three Acts (Bookshop.org paperback)

• Thornton Wilder: Our Town, The Bridge of San Luis Rey & More (Libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠

Welcome back, listeners! In today’s episode, join Jen and Lane in discussing the beloved Little House series. Although written as children’s books, the captivating relationships, struggles, and triumphs of the lives of the pioneers have appealed to audiences universally. The story of the Ingalls has been loved by many, including through the incredibly popular TV series. Whether a returning fan of the series, or a first time reader, enjoy deep insights into the world of Little House.

Referred to in the episode:

• ⁠ Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder (bookshop.org paperback)

Episode Links:

• ⁠Little House on the Prairie ([Link description])
• Little House on the Prairie (libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠⁠

Welcome back, listeners! After a short break, join Jen and Lane once again to dive into the life and story of the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. In celebrating the culmination of the spoooky~ season, this week we look at two of Poe's most famous short stories, The Tell Tale Heart and The Raven. Discover that despite the caricature of a dark, brooding man, there is much more to this genius than we may give him credit for.

Episode Links:

Referred to in the episode:

• ⁠ A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe (Bookshop.org paperback)

Buy the book:

• ⁠The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Bookshop.org paperback)
• ⁠Edgar Allan Poe: The Complete Collection (libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠⁠

Welcome back, listeners! Join Jen and Lane in discussing another great American novella, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. This tragedy involves George and Lennie, the latter of which has a form of disability that leads him to be unable to control his strength, and their struggles with keeping on with their life in the face of the Great Depression and Lennie’s history. Through their sometimes friendly and sometimes ill-intentioned interactions with those around them, learn how powerlessness and loneliness can manifest itself, even when surrounded by others.

Episode Links:

Referred to in the episode:

• ⁠Lithub (Lithub article on the Sing Sing production of Of Mice and Men)

Buy the book:

• Of Mice and Men (Bookshop.org paperback)

• Of Mice and Men (libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠

Welcome back, listeners! Join us today for a tragedy of tragedies, Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In this Scottish-based legend, there’s war, betrayal, and weird witchly things! Learn with us the origin of the story, what real-life legends inspired it, and how prideful ambition can twist and corrupt even a great noble.

Episode Links:

Referred to in the episode:

• ⁠Norton Shakespeare: Tragedies (Bookshop.org paperback)

• The Tragedy of Macbeth (IMDb link)

Buy the book:

• Macbeth (Bookshop.org paperback)

• ⁠Macbeth (libro.fm audiobook)

Show Links:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bards Alley Bookshop Website⁠⁠