Lit Society

The theme this week: reform schools and their history in America. We promise to keep it frank without depressing you, friend. Then, on to our book: The Nickel Boys tells the story of a promising young student, blessed with a sharp mind and an innocent heart, plucked from the brightest future and thrown into the dark demonic dungeons reserved for America's unwanted and forgotten children in the Jim Crow south. He must face an unending test of his will, character, and capacity to suffer until one decision cements his future and the future of the one person closest to him. With a storyline and dialogue inspired by true accounts, it is more real and vivid than reality. The young boy: Elwood Curtis. The book: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. LET'S GET LIT!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week: We Heart 70s Rock. And before y'all start – no. We ain't nowhere near the age of those that created this music, but we love it nonetheless! Then it's on to our book: Comprised entirely of dialogue, this is the first-hand account of one band's meteoric rise to fame in the 1970s. It openly relates the few triumphs and many failures that took them from top to bottom and everywhere in between. More importantly, this story is about the destructive and healing power of love. The name of the band is Daisy Jones and Six. Our book is Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Let's get LIT!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

After a lengthy and well-deserved winter break, we're back and ready to read, reflect, and roar with laughter! We're starting off our second season with book recommendations for people who hate reading (no judgment!). Then, we play a quick game of book trivia. Play along from home and see if you can beat Alexis – who LOVES being put on the spot (see: S1 Episode 36: Self Made). Finally, we chat about what we've been reading since we've been gone and what you can look forward to in 2021. Let's get LIT!

Like Google Maps on a long road trip, one top chef is helping us find our way through the endless recipes scattered inside of that junk drawer in our kitchen to the dish we're craving. That's right, by understanding just four cardinal directions of cooking, we can make anything delicious. Before diving into this culinary course, we discuss what our favorite foods really say about who we are. Our gourmet guide: Samin Nasraat. The book: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking, and you're listening to LIT Society. LET'S GET LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod; Twitter — www.twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

As Beyoncé said, "This is for the 30-somethings that didn't turn out exactly how mom and dad wanted you to be." Convenience Store Woman is the deadpan tale of one woman's happy life in a simple occupation before conformity-obsessed friends, family members, and strangers pressure her into confusion and despair. Will she find her way back, or will she end up a sandcastle, washed away by the current of conventionality. Before diving into this dry humor, we discuss if anyone can indeed find happiness and fulfillment from their job. This is LIT Society. Let's Get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

As always, before discussing this week's book, we discuss a theme inspired by the book. This week's theme is The Power of Traveling Abroad. Then, on to our story: Many have their opinions about him. But this is his story told in his own words, through a series of uninhibited conversations with one of the most influential authors of his time. This is the story of Malcolm Little, who became Malcolm X...LET'S GET LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week is The Strange Case of a Podcast About Adnan Syed. Then, on to our story: Because two girls from her school are mean to her, one nosey Nancy seeks to ruin their family and leave them destitute. But how will this cautious Karen outwit her playground bullies? By collaborating with her father, a man who seems desperate to get rid of her by putting her in harm's way every chance he gets. In the end, the secret to the demise of those whom she despises is within an old clock. Our headstrong heroine must rely on happenstance and privilege to complete her fiendish mission and remain the queen bee of her hive. The messy meddler: Nancy Drew. The book: The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keen. And you're listening to LIT Society... LET'S GET LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

AN EXTRA SPECIAL EPISODE: Acclaimed author Liz Moore joins us – US?! – to discuss her book, Long Bright River. This book has been on every list known to man, including Barry's. It involves two sisters left as casualties of the opioid crisis. One must find the other before they both end up alone or dead. How far would you go for family, and is it far enough? LET'S GET LIT!... . . . Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week: The Benefits of Age-Gap Friendships. Sometimes having "old friends" means being friends with old people, and that's a great thing. Let's get into why elderly accomplices are good for our physical and mental health. Then, on to our book: In the twilight of their lives, a group of four unlikely friends discovers a shared passion for photos of grandchildren over liquid lunches and murder. Together, they form a club of amateur, capable sleuths who can talk their way into any room and out of any trouble. But when local police find a string of dead bodies around town, speculation turns to the group of golden gumshoes. Could one of the elderly analysts actually BE the murderer?⁠ The name of the group: The Thursday Murder Club. The book is by Richard Osman. LET'S GET LIT!... Golden Girls theme song remix by "Finally Aaron" (YouTube). . . Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Mariah Carey is a girl from New York state whose mom was Irish and her father, Black. She has a brother and sister but no family. 

What she does have is the following:

• The most weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart for any artist in American history
• 19 number-one singles – second only to the Beatles
• The honor of being the only artist to have a number-one single in each year of a decade (!!!)
• The honor of being the first female artist to debut at number one in the States
• 5 Grammy Awards
• 19 World Music Awards
• 10 American Music Awards
• 15 Billboard Music Awards
• A place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame

When people had to save up, wake up, stand in line, and wait to hear their favorite artist, they were buying her albums by the MILLIONS. Her talent is undeniable. 

This is the story of a real-life person named Mariah, aka Me-Me, aka the Elusive Chanteuse, aka M.C. The meaning of Mariah is a memoir by one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our generation. Within its pages, she talks about the people who almost killed her, tried to get her hooked on drugs, tried to get her pimped, and tried to kill her dreams - all before she turned 18 years old. She also gives her honest opinion regarding her triumphs and failures and the cast of people who opened their hearts to let her in when those tasked with the job failed to be reliable.

Please enjoy this, the final episode of our 2020 season. Thank you, all of you, for listening to our show and validating the time we spend on this project of which we're so proud. Please take care of yourself and those you love. We'll see you on January 14, 2021.

• Alexis and Kari

This week's theme: How to Find Success After Losing Your Job. This theme is inspired by this week's book: The country has just suffered a civil war. Households are divided, as is the nation. From the last generation of men and women born into slavery, an industrious group of individuals will become the first Black American self-made millionaires. One book tells their true story. The book is Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires . . . Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Word up! Words have meaning, and behind every great definition is a pale, emaciated lexicographer melting away under the fire of language. What does "take" mean in "to take a nap," and how is that "take" different from "take" in "taken aback" or "take a meeting" or "take a poop." With sharp wit and a terrifying large vocabulary, one writer busts wide open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography. The seemingly dullest profession in the world is painted like a new branch of the Marvel universe thanks to her keen knack for honest storytelling and her passion for logophilia. In the end, three things are clear: our language is constantly changing, the people who define it are insane, and no matter how hallowed you consider its page, the dictionary is not a holy book. The lexicographer: Kory Stamper. The book: Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper. . .Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week: How to Deal with Disappointment. The story: It is a tale of undying passion born of loneliness and shame, a type of force that consumes everything in its path and leaves only gloom and death in its wake. Did we mention the two who share this love are foster siblings? They are. Anywhoo … not not judging. The lover's name: Heathcliff. The book: Wuthering Heights. Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

This week's theme: Tips for Finding Your Ancestors. Our book: One woman learns the secret her mother has spent a lifetime hiding. She vows to remain silent, but when her mother dies, she must decide: will she pass on her mother's lie or will she expose her family to the world. The woman's name is Gail Lukasik. The book: White Like Her. Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

This week's theme: How to Deal with Hostile People. The book on which our theme's based: It is the first published science fiction novel written by a black woman, the story of a 26-year-old writer living in California. One day, she is inexplicably ripped from her home and thrown into antebellum Maryland. There awaits her more than a few tough decisions and a puzzle that must be solved before she can ever return home for good. Her name is Dana. The book is Kindred. And you're listening to LIT Society. Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week: Fear and violent behavior. Circa 1890, somewhere in the southeast of present-day Nigeria, a powerful man has built his life on the foundations of pride and fearlessness. Determined to be the exact opposite of his lazy father, he rules his world with an iron fist. Still, he cannot escape the plagues of time and change. His name is Okonkwo. The book is Things Fall Apart. And you’re listening to lit society. Let’s get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

The theme this week: How to Live Without a Man. (Yup. We're going there.) The Book: In the mountains surrounding Acapulco, there exists a town full of women. Only women. And being a woman is a deadly mistake here. Girls mascaraed as boys to evade would-be kidnappers. Their friends are buried in the ground alive by their mothers, and dead bodies pop-up like flowers, blooming in a land where drug lords are the earth. In this place, one girl must hide the lies of her family while relying on her mother, neighbors, and her own self-determination if she hopes ever to breathe again the air of freedom. The girl: Ladydi Garcia Martínez. The novel: Prayers for the Stolen. LET'S GET LIT!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

After losing her home, her husband, sobriety, and career, one woman is on the brink of losing her mind. Her life as dwarfed into a series of train rides, back and forth, morning and evening, until she sees something no one else sees from the window of her commute. She's witnessed something that propels her into a series of events, forever changing her life and the lives of everyone she knows. The woman's name is Rachel. The book, The Girl on the Train. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Formerly, On Her Own Ground. One little girl is the first of six children born free in her family after the abolition of slavery. She is quickly orphaned forced to fend for herself from the tender age of 6 years old. Despite all of her obstacles, including three unsuccessful marriages, abuse by white media and civilians, and deteriorating health, she becomes America's first female self-made millionaire. The woman's name: Madame C.J. Walker. The book: Self Made, and you're listening to LIT Society. LET'S GET LIT!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A streetwise hustler grows up during America's fight against drugs, poverty, and civility. He takes the lessons he's learned from the street and marries them to the philosophies and ideologies he picks up as an avid reader. With this knowledge, and after two trips to Africa, which inspired his path, he begins working on his life's biggest hustle. He's all in, but will his underground lifestyle take him OUT for good? The hustler's name is Daniel Day. The book is Dapper Dan: Made in Harlem. LET'S GET LIT!...Opening song: Men at Work by Kool G Rap; Break Song: Money Makes Us Happy by Skyzoo f/ Black Thought and Bilal. The video Kari refers to is by AT&T, found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb_sjwUq7Jk . . . Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Too black or not too black. That is the question. Lately, everyone seems to be talking about who is and who isn't black, and what that even means. Before diving into this week's book, we discuss what it means to be Black American — not racially — but ethnically. Then we talk Black Card, Chris L. Terry's novel about a man pushed out of adolescence into adulthood still unsure if he's black enough in a world that's trying to define him. Get into it! Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

"Every decision you make contributes to your character and shapes the kind of person you are." This week we remember not to forget as we discuss tips for improving our short and long-term memories. Then, we dive into one of the most talked-about science fiction novels of the last decade. It's a collection of brilliantly detailed short stories that allow us to time travel, swap lungs, question fact, faith, and our very existence. The agent for this adventure is Ted Chiang. The book is Exhalation. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Before we get into this week's book, we discuss forgiveness. Can you imagine? What does it take to forgive someone, and how do you know you've genuinely forgiven a person in your heart? Also, why do we need to be forgiving in the first place? We'll get into it. And then it's on to the book that inspired this week's discussion. It's the early 1900s, and one quiet woman lives a happy life with her happy husband on a beautiful farm in Iowa. All is as it should be until a single act of betrayal puts her at odds against everyone she knows and trusts.

That woman's name is Margaret Stewart. The book is Remembering Laughter, and you're listening to LIT Society. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Like an extraterrestrial attack, Coronavirus has overrun and uprooted our lives.  We start our discussion with a brief chat about ways to overcome Coronavirus induces anxiety. Then, it's time to get into some delicious YA literature: Ilori, highly-intelligent and resourceful aliens from a distant planet, have invaded earth. In New York City, under the threat of death, one beautiful teenage girl runs a secret library. Her mission is to help her community escape the terror around them with stories that remind them of the past and inspire them to continue living despite the present. One day, she notices a book missing from her hidden collection. It has her name inside and could expose her to the aliens. Who took it? The answer leads to a road trip that could save the world. The girl's name is Janelle Baker. The book is The Sound of Stars. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Having abandoned her husband and son, one woman lives life one train ride at a time with her beautiful beau and new baby girl — but her decision to risk it all for "love" isn't without consequences. Will following her heart lead this woman to peace, misery, or the greatest happiness? The woman's name: Anna. And it's time to enjoy part 2 of Anna Karenina. Before diving in, we discuss the "power of the middle", for our theme of the week. Need the motivation to complete a huge project? Feeling drained? This one's for you! Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

This week, Alexis makes Kari read the world's longest book (just kidding), written by a man some consider to be the greatest author of all time (not kidding). The setting is 19th century Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the countryside. Noblemen and women are eating, drinking, marrying, living. Among these aristocrats stands one woman who personifies beauty and grace. This woman catches the eye of an equally attractive officer. Driven by an undeniable chemistry, the two start down a path of deception and destruction from which neither may recover. The officer's name is Alexei Vronsky. The woman's name is Anna Karenina, and this is part one of our two-part episode. Before diving in, we discuss the usefulness of healthy distractions and learn how to escape in ways that don't destroy us. This is LIT Society. Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Hey, all you glee gals and geeks! We're bringing a very special episode to you this week — Hamilton the Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda! We know, we know. Last episode, we said we were taking the week off to read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Rest assured, we're reading every bit of that billion-page book, but we've still got time to gush over one of our favorite musicals of all time. Did you know that without Hamilton, there would be no Lit Society Podcast? In the summer of 2019, we started a real-life book club because Alexis wanted to read Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow before seeing the musical in London's West End. The rest is history, much like this, the story of a founding father without a father who got a lot farther by working a lot harder and being a self-starter. Listen to this before or after watching the film on Disney Plus. Enjoy! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Our first comic book! And what's more — it's non-fiction! It inspires this week's theme: How to Survive a Crisis. One girl, the beloved only child of progressive parents, is sent her to school in Austria. Her parents hope that she'll escape what they saw as the oppressive regime of Iran. This comic is the story of her childhood, growing up in a time of war and revolution. Together, she and her country must decide who they're supposed to be and who they actually are. The girl's name — Marjane Satrapi. The book — Persepolis. This is LIT Society. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

From the projects to Paris: One woman's brutally honest story about surviving the vices of her neighborhood, only to be thrust into a world that neither wants nor accepts her is a sobering reminder of the disparities plaguing citizens of a nation still ignoring its history. Her undying drive to be recognized takes her in and out of ivy league schools, prisons, and psychiatric hospitals until she's finally drawn across the ocean to expatriation and rebirth. The woman's name — Janet McDonald. The book — Project Girl. This is LIT Society. Let's get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

What is love? Baby, don't hurt me.

Alicia Berenson is a beautiful, brilliant painter married to one of the best looking fashion photographers in the world. Her life is seemingly perfect, which is why it is so unbelievable that she'd shoot her husband five times in the face and then refuse ever to speak again. What really happened to push her over the edge? It becomes the mission of psychotherapist Theo Faber to find the answer. Will he succeed without losing himself in the process?

Before diving into this week's book, Alexis gives eight reasons why every one of us should be keeping a journal. We remember experiences better when we write them down (travel journal) and eat more thoughtfully when we jot down what we've put in our mouth (a food journal). Above all else, though, a journal can be a great way to get back at people posthumously (it will all make sense. Promise).

Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Growing up in rural Mississippi, one woman watches helplessly as five men close to her die over the span of 5 years. Through the pain and confusion, she sees clearly what facilitated the demise of each family member and friend — a system built on the foundations of racism and economic turmoil. She decides to tell their stories. Her writing is evidence that these living, loving bodies existed. Before covering this week's book, we're getting into a topic close to home — how to cope with grief. Feel that gaping hole in your stomach, the ache that just won't go away? It may be grief. We'll share with you what's helped us make it through some of the worse moments of our lives. Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A beautiful woman from the south side of Chicago sits alone in her garden ready to evaluate the sum of her life. We follow her to the upstairs one-bedroom apartment she shared with her parents and brother, as a child. She then takes us to the moment when her mom stood as her champion in the second grade. We sit in on the meeting she had with a high school counselor who told her she wasn’t good enough before even knowing her. It is in each moment that we learn more about this woman, who she is, and what drives her. Eventually, we follow her to the moment that would shape her life forever, when she met one man, and that man challenged her to question her very purpose. That woman’s name is Michelle Obama. The book is Becoming, and you’re listening to LIT Society. Let’s get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A naïve and homely young woman in her early 20s escapes a future devoid of opportunity and excitement by marrying a wealthy widower named Maxim de Winter. She soon learns the memory of his dead wife haunts both him and his entire world. The book is Rebecca. You’re listening to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Second-in-power only to the king, General Oufkir is both hated and adored by the people of Morocco. After a failed coup d' état, however, he is killed, and the lives of his wife and six children are changed forever. His older daughter, Malika Oufkir, survived a desert jail for two decades as one of the "disappeared," along with her family. This is her story. We're also taking a look at child marriages, prevalent worldwide — including here in The States — for our theme of the week. Who allows it, and who is this ancient custom hurting? This is an episode you'll never forget! Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

We are proud to introduce to you, reader, LITOTES. LITOTES is the new line of aromatic experiences crafted and hand-poured by yours truly, Alexis and Kari. Starting Friday, May 1st, discover LITOTES for yourself at www.lovelitotes.com. Follow the movement on IG and Facebook @lovelitotes… The life of the sometimes-brilliant Ignatius Jacque Reilly is one comedic tragedy after another. He lives with his mother, dresses funny, isn't particularly charming, but has enough self-assurance to compensate for all he's lacking — even if this is only true in his mind. In A Confederacy of Dunces, we follow a particular chapter in Ignatius's life that involves a hot dog, a pet cockatoo, and a valve — all set in the beautiful city of New Orleans… Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Elena Richardson is a life-long resident of Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. It's a place where everything, from the color of residents' homes to the futures of their children, are approved by the always watching community. In this structured environment, Mrs. Richardson lives by the rules, attributing her success to her compliance. Everything is going to plan until a tenant moves into her rental property and makes Elena question everything she thought she knew. That tenant is Mia Warren. The book is Little Fires Everywhere. Let's get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A short, punchy novel that, according to Goodreads, "finally puts the 'pissed' back into epistolary." Dear Committee Members gives a full look into the late middle-age life of one Jason Fitger. Fitger is the professor of creative writing and literature at Payne University, a small Midwest university that treats its Economics staff like royalty but its English faculty like dinosaurs who have stayed far past their extension. In the twilight of his career, he is facing regrets, both romantically and professionally. These frustrations he percolates into a brewing hot cup of sarcasm, pettiness, and reflection through a series of never-ending letters of recommendation that he is tasked with writing by his peers and students. According to the author, our protagonist is like a Quixote figure — lacking common sense and personal and diplomatic skills but continuing to fight. It is the perfect book for people who watch reruns of Frasier on HULU. The theme this week: How to Write a Letter. Enjoy! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣⁣⁣⁣

Under the always watching gaze of eyes above plays out a scene full of gaudiness and glamour. On this side of the earth, privileged people roam the ground aimlessly in search of their next distraction. It is on this stage that one man has spent his life trying to be a player and has spent his money trying to earn the love of one woman, Daisy Buchanan.⁣Like vegetables and Justin Timberlake, this novel’s likability changed drastically in our eyes as we got older. As kids, we were on Gatsby’s side. Gatsby’s end cast a murky shadow on the entire book. Of course, we were wrong. Our theme this week is Rosy Retrospection and How to Get Over an Ex. Relatable, no? Enjoy the show, and when you’re done listening, let us know if your view of this book has changed since childhood. Comment below or find us on social media @litsocietypod! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣

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; the book is the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; you’re listening to Lit Society...While quarantined, we're excited to share with you this, our very first episode, originally released to a small group of test listeners in 2019. We like to think the quality of our show has improved since then, but this is still one of our favorite episodes! Enjoy!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣

Boom. So, listen. Eight people were invited to the LITTIEST party weekend ever. This fete-of-a-lifetime was on a private island in this bomb mansion, all expenses paid, all the Honey Jack they wanted, three billion count sheets, a private cook, and a butler. Needless to say, everyone invited was down. But then things got crazy. Like, ketchup on a hotdog crazy. This getaway isn’t all it’s cracked up to be because one of the guests is a murderer. PLOT TWIST! Will anyone survive? We’re reading this, one of our favorite mystery novels of all time, while under quarantine. So the sound quality is a bit suburban. Take it up with Coronita. For our theme, we’re sharing free ways to get books while under house arrest because of Coronavirus. We’ll get through this together, ya’ll! This is LIT Society. Let’s get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

It’s one of our favorite episodes ever! Join us for this thrilling conclusion to the rich stories of Ida Mae Gladney, George Swanson Starling, and Dr. Robert Joseph Pershing Foster — the three Black-American migrants we’ve followed from the South in part one. We’re peppering in the prose of Richard Wright and Langston Hughes, whose prolific careers are making their mark around this time. Our theme of the week, Why Our Families Left the South, is also continued as we interview our grandparents and great-grandparents for their tales from The Great Migration. There’s a lot to take in, but, as always, there’s still room for laughter. ⁣This is LIT Society.⁣Let’s get LIT!⁣Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣

Is fear the hairline to your inner Lebron James? Does it stop you from being great? Do you sometimes hear a negative voice inside of your head telling you you're not good enough? One psychologist wants you to take control of that voice with a system of positive thinking that leads to power. Her name is Susan Jeffers. The book is Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. And you’re listening to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

This week we’re skipping YA and going all the way to the baby book aisle for a lovable true tale (who knows. Maybe.) about a farm, an intelligent spider, and a piglet with a heart of gold. Truth be told, we selected this book to give our brains a break this week. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find our hearts sincerely moved by this classic, Charlette’s Web, by E.B. White. This week’s book also got us to thinking: “Why have we never read this story? What were we reading while all the other kids were reading this?” Hence, our theme of the week was born: The books that Shaped our Childhoods. So gather around kids, it’s about to get silly! This is LIT Society. Let’s get LIT! … Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Such a Fun Age is a story contrasting who we are as individuals against the role society has cast us to play. It follows Emira Tucker, a black 25-year-old who feels she's failing at adult life, and her white 30-something boss Alix who teeters around her own looming failures. As the two make efforts to dissolve their differences, a shocking realization shows the futility of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons. And speaking of the “A” word, ADULTING, we’ll share some expert tips on how to grow up successfully, which we both are still figuring out how to do. This is LIT Society. Let’s get LIT!...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

As the prolific poets TLC once said: What about your friends? Like T-Boz, Sula gets a little crazy, now and then. She may watch her mom burn to death or she may drown a neighborhood boy, and no, that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. But Sula has her reasons for being Sula. For one, her loneliness is palpable. Her dad died when she was three, and her mother loves but doesn’t like her. Toni Morrison’s classic short Sula is about life coming of age in a town where a dream can only go as high as the bottom and where who you want to be is more important than who you are. Before diving into this haunting story, we discuss our own friendships and try to find an answer to the question, “What makes a real friend?” This is LIT Society. Let’s get LIT!...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Hey readers! Here's the chat we couldn't fit into the last episode.

CW/TW: We’re covering Catch and Kill, a book that goes into detail about the allegations made against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. These allegations involve sexual assault, including rape. If you think this subject may elicit a harmful emotional response within you — please don’t listen. Take care of yourself. ♡ Catch and Kill is the story of how big media and Hollywood worked together to protect a disease while simultaneously silencing victims. It unveils, in detail, what one group of reporters did to bring down the system, and it names those who stood in their way. Before reviewing Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow, we provide some practical tips on what to do if you’re ever sexually harassed at work...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Have you ever been so embarrassed you thought you’d die? But did you die, though? Nope. You didn’t. So, you see, embarrassment is conquerable, and we’ll show you how to overcome a mortifying humiliation because we’re experts on the subject. (One of us once tinkled in the middle of a party, in front of all her friends, and lived to tell the tale. Gross.) Elizabeth Bennet knows a thing or two about shame. Her mom’s a gold-digging cow and most of her sisters are attention-seeking idiots. Will these lame lilies ruin Lizzy’s only shot at true love? The book: Pride and Prejudice, and you’re listening to LIT Society. Let’s get LIT! … Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Am I my sister's keeper? Before diving into one of the most talked-about books of 2019, we discuss sadistic siblings. Who's to blame when a kid goes bad? And have you heard of the Han twins? Allow us to serve up a little true-crime for your mind. A little Serial with your cereal. In this week's book, a Nigerian woman whose sister has an inconvenient habit must decide where her loyalty truly lies. Will she continue to protect her sister, no matter the cost, or will she finally free herself? Her name is Korede. The book: My Sister the Serial Killer, and you’re listening to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

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 The Village by M. Night Shyamalan, but interesting. . . Eventually, she’s forced to choose between a life without her family or most certain death by their hands. It got real, real quick. Travel with us from the peaks of Idaho to the halls of Cambridge in Educated. Welcome to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT!...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Comrades! In this episode, Alexis and Kari tackle the good and bad of a compliant society and decide hugs are always optional. This week’s theme was inspired by the most Orwellian book we’ve ever read, Animal Farm. It’s hard out here for a pig, ya’ll. In this classic allegorical story, the animals take over their farm only to learn domination is a downer, no matter who wears the pants. Welcome to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — https://twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama. *P.S. The audio quality in this episode is a little suburban. We know. Forgive us, please. Okaythanksbye.

Kari gets trapped in a Parisian hotel, Alexis ignores emergency alerts sent from the toilet, and A.J. Finn lies his way into a two-book/movie deal —  ALLEGEDLY, ALLEGEDLY! The theme of the week is Agoraphobia and How to Feel Safer in Public Spaces. We talk about feelings of anxiety in the age of terror and how all of us can take practical steps to be safe and sound wherever we go. We then dive deep into The Woman in the Window, A.J. Finn’s runaway bestseller. Like your ex, A. J. Finn, real name Daniel Mallory, has something to hide, and he’s burying his secrets in lies, fibs, and untruths — ALLEGEDLY! If only we knew the password to his cell phone. If. Only.Welcome to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — https://twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.  

For our first official episode, we’re getting real about loneliness and depression. What battles have we personally had with both, and what do the experts recommend for coping? This theme is inspired by Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens. It’s the best-selling novel of 2019, and we’re going to break it all the way down before giving our final verdicts. Welcome to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT!...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — https://twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

A podcast about books and drama — welcome to Lit Society! Coming Thursday, January 9th, 2020! Each Thursday, join life-long friends Kari and Alexis as they use literature to humorously explore pop-culture and personal peculiarities. Travel across worlds real and imagined with dramatic readings of their favorite passages. Take a break from your routine with a book club that doesn’t judge. Just kidding, they’re judgy...Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — https://twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.