Get Lit Podcast: Recent Episodes
Steph Svarz
"Welcome back to Get Lit, the literary podcast where we discuss famous works of literature and the authors who wrote them..."
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Happy New Year, Get Lit Listeners! We're delighted to help you ring in the new year with Ida Raue, an activist, actor, artist, poet, and director who let very little stand in her way during her fight for justice. She published a single book of poetry in her life, but her reach and influence had an impact on dozens of authors and writers around Greenwich Village and beyond. Join us for this inspiring start to 2025!
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This week, we conclude our special history episodes with an exploration of the literature of Hanukkah, the Festival of Rededication and Festival of Light! We look at some classic 'literature' (picture books), 'carols' beyond the dreidel song, and some poetry written by a Get Lit Alumni! It's a truly LIT episode...
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We're delighted to rerelease our first audiobook recording of A Christmas Carol from 2023! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel. We'll be releasing a new stave each day leading up to December 25th. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
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We're delighted to rerelease our first audiobook recording of A Christmas Carol from 2023! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel. We'll be releasing a new stave each day leading up to December 25th. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
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We're delighted to rerelease our first audiobook recording of A Christmas Carol from 2023! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel. We'll be releasing a new stave each day leading up to December 25th. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
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We're delighted to rerelease our first audiobook recording of A Christmas Carol from 2023! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel. We'll be releasing a new stave each day leading up to December 25th. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
Send us a text
We're delighted to rerelease our first audiobook recording of A Christmas Carol from 2023! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel. We'll be releasing a new stave each day leading up to December 25th. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
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This week, we explore Christmas Carols - quite literally - Jon recounts the history of the original songs that have paved the way for Christmas carol traditions today and Steph reports on the various iterations (both sensical and not) of the original Dickens' novella. It's a jolly good time, so join us for some holiday cheer!
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You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen, but do you know where Jack Frost came from? Ever heard to the Yule Cat, or Krampus, or Lutin or the Yuki-onna? And you need our warnings about Gryla and the Yule Lads! We explore the literary origins of popular winter folk figures, so grab a cup of hot chocolate or cheer and join us this!
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Tired of horribly designed holiday cards? Ever wondered why a 'u' on some old stone buildings looks like a 'v'? Curious as to why some fonts have such weird names? Worry and wonder no more! This week, we're exploring all TYPES of fonts, and how we came to get just so many different ones today! Join us for this quirky, trivia filled episode!
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Just in time for the holidays, we are pleased to serve up this excellent episode! We take a quick jaunt through culinary history, through a literary lens. We explore the interesting stories behind some of the most famous cook books in history, along with an examination of their intersectional nature. Join us for some inspiration and walk away with some gift ideas for your favorite home chef (we'd skip the stone tablet ones though...)!
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In this week's special episode, we explore the age old adage, "you can't judge a book by its cover." Book covers have evolved over the millennia, as displays of wealth, protective layers, advertisements, and art pieces. We look at the historical functions of the cover and investigate why all book covers seem to look the same in modern times! Join us for this deeply important journey through time and pulp!
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This week, we're diving into the legacy of Frank Marshall Davis. Davis was a revolutionary poet, journalist, author, who whose writings advanced and amplified the experiences of Black Americans starting in the 1930's. He was an educator and advocate, using his appreciations of jazz and knowledge of politics to affect change across America. Join us for this trip across the US, with stops in Kansas, Chicago, and Hawaii.
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Today, a hug from Tomie dePaola. This beloved children's book author created stories that have inspired children and adults alike across the globe. dePaola's whimsical, folk-inspired art style paired beautifully with his honest, earnest way of telling stories. He used his experiences to inspire others, while celebrating the best of us. He believed in hope, and he believed in the young people he wrote for, as do we.
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This week, we have a special episode to help you get in the Halloween Spirit. Steph tracks the origins of Witchcraft through literature, taking us through thousands of years and miles to explore the evolution of the witch. She and Jon discuss the various forms the witch has taken in pop culture and examine what these depictions reflect about women in our culture today. Join us for this Wickedly Wild and Wonderful episode!
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Jon leads this weeks dive into the biography of H.P. Lovecraft! Lovecraft wrote many of the tropes we understand in alternate worlds and world building. Jon covers his controversial legacy, as we bounce around between various places around the East Coast. Lovecraft's chilling tales reflected his short life in many ways, many of them haunting and tragic. Listen along with us as our spooky author features continue!
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This week, Jack takes over and shares the absolutely wild biography of Occult author Dion Fortune with Jon! This will be one of those episodes in which every sentence ends with something you really couldn't have predicted. We explore assorted occult theories and fiction as we continue our foray into the supernatural themes of the month! Join us for this wild & wacky episode!
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It's TIME. The Time Machine, really. That's right! We're featuring H.G. Wells this week. Known as one of the founding fathers of science fiction, Wells wrote all sorts of prophetic work that envisioned technology and times that his contemporaries could only dream of. His work laid the ground plan for much of our modern 'alien invasion' fiction, and inspired generations of thinkers, writers, scientists, inventors, and dreamers. Maybe even someone or something you know!
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It's October, which means we're getting SPOOKY on Get Lit! This month, we'll be featuring all things scary, frightening, haunted, and in our opinion, fun! We're starting with Sheridan Le Fanu, author of Carmilla (considered to be one of the original vampire stories, and inspiration for Dracula!) and many other haunted tails. Le Fanu's legacy includes forays into short stories, novels, poetry, plays. His ideas and stories have inspired just as many adaptations! Get Lit & Get Scared (but in a fun way) this month!
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This week, we celebrate Banned Books Week with an exploration of the history of Book Banning around the world. We examine various cases of book burning, banning, and censoring over time and discuss the impacts that these acts have on the communities in which they occur. Listen and learn about this incredibly pressing issue, and what it means for all of us!
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We're back this week with our regularly scheduled programming and featuring the witchy words of desert and community advocate Mary Hunter Austin! Austin's work ranged greatly in form and topic - she was a tireless advocate for the environment, Indigenous Americans, women, and the communities around her. She lived around the world, learning and writing amongst the foremost thinkers of her time, but found the most joy and freedom in the deserts of California and New Mexico. Join us to learn about this remarkable author and advocate!
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This week, we have a very special set of episodes for you! We're featuring the voices and perspectives of Printer's Row Literary Festival! We asked all kinds of questions and had the chance to hear your thoughts on your favorite books, best authors, literary hot takes, and more! This is always such a joyful weekend and we love the chance to hear from all of you! Listen in for Sunday's responses and then go back and listen to Saturday's thoughts in our 2nd episode this week!
(Although this says '286th' episode, it is indeed our 301st episode, when you include all the 'Get a Little Lit Episodes' and bonus content! Woohoo!)
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This week, we have a very special set of episodes for you! We're featuring the voices and perspectives of Printer's Row Literary Festival! We asked all kinds of questions and had the chance to hear your thoughts on your favorite books, best authors, literary hot takes, and more! This is always such a joyful weekend and we love the chance to hear from all of you! Listen in for Saturday's responses and then tune in to Sunday's thoughts in our 2nd episode this week!
(Although this says '285th' episode, it is indeed our 300th epsiode, when you include all the 'Get a Little Lit Episodes' and bonus content! Woohoo!)
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This week, we're coving Latin American surrealist poet Alejandra Pizarnik. Pizarnik led a remarkable and interesting life, however fraught. She lived in duality, understanding some of life's highest highs and lowest lows. She would be recognized for her remarkable work during her short life, but her legacy, and her exceptional writing is worth studying today. We also explore New York's subway system and prepare for Lit Fest and our 300TH EPISODE!!
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We're staying local this week after a few far flung episodes to feature the remarkable work of Studs Terkel. Terkel was a pioneering journalist and storyteller who helped show the world the value of the average life. Terkel's radio programs and literary works captivated the country with his unique interview style and his passion for the stories of those around him. We visit some familiar places and extraordinary events in history, through Terkel's signature lens and voice.
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This week, we're going way back to a less-conventionally known author who's usually talked about as a wife... the last wife of the notorious King Henry VIII! We're bringing Catherine Parr into the spotlight! She wrote two texts about her religious faith, helped advocate for translations of Protestant texts, and served as a patron for various arts throughout her time as Queen and beyond! Join us to learn more about this remarkable woman in her own context!
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This week, we present a back to school special with Andrew Clements. Clements was a teacher-turned-author who wrote dozens of books that helped children foster a love of learning. Known for Frindle, The Landry News, The School Story, and other texts, Clements' characters helped encourage young readers to believe in themselves and dare to bring their dreams to life. We salute all the amazing educators out there about to start their new years! Your students are so lucky to have you!
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We take a summer trip to Provincetown, Massachusetts and other places across the United States to explore the legacy of novelist, journalist, playwright, and member of the Provincetown Players, Floyd Dell! Dell's work is often overshadowed by his other more famous contemporaries, including Eugene O'Neill, Susan Glaspell, Jack Reed, and others. This week, we shine a spotlight on his work and adventures through Bohemian culture and beyond!
We're featuring a listener request (thanks, Dad!) - Ken Kesey. Known for his novel 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', Kesey wrote many other works through various forms, including articles and stories over the course of his storied career. We explore the other jobs he had, the adventures he took in between (to prison and beyond!), and the important work he advocated for! Join us on our very own trip in the Further with our own Merry Pranksters!
We are delighted to feature Ethel Payne on Get Lit this week! Payne was known as the 'First Lady of the Black Press', a pioneering force in journalism who broke down barriers, created space for the voices of Black Americans, and became a problem for the White House in a truly rebellious way. Her journey takes us across the United States and overseas, and her impact to this day echos just as far!
We have a rather whimsical episode for you all this week as we cover author, illustrator, cartoonist, and artist Tove Jansson. Jansson is most popularly known as the creator of the Moomin characters, whose colorful world brought delight to readers around the globe. She had a unique voice that spoke through words, through art, and through her relationship with a particular island. Grab a ticket and join us in Finland for a midsummer trip!
We're featuring a founding father this week! A founding father of modernist drama, that is: Henrik Ibsen. He is also our first Norwegian author, first 3-time Nobel prize nominee (not winner), and first author to use his own life experiences in his work (jk lol). This episode is a wild ride with stories, analysis, and a visit from Edgar Allan Poe to start, so come along for the journey!
We could all use a bit of magic in our lives these days, so join us for the most delightful episode about the wittiest, witchiest, wordsmith: Betty MacDonald! Known for her clever reflections in her autobiographies and her wonderful character, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, MacDonald is remembered as a unique voice in literature who helped adults and children alike find theirs.
'According to Emily Post', she's the subject of our episode this week! We explore another version of 'literature', examining Emily's advice and articles on how best to handle any social situation. We discuss the role of etiquette, society, communication, and culture, along with the intersection of feminism amidst all of this! Join us for the answers to all your most important etiquette and more!
And he's here tonight, everybody! It's Leo Tolstoy! We examine the writing, life, and legacy of author and philosopher and radical thinker and failed farmer ? His contributions to writing and literature have changed not only how we write but also the way we think. We unpack some of the context around his work and the stories that have made this man a myth. Join us!
Steph & Jon are back to discuss Fairy Tale Legend, Mary De Morgan. Growing up in varied intellectual circumstances, De Morgan used her original fairy tales to critique the society she lived in. She wrote about gender roles, power, class, and of course, capitalism! Natural fodder for fairy tales, really. Join us this week to learn more about your new favorite fairy tale author!
We're joined by a very special guest host: Paige Zukauskas! Paige brings her knowledge and passion for Dreiser to this week's episode as we explore another mostly midwest author, discuss Sister Carrie, and track adventures across political and social ideologies! Dreiser wrote many groundbreaking novels but isn't often celebrated as other authors from this period. We speculate on this and celebrate his legacy, it's a trip!
Jack takes over hosting this week for a delightful kick off episode to summer, covering the extraordinary author of Pippi Longstocking (among many other works): Astrid Lindgren! Her work varied in form and topics, but always focused on sharing truths with a deep sense of compassion and care. Follow us to Sweden as we map out this whimsical author's life and legacy over the course of 94 years!
This week, we examine Shakespeare's contemporary and friend and rival? Ben Jonson! Jonson was a poet, playwright, and general scallywag who bounced back and forth between success and failure. His works are largely considered to be some of the best of the age, and while his stories may not be as well known as Shakespeare, his legacy is one worth hearing about... if anything, for the prison stories!
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!
Eva Ibbotson kicks off our celebration of Women's History Month! Ibbotson escaped the Nazi occupation, worked as a translator, and published her first novel at the age of 50! She shakes the conventions of the 'traditional' author path and forged her own way forward in the world of literature. She was known for her cheeky, witty humor, and delightfully whimsical characters, but has a legacy that extends far beyond this! Join us overseas this week and learn more about her life and work!
Meet the extraordinary author behind the Black detective novel genre, Chester Himes! Himes lived a very colorful life that informed his work and his perspectives. He worked actively to combat racism and lived courageously, never afraid to start over or change course. His legacy transcends genres, continents, and time.
This week, join us to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Anna J. Cooper! Cooper was an extraordinary activist, educator, author, speaker, and philosopher who made a significant difference in the lives of every community she was part of. Her legacy extends beyond her written work, but lives on in all of those she taught and those who got to know her work! She advocated for the rights of Black Americans, her students, women, and was an early advocate of the intersectional identities. Did we mention she got her PhD at 67? Listen and learn from the best!
It's a Valentine's Day Special! We're exploring the literary ties to Valentine's Day dating all the way back to the 1300's! We cover Geoffrey Chaucer's contributions to the holiday, the origins of the Valentine's Day card, some strange Victorian love poetry, vinegar valentines, the language of flowers, and more! Regardless of the nature of your celebrations, we hope you enjoy a new look through a literary lens at this holiday!
This week, Jon reports on Pauline Hopkins, a essential Black author whose legacy has gone largely neglected. She was a prolific activist, advocate, and author. She wrote in multiple genres including novels, short stories, plays and musicals, articles, and more to help bring an empathetic light to the lives of the communities around her. Join us for a look at her life and works, along with a rather unconventional celebration of President's Day!
On this week's episode, to honor the 5th anniversary of Mary Oliver's death, we revisit her remarkable life. Oliver's poetry reflected an exquisite relationship with the natural world and the spiritual one, simultaneously challenging and celebratory. Her words have inspired generations of readers to spend time examining their lives, urgently, in appreciation for all that lies within them. We reflect on her work, her life, and her impact and invite you to do the same with joy and curiosity!
This week, we're coming to you LIVE from Sandmeyer's Bookstore in downtown Chicago! We're bringing you the biography of Upton Sinclair who used his pen to join and inspire the revolutions that echoed around the world during his lifetime. We round out this episode with a delightful trivia game that will help open up all kinds of future conversations! Join us in the Jungle, from wherever you are!
In celebration of the very snowy Midwestern day, we're honoring the pioneering legacy of Ezra Jack Keats! Keats was a renowned author and illustrator of dozens of children's books, perhaps most notably, The Snowy Day. He worked to ensure his books featured children from all backgrounds, as they deserved to see themselves: as the heroes! Join us for this very charming celebration of children's literature!
This week, we're featuring Katherine Mansfield, a globe-trotting writer from New Zealand with an incredible legacy. Her work was as vibrant as her writing, and her authentic sense of self inspired those around her and future generations. Jon is also here to provide some gentle parenting advice!
Happy 2024! We're kicking off this new year with Chicago poet and the Defender of the American poet and the art form: Harriet Monroe! Monroe used her power and position to secure the value of poetry in American culture, while also supporting the careers of dozens of iconic poets. Establishing what we now know as Poetry Magazine, Monroe's efforts have changed the way we understand and experience poetry! We also celebrate Public Domain Day and the new works that entered the Public Domain on Jan 1st!
Just in time for the New Year, we're featuring an author who might inspire us to chase new dreams and adventures: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry! de Saint-Exupéry wrote, most famously, The Little Prince! His other novels and journalistic work covers aviation and adventure from all angles. His work shaped generations of old and young readers alike, inspiring questions and curiosity, along with his rather mysterious death. Join us, but don't forget your flight jacket and helmet!
We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
We don't have to go out on a limb to say that you're in for a real tree-t this week! We're featuring Betty Smith, author of 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,' among many other plays, novels, and articles! You won't be-leaf some of the stories we're going to share, but they all stem from her extraordinary life! So, branch out and learn something new about this wonderful author!
We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
Inspired by the release of our audiobook, we're taking a deep dive into Charles Dickens' process writing A Christmas Carol this week! Learn more about the context of the time in which the book was written, why it was written, and the legacy it leaves 180 years later! If you love this classic, you'll love this episode! If not, Bah! Humbug! We'll be back to our regularly scheduled author content next week!
We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
This week, we're covering the miraculous Nellie Bly! An exceptional journalist who traveled the world (in less than 80 days!), Bly used her skills to help change the lives of women, working class people, children, and other marginalized folks. She was a tireless advocate and the definition of 'courageous'. Join us in exploring her legacy and get the information for our next LIVE show in January!
We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it!
This month, learn about the extraordinary women who revolutionized journalism and women's roles in print: The Stunt Girls. These journalists went undercover to uncover the corruption in government agencies, schools, hospitals and more, putting their lives at risk to effect change. This is a little episode that covers women who made a big difference - don't miss it!
This week, we're profiling James Welch - an extraordinary Indigenous poet and author who grounded his works in a sense of place. Welch used his experiences to examine the tensions in identity, explore the meaning of space, and create thoughtful reexaminations of history. Join us to learn more about this Montana author, and get a few recommendations for the perfect holiday gifts for the book lover in your life!
This week, we're back to our regularly scheduled programming - Steph and Jon discuss the life of Indigenous poet, activist, performer, model, and mother, Diane Burns. Burns was an integral part of the Lower East Side Poetry scene (and beyond!) and created work that helped her explore her identity and her challenges with it. We also share a complex, compelling news update AND announce our latest special, just for the holiday season!
In a Get Lit first, Jon hosts and is joined by Dan to tell us all about columnist, poet, performer, and activist Jim Northrup! They explore his legacy and the work he did to create change for his community and advocate across the US. Special guest appearance by Sondheim also!
Up this week: E. Pauline Johnson! This extraordinary Canadian poetess used her writing to explore her own identity and was vulnerable and courageous enough to share it with the wider public. Her heritage and talents shaped Canadian literature as we know it and provided a glimpse into perspectives that many people might have never been able to understand.
Happy Halloween, Listeners! This week, we take on the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock, creator and vision behind so much of the suspense, horror, and fear of things that go 'bump' in the night that haunt our minds and chill our hearts! Hitchcock's controversial legacy is worth examining, alongside his art. So join us, but perhaps leave the lights on, just in case!
This month's Get a Little Lit features books poisoned by arsenic, books meant to debunk ghost rumors, AND a new way to 'read' with spirits! Join us for a lightly spooky episode to celebrate Halloween!
This week, we continue our foray into psychological horror and ghost story writers with Vernon Lee. This queer icon wrote a number of works, spanning multiple genres including travel fiction, and non, essays, articles, and of course, ghost stories. Arriving on the literary scene with a flash, her work and aesthetic theories had everyone talking - including the spirits in the walls at times!
We're all back! This week, we examine another master of horror fiction: Daphne du Maurier! du Maurier is known for the iconic, haunting novel Rebecca. BUT she also wrote the author of the short story, 'The Birds' which would later serve as the inspiration for Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name! Join the flock with us as we fly forward through our spooky features!
The oft requested Henry James is our subject this episode, with guest host, Dan Esquivel! James is widely considered a deeply important American author, despite living most of his adult life abroad. His novels and stories explore the psychological states of his characters, and he considered himself a writer of ghost stories (notably in The Turn of the Screw). Join us as we kick off a month of haunts, horror, and happenings at Get Lit!
This week, Jack takes over hosting to present the story of Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard! This incredible activist used her writing and meticulous notes to document abuses against women and people admitted to asylums. Join us as we explore her life and legacy while Jon galavants around France.
This week, we're featuring Anita Loos, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's replacement! That's right. Loos is most well known for her novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the film that followed! But did you also know she was responsible for completing multiple screenplays that Fitzgerald was unable to make work? Join us as we explore the remarkable life of this Hollywood/Broadway/Showbiz legend!
Ever wonder when American schools started using textbooks? Curious as to why and how they shaped our education system? Have a burning desire to learn more about early textbook company monopolies? Then do we have a Little Lit episode for you! Join us to explore the answers to all these questions and more in this month's Get a Little Lit episode!
Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can! This week on Get Lit, we’re revisiting our favorite Old Sport, and author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald! Join us for a deep(er) dive into this iconic author as we unpack the myths and legends that surrounded his life, searching for the proverbial green light amidst the chaos of the 1920's and beyond.
This week, instead of Steph and Jon discussing just one author, we heard from our lovely listeners about hundreds more! Printers Row Lit Fest 2023 was an absolute delight — we asked you to tell us about your favorite books, authors you would take to dinner, and some literary hot takes. Some were even brave enough to answer some literary trivia! Hear the voices of Printers Row Lit Fest in this eclectic two part series!
Looking for your response? This episode covers all responses from Sunday!
This week, instead of Steph and Jon discussing just one author, we heard from our lovely listeners about hundreds more! Printers Row Lit Fest 2023 was an absolute delight — we asked you to tell us about your favorite books, authors you would take to dinner, and some literary hot takes. Some were even brave enough to answer some literary trivia! Hear the voices of Printers Row Lit Fest in this eclectic two part series!
Looking for your response? This episode covers all responses from Saturday!
We're gearing up for lit fest this week! Join us for a beautiful biography of American poet May Swenson, a literary philosophy update, and some classic literary trivia selected and read by our co-co-host, Jack! Learn about all sorts of new ideas in this episode from Swenson on writing, poetry, and living, along with exploring the 'sacred' nature of the recurring text!
Looking for a bit more chaos this week? Add Émile Zola's life to your list then! This French author created political stirs with his writing throughout his life, particularly regarding the Dreyfus Affair. His novels, essays, plays, and other writings span decades along with the lore, speculation, and conspiracy theories around his death. Join us for an adventure across Europe with this twice Nobel-prize nominated and lost author!
This week, we're featuring playwright/actor Harold Pinter and joined by Pinter enthusiast and literature teacher, Brian Hardie! Stories abound as we cover this prolific playwright, his theatre career, political endeavors, and more. Head across the Atlantic with us for this .... .... .... .... riveting... episode!
Just in time for the school year, we're profiling Lord of the Flies author William Golding! Join us and learn more about this curious author and the even more curious inspirations for his works! We're also going to crash land in an exploration of processing war through literature and the wild circumstances around the 1960's film version of his first novel!
We've got a back-to-school special episode for you this week: A Brief History of Pencils! We're investigating the origins of this very humble utensil and answering all the questions you never asked! Why are they called 'Number 2' pencils? What's that metal thing at the end called? How is Henry David Thoreau connected to all this? Find out in this month's Get a Little Lit episode!
We're kicking off our series celebrating authors who were also teachers with Ida B. Wells! Known for her extraordinary activism in the face of hatred and racism, Wells used her powerful voice as a journalist, lecturer, and teacher to advocate for anti-lynching reform, rights for women, and for Black Americans. This week, we celebrate her life and honor her legacy as a critical voice in American history!
This week, we're back with an episode on the remarkable Mary Chase. Known for her Pulitzer Prize winning play, Harvey, Chase wrote so much more than she gets credit for. She was a groundbreaking journalist, labor activist, children's book author, playwright, and more. Her perspectives are as refreshing as her work - we promise you'll get just as excited about her as we did!
We're headed way back to the 10th century this week to discuss the incomparable Hrotsvitha! Her plays help us reconsider the ways women were represented in her time (and beyond) and her robust histories and other work provide us an entirely unique perspective on these topics! Also ft. a not so new, newly discovered clue about medieval comedy.
Jon takes over hosting this week to bring us a biography of acclaimed playwright Noël Coward. Coward wrote some of the most well-known and frequently produced plays in the Western theatre canon. He helped modernize comedy while acting and directing in the West End, Broadway, and Hollywood! Join us for this star-studded, witty episode we hope does him proud!
This week, we discuss Emily Barrett Browning's husband, Robert Browning! Also a poet and writer, Browning experimented with the dramatic monologue and wrote a variety of compelling work as he traveled and lived around Europe. His progressive beliefs and willingness to live his life in a way that wasn't entirely conventional make him a figure interesting enough to have his own society of fans even before his death!
We're back for our 3rd Get a Little Lit Episode, just after the 4th of July: The American Revolution in Print! We take a closer look at the role of the printing press, ink, and paper and their roles in the early American colonies! Plus, there's a National Treasure reference...
Research and editing by Get Lit Intern Jack Repak!
This 4th of July, we salute the incredible Catharine Maria Sedgwick. Sedgwick chronicled the voices of those not often represented or heard in America in the 19th century. Her work was wide-ranging in subject and style, and she was among the most prolific women writers of her time! She also prolifically turned down marriage proposals... Like we said, incredible!
We're celebrating the end of Pride Month with a special episode about the Queer intersections of Zines! Zines (short for magazines) have a rich history in helping amplify the voices of marginalized groups in a physical, immediate, and responsive way. We're featuring the early queer zines of the 1940's (including the watchama-column!), famous zine creators like Ray Bradbury on the intersection of Queer, Punk, and Feminism!
Research by Jack Repak, our new Get Lit intern!
This week, Dan Esquivel guest stars during Pride month to feature Howard Ashman, the iconic lyricist, playwright, director, and more behind many of our favorite Disney classics. We have Ashman to thank for things like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and even Little Shop of Horrors. We honor his legacy and celebrate the joy he brought and continues to bring to so many children and adults today.
We continue our celebration of Pride Month with Anne Lister - diarist, mountaineer, business woman, travel writer, and of course, lesbian! Lister was the first woman to do many things, including, by many accounts, the first 'same sex' marriage in England. Her preserved and beautifully detailed diaries give us a glimpse into so many facets of life that we may not have otherwise had access to.
We're kicking off Pride Month with a celebration of Frog & Toad creator Arnold Lobel! Lobel wrote simple, significant works that validated the feelings of children (and adults too!) with his whimsical drawings and wit! We honor his legacy, tragically marred by the AIDS crisis in the 1980's, and celebrate the things he loved most, including his friends - both animal and human!
We're ending our exploration of Jewish American Heritage Month with Elie Wiesel. Wiesel's iconic memoir 'Night' is for many, an introduction to the Holocaust. His work as an author, activist, and teacher helped advocate for those whose stories had been ignored. We respect and honor his story and reflect on the role that storytelling plays in keeping us distinctly human.
Jon takes us all on a JOURNEY through Norman Mailer's life. Mailer was as much of a character as those he wrote. We discuss his colorful life, his Pulitzer Prizes (plural), his wives (also plural), and more! Join us to learn more about this novelist, co-founder of The Village Voice, and boxer(?).
Need a respite this week? Join us for Nora Ephron whose masterful screenplays capture so much of what we love about love and love about each other. Her career spanned decades as she captured audience's hearts and minds in her essays, articles, movies, plays, and more. Celebrate Nora Ephron's legacy with us, and maybe bring a slice of pie too.
IT'S. EMMA. GOLDMAN. This incendiary Jewish icon used her voice to fight for worker's rights, women's independence, access to birth control, prison reform, anarchy, and so much more in a time when the world might not have been ready to hear it. Join us this week to unpack her rather complex legacy and learn about the global impact of her work!
May is Jewish History Month and we're heading out of Poetry Month with Nelly Sachs, a Jewish poet whose writings serve as a deep and abiding record of the experiences of Holocaust survivors. She won a Nobel Prize for this work, crafting haunting and hopeful messages that have helped generations of communities heal. Join us this week to learn more about her incredible legacy!
Jon takes over for our last week of Poetry Month with Allen Ginsberg! Ginsberg revolutionized the poetry scene and helped define the beat generation for artists and activists. Ginsberg's life is storied and strange so come along for this wild ride across the globe and between the lines!
This week, another very-important-poet-with-three-names-the-first-of-which-is-Edgar... That's right! It's Edgar Lee Masters. Masters was known for his innovative poetry, specifically, Spoon River Anthology. He challenged the understanding of small town America with his more scandalous writing and put the Midwest on the map as a home for serious Poets.
We're kicking off our 5th season with an episode on Sara Teasdale - master of lyric poetry, Pulitzer Prize winner, and archeologist of emotions. Teasdale wrote many beautiful works of poetry that were popular during her lifetime, but not always appreciated by critics. We celebrate her life, National Poetry Month, and the inspiration her work provided, long past her death.
We're celebrating the last episode of our 4th season with a trip to Oz! We're discussing the life of the legendary writer, chicken farmer, playwright, businessman, newspaper man, and theatre artist L. Frank Baum! His books about Dorothy and others in the land of Oz have had a truly sensational impact on pop culture in many forms, most notably, the 1939 film seen by over 1 billion people! This special LIVE episode celebrates the whimsy and wonder that inspires us all to follow our own yellow brick roads!
To conclude Women's History Month and kick off National Poetry Month, we're proud to bring you Elizabeth Bishop. Bishop wrote clear and true about the landscapes she experienced and the world around her. She lived a hard life, but wrote with honesty, finding the beauty and elegance in the everyday. Join us in honoring her work and legacy!
Join us for some tall tales, short tales, and some stories that are truly the stuff of fairy tales as we discuss Elsa Maxwell. Maxwell revolutionized what it meant to throw a good party. She lived deeply and joyfully, celebrating every part of life in the most fantastic ways. She wrote up the social news, music and scripts for films, entertaining guides, and wrote her way into the fabric of American culture. Oh... and also. She staged a party game version of 'Clue' except the guests weren't aware the body was fake...
This week, we're celebrating the strong, passionate, and powerful presence of Lillian Hellman. Hellman wrote plays that broke barriers, advocated for workers and women, and stood up to the most powerful people in America. Her work and way of living are very inspiring, with just a touch of spite and magic!
This week: murder, mayhem, and Machinal! That's right - we're bringing you Sophie Treadwell! This extraordinary woman was a groundbreaking journalist, author, actress, and playwright who forged forward, leaving chaos but paving the way for other women to follow. Her work, like her, is strong, powerful, and passionate! Join us!
This week, we get to know Mary Church Terrell: activist, speaker, writer, and educator! Terrell's TIRELESS work changed the lives of Black people across the U.S. She advocated for women's voting rights, worked on anti-lynching and desegregation campaigns, all while teaching, writing, and lecturing around the world. Terrell's ineffable spirit should certainly serve as an inspiration and motivation for each of us!
This week, we learn about William Wells Brown! Who is he? An excellent question - Wells Brown was born into slavery, escaped, and spent his life advocating for abolition and rights for women through his writing, exceptional speeches and activism. He helped dozens of other enslaved people to freedom, toured the US and Europe, and became a Doctor toward the end of his life. Wells Brown's legacy deserves much more time in the spotlight, which we hope to add to in this episode!
We're continuing our celebration of Black History Month with Margaret Walker! This remarkable poet certainly walked the walk and wrote the... writing? She used the power of her pen to advocate for Black women, while teaching and creating space to celebrate and uplift Black creatives! Join us for this and a little Valentine's Day appreciation!
This week, we're kicking off our Black History Month celebration by honoring the legacy of James Weldon Johnson, the brilliant writer behind 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'. BUT did you know that Johnson wrote numerous other poems, articles, and songs in addition to being a school principal, lawyer, diplomat, jingle writer, Broadway composer, and professor? There's a lot to learn about this incredible author, come a long for the ride and the celebration!
It's our 200th episode! And we're descending into hell to learn more about Italian writer, poet, delegate, and apothecary Dante Alighieri! Dante's influence casts a wide net across politics, our understanding of 'hell', the Italian language and more! We're joined by Ailey Yamamoto and Dan Esquivel with original games, and plenty of stories. Grab your bags - it's going to be a wild descent!
This week, Jon takes over host duties to explore the legacy of a hugely influential author (and also clerk, sheriff, and other assorted jobs): Sir Walter Scott. Scott's historically oriented and romantically inclined work influenced authors from Jane Austen to Edgar Allan Poe, cementing his place in the literary canon!
This week: iconic lesbian bohemian poet Renée Vivien, everyone! She lived a fantastically wild life, writing work and living as her truest and most authentic self. She traveled the world wearing pants, left suitors in her wake, and wrote decadent and devastating poetry along the way. We celebrate 'The Muse of Violets', (for your consideration as Valentine's Day approaches)!
This week, we unpack and interrogate the legacy of modernist poet Ezra Pound, who had a heavy hand in shaping contemporary poetry, but also had some heavily problematic beliefs. From his initial limericks to his long cantos, there's a lot of things in this episode's suitcase! Join us for this AND find out which works enter the public domain in 2023 - also VIP information!
We're kicking off 2023 with an inspiration - Ursula K. LeGuin. A poet, novelist, essayist, short story writer, and fierce advocate for writers, there are many things we can learn from this exceptional story teller. Full of magic, courage, and heart, this is an episode you won't want to miss about an author you should read as soon as you are able!
This week: lyrical, brilliant, clever, and spectacular, we look at the life of poet Dylan Thomas who fused a variety of art forms to craft his stunning works. We have a guest reader to give you a taste of Thomas' poetry, along with the results of our Would You Rather game, name poll, and some author holiday cards that got lost in the mail! We think it's a delightful episode to bring you all into the new year! See you in 2023!
Just in time for your Holiday work or school party, we have a very special 'Ho-LIT-day' episode for you full of stories, games, and fascinating trivia! Find out which classic Christmas song was saved from the trash, the origins of sending Christmas Cards, and discover your new favorite Hanukkah tale! We also have a delightful literary 'would-you-rather' game to get you into the holiday spirit (sort of...)! Happy Holidays from Get Lit!
It's stories, facts, pranks, and curiosities galore this week as we learn about the life of journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Known for his chaotic, energetic writing, Thompson made a huge impact on the field of journalism and inspired movies and cultural movements! He also ran for town Sheriff in CO, so there's that.
This week, we're here to tell you about feminist icon Angela Carter who worked to forge her own path, traveling the world and infusing her writing with elements of the gothic, magic, and fantasy at a time when women weren't expected to do any of those things! Help us celebrate this 'raconteur of glee' known for her acerbic, bold writing (including several visceral versions of fairy tales) and floppy hats.
We're off to the theater this week, featuring Russian playwright and short story author, Anton Chekhov, MD! We dive into the backstory of this masterful comedic writer, take a short stop east of Siberia, and learn more about the nuances of acting and 19th century theater!
Stephanie returns from California with an author in tow: Jack London - adventurer, author, activist, and Oyster Pirate? We explore his work and prolific career, featuring many dog protagonists and also bring you a stop at an F. Scott Fitzgerald haunt, Ray Bradbury's Hollywood walk of fame star and a few bookstore stops!
This week, we profile Native Doctor, author, activist, and speaker Charles Eastman. Eastman traveled around the world to raise awareness and educate people about Native American traditions, cultures, and communities. He worked tirelessly to advocate for Native American rights and served on numerous committees at local and national levels, ensuring that his people would always have a voice at the table.
Just in time to mark this most recent election cycle, we honor the legacy of Zitkala-Ša - activist, writer, composer, and educator. She worked tirelessly to properly document and present Native American culture, advocate for Native suffrage, and create connections between communities that helped ensure their heritage and ways of life could be preserved for future generations.
It's Native American History Month! We're celebrating the legacy of Ella Cara Deloria: a ground-breaking novelist, anthropologist, and translator who helped promote and deepen our understanding of the Sioux (Dakota and Lakota) culture, traditions, and ways of life. Her collaborations, research, and work as an educator helped ensure that these traditions live on today. Join us in honoring her legacy!
In honor of what would have been Sylvia Plath's 90th birthday, we celebrate her work and explore the deep and abiding impact she had on the literary world at large! She changed the way people saw women's voices in writing and how mental health was reflected in society. We salute you, Sylvia!
In this special spooky episode, we feature two early engineers of Gothic horror/terror novels - Ann Radcliffe & Charlotte Dacre. These two women had a huge impact on authors including Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe, Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron! They helped define a new genre and wrote compelling work that is in desperate need of attention! We also walk you through our very own literary haunted house!
Jon is back from his galavanting and brought back an author to share with us: Luís de Camões. This week, learn about this poet, author, and adventurer often referred to as the Portuguese Shakespeare! We also feel implored to say here: Kids, stay in school...
Ailey and Mary from the 'Ghosts in the Closet' Podcast guest host this week as we cover the SCANDALOUS life of Lord Byron! This episode is full of fantastic stories and conspiracies, looking at Byron's wild connections, intensely passionate writing, and adventures across Europe! There is also some wonderful queer-history trivia so come along for the ride!
In your carriage, designed to be a replica of Napoleon's carriage... Yeah.
Guest host Dan Esquivel joins Stephanie this week as they cover two Greek powerhouse authors: Aristotle and Sophocles! This episode covers plenty of Get Lit conspiracies and we're bringing you two games you won't want to miss! Join us for this delightful, mythic account of some of the origins of Western thought and writing.
We're pleased to introduce your new favorite novelist-playwright-garden-designer-baroness-paramour, Vita Sackville-West! We're discussing her wild, wonderful, and slightly witchy life as she disrupted marital expectations, gender rolls, and societal boundaries of her era! This episode is full of delightful stories and wild adventures, so join us for the ride!
This special episode covers our interviews, stories, and snippets from Printer's Row Lit Fest in Chicago, IL! We talked to people of all ages about the books and authors that changed their lives, who they'd like to take to dinner, and a few literary hot takes! Come along with us and learn about new books, and find out which author won our poll!
We're exploring the much-neglected legacy of Countee Cullen, Harlem Renaissance poet, playwright, and also, Junior High School teacher! Cullen's work ran counter to many of his contemporaries but made a huge impact on the world of poetry. Despite the mixed reception of his work, he continued to write, create, and challenge the understanding of what it meant to be Black and be an artist in America.
This week, we're featuring the 'Sappho of England': Mary Robinson (not the former Prime Minister of Ireland...)! She lived a life more interesting than her fantastic poetry and prose, which is saying something indeed! Join us for adventure, romance, and a literal man named Banastre Tarleton.
Even though our author this week didn't live in Paradise, we hope our humor isn't totally Lost! That's right, we're learning about John Milton this week - author of the iconic epic poem with a delightful characterization of Satan, along with many other writings and pamphlets (!!!). This episode also features a short dramatic reading, for your delight and enjoyment!
This week, Dan Esquivel joins us to talk about the remarkable living legacy of Griselda Gambaro, Argentine playwright and activist who used her work to fight an oppressive government regime and pull focus to the experiences and voices of the marginalized! Dan has wonderful stories to share - this is an episode you won't want to miss!
We're waxing poetic about the legacy of the revolutionary and ever eccentric E.E. Cummings! We explore his work and interesting life and events that shaped his style, including being a pacifist during war and a few tumultuous relationships! There also might be an 50 year overdue library book story tossed in for good measure!
We're here to uncover the mystery behind the author of The Nancy Drew Series! Known to us as Carolyn Keene, the Nancy Drew novels were written by a series of ghost writers since their debut in 1930, but 23 of the original 30 novels were written by the exceptional Mildred Wirt Benson! We focus on her life and legacy in this episode - it's sure to be a marvelous time!
This week, we're looking at the legacy of Angelina Weld Grimké: poet, playwright, and physical education teacher? That's right! Weld Grimké found a home in education before beginning her work as an author. She wrote tirelessly about the experience of Black Americans through her work, including writing, Rachel, her powerful response to 'The Birth of A Nation'. Come learn with us about her remarkable work!
We're covering the flash of tragic poetic brilliance that was Thomas Chatterton. We explore his history and influence along with a healthy dollop of literary forgery! Chatterton inspired the likes of Rossetti, Keats, and Oscar Wilde himself! Join us to learn more about the short life of an extraordinary poet!
In a bit of a twist this week, we're celebrating the poetic technical writing of Ada Lovelace. Widely considered among the first computer programers, Lovelace fused her talent with words and her passion for programming to write extraordinary articles in a variety of math and science fields. We also include postcards from the East Coast tour, if you're looking for a little more adventure!
Meet the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature: Selma Lagerlöf! In addition to her groundbreaking literary accomplishments, Lagerlöf also inspired generations of students, restored her beautiful childhood home, traveled the world, received an honorary Doctorate, and fought against the Nazi regime... Safe to say, we should all try to live like Selma!
We're wrapping up our Pride Month Celebration with Federico García Lorca, a poet, playwright, musician, and artist who helped spur a revolution within the artistic communities in Spain and around the world. He used his art to explore his identity, aesthetics, and what it means to experience to full breadth of what it means to be human!
Get to know the whimsical, hard-working, clever, and Queer author behind the classic children's picture book Goodnight Moon. Margaret Wise Brown was a pioneer in the evolution of children's literature, exploring what it really meant to be a young person. This episode also features a flower cart, a well that doubled as a refrigerator, and a very powerful librarian.
She has arrived. The Queen of the Paris Lesbians: Natalie Clifford Barney! We're so delighted to speak about the legacy of the woman whose life was as compelling as her writing. She helped shaped generations of writers, artists, and thinkers through her literary salons, hosted with wit, charisma, and eviction? Find out more in this week's episode!
We're continuing our celebration of Pride Month with Christopher Isherwood, who not only contributed greatly to gay literature, but also served as a model for what an open and public queer relationship could look like. Join us to explore his plays, novels, short stories, screenplays, along with many delightful/wild/thrilling facts and stories that made Isherwood a true ICON!
In this week's very special kick off to Pride Month, Steph is joined by co-hosts of the 'Ghosts in the Closet' Podcast, Ailey Yamamoto and Mary Rogers to discuss the controversial legacy of Radclyffe Hall. Hall is often credited with writing the earliest version of Lesbian Pulp Fiction and explored what a non-binary identity could look like. Also featuring trivia, seances, and mysterious deaths - you won't want to miss it!
This week, meet the remarkable bohemian author Sanmao who made an incredible impact on the world (very literally - she visited over 50 countries throughout the course of her life!). She changed the literary game with her striking writing, but also empowered women in the way she led her life, resisting societal norms as a true independent spirit.
We're headed to the Pacific Northwest as Jon takes over this week to present on the incredible author, activist, poet laureate, and change maker, Carlos Bulosan. He discusses the impact of Bulosan's work on communities around the United States and across the decades.
This week, in recognition of Jewish American History Month, we honor the legacy of Anne Frank and her extraordinary diary. We hope to further Anne's dream of being recognized as an author and the impact that her words had and continue to have on generations of people around the world. Although not 'American', her diary has deeply impacted American Jews and their understanding of the Holocaust.
We're taking a dive into the complex legacy of Rudyard Kipling. Join us in challenging the traditional cannon and learn more about the youngest Nobel Prize Winner in literature, with side bars in Vermont, Japan, Canada, and England! Also ft. engineering!
This week, we're featuring an extraordinary playwright, novelist, diarist, and Keeper of the Robes - Fanny Burney! In addition to these titles, she can also be counted in: Jane Austen's inspirations and the woman who helped advance medical science by documenting her own mastectomy without anesthesia. You read that correctly - this woman was truly amazing!
H.D. doesn't ring a bell? Hilda Doolittle, maybe? Regardless of how familiar she might be to you, you'll definitely enjoy this week's episode! We cover ALL the details of this extraordinary poet, translator, novelist, playwright, actress, and editor's life from her entanglements in both love and literature!
This week, Get Lit celebrates its 4th birthday! We celebrate by giving some superlative awards (Most likely to star in a reality TV series, #MCM/#WCW, etc...), hear advice from your favorite authors and recount our own famousbirthdays.com data! Many thanks to everyone who supported us on the way to this milestone and for always keeping it lit!
Jump aboard the USS Get Lit as we journey to the depths of the earth, center of the sea and orbits of the moon through the adventurous life of Jules Verne, one of the founding fathers of Science Fiction. Verne's work laid out concepts for new technology and science as he sought to unit his passions for literature, science, history, and facts - but not really law... Bon voyage!
This week's hot take: we should all want to be Sylvia Beach when we grow up... Learn more about the founder of Shakespeare and Company, translator, editor, author, and patron saint of booksellers as we jet off to Paris in celebration of her ongoing impact on the literary world!
Just in time for extended St. Patrick's Day festivities, we're celebrating Irish author James Joyce, author of Ulysses, The Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, and more! We interview Jon DiSavino, the actor behind the 'Short Story Today' podcast who is also featuring Joyce this week. Filled with some fantastic stories that seem like his fiction, we hope you enjoy this special episode!
Some pig! Well, author... This week, we're recounting the life of E.B. White, author of numerous novels, poems, and essays for children and adults, but most famously: Charlotte's Webb and Stuart Little! We also answer the age-old question: Is Stuart Little actually a mouse?!
Meet the woman behind the Irish literary renaissance: Lady Augusta Gregory! A preservation powerhouse, Lady Gregory ensured that Irish history, literature, theatre, and culture was recorded for future generations (including us!) to enjoy. Come celebrate both Women's and Irish History month, Get Lit style!
You may know him as an 'explorer' but we're discussing Sir Walter Raleigh as a poet and author whose titles are nearly as long as his works! This episode includes some fantastic stories and features Jon singing, along with a beheading (Sir Walter, not Jon...), so be sure to tune in!
We're taking a deeper dive into the women of the Harlem Renaissance with this week's author, Nella Larsen. Larson was a nurse, librarian, and volunteer in addition to writing some extraordinary work exploring what it means to be biracial and her experiences grappling with her identity between worlds. We also discuss the growing interest in her work amongst present day scholars and artists!
Get to know the extraordinary woman behind the Harlem Renaissance: Jessie Redmon Fauset! This remarkable teacher, editor, and author helped to foster the careers of Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and others, in addition to her dedication to education! She's someone you definitely need to know more about!
This week, we're featuring Alain Lock, the Father of the Harlem Renaissance and an incredible trail blazer for African Americans in the academic, philosophical, and cultural realms! We examine the tensions of his legacy and reflect on the incredible advancements that he and others alongside him were able to achieve in a world determined to hold them back.
To kick off our celebration of Black Authors for Black History Month, we honor the legacy of bell hooks, who died this past December after an incredible career as an author, poet, teacher, activist, and critic. She challenges us to love as an action, rather than feeling to make this world a better place.
We're on a literary pilgrimage of sorts as we trace the life of Geoffrey Chaucer, 'The Father of English Literature' across his various jobs and literary works! From poetry to an astrolabe manual, and diplomat to gardener, there really wasn't much he didn't cover in his writing or get paid to do!
Possibly our most charming episode yet, we're celebrating the literary contributions of author, playwright, and poet A.A. Milne! Most known for creating Winnie the Pooh, Milne's work of all sorts has been cherished by generations of families and fans. Join us this week as we head off to the Hundred-Acre Woods!
This week, a tribute to the woman who did all she could to further equality for all and then kept going: Julia Ward Howe. Most famous for writing the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic' and championing the causes of women and other marginalized groups, may we take inspiration from her and all aspire to look like a walnut.
Looking for some inspiration for 2022? Let Robert Louis Stevenson show you the way! This popular Scottish author took young and old readers alike through physical and mental journeys in his works, including Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, among many others! Join us for this seafaring adventure!
In our last episode of 2021, we remember Joan Didion who revolutionized journalism as we know it, capturing the unique American experiences during the second half of the 20th century. She died on December 23 at the age of 87.
This week, just in time for Christmas, we answer all your literary-oriented Christmas questions! Ever wonder why Charles Dickens wrote Christmas ghost stories? Or how Santa's reindeer got their names? Or how the Nutcracker came to be a season classic? Tune in while you're opening your stockings or gifts or just enjoying your weekend!
As we head into December, the time for FROST is upon us! That's right - Robert Frost! We head out East (mostly) to explore the life of this failed chicken farmer, teacher, newspaper delivery person and four-time Pulitzer Prize winning poet. We're off on a road less traveled by, come along for the walk!
A noble bloodline. A stay at a convent. Crossdressing. Hidden identities. Numerous affairs. Revolution. Sound like the plot of a fantastic adventure story? Yes! But it also captures just some of George Sand's life experiences! Tune in this week for an absolutely bananas report on a French literary legend that you'll have to hear to believe!
This week, we remember theatrical titan Stephen Sondheim and his extraordinary life and legacy. His lyrics brought a profound freedom to the human experience, inspiring countless theatre artists and patrons alike. We'd like to propose a toast to Mr. Sondheim.
To honor American Indian Heritage Month, we're featuring author, speaker, and activist, Simon Pokagon. Known for his work advocating for Indigenous land rights through his writing and speeches, Pokagon's legacy is charged but very worth examining. Thank you to our listener Rebecca for this recommendation!
We're spending this week in Europe, as we cover poet, playwright, and the first Nobel Laureate in Literature from Ireland: William Butler Yeats! Join us for some ghost stories and a sidebar in Germany with Jon!
We heard you called for a magical realist, multilingual, genre-defying author from Argentina! And we're here to deliver! Well, Jon specifically, who will be sharing out this week on the remarkable life of Jorge Luis Borges! Grab your sun lotion and shades - we're headed south of the equator!
Never heard of Neith Boyce? Meet the woman who wanted to make it possible for women to live as bachelors. A columnist, journalist, novelist, and playwright, Neith Boyce blazed a trail that we're still following today!
Just in time for Halloween, we jump into the history of some more unusual books, featuring a how-to guide to summoning your own demon, books bound in human skin, 'the witches hammer' that spurred on the witch hunts of Europe, and a book written by the ghost of Mark Twain, this episode is sure to get you into the spooky spirit!
Jon is enroute to Germany and shares his explorations of the life of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German Shakespeare. There are career switches to silver mining, disguises, and a reluctance to travel to Italy, along with too many jokes about eyes... Here we Goethe!
Arguably the most important labor journalist of the 20th century, Mary Heaton Vorse advocated for the rights of women, children, workers, and people living in poverty over the course of her 70 year career. This week, we salute her extraordinary legacy just after her 147th birthday!
"We all know that something is eternal..." could most certainly refer to the impact that Thornton Wilder had on the American literary landscape with his novels, and plays, most notably, 'Our Town'. This week, we celebrate his fascinating life from Wisconsin to China, California or New Hampshire and every where in between.
In this special episode to kick off the Halloween season, we revisit Edgar Allan Poe - iconic author and poet, critic, cryptographer, and crafter of detective stories! We fill in some of the gaps in his life and provide plenty of stories that make this man as mysterious as his tales...
This week, meet Puerto Rico's unsung master poet, Julia de Burgos. Her short, remarkable life resembles the myths that had an impact on her work. Like these timeless tales, we hope to celebrate her work so that it lives on eternally!
We're back to your usually scheduled programming with August Wilson, an extraordinary playwright who revolutionized American theatre with his Century Cycle. We jump across America, following Wilson's unstoppable efforts and success, exploring what it truly means to 'lean ahead'.
This week, we set up a mic and waited for your stories at the Printer's Row Lit Fest in Chicago, IL. In the first part of this episode, we share your answers to questions like, 'what book or author has had an impact on you?' and 'if you could take a literary character or author to dinner, who would you take and why?' In the second half, we hear from local and indie authors who share their new and upcoming releases with you! Connecting with you this weekend was absolutely fantastic! Here's to growing the literary community of Get Lit and beyond!
Elizabeth Gask-who? Exactly! We're hoping to shine a light on this oft neglected author of Victorian England who wrote about poverty, double standards, and the working class, made her own money and traveled around Europe! Grab your tea - it's Dickens, without the baggage!
Eudora Welty. Wildly underrated, glass ceiling shattering, novelist, short story writer, photojournalist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and a card carrying member of the Night-Blooming Cereus Club to boot. Pack some sun lotion and a fan - we're headed to Jackson, Mississippi this week!
This week: The Woman. The Myth. The Legend: Susan Sontag! We attempt to unpack the persona of an exceptional American author, philosopher, playwright, and director, reconciling her life and work. Special shoutout to Nicholas Cage (seriously).
Get to know this exceptional poet, speaker, abolitionist, feminist fighter: Frances Ellen Watkins Harper! She was not only first African American woman to publish a short story, but traveled on a tour circuit fighting for liberty and justice for all, in the truest sense of the phrase!
Learn more about the author who inspired James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, helped bring mental healthcare to Harlem in the 1940's, and starred in a film version of one of his own works, Richard Wright. We hope to inspire you to take a closer look at this remarkable novelist, short story writer, essayist, playwright, poet, and reformer through this week's research!
Back from their Minnesota tour, Jon and Steph discuss Minnesotan author and cartoonist, Charles Schulz. With a story that spanned 50 years and 17,000+ comic strips, Schulz has left a legacy across generations, across the globe and even into space!
Introducing 'Get a Little Lit' - our shorter episodes that feature some of the more unusual stories in literary history! This week, we're delighted to bring you the story of Nancy Luce, the Madonna of the Chickens! She's as legendary as that title proclaims... listen to find out more about this extraordinary poet who lived her entire life on a small island off the coast of Massachusetts.
Jon covers Indiana superstar poet & performer, James Whitcomb Riley. Fun Fact: We can definitely attribute #girlboss to Riley. Seriously. Find out how in this week's episode AND listen for a special (little) announcement!
This week, Steph took up the field work to report on Jim Harrison from Northern Michigan, with a feature on Ernest Hemingway! Harrison fused philosophy with nature, blended with his signature rugged voice. Grab a lawn chair and join us in the field!
This week, we have a TRUNK to unpack with the interesting life of Patricia Highsmith - iconic murder thriller and LGBTQ+ writer who was as fascinating a character as the ones she wrote! Join us, The Talented Mr. Ripley for a ride with some Strangers on a Train for this exciting episode!
We're featuring a wildly underrated expert of the Southern Gothic genre: Carson McCullers, who helped redefine the search for identity in American culture and what it means to understand 'the others' of society.
We're CHARGING forward this week IN MEMORIAM of Victorian star poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson! Come learn about the icon behind the most heart-breakingly beautiful poetry and the phrase "Tis better to have loved and lost, / Than never to have loved at all"...
We honor the remarkable, colorful children's book author and illustrator Eric Carle, who left a deep and lasting impact on picture books, how we see bugs, and a very fat cat called Julian. Join us to learn about his unexpected life before the books and the origins of The Very Hungry Caterpillar!
We're headed ALL the way back to the Greek Island of Lesbos to celebrate the exquisite, striking, and extraordinary poetry of Sappho, often just referred to as 'The Poetess' because she was THAT good! Join us as we attempt to piece together the various fragments of her poetry and her life!
This week, we welcome guest Mark Frale to discuss and explore the controversial, colorful life of the 2nd youngest Nobel Prize for Literature Winner, Albert Camus (with plenty of Greek Myth references and conspiracy theories to boot)!
Jon takes us through the wild life of Gore Vidal as we kick off pride month and celebrate LGBTQ+ authors, ft. world travels due to exile, pen names, and a few fights (verbal and physical)...
This week, we take a look at Justin Chin - a spoken word and performance art creator, poet, and author who also helped explore the modern intersectional nature of immigration stories, LGBTQ+ communities, and inequity. He used his voice as a signal for change, and his legacy lives on today.
This week, learn about the legacy of Hisaye Yamamoto, an extraordinary Japanese-American author with a harrowing experience in the Interment Camps of WWII. Her work captured the experiences of so many whose narratives were typically ignored as she fought for justice over the course of her life.
This week, we learn about the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, among many other accolades and who introduced Western audiences to Asian cultures: Pearl Buck. Jon takes us back and forth between China and the US, unpacking the complex relationship that Pearl shared in her multi-cultural upbringing.
Jon takes over this week and reports out on Miguel de Cervantes, a Spanish author most famous for writing Don Quixote. Also featuring William Shakespeare, pirates, and a series of odd jobs!
This week, we feature cookbook author, chef, and change maker, Julia Child! We discuss the story and power behind her cook books, along with her role with the pre-CIA and the time she met the creator of the Cesar Salad! Bon Appetite!
In a special feature with a LIVING author this week, we're sitting down with Jess Darnell, an interdisciplinary artist who operates at the intersection of writing, theatre, performance, and Mary Oliver. Join us for this beautiful conversation and a chance to learn more about your inner child, the self-publishing industry, and giving yourself permission to create.
Adrienne Rich is an intersectionally-oriented activist and poet that we should all read! Her work changed the way women saw themselves in literature, particularly regarding race and gender. Join us to remember a remarkable woman who wouldn't be silenced!
You're late, you're late, for a very important date! We're headed down the rabbit hole, quite literally, in fact, to explore the life and work of Lewis Carroll, author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the Jabberwocky. Come with us through the looking glass to discover some delightful stories about this remarkable English author.
Beverly Cleary invited readers and 'non-readers' into her delightful, relatable worlds for generations. This week, we celebrate the meaningful, remarkable impact that she had on children's literature and on the people who enjoyed her work! Thank you so much, Mrs. Cleary.
This week, we bring you: Mary Wollstonecraft. A feminist icon from England, and the mother of Mary Shelley, Wollstonecraft brought a new meaning to 'Independent Woman', throwing out society's rule book and writing her own (among many other novels, essays, translations, and stories!)
Meet the original Beyoncé! Except French and a writer. And also a journalist, performer, defier of gendered stereotypes, and Nobel Prize nominee: Colette!
We're kicking off our celebration of Women's History Month with Edith Wharton - an extraordinary, genre crossing author who was not only the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize, but also wrote translations, poetry, war reports, novels, short stories, plays and a book on interior design in addition to philanthropic work and world travels! Edith, we salute you!
This episode has it all: Guest Host Katie Sall joins us to swap some of our favorite author stories, play two new literary-themed games, AND introduce our new website, author archives, and MERCH line to celebrate our 100th episode!
This week, we head back in time to meet an author ahead of hers: Octavia Butler - an extraordinary trailblazer for Women of Color in the Science Fiction world, MacArthur Genius, and profound lover of books and libraries!
We continue our celebration of Black authors with Claude McKay: Extraordinary Harlem Renaissance Poet, World Traveler, Novelist, Communist, Converted-Catholic, Teacher, and Almost-Carpenter!
In this special Valentine's Day episode, we feature author love stories and letters, both wildly romantic and deeply tragical! Author highlights include Oscar Wilde, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sylvia Plath, and more!
We're kicking off our celebration of Black authors with Paul Laurence Dunbar, who, in his extraordinary but short 33 years, shaped the voice of Black poets in post-Civil War America.
Behind the iconic poem associated with Lady Liberty stands another formidable lady: Emma Lazarus! The subject of this week's episode, we dive into the history of the Jewish poet who changed the meaning of the Statue of Liberty and what it means to be 'American'.
"To our Dear and Loving Listeners..." - that's right! We're doing Anne Bradstreet, America's very first English-American poet! Need ideas for Valentine's Day poems? Anne's got you covered!
It's 2021, time for John Donne. This metaphysical poet sits second to none. Off to England, we hope that you can come - we got rakes and jail time - this episode will be fun!
This week, we celebrate the wild, bohemian queen, Djuna Barnes, who lived and wrote in an extraordinary way. Never heard of her? Give this a listen - her stories are well worth it!
Ever wondered what it was like to be a cowboy, pharmacist, and short story author? O. Henry could absolutely tell you, and this week, Jon will tell all of us about this prolific, down-to-the-wire author!
In this special Christmas-themed live episode, we take a closer look at some classic songs & stories including 'White Christmas', 'T'was the Night Before Christmas', and 'The Gift of the Magi' among others! Join us for these histories, interactive games, and a new LIT version of Jingle Bells!
The truly legendary George Eliot AKA Mary Anne Evans is our focus this week - including her wild successes, intense relationships, and a strange incident involving the Grand Canal in Venice!
Prepare to be spooked, delighted, and amazed as we engage in the shockingly nerdy history of the Brothers Grimm! This episode also features anthropomorphic sausages, so there's that...
This week we cover the queen of quips, the virtuoso of verse, the woman who puts the 'whore' in horticulture: Dorothy Parker. If you don't know her yet, you must! If you do know her, celebrate her extraordinary legacy with us!
This week, we explore fairy tale legend and Danish National Treasure (no really, he was actually called that), Hans Christian Andersen whose life was not exactly a fairy tale but did inspire them!
Need a myth, a man, a LEGEND in your life? Look no further than Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare's peer but superior playwright, spy, and general ruffian - this week's episode has got stories for you!
What do winning power walking medals and Dracula have in common? They were both important parts of Bram Stoker's life! Learn about the creator of the iconic vampire this week as we head off to Ireland!
This week, we're jumping over to England to explore the life of Christina Rossetti, poetess of some extraordinary feminist sonnets, The Goblin Market, and a rather tragic autobiographical short story, among other things! We've also included some bonus 'spooky' readings at the end for your Halloween enjoyment!
Shirley Jackson: author of some of our most iconic horror tales of all time, master of green mashed potatoes, and an advocate and trailblazer for women's autonomy and place in the world. Grab your broomsticks, folks - it's nearly Halloween - the perfect time to honor this extraordinary writer!
This week, we cover the wildly underrated Charlotte Perkins Gilman, author of 'The Yellow Wall-Paper' among thousands of other works. Unpack her controversial legacy and learn more about the woman who wrote her own magazine, sewed her own 'species of brassière', and lived by her own rules.
Hitch a ride with Jon as he explores the colorful, passionate legacy of Sci-Fi author Douglas Adams! Don't forget your towel!
We're diving into the backstory of Pablo Neruda, whose visceral love poetry invokes passion and the most deeply felt desires of the human spirit - join us for the journey!
Take a moment to breathe and invigorate with Rachel Carson - author and environmental advocate, who shattered barriers for women in science and the workforce. Carson is indeed a figure we could all take inspiration from right now!
In conversation with Frederick Douglass, we invite Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, among other works, to the table to interrogate portrayals of Africans who were enslaved, abolition, and feminism.
Speeches are a deeply under appreciated literary form and this week, we turn to the true expert: Frederick Douglass - orator, autobiographer, journalist, abolitionist, and change maker!
"Remember it's a sin to --- not listen to Harper Lee's Get Lit episode," - Atticus Finch, probably... Join us in Monroeville to take a look at the life of Harper Lee (the Jane Austen of South Alabama), author, philanthropist, Met's fan, and shaper of American literature!
This episode is indeed an Ode to Autumn and to poet and Romantic with a capital 'R', John Keats! Come along with us as we explore the brief, bright life of this extraordinary talent!
Jon takes over this week, bringing us his research on the oft overlooked and reputationally controversial author of essays, short stories, and novel (Invisible Man), Ralph Ellison!
Have you ever dreamed of being a playwright-poet-spy-theatre artist? Good news - you can learn about opportunities in this career field from this week's featured author, Aphra Behn! It's quite a journey, so join us for the ride!
In the second part of our Back to School Special, we speak with two other educators - guest host Katie Sall and Dillin Randolph to get their takes on teaching: what we teach, how we teach it, and why! We're not claiming to have all the answers, but there are definitely some wonderful ones on this episode.
Another pair of heavy hitters in the fantasy world: C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien! Join us an our LIVE audience as we journey into Middle Earth and through the wardrobe in our quest to explore these extraordinary authors!!
Join us for Part I of our 'Back to School Special' episode! We have a conversation with three recent high school graduates about their experiences in English classes, why we read what we read, and how literature shapes our culture and our lives.
We're taking the vacation you never got to this summer: We're off to South Berwick, Maine to enjoy the flowers, front yards, and local color brought to us by Sarah Orne Jewett's life & writing!
A true rebel, woman of gumption: Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind. This week, we learn about and from Mitchell's life of change. Both making it and being a part of it!
Join us on our trip to Oxford, MS and other Southern spots as we trace the odd, interesting life of William Faulkner - documenter of Southern heritage and lover of pipes!
It's truly "Love in the Time of Corona" - sorry - "Cholera" this week as we discuss the life of Columbian/World Traveling Author, Gabriel García Márquez! There's plenty of sites, supernatural references, and guest appearances by Bill Clinton & Fidel Castro!
It's your favorite historian, short story writing, war secretary, inventor of Christmas and creator of modern comic lore: Washington Irving! Join us this week for the colorful, trivia-peppered life of one of America's (as the United States) earliest authors!
Who's afraid? Certainly not us! In continuing our Pride celebration, we discuss the gender-bending, genre-defying life and career of Virginia Woolf!
Maybe you guessed it: we're featuring Tennessee Williams this week! Hop aboard our tour that takes us to the South, Midwest, and East Coast, exploring the lore that makes up the life of this legend!
Lorraine Hansberry simultaneously spoke to the Black American experience, while shattering all conventions of that experience in her own work. She used her voice to make change, inspire others and, "create my life, not just accept it." We celebrate her remarkable life and legacy in this episode.
Truman Capote embodies the beauty & exuberance that is Pride month, but also the intense struggle of being gay in America. This week, we cover the author of 'In Cold Blood' and 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' with a side trip to the Party of the Century!
Audre Lorde: black, feminist, lesbian, poet - among so many other things. We explore the wildly intersectional work and remarkable legacy of a voice we needed then and certainly now.
Join us On the Road with Beat poet & author, Jack Kerouac! Famed and fabled, we take a look at the complex relationship this author had with his publicity and work, with pit stops in Queens, Haikus, and Football!
Feeling a bit spiritually tired? Like you need a literary hug? This week's author is a beautiful blend of bold stances, love, and the essence of American Writing and is just the ticket: Willa Cather, everyone!
Alors! We're back in France to discuss Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, among many other lengthy works! With side trips to exile, the occult, and revolution, how could you not want to learn more?
"All for one, one for all, that is our device!" That's right! We're doing the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo (along with 1,326 other volumes of material!) Alexandre Dumas - but don't worry - we're only doing the highlights!
Come to Neverland with us! We're off to explore the life of Scottish author, creator of a true modern myth, and captivator of imaginations: J.M. Barrie!
Ever dreamed of being a mystic, author, botanist, musician, playwright/composer, preacher, healer, historian, and music therapist? If you said, yes, then take a few tips from this week's featured author: Hildegard of Bingen. If you said no, then enjoy this episode!
She's the OG Poetry Superstar! This week, meet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poetess extraordinaire, translator, language learner, eloper, and social justice warrior! Celebrate National Poetry Month with this remarkable woman poet!
We did it! THE William Shakespeare - for our one year anniversary episode! Join us and the Bard for a celebration complete with our very own author themed Tinder game!
Love her, hate her, don't know her, like cults? This week's episode has it all as Jon leads us through the life of author Ayn Rand!
Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction... particularly for this week's author and the inspiration for the musical Cats, T.S. Eliot! Join us to untangle the strange life of this American-British poet.
Join us (along with Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, and Jemima Puddle-Duck) to discuss the empowering, whimsical life of Beatrix Potter - illustrator, author, mycologist, sheep breeder, environmentalist, and scientist! We hope to put a smile on your face with this one - stay healthy and hopeful!
Here's Johnny! John Steinbeck is our focus this week! Come meet the author who helped document the American experience through his Pulitzer/Nobel Prize winning writing career - writing novels including 'East of Eden', 'Of Mice and Men', and 'The Grapes of Wrath', among many others! Also featuring a pony named Jill.
This is truly a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious episode; practically perfect, as it were! Join us for a delightful trip through the whimsical, mythical life of Pamela Lyndon Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books, among other texts!
What do the Indiana Dunes, Japanese Poetry, Al Capone, and The Dil Pickle Club all have in common? They're all components of the extraordinary life of poet, photographer, actor, activist, and bohemian, Jun Fujita!
Lovers of poems, whether or not you know 'em will love this week's feature about a most spectacular creature, the poet and drawer and singer and fighter (sort of) and lover and grammy award winning writer, Shel Silverstein!
Happy Valentine's Day! We're celebrating with a sensational sibling trio - no, not the Jonas Brothers or the Bee Gees - The Brontë sisters - LIVE!
This week, we look at the legacy of a 'real cool' poet and mentor: Gwendolyn Brooks, who changed the field of poetry for black writers and identity poetry in America.
Up this week, an older Hawthorne: Nathaniel! This week, we're covering the author of The Scarlet Letter and a myriad of literary crossovers: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'President' Pierce, Louisa May Alcott, and Herman Melville! Hang on to your pens and broomsticks! (There's also an almost Saint involved, if you needed more reason to listen!)
This week's episode features a wildly unique author, Hazel Hawthorne and the passionate pursuit of those who have been captivated by this Queen of the Dunes. Join Jon, Steph, and special guest Inka Leisma (Host and researcher behind 'Finding Hazel Hawthorne') as they journey back to the magical dunes of Provincetown, MA.
Listen to this week's short episode about a Longfellow! Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, to be precise! Jon hosts this week's episode about the most famous author you've never read!
This week: L.M. Montgomery! Creator of Anne of Green Gables, secret author and romantic, namer of trees, prolific letter writer and Canadian! Celebrate this remarkable author with us in our first episode of 2020!
We're wild for Wilde and ringing in the New Year with a celebration of Oscar Wilde's life and works! Have a wonderful start to your 2020; here's to having the same sort of courage as Oscar Wilde did to make this year extraordinary!
Get Lit is pleased to present 'A Very Dickens Christmas' or 'Fricken Dickens,' if you prefer! Join us for a recounting of Charles Dickens, the man who invented so many Christmas traditions we celebrate today - and a delightful jingle - and assorted Dickens facts!
This week, we cover an artist with a reach as wide as her world travels; learn about Maya Angelou, an artist whose work transcends the written word.
Witches! Communism! Salesmen! Must be Arthur Miller week! Join us to investigate Miller just like the US Government did!
We missed Boston so much, we thought we'd bring it back to visit Louisa May Alcott, author of 'Little Women' and rewriter of women's history!
This episode has it all: exploding trees, forbidden romance, sci-fi monsters, a gossip girl crossover and Katie Sall. Is there really anything else you want from your literary podcast? Happy Thanksgiving!
This week, we're off into the world of the globe trotting poet, Langston Hughes discussing identity, American history, and artifacts.
Get Lit is back on tour - this time, we're sending you postcards from UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City - where everything from the churches to the sidewalks is infused with writing!
Get Lit Live is back - this week, we share stories about famous detective novel authors Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, along with fairies, missing persons, and a limerick or two.
Jump aboard the Pequod and going us for a seafaring adventure through Herman Melville's life, featuring special guest, Professor Jamie Jones. This episode is as unique as a white whale; you certainly won't want to miss it!
This week, we honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Toni Morrison, with Katie Sall back as a guest host to share her reflections on the author that changed her life and perspectives on literature.
We're headed back to England to explore the ICONIC Jane Austen - she's witty, she's talented, she was almost Jane Bigg-Wither? Find out more this week on Get Lit!
We're transatlantic commuters this week, exploring the nuanced and deeply important legacy of James Baldwin on literature and justice.
This week, we celebrate and remember poet Mary Oliver, who gave us exquisite meditations on nature, the human spirit, and our collective community. We will always keep some room in our hearts for you, Mary, and for the unimaginable.
Hop in your covered wagon and hold onto your calico bonnet: we're getting Lit & Wild(er) this week as we explore pioneer & writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author behind the Little House series!
Big Brother is watching and will know if you didn't listen this week: tune in to the rather unfortunate life of Eric Blair AKA George Orwell, author of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm.
One of our most requested authors has finally landed in his very own Mars Rover! This week, we highlight Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451 and master of science fiction, adventure, mystery, and dystopian writings, with an optimistic twist.
It's me, Eloise! Just kidding - but it is Kay Thompson, a pioneering, pants-wearing, vocalist-coach-creator-author! Meet the creator of the 'children's' book Eloise, and find out how you can book a $5500 party at the Plaza Hotel!
Get Lit goes LIVE! We record this week's episode in front of a live audience, covering two of your favorite childhood authors - Dr. Seuss & Roald Dahl!
Tzdakah (Justice): This week, we hope to bring even the smallest bit of justice to Zora Neale Hurston's legacy as an unstoppable force in literature, sociology, folklore, the arts and living without reservation. Thank you, Zora - jump at de sun.
Why should ALL High School students read Edna St. Vincent Millay? Find out more about why they should and about this (extra)ordinary poet, playwright, activist, and author in this episode of Get Lit!
Get Lit goes on tour to record our Eugene O'Neill episode in the same spot that he launched his career: Provincetown, MA! Join us at sea and stick around for a quick trip to Concord & Walden Pond ft. Henry David Thoreau & Ralph Waldo Emerson.
There may be no there there, but there's there here and her name is Gertrude Stein! We're headed to Paris, France to learn about this truly sensational author, poet, psychology student, critic, mentor and self-proclaimed genius.
'Living for Dummies: Ernest Hemingway's Practical Guide to Living Ur Best Life' - AKA this week's Get Lit episode! Jon & Steph record from the Hemingway House in Oak Park and include an interview with special guest/house docent, Bob Glass.
"It's not a fight, it's not a debate, it's a healthy intellectual discussion..." of Ralph Waldo Emerson & Henry David Thoreau! Join Jon, Steph and guest moderator Katie to explore the inextricably bound transcendentalist duo!
You can't spell America without Walt Whitman. This week, Get Lit celebrates the 4th of July (a bit late, we know...) by covering the life of the 'Father of Free Verse'!
Susanna Rowson: best selling (literally, the BEST selling) author, actress, playwright, educator, textbook creator, human geographer... I mean, what are you doing with your weekend? Learn to take on the world and your dreams this week as we discuss her remarkable life/career!
Get Lit heads south to Mexico City to investigate the extraordinary life of a woman, poet, philosopher, nun, lady-in-waiting, playwright who truly needs no other introduction: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. If you don't know her, get listening and get lit! Also we talk about t-shirts!
Murder, pilgrims, theater & revolutionary women - this episode has it all! Get Let heads to Iowa and Provincetown, MA to explore the sensational legacy of activist, author, and artist, Susan Glaspell!
Be like Kate! What does that mean? Find out this week as Steph and Jon explore the delightfully powerful Kate Chopin and her work as one of America's earliest active feminist writers.
Get Lit heads all the way back to the late 1700's America to explore the extraordinary legacy of African American Female Poet Phillis Wheatley.
Get Lit goes live - live author, that is! Steph and guest host, Katie Sall interview 'Man of Sin' author, Andrew Guilde about writing, petting zoos and the horror niche of children's literature.
This week, we've flipped! Jon tells Steph about one of his favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, exploring the wild and wacky life behind one of America's favorite Sci-Fi Literature Authors.
Get Lit goes West-ish and explores America's favorite midwestern humorist after John Mulaney, Mark Twain!
This week on Get Lit, we head to Georgia to meet Flannery O'Connor, prolific short story writer and despiser of mediocrity (which is sad seeing that she appeared on this podcast...).
Get Lit heads to the hermitage in Amherst to explore the life of American poet, Emily Dickinson, with special guest Katie Sall.
A special version of Get Lit featuring an original radio drama version of The Fall of the House of Usher.
Edgar Allan Poe's life was very much like one of his tales... this week's episode introduces Poe's mysterious life and even more mysterious death.