Lit Society: Books and Drama

We're on vacation until the start of season four, Thursday, February 2nd! Until then, we're ecstatic to share the shows still living rent-free in our heads. Here's a favorite from our archives. Who raised you? The assumption is that our families shape who we become, but do our friends have more of an influence than we realize? In his autobiographical tale of being born and raised under apartheid in South Africa, Trevor Noah praises the people who gave him the vision and tools to make his path. He also paints the picture of his mother as a courageous visionary ahead of her time. Before diving into this heartwarming story, we discuss family vs. environment, which significantly influences our lives. This is LIT Society. LET'S GET LIT!   Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Dive into the passionate turmoil of 'Wuthering Heights' where familial bonds twist into love and revenge. Explore the complex relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine, steeped in jealousy and rivalry. The hosts illuminate Emily Brontë’s troubled life and its influence on her writing, while sharing personal tales of rejection and the inner critic. Discover how class dynamics and palate cleanser books enhance the reading experience, all sprinkled with humor and engaging listener feedback. Get lost in the literary drama!

We're on vacation until the start of season four, Thursday, February 2nd! Until then, we're ecstatic to share the shows still living rent-free in our heads. Here's a favorite from our archives.   Having abandoned her husband and son, one woman lives life one train ride at a time with her beautiful beau and new baby girl — but her decision to risk it all for "love" isn't without consequences. Will following her heart lead this woman to peace, misery, or the greatest happiness?    The woman's name: is Anna.  This is part 2 of Anna Karenina.  Let's get LIT!    ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

We’re on vacation until the start of season four, Thursday, February 2nd! Until then, we’re ecstatic to share the shows still living rent-free in our heads. Here’s a favorite from our archives. This week, Alexis makes Kari read the world's longest book (just kidding), written by a man some consider to be the greatest author of all time (not kidding). The setting is 19th-century Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the countryside. Noblemen and women are eating, drinking, marrying, and living. Among these aristocrats stands one woman who personifies beauty and grace. This woman catches the eye of an equally attractive officer. Driven by an undeniable chemistry, the two start down a path of deception and destruction from which neither may recover.    The officer's name is Alexei Vronsky.  The woman's name is Anna Karenina, and this is part one of our two-part episode.  Before diving in, we discuss the usefulness of healthy distractions and learn how to escape in ways that don't destroy us.  This is LIT Society.  Let's get LIT!    ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

We’re on vacation until the start of season four, Thursday, February 2nd! Until then, we’re ecstatic to share the shows still rent-free in our heads. Here’s a favorite from our archives. After losing her home, her husband, sobriety, and career, one woman is on the brink of losing her mind. Her life is dwarfed into a series of train rides, back and forth, morning and evening, until she sees something no one else sees from the window of her commute. She’s witnessed something that propels her into a series of events, forever changing her life and the lives of everyone she knows. The woman’s name is Rachel. The book, The Girl on the Train. Let’s get LIT! Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

We’re on vacation until the start of season four, Thursday, February 2nd! Until then, we’re ecstatic to share the shows still rent-free in our heads. Here’s a favorite from our archives.   What do you know about arranged marriages? If you’ve ever watched The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Married at First Sight, Love is Blind, or a million other reality shows, you may know more than you think. This week, we’re discussing arranged hitching and clearing up a few misconceptions about the practice.  Then, it’s on to our book: The search for happiness and peace is a difficult one, especially in a society that dismisses your thoughts and preys on your innocence. The distress of our Ghanaian protagonist is relatable to many women around the world. Will our heroine find love and acceptance in the manner she deserves and desires? What will she tolerate? What is she willing to risk for the sake of her sanity? The woman: Afi Tekple The book: His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie LET’S GET LIT!    Our Independent Bookstore of the Month: Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery 1714 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622 https://www.semicolonchi.com/ Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.    

They were the best of books; They were the worst of books! This is our end-of-year roundup, and we can't wait to share which works we loved (AND HATED WITH A PASSION)! Does our list match yours? Let us know! A few episodes we mention include: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: https://www.litsocietypod.com/homegoing-by-yaa-gyasi/ Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead: https://www.litsocietypod.com/harlem-shuffle-by-colson-whitehead/ His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie: https://www.litsocietypod.com/his-only-wife-by-peace-adzo-medie-and-arranged-marriages/ The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow: https://www.litsocietypod.com/the-other-bennet-sister-by-janice-hadlow-part-1/ The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris: https://www.litsocietypod.com/the-other-black-girl-by-zakiya-dalila-harris/ Let's GET LIT!    Find Alexis and Kari online:  Alexis: https://www.instagram.com/alexisistraveling/ Kari: https://www.youtube.com/@chicagoings?sub_confirmation=1  The Show: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.  

Does therapy work? What do we need to do to get the most from treatment? Alexis breaks down specific tips to help us unpack our baggage while speaking with a specialist. Then, on to our book.   In this memoir, she gets frank about her struggles under the hands of an abusive stage mom in an industry that could care less if she lived or died. Others chose her path starting at the age of eight. Ever since, she has been pretending for her family, herself, and the world.   The actress: Jennette McCurdy The Book: I'm Glad My Mom Died   And you're listening to LIT Society. Let's GET LIT!    Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.  

Has a warped self-perception ever caused you to label yourself as weak, stupid, or ugly? This week's theme dives into how the actions and words of others affect how we see ourselves and what we can do to improve our self-perception. Then, on to our book. One man's finest weapon is his tongue. It is a sharp sword crafted from wit and valor. However, his embarrassing face makes him feel doomed to live in solitude, always one degree away from the woman he loves. The man: Cyrano The Play: Cyrano de Bergerac de Edmond Rostand And you're listening to LIT Society. Let's GET LIT! _____ Theme of the week source, including graphics: https://www.lifehack.org/882456/self-perception    Performance of abbreviated version by LA Theater Works: https://latw.org/title/cyrano-de-bergerac    Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

What is a toxic relationship, and have you ever been in one? What about a toxic friendship? Alexis starts our show by breaking down what makes a relationship unhealthy and what to do if you realize you're in a poisonous partnership. Then, on to our book, er play... Her lips talk of wealth, grace, and power, but her eyes beg for forgiveness and grace. Blanche DuBois walks into her sister Stella's life after years of absence, unannounced, needing a place to live. Stella's husband, however, is angered by the woman's pride and pretentiousness. In the end, desire leads them all to damage. The Play: A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams You're listening to LIT Society.   LET's GET LIT!    Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.