Lit Society: Books and Drama

Our first YA novel (!!!) tackles racial, economical, and social disparities between the connected members of one city. It follows Jade, a smart girl from a poor neighborhood, who attends high school with the children of Portland's upper-class families. She constantly struggles to find herself, her place, and her voice, in a world bent on ignoring her. She is on the brink of adulthood, trying to figure out who she is and who she can trust. Recommended by a friend, Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson transported us back to high school and made us reexamine the choices we made then, and the ones we're making now. Before dissecting the book, we get into the theme of the week — mentors. What makes a good mentor? How can we get the most from mentors in our life? Alexis shares some tips she's learned from heading a mentor program and offers secrets shared by the experts. We're growing up ya'll! ... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hyde yo’ kids! Hyde yo’ wife! A young doctor allows his obsession with the duality of human nature to lead him down a path littered with lies, murder, and destruction. His name is Doctor Henry Jekyll; the book is the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; you’re listening to Lit Society...While quarantined, we're excited to share with you this, our very first episode, originally released to a small group of test listeners in 2019. We like to think the quality of our show has improved since then, but this is still one of our favorite episodes! Enjoy!... Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣

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