Fireside Lit Book Club
Episodes
The Duty to the Self vs. The Duty to Others: The Awakening
09 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we unpack the themes of love, identity, and the tension between selfhood and responsibility in The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Is fulfi...
Where Conviction, Justice, and Fate Collide: Lessons from Greek Tragedy
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Fireside Lit, we explore some of the common themes across Greek tragedy, as emphasized by playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Eur...
The Search for Identity in Coming-of-Age Novels: 20 Authors Who Did It Best
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Join us by the fire as we discuss some of the best, most impactful, and influential authors who have contributed to the YA/coming-of-age genre through...
Consciousness as Pathology: Notes From the Underground
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
W hat happens when we push others away as we bow at the altar of our own mind? How does worshipping our own insightfulness, our own ego, lead to cynic...
Love in Literature: 10 Books That Tell the Truth About Love
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
(Correction: In the episode, I mistakenly refer to The Art of Loving as being by “Ethan Fromm.” The correct author is Erich Fromm).With Valentine’...
The Ethics of Refusal: Prometheus Bound
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Season 2 of Fireside Lit Book Club begins with a deep dive into Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus.In this episode, we explore themes of power, obedience, ...
What’s on My 2026 TBR? | Season 1 Finale
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As the year comes to a close, I’m sharing what’s on my 2026 TBR (to-be-read) list — the novels, memoirs, and classics I’m most drawn to in the...
The Books I Liked, Loved, and Let Go Of in 2025
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Not a list — just honest reactions to the books that held my attention this year, and the ones that didn’t.A quiet, reflective recap for readers w...
On Complicity & Conscience: Small Things Like These
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the central themes of Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, reflecting on the historical reality of the Magdalene Laundries ...
20 Books For My Daughter: A Birthday Tradition
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share a meaningful tradition as a mother and a reader: choosing a special book for my daughter every year on her birthday. From tim...
Where You "Read," I Will Follow: Reflecting On Books & Reading in Gilmore Girls
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Step into Stars Hollow for a cozy literary detour. In this episode, we reflect on the books, reading culture, and witty references woven throughout Gi...
Integrating the Shadow Self: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
22 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Beneath the gothic mystery of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde lies a timeless truth about human nature — the battle between the self we ...
Enmeshment & Family Dynamics in Hello Beautiful
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Fireside Lit Book Club, we slow down with Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful to examine the fine line between devotion and enmeshme...
10 Cozy Fall Reads: Books to Curl Up With This Season
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s something about autumn that invites us to slow down, pour a warm drink, and slip into a good book. In this special seasonal episode of Fires...
Life, Death, and What Comes After: On Lincoln in the Bardo
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we step into George Saunders’ Booker Prize-winning novel, Lincoln in the Bardo—a work that blends history, grief, and the supernatural ...
Cultivating a Reading Practice: Turning Pages Into Ritual
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, slow down, light a candle, and rediscover reading as a ritual rather than a race. Together, we’ll explore how to select books that ...
The Spirituality of Both/And: Life of Pi
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Yann Martel’s Life of Pi is more than a tale of shipwreck and survival — it’s a meditation on faith, truth, and the mysteries that don’t fit n...
No Fixed Form: Lessons From Virginia Woolf
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we step into the luminous world of Virginia Woolf to explore how she dismantles fixed notions of gender, identity, and truth. Through...
By the Firelight: Why We Read
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this opening episode of Fireside Lit, I invite you to settle in and reflect on the power of stories -- not just the ones we read, but the ones that...