Literature & Libations
Episodes
26.5 Adding to Your TBR: Kick Off Your Reading Year Right!
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the 5 types of books to best kick off your reading year (with great suggestions for your TBR,...
26. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy 2023, y’all! For the first episode of the year, Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Ottessa Moshfegh’s 2018 novel My Year...
25. Our End of Year Episode: The Good, The Great, and the Even Greater!
31 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For the last episode of 2022, Kayla and Taylor discuss their favorite reads of the year - podcast books and non-pod books! They also share their readi...
24.5 KAYLA SAVES CHRISTMAS!
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss our favorite holiday books, shows, movies, music, and more!Books, etc. discussed in this epis...
24. Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe by Melissa De La Cruz
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For the last book discussion episode of the year, Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Melissa de la Cruz’s 2018 novel Pride and P...
23. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott PART TWO
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor continue their discussion of Little Women with part 2 of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel. Topics include “domestic experiences”,...
22. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (PART ONE)
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of the first part of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Little Women. Topics include the importance...
21.5 What Do Beatniks and Sputnik Have in Common?
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of San Francisco’s Beat Movement. Books, etc. discussed in this episode:Taylor...
21. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Jack Kerouac’s1957 novel On the Road. Topics include road trips, the allure of the West, and ...
Episode 20.5 Influential Literary Lesbians
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of lesbian literature, including some recommendations for your TBR! They also go ...
20. Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Ashley Herring Blake’s 2022 novel Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. Topics include finding your c...
19.5 Adding to your TBR: Reads That Are SO Goth.
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of gothic literature, and give y’all some recommendations for your TBR!Books, e...
19. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Spooky Season continues! Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s 2020 novel Mexican Gothic. Topics include fem...
18.5 Adding to your TBR/W: Spooky Reads and Watches
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss their favorite spooky reads and watches!Books, shows, and movies discussed in this episode:We...
18. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Spooky Season! Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House. Topics include...
17.5 Adding to Your TBR: Stories of Mental Health and Addiction
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss some books about mental health and addiction to add to your TBR, and go on a tangent about ho...
17. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Yaa Gyasi’s 2020 novel Transcendent Kingdom. Topics include neuroscience, the trauma of addic...
16.5 Cate&Rooney&Sarah&Carrie.
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the 2015 film version of Carol. Topics include 1950s aesthetics, Angry Harge, and how much we...
16. The Price of Salt (Carol) by Patricia Highsmith
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel The Price of Salt (or, Carol). Topics include the interesting...
15.5 Crazy Talented Asians
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the (not-so-great) history of east Asian representation in Hollywood film and TV shows, as we...
15. Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Charles Yu’s 2020 novel Interior Chinatown. Topics include Hollywood satire, Asian American r...
14.5 Word From Our Mother
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor welcome a special guest: their mom! Topics include reader frustrations, what it really takes to be a ...
14. The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Jessamine Chan’s 2022 novel The School for Good Mothers. Topics include what it means to be a...
13.5 Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane
19 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of children’s literature, our top 5 childhood faves (plus some honorable mentio...
13. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Norton Juster’s 1961 children’s classic The Phantom Tollbooth. Topics include tasty letters...
12.5 An In-Depth, Very Detailed, Highly Accurate Account of the Anglo Saxon War
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of the Anglo-Saxon wars (spoiler alert: there’s a lot of fighting), and give an...
12. The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2016 novel The Buried Giant. Topics include the importance of remembering, D...
11.5 California! If You Can, Why Not?
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of Malibu and surfing in California, and briefly examine California through the l...
11. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2021 novel Malibu Rising. Topics include the bonds between siblings, fi...
10.5 Dirty Dan and Pinhead Larry Talk about Weird Westerns PLUS TOM LIN INTERVIEW!!
07 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of the western and the emergence of the “weird western”. Also: Tom Lin him...
10. The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu by Tom Lin
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Tom Lin’s 2021 debut novel The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. Topics include the mystical natur...
9.5 1920s Paris was for the Writers and the Gays
24 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the “Lost Generation” - American writers who came to Paris in the 1920s to dance, drink...
9. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1952 novella The Old Man and the Sea. Topics includ...
8.5 Reading is Knowledge, Knowledge is Power.
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss a real-life situation of an oil corporation destroying of the Niger Delta in Nigeria. Topics ...
8. How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Imbolo Mbue’s 2021 novel How Beautiful We Were. Topics include gender roles, corrupt governme...
7.5 Johnny Utah: FBI Agent, Former Football Player, Surfer Infiltrator.
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the cinematic masterpiece Point Break (the 1991 version, NOT the terrible remake) starring ou...
7. How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days by K.M. Jackson
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of K.M. Jackson’s 2021 novel How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days. Topics include the growing di...
Adding to your TBR: Stories of Immigration
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss other stories about immigration. See the full list of titles below!This week’s cocktail: Gu...
Episode 06: Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Patricia Engel’s 2021 novel Infinite Country. Topics include family, identity, and the audaci...
BONUS EP: Pride & Prejudice: THE (2005) MOVIE!
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For the P&P MINI EP, Kayla and Taylor discuss the 2005 movie adaptation. Topics include perfect casting, THE HAND FLEX, and Bollywood.Follow us on...
Episode 05: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. Topics include the plight of middle children...
Bonus EP: The Yosemite by John Muir
19 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor are bringing you a little bonus ep this week to talk about The Yosemite by John Muir. They were reunited this past week and took a ...
Episode 04: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Neil Gaiman’s 2013 novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Topics include the disconnect betw...
Episode 03: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Xochitl Gonzalez’s 2022 novel Olga Dies Dreaming. Topics include rich white people, the “Am...
Episode 02: Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Charlotte McConaghy’s 2021 novel Once There Were Wolves. Topics include mirror-sense synesthe...
BONUS EP: (Male) Writers & Lovers, Some Points on the Patriarchy
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hey guys! We're dropping a little bonus Ep to talk about a theme that we ran out of time for in our first full length episode! Of course, it woul...
Episode 01: Writers and Lovers by Lily King
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Lily King’s 2020 novel Writers & Lovers. Topics include geese, insufferable writers, and ...
Welcome to Literature & Libations!
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're bringing you a trailer episode to introduce ourselves and reveal the novel for our first full episode, Writers and Lovers by Lily King, alo...