This episode covers the final three staves of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. We look upon the most glorious bro of them all, the Ghost of Christmas Present. Theo loves him. Jackie reveals her favorite post-prandial snack. Scrooge temporarily becomes unbelievably stupid, we play a Victorian party game, and one of us tears up at the end of the book! Topics include: one’s own peculiar flavor, Victorian children’s disease, delicious Christmas treats, Muppets and other puppets, and doing things Pratchett-style.

This episode covers the first two staves of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens: bad husband, great writer. The gang blows the perfect segue, everyone reveals a holiday secret from their past, and you get an update on our funeral quilt. Scrooge keeps the same energy, and we admire him for that. Topics include: 15-20 mile walks, comforters, pointed asides to Jeff Bezos, a timely John Kerry joke, shipping wars, the Human Centipede, and a huge slam on Dick Wilkins out of nowhere.

We're releasing episodes on Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! While you wait, here's something to get you in the holiday spirit, a new song by the Fire the Canon House Band!

Books 14-20 of The Odyssey, as translated by Emily Wilson. Once again, your hosts channel Odysseus. We told you this would be the end, but our boy takes so long going around Ithaca, creating individually crafted lies for his friends and family, that we have one more episode left! We lied to you. Now you know how Odysseus’ friends and family felt. Topics include: divine shriveling, the rule of spoilers, an extremely unfair fight, a book of useless lies, HateBoy, and more oil than you might suspect.

Content warning: The Odyssey contains discussion of violence, sexual assault, animal sacrifice, and slavery.

Books 10-13 of The Odyssey, as translated by Emily Wilson. Yet again, Odysseus is “forced” to cheat on his wife. We learn where the gang both does and doesn’t tend to keep coins, and Theo reveals an Odyssey-related secret from his past. Multiple people tell Odysseus to leave some cows alone. Odysseus’ crew finds out if it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission. Topics include: Kevin James’ oeuvre, our other best boy Elpenor, HUBRIS, name-dropping, the mythical origin of earwax, and less oil than usual.

Content warning: The Odyssey contains discussion of violence, sexual assault, animal sacrifice, and slavery.

Books 5-9 of The Odyssey, as translated by Emily Wilson. Well, well, well. Finally we learn what Telemachus’ deadbeat dad has been up to for the past 20 years! Jackie and Rachel tell tales of their own past on the high seas, and Theo finally becomes interested in the book. Topics include: a terrible seal plan, our best boy Polyphemus, Ancient Greek feminism, Odysseus taking things way too far, and, as always, lots and lots of oil.

Content warning: The Odyssey contains discussion of violence, sexual assault, animal sacrifice, and slavery.

This episode covers the first 4 books of Homer’s The Odyssey, as translated by Emily Wilson. Ever wanted to know about Odysseus’ idiot man-baby son Telemachus? Well, you’re about to learn! Other topics of discussion include: bird attacks, frat bro feasts, ancient insults, disguises, and copious amounts of oil.

Content warning: The Odyssey contains discussion of violence, sexual assault, animal sacrifice, and slavery

Fire the Canon is a podcast that loves literature, but doesn’t take it too seriously. Jackie, Rachel, and Theo will be joking, paraphrasing, and misinterpreting their way through the Western canon. Come hang out with us every Thursday!