The book that changed Kehinde's life..?

In this episode, the boys dive into Monkey King: Journey to the West, the iconic classic of Chinese literature by Wu Ch’eng-en.

The book follows the shape-shifting, kung-fu-mastering trickster, Monkey King, on his epic quest for redemption and eternal life. With the ability to transform into anything and turn his 84,000 hairs into an army of clones, his mischievous antics often land him in hot water—especially when he raids Heaven’s Orchard of Immortal Peaches and gets pinned beneath a mountain for 500 years. But when the Buddha gives him a chance to redeem himself, Monkey King must protect the pious monk Tripitaka on a perilous journey to retrieve sacred Buddhist sutras. Along the way, he’s joined by Pigsy, the rice-loving flying pig, and Sandy, the melancholic river monster, as they face dragons, ogres, femme fatales, and tricky wizards.

Join Reuben, Zach, and Kehinde as they explore the story’s rich themes of self-discovery, redemption, and the clash of philosophies. From mischievous gods to transformative journeys, the boys discuss how the tale shapes their views on morality, destiny, and the search for inner peace. They also debate how the fantasy genre reflects the personal struggles we all face.

Tune in for an adventure that blends ancient wisdom with modern insights, and discover the deeper lessons hidden in one of the world’s most celebrated stories.

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Sex is overrated...or is it?

Jared Diamond’s Why Is Sex Fun? unpacks the evolutionary quirks of human sexuality, exploring why our reproductive habits are so vastly different from other animals. From hidden ovulation to the mystery of monogamy, Diamond dissects the biological and cultural forces that shape our intimate lives.

Written with wit and scientific insight, this book challenges our assumptions about sex, pleasure, and reproduction, revealing how evolution crafted a uniquely human experience of intimacy. It’s a deep dive into the strange, often humorous, and sometimes counterintuitive ways our species navigates attraction and reproduction.

Come and listen to boys discuss the nuances of scientific communication, sexuality and whether the practise of anthropology is outdated.

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F̶l̶a̶w̶e̶d̶ Beauty is in the ruins!

Yukio Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion unfolds in the enchanting city of Kyoto, capturing the story of a young Buddhist monk's obsession with the temple's beauty and his turbulent journey through jealousy, desire, and existential angst.

Penned in 1956, Mishima's masterpiece explores the destructive power of beauty and the conflicts between ephemeral desires and spiritual ideals. It's a profound narrative on how an individual's fixation on perfection can lead to catastrophic outcomes, touching on themes of identity, obsession, and the clash between tradition and personal turmoil.

Join Reuben, Zach, and Kehinde as they dive deep into Mishima's intricate storytelling, examining the protagonist's complex psyche and Mishima's genius in depicting the struggle between the sacred and the profane. Expect some personal revelations as the guys once again share a bit too much!

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T̶o̶x̶i̶c̶ Love is in the air!

James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room  is centred in the 'suave' Parisian inner city,  and focuses on the events of an American man's complicated feelings and frustrations with his relationships with other women and men in his life, most notably an Italian bartender named Giovanni.

Written in 1956,  Baldwin's literary (initially controversial) classic delves  into the complexities of love and sexuality, it's intersection with cultural norms and the impact of death, deceit and passion in the confines of both sexual and platonic relationships. 

Tune in and listen to Reuben, Zach and Kehinde debate about the intricacies of love and Baldwin's  approach to character development and world building. Also, the guys oversharing...again!

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One political treatise to rule them all, One political treatise to find them, One political treatise to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them...

The Prince, written by the great Niccolò Machiavelli is a 16th century instruction guide for new princes and royals.

Often referred to as the principalis of modern political philosophy, the treatise is set just prior to the Italian renaissance and details  the use of 'fear' as a tactic of control,  and the desirable attributes of a great leader: 'virtue' and 'prudence'.

Tune in and listen to the guys discuss Machiavelli's obsession with power, Kehinde's hate for the renaissance period, and who would have the coolest Italian name...?

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A Nigerian literary great.

Chinua Achebe debut novel 'Things Fall Apart' follows the life of Okonkwo, an Igbo man and acclaimed wrestling champion of the fictional Nigerian clan of Umuofia. The book, first published in 1958, depicts pre-colonial life in the southeastern parts of Nigeria and the arrival of colonialism and its effects on the cultural and religious traditions of Umuofia.

A thought provoking episode, Zach draws parallels with Okonkwo and the Japanese art of seppuku,  Reuben does a brief TED talk (yawn..) about cultural evolution and transmission and Kehinde unpacks  masculinity, religion and poses the question:

Do we control who we become?

Tune in, sit back and enjoy!

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S2 Episode 07:
 
*Yo Melo, queue the scary music* Thinnnnner

Thinner, the podcasts first horror novel,  by the acclaimed  Stephen King centers on lawyer Billy Halleck, a stereotypical middle class suburban white man who kills a crossing Romani woman in a road accident and escapes legal punishment due to his connections.

The twist?

The woman's father places a curse on Halleck, which causes him to lose weight uncontrollably...

Get the popcorn and relax as  the guy's create (well try to...) an eerie ambiance that attempts to unpack the 'King's' literary style, empathise with a historically disenfranchised racial group and describe their own sexual predicaments that have landed them in similar hot water? 

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S2 Episode 06:
 
Chill.

Yes they took their time, but they work and it's Jane Austen...

The British literary classic, Pride and Prejudice, is an 1813 'novel of manners'. Set in the regency era, the novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet via her relationship with her family, friends and the enticing/elusive Mr Darcy.

Tune in to listen to Kehinde's perspective on  the books allegorical anchor, Reuben's attempts to determine who is the most Mr Darcy'esque  and Zach flexing his literary prowess to interpret Jane Austin's writing style.

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Season 2: Episode 5

''BELOVED'' is Toni Morrison's fifth novel, and the podcast's second time diving into one of her literary classics.

Winning the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988,  'Beloved' is set after the American Civil War and tells the story of a family of formerly enslaved people whose Cincinnati home is haunted by a malevolent spirit.

Not  immediately easy to read,  the guys were quickly won over by Toni Morrison's seamless skill with words.  Tune in  to a discussion deciphering the books periodic jumps from the past and present,  shared trauma and the impact positive and negative experiences have on ones' reality.

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Season 2: Episode 4

Russia + Essex =  Russex... The guys welcome their second guest on the podcast, Lucia Dove; a writer and poet from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK.

Lucia discusses her main inspirations, fragmented experiences and memories from Russia and Essex which  influenced her pamphlet of poems 'Say Cucumber', published in 2019.

Tune in, as we  dissect and discuss: the structure of poems,  the demise of Skype, and our own amateur(Reuben's past trauma *yawn*) poetry.   


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