Thorton Wilder's Our Town is often thought of as one of the best plays ever written. And at first glance, that might not be obvious. The play is famous for its overly simplified narrative and its overly involved stage manager who often breaks the fourth wall. The characters are ordinary people leading ordinary lives in a small town. There isn't much of a plot to speak of, and while death and despair make appearances in the play, even those are ordinary.

What makes this play a powerful one, is just that ordinary nature of it. It depicts life as life is meant to be observed. It shows how children are concerned with things that are so trivial and how upon their slow progression in life, their concerns also progress. The play is meant to mirror the audience's lives, and in doing so became a powerful play, and a Pulitzer winner. Listen along to our thoughts!

Read along.

Rachel is dealing with an out of control life that involves pretending to have a job, drinking non-stop and trying to get over her ex-husband, who left her for someone else. The only joy left in her life is riding the train every morning to watch the passengers and the families whose homes are along the pathway of the tracks. When Rachel thinks she may have witnessed something that led to a murder investigation, she has to battle sober thoughts and drunken helucinations.

Paula Hawkin's thriller novel was one of the most popular in the genre. Her book had suspense, beautiful rainy London weather, and an ending that you'd probably not see coming. Listen along as we discuss the pros and cons of this popular book-turned-film and how it compares to others like it.

Read along.

Read along with us.

Black Like Me is written by journalist John Howard Griffin in the Mid-20th Century. It is his account of what it felt like to be both a white and a black American in the same parts of the United States. After darkening his white skin using medication and UV light, Griffin roamed the streets of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia seeing how differently the world treated black men. While speaking to people, he found the resounding difference between how the world treated him first as a black man and then (after he stopped taking the medication) as a white man.

The importance of a novel like this can not be overstated. It is an honest and deep look at the account of the 'Deep South' in a time when racism was more common than not. Furthermore, it's a reflection on how unaware the average American was of the importance of this in their community. Join us as we discuss the importance of this novel and what we thought of this brilliant book's ideas.

Read along with us.

A catastrophic particle is eating away the energy of our sun. Earth is on course for another Ice Age. According to the smartest scientists, humanity's existence is on the brink of extinction. However, there might be a small chance for a solution. 13 Light Years away, in another solar system, the solution for this problem has been found. Ryland Grace, a scientist and high school teacher, finds himself on the spaceship heading there. During his trip, he finds dead bodies, a solution to help earth and aliens. BUT.... he doesn't have a way to make it back home.

A story filled with laughs, science, and a lot of drama, Andy Weir (author of The Martian) gives an account of the most realistic alien encounter yet. He paints the perfect image of the bleakness of humanity and how far we're willing to go to do the "right thing". Join us on this episode as we talk about all the intricacies that this book has to offer and the deep storyline that Weir has created for his readers.

Read along with us.

Ernest J. Gaines's A Lesson before Dying tells the story of Grant Wiggins, a black teacher working in Louisiana during the Jim-Crow-Era.  Grant finds himself in a position to impart his wisdom on a young many named Jefferson, who has been wrong accused and convicted of murder and is await execution. The only thing bothering Jeferrson more than his impending death is the mistreatment in the courtroom. Professor Wiggings is persuaded by his aunt to help Jefresson die to some dignity.

In this darky depressing novel, Ernest J. Gaines paints the almost too realistic image of living on a planatation in the south during the mid-20th centruy through a ficticious stroy. Gains uses inspiration from what was likely a regular occurence in deep south to help us understand what goes on in the mind of a deeply troubled and burdened young man during a very dark time in America. Join us this week as we discuss this phenomenal book.