Pairings

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With Netflix reviving East of Eden for a whole new generation, we take another foray into the world of classic lit.

Building on past discussions of Woolf and Baldwin, we dive headfirst into Steinbeck’s interpretation of Cathy Ames. And naturally, it has us once again defending women’s rights (and wrongs).

Sometimes the most interesting part of a book is not what it tells us, but what it reveals when we start asking questions.

This episode pairs well with:

• East of Eden by John Steinbeck
• Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
• East of Eden (Limited TV Series, Netflix), 2026
• Difficult Women by Emily Nussbaum (The New Yorker), 2013
• The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda (TED Talk), 2009
• Rereading a childhood favourite and questioning everything.
• A gently brewed cup of Jasmine tea, served in your best hand-me-down porcelain.

Happy listening,

A&P

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Amile & Phoebe take it to the movies with none other than Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama. It’s a film that asks a deceptively simple question: what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?

When Emma, played by Zendaya, reveals her answer, the confession completely changes the way her friends and fiancé (played by Robert Pattinson) see her. We discover the moral outrage that follows and unpack the uncomfortable gap between what we think and actually do. It will leave you wondering whether a person’s worst thought can ever be worse than someone else’s worst action. Does intention matter if you never followed through?

This episode pairs well with:

• The Drama dir. by (2026)
• Minority Report dir. by Steven Spielberg (2002)
• After The Hunt dir. by Luca Guadagnino (2025)
• Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty
• The group chat becoming a court of public opinion.
• Deciding on which Cabernet Sauvignon goes with the wedding breakfast.

Shall we do more movies? Happy listening!

A&P

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Amile & Phoebe use Paul Lynch's Booker winning novel, Prophet Song, to discuss the creep of fascism and surveillance in today's culture.

They reflect on Tony Benn’s famous speech about refugee mothers from war-torn lands and explore the psychology of living under constant threat. They move from moments in the novel, including when Eilish forcibly cuts her daughters hair, to real life scenarios.

Why it easier to recognise fascism when it happens somewhere else? What happens when we stop seeing refugees as political subjects?

This episode pairs well with:

• Prophet Song by Paul Lynch
• Julia by Sandra Newman
• End Times Fascism by Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor
• Sarafina! (Story by Mbongeni Ngem) dir. by Darrell Roodt (1992)
• The Long Walk (Book by Stephen King) dir by F. Lawrence (2025)
• Watching those British Army recruitment adverts.
• Following Miss Rachel for her commentary on pop culture.
• A Jameson, neat.

Happy listening!

A&P

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This week, Amile & Phoebe venture further back in time with James Baldwin’s 1956 masterpiece, Giovanni’s Room. As they discuss the social climate that forced Baldwin & his characters into literal and figurative exile, they consider the extraordinary subversiveness of writing so openly about gay desire in the 1950s.

But the conversation quickly becomes about more than sexuality. They unpack masculinity, respectability & the uncomfortable ways in which lovers can become collateral damage for those who are afraid to be known.

From the claustrophobic sanctuary of Giovanni’s room to the tragedy of choosing belonging over honesty, they reflect on the familiar patterns of emotional detachment that run throughout the novel.

This episode pairs well with:

• Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin
• Looking for Lorraine by Imani Perry
• Brokeback Mountain (2005), dir. Ang Lee
• Passages (2023), dir. Ira Sachs
• Pulling an all-nighter to watch the sun rise over the Seine.
• Wondering why the socially acceptable option feels unfulfilling.
• A French 75, of course.

Happy listening,

A&P

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In the 2nd part of their dissection of MJ Corey’s Dekonstructing the Kardashians, Amile & Phoebe distil the family's media playbook down to its core. They examine what happens when hyper-visibility evolves into a self-sustaining corporate empire.

They revisit some of the legendary conspiracies from the "Kardashian Curse " to Amile’s naive theory that Kanye’s demise was actually a piece of high-concept performance art.

Along the way, they ask the hard questions. Just how far is Kim willing to go in service of the feed? Why has Khloé become the tragic, relatable figurehead of modern American anxiety? And did anyone actually buy Rob’s socks?

This episode pairs well with:

• Dekonstructing the Kardashians by MJ Corey
• For the Culture by Marcus Collins 
• The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord
• Succession (2018, HBO)
• Aggressively organising your pantry into labelled glass containers.
• An ice-cold can of UPDATE, because even Kim’s energy has a personal brand.

Happy listening,

A&P

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This week, the girls turn to MJ Corey's Dekonstructing the Kardashians to examine how one family transformed the mechanics of modern celebrity. For the 1st part of their dissection, Amile & Phoebe have no qualms admitting they've been Kardashian fans, passive consumers and occasional apologists throughout their 19-year reality television reign.

They contrast an older celebrity culture built on mystery, distance and carefully controlled appearances with today's demand for constant visibility. Is hyper-visibility and (faux vulnerability) a form of empowerment—or the ultimate trap for a society obsessed with Keeping Up?

• Dekonstructing the Kardashians by MJ Corey
• We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
• All About Eve dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1950)
• The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016)
• Marrying for the network, not just the networth.
• A bone-dry, filthy Dirty Vodka Martini (à la Mother Kris)

Happy listening,

A&P

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What does it mean to live in a tastefully decorated apartment, have good politics and know the best natural wine bar in town? And why did personal taste and aesthetic become such an important part of our identity.

Amile & Phoebe respond to Vincenzo Latronico's scathing assessment of millennials in his translated novel Perfection.They discuss the strange emptiness of a lifestyle built around the right objects, opinions and experiences.

This episode pairs well with:

• Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
• The Lonely City by Olivia Laing
• All Falls Down (2004) by Kanye West
• Describing yourself as a "creative” or “dot connector”.
• Citing Bourdain as your personal hero, but not knowing why.
• Unironically relating to Rick Rubin’s quotes on taste.
• Knowing you have the Bank of Mum and Dad to fall back on.
• A citrus-forward craft beer from the local brewery.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it mean to live in a tastefully decorated apartment, have good politics and know the best natural wine bar in town? And why did personal taste and aesthetic become such an important part of our identity.

Amile & Phoebe respond to Vincenzo Latronico's scathing assessment of millennials in his translated novel Perfection.They discuss the strange emptiness of a lifestyle built around the right objects, opinions and experiences.

This episode pairs well with:

• Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico
• The Lonely City by Olivia Laing
• All Falls Down (2004) by Kanye West
• Describing yourself as a "creative” or “dot connector”.
• Citing Bourdain as your personal hero, but not knowing why.
• Unironically relating to Rick Rubin’s quotes on taste.
• A citrus-forward craft beer from the local brewery.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a star-studded Nigerian adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway on the horizon, Amile and Phoebe return to the novel's intimate world of parties, private thoughts and social performance.

Despite its famously demanding stream-of-consciousness style, the novel opens up a conversation about what it means to be considered by someone we love and the ways we protect ourselves and others from difficult truths.

From Clarissa's drawing room to the comment section, they consider how critique moves through society. They ask who gets to judge, who gets judged, and how quickly criticism can become cruelty. They ask what the general critique of Ariana Grande says about society.

This episode pairs well with:

• Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
• Assembly by Natasha Brown
• Clarissa (release date: Dec 2026), dir. Arie and Chuko Esiri
• Lucky (2000) by Britney Spears
• Calling it love when what you meant was security.
• Debating whether consideration is the highest form of love.
• Your favourite glass of Cabernet Sauvnon to help you mask.

Happy listening,

A&P

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.