This week we're reviewing Waist Deep, the debut novel by Danish author Linea Maja Ernst that became a smash hit across Scandinavia. Five university friends and their partners spend seven days at a lake house in Denmark, and old feelings of love and lust resurface as they confront the big question: who makes the rules for how we live our lives, and which is the right way?

We break down every character — Sylvia, the insufferable-but-relatable protagonist who can't figure out what she wants; Charlie, the perfect partner she can't bring herself to love; Quince, the charming bachelor who's okay with not knowing; Karen (who is essentially Dua Lipa); Gri, the mom friend questioning her identity beyond motherhood; and Adam, the straight guy who just chose and got on with it.

Plus: how the author dared to call Sally Rooney's sex scenes "beige" and then wrote an entire novel by hand in response, why this book would make a perfect Broadway play, the privilege of being able to ask existential questions when your basic needs are met, and why "Getting married is no big deal" is one of the best closing lines in recent literary fiction.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Culture Catch-Up is a big one. We dig into the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and what it means to reflect on it depending on where you grew up, unpack the backlash over the Sydney Sweeney sports betting ad and the "choice feminism" debate, and recap the Emmys (the best and worst looks, iconic moments, and why award shows feel more forgettable every year). Plus: Taylor Swift's new album era and the internet's obsessive theorizing, Celine Dion's comeback, Dancing with the Stars predictions, a discourse-y article about influencers and designer bags, and a full For You Page rundown of everything worth talking about this week.

The craziest bag collection on my FYP goes to @nkasuga89.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Prose Society, we're joined by writer, content creator, and sociologist Josh Lora (@tellthebeees) — one of our favorite voices covering books, culture, and internet discourse across TikTok and Substack.

We dig into Josh's journey from viral book reviewer to cultural commentator, unpacking his master's in social research and how it shapes his takes on everything from "American Cheating" and celebrity scandal to Love Island and the Real Housewives. We talk about why reality TV deserves more respect, the double standards women face for "being mean" or unfaithful, and what makes a friend group's dynamics so ripe for drama.

Then we dive deep into our September book pick, Waist Deep — a buzzy Scandinavian bestseller about a wedding, a friend group at a crossroads, and the messy pull of desire, monogamy, and what makes a "good life." Plus: book recs, our hottest Love Island takes, and a rapid-fire round covering favorite reality stars, underrated books, and the fictional character Josh relates to most.

Grab a copy of Waist Deep and follow along — then come back and let us know what you thought!

Follow Josh: @tellthebeees on TikTok, Substack, and Instagram.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Culture Catch-Up covers a lot of ground: personal life updates and housewarming plans, honoring Dolly Parton and the recent losses in music and theater, the Met Gala's controversial theme change, Ariana Grande's ongoing scrutiny and the double standards female celebrities face, the "Tony" biopic on Anthony Bourdain, true crime culture and its ethical blind spots, Sydney Sweeney's viral wedding and celebrity privacy, and reactions to Dancing With the Stars and The Traitors casting news.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is all about Amy Chozick's debut fiction novel, With Friends Like You — a sharp, darkly funny thriller about new motherhood, capitalist excess, and a narrator you can't quite trust. I'm breaking down the plot, the characters (including one seriously unsettling "Daisy"), the twist, and why it reminded me of everything from Gossip Girl to Fight Club. Plus: a little detour into my high school reading era and why I'll never rank books on Goodreads. Grab a copy and let's get into it.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

Follow Amy: @AmyChozick | https://amychozick.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist-turned-novelist Amy Chozick (Chasing Hillary, The Girls on the Bus) joins us to discuss her debut novel, With Friends Like You. We talk about leaving hard-news journalism for fiction, the surprising freedom of writing something that isn't "about her," adapting her own memoir for HBO Max, and the real story behind her new book's tangled mommy-and-me friendship plot. Plus: casting her dream movie adaptation, her thoughts on Lena Dunham, Martha Stewart as an icon, Bravo obsessions, and the fictional character she's built her whole personality around.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

Follow Amy: @AmyChozick | https://amychozick.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Prose Society — the book club, community, and weekly culture podcast you didn't know you needed. In this debut episode, Eli opens up about why it took months to bring the show back (hint: business negotiations), what to expect each month (Culture Catch-Ups, book reviews, and monthly guest interviews), and a little bit about herself — from her Jersey roots to her writing career. Then she dives into a spicy culture catch-up: her unpopular Love Island opinions, three podcast pet peeves, and her take on the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce Madison Square Garden wedding discourse. Grab your book club pick and settle in — this is just the beginning.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Prose Society. Each month we pick one featured book together, then spend the weeks going far beyond the pages — the ideas, the characters, the culture, the conversations that make a great book worth obsessing over. New episodes every Wednesday, beginning August 12. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages! 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.