Readers Digress

Join us for the last (!!!) episode (!!!!!!!) of Readers Digress as we reflect on our favorite episodes, books, and moments of the podcast, plus (obviously) leave you with some lovely recommendations.

Book recommendations: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang; Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein; Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood; Annie Bot by Sierra Greer; The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr; Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality T.V. by Emily Nussbaum; How to Be An Adult: A Handbook for Psychological and Spiritual Integration by David Richo; The Most by Jessica Anthony; We Are Too Many by Hannah Pittard

Annnd if you already miss us, find us here to keep in touch: Kate's Goodreads & Mollie's Substack.

Thanks for listening! XOXO, K + M

Welcome back to another episode where we read a non-fiction book so that you don't have to (unless you want to!).

This week, Mollie tells Kate about the book Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving by Celeste Headlee. This book details Headlee's own struggle with our culture's overemphasis on productivity and busyness, her exploration of why this has happened, and her thoughts on what we can do to save ourselves from it.

We are excited to share this episode alongside a bittersweet announcement--listen to the episode to find out what it is!

More about Celeste Headlee

We investigate some funny business in this month's episode as Kate tells Mollie all about Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture—and the Magic that Makes it Work by Jesse David Fox. What makes comedy so alluring to all of us? What is the place of comedy in politics and culture? Tune in to find out!

Pop Culture Pairings: Selective Outrage and Bring the Pain, Chris Rock; Bit from Nice Lady and It's Great to be Here, Michelle Wolf; Nanette, Hannah Gadsby; Inside, Bo Burnham; Dress to Kill, Eddie Izzard; Kate Berlant & John Early on The Tonight Show; Rothaniel, Jerrod Carmichael; Sleepwalk with Me, Mike Birbiglia; "Hello, I have cancer," Tig Notaro; Chase Through the Subway, John Mulaney

Welcome back to the pod! This time we dive into a beautiful and poignant memoir about breaking away from Christian Patriarchy by Cait West.

Rift: a Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy

In this episode, we talk all about some of large themes found in the book like homeschooling, emotional abuse, and the relationships that change the course of our lives (for better or worse).

Learn more about Cait West and her writing here.

Let's get ready to RUMBBBLLLEEEEE! Hang on to your seats, friends, as we dive into Abraham Josephine Riesman's fantastic book, Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America, all about the world of professional wrestling and the man who formed WWE into what it is today.

Pop culture pairings: The Wrestler (Amazon Prime), The Iron Claw (Hulu, Max)

We are back! This time with another fabulous art read: Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles, by Beth Pickens.

In this episode, we talk all about the barriers that block artists' practices and the strategies they can rely on to return to their art over and over again.

Buckle up, everyone, for a shocking tale about one of the worst families in American history! Kate tells Mollie about the book Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, a riveting exploration of the Sackler family's ascent to power and their role in the opioid crisis. This impeccably researched book is an intersection of wealth, morality, and accountability. It leaves no doubt that the Sackler family was aware of and indifferent to the suffering their greed caused and were, in fact, huge sacks of shit.

Contribute to Kate's read-a-thon fundraiser, benefiting Open Books!

$25 can provide one child with a year of new books through our Imagination Library program

$50 can support a month of upkeep of our Little Free Library network

$100 can provide 30 new, high-interest book titles for our youth book granting efforts

$250 can fund supplies for one of our eight-week-long Early Childhood Literacy Residencies in at-home daycares

Wow, that woman's teeth are white.. what was I doing? Oh, right! Welcome to our first episode of 2024, where we tackle Sara Petersen's Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture. Join us for a discussion of parenthood in the age of Instagram, influencers, and cruel optimism.

It was nice knowing ya, 2023! Pop some champagne and start 2024 off right with Mollie and Kate as they share recommendations for enchanting and compelling winter reads.

Recommendations in order:

Mollie: The Heatwave by Kate Riordan

Kate: Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller

Kate: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Mollie: Tamora Pierce's books

Mollie: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Kate: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

Mollie: Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Kate: Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland

Kate: Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens

Mollie & Kate: The Secret History by Donna Tartt