Readers Digress

It's September! That means summer is coming to a close (sadly), so today we're sharing some of our summer reading recommendations to make it last juuuuuust a little bit longer. Join us in denial!

The Guest List, Lucy Foley

This Thing Between Us, Gus Moreno

Mouth to Mouth, Antoine Wilson

Join us for August's episode as Kate recounts Glitter Up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary by Sasha Geffen. They dive into Kurt Cobain's fashion, Prince's vocal performance, and the way Cher uses technology to complete the legacy of cyborg princesses. Plus, an important commentary on low-rise jeans. (We hate them. Please stop the comeback.)

Strap in for another tale of deceit as Mollie reviews Gabrielle Bluestone's book Hype!: How Scammers, Grifters, and Con Artists Are Taking Over the Internet And Why We're Following. Tune in to this meandering conversation that goes from Fyre Fest to.. Applebee's? You won't want to miss it!

Summary (1:26)

A Fyre Festival Timeline (10:21)

Other Key Highlights (30:05)

Pop Culture Pairings: Normal Gossip (Podcast), Diet Prada (Instagram account)

Learn the answers to life's hardest questions this month as Kate discusses How To Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by comedian, writer, and producer Michael Schur.

Summary (4:10)

Main Issues, Explained (15:32)

Key Passages (36:00)

Pop Culture Pairings: The Good Place (Netflix), Rutherford Falls (Peacock), BoJack Horseman (Netflix), The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathon Haidt

We're welcoming spring with a new podcast format! This week, Mollie shares a book she read with Kate: Down River: Into The Future of Water in the West by Heather Hansman. Tune in as they talk about river trips, water rights, and vital ecosystems.

Summary (2:42)

Main Issues, Explained (13:27)

Key Passages (47:30)

Suggested donations: The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers

This month we're diving into Sophie Elmhirst's long read in The Guardian, "Brazilian butt lift: behind the world's most dangerous cosmetic surgery," and "The age of Instagram face" by Jia Tolentino in The New Yorker. Listen in as we explore the sociological, racial, and gender influences on how these procedures became commonplace in the year 2022.

Hold on—what's Instagram face look like? Here's a cheat sheet. Okay, now what about a BBL? Check out this Vox article.

Summary (5:27)

Key takeaways (13:00)

Quotes (22:03)

Questions (45:12)

Pop culture pairings: Ingrid Goes West (Hulu), Even The Rich (podcast hosted on Wondery), Under the Influence (podcast hosted on iHeart Radio)

Wonderworks explores literary inventions through the ages, from the ancient Greeks to modern writers like Alison Bechdel and Tina Fey. Join us as author Angus Fletcher takes us on a literary journey to explore how stories can help us cope with the challenges of life, provide safe spaces for self-discovery, and inspire hope.

Summary of the book (5:08)

Live Your Dreams (Kate's Chapter, 7:55)

Unfreeze Your Heart (Mollie's Chapter, 19:23)

What questions do we still have? (41:19)

Pop Culture Mentions: Obligatory bullying pictures of Jeff Bezos as Pitbull / a Space Cowboy, Succession (HBO), Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (Book by Alison Bechdel), Insecure (HBO), I Think You Should Leave (Netflix), Broad City (Hulu), The Bachelor (ABC), 30 Rock (Peacock), Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

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This week we're discussing a series of articles about the ongoing trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. The articles:

They Still Live in the Shadow of Theranos's Elizabeth Holmes by Erin Griffith (The New York Times)

'Concerned Citizen' At Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes' Trial Turns Out To Be Family by Bobby Allyn (NPR)

Elizabeth Holmes's Office Romance With Ramesh Balwani Now on Display in Court by Heather Somerville (The Wall Street Journal)

Plus, this magnificent gem.

As a reminder, this is the last episode in season 1, but we'll be back with more literary goodness in 2022. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram or check for updates on our website.

Thanks for listening! -XOXO Gossip Girl(s)

This week we're discussing the article 'A Smile With Sharp Teeth': Mike Richards's Rise to 'Jeopardy!' Host Sparks Questions About His Past by Claire McNear. Claire McNear, writer for The Ringer, wrote this follow up article after Jeopardy! Executive Producer Mike Richards named *checks notes* himself.. ahem.. as the new host after an intensive search. Richards has since stepped down from the host position and the search for a permanent host is ongoing.

Summary (1:15)

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This Is What I Know About Art is one in a series of books from the Pocket Change Collective, a set of short books on important topics written by leading activists and artists. In this insightful edition, arts writer, curator, and activist Kimberly Drew asserts that the art world is for everyone, and writes about the connections between art and activism.

Summary of the book (3:05)

Our key takeaways (3:49)

Our favorite quotes (20:00)

What questions do we still have? (39:45)

What to check out next: Kate suggests The Women Who Changed Art Forever: Feminist Art - The Graphic Novel by Valentina Grande and Eva Rossetti. Mollie suggests Art History: A Critical Introduction to Its Methods by Michael Hatt and Charlotte Klonk. Also, go visit your local art museum!

Art references:

Cut Piece by Yoko Ono

Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) by Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Red Chapel by Rodney McMillian

Anslem Kiefer

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