Tales of Our Time

This week, I'm interviewing guest Cole Jones about the Madeline Miller's retelling "Song of Achilles".

We talk about how Miller's writing breathes life, romance, and deep care into this truly epic love story. As well as how much it means to see queer romance given the same weight, and treatment as straight romantic tales.

Continuing June's Pride Month theme, we're welcoming guest Claira on the show to talk about the very first episode of one of her favorite shows: Killing Eve!!

Released by the BBC in 2018, the drama details the complex relationship between MI6 agent Eve and the extremely talented (and dangerous) assassin Villanelle. We dig into how the focus on this more dangerous side, and just how complicated and toxic their relationship gets is EXACTLY what we'd like to see more of, and the ways is shows both a more normalized, and broader version of "being yourself".

This week, I'm doing an interview with my sibling Jessie Stephens about what they call one of their "gateway media" to the LBGTQ community: The Rocky Horror Picture Show!

First seen on-screen as a movie in 1975, written by Richard O'Brien, we discuss how this film became what it is today-- and how the act of "shadow casting" can help bring some of the more problematic aspects of the film into the future, while also preserving its place in history as a gathering point for many in the queer community.

Today's TAKES episode is the pre-emptive first episode for our JUNE theme for global PRIDE month. I invite literature teacher and gender scholar Kyle Swayne back onto the show to walk me through what some of the problems, beliefs, and tropes that still underpin some of our most popular stories toady.

He also walks through the history of gender- and sexuality-based bias, how that bleeds into our media, and then back out into the lives and realities of those in and out of the LBGTQ+ community.

This week, we're interviewing returning Tales enthusiast Cat Trites about one of her favorite comic series, "Monstress" volume one: Awakening, by Marjorie Liu, and Sana Takeda.

We discuss why the women-led themes, and delicate way that this fantastic epic deals with the complex nature of trauma, and the friendships that pull us through, makes it appealing for long-term graphic novel readers and newcomers alike.

Today, in honor of Mother's Day, I interviewed my own mother: Susan Hahn!

We talk about a book series that's been getting her through the tough times: the prequel to the Chet and Bernie mystery novels by Spencer Quinn. She details what makes the series so charming and "like petting your dog".

Today we're talking with guest Ben Brommell about the truly heartwarming series: "I Think Our Son Is Gay", by Okura. Originally a web comic, and eventually collected into a 5-book series we're talking about the first book in this charming slice-of-life manga.

Ben and I dive into how the manga uses the "slice-of-life" genre, and an interesting point-of-view swap, to take an optimistic and aspirational view of growing up and discovering yourself, (or supporting those you love through the same thing!).

This week, I'm discussing the season finale of the hit 90's sitcom "Friends" with my long-term friend Kim Huynh!

Today we're discussing Megan Whalen Turner's 1996 book "The Thief" with guest Janet Snow!

Janet takes us through what it means to have books as "required reading" in relationships, what reading someone ELSE's favorite book can teach you, and we tackle what the difference between what seems to get lost when people start discussing the difference between "trope-y" and "good".

This week, I'm talking about the landmark 2011 game "Skyrim" by Bethesda Studios with long-term Skyrim fan Milo Bowles.

We go through the main storyline of the game that has gripped millions, and discuss how this game has managed to not only stand the test of time in a a largely unforgiving industry, but also where that staying power may have come from.