NO READING REQUIRED!

NO SPOILERS! With humor as a lens, Kimberly dives in to all the ways this bestseller functions so well. You'll learn how to think about humor more generally, while seeing all the ways that the best humor can really shape a novel. Join Kimberly for an exploration of one of the strongest elements of this smart, engaging surprisingly philosophical book!

Kimberly was honestly kind of shocked by how iconoclastic, gorgeous and important this novel feels. Whether it's a women's-studies-seminar favorite or new to you, indulge in this exploration of one woman's fascinating experience of society, domesticity, maternity and PASSION in late-1800s New Orleans.

NO READING REQUIRED! As soon as Kimberly dove back in to No Country for Old Men, she knew she needed to parse what makes McCarthy SO GOOD. This exploration hits on all the ways that reading McCarthy is a master class in all elements of fiction:  textured narrative voices, description of violence, sympathy for complex characters, dark humor, and others--not to mention gorgeous prose.

NO READING REQUIRED! Whether this doorstop is an old favorite--or something you NEVER plan to read--treat yourself to Kimberly's take on why this classic of all classics is worth your next 40 minutes!

NO READING REQUIRED! Fitzgerald's genius might very well be wasted on the youth. Even if you haven't re-read this classic since you were 16, delving into for an hour is a revelation. Kimberly breaks down the innovative narrative stance, the plot-heavy structure and some master-class motif building--all while reveling in (and also subtly criticizing) this modernist MASTERPIECE.

NO READING REQUIRED! Tune in to hear Kimberly unpack the many ways that Ernaux celebrates the age gap relationship. The French master offers up philosophical explanations for why older people get with younger ones, incisive analysis of social norms and all the ways in which these liaisons can be empowering--all, of course, while treating us to her stark, arresting, unique prose. Treat yourself to this dip into one woman's world and all the ways we might rethink age difference.

Tune in for Kimberly's breakdown of how PLAYWORLD really succeeds--and the ways she sees it falling short. With its marketing materials really pushing its 36-year-old-woman/14-year-old-boy sexualized relationship, the novel provides a fascinating look at sex writing and how the Mrs.-Robinson trope manifests itself in 2025. Join Kimberly for this second of four lectures--the only novel of the four written by a man--which maybe shouldn't matter?? But also really might.

With good sex writing, and TWO age-gap relationships, INTERMEZZO offers Kimberly all sorts of ways to think about female sexual desire. Listen in to hear what Kimberly LOVES about this latest Rooney, and where she thinks the novel fell SHORT.

The first of a series of four lectures that will explore Adam Ross's PLAYWORLD, Annie Ernaux's THE YOUNG MAN and Kate Chopin's THE AWAKENING, Kimberly's deep dives will elucidate not only the novel at hand, but larger, timely questions about (older) women and sex.