Dark Academia blends gothic atmosphere, intellectual obsession, and the allure of exclusivity. Its candlelit libraries and moody atmosphere signal a cultural longing for depth and meaning.

In this episode, we explore how Dark Academia grew from literature into a global phenomenon.

Tune in for this one!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thismustmeansomething.substack.com

Fairytales weren’t always the comforting bedtime stories we know today.

In this episode, we trace their journey from haunting survival lessons to magical retellings filled with nostalgia.

We explore three key themes:

- Early fairytales were dark, moralistic tales designed to teach survival

- Centuries of retellings reshaped them into whimsical, child-friendly stories

- Their lasting psychological power continues to influence culture and memory

From Rapunzel’s tower to Hansel and Gretel’s forest, from the Brothers Grimm to Disney’s happily-ever-afters, this podcast episode examines how fairytales have been rewritten and reimagined, while still holding onto deep symbolic power.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thismustmeansomething.substack.com

Why are we so obsessed with watching other people fall in love?

In this first episode of This Must Mean Something, we trace the parallels between Regency romance and modern reality dating shows. Love has always been a performance, whether set in a candlelit ballrooms or a neon-lit villa. Staged, judged, and consumed by an audience.

This episode covers everything from Jane Austen to Bridgerton, and from The Bachelor to Love Island. It highlights how our fascination with love under public scrutiny is timeless.

Tune in to see why stories of romance, status, and spectacle have captivated audiences for centuries, and why we can’t seem to look away.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thismustmeansomething.substack.com

Some books find us at the right moment, almost like they were waiting for us. And when we come across that one line, or that one passage that cuts right through us, it feels like the writer put words to something we’ve always felt but never articulated.

This episode of The Stories That Shape Us is about these books. What makes some books feel so personal - and how do they find us at exactly the right time?

Full show notes available on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com

At first glance, Regency romance and reality dating TV feel like completely different worlds.

One is about elegant balls, candlelit dances, and poetic declarations of love; the other is about Instagram influencers in bikinis making out in a villa while producers stir the pot.

But when you break it down, these two genres are basically the same story, just expressed in different environments.

Full show notes available on Substack

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com

When you hear the words "Dark Academia," what comes to mind?

You probably think: tweed blazers, secret school societies, hidden mysteries yet to be revealed from the shelves..

But that is only one aspect of this fascinating subculture.

For an extended book & movie recommendation list, see the full show notes on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com

Episode 3 of The Stories That Shape Us takes us to the mesmerizing world of toxic fictional relationships.

Why do we find ourselves rooting for couples we know are bad for each other? What makes these stories so captivating? And what do they reveal about desire, human nature, and the culture we live in?

Tune in now to explore why we just can’t quit the allure of toxic relationships in fiction, and what it says about us as a society.

For a list of all resources, books, and film mentioned, see the full show notes on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com

Episode 2 of The Stories That Shape Us takes us into the chaotic, messy world of selfish, imperfect protagonists.

From their questionable decisions to their relatable flaws, we’ll discuss why these characters resonate so strongly and what they reveal about the way we see ourselves.For a list of all resources, books, and film mentioned, see the full show notes on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com

The first episode of The Stories That Shape Us explores the transformative power of storytelling on both a personal and cultural level.

Whether you’re a lifelong reader, a movie buff, or just curious about the stories that have shaped history, this episode is packed with insights into why storytelling matters now more than ever.

For a list of all resources, books, and film mentioned, see the full show notes on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com