Workers' Lit

Y'all know what's up: it's Kim Stanley Robinson's climate fiction smorgasbord, "The Ministry for the Future!"

REVOLUTIONARY OPTIMISM!!!!!!!!

Music by Kevin MacLeod, episode art is of KSR himself

"Jacob...Joss...do y'all talk about nothing but bleak books anymore? I'm getting tired! I'm getting depressed."

Never fear listeners, it's time to talk about Kim Stanley Robinson's positive, anti-dystopian work of climate fiction, "Ministry for the Future."

Questions we consider: What will spur the working masses of the world to action? What role does sci-fi play in painting visions of a better world? What's the difference between being a utopian idealist and a revolutionary optimist?

Music by Kevin MacLeod, cover art from the original novel cover.

"First of all, I don't want to hear the word surrender..."

We're back with more dystopia! "American War" by Omar El Akkad continues to deliver with discussion of life as a refugee, island torture facilities, and economies strangled by war...sound familiar? The chickens are coming home to roost.

With us is delightful guest, Josh Boerman, helping us figure out what to make of this nightmare novel.

We also talk about water. Lots of water in this book, folks.

If you've got ears to hear, pop over to https://www.worstpossible.world/ as soon as you finish listening to this episode. You might just want to keep an eye out for their upcoming guests.

Music by Kevin MacLeod, episode art from iStock.

What if everything was bad...and then it got worse...and then it kept getting worse...and everything generally stayed bad forever?

That's what Omar El Akkad tackles in his work of climate fiction, "American War," and that's what the Shelfers are here to discuss. But wait! Joining us is noted apocalyptician and student of declining empire, Josh Boerman from The Worst of All Possible Worlds!

What will happen to the American South without left organizing? What is the trajectory of a society without hope? What, if anything, is the use of novels preaching dire climate warnings? What's the deal with the Mississippi Sea? All this and more!

Check out Josh's work at https://www.worstpossible.world/. Seriously, it's one of the best podcasts out there.

Music by Kevin MacLeod, cover art is from the cover of American War

Part 2! Welcome back to the godless wasteland roamed by the Glanton Gang. We, along with our guest, Drew Mason, will be your guides.

We're talking more about Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian." In this episode, we ask how the Judge Holdens of the world can be fought, try to puzzle out just what that epilogue is talking about, and give a send-off to one of the best writers to ever do it.

We're on BlueSky now! Check us out @socialistshelf.bsky.social. Also, be sure to follow our guest on Twitter @dkpmason.

Episode art from Unsplash. Music by Kevin MacLeod.

Everybody's favorite dirt mage, Drew Mason, is back to talk with us about "Blood Meridian" by the recently late, forever great, Cormac McCarthy.

What does the Western (or in this case, anti-western) teach us about the foundations of the United States? What is the truth behind this nation's founding myths? Can we have an episode even darker than our discussion of "The Jungle?" All that and more within.

If you liked this episode, check out @dkpmason on Twitter. If you didn't like it, check him out anyway. He's a cool guy, we can vouch.

Music by Kevin MacLeod, the cover art is a picture of the greatest bean-eating pond swimmer to ever grace the literary world.

No poetry for this episode summary, just appreciation for Tamsyn Muir's blast of a novel, "Gideon the Ninth."

How does the internet intersect with Millennial and Gen Z art? How much lore is the right amount of lore? Is romance dead? (Spoilers, it's not.)

Also, here's a link to a really good interview between Three Crows Magazine and the author. If you didn't already like her from this book, you'll like her by the end of the interview. Check it out!

The episode art is a picture of Tamsyn herself. Episode music, as always, by Kevin MacLeod.

Two for the stories reread in our dreams

Three for the prose we remember in memes

Four for the books that we both recommend

Five for the ones where we're glad for the end

Six for the classics debated to death

Seven for those that have wasted our breath

Eight for the novels inspiring our stuff

and Nine for the pod and for all of its scuff

(P.S. Sorry to Ms. Tamsyn Muir for the fact that I can't say your last name right. I liked your book.)

Music by Kevin MacLeod, episode art from the cover of "Gideon the Ninth."

"Stop reading this! It's too awful!" our brains cry. "No," we reply, as we sink further into madness.

Yep, we're back with more of "The President is Missing" by Bill Clinton and James Patterson.

How do reactionary politics work hand-in-hand with liberalism? What is Joss' personal lore with Bill Clinton? How do you create the world's most annoying vision of utopia? Plus...is that Wario and Waluigi I hear?

Music by Kevin MacLeod. Art is just a normal, totally unedited picture of Clinton and Patterson.

Bill Clinton wrote a novel, y'all...Yes, that Bill Clinton.

Join us as we slowly lose our minds trying to crawl through the nightmare that is "The President is Missing" by James Patterson and former U.S. President, Bill Clinton.

We'll be answering such questions as: "Can a former President still be deeply insecure?" (Yep.) and "Can liberalism save us?" (Nope.)

If you thought "Left Behind" had us worked up, you ain't seen nothing yet!!!

Music by Kevin MacLeod, cover photo from Whitehouse.gov.