No, it doesn't make sense that we did an episode on the Sonic Archie Comics...but it'll be fine. We had fun.

To get into the wild world of Sonic comics, we bring on Wiispywitch, AKA Tay, AKA creator of the iconic (to us) Socialist Shelf art. Between her passion, Ryan's expertise, and the shadow of "The President is Missing" hounding everything we do, this is a fun one.

Check out Wiispywitch's art and other projects here.

It's time to jump off a cliff, seduce a troll, and get turned into a button.

This week, we're talking about Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play, "Peer Gynt," an absolutely crazy ride of folklore, modernity's encroachment on tradition, good music, and Sphinxes with Berlin accents.

Brian Alford of "the Worst of All Possible Worlds" joins us to discuss this foundational piece of literature...but can any of us escape the terror of the Boyg?

Check out The Worst of All Possible Worlds! wherever you get your podcasts, and follow Brian on Insta @uninterestingbrian and on twitter @spocksbrian

Remember James Comey, the FBI Director who infuriated Democrats by reopening the Hillary Clinton email investigation just before the 2016 election, then became a liberal hero a year or so later because Trump fired him? Well, he wrote a novel. We read it.

"Central Park West" is a 2023 crime novel about the mafia, being a good mom, and using the full might of the U.S. government to crush your enemies. We get into its cliche-but-tolerable plot, and the terrifying implications that lie underneath.

Episode art is a perhaps-slightly-tweaked version of the novel's cover. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,)

Part 3 of our Tolkien series is HERE!

It's time for Ents, Wizards, Giant Spiders, and Ecological Catastrophe, because we're talking about J.R.R. Tolkien's, "The Two Towers."

Is this the most action-packed book of the trilogy? How did C.S. Lewis become a tree? How can we keep mind-control incels out of politics? Are Frodo and Sam gay (no...but actually?)

Episode art is a collab between me and Professor Tolkien.

We're in our spooky era.

This week, we're talking about Creepypastas, that internet horror phenomenon that was the pride and joy of kids who "just didn't fit in" circa 2011. In particular, we focus on 2001's "Ted the Caver" and 2011's "Jeff the Killer."

Lenore is off stuck in a cave or being murdered by a Joker clone somewhere, so we're joined by our friend and expert horror-ologist, Rachel, who is here to keep Ryan and Jacob on the straight and narrow.

Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is from the original Ted the Caver story (plus a couple bonus Shelfers who happened to join him on his quest.)

Join the shelfers as we enter The Zone and explore a classic work of Soviet sci-fi, the Strugatsky brothers' 1972 novel, "Roadside Picnic." Never heard of it? You may know the film adaptation, Tarkovsky's critically acclaimed 1979 movie, "Stalker."

Learn about this book's troubled publication history, hear Jacob get annoyed about thematic pieces not fitting just how he likes them, and ask yourself...why is this book set in Canada?

As we mention at the top of the episode, we need your help! The Claudia De la Cruz, Vote Socialist 2024 Campaign is in need of donations of any size. Donate here now! Like our show? Like socialism? Like both? We kindly ask that you donate.

Due to busy schedules and a mild back injury (explanations within) we didn't finish prep to talk about this week's novel, so instead we read and...let's say critique...Adam Wren's "How Lord of the Rings Shaped JD Vance's Politics" for Politico.

You can read it here.

That flesh do be tender

The shelfers take on Augustina Bazterrica's 2017 horror novel (or cookbook if you're really weird I guess), "Tender is the Flesh." They're really out here eating people.

This is a book about justifying your place as a node in the extractive machine of capitalism, and as such it's pretty intense. We try not to over-dwell on the goriest bits, but this book does feature extreme violence as well as sexual assault and human trafficking. Please be warned that these things will be discussed

Yee...and I can't stress this enough...Haw

The Shelfers dive into VP hopeful, evil lawyer, and overgrown garden gnome J.D. Vance's 2016 memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy."

Does this book (and its 2020 film adaptation) answer all the questions about the Rust Belt and the white working class??? Uh. No.

A blast from the past...we've dug up an episode recorded several months ago. Why didn't we release it? Uhh...idk honestly.

Anyway! It's Harlan Ellison's work of sci-fi/horror, "I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream."

Why on earth does this evil computer hate us so much??