We're delighted to present our first audiobook recording! Join Steph, Jon, Jack, and other special guests as we read Charles Dickens classic novel, 'A Christmas Carol'. We'll be releasing a new stave each Friday in December. Listen along, or save it all for a big listen on Christmas! No humbug about it! Listen HERE.

This month, learn about the extraordinary women who revolutionized journalism and women's roles in print: The Stunt Girls. These journalists went undercover to uncover the corruption in government agencies, schools, hospitals and more, putting their lives at risk to effect change. This is a little episode that covers women who made a big difference - don't miss it! Listen HERE.

This week, we're profiling James Welch - an extraordinary Indigenous poet and author who grounded his works in a sense of place. Welch used his experiences to examine the tensions in identity, explore the meaning of space, and create thoughtful reexaminations of history. Join us to learn more about this Montana author, and get a few recommendations for the perfect holiday gifts for the book lover in your life! Listen HERE.

This week, we're back to our regularly scheduled programming - Steph and Jon discuss the life of Indigenous poet, activist, performer, model, and mother, Diane Burns. Burns was an integral part of the Lower East Side Poetry scene (and beyond!) and created work that helped her explore her identity and her challenges with it. We also share a complex, compelling news update AND announce our latest special, just for the holiday season! Listen HERE.

In a Get Lit first, Jon hosts and is joined by Dan to tell us all about columnist, poet, performer, and activist Jim Northrup! They explore his legacy and the work he did to create change for his community and advocate across the US. Special guest appearance by Sondheim also! Listen HERE.

Up this week: E. Pauline Johnson! This extraordinary Canadian poetess used her writing to explore her own identity and was vulnerable and courageous enough to share it with the wider public. Her heritage and talents shaped Canadian literature as we know it and provided a glimpse into perspectives that many people might have never been able to understand. Listen HERE.

Happy Halloween, Listeners! This week, we take on the legacy of Alfred Hitchcock, creator and vision behind so much of the suspense, horror, and fear of things that go 'bump' in the night that haunt our minds and chill our hearts! Hitchcock's controversial legacy is worth examining, alongside his art. So join us, but perhaps leave the lights on, just in case! Listen HERE.

This month's Get a Little Lit features books poisoned by arsenic, books meant to debunk ghost rumors, AND a new way to 'read' with spirits! Join us for a lightly spooky episode to celebrate Halloween! Listen HERE.

This week, we continue our foray into psychological horror and ghost story writers with Vernon Lee. This queer icon wrote a number of works, spanning multiple genres including travel fiction, and non, essays, articles, and of course, ghost stories. Arriving on the literary scene with a flash, her work and aesthetic theories had everyone talking - including the spirits in the walls at times! Listen HERE.

We're all back! This week, we examine another master of horror fiction: Daphne du Maurier! du Maurier is known for  the iconic, haunting novel Rebecca. BUT she also wrote the author of the short story, 'The Birds' which would later serve as the inspiration for  Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name! Join the flock with us as we fly forward through our spooky features! Listen HERE.

The oft requested Henry James is our subject this episode, with guest host, Dan Esquivel! James is widely considered a deeply important American author, despite living most of his adult life abroad. His novels and stories explore the psychological states of his characters, and he considered himself a writer of ghost stories (notably in The Turn of the Screw). Join us as we kick off a month of haunts, horror, and happenings at Get Lit! Listen HERE.

This week, Jack takes over hosting to present the story of Elizabeth Parson Ware Packard! This incredible activist used her writing and meticulous notes to document abuses against women and people admitted to asylums. Join us as we explore her life and legacy while Jon galavants around France. Listen HERE.

This week, we're featuring Anita Loos, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's replacement! That's right. Loos is most well known for her novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and the film that followed! But did you also know she was responsible for completing multiple screenplays that Fitzgerald was unable to make work? Join us as we explore the remarkable life of this Hollywood/Broadway/Showbiz legend!  Listen HERE.

Ever wonder when American schools started using textbooks? Curious as to why and how they shaped our education system? Have a burning desire to learn more about early textbook company monopolies? Then do we have a Little Lit episode for you! Join us to explore the answers to all these questions and more in this month's Get a Little Lit episode!  Listen HERE.

Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can! This week on Get Lit, we’re revisiting our favorite Old Sport, and author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald! Join us for a deep(er) dive into this iconic author as we unpack the myths and legends that surrounded his life, searching for the proverbial green light amidst the chaos of the 1920's and beyond. Listen HERE.

This week, instead of Steph and Jon discussing just one author, we heard from our lovely listeners about hundreds more! Printers Row Lit Fest 2023 was an absolute delight — we asked you to tell us about your favorite books, authors you would take to dinner, and some literary hot takes. Some were even brave enough to answer some literary trivia! Hear the voices of Printers Row Lit Fest in this eclectic two part series!

Looking for your response? This episode covers all responses from Sunday! Listen HERE.

This week, instead of Steph and Jon discussing just one author, we heard from our lovely listeners about hundreds more! Printers Row Lit Fest 2023 was an absolute delight — we asked you to tell us about your favorite books, authors you would take to dinner, and some literary hot takes. Some were even brave enough to answer some literary trivia! Hear the voices of Printers Row Lit Fest in this eclectic two part series!

Looking for your response? This episode covers all responses from Saturday! Listen HERE.

We're gearing up for lit fest this week! Join us for a beautiful biography of American poet May Swenson, a literary philosophy update, and some classic literary trivia selected and read by our co-co-host, Jack! Learn about all sorts of new ideas in this episode from Swenson on writing, poetry, and living, along with exploring the 'sacred' nature of the recurring text! Listen HERE.

Looking for a bit more chaos this week? Add Émile Zola's life to your list then! This French author created political stirs with his writing throughout his life, particularly regarding the Dreyfus Affair. His novels, essays, plays, and other writings span decades along with the lore, speculation, and conspiracy theories around his death. Join us for an adventure across Europe with this twice Nobel-prize nominated and lost author! Listen HERE.

This week, we're featuring playwright/actor Harold Pinter and joined by Pinter enthusiast and literature teacher, Brian Hardie! Stories abound as we cover this prolific playwright, his theatre career, political endeavors, and more. Head across the Atlantic with us for this .... .... .... .... riveting... episode! Listen HERE.

Just in time for the school year, we're profiling Lord of the Flies author William Golding! Join us and learn more about this curious author and the even more curious inspirations for his works! We're also going to crash land in an exploration of processing war through literature and the wild circumstances around the 1960's film version of his first novel! Listen HERE.

We've got a back-to-school special episode for you this week: A Brief History of Pencils! We're investigating the origins of this very humble utensil and answering all the questions you never asked! Why are they called 'Number 2' pencils? What's that metal thing at the end called? How is Henry David Thoreau connected to all this? Find out in this month's Get a Little Lit episode! Listen HERE.

We're kicking off our series celebrating authors who were also teachers with Ida B. Wells! Known for her extraordinary activism in the face of hatred and racism, Wells used her powerful voice as a journalist, lecturer, and teacher to advocate for anti-lynching reform, rights for women, and for Black Americans. This week, we celebrate her life and honor her legacy as a critical voice in American history! Listen HERE.

This week, we're back with an episode on the remarkable Mary Chase. Known for her Pulitzer Prize winning play, Harvey, Chase wrote so much more than she gets credit for. She was a groundbreaking journalist, labor activist, children's book author, playwright, and more. Her perspectives are as refreshing as her work - we promise you'll get just as excited about her as we did!  Listen HERE.

We're headed way back to the 10th century this week to discuss the incomparable Hrotsvitha! Her plays help us reconsider the ways women were represented in her time (and beyond) and her robust histories and other work provide us an entirely unique perspective on these topics! Also ft. a not so new, newly discovered clue about medieval comedy.  Listen HERE.

Jon takes over hosting this week to bring us a biography of acclaimed playwright Noël Coward. Coward wrote some of the most well-known and frequently produced plays in the Western theatre canon. He helped modernize comedy while acting and directing in the West End, Broadway, and Hollywood! Join us for this star-studded, witty episode we hope does him proud! Listen HERE.

This week, we discuss Emily Barrett Browning's husband, Robert Browning! Also a poet and writer, Browning experimented with the dramatic monologue and wrote a variety of compelling work as he traveled and lived around Europe. His progressive beliefs and willingness to live his life in a way that wasn't entirely conventional make him a figure interesting enough to have his own society of fans even before his death! 

Research and editing by Get Lit Intern Jack Repak! Listen HERE.

We're back for our 3rd Get a Little Lit Episode, just after the 4th of July: The American Revolution in Print! We take a closer look at the role of the printing press, ink, and paper and their roles in the early American colonies! Plus, there's a National Treasure reference... 

Research and editing by Get Lit Intern Jack Repak! Listen HERE.

This 4th of July, we salute the incredible Catharine Maria Sedgwick. Sedgwick chronicled the voices of those not often represented or heard in America in the 19th century. Her work was wide-ranging in subject and style, and she was among the most prolific women writers of her time! She also prolifically turned down marriage proposals... Like we said, incredible! Listen HERE.

We're celebrating the end of Pride Month with a special episode about the Queer intersections of Zines! Zines (short for magazines) have a rich history in helping amplify the voices of marginalized groups in a physical, immediate, and responsive way. We're featuring the early queer zines of the 1940's (including the watchama-column!), famous zine creators like Ray Bradbury on the intersection of Queer, Punk, and Feminism! 

Research by Jack Repak, our new Get Lit intern! Listen HERE.

This week, Dan Esquivel guest stars during Pride month to feature Howard Ashman, the iconic lyricist, playwright, director, and more behind many of our favorite Disney classics. We have Ashman to thank for things like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and even Little Shop of Horrors. We honor his legacy and celebrate the joy he brought and continues to bring to so many children and adults today. Listen HERE.

We continue our celebration of Pride Month with Anne Lister - diarist, mountaineer, business woman, travel writer, and of course, lesbian! Lister was the first woman to do many things, including, by many accounts, the first 'same sex' marriage in England. Her preserved and beautifully detailed diaries give us a glimpse into so many facets of life that we may not have otherwise had access to. Listen HERE.

We're kicking off Pride Month with a celebration of Frog & Toad creator Arnold Lobel! Lobel wrote simple, significant works that validated the feelings of children (and adults too!) with his whimsical drawings and wit! We honor his legacy, tragically marred by the AIDS crisis in the 1980's, and celebrate the things he loved most, including his friends - both animal and human! Listen HERE.

We're ending our exploration of Jewish American Heritage Month with Elie Wiesel. Wiesel's iconic memoir 'Night' is for many, an introduction to the Holocaust. His work as an author, activist, and teacher helped advocate for those whose stories had been ignored. We respect and honor his story and reflect on the role that storytelling plays in keeping us distinctly human. Listen HERE.

Jon takes us all on a JOURNEY through Norman Mailer's life. Mailer was as much of a character as those he wrote. We discuss his colorful life, his Pulitzer Prizes (plural), his wives (also plural), and more! Join us to learn more about this novelist, co-founder of The Village Voice, and boxer(?). Listen HERE.

Need a respite this week? Join us for Nora Ephron whose masterful screenplays capture so much of what we love about love and love about each other. Her career spanned decades as she captured audience's hearts and minds in her essays, articles, movies, plays, and more. Celebrate Nora Ephron's legacy with us, and maybe bring a slice of pie too. Listen HERE.

 IT'S. EMMA. GOLDMAN. This incendiary Jewish icon used her voice to fight for worker's rights, women's independence, access to birth control, prison reform, anarchy, and so much more in a time when the world might not have been ready to hear it. Join us this week to unpack her rather complex legacy and learn about the global impact of her work! Listen HERE.

May is Jewish History Month and we're heading out of Poetry Month with Nelly Sachs, a Jewish poet whose writings serve as a deep and abiding record of the experiences of Holocaust survivors. She won a Nobel Prize for this work, crafting haunting and hopeful messages that have helped generations of communities heal. Join us this week to learn more about her incredible legacy! Listen HERE.

Jon takes over for our last week of Poetry Month with Allen Ginsberg! Ginsberg revolutionized the poetry scene and helped define the beat generation for artists and activists. Ginsberg's life is storied and strange so come along for this wild ride across the globe and between the lines! Listen HERE.

This week, another very-important-poet-with-three-names-the-first-of-which-is-Edgar... That's right! It's Edgar Lee Masters. Masters was known for his innovative poetry, specifically, Spoon River Anthology. He challenged the understanding of small town America with his more scandalous writing and put the Midwest on the map as a home for serious Poets. Listen HERE.

We're kicking off our 5th season with an episode on Sara Teasdale - master of lyric poetry, Pulitzer Prize winner, and archeologist of emotions. Teasdale wrote many beautiful works of poetry that were popular during her lifetime, but not always appreciated by critics. We celebrate her life, National Poetry Month, and the inspiration her work provided, long past her death. Listen HERE.