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Readers DigressThat's a wrap!Join us for the last (!!!) episode (!!!!!!!) of Readers Digress as we reflect on our favorite episodes, books, and moments of the podcast, plus (obviously) leave you with some lovely recommendations.Book recommendations: Yellowface by R.F. Kuang; Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein; Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood; Annie Bot by Sierra Greer; The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr; Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality T.V. by Emily Nussbaum; How to Be An Adult: A Handbook for Psychological and Spiritual Integration by David Richo; The Most by Jessica...2024-12-2642 minReaders DigressDo NothingWelcome back to another episode where we read a non-fiction book so that you don't have to (unless you want to!).This week, Mollie tells Kate about the book Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving by Celeste Headlee. This book details Headlee's own struggle with our culture's overemphasis on productivity and busyness, her exploration of why this has happened, and her thoughts on what we can do to save ourselves from it.We are excited to share this episode alongside a bittersweet announcement--listen to the episode to find out what...2024-12-121h 25Readers DigressComedy BookWe investigate some funny business in this month's episode as Kate tells Mollie all about Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture—and the Magic that Makes it Work by Jesse David Fox. What makes comedy so alluring to all of us? What is the place of comedy in politics and culture? Tune in to find out!Pop Culture Pairings: Selective Outrage and Bring the Pain, Chris Rock; Bit from Nice Lady and It's Great to be Here, Michelle Wolf; Nanette, Hannah Gadsby; Inside, Bo Burnham; Dress to Kill, Eddie Izzard; Kate Berlant & John Early on The Tonight Sh...2024-10-171h 06Readers DigressRiftWelcome back to the pod! This time we dive into a beautiful and poignant memoir about breaking away from Christian Patriarchy by Cait West. Rift: a Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian PatriarchyIn this episode, we talk all about some of large themes found in the book like homeschooling, emotional abuse, and the relationships that change the course of our lives (for better or worse). Learn more about Cait West and her writing here.2024-09-121h 08Readers DigressRingmasterLet's get ready to RUMBBBLLLEEEEE! Hang on to your seats, friends, as we dive into Abraham Josephine Riesman's fantastic book, Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America, all about the world of professional wrestling and the man who formed WWE into what it is today.Pop culture pairings: The Wrestler (Amazon Prime), The Iron Claw (Hulu, Max)2024-06-131h 03Readers DigressMake Your Art No Matter WhatWe are back! This time with another fabulous art read: Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles, by Beth Pickens. In this episode, we talk all about the barriers that block artists' practices and the strategies they can rely on to return to their art over and over again. 2024-05-231h 12Readers DigressEmpire of PainBuckle up, everyone, for a shocking tale about one of the worst families in American history! Kate tells Mollie about the book Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe, a riveting exploration of the Sackler family's ascent to power and their role in the opioid crisis. This impeccably researched book is an intersection of wealth, morality, and accountability. It leaves no doubt that the Sackler family was aware of and indifferent to the suffering their greed caused and were, in fact, huge sacks of shit. 2024-03-211h 12Readers DigressA short read-a-thon update!Contribute to Kate's read-a-thon fundraiser, benefiting Open Books!$25 can provide one child with a year of new books through our Imagination Library program$50 can support a month of upkeep of our Little Free Library network$100 can provide 30 new, high-interest book titles for our youth book granting efforts$250 can fund supplies for one of our eight-week-long Early Childhood Literacy Residencies in at-home daycares2024-03-0701 minReaders DigressMomfluencedWow, that woman's teeth are white.. what was I doing? Oh, right! Welcome to our first episode of 2024, where we tackle Sara Petersen's Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture. Join us for a discussion of parenthood in the age of Instagram, influencers, and cruel optimism.2024-02-221h 10Readers DigressMollie & Kate's Winter ReadsIt was nice knowing ya, 2023! Pop some champagne and start 2024 off right with Mollie and Kate as they share recommendations for enchanting and compelling winter reads.Recommendations in order:Mollie: The Heatwave by Kate RiordanKate: Bitter Orange by Claire FullerKate: The Adventures of Amina Al-Sarafi by Shannon ChakrabortyMollie: Tamora Pierce's booksMollie: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth WareKate: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan StradalMollie: Little Secrets by Jennifer HillierKate...2023-12-2839 minReaders DigressMonstersHalloween may be over but we're still in spooky season mode, which gives us free reign to talk about monsters (albeit the less fun kind, because these are real). This episode, Kate recounts Claire Dederer's Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma, which wrestles with the question: What do we do with the art of monstrous artists? You won't want to miss this conversation about fandom, celebrities, notes-app apologies, and more.Pop Culture Pairings: Wannabe by Aisha Harris (Nonfiction), The Stacks (podcast)2023-11-1649 minReaders DigressBird by BirdAutumn is here, and what better way to celebrate than by curling up with a good book about how to write a good book? Join us this week as Mollie tells Kate all about Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. They talk about the creative process, how hard it is to start from a blank page, and how to cope with jealousy in creative fields. 2023-10-1959 minReaders DigressBecomingIt only seems right to end the summer with a blockbuster—and what's a more perfect blockbuster than a memoir by one of the most famous people on Earth? Join us this month as Kate tells Mollie about former First Lady Michelle Obama's bestselling book Becoming. Pop Culture Pairing: The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama2023-09-0755 minReaders DigressFinancial FeministA penny for our thoughts? We'll give them to you for free! (We're just that generous.) And this month we're thinking about Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy's Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love. Listen in as Mollie tells us all about personal finances, from emergency funds to investing to 401ks and salary negotiations. This episode will make you feel like a million bucks!Pop culture pairing: Barbie (movie playing in theaters near you!)2023-08-031h 25Readers DigressWantingWhat do women WANT? Wait, don't leave! This isn't a set up for a 1990's male stand-up comedy routine—the answer is NOT shopping. Well, sometimes it's shopping. But no, it's the prompt for Margot Kahn and Kelly McMasters' anthology Wanting: Women Writing About Desire. Join us as Kate tells Mollie all about the WANTING and DESIRE that came up in this book.Pop culture pairings: Hurricane Girl by Marcy Dermansky (Fiction, Thriller-ish?); You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi (Fiction, Romance); Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder (Fiction, Satire); and Our Wives Under th...2023-06-0849 minReaders DigressWe Are Never Meeting In Real LifeApril showers bring May (dating) story hours! This month, Mollie shares an essay from Samantha Irby's essay collection We Are Never Meeting In Real Life. We get into the hardest ages for dating (all of them?), romantic connections, and how to collect signs about someone you're dating to determine if they're cool or seriously not.Pop culture pairings: Why Won't You Date Me (podcast), Twitter thread2023-05-1149 minReaders DigressSpareWe did it. We read Prince Harry's memoir Spare so you don't have to! You're welcome! Join us this month as Kate tells all about Prince Harry's tell-all.Pop culture pairings: Inventing Latinos by Laura E. Gómez (nonfiction book); The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka (fiction book); and The Banshees of Inisherin (HBO Max, Hulu)2023-03-161h 14Readers DigressKitchen ConfidentialWe're back in February to talk about our favorite subject of all time—food! Listen in as Mollie recounts Anthony Bourdain's famous debut book, Kitchen Confidential. Pop Culture Pairings: Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz (cookbook) and The Art of Memoir by Mary KarrEvidence of Alec Baldwin's astounding vocab2023-02-0951 minReaders DigressThis Is Your Mind On PlantsWas your New Year Resolution to drink more caffeine? We knew it! Join us this January as Kate tells Mollie all about plant drugs like caffeine and how our bodies just can't get enough of them.Pop Culture Pairing: The Bear (Hulu)2023-01-0536 minReaders DigressI'd Read Her Grocery ListsHappy holidays from Mollie and Kate! Join us for this sweet and spicy December discussion of "I'd Read Her Grocery Lists" On Cooking With Sylvia Plath, where we talk about our favorite baked goods to make for others (and ourselves) and Sylvia Plath's fraught relationship with baking and domesticity.Pop Culture Pairings: Wicked Cake (magazine). Don't forget to check out our Instagram for our favorite holiday recipes!2022-12-1535 minReaders DigressMollie & Kate's Summer ReadsIt's September! That means summer is coming to a close (sadly), so today we're sharing some of our summer reading recommendations to make it last juuuuuust a little bit longer. Join us in denial!The Guest List, Lucy FoleyThis Thing Between Us, Gus MorenoMouth to Mouth, Antoine Wilson2022-09-0841 minReaders DigressGlitter Up the DarkJoin us for August's episode as Kate recounts Glitter Up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary by Sasha Geffen. They dive into Kurt Cobain's fashion, Prince's vocal performance, and the way Cher uses technology to complete the legacy of cyborg princesses. Plus, an important commentary on low-rise jeans. (We hate them. Please stop the comeback.)2022-08-041h 03Readers DigressHype!Strap in for another tale of deceit as Mollie reviews Gabrielle Bluestone's book Hype!: How Scammers, Grifters, and Con Artists Are Taking Over the Internet And Why We're Following. Tune in to this meandering conversation that goes from Fyre Fest to.. Applebee's? You won't want to miss it!Summary (1:26)A Fyre Festival Timeline (10:21)Other Key Highlights (30:05)Pop Culture Pairings: Normal Gossip (Podcast), Diet Prada (Instagram account)2022-06-231h 17Readers DigressHow To Be PerfectLearn the answers to life's hardest questions this month as Kate discusses How To Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by comedian, writer, and producer Michael Schur.Summary (4:10)Main Issues, Explained (15:32)Key Passages (36:00)Pop Culture Pairings: The Good Place (Netflix), Rutherford Falls (Peacock), BoJack Horseman (Netflix), The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathon Haidt2022-05-051h 14Readers DigressDown RiverWe're welcoming spring with a new podcast format! This week, Mollie shares a book she read with Kate: Down River: Into The Future of Water in the West by Heather Hansman. Tune in as they talk about river trips, water rights, and vital ecosystems.Summary (2:42)Main Issues, Explained (13:27)Key Passages (47:30)Suggested donations: The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers2022-04-071h 16Readers DigressBrazilian Butt Lifts & The Era of Instagram FaceThis month we're diving into Sophie Elmhirst's long read in The Guardian, "Brazilian butt lift: behind the world's most dangerous cosmetic surgery," and "The age of Instagram face" by Jia Tolentino in The New Yorker. Listen in as we explore the sociological, racial, and gender influences on how these procedures became commonplace in the year 2022.Hold on—what's Instagram face look like? Here's a cheat sheet. Okay, now what about a BBL? Check out this Vox article.Summary (5:27)Key takeaways (13:00)Quotes (22:03)Questions (45:12)Pop culture pairings: Ingrid Goes We...2022-03-031h 00Readers DigressWonderworksWonderworks explores literary inventions through the ages, from the ancient Greeks to modern writers like Alison Bechdel and Tina Fey. Join us as author Angus Fletcher takes us on a literary journey to explore how stories can help us cope with the challenges of life, provide safe spaces for self-discovery, and inspire hope.Summary of the book (5:08)Live Your Dreams (Kate's Chapter, 7:55)Unfreeze Your Heart (Mollie's Chapter, 19:23) What questions do we still have? (41:19)Pop Culture Mentions: Obligatory bullying pictures of Jeff Bezos as Pitbull / a Space Cowboy, Succession (HBO...2022-02-0355 minReaders DigressAn Update on TheranosThis week we're discussing a series of articles about the ongoing trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. The articles:They Still Live in the Shadow of Theranos's Elizabeth Holmes by Erin Griffith (The New York Times)'Concerned Citizen' At Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes' Trial Turns Out To Be Family by Bobby Allyn (NPR)Elizabeth Holmes's Office Romance With Ramesh Balwani Now on Display in Court by Heather Somerville (The Wall Street Journal)Plus, this magnificent gem.As a reminder, this is the last episode in season 1, but we'll be...2021-10-1446 minReaders DigressA Smile With Sharp TeethThis week we're discussing the article 'A Smile With Sharp Teeth': Mike Richards's Rise to 'Jeopardy!' Host Sparks Questions About His Past by Claire McNear. Claire McNear, writer for The Ringer, wrote this follow up article after Jeopardy! Executive Producer Mike Richards named *checks notes* himself.. ahem.. as the new host after an intensive search. Richards has since stepped down from the host position and the search for a permanent host is ongoing.Summary (1:15)Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!2021-09-3028 minReaders DigressThis Is What I Know About ArtThis Is What I Know About Art is one in a series of books from the Pocket Change Collective, a set of short books on important topics written by leading activists and artists. In this insightful edition, arts writer, curator, and activist Kimberly Drew asserts that the art world is for everyone, and writes about the connections between art and activism.Summary of the book (3:05)Our key takeaways (3:49)Our favorite quotes (20:00)What questions do we still have? (39:45)What to check out next: Kate suggests The Women Who Changed Art...2021-09-1658 minReaders DigressOn WritingStephen King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft begins by telling the story of his passion for writing. The core of the book, however, is a high-level how-to guide on what makes good fiction. He touches on writers’ tools—vocabulary, grammar, and the elements of style—and offers guidance on the writing process, from story ideation to character development to the rewriting process. Summary of the book (4:28)Our key takeaways (7:45)Our favorite quotes (20:20)What questions do we still have? (51:58)What to check out next: Kate suggests Brand New Cherry...2021-09-021h 06Readers DigressWhat Doesn't Kill YouIn What Doesn’t Kill You: A Life With Chronic Illness—Lessons from a Body in Revolt, Tessa Miller recounts her journey with Chron’s Disease, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the bowels that affects the lining of the digestive tract. This book is part memoir, part self-help, and covers the connections between mental health and physical health, the structural systems that make having a chronic illness so difficult, and what it means to accept the reality of never getting better.Summary of the book (3:10)Our key takeaways (7:40)Our favorite quotes...2021-08-191h 05Readers DigressLittle WeirdsThis week we’re talking about Little Weirds, Jenny Slate’s memoir. Jenny Slate is a comedian most well-known for her creation of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On; her acting in Parks and Recreation and Obvious Child; and her recent standup special Stage Fright. Slate shares vignettes of her life about heartache, loneliness, and misogyny in this book of magical realism personal essays.Summary of the book (2:30)Our key takeaways (4:30)Our favorite quotes (15:18)What questions do we still have? (43:40)What to check out next: Kate suggests Her Body and...2021-08-051h 00Readers DigressAnswers in the Form of QuestionsToday we’re talking about Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider’s Guide to Jeopardy! by Claire McNear. McNear writes about the wildly popular game show Jeopardy!, including how the contestants prepare, depictions of Jeopardy! in pop culture, and the various strategies contestants swear by to win.Summary of the book (2:00)Our key takeaways (3:00)Our favorite quotes (19:35)What questions do we still have? (39:40)What to check out next: Kate suggests The Speed Cubers (Netflix) and Mollie suggests SNL's Jeopardy! skits and Antique Roadshow.2021-07-2255 minReaders DigressBig FriendshipToday we’re talking about Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, the hosts of the popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend. This book is equal parts the story of their relationship and a manifesto on what it takes to navigate a Big Friendship—a robust and significant bond that transcends life phases, geographic locations, and emotional shifts.Summary of the book (4:02)Our key takeaways (5:25)Our favorite quotes (20:30)What questions do we still have? (42:49)What to check out next: Kate suggests Frances Ha (Netl...2021-07-081h 01Readers DigressBonus: Bo Burnham: InsideThis is a Bo Burnham superfan podcast now. We hope that's okay. Join us for a gushing conversation about his newest comedy special, Inside, all about the internet, social media, and the pandemic year.2021-06-2430 minReaders DigressHow To Do NothingToday we’re talking about How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell. In this complex and wide-ranging book, Odell argues that attention is our most precious resource. The first half of the book is about disengaging from the 'attention economy,' and the second half is about re-engaging with something else: time and space. Odell argues for a recognition of and engagement with ecology and of the history of the places we inhabit.Summary of the book (2:20)Our key takeaways (11:25)Our favorite quotes (38:00)What questions do we st...2021-06-2457 minReaders DigressDaring GreatlyToday we’re talking about Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown. This book covers the relationship between fear, shame, vulnerability, and worthiness through extensive sociological research. Brown unpacks how we shield ourselves from exposure and how to change our behaviors to embrace vulnerability rather than disengage from it—in our families, communities, and workplaces.Summary of the book (4:40)Our key takeaways (7:01)Our favorite quotes (20:43)What questions do we still have? (53:17)What to check out next: Kate sug...2021-06-101h 12Readers DigressBad Blood (Part 2)This week we finish up our discussion of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, John Carreyrou’s journalistic investigation of the rise and fall of the multi-billion dollar biotech startup, Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes.Our Favorite Quotes (4:40)Mollie's question (43:00)References: 30 Rock episode with Liz meeting OprahWhat to check out next: Kate suggests The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel (fiction book) and Mollie suggests The Dropout (podcast)Music by Waterboi via Pixabay2021-05-271h 02Readers DigressBad Blood (Part 1)Note: Please read this week’s show notes in a fake voice one octave lower than usual as an ode to Elizabeth Holmes. If you don’t get that joke, watch this video and then come back.This week we’re diving into Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, John Carreyrou’s journalistic investigation of the rise and fall of the multi-billion dollar biotech startup, Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes. Once lauded as a female Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford with a patent for a compact blood-testing system she claimed could pe...2021-05-131h 03Readers DigressWhat We Don't Talk About When We Talk About FatIn What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon (aka Your Fat Friend) confronts the cultural attitudes and social systems that deny fat people basic needs and civility. Each chapter takes up a different cultural bias or myth, from the obesity epidemic to the diet industry to concern over others’ health.Summary of the book (7:58)Our key takeaways (11:16)Our favorite quotes (37:48)What questions do we still have? (1:00:53)References: Aidy Bryant’s interview with Terry Gross, Shrill, Mean Girls Scene, Obligatory 30 Rock reference about push-upsW...2021-04-291h 18Readers DigressRednecks, Queers, and Country MusicThis week we’re diving into Rednecks, Queers, & Country Music by Nadine Hubbs. Hubbs argues that the white middle class has villainized country music as a way of distancing themselves from the white working class and that while the middle class portrays sex and gender deviance as new social advances encouraged by the middle class, this sex-gender deviance has only recently moved out of a century-long period of forced allyship with the working class.Summary of the book (4:35)Our key takeaways (6:20)Our favorite quotes (18:00)What questions do we still have? (58:00)...2021-04-151h 11Readers DigressSuper PumpedThis week we’re talking about Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber by New York Times technology correspondent Mike Isaac. This book is the story of the tech start-up Uber and its founder, Travis Kalanick, but it’s also a case study of the tech bro culture and founder worship in Silicon Valley, the perils of over-ambition, and the incredible economics of venture capital investments.Summary of the book (2:40)Our key takeaways (5:13)Our favorite quotes (33:14)What questions do we still have? (44:18)References: Parks & Rec Mona Lisa Meme, Matt Levine’s Bloo...2021-04-011h 12Readers DigressMollie & Kate Answer Some QuestionsWho are these people and why did they start a podcast? Let's find out! This week we're mixing it up for a Q&A episode so you can get to know us more. How we got here (1:56)Where Mollie found comfort in 2020 (28:15)Kate's relationship philosophy (33:58)Mollie: An Emotional Engineer (45:01)Our favorite books (56:36)Itching for another book discussion episode? Not to worry! We're super pumped to discuss Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber next time.Music by Waterboi via Pixabay2021-03-181h 04Readers DigressYou'll Never Believe What Happened to LaceyWelcome back to Reader’s Digress, the podcast where we read nonfiction books so you don’t have to (unless you want to). Join us, hosts Mollie Fox and Kate Kiriakou, as we use a nonfiction book as the springboard to discuss relevant themes and their relation to current events, pop culture, and our personal experiences.This week we’re discussing You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by comedian and overall light in the world Amber Ruffin, and her sister Lacey Lamar.Amber Ruffin is the host of The Amber Ru...2021-03-041h 14Readers DigressThe Psychopath TestWelcome back to Readers Digress, the podcast where we read nonfiction books so you don’t have to (unless you want to). Join us, hosts Mollie Fox and Kate Kiriakou, as we use a nonfiction book as the springboard to discuss relevant themes and their relation to current events, pop culture, and our personal experiences.This week we’re discussing Jon Ronson’s The Psychopath Test, a journalistic investigation not into psychopaths, but into the industry that studies and profits from them, or “the madness industry.” Using psychologist Bob Hare’s Psychopath Test—a checklist of observable c...2021-02-2755 minReaders DigressJesus and John Wayne (Part 2)Welcome to Readers Digress, the podcast where we read nonfiction books so you don’t have to (unless you want to). Join us, hosts Mollie Fox and Kate Kiriakou, as we use a nonfiction book as the springboard to discuss relevant themes and their relation to current events, pop culture, and our personal experiences.Our first two episodes dissect Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation (book description in Part 1, 2:10). Part 1 focuses on performative masculinity and the myth of victimhood in white patriarchal evangelical culture, while Part 2 analyzes how politics an...2021-02-271h 13Readers DigressJesus and John Wayne (Part 1)Hi friend! Welcome to Readers Digress, the podcast where we read nonfiction books so you don’t have to (unless you want to). We know, right? Finally! A book club for literature aficionados AND busy people who enjoy engaging conversations but don't want to get dirty looks from their co-worker Kassidy for showing up to the book club without finishing the book.. again.Join us, hosts Mollie Fox and Kate Kiriakou, as we use a nonfiction book as the springboard to discuss relevant themes and their relation to current events, pop culture, and our personal experiences....2021-02-261h 18