Workers' Lit

IMPORTANT NOTE: You might notice one of our hosts is going by a new name (Rahab/Ray). Have you slipped into an alternate reality? Perhaps, perhaps not. For some specifics, go check out the "Rise of Rahab" episode on the Patreon . Or just pretend it was always this way, that works too. Let's Go Lesbians! This is a really special episode. The incredible science fiction author Amal El-M...

The age of humanity has passed. The age of the noodle is at hand! This week, we are joined by the brilliant author Cecilia Tan to discuss "Automatic Noodle," a cozy sci-fi novella by Annalee Newitz. This book will finally answer the question we've all been waiting to solve: What happens when a bunch of abandoned, sentient robots try to claim their autonomy and open a restaurant? This episode has a...

Capitalism is not up to the task of 21st century healthcare. Facing wars, an ageing population, fossil fuel-driven disasters, debilitating diseases, and the everyday rigors of life, the capitalist healthcare system instead prioritizes profit above all else. On this episode Jake Flores of "Pod Damn America" joins Jen and Lenore to discuss this crisis, then they get into a different health...

On September 28, 2021, Lee Mandelo released his debut novel: "Summer Sons," a southern gothic horror that wrestles with guilt, sexual repression, the long shadows of southern history, the evils of academia, and reinventing BDSM dynamics from first principles with your buddies. On September 28, 2026, Workers' Lit released an episode with Lee himself, looking back on "Summer Sons&...

Now is the time of monsters! Caleb from Kill The Computer and 60 Minute Drill returns to the pod to discuss the legendary Italian intellectual, Antonio Gramsci. Trace the life story of this short king with us as he travels from the poor countryside of his youth to meet baddies in a Moscow sanitarium all the way to revolutionary struggle and prison in fascist Italy…and bro didn’t stop there! As soo...

This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/WorkersLit Once again it's time for an Article Brain, the monthly sub-series where we find the worst articles of our day and age to torment one another with. First up, we read Ross Douthat's departure from the New York Times. In typical Ross fashion, he manages to "both...

It’s another Patron-selection! Welcome to “All Systems Red,” a 2017 sci-fi adventure novella by Martha Wells. We talk about Wells’ life and the story, but a good chunk of this episode is dedicated to discussing robots in fiction more generally. What makes the robot who wants love such an interesting stand-in for real world alienation? Where do those parallels fall short? How does the rise of Gen A...

In the year 2000 a snarky chef named Anthony Bourdain published a collection of essays, rants, and observations about the food industry. The dude went on to do cool stuff, so much that our patrons voted for us to discuss this book! In this episode we discuss how restaurant culture has (and mostly hasn't) changed, how to have working class solidarity in weird situations, the beauty of loving yo...

This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/workerslit The spookiness only grows! Jonathan Sims returns to Workers' Lit to talk with Aysha about his work, his novel, "The Burn Line" (which you should buy!), horror, trains, and more! This episode is exclusively for $5 patrons and up. Every patron we gets helps us...

It's about to get really spooky. Join us as we explore Robert W. Chambers' iconic 1895 short story collection, "The King In Yellow." Learn about this iconic influence on Lovecraft and eldritch horror as a genre, consider what might lie within the pages of that cursed play that makes you crazy, and consider whether you might in fact be the King of the United States. Joining us is...

It’s a classic “we read a conservative book and get mad” episode! This time we take on pseduo-biographer and self-proclaimed public intellectual Eric Metaxes and his 2022 book, “Letter to the American Church.” Eric says he sees scary parallels to nazi Germany in today’s USA…and he thinks Donald Trump is going to stop it. Joining us is 7-time returning guest and evangelical-freak-understander Josh...

This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/WorkersLit/posts/article-brain-167304042 It's August Article Brain! And we've got more brain worms than ever. This month, Lenore brings us an article about a trans woman who is bemoaning that the CIA is becoming less accepting of trans people (no mention of becoming more acc...

This book is weird, and horny, and gnarly, and gross, and exciting, and an all around winner. Welcome to our discussion of “The Works of Vermin,” Hiron Ennes’ 2025 speculative fantasty slam dunk of a novel. Seriously, go buy this one. Go read it. The episode will still be here when you’re done. And we’re not alone! Maria Ingrade Mora, author of “A Wild Radiance” and many others joins us as we desc...

It’s the big one. Our most requested text ever. The spectre haunting Europe is now haunting our podcast. It’s 1848’s “The Communist Manifesto” from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels! What are the origins of this earth shattering text? Where does it still hold up, and what needs adjusting for a modern context? Did Marx and Engels ever kiss? We discuss it all! If you ever wanted to learn about the foun...

We've returned to the dark abyss that is the mind of Just Dance Vance. AJ Ditty of The Worst of All Possible Worlds podcast joins us to take on Vice President JD Vance's newest book, "Communion: Finding my way back to faith." Vance tells us all how he totally became an authentic Catholic, definitely believes in God, and certainly isn't merely trying to set up a 2028 president...

Grab your three-ringed binders, highlighters, and spellbooks, this week we're talking about "The Incandescent," a 2025 academia fantasy novel by Emily Tesh. We've got schools, and labor concerns, and demons, and bisexuality, and a fantastic guest: Brandon Crilly, author, organizer, and all around cool guy. You may know his novels, such as "Catalyst" and "Castoff,&q...

It’s time to talk about a true living legend: Angela Davis. Educational YouTuber and podcaster RevolutionaryTh0t joins us to talk about the life of one of the greatest thinkers and organizers of our time before we hop into the 1981 book, “Women, Race, and Class.” Fair warning, this book gets into the truly brutal American history of its three titular topics, so please be aware this episode feature...

Pull up a chair listeners, and heed the tale of a man named Zakalwe… This month’s listener-chosen episode is “Use of Weapons” by Iain M. Banks, a 1990 sci-fi novel and one of the most famous entries in “The Culture” series. Imagine an alien civilization so advanced that they spend all their time trying to help other species develop. Now imagine they have to recruit a mercenary to help them with ex...

We are joined once again by Rae of the phenomenal ProlesPod, this time to discuss a deeply influential work of philosophy: Mao Zedong's 1937 essay, "On Practice." Perhaps one day we'll do our big Mao deep dive episode. This isn't that. Instead, this is a close look at a particular aspect of practical theory for changing the world...and regardless of your take on what came aft...

Let's get into some THEORY (don't worry, we make it fun)! Lenore, Jacob, and Jen are discussing the revolutionary Vladimir Lenin's famous 1916 text, "Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism." Despite being more than 100 years old, this book feels deeply relevant in 2026...terrifyingly so. We talk about the life of Lenin, leader of the Bolsheviks, before going through the...

Hey Lit Ladies and Lads (but especially ladies for this one!) Today's episode is episode three of a new show featuring both Jen Big Nasty and Lenore. Episodes of Half The Sky won't typically go up on the Workers' Lit feed, but we figured, why not give you a sample? Half the Sky is an attempt to provide a perspective often lacking from the podcast space: that of women (and women-adjacen...

We've had queer joy, it's time for some queer suffering. Jacob and Lenore dive into the life of one of the greatest to ever do it, the legendary James Baldwin. A pioneer, artist, and leader for Black liberation and Gay liberation alike, Baldwin is among the finest of all American writers and public intellectuals. First, we cover his life story, and incredible legacy. Then, we discuss his s...

It's an important podcast announcement! Folks, the numbers don't lie. While we appreciate all the good feedback and interest we've received for our political/news episodes, Workers' Lit is very much a podcast about literature, first, foremost, and entirely. As such, we've elected to change what our release schedule looks like. We will be ending our Thursday news/politics episod...

A lesbian bottom is on a time traveling adventure in ancient China. We know y’all love this stuff. It’s the most recent book we’ve ever covered: Cecilia Tan’s 2026 novella, “The Mystery of the Bitten Peach.” Follow a young woman with the power to travel through time navigate her feelings of disconnect with her culture, identity, and sexuality. It’s good. And it’s published by our friends at Neon H...

Today we’re joined by Greg Stoker, anti-imperialist activist, journalist, host of the Colonial Outcasts podcast, and independent candidate for U.S. House Texas District 31. Greg talks to us about a range of topics such as his campaign, the role of veterans in liberation movements, Graham Platner’s whole deal, and the (possible?) end of the Iran War. Support Greg’s Campaign and check out his podcas...