Get Lit Podcast

Send us Fan Mail We're joined by a very special guest host: Paige Zukauskas! Paige brings her knowledge and passion for Dreiser to this week's episode as we explore another mostly midwest author, discuss Sister Carrie, and track adventures across political and social ideologies! Dreiser wrote many groundbreaking novels but isn't often celebrated as other authors from this period. We...

Send us Fan Mail Jack takes over hosting this week for a delightful kick off episode to summer, covering the extraordinary  author of Pippi Longstocking (among many other works): Astrid Lindgren! Her work varied in form and topics, but always focused on sharing truths with a deep sense of compassion and care. Follow us to Sweden as we map out this whimsical author's life and legacy over the c...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we examine Shakespeare's contemporary and friend and rival? Ben Jonson! Jonson was a poet, playwright, and general scallywag who bounced back and forth between success and failure. His works are largely considered to be some of the best of the age, and while his stories may not be as well known as Shakespeare, his legacy is one worth hearing about... if anything, f...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Dorothy Thompson! We've mentioned her in past episodes and are delighted to bring her story to you all. Thompson was a powerful speaker and writer, who had her own syndicated column for over a decade, a radio broadcast, and long legacy of calling out oppression. Her work during both World Wars and beyond offered a very human way of encountering the news and documenting c...

Send us Fan Mail Join us to explore the legacy of Sherwood Anderson, an often overlooked American writer who explored the American landscape as it changed after the Victorian period. Anderson's writing reflected on culture, politics, and society and helped shape the careers of Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and others. His life took many turns, including a rather sharp one in the end. 

Send us Fan Mail We have a Get Lit first this week: Jamie Jones, who first appeared on our Herman Melville Episode is back to discuss her book Rendered Obsolete! Steph and Jamie set sail through a conversation about this book, the whaling industry, climate change, and of course, Herman Melville. Join us for this delightful, insightful interview and then go get the book yourselves! Get a copy here...

Send us Fan Mail This Earth Day, join us as we cover the legacy and life of environmental writer, activist, and general walking guy, John Muir! Muir advocated for the preservation of natural lands across the United States and traveled the country reporting, story telling, and learning more about the impact human beings have on the environment! Join us to celebrate the earth and the writers inspire...

Send us Fan Mail Recording from The Pile Bookstore in Berwyn, IL, we're delighted to bring you some fabulous adventures across time and London! Featuring the experiences of six different female authors, we examine this literary pilgrimage through the lens of these extraordinary ladies. Jon brings us some tea time trivialities and there's plenty of fun to be had! Join us, LIVE! 

Send us Fan Mail It's our 5th birthday and we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with the legacy of Sinclair Lewis! And to have Dan Esquivel on as our guest host! Lewis was the first American author to win the Nobel Prize for literature, along with 1.5 (ish - we'll explain...) Pulitzer Prizes. He held up a mirror to American society, writing novels and stories that hel...

Send us Fan Mail Since we recorded on April Fool's Day, it seems only natural to pull a bit of a prank to get in the spirit of the thing! Steph and Jack whip up an episode about an entirely fake author who just happens to have lived a very similar life to host, Jon. He catches on... eventually... We share a list of literary pranksters and the theorized literary origins behind April Fool'...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Jack takes over hosting to tell Jon about Elizabeth von Arnim! This British author led a very storied life that took her across the world. She wrote 22 novels, mostly anonymous during the course of her life and pulled from various creative concepts and personal sources to develop her original voice. Did we mention she's also a countess? Multiple times? 

Send us Fan Mail Women's History Month continues with Margaret Fuller! This extraordinary woman is considered by many to be the model of early feminist scholarship, writing about issues including independence, suffrage, and autonomy. Her work laid the foundation in many ways for other later thinkers during her time and today. She lived a powerful, passionate but tragically brief life. Celebra...

Send us Fan Mail Our celebration of Women's History Month continues with Modernist poet Marianne Moore! Her life was varied and storied as she made her way from the the Midwest to the East Coast and through poetry, prose, and criticism. She surrounded herself with colorful characters as she explored the new landscape of American poetry, mentoring and inspiring the likes of William Carlos Will...

Send us Fan Mail Eva Ibbotson kicks off our celebration of Women's History Month! Ibbotson escaped the Nazi occupation, worked as a translator, and published her first novel at the age of 50! She shakes the conventions of the 'traditional' author path and forged her own way forward in the world of literature. She was known for her cheeky, witty humor, and delightfully whimsical char...

Send us Fan Mail Meet the extraordinary author behind the Black detective novel genre, Chester Himes! Himes lived a very colorful life that informed his work and his perspectives. He worked actively to combat racism and lived courageously, never afraid to start over or change course. His legacy transcends genres, continents, and time. 

Send us Fan Mail This week, join us to reflect on the legacy of Dr. Anna J. Cooper!  Cooper was an extraordinary activist, educator, author, speaker, and philosopher who made a significant difference in the lives of every community she was part of. Her legacy extends beyond her written work, but lives on in all of those she taught and those who got to know her work! She advocated for the rights of...

Send us Fan Mail It's a Valentine's Day Special! We're exploring the literary ties to Valentine's Day dating all the way back to the 1300's! We cover Geoffrey Chaucer's contributions to the holiday, the origins of the Valentine's Day card, some strange Victorian love poetry, vinegar valentines, the language of flowers, and more! Regardless of the nature of your c...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Jon reports on Pauline Hopkins, a essential Black author whose legacy has gone largely neglected. She was a prolific activist, advocate, and author. She wrote in multiple genres including novels, short stories, plays and musicals, articles, and more to help bring an empathetic light to the lives of the communities around her. Join us for a look at her life and works, al...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode, to honor the 5th anniversary of Mary Oliver's death, we revisit her remarkable life. Oliver's poetry reflected an exquisite relationship with the natural world and the spiritual one, simultaneously challenging and celebratory. Her words have inspired generations of readers to spend time examining their lives, urgently, in appreciation for all...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we're coming to you LIVE from Sandmeyer's Bookstore in downtown Chicago! We're bringing you the biography of Upton Sinclair who used his pen to join and inspire the revolutions that echoed around the world during his lifetime. We round out this episode with a delightful trivia game that will help open up all kinds of future conversations! Join us in the J...

Send us Fan Mail In celebration of the very snowy Midwestern day, we're honoring the pioneering legacy of Ezra Jack Keats! Keats was a renowned author and illustrator of dozens of children's books, perhaps most notably, The Snowy Day. He worked to ensure his books featured children from all backgrounds, as they deserved to see themselves: as the heroes! Join us for this very charming cel...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we're featuring Katherine Mansfield, a globe-trotting writer from New Zealand with an incredible legacy. Her work was as vibrant as her writing, and her authentic sense of self inspired those around her and future generations. Jon is also here to provide some gentle parenting advice! 

Send us Fan Mail Happy 2024! We're kicking off this new year with Chicago poet and the Defender of the American poet and the art form: Harriet Monroe! Monroe used her power and position to secure the value of poetry in American culture, while also supporting the careers of dozens of iconic poets. Establishing what we now know as Poetry Magazine, Monroe's efforts have changed the way we u...

Send us Fan Mail Just in time for the New Year, we're featuring an author who might inspire us to chase new dreams and adventures: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry! de Saint-Exupéry wrote, most famously, The Little Prince! His other novels and journalistic work covers aviation and adventure from all angles. His work shaped generations of old and young readers alike, inspiring questions and curiosity,...

Send us Fan Mail 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!