HopLit

HopLit hosts David and Emily continue with their genre focus series, taking you from genre to genre to discuss definitions, subgenres, iconic authors, histories, personal favorites, and new titles. This episode takes a look at all things Mystery, including subgenres, notable stories, diversity (and lack thereof) in the genre, and more! From detectives as classic as Sherlock Holmes to as contempora...

June is jam packed with all things books and beer! Co-hosts David & Emily talk about recent literary award winners (Lambda, Women’s Prize, Bram Stoker, and Nebula), the recent passing of acclaimed artist and author Marjane Satrapi, and explore refugee writing for World Refugee Day. In addition, we give nods to Pride Month and Juneteenth, talk about recent beer and book experiences, and explore...

HopLit celebrates its first anniversary, and with it, a new genre-based fiction series to take us through our second year. HopLit hosts David & Emily kick-off the genre series by talking science fiction, from key authors and titles to personal favorites to how science fiction has made its way into the craft beer industry. Plus, your HopLit hosts talk about recent readings, upcoming June book r...

May brings about Pulitzer season, and with it, a  new round of Pulitzer Prize winners! Join the cohosts of HopLit, Emily & David, as they announce the 2026 Pulitzer Prize winners and discuss some of their favorite winners of past season. In addition, HopLit acknowledges AAPI month, discusses recent reads and upcoming beer & book news, and as always, discusses all things books and beer. Tun...

HopLit hosts David Nilsen and Emily Swank celebrate the start of patio season with a Bookstack 6-pack of books about food and drink, including novels, poetry collections, and non-fiction. They also talk book and beer news, recent reads, and Literary Lingo, and tap a Midwest classic for this episode's This Beer Is Lit segment. HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and n...

With Indie Bookstore Day coming up and ALA celebrating National Library Week, HopLit hosts Emily & David make it a point to discuss their favorite books about books! In addition to celebrating the importance of book spaces and the importance of literacy, HopLit talks book and beer news, recent reads, and when Emily shares she’s drinking Fonta Flora, David shares a fun anecdote from his time at...

Happy National Poetry Month! Celebrate April being all things poetry with HopLit hosts David and Emily as they discuss favorite poets and poems, access points into poetry, poetry exploration, and more! In addition, David highlights the National Book Critics Circle Awards in all genres, and this episode includes all the favorite HopLit exclusives, such as Literary Lingo, book and beer news, recent...

HopLit hosts David & Emily celebrate Women's History Month and International Women's Day by assembling a Bookstack 6-Pack of memoirs by women. They also share recent reading, take a Beer Fact Break and learn some Literary Lingo, discuss new book and beer news, and share the story behind a new This Beer Is Lit! HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and no gatek...

HopLit hosts David & Emily indulge in a mutual interest beyond beer and books… movies! The 98th Academy Awards bring nearly a century of incredible storytelling, and since the inaugural show in 1929, the award for adapted screenplay has been a staple of the show. David & Emily share their favorite nominees and wins while highlighting the importance of the source material as they look forwa...

HopLit hosts David & Emily check out a very specific form of storytelling - the epistolary novel. In addition to a six-pack of great recs, your HopLit hosts discuss the origin of the Italian Pilsner, highlight new book releases and beer news, and share their recent reading! Tune in to join a very beery and bookish conversation, snobbery not included.  HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyon...

At the beginning of Black History Month, David and Emily discuss a Bookstack 6-pack of nonfiction titles by Black authors. They also highlight a seasonal Beer Fact Break, discuss some Literary Lingo, go through recent reading and upcoming book news, and discuss the books they read during the recent Ohio snow storm.  HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and no gatekeeping....

From a bookstack six-pack full of winter settings and snowy plot lines to shifts in reading habits as we retreat indoors, HopLit hosts David & Emily discuss winter reading in this January episode. Tune in for snowy stories, plus the usual book and beer news, recent reading, and more!  HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and no gatekeeping. We don't believe in gui...

David & Emily discuss ways to support breweries during Dry January and bookstores during the winter retail slowdown, as well as sharing some book-related news and discussing recent reading! HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and no gatekeeping. We don't believe in guilty pleasures of either the liquid or literary varieties. Whatever you're reading and howev...

Happy New Year!  The hosts of HopLit , David & Emily, look forward to a new year of reading by recapping new books from the holidays and looking ahead at some of the most anticipated titles of 2026. Listen in to hear about reading goals and reading intentions, new titles, hot takes on publishing trends, and new book & beer news as we begin 2026!   HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyon...

The hosts of HopLit , David & Emily, reflect over their reading from the past year. HopLit started this year, there were a lot of great new releases, and some fun reading memories along the way! Listen in to hear David & Emily discuss favorite reads, 2025 reading goals, new reading patterns, and more!  HopLit is a beery book podcast for everyone, with no snobbery and no gatekeeping. We don...

The hosts of HopLit , David & Emily, are gearing up for the holiday season in this episode, where they talk about Christmas beer, holiday ghost stories, and most pointedly, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Listen to their hot takes on A Christmas Carol film adaptations, take reading recs from their recent reading or suggested holiday TBRs, and celebrate December literary birthdays in this...

The hosts of HopLit , David & Emily, strip down the episode to create space to remember the Trans lives lost as they commemorate Trans Day of Remembrance. In this episode, HopLit hosts still talk books and beer while acknowledging that promoting Trans communities and Trans voices and finding Trans-safe spaces and stories remain vital in protecting Transfolks. From Margaret Killjoy to Torrey Pe...

David & Emily, the hosts of HopLit, have a conversation around one of their favorite authors, Blackfeet horror writer Stephen Graham Jones. From his Jade Daniels trilogy to his graphic novels to his more socially centered novels like The Only Good Indians and The Buffalo Hunter Hunter , Emily & David deconstruct the work of one of our most celebrated contemporary authors.  HopLit is a beer...

The hosts of HopLit , David & Emily, celebrate Native American Heritage Month in November by sharing some of their favorite Indigenous authors. From David Heska Wanbli Weiden to Layli Long Soldier, HopLit raises a glass to American Indian fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.  In addition, Emily & David celebrate November literary birthdays while sharing their recent reading alongside upcoming...

HopLit hosts David & Emily sit down with the owners of Columbus, Ohio’s hottest new bookstore, Wandering Quills. WQB owners Anne and Kristen share the origin story of their mobile bookstore, highlight the importance of bookselling, and talk about books and beers with Emily & David. In addition, Emily & David share their recent reading and highlight upcoming beer & book events.  You...

HopLit co-host Emily Swank sits down with guest Sarah Detrick, an educator and activist, who is currently researching book banning, censorship, and Right to Read legislation as part of a doctoral study. Listen in as Emily & Sarah talk about the long stemming history of censorship, how it’s playing out in our current political climate, and what we can do to protect librarians, teachers, writers...

HopLit hosts David & Emily get excited about spooky season and get into one of their mutually favorite genres: horror. From Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark to canonized greats in the genre like Edgar Allan Poe & Ambrose Bierce to modern favorites, including a welcome increase in short fiction by persons of color, David & Emily examine horror and gothic fiction in the short form. As a...

Welcome to HopLit , a beery book podcast for everyone! HopLit hosts David & Emily discuss all things German by celebrating Oktoberfest. From a bookstack six-pack full of German authors, characters, and settings to our This Beer is Lit segment, we cheers to a tradition over 200 years in the making. In addition to Oktoberfest, we discuss recent readings and upcoming beer and book releases, while...

Welcome to a special bonus episode of HopLit , a beery book podcast for everyone! HopLit hosts David & Emily continue celebrating September as Hispanic Heritage Month in a bonus episode featuring Hispanic voices in poetry. Each share three titles in a bonus bookstack six-pack of six different collections shedding light on the Hispanic experience in contemporary poetry.  Emily's Hispanic H...

Welcome to HopLit , a beery book podcast for everyone! HopLit hosts David & Emily celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) by featuring six incredible authors and titles in this episode’s bookstack six-pack. Beyond that, David & Emily get into some recent reading, check out upcoming book and beer events, and David teases next episode’s theme in his Beer Fact Break by dis...