Literature & Libations

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Charles Yu’s 2020 novel Interior Chinatown. Topics include Hollywood satire, Asian American representation, and what is actually going on in this novel… This week’s drink: Lychee Margarita-Tini (name taken from the novel, recipe put together by our very own Taylor! INGREDIENTS: 1.5 - 2 oz vodka .25 oz orange liqueur ½ TB lychee syrup; more or...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor welcome a special guest: their mom! Topics include reader frustrations, what it really takes to be a good mother, and some epics roasts by Taylor. Follow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod. Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or your own takes on what we are reading. You can also see what we are read...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Jessamine Chan’s 2022 novel The School for Good Mothers. Topics include what it means to be a good (or bad) mother, lifelike dolls, and The Audacity of it all. This week’s drink: Bad Thoughts via Tipsy Bartender INGREDIENTS 1 ½ oz reposado tequila ½ oz bergamot orange liqueur 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 dashes aromatic bitters Absinthe spray...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of children’s literature, our top 5 childhood faves (plus some honorable mentions), and share some of our listener’s favorites as well! Books, etc. discussed in this episode: Who Wants Arthur? By Amanda Graham The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, illustrated by Donna Green  Holes by Louis Sachar   A Series of Unfortunate Event...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Norton Juster’s 1961 children’s classic The Phantom Tollbooth. Topics include tasty letters, apathy and ignorance, and the sheer joy of reading, learning, and knowledge.  This week’s drink: Sunny Side of the Street via Thrillist INGREDIENTS 1 pouch Capri Sun 1 oz. white rum 0.25 oz. Maraschino 0.5 oz. lemon juice Lemon wedge, for garnish DIREC...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of the Anglo-Saxon wars (spoiler alert: there’s a lot of fighting), and give an overview of the Arthurian legends that continue to inspire retellings today. This week’s drink: choose your favorite English ale! Taylor is drinking North Coast Old Stock Ale   Books, etc. discussed in this episode: Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malor...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2016 novel The Buried Giant. Topics include the importance of remembering, Dragon Truthers, and the real purpose of the boatman. This week’s drink: a hearty English/British ale! Taylor is drinking North Coast Old Stock Ale Current Reads and Recommendations: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd Never...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of Malibu and surfing in California, and briefly examine California through the lens of two very different writers: Joan Didion and Eve Babitz. This week’s drink: Malibu Sunset via Averie Cooks INGREDIENTS Ice cubes Pineapple-orange juice Malibu coconut rum Grenadine Maraschino cherries Pineapple and / or orange slices (for garnish...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s 2021 novel Malibu Rising. Topics include the bonds between siblings, fire as metaphor, and why men cheat. This week’s drink: Malibu Sunset via Averie Cooks INGREDIENTS Ice cubes Pineapple-orange juice Malibu coconut rum Grenadine Maraschino cherries Pineapple and /or orange slices (for garnishing) DIRECTIONS Add ice to a...

In this week's bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the history of the western and the emergence of the “weird western”. Also: Tom Lin himself, author of The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu, joins us for a conversation! (!!!!) Books, etc. discussed in this episode: Encyclopedia of Weird Westerns by Paul Green The Dark Tower series by Stephen King Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy How Much of T...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Tom Lin’s 2021 debut novel The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu. Topics include the mystical nature of the desert, western tropes, and who would be a better ringmaster in the movie version: Tom Hanks or Christoph Waltz? (It’s Christoph Waltz).  This week’s drink: Oolong Old Fashioned via Palais de Thés INGREDIENTS 0.4 oz oolong tea leaves 8.5 oz fi...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the “Lost Generation” -  American writers who came to Paris in the 1920s to dance, drink, and craft their novels. Topics include the origin of the label, the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore, and…the weather. Books, etc. discussed in this episode: The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach Sylvia Beach...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1952 novella The Old Man and the Sea. Topics include shark punching, Hemingway as the original Insufferable Hipster, and whether symbolism does or does not exist in this story. This week’s drink: Hemingway Daiquiri via winemag.com INGREDIENTS 2 ounces white rum ¾ ounce lime juice ½ ounce Maraschino liq...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss a real-life situation of an oil corporation destroying of the Niger Delta in Nigeria. Topics include book-to-real-life comparisons, how much big corporations suck, and where exactly do the Dutch come from? Here are the links to the sites Taylor perused for her research this episode: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/dec/06/th...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Imbolo Mbue’s 2021 novel How Beautiful We Were. Topics include gender roles, corrupt governments, and the realities of starting a revolution. This week’s drink: Folere Spritzer - Cameroon Hibiscus Ice Tea (via AFROVITALITYEATS) INGREDIENTS Folere: 1 medium pineapple 2 cups dried hibiscus sepals (roselle) 3 quarts water Simple Syrup: 1 cup suga...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the cinematic masterpiece Point Break (the 1991 version, NOT the terrible remake) starring our favorite human Keanu Reeves. Topics include Wet Keanu, the unexpected violence, and our mom’s thoughts on how hot Keanu is. This week’s cocktail: a glass of red wine Keanu’s favorite drink is red wine - specifically Australian wines such as the 1971...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of K.M. Jackson’s 2021 novel How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days. Topics include the growing diversity in romcoms, the romance of the desert, and everyone’s favorite human cinnamon roll (it’s Keanu). This week’s cocktail: a glass of red wine Keanu’s favorite drink is red wine - specifically Australian wines such as the 1971 Penfolds Grange Shira...

In this week’s bonus episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss other stories about immigration. See the full list of titles below! This week’s cocktail: Guaro Sour via shopcumbe.com INGREDIENTS 2 oz Cumbé 1 oz Pineapple Juice .25 oz Lemon Juice .25 oz Grand Marnier 2 Dashes Scrappy's Cardamom Bitters 1 Egg White DIRECTIONS Put all ingredients in shaker. Vigorously dry shake. Add ice to tin and shake...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Patricia Engel’s 2021 novel Infinite Country. Topics include family, identity, and the audacity of white people. This week’s cocktail: Guaro Sour via shopcumbe.com INGREDIENTS 2 oz Cumbé 1 oz Pineapple Juice .25 oz Lemon Juice .25 oz Grand Marnier 2 Dashes Scrappy's Cardamom Bitters 1 Egg White DIRECTIONS Put all ingredients in shaker. Vi...

For the P&P MINI EP, Kayla and Taylor discuss the 2005 movie adaptation. Topics include perfect casting, THE HAND FLEX, and Bollywood. Follow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod. PLEASE RATE & REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS AND SPOTIFY!! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US AND IT HELPS OTHER LISTENERS FIND OUR PODCAST!! Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. Topics include the plight of middle children, the allure (or not) of Mr. Darcy, and secret lesbians. This week’s cocktail: Mr. Darcy via Food52 INGREDIENTS 4.5 ounces Earl Grey Tea, chilled 3 ounces Vodka 1.5 ounces Elderflower Syrup, we used Monin Half a lemon squeezed, plus rind for garnish DI...

Kayla and Taylor are bringing you a little bonus ep this week to talk about The Yosemite by John Muir.  They were reunited this past week and took a family trip to Yosemite National Park! Topics include avalanche riding, awkward college trips, and PACKING. IT. OUT. Follow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod. PLEASE RATE & REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS AND SPOTIFY! It means SO much to us and...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Neil Gaiman’s 2013 novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Topics include the disconnect between childhood and adulthood, meeting Neil Gaiman, and how delicious porridge with cream and jam sounds. This week’s cocktail: Bramble via liquor.com INGREDIENTS 2 ounces gin 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed 2 teaspoons simple syrup ½ ounce creme d...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Xochitl Gonzalez’s 2022 novel Olga Dies Dreaming. Topics include rich white people, the “American Dream”, and how little we actually know about Puerto Rico. This week’s cocktail: Pina Colada via Difford’s INGREDIENTS 2 oz Bacardi Carta Blanca light rum 1 ½ oz Novo Fogo Silver cachaca 3 ½ oz pineapple juice (fresh pressed) ¾ oz cream of coconut...

Kayla and Taylor discuss the themes and major beats of Charlotte McConaghy’s 2021 novel Once There Were Wolves. Topics include mirror-sense synesthesia, women and the wild, and wolves (obviously). This week’s cocktail: The Grey Wolf via Punch INGREDIENTS 2 ounces Japanese whisky, preferably Hibiki Harmony 1/4 ounce demerara syrup (2:1, sugar:water) 1/2 teaspoon Benedictine 1/2 teaspoon plum vinega...