The Foxed Page

Melville's classic is always right at the top of BEST EVER novels lists. We really dig into what is so appealing about this masterpiece: its weird structure, its likeable, unique narrator, an open-mindedness that seems pretty radical for 1851 (including some serious homoeroticism)--and, of course, the appeal of Queequeg, everyone's favorite harpooner.

Before When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and Julie andJulia, Nora Ephron wrote the BEST NOVEL. Heartburn is light and funny, but also complex, nuanced and full of compassion. Kimberly runs through the history of romantic comedy--not as simple as you'd think--and all the tropes that make the genre what it is. She then takes a close look at how Ephron UPENDS so many of these rom-com convent...

NO READING REQUIRED! NO SPOILERS! (lol) Kimberly expected this to be some kind of sports encyclopedia--which, let's be honest, it is. But it's also a really compelling memoir! Simmons's prose, which she does subject to a (brief) close reading, allows fans to RELIVE and deepen iconic moments (some new to Kimberly) because of its narrative voice and structure, its selection of details and all those...

If you’re even remotely sad that summer’s ending, if you have any feelings about the beauty of nature, if you have aging parents, if you think even occasionally about mortality (lol), you MUST read this book. It’s slim, gorgeous, funny, sad and a complete joy. Of all Kimberly’s recommendations, The Summer Book might be the one that's most universally loved. And honestly, Kimberly must say, this de...

NO READING REQUIRED! Kimberly is actually really NOT suggesting you read The Buccaneers. You SHOULD, though, read Wharton's The Age of Innocence or The House of Mirth. Her prose is engaging, gorgeous and so fun to read. Listen in to hear all about what happens with Nan and her men, with Laura Testvalley and Dick, with Honoria and Mabel and all the girls. Honestly, it's just such a treat to hear Wh...

Ready to head back to school? DREADING back to school ? Allow Kimberly to make the most of this transition. Spark's masterpiece is brief but wow does it pack a punch. Her prose SEEMS simple but her original, sometimes startling syntax, the way she plays with time, and the unique structure of this work mean there's soooo much for Kimberly to dig in to.

This 1955 novella--it's slim, tricky and SO GOOD--is the bedrock of Mexican literature. Its complexities and virtuoso innovations make it particularly exciting to look at in depth. Kimberly breaks down key elements, explains the revolutionary aspects and helps you understand what the hell is going on. She likes to think she added something new to the conversation: arguing that Pedro Pàramo is NOT...

Lerner says, "Art has to offer more than stylized despair." 10:04 offers so much more! (With, also, some excellent stylized despair.) Kimberly low-key compares the work to Slaughterhouse Five, before diving in to a close look postmodernism, narrative stance and why HUMOR adds so much to this incredible piece of auto-fiction. If you love Lerner, or WANT to love Lerner--listen in!

NO SPOILERS! Kimberly picked up this hybrid memoir-novel because she was intrigued by Lacey's inventiveness. Listen in to see which parts of the text met her high expectations and which might have fallen a bit short. And if you haven't thought through the difference between a mobius strip and the infinity symbol, Kimberly promises to add a little insight to your Mobius Book experience..

There are SO MANY REASONS why so many people love this book. Allow Kimberly to help you see how Vonnegut's deceptively simple prose does so much heavy lifting. She dives deep into the book's structure, its sci-fi elements and its humor. She really wants to share her take on why this groundbreaking, post-modern classic is so much more than its postmodern peers. Listen in now for an immersion into o...

Hazzard's 1980 novel is one of the most gorgeous, most intricate, most rewarding, most RICH novels that Kimberly has ever read. Listen in to hear her explain how its nimble narrator, its figurative language and its singular, masterful structure--among many other elements--make it SO worth your while.

Magic realism is an excellent way to articulate the inarticulable, to assert dissent, and to question order. Historical fiction is an amazing vehicle for examination of the past! Join Kimberly for a discussion of Russell’s novel in the context of Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, and even Mary Karr. You’ll come away with a better understanding of The Antidote, while gaining a broader sense o...

Mastretta's ultra-engaging, sex-forward, historical, feminist family romance from 1985 might be a touchstone of feminist literature, but it's also SO FUN TO READ. Kimberly dives in to the feminist underpinnings, the way our protagonist can rationalize living with a criminal (anyone interested in how Carmela Soprano did it, you should read this book!) and the literary merits of this engaging work....

Orbital is the kind of novel that could inspire hours and hours of conversation. Kimberly can't imagine a single person who feels like they apprehended the thing with just one read. If you're curious about how she pulled it off, how she uses language to describe the undescribable, or plenty of other aspects--indulge yourself in a more fulsome experience of this gorgeous Booker Prize winner now!

NO SPOILERS! Kimberly could not agree more with The Atlantic. This novel is the most crowd-pleasery of any book she ever recommends. It is SO GOOD. Rich and complex, but also light, it's gorgeous and transporting--everything  you want in a summer read! Listen in now to be sure you fully appreciate all that makes it so appealing.

People. This is when things get fun. Kimberly breaks down a bunch of aspects of the work: figurative language, the unique structure, patriarchy v. matriarchy, the very nature of creativity and the essence of what it is to be human (!!).  Want to get more out of this insanely great book? Treat yourself now. 

NO READING REQUIRED! Hawthorne's 1850 classic is the epitome of high school books that are wasted on high school students. This thing is a MASTERPIECE. Listen in as Kimberly situates it historically, talks about the framing device, digs deep into the radical FEMINISM and of course covers symbolism (did you also write your term paper on symbolism??). She wraps up the lecture by leaning into her ong...

NO SPOILERS! With humor as a lens, Kimberly dives in to all the ways this bestseller functions so well. You'll learn how to think about humor more generally, while seeing all the ways that the best humor can really shape a novel. Join Kimberly for an exploration of one of the strongest elements of this smart, engaging surprisingly philosophical book!

Kimberly was honestly kind of shocked by how iconoclastic, gorgeous and important this novel feels. Whether it's a women's-studies-seminar favorite or new to you, indulge in this exploration of one woman's fascinating experience of society, domesticity, maternity and PASSION in late-1800s New Orleans.

NO READING REQUIRED! As soon as Kimberly dove back in to No Country for Old Men, she knew she needed to parse what makes McCarthy SO GOOD. This exploration hits on all the ways that reading McCarthy is a master class in all elements of fiction:  textured narrative voices, description of violence, sympathy for complex characters, dark humor, and others--not to mention gorgeous prose.

NO READING REQUIRED! Whether this doorstop is an old favorite--or something you NEVER plan to read--treat yourself to Kimberly's take on why this classic of all classics is worth your next 40 minutes!

NO READING REQUIRED! Fitzgerald's genius might very well be wasted on the youth. Even if you haven't re-read this classic since you were 16, delving into for an hour is a revelation. Kimberly breaks down the innovative narrative stance, the plot-heavy structure and some master-class motif building--all while reveling in (and also subtly criticizing) this modernist MASTERPIECE.

NO READING REQUIRED! Tune in as we unpack the many ways that Ernaux celebrates the age gap relationship. The French master offers philosophical explanations for why older people get with younger ones, incisive analysis of social norms and all the ways in which these liaisons can be empowering--all, of course, while treating us to her stark, arresting, unique prose. Listen in to one woman's fascina...

Tune in for Kimberly's breakdown of how PLAYWORLD really succeeds--and the ways she sees it falling short. With its marketing materials really pushing its 36-year-old-woman/14-year-old-boy sexualized relationship, the novel provides a fascinating look at sex writing and how the Mrs.-Robinson trope manifests itself in 2025. Join Kimberly for this second of four lectures--the only novel of the four...