Save Me From My Shelf

Two friends and academics recap classic literature and take it off its pedestal. In the second part of our forty-seventh episode, we continue our recap of the short works of Edgar Allan Poe (1830s-40s): 'The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Cask of Amontillado', 'The Black Cat', and 'The Raven'.Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode Theme: Camille Saint-Saëns, 'Danse Macabre'

Two friends and academics recap classic literature and take it off its pedestal. In our forty-seven and big Halloween episode, we host our first anthology: the short works of Edgar Allan Poe (1830s-40s). In the first half of this anthology, we cover 'The Tell-Tale Heart', 'The Fall of the House of Usher', and 'The Masque of the Red Death'. We also hear a lot about our hosts' Halloween costumes, lots about asses, Abby's own disappointing masquerade experience, and Daniel's most uptight accent yet.Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode Theme: Camille Saint-Saëns, 'Danse Macabre'

Two friends and academics recap classic literature and take it off its pedestal. In our forty-sixth episode--Ira Levin's The Stepford Wives (1972)--we move to the suburbs, eat a lot of Lobster Newburg, and watch nothing but Air Bud. Daniel also reveals his secret feminist tattoo, Abby puts out a dating advert, and we get a quick look-in from a legendary feminist: Grendel's Mother.Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode Theme: John Philip Sousa, 'Thunderer March' - arranged by 'Free Tim'.

Two friends and academics recap classic literature and take it off its pedestal. In our forty-fifth episode, we delve into a world of cartoon references, James Bond-level panty dropping, questions for the BDSM community, and beards. Too many beards. It's Franz Kafka's 1925 paranoid, sadomasochistic dystopia, The Trial!Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode Theme: Alban Berg, '4 Stucke, Op. 5', performed by Steven Beck.

Daniel and Abby answer listener questions about how they make the podcast, the best literary decades, overrated authors, giant ducks, and when to throw a drink in your mother-in-law's face (always).Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode themes: Mozart's 'Overture' to Don Giovanni.

Two friends and academics recap classic literature and take it off its pedestal. In our forty-fourth episode, we look at Mark Twain's satire on systematic racism and childhood trauma, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). It's full of bad southern accents, men painted weird colours, identity theft, and bounty (both financial and chocolate). We also learn that Abby is from Grade-A dirtbag stock, and that Daniel has clinical depression.Cover art © Catherine Wu.Episode Theme: 'Riffs on Tara' written and performed by Daniel Jenkin-Smith.