Lit Society: Books and Drama

American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson

🕵🏽‍♀️ Who do you love? Who deserves your loyalty? And are the two one and the same? One young, brilliant, beautiful FBI officer is tasked with betraying her heart in devotion to her country. Her mission will take her from the high rises of New York to the roads of West Africa to the island of her motherland. Will she have what it takes when the time comes to pull the trigger, or will she find herself on the wrong side of the gun?
Before diving into our book, we'll learn the truth about a woman many know as Mary Bowser, a former enslaved person and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War. (Psst! There will be a game, and Alexis WILL be put on the spot. Enjoy!
Our spy is Marie Mitchell.
The book is American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson.
LET'S GET LIT!
 
 👩🏾‍🏫 🧑🏾‍🏫 Our Independent Bookstore of the Month: Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery
1714 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
https://www.semicolonchi.com/
 
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

What do you know about arranged marriages? If you've ever watched The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Married at First Sight, Love is Blind, or a million other reality shows, you may know more than you think. This week, we're discussing arranged hitching and clearing up a few misconceptions about the practice. 
Then, it's on to our book: The search for happiness and peace is a difficult one, especially in a society that dismisses your thoughts and preys on your innocence. The distress of our Ghanaian protagonist is relatable to many women around the world. Will our heroine find love and acceptance in the manner she deserves and desires? What will she tolerate? What is she willing to risk for the sake of her sanity?
The woman: Afi Tekple
The book: His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
LET'S GET LIT!
 
👩🏾‍🏫 🧑🏾‍🏫 Our Independent Bookstore of the Month: Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery
1714 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
https://www.semicolonchi.com/
 
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

🦀 This week, we discuss crabs and who's got them. No, this isn't a new celebrity gossip segment. We're talking crabs in a bucket syndrome, a.k.a. crabs in a barrel syndrome, a.k.a. crab mentality, a.k.a. tall poppy syndrome. These monikers all describe a phenomenon where people (usually peers, family, or close associates) try to hold back, criticize, or sabotage a person they perceive as too ambitious, non-conforming, or successful. So, who are the crabs in your life? How can we reach our goals despite those who downplay our progress? Let's talk about it!
Then, it's on to our book: Black girls, beware! Your biggest enemy is out to get you, and it's not who you may think. Nella Rogers realizes this, perhaps too late, when Hazel, a new black publishing assistant, moves into her department.
Will Hazel buoy Nella toward the promotion she's wanted for months, or will Hazel steal what's rightfully Nella's. 
The book: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
LET'S GET LIT!
 
👩🏾‍🏫 🧑🏾‍🏫 Our Independent Bookstore of the Month: Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery
1714 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
https://www.semicolonchi.com/
 
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

How To Journal for Improved Mental Heath (f/ Netflix’s Jo Franco) | Season 3 Premiere (No Book)

👩🏾‍🏫 🧑🏾‍🏫 Our Independent Bookstore of the Month: Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery
1714 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622
https://www.semicolonchi.com/
_________________________________________
🗣 Season three of LIT Society is here, and we’re proud to sit down for a chat with the gorgeous Jo Franco of Netflix’s hit travel series The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals.
Before conquering the world of travel vlogging for nearly a decade, learning countless languages, achieving her entrepreneurial dreams, and becoming a co-host for Netflix, Jo Franco was a writer.
In 2020, she founded JoClub, an online community for journalers bold enough to share their innermost thoughts with the world. JoClub’s membership program connects global writers for monthly meetings and discussions that help develop awareness, emotional intelligence, and self-discovery.
She joins us today to talk about the power of journaling and teach us how to live each day with intention by writing our thoughts and feelings down.
Let's get LIT!
 
Grab Kari's "Budweiser" inspired sweatshirt for yourself: https://www.litsocietypodshop.com/products/this-books-for-you 
Keep up with Jo Franco: https://www.instagram.com/jo_franco 
 
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

ReLIT: Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner

The premiere of season three is around the corner! A brand new episode is coming next week, Thursday, February 3rd. 'Til then, here's another favorite episode from our past!
Before we get into this week's book, we discuss forgiveness. Can you imagine? What does it take to forgive someone, and how do you know you've genuinely forgiven a person in your heart? Also, why do we need to be forgiving in the first place? We'll get into it.
And then it's on to the book that inspired this week's discussion. It's the early 1900s, and one quiet woman lives a happy life with her happy husband on a beautiful farm in Iowa. All is as it should be until a single act of betrayal puts her at odds against everyone she knows and trusts.
That woman's name is Margaret Stuart.
The book is Remembering Laughter, and you're listening to LIT Society.
Let's get LIT!
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

ReLIT: Educated by Tara Westover

Have you heard? We got cooties and so season three of our show will now start Thursday, February 3rd. So, here's another favorite episode from our past!
Have you ever had to cut someone out of your life? No phone calls, texts, and your friends know not to invite both of you to the same event? This week, our theme, How to Cut Someone Out of Your Life, is inspired by Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover.
Tara didn’t have a birth certificate until she was nine years old and she didn’t see her first classroom until the age of 17. It’s like The Village by M. Night Shyamalan, but interesting. . .
Eventually, she’s forced to choose between a life without her family or most certain death by their hands. It got real, real quick. Travel with us from the peaks of Idaho to the halls of Cambridge in Educated.
Welcome to Lit Society. Let’s get LIT!
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

ReLIT: The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Yo. It's crazy because season three of our show was supposed to begin Thursday, January 13th, but we're both super sick thanks to Apryl Jones' ex. Season three will now start Thursday, February 3rd. So, here's another favorite episode from our past!
This week's theme, How to Survive a Crisis, is inspired by the first comic book we ever featured, and it's a doozie! What's more, our comic is non-fiction!
One girl, the beloved only child of progressive parents, is sent to school in Austria. This is the story of her childhood, growing up in a time of war and revolution. Her parents hope that she'll escape what they saw as the oppressive regime of Iran. Together, she and her country must decide who they're supposed to be and who they actually are.
The girl's name — Marjane Satrapi.
The book — Persepolis.
This is LIT Society.
Let's get LIT!
 
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.
 

ReLIT: The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

That's right. We're still on vacation! But we'd never leave you without a dope book to ...um... discuss. So, here's another favorite episode from our past! Remember, we return with a NEW episode on January 13th, 2022, the start of our THIRD SEASON. 'Til then, we're ecstatic to share with you the shows still living rent-free in our heads.
Hyde yo' kids! Hyde yo' wife! A young doctor allows his obsession with the duality of human nature to lead him down a path littered with lies, murder, and destruction.
His name is Doctor Henry Jekyll; the book is The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
You're listening to Lit Society.
LET'S GET LIT!!!
PS: This is our very first episode, released initially to a small group of test listeners in 2019. We like to think the quality of our show has improved since then, but this is still one of our favorite episodes!
Enjoy!
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.⁣

ReLIT: Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers

Hey, y'all! This is Kari. Alexis and I are still enjoying a much-deserved vacation. So, here's another favorite episode from our past! Remember, we return with a NEW episode on January 13th, 2022, the start of our THIRD SEASON. 'Til then, we're ecstatic to share with you the shows still living rent-free in our heads.
Is fear the hairline to your inner Lebron James? Does it stop you from being great? Do you sometimes hear a negative voice inside of your head telling you you're not good enough? One psychologist wants you to take control of that voice with a system of positive thinking that leads to power. 
Her name is Susan Jeffers. 
The book is Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. And you're listening to Lit Society. 
Let's get LIT!
Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

ReLIT: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

We're throwing it back again this Thursday, with another favorite episode from our past! Remember, we return with a NEW episode on January 13th, 2022, the start of our THIRD SEASON. 'Til then, we're ecstatic to share with you the shows still living rent-free in our heads.
And now for the crass:
The life of the sometimes-brilliant Ignatius J. Reilly is one comedic tragedy after another. He lives with his mother, dresses funny, isn't particularly charming, but has enough self-assurance to compensate for all he's lacking — or at least that's what he tells himself. In A Confederacy of Dunces, we follow a particular chapter in Ignatius's life that involves a hot dog, a pet cockatoo, and a valve — all set in the beautiful city of New Orleans.
Written in the 60s, it is somehow an accurate study of 21st-century male loneliness and inertia in America. Yup. It's a comedy.
Before tackling Ignatius, we'll share some tips on dealing with obnoxious people. Save this one for your next family reunion.
Let's get LIT!
 
Find Alexis and Kari online:
Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; 
Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; 
Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; 
and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com.