Best Lit Lisa Podcasts (2025)

1
8.10 Yuvan Aves: On Losing Nature and Learning to Care 55:22

2d ago55:22

55:22

What if the key to environmental action isn’t outrage, but observation? And what if the real climate crisis is a crisis of attention? In this powerful conversation, nature writer and activist Yuvan Aves talks about his lyrical and politically urgent book Intertidal. Set along Chennai’s disappearing coasts and wetlands, the book prompts readers to n…

1
Edna O'Brien — The Country Girls with Edan Lepucki 43:13

3d ago43:13

43:13

Send us a text When Edna O’Brien published her debut novel The Country Girls in 1960, she was branded a “Jezebel” in her native Ireland—but that didn’t stop her from completing a poignant trilogy about a pair of friends coming of age in a world for which village life and convent school failed to prepare them. Despite initial backlash to her sexuall…

1
8.9 Bhawana Somaaya: What Partition Stole, and Writing Restored 44:28

9d ago44:28

44:28

What happens when a celebrated film journalist turns the camera inward? In this moving episode, veteran critic and author Bhawana Somaaya unpacks her memoir Farewell Karachi. Known for her decades-long career documenting Bollywood’s biggest stars like Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan, Bhawana shares the deeply personal stories behind her family’s d…

1
8.8 Bhavika Govil: On Growing Up, Growing Apart, and Grieving Secrets 51:47

16d ago51:47

51:47

What if one secret could shatter everything you thought you knew about your family? In this episode, Bhavika Govil dives into her haunting, lyrical novel Hot Water, a coming-of-age story about the silences that pull families apart. Bhavika talks about the novel’s striking water motif and the emotional and craft challenges of writing Ashu, a 14-year…

1
Brigid Brophy — The King of a Rainy Country 28:03

17d ago28:03

28:03

Send us a text If Brigid Brophy’s The King of a Rainy Country had a soundtrack, it might include the soft patter of rain on a garret window, jazz drifting from a smoky cafe, the hum of a Vespa on narrow cobblestone streets … and the obnoxious griping of a few dozen uncultured Americans! As the description suggests, Brophy’s 1956 novel has a little …

1
8.7 Ankush Datar: On Health and Wealth; Two Goals, One Answer 52:48

23d ago52:48

52:48

Tried a fad diet and a get-rich scheme, but failed to do both? Let's talk about what actually works. Ankush Datar, the author of The Health and Wealth Paradox, breaks down the complexities of health and financial planning by getting back to the core principles. His unique approach explains how managing your health and wealth isn’t so different afte…

1
8.6 Gowri Ramnarayan & Kamlakar Bhat: On Why South Indian Lit Should Be Your Next Obsession 1:04:52

1M ago1:04:52

1:04:52

Lost in Translation? Or Found in the Process? In this episode, we talk to Gowri Ramnarayan and Kamalakar Bhat, two translators dedicated to bringing Tamil and Kannada texts to life in English. Gowri shares the complex challenges of translating her grandfather’s historical novel, Ponniyin Selvan, from seamlessly blending poetry into prose to interpr…

1
Jessie Redmon Fauset — Plum Bun with Bremond Berry MacDougall and Lisa Endo Cooper 47:19

1M ago47:19

47:19

Send us a text Langston Hughes called Jessie Redmon Fauset “the midwife of the Harlem Renaissance” with good reason. As literary editor at The Crisis magazine from 1919 until 1926, Fauset discovered and championed some of the most important Black writers of the early 20th century. Her own novels contributed to The New Negro Movement’s cultural exam…

1
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote 1:06:30

1M ago1:06:30

1:06:30

The chilling true story of a brutal family murder in a small Kansas town—and the two drifters who committed it. With haunting detail and literary precision, Truman Capote delves into the minds of the killers, the grief of the community, and the fragile boundary between good and evil. The Book: In Cold Blood Let's Get LIT! Links & Resources: Grab yo…

1
8.5 Sanjana Ramachandran: Turning 90s Chaos into Literary Gold 47:05

1M ago47:05

47:05

What happens when the love of family feels more like a battlefield? In her debut novel Famous Last Questions, Sanjana Ramachandran explores the messy, painful, and sometimes beautiful struggle of growing up caught between parental expectations and the search for your true self. With sharp honesty and warmth, she dives into themes of rebellion, iden…

1
PREVIEW - The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Part 2) 20:38

1M ago20:38

20:38

Two sisters in Nazi-occupied France choose different paths—one struggles to protect her daughter while living under enemy rule, the other risks everything to join the Resistance. This is a heartbreaking and inspiring tale of survival and sacrifice that celebrates the extraordinary strength of women in the face of unimaginable odds. The book: The Ni…

1
8.4 Jennifer Sundberg: How Smart Teams End Up Doing Dumb Things 52:05

1M ago52:05

52:05

Are the wrong people making the biggest decisions at your company? Tara and Michelle talk to Jennifer Sundberg—co-founder of Board Intelligence and co-author of Collective Intelligence—about why most leadership teams are flying blind. They dive into how poorly framed questions and bloated reports sabotage decision-making, why writing is thinking, a…

1
E.D.E.N. Southworth — The Hidden Hand with Rose Neal 43:18

1M ago43:18

43:18

Send us a text Dastardly villains are no match for Capitola Black, the audacious heroine at the center of E.D.E.N. Southworth’s 1859 bestseller, The Hidden Hand. Readers so admired this literary tomboy’s pluck that Capitola became a popular baby name for decades and inspired the name of a California town. Yet few readers today are familiar with Sou…

1
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Part 1) 1:05:52

2M ago1:05:52

1:05:52

Set in Nazi-occupied France, The Nightingale follows two sisters—one cautious and reserved, the other bold and rebellious—as they each fight to survive and resist in their own way. As war tests their courage and loyalty, both women are drawn into dangerous choices that will define their legacy. The book: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Let's get …

1
8.3 Tara & Michelle: Can You Love a Book But Hate the Author? 37:28

2M ago37:28

37:28

Should we boycott problematic authors—or just read them with guilt? Tara and Michelle dive into the messy politics of author scandals, from cancel culture to complicity. Plus, what happens when AI writes a book? Would you read it? Should it even exist? Tune in for a no-holds-barred chat on the ethics of art, the limits of accountability, and how re…

1
Recitatif by Toni Morrison 48:10

2M ago48:10

48:10

Two girls from different racial backgrounds meet in a shelter and form a complicated, lifelong bond. As they reunite at various points in their lives, shifting memories and buried prejudices force them—and the reader—to confront how race, class, and personal history shape perception. The result is a reading experience as powerful as it is provocati…

1
Fire In Our DNA with Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins

2M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment, and environmental integrity Fire In Our DNA with Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins Episode highlight In this episode, Elizabeth Azzuz and Margo Robbins talk about restoring cultural fire in their tribal territ…

1
8.2 Puneet Sikka and Nayantara Alva: Finding Love In Unexpected Places, Two New Coming of Age Stories 1:07:15

2M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

What do a privileged student with a saviour complex and an ambitious outsider in Bollywood have in common? Debut authors Nayantara Alva and Puneet Sikka take us into two very different Indias—one set in a liberal arts college, the other on a chaotic film set. Tara and Michelle chat with the authors about their writing processes, the themes that sha…

1
ENCORE: Ursula Parrott: Ex-Wife with Marsha Gordon 53:22

2M ago53:22

53:22

Send us a text F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby may be the novel everyone’s talking about this month, but let’s not forget another “Jazz Age” novel that took this country by storm. Ursula Parrott’s Ex-Wife, a tragicomic indictment of early 20th-century romance, brought the author immense fame and wealth at the time of its publication in 1929.…

1
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carré 20:00

2M ago20:00

20:00

In the shadowy depths of the Cold War, retired British intelligence officer George Smiley is called back to uncover a Soviet mole buried deep within the highest ranks of MI6. Smiley must outwit an enemy hiding in plain sight as he navigates a treacherous world of half-truths, betrayal, and old loyalties. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a subtle, cereb…

1
The Power of Fire and Memory with Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille

2M ago

—

The Power of Fire and Memory with Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille Episode highlight In this episode, Lisa Shepherd and Paul Courtoreille share personal memories and cultural insights into fire’s role within Métis traditions. From childhood experiences to modern applications, they discuss fire's ability to connect communities, heal the land, and…

1
8.1 Atharva Pandit: On Fictionalising Crime Without Compromising Truth 40:53

2M ago40:53

40:53

Tara talks to journalist and debut author Atharva Pandit, whose novel Hurda is inspired by a real-life case that briefly made headlines in 2013, and then vanished. What begins as a mystery about three missing girls from a village in Maharashtra becomes a statement on what gets remembered and what gets buried. Atharva shares how a two-page newspaper…

1
Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns 1:12:47

2M ago1:12:47

1:12:47

After Maddy Montgomery is left at the altar by her Fiance, M.D., she learns she's inherited her aunt's bakery and decides to start anew in Small Town, Michigan. But not even a week after her move, Maddy finds herself the prime suspect in a real-life murder. Will our designer-label-loving heroine solve the case before her Gucci goose is cooked? Let'…

1
Survivorship into Thrivorship with Ryan Reed

2M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity Survivorship into Thrivorship with Ryan Reed Episode highlight In this episode, Ryan Reed talks about how the younger generations are leading the way into the future with a move away…

1
Angela Carter — The Bloody Chamber 31:18

2M ago31:18

31:18

Send us a text Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Not the heroines from Angela Carter’s 1979 short story collection The Bloody Chamber. The British author tackles dark, primal themes in her spin on classic fables and fairy tales, urging women to eschew victimhood, reclaim their power and bite back! Join us as we dive into this enchanted world of blo…

1
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams 50:28

3M ago50:28

50:28

Careless People is a riveting exposé that uncovers how ambition and entitlement at the highest levels of power can erode truth, ethics, and democracy itself. Through gripping storytelling, Sarah Wynn-Williams delivers a chilling reminder of what's lost when idealism gives way to unchecked greed. Let's get LIT! Links & Resources: Grab your Digital R…

1
Indigenous Wisdom in Climate Care with Rachael Cavanagh and Melinda Adams

3M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity Indigenous Wisdom in Climate Care with Rachael Cavanagh and Melinda Adams Episode highlight In this episode, Rachael Cavanagh and Melinda Adams talk about the role of Indigenous fire…

1
Accomplices: Special Episode with Alex Zahara

3M ago

—

Accomplices: Special Episode with Alex Zahara Episode highlight In this episode, Alex Zahara talks about how a non-Indigenous person can be a good ally and accomplice to Indigenous peoples in Canada. Resources Alex Zahara UR Pride Center Case Accomplices Not Allies: Abolishing the Ally Industrial Complex Pollution is Colonialism Mohawk Interruptus …

1
The Violin Conspiracy: A Novel by Brendan Slocumb 1:17:17

3M ago1:17:17

1:17:17

When someone steals a Black classical violinist's priceless family heirloom on the eve of the most important competition of his career, he must unravel a web of greed, racism, and long-buried secrets to reclaim his rightful legacy. The Violin Conspiracy is a gripping mystery that explores the power of music, resilience, and the fight for justice in…

1
Lucy Irvine — Castaway with Francesca Segal 36:57

3M ago36:57

36:57

Send us a text When Lucy Irvine answered a classified ad to play Girl Friday to a real-life Robinson Crusoe on a remote tropical island, she embarked on an enthralling—and at times harrowing—year-long adventure. The result was her bestselling 1983 memoir, Castaway, a beautifully-written tale of survival. We’re diving into Irvine’s unforgettable sto…

1
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Part 2) 23:57

3M ago23:57

23:57

To hear this episode in full, subscribe to LIT Society on Patreon. We begin this week's episode with a tour of hidden and secret libraries worldwide (2:00). Then, let's continue with the conclusion of The Shadow of the Wind (10:45). Daniel unravels the tragic end of Julián Carax, uncovers a heartbreaking love story buried beneath layers of deceptio…

1
Existence Is Resistance with Tiffany Joseph

3M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity Existence Is Resistance with Tiffany Joseph Episode highlight In this episode, Tiffany Joseph talks about native Indigenous plants and their ability to heal the ecosystem. Resources …

1
Healing Modalities: Part 1 - Bio Tuning & Meditation 20:52

3M ago20:52

20:52

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome to Light Work, a space where two sisters on the path of healing explore powerful and transformative healing modalities. This week's episode is the start of our multi-part series on Healing Modalities. Through sharing our personal experiences and insight…

1
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (Part 1) 1:26:35

3M ago1:26:35

1:26:35

In post-war Barcelona, a young boy named Daniel discovers a mysterious novel, The Shadow of the Wind, only to learn that someone has been systematically destroying every copy of the author's works. As he delves into the book's secrets, Daniel becomes entangled in a dark, decades-old mystery of love, betrayal, and revenge that mirrors the story with…

1
The Social Dynamics of Fire Management with Vanessa Luna-Celino

3M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity The Social Dynamics of Fire Management with Vanessa Luna-Celino Episode highlight In this episode, Vanessa Luna-Celino talks about how community-based fire management is the way to s…

1
Margery Kempe and Julian of Norwich — Religious Mystics with Victoria MacKenzie 47:16

3M ago47:16

47:16

Send us a text Religious mystics Margery of Kempe and Julian of Norwich lived in close proximity to one another in time and place, yet the lives of these two medieval women couldn’t have been more different. One traveled the world in relentless pursuit of spiritual validation, while the other withdrew into a walled cell. One boldly proclaimed her v…

1
We Are Fire People with Jessica Angel

4M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity We Are Fire People with Jessica Angel Episode highlight In this podcast, Jessica Angel talks to Amy Cardinal Christianson and Vikki Preston about being an Indigenous trans woman brin…

1
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer 37:41

4M ago37:41

37:41

This is a Patreon Member Exclusive Episode (PMEE), meaning you must be a paid member of our Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/litsocietypod) to hear the entire episode. Today's book is about a death doula who attends death cafes to avoid pragmatically taking hold of her own life. If you have no idea what a death doula or a death cafe is, listen on…

1
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair (Season 6 Premiere) 1:15:50

4M ago1:15:50

1:15:50

Hey there, Team LITeratti and welcome to SEASON SIX of LIT Society!!! ("noises of celebration") We're so happy to be back with you and discussing AMAZING books and stories. We begin this episode by catching up and letting you all know what we've been doing with our time away (00:00). Then we discuss "Who is Haile Selassie?"—our theme of the week (0…

1
Healing Trauma Through Burning with Vikki Preston and Monique Wynecoop

4M ago

—

Good Fire Podcast by Amy Cardinal Christianson and Matthew Kristoff Stories of Indigenous fire stewardship, cultural and social empowerment and environmental integrity Healing Trauma Through Burning with Vikki Preston and Monique Wynecoop Episode highlight In this podcast, Vikki and Monique talk about the role of Indigenous women in fire and the pa…

1
Frances Wright — A Few Days in Athens with Tristra Yeager and Eleanor Rust 41:16

4M ago41:16

41:16

Send us a text How do you engage with others in a polarized society? Early 19-century writer and freethinker Frances “Fanny” Wright offers an ostensible how-to manual in the witty didactic novel she penned at age 19, A Few Days in Athens. Wright’s radical ideas garnered her the praise of Thomas Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette and Walt Whitman, …

1
Katharine S. White — Shaping The New Yorker, with Amy Reading 47:46

4M ago47:46

47:46

Send us a text One hundred years ago this week, The New Yorker published its first issue. A few months later, the magazine’s first (and for decades, only) female editor joined the staff. Katharine S. White spent the better part of the next 50 years wielding her pen and her editorial influence there, carefully tending to an ever-growing stable of ta…

1
Light Work: The New Us 16:35

5M ago16:35

16:35

If this episode is resonating with you, send us a message - we’d love to hear from you 🤍 Welcome back to you - and to us! We're returning to our regularly scheduled podcasting (sort of) and we're so excited to take you along on our amazing journey of exploring different healing modalities and ways to bring lightness, and Light Work, into all of our…

1
Literary Jewelry with Leigh Batnick Plessner 38:05

5M ago38:05

38:05

Send us a text January was dismal, but we’re distracting ourselves with something shiny in this first new full-length episode of the year. Catbird Chief Creative Officer Leigh Batnick Plessner joins us to explore three works by women writers, each of whom used jewelry as a powerful storytelling device. Louise de Vilmorin, Maria Edgeworth and Doroth…

1
Margaret Oliphant — Hester with Perri Klass 45:00

5M ago45:00

45:00

Send us a text If you’re drawn to the hefty tomes of Victorian authors Anthony Trollope and George Eliot, we can pretty much guarantee you’ll enjoy this week’s novel, Hester, as much as we did. Margaret Oliphant is said to have been one of Queen Victoria’s favorite novelists, and she counted J.M. Barrie and Robert Louis Stevenson among her many fan…

1
Hiatus Replay: Ukrainian Poet Lesya Ukrainka’s The Forest Song 16:25

6M ago16:25

16:25

Send us a text In this week's hiatus replay, we’re focusing on one of Ukraine’s best-known poets and playwrights, Laryssa Kosach, who wrote under the pen name Lesya Ukrainka. Her play The Forest Song is a masterpiece of Ukrainian drama. Discussed in this episode: The Forest Song by Lesya Ukrainka Looking for Trouble by Virginia Cowles Lost Ladies o…

1
Learning Fire with Charity Battise

6M ago

—

We’re Back! Good Fire Season 3 is officially coming your way! This is a short teaser episode to let you all now we have finally finished recording. Charity Battise is a young Indigenous Fire Steward learning their craft. Amy and Charity met at the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network Event and they talked about Charity’s work with her Nation. Charity…

1
Alba de Céspedes — Forbidden Notebook with Joy Castro 49:02

6M ago49:02

49:02

Send us a text Novelist and university professor Joy Castro returns to the show to discuss the 1952 novel Forbidden Notebook by Cuban-Italian writer Alba de Cespedes. In a New York Times review of a 1958 English edition of this novel, de Céspedes was called “one of the few distinguished women writers since Colette to grapple effectively with what i…

1
7.16 Ministhy S & Arunava Sinha: Leaping Out Of A Page - Translation is More Than Putting Pen to Paper 1:04:14

6M ago1:04:14

1:04:14

Ever wondered how translators breathe life into stories across languages? Or what it takes to bring the essence of one culture into another? In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle unravel the secrets of literary translation with two of India’s finest: Arunava Sinha, who has translated over 80 masterpieces, and Ministhy S., known for…

1
7.15 Anisha Lalvani: Love, Crime, and Coming of Age in Noida 50:15

7M ago50:15

50:15

Curious about how contemporary fiction explores women's sexuality, family, and the messy transition into adulthood? In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle sit down with Anisha Lalvani to discuss her debut novel, Girls Who Stray, a coming-of-age story set in Noida. The novel follows A, a 23-year-old literature graduate, as she naviga…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Lit Lisa Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide