From gladiators to babies to dogs to basketball--this quick talk touches on a LOT. All in the context of everyday gestures! Listen in to find out the best way to position yourself on a zoom call, how gestures actually make you smarter and why you should NEVER sit on your hands.

Few stories are so ingrained in our collective unconscious. But do you know how it was published? the many ways it has shaped the way we celebrate? why it has endured so masterfully and spawned so many adaptations? Listen in to either get into the holiday spirit, or to really engage your inner Scrooge!

This is a whole new thing! It's only 13 minutes! Thirteen being plenty of minutes for a deep dive into the MOST INSANE EXPERIENCE I had recently with English vocabulary. Listen in! You will be SHOOK.

I keep wanting wintery books/shows/crafts/projects that aren't too silly or saccharine. This absolutely fits that bill. And it's a complete MASTERPIECE. It might be brief but there is sooooo much to talk about. You'll come away feeling just a little bit smarter, and way winterier.

Whether you've never read her or Christie is your favorite, I like to think this'll be eye opening. You'll learn why the "queen of crime" is exceptional and why it's no surprise that she's the best-selling writer OF ALL TIME (except Shakespeare and the Bible...). It might not be quite midwinter but conjure up a little seasonal ambience with Christie's smart, charming, wintery tale.

I do not know why, but I picked up this beauty of a book a couple of times and put it down. WOW am I glad I finally read it. This novel is feels subtle, brief and--at the same time--enormous. There is so much grist for our mill! Listen in to be sure you don't miss out on those poignant depths.

When a novella tells you in the jacket copy that twenty sailors went swimming and twenty-one came back, you know you're in for some mystery. But that's obviously not ALL the mystery. I'm still not sure I have all the answers but wow was it fun to look for them. Including digressions about Dr. Seuss, iambic pentameter and so much more!

I re-read Hamnet because of the MOVIE adaptation, but was SHOOK by how deftly O'Farrell surmounts the MANY pitfalls of historical fiction. We dive deep into: why her vision of the era is so vivid; how Shakespeare is everywhere but also nowhere; how this is a feminist novel; and all the ways the prose transports, affects and inspires the reader. Seriously, treat yourself now.

NO READING REQUIRED! Kimberly explains why FRANKENSTEIN is more relevant than ever. Treat yourself to discussion of: Mary Shelley's insanely colorful life, elements of the gothic novel, what makes the prose so timeless, Percy Bysshe Shelley's role--and why we all need to hear the classic novel's CAUTIONARY TALE.

You might think of CARRIE is just SCARY , but narrative stance, sophisticated structure, use of motif and "scientific evidence" are all integral in making it so good. Treat yourself .

Ditlevsen's three-volume memoir has made a huge impression on American readers. When I found it slightly underwhelming, I wondered if I would appreciate the work more fully if I knew her FICTION. She's hugely critically acclaimed in her native Denmark. She's written 29 books. A look at one very short story will shift your perspective, leaving you with a much deeper appreciation of this literary icon.

Weirdly, amazon added the subtitle "A Detective Mystery" to Small Mercies. When one of the best things about this book is that it's NOT a detective at the center. You all know this genre isn't my usual fare, but Lehane's historical focus, together with his excellent prose, and dialogue (plus plot, duh) made this so satisfying to dive into.

Didion is never afraid to stare down the most troubling parts of our country--incisively and boldly. Which somehow always makes me feel better?? Herein I argue for the importance of this seminal work, I touch on Didion’s biography ,then dig into why her engaging, dark, entirely inimitable prose deserves its iconic status. (parts 2 and 3 below)

Whether you've loved Mrs. Dalloway forever or Woolf is new to you, there's nothing more satisfying than thinking about this book for 45 minutes. We do a quick bio, a little chunk on modernism then a deep dive into the SEXY parts of the book. Indulge now and come away a little smarter.

People. Raymond Carver's short fiction is so good it's known bringing the short story into its American heyday in the 1980s. Listen in to analysis of the content and the STYLE that makes Carver entirely inimitable and so compelling. Honestly, I dare you to read only one of his stories then skedaddle back here. I'm not sure it's possible to read just one,

Even if HUCK FINN is your favorite ever, you have to admit that what Everett has done is amazing. Listen in for all the nuance you need about HUCK (without spending days [re]reading Twain). Kimberly shares not only why JAMES is an insanely great revisioning of the 1884 adventure story--but why Everett's crucial text is hilarious, unique and JUST SO GOOD.

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 conventions. For a new appreciation of this excellent art form, tune in now.

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 footnotes. She does acknowledge that this is NO FEMINIST TREATISE. But she also understands that the book knows its audience and even succeeds with someone who's really NOT the intended reader. And maybe most importantly Simmons reveals, in these pages, THE SECRET. One that has the potential (does it???) to change Kimberly's life. Listen in to find out how!

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 deep dive is some of her very best analysis. Tove Jansson is TOO GOOD to warrant anything less.