We've seen plenty of dystopian futures...how about a utopian one? Terry Bisson's 1988, "Fire on the Mountain" explores an alternate timeline where Harriet Tubman was able to join John Brown at the Harper's Ferry raid, and with her tactical skill the raiders made it out and went on to start a nation-wide slave rebellion. How did history go differently? Listen on to find out! We talk about Bisson's own relationship to radical politics (including guerilla fighters!), and the liberatory possibilitie...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 47 min
Let's read a problematic gay fantasy novel!!! Author Lee Mandelo (Summer Sons, The Woods All Black, Feed Them Silence) and 5 time returning guest, writer, and podcaster, Aysha U. Farah (Life is Strange: Double Exposure, The Sky Left Us, All My Maidens Podcast) join us to discuss "Mélusine," a fantasy novel from 2005 by Sarah Monette (also known as Katherine Addison). We discuss the puritanical limitations put upon queer art, effective representation of abuse and trauma, and the myth of the perfe...
Jul 08, 2025•2 hr 17 min
Today, a gorilla will set us straight. This week we're covering "Ishmael," a 1992 philosophical dialogue between a man and a gorilla, written by Daniel Quinn. We are joined by Jen Big Nasty, host of the podcast, "How the Red Was Won" to figure out just what this huge, hairy cousin of humanity has to teach us about life. We go deep into environmentalism, anthropocentrism, and humanity's place in the universe. Go check out How The Red Was Won! Follow How The Red Was Won on Instagram! Music by Solo...
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 54 min
Folks, we're not immune to the Andor hype! This week, we decided to return to the world of Star Wars to cover what can be seen as loosely as an Andor tie-in novel, Alex Freed's 2025 Star Wars novel "Reign of the Empire, the Mask of Fear". We are joined by Manuclearbomb of NotACast and My Brother, My Captain, My Podcast to unpack the rise of fascism in the Star Wars universe, examine the useful (and not-so-useful) manners of resisting it, and talk about how little it matters if Palpatine is actua...
Jun 24, 2025•2 hr 2 min
We did it, Shelfers. 100 EPISODES OF THE SOCIALIST SHELF!! To honor this beautiful occasion we answer some questions from you, our glorious listeners, and then get into perhaps the our most complex work of literature to date, Gary Larson's 1982 comic, "Cow Tools." If you're not familiar with Cow Tools, take a quick look at it now. Stay tuned during the outro to hear the kind of thing we have to edit out to make this show coherent. We sincerely thank all listeners for joining us on this journey s...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 29 min
Don't worry, we're still a literature podcast, but we wanted to have our friends Jason and Ankita from Resistance Cinema ATL on the show to talk about their collective and the role of film (and art more generally) in revolutionary movements. We've got a handful of links here, so bear with us (and click on all of them you know you want to). Pre-order Jacob's book now! Follow Resistance Cinema ATL here! Check out Ankita's show, The Desi Gaze here! Check out Jason's show, Cold War Cinema here! Musi...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 17 min
STOP COP CITY! We are honored to be joined by Mariah Parker, editor and writer for the new collection, "No Cop City, No Cop World," a history, recounting, and analysis of the battle around the "Cop City" project in Atlanta's Weelaunee forest that led to global attention, severe local unrest, capitalist panic, and the state murder of a peaceful protester. This interview is great, but it's no substitute for reading the book yourself. Get the book here! Click here to donate to the Free Speech Fores...
Jun 03, 2025•58 min
Our 100th episode is coming up! If you’ve got any questions, comments, or wisecracks to share with the Shelfers, send them our way at “[email protected]” We want to hear from you! Now for the episode: So, these guys Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein wrote a book about a new liberalism...a liberalism that builds. Everybody in the Democratic party seems really impressed by it, so we had to see what it was all about. "Abundance" does not hold up. In this episode we explore the imaginative lim...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 31 min
Step one: you're going to want to buy this book. Fortunately you can buy it here! The Shelfers welcome Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief on Current Affairs and co-author with Noam Chomsky of the book, "The Myth of American Idealism: How U.S. Foreign Policy Endangers the World". We know the U.S. foreign policy is destructive, but just how destructive? What is the future of the U.S. empire? How does Donald Trump's brand of imperialism differ from the "respectable" foreign policy of the past? How...
May 12, 2025•57 min
In the grim darkness of the far future, Jacob has been banished to a desolate realm that knows naught but darkness and depravity, only inhabitable by the twisted creatures of the warp: Italy. In his stead, join Lenore and our tireless, intrepid editor with creative control over the episode caption, Ryan, as they dive into the Black Library with Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath and universe of Warhammer 40,000. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart )...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 50 min
Remember when bumbling Neville knocked over all the time turners? Wasn't that funny and quaint? That should have been the end of it, but all you bothersome Harry Potter fans who made the author unfathomably rich kept asking her about them. So guess what, Cedric's a fascist now. So there. Join us as AJ from the Worst of All Possible Worlds (and of Puff fame, the much better wizard-themed play) helps us break down the Cursed Child, the bizarre stage play following the time-traveling adventures of ...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 47 min
We take a break from our series on the wizarding world to talk about a book that definitely has no dementors in it: The City & The City by China Miéville. We are honored to be joined by Breht O'Shea of the RevLeft Radio and Red Menace podcasts to discuss this work of political fiction about what would happen if you lived in a city where it would be a crime to mention the other city built directly next to it. If you have not already, please check out Breht's fantastic library of work on all t...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 27 min
It's Part 2 of our Harry Potter series. Are we having fun yet? This week the Shelfers are joined by returning guest and brilliant web-comic creator, Max Graves, in discussing J.K. Rowling's 2003 fantasy novel, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" as well as the second half of the series, including its YA turn. Rowling's finally getting POLITICAL! We have thoughts. Read Max's comic, "What Happens Next," here! Check out Max's Patreon here Follow Max on Bluesky here Music by Solo Monk (@Solo...
Apr 15, 2025•2 hr 2 min
The Rowling miniseries begins. The Shelfers and honorary Shelfer, Aysha U. Farah, hop on our broomsticks and zoom into the impossibly big world of Harry Potter, and whatever now-notorious bigot J.K. Rowling's whole deal is (Our working theory is that once you cross $100 million in net worth, no matter what you were like before, you lose your mind.) In this episode, we talk Rowling's origins, the early days of the books, the conservative backlash to Harry Potter, and whether Harry and Draco are i...
Apr 02, 2025•2 hr 7 min
Thar she blows! This week, the shelfers unpack The Great American Novel: Herman Melville's 1851 epic, "Moby Dick." Joining us is Isaac Boa, a writer, educator, and revolutionary organizer. Together, we're going to solve just what's going on with this whole whale situation. You can find Isaac's writing here. You can join the PSL Action Network Here. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart ,) episode art is our first fan art poster!! Shout...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 46 min
Octavia Butler Round 3 The Shelfers finish the Parable Duology and the hazardous life of Lauren Oya Olamina in Octavia Butler's 1998 masterpiece, "Parable of the Talents." This book is an absolutely brilliant analysis of fascism and the powerful organizing that can arise in the face of it. Octavia is the best to ever do it. What else can we say? CW: There is some discussion of sexual violence committed by the fascist forces in this book. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, http...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 30 min
This is a bully good episode (am I using that term properly?) This week, the shelfers check out S.M. Stirling's 2018 alternative history WWI novel, "Black Chamber." The premise? Teddy Roosevelt gets a third term as president, and this time he's Bernie Sanders in a cowboy hat. We didn't dig this one. Jacob REALLY didn't dig this one. If you're here, you should check out our website! Lenore's got a new essay up on The Shelf about S.M. Stirling, so read that here. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 o...
Mar 12, 2025•2 hr 1 min
Have you ever considered that when a nuclear war happens your grandparents will die and it'll be really sad? No? Well this book is gonna make you consider that. This week, the Shelfers take on Raymond Briggs' 1982 graphic novel, "When the Wind Blows," an upsetting little tale about an old couple facing the apocalypse. We are joined by veteran of our Sonic episode and artist behind the Socialist Shelf pod art, Tay, AKA Foxy Macchiato. Check out Tay's art, YouTube, and other content here! Music by...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 15 min
What if the treasure was the friends we made along the way but also was very literally a whole lot of treasure? Join us as we travel to 1988 to discuss Paulo Coelho's global phenomenon of a novel, "The Alchemist." We are joined by Kennedy Cooper, host of the podcasts, "The Worst Week Yet" and "The Most Important Election of our Lives." We haven't been able to confirm whether or not they are a real life alchemist, but we have our suspicions... What is it about this book that drove people so wild?...
Feb 25, 2025•1 hr 43 min
Our new website is live! Check out socialistshelf.com for all your Socialist Shelf needs. Today we enter the very gay, very violent, and very authoritarian mind of Yukio Mishima, aka the worst coup-plotter of all time, as we discuss his 1949 work, "Confessions of a Mask." This novel is harrowing at times, ridiculous at others. Absolutely relatable to anyone with closet experience in one moment, and the next he's talking like a return to tradition adult Catholic convert guy with a Greek statue pr...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 50 min
Have you ever thought, "Hey, why can't I have a guy strapped to my wall that will basically serve as a living large language model for me and my bored guests?" No? Well, we talk a lot about that concept anyway. This is our discussion of "Liberation Day," a 2022 short story collection from George Saunders. Joining us is confirmed genius, Tom from the Anime Sickos podcast. He likes Saunders, and now so do we. You'll find out why. Themes in this episode: being obviously trapped but not knowing it, ...
Feb 11, 2025•2 hr 2 min
It's time to talk about the quintessential vampire novel, Bram Stoker 1897 gothic horror, "Dracula." *Scary music plays, lightning flashes, we look very cool in an old castle* The Shelfers are joined by Scoob, Bluesky Elder, vampire expert, and longtime follower of the Count. Learn how Bram Stoker was the Forrest Gump of late 19th century literature as he stumbled his way through a prolific but disappointing career that exploded following his death. We ask such questions as...Is Dracula gay? (Ye...
Feb 04, 2025•2 hr 23 min
It's been a minute, but it's time for another famous Socialist Shelf interview!! We're delighted to feature Andy Boyd, a brilliant playwright and artist to talk about her play, "Occupy Prescott," a funny and thoughtful show about an Occupy Wall Street encampment in the much-smaller-than-Wall-Street Courthouse Square of Prescott Arizona. Purchase "Occupy Prescott" here! Get Andy's other show, "The Trade Federation or Let's Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels" here! Music by Solo ...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 32 min
We walk. And walk. And waaaalk. Welcome to the twisted mind of Stephen King, AKA Richard Bachman, and his 1979 dystopian horror, "The Long Walk." What if America was bad? Like...even more bad. What if we had young men play sports that killed them...like killed them even more than the ones they do now. The Shelfers investigate. Fascism. Masculinity. Sexuality. Repetitive Writing. We get into it all. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart ,) episod...
Jan 21, 2025•2 hr 6 min
It's a year in review episode but also we do a short story because that's what we doooo, baby. It's been a great year for the show (and in basically no other way). We celebrate it in this episode by the giving of dubious gifts, reflecting on our favorite episodes of the year, and being slightly disrespectful to Jimmy Carter. We also discuss Ted Chiang’s 2001 short story, "Hell is the Absence of God." We get sad and philosophical about it. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://w...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 52 min
It's not just a poem, it an EPIC poem. This week, the Shelfers take on Harry Martinson's 1956 Swedish, sci-fi epic, "Aniara." Joining them is Max Johansson, who will be considered our pod's official Sweden expert from here on out. Proletarian literature, running away from your problems, existential despair, quibbling over translations, nuclear apocalypse!!! This one's got it all. Want more of Max? Well, you'll need to speak Swedish, but if you do, go and check out his podcast, Brodrafolkens! You...
Dec 31, 2024•2 hr 15 min
Let's get into the savage heart of the American dream, shall we? Join us as we visit Hunter S. Thompson's pocket dimension version of Las Vegas in his 1971 work of gonzo journalism, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Hear us praise the writing, be moved by the characters, and get really pissed at the author. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart ,) episode art self is my proposed new cover for the novel...
Dec 26, 2024•2 hr 7 min
Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here. Worst of All Possible Worlds’ Josh Boerman, veteran of both the Socialist Shelf and the battle every young man must face, join us as we take on the villainous Arterburn M Stephen and the downright freaky Fred Stoeker’s 2002, sexual purity self-help book, “Every Young Man’s Battle” If you’ve ever wanted to face the intersection of evangelical sexual oppression and the New Right down while laughing about sumo wrestlers and stallions, this is your episode. Discla...
Dec 17, 2024•3 hr 8 min
Title: "Luke Castellan and the Heroic Kronosian People's Front's Noble and Correct War Against the Poseidonist Running Dog Known as Percy JacKKK$on and the Imperialist, Westernist Pigs at KKKamp Halfblood, Including the Reactionary and Hyper-Consumptivist Diony$u$ and the Liberal Moralist Annabeth Cha$e, Who Represent Scant Resistance to the Titanic Proletarian-Peasant-Monster Aligned Forces of the People's Army of Tartarus." Today the Shelfers are discussing the 2005 novel, "Percy Jackson and t...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 56 min
We went and ended the whole world this time. This week, the Shelfers unleash the powers of the Evil Earth with N.K. Jemisin 2015 fantasy hit, "The Fifth Season." We talk discrimination against earthbenders, repressed sexuality, and second-person narratives. Not necessarily in that order. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart ,) episode art is my take on a fault line.
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 55 min
