Workers' Lit

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 the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," the first installment in Rick Riordan's YA Fantasy series that started as a bedtime story and became a mega-franchise. To be honest, the politics in this one are pretty limited. Jacob just really likes this book. We still think it's a good episode though! Oh yeah, apologies on the audio. We recorded in Lenore's basement and apparently her AC is counter-revolutionary. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is from the graphic novel but Lenore is a sword.

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.

It's time to do some serious 3D Printing. The Shelfers are joined by comic artist and internet expert, Max Graves, to discuss Cory Doctorow's 2009, near-future sci-fi, "Makers." Together, we discuss what Doctorow got really right, what he got really wrong, and a bunch of stuff that's just plain confusing. Do you like cheap plastic? Fad diets? Disney World mercenaries? I hope not, because we go hard against these things. You can and should check out Max's phenomenal webcomic, "What Happens Next" here. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art from "Makers" cover (mildly tweaked.)

The epic saga comes to a close... This week we finish our Tolkien series with Return of the King...but the king's not the only one returning! Alongside us is the triple-guest, Aysha U. Farah! We're talking elves, we're talking gollums, we're talking sad homecomings and magic swords. You already knowwww! You can find Aysha's work at her website, here: https://www.ayshaufarah.com/, or follow her on Twitter or Bluesky at @ayshaufarah. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art from the ROTK's cover.

No, it doesn't make sense that we did an episode on the Sonic Archie Comics...but it'll be fine. We had fun. To get into the wild world of Sonic comics, we bring on Wiispywitch, AKA Tay, AKA creator of the iconic (to us) Socialist Shelf art. Between her passion, Ryan's expertise, and the shadow of "The President is Missing" hounding everything we do, this is a fun one. Check out Wiispywitch's art and other projects here. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is from the comics with slight edits. Please don't sue us, Ken.

It's time to jump off a cliff, seduce a troll, and get turned into a button. This week, we're talking about Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play, "Peer Gynt," an absolutely crazy ride of folklore, modernity's encroachment on tradition, good music, and Sphinxes with Berlin accents. Brian Alford of "the Worst of All Possible Worlds" joins us to discuss this foundational piece of literature...but can any of us escape the terror of the Boyg? Check out The Worst of All Possible Worlds! wherever you get your podcasts, and follow Brian on Insta @uninterestingbrian and on twitter @spocksbrian Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is us on a deer and we fell and that's why our clothes are dirty.

Remember James Comey, the FBI Director who infuriated Democrats by reopening the Hillary Clinton email investigation just before the 2016 election, then became a liberal hero a year or so later because Trump fired him? Well, he wrote a novel. We read it. "Central Park West" is a 2023 crime novel about the mafia, being a good mom, and using the full might of the U.S. government to crush your enemies. We get into its cliche-but-tolerable plot, and the terrifying implications that lie underneath. Episode art is a perhaps-slightly-tweaked version of the novel's cover. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,)

Part 3 of our Tolkien series is HERE! It's time for Ents, Wizards, Giant Spiders, and Ecological Catastrophe, because we're talking about J.R.R. Tolkien's, "The Two Towers." Is this the most action-packed book of the trilogy? How did C.S. Lewis become a tree? How can we keep mind-control incels out of politics? Are Frodo and Sam gay (no...but actually?) Episode art is a collab between me and Professor Tolkien. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,)

We're in our spooky era. This week, we're talking about Creepypastas, that internet horror phenomenon that was the pride and joy of kids who "just didn't fit in" circa 2011. In particular, we focus on 2001's "Ted the Caver" and 2011's "Jeff the Killer." Lenore is off stuck in a cave or being murdered by a Joker clone somewhere, so we're joined by our friend and expert horror-ologist, Rachel, who is here to keep Ryan and Jacob on the straight and narrow. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is from the original Ted the Caver story (plus a couple bonus Shelfers who happened to join him on his quest.)

Join the shelfers as we enter The Zone and explore a classic work of Soviet sci-fi, the Strugatsky brothers' 1972 novel, "Roadside Picnic." Never heard of it? You may know the film adaptation, Tarkovsky's critically acclaimed 1979 movie, "Stalker." Learn about this book's troubled publication history, hear Jacob get annoyed about thematic pieces not fitting just how he likes them, and ask yourself...why is this book set in Canada? As we mention at the top of the episode, we need your help! The Claudia De la Cruz, Vote Socialist 2024 Campaign is in need of donations of any size. Donate here now! Like our show? Like socialism? Like both? We kindly ask that you donate. Music by Solo Monk (@SoloMonk256 on Twitter, https://www.patreon.com/solomonkart,) episode art is my favorite cover of this book.