Hot and Bothered Podcast
Have you taken one of Prof. Rysavy’s literature classes, and you’re hungry for more details about Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, or early 19th-century literature in general? Then get thee to your favorite podcast app and download the Hot and Bothered podcast. In season three, “On Eyre,” hosts Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler go chapter by chapter through Bronte’s Jane Eyre, ending each episode with an expert scholar who takes them through a particular element or nuance from the book, like madness in the 19th century or the Victorian “science” of phrenology (reading someone’s personality through the bumps on their skull). Season four, “Live from Pemberley,” does the same thing with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Each episode is a literary nerd’s delight.
If you’re one of the poor, lost souls who doesn’t read Austen or Bronte (thoughts and prayers), you might enjoy season two, “Twilight in Quarantine,” in which Vanessa is joined by Julia Argy to break down the entire Twilight book series by Stephenie Meyer. And seasons one and five are dedicated to the romance genre: season one doles out advice on writing romance, and season five (currently in progress) features Vanessa with Hannah McGregor talking about a different romantic-comedy film every episode.
—Tracy Fernandez Rysavy, Driftwood Advisor