Advertise on podcast: Reads and Weeds

My discussion with Jennifer Horne about 'Girl on Girl' would probably still be going on if there were no time constraints. Taking an academic look at the way females are presented, harassed, mocked, chased, shamed, and financially wrung out by the media for the last 40 years is an EYE OPENER. It is good to be aware. Have you read it? Were there any surprises. Chime in!

You can probably tell by the title that there is a LOT to unpack and FEEL in the reading of this one. We just jumped into it and talked for two hours, so I split it into two episodes. I just kept thinking 'NO WONDER'........(no wonder we feel like this....no wonder connecting is so hard....no wonder it is hard to know and say what you want). Tell me what it brings up for you. Next half coming out soon.

Just reintroducing myself to listeners all over.

Shelly and Claire recorded this one live at the Independent Comedy Club in Hamtramck Michigan during the Detroit Women of Comedy Festival. Thanks Brett. Thanks Erin from Love and Other Books for the recommendation. I would love to do a follow up on this one because there was soooooo much to unpack. I can't wait to hear what this read brought up for y'all.

In this episode, we are back with Ypsilanti's own Nathan Corliss with a live read through of his newest play 'The Cult of Dad'. No stranger to the podcast, playwright/actor/educator Nathan Corliss has debuted other original work on this show including a full reading of his play Three Sinners in 2021. What if Ted Mosby of How I Met your Mother was portrayed as delusional instead of a good guy trying his best? And what if instead of fate leading him to true love, it led him to inherit his dad’s cult? That’s the seed of this play, which is still a work in progress. Tune in to hear Nathan and the assembled readers work out a possible ending to this unfinished work.

Shelly is with besties Linette DeSano and Hillary Youd at the kitchen table where so much of the fun of life happens to discuss 'Human History on Drugs' by Sam Kelly. History makes a lot more sense when you understand the drugs involved-for better or worse.

I recently attended a screening of this 2025 documentary about book banning efforts and the librarians on the front lines. I love books.....obviously. I love librarians. I have a bestie who is a librarian. Libraries are nurturing communities. Go watch this documentary. Host a party. Invite friends. Hug a librarian. They are fighting for your right to learn. Book banning seems so archaic and certainly fear based......but here we are again. Let me know what you think. Also, we are of course wanting to do episodes on as many of the 850 books on the list as we can. What are your favorites?

Happy New Year. Claire and Shelly catch up on books, rant about AI and give 2025 a TALKIN TO!!! We smoked Mafia Funeral. And something about butt breathing.

Michigan comedian Nicole Melynk and I talk about her favorite book series, how art imitates life, the current comedy scene, and winter. Right after this we recorded her podcast 'What's your favorite dinosaur?' so go listen to that also.

Author, editor and now PUBLISHER of Concentrate Media Patrick Dunn, is back with me to talk about White Noise, his second mini 'graphic nightmare'. Ever had trouble sleeping because you can't calm your mind? We get it. Listen to Patrick's podcast 'EHMON' (Every Horror Movie on Netflix) and grab one of these little books at https://graphicnightmares.art/

I talk with Steve about scripture, how we have come to understand it, and how cannabis shifts that perspective. It's a beautiful late summer day. I feel so lucky to have conversations like this and to learn with friends. Pure pleasure. I found my Bible. Shout out to our whole comedy scene.

I hope I didn't ruin Tommy's favorite book from childhood, but we had to get to the bottom of the messaging of 'Theodore Mouse Goes to Sea'. He's a cutie and has a bird friend. Cori's dogs were good the whole time.

Ken Wachsberger is back with Thumbs Up: Memoir of a Joyful Organizer, Ken’s stories of the joyful life he has built as a writer and activist. Initially motivated in the Nixon years as a pioneer of the antiwar underground press, Ken's passion for telling the stories no one else was telling shaped his next five decades. While building his family with his dear Emily and working every job from vegan caterer to writing coach, he was also building a community to advocate for improvements in his first neighborhood, supporting the court cases of abused women accused of murder, creating the first bargaining unit in Michigan for adjunct faculty, and, most recently, helping establish his temple as a sanctuary in support of immigrants. He finds himself involved with so many national events, we joked he had a Forrest Gump thing going. The book launches July 14 with a launch party at Third Mind Books in Ann Arbor at 7pm! Available at https://books2read.com/ThumbsUpMemoir.

Claire and I were so honored and excited when Heather Jay reached out with an early draft of her new book and asked us for specific feedback. Oh boy! Honest specific feedback is so hard to get when your friends love you. Haha. Heather also wrote the screenplay for the upcoming movie so we talked about process, pace, reveals, characterization, and what you learn by studying LOTS of best sellers. My equipment is still gone so YES it was recorded on an iphone in the middle of the table. Enjoy.

Lisa Green, first timer on the show(!) and Masters Degree recipient(!woohoo!)recommended this book of wonderful short stories in all different formats and it was such a great read at this moment when my mind was drifting towards way too serious. If you love the humor and weird of BoJack Horseman, you will devour these stories.