<![CDATA[ The CenterForLit Podcast Network]]>https://centerforlit.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VIGG!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F81d5be63-b97f-4569-b181-2c2015f1f2ee_1280x1280.png The CenterForLit Podcast Networkhttps://centerforlit.substack.comSubstackThu, 03 Sep 2026 21:09:28 GMT<![CDATA[AI: "There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-there-will-come-soft-rains-byhttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-there-will-come-soft-rains-byTue, 28 Jul 2026 18:59:21 GMTWell, we didn’t see that coming! In this episode, the crew discusses a lesser known story by the author of Fahrenheit 451, and we end up surprised by where it takes us. Bradbury’s presentation of a post-apocalyptic world decimated by nuclear war delivers an expected elegy for lost civilization, but stops short of condemning technology in the process. In fact, AI’s role in the story invites us to a conversation about the beauty and necessity of art.

]]><![CDATA[AI: I, Robot by Isaac Asimov (1950)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-i-robot-by-isaac-asimov-1950https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-i-robot-by-isaac-asimov-1950Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:57:45 GMTThe Center For Lit crew returns with a brand new season where we tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: artificial intelligence. We quickly discover that the issue is not particularly new; thinkers and writers have been mulling it over for years, and we’ve got some great stories to show for their efforts.

In this episode, we discuss Isaac Asimov’s classic meditation on artificial intelligence and identify the basic questions that will guide us throughout the season. Hold on tight, it’s going to be a great ride!

Become a paid subscriber to access bonus episodes for this season, including discussions of Ready Player One, Prey, and Klara and the Sun!

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[AI: Prey by Michael Crichton (2002)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-prey-by-michael-crichton-2002https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-prey-by-michael-crichton-2002Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:56:52 GMTThe Center For Lit crew gets more or less creeped out by Michael Crichton’s famous imagination, as we discuss a hair-raising meditation on the risk presented by science run amok.

Maybe it wasn’t his best novel, but its dogged focus on eternal issues of hubris, intelligence, and morality make for a great discussion.

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]]><![CDATA[AI: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-ready-player-one-by-ernest-clinehttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-ready-player-one-by-ernest-clineTue, 14 Jul 2026 20:56:18 GMTOur season on artificial intelligence ends with a profound discussion of Ready Player One, Ernest Cline’s love letter to the 1980’s, when the personal computer was just beginning to take over the world.

We love how Cline dramatizes the risks, dangers, and limits of technology in general and AI in particular, while also suggesting that it might actually …

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]]><![CDATA[AI: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-klara-and-the-sun-by-kazuo-ishigurohttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/ai-klara-and-the-sun-by-kazuo-ishiguroTue, 14 Jul 2026 20:55:56 GMTLeave it to Ishiguro to approach the issue from a unique angle. In this masterful novel, he gives us an AI protagonist whose interests and goals quickly become our own, and we take up the novel’s central struggle almost without noticing: what makes me a human being? Is it something inside me, or is it a gift? If the latter, where does it come from?

The C…

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]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 51-55]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-51-55https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-51-55Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:11:17 GMTAt long last, Ian, Megan, and Emily sit down to discuss East of Eden in all of its poignant fullness. We close read Steinbeck’s moving conclusion and use its thematic emphasis to look back over where we’ve come.

How to Eat an Elephant will be taking a hiatus while Megan settles into her new living situation in Edinburgh (!). We hope to be back soon with announcements about what you can expect from the show going forward!

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

The CenterForLit Podcast Network is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 48-50]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-48-50https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-48-50Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:29:50 GMTToday Megan and Emily discuss Cathy’s final escape, then they turn to the climactic Cain and Abel scene and unpack the implications of Cal’s decision to repeat ancient history.

Be sure to join us next week for the big season finale!

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

The CenterForLit Podcast Network is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 44-47]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-44-47https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-44-47Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:13:21 GMTToday the HEE crew talk about our growing admiration for Abra-cadabra, Kate’s human weakness, and the latent resemblances between parents and children. As we approach the end of the story, we begin to make some guesses about Steinbeck’s larger themes.

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 40-43]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-40-43https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-40-43Fri, 15 Aug 2025 03:28:28 GMTToday Ian, Emily, and Megan discuss the cracks in Kate’s armor, Aron’s unbearable purity, Cal’s responsibility-taking, and Lee’s masterful parenting. It’s a breathless race to a conclusion no one can anticipate!

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 37-39]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-37-39https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-37-39Thu, 07 Aug 2025 16:06:27 GMTIn this episode, the HEE team discusses Adam’s business venture and the hope of holding on to dreams. We then turn to Cal’s incredible character development and what it means for the Cain and Abel imagery in the story. Is it possible that the Trask family can be redeemed through generational growth?

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 34-36]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-34-36https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-34-36Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:01:30 GMTIn this episode, Ian, Megan, and Emily weigh Steinbeck’s philosophical musings on the Great Question of life against the “enfleshed” experience of his characters. How much control do Lee, Adam, Cal, and Aron have over their lives? What role do the opinions of other people play in their identity? Do we have the power to change ourselves?

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 31-33]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-31-33https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-31-33Fri, 18 Jul 2025 21:11:56 GMTIn this episode we ride the highest highs and the lowest lows. On the one hand, the HEE team triumphs in Adam’s victory over Cathy. On the other, we mourn the loss of Tom and puzzle over Steinbeck’s view of the world.

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 28-30]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-28-30https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-28-30Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:44:49 GMTAfter a few weeks of traveling hither and yon, HEE is finally back for the summer!

In this episode, Megan and Emily discuss Lee’s backstory and consider the nature of modern art in light of his concept of “dreadful beauty.” They then look at the Trasks’ disturbing inability to confront the truth of their own dark history.

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[All the World's a Stage: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-cat-on-a-hothttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-cat-on-a-hotWed, 04 Jun 2025 20:20:48 GMTIn this episode Emily and Megan sit down to discuss Megan’s favorite play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. However, this is their second recording. Their first conversation became increasingly confusing and frustrating until they realized that Megan was referring to the plot of the 1958 film staring Elizabeth Taylor while Emily was drawing on Tennessee Williams’…

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]]><![CDATA[All the World's a Stage: Creator by Forrester and Andrews]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-creator-byhttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-creator-byTue, 27 May 2025 20:59:19 GMTYou’ve heard of Rodgers and Hammerstein. You’ve heard of Bernstein and Sondheim. But have you heard of Forrester and Andrews?!

In this episode the CenterForLit crew is joined by Adam’s good friend Scott Forrester to talk about Missy’s favorite stage play: Creator.

Creator is one of many musicals on which Adam and Scott have collaborated since their heyday in the theater department at Hillsdale College. It is an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein that explores what might have happened if Victor Frankenstein had given in to the Creature’s request for a bride.

Adam and Scott discuss the joys of artistic collaboration in a way that may inspire your young artists to enjoy their own dramaturgical interests no matter how large their audience!

Be sure to stay tuned until the end to listen to one of the musical numbers from Creator: “There’s a Charm on the Woods.”

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[All the World's a Stage: Rope (1929)]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-rope-1929https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-rope-1929Tue, 20 May 2025 21:06:56 GMTThis week the CenterForLit crew discusses Rope, a play that investigates the real world consequences of dangerous ideas in the vein of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Based on a true story, Rope follows two students who decide to put their professor’s teaching to the test by seeing if they can get away with murder.

In the historical trial which follo…

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]]><![CDATA[East of Eden: Chapters 25-27]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-25-27https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/east-of-eden-chapters-25-27Thu, 15 May 2025 17:07:30 GMTDid this week’s reading make you cheer or cringe? The HEE team discusses the triumph of Adam over Cathy and the unmasking of her true nature, but we also worry over the future of Cal and Aron. At the risk of sounding like fools to those who have already read the whole novel, we spend time hypothesizing about what the second half of the story holds.

What do you think? Is history doomed to repeat itself or will there be a repetition with a difference?

To follow our reading schedule, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.centerforlit.com/hee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

P.S. Are you looking for our seasons on War and Peace or Les Misérables? Previous seasons of HEE are now available to paid Substack subscribers.

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[Changes Coming to the CenterForLit Podcast Network!]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/changes-coming-to-the-centerforlithttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/changes-coming-to-the-centerforlitThu, 15 May 2025 14:02:41 GMTCenterForLit Director Adam Andrews explains what you can expect from the CenterForLit Podcast Network going forward.

In summary:

  • The BiblioFiles archives and previous How to Eat an Elephant seasons will be available to paid Substack subscribers.

  • Our free podcast will feature a slight change of format, focusing on roundtable discussions with the CenterForLit crew on wide ranging topics of literary relevance.

  • Paid subscribers will have full access to all future topical seasons - including our upcoming season on AI.

  • A huge thank you to everyone who has faithfully listened to and supported our shows over the last decade. We are so grateful to you for making our conversations possible!

CenterForLit’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

]]><![CDATA[All the World's a Stage: The Importance of Being Earnest]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-the-importance-4c7https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-the-importance-4c7Tue, 13 May 2025 19:01:05 GMTIn this first bonus episode for our season on theater, we’re talking about Emily’s favorite play: Oscar Wilde’s 1895 classic, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Does this play have any significant thematic weight, or is it just a rollicking good time? What does it mean to be “earnest” according to Wilde, and why is it important?

We discuss the history of Earnest, try to understand how it came from the same man who wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray, and consistently crack ourselves up with our favorite one-liners from the show. We hope you enjoy!

Become a Paid Subscriber to Listen!

]]><![CDATA[All the World's a Stage: The Importance of Being Earnest]]>https://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-the-importancehttps://centerforlit.substack.com/p/all-the-worlds-a-stage-the-importanceTue, 13 May 2025 18:56:12 GMTIn this first bonus episode for our season on theater, we’re talking about Emily’s favorite play: Oscar Wilde’s 1895 classic, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Does this play have any significant thematic weight, or is it just a rollicking good time? What does it mean to be “earnest” according to Wilde, and why is it important?

We discuss the history of …

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