Best Aysha U. Farah Podcasts (2025)

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199 - What Remains of Edith Finch (feat. Lenore and Aysha U. Farah) 31:38

Play Pause

8d ago31:38

31:38

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Aysha U. Farah (All My Maidens) and Lenore (The Socialist Shelf) return to the pod to take the lads on a heartfelt journey of death and birds as they cover Giant Sparrow’s 2017 walking sim megahit: What Remains of Edith Finch. Topics include games about death, the importance of t…

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Gays Shouldn't Shut Up: Mélusine, ft. Aysha U. Farah and Lee Mandelo 2:16:37

23d ago2:16:37

2:16:37

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 …

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200 - Thief II: The Metal Age 3:06:34

19h ago3:06:34

3:06:34

In 1998, Looking Glass Studios released THIEF: THE DARK PROJECT, an unprecedentedly immersive and technically impressive first-person stealth simulator. Two years later, they followed it up with their masterpiece, THIEF 2: THE METAL AGE. After hounding Brian and A.J. to talk about this one for years, Josh finally got his wish. Plus, we got Jay Anth…

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Article Brain #1: Frog Slurry 1:43:26

1d ago1:43:26

1:43:26

Welcome to a new subseries of The Socialist Shelf: Article Brain! Once a month, we'll take a break from the books for each of us to bring forward an article specifically designed to drive the other two insane. We'll read them, we'll laugh, we'll weep, we'll rage. This week we talk about: CNN's 2028 Democratic primary predictions, the NYT Opinion Se…

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Episode 7 - Rykard 1:12:10

8d ago1:12:10

1:12:10

Aysha and Miles are joined by prolific writer and podcaster Austin Walker to discuss everyone's favorite volcano god/man, Rykard. Topics include: the snake finale we could have had, the value of fucking off to hang with the boys, everybody being related to everyone, and Miles' theory of Character Feet.…

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Long Live Queer Socialism! : Rainbow Solidarity, ft. Matéo Penado 1:53:37

9d ago1:53:37

1:53:37

Y'all like socialism? Y'all like queers? Get ready for some...queer socialism!! Matéo Penado of the Rainbow Collective joins us to talk about Leslie Feinberg's 2008 collection, "Rainbow Solidarity: In Defense of Cuba," an analytical, journalistic, and educational analysis of the history of the queer liberation struggle since the socialist Cuban rev…

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198 - Rambo: First Blood (feat. Andrew Law) 2:12:51

13d ago2:12:51

2:12:51

Andrew Law (Boonta Vista) and the lads make for the Pacific Northwest and set up little traps in the woods as they cover Ted Kotcheff’s 1982 debut of Rambo: First Blood. Topics include the joys of practical stunts, the brilliance of Brian Dennehy, and the reactionary politics at the center of both the film and the Italian Stallion himself: Sylveste…

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His Pod Goes Casting On: Fire on the Mountain 1:47:04

15d ago1:47:04

1:47:04

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 different…

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197 - Ghosts From the Internet (feat. Josiah Sutton) 27:50

22d ago27:50

27:50

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Josiah Sutton (Fruitless) joins a lads-less Brian as he revisits the inspiration for his first video essay: Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Pulse. Topics include revisiting old work, breadtube, and what we can learn from the ghosts from internet eras long past. Josiah Sutton: Twitter // Subst…

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Hear the Gorilla Out: Ishmael, ft. Jen Big Nasty 1:53:41

29d ago1:53:41

1:53:41

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 environmenta…

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196 - 2 Bangers 2 MAS*H 2:15:24

29d ago2:15:24

2:15:24

The lads hop on their choppers and make for the 4077th as they return to Korea for another installment in their ongoing coverage of the most critically acclaimed sitcoms of all time: MASH. Topics include the evolution of Margaret O’Houlihan, the zaniness of Frank Burns, and how losing some of your best cast members can transform your show into the …

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Episode 6 - Ranni 1:18:34

29d ago1:18:34

1:18:34

Aysha and Miles are joined by game director Jonathan Stauder, to discuss everyone's favorite waifu, Ranni the Witch. Topics include: the value of missable content, ending cutscenes, the gamer sexism vortex, and murdering a bunch of guys so you don't have to marry your brother.By Aysha U. Farah

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BONUS - Western Kabuki: Beast Week Part 1 Ft. The Worst Of All Possible Worlds 1:03:29

1M ago1:03:29

1:03:29

We hope you've enjoyed Beast Week. To conclude the week in style, we went on Western Kabuki to observe Mr Beast, learn from Mr Beast, and love Mr Beast. We watched some of Mr Beast's videos and diagnose the Beast and what he means for the world. Part 2, where we talk about what he's been up to this year specifically, will be released to the Western…

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195 - Beast Games from MrBeast® (feat. Juniper) 32:24

1M ago32:24

32:24

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Juniper (Western Kabuki, Ill Conceived) and the lads grab their blue jerseys and throw coconuts down a hill as they cover the first season of MrBeast’s nightmare of a game show: Beast Games. Topics include the horrific filming conditions, the so-called “games”, and what it means …

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Saw Gerrera > Fail Organa: Star Wars, the Mask of Fear, ft. Manuclearbomb 2:02:26

1M ago2:02:26

2:02:26

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…

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77 UNLOCKED - Who's Afraid of MrBeast? 2:31:21

1M ago2:31:21

2:31:21

It's MrBeast week on The Worst of All Possible Worlds. To kick it off we're unlocking a premium episode we released in March 2023 where THE LADS WATCH 8 MRBEAST VIDEOS AND THEN TALK ABOUT THEM (Not Clickbait). Topics include MrBeast’s humble origins, the monetization of altruism, and the internet’s canonization of St. Jimmy Donaldson. Want more TWO…

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Promise Keepers: 700,000 Dicks Out for Jesus [ILL CONCEIVED Episode 1] 1:02:01

1M ago1:02:01

1:02:01

This is the first episode of Ill Conceived, a new podcast from Josh Boerman of The Worst of All Possible Worlds and June Sternbach of Western Kabuki. Get new episodes every Friday in your favorite podcast client: RSS Feed Apple Podcasts Spotify Pocket Casts YouTube Josh and June take a look at Promise Keepers, the organization that massed 700,000 m…

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194 - Everywhit (feat. We’re Not So Different) [Whit’s Endless Summer 44] 2:08:06

1M ago2:08:06

2:08:06

Dr. Eleanor Janega and Luke Waters from the We’re Not So Different podcast join the lads on a medievalist romp through the world of morality plays as they cover the story of Everyman and two of its progeny: the works of Jack Chick and a little show called Adventures in Odyssey. Topics include the Dutch origins of Everyman, the horrors of being eter…

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Episode 100: Cow Tools and Q&A 1:28:39

1M ago1:28:39

1:28:39

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…

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Episode 5 - Fromsoft 1:03:37

1M ago1:03:37

1:03:37

*SPOILER WARNING* we talk very generally about Nightreign bosses from about 28:00-32:00, just in case you want to skip that. Hello, Maidens! We've got something slightly different for you this week. Aysha talks to Mike and Manda, co-hosts of the Virtual Economy podcast, focusing on the business end of Elden Ring. Topics include: Elden Ring's critic…

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We Finally Talk About Movies: A Discussion with Resistance Cinema ATL 1:16:32

2M ago1:16:32

1:16:32

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-orde…

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193 - Beyond: Two Souls (feat. David Armstrong) 30:52

2M ago30:52

30:52

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall David Armstrong (Bonus Action) and the lads grab their ghosts and join the CIA as they cover Quantic Dream’s 2013 horror/sci-fi trainwreck: Beyond: Two Souls. Topics include David Cage’s whole deal, the intuitively unintuitive controls, and what it means when your storytelling is…

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192 - As Is: The First AIDS Play 2:03:38

2M ago2:03:38

2:03:38

This lads kick off pride month by revisiting an oft-forgotten but foundational play in the queer canon: William M. Hoffman’s As Is. Topics include the history of the AIDS play, Hoffman’s exquisite weaponization of comedy in the face of overwhelming tragedy, and the legacy of a 90 minute play that inspired an entire genre of theater. Want more TWOAP…

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No Cop City, No Cop World, Ft. Mariah Parker 58:18

2M ago58:18

58:18

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 prot…

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191 - Casablanca (1942) 26:51

2M ago26:51

26:51

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their papers and hop a plane to Morocco as they cover Michael Curtiz’ 1942 Bogartfest: Casablanca. Topics include the goblin energy of Peter Lorre, the GOATness of Victor Laszlo, and what it means to drown out fascists by belting out “La Marseillaise”. Media Referen…

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Episode 4 - Godwyn 1:09:25

2M ago1:09:25

1:09:25

This week, Aysha is joined by her friends Miles and Merritt K to discuss the one true golden boy: Godwyn, lord of death. Topics include: "communing" with dragons, turning into a big scaly mushroom man, Godwyn's extensive polycule, that one guy named Devin, and our favorite deadbeat adventurer, Sir Clambrose.…

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190 - Persecuted (feat. Abigail Thorn) 2:35:48

2M ago2:35:48

2:35:48

Abigail Thorn (The Acolyte, House of the Dragon) and the lads stand up for their beliefs and just kinda drive around New Mexico as they cover the 2014 evangelical political thriller: Persecuted. Topics include passion plays, the art of selling evangelicalism, and what it means to build your entire theological identity around whining like a smol bea…

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Terminal Article Brain: Abundance 1:30:32

2M ago1:30:32

1:30:32

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 pa…

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189 - O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) 30:34

3M ago30:34

30:34

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads escape a chain gang and become men of constant sorrow as they embark on Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2000 Southern Odyssey: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Topics include the charms of George Clooney, the superlative soundtrack, and how to adapt the Odyssey without turning into a ho…

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Episode 3 - Marika | Radagon 56:35

3M ago56:35

56:35

Aysha is joined by writer Arden Ripley and animator Jenn Doyle as we break down the character with arguably the Most Gender of All Time: Marika. Topics include going boymode for political reasons, the grotesque beauty of From's character design, our ongoing inability to remember anyone's name, and the age old question: what came first, the jar or t…

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The Myth of American Idealism: A Talk with Nathan J. Robinson 57:11

3M ago57:11

57:11

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 destruct…

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188 - The Merchwhit of Venice (feat. Quorators) [Whit’s Endless Summer 43] 1:59:08

3M ago1:59:08

1:59:08

Alex and Jeremy of the Quorators podcast join the lads for their triumphant return to Odyssey as they throw themselves headlong into adventures of magic bats, deceitful chickens, and Edwin Blackgaard staging The Merchant of Venice. Topics include the Twilife Zone, the ethics of Watto the Toydarian, and what it means to live your life in the service…

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The Future Where We Lose: The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath 1:49:49

3M ago1:49:49

1:49:49

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 Fal…

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187 - Sky King: The Story of Richard Russell (feat. Caleb from Western Kabuki) 25:15

3M ago25:15

25:15

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Caleb @BirdRespecter (Western Kabuki, 60 Minute Drill) joins Brian and Josh to tell the story of Richard “Beebo” Russell, a man who walked off his job as a baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport one day in 2018 to steal an airplane. Russell and his ill-fated fligh…

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Harry Potter and the Petty Rant Against its Own Fanbase: The Cursed Child ft. AJ from WOAPW 1:47:24

3M ago1:47:24

1:47:24

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 P…

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Episode 2 - White Mask Varré 56:42

3M ago56:42

56:42

This week, Aysha talks to Jacob and Lenore of the Socialist Shelf Podcast, about our favorite first guy you meet in a game who calls you bitchless right off the bat. Topics include the dolls, the surgeons, all the gay drama in Elden Ring, and our inability to pronounce the name "Mohg" in any consistent way.…

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186 - Showgirls (feat. Renee Olstead) 2:09:55

3M ago2:09:55

2:09:55

Renee Olstead (The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Unfriended) and the lads grab some ice cubes and enter the cutthroat world of Vegas dancing as they cover Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 striptacular: Showgirls. Topics include the madness of Joe Eszterhas, the infamous VH1 cut, and the solidarity that can be learned from a movie that involves shoving…

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The City & The City - ft. RevLeft Radio 1:27:29

3M ago1:27:29

1:27:29

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…

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185 - The Last of Us Part II (Part 2) 30:36

4M ago30:36

30:36

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their crossbows and make for the Space Needle as they cover the back half of Naughty Dog's 2020 revengefest: The Last of Us Part II. Topics include state quarters, the logistics of building crane bridges, and what it truly means to “look for the light”. Media Refere…

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We take umbrage with Rowling: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ft. Max Graves 2:01:51

4M ago2:01:51

2:01:51

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 POLIT…

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Episode 1 - The Tarnished 1:05:14

4M ago1:05:14

1:05:14

Welcome to the Lands Between! In this first episode, Aysha talks to AJ from the Worst of All Possible Worlds and Kevin from The Penumbra Podcast about the first thing you see in Elden Ring - the opening movie. Topics include: the meaning of Elden, who the Tarnished even are, Godwyn's huge face, Mohg beating the allegations, and the hawk tuah girl, …

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184 - The Last of Us Part II (Part 1) 2:46:19

4M ago2:46:19

2:46:19

The lads grab their golf clubs and make for Seattle as they hop on the Ellie murder train that is Naughty Dog’s 2020 revengeapalooza: The Last of Us Part II. Topics include the chaotic development process, the CW-fication of the writing, and the inescapable conservatism at the core of The Last of Us universe. Media Referenced in the Episode: The La…

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The Rise of Rowling: Harry Potter Pt 1, ft Aysha U. Farah 2:06:43

4M ago2:06:43

2:06:43

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.)…

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183 - The War Room (1993) 30:05

4M ago30:05

30:05

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall When Bill Clinton won the US presidential election in 1992, two people were key to his success: James Carville and George Stephanopolous. This week, Brian and Josh step into The War Room, D.A. Pennebaker’s 1993 documentary about how these two men and their team of future top Demo…

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INTERVIEW: Tim Faust on Defending Medicaid 38:03

4M ago38:03

38:03

Our ongoing interview series with people working to fight the rising tide of fascism continues today as Josh sits down with Tim Faust, a healthcare activist who has been advocating for the preservation and expansion of federal and state healthcare programs in the United States for years. Tim recently began touring the state of Wisconsin, talking wi…

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182 - Video Redeemed The Radio Star: Definitive Edition (feat. Rosey Armstrong) 2:36:10

4M ago2:36:10

2:36:10

Saddle up your horses as the lads, along with Rosey Armstrong (Hans Gruber and the Die Hards), slap on their Crosses of Gold and dive headlong into the varied and wild world of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Topics include what makes Christian music Christian music, the rampaging sexiness of Michael W. Smith, and the importance of artistic int…

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The Whale Mind Virus: Moby Dick, Ft. Isaac Boa 1:46:08

4M ago1:46:08

1:46:08

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.…

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2 Parable 2 Talents: Parable of the Talents 1:30:17

4M ago1:30:17

1:30:17

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…

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181 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons 30:53

4M ago30:53

30:53

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Good morning, everyone! The current date is March 20, 2020. Residents, I have some exciting news for you! The Lads have just moved onto our wonderful island! Let’s all give them a big island welcome! In other news, the museum is under construction and you’ll never go outside agai…

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The Gang Goes Progressive: Black Chamber 2:00:45

5M ago2:00:45

2:00:45

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,…