Critical Edition: A Bookish Podcast

#6 (a late) 2025 Reading Recap

Welcome back! Here is a very late (oops!) but very good reading recap of what we read in 2025.

#5 James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues: lessons on life and suffering

In this episode of the critical edition podcast, we are discussing James Baldwin's most well known piece of short fiction, Sonny's Blues. We'll talk about Baldwin's non-fiction work, historical context, and finally provide our analysis of the work. CW: racism, drug use

#4 our favorite books!

In this episode Jasmine and Soha share their favorite books. Stay tuned until the end to learn about Jasmine's wildcard favorite book - not even Soha could see it coming. CW: racism, slavery, intimate partner violence, violence against women, suicide, homophobia.

Monster Mini Series Episode 3: Frankenstein's Creature

In our final episode of our Monster Mini Series, we'll be exploring The Creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. But before we set off on stitching together this episode - we want to wish you a very Happy Halloween! CW racism, xenophobia, colonization, slavery, misogyny, sexual violence, religious trauma, homophobia, transphobia Works Cited Burkhart, Emily. “Lessons from Monsters: A Postcolonial Feminist Analysis of Frankenstein The 1818 Text.” Hohonu: A Journal of Academic Writing, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, vol. 11, 2013, https://hilo.hawaii.edu/campuscenter/hohonu/volumes/documents/LessonsfromMonstersPostcolonialFeministAnalysisofFrankensteinThe1818Text.pdf [https://hilo.hawaii.edu/campuscenter/hohonu/volumes/documents/LessonsfromMonstersPostcolonialFeministAnalysisofFrankensteinThe1818Text.pdf] Zonana, Joyce. “They Will Prove the Truth of My Tale": Safie's Letters as the Feminist Core of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.” Journal of Narrative Technique, 21:2 (Spring 1991), 170-84, https://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/zonana.html [https://knarf.english.upenn.edu/Articles/zonana.html] Rammahi, Reyam Kareem. “Can Safie Speak? Language and Representation of the Oriental Woman in Frankenstein.” Nineteenth Century Gender Studies, Issue 18.1 (Spring 2022), http://ww.w.ncgsjournal.com/issue181/rammahi.html [http://ww.w.ncgsjournal.com/issue181/rammahi.html] Gilbert, Sandra M. “Horror’s Twin: Mary Shelley’s Monstrous Eve.” Feminist Studies, vol. 4, no. 2, 1978, pp. 48–73. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3177447 Pagan, Amanda. “A Brief History of Gothic Horror.” The New York Public Library, 18 Oct. 2018, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/10/18/brief-history-gothic-horror Stryker, Susan. “My Words to Victor Frankenstein above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage.” GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies, vol. 1, no. 3, 1994, pp. 237–254.GLQ https://doi.org/10.1215/10642684-1-3-237 [https://doi.org/10.1215/10642684-1-3-237] Ungar, Rami. “Gothic Fiction: What Is It, and Why Is It So Popular?” Rami Ungar the Writer, WordPress, 12 July 2018, https://ramiungarthewriter.com/2018/07/12/gothic-fiction-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-so-popular/ “Mary Shelley.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Shelley “April 10, 1815: Mount Tambora Blows Up!” Skulls in the Stars, 10 April 2013, https://skullsinthestars.com/2013/04/10/april-10-1815-mount-tambora-blows-up/ Final Girl Digital. “Frankenstein's Lobotomized Mistress: Dissecting the Poor Things Discourse.” YouTube, 16 April 2024, https://youtu.be/NTRLRpgZtSc?si=nuAh-8SoHPt5nP6b Books ‘n’ Cats“What can Frankenstein teach us about prejudice?” YouTube, 22 May 2024, https://youtu.be/Qa6144Ctl0E?si=b8hUIWYkYD9L-AAq Books ‘n’ Cats. “How Mary Shelley wrote the world's most iconic monster.” YouTube, 23 March 2025, https://youtu.be/_BUFnW_z8ho?si=s0zb754dfQdCd3Ab Department of English, Arizona State University. ““Mothering Monsters: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” by Anne K. Mellor” YouTube, 14 January 2019, https://youtu.be/Rd-eKRRQzcQ?si=e02LaE7TtIt-uAO8

Monster Mini Series Episode 2: The Witch

In our second episode of our Monster Mini Series, we'll be exploring the witch. Join us as we traverse the spellbinding transformation of these magical beings. CW racism, xenophobia, colonization, slavery, misogyny, sexual violence, religious trauma, homophobia, transphobia Works Cited Federici, Silvia. Witches, Witch-Hunting, and Women. PM Press, 2018. Federici, Silvia. Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body, and Primitive Accumulation. Autonomedia, 2004.  Doyle, Jude Ellison Sady. “How Capitalism Turned Women Into Witches.” In These Times, 31 Jan. 2019, inthesetimes.com/article/capitalism-witches-women-witch-hunting-sylvia-federici-caliban [http://inthesetimes.com/article/capitalism-witches-women-witch-hunting-sylvia-federici-caliban]. Bieler, Andreas. “Witch-Hunts and the Birth of Capitalism: Reflections on Caliban and the Witch.” Political Economy at Sydney, 7 Mar. 2019, www.ppesydney.net/witch-hunts-and-the-birth-of-capitalism-reflections-on-caliban-and-the-witch/ [http://www.ppesydney.net/witch-hunts-and-the-birth-of-capitalism-reflections-on-caliban-and-the-witch/] Heenan, Natasha. “Women and Capitalism: Revisiting Silvia Federici’s Caliban and the Witch.” Hampton Think, republished from Progress in Political Economy, Hampton Institute, www.hamptonthink.org/read/women-and-capitalism-revisiting-silvia-federicis-caliban-and-the-witch/ [http://www.hamptonthink.org/read/women-and-capitalism-revisiting-silvia-federicis-caliban-and-the-witch/] Lyons, Sarah. “Silvia Federici on Witch Hunts, Body Politics, and Rituals of Resistance.” PM Press Blog, 15 Sept. 2019, blog.pmpress.org/2019/09/15/silvia-federici-on-witch-hunts-body-politics-rituals-of-resistance/.  “Caliban and the Witch.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Aug. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliban_and_the_Witch [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliban_and_the_Witch]. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of witch.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/witch [https://www.etymonline.com/word/witch?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Billington, Michael. “Abuse, Witch-Hunts and Hangings: Why Arthur Miller’s Masterpiece the Crucible Still Haunts Us.” The Guardian, 6 May 2025, www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/may/06/abuse-witch-hunts-hangings-arthur-millers-the-crucible [http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/may/06/abuse-witch-hunts-hangings-arthur-millers-the-crucible]. Cohen, Alina. “Why Artists Have Been Enchanted by Witchcraft for Centuries.” Artsy, 25 Oct. 2019, www.artsy.net/article/alina-cohen-artists-enchanted-witchcraft-centuries [http://www.artsy.net/article/alina-cohen-artists-enchanted-witchcraft-centuries]. Franklin, Ruth. “Shirley Jackson Wasn’t Actually a Witch.” Literary Hub, 28 Sept. 2016, lithub.com/shirley-jackson-wasnt-actually-a-witch/# [http://lithub.com/shirley-jackson-wasnt-actually-a-witch/#]. Gerely, Grace. “Troubling the Witch: Issues of Class and Morality in Modern Depictions of Witches | the Classic Journal.” Theclassicjournal.uga.edu, 7 Apr. 2021, theclassicjournal.uga.edu/index.php/2021/04/07/troubling-the-witch/ [http://theclassicjournal.uga.edu/index.php/2021/04/07/troubling-the-witch/]. Heller, Zoe. “The Haunted Mind of Shirley Jackson.” The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2016, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/the-haunted-mind-of-shirley-jackson [http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/17/the-haunted-mind-of-shirley-jackson]. National Geographic. “The Witch Hunts Begin (Full Episode) | Witches: Truth behind the Trials.” YouTube, 31 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9TzC0EGyr4 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9TzC0EGyr4]. Philosophy Tube. “Witchcraft, Gender, & Marxism | Philosophy Tube.” YouTube, 26 Oct. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmk47kh7fiE [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmk47kh7fiE]. In Praise of Shadows. “Witches in Literature and Art | the History of Witches Part 2.” YouTube, 28 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9gPaZYgL-U [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9gPaZYgL-U]. “Silvia Federici Presents Caliban and the Witch.” YouTube, 3 June 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2KjabftIvE [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2KjabftIvE]. The Book Leo. “How the Witch Became a Feminist Icon (and How It Failed).” YouTube, 12 Nov. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=41xsfut3mIM [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41xsfut3mIM]. Washington and Lee University. ““The Faces of Evil: Contexts and Personae” with Mikki Brock.” YouTube, 6 Aug. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2kLz3WhUU [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl2kLz3WhUU]. Whitcomb, Rosie. “The Real-Life Horror of Shirley Jackson’s Fiction.” YouTube, Books “n” Cats, 14 Dec. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXqrs_z6XYY [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXqrs_z6XYY]. Willow Talks Books. “15 Mind-Blowing Things I Learned from Caliban and the Witch.” YouTube, 22 Feb. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd9N9DueMHs [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd9N9DueMHs]. WIRED. “Historian Answers Witchcraft Questions | Tech Support | WIRED.” YouTube, 31 Oct. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbPH9TcrRl4 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbPH9TcrRl4].