Prose Society with Eli Rallo

Actress, screenwriter, and playwright Zoe Kazan joins this episode of Prose Society to discuss her Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden — a project six years in the making. Zoe shares her approach to adaptation, why she centered the anti-hero Cathy Ames (played by Florence Pugh), and what it meant to carry forward a story her own grandfather adapted for the screen in 1955. She also opens up about the personal identities — mother, sister, daughter — that shaped her writing, the casting process behind the series' star-studded ensemble, and why she believes adaptation is an advanced form of reading. Plus, rapid-fire recommendations spanning Toni Morrison to Stephen King. Follow Zoe! @Zoe.Kazan New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages!  Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's a long one. We're recapping the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Vegas, the VMAs, Dancing With the Stars, and The Traitors — plus a deep dive into Taylor Swift's Showgirl Encore with a track-by-track review and thoughts on the fandom discourse. We're talking Martha Stewart at 85, the foldable iPhone, generative AI, Stella Lefty's hater-fueled career, TikTok's hyper-local For You Page, and the iced coffee interview debate that turned into a generational war (justice for millennials!). Plus: October's book club pick Honey by Imani Thompson, what I'm reading now, a voter registration reminder, and my Sweetie & Lover of the Week. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages!  Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're reviewing Waist Deep, the debut novel by Danish author Linea Maja Ernst that became a smash hit across Scandinavia. Five university friends and their partners spend seven days at a lake house in Denmark, and old feelings of love and lust resurface as they confront the big question: who makes the rules for how we live our lives, and which is the right way? We break down every character — Sylvia, the insufferable-but-relatable protagonist who can't figure out what she wants; Charlie, the perfect partner she can't bring herself to love; Quince, the charming bachelor who's okay with not knowing; Karen (who is essentially Dua Lipa); Gri, the mom friend questioning her identity beyond motherhood; and Adam, the straight guy who just chose and got on with it. Plus: how the author dared to call Sally Rooney's sex scenes "beige" and then wrote an entire novel by hand in response, why this book would make a perfect Broadway play, the privilege of being able to ask existential questions when your basic needs are met, and why "Getting married is no big deal" is one of the best closing lines in recent literary fiction. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages!  Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Culture Catch-Up is a big one. We dig into the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and what it means to reflect on it depending on where you grew up, unpack the backlash over the Sydney Sweeney sports betting ad and the "choice feminism" debate, and recap the Emmys (the best and worst looks, iconic moments, and why award shows feel more forgettable every year). Plus: Taylor Swift's new album era and the internet's obsessive theorizing, Celine Dion's comeback, Dancing with the Stars predictions, a discourse-y article about influencers and designer bags, and a full For You Page rundown of everything worth talking about this week. The craziest bag collection on my FYP goes to @nkasuga89. New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages!  Keep up to date! Follow our socials: @Eli.Rallo | @ProseSocietyPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Prose Society, we're joined by writer, content creator, and sociologist Josh Lora (@tellthebeees) — one of our favorite voices covering books, culture, and internet discourse across TikTok and Substack. We dig into Josh's journey from viral book reviewer to cultural commentator, unpacking his master's in social research and how it shapes his takes on everything from "American Cheating" and celebrity scandal to Love Island and the Real Housewives. We talk about why reality TV deserves more respect, the double standards women face for "being mean" or unfaithful, and what makes a friend group's dynamics so ripe for drama. Then we dive deep into our September book pick, Waist Deep — a buzzy Scandinavian bestseller about a wedding, a friend group at a crossroads, and the messy pull of desire, monogamy, and what makes a "good life." Plus: book recs, our hottest Love Island takes, and a rapid-fire round covering favorite reality stars, underrated books, and the fictional character Josh relates to most. Grab a copy of Waist Deep and follow along — then come back and let us know what you thought! Follow Josh: @tellthebeees on TikTok, Substack, and Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.