Cocktail Party Takeaways™

Anne Rochell Konigsmark
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Books

For anyone with regrets, but not deep ones, about the books they slept through in high school. Grab a drink and enjoy a lively and fun tour of the classics, led by a seasoned English teacher whose goal is to make you sound smart.

  1. 2024-05-25

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode 14 - Narrative in the Life of Frederick Douglass

    Well, this has been a long hiatus for the podcast, but I am back with what should be required reading for every American. Find out why escaped slave Frederick Douglass is not only an American hero, but one of our greatest literary treasures. Some of this podcast may make you squirm, but if art doesn't challenge you, is it really art?

    42 min

  2. 2023-10-10

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Thirteen - The Catcher in the Rye

    The Catcher in the Rye is probably the most read piece of literature other than The Great Gatsby that I have featured on my podcast. And people have A LOT of opinions about this one. Tune in to hear mine. Spoiler alert: I love this kid.

    41 min

  3. 2023-04-16

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Twelve - "Sonny's Blues"

    Author James Baldwin famously said, “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.” If you've never read one of James Baldwin's novels, Go Tell It On The Mountain, If Beale Street Could Talk, or Giovanni's Room, or his essays in The Fire Next Time or Notes of a Native Son, you should go do that. Immediately. Meanwhile, to gain an introduction, or a re-introduction, to one of America's most profound and beautiful voices, listen to my take on Baldwin's short story, "Sonny's Blues." Along the way, you'll get an earful, haha, on how songs sung by slaves are the foundation of virtually every American musical genre. And you'll hear why books are both windows and mirrors, and why we need both, now more than ever.

    36 min

  4. 2023-01-08

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Ten - Macbeth

    Witches! Ghosts! Murders! Is it a new Netflix series? No, it's the Scottish play by William Shakespeare. Find out why you can't say Macbeth in a theater, why King James I hated witches, and why the word "filthy" means so much more than you think it does. Everyone likes to talk Shakespeare, so listen in and be the smartest person at your next party. You can be the one to give this sage advice: Once you're in a river of blood, don't turn back!

    51 min

  5. 2022-11-06

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Nine - The Metamorphosis

    Welcome to Season Two of Cocktail Party Takeaways, where we begin with Franz Kafka's masterpiece of yucky, The Metamorphosis. There are plenty of takeaways in this episode, including mini-lessons on existentialism, surrealism, Freudianism, and expressionism. I also share my dread fear of cockroaches, and I share some insights into why writers write. Don't worry, there's some sex and some Jesus too.

    40 min

  6. 2022-06-29

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Eight - Life of Pi - Part Two

    So, is this really a story to make you believe in God? Only one way to find out! Listen as a seasoned English teacher continues to escort you through Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Learn about Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, bildungsromans, the hero's journey, and why stories are essential to our humanity. This episode marks the end of Season One of Cocktail Party Takeaways. Come back in the fall for more great literature and clever observations to make you sound extra smart at your next party.

    1h 13m

  7. 2022-05-30

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Seven - Life of Pi - Part One

    In my most personal podcast episode to date, I examine my deep connection to Yann Martel's Life of Pi. This novel has it all: It is a grand adventure tale filled with thrills, unexpected twists, and hidden meanings, and it contains an enduring message about how faith, belief, and storytelling are at the heart of our humanity.

    41 min

  8. 2022-02-24

    Cocktail Party Takeaways - Episode Six - "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"

    It's likely you haven't heard of this short story by Joyce Carol Oates, but it is a staple of high school English classes. And Oates, author of more than 50 books, has said it is the literary endeavor she is most known for. Grab a cocktail and let a seasoned English teacher take you through this devastatingly moving and creepy tale. It is full of takeaway symbolism and hidden meanings that will make you sound smart at your next social gathering.

    27 min
See All (14)

Trailer

About

For anyone with regrets, but not deep ones, about the books they slept through in high school. Grab a drink and enjoy a lively and fun tour of the classics, led by a seasoned English teacher whose goal is to make you sound smart.

Information

  • Creator
    Anne Rochell Konigsmark
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2024
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Anne Rochell Konigsmark
  • Show Website
    Cocktail Party Takeaways™