Categorically Insane Categorically Insane

Jennifer and Amber discuss the covers and descriptions of the last of their 50s books. It's the end of an era.  Literally.  We just can't read anymore 50s books right now because they make us want to die.  Stay tuned for our Bridgerton coverage between seasons and season 2, the 1960s, will begin in the fall.  

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent  the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which  they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.

Amber reads Wise to Forget by Elizabeth Hoy, just like they all are.  Jennifer reads Wife by Arrangement by Mary Burchell.  Listen as they ask themselves...well, mostly why they are doing this to themselves.  Join them as they realize that they are going to have to compress the rest of the 50s for...reasons, as they discover that love means the murder attempt didn't work, and as they realize just how horribly depressing it must have been to be a woman in a mid-century world.

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent  the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which  they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.

We don't know what happened to the audio on this episode.  If we weren't completely incapable of understanding technology, we would have fixed it.  But we are, so we aren't.  We're just begging you to find our incompetence either charming, or at least tolerable.  

Amber reads 1947's Close to my Heart and Jennifer reads 1948's Strange Recompense.  In a first in the history of Categorically Insane, both Amber and Jennifer really liked their books.  That doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about.  Like when a woman says a man in 'splendidly endowed' in the 1940s, is it a moment of fabulous raunch, or is it still a mystery?  If someone falls in love with no warning should we fear a head injury?  And if a mid-century man can't actively feel an experience happening, how could they ever know if it's real?

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.

Jennifer reads 1942's The Sea is So Wide and Amber reads 1947's To Win a Paradise.  There's no getting around it folks, these are bad.  Like, really bad.  But that doesn't mean we can't still have fun asking questions like, does love really mean never having to say you're sorry...for genocide?  Is it normal to trade kids around like Pokémon cards?  Is weird fetishization better than open racism or just different?  The sea is so wide and the past is so fraught with really bad books.  

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.

Join Jennifer, Amber, and special guest Mike (resident military expert) as they explore the valentine's day not remotely classic movie Valentine from 2001.  Join them for the exploration of handmade artisanal Victorian valentines, disturbing art exhibits, and valentines surprises (surprise, it's genitalia!)  The deep questions really come out in this episode.  Where is the premier source for weird Victorian cupid masks?  Where does David B get his chocolatier skills?  Can you sue a movie for punitive damages because now you're scarred forever by how bad it was?  No one can put a price on your pain.  But you can put a price on this awful movie.  It's 3.99.  And that's too much.  

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.

Amber reads 1942's Village Hospital and Jennifer reads 1957's Winter's Bride.  Join us while we explore such concepts as how weird is 'real weird', at what age gap does a man become so much older than a woman that mansplaining becomes dadsplaining, and exactly how insane is the plan to read every HQN category romance until the year 2000.  This episode is best explained by, "We are just supposed to read all these.  Even these ones.  Shrug."

All views expressed here are those of the hosts and do not represent the words, thoughts, opinions, and the like of any entity with which they have ever, are now, or ever will be affiliated.

The contents of this podcast are covered under fair use and constitute a review and discussion.