Episode 9: Anna and Ashley chat about country people vs. city people before reading Ernest Dowson’s “Cynara,” and discussing a well-known literary allusion to the poem. They discuss lost loves; the importance of seeking resolution by expressing one’s feelings and communicating; and the empowering act of giving up on a potential paramour.

Episode 8: In this episode, Anna and Ashley explore some of the poetry of Gertrude Stein—a writer who experimented with English grammatical conventions. Imagining a Great Blob of Coffee provokes a sense of hope and awe. Other topics include a story from Boccaccio’s The Decameron and the question of austerity—what is it? Ashley and Anna determine together which foods are truly austere, leading to a recounting of the story of Diogenes’ cup and the question of frugal living. Lastly, they determine that—when it comes to the question of “Is it cake?”—if the cake looks like an animal, one should use a spoon in lieu of a knife to avoid provoking fear.

Episode 7: Anna and Ashley discuss Greek mythology allusions within the “New Colossus.” The theme of emigres leads them to discuss Lou Reed lyrics, their Irish and German ancestry, and the changing politics of American immigration. Ashley betrays her lack of world geography and confuses Emma Lazarus with Emma Goldman before they also discuss the early American west and family history; weird vibes in Denver; and a Laura Ingalls Wilder account of relations between settlers and Native Americans in their teens.