PhDrunk

Finally, the much anticipated second episode of Modern Month. Since it's basically still March 2020, we can just pretend it hasn't been over five calendar months since our last episode went live. In this episode, Brynn, Ellis, and Cris are joined by their colleague and good friend "Lucy". Together, they discuss Deborah Harkness's fantasy vampire romance academic wish fulfillment novel, A Discovery of Witches. This episode is brought to you by the sense of smell, rich white people sports like horseback riding and rowing, and magical houses with attitude. 

You know what gets the PhDrunks fired up? #lesbianlonging It works every time. In this episode, Brynn, Cris, and Ellis wax poetic about Affinity by Sarah Waters, the first book of Modern Month. This episode is brought to you by apparitions, girlfriends who leave you for a sibling, and anything black velvet. Anything. 

The PhDrunks are back and ready for the revolution after a pandemic fortnight (that's however long it's been since the last episode). In this episode, Brynn, Cris, and Ellis get real fired about class disparity and Victorian gender norms in Elizabeth Gaskell's 1848 novel, Mary Barton. This episode of PhDrunk is brought to you by the concept of labor unions, definitely not falling in love with the guy you've known since childhood, and clemming.  (CA: sexual assault, violence, death)

Brynn and Ellis step in for a special unscheduled episode in our totally unplanned A for Adaptation miniseries while Cris attempts to adult. They dissect (i.e. drunkenly ramble about) three different movie adaptations of Jane Austen's Emma.: the 1996 adaptation with Gwyneth Paltrow, the beloved and genius Clueless from 1995, and the most recent adaptation of the novel that came out earlier in 2020. This episode is brought to you by empire waistlines, Ill-advised matchmaking, and Paul Rudd's career.  

Scandalous! Sexy! Hilarious! We could go on about all of our favorite things about Eliza Haywood's classic novela, Fantomina but we do enough of that in this episode.  Our raucous energy is strong in this one, Dear Readers. Haywood would be proud. This episode of PhDrunk is brought to you by multiple secret identities, religious houses of questionable repute, and Opera boxes. 

In classic PhDrunkard style, we drink too many of Ellis's latest Totally Made-Up Cocktail and wonder why someone always has to die in New Women novels. This episode is brought to you by secret gin stashes, free unions, and not talking to strangers, 

Dear Readers, in today's episode we spend most of our time fawning over our new queer hero, #sweetbabybobby. Sure, this novel has a sexy scheming blonde, doppelgangers, murders most foul, and more, but the narrator stole our hearts and that's why we will love this book forever. This week's episode is brought to you by Pre-Raphaelite paintings, get rich quick schemes, and circumstantial evidence. 

This week Brynn, Cris, and Ellis take a stab at the Gothic classic, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole. Ellis rages. Brynn makes sex puns. Cris gets wasted. Basically, it's business as usual but with a Totally Made Up Drinking Game. This episode is brought to you by giant armor, trap doors, and the sins of your forefathers. 

Ellis is back from her sabbatical (finally) and we all three go down the rabbit hole and chat about this morsel of literary nonsense. We discuss why Carroll was a massive creep and what U.S. president is the political equivalent of the Queen of Hearts. This episode is brought to you by Mock Turtles,   babies that are maybe pigs (???), and the inescapable tragedy of growing up. 

If you are determined to read this book as a love story we are so about to kill that vibe. Cris and Brynn rant about who is the most Byronic hero, discuss whether this book is racist (Spoiler: yes), and cringe over the shit Brynn underlined in her high school copy. This episode is brought to you by trips to the Continent, sleeping on moors, and that mysterious sound coming from the attic. (CW: racism, sexual assault, rape, abuse)