We are back with a book that dares to ask the question "What if being unemployed is worse than going to work?" as we start our series on Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano! This book deals with an alternative version of America where human labor has been fully replaced with an automated world run by engineers and managers. It has a lot to say about labor, human dignity, how we find purpose, and much more! In this part we will be talking about the plot of the book, breaking it down in case you haven't read it or in case it has been a while since you read it. Then join us back next week for Part 2 where we will talk about the historical context of the book so it makes a little more sense!

Other stuff discussed this episode:

Good Material by Dolly Alderton

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

It's time to put on those headphones and drift away, because The Satire Fire is back with another edition of the Fire Mixtapes! In this episode we will be discussing the conceptual album Animals by the legendary Pink Floyd. This album adopts some of the imagery and symbolism of Animal Farm to tell a story of British dissatisfaction and rebellion in the 1970's. Strap in to hear our hosts take on the task of breaking down the music and lyrics of this album to tell you all about the satire it is using as well as how successful we think it is! Then be sure to join us again next week for the start of our series on Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut.

Other stuff discussed this episode:

Heavy Metal by Cameron Winter

Beach Read by Emily Henry

A/B by Kaleo

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

We have reached the end of our series on George Orwell's Animal Farm which can only mean one thing; it's time to put the context and the plot together to see what this whole thing is about! In this week's episode we will be looking at how successfully this book is communicating its message, if that message is any good, and how relevant the message still is today. Is it actually possible to fit the entirety of the Russian Revolution in a book this small without losing something important? That's what we aim to find out! Then be sure to join us back next week for our interlude episode where we will discuss the album Animals by Pink Floyd!

Other stuff discussed this episode:

NW by Zadie Smith

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

And here we are in the middle of the long and fruitful leadership of Vladimir Lenin and... Wait a second, is that Joseph Stalin's music?? Welcome to Part Two of our series on George Orwell's Animal Farm! Thia week we are taking a dive into the history behind this book so we can better understand what exactly Orwell was hoping for us to learn from it. Sydney gives us a brief look at the life of Orwell (but for a detailed summary check out Part Two of our 1984 series), discusses the Russian Revolution that changed the country from the ground up, and points out what aspects of that history Orwell has placed in his novella! Then be sure to join us back next week when we put all the pieces together and analyze the book, telling you just how good we think it is!

Other stuff discussed this episode:

Boys of Alabama by Genevieve Hudson

Orbital by Samantha Harvey

The Satire Fire "Episode 3: 1984 Part 2"

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

Welcome to a new year and a new series of the Satire Fire! We are starting the year off strong with the classic George Orwell novella Animal Farm. This is Orwell's first step into the socialist themes that would come to define his work. Here on an unassuming farm Orwell weaves a narrative of greed, revolution, and class struggle that has become a staple of modern English literature! Join us this week as we discuss the plot of the story, breaking down all the major beats so you are all caught up if it has been a while since you read it. Then join us again next week as our journey into the context of this book takes us on a trip through the Russian Revolution before we take on the task of analyzing and reviewing the story in Part Three!

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

We have reached the end of the year and that can only mean one thing! It is time for Sydney and Samuel to speculate wildly on what will happen in the world of books in 2026! This is the start of a yearly tradition where your Satire Fire hosts will put their industry knowledge to the test by making 10 predictions each about the upcoming year, then check back in next December to see who is the best at guessing. Be sure to fill out your own bingo card at home to follow along with us! Then be sure to join us back next week as we go back to our regular programming by starting a series on the George Orwell book Animal Farm!

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

It's the week of Christmas and much like the proverbial bird in the hand Samuel is alone! Sydney had some travel issues which means Samuel is picking the topic and running the show by himself this week, and the holiday topic he has chosen to cover is... Niche erotica? This week Samuel talks us through the enigma that is Chuck Tingle, breaks down the artistry and satire that he uses in his works, and then analyzes a story that is sure to be a holiday favorite for some of you out there! Come back next week for our final Stocking Stuffer of the season when Samuel and (hopefully) Sydney will be making their literary predictions for the new year!

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!

Welcome back to the Satire Fire Stocking Stuffer Series, where each week we are bringing you a fun and casual holiday episode to help with that seasonal stress! This week we are playing a holiday movie game where Sydney and Samuel take turns guessing the plots of movies they haven't actually seen! Are we true media knowers, or just pretenders to the throne? What kind of comprehension skills do you need to host a book podcast? Do either of these movies even need to be seen? The only way to find out is by listening, and the only way to listen is by playing so go ahead and jump right in!

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky to stay up to date on upcoming episodes.

Want to support our podcast and a local bookstore? Check out our page on Bookshop.org to pick up any book we cover on the show, or our personal favorites!