Best Critically Thinking About Shit Podcasts (2025)

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#1737 State of the Resistance: Labor, Anger, and Knowing That We've Been Here Before 3:31:51

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11h ago3:31:51

3:31:51

Air Date 9/16/2025 Between recent Labor Day rallies and Republican Town Hall meetings, we're seeing that resistance to Trump's deeply unpopular policies is alive and well. Plus we're going to look at some historical legacies of resistance movements that can both inform and inspire us today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999…

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Shooting The Shit: About book blurb culture, how to sell a book in a “tough category” and the Anthropic Settlement 51:47

1d ago51:47

51:47

In this episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe tackle some of publishing’s messiest realities with their usual mix of honesty and humor. They dig into the alarming trend of agents offering representation with 24-hour decision windows—and why that’s predatory. The conversation then shifts to the world of blurbs: pre-written pitches, the hidden…

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#1736 Not the Opposition Party the Country Need Right Now 3:38:26

5d ago3:38:26

3:38:26

Air Date 9/11/2025 I've always learned the high-level understanding that the Nazis were partly able to come to power because the opposition at the time was too caught up with infighting to create a coherent resistance. With hindsight, it's easy to lament how badly they miscalculated the circumstances but living through the modern day and watching t…

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Intentionality! Intentionality! Intentionality! 30:57

13m ago30:57

30:57

In this engaging conversation, Bianca interviews Danya Kukafka, the author of 'Notes on an Execution.' They discuss the inspiration behind the novel, the evolution of its story, and the intentionality behind character perspectives. Danya shares insights into her writing process, the unique narrative style of ‘Ansel’, and the importance of exploring…

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Shooting the Shit: Why the industry publishes so many (too many!) books and how to spot a writerly phishing scam 43:38

9d ago43:38

43:38

In this episode of Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe kick things off with a little post–Labor Day catch-up before diving into the big stuff: staying sane while juggling work, life, and endless TBR piles. They tackle the rise of phishing scams targeting writers, breaking down the warning signs every author should know before signing with an agent. T…

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#1735 Trump's Making Friends of Enemies and Enemies of Neighbors (Foreign and Domestic Wars) 3:48:33

9d ago3:48:33

3:48:33

Air Date 9/7/2025 Trump has been setting a new tone both at home and abroad which is shaking up everything from the war in Ukraine to threats of force against Mexico, Venezuela, and our own American cities with the militarization of domestic policing. And we made all of this before Trump posted an Apocalypse Now meme about using the Department of W…

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SOLVED! #21 - GerryF**ked: How to Fix Congressional Representation and End Homelessness 21:07

12d ago21:07

21:07

Air Date: 9–3-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - The surprising origins of Gerrymandering Ch. 2 - The options we have to improve congressional representation for everyone in the country Ch. 3 - Democratic states response to Republican gerrymandering threats Ch. 4 - The argument for DC statehood and the people to blame for why i…

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Pitch Perfect 35:21

8d ago35:21

35:21

In this episode of Books with Hooks, literary agents Carly and CeCe get nit-picky with an almost ‘Pitch Perfect’ query submission. They offer insider tips on how this particular query grabbed their attention from the very first line. They dish on what makes a query irresistible, why killer opening pages matter, and how to nail tension and character…

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#1567 How to Sell an Immoral Economic System to the Masses (Throwback) 1:03:13

11d ago1:03:13

1:03:13

Air Date: 6–20-2023 Today, we take a look at the story of how neoliberalism was born, how corporations were organized to help push it into the mainstream, and how the courts were reshaped to permanently tilt the rules in favor of corporate power. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bes…

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#1734 Where is the Revolutionary, Anti-Fascist Art? 3:11:37

8d ago3:11:37

3:11:37

Air Date 9/1/2025 The way people consume almost every variety of media, entertainment, and art is different now than it was only 10-15 years ago. That means that the way protest music, revolutionary art, and even mass market productions and performances are going to be different, feel different, and likely find you in different ways than in the pas…

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Shooting The Shit about what agents really think about writer’s conferences, how agents get good at their jobs, and what actually sells books right now 46:51

16d ago46:51

46:51

In this episode of Shooting The Shit, Carly and CeCe unpack the state of today’s publishing industry—from their latest projects to upcoming conferences and the realities of writer–agent dynamics. They dig into what writers can expect from conferences, how agents sharpen their manuscript-analysis skills, and whether podcast appearances really move t…

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SOLVED! #20 - America’s Brain Drain: How Scientific Empires Fall 26:57

18d ago26:57

26:57

Air Date: 8–28-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - How scientific empires fall Ch. 2 - How fascists of the past have destroyed their country’s scientific progress in fear of inconvenient truths Ch. 3 - How other countries are taking the opportunity to poach American scientists Ch. 4 - Living in a society that is shifting away fr…

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Writing a Voicey Novel 56:06

12d ago56:06

56:06

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca sits down with bestselling author Annie Hartnett to dive into her poignant new novel, ‘The Road to Tender Hearts.’ Together, they unpack the novel’s rich themes of loss, redemption, and the beautifully messy nature of human connection. Annie shares her behind-the-scenes writing process, why voice matters m…

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#1733 The Impossible Promise of Make American Healthy Again: MAHA vs MAGA 3:09:37

21d ago3:09:37

3:09:37

Air Date 8/27/2025 RFK Jr. and the Make America Healthy Again movement aren't completely wrong about everything, they often identify the larger structural problems with the US health industrial complex even if their proposed solutions are wildly off the mark. But the problem they failed to see coming when partnering with Trump and the Republicans i…

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August Bonus Episode 57:17

15d ago57:17

57:17

In part one of August’s Bonus Episode, Bianca connects with debut author Jo Morey. In this vibrant conversation,Jo opens up about her novel ‘Lime Juice Money’, sharing the winding road to publication and the intricacies of the editing process. Jo dives into the unique challenge—and opportunity—of writing from the perspective of a protagonist with a…

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#1732 It's Never Just About the Kids (Online Censorship, Age Verification, and the Project 2025 Agenda) 2:53:34

24d ago2:53:34

2:53:34

Air Date 8/24/2025 The nature of politics and public policy is that there's always a need to balance opposing interests. Almost nowhere is there a more intractable set of opposing interests than in the attempt to protect children from harmful content on the internet while maintaining free access to adults, particularly because people wildly disagre…

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Exploring the Critical to Compassionate Spectrum 38:55

20d ago38:55

38:55

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into a query for the historical mystery ‘A Body at Rest', exploring the impact of its title, the clarity of its plot threads, and how well the characters’ interiority comes through. They also assess the effectiveness of the prologue and discuss how to strengthen character devel…

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#1731 Raw Power, the Presidency, the Courts, and Democracy in the Balance 3:41:10

28d ago3:41:10

3:41:10

Air Date 8/20/2025 There's been a faction of conservatives who have been trying to instill king-like powers into the presidency for a long time, so it shouldn't be surprising that Trump is getting so much help from the packed court and the apparatchiks in the states who are more than happy to turn their precious federalism on its head as long as th…

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SOLVED! #19 - Big Data: Putting Digital Fingerprints in the Pie of Freedom 16:35

29d ago16:35

16:35

Air Date: 8–19-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch.1 - The Trump administration’s unprecedented attempts to get your data from the states Ch. 2 - Why Trump’s new private health tracking system is a wolf in sheep’s clothing Ch. 3 - How HIV patients suffering in the 80s, 90s and early 00s from constant health data breaches is a hint of…

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Shooting The Shit: CeCe's new job, agent referrals, and what publishers try to get away with when writer's don't have agents 50:11

1M ago50:11

50:11

CeCe drops big news—she’s joining Wendy Sherman Associates! Carly and CeCe dive into what it means for her clients, how agency moves work behind the scenes, and the one question every querying writer should be asking. They also pull back the curtain on what publishers try to sneak into contracts when authors don’t have agents (spoiler: it can stall…

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#1730 The Axis of the Dark Personality Triad: Unfit Leaders and the Suffering They Cause 3:52:59

1M ago3:52:59

3:52:59

Air Date 8/16/2025 There's the old Douglas Adams quote stating that, "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job" which is a good general rule to live by. But then there are the real baddies, those would-be leaders who possess one or more of the dark triad of traits that spells real doom…

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Karin Slaughter and the Mystery of Character and Rachel Howzell Hall on Switching Genres 53:47

1M ago53:47

53:47

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca sits down with the legendary bestselling author Karin Slaughter to talk about all things dark, twisty, and utterly gripping in her latest novel, ‘We Are All Guilty Here.’ From building immersive worlds to crafting characters that leap off the page, Karin gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her writing pro…

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#1729 Monthly-ish Mix: Layers of Authoritarian Control and the Rising Resistance 3:48:40

1M ago3:48:40

3:48:40

Air Date 8/12/2025 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month, we're covering the full spectrum of authoritarian threats—military in the streets, surveillance in our phones, conspiracies in our feeds, and corruption at the top—before turning to the grassroots organizers and Democratic Soc…

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SOLVED! #18 - How to Live Under Fascism 21:55

1M ago21:55

21:55

Air Date: 8–10-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was on vacation!) discuss: How modern fascism does not look like the jarring and brutal images people think of, and the “rituals of conformity” in Nazi Germany that remind us of another era we’ve lived through How despotism affects the citizen psyche and how to counter those effects The importan…

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Shooting The Shit: "AI Slop" affecting books, what summers in publishing look like and hustle culture in the year 2025 44:35

1M ago44:35

44:35

This week on Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe are back with a no-holds-barred convo on everything rocking the publishing world. They dive into how hustle culture is burning us all out, why summer feels like a weird limbo for book launches, and what it really means when authors get assistants. Plus: AI is creeping into publishing (yep, we’re talkin…

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#1728 The Lawfare Presidency: The Case of Trump v. Journalism 3:09:37

1M ago3:09:37

3:09:37

Air Date 8/10/2025 Trump has been condemning the media for all of his professional life and is pretty open about doing it so that people won't believe the negative press he so richly deserves. Now, with the power of the presidency, he's turned his battle with the press into a protection racket complete with payoffs and side deals in an attempt to t…

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From Audience to Impact: Crafting a Narrative That Connects 46:37

1M ago46:37

46:37

In this special episode of Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by debut author Bryce Thomas to dive into his query letter for ‘Barracuda and the Buddha!’ Get ready for a lively discussion filled with craft insights, as they break down what’s working—and what’s not—in Bryce’s pitch. From the sparks flying between Peter and Georgie to the emo…

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#1727 Super-Powered Men For Good and Ill: Fascism, Media, and the Manoshpere 4:39:49

1M ago4:39:49

4:39:49

Air Date 8/6/2025 Today's slate of topics may feel disjointed at first until you realize that they're not. We set out to produce an episode in which we explored powerful men and those who look up to them from various angles and so that ended up including both real and fictional men from supervillains to superheroes. Be part of the show! Leave us a …

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Shooting The Shit: About Editors, The "Death" Of The Novel & Authors With The "It" Factor 52:07

1M ago52:07

52:07

In this episode of ‘Shooting the Shit’, Carly and CeCe dive into the juicy, unfiltered side of publishing. From the surge in dark romance to how women are being written—and writing themselves—into new spaces, they explore the evolving landscape of literature with wit and insight. They also get personal about reading slumps, dissect the pressures of…

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#1573 Confronting Climate Chaos with Action and Adaptation (Throwback) 1:07:33

1M ago1:07:33

1:07:33

Original Air Date: 7–22-2023 Today, we take a look at the action needed to curb and adapt to the extreme weather that climate change is already delivering Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email [email protected] Full Show Notes Check out our new…

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SOLVED! #17 - How to Use the Bullsh*t Machine: A.I. LLMs’ insertion into childhood, school, work, and movements 20:57

2M ago20:57

20:57

Air Date: 8-1-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: The impact of A.I. LLM “friend” bots on childhood development How using A.I. LLMs negatively impacts critical thinking and information retention The importance of understanding how A.I. LLM tools work before using them The ways in which A.I. LLM tools could and shouldn’t help movements o…

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#1726 Epstein Forever: Trump flails as criticism finally comes from inside the MAGA house 3:29:05

2M ago3:29:05

3:29:05

Air Date: 7/31/2025 Who would have thought that a political movement built almost exclusively on conspiracy theories and a cult of personality would end up being threatened by the cult leader being implicated in the biggest and worst conspiracy coverup… even though it’s been well documented for decades? Content warning for detailed accusations leve…

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From Books with Hooks to Published Author-How Writing is Rewriting 27:50

1M ago27:50

27:50

In this episode, debut author Melissa O’Connor takes us behind the scenes of her publishing journey with ‘The One and Only Vivian Stone.’ She shares how her query letter evolved, what it was like navigating the submission process, and the pivotal decision to restructure the manuscript with a dual timeline. Melissa opens up about weaving romance and…

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July Bonus Episode 53:05

1M ago53:05

53:05

In part one of July’s bonus episode, Bianca sits down with debut author Jacqueline Faber for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation. With a rich academic background and a diverse writing portfolio, Jacqueline shares her path to publication and the creative decisions that shaped her novel, ‘The Department’. They explore the emotional challenges of …

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#1725 A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies 2:58:47

2M ago2:58:47

2:58:47

Air Date: 7-27-2025 Back when I worked in the climate movement, just after the turn of the century, we knew that the extreme weather we were warning about would become ever-more clear to see in people's lived experiences and assumed that any doubts people had about the science of climate change would be wiped away with the evidence they could see w…

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Making Context Feel Organic 1:07:19

2M ago1:07:19

1:07:19

In this exciting episode of Books with Hooks, debut author Tali Shammas steps into the spotlight to share her query letter for her genre-blending novel ‘The Color of Blood’—a bold mix of horror, romance, and razor-sharp feminist themes. The hosts dive into an engaging discussion on social justice in fiction, the power of a strong hook, and how to c…

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#1724 How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better? 3:47:42

2M ago3:47:42

3:47:42

Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump NEVER Will - UNFTR Media - Air Date 7-15-25 KP 2: 'The Economy …

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SOLVED! #16 - Under Pressure: Aiming Higher to Fix Societal Problems 20:26

2M ago20:26

20:26

Air Date: 7–22-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: The need for universal childcare and the pressure release valve of fighting your employer over working from home The need for universal benefits and the pressure release valve of gig workers fighting for a patchwork of crumbs from giant corporations The need to get rid of the business m…

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Shooting The Shit 31:56

2M ago31:56

31:56

Get ready for a brand-new segment with Carly and CeCe that dives into the juiciest side of publishing! In this fun, freewheeling episode, they spill the tea on industry gossip, break down the latest trends—like the dark rom-com craze—and dish on this year’s bestselling books. Plus, they share smart, no-fluff advice on social media strategies for au…

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#1375 The Militia Movement is Having a Moment (Throwback) 1:09:48

2M ago1:09:48

1:09:48

Original Air Date: 10–16-2020 Transcript Today we take a look at the history and origins of the American militia movement right up to the recent plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, the likelihood of more violence and the high probability that they will show up at polling places on Election Day. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text a…

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How Setting is More Than Just Story Backdrop 30:59

2M ago30:59

30:59

In this week’s episode, Bianca connects with novelist Laura Resau. Laura provides an insightful outlook regarding her transition from writing for young audiences to authoring her inaugural adult novel, ‘The Alchemy of Flowers.’ She offers profound insights into her writing methodology, emphasizing the criticality of a persuasive query letter and th…

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#1723 Scam Nation: Trumpism is the Art of Screwing You Over in Every Way Possible 4:39:27

2M ago4:39:27

4:39:27

Air Date 7/16/2025 It increasingly feels like we are completely past the era of legitimate differences in political philosophy and policy preferences. Now that the Republican governing style has been completely consumed by Trumpism, we've entered the era of scam politics which fits nicely with Trump's traditional retail scams, capitalism's continua…

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SOLVED! #15 - This is Propaganda Country: The Grotesque, Cruel, & Artificial Aesthetics of Modern Fascism 19:11

2M ago19:11

19:11

Air Date: 7–13-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: ⁃ The calculated, propaganda motives behind “Mar-a-Lago face” and bizarre MAGA hyper-femininity ⁃ How MAGA uses Kristi Noem’s “Border Barbie” vibes to attempt to soften its vicious immigration policy, and project victimization ⁃ How bad AI imagery is now the look of modern fascism ⁃ The…

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#1722 Imbalance of Powers: The Supreme Court and Executive Branch Collude for Unchecked Power Grab 3:18:29

2M ago3:18:29

3:18:29

Air Date 7/12/2025 The idea of the founders was to separate and balance the powers of the federal government and that, as Madison wrote, that ambition would counteract ambition. The problem we face now is that the ambition of the Supreme Court is to give as much power as possible to the executive branch because, ironically, they seem to be nostalgi…

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What is a familiar query letter... 42:10

2M ago42:10

42:10

In this episode of Books with Hooks, literary agents Carly and CeCe return with insightful feedback on query letters, focusing on commercial women’s fiction and book club fiction. They celebrate Bianca’s exciting book launch and dive deep into the craft of storytelling—discussing character development, emotional resonance, and the vital role of ori…

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#1721 The Evolution of the Military Industrial Complex: Now with AI! 3:10:12

2M ago3:10:12

3:10:12

Air Date 7/9/2025 It's an old joke that "military intelligence" is a good example of an oxymoron so I just asked an AI chatbot to finish a joke about what a military becomes when they implement artificial intelligence. It said, "an oxymoron squared - or as the generals call it, "strategically enhanced stupidity with a confidence interval of 95%" wh…

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SOLVED! #14 - How to Be An Imperfectionist: Fighting the infighting and building a resilient Left movement 20:41

2M ago20:41

20:41

Air Date: 7–7-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Some advice on understanding how to identify imperfect allies vs. true opponents Good-faith critiques of (and agreements with) socialist NYU Professor Vivek Chibber’s views on identity politics on the Left Working Families Party head Maurice Mitchell’s ideas on “neoliberal identity” poli…

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#1376 Tell Stories, Not Myths- America is a Force But Not Always For Good (Throwback) 1:01:36

2M ago1:01:36

1:01:36

Original Air Date: 10-21-20 Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an…

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Replacing Plot with Emotion in Quiet Novels 26:06

3M ago26:06

26:06

In this engaging conversation, Bianca interviews debut author Lidija Hilje. Her articles and essays were published in the New York Times, and other outlets. She runs a book club for writers with a membership of close to 100, and is an active member of the WFWA.The authors discuss her novel 'Slanting Towards the Sea,' exploring themes of literary ci…

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#1720 Building an Organized Left, the Eternal Oxymoron 4:01:42

3M ago4:01:42

4:01:42

Air Date 7/2/2025 The militarization of Trump's deportation regime and response to protesters is the clearest example of his desire to implement a fully authoritarian government. Pure and simple. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheL…