The Foxed Page

The Blue Flower is considered Fitzgerald's masterpiece, and for good reason. It's challenging--an entirely different approach to historical fiction, with subtle, nuanced, gorgeous prose. She makes late-1700s Saxony feel immediate and accessible and you FEEL so much for these people. Listen in to fully appreciate how she produces a book that readers go back to again and again, gaining so much more every single time.

Tune in to hear why James's 1880 New York novel might be all of the above--plus funny! The close look at the innovative, wry narrative stance is reason enough to spend an hour thinking about this slim book. Not to mention the excellent characterization, the use of satire and the send up of the Gothic meddlesome spinster aunt! Treat yourself now!

I can't remember the last time a novel evoked such strong--and opposing!--reactions. This 2018 novella appealed back then but my re-reading was even more satisfying. Listen in to hear the many ways Murata is a master of satire. Maybe more interestingly, take a fascinating look at sexuality in the novel via two other Murata essays. Indulge yourself in talk about this smart, unique novel now!

Lerner's new novel(la) is a revelation. One that deserves a LOT of our attention. It's a text that tests the limits and potentials of what fiction can do. Whether you loved it or came away wondering what the hell you just read, these ninety minutes should deepen your appreciation for this latest from one of my very favorite writers of all time.

The Russian master's slim novel from 1958--just a year after Lolita--is such a dream. Truly one of my favorite books. We dive deep into narrative stance, satire, structure, figurative language, the campus novel and SQUIRRELS.

The reading public had ridiculously high expectations for whatever followed Jones’s break-out bestseller—and wow have those expectations have been met. KIN might seem like a straightforward, delightful  page turner but the book is so good because of all the nuanced, complex ways that Jones develops structure, dialogue, plot, figurative language, minor characters, historical setting etc. Listen in to FULLY APPRECIATE this rich work.

Wow was this rewarding. Lispector's cult following knows what it's talking about! her body of work is globally, universally acclaimed for an approach that truly feels singular. Listen in to hear how her harrowing childhood informs her writing. Together we'll dig deep into how stream of consciousness, figurative language and writing from the body all add to the genius. These slim novels are the kind of work that REALLY reward deeper analysis.

Saunders fans came to this with very high expectations. Rightly! The MacArthur-winning genius won the Booker for the insanely great Lincoln in the Bardo! When VIGIL fell a tiny bit short for me, I went to the source--interviews with George--to really understand what he was going for. I wanted the best experience of this book! The results were fascinating. Listen in to gain the deepest appreciation for why Saunders is always worth our while.

Even *I*--longtime Enrigue superfan--was a little suspicious of this one. Turns out a "multifaceted war story," a "Western that Goes Where McCarthy Wouldn't," the story of the surrender of Geronimo, was RIVETING.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Let us thank GOD for the Irishification of the American arts! This lecture explores the haunting “An Encounter” before delving into the masterpiece, “The Dead.” Find out how Joyce changed the face of literature, and how his portrayal of the Irish people is actually a portrayal of EVERYONE. Maybe Joyce seems a little heavy?? Choose from my talks on Sally Rooney's INTERMEZZO, Claire Keegan's radical SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE or FOSTER, Anna Burns's insanely great MILKMAN or a handful of other Irish masterpieces.

There are dozens of reasons why Moore is one of my favorite writers of all time. Indulge yourself in the 20 minutes it takes to read (or listen to!) this story then dig DEEP with me. The work is ridiculously smart and dark and poignant and unique and HILARIOUS. I'll say it before we even start: YOU'RE WELCOME.

This Booker Prize shortlister SEEMS quiet, spacious and spare but wow is it rich. The closer you look (allow me to guide you), the better it gets. Don't let the subtleties of this gorgeous novel be lost on you! Listen in now.

People! Enrigue's new novel NOW I SURRENDER comes out today in English. Before you dive into that one, brush up on all the ways the man is a genius. This exploration of YOU DREAMED OF EMPIRES will give you a deeper understanding of the title, the unique narrative stance, why the book feels so dreamy, the humor and whether or not we can read this as a FEMINIST novel.

Much is made of this insanely great novel(la)'s economy but it's the RICHNESS that draws me back again and again and again. Everything is so perfectly dark and smart and hilarious and poignant. We dive in (no pun intended) to the unique narrative stance, the richness of her characterization and her masterful employment of figurative language. This book is SO GOOD.

Prepare to be liberated.

Leave it to a Nobel Prize winner to turn out a book that is so charming, rich, funny, complex and sophisticated. I love this novel so much. Listen in to hear how this potent mix of melodrama, fiction and memoir keeps me returning to it over and over.

Finally, we tackle this GIANT of South American Literature. "The Aleph" is smart (obviously) but also self-deprecating, ultra-rich and HILARIOUS. The man's a genius. The story is genius. Indulge now and feel--in just 80 minutes--a little smarter.

NO READING REQUIRED! "1950s Nancy was a Barbie. But 1930s Nancy was a single, friendless BITCH." (Bitch in the very BEST kind of way.) This line from The Bookstore (now playing off Broadway) opens a fascinating--and somewhat damning--window onto American culture. But the best part of revisiting these books is how GOOD they are. Listen in to hear what most of us missed about these iconic bestsellers.

Emerald Fennel's new movie version of Wuthering Heights (and my SON'S OFF-BROADWAY DEBUT) sent me right back to the novel and WOW is there a lot to say about this book. Allow me to break down whether it's a love story or all about revenge, why there's no sex, what the narrative stance has to do with the gothic, and SO MUCH MORE.

I have never loved an epistolary novel (a novel in letters). But at every turn Evans avoided the pitfalls. Not only that, but The Correspondent ends up being a rich, moving read. Tune in to find out how she pulls it off, what made me put it down--only to pick it right back up--and why this work deserves a closer look.

DISCONTENT started with such potential that my very high expectations were somewhat dashed. Serrano starts so strong: she paints the work place, interrogates the internet, incorporates visual art, promotes the concept of the chosen family and more. But much hinged on the ending and for me, it didn't deliver. Listen to see what's working really well and what isn't. Discontent really helps you see why pulling off a strong novel is REALLY HARD TO DO.

Actually, probably, I'd never read it because I was scarred by "The Lottery" in grade school. I should NOT have been afraid. Hangsaman is incredible! It also has some verrrrry confusing elements that deserve the deepest of analysis. Listen in for exactly that. What a masterpiece!

NO READING REQUIRED! I READ IT TO YOU! Once again we dive into an entire story! In just 45 entertaining, engaging minutes, you'll end up feeling smarter and maybe a little better about DEATH. It's amazing: in three mere pages, Williams takes us well beyond Homer's Odyssey into the kind of land only Williams can create. Kick back and listen to all the reasons why speculation about Williams and the Nobel Prize doesn't seem crazy at all.

NO READING REQUIRED! Kick off 2026 with a new foxed page experience: an entire short story read to you--with my analysis--in one brief(ish) lecture! Come away feeling transported and inspired by true literary genius (Kincaid's, haha, not mine).

We all read The Catcher in high school (when it was largely wasted on us) but too few of us explore Salinger's short fiction. His stories are SO GOOD. A deep dive into "Bananfish" will not only help you appreciate the inimitable dialogue, the spareness, the characterization and all that makes Salinger one of America's best writers--but you'll end up feeling a little smarter and a little more HUMAN as we kick off 2026.

I fully agree with the Booker Prize judges that FLESH is "singular" and "extraordinary." I can see why it won! I do, though, have a few arguments to make.

NO READING REQUIRED! Find out why we are SO DRAWN to this unlikely, enduring classic. Also: I grapple with the sequel.

This deep dive into the importance of our everyday objects--together with compelling reason why we homebodies love home--was such an eye-opener! Listen in to hear how our things provide crucial, existential cues. Also: allow me to GIVE YOU FULL PERMISSION to handle that not-so-wanted gift you're about to receive this holiday season.

This work might only be 116 pages, but it feels enormous--in the very best of ways. You could study it for years and not fully comprehend its unique structure, its strange atmosphere and the uncanny originality of this prose. Listen in now to find out why Johnson is held as one of the best American writers of all time.

Did you love this when it came out in 2020? Are you picking it up now because Reid seems even smarter after being named as a Booker judge? Either way, listen in to hear why I loved the prose, character development and general vibe of this work. She tackles BIG questions, all in a highly familiar, fraught and delicious domestic world that provides all kinds of grist for my mill.

From gladiators to babies to dogs to basketball--this quick talk touches on a LOT. All in the context of everyday gestures! Listen in to find out the best way to position yourself on a zoom call, how gestures actually make you smarter and why you should NEVER sit on your hands.

Few stories are so ingrained in our collective unconscious. But do you know how it was published? the many ways it has shaped the way we celebrate? why it has endured so masterfully and spawned so many adaptations? Listen in to either get into the holiday spirit, or to really engage your inner Scrooge!

This is a whole new thing! It's only 13 minutes! Thirteen being plenty of minutes for a deep dive into the MOST INSANE EXPERIENCE I had recently with English vocabulary. Listen in! You will be SHOOK.

I keep wanting wintery books/shows/crafts/projects that aren't too silly or saccharine. This absolutely fits that bill. And it's a complete MASTERPIECE. It might be brief but there is sooooo much to talk about. You'll come away feeling just a little bit smarter, and way winterier.

Whether you've never read her or Christie is your favorite, I like to think this'll be eye opening. You'll learn why the "queen of crime" is exceptional and why it's no surprise that she's the best-selling writer OF ALL TIME (except Shakespeare and the Bible...). It might not be quite midwinter but conjure up a little seasonal ambience with Christie's smart, charming, wintery tale.

I do not know why, but I picked up this beauty of a book a couple of times and put it down. WOW am I glad I finally read it. This novel is feels subtle, brief and--at the same time--enormous. There is so much grist for our mill! Listen in to be sure you don't miss out on those poignant depths.

When a novella tells you in the jacket copy that twenty sailors went swimming and twenty-one came back, you know you're in for some mystery. But that's obviously not ALL the mystery. I'm still not sure I have all the answers but wow was it fun to look for them. Including digressions about Dr. Seuss, iambic pentameter and so much more!

I re-read Hamnet because of the MOVIE adaptation, but was SHOOK by how deftly O'Farrell surmounts the MANY pitfalls of historical fiction. We dive deep into: why her vision of the era is so vivid; how Shakespeare is everywhere but also nowhere; how this is a feminist novel; and all the ways the prose transports, affects and inspires the reader. Seriously, treat yourself now.

NO READING REQUIRED! Kimberly explains why FRANKENSTEIN is more relevant than ever. Treat yourself to discussion of: Mary Shelley's insanely colorful life, elements of the gothic novel, what makes the prose so timeless, Percy Bysshe Shelley's role--and why we all need to hear the classic novel's CAUTIONARY TALE.

You might think of CARRIE is just SCARY , but narrative stance, sophisticated structure, use of motif and "scientific evidence" are all integral in making it so good. Treat yourself .

Ditlevsen's three-volume memoir has made a huge impression on American readers. When I found it slightly underwhelming, I wondered if I would appreciate the work more fully if I knew her FICTION. She's hugely critically acclaimed in her native Denmark. She's written 29 books. A look at one very short story will shift your perspective, leaving you with a much deeper appreciation of this literary icon.

I was really moved by Salvage the Bones. Tune in to find out why Ward's work just keeps getting better and better.

Weirdly, amazon added the subtitle "A Detective Mystery" to Small Mercies. When one of the best things about this book is that it's NOT a detective at the center. You all know this genre isn't my usual fare, but Lehane's historical focus, together with his excellent prose, and dialogue (plus plot, duh) made this so satisfying to dive into.

Didion is never afraid to stare down the most troubling parts of our country--incisively and boldly. Which somehow always makes me feel better?? Herein I argue for the importance of this seminal work, I touch on Didion’s biography ,then dig into why her engaging, dark, entirely inimitable prose deserves its iconic status. (parts 2 and 3 below)

Isabel Allende's THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS didn't just build upon the magic realism established by García Márquez's ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE. Allende's 1982 novel (published in Spain, not her native Chile for political reasons) was immensely popular with Americans when it was published in English in 1985. Indulge in a reminder of these absolute masterpieces while learning more about how they relate to one another, more about magic realism in general, and how the historical-political situations in Colombia and Chile influenced both works. Kimberly had SO much fun with this. Join in now.

Whether you've loved Mrs. Dalloway forever or Woolf is new to you, there's nothing more satisfying than thinking about this book for 45 minutes. We do a quick bio, a little chunk on modernism then a deep dive into the SEXY parts of the book. Indulge now and come away a little smarter.

What an honor to add my voice to the important chorus extolling everyone's favorite kid book, Frog and Toad. Allow me to explain how structure, monosyllabic word choice, vowel sounds and syntax all combine to result in PROFOUND resonance. The big bonus is that the queer elements of the work make reading Lobel not only a nostalgic delight, but an important act.

People. Raymond Carver's short fiction is so good that it's essentially responsible for the American short fiction heyday in the 1980s. Listen in to why the content and the STYLE makes Carver entirely inimitable and so compelling.

Even if HUCK FINN is your favorite ever, you have to admit that what Everett has done is amazing. Listen in for all the nuance you need about HUCK (without spending days [re]reading Twain). Kimberly shares not only why JAMES is an insanely great revisioning of the 1884 adventure story--but why Everett's crucial text is hilarious, unique and JUST SO GOOD.

Melville's classic is always right at the top of BEST EVER novels lists. We really dig into what is so appealing about this masterpiece: its weird structure, its likeable, unique narrator, an open-mindedness that seems pretty radical for 1851 (including some serious homoeroticism)--and, of course, the appeal of Queequeg, everyone's favorite harpooner.