This week's Culture Catch-Up is packed with life updates! Eli's prepping for her Houston housewarming, recovering from a stubborn cold, and reminiscing about how her sister-in-law Jess went from community theater kid to marrying her brother. She dishes on spotting Florence Pugh at the Polo Bar, finishing her book I Hope Eden Reads This, and her newfound Kindle reading ecosystem. There's a deep dive into the Verity premiere, Taylor Swift discourse, and why the internet can't let people just like or dislike things anymore — plus thoughts on the Glee reboot, Dancing With the Stars voting chaos, and a midterms voting push. And of course, a Sweetie and Lover of the Week tribute to her SolidCore instructor.

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Actress, screenwriter, and playwright Zoe Kazan joins this episode of Prose Society to discuss her Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck's East of Eden — a project six years in the making. Zoe shares her approach to adaptation, why she centered the anti-hero Cathy Ames (played by Florence Pugh), and what it meant to carry forward a story her own grandfather adapted for the screen in 1955. She also opens up about the personal identities — mother, sister, daughter — that shaped her writing, the casting process behind the series' star-studded ensemble, and why she believes adaptation is an advanced form of reading. Plus, rapid-fire recommendations spanning Toni Morrison to Stephen King.

Follow Zoe! @Zoe.Kazan

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This week's a long one. We're recapping the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Vegas, the VMAs, Dancing With the Stars, and The Traitors — plus a deep dive into Taylor Swift's Showgirl Encore with a track-by-track review and thoughts on the fandom discourse. We're talking Martha Stewart at 85, the foldable iPhone, generative AI, Stella Lefty's hater-fueled career, TikTok's hyper-local For You Page, and the iced coffee interview debate that turned into a generational war (justice for millennials!). Plus: October's book club pick Honey by Imani Thompson, what I'm reading now, a voter registration reminder, and my Sweetie & Lover of the Week.

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This week we're reviewing Waist Deep, the debut novel by Danish author Linea Maja Ernst that became a smash hit across Scandinavia. Five university friends and their partners spend seven days at a lake house in Denmark, and old feelings of love and lust resurface as they confront the big question: who makes the rules for how we live our lives, and which is the right way?

We break down every character — Sylvia, the insufferable-but-relatable protagonist who can't figure out what she wants; Charlie, the perfect partner she can't bring herself to love; Quince, the charming bachelor who's okay with not knowing; Karen (who is essentially Dua Lipa); Gri, the mom friend questioning her identity beyond motherhood; and Adam, the straight guy who just chose and got on with it.

Plus: how the author dared to call Sally Rooney's sex scenes "beige" and then wrote an entire novel by hand in response, why this book would make a perfect Broadway play, the privilege of being able to ask existential questions when your basic needs are met, and why "Getting married is no big deal" is one of the best closing lines in recent literary fiction.

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This week's Culture Catch-Up is a big one. We dig into the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and what it means to reflect on it depending on where you grew up, unpack the backlash over the Sydney Sweeney sports betting ad and the "choice feminism" debate, and recap the Emmys (the best and worst looks, iconic moments, and why award shows feel more forgettable every year). Plus: Taylor Swift's new album era and the internet's obsessive theorizing, Celine Dion's comeback, Dancing with the Stars predictions, a discourse-y article about influencers and designer bags, and a full For You Page rundown of everything worth talking about this week.

The craziest bag collection on my FYP goes to @nkasuga89.

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This week on Prose Society, we're joined by writer, content creator, and sociologist Josh Lora (@tellthebeees) — one of our favorite voices covering books, culture, and internet discourse across TikTok and Substack.

We dig into Josh's journey from viral book reviewer to cultural commentator, unpacking his master's in social research and how it shapes his takes on everything from "American Cheating" and celebrity scandal to Love Island and the Real Housewives. We talk about why reality TV deserves more respect, the double standards women face for "being mean" or unfaithful, and what makes a friend group's dynamics so ripe for drama.

Then we dive deep into our September book pick, Waist Deep — a buzzy Scandinavian bestseller about a wedding, a friend group at a crossroads, and the messy pull of desire, monogamy, and what makes a "good life." Plus: book recs, our hottest Love Island takes, and a rapid-fire round covering favorite reality stars, underrated books, and the fictional character Josh relates to most.

Grab a copy of Waist Deep and follow along — then come back and let us know what you thought!

Follow Josh: @tellthebeees on TikTok, Substack, and Instagram.

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This week's Culture Catch-Up covers a lot of ground: personal life updates and housewarming plans, honoring Dolly Parton and the recent losses in music and theater, the Met Gala's controversial theme change, Ariana Grande's ongoing scrutiny and the double standards female celebrities face, the "Tony" biopic on Anthony Bourdain, true crime culture and its ethical blind spots, Sydney Sweeney's viral wedding and celebrity privacy, and reactions to Dancing With the Stars and The Traitors casting news.

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This episode is all about Amy Chozick's debut fiction novel, With Friends Like You — a sharp, darkly funny thriller about new motherhood, capitalist excess, and a narrator you can't quite trust. I'm breaking down the plot, the characters (including one seriously unsettling "Daisy"), the twist, and why it reminded me of everything from Gossip Girl to Fight Club. Plus: a little detour into my high school reading era and why I'll never rank books on Goodreads. Grab a copy and let's get into it.

New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe now to join the group chat. See you between the pages!

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Follow Amy: @AmyChozick | https://amychozick.com

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