Welcome to our first interlude episode! This week Samuel is talking about How To Get Ahead In Advertising, a 1989 film following an advertising executive who is slowly losing his mind. It satirizes the advertising industry, government propaganda, and good old capitalism. Plus it has a lot of connections with 1984 by George Orwell! Did Sydney like the movie? Does Samuel do a Richard Grant impression? Listen to find out!

Other works discussed this episode:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Anora (2024)

The House That Screamed (1969)

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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!

On this episode of The Satire Fire, Sydney and Samuel conclude our 1984 series by digging into the themes and messages Orwell is using. Samuel talks a lot about NewSpeak! Sydney can't get enough of individual expression! It's bananas! Haven't read 1984? Maybe go back and listen to Part 1 to get caught up! Want to know what the history is that led us to our conclusions? Give Part 2 a try!

Other books discussed in this episode:

Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

The House of my Mother by Shari Franke

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

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On this episode of The Satire Fire, Sydney and Samuel continue their series on 1984 with a history of the author George Orwell! Samuel takes us through Orwell's life from his birth in British India up to the writing of 1984 and everything in between that helps us understand the context of 1984. Haven't read 1984? Maybe go back and listen to Part 1 to get caught up! This is our last background episode for 1984, so be sure to come back next week for the conclusion of the series.

Other books discussed in this episode: The Secret History by Donna Tartt and Hijab Butch Blues; A Memoir by Lamya H

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On this episode of The Satire Fire, Sydney and Samuel start their series on 1984 by George Orwell! Part 1 will be a plot breakdown, with Samuel covering all the basic elements you will need to follow along with later discussions. Haven't read 1984? Or maybe read it too long ago to remember it fully? Then this will get you up to speed!

Other books discussed in this episode: Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe and Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

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Welcome to The Satire Fire! Sydney and Samuel are on a mission to read every piece of satire ever written and we want to bring you along with us! In this episode we introduce ourselves and the podcast, then break down the most famous satirical pamphlet we know; "A Modest Proposal" by Dr. Jonathan Swift. What is Jonathan proposing? Is it modest and demure? Do we have a new culinary sensation on our hands? Tune in to find out!

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