Workers' Lit

It's that time again. It's a patron-chosen episode!!
This time the patrons chose a dark one: Octavia Butler's 1979 time travel novel/first-person slave narrative, "Kindred."
This book is a classic for a reason. It engages directly with American slavery and its long-term legacy, and doesn't shy away from the brutality. As such, this is a darker episode...though we still think you'll enjoy and get a lot from it!
Some podcast news: starting next week we'll be launching "Workers' Lit: The Epilogues," an additional half hour (or so) of conversation around the week's book and related topics we'd like to get to but didn't quite fit in the episode. These Epilogues will release the same day of every new episode, and be available only to Workers' Lit Patrons.
We'll also be launching a Patrons-only Discord and reading club very soon, so be on the look out for that (and support us on Patreon so you can be part of it!)
https://patreon.com/workerslit

THIS IS A PATREON EPISODE! If you want the full episode go support us on Patreon here:
https://www.patreon.com/WorkersLit/posts/ayshas-author-173875308
In today's bonus Patreon episode Aysha sits down with one of our favorite writers and guests: Lee Mandelo!
Lee is a brilliant horror author, having written such books as "Summer Sons" and "Woods All Black." In this conversation he and Aysha delve into discussion about his genre, creative examinations of gender and sex in literature, and watching shows with subtitles.
We hope you enjoy! Also, go check out "Amplitudes: Stories of Queer and Trans Futurity", a sci-fi collection edited by Lee and featuring Aysha!
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/770919/amplitudes-by-lee-mandelo/

Have y'all heard about this whole "European colonialism" thing? It's bad news, REALLY bad news!
Isaac, an organizer with the South Dekalb Coordinating Committee joins us today for a conversation about a true political titan: Walter Rodney. A Guyanese historian, political philosopher, and organizer, Rodney published his masterwork, "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa" in 1972.
This conversation takes you through Rodney's life, the outline of his arguments, and a high-level view of the historical processes by which European colonization and imperialism stunted the growth of the African continent, leaving us with the geopolitical situation we see today. It's upsetting stuff, but it's absolutely crucial to understand should we want to see change!
Go support the South Dekalb Coordinating Committee in its quest to organize, educate, and support the people of the Metro Atlanta area in their fight against capitalism and racism!
https://linktr.ee/SDCC_
Go check out Isaac's writing on Substack!
https://substack.com/@isaacboa
Go support Workers' Lit on Patreon!
https://patreon.com/workerslit
Links to sources for this episode:
https://www.economist.com/special-report/2025/01/06/the-economic-gap-between-africa-and-the-rest-of-the-world-is-growing
https://www.policycenter.ma/publications/impact-chinese-investments-africa-neocolonialism-or-cooperation
https://www.worldbank.org/en/brief/2026/09/17/the-job-i-hope-for
https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/m7o1qi/africa_according_to_the_conference_of_berlin/

This is a preview. To access the full episode please go support Workers' Lit on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/workerslit
It's time for yet another installment of Lenore and Rahab's monthly patron-only miniseries, "Article Brain!"
This time we wade into two very different, very stupid articles. First, Jacobin asks us why books aren't manly anymore. Then, Larry David (yes, that Larry David) shows that even a generational comedian can't make "socialism is when no iPhone" funny.
Links to the articles. Please do not read them, this is just to cite our sources or whatever:
https://jacobin.com/2026/10/lonesome-dove-reading-novels-men
https://airmail.news/issues/2026-10-17/the-view-from-here

IMPORTANT NOTE: You might notice one of our hosts is going by a new name (Rahab/Ray). Have you slipped into an alternate reality? Perhaps, perhaps not. For some specifics, go check out the "Rise of Rahab" episode on the Patreon. Or just pretend it was always this way, that works too.
Let's Go Lesbians!
This is a really special episode. The incredible science fiction author Amal El-Mohtar joins us to discuss August Clarke's 2024 "Metal From Heaven," a queer, violent, exciting, sexy, brutal, blast of a novel that will have YOU ready to join the Highwaymen's Choir.
Discussion includes: building parallel systems in the face of oppression, the performance of gender and its intersection with sexuality, the need for more strap-ons in science fiction, and becoming communist God.
Go check out Amal's incredible work at her website: https://amalelmohtar.com/
Go support Workers' Lit on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/workerslit
Sources from the episode:
https://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html
https://www.semcoop.com/blog/post/end-hereafter-qa-august-clarke-author-metal-heaven