Hyperfixations

107: Frances Glessner Lee with Courtney Smyth

Hi I am rich. Could you please do this ridiculous request for me? Don't ask me any questions. Content warning: this episode contains mentions of surgery, death, murder, suicide, misogyny This week Courtney Smyth, author of The Undetectables and 2024's The Undead Complex, and Ireland's foremost amateur expert in Frances Glessner Lee peels the details back on the original mother and the founder of modern forensic science. In this episode we discuss buying your way into Harvard, ensuring real justice is gotten for victims, the problems with real people in fiction, our plans to revitalise interest in Frances, and a room specifically built for an orchestra to live in. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to our podcast Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HyperfixationsP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), or our Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hyperfixationspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), and join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/NQJFFHgpgf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- Our guest Courtney can be found on Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok @cswritesbooks You can visit their website here Buy their books The Undetectables, and The Undead Complex everywhere books are sold (and a copy for your mother!) And your hosts can be reached individually here: Nigel - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spicynigel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ally - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alleykat_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ally_k_keegan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- If you would like to come onto the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, please feel free to reach out at any of the aforementioned social media. If you want to come on the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, you can also fill in this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll get back to you as soon as we can --------------------------------------------------------- Media mentioned in this episode: Of Dolls and Murder (documentary) 18 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics by Bruce Goldfarb (book) Southerngothicdollhouse on TikTok Mystery Street (1950) (film) The Smithsonian series of lectures on Frances' dioramas --------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much for listening, you rock! Intro/Outro Song: Strollin Along by David Renda, find it here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/strollin-along/339

106: Medieval Philosophy with Ryan Silberstein

This one goes out to Doctor Rogers... Content warning: this episode contains mentions of bodily harm (castration) This week we finish our duology of episodes about how easy it was to come up with ideas before ideas had been invented as Ryan takes on a whistle-stop tour of medieval philosophy. In this episode we discuss the rediscovery of Aristotle, reconciling the mind/body divide, whether canons actually deserve respect, and whether anything has actually changed in over a thousand years. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to our podcast Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HyperfixationsP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), or our Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hyperfixationspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), and join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/NQJFFHgpgf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- Our guest Ryan can be found on Twitter @Silberwhatever and Instagram @silberwhatever Listen to Ryan's show Dream With Mind And Heart: A Podcast For Every Disney Movie Ever on Spotify and Apple Podcasts Read Ryan's movie articles on MovieJawn And your hosts can be reached individually here: Nigel - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spicynigel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ally - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alleykat_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ally_k_keegan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- If you would like to come onto the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, please feel free to reach out at any of the aforementioned social media. If you want to come on the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, you can also fill in this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll get back to you as soon as we can --------------------------------------------------------- Media mentioned in this episode: On The Consolation of Philosophy Eloisa to Abelard The Confessions of Saint Augustine --------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much for listening, you rock! Intro/Outro Song: Strollin Along by David Renda, find it here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/strollin-along/339

105: Narratology and Narrative Theory with Steven Cousler

Let's hope our professors hear this one... Content warning: this episode contains mentions of transphobia, bodily functions (defecation), conflict We're back late after having to factory reset my laptop for our most inscrutable episode yet, as Steven achieves his goal of coming on this show and secretly giving the audience homework. In this episode we discuss creating vocabulary for why things are wrong, what a "narrative" actually is, sexy lamps, how easy it was to be famous back in the day, and why the TV show 24 is the best piece of media ever. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to our podcast Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HyperfixationsP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), or our Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hyperfixationspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), and join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/NQJFFHgpgf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- Our guest Steven can be found online on the Twitter for his show Hotel Daydream @HotelDayRadio You can visit Hotel Daydream's website here, and listen to it on Spotify and Apple Read Steven's course list here And your hosts can be reached individually here: Nigel - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spicynigel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ally - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alleykat_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ally_k_keegan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- If you would like to come onto the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, please feel free to reach out at any of the aforementioned social media. If you want to come on the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, you can also fill in this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll get back to you as soon as we can --------------------------------------------------------- Media mentioned in this episode: Narratology an Introduction by Susana Onega and Jose Angel Garcia Landa A Dictionary of Narratology (Revised Edition) by Gerald Prince An Introduction to the Structural Analysis of Narrative by Roland Barthes The Rhetoric of Fiction by Wayne C. Booth The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Reading for the Plot by Peter Brooks Coming Unstrung by Susan Winnett Technique of the Drama by Gustav Freytag The Poetics by Aristotle The Hero With a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell Kiki's Delivery Service (film) F for Fake (film) 24 (TV series) The Prestige (film) Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavić Composition No. 1 by Marc Saporta If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand --------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much for listening, you rock! Intro/Outro Song: Strollin Along by David Renda, find it here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/strollin-along/339

104: Rivers of London and a Conversation with Ben Aaronovitch

It's London, innit Content warning: this episode contains mentions of sex, stereotyping, death, zombies, nuclear annihilation, existentialism murder, mental health issues, the Nazis Editor's note - the quality of this call recording is a bit crackly at the start of the episode but evens out as it goes on This week on Hyperfixations, author of the Rivers of London series, Ben Aaronovitch sits down for a chat about his work, life, and anything else we may turn our minds to. In this episode we discuss not putting too much of your own nerdiness into something, how not to fall into stereotyping in writing, writing the book YOU would want to read, and why we'll never find out how the magic in Rivers of London actually works. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to our podcast Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@HyperfixationsP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), or our Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hyperfixationspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), and join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/NQJFFHgpgf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- Our guest Ben can be found on Twitter @Ben_Aaronovitch, and on Instagram @baarovitch You can visit Ben's website here, and subscribe to his newsletter there for news, updates, and exclusive moments from the world of Rivers of London Purchase Ben's newest novella, The Masquerades of Spring from Waterstones or wherever you get your books And your hosts can be reached individually here: Nigel - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spicynigel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ally - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alleykat_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ally_k_keegan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- If you would like to come onto the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, please feel free to reach out at any of the aforementioned social media. If you want to come on the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, you can also fill in this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll get back to you as soon as we can --------------------------------------------------------- Media mentioned in this episode: Inspector Wexford book series by Ruth Rendell Charles Paris book series by Simon Brett Hercule Poirot series by Agatha Christie Inspector Morse TV series Kerbal Space Program --------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much for listening, you rock! Intro/Outro Song: Strollin Along by David Renda, find it here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/strollin-along/339

103: Baldur's Gate III with Amethysa

Down, down, down, by the river... Content warning: this episode contains mentions of death, murder, bodily functions (urination), sex Please note - this episode was recorded prior to the announcement that Larian would not be working on Baldur's Gate 4 This week on Hyperfixations, Amethysa, Ally, and Nigel resist their Dark Urges as we discuss Larian's hit RPG Baldur's Gate III. In this episode we discuss how to keep a fanbase happy, where Baldur's Gate and fashion meet, whether the game is built to be played as an evil character, and why we can never actually finish Act 3. If you liked the episode, please feel free to tell us about it! You can send your comments and suggestions to our podcast Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠@HyperfixationsP⁠⁠⁠⁠), or our Instagram (⁠⁠⁠⁠@Hyperfixationspod⁠⁠⁠⁠), and join our Discord server here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/NQJFFHgpgf⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- Our guest Amethysa can be found on Twitter @MissAmethysa, and on Instagram @missamethysa Support Amethysa on Patreon here, and browse her shop here And your hosts can be reached individually here: Nigel - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spicynigel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ally - Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alleykat_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ally_k_keegan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --------------------------------------------------------- If you would like to come onto the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, please feel free to reach out at any of the aforementioned social media. If you want to come on the show to discuss one of your Hyperfixations, you can also fill in this ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Form⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and we'll get back to you as soon as we can --------------------------------------------------------- Media mentioned in this episode: Devora Wilde's TikTok --------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much for listening, you rock! Intro/Outro Song: Strollin Along by David Renda, find it here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fesliyanstudios.com/royalty-free-music/download/strollin-along/339