Brit Lit Book Club
Welcome to The Brit Lit Book Club, where we explore the stories behind the stories. Host Vanessa, founder of The Book Club Tour, takes you on literary adventures through Britain's greatest works—from Shakespeare and Austen to Dickens and the Brontës.
What to Expect:
Each episode dives deep into a classic British author or work, going far beyond the plot summaries you learned in school. We'll uncover how these authors challenged their societies, examine the historical forces that shaped their writing, and discover why these centuries-old books still speak to our modern world—from family expectations and social pressure to gender roles and class conflict.
Explore the real Shakespeare beyond the myths. Understand why Romeo and Juliet is more about social control than romance. Discover how Jane Austen revolutionized the novel while navigating life as a single woman. Learn what Dickens revealed about Victorian poverty and why the Brontës' heroines were so scandalous.
You'll Discover:
- Historical context that brings classic literature to life
- Surprising connections between Regency ballrooms and modern dating culture
- Why Victorian social issues mirror today's challenges
- The real lives of authors who defied convention
- How to read between the lines of England's most beloved books
- Book recommendations for deeper exploration
- Travel tips for experiencing literary England firsthand
Who this podcast is for:
Perfect for book club members, literature enthusiasts, Anglophiles, students, travelers planning literary pilgrimages, and anyone who suspects there's more to these classics than they were taught in school.
Whether you're revisiting old favorites or discovering British literature for the first time, each episode offers fresh perspectives, thoughtful analysis, and plenty of tea.
New episodes weekly.
Grab your tea and join the conversation!
Episodes
26 episodes
J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan: The Boy Who Never Grew Up
What if the most beloved children's story in the English language was actually about grief?In this episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, we're exploring the extraordinary life of Scottish author J.M. Barrie — the man behind Peter Pan, Tinke...
Interview with Alex Dold, Dr. of Outlander
What does it mean to fall through time and land in history class?If you've ever stayed up until 2am turning pages of Outlander, convinced you could practically smell the heather and hear the clash of broadswords ...
Sir Walter Scott - The Man Who Invented Scotland
Sir Walter Scott - The Man Who Invented ScotlandIf you've ever lost yourself in the Highland landscapes of Outlander, stood misty-eyed at a ruined Scottish castle, or felt your heart catch at the sight of a man in a kilt, you have Walter...
James Herriot - Yorkshire's Beloved Vet
What if the most profound literature isn't found in dark Gothic mansions or dramatic tragedy, but in the everyday work of a country veterinarian making rounds through the Yorkshire Dales? In this episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, we're heading...
Anne Brontë - The Forgotten Sister
Anne Brontë – The Forgotten Sister She's been called the forgotten Brontë — overshadowed by Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Emily's Wuthering Heights, dismissed as the quietest and least talented of the three sist...
Daphne du Maurier: The Woman Behind Rebecca
The Brit Lit Book Club - Daphne du Maurier: The Woman Behind RebeccaDiscover the dark, complex world of Daphne du Maurier, one of the 20th century's most brilliant and misunderstood writers. Join host Vanessa Hunt as she explores ...
The Hidden History of Book Clubs
What if the book club wasn't just a cozy tradition, but one of the most powerful tools for change in women's history? In this episode of the Brit Lit Book Club, we trace the story of women's reading communities from the salons of ancient Greece...
Mary Shelley & the Birth of Frankenstein
What does it take to write one of the most enduring novels in human history at eighteen years old, in the middle of a volcanic winter, surrounded by grief? In this episode of the Brit Lit Book Club, we dive deep into Mary Shelley's Frankens...
How to Start a Classics Book Club
Starting a Classics Book Club: Tips, Traditions & Literary Travel with Keri & Liz Have you ever dreamed of starting a classics book club but didn't know where to begin? In this episode, I sit down with two friends who...
My Review of the New Wuthering Heights Movie
Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights (2026) has arrived and the internet has opinions. So do I.In this episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, we're stepping away from the page and into the cinema to review the most talked-ab...
Wuthering Heights: Everything You Need to Know Before the New Movie Comes Out This Week
Wuthering Heights: Everything You Need to Know Before the New Movie Comes Out This WeekThe new Wuthering Heights movie starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi is coming soon, and whether you've read Emily Brontë's classic or not, ...
Interview with Essie Fox, Author of "Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights"
Join author Essie Fox for a haunting conversation about Catherine: A Retelling of Wuthering Heights, a Gothic reimagining of Emily Brontë's masterpiece told from Catherine Earnshaw's ghostly perspective.In t...
Beatrix Potter - Author, Illustrator, Farmer, Conservationist, Scientist
Beatrix Potter - Author, Illustrator, Farmer, Conservationist, Scientist Discover the untold story of Beatrix Potter—far more than just the beloved author of Peter Rabbit. In this episode, host Vanessa reveals how Potter was ...
Elizabeth Gaskell - Voice of the Working Class
Discover Elizabeth Gaskell: Victorian Literature's Voice for Social Reform | The Brit Lit Book ClubJoin host Vanessa as we explore the life and revolutionary works of Elizabeth Gaskell, the Victorian author who gave voice to Engla...
Brit Lit Chit Chat with Brittney from Moms Talk Autism
This week on the Brit Lit Book Club Podcast, I'm doing something a little different! Instead of our usual author deep-dive, I'm joined by my friend Brittney for a chatty, catch-up style episode about all the literary adventures we've been havin...
The Importance of Performing Shakespeare - An Interview with Michael Anderson from The Happiness Playbook
Why Performing Shakespeare Still Matters: A Conversation with Michael from Take Note TroupeWhy do we still perform Shakespeare 400 years after his death? In this special interview episode (the first for The Brit Lit Book Club) we ...
Christmas Through the Ages: From Shakespeare, to Austen, to Dickens
Journey through 300 years of British Christmas traditions with The Brit Lit Book Club! Discover how Christmas was celebrated in Shakespeare's England, Jane Austen's Regency world, and Charles Dickens' Victorian era.From the twelve days o...
Dickens and His Illustrators - The Artists Who Drew Victorian Christmas
Dickens and His Illustrators: The Artists Who Drew Victorian Christmas Ever wonder who first gave visual form to Scrooge, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Fezziwig's famous ball? Discover the fascinating world of Victorian...
Charles Dickens & A Christmas Carol - More Than Holiday Spirit
Charles Dickens & A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens's Revolutionary Ghost Story Discover the untold story behind Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol in this deep dive into Victorian literature's most influential w...
Charles Dickens: The People's Author
Charles Dickens: The People's Author - The Brit Lit Book ClubJoin us for an in-depth exploration of Charles Dickens, the literary rock star of Victorian England! In this episode of The Brit Lit Book Club, we dive into the life and...
Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre - The Governess Who Changed Everything
Episode 6: Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre - The Governess Who Changed EverythingDiscover why Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre was more than just a Gothic romance—it was a revolutionary manifesto for women's equality disguised a...
The Brontë Sisters - Growing Up Wild
The Brit Lit Book Club - Episode 5: The Brontë Sisters - Growing Up WildStep into the windswept world of the Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—three isolated children who transformed childhood fantasies into some of the mo...
Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice - Class, Marriage, and Money
The Brit Lit Book Club - Episode 4: Pride & Prejudice - Class, Marriage, and MoneyForget Colin Firth emerging from that lake—this deep dive into Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice explores the revoluti...