Episode 6 swashbuckles its way into the 2005 novel Zorro written by the legendary Isabel Allende. This book is a kind of Zorro origin story and covers his journey to become a champion of the common people and his fight against corrupt officials before the Spanish American War, when California was still a part of Mexico. We learn about Zorro's parents, his adventures in Spain, and what drives him to take on the mantle of the masked vigilante. If you grew up watching the reruns of Zorro on the Disney channel like I did, this episode might just be for you. If you like masked heroes who defend the innocent from the powerful, this may also be for you.

In our 5th Episode we will discuss the novel, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Published in 1939 The Grapes of Wrath is a novel about life during the Great Depression and in the midst of the Dust bowl. The book follows the Joad family as they are forced to leave their farm in Oklahoma and travel west to California in the hopes of finding work and a better life.

In Episode 4, Michael Kilman and Matt Wellstrom discuss the book Passing by Nella Larsen. Originally published in 1929 the book tells the story of two women named Irene and Claire and their complex relationship and struggles with being a mixed race person in the early 20th century.