Épisodes

  • Mother of Monsters

    Mother of Monsters
    Jan 19 2026
    Trigger warning for discussions of infant death: 38:10 - 38:55The monster, the myth, the legend: Frankenstein. You know him, you love him, and you love to tell people that ACTUALLY, Dr. Frankenstein was the REAL monster, and the monster's name isn’t Frankenstein. But who do we have to thank for this cultural phenomenon? The ground breaking novel was the radical, brilliant creation of a teenage girl with a sharp mind and a very complicated life. This week, we’re talking about Mary Shelley, the writer who accidentally invented modern science fiction, horror, and the mad scientist archetype all at once.From The Year Without a Summer to grief, motherhood, and intellectual rebellion, we explore how Mary’s life shaped the monster we can’t stop retelling. There is so much to her, including the constant drama she was surrounded by, and the legacy some may say she far surpassed. This isn’t just the story of a book, it’s the story of how one woman’s imagination rewired pop culture forever. So grab a quill and stay away from sailboats, because this episode, we’re learning about the Mother of science fiction!CORRECTIONS: Regarding the Greek Mythology of Prometheus, he was the god that created humans, which is the parallel alluded to in Frankenstein. He did also bring fire to humans against the wishes of Zeus! Also, Nosferatu was never a book, it was originally created as a movie. See photos discussed in this episode on our instagramFollow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!SOURCESNational Review - Mary Shelley among the RadicalsLiterary Hub - Did Mary Shelley actually lose her virginity to Percy on top of her mother's grave?Snopes - Did Mary Shelley Lose Her Virginity on Her Mother's Grave?History Extra - Mary Wollstonecraft: the firebrand feminist thinker with a rule-breaking lifeWikipedia - Mary ShelleyWikipedia - Mary WollstonecraftWikipedia - William GodwinWikipedia - Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of WomanWikipedia - Free loveJane Lark - This week my scandalous woman is Mary Shelley the author of FrankensteinWikipedia - Percy Bysshe ShelleyWikipedia - Claire Clairmont Wikipedia - Lord ByronWikipedia - Ada LovelaceHistory Extra - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein: the birth of a gothic monsterHistory Extra - "Mary never shook off the consequences of eloping with Shelley": Fiona Sampson on the life of Mary ShelleyAmusing Planet - What is Galvanism, And How Did it Inspire Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein?Synapsis - Galvanism in 19th Century French Theater: Bringing Dead Words Back to Life The Ex-Classics Website - GEORGE FOSTERAnna Mazzola - Did Mary Shelley Keep Percy’s Heart? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 29 min
  • BB #16: Spirit Guides

    BB #16: Spirit Guides
    Jan 13 2026

    Ever feel like you’re being gently nudged in a direction you didn’t consciously choose? This episode, Sabrina breaks down the world of spirit guides: Who they are, what they do, and how to recognize their presence. For anyone who has been interested but hesitant, we break down how to tell the difference between guidance that feels steady, supportive, and positive, compared to trickster energy that thrives on confusion, fear, and chaos. This episode is an open invitation to explore the unseen support system that might already be with you!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    20 min
  • Everlasting Epitaphs

    Everlasting Epitaphs
    Jan 5 2026

    Angels, pointing hands, weeping willows, and urns. We’ve all seen them when walking through a cemetery, but what do they mean? This week, Clara takes Sabrina on a guided tour through the graveyard to decode the symbols carved into tombstones, and what they were meant to say about death, grief, and the afterlife. From religious iconography to Victorian symbolism and Secret Societies, Clara explains how headstones functioned as messages from the living to the dead (and to anyone who wandered by centuries later). It turns out that cemeteries are never as silent as they seem. Grab a flashlight and watch your footing, we’re wandering through the graves to see what the headstones have to tell us!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!


    SOURCES

    Gravestone studies.org - Symbolism of Gravestones


    Wolfe Memorial - GRAVESTONE SYMBOLS and THEIR MEANINGS


    Catholic-cemeteries.org - Gravestone Symbols and Their Meanings


    ThoughtCo. - Photo Gallery of Cemetery Symbols and Icons


    Forest Home Cemetery Overview - Gravestone Symbols


    Flickr - Unusual Headstones or Grave Markers


    Burials and Beyond - The Grave of Clasped Hands: Love Conquering Death

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    59 min
  • BB #15: Liminal Spaces

    BB #15: Liminal Spaces
    Nov 13 2025

    Doorways, crossroads, and hotel hallways at midnight. The places where nothing really happens…but somehow, everything feels like it could. This week, Sabrina gives us a spiritual perspective on liminal spaces, and encourages us to embrace the in-between. After all, transformations can’t happen without transitions. Leap into the unknown with us this week as we explore the power of liminal spaces!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    17 min
  • The Mysterious Mansion of Mazes

    The Mysterious Mansion of Mazes
    Oct 28 2025

    What happens when a wealthy widow tries to outbuild her ghosts? In this case, a confusing labyrinth of staircases to nowhere, doors that open into walls, and windows that overlook nothing. Back from hiatus, Clara and Sabrina wander the endless halls of the Winchester Mystery House, uncovering how Sarah Winchester turned her fortune (and maybe her fears) into one of the strangest architectural enigmas in history. Was she haunted by the spirits of those killed by her family’s rifles, or simply a passionate architect? Grab a map and stay close as we take you through the winding maze of madness, mourning, and meticulous design!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!


    SOURCES

    Winchester Mystery House - Timeline


    Winchester Mystery House - History


    US Ghost Adventures - Why the Winchester House Is Haunted


    SFGATE - Everything you think you know about the Winchester Mystery House probably isn't true


    Paulette Kennedy - THE ONE ABOUT SARAH WINCHESTER


    Beck Technology - Rebels of Construction—Sarah Winchester and Her Mysterious House


    Winchester Mystery House - The Untold Story of Isabel Merriman: Sarah Winchester's Spirited Sister


    Wikipedia - Sarah Winchester


    Wikipedia - Winchester Mystery House


    CPI Inflation Calculator


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 3 min
  • Death By...Molasses?

    Death By...Molasses?
    Jul 30 2025

    What would happen if a giant tank of molasses exploded in the middle of Boston? Unfortunately, that is not a hypothetical question, because over 100 years ago, one did. In January 1919, a massive storage tank burst, unleashing an unfathomable wave of deadly syrup that tore through the streets faster than anyone could run. But even after the molasses settled, the chaos was far from over. Grab your favourite molasses catching mug and some waders and join us to hear about the stickiest year Beantown ever had!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!


    SOURCES

    History.com - Why the Great Molasses Flood Was So Deadly


    City of Boston - 100 years ago today: Molasses crashes through Boston's North End


    Scientific American - The Science of the Great Molasses Flood


    USN History - A Sticky Situation: The Navy and the Great Molasses Flood


    Wikipedia - Great Molasses Flood


    The Guardian - The Great Boston Molasses Flood: why the strange disaster matters today


    Boston Public Library - Molasses Disaster, Boston, Mass., 1919


    Britannica - How Fast Is the World’s Fastest Human?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    47 min
  • BB #14: The Spells of Sappho

    BB #14: The Spells of Sappho
    Jul 4 2025

    In this episode of Brief Bewitchments, we’re lighting a candle for the original lesbian icon and lyrical enchantress herself, Sappho of Lesbos! As one of the most prolific poets of Ancient Greece, her words are still widely known today, and Sabrina will dive into the sacred and spell-worthy power of her poetry. Her passionate words can be used in modern witchcraft, and have become a part of queer magic for many who practice. So whether you’re manifesting desires, setting intentions, or trying to increase your sapphic longing, Sabrina will explain how Sappho has got you covered!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    16 min
  • The Peculiar Possession of Lurancy Vennum

    The Peculiar Possession of Lurancy Vennum
    Jun 19 2025

    Long before Freaky Friday made body swaps an onscreen trope, a small-town teen in the 1870s started the trend. This episode, we’re covering the Watseka Wonder, a very odd case that has us asking: did this 13 year old girl actually get possessed…or was she just really committed to the bit? In 1870s Illinois, Lurancy Vennum started having seizures, slipping into trances, and claiming she was Mary Roff, a girl who had died 12 years earlier. Mary’s family were all too happy to take her in and treat her as their daughter, but was it too good to be true? Or had a spirit really slipped through the veil and traded places with Lurancy? Hop on our wagon to Watseka, and travel with us to this unique occurrence that gives Victorian Spiritualism a new perspective!


    See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

    Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!


    SOURCES:

    THE CASE OF LURANCY VENNUM - A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY, AND AUTHENTICATED INSTANCE OF SPIRIT MANIFESTATION. BY E. W. STEVENS


    Ancestry.com - Mary Lurancy Vennum

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    1 h et 6 min