Episode 28: (Bill) Bryson Royale

PROMPTS: Maroon, Accent, 215

This week on Curated by Chance, Neal and Lauren explore language, survival, and everything in between, bringing two wildly different yet equally fascinating topics to the table.

Lauren dives into Bill Bryson’s The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way, a witty and informative exploration of the quirks, history, and evolution of the English language. From the origin of everyday words to unexpected trivia like why an apron was once “a napron,” Lauren explains why Bryson’s book is a must-read for language lovers. Plus, she shares her favorite passages and nerds out over the magic of etymology and regional accents.

Neal takes a darker turn with Battle Royale (2000), the Japanese cult classic that inspired The Hunger Games and countless “last-person-standing” stories. Neal breaks down the film’s dystopian setting, its influence on pop culture, and the behind-the-scenes stories that shaped this gripping, violent tale. He also connects it to Japanese history, cinema, and how Quentin Tarantino couldn’t get enough of it—literally casting one of its stars in Kill Bill: Vol 1.