Seinfeld Book Report

Donald receives “The Letter,” the 21st episode of season three. With special guest Lacey Rowland, they talk about art production, the USA Today , the foundations of cringe comedy, minks, the perils of growing up in 90s, and Neil Simon’s Chapter Two .  Lacey Rowland (they/them) is a multidisciplinary artist from the Gem State. Their writing has been published in Moss, Tahoma Literary Review, Cutban...

Donald checks in with “The Good Samaritan,” the 19/20th episode of season three. With special guest Lauren Myers-Hinkle, they talk about the 90s masculinity crisis, etiquette breaches, The French Connection and Zorba the Greek , and their film adaptations.  Lauren Myers-Hinkle writes poetry that reimagines history and cinematic experience. She was a finalist for the Missouri Review ’s Jeffrey E. S...

Donald chats up “The Boyfriend,” the 17th and 18th episodes of season three. With special guests Tomás Q. Morín & Erin Evans, they discuss handshakes, friendship tiers, and books that inspired Oliver Stone’s JFK (1991). Tomás Q. Morín has written so many books that he can’t even list them all here. If you know you know. He once swung a dead cat and hit ten new books that are yet to come out. H...

Donald says yes to the “The Fix-up,” the sixteenth episode of season three. With extra special guest, Sena Quist (his sister), they talk about Seinfeld’s continued love for the New York Times , and the best-selling book of all time, The Bible . Here are the texts and authors discussed in this episode: Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets Entrances and Exits by Michael Richards The Justice Lea...

Donald boards  “The Subway,” the thirteenth episode of season three. He talks about Death of a Salesman and George Costanza’s similarities to one of Arthur Miller’s saddest characters. He also reflects on the legacy of  The New York Times and c omedian Dick Gregory . Here are the texts and authors discussed in this episode: Great Expectations - Vinson Cunningham Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller...

Donald zooms in on “The Red Dot,” the twelfth episode of season three. With extra special guest Nicole Brown, they talk about office romances, character inconsistencies, and learn about John D. MacDonald’s novel, The Executioners , which inspired the Cape Fear movies.  Here are the books and/or authors discussed in this episode: Sylvia Plath Ted Hughes Entrances and Exits by Michael Richards

Donald checks out “The Library”, the fifth episode of season three. He chats about the pervy talent of Henry Miller, an important lesson from Kwame Dawes, and the only American institution that makes him feel a sense of patriotism.  Here are texts and authors discussed: Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen  Kwame Dawes Anaïs Nin

Donald boards “The Dog,” the fourth episode of season three. He takes a stab at discussing Stephen King’s first foray into scary animals, and begins the search for Edward H. Murray and Yukon Joe. Donald also prattles a bit about life as an academic.  Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: Cujo by Stephen King On Writing by Stephen King Wanderer of the Wilderness, Yukon Joe by Ed...

Donald searches “The Truth,” the second episode of season three. He reflects on the legacy of a really good book review by Thomas Carlyle and Kramer’s appreciation for literary film adaptations. Donald also shares a few of his biggest fears.  Mister Miracle by Tom King  The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck Anton Chekhov Thomas Carlyle  The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell One Flew Over t...

Donald heads into “The Baby Shower,” the tenth episode of season two. He asks what’s the deal with Gwyneth Paltrow, discusses the paths taken by Robert Frost, and tries to make sense of Doctor Zhivago.  Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: HumanKind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman Marina Abramovic "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost Doctor Zhivago by Boris Past...

Donald goes over “The Deal,”  the ninth episode of season two. He plumbs the depths of Aquaman’s beginnings, highlights a really good day at an art gallery with William Butler Yeats, and unpacks the comics of Bazooka Joe bubble gum. Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: More Fun Comics #73 “The Municipal Gallery Revisited” by William Butler Yeats Bazooka Joe Comics

Donald goes through “The Heart Attack,”  the eighth episode of season two, exploring the origins of the incredible Hulk, speculating on the debut of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and gushing over the indelible Stephen Tobolowsky.  Check out the interview about the podcast at xraylitmag.com Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: Caylin Capra-Thomas Little Children by Tom Perrot...

Donald slides into the third episode of Seinfeld's second season, “The Jacket.”He talks about his love for art within the “Age of Anxiety.” He also rants about toxic masculinity, taking care of suede, and why he’ll never give up hope on Kate Winslet & Leonardo DiCaprio coupling. Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo (1862) Revolutionary Roa...

Donald Quist jumps into the first episode of Seinfeld's second season, “The Ex-Girlfriend.” He expounds on earlier comments about cognitive dissonance, talks about whaling and the excitement of imperfect novels, and gabs about the enduring popularity of self-help books in America.  Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling The Lottery by Shirl...

Donald Quist delves into the fifth episode of Seinfeld, “The Stock Tip.” He chats about the origins of Superman, reviews circulation stats for the New York Times, and shares thoughts on the romanticism of Vermont. Donald also reads poetry by Audre Lorde, and admits his aversion to B&Bs.  Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: The New York Times  The Amazing Adventures of Kav...

Donald Quist looks at "The Robbery," the third episode of season one. He introduces a new segment for the podcast, expounds on his undying love for Elaine Benes, and discusses the introduction of prominent Batman villain, The Penguin. Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: Kwame Dawes Who Makes the Franchises? : Essays on Fandom and Wilderness Texts in Popular Media (e...

Donald Quist invites you to join him as he rewatches one of the best sitcoms of all time to make a list of its literary references, beginning with the series’ second episode. While chatting about romance novels and auto magazines, Donald also explains why a podcast that’s about a show that’s about nothing might matter.  Here are the books and authors discussed in this episode: Who Makes the Franch...