Book Society

Meghan and I talk about metaphors, living and dead ones.  And about how modern tech philosophers and 3rd century church fathers basically make the same arguments. Buy Meghan's Book: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385543828 Read Meghan's Column in Wired: https://www.wired.com/author/meghan-ogieblyn/ More Meghan Essays (on her website): http://www.meghanogieblyn.com/writing-1 Here's The Gift I...

Meghan and I go down a rabbit hole about the nature of consciousness, and the brilliant but maybe slightly conspiratorial thinking of Julian Jaynes.  This is a good one. Buy Meghan's Book: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385543828 Buy The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bi-Cameral Mind https://www.amazon.com/Origin-Consciousness-Breakdown-Bicameral-Mind/dp/0618057072/ref=asc_d...

Russ and I talk about the United States, the Pulitzer prize and a diamond farm. Buy Wandering Through Winter: https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Through-Winter-Naturalists-American/dp/B001U035GA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DA1J8E476NU5&keywords=wandering+through+winter&qid=1645139662&sprefix=wandering+through+%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1 Here's a list of Pulitzer Prize For General Non-Fiction: https://e...

Dr. Steeves tells us about the Clovis fallacy and how humans were on North America for thousands of years before the the current archeological orthodoxy suggests.  It's worth mentioning that the New York Time just reviewed a book by Dr. Jennifer Raff called Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas that comes to the same conclusion. Buy Dr. Steeves Book! Buy The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Weste...

Dr. Steeves and I talk about Joy Harjo's beautiful book.  And my friend the ground squirrel. Buy Poet Warrior: https://www.amazon.com/Poet-Warrior-Memoir-Joy-Harjo/dp/0393248526/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1I6C55UDJ5SMC&keywords=poet+warrior+joy+harjo&qid=1643753424&sprefix=poet+warrior%2Caps%2C322&sr=8-1 Database Of Residential Schools: https://www.crscid.com

Maria Amparo Escandon and I talk about her book LA Weather.  I insist on reading a passage from Southern California, An Island On The Land. Miami Book Fair Interview: https://www.miamibookfaironline.com/organizer/maria-amparo-escandon/ Buy LA Weather: https://www.amazon.com/L-Weather-Mar%C3%ADa-Amparo-Escandón-ebook/dp/B08QGL8XQ6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1642635566&sr=8-3

Maria Amparo and I talk about the baffling masterpiece of magical realism, Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. Buy Pedro Paramo: https://www.amazon.com/Pedro-Paramo-Juan-Rulfo/dp/0802133908/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3F7GH48ROG31L&keywords=pedro+paramo&qid=1642635519&sprefix=pedro+paramo%2Caps%2C171&sr=8-1 Buy LA Weather: https://www.amazon.com/L-Weather-Mar%C3%ADa-Amparo-Escandón-ebook/dp/B08QGL8XQ6...

Early American History Professor Peter Mancall and I talk about the Pilgrims, predestination and buggery. Buy Of Plymouth Plantation: https://www.amazon.com/Plymouth-Plantation-Dover-Value-Editions/dp/0486452603/ref=asc_df_0486452603/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312021455910&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1703685751642345781&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdv...

Author of Stealing Home, Eric Nusbaum and I talk about Lou Mathew's fantastic book Shaky Town.  We talk about the Dodgers in probably a little too much detail but this podcast does not apologize for Dodger talk.  I make some wildly incorrect predictions about the now finished Baseball season.  I also tell a story about a how I predicted that Chris Taylor would hit 3 homers in a particular game......

I talk about my favorite books and look at the year ahead.  Happy New Year! Orphaned Books: Billion Dollar Looser, Reeves Wiedman, 2020 Hachette (Adam Neumann) Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy 1878, Viking 2001 A Promised Land, 2021 Random House Say Nothing, Patrick Raden Keefe, 2019 Anchor Books BOOKS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME NON-FIC: Cadillac Deseret, Mark Reisner 1986 Penguin Book Art&Fear, David Bay...

Comedian, Actor and Author Wayne Federman and I talk about self help, sports, neurosis, and subjecting ourselves to criticism... we also talk about singing show tunes. More About Wayne: http://www.waynefederman.com/Wayne_Federmans_Official_Web_Site/Welcome.html Buy History Of Standup: https://www.amazon.com/History-Stand-Up-Mark-Twain-Chappelle/dp/B08YRP1R2G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9BIPORHXEZLE&keywor...

Denise Hamilton and I talk about her anthology, Speculative Los Angeles. Another one from the Miami Book Fair: https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy Denise's Book, Speculative Los Angeles: https://www.amazon.com/Speculative-Los-Angeles-Denise-Hamilton/dp/1617758566

Denise Hamilton and I talk about They Shoot Horses Don't They?  No horses were injured in the making of this episode. Another one from the Miami Book Fair: https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy They Shoot Horses, Don't They by Horace McCoy https://www.amazon.com/They-Shoot-Horses-Serpents-Classics/dp/184668739X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=They+Shoot+Horses+Dont%27+they&qid=1639687721&s=books&sr=1-...

Jane and I talk about her amazing new book Perestroika in Paris.  She slightly judges my taste in Russian authors. Another one from the Miami Book Fair: https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy Jane's Latest Book, Perestroika in Paris: https://www.amazon.com/Perestroika-Paris-novel-Jane-Smiley/dp/052543609X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LBNAJWTCPCRU&keywords=perestroika+in+paris+by+jane+smiley

Jane Smiley!  Jane deploys some of her extensive Dickens knowledge and insightful criticism, I try to keep up. Another one from the Miami Book Fair: https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy Jane's Latest Book, Perestroika in Paris: https://www.amazon.com/Perestroika-Paris-novel-Jane-Smiley/dp/052543609X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LBNAJWTCPCRU&keywords=perestroika+in+paris+by+jane+smiley Buy Jane's Book About D...

Author and editor Kathie Klarreich and I talk about incarcerated people who are writing during a pandemic. Another one from the Miami Book Fair: https://www.miamibookfair.com Exchange For Change: https://www.exchange-for-change.org/kathieklarreich Buy Hear Us: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FS825T9

Maggie Smith is the author of Good Bones and many, many other amazing poems.  We talk more about craft, read one of her poems and discuss what it means to peak as an artist. https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy The Life, By Carrie Fountain: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Penguin-Poets-Carrie-Fountain/dp/0143136011 Buy Goldenrod, by Maggie Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Goldenrod-Poems-Maggie-Smith/dp/198...

Maggie Smith is the author of Good Bones and many, many other amazing poems.  We talk about craft, musicals, enjambment, and about Carrie Fountain's amazing book of poetry: The Life.  We also discover that we are members of the same religion. https://www.miamibookfair.com Buy The Life, By Carrie Fountain: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Penguin-Poets-Carrie-Fountain/dp/0143136011 Buy Goldenrod, by Mag...

Tiokasin and I discuss archeology, the academy, language, quantum physics, history, and gig we once did at the Met in NYC. it's a pretty interesting one. Listen to More Tiokasin: https://firstvoicesindigenousradio.org Tiokasin's Website: https://www.akantuinstitute.org Tiokasin's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Butterfly-Against-Wind-Jadina-Lilien/dp/099790500X

Magician and author Joshua Jay and I discuss David Byrne's How Music Works.  I slightly nerd out about Joshua's magic accomplishments. MIAMI BOOK FAIR Info: miamibookfair.com access the author conversations, avail. for free at miamibookfaironline.com How Magicians Think by Joshua Jay (which I can't recommend highly enough) https://www.amazon.com/Misdirection-Magicians-Think-Joshua-Jay/dp/152350743...

Magician and author Joshua Jay and I discuss David Byrne's How Music Works.  I slightly nerd out about Joshua's magic accomplishments. MIAMI BOOK FAIR Info: miamibookfair.com access the author conversations, avail. for free at miamibookfaironline.com How Magicians Think by Joshua Jay (which I can't recommend highly enough) https://www.amazon.com/Misdirection-Magicians-Think-Joshua-Jay/dp/152350743...

Joie and I talk about Smoke, by Ivan Turgenev and about her book, An Unofficial Marriage. Buy Smoke: https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Alma-Classics-Ivan-Turgenev/dp/1847493165/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QD34D4CD6BW6&dchild=1&keywords=smoke%2C+ivan+turgenev&qid=1634162167&sr=8-1 Buy The Unofficial Marriage: https://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Marriage-Novel-Joie-Davidow/dp/1950691780/ref=sr_1_2?dch...

Dr. Lisa Bitel walks me through the ancient Irish Epic, The Tain.  This book is also called "the Irish Iliad".  I'd recommend reading this one AFTER listening to the episode. The Tain: https://www.amazon.com/Tain-Translated-Irish-Epic-Cuailnge/dp/0192803735 More Info about Dr. Bitel: https://dornsife.usc.edu/cf/faculty-and-staff/faculty.cfm?pid=1003109 A Poem: The Surfing Irishman A nadb named dab...

We talk about Karl Popper, the fallacy of science, the purpose of literature, and brain scanners... ya know... nice lite accessible stuff. Buy Angus's book WonderWorks!  It is truly fantastic! https://www.amazon.com/Wonderworks-Powerful-Inventions-History-Literature/dp/B08CY951JM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1K3FT80K81QM2&dchild=1&keywords=wonderworks+book&qid=1632431454&sprefix=wonder+works%2C...

Angus and I talk about the neuroscience of how Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers secretly turns your brain into the brain of an outlier. This is a book society first!  We did an episode about Angus's book with author Judith Dupreé, here's that if you want to hear it: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/judith-dupré/id1565589623?i=1000524195954 Also, Buy Angus's book WonderWorks!  It is truly fantastic...