Doggerel Diaries: Ben & Matthew's Literature Program

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss Carlos Portugal’s "Deserts," translated by Asheley Nova Navarro, which appeared in March 2026 in Joyland , then share music and book recommendations.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss Ágnes Makó's "Snow White," which was published in Ploughshares in their winter 2025/26 edition , then share some  music and book recommendations.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss artificial intelligence and its relationship, or lack thereof, to literature.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew check in on the books they picked for fall reading on the September 19 episode. Each recommended five and this is the winter update, plus they'll give you a few more to read now that the weather's full-on-cold.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss Sharon Wahl's "Friends,” which was published in Action, Spectacle 's summer 2025 edition, then share some small literary magazines they've discovered lately as well as music and book recommendations.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss Riddhi Dastidar’s “ Darling, Darling ,” which was published in Electric Literature . Then, they share some small literary magazines you should be reading and give music and book recommendations. *Correction: The story was mistakenly referred to as "She Stole My Heart and My Favorite Toe" in the introduction. The actual title is "Darling, Darl...

In this episode, Ben and Matthew recommend five books apiece for the fall that they will be reading and debut a new feature called Things I've Been Noticing in the Zone. If you'd like to see the recommendations, check out their Instagram .

In this episode, Ben and Matthew discuss Lauren Groff's " Dogs Go Wolf ," which appeared in the New Yorker in 2017, as well as sharing recommendations for reading and listening.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew read and analyze " Abyss " by Noah Milligan, which appeared in the metamodern-themed May issue of Jokes Review, doing their best to explain it in a metamodern context and, as usual, share music and literature recommendations.

In this installment, Ben and Matthew read and analyze two poems by Vincent Antonio Rendoni, which appear in his collection A Grito Contest in the Afterlife, then provide some music and reading recommendations and talk about summer writing conferences.

Ben and Matthew analyze Ernest Hemingway's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" in this installment of the program, as well as sharing music and literature recommendations.

In this installment, Matthew and Ben examine Troy James Weaver's " Hooks ," which first appeared X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine in 2018, and give you some music and literature recommendations.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew look at Paul Yoon's " Valley of the Moon ," then give you music and reading recommendations.

In this installment of the program, Ben and Matthew discuss Maeve Barry's "Girabella," winner of  Sewanee Review 's 2024 fiction prize, and conclude with music and reading recommendations.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew analyze Gothataone Moeng's "Small Wonders," an "aftermath" short story that takes up the themes of mourning, ceremony and banality following a tragic death, and in the second segment provide you with some reading and listening tips.

On the latest episode of the program, Ben and Matthew unpack Garth Greenwell's "Harbor," looking into that pregnant moment when things are about to happen but we're not quite there yet, and provide some reading and music recommendations for right now.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew take a look back at 2024, presenting an inaugural group of winners with the prestigious Lawrence-Patrick award, while looking ahead to what 2025 has in store and getting robot-censored.  

Franz Kafka's "Josephine the Singer, or the Mouse Folk" is a concentrated story that explores capitalism, Marxism, an artist's role in society and more. On this episode, Ben and Matthew jump into that heady mix with both feet, mix up dates (sorry, history!) and talk new publications and podcasting from Albuquerque.

Morgan Talty's "Burn," which you can read for free right here , packs a lot of punch into just over 1,200 words. Ben and Matthew try to emulate the story's concentrated sting with an equally succinct podcast, going into place, belongingness, friendship and the truth behind frozen hair.

In this episode, Matthew explains what it was like attending two writing conferences this summer, Community of Writers and Bread Loaf , and Ben talks about a summer of writing on the road. Plus, a quick preview of what's awaiting you on the Dogg this fall.

In this episode, Ben and Matthew get into Geetha Iyer's short story "Continental Drift," speculative fiction, getting the reader "to question the [allegorical] element [brought] into question" and what the summer has in store.

This time Ben and Matthew speak with MM De Voe. Among other things, she is a writer of fiction and nonfiction and the founder of Pen Parentis, a nonprofit devoted to keeping the creative flame burning for writer parents. She and the guys discuss the pitfalls of pigeonholing, why writing gets no respect, the absurdity of being and of course her creative output as well as the outreach she does for w...

After a long time off, Matthew surprises Ben with the topic of top-three short stories. Each then list their favorite three short stories, and are taken adrift to other places, like pocket universes.

Ben and Matthew speak with writer Shannon Sanders. Shannon is the author of Company , a short story collection that came out in October of last year. Apart from her new book, the conversation hits on the writing process, character connections and literary worlds in collections and the dynamics of being a host and being a guest. Plus, at the end Matthew and Ben pick their favorite stories in the co...

After hibernating all January and most of February, Ben and Matthew return with winter reading recommendations and writing resolutions for the new year.