Heavy Bored

Andrew dives into Simic’s book of poems from 2017, going into why artists tend to decline at the end of their careers and why Simic’s reputation is well-earned. Topics include: Artists aging–themes of lament–end of career woes–documenting artists in later years–Simic’s reputation–and more.  *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Charles Simic's Scribbled in the Dark: https://amzn.to/3JcKVur Charles Simic&#39...

Andrew Wittstadt praises Cormac McCarthy’s genius in the Border trilogy books while going into what makes McCarthy such an important figure in American literature. His coming-of-age novel series and the harrowing prose that makes up McCarthy’s body of work. *Note* This was recorded on June 9, 2023. Just days before the world lost McCarthy forever. RIP Cormac–a huge hole left in American literature...

**Get a taste of subscriber-only content** Andrew and Sophie fix the Hamline University controversy before diving into the deep sweaty realms of strange small-town southern America. Topics include–small-town settings–classic novels–Faulkner’s legacy and reputation–Dewey Dell being the best character–whats up with Vardaman?--class elements in Faulkner–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* As I Lay Dyin...

Andrew reads a listener email and goes into one of his own close encounters with a workshop going off the rails. Exploring topics like, what is workshop culture?, academic spaces smothering artists, who’s in charge in a workshop? and more.  Send in your workshop stories and thoughts to heavyboredpodcast@gmail.com   Join Patreon or Substack for FREE! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HeavyBored   Su...

The tide washes ashore as Andrew Wittsadt goes into Gary Snyder’s prize-winning poetry collection. Going into the major themes and weaknesses in the collection and why ideology overshadows artwork when laid on too thick.  *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Turtle Island by Gary Snyder: https://amzn.to/4fLjsw6 More Books by Gary Snyder: https://amzn.to/4fB5M6w Join Patreon or Substack for FREE! Patreon: https...

Andrew Wittstadt discusses why Vonnegut is one of his most cherished influences as he goes into the major themes of the famous novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut: https://amzn.to/4lwxEKE Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut: https://amzn.to/4lwuWoj Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut: https://amzn.to/4oKxulM More Books by Kurt Vonnegut: https://am...

In the final part of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Andrew takes the wheel of the car and scrapes the guardrail for over forty minutes while trying to articulate what a lyric poem is. Dickinson poems (1867-1886) Topics include–Dickinson’s decline–Speculation around Dickinson’s mental health–artists losing their drive–maturing as a writer–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* The Complete Poems...

In part 3 of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Andrew moves back in with his parents, while Sophie chooses to live on the streets instead. Both become dependent on substances and self-publish emo poetry for the rest of their lives. Dickinson Poems (1862-1867) Topics include–Dickinson getting sick–Artists losing their touch–What makes Dickinson so good?--Vendler’s essays on Dickinson–and more....

In part 2 of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, Andrew butchers Dickinson’s poems while reading them out loud. Sophie speaks on Death, God, and Jesus and shit. Both become agoraphobic and move to a Massachusetts homestead with an abusive mother. Dickinson poems (1862). Topics include–editors destroying artists' works–Dickinson writing nonstop bangers in 1862–The purpose of meter in poetry–...

Andrew rants about the censorship of Dahl’s books for twenty minutes before Sophie is allowed to speak and Emily Dickinson’s first few packets of poetry are discussed. (1858-1862) Topics include–the censorship of art–writers not standing up to censorship–Dickinson’s Legacy–The impact of the em dash–why Dickinson is so beloved–Helen Vendler’s take on Dickinson–the point of lyric poetry–music in met...

Sophie crashes a car into a pedestrian while Andrew helps bury the body and avoids vehicular manslaughter charges. Both become hermits and avoid large towns for the rest of their lives. Topics include–The Great Gatsby’s reputation–the state of the publishing industry–readers lacking options in terms of current books–did Gatsby love Daisy?--what’s up with Nick Carraway?--why Gatsby was Fitzgerald’s...

Sophie becomes an animal bone while Andrew goes on tangents about love, loss, and self-help. Both become souls trapped by bodies while knowing nothing. Topics include–The thing about first books–Why you should love OKD–sex in poetry–line breaks–gen x–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* And Her Soul Out of Nothing by Olena Kalytiak Davis: https://amzn.to/3JkqbRl Shattered Sonnets, Love Cards, and Oth...

Andrew and Sophie fix the Hamline University controversy before diving into the deep sweaty realms of strange small-town southern America. Topics include–small-town settings–classic novels–Faulkner’s legacy and reputation–Dewey Dell being the best character–whats up with Vardaman?--class elements in Faulkner–and more.  This episode is a free preview. To get access to the full episode, support us o...

Sophie gets lost in a big haunted vagina, while Andrew makes himself at home in the pepsi-filled cervix. Absolutely no drugs were consumed in the making of this episode. Topics include–celebrity poetry–collage art–whisper voices–mushroom trips–Instagram poetry–bad photography–aesthetic over art–what gives a poem meaning?–the line between song lyrics and poetry–and more.  *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Vi...

Author Lee Matalone joins the pod to discuss her debut novel, Homemaking, in a wide-ranging conversation on everything from reality TV to the current state of the literary scene. Topics include–MFA’s–Corporate side of writing–David Foster Wallace–Book Publishing–The state of the literary scene–Writing routines–why social media sucks–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Homemaking by Lee Matalone: htt...

Sophie gets her Hitler’s out after ye went on his Hitler tour while Andrew cries like a little bitch about how much he loves Christmas. Topics include–what’s the meaning of Christmas?–Humor in Dickens works–Redemption archetypes–Male pattern baldness–The Muppets Christmas Carol–Christmas tunes–and more.  *LINKS* *Buy the Books* A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: https://amzn.to/3HC1W0w More Boo...

Sophie and Andrew become a pectoral muscle big as vagina and make no reference at all to cock and endless balls in a mature discussion of Allen Ginsberg’s masterpiece. Topics include–beat writers–banned books–why there is no counterculture in literature today–masculinity–book reputations–Ginsberg’s influence–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg: https://amzn.to/...

Sophie talks love handles and low-rise jeans while Andrew simps for Jessica Biel. Both agree Britney Spears should still be under lock and key. Topics include–Literary vs Pop Fiction–ass crack exposure ratios–what makes a good horror story?–sex in novels–Zoje Stage’s career so far–disturbing scenes in books–and more *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage: https://amzn.to/45zHrcO More Boo...

Sophie talks passionately about her true calling–waxing holes. While Andrew rants about aliens controlling the weather and denies climate change. Topics include: authority in writing–spirituality in art–identity politics in poetry–why the new critics are correct–balance in one's writing–and more. *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Coin of the Realm by Carl Phillips: https://amzn.to/3HfZXPv The Art of Dar...

Sophie gets bored while reading about Victorian-era drivel, while Andrew gets obsessed with the sexual nature of horror. Topics include Horror and Sex, Victorian-era niceties, Male brain vs Female brain, Dracula’s cultural legacy, monster stories and movies, structuring thriller fiction, and more.  *LINKS* *Buy the Books* Dracula by Bram Stoker: https://amzn.to/47zcxns Frankenstein by Mary Shelley...

Andrew and Sophie answer listener questions while ranting about workshops, building confidence as a writer, what makes a poem great, how to assess your own work to completion, and more. This bonus episode is for Subscribers Only. To subscribe and get full access to Heavy Bored Content, become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/HeavyBored *LINKS*  Join Patreon or Substack for FREE! Patreon: https:...

Andrew and Sophie get waterboarded by government agents as they read and discuss topics such as war crimes, why erasure is the lowest form of poetry, why Nick Flynn is underrated, creativity in contemporary poetry, line breaks, and more.  *LINKS*  *Buy the Books*  Low by Nick Flynn: https://amzn.to/45iTyfu I Will Destroy You by Nick Flynn:  https://amzn.to/3JiXjc8 My Feelings by Nick Flynn: https:...

Sophie and Andrew pretend to read French while discussing Baldwin’s legacy, literary vs pop fiction, mystery structure in novels, literary style, short books, Baldwin’s larger impacts on the culture and more.  *LINKS*  *Buy the Books* Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin: https://amzn.to/3UzmOsb Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin: https://amzn.to/4mI5r4j If Beale Street Could Talk by James Ba...

Andrew rants about the lack of structure in contemporary poetry, while Sophie imagines herself as a Tree in a forest. Topics include the power of repetition in poetry, what makes a poem good or bad?, the lack of discipline and scholarship in the field, why no major magazine will publish a negative poetry review, and more.  *LINKS*  *Buy the Books* The Trees, The Trees by Heather Christle: https://...

Sophie becomes a big fat whale while Andrew struggles to remember any character in the novel he just read. Topics include the power of cultural touchstones, canonizing books and authors, why Moby Dick became such a highly praised classic, Harold Bloom's thoughts on the subject, and more.  *LINKS*  *Buy the Books* Moby Dick by Herman Melville (Wordsworth edition): https://amzn.to/3HC2cg0 Moby D...