Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends

This got posted to YouTube last week but not in this feed! My (Blake's) bad! Chaz & Chrissy, the hosts of the podcast James Dobson's Bastard Kids (neé the Excommunication Station) join the show! We go long, in more ways than one, on regional food talk and books. Check out James Dobson's Bastard Kids wherever you listen to podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WYfTqA... Follow them on Instagram:...

This week, Scott & Blake are joined by Azeem Khan & Nazia Islam, both of whom are librarians--and that's just the start of how cool they are. Azeem vouches for Chicago's culinary scene on Devon Ave and helps Blake earn a W in the fake-regional-food-beef-that-maybe-won't-always-be-so-fake. (Look, Blake is writing this and lives in the Chicago area and it's under siege by the federal government b/c...

In this episode, we're joined by David Morris and Mick Silva from the podcast, Publishing Disrupted! (These show notes will be updated with book links later.) 00:00 Welcome Back! 00:53 Discussing Regional Cuisines 01:23 Introducing Our Guests 02:06 Insights on the Publishing Industry 09:51 The State of Reading Today 13:29 Amazon Book Categories 20:41 Books We're Reading 32:18 The Mystery of a Best...

In this episode, Scott & Blake chat (no guests joined the table today) about K-Pop, sandworms, and of course, books. Books discussed: Illusive by Virginia Duan (Scott) Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert (Blake) Supergods by Grant Morrison (Blake - a bonus pick) All books can be purchased from our bookshop page here. And of course you can find our books here. Have a question, comment, or want to co...

In this episode, Scott & Blake sit down with Ashley Newell and Emily Autenrieth. In the first section, Ashley shares about her love of the romance genre and the books she’s been reading. Afterwards Emily shares about her experiences as owner of A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA, including what it means for bookstores to be part of communities and how she runs book events. Also, Blake mixe...

This episode is just Scott & Blake. They talk about Blake's travels, jazz, and books. It's laid back. Come hang out. Books mentioned: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (Scott): https://bookshop.org/a/112048/9780679731146 Chew Volume 1: Taster's Choice (Blake) Chew is not available on bookshop.org, so here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Chew-Tasters-Choice-John-Layman/dp/1607061597 Supp...

In this episode, Blake is out and Scott Okamoto is joined by Marla Taviano to discuss books, reading, baseball, and more! Scott's book: The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor Marla's book: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami Find all previous picks - and support our show - by buying from our bookshop.org page! 00:00 Introduction to Let's Talk About Text 00:33 Meet Marla Aviano: A Proli...

We're back from a short break and a day late due to some travel snafus! In this episode, Scott & Blake talk to Dave Lester and Zach Malm from the excellent podcast, Veterans of Culture Wars! We talk about Hemingway, tiki culture, memoirs, and the greatest five-part trilogy in the sci-fi canon. As always you can find the links to the books discussed on our bookshop.org page here. Follow Zach and Da...

In this episode, guests Priska & Avalon join Blake & Scott to talk about the death & dying & grief genre of memoirs and romantasy. The conversation was so lively that we didn’t even get around to talking about 4 books! You can find the books discussed here on our bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/lists/episode-7-picks Check out Priska & Scott’s podcast, Horny Chapel: https://dauntless.fm/podcast...

On this episode, Scott & Blake are joined by their better halves - our spouses! This is the first time Geri (Scott's spouse), and Emily (Blake's spouse) have ever been on a podcast, and we had a lot of fun. Books discussed - which can be found on our bookshop.org page here: John Byrne's Man of Steel (Blake) A Million Junes by Emily Henry (Geri) The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn (Scott) Love Yoursel...

LA represents this week as we're joined by Scott's friends, Timo Chen & Goh Nakamura, both of whom are composers and musicians. They all joined from Scott's house, and had instruments at hand. You'll hear some examples of speed picking and the episode closes out with a jam session! This episode definitely has a musical theme, and several books are mentioned - including musical instruction books -...

This week, Scott & Blake are joined by Betsy Tomszak of Books with Betsy & Chicago-based freelance arts & culture journalist Emily McClanathan. (Chicago is well-represented in this episode.) Books discussed (buy them from our bookshop.org page): I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (translated by Ros Schwartz) [Emily] Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind by...

In this episode - the second one we recorded, but the third one we're releasing (we weren't math majors, take it easy) - Scott & Blake talk to Nate Nakao & Gail M, co-hosts of the Full Mutuality podcast and part of Dauntless Media Collective alongside Scott's excellent shows Chapel Probation & The Horny Chapel. Books discussed: The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Mar...

This week, Scott & Blake are joined by Meghan Crozier & Cortland Coffey from the Thereafter podcast. Books discussed: Becky Chambers' Wayfarer series and Monk & Robot books (Cortland) Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfield (Meghan) Norwegian Wood by Haruki Marukami (Blake) Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn (Scott) Support the show by purchasing these books from our bookshop.org page. Send us a message:...

In this first episode, Scott & Blake are joined by Tori Williams-Douglass & Justin Gentry, hosts of Go Home Bible, You're Drunk. Scott leads us off with a satirical reading of IKDG, Justin & Tori discuss classic and recent fantasy, and Blake explores magic. Support the show by using the bookshop.org affiliate links below! Opening question: What sort of reader were you as a kid? Books discussed: Sc...

Introducing an all-new show from Scott Okamoto & Blake Chastain: Let's Talk About Text! Join Scott & Blake each week as they are joined by a rotating panel of guests that discuss what they're reading. It's as simple as that. This episode is just Blake & Scott chatting, though. Be sure to subscribe! You can also follow on YouTube and Substack. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkAboutTextPod Subs...