The Thoughtful Bro

An epic discussion with one of my heroes & mentors, the world renowned screenwriting guru Robert McKee. While discussing his new book  Action: The Art of Excitement For Screen, Page and Game , we covered: embracing story conventions while avoiding cliches; how you can't have great heroes without great antagonists; and a furious throw down of Joseph Campbell and the Hero's Journey.   All episodes o...

Upholding his reputation for minimal BS and straight talk on Trump's America, Officer Michael Fanone did not disappoint as he discussed his new memoir Hold The Line . We talked about what it was like in the war zone of January 6 at the Capitol, why that day inspired him, what to make of the midterms, and his sharp reply to whether the former President should be indicted. All episodes of The Though...

With Maggie O'Farrell, whose heartfelt, lyrical exploration about genius and grief, Hamnet , vacuumed up awards and made, it seems, every last reader weep. If you're looking for sensual prose, a startling theory on why Shakespeare wrote his most famous play, or a rollicking sex scene in an apple-storage-shed, look no further. With introductory thoughts on historical fiction as a genre, paring down...

With Pulitzer Prize-winner Erin Kelly and Patsy Rembert, wife of the late Winfred Rembert, whose improbable life story and stunning art are featured in the miraculous, American-classic-to-be Chasing Me To My Grave: An Artist's Memoir of the Jim Crow South . We discussed how Winfred found beauty in his life's terror and how he avoided resentment in order to live and make art with love. An indispens...

With Harley Rustad, discussing his fascinating new true crime/travelogue Lost In The Valley Of Death . We covered: "India Syndrome"; the paradoxes of authenticity on social media; the intrepid 1800s explorer Richard Burton; and the potentially deadly perils of mythologizing your own life on Instagram. This book really got to me, and I spend a bit of time at the opening of the show trying to figure...

With Emily St. John Mandel, discussing her new novel Sea of Tranquility . Topics: how she got to know her "Station Eleven" HBO showrunner at a super creepy gun show; the cathartic role of art and sports in any functioning society; and her deep ambivalence regarding our utterly convenient, utterly tech-enabled modern life. With guest host Whitney Scharer , author of the award winning novel  The Age...

A mind-altering convo with anthropologist and public conversationalist Christopher Ryan about his book Civilized to Death . We discussed civilization's sneakily bad deal, as well as how cavemen knew better than we do how to laugh, live & love. Anecdote from the show: after reading his book Sex at Dawn , an elderly widow once told Chris, "This is the most important book I have ever read. I wish I c...

A story craft masterclass with Oscar-winning screenwriter Michael Arndt ( Toy Story 3 , Little Miss Sunshine, Star Wars: The Force Awakens ). Highlights include: packing the most meaning possible into your climax; 3-act-structure pro hacks; how to get unstuck when blocked by reducing your story to a fairy tale; and what Hollywood can do to help stop gun violence. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro...

With the author of Tuesdays With Morrie , and one of the bestselling writers in American history, Mitch Albom. Discussing his new book, The Stranger In The Lifeboat , we got into the beguiling nature of answered prayers and how Mitch hopes to be the author readers reach for in times of trouble. In an emotional moment I also asked him, if he met Morrie again, what would Morrie think of what he's do...

With Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Egan, discussing The Candy House , her critically-acclaimed follow-up to A Visit From The Goon Squad . Egan discussed how great prose voice is like great cooking stock (if it's good, anything you throw in becomes good, too); clues to finding your calling in both art and life; and how she writes blind on first drafts, trying to be a channel for the unconscious. A...

With perhaps America's most popular historian, Erik Larson, discussing the "rogue elephant" Winston Churchill during the London Blitz, as featured in his book The Splendid And The Vile . We discussed Churchill's knack for giving devastating news but somehow lifting people's spirits; how he was basically a "f-ck up" till WW2, then went on to save civilization; and how he once sat down with FDR comp...

With one of the key figures in recent American history, Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, discussing his memoir, Here, Right Matters , and the pivotal role he played in the first Trump Impeachment. We talk about his optimism for American democracy, his enduring faith in the stability of our institutions, and what it's like to suddenly become Arnold Schwarzenegger's hero. With guest host Jenna Blum, auth...

With Caroline Kepnes , author of the social-media-stalker- creeptastic-love-story You, which became the runaway Netflix hit show with over 50 million viewers. We chat about her newly released third book in the series,  You Love Me . A great episode for fans of snappy writing, 90s pop culture references, and basement murder cages. With guest host Jenna Blum , the bestselling author of  Those Who Sa...

With the Booker-Prize winning master himself, George Saunders , discussing his new book,  A Swim in a Pond in the Rain . We talk about how to find a story's unconscious structure, the necessary qualities it takes for a young writer to succeed in publishing, and how George knew he'd found his true literary voice, when he heard his wife laughing one night in the next room. With guest host Whitney Sc...

Hi, I'm Mark Cecil host of The Thoughtful Bro . I want to tell you about the podcast I'm launching. See, a long time ago I realized that the greatest thing on the face of the earth, at least to me, is storytelling. Storytelling is everywhere. It's in how we understand our planet, our country, our own bodies. Stories determine how we decide to vote, who to marry, what to eat, whether to fight a war...