Unburied Books

We are joined by author Helen Macdonald to discuss T. H. White's The Goshawk, originally published in 1951. In this conversation, we talk about the devotion required to train a hawk, what one learns during the process, and how White's book haunted our guest. For more on White's biography, join us on Patreon here:  https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer Patrick Preziosi rejoins the show to talk about an Italian favorite: Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's The Leopard. In this clip, we talk about the Sicilian prince's strange path to publication and how his other short works illuminate this masterpiece. Listen to the full episode to hear our thoughts on Visconti's film adaptation, Lampedusa's prose, and what it's like to read the novel in Sicil...

Writer Bijan Stephen joins us to discuss David R. Bunch's short story collection Moderan. In Moderan, people replace their "soft parts" with metal and devote their lives to making war. We talk about Bunch's satire of the international order, his wildly innovative use of language, and his commitment to depicting a utopian hellscape. Read Bijan's article on Moderan here:  https://dirt.fyi/article/20...

Poet and writer Alina Stefanescu joins us to discuss her own pantheon of "tortured poets" in the wake of a pop star's adoption of the phrase. Check out Alina's writing here:  https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/ To hear the full episode, become a patron:  https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

After mentioning the book in our Mary Olivier episode, writer and librarian Nancy Pearl returns to discuss Ruth Adam's I'm Not Complaining, one of her favorite Virago Modern Classics. In this clip, Nancy talks about the novel's unique angle on the Great Depression. To hear the complete conversation, become a patron:  https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer and co-host of the Vollmannia podcast Ryan Alexander joins us to discuss Moravagine, first published in 1926. The novel was written by Blaise Cendrars (given name: Frédéric-Louis Sauser)   and translated from French by Alan Brown. The plot involves a monstrous criminal who, once released from a mental hospital, goes on a worldwide killing spree before returning to Europe to fight in World W...

Enjoy this clip from our bonus episode covering Celia Dale's sinister novel A Spring of Love with culture critic Andrew Male. The book is being reprinted by Daunt Books in September and is available for pre-order now. To hear the full conversation, subscribe to our Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this bonus episode, we speak with writer and editor Anthony Garrett about Atmospheric Quarterly, the new literary magazine he co-founded. Read it here:  https://www.atmosphericquarterly.com/

Author Laila Lalami joins us to discuss Tayeb Salih's novel Season of Migration to the North translated from Arabic by Denys Johnson-Davies. We talk about the book's postcolonial themes, its treatment of women's roles, and transformation of the Western canon. Read more about our guest's work here:  https://lailalalami.com/ Want to support the show? Explore our Patreon tiers here:  https://www.patr...

Max Lawton joins us to discuss his new translation of Vladimir Sorokin's Blue Lard, a controversial Russian novel originally published in 1999. We talk about where this book fits into Sorokin's varied career, its irreverent treatment of political and literary icons, and the spirit of freedom that permeates every page. Want to boost your L-harmony? Give our Patreon a look-see:  https://www.patreon....

In this bonus teaser, we discuss a work of experimental poetry chosen by a patron. Explore the hidden character of the vowels here:  https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer and translator Frank Wynne joins us to discuss The Radiance of the King written by Camara Laye and translated from French by James Kirkup. We talk about the book's hilarious absurdity, reversal of Western tropes, and mysterious ending. Read more about our guest's work here:  https://www.terribleman.com/ Interested in extra bookish content? Check out our three Patreon tiers here:  https://ww...

This Valentine's Day, we decided to revisit a romantic classic that one of us hates and the other loves. Will the cynic be persuaded to change their heart? To swoon over the full episode, consider becoming a patron: patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Chris Clarke joins us to discuss his new translation of Raymond Queneau's The Skin of Dreams. This delightful novel follows the wild imaginings of a daydreamer as he ventures from his dull reality in the outskirts of Paris to the glamorous heart of Hollywood. We talk about the challenge of rendering the original's linguistic playfulness in English and how Queneau's love of cinema helped inspire th...

Designer Katy Homans reveals the secrets behind those iconic NYRB Classics covers, and we find out what color Edwin Frank hates the most. To hear to the full episode, consider becoming a patron: patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this episode, Kassia and Dylan discuss the Japanese novel Tun-huang written by Yasushi Inoue and translated by Jean Oda Moy. This work of historical fiction imagines how a trove of early Buddhist sutras came to be hidden in caves along the Silk Road for centuries. We talk about the book’s criticism of education, bureaucracy, and materialism, as well as the significance of freedom, preservation,...

Chapo Trap House co-host Will Menaker joins us to talk about Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Recorded amid a marathon reading of Melville's masterwork, we discuss the book's prophetic vision of America and the popular culture that it spawned. Will reads from his favorite section of the novel and gives a pitch for why it should be read today. To listen to the full episode, head over to our Patreon pa...

This episode was recorded before a live audience at the New Bedford Whaling Museum during their annual Moby-Dick Marathon. We spoke with Tim Marr and Wyn Kelley of the Melville Society Cultural Project about Melville: A Novel written by Jean Giono and translated from French by Paul Eprile. Giono's "novel" was originally conceived as a preface to his French translation of Moby-Dick. Our conversatio...

Book blogger, podcaster, and Ivy Compton-Burnett admirer Simon Thomas returns to discuss his work with the British Library Women Writers series and his favorite book in it: O, the Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith. We talk about the ethics of censorship in republishing and what makes this coming-of-age story so strangely uplifting despite its tragic elements. Toward the end, we debrief last summ...

Writer and filmmaker Tariq Ali joins us to discuss Muhammad written by Maxime Rodinson and translated from French by Anne Carter. We talk about Rodinson's Marxist perspective, how the biography works as an "antidote" to far-right sentiment, and what it means to read it during a war in Gaza. Check out our Patreon here: patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this enlightening conversation, we talk to scholar Dan Sinykin about his book Big Fiction, which details the rise of conglomeration in American publishing and its impact on the kind of fiction that gets written, released, and acclaimed. We were delighted to hear his insights into the founding of the New York Review of Books, Renata Adler and Elizabeth Hardwick's use of autofiction, and the curr...

Poet Diane Mehta joins us to discuss Dante's Inferno translated by Ciaran Carson. We talk about our guest's ongoing Dante project, the multiple levels the text works on, and how, in the Florentine's view, the greatest sins stem from a lack of love. We recently launched a Patreon featuring two exclusive bonus episodes a month! Check out our three patron tiers (Minor Work, Instant Classic, and Magnu...

Returning guest Michael Barron joins us to discuss Roberto Bolaño's "curio" published near the end of his life. We talk about Bolaño's universe, his unromantic youth, and why this is the only book that doesn't embarrass him. To hear the full episode, head over to our Patreon page and subscribe: patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this taster for the Patreon, Dylan and Kassia compete to draft their four favorite books covered on the show thus far. If you're interested in more lighthearted episodes like this, please consider trying out a subscription here: patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer Esther Allen joins us to discuss her translation of Antonio di Benedetto's Zama, an Argentine existential novel originally published 1956. We discuss the intricacies of translation, the author's repudiation of the idea of a historical novel, and Lucrecia Martel's 2017 film adaptation of the story. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to read the book (and watch the movie) before tuni...