We Defy Augury

Thoughts (loosely) based on Lynn Steger Strong's novel  Flight and  Steven Johnson's book  Farsighted. Special Guests: George Eliot, Grady Hendrix, and Peter Griffin.

Thoughts (loosely) based on the writings of the master of meta-fiction: Mark Leyner . . . particularly   Et Tu, Babe ,  Tooth Imprints on a Corn Dog, and  Last Orgy of the Divine Hermit. Special Guests: Elaine's cool boyfriend, El Guapo, Hefe, Vincent Vega, Jules, Jerry, George, Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein.

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Natalie Goldberg's creative writing primer  Writing Down the Bones. A couple of critically crucial creative concepts to help you captivate, compel, and command the crowd. Professor G. Truck's Inspirational List of Titles This episode as a blog post.  

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by the William Carlos Williams poem "This Is Just To Say" and the Wallace Stevens poem "Of Mere Being." A poetic battle from the kitchen counter to the edge of space. Modernism at it's finest. Special Guests: The Dude, Vivaldi, Ezra Pound, Stravinsky, Better Than Ezra, The Red Wheelbarrow, Mike Marino, and Steve Trevelise.

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Gabrielle Zevin's novel  Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow  and Simon Parkin's book  Death by Video Game: Tales of Obsession from the Virtual Frontline. Special Guests: Jerry and Elaine, Oregon Trail, Lewis Gordon, Adrienne So, Geoff Dyer, Super Columbine Massacre RPG!, Cart Life, Random Idiots, and Meryl Silverburgh.  

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Riley Sager's ridiculous mystery novel  The House Across the Lake. Special Guests: Bart and Lisa Simpson, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, Prahka Lasa, Rust Cohle, Marty Hart, and God.  

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Kate Beaton's graphic memoir  Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands. Special guests: Al Swearengen, Michael Scott, Dr. Strangelove, Dallas, Nigel Tufnel, and a lady who gets burned to death in an especially horrific PSA.

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Jennifer Egan's novel  The Candy House. Special guests: John Barth, Jennifer Coolidge, and Professor G. Truck's subconscious mind. "Beware the Candy House"

Thoughts (loosely) inspired by Neil deGrasse Tyson's book  Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization. Special Guests: Thomas Dolby, Carl Sagan, Johnny Carson, the moon.

Thoughts loosely inspired by Ottessa Moshfegh's novel  Lapvona . Special Guests: The Dead Collector, Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, and Maggie Nelson.

Thoughts inspired by Steve Brusatte's book  The Rise and Reign of Mammals: A New History from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us. Cameo appearances: Dorothy (and the gang) and a hunting expo auctioneer.

Thoughts inspired by Cal Newport's book  Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World  and Scott Galloway's book  Adrift: America in 100 Charts. Cameo appearances: Bill Maher, Tristan Harris, Alexander Supertramp, and Wayne Westerberg.

Thoughts inspired by Taylor Jenkins Reid's inane novel "Carrie Soto is Back." Cameo appearances: John McEnroe, Helen Keller, and Clubber Lang.

Thoughts inspired by the writing of George Saunders, particularly his short story "Sticks" and his new collection "Liberation Day." Cameo appearances: George and Frank Costanza, Neo, and Lloyd Dobbler.  

Thoughts inspired by the S.A. Cosby novels  Blacktop Wasteland  and Razorblade Tears . Cameo appearances: Will Munny, Ned Logan, Zman, Alex, Susan Faludi, and James M. McPherson.

Thoughts inspired by  A Canticle for Leibowitz  by Walter M. Miller Jr. Cameo appearances: Cosmo Kramer, Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Rick Grimes, Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, Tyler Durden, Dr. Strangelove, and General "Buck" Turgidson.

Thoughts inspired by Jaimy Gordon's novel  Lord of Misrule. Cameo appearances: Michael Scott, Seabiscuit, and Mike, the glue factory guy.

Thoughts inspired by Sudhir Venkatesh's book  The Tomorrow Game: Rival Teenagers, Their Race for a Gun, and a Community United to Save Them. Cameo appearances: Ransom Stoddard, Tom Doniphon, and the gang from Cobra Kai.

Thoughts inspired by Dave Grohl's memoir "The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music" and "Salvation" by Langston Hughes. Cameo appearances: Elaine Benes, Becky Fischer (Jesus Camp), Robert Duvall (The Apostle), Michael Azerrad (Our Band Could Be Your Life), and Borat.

Thoughts inspired by Steven Johnson's book "Enemy of All Mankind." Cameo appearances from The Beastie Boys, Brave Sir Robin, and the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Thoughts inspired by the David Sedaris book  Happy-Go-Lucky  and Randall Munroe's illustrated compendium  What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. Cameo appearances from mystery author Adrian McKinty and the Willie Nelson joke.

Thoughts inspired by Don Winslow's novel "City on Fire." Cameos from Michael Corleone, Freddo Corleone, Henry Hill, Paulie Cicero, Tony Soprano, and Kay Adams.

Thoughts inspired by the H.G. Wells novel "The Island of Doctor Moreau" and the Silvia Moreno-Garcia reboot "The Daughter of Doctor Moreau." Cameos from Dr. Malcolm and Hammond (Jurassic Park) and Cleopatra and the chanting freaks from "Freaks."

Thoughts inspired by Blake Crouch's sci-fi thriller "Dark Matter." Shane Carruth's film "Primer" makes a cameo appearance.

Thoughts inspired by Gary Gerstle's "The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order." Cameos from Homer Simpson, The Dude, Michael Clayton, and Shiva: the God of Death.