American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Episode 275: Herman Melville: Pierre, Part 1

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Time to go mad with Herman Melville as we begin looking at his 1852 novel "Pierre, Or the Ambiguities".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 122.4: Counter Clock World, Part 4

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The conclusion to Philip K. Dick's "Counter-Clock World" centers on a failed rescue attempt at the Library, a forthcoming race war, and the question o...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 122.3: Counter Clock World, Part 3

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Library has become victorious in stealing the Anarch. Can the various factions interested in him get him back before the Library can prevent him f...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 122.2: Counter Clock World, Part 2

04 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this section of Philip K. Dick's "Counter-Clock World" we learn that the once-dead Anarch Peak still has something to say and that there are lots o...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 122.1: Counter Clock World, Part 1

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In "Counter Clock World", Philip K. Dick takes us to an Earth where time moves backward, knowledge must be destroyed, and the dead come back to life. ...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 121.4: The Zap Gun, Part 4

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The final part of my review of "The Zap Gun" by Philip K. Dick. Is it possible that a toy can stop an alien invasion?

Episode 274: Charles Brockden Brown: Edgar Huntly, Part 2

29 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the second half of Charles Brockden Brown's "Edgar Huntly" we enter a world of brutal frontier violence as our hero finds out how easy it is to kil...

Episode 273: Charles Brockden Brown: Edgar Huntly, Part 1

25 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Things get even stranger in Charles Brockden Brown's "Edgar Huntly", a novel of frontier violence, sleepwalking, Indian isolates, and global adventure...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 121.3: The Zap Gun, Part 3

25 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Comic book weapons, alien slavers, and time traveling androids complicate the live of our hero Lars Powderdry in part three of my review of Philip K. ...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 121.2: The Zap Gun, Part 2

22 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this part of the Zap Gun, we continue to follow Lars Powderdry's depression, but learn that maybe there is a way about by taking the manufacturing ...

Episode 272: Charles Brockden Brown: Arthur Mervyn, Part 4

22 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The conclusion of my review of Charles Broxden Brown's "Arthur Mervyn".

Episode 271: Charles Brockden Brown: Arthur Mervyn, Part 3

18 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The second half of Charlie Brown's "Arthur Mervyn" drags a bit in my view, but there is still some nice moments and we can start to see the possibilit...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 121: The Zap Gun, Part 1

18 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

My review of the opening chapters of "The Zap Gun" by Philip K. Dick. An interesting novel exploring the relationship between the military-industrial ...

Episode 270: Charles Brockden Brown: Arthur Mervyn, Part 2

16 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of my review of Charles Brockden Brown's novel "Arthur Mervyn". In this section we experience the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in stunning bru...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 120: Your Appointment Will be Yesterday

16 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A preview of his novel "Counter-Clock World", "Your Appointment Will be Here Yesterday" introduces us to the Hobart phase and the consequences of the ...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 119: Holy Quarrel

11 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In "Holy Quarrel", Philip K. Dick takes on big data....again. A really good story and more relevant than ever.

Episode 269: Charles Brockden Brown: Arthur Mervyn, Part 1

11 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

"Arthur Mervyn" is another strange tale by Charles Brockden Brown, although this one is a bit more down to earth. It tells the story of a young man wh...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 118: We Can Remember It for You Wholesale

10 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I take on the 1966 short story by Philip K. Dick "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale". It has spies, aliens, and world-saving empath...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 117.4: Now Wait for Last Year (4)

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The final episode containing my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's "Now Wait for Last Year". This novel has one of the best endings in a Philip K. Dick nove...

Episode 268: Charles B. Brown, Wieland (2)

06 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The finale of this short series on "Wieland" by Charles B. Brown. Madness or the supernatural or the machinations or a trickster?

Episode 267: Charles B. Brown, Wieland (1)

01 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A new series on Charles Brockden Brown. We will start with "Wieland", one of independent America's first novels, a strange story of ancestry and insan...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 117.3: Now Wait for Last Year (3)

01 Nov 2018

Contributed by Lukas

This novel, "Now Wait for Last Year" by Philip K. Dick, starts to get weird in part 3 of my review.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 117.2: Now Wait for Last Year (2)

28 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's "Now Wait for Last Year." So much fun.

Episode 266: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (6)

28 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It all comes to this. In part 6 of my comments on "Moby-Dick" we follow Ahab's chase of the White Whale.

Episode 265: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (5)

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 5 of my thoughts on Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 117.1: Now Wait for Last Year (1)

25 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Another one of my favorite novels by Dick from the 1960s, "Now Wait for Last Year." Here is the first thoughts on the novel.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 116.3: The Crack in Space (3)

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Will the Pekes take over Earth Prime? Will the population crisis be averted? Find out in the conclusion to my review of Philip K. Dick's "The Crack in...

Episode 264: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (4)

23 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More whaling with Ishmael and the crew of the Pequod in part 4 of my review of "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville.

Episode 262: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (3)

17 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We are half-way through "Moby-Dick". Let's learn everything about whaling.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 116.2: The Crack in Space (2)

17 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my analysis of "The Crack in Space". An underappreciated novel.

Episode 262: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (2)

14 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

My thoughts on the second hundred pages of "Moby-Dick".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 116.1: The Crack in Space (1)

14 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part one of my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's "The Crack in Space", one of his most politically significant novels.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 115: Retreat Syndrome

12 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

My thougths on Philip K. Dick's short story "Retreat Syndrome".

Episode 261: Herman Melville: Moby-Dick (1)

12 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

 Part one of my thoughts on "Moby-Dick" by Herman Melville. We are introduced to the international proletariat.

Episode 260: Herman Melville; White-Jacket (4)

06 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The finale of my review of Herman Melville's "White-Jacket".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 114.2: Lies, Inc.

06 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I look at the material added to "The Unteleported Man", turning it into "Lies, Inc." More frustrating out of sequence stuff.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 114: Lies, Inc. (The Unteleported Man)

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first of two parts exploring Philip K. Dick's novel "Lies, Inc." This part will explore the material in his 1965 novella "The Unteleported Man."

Episode 259: Herman Melville; White-Jacket (3)

02 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part three of my review of Herman Melville's "White-Jacket".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 113.4:The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (4)

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The finale of my series on "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". Why is it so important for our characters to avoid those dreaded three stigmata?

Episode 258: Herman Melville; White-Jacket (2)

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my review of Herman Melville's "White-Jacket".

Episode 257: Herman Melville; White-Jacket (1)

23 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What was life like on a Man-o-War? We find out from Herman Melville.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 113.3:The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (3)

23 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part Three of my review of Philip K. Dick's "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch." Things are getting weird.

Episode 256: Herman Melville: Redburn (3)

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Opps. Dropped the ball on quality the last time I uploaded this. But here it is again. The final part of my review of Melville's "Reburn". See you soo...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 113.2:The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (2)

20 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of my review of Philip K. Dick's "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". You need to wait a bit to know what those three are.

Episode 255: Herman Melville: Redburn (2)

16 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of my thoughts on Herman Melville's "Redburn".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 113:The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1)

16 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part one of my review of Dick's wounderful novel "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldrtich". In this part we learn about Mars, PP Layouts, and Can-D.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 112: Dr. Bloodmoney

13 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

And now for one of Philip K. Dick's most fascinating post-nuclear war settings in "Dr. Bloodmoney". It is another one-off episode on a novel, so be pr...

Episode 254: Herman Melville: Redburn (1)

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We come back to Melville with his coming of age novel set on a merchant ship in the Atlantic, "Redburn".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 111: Precious Artifact

10 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We come to the end of our study of Philip K. Dick's works from 1964 with "Precious Artifact".

Episode 253: Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy (9)

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

 Enjoy the finale of my review of "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 110: The Little Black Box

06 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we look at Philip K. Dick's short story "The Little Black Box", a story about religion, empathy, and the limits of state power.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 109: A Game of Unchance

02 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We return to the familiar ground of frontiers in Philip K. Dick's short story on consumerism and manufactured markets in "A Game of Unchance".

Episode 252: Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy (8)

02 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In part 8 of my review of "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser we witness a trial of the ages.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 108: What the Dead Men Say

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we look at "What the Dead Men Say", in which Philip K. Dick introduces the concept of half-life and plays with the power of media and...

Episode 251: Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy (7)

30 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More of Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy".

Episode 250: Theodore Dreiser: An American Tragedy (6)

26 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part six of my review of "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dresier.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 107: War with the Fnools"

26 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More silliness from 1964 Philip K. Dick in "The War with the Fnools".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 106: Oh! To be a Blobel

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More family drama in Philip K. Dick's short story "Oh! To be a Blobel".

Episode 249: Theodore Dreiser: An American Tragedy (5)

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 248: Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy (4)

18 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Things start to get complicated for Clyde and his love life in part four of my review of "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dresier.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 105: Orpheus With Clay Feet

18 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Another short story by Philip K. Dick published in 1964, one of his most prolific years. This one is on creativity and inspiration, with a sci-fi twis...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 104: Novelty Act

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Mostly this episode contains things we covered in my review of "The Simulacra", but the story "Novelty Act" does differ from the novel's main themes i...

Episode 247: Theodore Dreiser: An American Tragedy (3)

16 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 3 of my review of "An American Tragedy" by Theodore Dreiser. This section focuses on how Clyde Griffiths finds a new job as a supervisor in a col...

Episode 246: Theodore Dreiser: An American Tragedy (2)

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of my review of Theodore Dresier's "An American Tragedy".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 103: Waterspider

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this 1964 short story, Philip K. Dick writes himself into a tale about time travel and the origin of creativity.

Episode 245: Theodore Dreiser: An American Tragedy (1)

07 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 1 of a 9 part series on Theodore Dresier's excellent book "An American Tragedy". In this part we meet Clyde Griffiths and his family, think about...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 102: The Penultimate Truth

06 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this one-off episide, I will be looking at Philip K. Dick's "The Penultimate Truth". It is a rich novel on fake news, labor, power, and time travel...

Episode 244: Willa Cather: One of Ours (3)

05 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

My final thoughts on Willa Cather's "One of Ours" as I close this series on Willa Cather's early works. Next up, Theodore Dreiser's "An American Trage...

Episode 243: Willa Cather, One of Ours (2)

31 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my thoughts on Willa Cather's novel "One of Ours".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 101. Clans of the Alpane Moon

30 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A one off episode giving my thougths and complete review of "Clans of the Alphane Moon" by Philip K. Dick.

Episode 242: Willa Cather: One of Ours, Part 1

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Willa Cather's Great War Novel "One of Ours" starts in familiar territory, rural Nebraska. Let me know what you thoguht of this one. Here are my comme...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 100.5. The Simulacra, Part 5

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

And that is all she wrote for "The Simulacra". Here are my final thoughts. Up next is a one off episode on "The Clans of the Alphane Moon"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Simulacra, Part 4

18 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 4 of my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's 1964 novel "The Simulacra".

Episode 241: Willia Cather, My Antonia (2)

18 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The second part (0f two) of my comments on Willa Cather's "My Antonia".

Episode 240: Willa Cather: My Antonia, Part 1

15 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first half of my thoughts on Willa Cather's "My Antonia", a great novel on the American frontier and the social history of American immigrant wome...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 100.3: The Simulacra (3)

15 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More of mny comments on Philip K. Dick's "The Simulacra".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 100.2: The Simulacra (2)

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my thoughts on Phiip K. Dick's "The Simulacra".

Episode 239: Willa Cather: The Song of the Lark-4

09 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The conclusion of my thoughts on Willa Cather's novel "The Song of the Lark".

Episode 238: Willa Cather: The Song of the Lark (3)

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part three of "The Song of the Lark" by Willa Cather explores Thea's soul searching as she comes to a crisi in her musical education in Chicago.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 100.1: The Simulacra (1)

05 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part one of my review of Philip K. Dick's 1964 novel "The Simulacra". It's a good one.

Episode 237: Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark (2)

30 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the second part of Willa Cather's "The Song of the Lark", Thea arrives in the barren wasteland of Chicago in order to contuine her musical educatio...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 99.5: Martian Time-Slip (5)

30 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The conclusion to my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's brilliant novel "Martian Time-Slip".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 99.4: Martian Time-Slip (4)

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We are nearing the end of "Martian Time-Slip". In this part of the novel, things get a little bit weird.

Episode 236: Willa Cather, The Song of the Lark (1)

28 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

First part of my review of "The Song of the Lark", a heafty novel by Willa Cather about becoming an artist, the rapidly changing frontier, and the cos...

Episode 235: Willia Cather, O Pioneers, Part 2

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The second half of my review of Willa Cather's "O Pioneers". Next up, "The Song of the Lark."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 99.3: Martian Time-Slip (3)

25 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

More of my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's novel "Martian Time-Slip".

Episode 234: Willia Cather, O Pioneers, Part 1

22 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first episode of a two part series on Willa Cather's novel "O Pioneers".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 99.2: Martian Time-Slip (2)

22 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part two of my series on Philip K. Dick's 1964 novel "Martian Time-Slip".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 99.1: Martian Time-Slip

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first part of my thoughts on Dick's 1964 novel "Martian Time-Slip". Oh, it is so good!

Episode 233: Willa Cather, The Troll Garden

18 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The first episode in my series on the early novels of Willa Cather. We begin with her collection of short stories on art and artists, "The Troll Garde...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 98: If There Was No Benny Cemoli

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A bit more on the media and the mythology of history in "If There Was No Benny Cemoli", another a Philip K. Dick's 1963 short stories.

Episode 232: James Weldon Johnson: Essays (2) and Poems

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

I close out my series on turn on early 20th century Afircan-American writers with a look at some more essays by James Weldon Johnson and some of his p...

Episode 231: James Weldon Johnson: Essays (1)

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I look at some of James Weldon Johnson's early essays and the introductions to some of his edited work.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 97: Stand-by and What'll We Do With Ragland Park

11 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode I will look at two Philip K. Dick tales that make up a single story. "Stand-by" and "What'll We Do WIth Ragland Park" together make a ...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 96: Days of Perky Pat

08 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Back to some Philip K. Dick short stories. The first we will look at is "The Days of Perky Pat" a tale about war, the future, and Barbie dolls.

Episode 230: James Weldon Johnson: Along This Way (4)

08 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The finale of my review of James Weldon's Johnson autobigraphy, "Along This Way" Thsi part focuses on his civil rights work with the NAACP.

Episode 229: James Weldon Johnson: Along This Way (3)

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this part of "Along This Way" James Weldon Johnson discusses his career in the State Department and his participation in U.S. imperialism in Latin ...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 95.4: The Game-players of Titan (4)

04 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The finale of my review and commentary on Philip K. Dick's novel "The Gameplayers of Titan".    

Episode 228: James Weldon Johnson: Along This Way (2)

01 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

 Part 2 of James Weldon Johnson's autobiography "Along This Way" looks at his time in New York with with his brother and his time as a school princip...

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 95.3: The Game-players of Titan (3)

01 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Part 3 of my review and comments of Philip K. Dick's "The Game-Players of Titan". Thanos has yet to show up.