Book Society

Award winning songwriter, and New York Times best selling author Alice Randall and I discuss country music, banjos, and so much more!

22 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Award winning songwriter, author, educator and food activist Alice Randall and I discuss "Coming Through Slaughter" by Michael Ondaatje as well as her...

Dr. James R Gregory and I discuss Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine as well as his advertising and branding career

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. James R. Gregory is the founder of NYLAQ Advisors. He is also chairman emeritus of Tenet Partners, a global brand innovation and marketing firm ba...

Jacob Goldstein and I talk Joan Didion's "The White Album" and use it to fuel the ultimate NYC vs. LA debate

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author and podcast host, Jacob Goldstein and I talk about "The White Album" by Joan Didion. As a San Diego born, New York City journalist, Jacob and I...

Poet Campbell McGrath gives advice to writers and reads some of his work from "Nouns and Verbs"

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Chicago based poet, Campbell McGrath talks to me about the difference in reading verses watching a movie, gives writing advice, and reads some of his ...

Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach and I Talk Skeptics, Mediums, and How The Ghostbusters Helped His Career

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Director of the Office of Paranormal Investigations and President of the Forever Family Foundation, has been in the field for over 40 years focusing o...

Why We Should Actually Be Optimistic About The Environment with Environmentalist Adam Dorr

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Dorr is the Director of Research at the independent think tank RethinkX. He is an environmental social scientist and technology theorist whose re...

Environmental Scientist Adam Dorr and I discuss 10 Reasons Why We're Wrong About the World and Why Things Are Better Than We Think in Hans Rosling's "Factfulness"

24 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Dorr is the Director of Research at the independent think tank RethinkX. He is an environmental social scientist and technology theorist whose re...

The Beatles Interesting Tie to Florida with Bob Kealing, the Sunshine State's Specialist

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Siix time Emmy award winning, Bob Kealing, talks with me about "Good Day Sunshine State" and the Beatles history in Florida. Why does this state hold ...

"The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read" and "Parenting On Earth" with moral and political philosopher Elizabeth Cripps

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Moral and Political philosopher, Elizabeth Cripps talks to us about individual and parental duties toward climate change. We touch on her book, "Paren...

Should We Settle Outer Space? Rocket Scientist Erika Nesvold and I talk about capitalism and prison in space, mining astroids, and "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Rocket Scientist Erika Nesvold and I talk about Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow all while she answers some of my dumb space questions. We touch on mi...

Professor Chris Impey and I talk about "Wonderful Life" by Stephen Jay Gould and what we have wrong about scientific orthodoxy

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

University of Arizona Astronomy professor Chris Impey and I talk about "Wonderful Life" by Stephen Jay Gould. This is book was way over my head but i ...

Professor Chris Impey and I talk about habitable planets, Drake's equation, and Chris' book, "Worlds Without End"

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

University of Arizona Astronomy professor Chris Impey and I talk about his book, "Worlds Without End: Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Huma...

Should Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita be removed from school lists? Stephen Mills and I discuss this and our personal encounters with sexual abuse

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Winner of the 2022 National Jewish Book Award, author Stephen Mills and I discuss his book, "The Chosen - A Memoir of Stolen Boyhood" after touching o...

Laura Warrell is back to discuss Julia Otsuka's "The Swimmers" and the difficulty of writing in third person plural

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Warrell is back to praise Julia Otsuka's "The Swimmers". We specifically talk about how difficult is to write in third person plural but we both...

PEN/Faulkner Award finalist Laura Warrell talks to us about her journey writing Sweet Soft Plenty Rhythm

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Laura Warell is an award winning author and professor of creative writing and literature at various institutions including Berklee College of Music. B...

I'm back with Katie Davis where we talk about Jake Ward's "The Loop" and how that relates to regression toward the mean

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Davis and I talk about Jake Ward's "The Loop" and the future of our human agency. Hear what Katie Davis thinks about one of my favorite books. C...

Katie Davis shares why giving your kids screens is doing more harm than good

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Associate Professor at the University of Washington, Katie Davis walks us through the struggles of raising children in a day and age where technology ...

I'm back with professor Nick Mirzoeff talking about cultural restitution and Dan Hick's Brutish Museums

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Piggybacking off of our conversation last week about racism and whiteness  in Professor Mirzoeff's "White Sight", this week we talk about Dan Hick's ...

NYU Professor and author, Nick Mirzoeff and I talk about whiteness, and white replacement from his book, White Sight

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With a background in Art history, Nick Mirzoeff is an NYU professor and author who had a fascinating chat with me about his book, "White Sight". Check...

Tony Hiss shares why he's optimistic about Earth's future thanks to the Half-Earth project

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Author and New Yorker writer, Tony Hiss and I discuss what the Half-Earth project is, why it matters, and many more issues he writes about in his book...

I'm back with Laurie Loewenstein where we discuss Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

16 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wilke's University professor and author Laurie Loewentein and I discuss discuss "Housekeeping" by Marilynne Robinson and how it compares to her book, ...

Laurie Loewenstein and I discuss the dust bowl and her book, Funeral Train

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wilke's University professor and author Laurie Loewentein and I discuss the dust bowl, and her book, "The Funeral Train". Come back next week to hear ...

Professor Andrew Mangham is back to talk about Charles Dickens' Great Expectations

02 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Professor Andrew Mangham and I discuss Charles Dickens' Great Expectations after discussing Mangham's We're All Monsters last week. Hear us talk about...

Professor Andrew Mangham and I discuss why we are all monsters

28 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Literary critic and professor, Andrew Mangham and I discuss his book, "We Are All Monsters" which goes into why there is no template human and how we ...

Writer and Psychotherapist David Santos Donaldson and I talk about his book Greenland as well as Seasons of Migration To The North

19 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The award winning writer and psychotherapist, David Santos Donaldson and I discuss  "Greenland" a story that is magical realism but totally contempor...

Sascha Rothchild and I discuss Madeline Miller's Circe

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not only does she write for amazing television shows like, "Glow", "The Carrie Diaries", "The Bold Type", and "Huge In France" but two time Emmy winni...

Screenwriter and author Sascha Rothchild and I discuss her book Blood Sugar

05 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not only does she write for amazing television shows like, "Glow", "The Carrie Diaries", "The Bold Type", and "Huge In France" but two time Emmy winni...

The extremely flexible writer and speaker, Etgar Keret and I talk about his work

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Speaker and author, Etgar Keret and I talk about his memoir, The Seven Good Years, and his other work whether written or spoken. The Bus Driver Who W...

Joe Meno and I discuss The Baron In The Trees by Italo Calvino

22 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Award winning Chicagoan writer, Joe Meno and I talk about Italo Calvino's novel, "The Baron In The Trees" and how it relates to each other lives and w...

Joe Meno and I talk about staying positive, getting old, and his novel, Book Of Extraordinary Tragedies

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Award winning Chicagoan writer, Joe Meno and I talk about his novel, "Book Of Extra Ordinary Tragedies", staying positive in the midst of tragedy, and...

Sergio Troncoso and I talk about his book Nobody's Pilgrims.

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sergio and I talk about his book and about the Latino experience in the US... Nepantla.https://sergiotroncoso.com

Sergio Troncoso and I talk about Huckleberry Finn... A kind of fucked up book that is definitely not for kids.

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sergio Troncoso and I talk about Mark Twain's classic, Huckleberry Finn.  It was a trip to read this book as an adult.

David E Hoffman and I talk about the most intense book I've ever read.

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

David E Hoffman and I talk about Story of a Secret State by Jan Karski and about Give Me Liberty.  Live from the Miami Book Fair!Story of a Secret St...

Ellis Cose and I discuss his book Race and Reckoning. It's a deep dive into the history of racism and slavery in the US, how close it is to us still, and how it still effects us.

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ellis Cose and I discuss his book Race and Reckoning.  It's a deep dive into the history of racism and slavery in the US, how close it is to us still...

The brilliant @EllisCose and I discuss the depressingly timely topic of Civil War. Barbra F Walter's book How Civil Wars Start and How To Stop Them.

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The brilliant Ellis Cose @EllisCose and I discuss the depressingly timely topic of Civil War.  Barbra F Walter's book How Civil Wars Start and How To...

Bonnie MacBird @macbird and I discuss her latest Sherlock Mystery: What Child is This.

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bonnie MacBird @macbird and I discuss her latest Sherlock Mystery: What Child is This.Buy What Child Is This:https://www.amazon.com/What-Child-This-Ch...

Bonnie MacBird @macbird and I discuss A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Bonnie MacBird @macbird and I discuss A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor TowlesLearn More About Bonnie:https://macbird.com

@byjacobward Jacob Ward and I discuss AI, Cold War rationality and his book The Loop live from the Miami Book Fair. #miamibookfair

20 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

@byjacobward Jacob Ward and I discuss AI, Cold War rationality and his book The Loop live from the Miami Book Fair.Buy The Loop:https://www.hachettebo...

Susan Rogers is a PhD as well as being the engineer and producer for many hit artists including Prince! We talk mostly about music.

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Susan Rogers and I talk about what it means to produce a record.  How, on a neurological level music makes us feel, and how to find your individual l...

@benmezrich and I talk about his new book The Midnight Ride. It's already #1 and you should read it. We also talk about Russian Oligarchs, Tech Billionaires and National Treasure.

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Mezrich and I talk about his new book The Midnight Ride.  It's already #1 and you should read it.  We also talk about Russian Oligarchs, Tech Bi...

The amazing @benmezrich and I talk about Bright Lights, Big City and about Hollywood.

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The amazing @benmezrich and I talk about Bright Lights, Big City and about Hollywood.  Ben is one of the 25 most powerful writers according to Variet...

@jessiwrites, Jessi Hempel and I talk about her book The Family Outing

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jessi Hempel and I talk about her book, The Family Outing.  This is one of my favorite episodes!  Jessi and talk about the nature of memory, coming ...

@jessiwrites, Jessi Hempel and I talk about a Sarah Thankam Mathew's novel All This Could Be Different

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Buy All This Could Be Differenthttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/691034/all-this-could-be-different-by-sarah-thankam-mathews/Listen to Jessi's ...

@MikkaelSekeres and I talk about the fascinating history of the Food and Drug Administration and how Vaccines, i.e. COVID, get approved quickly.

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Mikkael Sekeres and I talk about the fascinating history of the Food and Drug Administration and how Vaccines, i.e. COVID, get approved quickly. ...

@MikkaelSekeres and I discuss The Brief And Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Mikkael Sekeres can talk at length about ideas and literature.  He can also cure cancer.

@benmattlin and I discuss his book Disability Pride.

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Mattlin and I discuss his book Disability Pride.Buy Disability Pridehttps://www.amazon.com/Disability-Pride-Dispatches-Post-ADA-World/dp/B0BFK8ZCQ...

BEST OF Miami Book Fair Guests

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's a bonus clips episode!We're at the 2022 Miami Book Fair, talking to the most interesting authors, poets, writers with new works published this ye...

@benmattlin and I talk about disability rights.

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Mattlin and I talk about Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's book Care Work.  It's a book about a social justice movement I didn't know existed.Bu...

Historian Robert K. Sutton and I talk about Nazis On The Potomac

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Historian Robert K. Sutton and I talk about Nazis On The Potomac.  He divulges some previously classified information.Buy Nazis On The Potomac:https:...

Historian Robert K Sutton and I talk a lot about the Civil War and a little bit about Nazis.

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I discuss the autobiography of Ulysses S Grant with civil war Historian Robert K Sutton.

Rodrigo Ribera d'Ebre and I talk about his book, The Displaced

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rodrigo and I talk about The Displaced, tattoos, gentrification, Los Angeles and gangs.Buy The Displaced:https://www.amazon.com/Displaced-Rodrigo-Ribe...

Rodrigo Ribera d'Ebre and I discuss The Ultimate Stay At Home Dad by Shannon Carpenter

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I argue that child rearing isn't a war, stay-at-home dad's aren't heroes, and parenting is not the most important job you can do.  Basically I have i...

Poet and novelist Charles Harper Webb and I discuss his book Ursula Lake.

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Poet and novelist Charles Harper Webb and I discuss his book Ursula Lake.Buy Ursula Lake:https://www.amazon.com/Ursula-Lake-Charles-Harper-Webb/dp/163...

Poet and novelist Charles Harper Webb and I discuss THE BEST book I've read for the show. Fools Crow by James Welch. #jesusonpeyote

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to this show, Or don't listen to this show.If you'll do one thing in life,You should read Fool's Crow.Buy Fools Crow:https://www.amazon.com/Foo...

Playwright Kirk Lynn and I discuss Games: Agency as Art by C. Thi Nguyen @add_hawk

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Playwright Kirk Lynn and I discuss Games: Agency as Art by C. Thi Nguyen.  We start out taking about how we don't really like the book and then slowl...

Caridad Moro-Gronlier and I discuss her book of Poems, Tortillera. @CaridadMoro1

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Caridad Moro-Gronlier and I discuss her book of Poems, Tortillera.Buy Tortillera:https://www.amazon.com/Tortillera-Poems-Caridad-Moro-Gronlier/dp/1680...

We're Back with Caridad Moro-Gronlier! This episode we discuss Toni Morrison's amazing classic Song Of Solomon. @CaridadMoro1

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We're Back with Caridad Moro-Gronlier!  This episode we discuss Toni Morrison's amazing classic Song Of Solomon.

The Amazing Richard Blanco, @rblancopoet and I talk about his book How To Love a Country. This book will make you cry... like in a good way.

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Blanco, Inaugural poet and man who derives existential pleasure from civil engineering and I discuss his book How To Love A Country.Buy How To...

The Amazing Richard Blanco, @rblancopoet , who wrote and performed the inaugural poem for @BarackObama in 2012, Discusses Blud by @RachelMcKibbens

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Amazing Richard Blanco, who wrote and performed the inaugural poem for Barack Obama in 2012, Discusses Blud by Rachel McKibbens.

I discuss how reefs turn sunlight into rocks with Sandy Sheehy

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I discuss how reefs turn sunlight into rocks with Sandy Sheehy.Buy imperiled Reef:https://www.amazon.com/Imperiled-Reef-Fascinating-Fragile-Caribbean/...

Dude, Shells are so cool! Sandy Sheehy and I discuss Cynthia Barnett's book about conchology: a cool word I just learned.

18 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shells!  This is an episode about shells.  They're everywhere, they're in everything and they're amazing!Buy The Sound of the Sea:https://www.amazon...

Lou Mathews and I talk about his book, Shaky Town. This is a great story for authors trying to get their work out there.

10 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lou Mathews tells us about his work, his amazing book, and how he got a book that no publisher wanted to take a chance on traditionally published anyw...

Lou Mathews, a Los Angeles writing legend, and I talk about Leonard Gardner's Fat City

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lou and I talk about how awesome California is through the lens of Leonard Gardner's classic, Fat City.Buy Fat City:https://www.amazon.com/City-York-R...

Ruth Behar and I talk about her touching book Letters From Cuba

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In part 2 of my discussion with Ruth Behar we talk about what it means to be a vulnerable observer.  We also talk about Poland and Cuba during WWII, ...

Ruth Behar and I discuss The Hundred Dresses by Elenor Estes. We end up talking a lot about bullying.

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our first children's book!  Ruth Behar and I talk about the amazingly deep and incredibly simple book, The Hundred Dresses but Elenor Estes.  We tal...

Catherine Wolff answers for 2000 years of Catholic crimes... and talks about her book Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven

13 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I give Catherine Wolff the 3rd degree about the behavior of the Catholic church in recent decades and she defends the church pretty admirably. Beyond:...

Catherine Wolff and I talk about Timothy Egan's book A Pilgrimage to Eternity

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Catherine Wolff and I talk about Timothy Egan's book A Pilgrimage to Eternity.  I also make her answer for all of the Catholic Church's crimes.Buy A ...

Edwidge Danticat and I talk about A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Edwidge is an amazing writer and brilliant thinker.  In this episode, I just try to keep up with limited success. Buy A Small Place:https://www.amazo...

Mark Schatzker and I discuss his book The End of Craving. Why do humans eat so much? @MarkSchatzker explains.

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Schatzker and I discuss how food has been altered over the last century and what the result is on the population at large.  Hint: It may be THE ...

Mark Schatzker and I discuss Charles Portis's classic True Grit.

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrated food writer Mark Schatzker and I talk about the Western classic True Grit by Charles Portis.  I learn from Mark how much poultry factors i...

Carrie Fountain Talks About Her Book -The Life-

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carrie Fountain and I talk about her poetry, Robert Frost, Gerrard Manly Hopkins and I accidentialy misgender Rilke.  In my defense, his middle name ...

Carrie Fountain - God Of Nothingness, Mark Wunderlich

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Texas Poet Laurete Carrie Fountain and I talk about Poetry, the driftless region and Jeffrey Dahmer.Buy God of Nothingness:https://www.amazon.com/God-...

Ken Miller - The Thousand Autumns Of Jacob De Zoet, David Mitchell

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

M&A Legend and Venture Capitalist Ken Miller and I talk about the nature of fiction and the nature of money.Buy The Thousand Autumns Of Jacob De Z...

Vinod Busjeet - Silent Winds, Dry Seas

18 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vinod and I talk about the nature of memoir and novels, politics as a national pastime, and the Hindu attitude towards sex... Voltaire makes an appear...

Vinod Busjeet - Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vinod and I talk about about miserable Irish childhoods, the problem with the British, and the Catholic Church. Buy Angela's Ashes:https://www.amazon....

Meghan O'Gieblyn - God, Human, Animal, Machine

04 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan and I talk about metaphors, living and dead ones.  And about how modern tech philosophers and 3rd century church fathers basically make the sa...

Meghan O'Gieblyn - The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bi-Cameral Mind, By Julian Jaynes

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Meghan and I go down a rabbit hole about the nature of consciousness, and the brilliant but maybe slightly conspiratorial thinking of Julian Jaynes. ...

Russ Choma - Wandering Through Winter, Edwin Way Teale

18 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Russ and I talk about the United States, the Pulitzer prize and a diamond farm.Buy Wandering Through Winter:https://www.amazon.com/Wandering-Through-W...

Paulette Steeves - The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Steeves tells us about the Clovis fallacy and how humans were on North America for thousands of years before the the current archeological orthodo...

Paulette C. Steeves - Poet Warrior, Joy Harjo

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Steeves and I talk about Joy Harjo's beautiful book.  And my friend the ground squirrel.Buy Poet Warrior:https://www.amazon.com/Poet-Warrior-Memo...

Maria Amparo Escandon - LA Weather

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Amparo Escandon and I talk about her book LA Weather.  I insist on reading a passage from Southern California, An Island On The Land.Miami Book...

Maria Amparo Escandon - Pedro Paramo, Juan Rulfo - LA Weather

21 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maria Amparo and I talk about the baffling masterpiece of magical realism, Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo.Buy Pedro Paramo:https://www.amazon.com/Pedro-Pa...

Peter Mancall - Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Early American History Professor Peter Mancall and I talk about the Pilgrims, predestination and buggery.Buy Of Plymouth Plantation:https://www.amazon...

Eric Nusbaum - Shaky Town, Lou Mathews

07 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author of Stealing Home, Eric Nusbaum and I talk about Lou Mathew's fantastic book Shaky Town.  We talk about the Dodgers in probably a little too mu...

2021 Roundup Special

01 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I talk about my favorite books and look at the year ahead.  Happy New Year!Orphaned Books: Billion Dollar Looser, Reeves Wiedman, 2020 Hachette (Adam...

Wayne Federman - Atomic Habits by James Clear

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Comedian, Actor and Author Wayne Federman and I talk about self help, sports, neurosis, and subjecting ourselves to criticism... we also talk about si...

Denise Hamilton - Speculative Los Angeles

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Denise Hamilton and I talk about her anthology, Speculative Los Angeles.Another one from the Miami Book Fair:https://www.miamibookfair.comBuy Denise's...

Denise Hamilton - They Shoot Horses Don't They, Horace McCoy

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Denise Hamilton and I talk about They Shoot Horses Don't They?  No horses were injured in the making of this episode. Another one from the Miami Book...

Jane Smiley - Perestroika In Paris

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jane and I talk about her amazing new book Perestroika in Paris.  She slightly judges my taste in Russian authors. Another one from the Miami Book Fa...

Jane Smiley - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens

03 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jane Smiley!  Jane deploys some of her extensive Dickens knowledge and insightful criticism, I try to keep up.Another one from the Miami Book Fair:ht...

Kathie Klarreich - Hear Us

26 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author and editor Kathie Klarreich and I talk about incarcerated people who are writing during a pandemic.Another one from the Miami Book Fair:https:/...

Maggie Smith - Goldenrod

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Maggie Smith is the author of Good Bones and many, many other amazing poems.  We talk more about craft, read one of her poems and discuss what it mea...

Maggie Smith - The Life, Carrie Fountain

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Maggie Smith is the author of Good Bones and many, many other amazing poems.  We talk about craft, musicals, enjambment, and about Carrie Fountain's ...

Tiokasin Ghosthorse - The Indigenous Paleolithic of the Western Hemisphere, Pauette F.C. Steeves

05 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tiokasin and I discuss archeology, the academy, language, quantum physics, history, and gig we once did at the Met in NYC. it's a pretty interesting o...

Joshua Jay - How Magicians Think

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Magician and author Joshua Jay and I discuss David Byrne's How Music Works.  I slightly nerd out about Joshua's magic accomplishments.MIAMI BOOK FAIR...

Joshua Jay - How Music Works, David Byrne

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Magician and author Joshua Jay and I discuss David Byrne's How Music Works.  I slightly nerd out about Joshua's magic accomplishments.MIAMI BOOK FAIR...

Joie Davidow - Smoke by Ivan Turgenev

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Joie and I talk about Smoke, by Ivan Turgenev and about her book, An Unofficial Marriage.Buy Smoke:https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Alma-Classics-Ivan-Tur...

Lisa Bitel - The Tain - Irish Epic

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Lisa Bitel walks me through the ancient Irish Epic, The Tain.  This book is also called "the Irish Iliad".  I'd recommend reading this one AFTER...

Angus Fletcher Part 2 - Wonderworks

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about Karl Popper, the fallacy of science, the purpose of literature, and brain scanners... ya know... nice lite accessible stuff.Buy Angus's ...

Angus Fletcher Part 1- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Angus and I talk about the neuroscience of how Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers secretly turns your brain into the brain of an outlier.This is a book socie...