American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Episode 37: Anna Tsing, "The Mushroom at the End of the World" (1/2)

Tue, 19 May 2026 15:32:35 +0800

In this episode I look at The Mushroom at the End of the World by Anna Tsing. In this first half of the book we explore the human history of the matsutake mushroom. This great book will be the conclusion of this series that began with our look at The Moral Economy of the Peasant so many months ago.

Episode 36: David Graeber and David Wengrove, "The Dawn of Everything" (5/5)

Thu, 14 May 2026 08:45:21 +0800

The finale of my review of The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrove. In this section we look at the origins (or non-origins) of the state and return to the indigenous critique of Europe.

Episode 35: David Graeber and David Wengrove, Dawn of Everything (4/5)

Wed, 06 May 2026 12:09:16 +0800

Part 4 of my review of David Wengrove and David Graeber's The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity. As we come to the close of this book we begin to go deeper into the Neolithic and explore urban forms and political systems, asking the question if anything has an origin and if not, how can we tell the story of early humanity?

Episode 34: David Graeber and David Wengrove, "The Dawn of Everything" (3/5)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:11:30 +0800

Part three of my review of David Graeber and David Wengrove's massive book The Dawn of Everything. In this section we focus on the origins of agriculture and communities and hierarchies.

Episode 33: David Graeber and David Wengrove, "The Dawn of Everything" (2/5)

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:37:04 +0800

Hey guys. Back with another section of my review of The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrove. In this section I focus on his chapters on the origins of agriculture, the sections that have the most to contrast with James Scott's Against the Grain.

Episode 32: David Graeber and David Wengrove, "The Dawn of Everything" (1/5)

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:54:09 +0800

As a follow up to James C. Scott's Against the Grain I wanted to look into the more comprehensive and perhaps more radical and challenging interpretation give in The Dawn of Everything by David Wengrove and David Graeber. Here is the first of five parts.

Episode 31: Robin D. G. Kelley, "Race Rebels" (2/2)

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:42:07 +0800

Part two and the conclusion of my review of Race Rebels by Robin Kelley. In this second half of the book, we explore the infrapolitics that inspired mid to later 20th century black politics especially black communism and internationalism, and the politics of rap music.

Episode 30: Robin D. G. Kelley, Race Rebels (1/2)

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:36:00 +0800

In this episode I look at Robin Kelley's wonderful exploration of black politics in the 20th century Race Rebels. It is the best example that I know of an author using James C. Scott's theory of "infrapolitics". The result of a fascinating account of politics from "way, way below".

Episode 29: James C. Scott, "In Praise of Floods"

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:53:50 +0800

In this episode I close our my review of James C. Scott's works with a reading of his final book In Praise of Floods. It is a good summary of many of his major arguments but shows where some of his thinking had he lived longer.

Episode 28: James C. Scott, "Against the Grain" (2/2)

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:50:30 +0800

In this second half of my review of James C. Scott's Against the Grain, I explore his arguments about the origin of the state and the "golden age for barbarians".

Episode 27: James C. Scott "Against the Grain" (1/2)

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:02:24 +0800

After enjoying Scott's take on anarchism we can move onto his penultimate book, a text exploring the origins of agriculture and the impact it has on human beings. We will be taking a closer look at his arguments and other perspectives on early agricultural societies when we read The Dawn of Everything, but for now let's enjoy the first half of Against the Grain.

Episode 26: James C. Scott, "Two Cheers for Anarchism"

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 10:33:00 +0800

My review of James C. Scott's short book Two Cheers for Anarchism. The book is a great introduction to Scott's ideas and a useful guide to putting an anarchist perspective on the world we live in.

Episode 25: James C. Scott, The Art of Not Being Governed (3/3)

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:09:58 +0800

The finale of my review of James C. Scott's "The Art of Not Being Governed". This part of the book focuses on kinship and the role of leadership in millenarian movements as part of the strategy of state evasion.

Next up: James Scott's modern classic, "Against the Grain"

Episode 24: James C. Scott, The Art of Not Being Governed (2/3)

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:07:13 +0800

Part two of my review of James C. Scott's history of upland Southeast Asia (Zomia), from the perspective of those who intentionally evaded states. In this part of the book we move from the strategies of states to the strategies of evasion. What do you think the most useful strategies for evading states in today's world.

Episode 23: James C. Scott, The Art of Not Being Governed (1/3)

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:39:10 +0800

The first part of my review of Scott's masterpiece on upland Southeast Asia, The Art of Not Being Governed. So many of his ideas come together into this indispensable book. In this first part we will learn about Zomia and the creation of geographical spaces outside of the machinations of states.

Episode 22: James C. Scott, Seeing Like A State (3/3)

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:51:33 +0800

The finale of my review of James C. Scott's Seeing Like a State. The last few chapters of this excellent book explore the experiments in agrarian high modernism and then explores metis, or embedded knowledge and the capacity of resilience against the designs of high modernist states.

Episode 21: James C. Scott, Seeing Like a State (2/3)

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 13:40:47 +0800

In part two of my review of Seeing Like a State by James C. Scott, I explore the dangers of high modernism and some of the case studies of failed experiments he examines. What is your favorite example of high modernism going wrong, besides the opening night of The Rites of Spring?

Episode 20: James C. Scott, Seeing Like a State (1/3)

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:13 +0800

As we continue our exploration of the works of James C. Scott, we move from the arts of resistance to the designs of a state with faulty vision. How do states see, how do they envision transformation, and how do these two things together fail us?

Episode 19: James C. Scott, "Domination and Arts of Resistance" (2/2)

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:59:53 +0800

In this episode I complete my reading of James C. Scott's DOMINATION AND THE ARTS OF RESISTANCE: HIDDEN TRANSCRIPTS. In this section we focus on the workings of infrapolitics and the question of how they become visible and possible unstoppable.

James C. Scott, Domination and the Arts of Resistance (1/2)

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:49:46 +0800

In this episode I review Domination and the Arts of Resistance by James C. Scott, exploring the concepts of public and hidden transcripts. What can we gain by looking at the world through the lens of hidden transcripts?

Episode 17: James C. Scott, Weapons of the Weak (3/3)

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:02:08 +0800

The conclusion to my study of James C. Scott's Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance.

Episode 16: James C. Scott, Weapons of the Weak (2/3)

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:03:35 +0800

This episode is part 2 of my review of James C. Scott's examination of a Malay village, Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance. It is a slow burn but it builds toward an impressive interpretation.

Episode 15: James C. Scott, "Weapons of the Weak" (1/3)

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:18:52 +0800

We get to know a Malay village down to its last family through James C. Scott's anthropological study Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance. What are the styles of everyday resistance in your workplace?

Episode 14: James C. Scott, The Moral Economy of the Peasant (2/2)

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:59:14 +0800

In this episode I finish reading The Moral Economy of the Peasant by the brilliant James C. Scott. So what do you think of this book and its ongoing relevance?

Episode 13: James C. Scott. "The Moral Economy of the Peasant" (1/2)

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:36:10 +0800

I begin my deep dive into the works of James C. Scott with The Moral Economy of the Peasant. In this work, Scott explores the subsistence ethic and the consequences of it for peasant resistance. Is it just me or were lots of people writing about peasants in the 1970s and 1980s?

Episode 12: Karl Jacoby, Crimes Against Nature

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:48:45 +0800

As we prepare for our deep dive into James C. Scott's work, we finish up with a related text, Karl Jacoby's Crimes Against Nature. This is one of the more fascinating looks at the history of conservation and helps us ask the question, for just who were the conservationists conserving, and did they do a better job that the people who made their living in spaced deemed "wilderness".

Episode 11: Catherine McNeur, "Taming Manhattan" (2/2)

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:18:35 +0800

The conclusion to my review of TAMING MANHATTAN by Catherine McNeur. What can we learn from this book about making more environmentally sustainable cities? Will the drive to improve urban environments always lead to the class wars and conflicts discussed in this book?

Episode 10: Catherine McNeur, Taming Manhattan (1/2)

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:59:51 +0800

Catherine McNeur writes a wonderful account of environmental conflicts and how they became class conflicts and fights over the boundaries between rural and urban in antebellum Manhattan. TAMING MANHATTAN is a great starting place for reading engaging and relevant environmental history,

Episode 9: Mark Fiege: Republic of Nature (4/4)

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 12:12:08 +0800

The completion of my review of the lengthy but excellent book "The Republic of Nature" by Mark Fiege. Strongly recommended. What did you think?

Episode 8: Mark Fiege: Republic of Nature (3/4)

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 17:18:46 +0800

Part three of my review of Mark Fiege's Republic of Nature covers a wide swap of American history in just a couple of chapters. One explores the environmental history of the transcontinental railroad and the other looks at Los Alamos and the scientists who developed the atomic bomb. While I may have wanted a bit more on industrial America, it is hard to fault a book this solid in its interpretive lens.

Episode 7: Mark Fiege: Republic of Nature (2/4)

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:11:25 +0800

Part two of my review of Mark Fiege's excellent book The Republic of Nature. In this chapter we focus on the mid-nineteenth century with a chapter on the ecology of the cotton economy, the ecology of Lincoln's worldview, and the ecology of Gettysburg. What aspects of history do you think could we use to explore themes of environmental history?

Episode 6: Mark Fiege, The Republic of Nature: An Environmental History of the United States (Part1/4)

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 15:46:30 +0800

The first part of my four episode review of Mark Fiege's excellent The Republic of Nature: An Environmental History of the United States. In the first two chapters we explore the environmental context of witch trials, religious dissent, the American Revolution, Monticello, and the Puritan encounter with indigenous people.

Episode 5: Turner and Isenberg, Republican Reversal: Conservatives and the Environment from Nixon to Trump (2/2)

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 12:22:44 +0800

Part two of my review of Republican Reversal, a book exploring the fate of the Republican commitment to federal conservation laws. I found it pretty bleak, but maybe there is some hope. I do think the book needs an update to consider the last 8 years.

Episode 4: Turner and Isenberg, Republican Reversal: Conservatives and the Environment from Nixon to Trump (1/2)

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 12:36:56 +0800

The first part of my review of The Republican Reversal: Conservatives and the Environment from Nixon to Trump. While this book is quite short, it is essential reading to understand the conservatives turn away from conservation. Some of the "whys" are obvious but quite a few are surprising.

Episode 3: Mark Smith: Smell of Battle, the Taste of Siege

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:47:14 +0800

In this episode I look at a sensory history of the American Civil War. It is a fascinating way to look at the past, but like so many sensory experiences, this one left me wanting more. What do you think of looking at the past through the realm of the senses?

Episode 2: Jeremy Zallen: American Lucifers (Part 2/2)

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 14:27:09 +0800

The second part of my review of the excellent history book American Lucifers: The Dark History of Artificial Light. Who are today's Lucifers and is their story still dark?

Episode 1: Jeremy Zallen: American Lucifers, The Dark History of Artificial Light (Part 1/2)

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:20:36 +0800

To start this new phase of this podcast, I am reviewing one of the best history books I read in the past year, Jeremy Zallen's American Lucifers, a book about capitalism, labor, violence, and the environment and how they all interrelate. Let me know what you think of the ideas of the book and if you read the book, let me know what you think I got wrong.

Soft Reboot Episode

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:14:09 +0800

The episode in which I explain where this podcast will go from here, so as not to overwhelm me and my capacities.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 103: No Time For Love (Part 1)

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:02:07 +0800

This is the first episode of my review of Robert Heinlein's longest work, NO TIME FOR LOVE. We are reintroduced to an old friend, Lazarus Long, as he reflects on his life (but maybe not enough reflection for this reader).

Episode 663: James Baldwin: The Devil Finds Work (1976)

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:00:46 +0800

THE DEVIL FINDS WORK was James Baldwin's final major essay and a fascinating exploration of how he has seen and experienced American (and some non-American) films over the course of his life, finding the problem at the heart of America's major cultural export.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 102: I Will Fear no Evil (Part 4)

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:13:03 +0800

The finale of my review of I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein. Next up, NO TIME FOR LOVE.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 101: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 3)

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 17:20:59 +0800

Part three of my thoughts on I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein.

Episode 662: James Baldwin: No Name in the Street

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 17:19:45 +0800

My quick review of James Baldwin's excellent essay NO NAME IN THE STREET. The last 20 pages of this essay are particularly hard hitting and remain meaningful.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 100: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 2)

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 17:44:48 +0800

Boy does this book drag on. Lots of good stuff, but Robert A. Heinlein seems to take his precious time getting there. Is I WILL FEAR NO EVIL a sign of what will come later in his works?

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 99: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 1)

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:37:03 +0800

Part 1 of 4 of my review of I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein. I wonder how other recent readers of this book look back on it. Obviously the novel deals with gender in sexuality in transgressive ways, but it also seems very old fashioned in its approach.

Episode 661: James Baldwin: The Fire Next Time (1963)

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:35:34 +0800

Brief thoughts on James Baldwin's 1963 essay THE FIRE NEXT TIME and its place in American history.

Episode 660: James Baldwin: Nobody Knows My Name, More Notes of a Native Son

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:31:53 +0800

In this episode I review James Baldwin's collection of essays NOBODY KNOWS MY NAME: MORE NOTES OF A NATIVE SON. These essays bridge his time in Paris to his engagement in the discourse on civil rights in America.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 98: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 3)

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 08:30:28 +0800

The conclusion to my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS. In the next episode we will being a four part dive into I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 97: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 2)

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 07:27:50 +0800

Part two of my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS by Robert A. Heinlein. In this episode, I cover the revolt on the Moon and some of the political theory at the heart of the novel, both the spoken and unspoken parts.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 96: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 1)

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:23:33 +0800

Part 1 of 3 of my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, one of Heinlein's most famous and well-regarded books. Often billed a libertarian novel, is it better to look at it as anti-colonial? Can it be both?

Episode 659: James Baldwin: Notes of a Native Son

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:21:41 +0800

We begin our look at James Baldwin's essays with his 1955 collection NOTES OF A NATIVE SON. Some of the topics explored in this collection are black representation in culture, expat life in Paris, and political life in Harlem.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 95: Farnham's Freehold (Second Half)

Thu, 25 Jul 2024 10:48:15 +0800

The second part of my review of FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD by Robert A. Heinlein. I really struggled with this book, but think it reveals the fundamental problem with Heinlein's relationship with the American past.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 94: Farnham's Freedhold (First Half)

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 04:41:51 +0800

I talk a bit about GLORY ROAD to finish up my thoughts on that novel, but I have decided to move onto Heinlein's FARNHAM'S FREEDHOLD. Is it his worst novel? Maybe not, but it is sure is trying hard. We will see what the second half gives us.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 93: Glory Road (First Half)

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 23:42:27 +0800

I had hoped to talk about the first half of GLORY ROAD by Robert A. Heinlein, but I ended up talking about most of the events of the book. It is definitely one that needs to be unpacked for some of the larger discussions we are having about Heinlein.

Episode 658: James Baldwin: Going to Meet the Man (2)

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 23:39:10 +0800

In this episode I review the final four stories of GOING TO MEET THE MAN by James Baldwin. This episode includes my look at the titular story, which remains one of the most well-known and widely read of Baldwin's works.

Episode 657: James Baldwin: Going to Meet the Man (1)

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 22:24:33 +0800

In this episode I talk about the first four stories of the great collection by James Baldwin GOING TO MEET THE MAN.

Episode 656: James Baldwin: Another Country (4)

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 11:45:32 +0800

The final episode of my review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. This novel deserves to be remembered as one of the best of the later 20th century.

Episode 655: James Baldwin: Another Country (Part 3)

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:19:20 +0800

Part three of my review of the wonderful novel ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. In this section, Eric returns to New York and crisis deepens in the relationships of our main characters Ida, Vivaldo, Cass, and Richard.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 92: Podkayne of Mars

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:16:53 +0800

In this episode I take a quick look at the excellent short novel by Robert A. Heinlein PODKAYNE OF MARS. It is one of my favorite Heinlein novels I have read and it really seems Heinlein can write young characters well, just not young men.

Episode 654: James Baldwin: Another Country (2)

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:47:43 +0800

Part two of my review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. For a novel that is just exploring transgressive romantic relationships (and some square relationships too), it is an enthralling journey.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 91: Searchlight

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 17:45:03 +0800

This teeny tiny short story by Robert A. Heinlein also seems to be the last short story we will look at in this series. From here on out it will be wild novels. But this is a nice story to end with.

Episode 653: James Baldwin: Another Country (1)

Sun, 09 Jun 2024 15:22:52 +0800

This episode is part one of my four part review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin, a novel about race, sex, and art set in Greenwich Village. It is excellent.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 90: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 3)

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:57:44 +0800

Sorry for the delay in uploads. ANOTHER COUNTRY and work has been keeping me busier than I thought.

But here is the conclusion to my review of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert A. Heinlein. One thing I never really talked much about in the review is cannibalism, but that is just a symptom of how much this book has to talk about.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 89: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 2)

Fri, 31 May 2024 06:35:38 +0800

In this episode I look at the middle third of Robert A. Heinlein's STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. We take a closer look at the word "grok" and its in-world meaning.

Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 88: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 1)

Tue, 28 May 2024 18:51:35 +0800

In this episode I begin my look at Robert A. Heinlein's STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. We will have a lot to talk about over these three episodes as this is a thematically rich book. The first third of the book is doing a lot of set up and drags at times, but nevertheless this one is worth attempting.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 87: All You Zombies

Thu, 23 May 2024 16:48:58 +0800

I am a bit backed up in producing episodes because I am wrangling with two larger novels (STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and ANOTHER COUNTRY). Hopefully those episodes will be ready next week.

For now, we can look at Heinlein's short story "All You Zombies", a time travel story with a trans twist.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 86: Starship Troopers (Part 2)

Thu, 16 May 2024 08:48:08 +0800

In part two of my review of STARSHIP TROOPERS, I complete my look at the text of the novel and discuss a little bit about the books legacy and influence on other storytellers.

Episode 652: James Baldwin: Giovanni's Room

Thu, 16 May 2024 08:46:49 +0800

Want to read a very sad novel about expats in Paris? Try James Baldwin's GIOVANNI'S ROOM. I loved it and am fully convinced that Baldwin is a beautiful writer. This short novel is full of theme and is certainly worth a read or two.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 85: Starship Troopers (Part 1)

Thu, 09 May 2024 17:55:30 +0800

In this episode I review the first half of STARSHIP TROOPERS by Robert A. Heinlein and discuss all of the "History and Moral Philosophy" sections and the claims often made about Heinlein's politics. In the next episode I will discuss the rest of the book and its legacy.

Episode 651: James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain (Part 2)

Thu, 09 May 2024 17:53:13 +0800

The conclusion to my review of James Baldwin's GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. This delightful and rich book is worth a look or two. Let me know what you thought of it.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 84: Have Space Suit, Will Travel

Mon, 06 May 2024 17:48:58 +0800

With this episode we close the book on the Robert A. Heinlein juveniles, so in addition to reviewing HAVE SPACE SUIT, WILL TRAVEL, I give my overall ranking of the 12 Scribner novels. There are only 15 works (13 novels and 2 short stories) left and I could not be more excited to jump into his works of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.

Episode 650: James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain (1)

Mon, 06 May 2024 17:45:17 +0800

In this episode I begin my look at James Baldwin with his first novel GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. It the first half of this novel, we can already sense Baldwin's unique contribution to African-American literature.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 83: The Man Who Traveled In Elephants

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:01:17 +0800

In the quasi-fantasy story "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants" (1957) Heinlein wrote a sentimental tale about America, journeys, and a man getting what he deserves in the afterlife.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 82: Menace from Earth

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 21:59:19 +0800

"Menace from Earth" by Robert A. Heinlein is a teenage romance, set on the Moon that builds on the themes explored in the excellent stories collected in THE GREEN HILLS OF EARTH.

Episode 649: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 5 Decision)

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:31:03 +0800

The finale of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright and the end of my examination of the works of Richard Wright. Our next series will be a long one, looking at the works of James Baldwin.

Episode 647: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 4 Despair)

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:30:03 +0800

My frustration with THE OUSIDER by Richard Wright grows a bit as I read Part 4 (Despair). Cross Damon does another murder and is trying to avoid arrest for his crimes but still has time for long debates on Communism and Fascism.

Episode 646: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 3 Descent)

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 08:46:00 +0800

Every once in a while I lose myself in a book. Not that I get engaged so the rest of the world passes by. Sometimes, I actually get lost and am not sure where the book or its characters are going. As I explore part 3 of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright I experience this. And I am not sure Wright is going to help me find the theme.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 81: The Door Into Summer

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 08:41:16 +0800

In this rather long episode I explore Heinlein' excellent novel THE DOOR INTO SUMMER. This book seems to be about a deterministic time travel loop, but it is really about our relationship to technology, each other, and work. Oh, and the main character gets engaged to a child and gaslights her into going into deep freeze so he can marry her while she is still young and hot. Not one of our author's best moments.

Episode 645: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 2 Dream)

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:11:24 +0800

Part two of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright. This section seems to be the most hopeful part of the novel as we witness Damon Cross' attempt to remake himself and find a type of freedom while avoiding bad faith.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Citizen of the Galaxy

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 18:09:31 +0800

CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY is the best and most expansive of the Heinlein juveniles, as well as one of its most adult in theme. While only the penultimate juvenile, it seems to be the capstone work in many ways.

Episode 644: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 1: Dread)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:01:52 +0800

I start my look at Richard Wright's THE OUTSIDER with part one (Dread), which introduces us to Cross Damon (Wright's names amirite) and his miserable life and how an accident gives him a chance to start fresh, but is forced to commit a murder to keep his secret.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Double Star

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:00:01 +0800

In this episode, I examine the delightful novel DOUBLE STAR by Robert A. Heinlein and talk about how the actor loses themselves into their subjects. While not necessary to be a science fiction novel, Heinlein weaves a handful of fascinating sci-fi elements into the story.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 79: A Time for the Stars (Part 2)

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 21:29:00 +0800

The conclusion of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. The changing relationship between the twins as one approaches death and the other returns still young with his life ahead of him seems to reflect the experiences we all face with the older generations.

Episode 643: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 3/3

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 21:27:01 +0800

The finale of my review of BLACK BOY (AMERICAN HUNGER) by Richard Wright. This part of the memoir follows Wright's life in Chicago and his love affair and breakup with the American Communist Party.
Next, five episodes on THE OUTSIDER.

Episode 642: Richard Wright: Black Boy (Part 2)

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 22:16:37 +0800

Part 2 of my review of the memoir BLACK BOY by Richard Wright. This part of the novel explores Wright's discovery of the rules of Jim Crow, his quest for intellectual autonomy, and his ultimate decision to leave the South.

Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 78: Time for the Stars (Part 1)

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 22:14:31 +0800

Part 1 of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel explores the twin paradox and humanity branching out into the cosmos.

Episode 641: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 1

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 19:23:14 +0800

In this episode I explore the first four chapters of Richard Wright's BLACK BOY, his gut wrenching and deep memoir of growing up black in the Jim Crow South.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 77: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 2)

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 19:22:02 +0800

Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY has a strong and fascinating second half in which we explore questions of building democracy and civilization. The good: The optimism about cooperation in harsh conditions. The bad: strong hints of settler colonialism.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 76: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 1)

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:20:46 +0800

In this episode I look at the first half of Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY. In this juvenile, Heinlein does some interesting thing with the old Malthusian over-population narrative. The first half reads a bit like a standard adventure story, though. This novel really shines in the second half.

Episode 640: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 4/4, Conclusion)

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:18:28 +0800

The finale of my look at Richard Wright's NATIVE SON.

Episode 639: Richard Wright: Native Son (Flight-Fate, Part 3/4)

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:07:27 +0800

In this third part of four exploring the powerful novel NATIVE SON by Richard Wright, we witness the capture of Bigger Thomas and the way the media presented a black defendant, ignored black victims, and jumped to racist assumptions, all the while trying to expose the Communist Party for its anti-racist work.

Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 75: The Star Beast (Part 2)

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:05:02 +0800

The conclusion to my review of the excellent novel, THE STAR BEAST, by Robert A. Heinlein. One of his best novels and high on the ranking of the juveniles. It explores issues such as gender, service, family heritage, and diplomacy.

Episode 638: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 2, Flight)

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:45:49 +0800

In this episode I look at most of part two of Richard Wright's NATIVE SON, called "Flight". Here the narrative focuses on Bigger Thomas' efforts at survival after his murder of Mary Dalton, but also look more into the perspectives of mainstream white society on communists and African-Americans.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 74: The Star Beast (Part 1)

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 22:36:19 +0800

THE STAR BEAST is one of the best books by Robert A. Heinlein that I explored in this podcast, and this suprised me from the look of the silly cover. Gender, diplomacy, politics, law, and bureaucracy are just some of the themes Heinlein crams into this little novel.

Episode 637: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 1, Fear)

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 22:33:32 +0800

In this episode I take on the first 100 pages of NATIVE SON by Richard Wright. It is a brilliant novel and I can only scratch the surface, but it is required reading for understanding America. I focus on the major characters and their motivations, knowing we can only begin to understand Bigger Thomas in the early stages of the novel.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 73: Project: Nightmare

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:12:55 +0800

While "Project: Nightmare" (1953) is not one of Heinlein's strongest short stories it is worth reading for his use of the Cold War setting. The question of morality, sacrifice, and the use of misuse of the talented for the achievement of national goals is still worth reflecting on.

Episode 626: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 2)

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:11:03 +0800

The conclusion to my thoughts on the wonderful short story collection, UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN by Richard Wright. In the second half of this collection we move to a proposed (if maybe futile) response. The last two stories have moments of resistance culminating in sacrifice but not victory or a promise of change.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 72: Sky-Lift

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:33:06 +0800

A very brief look at the short story "Sky-Lift" by Robert A. Heinlein. It is mostly a technical piece on the dangers of space flight and works as a sequel to the GREEN HILLS OF EARTH stories.

Episode 625: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 1)

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:31:30 +0800

Richard Wright's first published book was a series of short stories called UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN. They are wonderful stories looking at the brutality of race relations in Great Depression-era America and good preparation for NATIVE SON.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 71: Starman Jones (Part 2)

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 21:36:30 +0800

The conclusion to my look at STARMAN JONES by Robert A. Heinlein. This one clearly stands out among the Heinlein juveniles by branching out into new themes and new geographies.

Episode 624: Richard Wright: Lawd Today (Part 2)

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 21:35:02 +0800

The conclusion to my review of Richard Wright's first novel, LAWD TODAY. It is a great way to start digging into Richard Wright, and I think a good contrast with NATIVE SON, which we will look at in a few weeks.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 70: Starman Jones (Part 1)

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:21:53 +0800

In 1953, Heinlein wrote his 7th juvenile in STARMAN JONES. He always seems to have something new to say in each of these novels, even if the main characters are always a little bit cookie cutter. He does try to give this young man a bit more differentiation. Nevertheless, this is another good example of world building. I enjoy how each of these novels feels lived in.

Episode 623: Richard Wright: Lawd Today!

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:13:38 +0800

Today I start a new series looking at the major works of Richard Wright. We begin with LAWD TODAY!, which was published in the 1960s, but was actually the first book written. It is an amazing modernist text looking at the working class black life in Chicago during the Great Depression. It is also one of the bleakest books we have looked at in a while.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 69: The Year of the Jackpot

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:37:07 +0800

"The Year of the Jackpot" is a fascinating story by Heinlein published in GALAXY in 1952. It deals with sexual morality, normalcy, survival, historical cycles, and the end of the world. A must read.

Episode 622: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 7)

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:35:37 +0800

The final episode in my review of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION by W. E. B. Du Bois. These final three chapters summarize the major themes of the book quite well. One of the best books on the topic, even a hundred years after publication.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 68: The Rolling Stones (Part 2)

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 23:12:59 +0800

The conclusion to my review of THE ROLLING STONES by Robert A. Heinlein. An overall great book in this juvenile series.

Episode 621: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 6)

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 23:11:32 +0800

Part 6 of my review of W. E. B. Du Bois' BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA.

Episode 620: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 5)

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:14:27 +0800

We are in the meat of the book BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA by W. E. B. Du Bois. In these chapters, he looks into the revolution and counter revolution of property in Mississippi and Louisiana and then Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. We see how different demographic structures led to different reactions by the ruling planter class.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 67: The Rolling Stones (Part 1)

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:10:41 +0800

In this episode we get introduced to the Stone family and watch them becoming THE ROLLING STONES. This 1952 novel has some of the most well drawn of Heinlein's characters, but it is not the major young man protagonist who are pretty much interchangeable in this one. Some meta commentary on his juvenile novel heroes, I reckon.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 66: The Puppet Masters (Part 2)

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 21:37:06 +0800

The second part of my review of THE PUPPET MASTERS by Robert A. Heinlein. While I love a lot about this book, it ultimately falls far short of what it could have been.

Episode 619: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 4)

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 21:35:50 +0800

In this episode look at the middle chapters of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA, exploring the broader questions at the heart of the 15th Amendment and the impact of black voting rights on the Reconstruction politics of South Carolina.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 65: The Puppet Masters (Part 1)

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 21:29:04 +0800

It is kind of nice to have old Heinlein back. After writing those juveniles and mainstream science fiction stories, THE PUPPET MASTERS allows Heinlein to bring back hot women, nudity, and individualist philosophy. I am not sure this novel is a success yet, but it is lots of fun.

Episode 619: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 3)

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 21:26:53 +0800

One of the most fascinating looks at Andrew Johnson is made by Du Bois in this section of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA. I also discuss his sources and unique bibliography in this episode.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 64: Between Planets (Part 2)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:50:40 +0800

The conclusion to my coverage of BETWEEN PLANETS by Robert A. Heinlein.

Episode 617: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 2)

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:48:29 +0800

The Civil War ends and the reaction to emancipation starts. In the second part of my coverage of W. E. B. Du Bois' BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA, I look at chapters 5-6 and the beginning of the conservative reaction to the second American Revolution.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 63: Between Planets (Part 1)

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:25:56 +0800

Once again, we begin a look at what turns out to be my favorite of the juveniles by Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS is the best yet. Can they keep getting better? The lesson in this book is courage and honor in the face of fate.

Episode 616: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 1)

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:23:25 +0800

In this episode I look at the first four chapters of the amazing book BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a brilliant celebration of the potential of interracial democracy, written at a time when those potentials were forgotten by historians.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 62: Cliff and the Calories

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:41:33 +0800

A bit of an aside in this series, "Cliff and the Calories" by Heinlein is a short story about a young woman struggling with a perhaps unnecessary diet. It slightly aligns with some of what he was doing with his juveniles, but I think we need to wait until we read Podkayne to know for sure.

Episode 615: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 5)

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:39:25 +0800

The finale of my review of OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the conclusion to this series on Stowe's novels. Next up, we will return to W. E. B. Du Bois with a deep dive into Reconstruction-era America.

Episode 614: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 4)

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 22:20:05 +0800

Part 4 of my review of OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This is an amazing novel that deserves more attention.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 61: The Man Who Sold the Moon

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 22:18:24 +0800

A story of capitalism run amok and maybe doing some good, THE MAN WHO SOLD THE MOON, by Robert A. Heinlein is a great novella exploring how money can do almost anything.

Episode 613: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 3)

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:35:28 +0800

The middle sections of Harriet Beecher Stowe's OLDTOWN FOLKS (1869) explored education with intense focus and through multiple conversations. While repetitive, this section of the novel allowed Stowe to engage with the debates of her own time about education, making a case as persuasive as the one she made in UNCLE TOM'S CABIN about slavery.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 60: Farmer in the Sky (Part 2)

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 17:30:50 +0800

In this episode, I finish up my review of the excellent novel FARMER IN THE SKY by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel has some excellent reflections on population, empires, war, ecology, and the frontier. Are the juveniles (and the Future History series at large) metaphors for the Atlantic world? Sometimes I think so.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 59: Farmer in the Sky (Part 1)

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:24:54 +0800

Heinlein's fourth juvenile novel, FARMER IN THE SKY (1950) is one of the best books he wrote to that point and the most "mature" of his "boy's novels". We seen Heinlein's approach and concerns grow up with his characters. The first part of this book is an excellent window into the ecological, scientific, and political vision Heinlein develops.

Episode 612: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 2)

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:22:10 +0800

Harriet Beecher Stowe's OLDTOWN FOLKS (1869) is doing a lot, and that is made clear in the second section of this book, which explores the fate of two orphans in this small New England Town, and their ultimate liberation.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 58: Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:14:16 +0800

"Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon" is another delightful Future History story by Robert A. Heinlein, but this one includes Boy Scouts. Can an Earth Scout ever find a place with the Moon Scouts with the Moon's inhospitable environment? Maybe if he saves the day? This story has some very harrowing life and death moments as two boys get lost a "morning glory" (a sinkhole).

Episode 611: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 1)

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:10:29 +0800

In this episode I begin to explore OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This is a fascinating, almost modernist, novel about one man's memory of the days of his youth in early 19th century New England. Through deep dives into characters and the community, Stowe digs into surface level and hidden aspects of New England society.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 57: Gulf

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:15:13 +0800

What is this early 1940s Heinlein story doing in the 1950? In this episode I explore Heinlein's brief return to ASTOUNDING with "Gulf". Thanks, I hate it.

Episode 610: Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Minister’s Wooing (Part 3)

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 17:13:32 +0800

In this episode I finish up up look at Harriet Beecher Stowe's THE MINISTER'S WOOING. It finishes up much the way we expect. Overall, this novel is a nice surprise and worth checking out if you have the time. Next up, OLDTOWN FOLKS.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 56: Delilah and the Space Rigger

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:36:04 +0800

This is the last of the GREEN HILLS OF EARTH stories (from the anthology, but not thematically), we explore the question of who is suited for space exploration by looking at the place of women in the frontier.

Episode 609: Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Minister’s Wooing (Part 2)

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:34:31 +0800

In part two of my review of THE MINISTER'S WOOING by Harriet Beecher Stowe we build out the world of post-Revolutionary New England with a closer look at the new theology of the Great Awakening and get to experience the suspicious arrival of Aaron Burr as a suitor. Then tragedy hits.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 55: Red Planet (Part 2)

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:05:16 +0800

The finale of my review of Robert A. Heinlein's RED PLANET. I focus on the political aspects of the novel and the awesome portrayal of the indigenous Martians.

Episode 608: Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Minister’s Wooing (Part 1)

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 20:02:47 +0800

In this episode I begin looking at Harriet Beecher Stowe's THE MINISTER'S WOOING, a novel about New England religion tied to a sentimental novel of love and loss.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 54: Red Planet (Part 1)

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:52:00 +0800

This episode is the first half of my review of RED PLANET by Robert A. Heinlein. While I loved the "Green Hills of Earth" cycle, I cannot help but feeling that this novel brings us back to the Heinlein I love to wrestle with.

Episode 607: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Finale)

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 16:50:36 +0800

The end of my five-part review of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Overall, I am very glad I finally read this excellent book. There are great moments throughout the novel and it deserves its place as a classic, not just a historically important text.

Episode 606: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Part 4)

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:50:34 +0800

This section is the turning point in the story, where we see our hopes in the white characters end through their untimely deaths. It then take Tom (and the readers) to hell and the heart of the story, which will play out in the cotton fields of the deep South.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 53: Our Fair City

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 18:48:13 +0800

In this small fantasy story, "Our Fair City", Robert A. Heinlein explores city politics and corruption through the adventures of a sentient whirlwind. This story may be skippable, but has some nice moments. I like Heinlein reflecting on local politics more than I do the fantasy elements of this story.

Episode 605: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Part 3)

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 21:07:36 +0800

The middle sections of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe are some of the most interesting in the novel. Stowe is more intriguing with the conflicted and complex characters. With the death of Eva (explored in the next episode) the characters become more clearly defined, and that is a bit of a pity.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 52: The Black Pits of Luna

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 21:04:50 +0800

Another Robert A. Heinlein Future History Story, "The Black Pits of Luna". The title and themes parallel "The Green Hills of Earth" quite well. With this story along with the others we look at, I think all we need for tackling THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS is here, but that will be a while yet.

Episode 604: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Part 2)

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:55:15 +0800

Part two of my review of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This section begins a deeper look at the religious and moral values Stowe was working out in this famous book about American slavery.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 51: Gentlemen, Be Seated

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 19:53:48 +0800

Another Future History story by Robert A. Heinlein, "Gentlemen, Be Seated" explores the character of the humans who should venture into space. While it is built on a humorous set piece, there are some interesting ideas about the gap that will grow between humans on Earth and those in space.

Episode 603: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Part 1)

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 19:00:46 +0800

Part 1 of 5. This review will explore the themes and ideas of UNCLE TOM'S CABIN by Harriet Beecher Stowe. While I have never read this book before, I am familiar with its big ideas. I am pleasantly surprised by how good it is.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 50: The Long Watch

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:59:16 +0800

A thematic sequel to SPACE CADET and "Ordeal in Space", this story explores the values of the Patrol and seems to be a testament to all the uncelebrated heroes of war.

Episode 602: Narrative of the Life of J. D. Green a Runaway Slave (1864)

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 21:13:50 +0800

The final slave narrative of this series in the mostly unknown story of the trickster slave J. D. Green. It is fun, brutal, and fascinating and maybe deserves a greater place in our literary history.

Robert A.Heinlein Book Club: Episode 49: Ordeal in Space

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 21:10:02 +0800

So TOWN AND COUNTRY published a very interesting Heinlein story called "Ordeal in Space" in 1948, which explores how we face and overcome trauma. A powerful reflection on the experiences of returning soldiers from World War II.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 48: Space Cadet (Part 2)

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:58:12 +0800

Part two of my review of SPACE CADET by Robert A. Heinlein. Let's meet some Venerians and test the values of the Space Patrol when faced with the desires of unrestrained capitalism, or something.

Episode 601: Harriet Jacobs: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Part 2)

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:56:27 +0800

The conclusion of my look at INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL by Harriet Jacob. This remains my favorite slave narrative and is in my view the most powerful.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 47: Space Cadet (Part 1)

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 22:03:31 +0800

Part one of my review of SPACE CADET. This should be a favorite of Next Generation fans and has some of the best work building in the Heinlein juveniles.

Episode 600: Harriet Jacobs: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Part 1)

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 22:02:15 +0800

Perhaps the best slave narrative, and certainly my favorite, INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL by Harriet Jacobs hits to the heart of the experience of slavery for women and has some of the most intense moments in the genre.

Episode 599: A Thousand Miles to Freedom (William and Ellen Craft’s Narrative)

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 21:24:55 +0800

This episode contains my thoughts on the excellent slave narrative by William and Ellen Craft, detailing their escape from slavery and Georgia and how they hacked the color line and the unwritten rules of slavery. A brilliant work of resistance.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 47: Water is For Washing

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 21:23:14 +0800

No Robert A. Heinlein book club would be complete without the 1947 story "Water is for Washing". I almost forgot about it and probably will again soon.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 45: They Do It With Mirrors

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:54:07 +0800

This episode includes my review of Robert A. Heinlein's short mystery story "They Do It With Mirrors." While it is not exceptional as a locked room mystery, it does reflect on Heinlein's sexual politics.

Episode 598: The Narrative of Sojourner Truth

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:52:44 +0800

My review of the narrative of the life of Sojourner Truth, one of the more unique slave narratives of this era. A little less about slavery itself and more about the development of a religious revival, a new name, and a mission.

Episode 597: Narrative of the Life of Henry Bibb (1849)

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 20:39:45 +0800

We explore another excellent slave narrative with the work of Henry Bibb, whose narrative explores the trauma of being married in slavery and the difficult choices people need to make while being married in a system rooted in sexual violence.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 44: No Band Playing, No Flags Flying

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 23:05:47 +0800

As we come close to wrapping up our look at Heinlein's 1947 works, we look at a short and not so significant story showing Heinlein trying to define courage. It is called "No Band Playing, No Flags Flying" and its a bit odd.

Episode 596: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 23:03:35 +0800

Frederick Douglass' amazing slave narrative probably does not need much of an introduction. Few works deconstruct all the myths of the Old South so efficiently.

Episode 595: The Confessions of Nat Turner

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:42:20 +0800

While this is not quite a slave narrative, "The Confessions of Nat Turner" is testimony of one of the most famous American slaves (although the case can be made that he had already freed himself). While most slave narratives were weaponized in the anti-slavery struggle, this document was weaponized to justify strengthening the institution of slavery in the Antebellum South.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 43: Space Jockey

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 21:39:28 +0800

"Space Jockey" is another great science fiction story by Heinlein from 1947 published in the Saturday Evening Post. At the same time it is horribly quaint and seems a bit more like fantasy than science fiction. Someone moving from the gig economy to full time family-supporting employment? Not in this universe.

Episode 594: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (Part 2)

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:00:53 +0800

The conclusion of my thoughts on the slave narrative by Olaudah Equiano. In my view, in this narrative he parallels the struggle against slavery with his Christian journey for salvation, coming together into a call for action. Next we will jump to the antebellum slave narratives with the Confessions of Nat Turner.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 42: It’s Great to be Back

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:58:35 +0800

"It's Great to be Back" is another 1947 Saturday Evening Post story by Robert A. Heinlein dealing with nostalgia for Earth and the human presence in space. A great story to pair with "The Green Hills of Earth".

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 41: The Green Hills of Earth

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 18:44:14 +0800

In this wonderful short story, Heinlein tells us the history of a blind working class space poet, who also caught the essence of Earth's identity in space. One of his best.

Episode 593: Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1)

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 19:39:16 +0800

The first of two episodes covering Olaudah Equiano's amazing slave narrative. It is a thematic. structural, and moral foundation of all other slave narratives. It is also an amazing story that everyone should read.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 41: Columbus was a Dope

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 20:25:36 +0800

In this tiny story published in 1947 in STARTLING STORIES, Robert A. Heinlein explores the struggle for progress and how every generation builds off the courage of those that came before, and how we forget.

Episode 592: Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 20:24:07 +0800

I am back from my summer break and start with a look at slave narratives. First up is the strange but significant account by James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw. It works as a narrative of the Atlantic working class and the benefits of Christianity, but never directly attacks slavery itself, making it one of the strangest slave narratives. However it was the first published in English.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 39: Jerry Is a Man

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 19:56:34 +0800

A great story by Robert A. Heinlein, "Jerry Is a Man" (1947) explores the nature of humanity, animal rights, and genetic engineering. It is hard not to think of this story in terms of Star Trek's great episode "The Measure of a Man"

Episode 591: Mark Twain: No 44: Mysterious Stranger

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 19:54:34 +0800

I complete my look at Mark Twain with one version of "Mysterious Stranger" known as "No. 44: The Mysterious Stranger". The other versions have interesting things to say as well, but this one focuses on work, automation, and technology.

Episode 590: Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer, Detective

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:04:25 +0800

A better novel than TOM SAWYER ABROAD, TOM SAWYER, DETECTIVE by Mark Twain picks up as a sequel to THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. It also is a window into Tom Sawyer's potential adult life.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 38: Rocket Ship Galileo (Part 2)

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:03:03 +0800

It's Nazis on the moon in part two of ROCKET SHIP GALILEO by Robert A. Heinlein. While it does not compare to some of the short stories and later juvenile we will look at soon, there is some staying power with in this novel.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 37: Rocket Ship Galileo (Part 1)

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 22:05:46 +0800

The review of the first half of Robert A. Heinlein's ROCKET SHIP GALILEO, the first of his famous young adult novels. A rocket club gets a chance to go to the moon.

Episode 589: Mark Twain: Tom Sawyer, Abroad

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 22:03:52 +0800

In the short novel TOM SAWYER, ABROAD (1892), Mark Twain takes Tom, Huck Finn and Jim on a balloon voyage to Africa. In this episode are my thoughts on this book.

Episode 588: Mark Twain: The American Claimant

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 20:59:30 +0800

In 1892, Mark Twain published a sequel of sorts to THE GILDED AGE called THE AMERICAN CLAIMANT. It goes back to an old theme Twain was fascinated by: the mutual misunderstandings of Europeans and Americans. Throughout this story, Colonel Sellers is up to his old schemes.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 36: Free Men

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 20:56:43 +0800

In this episode of the Robert A. Heinlein Book Club, I look at "Free Men", an interesting and moralistic look at the duty of free men to resist authoritarian state power. More of a political tract than a story.

Episode 587: Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner: The Gilded Age (Part 4)

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:15:13 +0800

Finale of my review of THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain. While not one his most popular novels, I think this one deserves a read for its important themes and reflections on American capitalism and politics.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 35: A Bathroom of Her Own

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:13:53 +0800

In this episode of the Robert A. Heinlein book club, I look at this odd little story "A Bathroom of Her Own," a non-science fiction tale of housing and politics.

Episode 587:Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner: The Gilded Age (Part 3)

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 06:52:27 +0800

Now we need to deal with two sussy colonels in this novel? Colonel Sellers and Colonel Selby team-up to extract love and money from post-Civil War Washington. THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain is actually a pretty underrated novel.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 34: Waldo

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 06:49:45 +0800

We wrap up our pre-war coverage of Heinlein's works with WALDO, a fitting story to complete the Anson MacDonald ASTOUNDING period of Heinlein's career. It hits so many of the themes Heinlein had been playing with since he started writing.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 33: My Object All Sublime and Pied Piper (1942)

Tue, 30 May 2023 21:59:52 +0800

In this episode I mostly look at Heinlein's short story "My Object All Sublime" but also mention "Pied Piper". These forgettable tales may have some thematic interest regarding vigilantes and total war.

Episode 585: Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner: The Gilded Age (Part 2)

Tue, 30 May 2023 21:57:21 +0800

Part two of my review of THE GILDED AGE by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner. This part of the novel moves our focus to the national level and exposes how deep the corruption in the nation ran.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 32: The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag

Tue, 23 May 2023 20:36:48 +0800

"... Jonathan Hoag" is a great Robert A. Heinlein story that keeps getting me to think about and talk about Philip K. Dick. I loved it.

Episode 584: Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner: The Gilded Age (Part 1)

Tue, 23 May 2023 20:34:39 +0800

Part one of my review of the underrated novel THE GILDED AGE, by Mark Twain and another guy. It is one of the most sturdy investigations into America's political and economic culture. Sellers and Hawkins got something for you to buy.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 31: Goldish Bowl

Wed, 17 May 2023 23:16:02 +0800

"Goldfish Bowl" by Robert A. Heinlein is almost a H. P. Lovecraft story. One of his best pieces of short fiction that I read from him.

Episode 583: Mark Twain: Following the Equator

Wed, 17 May 2023 23:14:10 +0800

With this final episode on FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR, I finish up with Mark Twain's travel literature. Coming up is THE GILDED AGE and his later novels.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 30: Beyond this Horizon (Part 2)

Fri, 12 May 2023 06:42:54 +0800

There is a lot happening in the second half of BEYOND THIS HORIZON by Robert A. Heinlein, but I skip over most of that to talk about Heinlein and the gun culture.

Episode 582: Mark Twain: Following the Equator (Part 3)

Fri, 12 May 2023 06:41:31 +0800

At the halfway point of Mark Twain's FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR, we shift our focus to British India and the cultural changes and continuities in India under British rule.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 29: Beyond this Horizon (Part 1)

Tue, 09 May 2023 19:43:57 +0800

BEYOND THIS HORIZON by Robert A. Heinlein came out in early 1942 in ASTOUNDING. It is one of the best early Heinlein books and explores various themes he had been developing up to this time, including his vision for a post-scarcity society and a broadly available genetically engineered society. It is also famous for its commentary on gun culture.

Episode 581: Mark Twain: Following the Equator (Part 2)

Tue, 09 May 2023 19:40:30 +0800

The part of Mark Twain's FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR that I discuss in this episode explores the British colonization of Australia and carries on many of the themes from the first part of the book. It is a brutal and honest look at forced migrations, ecological change, and genocide.

Episode 580: Mark Twain: Following the Equator (Part 1)

Fri, 05 May 2023 06:21:33 +0800

In this episode I begin the final Mark Twain travelogue FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR. It is one of the greatest anti-imperialist texts of the 19th century, an excellent travelogue, and an example of Twain's most bitterly charged satire.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 28: Elsewhen

Fri, 05 May 2023 06:19:33 +0800

"Elsewhen" (also known as "Elsewhere") by Robert A. Heinlein is another borderline fantasy story that explores the unrealized potential of human beings. It also introduces the multiverse to his writing (a theme he will take up later).

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 27: And He Built a Crooked House

Wed, 03 May 2023 06:21:37 +0800

"... And Be Built A Crooked House" is a solid and fun story by Robert Heinlein, exploring the geography of four dimensions through the device of a tesseract house.

Episode 579: Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad (Part 4, Conclusion)

Wed, 03 May 2023 06:19:36 +0800

A bit of fatigue with these travelogues by Mark Twain hits me in this (one of my shortest) episodes. A TRAMP ABROAD descends into more simple tourism at the end, sadly. Hopefully, I will have more to say in FOLLOWING THE EQUATOR.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 26: By His Bootstraps

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 22:44:22 +0800

Well, this one is a doozy. BY HIS BOOTSTRAPS is one of the best Robert A. Heinlein stories yet. A perfectly constructed time travel story that begs the question: Can you lift yourself by your own bootstraps? Answer: Maybe?

Episode 578: Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad (Part 3)

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 22:41:09 +0800

Part 3 of my review of Mark Twain's A TRAMP ABROAD tried to take a big picture look at this book and its significance among Twain's travel literature.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 25: Sixth Column (Part 2)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:56:06 +0800

The second part of my review of SIXTH COLUMN by Robert A. Heinlein. It is a fascinating a troublesome book about race, religion, resistance, and technology.

Episode 577: Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad (Part 2)

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 18:53:31 +0800

I continue to work my way through the works of Mark Twain with A TRAMP ABROAD. Mark Twain seems to be coming to terms with European nationalism and folklore as he makes his deep dive into the German land, culture, and people.

Episode 576: Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad (Part 1)

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:12:06 +0800

We go back to the travel writings with Mark Twain's 1880 A TRAMP ABROAD. These are some of the funnest to read and some of the hardest to talk about books I have ever one on this podcast. In any case, let's see what Mark Twain thinks of Europe now that he is not innocent anymore.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 24: Sixth Column (Part 1)

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:10:16 +0800

This one (Robert A. Heinlein's SIXTH COLUMN) certainly leaves us with lots to talk about, including Pan-Asianism, technology, religion, and race. This is episode 1 of 2 exploring this short novel, originally published in 1941.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 23: Lost Legacy

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:43:03 +0800

Let's explore some Super science and posthumanism with Robert A. Heinlein's LOST LEGACY, a novella about the untapped potential of humanity and infiltrating The Boy Scouts.

Episode 575: Mark Twain: The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Part 4)

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 22:40:25 +0800

In this episode I finish another book (Mark Twain's PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF JOAN OF ARC) and another volume of the Library of America. At this rate, I will finish in about the time it took for France to win the 100 Years War!

Episode 574: Mark Twain: The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Part 3)

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:59:06 +0800

Like in the previous episodes on THE PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF JOAN OF ARC by Mark Twain, I focus on what Joan of Arc can mean to us today. The book stans way to hard for Joan, so we need move a bit beyond the text.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 22: Methuselah’s Children (part 3)

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 06:56:08 +0800

I finish up my thoughts on METHUSELAH'S CHILDREN in this episode. Mostly, I talk about the tension between individualism and the community. If it were not so cliche I would have mentioned Tocqueville.

Episode 573: Mark Twain: The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Part 2)

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 06:31:14 +0800

This part of the THE PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF JOAN OF ARC is about lifting the siege of Orleans, but I do not says much about that and instead continue to explore the question of what in Mark Twain's mind made Joan of Arc great and what she transformation she causes.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Methuselah’s Children (Part 2)

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 06:28:34 +0800

Here I take a look at part 2 of "Methuselah's Children" by Robert A. Heinlein. I spend most of the time trying to figure out what might be the key to understanding this story and Heinlein himself. I fail. I guess I will need to read more Heinlein.

Episode 572: Mark Twain: The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (Part 1)

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:19:46 +0800

What do we owe our youth? Maybe we just owe it to get out of their way. In this episode I use JOAN OF ARC by Mark Twain to reflect on this question and the type of world we leave to our children.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Methuselah’s Children (Part 1)

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:18:25 +0800

The first part of METHUSELAH'S CHILDREN by Robert A. Heinlein does a great deal of work in putting together the "future history" world and introduces one of his cornerstone characters. It is also a great ideas novel.

Episode 571: Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (Part 3)

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 06:29:30 +0800

In the finale of my review of A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT, I explore technology, power and the chilling climax of the novel. This is one of Twain's best books and worth a close look.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 19: ”We Also Walk Dogs”

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 06:26:37 +0800

Pay attention Hollywood, this episode on Heinlein's 1941 short story "We Also Walk Dogs" includes a pitch for the next hit TV series.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 18: The Logic of Empire

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 06:13:09 +0800

Heinlein may always have been annoying, but it sort of triggers me in this one. In this episode I discuss "The Logic of Empire" (1941) and Heinlein's allegory for American slavery and indentured servitude.

Episode 570: Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (Part 2)

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 06:10:27 +0800

Part two of my review of Mark Twain's A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT. I discuss mostly the points where reform hits the cultural wall, and the nature of authority and power in Twain's imagination.

Episode 569: Mark Twain: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (Part 1)

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:55:03 +0800

Part one of my review of Mark Twain's novel CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING'S ARTHUR COURT. The first third of this book mostly sets up the hero and the setting. Over the next few episodes I will explore the themes of technology, power, and religion as they are explored and lambasted in the novel.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 17: Common Sense (1941)

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 18:52:53 +0800

"Common Sense" is Robert A. Heinlein's action-packed sequel to "Universe". While I do not find it quite as elegant a story as "Universe", I did enjoy how it wrapped up the story with a bittersweet success for our heroes, but maybe a loss for humanity.

Episode 568: Mark Twain: The Prince and the Pauper (2)

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:45:19 +0800

This episode includes part two of my review of THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER by Mark Twain (1882). I discuss my concerns that Twain is making safe arguments from a safe place and cannot quite see the necessity for radical alternatives.

Episode 567: Mark Twain: The Prince and the Pauper (1)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 06:50:25 +0800

Part one of my review of THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, an 1882 children's novel by Mark Twain. This classic role-swapping story is a window into American attitudes about aristocracy and class.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 16: Universe

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 20:59:03 +0800

My review of Heinlein's 1941 story "Universe". While the first part of the story later published as ORPHANS OF THE SKY stands on its own, only with the sequel "Common Sense," do we find a darker more pessimistic truth about the necessity of stability.

Episode 566: Mark Twain: Roughing It (Part 4)

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 06:52:14 +0800

The finale of my review of ROUGHING IT by Mark Twain. In the final chapters of this book Mark Twain moves on from Nevada to California and spends half a year in Hawaii. Is this a break from the earlier narrative or just part of a larger story of American empire?

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 15: Magic, Inc.

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:24:27 +0800

"Magic, Inc." is a fascinating novella by Robert A. Heinlein, published in 1940. It explores issues such as union power, technology, law, corruption, and industrial production, while also trying to take magic seriously by placing it in our world. It is worth checking out for the richness of the themes.

Episode 565:Mark Twain: Roughing It (Part 3)

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 22:21:45 +0800

After failing as a silver prospector, Mark Twain took up journalism. He discusses his early days on the beat in ROUGHING IT (1872). I discuss this and other issues as I dig deeper in my review of this autobiographical book.

Episode 564: Mark Twain: Roughing It (Part 2)

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 20:54:28 +0800

In part 2 of my review of ROUGHING IT by Mark Twain, I find some of the most important commentary and observations on the betrayals at the heart of the ideology of democratic capitalism, and clues as to why the West was so quickly tamed by capital, big business, and government (later the military-industrial complex). Is there any future to an economy built on speculation?

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 14: They

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 20:52:10 +0800

In "They", published in 1941, Robert A. Heinlein takes on issues I am more used to talking about in my series on Philip K. Dick: conspiracy, shifting realities, and paranoia. Mostly, I take on the question of the utility of conspiracy theories and express my distaste for the solipsism of the extremely based. But I cannot not recommend this story to Heinlein readers. It has its value.

Episode 563: Mark Twain: Roughing It (Part 1)

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:26:52 +0800

In this episode, I begin my look at one of my favorite Mark Twain books, ROUGHING IT (1872), an autobiographical exploration of life in the West in the the decades before it was tamed. The early pages deal with the stagecoach ride to Nevada and the myths that develop on the road.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 13: Successful Operation

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 21:23:41 +0800

In this episode, I take a short look at a very short Heinlein story, "Successful Operation". It can be read a couple of ways and I am happy with both.

Episode 562: Mark Twain: Innocents Abroad (Part 4)

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:17:01 +0800

In this episode, I finish up my study of INNOCENTS ABROAD by Mark Twain. There are so many layers to this book, the best I can so is lay them out and reflect on what I find most powerful: the relationship between a young nation and the deep past.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 12: Solution Unsatisfactory

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:15:31 +0800

"Solution Unsatisfactory", published in 1940, is my favorite of the early Heinlein stories I have been exploring. It explores the consequences of the introduction of weapons of mass destruction to the world, the result being an reluctant American hegemony.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 11: Blowups Happen

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 20:48:02 +0800

Listen as I realize the obvious radical politics at the heart of this story by Robert A. Heinlein "Blowups Happen". This tale is at its heart about externalities and capitalism.

Episode 561: Mark Twain: Innocents Abroad (Part 3)

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 20:45:41 +0800

In this part of my look at INNOCENTS ABROAD by Mark Twain, we spend most or time looking at Twain's comments on Italy and our odd relationship to history and its horrors. Tourism remains banal to me, and I find Twain sharing my views.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 10: Coventry

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 20:49:51 +0800

In this sequel to "If This Goes On" Robert A. Heinlein explores the limits of individualism and the dangers of assuming the most conspicuous alternatives are best. It pairs nicely with FOR US, THE LIVING.

Episode 560: Mark Twain: Innocents Abroad (Part 2)

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 20:48:18 +0800

In part two of my review of INNOCENTS ABROAD by Mark Twain we follow our author through Italy and his engagement with the reality and idealization of the Renaissance.

Episode: 559: Mark Twain: Innocents Abroad (Part 1)

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 10:57:30 +0800

We move onto Mark Twain's first published book INNOCENTS ABROAD. This book recounts his adventures in Europe and Asia during a steamship tour. Through it he reflects a lot on tourism and authenticity.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 9: If This Goes On (Part 2)

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 10:54:38 +0800

In this short episode, I finish up my thoughts on IF THIS GOES ON by Robert A. Heinlein, focusing on the strategy for insurgencies and how movement cultures transform ideology.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 8: If This Goes On (Part 1)

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 07:02:57 +0800

In this episode of the Robert A. Heinlein Book Club, I examine the first half of "If This Goes On," which images a rebellion against a theocratic American autocracy. It forces us to consider what goes into making movement cultures.

Episode 558: Mark Twain: Pudd’nhead Wilson

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 07:00:44 +0800

In this episode, I take a quick look at Mark Twain's PUDD'NHEAD WILSON, a great exploration of the absurdity of the color line and slavery in America.

Robert A. Heinlein BookClub: Episode 7: Requiem

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:20:56 +0800

There is not a whole lot to say about Robert A. Heinlein's story "Requiem" but I try anyway to give my thoughts. Maybe we will have more to say when we get to "The Man Who Sold the Moon", his prequel to this story.

Episode 557: Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Part 3)

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 20:19:11 +0800

This episode is the conclusion to my thoughts on THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, one of my nation's greatest novels. It ends (in my opinion) with a criticism of liberalism as a path to change and progress.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 6: The Roads Must Roll

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 22:58:24 +0800

I agree that the "roads must roll", but to what degree does that mean we should be obliged to one class of people? Perhaps I look into that in this review of "The Roads Must Roll" by Heinlein.

Episode 556: Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Part 2)

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 22:55:09 +0800

In part 2 of my review of THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain, I focus on the odious adults that Huck and Jim interact with and how we might interpret the various lines between freedom and slavery, adulthood and childhood, and above all, the color line.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club:Episode 5: Let There Be Light

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 17:41:28 +0800

In the 1940 story "Let There Be Light", Heinlein takes on the question of IP and public good, but much more radically than in "Life-Line." And based gender politics too.

Episode 555: Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Part 1)

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:49:52 +0800

The first part of my review of THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN by Mark Twain. I focus on Huck's character and the adults surrounding him. I will lots to say about both of these themes in future episodes, but it is clear how radical Twain's position is on civilization and morality.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 4: Misfit

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 20:21:44 +0800

In "Misfit" by Robert A. Heinlein we experience the Civilian Conservation Corps in space and see how in the frontier a natural genius can succeed. Not sure how more American you can get than this story.

Episode 554: Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi (Part 4)

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 23:48:34 +0800

This episode is the conclusion of my review of LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Twain. The ending has some great commentary on the Southern memory of the American Civil War and how the antebellum culture of the South was corrupted by the works of writers such as Walter Scott.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 3: Life-Line

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 18:00:54 +0800

What happens to insurance companies when a scientist can predict the moment of your death? Should corporations be able to stop the spread of knowledge that benefits humanity? Heinlein takes on these questions in his first published story, "Life-Line". I talk about these themes in this episode.

Episode 553: Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi (Part 3)

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 17:59:08 +0800

This episode is part three of my coverage of LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Twain. With Twain we explore how the South and the nation changed in the years after the American Civil War, for better or for worse. He grabbed my attention again with his writing on New Orleans.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 2: For Us, the Living (Part 2)

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:19:52 +0800

In this episode, I finish my look at FOR US, THE LIVING by Robert A. Heinlein. There is a lot of historical and economic details that I scan over here, but I strongly encourage you to look at this utopia work.

Episode 552: Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi (Part 2)

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 20:17:35 +0800

This episode is a little more on LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI by Mark Twain. It is also an episode where I have a personal breakdown and realization.

Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 1: For Us, the Living (Part 1)

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 19:59:46 +0800

I start my exploration of Robert A. Heinlein's works with my thoughts on FOR US, THE LIVING, a fascinating study of the "social credit" economy.

Episode 551: Mark Twain: Life on the Mississippi (Part 1)

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 19:56:00 +0800

The early chapters of the massive THE LIFE ON THE MISSISSIPPI explores the natural and human history of the river before getting into the personal history of young Samuel Clemens as a trainee steamboat pilot. For much of the first half, it is a celebration of the knowledge of the working class.

Episode 550:Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Part 2)

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 20:01:49 +0800

The second half of my review of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER by Mark Twain. Here I discuss adulthood, the preservation of freedom (or not) and the horrors of maturation.

Episode 549: Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Part 1)

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 22:19:11 +0800

I begin my series on the works of Mark Twain with THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER. I hope I have a little bit to say about this well-known novel.

Episode 548: The American Civil War (Part 28): The Finale

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 21:28:06 +0800

Finally, I reach the end of my series on the American Civil War. Next up, we will look at the works of Mark Twain.

Episode 548: The American Civil War (Part 27): Lincoln’s Second Inagural

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 23:01:11 +0800

Among other things I explore Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, the passage of the 13th Amendment, and the later battles of the Civil War. This series nears its end.

Episode 546: The American Civil War (Part 26): March to the Sea

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 06:40:41 +0800

In this episode, I begin the end of my coverage of the American Civil War Library of America anthology with a gloss on the March to the Sea and related events, as well as the 1864 election.

Episode 545: The American Civil War (Part 25): The Fall of Atlanta and the Election of 1864

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:18:05 +0800

The crucial election of 1864 took place in the context of decisive Union victories in Atlanta and Virginia. How do these events effect the people who experienced them first hand? I read about it in the Library of American anthology of Civil War writings.

Episode 544: The American Civil War (Part 24): Peace Movement?

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 22:52:14 +0800

In this episode, I consider documents from the American Civil War on the 1864 peace movement, the siege of Atlanta, the Jubal Early raid on Washington, and other issues.

Episode 543: The American Civil War (Part 23): Overland Campaign

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 18:53:07 +0800

I continue to explore the American Civil War through primary sources, looking primarily at the brutal outcomes of the Overland Campaign and the soldiers responses and recollections of those costly battles.

Episode 542: The American Civil War (Part 22)

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 07:04:39 +0800

In this episode, I begin my look at the final year of the American Civil War through the Library of American anthology. I was particularly moved by Harriet Jacob's school in Virginia. I also look into the Fort Pillow Massacre and the start of the Overland campaign.

Episode 541: Stephen King: IT (Part 11)

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 21:02:54 +0800

The final episode in my review of IT. Let me know what you think of this novel and my coverage of it.

Episode 540: Stephen King: IT (Part 10)

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 20:12:19 +0800

In part 10 of my review of Stephen King's IT, we (almost) get the climax in the sewers. Before we can go there we need to spend around 100 pages watching King set that climax up. It has one of the most memorable and horrible moments in the novel, the confrontation between Beverly and her possessed father.

Episode 539: Stephen King: IT (Part 9)

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:37:01 +0800

In this episode I explore three chapters of Stephen King's novel IT. It includes a couple of a my favorite sections: the death of Patrick Hockstetter and a deeper dive into Derry's history in the fourth "Interlude" chapter.

Episode 538: Stephen King: IT (Part 8)

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 20:50:58 +0800

In this episode I look at the chapters "The Smokehole" and "Eddie's Big Break" from Stephen King's novel IT. Sadly these are both chapters that have been neglected or radically changed in the film adaptations, but they are still pretty important.

Episode 537: Stephen King: IT (Part 7)

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 06:53:09 +0800

I continue my deep dive into IT by Stephen King by looking at the turning point chapters on the "Apocalyptic Rock Fight" and "The Album", which set up the confrontation that will dominate the rest of the novel

Episode 536: The American Civil War (21): Winter of 1863-1864

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 21:00:42 +0800

In this episode, I look at some historical documents produced in the winter of 1863 and 1864. With the tide of the war decisively changed, desperation, desertion, and even some radical proposals appear in the Confederacy. The war was lost at home and on the battlefield.

Episode 535: Stephen King: IT (Part 6)

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 22:08:44 +0800

In this episode I look at the "Walking Tours" chapter of Stephen King's novel IT. It sets up some important themes for the later half of the novel and prepares us for the non-stop unification of past and present that we will experience from here to the end.

Episode 534: American Civil War (20): The Gettysburg Address

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 20:02:31 +0800

In this episode I explore more documents from the American Civil War, focusing on the end of 1863. Topics include Reconstruction, the battles around Chattanooga, and The Gettysburg Address.

Episode 533: Stephen King, IT (5)

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 06:09:04 +0800

This is the episode where I deal with the biggest problem I have interpreting this novel. The question of IT's motivations, the return of the Losers, and the reason they are all rich and childless. I also talk about the second "interlude" chapter and "The Reunion".

Episode 532: The American Civil War (19): Making a Revolution

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 20:31:19 +0800

The documents from the summer of 1863, after the victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, show how rapidly Emancipation changed the fortunes of the war and public opinion in both the North and the South. I had a lot of fun with these documents and hope you enjoy too.

Episode 531: Stephen King: IT (4)

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 20:33:38 +0800

In this episode we continue our slow read through IT by Stephen King and finish up part two of the book. The chapters focus on the power of magic, belief, reason, and the group.

Episode 530: Stephen King, It (3)

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 20:34:01 +0800

Part three of my review of IT by Stephen King. The chapters I look at here explore the creation of a Ka-tet (to steal a Dark Tower term) and meditate on the power of the group.

Episode 529: The American Civil War (18): The Turning Point

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 06:57:38 +0800

In this episode we look at a handful of turning points in the American Civil War by working through the Library of America's anthology of Civil War writings.

Episode 528: Stephen King: IT (2)

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 21:54:09 +0800

Part two of my review of Stephen King's IT. I mostly discuss how much I like the book's relationship to fictional and real history.

Episode 527: The American Civil War (17):June of 1863

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 06:33:51 +0800

As I continue reading through a series of primary sources on the American Civil War, I dig into the events of June of 1863, which set the stage for some climactic events including the draft riots, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the attack on Fort Wagner.

Episode 526: Stephen King, IT (1)

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 19:04:34 +0800

This episode of my non-Hugo-award-winning podcast introduces a mini-series on Stephen King's IT, which will be released alongside my main series. Here I cover the first few chapters of the novel.

Episode 525: The American Civil War (16): Total War

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 21:03:52 +0800

When did the American Civil War become a total war? The documents I look at in this episode cover the spring of 1863 and suggest these months may be when the war truly became total.

Episode 524: The American Civil War (15): Impact of Emancipation

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 21:08:25 +0800

In this episode I continue my Civil War series and look at the impact of Emancipation on the war effort, diplomacy, and public opinion. I also talk about Sherman's questions about freedom of the press.

Episode 522: Benjamin Franlkin: Writings from the Seven Years’ War and Letters

Sun, 26 Jun 2022 21:05:18 +0800

A bit of a mixed bag in this episode. I close out my look at Franklin's writings from before his relocation to London in 1757 and take on a grabbag of letters on science and politics.

Episode 521: Benjamin Franklin 1747-1754: The Albany Plan

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 19:12:38 +0800

I read another 100 pages of American writers. This time, it is Ben Franklin's writings from the 1740s and 1750s, up until the Albany Plan of Union and his departure to London. I found the most interesting sections in this bunch of readings involved Franklin's arguments for a proper education.

Episode 520: Benjamin Franklin-1733-1745 and the Formation of the American Philosophical Society

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 17:40:09 +0800

The 1730s and 1740s saw Benjamin Franklin use his newspaper to promote issues of public necessity such as a post office and a fire department. It is during these years he also helped form the American Philosophical Society. All of this got me thinking about the public domain and the role of the media in building community (or not).

Episode 519: Benjamin Franklin: Early journalism and his argument for paper currency

Mon, 30 May 2022 06:03:51 +0800

We look at Ben Franklin's writings in the later 1720s and early 1730s. Mostly I consider some of his journalism for the Pennsylvania Gazette, but maybe most interesting from this period is his argument for paper currency.

Episode 518: Benjamin Franklin: Boston and London Writings (1722-1725)

Sun, 22 May 2022 20:51:20 +0800

In this episode I start a new series looking at the works of Benjamin Franklin. This time we will focus on his early Boston and London writings such as the Silence Dogood letters and his philosophical pamphlet on free will and pain.

Episode 517: Sinclair Lewis: Babbitt (3)

Sun, 15 May 2022 19:36:59 +0800

The finale of my coverage of Sinclair Lewis with my final thoughts on BABBITT (1922). Is there any hope for Babbitt? I am not sure. I see some hints of it before he seems to surrender to conformity at the end. Let me know.

Episode 516: Sinclair Lewis: Babbbitt (2)

Wed, 11 May 2022 21:22:55 +0800

Part two of my review of the excellent novel by Sinclair Lewis, BABBITT. Here we see the calm before the storm of Babbitt's crisis of faith as he tries to invest in his social status in Zenith, without much success.

Episode 515: Sinclair Lewis: Babbitt (1)

Mon, 09 May 2022 20:46:56 +0800

In this episode we jump into BABBITT by Sinclair Lewis. Most of the first third of this novel is devoted to introducing the character of the ultimate conformist George Babbitt and the town that is the root of his identity (although it could be almost any town in America), Zenith.

Episode 514: Sinclair Lewis: Main Street (5)

Sun, 01 May 2022 21:39:25 +0800

The finale of my review of MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis. The major themes in this part are the cancel culture of Gopher's Prairie and the possibilities of escape.

Episode 513: Sinclair Lewis: Main Street (4)

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 22:19:12 +0800

Part 4 of my review of MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis. In this part we see the Kennicott marriage fall apart, while the banality of Gopher's Prairie seems to have metastasized.

Episode 512: Sinclair Lewis: Main Street (3)

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 19:38:03 +0800

In this episode we explore more of MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis as Carol Kennicott takes a more practical approach to her reforms. Yet, her frustrations continue to deepen. Much of this section of the novel explores the nature of the family in middle America.

Episode 511: Sinclair Lewis: Main Street (2)

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 22:55:32 +0800

Part two of my review of MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis. We get a more intimate look at Gopher's Prairie and its people, and see a darker side to the town.

Episode 510: Sinclair Lewis: Main Street (1)

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 21:40:46 +0800

In this episode, I dig into MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis and talk about the psychology of the newly educated and the cultural gap between Main Street and the American coastal cities. Is Main Street the peak of our civilization? Maybe it is.

Episode 509: The American Civil War (14): Fredericksburg

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:09:31 +0800

In this episode I look at the Library of America's anthology of Civil War writing, focusing on the end of 1862 and the Battle of Fredericksburg and emancipation.

Next, we will take a break from the Civil War and look at MAIN STREET by Sinclair Lewis.

Episode 508: The American Civil War (13): Emancipation, General McClellan, and the Battle of Cornith

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 06:38:23 +0800

Lots going on in the fall of 1862, in the aftermath of the Emancipation Proclamation as new debates emerge. This episode follows those debates, the firing of McClellan and Lincoln's 1862 message to Congress. Just how into colonization was Lincoln?

Episode 507: The American Civil War (12): Antietam

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 21:32:33 +0800

In this episode we explore documents surrounding Lee's invasion of Maryland, the Battle of Antietam, and the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Some of the eye witness accounts of this battle, collected in this anthology are fascinating.

Episode 506: The American Civil War (11): The Second Battle of Bull Run

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:11:30 +0800

In this episode we see how Lincoln moved toward emancipation in the context of failed military campaigns and growing pressure from enslaved people. You can explore these documents yourself in the Library of America's anthology of civil war writings.

Episode 505: The American Civil War (10): The Seven Days Battle

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 19:22:09 +0800

Our next episode in this series on the American Civil War looks at the events surrounding the Seven Days Battle, especially General Hunter's move to arm blacks in occupied territories. As always we get a diverse cast of witnesses to this conflict.

Episode 504: The American Civil War (9): Shiloh

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 22:07:08 +0800

In this episode, I look at the events surrounding the battle of Shiloh such as the push for compensated emancipation, the seizure of New Orleans, and the battle of the ironclads. As always, my source is the anthology published by the Library of America.

Episode 503: The American Civil War (8): Fall of Fort Donaldson

Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:51:41 +0800

I am still alive, yes. Just taking a break from recording.
Anyway, as we continue reading American Civil War anthology by the Library of America, we take a look at the first major Union victory, the surrender of Fort Donaldson.

Episode 502: The American Civil War (7): The Winter of 1861

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 23:25:53 +0800

I complete my look at volume 1 of the Library of America's anthology of Civil War writings. It is a dark winter for the USA after a series of military defeats. The political and military response to these defeats is the centerpiece of the documents I examine in this episode.

Episode 501: The American Civil War (6): The Battle of Wilson’s Creek

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 21:58:42 +0800

The aftermath of the Battle of Bull Run was a lot of hand wringing and searching for new ideas by the USA. The battle of WIlson's Creek deepened these anxieties. We also see how emancipation begins to be worked into Republican policy. I explore all of this in this episode.

Episode 500: The American Civil War (5): The First Battle of Bull Run

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 20:48:35 +0800

In this episode, I look at documents surrounding the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle of the American Civil War.

Episode 499: The American Civil War (4): Mobilization

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:50:29 +0800

In this episode we read into the aftermath of the attack on Fort Sumter by looking at documents by people such as Walt Whitman, George Templeton Strong, and William T. Sherman.

Episode 498: The American Civil War (3): Fort Sumter

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 09:40:20 +0800

Our series looking into the American Civil War as anthologized by the Library of America continues with the events surrounding the attack on Fort Sumter.

Episode 497: The American Civil War (2): Secession

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 11:29:16 +0800

Second in a series of the major documents telling the story of the American Civil War. This section covers the secession debate that emerged during Buchanan's lame duck period and the proffered "compromise" which would have involved constitutional amendments.

Episode 496: The American Civil War (1): The Aftermath of the 1860 Election

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 22:39:57 +0800

Today, I begin a long series on the Library of America's anthology of writings of the American Civil War. The first documents we look explore the impact of the election of 1860.

Episode 495: Neal Stephenson: The Baroque Cycle (Final Thoughts)

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 22:43:58 +0800

The final episode of my epic review of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. I do some rankings of the books, characters, and review some of the major themes.

Episode 494: Neal Stephenson: The System of the World (3)

Sat, 18 Dec 2021 00:46:37 +0800

We have finally come to the end of my review of THE BAROQUE CYCLE. Some great moments in the final scenes of this epic story, including the hanging of Jack Shaftoe and the Trial of the Pyx.

Episode 493: Neal Stephenson: The System of the World (2)

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 22:12:52 +0800

As we reach the climax of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, by Neal Stephenson, we get two heroic moments from our central characters. Daniel Waterhouse stages a jail break and Jack Shaftoe endures being pressed and decides to face the enemies of the vagabonds (courts and the gallows).

Episode 492: Neal Stephenson: The System of the World (1)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 19:49:01 +0800

It has all come to this, the final volume of the BAROQUE CYCLE, appropriately called THE SYSTEM OF THE WORLD. This is not only comes from the last volume of PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA, but also from Daniel Waterhouses' thesis about the ultimate fate of the medieval and the birth of the modern.

Episode 491: Neal Stephenson: Currency (3)

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 19:45:35 +0800

We finish the penultimate volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE with some mighty fine action scenes. An attempt on the life of Peter the Great and an impaling by a cello are some of the highlights. And Jack Shaftoe comes out in force here.

Episode 490: Neal Stephenson: Currency (2)

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 06:46:20 +0800

In this section of the final volume of Neal Stephenson's epic BAROQUE CYCLE, we see the investigative club seemingly achieve its goals through a stake out at Bedlam, leading to an important revelation.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 10: Episode 5: Howard-Lovecraft Letters October - December 1932

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:33:30 +0800

I think this will be the end of my H. P. Lovecraft Book Club. While there is much more I could do, I think this is a fine place to stop. For those interested, the second volume of THE MEANS TO FREEDOM completes the conversation between Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

Episode 489: Neal Stephenson: Currency (1)

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:30:20 +0800

As we come to the close of the Baroque Cycle in the book CURRENCY, we get lessons in modern economics through a fascination discussion between Daniel Waterhouse and Eliza. Picking up with Eliza is welcome after the previous book in the BAROQUE CYCLE.

H.P. Lovecract Book Club: Series 10: Episode 4: Howard-Lovecraft Letters June-September 1932

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 06:29:20 +0800

The next episode in my series looking at the letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. This episode focuses on the summer of 1932 and a handful of massive letters dealing with issues such as war with Japan and American regionalism and folklore.

Episode 488: Neal Stephenson: Solomon‘s Gold (3)

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 06:26:12 +0800

The climax to SOLOMON'S GOLD by Neal Stephenson is a heist on the Tower of London by Jack Shaftoe. For most of this section, Newton and Daniel Waterhouse are completely outclassed by their antagonist. SOLOMON' S GOLD is my least favorite book in the BAROQUE CYCLE, but it has a riveting climax.

Episode 487: Neal Stephenson: Solomon‘s Gold (2)

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 23:23:52 +0800

This is part 2 of my review of SOLOMON'S GOLD, part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, by Neal Stephenson. As always it is a fun exploration of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this section, Daniel Waterhouse starts an investigative club.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 10: Episode 3: Lovecraft-Howard Letters, September 1931-June 1932

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 23:01:39 +0800

More of my look at the Robert E. Howard-H. P. Lovecraft letters, focusing on the period from September 1931 to June 1932. We really get into explorations of American regionalism in these letters.

Episode 486: Neal Stephenson: Solomon‘s Gold (1)

Sun, 07 Nov 2021 22:56:55 +0800

The final volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE begins with Daniel Waterhouse's return to England. He learns about the beginning of the Industrial Age and runs errands, while a mystery begins.

Episode 485: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (6)

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 23:24:28 +0800

Our final look at THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson. These sections involve a dramatic journey across the Pacific, religious drama in the Americas and Jack Shaftoe's traumatic return to Europe. Great stuff.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 10: Episode 2: Robert E. Howard/HPL Letters, December 1930-August 1931

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 21:15:42 +0800

I guess some more of my commentary on the Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft letters. A bit of a slog but they are certainly worth reading for a glimpse at the ideas of each author about history and folklore.

Episode 484: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (5)

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 21:11:47 +0800

In this episode, I look continue my read-through of the BAROQUE CYCLE and come toward the end of THE CONFUSION. In this section of the tale, we pick up with the adventures of Jack Shaftoe in the Indian Ocean, where he becomes a temporary king.

Episode 483: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (4)

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 17:54:21 +0800

In part four of my review of Neal Stephenson's THE CONFUSION, we see the high point of Eliza's character, as she uses the Nine Years War to destroy an alchemist banker (sort of) villain. It all comes down to the emergence of new banking systems in Western Europe.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 10: Episode 1: Howard-Lovecraft Letters (1)

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 21:43:25 +0800

Here starts a 9-part series exploring the Lovecraft-Robert E. Howard letters. It will be a nice way to finish up this series. The conversation begins with a discourse on the peopling of the British isles.

Episode 482: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (3)

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 21:40:18 +0800

This is part three of my review of THE CONFUSION (Book 2 of the BAROQUE CYCLE). In this section, Eliza in France, escapes a trap by marrying a villain, while changes are in the works for the English banking system.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 19: The Challenge from Beyond

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 20:48:03 +0800

We end out look at Lovecraft's stories with THE CHALLENGE FROM BEYOND, a round-robin tale. Started promising but then Lovecraft hijacks it. Next up, a 9-episode conclusion to this book club focusing on the Howard-Lovecraft letters.

Episode 481: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (2)

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 20:46:02 +0800

This part of THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson focuses on the voyage from Spain to Cairo and Jack Shaftoe and the Cabal stealing the Solomonic gold from creepy French slave traders and the Pasha's men. Plus, Jack gets revenge for Eliza. Lots of fun.

Episode 480: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (1)

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:27:29 +0800

In books four and five of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, the story becomes "confused". We will explore these two intertwined stories in six episodes. We start with a reintroduction to Jack Shaftoe in Algiers, still a galley slave.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 19: In the Walls of Eryx

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:24:43 +0800

As we wrap up this look at the Lovecraft revisions we come to the Kenneth Streling story "In the Walls of Eryx", a science fiction tale with a Lovecraftian theme.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 17: The Diary of Loronzo Typer

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:07:08 +0800

THE DIARY OF LORENZO TYPER is a Lovecraft collaboration with William Lumely. It is a pretty solid story that relates to the Lovecraft mythos.

Episode 478: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (3)

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:03:29 +0800

In this part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, we see Eliza go on an adventure in the Rhineland and Daniel rake part in the Glorious Revolution, making a deal to destroy alchemy.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 16: Through the Gates of the Silver Key

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 10:08:36 +0800

H. P. Lovecraft and E. Hoffman Price's epic sequel to "The Silver Key" ("Through the Gates of the Silver Key") establishes a multiverse and does more to expand Lovecraft's universe than any of revision.

Episode 478: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (2)

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 10:06:40 +0800

Eliza make a deception, shorting VOC stock by spreading rumors of the "Fall of Batavia" and the foundations of a new banking system are laid in England. Meanwhile Daniel Waterhouse finds himself in political trouble.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 15: Tarbis of of the Lake

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:57:51 +0800

A story E. Hoffman Price that discussed with H. P. Lovecraft, TARBIS OF THE LAKE is a supernatural love story about a stalker mummy.

Episode 477: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (1)

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:55:17 +0800

Set immediately after KING OF THE VAGABONDS, ODALISQUE follows Eliza in the Versailles court caught between the French and William of Orange. This novel is partly epistolary.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 14: The R. H. Barlow Revisions

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 08:03:45 +0800

In this episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club I look at a bunch of works by R. H. Barlow, which Lovecraft helped revise. They area an interesting mix that show the development of a young talent. My favorite is TILL A' THE SEAS.

Episode 476: Neal Stephenson: The King of the Vagabonds (3)

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 08:01:13 +0800

The final part of my review of THE KING OF THE VAGABONDS by Neal Stephenson. Watch as Jack descends into madness, helps Huguenot galley slaves, crashes a party and becomes infamous. We also see Eliza get trapped.

Episode 475: Neal Stephenson: The King of the Vagabonds (2)

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:07:51 +0800

In this episode of my coverage of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson, I dig deeper into KING OF THE VAGABONDS. Jack and Eliza learn about commerce and witches before going their separate ways. They will meet again in 20 years or so.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 13: The Disinternment

Thu, 23 Sep 2021 13:04:15 +0800

This is a pretty wild story by Duane Rimel, and revised by H. P. Lovecraft, about a leprosy infection leading to the machinations of a mad scientist. Recommended.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Duane Rimel Revisions-1

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:04:02 +0800

Here, I look at two Duane W. Rimel stories revised by H. P. Lovecraft: THE TREE ON THE HILL and THE SORCERY OF APHLAR. They are fine.

Episode 474: Neal Stephenson: King of the Vagabonds (1)

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 10:59:32 +0800

Part one of my review of KING OF THE VAGABONDS from the BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. In this section we meet two more of our heroes of the story: Jack Shaftoe and Eliza. Through this story we get another view of European society during the Baroque

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 11: The Horror in the Burying Ground

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 08:44:07 +0800

Seen as the last of the H. P. Lovecraft stories ghost-written for Hazel Heald. The scenes with old people telling stories in general shops gives me a real Stephen King vibe.

Episode 473: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver(3)

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 08:40:30 +0800

In the later parts of QUICKSILVER (from THE BAROQUE CYCLE) we see Daniel Waterhouse become a public figure, meet Leibniz, and witness the horrible banking system of 1660s England.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 10: Out of the Aeons

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 12:25:01 +0800

I look at yet another H.P. Lovecraft story. In this episode it is the Hazel Heald revision OUT OF THE AEONS. This story is notable for its world building and a possible cameo by Randolph Carter.

Episode 472: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver (2)

Sun, 12 Sep 2021 12:22:40 +0800

In this section of QUICKSILVER we get a close look at the Royal Society in the mid-1660s. Neal Stephenson has great fun characterizing people like Oldenburg, Hooke, Wilkins, and (the fictional) Daniel Waterhouse.

Episode 471: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver (1)

Sat, 11 Sep 2021 06:24:15 +0800

I am excited to present part 1 (of 24) of my examination of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. In this part we meet Daniel Waterhouse and the eternal wizard Enoch Root while getting a sense of the numerous themes in the series.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 9: The Horror in the Museum

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:02:49 +0800

In this story written by Hazel Heald and H. P. Lovecraft (mostly ghostwritten by HPL), we explore an amazing wax museum with a horrible special exhibit. One of the most delightful of the Lovecraft collaborations.

Episode 470: William Wells Brown: My Southern Home (2)

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:00:52 +0800

The final episode in my series on William Wells Brown explores the second half of MY SOUTHERN HOME, the author's second memoir.

Next up, a special series on Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE.

Episode 469: William Wells Brown: My Southern Home (1)

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 10:25:18 +0800

MY SOUTHERN HOME is a memoir by William Wells Brown written toward the end of his life. It rehashed much from his earlier writers, but from the perspective of a more sober old man.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 8: Winged Death

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 10:23:35 +0800

In another of Lovecraft's Hazel Heald revisions (ghostwriting)--WINGED DEATH--we get a fascinating tale of science, empire, and revenge. Like THE MAN OF STONE, we get most of the story from the villain' point of view.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 8: The Man in Stone

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:24:48 +0800

The first of five collaborations between H. P. Lovecraft and Hazel Heald. In this story, a wizard uses black magic to punish his adulterous wife. Through a framed narrative our authors give us a window into the mind of the villain.

Episode 468: William Wells Brown: The Black Man

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 04:22:49 +0800

In 1862, William Wells Brown wrote a series of short biographies of black activists, politicians, scientists, and artists in an attempt to prove black people's capacity for self-rule in the context of the Emancipation Proclamation. It begins with a great philosophical essay.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 6: The Haunter in the Dark

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:31:39 +0800

The final by-line publication by H. P. Lovecraft during his life was THE HAUNTER IN THE DARK. I explore this story in this episode, finishing up the formal read through of his works.

Episode 467: William Wells Brown: The Escape

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:27:48 +0800

In this episode I look at a play by William Wells Brown called THE ESCAPE. It is an effective look at the horrors of slavery and the necessity of resistance.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 5: The Shadow Out of Time (2)

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 10:28:47 +0800

The second part of my review of THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME by H. P. Lovecraft. I cannot believe I made it this far. There is still a lot to look at in future episodes but only one more "by-line" publication. Anyway, this story is good.

Episode 466: William Wells Brown: The American Fugitive in Europe

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 21:27:32 +0800

An only slightly deeper look at William Wells Brown THE AMERICAN FUGITIVE IN EUROPE. The second half of this travelogue focuses on Browns' travels through Britain, him seeing the homes and monuments of great writers, and some of his anti-slavery work.

Episode 465: William Wells Brown: The American Fugitive in Europe (1)

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:47:51 +0800

William Wells Brown spent 1849-1854 in Europe doing anti-slavery work. This narrative of these years reads more like a traditional travelogue than a polemical text, and that is okay.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 4: The Shadow Out of Time (1)

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:44:32 +0800

The first half of my review of H. P. Lovecraft's THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME. This story is a nice mix of cosmic horror, science fiction, and horror. It also has one of Lovecraft's most well-developed protagonists.

Episode 464: William Wells Brown: Clotel

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 06:18:27 +0800

CLOTEL is the first novel by an African-American in the United States. While not a plot-driven page-turner, William Wells Brown created a convincing portrait of the sexual and gender politics in American slavery.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 3:The Thing on the Doorstep

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 06:14:46 +0800

Another H. P. Lovecraft story (THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP) is explored in this episode. You think your marriage is bad. Try being married to a bossy lady who is actually an old wizard who wants your body (not in that way).

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 2: The Dreams in the Witch House

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 03:00:12 +0800

The second part of my review of THE DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE by H. P. Lovecraft. Great stuff in this story on modern science and folklore. This story is also our best look at the city of Arkham. Why people not like?

Episode 463: William Wells Brown, Narrative (1847)

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 02:57:49 +0800

I start a new series on the works of William Wells Brown. I start with his compelling and short autobiography about his time as a slave, published in 1847. I also speak a bit on CLOTEL, his novel.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 1: The Dreams in the Witch-house (Part 1)

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:12:31 +0800

We begin a series on the final H. P. Lovecraft stories with THE DREAMS IN THE WITCHHOUSE. This is one of my favorite Lovecraft stories, but it seems to not get much love.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 9: Letters, January - June 1934

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 01:31:16 +0800

The finale of my coverage of the letters of H. P. Lovecraft. I do not think I will be coming back to letters until I take on the Robert E. Howard series in the near future. For now we return to stories.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 8: Letters, September-December 1933

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 01:29:24 +0800

I am almost through with my commentary on the fourth volume of the selected letters of H. P. Lovecraft. These cover the autumn of 1933.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 7: Letters August-September 1933

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:25:04 +0800

I know it has been a while since I uploaded anything. Been busy at home in Wisconsin. But here are some more thoughts on the letters of H. P. Lovecraft, focusing on those written in the late summer of 1933.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 6: Letters April-July 1933

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 21:50:57 +0800

In this episode, I dig deeper into the fourth volume of the selected letters of H. P. Lovecraft. There are some unhinged stuff in this set, especially the letters to J. Vernon Shea.

Episode 462 : Barbara Tuchman: The Proud Tower (Chapters 7-8)

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 21:47:41 +0800

The finale of my review of THE PROUD TOWER by Barbara Tuchman also finishes off our look at this mid-century American historian.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 5: Letters, Jan-April 1933

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:55:47 +0800

More of Lovecraft's letters are examined in this episode covering the period from January to April 1933. Some of the most notable elements include the publication of DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE and the death of H.S. Whitehead.

Episode 461: Barbara Tuchman: The Proud Tower (Chapters 5-6)

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:53:00 +0800

As we move on in Barbara Tuchman's THE PROUD TOWER we explore chapters devoted to the Hague Conventions on peace with their successes and failures, as well German culture. The later chapter deals almost exclusively with the career of Richard Strauss, the composer.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 4: Letters, Nov. 1932-Jan. 1933

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:28:59 +0800

In this episode, I talk about the fourth volume of H. P. Lovecraft's Selected Letters, focusing on the winter of 1932-1933. Overall, a tame set of letters during a transformative period for the United States and the world.

Episode 460: BarbaraTuchman: The Proud Tower (Chapters 3-4)

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 19:26:51 +0800

In chapters 3-4 of THE PROUD TOWER by Barbara Tuchman we examine the emergence of a new phase of American imperialism and the Dreyfus Affair in France. These two chapters are not very related, but the entire book is quite fragmented.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 3: Letters July-October 1932

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 14:49:18 +0800

I continue to explore the fourth volume of Lovecraft's selected letters. While these 20 letters are not the most exciting we see a continuation of some important themes: frustration with publication in commercial fiction market and Lovecraft's flirtation with fascism.

Episode 459: Barbara Tuchman: The Proud Tower (1)

Sun, 13 Jun 2021 14:45:16 +0800

I kick off my four-part look at THE PROUD TOWER by Barbara Tuchman. The first two chapters of this book look at pre-Great War British aristocracy and anarchism. Two topics that do not see to meld, within a book that does either.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 2: Letters March-July 1932

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 21:19:39 +0800

In these letters we see Lovecraft's continued frustration over the the state of the magazine fiction market and the personal impact of the death of his aunt, Lillian Clark.

Episode 458: Barbara Tuchman: Guns of August (5)

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 21:15:16 +0800

The finale of my review of THE GUNS OF AUGUST by Barabara Tuchman. I give my overall feelings of this text along with a look at the last chapters and Tuchman's conclusion.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 1: Letters, January-March 1932

Thu, 27 May 2021 19:07:58 +0800

The H. P. Lovecraft letters from early 1932 show his frustration with the status of the Weird Tales and other magazines, as he finds he cannot match they style they desire and have come to expect from him. Some real anxiety in this set of correspondence.

Episode 457: Barbara Tuchman:The Guns of August (4)

Thu, 27 May 2021 19:02:17 +0800

Toward the end of Barbara Tuchman's THE GUNS OF AUGUST we explore the battle of Tannenberg and the retreat of French armies toward Paris. Tuchman also analyzes the situation at sea and the position of the USA in the early days of the Great War.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 15: The Trap (Lovecraft and Whitehead)

Mon, 24 May 2021 16:58:19 +0800

I finish up this series on Lovecraft's stories from the late 1920s and early 1930s with a look at his collaboration with Donald Whitehead, "The Trap". While not as amazing as the Bishop revisions, this story does have some interesting ideas, and a 17th century wizards.

Episode 456: Barbara Tuchman: The Guns of August (3)

Mon, 24 May 2021 16:54:39 +0800

Part three of a review of THE GUNS OF AUGUST by Barbara Tuchman. The logic of planning leading to entrenchment (military, institutional, and ideology) is explored in the middle chapters of this excellent study of the first days of the Great War.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 14: Medusa's Coil

Wed, 19 May 2021 17:40:59 +0800

The last of the Lovecraft revisions of Zealia Bishop's work is also the most controversial. This short story explores the culture of the Black Atlantic, the post-war south, and art. It is the most detailed study of the artist by Lovecraft since "Pickman's Model".

Episode 455: Barbara Tuchman:The Guns of August (2)

Wed, 19 May 2021 17:38:00 +0800

In this episode, I explore the second part of THE GUNS OF AUGUST by Barbara Tuchman. In these chapters we see how the war plans set up by the Great Powers made conflict unavoidable and prevented military and political institutions from changing course.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 13: The Mound (2)

Mon, 17 May 2021 06:38:17 +0800

I did not plan to record any two-part reviews of the H. P. Lovecraft revisions, but THE MOUND is such a massive and interesting tale that I just had to this time. In this episode, we focus on the culture and society of K'n-yan.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 12: The Mound (1)

Thu, 13 May 2021 13:03:31 +0800

One of Lovecraft's most significant revision works was the novella THE MOUND. Zealia Bishop provided the original prompt and Lovecraft ran with it creating an entire civilization. Influenced by THE COMING RACE by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 11: The Curse of Yig

Sat, 08 May 2021 07:06:00 +0800

In this episode, I explore THE CURSE OF YIG by Zealia Bishop and H. P. Lovecraft. It is one of his most famous revisions and a great story that takes Lovecraft's worldbuilding to the American Midwest.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 10: The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Part 3)

Sun, 02 May 2021 21:56:55 +0800

My final thoughts on THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH by H. P. Lovecraft. This story ends with some action and then an coda examining our narrator's deep family history.

Next, we will explore the Zealia Bishop revisions.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 9: The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Part 2)

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 18:01:09 +0800

In this episode, I dig deeper into THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH. We get a walking tour of the city, in classic H. P. Lovecraft style.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 8: Shadow Over Innsmouth (Part 1)

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 20:42:23 +0800

In this episode I give my thoughts on the early pages of THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH by H. P. Lovecraft. One of his most important stories, for many reasons.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 7: At the Mountains of Madness (Part 4)

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:56:22 +0800

The finale of my coverage of AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. So what did Danforth see? That is the most compelling mystery at the close of this epic story. Next up, SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH.

Episode 454: Barbara Tuchman: The Guns of August (Part 1)

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 19:50:33 +0800

So glad to be back with a volume of The Library of America. This episode will begin a one-month series exploring THE GUNS OF AUGUST and THE PROUD TOWER, beginning with the opening chapters of GUNS. The warnings of the Great War speak to the Cold War in rather direct ways.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 6: At the Mountains of Madness (Part 3)

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:24:35 +0800

This episode is part 3 of my coverage on AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS by H. P. Lovecraft. Much of this section deals with the history and society of the Elder Things and brings us right up to the climax of the story.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 5: At the Mountains of Madness (Part 2)

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 17:54:06 +0800

In this episode I dig deeper into AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, which as Lovecraft tries to warn us is a bad idea. Part 2 of 4.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 4: At the Mountains of Madness (Part 1)

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:11:42 +0800

One of the more popular H. P. Lovecraft stories is AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS. It may really be the best example of Lovecraft's later style. The opening pages focus on science and exploration. I give my thoughts on these early sections.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 3: Whisperer in Darkness (Part 3)

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 22:40:30 +0800

The finale of my review of THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS by H. P. Lovecraft. Things get nice and cosmic and strange in the final chapters of this story, but for me the early chapters contain the most interesting elements.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode2: Whisperer in Darkness (Part 2)

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:09:07 +0800

This episode is the second of three covering my thoughts on THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS. Fun with letters from a crazy friend.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 7: Episode 1: The Whisperer in Darkness (Part 1)

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 06:55:36 +0800

THE WHISPERER IN DARKNESS begins a new phase in Lovecraft's career and a new series in this podcast. The rich look at folklore, skepticism, and conspiracy make this story lots of fun. I just get started reviewing this tale in this episode.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 10: Fungi from Yuggoth (Second Half)

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:03:39 +0800

The second part of my review of FUNGI FROM YUGGOTH by H. P. Lovecraft. Also, plenty of evidence on why I should not be doing too much with Lovecraft's poems.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 9: Fungi from Yuggoth (First Half)

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 12:01:05 +0800

My thoughts on the first half of FUNGI FROM YUGGOTH by H. P. Lovecraft. This is a cycle of sonnets exploring various of Lovecraft's themes, vistas, and questions.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 8: Letters Septmber-December 1931

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 06:16:37 +0800

We wrap up our look at the third volume of the "Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft" with the later part of 1931. During this period, Lovecraft was writing THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH. He begins to write with increasing frequency to J. Vernon Shea, a young weird fiction writer.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series: Episode 7: Letters July-September 1931

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 16:50:37 +0800

Lovecraft was not writing too much fiction in the summer of 1931 (the exception being the collaboration "The Trap" with Henry Whitehead), but as always was busy with his penpals. Included in this period is a letter to Elizabeth Toldridge in which Lovecraft explores the causes of the Great Depression. For my money, this is the highlight of this set.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 6: Letters January - July 1931

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 18:45:02 +0800

In the first half of 1931, H. P. Lovecraft was writing AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, but he was also also writing some substantial letters. A highlight here is on to Frank Belknap Long one cosmic isolation, race, and machine culture. Another fascinating letter is to Henry George Weiss on socialism and ethics. This episode explores these and more.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 6.5. Letters November 1930-January 1931

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:14:32 +0800

In the winter of 1930-31, H P. Lovecraft wrote about time travel stories with Clark Ashton Smith, Asian poetry with Elizabeth Toldridge, Quebec with James Morton, and atheism with August Derleth. There is more but you will need to listen to this episode.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 4: Letters August-November 1930

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 16:49:19 +0800

In this podcast, I talk about the letters H. P. Lovecraft wrote to his friends and colleagues in the autumn of 1930. Topics include: "The Whisperer in Darkness, Quebec, Lovecraft's fictional world-building, witches, and the importance of dynamite in horror tales.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 3: Letters February-August 1930

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 19:44:29 +0800

What do dinosaur bones, "clock-slavery", Charleston, and Hart Crane have in common? They all are discussed in H. P. Lovecraft's letters in 1930 (specifically February through August). I talk about this and more in this episode of this podcast.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 2: Letters November 1929-February 1930

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 10:05:23 +0800

H. P. Lovecraft's letters from the winter of 1929-1930 were written around the time he wrote "The Mound". So we should not be surprised to see him reflecting on civilizations, art, and geography. These letters also speak to his thoughts about erotic art. Highlight is a massive letter to Woodburn Harris.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 6: Episode 1: Letters July-November 1929

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:44:27 +0800

So we are back to the "Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft" in this episode. Features correspondents include Maurice Moe, Elizabeth Toldridge, and James Ferdinand Morton. Topics include poetry, lost cultures, and machine culture

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 28: The Electric Executioner

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:37:03 +0800

In this second revision of a Adolphe de Castro story, "The Electric Executioner", we explore the supernatural power of electricity in a Mexican setting. A fun story, worth checking out.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 27: The Last Test

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 13:31:47 +0800

"The Last Test" is by Adolphe de Castro, as revised by H. P. Lovecraft. I rather liked this story, with its exploration of deep history and hidden traditions. It is framed as a story about experiment and outbreak in the prison, although the truth is much more chilling.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series5: Episode 26: The Thing in the Moonlight

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:10:58 +0800

So this story is based on a dream, detailed in a letter by Lovecraft to Donald Wandrei in 1927. Wandrei later revised this account into a the published story "The Thing in the Moonlight".

Episode 453: Henry James: Confidence (2)

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:07:42 +0800

The second and final part of my review of CONFIDENCE by Henry James. This puts an end to this series on James' early novels.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 25: Two Black Bottles

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:51:17 +0800

This short story, "Two Black Bottles", was written by Wilfred Blanch Talman, with an assist by H. P. Lovecraft. While not one of the revisions that is mostly done by Lovecraft, let's read it anyways. It is a pretty good story. Published in WEIRD TALES in 1927

Episode 452: Henry James: Confidence (1)

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 10:46:01 +0800

Like THE EUROPEANS, CONFIDENCE is a light and somewhat comedic novel about Europeans in America or Americans in Europe, or something. Another early novel by James that I found underwhelming but still probably worth checking out.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 24: The Very Old Folk

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:21:01 +0800

After a long wait, I am finally looking at "The Very Old Folk", the published version of Lovecraft's dream of ancient Rome. It hits many of the themes Lovecraft was interested in at this time of his career, especially vernacular traditions and their dangers.

Episode 452: Henry James: The Europeans

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:18:35 +0800

In this short comedic novel, THE EUROPEANS, Henry James follows two Europeans-a soon to be divorced woman seeking a new start and a free-spirited young man--in their encounters with a wealthy American family. Decent entertainment.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 23: The Dunwich Horror (2)

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 05:46:07 +0800

The second part of my review of "The Dunwich Horror" by H. P. Lovecraft. What is the danger of ignoring the backcountry? What is the blowback to burying the horrible things deep? I think this story gives some of Lovecraft's answers.

Episode 450:Henry James: The American (3)

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 05:43:10 +0800

Part three and finale of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. It is a highly recommended novel with some real drama and wonderful character growth. Our hero becomes an American while confronting European aristocratic culture.

Episode 449: Henry James: The American(2)

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 13:13:08 +0800

Part two of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. For much of the middle part of this novel, the hero pursues his courtship with a French aristocrat while learning more of the gap between his world and that of the woman he hopes to marry.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 22: The Dunwich Horror (1)

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 07:42:57 +0800

"The Dunwich Horror" is another of my favorite H. P. Lovecraft tales that has a bit of everything; intentional amnesia, folklore, outer gods, body horror, class tensions, and the geography of horror. Part one of my analysis.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 21: The Color Out of Space

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:43:09 +0800

"The Color Out of Space" was Lovecraft's favorite story and it is indeed one of his best. The combination of body horror, science, and classic Lovecraftian themes makes for a fascinating, if bleak tale.

Episode 448:Henry James: The American (1)

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:40:41 +0800

Part one of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. It is by far my favorite of the five early novels I will look at in this series. It explores the attempt of a rich American to court a French widow from an aristocratic family.

Episode 447: Henry James: Roderick Hudson (3)

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 12:57:21 +0800

Part three of my review of RODERICK HUDSON by Henry James. It is his first strong novel but a bit repetitive and banal in the end. I guess the lesson is Americans should stay away from Europe.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 20: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (Finale)

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 12:55:34 +0800

The final part of my review of THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD by H. P. Lovecraft. The final chapter is an epic story of the conscious eradication of memory.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club:Series 5: Episode 19:The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (4)

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 20:25:44 +0800

Episode 446:Henry James: Roderick Hudson (2)

Sun, 03 Jan 2021 20:22:47 +0800

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 18: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (3)

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 19:03:13 +0800

We go back to the present in chapter 3 of THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD and witness the consequences of Ward's exploration into his family history. Some strange mysteries are revealed and the horror begins again.

Episode 445: Henry James: Roderick Hudson (1)

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 18:57:56 +0800

Let's start over with Henry James by looking at his first decent novel, RODERICK HUDSON. In this novel, an aimless rich man adopts a poor artist and brings him to Europe for fame and adventure. What they find is that Europe is a bad place for anyone, especially artists, to be.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 17: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (2)

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 16:30:49 +0800

A solid second chapter of H. P. Lovecraft's THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD almost works as a stand-alone horror story set in the 18th century, climaxing in the context of the American Revolution. Through this story we see Joseph Curwen as a metaphor for America's founding sins.

Episode 444:Henry James: Watch and Ward (2)

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 16:26:04 +0800

More forgettable stuff in the second half of WATCH AND WARD by Henry James. Let's hope his later novels are a bit more interesting. If nothing else, this novel is a good piece of evidence of why certain authors will never be cancelled.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 16: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (1)

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:17:43 +0800

The second of two posthumously published novels by H. P. Lovecraft, THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD also happens to be my favorite Lovecraft story. There is no better place to go for Lovecraft's historical vision.

Episode 443: HenryJames: Watch and Ward (1)

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 15:16:01 +0800

A new series and a new novel: Henry James' WATCH AND WARD. While it is not a good novel and can be easily forgotten we can at least introduce ourselves to Henry James as we prepare to read his first five novels.

Episode 442: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (3)

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:48:12 +0800

The final to my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis and the final of my series on Lewis's mid-1920s works. While DODSWORTH is not my favorite, I think it has some interesting things to say about marriage, aging, and the habits of the elite.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 15: The History of the Necronomicon, Ibid., and The Descendents

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:46:44 +0800

A trio of works by Lovecraft are examined in this episode. Two of them explore the mythology of the Necronomicon and the other deals with footnotes.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club:Series 5: Episode 14: Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (Conclusion)

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 18:45:58 +0800

My final thoughts on Lovecraft's DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH appear in this episode. In this part of the story we see the battle between the Men from Leng and their Moon creatures allies and Carter's forces before arriving at the final confrontation between the Dreamer and the Outer Gods.

Episode 441: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (2)

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 18:25:36 +0800

Part two of my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis has us explore a wealthy expat couple in Europe as their marriage begins to fray as the European setting exposes their different dreams. Mr. Dodsworth return to America in these chapters is a nice diversion.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 13: Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath (3)

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 18:00:14 +0800

In the third part of my review of DREAMQUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH we explore the realm of the ghouls and other dark places, while learning more about the Men from Leng.

Episode 440: Sinclair Lewis: Dodsworth (1)

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 17:56:34 +0800

Part one of my review of DODSWORTH by Sinclair Lewis. My least favorite of these novels by Lewis, it centers on a rich American business man who retires to Europe with a restless wife.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 12: Dream-quest of Unknown Kadath (2)

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 18:04:41 +0800

Part two of my review of DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH by Lovecraft. My interest in this series of episodes is to explore how the themes of Lovecraft's horror novels are revealed in the 'dreamlands' stories. As it turns out there is more than I thought.

Episode 439: Sinclair Lewis: Elmer Gantry (4)

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 18:02:37 +0800

The four and final part of my review of ELMER GANTRY by Sinclair Lewis. A final crisis emerging from his girl-crazy ways, leads Elmer Gantry to triumph and a bright future. But what does that say about our institutions?

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 11: Dream-quest of Unknown Kadath, Part 1

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 16:25:35 +0800

Episode 438: Sinclair Lewis:: Elmer Gantry (3)

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 16:22:36 +0800

Part three of my review of ELMER GANTRY by Sinclair Lewis covers Gantry's rise in the aftermath of the death of Sharon Falconer. He finds himself recruited by Methodists and has no problem making the transition.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 10: Pickman's Model

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:26:44 +0800

A favorite of Lovecraft fans, "Pickman's Model", ties directly to DREAM-QUEST and was written around time, but is a great tale in which we see Lovecraft trying new narrative techniques. And in good Lovecraft fashion we get a look at the underground architecture of decaying city.

Episode 437: Sinclair Lewis: Elmer Gantry (2)

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:01:42 +0800

In part two of my review of ELMER GANTRY by Sinclair Lewis we follow Gantry as he got pushed out of his ministry due to drunkenness, but finds his way back into evangelical Christianity through the popularity of revival-style worship.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 9: Strange High House in the Mist

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:24:26 +0800

My review of Lovecraft's "Strange High House in the Mist" allows us to return to Kingsport in preparation for our upcoming "Dream Quest".

Episode 436:Sinclair Lewis: Elmer Gantry (1)

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 19:21:46 +0800

Elmer Gantry is a student at a religious university who far from lives the religious life, but find himself on the career path of a Baptist preacher. Sinclair Lewis' novel ELMER GANTRY is a great look at the culture wars of the 1920s.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 8: The Silver Key

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 19:04:29 +0800

The "Silver Key" is Lovecraft's greatest Randolph Carter story with an enduring theme of childhood saving us from the banality of modern life. Carter's quest for meaning, set years after the events of DREAMQUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH has lessons for the importance of childhood.

Episode 435:Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith (Part 5)

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 18:18:36 +0800

The final of my review of ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis. It ends on a rather high note where science triumphs over the distractions of American capitalism.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 7: The Call of Cthulhu (2)

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 19:02:34 +0800

In the second half of my review of THE CALL OF CTHULHU I explore some of the most important passages in all of Lovecraft's writings: the interview with the cultist Castro. The cost of wordily freedom maybe high, but for many marginalized people it is worth paying.

Episode 434: Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith (4)

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 18:45:43 +0800

Part four of ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis explores Martin Arrowsmith's career as it moves into hard science, war, and eventually a devastating plague in the West Indies. As always the contradictions between science and politics follows him.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 6: The Call of Cthulhu, Part 1

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 14:36:16 +0800

The first of two episodes in which I look at the famous story by H. P. Lovecraft, THE CALL OF CTHULHU. Great story due to its nested narrative and global scope.

Episode 433: Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith (3)

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 14:22:13 +0800

Martin Arrowsmith, bored with being a small-town doctor moves into the field of public health, finding the politics of science even worse than the personal politics of private practice. I look at this as well as other things in this part of my review of ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode5: In the Vault

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:42:07 +0800

"In the Vault" seems a bit out of place in this period of Lovecraft's career, but it is a bit of fun and plesantly gory. The TV show TALES FROM THE CRYPT did a episode seemingly inspired by this tale called "Fitting Punishment".

Episode 432: Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith (2)

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:29:40 +0800

Part two of my review of ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis. In this episode we follow Martin Arrowsmith as he begins his career as a small-town doctor.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 4: Cool Air

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 18:13:13 +0800

"Cool Air" by H. P. Lovecraft is a lovely science-fiction horror story set in New York, the last of Lovecraft's stories set in New York after "Red Hook" and "He".

Episode 431:Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith (1)

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 18:09:00 +0800

Part one of my five-part review of ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis. This novel explores the culture of professional medicine in early 20th century America through the life of a young doctor torn by different perspectives on the proper role of the doctor.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 3: HE

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 20:17:59 +0800

In this episode, I examine Lovecraft's short story "He", the second in a "trilogy" of New York stories. This one is the most meta and personal and certainly, the most cosmic.

Episode 430: Aldo Leopold: Journals.

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 20:16:23 +0800

In this short episode, I finish my look at Aldo Leopold's writings with his journals. I know I said I would look at his letters, but I decided to move on to my next series, starting with ARROWSMITH by Sinclair Lewis.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 2: The Horror at Red Hook (2)

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 09:24:16 +0800

Part two of my review of THE HORROR AT RED HOOK by H. P. Lovecraft. Ignoring this story due to his racism, compartmentalizing his views on immigrants, or saying Lovecraft was just a man of his time will not due...and this story shows why.

Episode 429: Aldo Leopold: Writings 1938-1948

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 09:20:59 +0800

The third and final episode looking at Aldo Leopold's professional and private ecology writings. These cover the period of the Second World War and Leopold's growing awareness of the depth of the crisis in ecology.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 5: Episode 1: The Horror At Red Hook (Part 1)

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:17:57 +0800

The first half of my review of THE HORROR AT RED HOOK, by H. P. Lovecraft. This is a story that pulls together most of the threads from his earliest horror writings. Despite its nasty language about immigrants, it is essential reading for those interested in his philosophy.

Episode 438: Aldo Leopold: Writings 1933-1937

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:15:39 +0800

A look at some more of Aldo Leopold's professional and private writings on ecology from the period when he began his work in Wisconsin, coinciding with the Great Depression and New Deal programs on conservation.

Episode 427: Aldo Leopold: Writings 1917-1933

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:03:29 +0800

Having finished A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC, we will now go back to look at Aldo Leopold's writings from the start of his career in 1917 until 1933, when he published a book on game management.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 12: Poems, Later 1920s

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:00:43 +0800

In this episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club I look at a bunch of horror poems Lovecraft wrote in the later 1920s.

Episode 426: Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac (Part 2)

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 15:42:44 +0800

This episode completes my review of A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC by Aldo Leopold. The second part of the book of essays explores the human impact on ecology and proposes a solution, the Land Ethic.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 11: Supernatural Horror in Literature (2)

Sun, 18 Oct 2020 15:36:39 +0800

The second part of my review of "Supernatural Horror in Literature" looks at the bulk of the text. Most of the essay is surveys of the major works in different periods and regions. SHIL will remain a useful guide for readers of 18th, 19th, and early 20th century horror.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 10: Supernatural Horror in Literature

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:04:30 +0800

In this episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club I examine "Supernatural Horror in Literature", Lovecraft's brilliant survey of horror writing. I focus on his overall philosophy as detailed in the first chapter of this book-length essay.

Episode 425: Aldo Leopold: A Sand County Almanac, Part 1

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 07:02:17 +0800

Episode one of my new series on the writings of Aldo Leopold. To begin we will explore his masterpiece A SAND COUNTY ALMANAC. It remains one of the greatest works of American ecology. In later episodes, we will look at his professional writings and journals.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 9: Letters January 1929 to June 1929

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 16:07:54 +0800

The end of this series on H. P. Lovecraft's letters. This set is a doozy with some monster letters to Frank B. Long, Wilfred Talman, and Woodburn Prescott Harris.

Episode 424: James Agee: Shorter Fiction

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 16:04:46 +0800

In this final episode on James Agee, I look at his shorter fiction, including "Morning Watch" and "Death in the Desert". They are all pretty excellent and worth checking out.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 8: Letters January 1928-December 1928

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:33:42 +0800

Lovecraft's letters in 1928 ranged in topics from literature to modernism to race and class. I review some of these letters as I continue to work my way through the second volume of The Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft.

Episode 423: James Agee:Death in the Family (2)

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:30:58 +0800

In this episode I finish up my look at James Agee's novel A DEATH IN A FAMILY. I find the novel a bit more interesting in the second half as Agee explores issues of race, childhood, and maturation.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 7: Letters October 1927-February 1928

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 11:03:20 +0800

The highlight of the H. P. Lovecraft letters from the winter of 1927-28 is Lovecraft's account of a story-length Roman dream. He mediates quite a lot about the Romans and their history, in seeming preparation for his debates with Robert E. Howard.

Episode 422:James Agee: Death in the Family (1)

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 11:00:25 +0800

The first part of my review of James Agee's DEATH IN THE FAMILY. This posthumously published novel won the Pulitzer Prize. I found it to be of interest, but a bit of a slog.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 6: Letters June 1927-October 1927

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 08:22:11 +0800

The H. P. Lovecraft letters I look at in this episode cover much of the second half of 1927. There is not much in the way of philosophy, but professionally it is an important period with the submission of "The Call of Cthulhu".

Episode 421: James Agee: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (Conclusion)

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 08:18:06 +0800

The episode in which I try to make some final sense of James Agee's LET US NOW PRAISE FAMOUS MEN. I am pretty sure I am only scratching the surface.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 5: Letters February 1927-June 1927

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:49:46 +0800

Let's look at some more of H. P. Lovecraft's letters. In this episode I explore the ones he wrote in 1927. There are a few good and important letters here such as one to Donald Wanderi on metaphysics and one to Bernard Dwyer on culture, migration and modernism.

Episode 420: James Agee: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (3)

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:41:17 +0800

Part three of my review of LET US NOW PRAISE FAMOUS MEN by James Agee. In this part of the book, Agee continues his report on the material conditions of life for the three sharecropping families. It will get weird again at the end.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 4: Letters October 1926-February 1927

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 07:52:08 +0800

The winter of 1926-27 Lovecraft wrote several interesting letters on his aesthetic and literary tastes and he worked on THE DREAMQUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH. Some ennui at this time, it seems to me.

Episode 419: Jame Agee: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (2)

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 07:44:51 +0800

In part 2 of LET US NOW PRAISE FAMOUS MEN by James Agee we get a look at the material conditions of life for our three sharecropper families, with special focus on their homes.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 3: Letters May 1926-October 1926

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:07:01 +0800

Back in Providence, Lovecraft felt more at peace, but his New York experience shaped how he even saw Providence as he began to explore it again. He saw pockets of his town he never noticed before. Lots of fun letters in this section showing these reflections on NY.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 4: Episode 2: Letters November 1925-May 1926

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:02:41 +0800

In this episode I look at more of H. P. Lovecraft's letters. These cover his final months in New York and his return to Providence. But this New York experience will stay in Lovecraft's mind for many years.

Episode 418: James Agee: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1)

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 10:00:13 +0800

Part one of my review of the frustrating, fascinating, and beautiful work LET US NOW PRAISE FAMOUS MEN. I still do not know fully what to think of this one. It explores the lives of sharecroppers in the South during the Great Depression, but goes off the rails.

Episode 417:James Agee: Some Assorted Journalism

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 09:57:00 +0800

If you are interested here are some thoughts on a few pieces of James Agee's assorted journalism for FORTUNE and TIME, including some book reviews. The most interesting may be his look at cock fighting and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Episode 416: James Agee: Night of the Hunter: Screenplay and Film

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 15:24:58 +0800

For the first time in this podcast, I am looking at a screenplay. This one was by James Agee based on the book NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, about a Bluebeard character. Contains some real horror elements.

H. P. Lovecraft BookClub: Series 4: Episode 1: Letters Feburary to October 1925

Sun, 06 Sep 2020 15:21:13 +0800

An episode where I try to look at a bunch of H. P. Lovecraft's letters from his time in New York.

The Harry Houdini Book Club: Episode 1: Under the Pyramids

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:58:24 +0800

In this episode, I look at a short story by Harry Houdini (ghost written by H. P. Lovecraft) called "Under the Pyramids". It is a beautiful story of the exploration into deep history even if the scare at the end is fairly typical of its writer. Narrated by Houdini, the "was it all a dream" suggestion has a bit more punch.

Episode415: James Agee: Agee on Film (5)

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:55:01 +0800

In this episode we finish up with Agee's film reviews for TIME. Overall, I think they are worth reading in the context of re-exploring some of the films of the 1940s.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 27: The Sonia Greene revisions

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:03:13 +0800

Lovecraft revised a couple of interesting stories by Sonia Greene, his future wife. While we can identify a few Lovecraftian themes Sonia Greene brings her how thoughts to these tales.

Episode414:James Agee: Agee on Film (4)

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:57:23 +0800

In this episode I finish looking at Agee's NATION reviews and then jump into some he wrote for TIME. In 1948 Agee stopped writing film reviews for both publications.

H. P. Lovecraft BookClub:Series 3: Episode 26: The Green Meadow, The Crawling Chaos, and Poetry and the Gods

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 13:38:02 +0800

In this episode I look at three of Lovecraft's revisions with Winifred Jackson and Anna Helen Crofts ("The Green Meadow", "The Crawling Chaos", and "Poetry and the Gods"). They are all interesting tales. The first two were mostly written by HPL. "Poetry and the Gods" was more of a true revision.

Episode 413: James Agee: Agee on Film (3)

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 13:29:45 +0800

Part three of my review of James Agee's film reviews get us through some more of THE NATION reviews, including his review of MONSIEUR VERDOUX, the Chaplin classic.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 25: The Shunned House

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 17:02:19 +0800

Another one of my favorite Lovecraft stories, "The Shunned House" is a study in local history and mythology. Some of his best writing legacy of family histories.

Episode 412: James Agee: Agee on Film (2)

Sun, 16 Aug 2020 17:00:13 +0800

More of James Agee's reviews from THE NATION, mostly of films from 1944 and 1945.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 24: The Festival

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 14:03:26 +0800

Another dive into family history, occult traditions, and the sea in "The Festival" by H.P. Lovecraft, but maybe most interesting about this story is the exploration of Kingsport's antiquarian architectures.

Episode 411: James Agee: Film Writing: "The Golden Age of Comedy" and "The Nation" Reviews

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 10:17:33 +0800

In this episode I start my look at the works of James Agee. Before jumping into his collaboration with Walker Evans, let's check out his film writings. This episode covers the first year or so of his work with THE NATION.

Episode 409-410: John Kenneth Galbraith: The New Industrial State (second half)

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 10:45:15 +0800

Two episodes packed into one as I finish up looking at THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE by John Kenneth Galbraith. Next up James Agee's journalism and film reviews.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 23: The Rats in the Wall

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 10:41:22 +0800

"The Rats in the Wall" is a story by H. P. Lovecraft about a trans-Atlantic family and its history (kind of like "The Lurking Fear" in a way). It also follows the method of archeology going deep into British history.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 22: The Lurking Fear

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 11:05:29 +0800

One of my favorite Lovecraft stories, "The Lurking Fear" explores heredity, immigration, American history, and race all in the form of an interesting mystery tale.

Episode 408:John Kenneth Galbraith: Thew New Industrial State (2)

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 11:01:38 +0800

Part two of my review of THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE by John Kenneth Galbraith. Here he digs deep into the workings of the "technostructure" and makes an interesting contrast with planning in the socialist states of the time.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 21: The Hound

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:09:26 +0800

Another interesting story by H. P. Lovecraft, "The Hound" is about art and its impact on searchers who become grave-robbers to satisfy their curiosity.

Episode 407:John Kenneth Galbraith: The New Industrial State (1)

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:06:46 +0800

The U.S. economy is planned. But don't take my word for it. John Kenneth Galbraith laid it all out in THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE. Here are my thoughts on the first 100 pages of that book.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 20: The Unnamable

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 09:03:02 +0800

The "Unnamable" is a great little horror story that includes a philosophical discussion about the nature of terror. A bit on the known unknowns of common knowledge and the limits of official narratives.

Episode 406:John Kenneth Galbraith: The Affluent Society (2)

Sun, 26 Jul 2020 10:01:53 +0800

Part two of my review of THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY by John Kenneth Galbraith. This part of the book explores the consequences of affluence and present Galbraith's policy recommendations about how to restore a public sphere.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 19: Azathoth and What the Moon Brings

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 07:35:19 +0800

In this episode, I look at a story fragment ("Azathoth") and very short complete story ("What the Moon Brings"). Both are experiments in cosmic horror and the stories share similar themes.

Episode 405: John Kenneth Galbraith: The Affluent Society (1)

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 01:54:08 +0800

Part one of my review of THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY by John Kenneth Galbraith. This book remains relevant in our conversations about post-scarcity and the lack of balance between public and private spending.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 18: Herbert West: Reanimator (2)

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:25:10 +0800

Part 2 of my review of Herbert West: Reanimator, covering parts 4-6.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 18: Herbert West: Renaimator (1)

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 13:24:12 +0800

Re-uploaded.

Part one of my review and analysis of HERBERT WEST: REANIMATOR by H. P. Lovecraft. One of my favorite Lovecraft stories. Watch as I become convinced of a theory about the narrator over the course of my reading.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 17: Hypnos

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 16:58:00 +0800

A short tale by H. P. Lovecraft, "Hypnos" involved an unreliable narrator exploring his dreams with an unknown associate. A nice contrast to some of the more optimistic dreamer stories.

Episode 404: John Kenneth Galbraith: The Great Crash (2)

Sun, 28 Jun 2020 16:55:15 +0800

So the second half of Galbraith's book called THE GREAT CRASH is about the impact of the 1929 crash on American life.
Overall a good survey of the causes of the crash itself, it not the best on the structural causes of the Depression.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 16: The Music of Erich Zann

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:40:34 +0800

A great short story by H. P. Lovecraft, "The Music of Erich Zann" is one of his first to take seriously the power of art and the tendency of art in the 20th century to move toward the bizarre. Is it a commentary on musical modernism? Or just a good horror tale?

Episode 403: John Kenneth Galbraith: The Great Crash (1)

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:37:24 +0800

The economist John Kenneth Galbraith wrote this very interesting book about a famous airplane disaster. Here are my thoughts on the first half of this book.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 15: The Other Gods

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 19:54:29 +0800

A short story by H. P. Lovecraft, "The Other Gods" explores humanity's hubris at thinking they can understand the universe. These Other Gods will be explored in more depth in THE DREAMQUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH.

Episode 402: John Kenneth Galbraith: American Capitalism (2)

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 19:53:07 +0800

Part two of my review of AMERICAN CAPITALISM by John Kenneth Galbraith. In the second half of this slim book we get into specific examples of counterveiling power through labor unions, cooperatives, government, and other forces.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 14: The Outsider

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 18:11:22 +0800

"The Outsider" is a well-known tale by H. P. Lovecraft, probably due to its psychological dimension. One of his best works of short fiction, to be sure, even if not one of my favorites.

Episode 401: John Kenneth Galbraith: American Capitalism, Part 1

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 18:09:28 +0800

This episode begins a new series looking at the works of John Kenneth Galbraith. We begin with AMERICAN CAPITALISM, a book exploring the concept of "countervailing power" and how the size of firms undermines classical economics.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 13: The Moon-Bog

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 05:53:33 +0800

"The Moon-Bog" by Lovecraft may reminds us of "The Rats in the Wall' with its European setting and castle restoration subplot, but the story has its unique ideas, especially with the relationship between the workers and the castle owner, a relationship to water, and cultists of a sort.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 12: The Quest of Iranon

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 05:51:00 +0800

"The Quest of Iranon" is a dreamlands story with (possibly) a dreamer from within the dreamlands themselves. It also works as a nice allegory for modernity, art, and celebrity.

Episode 400: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (6)

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 06:30:44 +0800

No Lovecraft this Wednesday. Instead I will put an end to this Parkman series with the finale of MONTCALM AND WOLFE. Lots to perhaps say in summation about New France, the French and Indian Wars, and my insanity for doing this project. But, let's not.
Next up, John Kenneth Galbraith's still relevant writings.

Episode 399: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (5)

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 06:28:20 +0800

Part 5 of my review of MONTCALM AND WOLFE by Francis Parkman. In this episode we explore the invasion of Canada and the emergence of Wolfe as a commander.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 11: The Nameless City

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 16:58:09 +0800

In "The Nameless City" we see Lovecraft sending an explorer into an ancient, pre-human city. While these themes would be explore in more depth in AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS, this story remains a classic and not only because it introduces the "Mad Arab" Abdul Alhazred.

Episode 398: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (4)

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 16:54:48 +0800

In this fourth part of my review of MONTCALM AND WOLFE by Francis Parkman, we look at some major battled of the French and Indian War included the siege of Louisbourg (again), the rise of General Wolfe, and the setting for the invasion of Canada.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 10: The Picture in the House

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 05:58:32 +0800

One of my favorite Lovecraft stories, "The Picture in the House" is about the sea, the horrors of Atlantic history, and the legacy of ancient beliefs and traditions.

Episode 397: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (3)

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 05:54:31 +0800

Part three of my review of MONTCALM AND WOLFE by Francis Parkman. In this section we witness campaigning in the frontier and the Hudson Valley, the rise of Montcalm, and the beginning of a global war.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 9: Nyarlathotep

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:16:20 +0800

A story based on one of Lovecraft's dreams, "Nyarlathotep" provides some interesting ideas on modernity, the threat of ancient traditions, and race while also introducing us to one of his more memorable gods.

Episode 396: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (2)

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 17:12:27 +0800

Two years before the Seven Years War broke out in Europe, Americans were once against fighting each other in the frontier regions between the British colonies and New France. These early losses for Britain are explored in this part of MONTCALM AND WOLFE by Francis Parkman.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 8: Ex Oblivione

Wed, 27 May 2020 17:37:40 +0800

"Ex Oblivione" by H. P. Lovecraft is a dreamer story about someone trying to escape this world into the realm of dreams, even beyond that to non-existence.

Episode 395: Francis Parkman: Montcalm and Wolfe (1)

Wed, 27 May 2020 17:33:38 +0800

FFS, another French and Indian war. Well, in any case we are getting another one as we jump into Francis Parkman's final volume in his massive history of French North America, MONTCALM AND WOLFE. This section covers the roots of the final French and Indian war.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 7: From Beyond

Tue, 26 May 2020 05:14:09 +0800

This episode is my review of "From Beyond" by H. P. Lovecraft, a story about a scientist trying to find what lies beyond our senses. Made into a good movie.

Episode 394: Francis Parkman: A Half-Century of Conflict (4)

Tue, 26 May 2020 05:12:17 +0800

In the final parts of Francis Parkman's A HALF-CENTURY OF CONFLICT we explore the failed peace ending King George's War, ongoing struggles for Acadia, and the siege of Louisbourgh. One more book left, MONTCALM AND WOLFE.

Episode 393: Francis Parkman: A Half Century of Conflict (3)

Wed, 20 May 2020 18:58:58 +0800

Part three of my review of A HALF CENTURY OF CONFLICT by Francis Parkman. This episode deals with the build up and origins of King George's War. Who can keep track of all of these French and Indian wars with massive loss of life and few territorial changes? It is as if dying for empire is pointless.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 6: Celaphais

Wed, 20 May 2020 18:56:27 +0800

In "Celephais" we have another of Lovecracft's "Dreamlands" stories. This one is about a man who is so isolated in the modern world he seeks fame and adventure in his dreams. Perhaps something about Lovecraft's psychology could be said.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 5: The Temple

Sun, 17 May 2020 19:45:36 +0800

A U-boat captain during World War I learns about an ancient civilization under the Atlantic Ocean (possibly Atlantis), but never gives up his faith in Prussian supremacy over ignorant peasant Rhinelanders. "The Temple" by H. P. Lovecraft is a study in efficient, effective and decisive leadership.

Episode 392: Francis Parkmam: A Half-Century of Conflict (2)

Sun, 17 May 2020 19:42:54 +0800

Queen Anne's War may have ended but the fighting between Britain and France continued in a series of proxy wars using Native American tribes. I talk about this and more in part two of my look at Francis Parkman's A HALF-CENTURY OF CONFLICT.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 4: Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family

Wed, 13 May 2020 20:08:51 +0800

A short H. P. Lovecraft story with a long title, "Arthur Jermyn" deals with topics such as heredity, exploration, Darwinism, and empire. It is one of my favorite of Lovecraft's early stories.

Episode 391: Francis Parkman: A Half Century of Conflict (1)

Wed, 13 May 2020 20:04:52 +0800

In this episode, I start looking at another book by Francis Parkman. In this case it is A HALF-CENTURY OF CONFLICT which looks at the North Americans Wars from the 1690s to 1750s, as well as the many proxy wars fought through Indian societies.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 3: The Cats of Ulthar

Sun, 10 May 2020 19:28:02 +0800

A nice story by H. P. Lovecraft set in the Dreamlands about mythology, law, witches, gypsies and cats. And all in just a few pages. Highly recommended.

Episode 390: Count Frontenac and New France under Louis XIV (3)

Sun, 10 May 2020 19:24:16 +0800

The finale of my review of Francis Parkman's COUNT FRONTENAC AND NEW FRANCE UNDER LOUIS XIV. This section deals with the roots of King William's War and the final years of Frontenac's life and his efforts to subdue the Iroquois and defend Canada from English invasion.

Episode 389: Francis Parkman: Count Fronetnac and New France Under Louis XIV (2)

Thu, 07 May 2020 19:00:08 +0800

The second part of my review of COUNT FRONTENAC AND NEW FRANCE UNDER LOUIS XIV by Francis Parkman. This part of the book looks at the governorships of Le Barre and Denonville.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 2: The Tree

Thu, 07 May 2020 18:55:14 +0800

Lovecraft's short story "The Tree" is about art, friendship, and fate. Check it out for something a little bit different.

Episode 388: Francis Parkman, Count Frontenac and New France Under Louis XIV (1)

Sun, 03 May 2020 09:42:29 +0800

The fifth volume of FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA looks at the height of New France during the reign of Louis XIV. This episode digs into the first part of this book, covering Count Frontenac's first term as governor and the problems he runs into with the clergy and the backwoodsmen.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 1: The Terrible Old Man

Sun, 03 May 2020 09:40:08 +0800

"The Terrible Old Man" is a sweet little vampire story by H. P. Lovecraft. This will not be the first time Spanish bullion will be used as a warning to stay away. The polyglot criminals in this story will learn the hard way.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2 Episode 7: Poems (3)

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:09:05 +0800

In the final episode of the second "season" of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club, I look at some of his World War I poems. Next up, his stories written from 1920 to 1924.

Episode 387: Francis Parkman: The Old Regime in Canada (3)

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:07:23 +0800

The finale of my review of THE OLD REGIME IN CANADA by Francis Parkman. One of the best books in the series. Highly recommended.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 6: More Early Poetry

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:25:30 +0800

A few more poems by H. P. Lovecraft explore some of this themes of cosmic horror, as well as some other themes, including a satirical romance.

Episode 386: Francis Parkman: The Old Regime In Canada (2)

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 17:23:43 +0800

Part two of my review of THE OLD REGIME IN CANADA by Francis Parkman, a social, political, and institutional history of New France during the time of Louis XIV.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 5: Poems (1)

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 19:48:13 +0800

In this episode I take on some of Lovecraft's earliest poems.

Episode 385: Francis Parkman: Old Regime in Canada (1)

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 19:47:00 +0800

In the fourth volume of Parkman's FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA we look at the political and social institutions in New France during its peak during the years of Frontenac and Louis XIV. A great addition that does something different from the other values in the series.

Episode 383: Francis Parkman: La Salle and the Great West (3)

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:18:49 +0800

The third and finale part of my review of LA SALLE AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT WEST by Francis Parkman. This episode focuses on La Salle's attempts to establish the foundation of a Mediterranean empire for France. (All he got for it was a short-lived for in present-day Texas). Saint-Domingue is mentioned only in passing.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 4: Temperance Writing

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 15:14:22 +0800

Lovecraft is not often accused of being dry, but he totally was. Try to enjoy this episode of the H.P. Lovecraft Book Club sober. I bet you cannot.

Episode 383: Francis Parkman: La Salle and the Great West (2)

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 10:04:14 +0800

In this episode, I look at some of La Salle's labor troubles during his expeditions to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. Maybe it is time for a labor history of exploration.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 3: Astronomy Journalism

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 09:58:00 +0800

Lovecraft as an amateur astronomer and he shared his insights in newspapers. This episode takes a brief looks a series of columns he wrote to introduce the basic of astronomy to readers, and provide glimpses into his views of cosmic horror.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 2: World War I Writings

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 22:11:48 +0800

In this episode I dig into some of Lovecraft's amateur journalism dealing with the First World War. Why did he think the U.S. should back Great Britain in the conflict? It has a lot to do with race and his vision of an Anglo-American "white Atlantic".

Episode 382: Francis Parkman: La Salle and the Great West (1)

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 22:09:50 +0800

Francis Parkman's third volume of his epic history of New France is called LA SALLE AND THE GREAT WEST. What drove La Salle to explore the Great Lakes and Mississippi? Find out.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 2: Episode 1: Early Letters

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:28:02 +0800

Since I lack the first volume of the Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft, I am working off some notes I took a few years ago. In the future I promise more complete examination of his wacky letters.

Episode 381: Francis Parkman: Jesuits in North America (3)

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:25:08 +0800

Finale of my review of THE JESUITS IN NORTH AMERICA by Francis Parkman. In this episode I look at the martyrdom of the Jesuits, the "Mourning Wars", and the refugee crises among the Huron.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 13: The Street

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:49:49 +0800

"Season One" of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club ends with a look at "The Street." Next, we will explore some of his other early writings such as astronomy, his letters, amateur journalism and poetry.

Episode 380: Francis Parkman: Jesuits in North America-2

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:48:16 +0800

More on the French Jesuits in Canada and the Huron mission in this episode of my read-through of Francis Parkman's FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA.

Episode 379: Francis Parkman Jr. The Jesuits in North America (1)

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 12:53:06 +0800

Part 1 of my review of Francis Parkman's THE JESUITS OF NORTH AMERICA. This volume covers the mid-17th century Jesuit efforts among the Huron and Algonquins amidst the Beaver Wars (Mourning Wars).

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 12: The Statement of Randolph Carter

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 12:50:47 +0800

A fairly famous story of Lovecraft's "The Statement of Randolph Carter" builds to a shocking ending. Not the richest thematically, but a lot of fun to read.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 11: The Doom that Came to Sarnath

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 19:42:12 +0800

Lovecraft's story "The Doom that Came to Sarnath" tells the story of a civilization that forgot its roots and paid the price. While Lovecraft is usually an advocate of forgetting, in this story he warns against it. The story is also a polemic against decadence and a celebration of grand architecture.

Episode 378: Francis Parkman: Pioneers of New France (3)

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 19:39:05 +0800

Final part of my review of THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE IN NORTH AMERICA by Francis Parkman Jr. In this section we look at the career of Champlain and the other explorers who established Quebec. Next up, the Jesuits.

Episode 377: Francis Parkman Jr.: Pioneers of New France (2)

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:36:46 +0800

In this part of Parkman's THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE we witness the massacre of the Floridan Huguenots and begin to survey the French explorations of North America in the St. Lawrence River.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 10: The White Ship

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:34:52 +0800

In my review of "The White Ship" by H. P. Lovecraft I make a bold claim about what type of writer Lovecraft is. Beyond that, this is just a great "Dreamlands" story about the pitfalls of various utopias.

Episode 376: Francis Parkman: The Pioneers of New France (Part 1)

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 13:04:34 +0800

We start our look at FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA with the first part of THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE. This episodes focuses on his deception of the Huguenots in Florida.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 9: The Transition of Juan Romero

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 13:03:26 +0800

Lovecraft wrote a great story called "The Transition of Juan Romero". It may be his best early depiction of ancient religions in a vast network. A must read for Lovecraft fans if you missed it.

Episode 375: Francis Parkman: The Conspiracy of Pontiac (Conclusion)

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:48:08 +0800

The conclusion to my review of Francis Parkman Jr.'s THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC. In the final section of this book we explore the consequences of Pontiac's revolt for the people of the American West.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 8: Old Bugs

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:46:52 +0800

Lovecraft had some particular views on alcohol and drugs, which are reflective in this early (science fiction?) story of his, a morality tale about inheritance and social decline.

Episode 374: Francis Parkman: The Conspiracy of Pontiac (4)

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 17:17:19 +0800

Part 4 of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC by Francis Parkman. In this episode we look at the failure of the Indian cause, frontier violence, and the vigilantism of the Paxton Boys.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 7: Beyond the Wall of Sleep

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 17:15:43 +0800

Lovecraft goes a little overboard on his descriptions of back-country folk in "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" but the story places him right in the middle of the eugenics conversation of his time.

Episode 373: Francis Parkman: The Conspiracy of Pontiac (3)

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 14:06:21 +0800

In part three of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC, I talk about Pontiac's plans, the role of cunning and deception in the early Indian victories, and the siege of Detroit.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 6: Polaris

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 14:05:01 +0800

In "Polaris" we get the first of Lovecraft's "Dreamland" stories and an allegory for the racial conflicts he saw as the primary vehicle of history. By taking a look at some of his World War I era writing, we can put this story in a broader context.

Episode 372: Francis Parkman Jr.: The Conspiracy of Pontiac (2)

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 09:31:18 +0800

Part two of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC by Francis Parkman Jr. Here I look at the causes of Pontiac's War as described by Parkman.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 5: A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 14:48:04 +0800

In episode 5 of the HP Lovecraft Book Club, we jump into Lovecraft's love for 18th century British culture by looking at his 1917 story "A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson". Perhaps it is one most Lovecraft readers skip, but it is worth a few minutes of your time if you want to appreciate our author's worldview.

Episode 371: Francis Parkman Jr.: The Conspiracy of Pontiac (1)

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:24:11 +0800

Part 1 of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC by Francis Parkman Jr. The opening chapters of the book describe the lives of Native Americans east of the Mississippi, the French empire in the Americas, and the interactions of the British and French with the Indians. All important background.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 4: Dagon

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:17:37 +0800

In this episode, I take a deep look at "Dagon" by H. P. Lovecraft. This story, set in the Pacific during World War I, explores the possibilities of ancient cultures and long-enduring mystical traditions. The narrator's discovery and exploration of a recently raised landmass from below the Pacific is not forgettable.

Episode 370: Francis Parkman Jr.: The Oregon Trail (3)

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 20:15:43 +0800

In this episode I conclude my thoughts on Francis Parkman Jr.'s THE OREGON TRAIL and I sum-up the themes of empire, ecology, and the capitalist expansion into the "Great West". Up next, Parkman's first work of history THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 3: The Tomb

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 20:11:45 +0800

Episode three of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club takes a look at "The Tomb" and Lovecraft's fascination with deviant subcultures.

Episode 369: Francis Parkman Jr.: The Oregon Trail (2)

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 16:01:55 +0800

Part two of my review of THE OREGON TRAIL by Francis Parkman Jr. This book is a travel memoir, but is full of great material on American empire, Native American life, ecology, and transformation of the "Great West".

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 2: The Alchemist

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 10:36:41 +0800

In "The Alchemist" (1908) Lovecraft establishes one of his most important themes: vernacular networks of knowledge opposing esoteric forgotten tomes. This fascinating story is his first mature work of fiction.

Episode 368: Francis Parkman Jr.: The Oregon Trail (1)

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 17:35:54 +0800

We will begin looking at one of the greatest historians of the 19th century, Francis Parkman Jr. But this first book is not a history, but a memoir of his travels in the prairie and Rocky Mountains. An interesting look at a changing, dynamic, and often cruel frontier.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Episode 1: Juvenilia

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 14:35:31 +0800

In this inaugural episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club, I introduce the series and talk about four stories Lovecraft wrote as a child: "The Little Glass Bottle," "The Mystery of the Grave-Yard," "The Secret Cave," and the (much more mature) "The Beast in the Cave".

Episode 367: Zora Neale Hurston Essays

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 13:04:33 +0800

So my series "Twentieth Century Girls" comes to an end with a look at some of Zora Neale Hurston's essays and assorted short non-fiction. Next up Francis Parkman Jr and a dive into mid-nineteenth century American history writing.

Episode 366: Zora Neale Hurston: Dust Tracks on a Road (2)

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 19:42:35 +0800

Part two of my review of DUST TRACKS ON A ROAD by Zora Neale Hurston. This great memoir gets political in the second half. Listen to my thoughts on her conservatism and skepticism of racial politics.

Episode 365: Zora Neale Hurston: Dust Tracks on a Road (1)

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 20:16:20 +0800

The first part of my review of Zora Neale Hurston's memoir DUST TRACKS ON A ROAD. The first part of the book deals with her childhood, her family, the origin of her imagination and curiosity, and her struggles to earn an education.

Episode 354: Zora Neale Hurston: Tell My Horse (2)

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:04:53 +0800

Part two of my review of TELL MY HORSE by Zora Neale Hurston. This part of the book explores Voodoo in Haiti. A brilliant take on this tradition and its meaning in Haitian life.

Episode 363: Zora Neale Hurston: Tell My Horse (1)

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 19:53:24 +0800

The first half of my review of TELL MY HORSE by Zora Neale Hurston deals with the geo-political realities of independent Caribbean states in a time of empire. All of this sets up her analysis of voodoo in the region.

Episode 363: Zora Neale Hurston: Mules and Men (2)

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 13:11:25 +0800

The second half of MULES AND MEN by Zora Neale Hurston looked at voodoo in the United States. In this episode, I finish up my thoughts on this classic of American folklore.

Episode 361: Zora Neale Hurston: Mules and Men (1)

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 13:20:33 +0800

My next "Twentieth Century Girl" is the brilliant Zora Neale Hurston. First we will look at her book of black folklore called MULES AND MEN. Still a great introduction to the tradition.

Episode 360: Shirley Jackson: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 14:56:09 +0800

I close out my series on Shirley Jackson with a review of WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVE IN THE CASTLE. This novel is a masterpiece of gothic fiction with the ultimate deception of isolation and agoraphobia. Next up, Zora Neale Hurston.

Episode 359: Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House (2)

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 16:01:47 +0800

Part two of my review of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson.

Episode 358: Shirley Jackson: The Haunting of Hill House (1)

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 06:53:40 +0800

Part one of my review of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson. This is an important novel in the history of American horror. Hill House is the original EVIL (not haunted) house, which would inspire King's Martsen House and the Overlook.

EPisode 357: Shirley Jackson: The Lottery and Other Stories (2)

Wed, 01 Jan 2020 19:22:58 +0800

In this episode, I take a look at the rest of Shirley Jackson's short story collected THE LOTTERY. So many good stories on race, alienation, women's role in society, family, and the meaning of home. (Lots of other themes too.) This rich collection is a must read.

Episode 356: Shirley Jackson: The Lottery and Other Stories (1)

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 09:15:21 +0800

In this episode, I begin a new series in which I examine some of the major works by the brilliant Shirley Jackson. First up will be half of THE LOTTERY AND OTHER STORIES. These are some of America's greatest short stories. Read them!

Episode 355: Jane Bowles: Stories

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 06:57:09 +0800

The finale of my series on Jane Bowles. (I know I said there may be one more.) In this episode I look at some of her stories.

Episode 354: Jane Bowles: Two Serious Ladies (2)

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 18:15:30 +0800

In the second half of Jane Bowles' TWO SERIOUS LADIES we get a closer look at the adventures of Christina Goering as we looks for freedom in seedy working class bars. Class and sexuality are explored in fascinating ways in this odd and brilliant novel.

Episode 353: Jane Bowles, Two Serious Ladies (1)

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 16:23:28 +0800

Another "Twentieth-Century Girl". In this episode I look at the only novel by Jane Bowels, TWO SERIOUS LADIES. This is really one you need to read just for the experience. It is unlike anything else.

Episode 352: Mary McCarthy: Cannibals and Missionaries (3)

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:33:36 +0800

It has been a long series but we have come to the end of the study of Mary McCarthy with my final look at CANNIBALS AND MISSIONARIES. Next up: Three quick episodes on Jane Bowles.

Episode 351: Mary McCarthy: Cannibals and Missionaries (2)

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 18:01:34 +0800

Part two of my review of CANNIBALS AND MISSIONARIES by Mary McCarthy. Uploading two in one day because of internet troubles in China causing delays.

Episode 350: Mary McCarthy: Cannibals and Missionaries (1)

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:53:38 +0800

Terrorism, liberalism, art, and class are all explored in depth in Mary McCarthy's last novel CANNIBALS AND MISSIONARIES. I am not sure it is worth a visit, but it certainly is worth knowing about.

Episode 349: Mary McCarthy: Birds of America (2)

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 00:04:19 +0800

The finale of my review of Mary McCarthy's BIRDS OF AMERICA.

Episode 348: Mary McCarthy: Birds of America-1

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 20:55:41 +0800

While I cannot say I am a very fond of Mary McCarthy's final two novels, BIRDS OF AMERICA does have some interesting discussions about art, revolution, the expat life, and family. Check it out, or not.

Episode 347: Mary McCarthy: The Group (3)

Sun, 24 Nov 2019 20:27:17 +0800

The finale of my review of Mary McCarthy's THE GROUP. This is a must read novel if you want to know the philosophy behind second wave feminism and an overall great novel.

Episode 346: Mary McCarthy: The Group (2)

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 12:37:33 +0800

Part 2 of my review of Mary McCarthy's THE GROUP. A great novel of second-wave feminism and perhaps McCarthy's most well-known work. It is a profound look at the struggles professional women faced in the 1930s with spoke directly to the 1960s, when it was written.

Episode 345: Mary McCarthy, The Group (1)

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 07:27:23 +0800

Part one of my review of Mary McCarthy's THE GROUP. THE GROUP is a classic text of second-wave feminism in which a group of educated women deal with various social inequalities. In this first part we meet the "Group" and talk about class, birth control, and sexual freedom.

Episode 344: Mary McCarthy: A Charmed Life (2)

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 18:46:17 +0800

In A CHARMED LIFE, Mary McCarthy explores intellectual bohemians and their quite odd lives. At the center of this story is an affair between a married woman and her domineering ex-husband. The tragedy comes when she finds she might be pregnant, but who is the father?

Episode 343: Mary McCarthy: A Charmed Life (1)

Fri, 08 Nov 2019 17:23:17 +0800

Mary McCarthy's A CHARMED LIFE is a pretty interesting story about suburbia, adultery, and in-typical McCarthy fashion-intellectuals and artists acting bizarrely. Worth a read.

Episode 342: Mary McCarthy: The Groves of Academe (Part 2)

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 13:38:04 +0800

The conclusion of my review of Mary McCarthy's THE GROVES OF ACADEME. Overall, a really fun novel about the delusional and petty world of academia that still has a contemporary feel.

Episode 341: Mary McCarthy, The Groves of Academe (1): Professors are Nuts

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 16:33:38 +0800

In THE GROVES OF ACADEME Mary McCarthy studies the insane world at a small liberal college. Like all of the other groups McCarthy studies, the whole is certainly less than the sum of its parts.

Episode 340: Mary McCarthy, The Oasis

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 12:49:00 +0800

Onto the second Mary McCarthy novel in this episode. THE OASIS is about an intentional community of crazy intellectuals doing crazy, petty, and stupid stuff. Sounds like a university.

Episode 339: Mary McCarthy, The Company She Keeps, Chapters 5-6

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 06:02:15 +0800

What a great novel! I finish my thoughts on Mary McCarthy's debut novel THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS in this episode. These chapters look at American Trotskyism and the psychological confessional.

Episode 338: Mary McCarthy, The Company She Keeps, Chapters 1-4

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 10:19:48 +0800

We begin a new series looking into the early works of the brilliant Mary McCarthy. In this episode we begin with THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS, a novel of interconnected stories dealing with the contradictions in the life of a modern American woman.

Episode 337: The Future is Female, Part 5

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 13:15:47 +0800

This is the finale episode covering the stories in THE FUTURE IS FEMALE written since 1963. One of the highlights of this section is Ursula K Le Guin's "Nine Lives" about cloning and individualism. Overall a nice anthology. Next up, Mary McCarthy.

Episode 336: The Future is Female, Part 4

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 06:33:29 +0800

This episode continues my review of the THE FUTURE IS FEMALE anthology. I look at stories from the 1960s. Women writers in during the "New Wave" era looked at themes of gender, population, family, and sexuality with a bit more intensity.

Episode 335: The Future is Female, Part 3

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 14:05:46 +0800

A few more stories from THE FUTURE IS FEMALE anthology. These are stories from the mid-1950s, including Zenna Henderson's "Ararat" and Alice Jones' "Created He Them" (a forerunner of A HANDMAID'S TALE)

Episode 334: The Future is Female, 1945-1951

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 20:31:35 +0800

This episode looks at three stories from THE FUTURE IS FEMALE edited by Lisa Yaszek. These stories cover the years 1945 to 1951 and include Wilmar Shiras' "In Hiding".

Episode 333: The Future is Female, Part 1

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 19:30:06 +0800

In this episode I look at five stories collected in THE FUTURE IS FEMALE edited by Lisa Yaszek.
Clare Winger Harris, "The Miracle of the Lily"
Leslie F. Stone, "The Conquest of Gola"
C. L. Moore, "The Black God's Kiss"
Lesli Perri, "Space Episode"
Judith Merril, "That Only a Mother"

Episode 332: Willa Cather: Sapphira and the Slave Girl

Sat, 21 Sep 2019 18:41:06 +0800

Willa Cather wrote SAPPHIRA AND THE SLAVE GIRL in 1940. This novel takes us back to pre-Civil War Virginia and looks at the sexual politics in a slave-owning household. Perhaps it is not her best novel, but it certainly gets the sexual tension in such households correct.

Episode 331: Willa Cather, Lucy Gayheart

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 15:10:04 +0800

This episode includes my thoughts on LUCY GAYHEART by Willa Cather. This novel tells the story of a naive young woman who falls in love with a married singer in Chicago. But her silliness does not excuse her scorned suitor from feeling he has been put into the imaginary "friendzone". That was a thing in the 1920s too? Men never change.

Episode 330: Willa Cather, Shadows on the Rock, 2

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 20:40:32 +0800

We say good bye to colonial French Canada and another of Willa Cather's excellent novels in part two of my review of SHADOWS ON THE ROCK. I loved the characters and setting in this one.

Episode 329: Willa Cather: Shadows on the Rock, 1

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 11:03:19 +0800

What was life like on late 17th century French Canada? I have no idea, but Willa Cather paints a nice picture of a socially diverse but united community. And in good Cather style we see the conflict between the evolving frontier and the home culture.

Episode 328: Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop, 2

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 15:39:42 +0800

Spoiler alert. He dies.

In this episode, I look at the the second half of DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP by Willa Cather. We continue to follow two priests who play a role in taming the New Mexico frontier, for better or for (probably) worse.

Episode 327: WIlla Cather: Death Comes for the Archbishop, 1

Fri, 06 Sep 2019 05:52:00 +0800

After the U.S. stole half of Mexico, the Catholic church formed a new diocese in New Mexico. In DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP, Willa Cather tells the story of how the church played its role in bringing this frontier to heel.

Episode 326: Willa Cather, The Professor's House-2

Sun, 01 Sep 2019 17:19:21 +0800

In this episode, I finish looking at Willa Cather's THE PROFESSOR'S HOUSE. In the second half we get a look at the background of Tom Outland, a look at the ancient southwest civilizations, amateur archeology, the indifference of bureaucracy, and the resolution to the Professor's mid-life crisis.

Episode 325: Willa Cather: The Professor's House, Part 1

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 19:34:50 +0800

I look at the first half of THE PROFESSOR'S HOUSE by Willa Cather. This book is a fascinating look at academia, family, and a mid-life crisis.

Episode 324: I Am Back! Willa Cather, A Lost Lady

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 09:40:21 +0800

In this episode I take a look at a splendid little novel deconstructing the heroic age of the frontier: A LOST LADY by Willa Cather. While only 100 pages, it seems to tell the entire story of the American West.

Episode 323: The Writings of Abraham Lincoln 1865

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 17:23:23 +0800

The finale of my series on Abraham Lincoln and on American political history in the 19th century. Next up, "Twentieth Century Girls": A series on American women writers.

Episode 321: Lincoln Re-elected (Writings of Abraham Lincoln 1864)

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 10:11:48 +0800

In 1864, Grant took command of the Union armies, Lincoln was re-elected, Atlanta fell and Sherman gave his president Savannah as a Christmas present. We look at all of these things and the impact of emancipation on American politics and the war effort in this episode.

Episode 320: Writings of Abraham Lincoln 1863

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 09:27:57 +0800

The war turned to the Union's favor in 1863 in no small part due to the Emancipation Proclamation. In this episode I look at the consequences of emancipation on the war through Lincoln's writing, the major turning points of the siege of Vicksburg and Gettysburg, and the growing opposition of the "peace" Democrats.

Episode 319: Dark Days of Defeat and the Slavery Question (Writing of Abraham Lincoln, 1862)

Sun, 23 Jun 2019 16:35:38 +0800

1862 was a bad year for the Union army and Abraham Lincoln with numerous defeats and military frustrations along with some Democratic gains in the mid-term elections. But it was also the year in which runaway slaves forced Lincoln to rethink the meaning of the war.

Episode 318: The First Year of the Civil War (Writings of Abraham Lincoln 1861)

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:44:19 +0800

In this episode, I look at the writings of Abraham Lincoln during his trip to Washington and the first year of the Civil War. Here the major issues include his policy toward the border states and the early wartime questions about slavery.

Episode 317: Election of 1860 and Secession: (Writings of Abraham Lincoln 1860)

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 16:32:22 +0800

In this episode I look at the writings of Abraham Lincoln from 1860. This was the year of the election that won Lincoln the presidency and saw the first state secede from the Union.

Episode 316: Cooper Union Speech and More: Abraham Lincoln's 1859 Writings

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 10:27:38 +0800

In this episode, I look at the writings and speeches of Abraham Lincoln from 1859. The most notable document is the "Cooper Union" speech Lincoln gave in New York City, but there are some other interesting texts, including a speech he gave in Milwaukee on technology and labor.

Episode 315: The Moral Argument (Lincoln-Douglas Debates 5-6-7)

Sat, 08 Jun 2019 09:13:10 +0800

In this episode, we see how Abraham Lincoln lifted his 1858 debates with Stephen Douglas to a new level by pursuing the moral argument against slavery and against its expansion.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Future Plans

Sat, 01 Jun 2019 13:38:49 +0800

The Philip K. Dick Book Club will be on hiatus for a while, but here are my future plans. Let me know if you have any additional ideas.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 150: When the Rough Draft is Better than the Final Product: Radio Free Albemuth

Sat, 01 Jun 2019 13:18:52 +0800

In this "finale" of the Philip K. Dick Book Club, I look at RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH. This novel is far superior to the re-write (VALIS). I love the look at a slowly creeping dystopia and the necessity of futile but inevitably victorious resistance.

Episode 314: Lincoln Douglas Debates 3 & 4

Thu, 30 May 2019 08:46:47 +0800

In this episode, I look at the third and fourth of the great Lincoln-Douglas debates. It seems to me that Lincoln was on the defensive in these two debates. He has yet to lift the subject of the debate to issue of the morality of slavery.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 149: The Transmigration of Timothy Archer

Wed, 29 May 2019 18:32:45 +0800

The best of Philip K. Dick's later novels is THE TRANSMIGRATION OF TIMOTHY ARCHER. It explores the religious culture of California during Dick's own life. We get some Bishop Pike, some John Allegro and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and some Alan Watts.

Episode 313: Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1 and 2

Sat, 25 May 2019 13:46:22 +0800

This podcast is the first of three episodes exploring the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

In addition to reading them I watched the reenactments aired by C-SPAN in the 1990s. I recommend them.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 148: God Help Me!: The Divine Invasion

Sat, 25 May 2019 13:30:34 +0800

We have come all this way in order to read Philip K. Dick's most disappointing book. It is an opaque novel that betrays much of what Dick established in his earlier career on what it means to be human and how to respond to power. But share your thoughts.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 147: VALIS

Wed, 22 May 2019 08:58:29 +0800

Philip K. Dick's "VALIS Trilogy" begins with a little novel called VALIS. A fan favorite, but not one I care for very much. Let me know what you think.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 146: Dick's Last Story (The Alien Mind)

Sat, 18 May 2019 18:40:33 +0800

"The Alien Mind" was Philip K. Dick's last published story, appearing in The Yuba City High Times in February 1981.
Next up, we will look at the VALIS novels.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 145: I Will Just Never Understand You (Rautavaara's Case)

Sat, 18 May 2019 18:34:57 +0800

"Rautavaara's Case" by Philip K. Dick is one of his last stories. It uses an interstellar dispute over a man's remains to explore the limits of understanding between cultures and what a truly religious system could look like. This story also asks some nice bio-medical ethics questions.

Episode 312: Lincoln's Return to Public Life (Writings 1855 to summer of 1858)

Wed, 15 May 2019 19:31:38 +0800

This episode examines Lincoln's writings from the aftermath of the Kansas-Nebraska Act to his nomination by the Illinois Republican Party to the Senate in 1858. The highlight of this period is his famous "House Divided" Speech.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 144: Memories if Nothing Else (I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon)

Wed, 15 May 2019 19:24:54 +0800

In "I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon" (published in PLAYBOY) Philip K. Dick wrote a nice story about change, how we do not trust memories, and how memories may fill in for what we have lost. One of his last stories.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 143: Philip K. Dick Writes about Crazy Neighbors (Strange Memories of Death)

Sun, 12 May 2019 19:25:33 +0800

Philip K. Dick wrote with brilliance about mental illness and institutionalization throughout his career. Check out this story (the first work of his from the 1980s, I look at), "Strange Memories of Death". It is a mainstream story about living next to the Lysol Lady.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 142: The Exit Door Leads In

Sun, 12 May 2019 19:20:56 +0800

What did Philip K. Dick think of Watergate and state secrets and the military-industrial complex? I think we know, but if you have any doubt read "The Exit Door Leads In" which was published in ROLLING STONES COLLEGE PAPERS. It is a very nice story Dick published in 1979

Episode 311: The Beginning of the Sectional Conflict (Abraham Lincoln's Writings 1849-1854)

Wed, 08 May 2019 15:32:02 +0800

In this episode, I take a close look at the writings and speeches of Abraham Lincoln during the years after the Mexican War, as the sectional conflict began in the United States. Lincoln completes his only term in the House of Representatives and returns to Illinois and lawyering, but remained an observer of Whig politics during the last years of that party.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 141: The Day Mr. Computer Fell Out of Its Tree

Wed, 08 May 2019 07:32:57 +0800

Now we get to some of the strange late Philip K. Dick stories. The first of these is "The Day Mr. Computer Fell Out of Its Tree", in which Dick takes on once again the dangers of automation. One of his first themes was also one of his last.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 140.5: The Cycle of Death (A Scanner Darkly, Part 5)

Mon, 06 May 2019 15:08:21 +0800

In the finale of my review of A SCANNER DARKLY by Philip K. Dick we see the ultimate fate of Bob Arctor and his friends, as well as possibly the fate of all of us in the eternal struggle between the individual and the institution. And this conclusion is set in Dick's greatest depiction of an asylum.

Episode 310: An Illinois Lawyer Goes to Washington (Lincoln Writings 1845-1848)

Sat, 04 May 2019 11:24:18 +0800

The years 1845 to 1848 see Lincoln engaged in local Whig politics and then moving onto national politics by serving on the House of Representatives where he opposed the Mexican War. In this episode I look at his major speeches and writings from those years.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 140.4: This Is Your Brain on Death (A Scanner Darkly Part 4)

Sat, 04 May 2019 10:53:24 +0800

Bob Arctor learns that working undercover is not all it is cracked up to be as he hits rock bottom, loses his sense of identity, and ends up being put through the consuming machine of the state. All of this and more in part 4 (of 5) of my review of Philip K. Dick's A SCANNER DARKLY.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 140.3: I'll Be Watching You....I Mean Me (A Scanner Darkly Part 3)

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 06:06:43 +0800

In part 3 of my review of Philip K. Dick's A SCANNER DARKLY we follow Bob Arctor as he descends into the ultimate of paranoia and addiction by investigating himself. Is this is metaphor for the ultimate fate of the surveillance state? Of course.

Episode 309: Young Politician Lincoln (to 1844)

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 06:03:08 +0800

A new series and a new phase in American political thought. In this episode we meet Abraham Lincoln as a young Whig politician in the 1830s and early 1840s.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 140.2: Paranoia and the Police State (A Scanner Darkly, Part 2)

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 12:52:37 +0800

As we get deeper into Philip K. Dick's A SCANNER DARKLY we see just how deeply paranoia runs in a world governed by the police state. But just how much of the paranoia is justified? And how paranoid is the state compared to the people it tries to control?

Episode 308: Tocqueville Finale (Democracy in America, Part 8)

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 10:45:24 +0800

The finale to my extended review of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 140.1: California Dreaming of Death (A Scanner Darkly, Part 1)

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 20:05:03 +0800

The first of five episodes covering Philip K. Dick's A SCANNER DARKLY. This novel has some of his most bleak and powerful images of life in late capitalist California and his prescience on failed war on drugs is astounding. One of his best novels.

Episode 307: Democratic Mores (Democracy in America, Part 7)

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:57:01 +0800

In part 7 of my review of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA we get to the heart of the argument about social relations, gender, family, and other aspects of the mores of democratic culture. It is the most fascinating and perhaps relevant part of the book covering everything from how democracies fight wars to how they raise daughters.

Episode 306: Tocqueville on American Individualism (Democracy in America, Part 6)

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 19:10:12 +0800

In part 6 of my review of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA we look at his views on egoism and individualism as well as their impact on American culture and intellect. Is individualism good? What will individualism coming through democracy mean to the aristocratic cultures of Europe?

Philip K. Dick Club: Episode 139: Science Fiction Writer or an Oracle? (The Eye of the Sibyl)

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 18:27:57 +0800

In the 1975 short story (unpublished in his life) "The Eye of the Sibyl", Philip K. Dick writes about himself and his fiction and the Roman oracle. A good preview of the type of thinking that dominated the later part of his life.

Episode 305: Tocqueville on Democracy's Intellectual Culture (Democracy in America, Part 5)

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 21:01:55 +0800

We jump into volume 2 of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA, where he begins to look at the mind of a democracy. He starts with its intellectual culture. It is not all pretty. Is banality the cost of democracy?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 138.2: A Pilgrimage at the End of Days (Deus Irae, Part 2)

Sun, 14 Apr 2019 20:59:03 +0800

I complete my look at the odd novel DEUS IRAE by Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelazny in this episode. The core idea of a religious pilgrimage in a shattered world is pretty interesting, if not very well executed here. The secret identity subplot does create some tension toward the end.

Episode 304: Tocqueville on Slavery in America (Democracy in America, Part 4)

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 19:57:46 +0800

As we continue our push through Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA and come to the end of volume 1, we explore what he had to say about the threats to American democracy due to slavery.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 138.1: Post-Apocalyptic Gnostics (Deus Irae, Part 1)

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 19:56:09 +0800

In this episode, I take on the first half of DEUS IRAE by Philip K. Dick and Roger Zelanzy. It is an odd novel that has a host of narrative and tone issues, but as with all of Dick's novels is always interesting. There are some important previews of the VALIS trilogy themes in this book.

Episode 303: Tocqueville on Parties and Threats to Democracy (Democracy in America, Part 3)

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 09:41:38 +0800

Part three of my review of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA. In this part, he begins looking at federalism and its benefits to the American system of government and democracy overall. He also begins looking at the threats facing democracy and explores whether parties are one of those threats.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 137.4: Better a Crap Artist Conspiracy Theorist than Married (Confessions of a Crap Artist, Part 4)

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 09:38:59 +0800

Is is better to be married or a "crap artist" a bit off his rocker? Dick tries to answer this question in his splendid mainstream novel CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST. In this episode I finish off my analysis of this book.

Episode 302: Tocqueville on American Local Government (Democracy in America, Part 2)

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 06:32:24 +0800

Part two of my review of Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA. Here we focus on his views of local and state governments in American democracy.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 137.3: The Family is Dead, Long Live the Family (Confessions of a Crap Artist, Part 3)

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 06:13:07 +0800

In part 3 of my review of CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST, we watch was one family collapses and another emerges in its wake. The horror of the eternal return of married life is the theme of this splendid novel.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 137.2: Not a Crappy Novel: Confessions of a Crap Artist (2)

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:56:12 +0800

This novel (CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST) is so good. Prove me wrong. Philip K. Dick is at his best when he is writing about marriage and the strangers who sleep next to us.

Episode 301: Equality of Conditions: Democracy in America, Part 1

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:53:10 +0800

In this episode, I start an eight-part series on Alexis de Tocqueville's DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA. What is the importance of the general equality of conditions in the creation of American democracy? What is the future of American democracy when this equality of conditions has been replaced with oligarchy?

Episode 300: Bye bye Jefferson (Jefferson's Letters 1816-1816)

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 21:56:13 +0800

We come to the end of this series on the writings of Thomas Jefferson with the letters written during the last decade of his life. His lack of growth of race is striking, but his commitment to democracy did not seem to waver. This contradiction will forever shape how we look at him.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 137.1: Philip K. Dick's Mainstream Novel (Confessions of a Crap Artist, Part 1)

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 21:52:44 +0800

In this episode we start to look at Philip K. Dick's CONFESSIONS OF A CRAP ARTIST, written in the late 1950s. It was a mainstream novel that explores some interesting themes of family and new religious movements.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 136: Abortion and Malthus (The Pre-Persons)

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 16:50:19 +0800

Philip K. Dick has been writing obliquely about Malthus since some of his earliest stories. In the "Pre-Persons" Dick takes on these issues again, and along the way angered the feminists. Is this story just his response to Roe v. Wade or does it have a more significant place in his argument against gerontocracy?

Episode 299: Jefferson and Adams Friends Again (Jefferson Letters 1813-1815)

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 16:46:46 +0800

The highlight of Thomas Jefferson's retirement letters are those he wrote to John Adams. In this episode, we look at some of those and some other important and interesting letters he wrote in 1813, 1814, and 1815.

Episode 298: Jefferson Retired (Jefferson Letters 1807-1812)

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 19:46:29 +0800

In this set of letters, I look at Jefferson's last years in public life and the interests he pursued after retirement. Much of his work in this period involves education, culminating in his work on the University of Virginia.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 135: The Ennui of Space Travel (A Little Something For Us Tempunauts)

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 19:44:10 +0800

In this wonderful little story ("A Little Something for Us Tempunauts") Philip K. Dick explores the tedious repeatability of space exploration, both for us and for the explorers. Maybe we can do better if we had a real frontier?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 134: Gated Communities and Police States (Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said)

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 22:08:58 +0800

In this lengthy episode, I take a detailed look at FLOW MY TEARS, THE POLICEMAN SAID by Philip K. Dick. It presents a detailed police state, examines class dynamics in authoritarian societies, and has some of Dick's most touching looks at relationships and the futility of liquid relationships.

Episode 297: The Revolution of 1800 (Jefferson's Letters 1800-1806)

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 15:16:09 +0800

In this selection of the letters of Thomas Jefferson we explore the "Revolution of 1800" and Jefferson's first term as president. The achievements of this period are well known, but more interesting may be his internal thoughts about his presidency.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 133.4: We Are All Mentally Ill (We Can Build You, Part 4)

Sat, 16 Mar 2019 15:13:00 +0800

In the conclusion of WE CAN BUILD YOU by Philip K. Dick, we find ourselves in a very different novel. After a mental breakdown Louis Rosen is institutionalized and we see one of Dick's best descriptions of the asylum.

Jefferson Unhinged (Thomas Jefferson Letters 1790-1799)

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 06:45:52 +0800

Thomas Jefferson comes back from Paris to become Secretary of State. Fights with everyone. Decides to do it himself and runs for president. Let's watch the rise of the party system in American politics by looking at Jefferson's letters from the 1790s.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 133.3: An Android Company Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand (We Can Build You, Part 3)

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 06:43:02 +0800

Well, they got an Abe Lincoln bot and all was going well, but they lost their designer and engineer. How can our little startup survive against the big corporations without its greatest minds? Find out in part 3 of my review of WE CAN BUILD YOU.

Episode 295: Jefferson's Letters from Paris, 1785-1789

Sat, 09 Mar 2019 08:37:40 +0800

While Jefferson was in Paris he started having sex with Sally Hemmings, commented on the Constitution, and saw the spread of revolution in Paris. We look at one of the most critical periods of Jefferson's life through his letters.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 133.2: What To Do With Civil War Bots? (We Can Build You, Part 2)

Sat, 09 Mar 2019 08:35:15 +0800

So they built a Edwin Stanton android, but what can they do with it. And what happens when you fall for your crazy underage co-worker? Find out in part 2 of my review of WE CAN BUILD YOU, by Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 133.1: Just Your Small Town Android Dealer (We Can Build You, Part 1)

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:01:10 +0800

In this episode I begin my look at WE CAN BUILD YOU. This novel by Philip K. Dick was written in the early 1960s and feels like one of his conventional novels, but it has a sci-fi twist by giving us a small android building business.

Episode 294: Jefferson's Revolutionary Letters

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 19:58:29 +0800

This episode covers Thomas Jefferson's letters written from his youth to the mid-1780s, when he was sent to Paris.

Episode 293: Assorted Jefferson Writings

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:32:35 +0800

In this episode I take on some assorted writings by Thomas Jefferson. Maybe the most important are the collected memoirs called the "Anas".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 132: Yeah. Marriage Still Sucks (Cadbury, The Beaver Who Lacked)

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 20:30:28 +0800

Back to a Philip K. Dick short story with the posthumously published "Cadbury, the Beaver Who Lacked". Is it his final word on marriage? Not quite, but it seems to serve as such.

Episode 292: Jefferson as Empire Builder (Jefferson's Speeches)

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 23:12:31 +0800

In this episode, I look at some of Thomas Jefferson's speeches and examine how he envisioned the place of Indians in the American empire. Of particular importance are his written annual addresses and the speeches he delivered to Indian nations during his presidency.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 131.4: Equality or the End of Human Progress? (Our Friends from Frolix 8, Part 4)

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 23:05:09 +0800

In the final part of my review of OUR FRIENDS FROM FROLIX 8 we see the brutal way that equality can be restored in a world where the elite are superior post-humans.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 131.3: Change from Within or From Without (Our Friends from Frolix 8, Part 3)

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 18:13:01 +0800

In part 3 of my review of "Our Friends from Frolix 8" we see the nature of the friendship offered by aliens and need to wonder what is the best path to institutional change: reform from within, movements from the outside, or help from foreign powers.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 131.2: A Movement Culture of Resistance or Drug Dealing (Our Friends from Frolix 8)

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 14:23:46 +0800

In part two of my review of OUR FRIENDS FROM FROLIX 8, we get a closer look at the movement culture that emerged to resist the posthumans in power, consider how much it resembles drug dealing, and continue to enjoy watching the back and forth between the New Men and Unusuals, the two varieties of posthumans.

Episode 292: Jefferson and the Party System (Public Papers 1791-1826)

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 14:20:19 +0800

In this episode I look at the public papers Jefferson produced while Secretary of State, when he developed his opposition to Hamilton's policies. I also glance at his plans for the University of Virginia and his opposition to the import duty on books.

Episode 291: Jefferson the Legislator (TJ's Public Papers 1775-1790)

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 16:53:02 +0800

In this episode I look at Thomas Jefferson's public papers from the time before he became Secretary of State, when he was mostly working in Virginia politics. Of special interest is his draft for a Virginia Constitution and his laws on education, crime, and religion.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 131.1: The Posthuman Meritocracy (Our Friends from Frolix 8)

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 16:50:48 +0800

In part one of my review of OUR FRIENDS FROM FROLIX 8, I examine how meritocracy and posthumanism leads to a pretty interesting dystopia.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 130.4: A Maze of Death, Part 4

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 23:26:29 +0800

The finale of my look at Philip K. Dick's A MAZE OF DEATH. Tell me, is this book the antithesis of GALACTIC POT-HEALER?

Episode 290: Thomas Jefferson, "Notes on the State of Virginia" (Part 2)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 23:30:19 +0800

The conclusion to my brief series on Jefferson's important text "Notes on the State of Virginia". In this episode we take a look at Jefferson's views on race, immigration, land rights, and industry.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 130.3: A Maze of Death, Part 3

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 23:24:28 +0800

During a quest to find out where they are, the unfortunate pioneers on Delmak-O begin to learn that their subjectivities are coming true. The results are murderous. Learn about this and more in part 3 of my review of Philip K. Dick's "A Maze of Death."

Episode 289: Thomas Jefferson: "Summary of the Rights of British America"/"Notes on the State of Virginia" (Part 1)

Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:48:44 +0800

In this episode, I look at "Summary of the Rights of British America" by Thomas Jefferson. I also jump into the first half of "Notes on the State of Virginia". So let's begin exploring his political ideas as well as what his thoughts on science, nature, the "Columbian Exchange" and Native Americans.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 130.2: A Maze of Death, Part 2

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 13:29:29 +0800

Part two of my thoughts on "A Maze of Death" by Philip K. Dick. Things start to get dark quickly.

Episode 288: Thomas Jefferson, "Autobiography"

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 23:53:56 +0800

The autobiography of Thomas Jefferson was written in 1821 and covers his life from the 1760s to his return from Paris. It has some interesting things to say about his views of slavery, the French Revolution, and the writing of the "Declaration of Independence". We kick off a new series on American political writing with this interesting, if unessential work.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 130.1: A Maze of Death

Sun, 03 Feb 2019 23:51:37 +0800

Now for the antithesis to "Galactic Pot-Healer". "A Maze of Death" by Philip K. Dick asks some of the same questions as GPH but comes to very different and bleaker answers. What to make of this?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 129: The Electric Ant

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 08:55:19 +0800

In Philip K. Dick's final story from the 1960s, "The Electric Ant" we get a mixture of reality bending metaphysics and android anxt.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 128.4: Galactic Pot-Healer, 4

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 11:42:26 +0800

The conclusion of my thoughts on Philip K. Dick's greatest novel "Galactic Pot-Healer". We are coming to the end of this very long series on Dick's publications of the 1960s. Excited to move into the 1970s with "Maze of Death", the antithesis novel of GPH.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 128.3: Galactic Pot-Healer, 3

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:26:50 +0800

This podcast is the third in my series on "Galactic Pot-Healer" by Philip K. Dick. In this part of the novel, we explore the theme of entropy. What does it have to do with meaningful work?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 128.2: Galactic Pot-Healer, 2

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 21:06:47 +0800

Part 2 of my review of my favorite Philip K. Dick novel "Galactic Pot-healer". Joe Fernwright is guided by the Glimmung to a new life with an actual purpose.

Episode 287: Herman Melville: Billy Budd

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 20:55:42 +0800

We get to the end of Herman Melville's prose writing with our look at "Billy Budd", published in 1924. It is a great little novel on power, the law, and duty.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 128.1: Galactic Pot-Healer

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 18:48:16 +0800

Let's raise Heldscalla! "Galactic Pot-Healer" is my favorite Philip K. Dick novel. Let me tell you why.

Episode 286: Herman Melville: The Confidence Man, Part 2

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 18:45:59 +0800

Part two of my review of "The Confidence Man" by Herman Melville. Maybe we will get the final answer to the age old question: should you trust your neighbor?

Episode 285: Herman Melville: The Confidence Man, Part 1

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 18:58:54 +0800

Part one of Herman Melville's exploration of America's market economy, "The Confidence Man." Can the economy work without confidence and charity? We will explore these and other questions in this review.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 127.4: Ubik, Part 4

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 18:56:04 +0800

The quite bleak finale of "Ubik" by Philip K. Dick. It is not entirely clear what is going on as this novel closes. You will either love it or hate it, but in my view it does not ruin a fascinating novel.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 127.3: Ubik, Part 3

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 22:10:19 +0800

Joe Chip, our story's hero, tries to make sense of a world in which everything decays and even technologies revert to earlier forms, in part three of our look a Philip K. Dick's "Ubik". Maybe the secret is that everyone is dead.

Episode 284: Herman Melville: Assorted Short Fiction

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 22:07:36 +0800

We finish up looking at Herman Melville's short fiction in this episode. Some great tales about class, family, and technology. These may not all be known as Melville's greatest works of short fiction, but they are mostly all entertaining and rich in meaning.

Episode 283: Herman Melville: Essays and Early Short Fiction

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 05:50:55 +0800

In this episode, I look at an assortment of Herman Melville's assorted short prose: some book reviews and short stories. Part one of a two part series on these uncollected works.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 127.2: Ubik, Part 2

Thu, 10 Jan 2019 05:47:31 +0800

This is part two of my review of "Ubik" by Philip K. Dick. With an android bomb, the posthuman industrial spying plot winds down as we find our characters in a world of decay and entropy. We will struggle with them to find out footing.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 127.1: Ubik, Part 1

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 05:48:24 +0800

The first part of my review of Philip K. Dick's "Ubik". This novel would have been great it if was just about industrial espionage and post-humanism, which is what we think we are getting in the beginning of the story.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 126: Not By Its Cover

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 05:43:12 +0800

"Not By Its Cover" by Philip K. Dick looks at religious texts, preservation, reproduction and authenticity. It is a nice story that is firmly in Dick's period of religious speculation, but it may be more significant for what it says about knowledge preservation in a digital age.

Episode 282: Herman Melville: The Piazza Tales (The Lightening-Road Man, The Encantadas, The Bell-Tower)

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 19:42:18 +0800

This episode is the second in my review of Herman Melville's "The Piazza Tales". Two of these stories are quite strange, but "The Encantadas" is a brilliant quasi-historical account of the changing Pacific. Read it!

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 125.5; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Part 5

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 19:38:18 +0800

Poor Deckard. Doomed to be kipple, but maybe he can find some meaning in an electronic frog. Let's read the final chapters of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" and move onto a book with a much shorter title.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 125.4; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Part 4

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 21:30:25 +0800

We reach the climax of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". How will Deckard do his job when he realizes that he has developed empathy for androids?

Episode 281: Herman Melville: The Piazza Tales (The Piazza, Bartleby, Benito Cereno)

Mon, 31 Dec 2018 21:28:28 +0800

A few of Melville's most famous tales are "Benito Cereno" and "Bartleby the Scrivener". They make up the first half of the collection, "The Piazza Tales". Lots to discuss in these important works.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 125.3; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Part 3

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 22:12:37 +0800

In this part of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" our bounty hunter Deckard runs into a fake police station and learns something important about himself.

Episode 280: Herman Melville: Israel Potter, Part 2

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 22:09:54 +0800

Part two of my review of Herman Melville's "Israel Potter", in which we experience most of his 50 years of exile.

Episode 279: Herman Melville: Israel Potter, Part 1

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 21:51:32 +0800

Another Herman Melville novel. This one is much more conventional than "Pierre". but it is still a valuable read. "Israel Potter" looks at the life of a Revolutionary War veteran as his service to his country leads him into exile and lets him meet some more famous revolutionary heroes.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 125.2; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Part 2

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 21:45:41 +0800

Part two of my review of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" gives us a chance to explore the empathy test as we watch Deckard begin his mission to hunt down the rogue Nexus-6 androids.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 125.1; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Part 1

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 20:30:49 +0800

The opening chapters of Philip K. Dick's great novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" puts us in a bleak world of mood organs, empathy boxes, lead codpieces, and kipple.

Episode 278: Herman Melville: Pierre, Part 4

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 20:26:00 +0800

The finale of my review of "Pierre" by Herman Melville.

Episode 277: Herman Melville: Pierre, Part 3

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 06:25:11 +0800

So, after deciding to get married to his (maybe) sister, things start to get even stranger for Pierre. Listen to my thoughts on this in part three of my review of Herman Melville's "Pierre".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 124: Faith of Our Fathers

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 06:22:51 +0800

Philip K. Dick's contribution to "Dangerous Visions" was "Faith of Our Fathers", one of his most important stories on false fronts and the prison of state power.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 123: Retreat Match

Sun, 09 Dec 2018 20:49:54 +0800

"Retreat Match" by Philip K. Dick is a really good story on false memories, shifting realities, and the politics of empire.

Episode 276: Herman Melville: Pierre, Part 2

Sun, 09 Dec 2018 20:45:13 +0800

In the second hundred pages of "Pierre" by Herman Melville our hero comes to believe he has what he always wanted, a sister. What will be the cost of this realization?

Episode 275: Herman Melville: Pierre, Part 1

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 06:52:46 +0800

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

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 06:47:46 +0800

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 of how our hero Sebastien Hermes can find new meaning in life with the death of his wife and the near destruction of his business.

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

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 06:45:08 +0800

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 from writing any more dangerous books?

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

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 06:40:38 +0800

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 of people who will kill to hear what he has to say...or to eradicate what he has to say. Our hero's scheme to make a quick buck gets a lot of more complicated.

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

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 21:04:14 +0800

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. At least these is still money to be made digging up graves. Beware the library.

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

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 21:01:19 +0800

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

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 20:58:25 +0800

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 kill. It is one of the darker visions of the American frontier.

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

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:47:09 +0800

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

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

Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:25:41 +0800

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. Dick's "The Zap Gun".

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

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 18:10:18 +0800

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 of weapons a bit more serious. And it just may be important.

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

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 18:04:05 +0800

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

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

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 18:39:37 +0800

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 possibilities of a feminist interpretation of early American history in Brown's writing.

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

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 18:30:34 +0800

My review of the opening chapters of "The Zap Gun" by Philip K. Dick. An interesting novel exploring the relationship between the military-industrial complex and a consumer economy. In this part of the novel we meet our depressed hero with an explosive name, Lars Powderdry.

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

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:33:14 +0800

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 brutal detail.

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

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 11:29:03 +0800

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 rising dead.

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

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 19:53:00 +0800

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

Sun, 11 Nov 2018 19:46:10 +0800

"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 who falls into a criminal network when he tries to go from the farm to the city. How will he end up?

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

Sat, 10 Nov 2018 14:01:21 +0800

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 empathy.

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

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 07:46:35 +0800

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 novel. Marriage still sucks, but maybe we need to stick with it because it is one of the areas where we can find institutionalized solidarity.

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

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 07:41:27 +0800

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)

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 17:13:03 +0800

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 insanity.

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

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 17:06:19 +0800

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)

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 16:53:28 +0800

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)

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 16:46:38 +0800

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)

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 19:58:48 +0800

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)

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 19:48:10 +0800

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)

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 19:03:27 +0800

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 Space".

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

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 19:01:06 +0800

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)

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 04:47:52 +0800

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)

Thu, 18 Oct 2018 04:46:19 +0800

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

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

Sun, 14 Oct 2018 20:31:40 +0800

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

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

Sun, 14 Oct 2018 20:07:32 +0800

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

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 22:12:25 +0800

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

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

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 22:08:16 +0800

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)

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 11:04:48 +0800

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

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

Sat, 06 Oct 2018 10:50:53 +0800

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)

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:14:20 +0800

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)

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 21:00:56 +0800

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)

Thu, 27 Sep 2018 06:40:40 +0800

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)

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 21:14:48 +0800

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

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

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 22:36:05 +0800

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)

Sun, 23 Sep 2018 22:28:01 +0800

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)

Fri, 21 Sep 2018 03:23:19 +0800

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 soon with "White-Jacket".

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

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 19:58:24 +0800

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)

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 18:25:09 +0800

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

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

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 18:19:17 +0800

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

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 20:35:53 +0800

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 prepared.

Episode 254: Herman Melville: Redburn (1)

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:59:23 +0800

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

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:54:14 +0800

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)

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 20:51:03 +0800

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

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

Thu, 06 Sep 2018 19:40:12 +0800

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

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 21:12:58 +0800

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)

Sun, 02 Sep 2018 20:56:10 +0800

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

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:12:58 +0800

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 corpoations.

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

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 17:09:12 +0800

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

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

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 06:31:02 +0800

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

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

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 06:29:12 +0800

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

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 08:54:03 +0800

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

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

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 08:52:37 +0800

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

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 06:29:41 +0800

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

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 06:26:53 +0800

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 twist.

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

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 09:50:13 +0800

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 in a few ways.

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

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 09:42:00 +0800

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 collar factory.

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

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 19:32:15 +0800

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

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 103: Waterspider

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 19:28:23 +0800

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)

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 23:31:02 +0800

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 the urban missionary movement of the Progressive era and ponder the impact of that lifestyle on young people.

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

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 06:31:24 +0800

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. It is one of Dick's stronger political novels.

With this novel we are done with the novels of 1964. Coming up, the stories Dick published in 1964.

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

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 02:24:18 +0800

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 Tragedy".

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

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 20:14:20 +0800

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

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 01:53:51 +0800

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

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 06:16:40 +0800

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 comments.

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

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 06:14:39 +0800

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

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:58:47 +0800

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

Episode 241: Willia Cather, My Antonia (2)

Wed, 18 Jul 2018 20:53:40 +0800

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

Episode 240: Willa Cather: My Antonia, Part 1

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 13:30:57 +0800

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 women.

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

Sun, 15 Jul 2018 13:28:54 +0800

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

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

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 05:05:33 +0800

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

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

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 05:00:24 +0800

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)

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 01:46:29 +0800

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)

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 01:45:13 +0800

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)

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 05:36:37 +0800

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 education only to discover her talent as a singer.

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

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 05:33:49 +0800

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)

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 09:26:40 +0800

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)

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 09:22:36 +0800

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 costs of being a career woman.

Episode 235: Willia Cather, O Pioneers, Part 2

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 07:34:47 +0800

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)

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 07:32:05 +0800

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

Episode 234: Willia Cather, O Pioneers, Part 1

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 10:58:06 +0800

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)

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 10:56:28 +0800

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

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 11:16:24 +0800

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

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 11:10:32 +0800

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 Gardens".

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

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 05:24:32 +0800

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

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 05:23:13 +0800

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 poems.

Next up, Willa Cather's early works.

Episode 231: James Weldon Johnson: Essays (1)

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:46:05 +0800

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

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 11:44:29 +0800

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 short novel about the media, automated political power, folk music, and posthumanism.

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

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 18:07:16 +0800

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)

Fri, 08 Jun 2018 18:05:11 +0800

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)

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 19:22:37 +0800

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 America.

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

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 19:19:57 +0800

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)

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 08:40:07 +0800

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 principal.

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

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 08:38:22 +0800

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

Episode 227: James Weldon Johnson: Along this Way (1)

Tue, 29 May 2018 09:17:53 +0800

"Along This Way" is James Weldon Johnson's autobiography. The first part of it explores his family and his education.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 95.2: The Game-players of Titan (2)

Tue, 29 May 2018 09:16:27 +0800

Part two of my comments on Philp K. Dick's "The Game-players of Titan".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 95.1: The Gameplayers of Titan (1)

Thu, 24 May 2018 04:47:23 +0800

And now for a strange one, "The Game-players of Titan" by Philp K. Dick. What is this one about? Marriage? Gambling? Fertility? Drugs? Mental Illness? Colonialism? Psychotherapy? Classical Music? In a Philip K. Dick novel of the 1960s, it can be about all those things.

James Weldon Johnson: Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

Thu, 24 May 2018 04:33:09 +0800

A one-off episode on James Weldon Johnson's novel "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man", a story on passing, cigar rolling, and black Manhattan.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.6: The Man in the High Castle (6)

Mon, 21 May 2018 16:42:33 +0800

We have made it to the end of "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick. Let you know what you think of my finale episode on this Hugo Award-winning novel.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.5: The Man in the High Castle (5)

Mon, 21 May 2018 16:40:01 +0800

Part five of my review of "The Man in the High Castle".

Episode 225: W. E. B. Du Bois, Articles from "The Crisis"

Mon, 21 May 2018 16:38:44 +0800

Oh..the feels. Time to say goodbye to W. E. B. Du Bois. Maybe we will meet again if The Library of America publishes another volume of your works.

Articles from the "Crisis"--lots of them.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.4: The Man in the High Castle (4)

Sat, 19 May 2018 09:49:39 +0800

Part four of my comments and review of Philip K. Dick's Hugo Award-winning novel "The Man in the High Castle".

Episode 224: W. E. B. Du Bois, Essays 3

Thu, 17 May 2018 04:45:40 +0800

The essays I look at in this episode are from the end of Du Bois' career, including a chapter from his masterpiece "Black Reconstruction in America."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.3: The Man in the High Castle (3)

Thu, 17 May 2018 04:44:08 +0800

More of "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip K. Dick.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.2: The Man in the High Castle (2)

Mon, 14 May 2018 15:27:33 +0800

Part 2 of my comments on Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the Hight Castle".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 94.1: The Man in the High Castle (1)

Sun, 13 May 2018 15:11:24 +0800

Season 2 of the Philip K. Dick Book Club kicks off with part 1 of my comments on Dick's Hugo Award winning "The Man in the High Castle".

Episode 224: W. E. B. Du Bois, Essays, Part 2

Sun, 13 May 2018 15:09:27 +0800

In this episode, I take a look at Du Bois' essays from the post World War I period to the 1920s. Topics include the betrayed promise of natonal self-determination after the war and the Marcus Garvey movement.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 93.3: Vulcan's Hammer (3)

Wed, 09 May 2018 10:59:28 +0800

My final episode on "Vulcan's Hammer" by Philip K. Dick.

This also brings to an end "Season 1" of this series on Dick's works, covering the stories and novels of the 1950s. (Vulcan's Hammer and Dr. Futurity, published in 1960, were written much earlier).
I will be back soon with the novels and stories of the 1960s, beginning with "The Man in the High Castle".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 93.2: Vulcan's Hammer (2)

Wed, 09 May 2018 10:57:20 +0800

Part two of my comments on Dick's 1960 novel "Vulcan's Hammer." A little murder mystery (murder of a computer anyway) thickens the plot.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 93.1: Vulcan's Hammer (1)

Mon, 07 May 2018 16:15:38 +0800

The first part of my comments on Philip K. Dick's 1960 novel "Vulcan's Hammer". Not one of his best, to be sure, but one of the more contemporary thematically.

Episode 222: W. E. B. Du Bois: Essays, Part 1

Mon, 07 May 2018 16:13:16 +0800

The first of a series on episodes on the essays of W. E. B. Du Bois. These cover the period from his college days to the First World War. with themes such as the founding of "The Crisis" and education.

Episode 221: W. E. B. Du Bois: Dusk of Dawn (2)

Thu, 03 May 2018 04:51:22 +0800

Part two of my comments on W. E. B. Du Bois's autobiography and statement on global race relations, "Dusk of Dawn." In this part, we explore Du Bois' thoughts on Africa, empire, and the chaotic early 20th century.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 92.4: Dr. Futurity (4)

Thu, 03 May 2018 04:48:30 +0800

The finale of my review of Philip K. Dick's novel "Dr. Futurity" and my thoughts on what it means for us in our time.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 92.3: Dr. Futurity (3)

Wed, 02 May 2018 09:38:39 +0800

Part 3 of my comments on Philip K. Dick's 1960 novel, "Dr. Futurity".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 92.2: Dr. Futurity (2)

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 22:50:16 +0800

Part 2 of my review of Philip K. Dick's "Dr. Futurity".

Episode 220: W. E. B. Du Bois: Dusk of Dawn (1)

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 22:48:06 +0800

Part one of my comments on W. E. B. Du Bois' "Dusk of Dawn," an autobiograhy and statment of American (and global) race relations in the 20th century.

Episode 119: W E. B. Du Bois: The Souls of Black Folk (2)

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 09:28:42 +0800

The second part and finale of my review of W. E. B. Du Bois' "The Souls of Black Folk." In the second part of this collection of wounderful essays Du Bois explores some of the cultural and economic aspects of black life in America at the turn of the century.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 92.1: Dr Futurity (1)

Sat, 28 Apr 2018 09:27:08 +0800

Part one of my review of Philip K. Dick's 1960 novel "Dr. Futurity". It may not be one of his best, but it is rich with ideas, many of which are relevant to us. At the the heart of its concern, the relationship between young people and the systems we hand over to them.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 91: War Game

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 12:42:14 +0800

In "War Game," Philip K. Dick considers the ideology of toys. It makes me think a bit about "Mimsy Were the Borogroves".

Episode 118: W. E. B. Du Bois: The Souls of Black Folk (1)

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 12:39:50 +0800

I humbly give my comments on what I think is one of the greatest works of American literatre, W. E. B. Du Bois' "The Souls of Black Folk".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 90: Fair Game

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 09:03:41 +0800

Although this story was written much earlier in Dick's career, "Fair Game" was not published until 1959. A rather silly tale, but good for a chuckle and a little meditation on the nature of how we respond to those who watch us.

Episode 117: W. E. B. Du Bois: The Suppression of the Slave Trade (2)

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 09:00:25 +0800

Part two of my review of Du Bois' Ph.D. dissertation on the legal, moral and economic changes that led to the end of the slave trade.

Episode 116: W. E. B. Du Bois: The Suppression of the Slave Trade

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 20:31:25 +0800

"The Suppression of the Slave Trade" was W. E. B Du Bois' Ph.D. dissertation wirtten in Harvard. It is a solid work of legal history exploring the relationship betwene moral progress, legal justice, and economic change.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 89: Recall Mechanism

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 20:29:16 +0800

In this Philip K. Dick story, "Recall Mechanism", we consider the relationship between mental illness and precognition.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 88: Explorers We

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 08:50:20 +0800

The first of Philip K. Dick's stories from 1959, "Explorers We", considers the possiblities of a very strange alien invasion.

Episode 116: Charles W. Chesnutt: Essays

Fri, 13 Apr 2018 08:47:01 +0800

In this episode we say goodbye to Charles W. Chesnutt by looking at a handful of his most important esasys. Next up, W. E. B. Du Bois.

Episode 114: Charles W. Chesnutt, Assorted Stories

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 22:10:47 +0800

In this episode, I look at some of the uncollected stories by Charles W. Chesnutt. We have some more stories in the Julius series, including one on Southern geophagia. There are also some of his "northern stories" dealing wtih the color line from a broader national perspective. There are even a few stories were Chesnutt (out of character) took on issues not relating to the color line at all.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 87.5: Time Out of Joint (5)

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 15:49:26 +0800

The finale of my review of Philip K. Dick's novel "Time Out of Joint".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 87.4: Time Out of Joint (4)

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 16:49:12 +0800

Part 4 of my review of Philip K. Dick's "Time Out of Joint".

Episode 113: Charles W Chesnutt. The Marrow of Tradition (2)

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 16:47:19 +0800

Part two of my review of Charles Chesnutt's novel "The Marrow of Tradition"

Episode 112: Charles W. Chesnutt: The Marrow of Traditon (1)

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 22:21:41 +0800

The first of two episodes looking at Charles W. Chesnutt's masterpiece, "The Marrow of Tradition", a book on post-Reconstruction politics, race relations, racial violence, and the color line.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 87.3: Time Out of Joint (3)

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 22:19:39 +0800

We go a little bit deeper into the rabbit hole of Ragle Gumm's strange life in part three of my review of Philip K. Dick's "Time Out of Joint".

Episode 111: Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars (2)

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 05:42:19 +0800

The finale of my review of Charles W. Chesnutt's "The House Behind the Cedars." The novel shifts from being about the color line to being about sexual harassment and the struggles of a young woman in the workplace. Very important to revist today.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 87.2: Time Out of Joint (2)

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 05:40:11 +0800

Part 2 of my review of Time Out of Joint by Philip K. Dick.

Episiode 110: Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars (1)

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 08:18:47 +0800

In "The House Behind the Cedars" Charles Chesnutt takes a deep look at the color line. The result is a brilliant novel on race, but also gender and the harassment faced by young women.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 87.1: Time Out of Joint (1)

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 08:16:32 +0800

Part one of my review of "Time Out of Joint", Dick's 1959 novel about a man realizing that the world he lives in is a false front. This is one of Dick's best and maybe the best 1950s novel he wrote.

Episode 109: Charles W. Chesnutt, The Wife of His Youth (2)

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 05:08:50 +0800

Part two of my review of the stories in Charles Chesnutt's collection "The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line." A lot of great stories here, making a great introduction to the ideas of Chesnutt about the post-Reconstruction South.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 86: Null-O

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 05:06:20 +0800

The sociopathy of the technocrat and other issues are explored in Philip K. Dick's short story "Null-O." Dick had to sit on this one a while before publishing it, but it is notable as the only publication of his in 1958.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 85: Misadjustment

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 20:53:34 +0800

This is a story by Philip K Dick about posthumanism, with an interesting twist. They have the ability to change reality. So in "Misadjustment" do we have the best possible path to utopia?

Episode 108: Charles W. Chesnutt, The Wife of His Youth (1)

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 10:01:55 +0800

And now we look at some of the stories in Charles Chesnutt's collection "The Wife of His Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line." This ia a great window into Chesnutt's views on race in America in the aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction. In this episide I look at four of the collected stories.

"The Wife of His Youth"
"Her Virginia Mammy"
"The Sheriff's Children"
"A Matter of Principle"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: 84 The Unreconstructed M

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 05:13:17 +0800

"The Unreconstructed M" is a good story to join with the more well-known "The Minority Report." While "The Minority Report" is based on psi powers, Dick relies entirely on big data to tell the story of law enforcement in this story.

Episode 107: Charles Chesnutt, The Conjure Woman

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 05:10:50 +0800

In this episode, I begin a brand new series on turn of the century African-American writers. First up is Charles W. Chesnutt and his connected collection of short stories "The Conjure Woman".

Episode 107: James Fenimore Cooper: The Prairie (4)

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:59:16 +0800

And we have reached the end of the Leatherstocking Tales. In this episode we have my final thoughts on "The Prairie" .
Looking ahead we are going to examine the works of Charles Chesnutt and other turn of the century black writers.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.6: Eye in the Sky (6)

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 10:55:37 +0800

The finale of my review of Philip K. Dick's 1957 novel, "Eye in the Sky".
Next up: more short stories.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.5: Eye in the Sky (5)

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 04:12:48 +0800

In this episode, I continue my examination of Philip K. Dick's novel "Eye in the Sky". In this episode, we go from the Puritianical to the paranoid.

Episode 105: James Fenimore Cooper: The Prairie (3)

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 04:10:36 +0800

Part 3 of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's final Leatherstocking Tale, "The Prairie".

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.4: Eye in the Sky (4)

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 13:22:31 +0800

Part four of my review of "Eye in the Sky" by Philip K. Dick. In this part we leave the nutty religious world and enter the nutty world of clean bourgie living.

Episode 104: James Fenimore Cooper: The Prairie (2)

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 13:16:40 +0800

Part two of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Prairie". Let's see if old man Bumppo still has any of his old tricks.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.3: Eye in the Sky (3)

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 23:36:59 +0800

Part three of my review of Philip K. Dick's "Eye in the Sky".

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.2: Eye in the Sky (2)

Sat, 03 Mar 2018 23:35:32 +0800

Part two of my review of Philip K. Dick's novel "Eye in the Sky".

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 83.1: Eye in the Sky (1)

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 08:37:51 +0800

In Dick's second novel, published in 1957, "Eye in the Sky", we go where no one has gone before, into the minds of others.

Episode 103: James Fenimore Cooper: The Prairie (1)

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 08:35:45 +0800

Part one of my review of "The Prairie", the last of the Leatherstocking Tales. It is a great send off for our hero Natty Bumppo.

Episode 102: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pioneers (4)

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:19:53 +0800

The finale to my review of "The Pioneers" by James Fenimore Cooper. It is all downhill from here. Only one more Leatherstocking Tale to go, "The Prairie".

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 82.4: The Cosmic Puppets (4)

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 14:18:23 +0800

Conclusion to my review and thematic summary of Philip K. Dick's "The Cosmic Puppets". Let me know you thought of this novel.
Next time, "Eye in the Sky"

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 82.3: The Cosmic Puppets (3)

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 14:25:56 +0800

Part 3 of my review of "The Cosmic Puppets" by Philip K. Dick.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 82.2: The Cosmic Puppets (2)

Sat, 24 Feb 2018 18:44:21 +0800

Part two of my review of Philip K. Dick's "The Cosmic Puppets".

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 82.1: The Cosmic Puppets (1)

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:46:34 +0800

Part one of my review of "The Cosmic Puppets" by Philip K. Dick, a great novel exploring the shifting realities in our towns and cities.

Episode 101: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pioneers (3)

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 21:45:11 +0800

As we enter into the second half of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pioneers" we find the most clear expression of Cooper's thoughts on the realtionship between pioneer society and the environment. We also find our good friend Natty in some legal trouble.

Episode 100: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pioneers (2)

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:13:39 +0800

In the second quarter of "The Pioneers" by James Fenimore Cooper, we get a closer look at the emerging settler society in Templetown and learn more of the deep conflict between the ethos of Leatherstocking and that of the pioneers.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 81: Pay For the Printer

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:11:51 +0800

In "Pay For the Printer," Dick explores the challenges of a world of technological post-scarcity as it relates to our skills and knowledge. And he imagined a 3D printer. Some really great and relevant questions are raised in this short piece.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 80: To Serve the Master

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 11:07:07 +0800

In "To Serve the Master", Dick explores the internal conflict between the work ethic and technological leisure. Which side are you on?

Episode 98: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pioneers (1)

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 11:03:59 +0800

Part one of my series on James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pioneers," the first of the Leatherstocking Tales to be written. It shows Natty Bummpo as an old trapper in Templetown, a growing frontier community. What is the place of a man like Natty in a place like this?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 79: The Minority Report

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 07:47:09 +0800

"The Minority Report" is a bit of a Rorschach test for us. We will invariably see it as a story on police powers and survelliance, but maybe all Dick was doing was writing a tale of Cold War institutions at war.

Episode 98: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pathfinder (Finale)

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 07:43:46 +0800

My final look at James Fenimore Cooper's The Pathfinder. We say goodbye to Natty for a while, but he will be back as old man Leatherstocking in The Pioneers.

Episode 97: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pathfinder (4)

Fri, 09 Feb 2018 09:16:19 +0800

Part 4 of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pathfinder".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.6: The Man Who Japed (6)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:21:19 +0800

The finale of my series on Philip K. Dick's novel "The Man Who Japed".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.5: The Man Who Japed (5)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:19:20 +0800

Part five of my series on Philip K. Dick's novel "The Man Who Japed".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.4: The Man Who Japed (4)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:18:20 +0800

Part four of my series on Philip K. Dick's novel "The Man Who Japed".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.3: The Man Who Japed (3)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:16:48 +0800

Part three of my series on Philip K. Dick's "The Man Who Japed".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.2: The Man Who Japed (2)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:05:39 +0800

Part two of my series on Philip K. Dick's novel, "The Man Who Japed."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 78.1: The Man Who Japed (1)

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:04:10 +0800

Part one of a series on Philip K. Dick's novel "The Man Who Japed."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 77; Autofac

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:02:46 +0800

Finally we come to Philip K. Dick's clearest expression of one of his long running concepts, the "Autofac", as important today as it ever was.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 76: Human Is

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 14:00:54 +0800

"Human Is" brings an end to an informal series of Philip K. Dick short stories on adultery, beginning with "Out in the Garden", "Beyond the Door," and "Of Withered Apples".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 75: The Mold of Yancy

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 15:25:32 +0800

In "The Mold of Yancy", Dick examines how the media can shape public perception and figures that the best way to create ideological conformity is to plague the world with banality and charming folk wisdom. A fascinating idea.

Episode 96: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pathfinder (3)

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 15:21:27 +0800

Part 3 of my comments on James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pathfinder". This is the section where Natty (Pathfinder) has his heart broken.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 74: The Chromium Fence

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 10:38:00 +0800

In the story "The Chromium Fence", Philip K. Dick explores technology and the debate over transhumanism. Are we forced to particpate in the updates of consumer goods? Windows updates for everyone.

Episode 95: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pathfinder (2)

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 10:32:28 +0800

Part 2 of my series on James Fenimore Cooper's "The Pathfinder." We end up where we began, but we have lots of fun doing it.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 73: Surface Raid

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 10:07:35 +0800

In "Surface Raid," Philip K. Dick explores posthumanism in ways similiar to that of "Planet for Transients," but with deeper themes and emotional punch. Who is going to reclaim the earth after a war? What role will technology play? Will war divide humanity into different species?

Episode 94: James Fenimore Cooper: The Pathfinder (1)

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 10:04:16 +0800

In "The Pathfinder", James Fenimore Cooper picks up just a few months after the events of "The Last of the Mohicans". We see Natty Bummpo up to his old games, helping guide people to forts in the midst of war.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 72: Psi-Man Heal My Child!

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 17:36:56 +0800

In this story, Philip K. Dick comes close to presenting a general theory of the post-human. Are they a threat? Are they the future? Are they are comrades? Are they outsiders?

Episode 93: James Fenimore Cooper: The Last of the Mohicans (4)

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 17:32:09 +0800

And now, the finale of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans".

Episode 92: James Fenimore Cooper: The Last of the Mohicans (3)

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:08:27 +0800

Part 3 of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 71: Service Call

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 11:06:43 +0800

Do consumer goods control our minds? How does mass media, radio, or just the products in your hope affect your ideology? These are some of the questions explored in Philp K Dick's story, "Service Call".

Episode 91: James Fenimore Cooper: The Last of the Mohicans (2)

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:12:47 +0800

Part two of my review of James Fenimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans". In this episode we learn more about one of the best villans in early U.S. history, the Huron warrior Magua.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 70: The Hood Maker

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 19:10:56 +0800

Just in time for the U.S. release of the episode of "Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams" comes my thoughts on the 1955 story. (Plus a few words on the episode.)

Episode 90: James Fenimore Cooper: The Last of the Mohicans (1)

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 11:49:11 +0800

In thie episode we begin out look at the second of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, the epic adventure story "The Last of the Mohicans."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 68: Nanny

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 09:50:26 +0800

In "Nanny", Philip K Dick explores child rearing and automation. What will the robotics revolution mean for raising children? Can robots do a better job than distracted and flawed adults?

Episode 89: James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer (5)

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 09:47:43 +0800

And now the conclusion to James Fenimore Cooper's "The Deerslayer."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 67: Foster You're Dead

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 08:48:42 +0800

What is the relationship between war and consumerism? What was the impact on children of the Cold War-era brinkmanship? To what degree is totalitarianism defined by our freedom of choice to buy or not buy products? These are some of the questions exposed in Dick's story "Foster You're Dead"

Episode 88: James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer (4)

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 08:46:08 +0800

In this section of my review of "The Deerslayer", I discuss torture and the morality of denying marriage. As the Deerslayer is on "furlough" from his captivity,all of the characters must make important decisions and their solidarity is put to variosu tests.

Episode 87: James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer (3)

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 10:30:04 +0800

In this episode, we dive deeper into James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Deerslayer": a ransom, a rescue, and a kidnapping.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 66: War Veteran

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 10:27:22 +0800

The Philip K. Dick Book Club moves onto 1955. In "War Veteran" Dick plays with time travel and conspiracies and the ongoing conflict between Earth and the colonies.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 65: Strange Eden

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 11:16:14 +0800

And now for a story I really do not like, "Strange Eden". "Strange Eden" is a story of ancient alien explorers mixed with some mighty strange sexual politics.

Episode 86: James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer (2)

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 11:14:36 +0800

In this episode I look at chapters 7 through 12 of James Fenimore Cooper's novel, "The Deerslayer." In this section, the Deerslayer, Natty Bummpo, makes his first kill and the mystery of the box of pirate treasure is examined.

The Philip K. Dick Boook Club: Episode 64: The Father-Thing

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 08:06:32 +0800

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club, we look at the short story "The Father-Thing". It is a story about who children see the emotional instability of their parents. It is also (it seems) a story of childish imagination and adventure in a suburban environment.

Episode 85: James Fenimore Cooper: The Deerslayer (1)

Fri, 29 Dec 2017 08:01:28 +0800

Time to insanely charge into the Leatherstocking Tales. We will begin with the first in the series (although the last one published), "The Deerslayer." So, let's meet Natty Bummpo and his friends as they arrive at Glimmerglass.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 63: The Turning Wheel

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 07:54:06 +0800

In "The Turning Wheel", Philip K. Dick explores Eastern religions and the broader realtionship between the technocratic life and the religious life. It is one of his strongest early stories dealing with technology.

Episode 84: Louisa May Alcott: Jo's Boys (2)

Mon, 25 Dec 2017 07:51:06 +0800

Our final episode in this series on Louisa May Alcott. In the second half of "Jo's Boys" our major heroes face adult challanges and even life and death choices.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 62: Progeny

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 22:06:46 +0800

In this episode, I look at Philip K. Dick's story "Progeny." How much power should we give to those we raise and educate our children? Can the posthuman (transhuman?) be achieved simply through education?

Episode 83: Louisa May Alcott: Jo's Boys (1)

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 22:04:15 +0800

It is ten years after the events of "Little Men" and we check in on the adulthood of the graduates of Plumfield. In this episode, we look at Alcott's final novel "Jo's Boys".

Episode 82: Louisa May Alcott: Little Men (3)

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 07:51:33 +0800

The finale of my series on Louisa May Alcott's "Little Men."

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 61: The Last of the Masters

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 07:44:15 +0800

In this episode we look at Dick's sole tale looking specifically at anarchism. While anarchist themes run throughout his works, he only examined the concept directly in this sci-fi tale, "The Last of the Masters." And through this tale, Dick explores the germ of the state and the relationships between automation and freedom and government.

Episode 81: Louisa May Alcott. Little Men (2)

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 07:31:35 +0800

Part 2 of my thoughts on Louisa May Alcott's "Little Men," which includes my ideas on the central chapter of the novel "Damon and Pythias".

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 60: Upon the Dull Earth

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 07:28:41 +0800

"You! You're not Silvia. You are one of the Kung Fu Creatures on the Ramage 2"

"Upon the Dull Earth" is a story by Philip K. Dick. A little help?

Episode 80: Louisa May Alcott, Little Men (1)

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 19:47:43 +0800

We continue our look into the "Little Women" trilogy with "Little Men". How are Jo's students and family doing at her school in Plumfield? What does Alcott have to tell us in this novel about education, family, second chances, and growing up?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 59: Shell Game

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 19:44:45 +0800

In "Shell Game", a preview of his great novel "Clans of the Alphane Moon", Dick explores the military, paranoia, and mental illness. Are our delusions products of our environment and training?

Episode 79: Louis May Alcott: Little Women-Conclusion

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 09:55:05 +0800

In this episode we come to the end of Alcott's novel "Little Women," but we have a lot more Alcott to discuss as we explore the sequals.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 58: Souvenir

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 09:53:28 +0800

Once again Philip K. Dick takes us to the frontier and evaluates empire, cultural homogenity, technology, and work in his brilliant story "Souvenir". In this story, Dick expands his ideas on crafting, human-scaled technology, and the meaning of work. He will fully develop these ideas in "Galactic Pot-Healer" a decade later.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 56: Prize Ship

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 09:24:23 +0800

Opps. I guess I messed up the order of episodes.

"Prize Ship" by Philip K. Dick is a story that exploress the consequences of time travel and an expanding universe, war, and the frontier.

Episode 78: Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (4)

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 09:18:47 +0800

We are reaching the climax of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." In the second half of the novel the story moves to focus on Amy and Jo and their futures in relationships and art.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 57: World of Talent

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 09:16:15 +0800

One of Philip K. Dick's masterpieces, "A World of Talent" explores posthumanism, the frontier, war, and governmental conspiracies. This story brings to a capstone many of Dick's early ideas and themes.

Episode 77: Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (3)

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 10:41:52 +0800

Part 3 of my review of "Little Women" covers Beth's recovery, the return of Mr. March, and the journies of the women as they enter into adult careers.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 55: Meddler

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 10:39:29 +0800

In "Meddler", Philip K. Dick gives us a time travel loop story. We have seen these plenty of times. What do you think of Philip K. Dick's take on this old story? Can meddling in the future change the present?

Episode 76: Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (2)

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 22:51:46 +0800

Second part of my series on Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women." How do the girls get along without their mother and when facing disease and death?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 54: Adjustment Team

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 22:47:29 +0800

Why do we give such power to urban planners and developers? What are their goals? Should we allow those in power to manipulate our reality for a greater good? These are just some of the questions explored in Philip K. Dick's story "Adjustment Team".

Episode 75: Louisa May Alcott, Little Women (1)

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 21:16:38 +0800

In this episode, we begin a new series looking at the "Little Women" triology. We will begin with "Little Women." So let's all be reintroduced to Jo, Beth, Meg, Amy, Mrs. March and Laurie.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 53: Exhibit Piece

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 21:13:50 +0800

In "Exhibit Piece", Philip K Dick explores time travel and history and gives an ironic look at 1950s conformity. Was the 1950s the peak of American consumeri conformity or was it really, just maybe, a golden age of free minded individualism? Maybe it all depends on how the future turns out.

Episode 74: Jack London: Assorted Stories-2

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 09:00:49 +0800

Our final episode on Jack London looks at some of his later stories. J-Lo has been fun, but it is time to move onto different things (bigger and better?).

"The Strength of the Strong"
"War"
"The Mexican"
"Told from the Drooling Ward"
"The Water Baby"
"The Red One"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 52: Crawlers

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 08:54:28 +0800

Philip K. Dick explores posthumanism and the relationship between the abnormal and the state in "Crawlers." Are posthumans a threat? Whare is our moral burden for communities destroyed by nuclear testing?

Episode 73: Jack London: Assorted Stories (1)

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 08:29:56 +0800

A handful of stories by Jack London are looked at in this episode, including some of his best stories of the Pacific and urban America.
"All Gold Canyon"
"The Apostate"
"A Piece of Steak"
"The Chinago"
"Mauki"
"Koolau the Leper"
"South of Slot"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 51: Of Withered Apples

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 08:20:26 +0800

The next in a series of short stories by Philip K. Dick that explored marriage, but unlike the others ("Human Is," "Beyond the Door," :Our in the Garden"), "Of Withered Apples" is set in a rural setting.

Episode 72: Jack London: Klondike Tales, Part 2

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 09:13:53 +0800

In this episode, I look at six more of J-Lo's short stories set in the Klondike gold rush.
"God of his Fathers"
"Batard"
"The League of Old Men"
"Love of Life"
"The Wit of Portortuk"
"To Build at Fire"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 50: Breakfast at Twilight

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 09:11:29 +0800

What would you risk for another couple years of peace? Is war worse than death? Dick explores these questions in "Breakfast at Twilight."

Episode 71: Jack London, Klondike Tales

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:48:40 +0800

In thsi episode, I look at six of Jack London's Klondike tales, the stories produced from his experiences in the Yukon gold rush.
"To the Man on the Trail"
"The White Silence"
"In a Far Country"
"The Wisdom of the Trail"
"An Odyssey of the North"
"The Law of Life"

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 49 Sales Pitch

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:46:20 +0800

In "Sales Pitch", Philip K. Dick considers consumer society, the commute, and the frontier, but fails once again to see the value of automation.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 48: Prominent Author

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:40:04 +0800

In "Prominent Author," Philip K Dick goes back to an old interesst of his: explaiing the origin of the world religions using the devices of science fiction. Could the Bible have been written by a time traveller?

Episode 70: Jack London, The Sea-Wolf (3)

Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:37:56 +0800

The final part of my examination of Jack London's "The Sea-Wolf." In this episode I suggest that Maud Brewster may be the real hero of the story.
This ends out look at Jack London's books, but we still have his stories (25 of them), which we will look at over the next two weeks.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 47: Survey Team

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 09:02:06 +0800

"Survey Team" by Philip K. Dick explores the question of over-conumption and war and the morality of abusers getting another chance (they don't get one).

Episode 69: Jack London: The Sea-Wolf (2)

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 08:58:38 +0800

Part 2 of my review of Jack London's "The Sea-Wolf." In this part, I take on the question of resistance and take a closer look at the character of Humphrey Van Weyden.

Episode 68: Jack London: The Sea-Wolf (1)

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:10:29 +0800

In this episode, we look at the first chapters of Jack London's "The Sea-Wolf" and take a close look at the villain of the tale, the sealing schooner captain Wolf Larsen.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 46.2: The World Jones Made (2)

Fri, 03 Nov 2017 12:08:43 +0800

Part 2 of my comments on Philip K. Dick's novel "The World Jones Made".

Philp K. Dick Book Club: Episode 46.1, The World Jones Made (1)

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 20:36:06 +0800

In this episode we look at a novel (slightly out of chronological order), "The World Jones Made." This novel takes on three interelated themes: precognition/mutation, the frontier, and individualism in a totalitarian state.

Episode 67: Jack London, White Fang (2)

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 20:30:49 +0800

Part two of my look at "White Fang" and we get to see the relationship between modern civilization, law, and violence. Where does kindness and love come from in a world defined by hierarchy and violence?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 45: Small Town

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 20:28:46 +0800

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club, we look at "Small Town". What does this story say about family, urban planning, and suburbia?

Episode 66: Jack London: White Fang (1)

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 09:25:01 +0800

On the surface, White Fang is the opposite of The Call of the Wild, but in many ways J-Lo is dealing with many of the same issues. Join me, the she-wolf, White Fang, and One Eye as we see what it is like to face scarcity and violence.
Or do we already know that thanks to the lessons of capitalism.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 45: James P. Crow

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 09:22:44 +0800

Once again Philip K. DIck takes on segregation and race relations. But is the answer he provides in "James P. Crow" right? I worry that this is a story Richard Spencer can get behind.

Episode 65: Jack London, The Call of the Wild

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 19:43:22 +0800

My comments on Jack London's signature text, The Call of the Wild. Was the original J-Lo talking about dogs, wolves, or us?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 44: Beyond the Door

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 19:40:34 +0800

Part of a series of 1953-1955 short stories exploring marriage by Philip K. Dick. "Beyond the Door" combines a critique of clock time with a critique of the bourgie marriage.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 43: The Golden Man

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:33:14 +0800

Dick's first great story of posthumanism and mutants is "The Golden Man." Can humans coexist with Humanity+?

Episode 64: Jack London: John Barleycorn, Second Part

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:29:51 +0800

Part two of my overview of Jack London's John Barleycorn. The focus of this episode is the "White Logic" and London's depression.
Four essays by Jack London are also briefly explored.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 42: Jon's World

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 18:18:11 +0800

In "Jon's World," Philip K. Dick wrote a followup to "Second Variety." While the humans one the war, the survivors are put in a position of prefering an alterantive timeline where the war never started, even if it means the end of all they knew.

Episode 63: Jack London: John Barleycorn, First Half

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 18:14:06 +0800

Jack London's brilliant autobiography on alcohol, John Barleycorn, Or Alcoholic Memoirs, is a book about many things, including male socialibility and working class culture. One of my favorite books by London.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 41: The Builder

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 21:45:47 +0800

Philip K. Dick explores the Biblical story of Noah, the suburban family, and post-traumatic stress in his short story "The Builder."

Episode 62: Jack London; Martin Eden (4)

Wed, 18 Oct 2017 21:42:35 +0800

The final episode on Jack London's Martin Eden. What happens when our lonely writer finds success?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 40: The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford

Sat, 14 Oct 2017 00:16:12 +0800

In this episode we examine the Philip K. Dick story "The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford." What does this story tell us abour family? Consumerism? Technology? Work? A silly story on first glance acually has a lot to tell us.

Episode 61: Jack London, Martin Eden (3)

Sat, 14 Oct 2017 00:08:06 +0800

Part three of a series on Jack London's Martin Eden. In this part, we explore Eden's frustrations, his new friendships, and the decline of his romantic life.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 39: The Crystal Crypt

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 09:55:54 +0800

In "The Crystal Crypt", Philip K. Dick explores the arms race and the "spy v. spy" dynamic of the Cold War. But does Dick have more to say about the city and the state?

Episode 60: Jack London; Martin Eden (2)

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 09:53:07 +0800

In this episode I look at the second hundred pages of Jack London's masterpiece Martin Eden. What are the challenges of becoming a writer in the face of the impersonal publishing industry? How does an artist face poverty?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 38: A Present for Pat

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 23:16:28 +0800

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Club we look at "A Present for Pat", cargo cults, and alien gods.

Episode 59: Jack London, Martin Eden (1)

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 23:08:55 +0800

In this episode we meet Martin Eden and the struggles of a working class man to become a published writer.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 37: The Hanging Stranger

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 07:34:38 +0800

We look at "The Hanging Stranger," Philip K. Dick's story of lynching and state power. And it has Lovecraftian creatures in it. What happens when we story accepting the cruelities essential to the systerms we live in?

Episode 58: Jack London: The Iron Heel (2)

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 07:31:19 +0800

In the second part of The Iron Heel, Jack London takes us to the events surrounding the first uprising, or the Chicago Commune. How does the Oligarchy survive this and other threats? How much of London's novel is true to life? Are we facing our own Iron Heel today?

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 36: Project: Earth

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 20:36:50 +0800

Is creation just a failed experiment? Do children hold the key to preserving individualism in an increasingly conformist world? These are some of the questions explored in Philip K. Dick's short story "Project: Earth".

Episode 57: Jack London: The Iron Heel (1)

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 20:34:38 +0800

The first episode of two on Jack London's dystopian novel, The Iron Heel. In this work, London takes on the role of prophet as he predicts what the future of American capiatalism will be. How much of his prediction has come true?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 35: Some Kinds of Life

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 08:02:06 +0800

Philip K. Dick takes on endless war and consumerism in his allegorical tale "Some Kinds of Life". Are wars for resources ever justifiable? What happens when we start to fight wars to keep up with the most banal consumer technologies.

Episode 56: Jack London: The Road

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 07:57:26 +0800

In this episode I explore Jack London's memoirs on his year as a hobo, The Road. This short book is a great introduction into hobo life and the economic depression of the 1890s.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 34: Planet for Transients

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 10:00:59 +0800

Does Earth belong to humans, or to the life that comes after us? Philip K. Dick asks this question in his short story "Planet for Transients."

Episode 55: Jack London, The People of the Abyss (2)

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 09:56:35 +0800

Part two of my comments on Jack London's People of the Abyss, with more on his socialism and what it means for his social Darwinism.

Episode 54: Jack London, The People of the Abyss

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 20:52:16 +0800

Once again, a new series. Join me as I explore the worst in human nature with Jack London in London's East End, in The People of the Abyss.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 33: The Impossible Planet

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 20:49:47 +0800

In this episode, Philip K. Dick introduces us to some humans who remember Earth only as a myth. In The Impossible Planet, they try to find Earth to make some quick cash , but who knows what might be out there.
Probably contains spoilers for the upcoming television show episode.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 32: The Trouble with Bubbles

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 10:30:59 +0800

Before Minecraft, before World of Warcarft, Philip K. Dick imagined Worldcraft bubbles. But is it right to destroy these worlds when we build them? Are we in a simluation? If so, so we have a right to life?

Episode 53: John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men

Sun, 17 Sep 2017 10:26:04 +0800

I finish up this phase of John Steinbeck's career with one of his most famous works, Of Mice and Men.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 31: Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Preview

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 12:32:11 +0800

My opening thoughts on the episodes we can expect to see on Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams. Spoilers for all the stories these episodes have been adapted from are included.
All in all, it looks like a great television series that is remaining true to the stories and the themes of Philip K. Dick.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 30: King of the Elves

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 09:20:44 +0800

Another of Dick's early fantasy stories, "The King of the Elves", might just be his first great work on mental illness.

Episode 52: John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle (2)

Tue, 12 Sep 2017 09:18:54 +0800

Part two of my review of In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 29: The Great C

Fri, 08 Sep 2017 15:05:05 +0800

In "The Great C", Philip K. Dick explores a post-war world where humans sacrifice their young to a super computer. But other than that, it seems like a nice society.

Episode 51: John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle (1)

Fri, 08 Sep 2017 15:02:37 +0800

John Steinbeck takes on class war in his wonderful novel In Dubious Battle.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 28: Dick's Philosophy of History

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:52:21 +0800

Something a little bit different. How did Philip K. Dick see history? Is history eternal return or are we destined for a final frontier?

Episode 50: John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat (2)

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:50:24 +0800

Part two of my survey and review of Tortilla Flat. Back in Taiwan!

Episode 49: John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat (1)

Sun, 03 Sep 2017 09:52:50 +0800

In this episode we meet the paisanos of Montery as we look at Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 27: The Commuter

Sun, 03 Sep 2017 09:50:51 +0800

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club we look at urban planning and suburbia in "The Commuter".

(This story will be adapted in Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams)

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 26: Out in the Garden

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 13:36:57 +0800

My thoughts on "Out in the Garden," one of Dick's earliest essays on the broken American family. It will not be his last. A fun fantasy story.

Episode 48: John Steinbeck, To a God Unknown (2)

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 13:33:33 +0800

Part two of my reading of "To a God Unknown," an underappreciated novel by John Steinbeck. Let me know what you thought of this novel, if any of you have read it.