we conclude our first great american novel module with blood meridian by cormac mccarthy and a simple question: what is this novel about? we talk about blood meridian‘s ties to an original american sin, whether or not the judge an antagonist, and mccarthy reacting to americans’ view of war. shreds sets a record in mentioning nominative determinism. we talk about why blood meridian feels like a religious text, the lack of weight applied to the violence (and what this leads to), and what makes this book “challenging” to read. we talk about adapting the novel and who would play the judge, we relate its themes to moby dick, and we open the mailbag to discuss when and how ambiguity can be satisfying. is cormac mccarthy making up a new world on just about every page? we explore what that would mean and how it thematically ties into the text. reading list for season eleven moby dick by herman melville blood meridian by cormac mccarthy

the time has come for us to cover our first great american novel, moby dick by herman melville, which by definition makes it our greatest american novel yet. we talk about the insanity of ahab’s quest, the common misunderstanding of who the protagonist is, and who’s hanging dong aboard the pequod. we wonder if other novels provide a more apt companion to this than blood meridian as well as whether or not this should be considered a comedy or satire. we talk about who should adapt this and the movies this novel most feels like. we explore outdated whale facts, the whale as god, and moby dick‘s ties to the x-files and its impact on common vernacular. we connect this book to both jaws and the raw shark texts. we talk about gay language in the text (and how much of this was intentional at the time). we land on a verdict: is moby dick a great american novel? reading list for season eleven moby dick by herman melville blood meridian by cormac mccarthy

we’re closing out our vermont module with flee by evan dara along with everyone’s favorite segment: vermont facts. we talk about the proverbial canaries in the coal mine of a dying town, grappling with gentrification, and a narrative tied to a specific moment in u.s. history that also finds itself as a timeless text. we discuss evan dara’s use of italics and varied fonts, the style of the writing and its overlapping dialogue, and a weird reversal for a major character in the final pages. shreds finds joey within a character in the text. we talk about whether flee feels vermont, either specifically or more broadly. reading list for season ten the shame by makenna goodman radio free vermont by bill mckibben flee by evan dara

our vemont module (and shreds’s maple syrup challenge) continues with radio free vermont by bill mckibben. before we talk about the book, joey quizzes shreds on famous vermonters, prompting shreds to ask: does vermont suck? we discuss whether the idea of pirate radio make the novel feel dated, the nicest (and least dramatic) way for the characters to do what they’re doing, and whether our characters lose their ethical high ground. we talk about mckibben seemingly (and strangely) underestimating the darkness of the u.s. government (as well as how to fix this). we vent about literary devices that allow for exposition dumps and discuss vermont’s blend of conservative and liberal beliefs. joey talks about his connection to rex tillerson. shreds sets the record straight on the origins of the dewey decimal system. reading list for season ten the shame by makenna goodman radio free vermont by bill mckibben flee by evan dara

we’re kicking off the vermont module in proper with the shame by makenna goodman. does this novel feel like vermont? we discuss. first, though, we (naturally) talk about halloween and halloween costumes. then, joey shares some vermont facts (that turns into a vermont quiz). we realize that we’ve covered quite a few books about motherhood as we talk about how the shame feels akin to both a touch of jen and nightbitch (as well as the film tully). we discuss the idea of making contact with your double (in the style of the science fiction trope). we decipher the titular shame, talk how that particular feeling has evolved over time, and describe what we expected the book to be about (based on both the title and the opening passage). shreds channels fox mulder. joey assigns some new lore to the walking (nay, skateboarding) myth that is shreds. reading list for season ten the shame by makenna goodman radio free vermont by bill mckibben flee by evan dara

we wrap up our eco module (perhaps our most depressing module yet?) with drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk. we talk about the novel’s unreliable narrator, who is revealed as such in a potentially frustrating way… except it doesn’t frustrate us. shreds talks about writing for writers vs. writing for readers, and the trick tokarczuk plays to potentially frustrate both sides of that divide. we try to make our way through a general lack of knkowledge around astrology and william blake, and we talk about language, translation, and names. shreds tells a strange story about a bird and a box. joey talks about having read the book before and forgetting the ending. we wrap up our eco module with a look back. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

we covered stephen markley’s novel the deluge last week, and today we’re joined by him to talk about his work. after confirming that we have a mutual friend, we learn how stephen pronounces the title of his novel and how much research went into the deluge. stephen speaks about edits made in the paperback version of the book and whether or not the text is prescient. we discuss levels of cynicism in eco literature, face characters in the novel and how to invest in the humanity of every character, and stephen’s thoughts on audiobooks vs. e-books vs. physical books. we talk about the level of optimism found in the ending and how to create compelling characters through whom you convey the novel’s trends. we discuss the idea of adapting the novel and the problems with wikipedia. stephen’s mini-module storms of my grandchildren by james hansen rising: dispatches from the new american shore by elizabeth rush the work of bill mckibben reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

we’re winding down our eco module with the deluge by stephen markley: one of our longest books on the pod and arguably our most depressing. we discuss how the narrative reflects a movement toward total chaos and how reading the book at a very strange time (with regards to weather and politics) made it even more impactful. we talk the book’s ambition (and simultaneous lack thereof), markley’s well-understood praise from stephen king, and the various ways the text is written (and what markley is best at). we make our picks for the book’s main character, share some love for shane battier, and make our picks for who we envisioned as the pastor. did markley underestimate the influence/impact of ai? could this be adapted into a chernobyl-style miniseries? reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

the eco module is starting to wind down, but it’s not done yet! today we’re talking about the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi. after checking in with shreds to make sure he’s h.a.g.s.ing (and seeing what he’s been reading this summer), we talk about how he judged this book by its cover (in a good way). we talk about its magical realism and regional folklore, how quickly plastic has ruined the environment (and our bodies), and the surprise reveal/twist at the end of the story. we discuss if there’s an existential coincidence in these books, the beauty of destructive elements of nature, and how truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. shreds pitches slash fiction. we address a youtube comment about the raw shark texts and ravenous fan bases. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

jeff wood, author of the glacier (which we covered last week), joins the pod to talk about whether or not this book does, in fact, fit into our eco module. we talk about ohio literature, our love of two dollar radio (and how he hooked up with them), and how much work it took to adapt his writing from a screenplay into this novel. we talk about the meaning behind the title, the job of a land surveyor, and terrence malick’s work. note: jeff’s pick for outro music (“powderfinger” by neil young) was met with such instantaneous copyright claims on both youtube and our podcast hosting platform that we left it out of the episode. instead, once you finish listening to this episode, head here to hear the song. jeff’s mini-module the society of the spectacle by guy debord in the shadow of the silent majorities by jean baudrillard the administration of fear by paul virilio the day after (1983 television film) (dir. nicholas meyer) dead man (1995) (dir. jim jarmusch) the thin red line (1998) (dir. terrence malick) reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

it’s back-to-back books from two dollar radio in the eco module as today’s book is the glacier by jeff wood. after shreds eviscerates joey to begin the podcast proceedings, we talk about two dollar radio and exploring a single press’s work. we try to parse what the glacier is about and whether being in eco module informs how we interpret its narrative. we talk about the story being intentionally unstuck from time, the writing’s cinematic/screenplay-like structure, and the the final third of the book’s drastic shift. we talk about david lowery’s film a ghost story. we open a bigger than normal mailbag to talk about trigger/content warnings and whether the patreon is real. we briefly discuss megan boyle’s liveblog 2023. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

our eco module continues with square wave by mark da silva, a book that we have plenty of thoughts about. after comparing it to giles goat-boy (joey’s least favorite book we’ve covered so far), we talk about how shreds maybe poisoned the well and why we found this book difficult to permeate. we compare da silva’s writing to thomas pynchon, chuck palahniuk, and bret easton ellis. we debate whether the text is racist or misogynist. we talk about da silva’s ability to world-build a dystopian future and the novel’s battle between science and art. we wonder if we’re being we too hard on ourselves. we talk about a “dnf” in reading a novel. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

our eco module continues with another water-related catastrophe as we discuss fever dream by samanta schweblin. after realizing that we missed an anniversary/milestone (or more than one) and wondering how many books people read in their life, we look back to see what the last book we read in translation was. we then discuss how the title of the novel gives a lot away, how fever dream reads like a horror book, and how the narrative slips through your fingers. shreds talks about carnosaur, we make connections to previous books this module, and we recount fever dreams (or the like) that we’ve had. shreds ask questions about major motion picture challengers (dir. 2024, luca guadagnino). we perform a halfway through the module check-in. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

after talking about her novel barn 8 last week, we spoke with deb olin unferth about heist stories, teaching literature, and chickens. after deb dubs joey the frontman of the podcast (a topic that we never circle back on), we ask deb about how she combines disparate genres and her time spent at farms and with chickens. she and shreds share lessons learned from teaching literature as deb professes her love for the novel as an art form. we find out where the idea for barn 8 come from, how she got access to these farms and farmers (and how she won them over with booze), and where the character names came from. deb shares her picks for books you should read. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

our eco module continues with barn 8 by deb olin unferth as we shift our focus from trees and water toward animal rights. shreds starts the pod like it’s the end of the pod as he explains why this book found itself in the module in this location. we talk about all we need (as a people) for the earth to be okay. we discuss how barn 8 aligns with (and differs from) more traditional heist narratives, and how the story subverts expectations about what these narratives typically include. we talk about barn 8 as a book about (chicken) language and (chicken) religion. we rank our favorite fast food chains. (next week, we talk deb olin unferth about her book, her research process, and much more.) reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman is the next book up in our eco module, and it continues our run of bleak looks at our near-future. we discuss the book’s structure (and its 3-4 main focuses) and how it kind of bails on a bunch of stuff in an interesting way. we talk about the perspective shifts (and whether or not they work), the unique elements that nora offers as a child, and whether or not celebrities are more interesting than “normal” people. shreds compares this novel to kleeman’s other writing as well as to don delillo. we talk about the real-world insanity of buying bottled water. we talk about ozark and how to adapt this novel — and what might get cut. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

our eco module continues with the overstory by richard powers, which marks an early high point in the season as it’s one of our favorite books of all-time, and one of the best books we’ve ever read. first, though, we get into some heavy lotto pod lore. then, we dive into the overstory and wonder: is this the ideal version of this module? we talk about the return of literary magic tricks, our favorite characters and storylines, and the villain of the book. shreds shares some recent related (and unrelated) book reviews and then likens filmmakers to comedians. we talk about how to adapt this book (which may already be in the works). reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

we’re kicking off our eco module with land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang — as well as some steve harvey talk. we ask: is this book a bummer? also: is the book pro cigarettes? we discuss the inner conflict of the protagonist, whether or not the novel’s depiction of climate disaster and climate repair is realistic, and the queer freudian love story at the heart of the novel. we talk about sacrificing long-term gain for short-term pleasure and our shared lack of ambition on the pod to try insane foods. joey relates this novel to fight club. we talk about how visual the novel is and how ripe for adaptation it feels. reading list for season nine land of milk and honey by c. pam zhang the overstory by richard powers something new under the sun by alexandra kleeman barn 8 by deb olin unferth fever dream by samanta schweblin square wave by mark de silva the glacier by jeff wood the man with the compound eyes by wu ming-yi the deluge by stephen markley drive your plow over the bones of the dead by olga tokarczuk

our last-minute addition to the kentucky module turned out to be one of our favorite books on the podcast so far: first blood by david morrell rules so hard. after starting in media res as shreds reads from a blog about sylvester stallone, we play a kentucky celebrity game and discuss how the novel diverges from the movie (specifically in its violence and radically different ending). we talk about re-adapting this in a way that more closely adheres to the book, featuring modern actors and filmmakers. we talk about the novel holding rambo accountable for his actions, the sort of bizarre supernatural connection between rambo and teasle, and characters who seem to know nothing about chess and time zones. since hollywood mandated sequels to this perfectly contained story, we pitch sequel ideas that don’t feature john rambo. reading list for season eight the vine that ate the south by jd wilkes ancient oceans of central kentucky by david connerley nahm first blood by david morrell

before closing out our kentucky module, we had the pleasure of speaking with david connerley nahm, author of last week’s book, ancient oceans of central kentucky. after learning how to pronounce his name (oops), we ask a kentucky man about justified — and get an ernest p. worrell answer. we learn where david’s love of the mysterious and eerie came from, what he drew on from his life and his childhood while writing ancient oceans, and the specific way he structured, organized, and edited this book. we talk about the end of the novel (with spoilers!). david shares the one thing he’d do differently in publishing the book. we ask if he’d want to believe it was jacob who returned. reading list for season eight the vine that ate the south by jd wilkes ancient oceans of central kentucky by david connerley nahm first blood by david morrell

our kentucky module continues with ancient oceans of central kentucky by david connerley nahm as well as, you guessed it: more kentucky facts. first, though, we explore the twisted mind of matthew vaughn. we then discuss the profound sadness in the book, the best passage in the novel (which we agree upon), and why the ending worked (in spite of being more “plotty” than the rest of the book). shreds does some visual aids that can’t be seen before talking down to joey about being uncultured; joey fires back. we talk about the novel’s connection to j.d. wilkes’ the vine that ate the south and remember ghost stories (sort of) from our own childhoods. we talk about the process of recording audiobooks. (next week, we talk david connerley nahm about his book, his editing process, and much more.) reading list for season eight the vine that ate the south by jd wilkes ancient oceans of central kentucky by david connerley nahm first blood by david morrell

you just heard an episode last week, but we’re back with our first episode in months (our time): the vine that ate the south by j.d. wilkes. we catch up on stuff, like how life has been going (busy) and what we’ve been up to (not reading). we talk about the kudzu plant. we explore rural myths, cryptozoology, and more x-files stuff before talking an interesting exploration of a state largely unknown to us. joey shares some kentucky facts. we talk about the types of stories that do (or don’t) get told. shreds finds childhood goals in the story. we discuss the narrative’s (sort of) universality, the flaw with accents in literature, and the characters’ names (and lack thereof). joey reads a portion of the book that basically serves as the how to win the lottery thesis statement. reading list for season eight the vine that ate the south by jd wilkes ancient oceans of central kentucky by david connerley nahm first blood by david morrell

our graphic content module draws to a close with ragnarok by walter simonson. fantasy content is tough for us, which isn’t particularly fair to this book, but we still find things to love and appreciate about it. we talk about what moving away from marvel allows for simonson to do with this book, which segues into a discussion about the future of the mcu. we wonder: does pop culture have space for this type of brutally violent art? (yes.) we perform a post-mortem of this module and talk about media ownership and digital rights. we open the email bag to discuss the difference in reading an ongoing thing (rather than a complete story) and discuss another email about infinite jest. we talk about adam levin’s bubblegum.

our graphic content module truly lives up to its name (for the first time) as we talk about prison pit by johnny ryan. we talk about whether or not johnny ryan is an edgelord — and if there’s a reason he aims to offend. we talk about the art’s similarity to “kid drawings” (and joey’s regret about the reading experience). shreds shares a perhaps too-thought-out analysis of what prison pit is about. we discuss the (consciously repulsive) type of humor and the book’s similarities to prison movies, as well as johnny ryan’s use of blank space and his ties to looney tunes. shreds channels george costanza. we talk about a combative email. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

we’re finally entering the realm of the superhero in our graphic content module with kingdom come by mark waid and alex ross. shreds explains why he sees this as a superman comic but not a batman comic, and joey explains why he felt lost by an apparent lack of context for dc mythology — and why the book would likely work better on a second read. we gush over alex ross’s gorgeous art, wonder why everyone is fascinated with batman being an old man, and debate whether this book is pro-fascism — or simply promoting the idea. joey forgets the premise of superhero alter egos, shreds invents his own superhero, and we talk about how much clark kent loves milk. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

the next stop in our graphic content module is asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli. after discussing how this module being defined by medium (rather than content) seems to yield great success, we talk about the singular vision and design and presentation of polyp before reading something from mazzucchelli’s wiki that totally endears him to us even more. we talk about how polyp is reminiscent of understanding comics, the surprisingly sweet moments of growth it has for asterios, and its incredible stylistic choices and flourishes. we explore the freedom of its chapter length (and mazzucchelli’s knowledge of form and when and how to break it) as well as the different audience/crowd for this book — and what that allows mazzucchelli to do. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

we’re tackling our first young adult book this module as we’re covering this one summer by mariko tamaki and jillian tamaki. after talking about location-specific friends and family fights on vacation, we dive into the emotionally-fraught story as we tap into our love of media aimed at teen girls. shreds gets passionate about this book and describes about how the tamakis deftly get around the “adults writing child characters” issue. we discuss the joy of the art (and the joy of windy), get angry at people attempting to censor/ban art, and discuss the second-hand fear we have for these girls. we talk about adapting this book (and the character whose casting would make or break the adaptation). reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

we’re headed to 1920s harlem on this episode of lottery pod as we talk about bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, and sanford greene. (a fun note: heather antos worked on this book!) we talk about the incredible value of this book’s omnibus, the book’s absolutely gorgeous coloring, and how the story smartly resets for each new third. we discuss the timeliness of the narrative (and the unfortunate fact that it’s always timely) as well as the tough task (executed well in this case) of making something feel both timely and timeless. shreds talks about how this book feels like a dream gig for his childhood self. we admire the book’s many splash panels (including one doing something we hadn’t seen before) and talk about the multiple ways you can read and appreciate and re-appreciate good comic books. we wonder if there could be sequels written and whether it’s possible to adapt this narrative. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

after covering the seeds last week, we are joined by ann nocenti, the book’s author, to talk about hexagons, fake news, and andrei tarkovsky. ann talks about the roots of the journalism in the book, how the novel’s other major themes found their way in, and what changed through the course of the development. she talks about the origin of the ending, shares storytelling advice for young writers, and how she and david aja worked together on the book’s layout and design. ann breaks down the evolution of the art style as the book developed, the book she worked on with david mazzucchelli, and how she and david aja developed the original idea for the seeds. she shares recommendations for other work to read/consume. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

our graphic content module continues with the seeds by ann nocenti and david aja and a return to familiar subject matter. first, though, we talk about steven soderbergh for a while. then, we talk about how the seeds reminds us of the private eye, except with aliens and different ideological divides among its characters. we talk about the book’s 90s feel re: aliens and accompanying aesthetics, the thematic appropriateness of the art, and the seemingly optimistic ending. we bring up the oft-discussed eco module. joey asks shreds about a new (to him) book website. we wonder what the “right” speed at which to read and consume and spend with comics may be. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

our graphic content season continues with no longer human by junji ito, which marks our first foray into manga. we explore the medium (including our overall unfamiliarity with it, despite its global prominence) and how no longer human‘s original publication specifically targeted adult men (and how this manifests itself in the story). we analyze how the book unknowingly returns to several of our show’s ongoing themes, we discuss the soap opera-esque structure and (intentionally) repetitive style of the narrative, and we wonder if the book presents a bit of a genre fakeout. joey offers up a surprising association for the protagonist. shreds proposes a spinoff podcast. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

after covering the private eye last week, our first interview this season comes with the book’s illustrator, marcos martin, as we continue to figure out how to talk about art on the pod. we discuss the way (and the speed at which) marcos works, the machinations of the page layout/format (and the process of adapting it for the physical release), and the idea behind forming panel syndicate and the plan for the book’s original release. we ask marcos about the process of determining what could/would survive the cloudburst, determining the way this book looks, and their views on tech optimism vs. pessimism. marcos tells us how he and brian met and began working together, how he decided when and where to place the credits page, and which piece of art from the book is his favorite. marcos shares his recommendations for related content to read/watch before we form a connection on his wikipedia lie. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

our graphic content module continues with the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente, which looks like a “more traditional comic” (read: superhero comic) and feels like a classic noir. we discuss archaic/obsolete tech (including joey’s beloved zune), the book’s unusual layout/format, and whether the story is cynical or optimistic in the way it discusses technology. we talk about the grandfather character as a kind of audience surrogate, the pros/cons of a world without internet, and the book’s violence and most shocking moments. shreds talks about his desire for things to justify why they’re not prose. we explore the idea of journalists acting as cops. we look back at the book’s original release as a “pay what you want” online drop. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

it’s a surprise bonus episode in our graphic content module as we cover gender queer by maia kobabe, one of the most banned/challenged books this year. the graphic novel memoir covers some serious content, so we open with some absolute nonsense before we dive into our discussion. shreds again gets heated talking about banned books before returning to his favorite topic: the exploration and use of language. we discuss the value and lessons found in the book, what we learned from the text, and the irony of banning books. we talk about the art style in gender queer and how reading it reminds us of 2010s tumblr. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

our graphic content module kicks off in earnest with coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt. after shreds shares a bone he has to pick with joey, we explore lisa hanawalt’s connection to bojack horseman before spending a while complimenting the beautiful art on display and how well it (wordlessly) communicates information. we talk about coyote doggirl‘s ability to both lean into and subvert western tropes, its emotional depth, and its wonderful absurdist humor. shreds shares his one real critique of the book, we talk about the simpsons and voice actors (and draw unfortunate blanks), and make an official request to get more coyote doggirl. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

we’re kicking off our seventh module with two firsts for the pod: a guest (heather antos) and discussing a book in the intro episode (understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud). after learning about our histories with comics, we spend a while talking about dilbert and scott adams (please read this) as well as our favorite “sunday funnies.” we share love for sam and max, learn about shreds’s childhood as a science-fiction kid, and discuss the current state of comics. shreds gives mccloud a big compliment before we discuss understanding comics and the many lessons it has to impart. we talk about reading comics digitally vs. physically. we share the reading list for the rest of the season (to which heather adds context). shreds compliments joey in a way that immediately requires explanation. heather gives insight into where to start watching star trek and offers recommendations for comics she’s worked on. reading list for season seven understanding comics: the invisible art by scott mccloud coyote doggirl by lisa hanawalt the private eye by brian k. vaughan, marcos martin, muntsa vicente no longer human by junji ito the seeds by ann nocenti, david aja bitter root by david f. walker, chuck brown, sanford greene this one summer by mariko tamaki, jillian tamaki asterios polyp by david mazzucchelli kingdom come by mark waid, alex ross prison pit by johnny ryan ragnarok by walter simonson

we are closing out our delaware mini-module with sunburn by laura lippman, along with even more delaware facts. first, though, we sort through a meager list of musicians from the state. then, into sunburn, which is firmly set in delaware, even though belleville is not a real place. we talk about what makes it delaware, a solidarity among beach towns, and the story’s plot twists vs. its emotional twists. we discuss its “mystery of love,” its distinct lack of horniness, and how lippman’s page-turning writing ability compares to stephen king. egg writes in about the sweater curse. shreds exposes a bit of his own ignorance. we share some final thoughts about delaware. reading list for season six fight club by chuck palahniuk the book of unknown americans by cristina henríquez sunburn by laura lippman

our delaware module “keeps on truckin'” (this is a delaware phrase) as we read the book of unknown americans by cristina henríquez. joey shares some more delaware facts before we look up tv shows set in delaware and confirm, for the first time this module, that yes we are firmly set in delaware. we discuss what “delaware qualities” are covered in the text, the issue of consent in the novel, and the inclusion of 9/11. shreds breaks down yet another book about language and communication and shares the theory of the subaltern (and his issue within that line of thinking). we discuss the simple sadnesses within the narrative and open emails about both this book and infinite jest. reading list for season six fight club by chuck palahniuk the book of unknown americans by cristina henríquez sunburn by laura lippman

our delaware module (suck shit, sufjan stevens #2) gets off to a questionable start, geographically speaking, with fight club by chuck palahniuk. joey kicks things off by sharing some delaware facts before he and shreds discuss their history with palahniuk and what his writing meant to people coming of age in the 90s and 00s. we talk about fincher’s adaptation (what it does better and what it does worse), the leap in logic necessary to fully get behind the plot, and the wrong “lessons” people “learned” from this story. we discuss how overt the twist is (once you know it’s coming), why it ruined that twist for all subsequent art, and why the timing of its reveal helps it work as well as it does. shreds brings up taylor swift but doesn’t want to hear joey’s explanation. joey talks about the time he met chuck palahniuk. shreds talks about the time he was in a fight. we open a mailbag that leaves shreds walking on air, and we once again discuss the horny module. reading list for season six fight club by chuck palahniuk the book of unknown americans by cristina henríquez sunburn by laura lippman

our un/adaptable season draws to a close with infinite jest by david foster wallace. shreds is back, and he’s got a story to tell. we discuss the difficulty of the text (which is baked into the design), a mere fraction of the many things joey missed in his first read, and why you don’t really read infinite jest so much as you re-read it. we talk about the purpose and importance of the endnotes, wallace’s ability to describe tennis, and the prescience of technology in the text. we attempt to parse the most confusing part of the book (found in the first chapter), explore the purpose behind “the entertainment,” and wonder if punters have ever been this cool or admired. we hear from both egg and the honorable judge matt erdely, who drops by to judge a book by its four covers. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our final novel this module with an upcoming adaptation is nightbitch by rachel yoder, which breaks new ground for the podcast, as former host bobby had (briefly) covered this already in a patreon exclusive behind the elsive paywall. (a reminder: don’t subscribe to our patreon. it’s not worth it.) we talk about feeling less qualified to talk about this novel than others in a similar space, rachel yoder’s use of the werewolf metaphor, and the meaning/reason behind a particularly gruesome action in the text. we discuss the target audience for the novel, whether the transformation into nightbitch is metaphorical or literal (and if it matters one way or the other), and the satire on display. tulsa refuses to care about the film mean girls. we discuss the upcoming adaptation of nightbitch (directed by marielle heller and starring amy adams) and debate whether the film will be able to portray the internal machinations at work in the novel. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our next (un)adaptable title this module is wittgenstein’s mistress by albany’s greatest novelist david markson. tulsa has returned and he has stories about the honorable judge matt erdely to share. we discuss how wittgenstein’s mistress is hard to summarize as we talk about its distortion of time, profound sadness, and the meaning of language within the text. we talk about david foster wallace’s writing about the novel, markson’s frequent inclusion of menstruation in the text, and whether or not there’s any possible way to adapt this to film. tulsa embarks on an ambitious project. maybe. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our un/adaptable module continues with crying in h mart by michelle zauner, which also marks our first foray into nonfiction. joey is joined once again by a guy named gary, who shares a plea from shreds and expresses a hatred for a specific pronunciation of a particular word. we talk about whether or not you need to know a lot about korean food to appreciate this book, lament not having a food/cooking connection with people close to us (which seems very nice), and compare the food in america to the food around the world. joey recalls axe bodyspray. gary dunks on joey (in an unrelated incident). we lose the premise of the discussion, spend a lot of time talking about food, and break down how weird the module is turning out. egg compliments michelle zauner’s reading of the audiobook. we count down to our next state module. gary says goodbye to cormac mccarthy. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

after covering the raw shark texts last week, we talk to its author, steven hall, about his work. we discuss the “adaptability” of the novel and its current status, explore the “un-chapters” (and his intent in writing them), and the three main readings steven had in mind while writing. steven teases ways he could mess with viewers of a tv version of raw shark, joey compares the novel to the langoliers (kind of), and bob wonders how much of the novel he missed. we discuss steven’s work in video games and visual art and how good he has at turning everyday objects into something sinister. we also talk about why it’s strange to call this novel “experimental” and explore how fallible our memory and recollection can be. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

the next stop on our un/adaptable module is continues with the raw shark texts by steven hall. joey is joined by a guy named gary, who arrives with special instructions from tulsa… and we need your help! after checking on what macaulay culkin is up to — and taking a brief sidebar to talk about area legend miss cleo — we wonder why there are so many amnesia stories and whether or not naming a character scout is a direct or indirect reference to to kill a mockingbird. we talk about the novels’ conceptual shark and the concrete poetry on display, and we discuss whether or not it’s truly unadaptable. (spoiler: probably not.) we examine the benefit of not saving the “twist” for the end of the story and talk about the “un-chapters” that steven hall wrote. joey once again references the fast and the furious. we shout out friend of the pod megan boyle and LIVEBLOG 2023. the honorable judge matt erdely returns to judge a book by its cover. egg reveals her egg bias in an email. we try to make monopoly into a british game. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our un/adaptable module continues with project hail mary by andy weir, soon to be a major motion picture from lord/miller starring ryan gosling. (if you’re a fan of this book, here’s an apology in advance. “sorry, dorks!”) we talk about the similarities between project hail mary and the martian, the coincidence of covering another amnesia book this module, and how rocky (and, by extension, the buddy cop angle) is the mvp of this story. we unveil a new soundboard sound effect, incorporate the svedka robot into project hail mary, and wonder how the lord and miller aesthetic (and ryan gosling as the lead) will work in the adaptation. we also cast andy serkis in the wolf of wall street, share the moments where we each thought “there can’t be 400 more pages of this,” and wonder whether project hail mary is cynical or simply optimistic in an unreal way. we react to a recent viral tweet, explain why the twist is a good idea that doesn’t really work, and whether bad books generally make for good movies. shreds goes nuts. joey spoils the video game version of the last of us. shreds exposes joey for the pervert he is. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our un/adaptable module continues with blood and guts in high school by kathy acker, which is difficult to adapt for many reasons. joey kicks things off by explaining how tulsa has changed his brain before we dive into blood and guts in high school to talk about its three distinct sections and its collage style/presentation. we also break down its focuses on the body and language itself, and whether or not it’s meant to be read as autobiography. we praise acker’s ability to write a book in this style and talk about the depiction of men in her work. tulsa gets mad at people on the internet. joey REALLY struggles with charles dickens. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace

our un/adaptable module continues with memory by donald e. westlake, which is being adapted by duke johnson. part of the “hard case crime” series, we talk about how memory never quite gets to crime, subverting all expectations of the series. we discuss jarring time jumps, the downer ending, and whether or not the narrative is propulsive. we wonder about “concussion,” learn what moby dick knows about whales, and discuss the beauty of genuine art discovery. we also take guesses about the upcoming film adaptation: will it comment on race? how will it depict amnesia on-screen? how did they come up with such a better title for the film? egg writes in. we look up and tell jokes. reading list for season five the zone of interest by martin amis underworld by don delillo eileen by ottessa moshfegh speedboat by renata adler memory by donald westlake blood and guts in high school by kathy acker project hail mary by andy weir the raw shark texts by steven hall crying in h mart by michelle zauner wittgenstein’s mistress by david markson nightbitch by rachel yoder infinite jest by david foster wallace