This week's episode kicks off the four-week discussion of Four by Four by Sara Mesa, translated from the Spanish by Katie Whittemore. A great book for our time (for all times) in relationship to power structures and their systems. And whether it's better to be "free and vulnerable or protected but under control." In this first episode, Max Besora (Adventures and Misadventures of the Extraordinary and Admirable Joan Orpí, Conquistador and Founder of New Catalonia) talks with Chad about campus novels, the various power relationships in the first section of the novel, the difficulties of translating "culo," the precision of Mesa's prose, the way Celia's and Ignacio's storylines run in parallel, the two timelines of this section, and much more. Solid ground-setting episode for what promises to be an amazing season.  This week's music is a little gem from Miley Cyrus called "4x4." If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. The next broadcast will be on July 1st. We'll be talking about pages 87-156 of Four by Four, which is available in bookstores everywhere. (And as an audiobook via Tantor Media!) Derek Maine will be the special guest next week, and produced this amazing review of the book for his channel. Check it out! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off Four by Four by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

On this episode of the Two Month Review, translator Robin Myers joins Chad and Brian to talk about her translation, Mexican and Argentine poetry, what was most challenging/liberating about the text, ALTA 2009, and much much more. Very insightful conversation for anyone interested in professional translators, or starting out in the field.  This week's music is "Rebel Girl" by Bikini Kill. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. The next broadcast will be on June 24th. We'll be talking about Sara Mesa/Katie Whittemore's Four by Four, which is available in bookstores everywhere. (And as an audiobook via Tantor Media!) Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off Four by Four by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

This week, Mónica Ramón Ríos joins Chad and Brian to talk about her literary career, how she came to write Cars on Fire, Rutgers, some movies she's recently watched, how to read "Invocation," protests in Chile and NYC, and much much more. An incredibly interesting and informative episode that serves as an incredible guide to approaching and reading these short stories.  This week's music is "Dead Men Don't Rape" by 7 Year Bitch. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. The next broadcast will be on June 17th. Robin Myers will be the special guest, and we'll focus on pages 152-175. This will be the final episode on Cars on Fire before we move on to Four by Four by Sara Mesa and Katie Whittemore. (For which there is an audiobook version!)  Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off Cars on Fire by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

Season 12 of the Two Month Review kicked off with Cristina Rodriguez from Deep Vellum Bookstore joining Chad and Brian to talk about the first section of Mónica Ramón Ríos and Robin Myers's Cars on Fire. They talk about The Gits, "Dead Men Don't Rape," the connections between academy and power structures, how "timely" this connection is, the clarity of the prose, and much more.  In honor of Mia Zapata, this week's music is "Another Shot of Whiskey" by The Gits. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. The next broadcast will be on June 10th. Mónica Ramón Ríos will be the special guest, and we'll focus on pages 64-151. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off Cars on Fire by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

Rodrigo Fresán himself joins Chad and Brian to talk about phones, Riverdale, Ada or Ardor, Dracula, the world-building in Fresán's oeuvre, the overall structure and focus of the triptych, what to read and watch in quarantine, and much more! If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. The next broadcast will be on June 3rd and will focus on pages 1-63 of Mónica Ramón Ríos's Cars on Fire.  Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off Cars on Fire by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

This week's episode is quite possibly the wildest one yet . . . Chad paid a BookTuber for some promotional love and, well, you'll have to watch/listen to see how that went. Then they talk about outsiders, Franco Moretti, autofiction, HE-IKEA (the Writer's nemesis), overblown rants about reading and phones, and much more. This week's music is "Date with IKEA" by Pavement. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the May 6th episode (covering pages 487-End) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. You can get all of Carlos's books via your local bookstore or Open Letter, and you can follow him on Twitter as well. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

This week, Chad and Brian talk about the desires of readers, the "middle mind," writing without a hook, Nabokov's "The Vane Sisters," the one contribution Chad made to this book, vocal tics, cocaine, and much more. They both came in high energy on this episode, so sit back and enjoy all the jokes and enthusiasm.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the May 6th episode (covering pages 424-487) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. You can get all of Carlos's books via your local bookstore or Open Letter, and you can follow him on Twitter as well. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

In his most dangerous gag to day, Chad drinks a giant bullshot as he, Brian Wood, and special guest Carlos Labbé talk about Nabokov's Transparent Things, transparency as a concept, the wild bed that The Writer is insomniacing in, Uncle Hey Walrus's hypnosis gone awry, why quarantine time is so crazy yet our dreams are getting so boring, and much much more.  This week's music is "Comeback Baby" by Kiwi Jr. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the May 6th episode (covering pages 362-424) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. You can get all of Carlos's books via your local bookstore or Open Letter, and you can follow him on Twitter as well.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (The large image for this post is copyrighted by Joost Markerink.)

This week's episode brings us back to The Writer, unable to sleep, living near where Penelope's house burned down (see: The Invented Part), and living off the fortunes of Penelope's writings (RIP). There's a great bit in this section about FBI agent Johnny Dancer and Vladimir Nabokov, there's a horrifying (yet funny!) death scene, and an interesting translation question related to a bad joke. Plus, translator Will Vanderhyden gives us a few hints about what to expect in The Remembered Part! Everyone already knows this week's music, the video of which brings back so so so many memories . . .  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation (and if you're going to watch only one episode, I'd recommend this one), you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the April 29th episode (covering pages 307-362) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Will Vanderhyden on Twitter! Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

Chad and Brian go deep into the underlying structure of the second section of Fresan's The Dreamed Part, talking about Penelope's story, her relationship to her parents and the Karmas, and the moment in which she lost her son. We finally get to read about her wrecking house (literally) and see how everything circles back to the start of this section . . .  This week's music isn't from The Dreamed Part. It's Yppah's "Dreams Like You," which is somewhat comforting at this time. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation (and if you're going to watch only one episode, I'd recommend this one), you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the April 22th episode (covering pages 255-307) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

Chad reaches a new quarantine low at the beginning of this week's episode (highly recommend checking out the video version), but after a lot of banter and deep dives into international speculative fiction, The Invention of Morel, Lost, and more, Chad and special guest Rachel Cordasco break down the first part of the "Brontê/Wuthering Heights" section of The Dreamed Part. They get you up to speed with Penelope (The Writer's sister) who is spending her days at Our Lady of Our Lady of Our Lady . . . fixated on Emily Brontë's singular masterpiece. This week's music isn't from The Dreamed Part. It's a new song from Woods called "Where Do You Go When You Dream?" (Lyrics on the outro are perfect.) If you'd prefer to watch the conversation (and if you're going to watch only one episode, I'd recommend this one), you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the April 15th episode (covering pages 202-254) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram. And follow Rachel Cordasco for info on speculative fiction (and, nowadays, homeschooling) and check out Speculative Fiction in Translation.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can't ship overseas, but to be honest, we can't ship right now! Order it from Bookshop.org.) You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This episode got off to a rough start, with Chad losing his shit over the May IndieNext list [ed. note: he still has not recovered] before Streamyard crashed and the whole episode had to be recorded. In the new, much calmer episode, Chad, Brian, and special guest Patrick Smith talk about tulpas, the night, Fresán writing in a different style, point of view and meta-reflections, and dirty jokes. Patrick lives that Vermont life in the middle of this episode, which brings even more levity to this earnest attempt to entertain everyone in this time of crazy.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation (and if you're going to watch only one episode, I'd recommend this one), you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch the April 8th episode (covering pages 156-202) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Aside from talking about how we're all about five days away from becoming Howard Hughes, Chad, Brian, and special guest Derek Maine talk about dreams vs. rationality, Nabokov and Bob Dylan, dream lovers and MTV videos, Twin Peaks and fantasy baseball. (OK, not the last one.) It's a fun podcast, a minor distraction that hopefully adds a bit of joy into the world. So enjoy! If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch April 1st episode (covering pages 112-155) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And watch Derek's YouTube channel, Read the World! Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Chad, Brian, and special guest Mark Haber tried their damnedest to bring some levity to our current crisis on this week's episode. They laughed a lot while discussing Chad's surprisingly dull dream city, the way The Dreamed Part just drops you right into the flow, dream logic, how Fresan is the exception that proves the rule, and Chad's quarantine situation.   If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch March 25th episode (covering pages 57-111) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also, support Brazos Bookshop! Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

In this week's preview episode for Season 11 of the Two Month Review--featuring The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán and Will Vanderhyden--Chad and Brian try their best to recall details from the plot of The Invented Part, the first book in the trilogy. They do . . . well, question mark? As cracked out as their descriptions might seem, you're in for a really fun season and a really fun book from one of the best Spanish writers of his generation.  This week's music is "My Friend" by Dan Deacon. (In part because Chad thought the lyrics were "I'm alive, I'm dreaming," but he was wrong.) If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch March 18th episode (covering pages 1-57) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout.  You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

We did it! Chad and Brian reflect on the somewhat surprising ending to Ducks, Newburyport and reflect on all 1,000+ of its glorious pages in the season finale to this Two Month Review. They debate whether the book is hopeful or pessimistic, the way in which its solipsism infects the reader's way of seeing the world, and they take one last shot at anti-mom nut job, Dr. Phil.  This week's music is "Let's Never Leave Here" by Death and Vanilla If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. We'll be back in February with the next season: The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Elizabeth DeMeo (assistant book editor at Tin House) joins Chad and Brian in the penultimate episode of this season of the Two Month Review. They talk family therapy. They talk about the Jim's encounter with the lioness. They make predictions about how the book will end. They debate whether it's better to read the book in a few days or a few months. They manage to make it through with a minimal amount of coughing, and only a few wacky digressions. This week's music is "Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)" by Bombay Bicycle Club. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (the last!) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Chad and Brian go it alone on pages 777-862, talking about Galley Beggar's "go fund me" campaign, hardcovers vs. paperbacks, Stacy, what makes something Kafkaesque, the narrator's stasis, and much more.  This week's music is "The Surprise Knock" by The New Pornographers.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (up to page 917) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This week, Chad is joined by Rebecca Hussey (BookRiot) and Josh Cook (Porter Square Books, An Exaggerated Murder) to talk about pages 700-776 of Ducks, Newburyport. They make comparisons to any number of modernist authors (Proust, Woolf, Joyce), discuss mother-daughter relationships, "mom shaming," Stace's general sense of rebellion, whether or not the "stories" are getting longer as we move through the book, how it actually has a conventional plot, and how Chad thinks someone needs to put together a book of essays about this novel featuring pieces by booksellers, authors, academics, critics, and moms. This week's music is "4ÆM" by Grimes.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Wednesday's episode (up to page 862) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also, read all of Rebecca's BookRiot posts and follow her on Twitter, and buy Josh's book from Porter Square (and follow him as well). Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.  

Jeremy Kitchen (Chicago Public Library, Eye 94) joins Chad and Brian to talk about "a list of definites" about the future, the (pretty silly) controversy surrounding Lucy Ellmann's recent Guardian interview, the way the themes of Duck, Newburyport make it difficult for some people to read, the ways in which this novel is subversive, and much more.  This week's music is "Never Been Wrong" by Waxahatchee. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 776) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Chad and Brian deliver a true Thanksgiving treat in this episode, digging in deep to the narrative patterns in the book, the way Ellmann constructs the narrator's subjectivity, how the novel is a radical call to action, how some facts aren't really facts, terrible new slang terms, save the turtles, and much much more. This is maybe the most critical episode of the season in terms of understanding exactly why reading slowly in this fashion can be so rewarding. This week's music is "Waving Past Nirvana" by WIVES. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 700) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Another late night conversation about Ducks, Newburyport! This week, P.T. Smith joins to discuss illness, the verbal virtuosity in this novel, sadness, relationships between parents and kids, and much more. Lots of quotes are read throughout this episode, and in honor of Lucy Ellmann's stated like of whisky, some of that takes place as well.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 621) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick Smith for lots of hot takes on books, cheating in sports, and more.  Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This week's Two Month Review was recorded pretty late (on the east coast), so things are a bit loopy. Nevertheless, James Crossley from Madison Books joins Chad and Brian to talk about pages 429-487 of Ducks, Newburyport. They talk a bit about the cultural references in this section—the old movies, Blossom—flip ahead to connect the mountain lion's path to the mental landscape of the narrator, and, of course, praise moms.  This is the most produced episode to date, and we hope you enjoy the little audio touches AND the Blossom theme song "My Opinionation" If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 562) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And be sure to support Madison Books in person, through their website, and on Instagram. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Chad and Brian break format a bit and discuss a number of the concerns, anxieties, and social issues that the narrator of Duck, Newburyport thinks about. From spiders to Morning Routine videos, active shooter situations to Trump feeling up Kurt Suzuki, this episode is a deep, yet funny, dive into our neuroses and fears. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 487) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Good Scare" by Torres.  Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (Or by attending our gala.) You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Lori Feathers of Interabang Books in Dallas joined Chad and Brian for this special episode to talk about the destruction of her bookstore, what's next for Interabang, and information about how you can help. (Answer: Order Joytime Killbox and The Dreamed Part from their website.) Then they talk about Lori's interview with Lucy Ellmann, the Serpent Mound (and some conspiracy theory nonsense). There's also more talk of Joyce, of the lists of rivers in Ducks, Newburyport and in Finnegans Wake, and Chad goes on a diatribe again notorious "anti-Mom," Dr. Phil. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 429) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Ohio" by Cherry Glazerr. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available from BOA Editions. And help out Interabang by ordering something (an Open Letter title?) from their online store.  You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (Or by attending our gala.) You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Rhett McNeil (translator of Machado de Assis, Gonçalo Tavares, Antonio Lobo Antunes, and more) joins Chad and Brian to talk about the way in which Ducks, Newburyport is less of a single-sentence and more of a never-ending list, about how it is and isn't like Ulysses, about time in the novel, about Ellmann's playfulness, about entropy vs. eternal recurrence, and giving the middle finger to Strunk & White. They also play a short round of "Did this Happen in Florida or Ohio?"  f you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 360) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. Be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available from BOA Editions. And get Rhett's latest translation, Reading Is Walking by Gonçalo Tavares. You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (Or by attending our gala.) You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.  

Vanessa Stauffer from Biblioasis came on this episode to talk about the Booker Prize, about the jacket copy she wrote for the Ducks galley, about types of moms, about things in the book that pay off and mysteries that remain mysteries, about the ways in which Ellmann is breaking form and the strong feminist perspective underlying this narrative, and much more. It's a fun, free-wheeling conversation sprinkled with tons of amazing quotes from the book, talk about mom.com, and much much more. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 297) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Can You Help Me?" by Olivia Jean. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available from BOA Editions. You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Due to an unforeseen illness, Chad and Brian ended up going this one alone, and focus mostly on the way that "the fact that" functions, both in building the character and impacting the reader. Chad asks Brian some craft questions, they debate what makes a book "difficult" (and whether this is difficult or just long), more talk about mothers (go moms!), the difficulties of raising children, a hierarchy of fears, Shirley Jackson and Rochester, "Daily Carry," and much more. If for nothing else, you should listen to hear them read aloud from the novel—it's a book that's perfectly suited for being read aloud. After you hear these quotes, you will definitely want to read the whole thing. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 231) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Run" by pronoun. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

The tenth season of the Two Month Review gets underway with special guest Dan Wells of Biblioasis talking about how they came to publish Lucy Ellmann's Ducks, Newburyport, and the risks involved in doing a 1,020-page book. They also introduce Ellmann--who has one of the greatest bios ever--and the novel itself. Conversation topics include: kidneys vs. cinnamon rolls, "torrent of consciousness" writing, catching your breath in a one-sentence novel, how much Chad loves moms, the role of memory in the text, the mountain lion sections, how funny and angry the book is all at once, and much more. If you haven't started the book, don't worry! This is a great introduction and the concept of "spoilers" doesn't really apply to a novel like this one.  If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 150) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Lucy" by Soccer Mommy, partly because it's a solid single, partly because it's called "Lucy," and partly because of this quote from Ducks, Newburyport: the fact that we pretend to be interested in soccer, for the kids’ sake, but it’s a real strain, sprain, the fact that all the other soccer moms and dads get so excited, while I just stand there getting cold, frozen, frozen out by the other moms as well, the fact that they always ask where Leo is, as if neither of us has anything better to do than watch little kids kick a ball around, the fact that the other moms and dads yell and cheer till they’re hoarse, the fact that it isn’t right, I don’t think, to make kids so competitive about things, the fact that we think the other parents are too involved, but they probably think we aren’t involved enough, Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

And just like that, season nine of the Two Month Review comes to an end. But first, we have a very nice discussion with Kjersti Skomsvold herself about Monsterhuman, trends in Norwegian writing, autofiction vs. creative nonfiction vs. memoir, authors to read, and much more. (Spoiler: She's just as interesting and charming in real life as she is in the novel.)  If you prefer to watch the show instead of just list, all of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel.  This week's music is "I Think That's Everything" by Imperial Teen. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker SHORTLIST!! This will kick off on YouTube on Monday, October 2nd, with the first podcast episode dropping a week from today.  Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Translator Becky Crook comes on this week's podcast to talk about the process of working on Monsterhuman, all the things that she couldn't quite get in there, ones she's very proud of, the reasons why she thinks the book works, and much much more! Only one episodee left! You can watch the Wednesday, September 25 episode on pgs 407-448 live on YouTube, or listen to it on Thursday the 26th. Also, all of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything. This week's music is "Forest Lawn" by Better Oblivion Community Center. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker SHORTLIST!! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This week, Brian is AWOL BUT Patrick Smith brings his A-game. He and Chad talk about the self-conscious humor in Monsterhuman, awkward interactions, the shape and evolution of the narrative as a whole, some info about The Faster I Walk, the Smaller I Am, and much more. A very fun episode that opened as awkwardly as ever . . .  Only two episodes left! And because Chad's going to be in London for a week, we'll be broadcasting one more episode on YouTube this week. (The audio podcast version will release as usual on Thursday 9/19.) That said, here are links to the final two YouTube streams: Thursday, September 12 (pgs 360-406), and Wednesday, September 25 (pgs 407-448). Also, all of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything. This week's music is "Rayrunner" by Hallelujah the Hills.  Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker SHORTLIST!! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores.  And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Although this episode isn't as funny as last week's discussion of "lay-down Sally," it does get into some of Brian's neuroses about his forthcoming book, which is entertaining. They talk a lot about Skomsvold's humor, about the creepy ways in which various photographers and interviewers treat her as a young female artist, and the bit where John O'Brien of Dalkey Archive Press makes an appearance. Focusing on aftermath of the publication of her novel The Faster I Walk, the Smaller I Am, "East of the River" is one of the most compelling sections of Monsterhuman and can be read on it's own. Even if you haven't read it, you'll definitely enjoy this podcast.  Only three episodes left! And because Chad's going to be in London for a week, we'll be broadcasting two episodes on YouTube next week. (The audio podcasts will release as usual on Thursday 9/12 and 9/19.) That said, here are links to the final three YouTube streams: Monday, September 9 (pgs 316-360), Thursday, September 12 (pgs 360-406), and then back to normal, with the final episode on Wednesday, September 25 (pgs 407-448). Also, all of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything.  Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker SHORTLIST!! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.  And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Caitlin Baker from Island Books joins Chad and Brian this week to talk about "The Herring Factory" from Kjersti Skomsvold's Monsterhuman. After a strong pitch for nominating Brian for "Best Local Author" in City Paper's annual Best of Rochester voting, they get into the book itself, talking about the meta-textual moment of Kjersti writing in the third-person and acknowledging it doesn't quite work, about the relationship with mentors, about whether or not the character is happy, about the sly humor found throughout this book, about her Harold Pinter dream, getting old, and much, much more. This week's music is "Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten. Next episode will cover pages 226-274 and will be livestreamed on YouTube next Wednesday. (All of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything.) You can find the complete reading schedule here. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also, follow Caitlin on Twitter, and buy some books from Island Books! And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Tom Flynn from Volumes opens up today's episode with a reading from Brian's first book, Joytime Killbox. Then, along with Chad, they break down the rest of "The Human School" from Monsterhuman, talk about how much they love Skomsvold's voice and sense of humor, look at the way in which she starts playing with first- and third-person narration in the opening bits of "The Herring Factory," and crap on Ben Lerner a little bit. Good fun!  This week's music is "Please Take Me With You" by Broken Social Scene. Next episode will cover pages 226-274 and will be livestreamed on YouTube next Wednesday. (All of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything.) You can find the complete reading schedule here. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also, follow Tom on Twitter, and buy some books from Volumes!  And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Even though the first few seconds ("On today's Two Month Review we'll be talking about . . . ") got cut off, Chad gives his most professional podcast introduction to date, before he and Brian talk about the Nansen Academy, the cyclical nature of chronic illness, the idea of plot points vs. events, and reasons their respective spouses would give for leaving them. (Maybe an all-time TMR highlight.)  This week's music is "Has It Hit You?" by The Regrettes. Next episode will cover pages 180-225 and will be livestreamed on YouTube next Wednesday. (All of our past episodes are available on our YouTube channel in case you want to catch up on anything.) You can find the complete reading schedule here. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And foll0w Marius on Instagram. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

In this episode, Chad and Brian applaud Kjersti for not getting back together with her ex-boyfriend, talk about circular structures, about the evolution of her written voice, about Antony and the Johnsons, the myth-making behind Babe Ruth, and much more.  This week's music is "Patterns Prevail" by Young Guv. Next episode will cover pages 144-180 and will be livestreamed on YouTube next Wednesday. You can find the complete reading schedule here. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And foll0w Marius on Instagram. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

One of the funniest TMR episodes in weeks, Chad and Brian crack each other up over writerly anxieties, the sharp wit Kjersti displays in this section, the White Claw Phenomenon, writer vs. author vs. journaler, Kjersti's distain for bad poetry (and TV) about chronic fatigue syndrome, pop culture references from the early-1990s, and much much more. They do also talk quite a bit about the book itself, how Skomsvold is creating a sort of narrative consciousness, the evolution of the book's voice (in lieu of a strong forward-moving plot), and other craft elements.  This week's music (maybe the music for the rest of the season?) is "Storyline Fever" by Purple Mountains. Next episode will cover pages 93-143 and will be livestreamed on YouTube next Wednesday. You can find the complete reading schedule here. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And foll0w Marius on Instagram. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

The new season of the Two Month Review starts here! Through the end of September we'll be discussing Kjersti Skomsvold's Monsterhuman, translated from the Norwegian by Becky L. Crook. Marius Hjeldnes from Cappelen Damm joins Chad and Brian to provide a bit of background on Skomsvold, on trends in Norwegian literature, on that whole "dice" thing, and much more. They cover the first three sections of the book, laying out the main themes and ideas that set-up this novel about a young woman suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, trying to rebuild her sense of self by becoming a writer. An incredibly interesting, episodic novel that you should be able to dive into, even if you don't read every page. This week's music comes directly from the opening sections, featuring some really tough songs: "Hole in the Head" by Sugababes and "Never Easy" by Kurt Nilsen. Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included, Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann, which was just named to the Booker Longlist. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And foll0w Marius on Instagram. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

We did it! Chad and Rachel Cardasco (with an assist from Tom Flynn of Volumes) talk about the last sections of Sjón's CoDex 1962. It's been quite the season and they bring it home in old school TMR style with a lot of Twin Peaks talk, many many digressions, acknowledging motifs and ideas that may or may not actually be in the text, and having a lot of fun. This is the most sci-fi section of the novel, which makes it a lot of fun. (THE ROBOTS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO TAKE OVER.)  Season 9 of the Two Month Review will kick off at the end of July and will feature Monsterhuman by Kjersti Skomsvold. Get your copy now! And Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included: Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests. And foll0w Rachel Cordasco on Twitter and at Speculative Fiction in Translation. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Things start to come clear in this penultimate episode of this season of the Two Month Review. We get a new story about Joséf's birth, along with some absolutely incredible writing by Sjón. Lots of parallels and mirroring in this section, and the discussion helps set up next week's conclusion.   The next episode will focus on the first eight chapters of this third volume (pages 345-406). The complete schedule can be found here. Season 9 of the Two Month Review will kick off at the end of July and will feature Monsterhuman by Kjersti Skomsvold. Get your copy now! And Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included: Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests.  And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

We're into the homestretch! Today episode, featuring special guest Katie Whittemore, kicks off the discussion of the third and final volume of Sjón's CoDex 1962, "I'm a Sleeping Door: A Science-Fiction Story." More origin myths in this volume, ranging from the epic and literary, to the mundane and realistic. A woman gives birth to a daughter made up of sperm from four men, and we get to see the fate of all four thousand Icelandic children born during 1962, many of whom have mutated. We find out who's been talking to whom and (kind of) why. And we find out about a mysterious geneticist. All of these threads are interwoven in a detailed, intricate way that Brian, Katie, and Chad unwind in a fun, intelligent ways.  The next episode will focus on the first eight chapters of this third volume (pages 345-406). The complete schedule can be found here. Season 9 of the Two Month Review will kick off at the end of July and will feature Monsterhuman by Kjersti Skomsvold. Get your copy now! And Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included: Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests. And you can read some of Katie Whittemore's translations here and here. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This week, Tobias Carroll joined Chad and Brian to talk about werewolves, puns that don't exactly work in translation, evil baseball card shop owners, weird Masonic rituals, Party Down South, and Fred Durst and John Travolta's The Fanatic. They also have a lot of praise for Sjón and the wild, fun nature of the second volume in CoDex 1962, and set up volume three: "I'm a Sleeping Door: A Science-Fiction Story." The next episode will focus on the first eight chapters of this third volume (pages 345-406). The complete schedule can be found here. Announcements! Season 9 of the Two Month Review will kick off at the end of July and will feature Monsterhuman by Kjersti Skomsvold. Get your copy now! And Season 10 will be the first English-language title to be included: Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests. And follow Tobias Carroll for information about all his writing, including his story in the forthcoming Dostoyevsky Wannabe anthology. And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

This week's episode covers a lot of ground, from disturbing American racism circa 1917 to codswallop; from werewolves to parliamentary fights, from ghosts to crime/heist narratives. It's a really fun episode that has a good take on this section of the book mixed with some really fun segues and digressions.  The next episode will focus on pages 303-344 (to the end of the second volume of the trilogy, "Iceland's Thousand Years"). The complete schedule can be found here. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests. And follow Hailey Dezort to improve your PetSmart reading series.  And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. And preorder Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann so that you're prepared for a future TMR. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.  

Chad and Brian break down the next few chapters of "Iceland's Thousand Years" by Sjón, which really set the plot in motion. They also talk about water, what it means to be an Icelander, how "bacon-eater" is an insult, Danes in general, myth-making, and much more.  The next episode will focus on pages 257-302 (all in the second volume of the trilogy, "Iceland's Thousand Years"). The complete schedule can be found here. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. And preorder Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann so that you're prepared for a future TMR. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Even without an expert to guide them, Chad and Brian dissect the end of the first volume of CoDex 1962, talking golems and tenderness, speculating about the film behind the narrator's eyes, evaluating origin myths (and their apocalyptic counterparts), and praising the overall narrative structure of "Thine Eyes Did See My Substance" and how the writing itself ramps up as the volume comes to an end. Plus, they compare chapter one from the first two volumes and find some great parallels.  The next episode will focus on pages 199-256 (all in the second volume of the trilogy, "Iceland's Thousand Years"). The complete schedule can be found here. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. And preorder Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann so that you're prepared for a future TMR. And be sure to check out Words Without Borders next month for an excerpt from Kári's novel. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

Kári Tulinius joins Chad and Brian this week and provides some incredibly valuable insight into the translation itself, connections to Iceland and to other writings, and much much more. This is one of the most difficult parts of the book to read, given the horrific actions of one of the characters, but also points toward some of the major themes in the trilogy.  And Brian's hatred of the name "Karl" turns out to be really justified . . .   As always, you can watch these episodes live on our YouTube channel the day before they’re released in podcast form. The next episode will focus on pages 156-197 (the end of "Thine Eyes Did See My Substance: A Love Story" and the first chapter of "Iceland's Thousand Years"). The complete schedule can be found here. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, Brian Wood, and Kári Tulinius for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. And preorder Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann so that you're prepared for a future TMR.  And be sure to check out Words Without Borders next month for an excerpt from Kári's novel.  You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.  

Chad's just back from a 7 hour train ride. Brian is inebriated. Tom Flynn is . . . Tom Flynn? It's a classic episode of the Two Month Review about horny avenging angels, chamber pot dumps, how many books actually last for a hundred years, the name "Karl," whatever Bumble is, and much more. A fun, loose podcast about a brilliant books.  As always, you can watch these episodes live on our YouTube channel the day before they’re released in podcast form. The next episode will focus on pages 110-155 (chapters 12-15 of "Thine Eyes Did See My Substance: A Love Story"). The complete schedule can be found here. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, Brian Wood, and ' for more thoughts on Sjón and literature in general, and for information about upcoming guests And be sure to preorder Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is coming out this fall from BOA Editions. And preorder Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann so that you're prepared for a future TMR. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.