A Literary Podcast for the Novel Individual
The podcast goes back to literature as Grant and Sam discuss the giant of science fiction epics: Dune by Frank Herbert. We know this one is much anticipated and the panel doesn’t hold back with the book, the controversial David Lynch film adaptation, or the 2000 miniseries.
If you have yet to read the novel, it is highly recommended that you do so before listening to this episode, because – A. Spoilers and B. You will probably find yourself completely lost.
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“Isolationism is deeply stupid.” So says Sam in this special episode in which he talks to Grant about three books: Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson, Running the World by David Rothkopf, and How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks. He uses these books as a starter course in foreign policy from the end of World War II to the present day – including where we should go from here, because if we are to be informed citizens we have to know these things.
We promise next episode will be back to literature.
PS: Sam has since read Doomed to Succeed by Dennis Ross and highly recommends it. He would also like us to add A Problem From Hell by Samantha Power & George F. Kennan by John Lewis Gaddis to his list, if you’re so inclined.
PPS The quote “You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.” is attributed Leon Trotsky.
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On this episode of Infinite Gestation, Pat and Sam are joined by frequent guest and now permanent panelist Matt Bird (which means I no longer have to type his last name) to discuss White Noise by Don DeLillo. Published in 1985, it has quickly become a classic postmodern novel. The panel discusses the major themes of the work including modern media, the family, consumerism, and the fear of death. Quick! Death is coming! Better learn to deal with it.
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Smuggled stories from North Korea – On this episode, recorded when the panel was giddy over the French election results, Pat and Sam delve into the recently published short stories of Bandi.
The pseudonym of an unknown North Korean author (which means firefly), Bandi wrote the stories at great personal risk. They were smuggled out of the country by others and have now been published in English as “The Accusation”. The panel discusses their favorites of the stories, the work’s damning portrayal of the North Korean government, and the steps taken to protect the identity of this dissident writer, offering us the first fiction from someone still living in the country.
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Infinite Gestation goes contemporary in this episode featuring John Darnielle’s debut novel, Wolf in White Van, nominated for the National Book Award in 2014. Though many know Darnielle as singer-songwriter and member of The Mountain Goats, he is making a well received foray into fiction. His first novel is in no way a vanity project and despite some flaws, stands as a fine specimen of a freshman novel.
His sophomore effort Universal Harvester was released in February of this year.
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Pat reads Jazz, Sam reads Beloved, they discuss both! Departing from the usual format, this episode features both novels by Toni Morrison in a discussion exploring the work of one of American literature’s greatest icons. Highlights include some comparisons to the film Beloved starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover as well as Sam’s definition of magical realism.
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Pat and Sam are joined by guest Matt Bird in an episode returning to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. With the success of the series on Hulu, and certain recent political developments, Atwood’s frightening vision of the future has attained a new place in the public consciousness. In this episode the panel compares the novel to the television series and discusses the odd choice of music, the wisdom of softening Gilead’s racist ideology, and the casting of talented actors who are younger than their book counterparts. Check out the earlier “Atwood’s Dystopia” episode from November 2015 in which only the novel is discussed for further commentary on Margaret Atwood’s new classic.
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In an era whereby journalism (and facts in general) have become increasingly important, Scoop reminds us that though the methods, means and technology of news collection and distribution have changed drastically, the story essentially remains the same. This biting satire exposes the timeless woes of sensationalist journalism via a collection of rag tag foreign correspondents living it up in (the fictional East African state of) Ishmaelia. Amid games of ping pong, plenty of drinking and pursuing the occasional newsworthy happening, the journalists essentially await a war that may or may not ever occur. Hilarity ensues.
Lovers of Monty Python, this book is for you. Oh yeah, and Evelyn Waugh is a man.
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Infinite Gestation welcomes special guest Matt Bird for a discussion on Southern Gothic Literature, and more specifically, three short stories by Flannery O’Connor. “Good Country People”, “Everything that Rises Must Converge” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” all exhibit the craft of a master short story writer at work, while further confirming that the author left us far too soon. These stories take a dark look at the post-bellum American South, with all its complexities. Questions emerge regarding the strange nature of evil, institutional racism, and religion’s place within one’s world view. The presence of O’Connor’s influence can be felt in many places, though it can be seen most recently throughout the work of the Coen Brothers (many of their story-telling sensibilities stand firmly in her shadow).
With two novels and two collections of short stories, the body of Flannery O’Connor’s work can be consumed in a relatively short time. We highly recommend that you do so, and sooner rather than later.
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The long-awaited Shakespeare episode has finally arrived! In this episode the panel delves into the question and the many theories of: who was Shakespeare?
Questions as to Shakespeare’s true identity are not new. Over the decades, scholars and enthusiasts alike have presented a wide range of theories to satisfy those who remain unconvinced that William Shakespeare was not simply a man from Stratford-upon-Avon. The Shakespeare authorship question runs the spectrum from informed academic scholarship down to wild conspiracy theories (not unlike those surrounding the case of Jack the Ripper) and in many cases, best filed alongside pop culture urban legends such as posthumous sightings of Elvis Presley and the Paul McCartney Death Hoax. A core group of five alternative candidates (Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford – Christopher Marlowe – Francis Bacon – William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby & Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland) has emerged as the most popular, for various reasons.
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It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis made a sudden and dramatic climb on bestseller lists in late fall 2016. Parts of the novel bear some uncanny similarities to the 2016 election –– Donald Trump in particular can be seen vividly in character of Buzz Windrip, demagogue and presidential candidate. Published in 1935 during the rise of fascism in Europe, Lewis’ novel imagines how the United States of America might become seduced by a man promising great things while quickly transitioning the country into a fascist dictatorship.
Though not without its flaws, the book is well worth a read –– especially in light of current events offering it more weight than it had at its initial publication. Many of the parallels are striking.
Stay vigilant.
This episode is part of our Dystopian Novel Series.
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