Books & Beer

In a departure from normal, Sarah Argodale visits us from Washington DC to discuss Hillary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, as well as meet our dog. (Mainly for the dog.) If you’re wondering what the hell is up with the title and opening, this episode was a tribute to the Idle Book Club, which will be running an episode on Wolf Hall in a few months. It was great to have Sarah for a visit, and we’re scheming on ways to get her onto the show in the future. Stay tuned! Books Mentioned: Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel Dogs Mentioned:

In this episode, Greg goes solo to talk about Gravity’s Rainbow—one of the most important works of postwar literature, and a really confusing novel. We’re just about ready to record our next regular episode covering Warlock by Oakley Hall, but with Clarissa buried under a pile of grad school work at the moment, I’ll talk about my most recent read to tide you over. Gravity’s Rainbow was a hell of an experience in every sense, and I hope this latest episode gives you a good sense of what you’re getting into. Books mentioned: Gravity’s Rainbow and The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon Infinite Jest, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, and Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace Ulysses by James Joyce Sites mentioned: The Idle Book Club

We’re discussing Cormac McCarthy’s first novel The Orchard Keeper, and try to pin down what makes him one of the most distinctive writers working today. This one took a long time to edit together thanks to cross-mic echoes during recording, but I think it might be our strongest episode yet. Let us know what you think! If you’re hungry for more book discussion, I’d highly recommend the Idle Book Club, which just released an episode on Chabon’s Telegraph Avenue that was the occasion for my read-through. Books Mentioned: The Orchard Keeper and The Road by Cormac McCarthy Annals of the Former World by John McPhee Serena by Ron Rash Spillover by David Quammen The Hot Zone by Richard Preston Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Let’s Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson

We’re back! After a long break, we discuss Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections. Does it hold up ten years later? Books Mentioned: The Corrections and Freedom by Jonathan Franzen Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

Clarissa and Greg debate YA Literature: Clarissa on the pro side, Greg on the con. But they take a break from fighting to both praise the graphic novel From Hell. Books Mentioned: The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins The Fault in our Stars by John Green A bunch of other YA books by Madeline L’Engle, Lois Lowry, and others From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell Pages Mentioned: Joel Stein arguing “Adults Should Read Adult Books” The Useless Mug 2 Lads Winery Cabernet Franc Rose

Greg convinced Clarissa to read a book about Russian literature, and now they’re teaming up to try and convince you too! Books Mentioned: The Possessed by Elif Batuman Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier Reporting by David Remnick Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin The Marrowbone Marlow Company by Glen Taylor Wittgenstein’s Mistress by David Markson Illuminations by Walter Benjamin River of Shadows by Rebecca Solnit Pages Mentioned: Elif Batuman’s favorite Russian literature

Clarissa talks with Greg about one of her favorite authors, Alice Munro, as they try to pin down what makes her short stories special. Books mentioned Selected Stories and Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro Let’s Talk About Love by Carl Wilson Wasted by Marya Hornbacher The Marrowbone Marble Company by Glenn Taylor Feminism is for Everybody by bell hooks The Terror Dream by Susan Faludi

Greg and Clarissa talk about the essays in John Jeremiah Sullivan’s Pulphead, and have to use a spoiler-warning for one polarizing piece. Books mentioned Pulphead by John Jeremiah Sullivan River of Shadows by Rebecca Solnit West of Here by Jonathan Evison Chasing the Flame by Samantha Power Bloodroot by Amy Green Inverted World by Christopher Priest The Trouble with Science by Lee Smolin Pages mentioned Pictures of Tennessee cave art Kottke’s “human wormholes” Greg’s tweet quoting Marc Livengood 

Clarissa tries to convince Greg that The World According to Garp is a good novel, and that John Irving’s a great author. Books mentioned The World According to Garp, A Widow for One Year, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and Until I Find You by John Irving The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera The Years of Lyndon Johnson including Master of the Senate and Means of Ascent by Robert A. Caro Inside Apple by Adam Lashinsky The Road by Cormac McCarthy Pages mentioned John Irving’s recurring themes

Greg hates on A Visit from the Goon Squad, while Clarissa tries to find out why he doesn’t generally like fiction as much as non-fiction. Books Discussed, Mentioned, or Disparaged A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by David Foster Wallace Franny and Zoey by JD Salinger The Known World by Edward P. Jones Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith The Years of Lyndon Johnson, including A Path to Power and Means of Ascent by Robert A. Caro Before the Storm and Nixonland by Rick Perlstein River of Shadows by Rebecca Solnit