The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life

On this week’s show, I talk to Vanessa Blakeslee about what Aristotle's Poetics can teach us about fiction writing today,

Vanessa Blakeslee

Aristotle 3

Plus Kevin Bray writes about reading John Gardner's On Becoming a Novelist.

Kevin Bray

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Poetics

High Before Homeroom

The Roaring Girl

The Blind AssassinSuccess

On Becoming a Novelist

NOTES

This new project--discussing relevant books about the craft of storytelling--is a continuation of a long defunct feature of the show. Two years ago, Jaroslav Kalfaƙ and I discussed Stephen King's On Writing on episode 6 and John Gardner's The Art of Fiction on episode 2.

Quoting George Orwell in an shockingly Orwellian way, Amazon has undertaken a weird counter-compaign to the Authors United movement, according to David Streitfield in The TimesCheck out the statement from Authors United that led to this counter-campaign.

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_112.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 6:20pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to the Trio Award-winner Iris Jamahl Dunkle,

Iris Jamahl Dunkle

plus Jeffrey Ethan Lee reads his essay, "The Poet's Mother's Deathbed Conversion" at Fergie's Pub in Philadelphia.

Jeffrey Lee

Books Discussed

Gold Passage

Jack London LoA NOTES

If in Philly, check out the Moonstone Poetry Series, at Fergie's Pub.

My friends Jared Silvia and Ryan Rivas are new hosting a new show, Functionally Literate Radio, on WPRK.

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_111.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 1:46pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to Ryan Rivas and Nathan Holic about the publication of Forget How You Found Us: 15 Views of Orlando, Volume III,

Nathan and Ryan

plus I share readings from stories by Karen Best, Matt Peters, and Jonathan Kosik from the collection.

KarenBest04med

Matt Peters 2

Jonathan Kosik

TEXTS DISCUSSED

15 Views Volume III

NOTES

Learn about the great youth programs offered by Page 15 in Orlando.

Amazon is having a bad quarter, according to The New York Times.

Next month, Third Man Books, the new print publishing wing of Third Man Records, will release an anthology called Language Lessons, Volume 1.

Quentin Tarantino will be filming The Hateful Eight after all, according to Kurt Russell and the L.A. Times.

Check out the amazing surf rock revival of The Bambi Molesters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=expdxldXIa4

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_110.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 5:32pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to writer, teacher, and advocate Pauline Hawkins,

plus Caitlin McDonnell writes about discovering her urge to teach, from a night spent in jail, in "The Capacity of Language to Make Us Less Alone."

Caitlin McDonnell

NOTES

Harper Lee has contested any participation or approval in Marja Mills's new biography of her, according to The Guardian.

To learn more about Pauline Hawkins' radical way of teaching George Orwell's Animal Farm, read her blog here.

This episode proudly features the music of The Intoxicators.

 
Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_109.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 1:26pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to the publisher of Beating Windward Press, Matt Peters,

Matt Peters

Plus Stephen Scully writes a memoir essay about meeting two baseball legends.

Stephen Scully

TEXTS DISCUSSED

American Fraternity Man

boat girl

The Snuff SyndicateLeaving Little HavanaDoc Voodoo Aces and EightsDoc Voodoo Crossfire

NOTES

The British children's book author Allan Ahlberg refused a lifetime achievement award due to its being sponsored by Amazon, according to The Guardian.

 

 

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_108.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 4:05pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to the fiction writer Boris Fishman,

Photo by Rob Liguori
Photo by Rob Liguori

Plus Lisa Korthals shares her essay about reading Lolita as a child.

Lisa Korthals

TEXTS DISCUSSED

A Replacement Life

Lolita

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_107.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 11:07am EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to the poet and essayist Nicole Callihan,

Nicole Callihan

plus Maureen Vance writes about Jane Eyre.

Maureen Vance

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Superloop

NOTES

According to The Guardian, British publishers and the Society for Authors (a trade union for UK writers) are trying to push back against Amazon’s fierce demands for more power in the book industry. They liken Amazon's terms to a form of "assisted suicide."

According to The Times, Barnes and Noble will spin off its Nook division as a separate company from its traditional bookseller endeavors.

Carlton Melton's "Spiderwebs" accompanies Maureen Vance's "Jane and Me." This song is available on the album Always Even.

Carlton Melton Always Even

The Tequila Worms have generously offered their album Cantina as a free download.

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_106.mp3
Category:Writing -- posted at: 2:03pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to fiction writer and memoirist-extraordinaire Alden Jones,

Alden Jonesplus Peter Demarco writes about discovering Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

Peter Demarco


TEXTS DISCUSSED

Unaccompanied Minors

The Blind Masseuse

To Kill a Mockingbird

Orientalism

NOTES

According to The Guardian, Salman Rushdie has won the PEN/Pinter award for 2014.

Also according to The Guardian, Quentin Tarantino and Matt Wagner will collaborate on a Django/Zorro crossover comic book.

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_105.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 2:00pm EDT

On this bonus episode, I guide listeners through a lovely tour of Ulysses on today, which is Bloomsday.

Bloomsday 2014 Poster

TEXT DISCUSSED

ulysses-james-joyce

NOTES

Check out Black 47's music here, or wherever you buy music. "I Got Laid on James Joyce's Grave" appears on Trouble in the Land.

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_104.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:55pm EDT

On this week’s show, I talk to the fiction writer and poet Alan Michael Parker,

Alan Michael Parker

Plus Andrew Gretes offers his "Ode to Zorba."

Andrew Gretes

TEXTS DISCUSSED

The Committee on Town Happiness

Long Division

Zorba the Greek

NOTES

Davis Sedaris talked about the Amazon/Hachette battle to Parnassus Books, a bookstore in Tennessee. 

Direct download: The_Drunken_Odyssey_Episode_103.mp3
Category:Arts/Culture/Writing -- posted at: 10:42pm EDT