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A talk with Chicago/New York writer Ben Tanzer about his After Hours book and a lot more.

A talk between publisher Mallory Smart and designer Dmitry Samarov on the occasion of the release of a new illustrated edition of Herman Melville's classic by Maudlin House. The event took place at Tangible Books in Chicago on May 10th, 2025.

I read the title poem from a 1994 Denis Johnson collection.

A talk with writer Nathan Knapp. Read my review of Daybook and listen to me read its first few pages and, most importantly, buy yourself a copy!

I read the first few pages of Nathan Knapp's Daybook.

A talk with writer Avner Landes about his forthcoming novel, The Delegation, and other matters. Preorder the new book and read my review of his first one.

I read the title story from Carver's great book.

A conversation between Dmitry Samarov and Jasmon Drain about Samarov's Making Pictures is How I Talk to the World at Tangible Books in Chicago, 8/24/24.

A talk with writer Eugene Marten about the re-release of Layman's Report and other matters.

A talk with artist/writer Maggie Umber about her nearly-wordless book, Chrysanthemum Under the Waves.

A couple pages from Eugene Marten's Layman's Report. Background music by Emily Robb.

A wide-ranging talk with novelist/screenwriter Bruce Wagner. Order his new book and read my review of his previous one.

I read an essay Willem De Kooning wrote in 1950 that is included in a tiny book I bought from the collection of Tom Verlaine.

A talk with Scott Schaaf about growing up in the Quad Cities and ending up in Chicago to eventually open his great record store, Pinwheel Records, in Pilsen.

A hundred-seventy-nine-line list from Georges Perec's Life: A User's Manual that is a kind of skeleton key or cheat sheet for the whole book.

A talk with Lucy Sante about her new memoir, a lifetime of writing, and her unexpected newfound fame.

Skyler Rowe interviews Dmitry Samarov about childhood, art, and the rest of it.

A talk with artist Katherine Eremia about growing up in the South, coming up to Chicago, and a whole lot more.

A talk with writer/podcaster/lover of remote locales, Tyler Dempsey. Read my review of his novel, Will We All Still See Each Other Afterward.

A few more pages from Georges Perec's Life: A User's Manual.

I read the intro to Georges Perec's 1978 novel.

I read the first few pages from George V. Higgins' The Friends of Eddie Coyle and John Fante's Wait Until Spring, Bandini.

I read a story from Juan Rulfo's A Plain in Flames.

The first couple pages from a new translation of Juan Rulfo's 1955 novel.

The fifth conversation in an ongoing series about one woman's childhood.

The first few pages from Renata Adler's Speedboat.

A few pages from Benjamin Labatut's The Maniac.

A talk with writer Mallory Smart about her forthcoming book. Preorder it here.

Another installment in the story of one woman's childhood.

The story of one woman's childhood continues.

The second in a series of conversations about one woman's childhood.

The first in a series of conversations about one woman's childhood.

A recording of a book-release event at Tangible Books on September 16, 2023, featuring Mallory Smart and Annie Howard.

A short reading from Don DeLillo's "Mao II" in honor of my own book-release.

I read a story by Bonnie Jo Campbell from her 2009 collection, "American Salvage".

A talk with artist and wearer of many hats Stan Klein.

A talk with Joe Judd about starting Myopic Books, moving away, then coming back and establishing Tangible Books in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. Read my article about Tangible here.

A talk with illustrator/artist Johnny Sampson about the art racket, comics, music, and the whole kit and caboodle.

A talk with poet Mark Turcotte about his youth in North Dakota and Michigan, his various jobs, and ending up a professor of literature at DePaul University in Chicago.

My mom tells me the recipe for poppyseed roll that her mother-in-law taught her. (in Russian)

A few pages from Olga Tokarczuk's The Books of Jacob.

A talk with Matt Grimm about his quarter-life crisis.

A talk in Russian with my father about his childhood, his love of nature, and the roots of his interest in literature.

A talk in Russian with my mother about her childhood, work in hospital, and early loves.

Practice readings for a performance at Comfort Station on 4/20/23 with music by Keefe Jackson, Aram Shelton, and Jeb Bishop. Background music by The Dwarfs of East Agouza. More posters...

A report from my personal Yom Kippur. Art by Toni LaSelle.

A talk with Chicago writer Jasmon Drain. Read my review of his book, which led to our becoming friends.

I talk with artist/dancer/choreographer/human Wendy Clinard about her circuitous route through the creative landscape.

A talk with painter John Salhus about his new art space, Buena Vista Projects, in the East Side neighborhood of Chicago.

I read another story from Alla Gorbunova's It's the End of the World, My Love in Russian.

A long talk with musician/artist Mark Shippy about U.S. Maple and many other things under the sun.