interviews/art talk/Russian poems from painter/writer Dmitry Samarov ——theme music by Bill MacKay ——a new one most Wednesdays.

I talk to Nathan Knapp about Schopenhauer and related matters.

I read a few pages from Nathan Knapp's forthcoming, Schopenhauer.

I read William Gass's great 1968 story.

A recording of the book-release for a new illustrated version of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury at Tangible Books on Saturday, July 18th, with publisher Mallory Smart and designer Dmitry Samarov.

A few pages of Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury on the occasion of the publication of a new illustrated edition.

A talk with the musician Chris Connelly about only a few of his many, many projects, starting with Fini Tribe and ending with Catholics Against Architecture, but barely even scratching the surface...

I talk to Donna Knezek about her start in the restaurant business and how she ran legendary Chicago eateries like Leo's Lunchroom, Bite Cafe, and Feed.

A recording of the book-release party for Ornery Cuss by Krystle Ratticus at Tangible Books, June 20, 2026. Readings by Nathan Hoks, Westley Heine, and the author; hosted by Dmitry Samarov.

A talk with Colin Asher about his new book, The Midnight Special. Read my review of his biography of Nelson Algren here.

A talk with Krystle Ratticus about her new book. Order yours here.

Krystle Ratticus reads "Bucket of Pig's Blood" and Dmitry Samarov reads "Dust Jackets" at Tangible Books, March 5th, 2026.

A recording of the book-release of a new illustrated edition of Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, featuring publisher Mallory Smart and designer Dmitry Samarov at Tangible Books on February 14th, 2026.

A talk with writer Sam Bodrojan about writing, film, the internet, and lots more.

An excerpt from Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker.

A talk with writer/artist John Tottenham about his work. Read my review of his novel, Service, here.

I read a poem from Philip Levine's 1979 collection, Ashes.

A talk with programmer/projectionist/wearer-of-many-hats Rebecca Lyon about the work she does with Chicago Film Society and how she got into the movies, with occasional commentary from her colleague, Tavi Veraldi.

A talk with writer/indexer/editor June Skinner Sawyers about her many interests in the literary racket.

A talk with writer Alexander Sorondo about his epic William T. Vollmann profile, the even longer new Mark Danielewski one, Substack, Miami, and more.

A talk with Krystle Ratticus about zines, art, writing, Chicago, and the rest of it.

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.

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.