Podcasts about easy chair

Phil's Easy Chair 

Last week we were joined in the bookshop by Hari Kunzru, whose new novel Blue Ruin is a deeply unsettling, and intensely thought provoking reflection on the impact capital has on people, but also on art, and those who create it. It is the perfect final instalment—alongside White Tears and Red Pill—in Hari Kunzru's own trois couleurs —a loose trilogy that has taken the temperature of our modern world, and found it to be profoundly unwell.Buy Blue Ruin here: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/blue-ruin*HARI KUNZRU is the author of six novels, Red Pill, White Tears, Gods Without Men, My Revolutions, Transmission, and The Impressionist. He is a regular contributor to The New York Review of Books and writes the “Easy Chair” column for Harper's Magazine. He is an Honorary Fellow of Wadham College Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and has been a Cullman Fellow at the New York Public Library, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Fellow of the American Academy in Berlin. He teaches in the Creative Writing Program at New York University and is the host of the podcast Into the Zone, from Pushkin Industries. He lives in Brooklyn.Adam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company. His latest novel, Beasts of England, a sequel of sorts to Animal Farm, is available now. Buy a signed copy here: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/beasts-of-englandListen to Alex Freiman's latest EP, In The Beginning: https://open.spotify.com/album/5iZYPMCUnG7xiCtsFCBlVa?si=h5x3FK1URq6SwH9Kb_SO3w Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hari Kunzru is the author of the novel Blue Ruin, available from Knopf. Kunzru is the author of six other novels, Red Pill, White Tears, Gods Without Men, My Revolutions, Transmission, and The Impressionist. The recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the American Academy in Berlin, and the Cullman Center at the New York Public Library, he is a regular contributor to The New York Review of Books and writes the "Easy Chair" column for Harper's Magazine. He lives in Brooklyn and teaches in the Creative Writing Program at New York University. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Subscribe to Brad Listi's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Twitter Instagram  TikTok Bluesky Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're tearing down the yoga stereotypes and showing you how EVERY body can get into those zen vibes, no mat or floor required! Dive deep with us as Dawn spills the tea on how chair yoga and Yoga Nidra are changing the game. Imagine finding your balance and hitting the refresh button on your mind... all while seated or lying down! Whether in your office chair, on your cozy couch, or chilling in your garden, yoga's magical benefits are just a breath away. From Dawn's own yoga journey to her passion for making yoga a universal love language, this chat is packed with laughs, insights, and a ton of "Aha!" moments. Plus, she's got some super practical tips to weave these practices into your day-to-day, making wellness not just a goal but a delightful habit.

A Word of Encouragement with Vicky Mutchler is heard at 11:30 AM Central Time on Faith Music Radio. You can follow Mrs. Vicky by joining the On a Positive Note Facebook group.

EPISODE 1907: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to the novelist and Harper's magazine columnist Hari Kunzru, about our nostalgia for vinyl records and the reappearance of ethnic nationalism in Italy.HARI KUNZRU is the author of six novels, Red Pill, White Tears, Gods Without Men, My Revolutions, Transmission, and The Impressionist. He is a regular contributor to The New York Review of Books and writes the “Easy Chair” column for Harper's Magazine. He is an Honorary Fellow of Wadham College Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and has been a Cullman Fellow at the New York Public Library, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Fellow of the American Academy in Berlin. He teaches in the Creative Writing Program at New York University and is the host of the podcast Into the Zone, from Pushkin Industries. He lives in Brooklyn.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.

Uneasy Easy Chair

Today we're rerunning an episode from 2018 featuring two interviews with Harper's Magazine's former New Books columnist, Lidija Haas, and with our current Easy Chair columnist Rachel Kushner. Listen in advance of our event tonight at the Center for Fiction, “What Happened to Gen X?,” which will see Harper's editor Christopher Beha in conversation with his generational peers Rachel Kushner and Ethan Hawke as they explore the question at the center of our September issue. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee—and Brett Kavanaugh's irate response—was an excruciating bit of political theater, complete with righteous speeches from both sides of the aisle. (It also proved to be not much more than spectacle, as Kavanaugh was sworn in as an associate justice earlier this week.) Nevertheless, the event illustrated how we are socialized to perform and understand gender, race, and class. In this episode, New Books columnist Lidija Haas joined Harper's web editor Violet Lucca to discuss a handful of recent publications that deal with these issues: Lacy M. Johnson's The Reckonings, Rebecca Traister's Good and Mad, and Kristen M. Ghoddsee's Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism. In the second segment, Rachel Kushner, the author of The Mars Room and Telex From Cuba joined Lucca to discuss an essay she wrote that was included in the October 2018 issue's Readings section, pulled from her memories of the late Nineties New York art world. Subscribe to Harper's for only $16.97: harpers.org/save “Learning to Wait,” Rachel Kushner's latest column for the October issue of Harper's: https://harpers.org/archive/2023/10/learning-to-wait/ Rachel Kushner's latest book, The Hard Crowd: Essays 2000–2020: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Hard-Crowd/Rachel-Kushner/9781982157708 Lidija Haas in the Harper's archive: https://harpers.org/author/lidijahaas/ Lidija Haas's review of Rebecca Traister's Good and Mad for Bookforum: https://www.bookforum.com/print/2503/rebecca-traister-s-case-for-feminist-rage-20155 “Red Letter Days,” Rachel Kushner's 2018 essay on the late Nineties New York art world: https://harpers.org/archive/2018/10/red-letter-days/ “What Happened to Gen X?”, our event tonight at the Center for Fiction: https://centerforfiction.org/event/the-center-for-fiction-and-harpers-magazine-present-what-happened-to-gen-x/

In this episode we answer a loooooong email from Kevin.   We discuss how to use backtesting and Monte Carlo simulations and how they related to safe and perpetual withdrawal rates, classic and modified Risk Parity-style portfolios, assorted variables and metrics, sizing allocations, Kevin's overall portfolio.  And conclude with Monty Python and Kevin singing.And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the seven sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio.Additional links:Early Retirement Now Toolbox with Over 100 Years of Data:  An Updated Google Sheet DIY Withdrawal Rate Toolbox (SWR Series Part 28) - Early Retirement NowRay Dalio Holy Grail Principle Video:  Ray Dalio breaks down his "Holy Grail" - YouTubeMichael Kitces Risk Parity Article:  Microsoft Word - Kitces Report November-December 2013 - RISK PARITY - FINALBill Bernstein TIPS Ladder Article:  Riskless at Age 104 - Articles - Advisor PerspectivesWealth of Common Sense Article re the Epidemic of Over-saving:  You Probably Need Less Money Than You Think For Retirement - A Wealth of Common SenseWalk4McKenna Sign-up Page:  Walk4McKenna - Father McKenna CenterSupport the show

Well, this is it: the very, very, last episode of Adobe & Teardrops. It's been a great 5-year run, but fear not! The blog will continue. In honor of Adobe & Teardrops' 10th anniversary, here's a super episode of the unsung heroes of Americana's development into a commercial genre with special thanks to Tucker Riggleman, Gabe di Chiara, Farce the Music, and Dirt Reynolds for their suggestions. Here are all the places mentioned in the podcast: Adobe & Teardrops fundraiser for Never Again Action Miss my co-host Von? Check out his art at TV Artworks. Here's my episode of One Hit History about Cowboy Mouth Track list: Paul Sanchez/Cowboy Mouth -- "Light It on Fire" (Word of Mouth) (04:58) 2. Glossary -- "A Shoulder to Cry On" (Long Live All Of Us) (07:01) 3. Porter and the Bluebonnett Rattlesnakes -- "Your Hometown" (Don't Go Baby, It's Gonna Get Weird Without You) (11:12) 4. Audra Mae -- "The Real Thing" (Audra May and the Almighty Sound) (15:13) 5. Joseph Plunket & The Weight -- "Grand Street" (Nowhere Now) (18:08) 6. Drag the River -- "Here's to the Losers" (Drag the River) (24:58) 7. Lenny & The Piss-Poor Boys -- "Cambridgeport Salloon" (Lenny & The Piss-Poor Boys) (28:39) 8. Prison Book Club -- "Too Much Livin'" (Prison Book Club) (31:42) 9. Becky Warren -- "Stay Calm Get Low" (War Surplus) (35:27) 10. Have Gun, Will Travel -- "Spirit of Discovery" (Science From an Easy Chair) (39:32) 11. Robyn Ludwick -- "Out of these Blues" (YouTube) (45:08) 12. Ha Ha Tonka -- "Lessons" (Lessons) (49:09) 13. The Trishas -- "Mother of Invention" (High, Wide, and Handsome) (53:42) 14. Arliss Nancy -- "Abacus" (Truckstop Roses) (57:24) 15. The Pollies -- "Something New" (Where the Lies Begin) (1:01:26) 16. Two Cow Garage -- "No Shame" (III) (1:07:44) The best way to keep up with me and my upcoming Rainbow Rodeo podcast is to sign up for the newsletter -- and click the button twice! To financially support Rainbow Rodeo, you can donate through the Rainbow Rodeo website, or sign up to the Patreon -- you'll only be charged when the zine is ready to print, twice a year.

The Met gala, theater kids, gym characters, nudity, and "Jocko Homo" by Christina Rees on the 'Texas When I Die' Substack. Relevant article: https://texaswhenidie.substack.com/p/jocko-homo?utmsource=%2Fprofile%2F9349751-christina-rees&utmmedium=reader2&s=r

In this episode we read a novella from Karen about how she is constructing her Golden Ratio-style retirement portfolio.   Then we review expense and budgeting considerations, asset locations in multiple accounts, drawing down on a portfolio with ten-year IRAs and the basic options for managing asset sales and distributions.  And a bit on REITs to boot!Fear?  That's the other retiree's problem!Episode 160, where we answered Karen's initial question:  Podcast 160| Risk Parity RadioSupport the show (https://www.riskparityradio.com/support)

Mike Pence is a pedophile who has been replaced by a clone. But Mike Pence also had the power to reject Electoral College votes and overturn the 2020 presidential election results. In April 2020, the U.S. military liberated 35,000 sexually abused children from hidden tunnels beneath Central Park. There's a video of Huma Abedin and Hillary Clinton ritually killing a child for its adrenochrome. The pandemic isn't real, and Bill Gates has created a vaccine that will change your DNA and control your mind. This is just a sample of QAnon supporters' many beliefs, some of which openly contradict each other. As Hari Kunzru observes in the January issue of Harper's Magazine, QAnon is less concerned with finding the root cause of society's purported ills than it is with laying out, in ever more intricate terms and with ever more involved symbols, how entrenched those ills are. If the guesswork and speculation surrounding the Kennedy assassination provides a benchmark of popular American suspicion, then Q has “the feel of something new, a blob of unreason against which the Kennedy narrative seems quaint, almost genteel,” Kunzru writes. Various preconditions figure into the rise of Q at this historical moment—the aesthetics of contemporary political theater, the accelerant nature of the internet—but beneath them all is a human yearning for simplicity, for an incomprehensible world to make sense according to our preferred terms. In this episode, Violet Lucca talks with Kunzru, a novelist and Harper's new Easy Chair columnist, about the antecedents and present-day mechanics of QAnon. They discuss the myths of its origins, its fraught internal logic, and its “impoverished understanding of how power actually works.” Read Kunzru's column here: https://harpers.org/archive/2021/01/complexity-qanon-conspiracy-theories/ This episode was produced by Violet Lucca and Andrew Blevins

Welcome to the first episode of the new Chalcedon Podcast hosted by Chalcedon leaders Mark Rushdoony, Martin Selbrede, and Andrea Schwartz. Years ago—before podcasting was—Chalcedon published a regular discussion-based audio series entitled “The Easy Chair.” We're excited to bring back a new version of that format in the digital age. Learn more about the Chalcedon Foundation at http://chalcedon.edu

WILDERNESS: From the Cozy Prayer Easy Chair to the Humility of the Floor.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's Family Mad Libs. From our vacation spot in The Hamptons, we play a spirited game of Mad Libs, World's Greatest Word Game ™. The story we fill in the blanks on is “Let's Dance”. Joining me is my entire fam- husband Sam, daughter Hannah, son Jake and his wife Jillian Vogel, daughter Rachael and her husband Will Goldstein, daughter Sarah, daughter Eliza and her BF and BFF Dan Licata, and son Micah. It's hilarious and spontaneous and entirely unedited. Some of the word choices are questionable at best. We laugh a whole lot. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be a Hurwitz- well, tune in and join the family. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's a reprise of “The Gift of the Magi,” the classic short story by O. Henry. This small sweet gem of a tale is generally considered a Christmas story, as well as the iconic illustrative example of irony. I would challenge the limits of these descriptions. This story about love and sacrifice is relevant for any time of year, and the lessons it imparts are not tied to faith, but shared humanity. O. Henry's story tells what it means to love and sacrifice, and champions the notion that what really, really matters in this world can't be bought or sold. This has been a week where we could all use some harmony and healing, and replaying this story on the podcast felt, to me, like the most magical, restorative gift I could think of for my listeners. Enjoy. Questions? Comments? Are you a writer or fellow podcaster with a story you'd like to share on the podcast? Let me know at easychairpodcast@gmail.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was an exceedingly popular Old-time Radio (OTR) show that aired in the United States, and starred Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce from October 1939 to July 1947. Edith Meiser, Dennis Green and Anthony Boucher wrote the episodes. Together, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce appeared in 220 episodes as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Listen to our radio station Old Time Radio https://link.radioking.com/otradio Listen to other Shows at My Classic Radio https://www.myclassicradio.net/ Podcast Service I Recommend https://redcircleinc.grsm.io/entertainmentradio7148 Remember that times have changed, and some shows might not reflect the standards of today's politically correct society. The shows do not necessarily reflect the views, standards, or beliefs of Entertainment Radio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on The Easy Chair, my guest is my daughter Rachael, and we talk about her indie folk band, Honey Magpie, and their second album, which they recently finished recording. Their single, “Undecided”, comes out on January 24th, 2020—and trust me, I'll let you know when it drops! In our fun and freewheeling interview, Rachael talks about the things that delighted and/or challenged her during the making of "Midnight Morning". We also talk candidly about Rachael's creative influences, including her childhood in our never-ever-quiet house with her five siblings. She has a particularly appalling story to share that requires both a sense of humor and a strong stomach. You don't want to miss this revelation. For an insider's glimpse into album production and growing up Hurwitz, tune in! Our sponsor this week is CBS, whose second season of “Tell Me a Story” has begun, taking the world's most well-known fairy tales and reimagining them as dark and twisted psychological thrillers. The new season features “Beauty and the Beast,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”—like you've never seen them before. Sign up TODAY for CBS All Access by visiting www.CBS.com/EasyChair for your first week of CBS All Access FREE so you can stream the new season of “Tell Me a Story” Thursday. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Easy Chair, it's chapter one of my novel that's been in progress (or arrested development) for quite a spell. I've been feeling very connected to Nantucket, the island I love, and prone to the tug of family, past and present. The Point centers on the Folger-Yurofsky family, who've been coming to Nantucket all their lives, to a cottage that's been in their family for decades. Jane and her sister Lucy love the yearly pilgrimage from their lives in Berkeley, California to summers at the comfortably ramshackle cottage on a bluff overlooking Nantucket Sound. This summer, though, is different; they are without their loving grandmother, who passed away suddenly a few months before. Join me for a sweet tale of the power of memory, family, and enduring love. This week, I have a trifecta of sponsors. First is Ritual, the multivitamin for women. Better health doesn't happen overnight, and Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off their first three months at www.ritual.com/easychair. Then, Brooklinen, the sheets, comforters, towels, and loungewear you'd love to gift yourself or someone you love this holiday season. If you're seeing this post-BlackFriday/Cyber Monday, you can still use the promo code chair at www.Brooklinen.com for 10% off AND free shipping. Finally, the CBS series Tell Me a Story starts its second season of classic fairy tales with a complex, dark, intriguing twist. Sign up TODAY for CBS All Access at www.CBS.com/EasyChair . Get your first week of CBS All Access FREE and stream the new season of Tell Me a Story Thursday. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's the iconic short story writer Amy Hempel's “The Cemetery When Al Jolson Is Buried.” This poignant story is about bearing witness to the final days of a best friend's life. Full disclosure: I had to record the end four times before I made it through without crying. Also note: there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING even remotely maudlin about Hempel's story. Like all of her work, it's brutally, beautifully honest. Tune in to hear this heartbreaking short story masterpiece. This week's sponsor is Rothy's. The holidays mean celebrations with friends and family. Why not feel comfortable and look stylish? Rothy's makes flats for women and kids out of plastic water bottles, so even better- they are sustainable, too! Go to www.Rothys.com/chair to get the flats you've been waiting for in time for the holidays. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I am happy to share the subversively funny, life vs. art, absolutely all-too-true short story “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore. Moore's tone, that of a classic how-to piece providing aspiring writers with a road map of sorts, veers off-course into a very personal narrative of the unique twists and turns of her own writing life. Moore is entertaining and very smart, and the tale she has written is a master satire of most authors' self- absorption and nagging insecurities. To all you writers out there: this will have you laughing out loud while acknowledging the crazy dedication it takes to create the work you feel compelled to put forth as you throw logic and practicality to the wind. I loved coming across (and getting to read) this gem of a story. Tune in! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's Easy Chair episode: “The Patron Saint of Words” with guest poet, artist, radio host, and journalist Karen (K.P.) Ponzio. K.P. reads a very cool article she wrote about the Patron Saints of New Haven project, conceived and rendered by local artist Sara Scranton. With her finger squarely on the pulse of the New Haven art scene, Scranton tapped fellow artists not only to tell about their art, but to be their art in the form of a traditional Patron Saint. (https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/new_havens_patron_saints_canonized/). Then, we get into a lively discussion of what's happening in our happening hometown of New Haven, the thrill of riding the wave of newly-unleashed artistic expression, and what it means to say yes (and selectively no) to the universe. K.P. is a BLAST to talk to, and this podcast thrums with her irreverent, vibrant energy. Tune in! And you can catch her radio show here: https://cygnusradio.com/author/kpcygnusradio-com/ This week's sponsor is Ritual, the obsessively researched, wholly transparent once daily vitamin that fills in the gaps in a woman's diet. I have been taking Ritual for over a year and it's made a real impact on the way I feel. For 10% off your first three months, go to www.ritual.com/EASYCHAIR. You're welcome! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read Margaret Atwood's c. 1975 feminist short story, “Rape Fantasies”. Chatty narrator Estelle describes talking with her co-workers about their rape fantasies and hers. Their fantasies are the stuff of Hollywood movies and magazines, not at all authentic, in Estelle's view, while hers are real. Estelle is an honest person, an over-sharer, and as she shares various fantasies, she begins to waver. What she understands about rape and what she can't begin to comprehend make for a darkly comic, oddly illuminating story about the differences, real and perceived, between men and women. Don't let the title put you off (like I almost did). This story is a feminist classic. Tune in! This week's sponsor is Brooklinen. Towels, sheets, comforters- doesn't your place (and don't you!) deserve a fall makeover- from blah to spa? My bathroom is looking amazing, thanks to the luxury towels I ordered from Brooklinen- without the luxury markup. For 10% off and free shipping, visit www.Brooklinen.com today and use promo code CHAIR for 10% off and free shipping. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read a funny and thought-provoking short story by the late Roald Dahl, "The Great Automatic Grammatizator." For anyone who has ever wondered if there is a can't fail writing formula, or if maybe, just maybe, the surest route to publication can be accomplished by computer algorithm- this is the story for you. Young Adolph Knipe has created a computer that can be fed data that will, if his boss Mr. Bohlen allows, make writers and writing obsolete. At the end of the day, writers want to write, but more than that, they want certain publication, fame, and money. It's all about cornering the market, baby, and novels are big business. This tale will have even the most earnest of young writers pondering their calling and their future. Tune in! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, on The Easy Chair, I read the conclusion of “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus. Louise has graduated college and now weighs less than her goal weight. She has morphed from fat to thin in less than a year, and suddenly, the world opens up to her in ways she never imagined. The gifts within her reach are the spoils of her self-deprivation, and all she has left to do is claim them. This is, after all, the American Woman's Dream. Or is Louise just a stranger in a strange land? This is an extraordinarily powerful story about female sacrifice, about what we, socially and culturally, value, and the deeper personal truths that steadfastly refuse to allow women like Louise to disappear. This week's sponsor is Ritual! I've been taking Ritual for Women for over a year, and I have never felt better. Ritual has the vitamins and minerals you don't get enough of from even the healthiest of diets, all in their purest, most digestible form. Subscribe today by going to www.ritual.com/easychair for 10% off your first three months.andre dubus See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Easy Chair, I read Part One of “The Fat Girl”- a stunning short story by Andre Dubus. Louise has been fat since childhood, furtively secreting away stashes of chocolate candy, which she eats at night, in bed. Then, her college roommate, with the best of intentions, intercedes. After a year of self-denial, Louise's life changes. She gains the love of her mother and pride of her father, the admiration of friends, acquaintances, and strangers, but through self-sacrifice and weight loss, what else has she sacrificed and lost? Tune in to part one of an achingly painful story that dares to tell the truth about what is has meant for too long to be a young woman in the world. Today's sponsor- Rothy's! These shoe are not only stylish, they're sustainable! I love my new Chelsea boots in Moonglow. To feel cool teaching teens is no small feat, and Rothy's makes that possible! To order your new favorite flats, go to www.Rothys.com/chair. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's Mightier Than the Sword, with my wonderful co-host Steph Spaulding. We're both back at work in the classroom, and…drum roll, please…so far, we are DOING A-OKAY. Steph's got a new approach that she shares with us that involves the word joyful, and I'm teaching in what just might be the best school in the world, with the most aspirational group of young writers imaginable. We talk about teaching and dress codes and swearing, and also review a couple of books we've read- Steph's is American Chinatown: A People's History of Five Neighborhoods by Bonnie Tsui, which I'm putting in this blurb because she couldn't recall the title and author on the podcast. Anyway, it's a fun catch-up, and I hope you'll tune in! This week's sponsor is Brooklinen. Luxury sheets without the middleman- and the luxury markup! Fall is the perfect time to give your home a posh linen makeover. Head on over to www.Brooklinen.com and enter promo code chair for 10% off your first order…and free shipping! These really are the best sheets ever. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's the conclusion of Joyce Carol Oates's stunner of a short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”. Arnold Friend has shown up at fifteen-year-old Connie's screen door, behind which she's home alone. Suddenly what seemed like a chance encounter at a popular summer hang-out turns into something sinister, something infinitely darker. Arnold just wants Connie to go with him. That's all. But is it? Connie's consciousness shifts, and she is suddenly no longer in the safe mundane familiarity of her own kitchen, but poised on the brink of alien, possibly terrifying world that an increasingly impatient shortArnold Friend cannot wait to show her. Tune in! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read the first half of Joyce Carol Oates's brilliant, twisted short story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.” Connie is a fifteen-year-old girl from a small town, newly aware of her beauty, newly boy-crazy, awakening to life and the pleasures it offers the young and, even more abundantly, the beautiful. It's summer, and Connie is a regular at all the local hangouts...along with the mysterious Arnold Friend. Her parents and sister leave one Sunday afternoon for a family barbecue and Connie decides she will skip it. A familiar car rolls up the driveway. It would seem that Arnold Friend has had his eye on Connie. This week's sponsor: Ritual, the obsessively-researched vitamin for women. There are key nutrients that even the healthiest eaters don't get enough of. Enter Ritual! I am a HUGE Ritual fan, and take my two capsules every day without fail. Start your ritual today by heading on over to www.ritual.com/easychair for 10% off during your first three months. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read two funny and fabulous essays by author Anne Lamott from her seminal book on writing and life in general, Bird By Bird. Lamott is smart, self-deprecating, witty, and wise, and what she has to say about the process of writing, about life as a writer, and about just being human is not only enlightening, but genuinely useful. These two essays, “Short Assignments” and “Shitty First Drafts”, will inspire anyone who is even just thinking about writing to get started… and will definitely entertain everyone else. I had so much fun reading her work aloud. Tune in! This week's sponsor is Rothys, makers of the best flats ever for women and girls. Take it from Buzzfeed, Rothys will be your forever shoe. They go with everything, from formal wear to yoga pants, and are made from recycled plastic water bottles. Style, comfort, and sustainability, all in one shoe. Head over to www.Rothys.com/chair for your pair of gotta-have-ém flats today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read to you the short story “The Knowers” by Helen Phillips. Imagine a world in which every person can decide to find out the date of their death- but they can't know the circumstance surrounding it. Would you even want this knowledge? What if you were lovingly, decades-long married to someone who emphatically didn't want to know to date of your demise? How would you live your life…and face the date of your death when it rolled around? This is a fascinating, beautifully told story about the nature of mortality and marital love. It really got me thinking, and I know it'll get you thinking, too. This week's podcast is brought to you by Rothy's shoes. Rothy's makes flats for women and girls that are comfortable, stylish, and sustainable- made for life on the go. I just ordered my third pair (indigo gingham- so cool!) Go to www.Rothys.com/chair and order your new favorite flats today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read a devastating short story by Stephen King: “The Last Rung on the Ladder.” This is absolutely not your typical Stephen King horror story, and it's a tale that you should definitely listen to along with a tall glass of iced tea on one of these hazy summer afternoons. Narrator Larry recounts the story of the long-ago day from his childhood on his family's farm, when he was playing with his kid sister Kitty, taking turns jumping from the top of their three-story barn rafters into the hayloft. The ladder is flimsy, and he knows it, but they jump one last time. As Kitty climbs to the top the last rung of the ladder gives way... This is a sweeping, complex tale of love, guilt, and innocence lost from Stephen King at the top of his storytelling game. Tune in! Our sponsor this week is Brooklinen. Now that the warmer weather is here,it's time to switch up your sheets, duvets, and comforters to something a little breezier and blissfully lightweight. Check out Brooklinen's newest Linen Collection. Get 10% off and free shipping by going to Brooklinen.com and using promo code CHAIR. I love my Brooklinen sheets and you will, too! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read a classic short story, which is a tribute to storytelling. “The Open Window” (by Saki, c. 1914) is about Framton Nuttel, a gentleman seeking a place to stay so he can regain his health, which has been compromised by a number of things, including frayed and fragile nerves. Enter Vera, the very creative niece of Mrs. Sappleton, whose home Mr. Nuttel might like to take a room in. Apparently a terrible tragedy has taken place. Apparently there's something not quite right about the open window. It's a small gem of a tale that I'd never read before, but come to find out it is a short story favorite of many. Many people argue the moral of this parable, but I'm not sure there is one. No matter. It's simply delightful. Tune in! This week's episode is brought to you by Ritual, the obsessively researched vitamin for women, by women. It's got nine of the essential nutrients you might not be getting enough of, even with a balanced diet. I start every day off with two Ritual vitamins, and it's made a discernible difference in the way I feel. For my listeners: you get 10% off your first three months by going to ritual.com/EASYCHAIR. Start your Ritual today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's Ursula Le Guin's startling short story “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”. Le Guin was a brilliant storyteller of mostly science fiction with a cautionary twist- not unlike Margaret Atwood. In this tale, the nation of Omelas sounds like a utopia, populated by compassionate, earnest citizens who spawn golden, happy children…but at its very root lies a hideous truth upon which the ongoing existence of Omelas rests. Many have seen this dark reality with their own eyes, and the more sensitive others know of it but refuse to look for themselves. Then, there are the ones who walk away from Omelas. This is a powerful, thought-provoking tale about free society and the imperfection of human nature, with abundant parallels to the state of our nation and our world. This week's podcast is brought to you by Quip, the portable, can't live without electric toothbrush that makes best brushing practices a snap for adults and now, for kids! Go to www.getquip.com/easychair and get your first refill pack free. Join over 1million happy, healthy mouths! Also, Ritual, the multivitamin for women and girls that fills in the gaps in your diet with two glowingly transparent, minty capsules a day. You'll get 10% off your first three months by going to www.ritual.com/easychair . Start your Ritual today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I celebrate my 200th episode milestone with an original short story, “Conversant”. Celia is a woman who has been raised by an emotionally abusive mother to believe she's a terrible conversationalist. After Celia's boyfriend Joaquin leaves her, she is convinced of the truth of her mother's words: that she'll always be alone, a fate she deserves. But life goes on to surprise Celia in unexpected ways: a quirky co-worker, a serendipitous apricot jumpsuit, a guy named Darius who may just be true love at first sight, and how about the threat of sudden, violent death? Can the worst mother be the best teacher? Tune in to a story I loved writing, and I hope you'll love. Thank you to my faithful listeners, loyal sponsors, and of course, the Headgum Podcast Network. Also, my amazing husband Sam, who has formatted The Easy Chair for your listening pleasure lo these many years. You all have been there for me, and I am eternally grateful. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read aloud another wonderful short story (fitting, as it is officially Short Story Month) by author Thomas Pierce. Pierce gives us a poignant, funny, and illuminating story about Val, a surly, medically fragile twelve-year-old who is obsessed with Pippin monkeys. The story is narrated by his mother's boyfriend, an affable yet cynical dude who has signed on to take Val to the local zoo to see some Pippins- but by acting responsibly, loses their place in the exhibition line. There's a whole lot going on in both backstory and subtext over this fraught day, and it's not clear whose running the show. Or maybe it is. Tune in to hear one of the most engaging and hilarious stories I've ever read. Ever, ever. This week's sponsor: Quip! It's spring, and time for cleaning everything perfectly- including your teeth. Quip now offers its toothbrushes in kids' size, so the whole family can commit to healthy mouths and smiles! Just go to www.GETQUIP.com/easychair for your first refill pack free. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's Mightier Than the Sword! This week I blindside co-host Steph Spaulding with two things: first, a question about the impetus for our writing, and what we love as readers, and second, the way we choose to procrastinate. (For me, it's the news of the day and Zillow.) It's a fun and absolutely spontaneous discussion- I hope you'll listen! On the next MTTS, we are going back to the subject of book groups. Write to us with your book group challenges, insights, and most memorable moments at easychairpodcast@gmail.com and Steph and I will answer you. Promise! This week's episode is brought to you by Quip, makers of the best, sleekest, most effective and portable electric toothbrush, which now comes in kids' size, so your young'un can start on the path to the healthiest smile ever. Just go to GETQUIP.com/easychair and get you first refill pack for free. I love my Quip, and I know you and your whole family will, too! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's Mightier Than the Sword, with co-host Steph Spaulding! Steph is back from a two-week trip to Marrakech, Morocco. Her stay at a riad was definitely interesting. So much to talk about, from the marketplaces to air quality, food to the cultural customs…all very cool. While there were unexpected elements to her sojourn, some positive, some less so, still, I'm keeping Morocco on my short list of places to visit. We also discuss how to talk about a book in a group setting without getting into a fight (this happened in my old book group) or hurting sensitive feelings. Steph brings up the concept of dialogue vs. debate. To anyone navigating their way through their own book group etiquette…you are going to want to take notes. This week's sponsors are quip, the electric toothbrush recommended by over 20,000 dental professionals that will change the way you brush. To get your first refill pack free, go to www.getquip.com/easychair. Also- Rothy's, the flats that are comfortable, stylish, and sustainable- for free shipping, go to rothys.com and use code chair. Two great deals on two great products that I absolutely swear by! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I am reading Tillie Olsen's beautifully poignant short story “I Stand Here Ironing”. I am endlessly grateful that I got to hear Tillie Olsen speak at a writing conference in 1981; her wisdom, creativity, and steel tenacity were tangible, even in a vast, crowded auditorium, and deeply influenced me. I don't think there's another writer who so movingly and accurately portrays the limitations and sacrifice of traditional 1950s domestic life, what it meant to be a wife and mother while holding out the hope for something different, something better for our daughters and the generations of women to follow. I have loved Tillie Olsen and this particular story for a very long time and I am really, really happy to be able to share it with you. Please tune in. It's a story that you'll never forget. Any questions, comments, suggestions- pretty please send them my way at easychairpodcast@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, it's a triumphant return to Mightier than the Sword, with my wonderful co-host Steph Spaulding! I've been out of town and Steph's been both hard at work and under the weather, so it's been a minute since our last MTTS episode, and there's lots to talk about. I've been writing, Steph's been reading, and this crazy, remarkable world keeps spinning. Being able to write over the past month has given me some insight into my own writing process, which might prove useful to fellow writers out there. Steph has a great (and surprising) reading suggestion for readers. And we both agree- unsolicited- that we love our Ritual vitamin subscriptions, so we are giving Ritual a free, heartfelt shout-out. Health is HUGE. So are words, and how we shape/interpret them. Tune in. And if you have any comments, observations, or questions, email us at easychairpodcast@gmail.com. We want to hear from you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, “Schoolgirl”, an original short story by yours truly. It's 1977, the summer of the infamous Model Wars between Eileen Ford and John Casablancas, the heads of the two most powerful modeling agencies in the world. Four young models just starting their careers are sent to Paris- and left to fend for themselves. It's the story about the dark underbelly of an industry synonymous with enviable wealth and elegance, and cutthroat competition. For Lauren and her roommates Beth, Caro, and Kat, life lessons abound over a Parisian summer filled with three shedding cats, a slew of sketchy businessmen, and a surprising sense of sisterhood. The sponsor of this week's episode is Rothys, the flat that is comfortable, stylish, and sustainable! New styles are constantly being created- and selling out. I love my Rothys and love even more that they are insanely soft, yet made from 100% recycled plastic. For free shipping and free returns and exchanges, go to rothys.com and use promo code chair. Get this deal while it lasts! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Easy Chair, I read a spine-tingling scary story perfect for the thick of winter: “Strawberry Spring” by Stephen King. A serial killer stalks the campus of a small New England college, murdering and dismembering female co-eds. Locals dub him Springheel Jack, a spectral figure who comes in with the fog and ice melt of Strawberry Spring, the false, early thaw that comes before the most brutal of winter's storms. Our protagonist is as horrified and mystified as any of his classmates, but he has to admit that he finds the mists and shadows of Strawberry Spring oddly alluring. Warning: don't listen to this story by yourself, late at night. The last line of this story is considered one of the best last lines of any short story. Tune in, and find out why. Sponsors of this week's podcast are Quip, makers of the sleekest, most effective portable electric toothbrush ever. For my listeners: get your first refill pack FREE at GETQUIP.com/EASYCHAIR. Second sponsor: Brooklinen, maker of five-star hotel quality sheets, comforters, towels, available to you to enjoy at home! For $20 off your first order and free shipping, go to Brookinen.com and be sure to use promo code CHAIR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read Miranda July's brilliant, quirky short story “Roy Spivey”. It's about an uncertain young woman who through being “a pushover” finds herself with a first-class upgrade, only to be seated next to a major heart-throb celebrity on a cross-country flight. From their casual flirtation, some very interesting things happen, and ultimately this serendipitous encounter changes her life in unexpected ways. July's story is astonishingly unique. You've never heard anything quite like it- I if you're like me, you won't be able to get it out of your head. Tune in! This week's episode is brought to you by Ritual, the daily vitamin for women. Think of it as the multivitamin, reinvented! Taking my Ritual vitamins is my very favorite daily habit- a healthy, easy-to-keep resolution for 2019. Start your Ritual today by going to ritual.com/EASYCHAIR today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, I read the first chapter of my YA novel under consideration (working title, Sisterhood of the Porcelain God). Sophie is 18, a senior in high school, and her life should be poised for takeoff, but the eating disorder that has turned her life upside down since she was 13 makes forward momentum all but impossible. Publicly, she seems to be making progress, but privately, she is still locked in a fight for her life. This is the beginning of a difficult but important story. 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States, and every 62 minutes, someone dies as a direct result of an eating disorder. Sisterhood is about Sophie's journey. The road to recovery is marked by daily struggles for survival, and the people you meet along the way. Tune in! Let me know if you like what you've heard so far at easychairpodcast@gmail.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week's episode: “Give the Lady What She Wants”, a winsome, heartbreaking short story by Leslie Pietrzyk. It's longer than my typical Easy Chair offerings, but trust me, you will love this tale. Set in Chicago in 1982, the narrator is dress shopping with her college roommate, Jess, and Jess's mother, and since she is the same size as Jess's younger sister, Linda (a no-show because “shopping is bourgeois”) she is recruited/volunteers to try on dresses in Linda's stead. Entitled Jess and her mom have a love of shopping that crosses the line into unhealthy obsession, and their day spent combing through every dress in an entire department store spirals into something darker. What is thought and what is said, what is heard and what is overheard, breaks hours spent in close quarters into fragments that expose our vulnerability and our loneliness. Tune in to this beautiful story. This week's episode is brought to you by Brooklinen, maker of the world's most comfortable sheets, comforters, towels and more, and Rothy, maker of the world's most comfortable, stylish and sustainable flats for women and girls. My listeners can go to Brooklinen.com and use promo code chair to get $20 off your first order and free shipping! They also hightail it to Rothys.com and use promo code chair for free shipping (with no minimum!) Great products that make great holiday gifts. Tell 'em I sent you. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on The Easy Chair, my guest is daughter Hannah, just back from a solo adventure to Southeast Asia. She has some cool tales to tell about her three weeks in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Nepal. For anyone considering a trip to that part of the world, she offers her take, and some useful tips. There were a few unplanned events (such as getting hit by a motorcycle) during which her characteristically cool head had to prevail, but expansive landscapes and unique people and two waterfall sightings made every challenge worth it. Check out hannahhurwitz.com, to see the incredibly vibrant photos on her travel blog. I am thrilled Hannah had the guts to make this trip, and even more thrilled that's she's back home and on the podcast to talk about it. Tune in! I have two sponsors this week: https://www.brooklinen.com/ bringing you the best, most luxurious sheets, comforters, and towels ever, and https://www.rothys.com, bringing you the most comfortable, stylish, and sustainable flats ever! At Brooklinen, get 20% off your first order and free shipping by entering promo code chair at checkout. At Rothy's, you'll get free shipping with no minimum purchase when you enter promo code chair at checkout. For a great night's sleep and happy feet, you'll want to take advantage of these great offers. You're welcome! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on The Easy Chair, I read two essays about what I believe is our ongoing moral imperative to remember the past and learn from it, and to the safeguard the health and richness of our collective national future. It's a whole lot of important territory to cover in one short podcast, but the eloquent words of Elie Weisel and Libba Bray make it soul-stirring and resonant. The focus of this week's podcast is not about listening to my voice but using yours for the greater good. The takeaway: GET OUT THERE AND VOTE. This is a time for hope, not cynicism. I hope you'll tune in to listen to these powerful essays, and even more, I hope you'll be inspired to act. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matt Burke skis into The Marinade! Matt is the frontman and principal songwriter for the band Have Gun, Will Travel. We have been a fan of Have Gun, Will travel for years so this is a special honor. Matt and I discuss our mutual love for Micah Schnabel, how anxiety has threatened to derail us, the creative process behind Have Gun Will Travel's excellent record Science From an Easy Chair, and so much more.  Check out hgwtmusic.com for tour dates and merch and look for a new Have Gun, Will Travel record coming very soon.