Podcast appearances and mentions of Jeff Pearlman

Josh Hart with some thoughts. Dylan Harper talked about shooting threes. Stephon Castle said he expects to win tonight, in fact, the next three. The Yankees beat the Guardians as Jazz had the game winning HR and Spencer Jones hit his first MLB homer. The Moment of The Day: Gio's impression of Jeff Pearlman on TikTok.

We started talking about tonight's Knicks/Spurs game and took a bunch of calls from what seemed like confident Knicks fans. A caller wonders if the city will riot if the Knicks lose tonight. Jerry returns for his final update of the day and starts with KAT talking about the Spurs being the aggressor. Dylan Harper talked about shooting threes. Stephon Castle said he expects to win tonight, in fact, the next three. The Yankees beat the Guardians as Jazz had the game winning HR and Spencer Jones hit his first MLB homer. Braden Montgomery hit a walk off HR in his big league debut for the White Sox. The Moment of The Day: Gio's impression of Jeff Pearlman on TikTok. In the final segment of the show, a caller said tonight's spread is a trap.

We started the hour talking about the violence that happened at the Knicks watch party. Gio said everybody had to come out on social media to say they don't condone it. Jerry returns for an update, but first we wish Gio a happy 44th birthday. KAT talked about the Knicks needing to do more, they were too relaxed. Dylan Harper talked about walking around NY and getting booed. Wemby talked about the fans being attacked on the streets. The Yankees beat the Guardians as Jazz hit the game winning HR using Judge's bat. Spencer Jones hit his first MLB HR. The Mets were shutout by the Cardinals, 7-0. Plus, we talked about the spread for tonight. Jeff Pearlman said the Spurs are going to win the next three games. Gio said there's something about his voice saying this that is annoying.

More To The Story: It's impossible to overstate rapper Tupac Shakur's influence on music and culture in the 1990s. One of the era's bestselling musical artists, Tupac helped define West Coast hip-hop through vulnerable, introspective lyrics and Black power politics. By his own admission, sports writer Jeff Pearlman is not the rapper's likeliest biographer. But as he waited for what he called “the big, fat biography” of Tupac, his impatience and long-standing fascination with the rapper got the best of him. So he set out to write it himself. On this week's episode, Pearlman talks about his book Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur; discusses how Tupac's Black Panther mother, Afeni Shakur, shaped her son; and examines the nuance and mystery surrounding Tupac's life and death almost 30 years later.Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Copy editor: Nikki Frick | Digital producer: Artis Curiskis | Intern: Joni Binder | Deputy executive producer: Taki Telonidis | Executive producer: Brett Myers | Executive editor: James West | Host: Al LetsonRead: The 24 Best Books We Read in 2025 (Mother Jones)Listen: Baltimore Mayor to Trump: Don't Send Your Troops (More To The Story)Read: Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur (Mariner Books)Note: If you buy a book using our Bookshop link, a small share of the proceeds supports our journalism. Donate today at Revealnews.org/more Subscribe to our weekly newsletter at Revealnews.org/weekly Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Notes and Links to Rachel León's Work     Rachel León (she/they) is a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books. Their debut novel, How We See the Gray, is out from Curbstone Books as of May 15, 2026. Buy How We See the Gray   Rachel León Website   Review of How We See the Gray from Kirkus Reviews   At about 1:45, Rachel gives a summary of How We See the Gray and information about book events and purchasing At about 4:15, Rachel talks about her writing and reading background, as well as how visual art figured in to her early publications  At about 6:30, Rachel highlights Gwendolyn Brooks' work as formative and transformative for her At about 7:50, Rachel cites Sarah Lippman and Justin Torres as contemporary writers who inspire her, including Torres' approach and “We” usage At about 10:10, Rachel responds to Pete asking about her reading life as an editor At about 16:10, Pete asks Rachel about seeds for How We See the Gray and the myriad ways in which her work in child welfare has informed her writing of the book At about 20:55, Rachel homes in on the time in the field that led her to write How We See the Gray and her current work At about 22:00, Rachel talks about her love for the band La Historia, and getting permission to use the band's lyrics in the book At about 24:00, Pete riffs on the book's collective voice and asks Rachel to talk about the usage of “We” in the book At about 26:30, Rachel responds to Pete's questions about case workers and their motivations, as well as ideas of “vocations” and working “in the trenches” At about 29:55, Pete lays out some of the book's exposition, and asks Rachel about ideas of Meredith, a main character, being too trusting/savior-ish in her work At about 33:25, The two discuss Meredith and her coparenting  At about 34:50, Rachel talks about the youth of her characters and their relationship with idealism  At about 36:50, Rachel expands on the ways in which main character Ebony has learned to “not let her guard down” At about 38:20, Rachel reflects on race and privilege and patronizing attitudes in the foster system, both outside the book and inside At about 42:30, Rachel talks about “mapping out” storylines and “microstories” and chronologies for her book At about 43:50, The two discuss double-standards regarding lack of responsibility for  At about 44:55, Rachel expands on Rockford, Illinois, and her rationale in including slightly-adapted headlines from the local papers At about 47:15, Pete talks about foster parents in the book bucks expectations  At about 48:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the “trauma-bonding” among coworkers and the benefits and disadvantages  At about 52:00, Jamal and his versatile work is discussed At about 53:10, Meredith's drinking and the root causes are discussed  At about 56:00, “Found families” through the foster system are discussed At about 56:50, Pete cites some of the book's vast profundity  At about 58:00, Rachel talks about the treatment of LGBTQ+ young people in the system At about 1:01:23-AXE Body Spray profundity! At about 1:02, Medreith and being part of the system as a mother are discussed, and Pete asks Rachel about her views on the state of the “system”        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 345 with Devin Thomas O'Shea is the author of The Veiled Prophet, publishing with Haymarket Books in June 2026. His writing appears in The Nation, The Iowa Review, Slate, Jacobin, Boulevard, and elsewhere.    The episode airs on June 23, Pub Day for The Veiled Prophet.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Steven Thrasher's Work      Dr. Steven Thrasher is an American journalist and academic. In 2019, he became the inaugural Daniel H. Renberg Chair of social justice in reporting and an assistant professor of journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. In 2012, he won the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year award.   Buy The Overseer Class: A Manifesto   Stephen Thrasher's Website   Review of The Overseer Class from Publisher's Weekly   At about 1:15, Steven talks about book events and the book's May 19 publication At about 2:40, Steven shares interesting and “clarifying” feedback from readers on The Overseer Class At about 4:00, Steven details his childhood reading and writing and creative pursuits At about 7:40, Steven and Pete discuss the horrible news about the attacks on book choice, a high number of higher education institutions and their “capitulation,” but also the wonderful ways in which Oxnard, CA, and other “low ed” institutions have helped foster community and safety At about 11:45, Steven responds to Pete's asking about the three quotes that start the book by sharing his gratitude to the three writers/estates who allowed him to use the words; he talks about the quotes setting up “tension” in his book At about 18:00, The two discuss the way the book starts and reflect on dynamics of the repression of Gaza as both singular and as representative of all “imperial force,” such as Tyre Nichols' killing in early 2023 At about 22:00, the two discuss Martin Luther King and Malcolm X's legacies and the stories told about them, and their work to make connections with international struggles  At about 24:35, Steven expands on cases in which Black men have been killed by the police, and the changing dynamics and populations around US police forces At about 26:00, Steven notes the “rehabilition” of the Black cop in media in recent years, and the ways in which Black chiefs  At about 27:10, Pete references a possible thesis for Steven's book and asks Steven to talk about distinguishing (or not) between the overseer class and individuals outside the system At about 30:40, Steven recounts the history of Denmark Vecsey in furthering his point of the overseer class and its role At about 33:10, Steven discusses his short-lived plans to become a police officer and its connection to employment  At about 34:30, Steven cites Black in Blue as a pivotal book in his research At about 36:00, Steven reflects on needs for jobs and connections to jobs that people may be ideologically opposed to police work or similar work At about 37:00, Steven responds to Pete asking about the idea of “changing the institution (policing) from within” At about 40:00, Steven talks about power dynamics, levels of power, and historical links to the “overseer” trope At about 42:40, Steven breaks down terms coined to show the engineering of Black cops and female cops as tools of “freedom” At about 44:20, The two discuss the overseer trope in the military, including “feel good stories” involving Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell At about 46:45, Pete and Steven reflect on the power of a “No” for those resisting overseer status At about 48:10, Steven gives background on being in solidarity with his students and how he has stood up for his ideals; he also talks about the wonderful work by protestors on various college campuses  At about 51:45, Steven reflects on his unforgettable five days on campus at Northwestern and evolving campus protests  At about 56:10, Steven talks about the importance of “being a Toni”        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 344 with Rachel León, a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books.     The episode airs on May 15, Pub Day for How We See the Gray, their first novel.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Isaac Fitzgerald's Work     Isaac Fitzgerald is the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children's book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, GQ, The Guardian, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and numerous other publications. He lives with his wife, Kelly Farber, and their two dogs on the North Fork of Long Island. His next book, American Rambler, is forthcoming from Knopf. Buy American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed    Isaac Fitzgerald's Website   Review for American Rambler in The Boston Globe     At about 3:20, Isaac talks about the book as “braided” and positive feedback he's gotten from independent booksellers At about 4:40, Isaac gives background on his rich reading and writing life from childhood At about 7:00, Isaac talks about a few catalysts for American Rambler, including Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods… Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn, and An American Story by Howard Means At about 8:55, Pete shouts out Matt Bell's Appleseed, and Isaac reflects on the “mythification” of Johnny Appleseed  At about 13:20, Pete cites a beautiful quote on the connection between parents and storytelling and expands on how his parents and their travels and their storytelling thrilled him At about 17:00, Pete tells about his own experience with childhood stories, and Isaac shares his thoughts on oral storytelling and its connection to real-life experiences for children winning out over continued screen time At about 19:10, Isaac responds to Pete's asking about his mother and father as opposites in many ways At about 23:00, Pete compliments the book's first line and asks Isaac about the book's first hike: Isaac refers to the book as a “coming-of-middle-age” At about 28:10, Isaac responds to Pete's questions about Swedenborgism and its influence on Johnny Appleseed At about 33:10, The two discuss the balance between the social and the solitary  At about 35:50-John Freeman shoutouts! Isaac talks about important advice/editing from John Freeman with AA Knopf At about 38:20, The two discuss reading as a collaborative pursuit-a “two-person technology” At about 39:00, Pete and Isaac talk about Old Man and the Sea and the idea of a “comfort read” At about 40:15, Pete cites two examples of Isaac's work in connection to David Foster Wallace's work in complimenting Isaac's work in opposition to the “flyover country” ethos; Isaac cites Rabin's Old Glory: An American Voyage   At about 45:40, Pete and Isaac highlight a particularly charismatic person who was featured in the book At about 48:25, Isaac talks about his great experience with the Fort Wayne Tin Caps in the book At about 50:50, Isaac responds to Pete asking about the passages from the book where he shared profundity with Ashley C. Ford and Saeed Jones At about 51:25, It gets defecatory!  At about 52:15, Isaac expands on how his time staying with writer friends is in a Kerouac-ian tradition  At about 55:40, Isaac talks about his process that allowed him to  “writing conversationally” and the importance of reading his work aloud At about 57:20, Pete and Isaac reflect on the idea of the public intellectual and the balance between social media communities and authentically celebrating exploration and wonderful art    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 343 with Steven Thrasher, whose writing has been widely published by Scientific American, The New York Times, Nation, The Journal of American History, BuzzFeed News, Esquire and New York magazine. In 2019, Out Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential and impactful people of the year and in 2020, the Ford Foundation awarded him a grant for Creativity and Free Expression. The Viral Underclass, his first book, was widely-awarded and acclaimed, and his second book, The Overseer Class: A Manifesto, will be the focus of the podcast conversation.    The episode airs on May 14, and the book has a May 19 Pub Date.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Kerri Schlottman's Work   Kerri Schlottman is a writer of literary fiction novels, most recently Daytime Moon, out with Unnamed Press as of May 12, 2026. Her novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist, and a Shelf Awareness Best Book This Week.  She works to support artists, performers, and writers in creating new projects and is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration. Previously, she was a massage therapist, a factory worker, a copy editor, and briefly enrolled in law school.  Buy Daytime Moon   Kerri Schlottman's Website At about 2:00, Kerri talks about early feedback for Daytime Moon At about 3:00, Kerri outlines her arts administration university job At about 5:00, Kerri gives background on her early reading and writing  At about 6:20, Kerri talks about transformational and formational works and writers At about 7:20, Kerri expands on the particular greatness of Vonnegut At about 8:30, Kerri responds to Pete asking about Detroit and Michigan and any connections to “Midwest Nice” At about 9:30, Kerri cites contemporary writers who push her own work forward, include Charlotte McConaghy and Christie Hodgen At about 11:20, Kerri shoots out publisher Unnamed Press and places to buy her book, as well as book events, one with Meagan Woods At about 13:35, Kerri talks about seeds for the book and gives interesting background on the history of the Salton Sea At about 16:30, Kerri details a New Yorker article about Hannah Upp and its influence on her work At about 18:45, Pete shouts out Tod Goldberg's stellar Salton Sea writing, and Kerri expands on the “fascinating” life in the Salton Sea “plots”/flat and Slab City and “off the grid” living  At about 21:50, Pete outlines the book's exposition, and Kerri responds to Pete's questions about the symbolism of this part and its setting up later plot At about 25:50, Pete outlines more of the book's opening and main characters, and Kerri speaks to the combination of the “artsy, countercultural" Isa and the business-oriented Merce At about 30:00, Kerri expounds on connections between Isa and her brother  At about 32:30, Kerri responds to Pete's questions about Ella, Isa's sister, and the reason for Isa's fleeing the Salton Sea At about 34:45, Kerri talks about Isa's “culture shock” in NYC, and talks about Dane's sending them on a quest with letters left behind At about 36:00, Pete highlights the later age for the coming-of-age in the book-a resounding success At about 36:55, Kerri responds to Pete's question about different expectations for men and women and their treatment and/or neglect of their children At about 41:10, Isa's Lizzie and her cancer diagnosis are discussed, as Kerri discusses her last days and promises At about 45:00, Pete asks Kerri about ideas of tarot and the future and belief in some or all of the process/precepts; Kerri talks about “escapism” in its many forms At about 48:00, The two discuss Isa's sadness after her friend's death and Isa's interactions with her father At about 49:00, Kerri gives background on a tarot reading scene that Pete highlights as so well-drawn At about 49:50, Pete stumbles into a classic Faulkner quote and the two discuss the past's impact on the characters' present At about 52:15, Pete references a great Alice Elliott Dark line when talking about the book as a moving “elegy” At about 53:40, Kerri discusses the “cascading effect” as Isa and Cole begin to meet new/undiscovered family members At about 55:10, Pete mentions the book as a great “road trip book” in response to Kerri's reflection on “found families” At about 57:45, Pete remarks on how masterfully Kerri deals with time span, and she reflects on her mindset in writing about this as she did At about 1:00:00, Kerri talks about “allusion[s]” in the book to environmental dangers happening in real time At about 1:02:45, Pete gives kudos to Kerri for the book's pathos and overall greatness    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 342 with Isaac Fitzgerald, the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children's book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His next book, American Rambler, is out now.    The episode airs on May 12, Pub Day for American Rambler.     Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Donna Minkowitz's Work     Donna Minkowitz is a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Science fiction great Terry Bisson called her writing “rich and wild, dark and funny, as fearless as her legendary journalism and as scary as a fairy tale.” And she's proud that Kirkus has praised the “defiant and playful energy” of her work.    Her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and the Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award, is being republished by Indolent Books after 13 years!    Buy Growing Up Golem   Donna Minkowitz's Website   Review of Growing Up Golem from Kirkus Reviews     At about 1:30, Donna and Pete highlight the pending reissue of Growing Up Golem  At about 2:30, Pete asks Donna about how she sees Growing Up Golem 13 years later, and she gives a summary of the book At about 4:10, Donna expands on the idea set forth in the Writer's Note that the book is “88% true” At about 7:15, Donna talks about the general idea of the “golem” and the providence of the book's conceit At about 9:00, Donna reflects on the idea of “memory” and the science behind it, as well as the memoir as a “work of art” At about 10:10, Donna responds to Pete's asking about the book's opening referencing Donna's mom and her creating a “Donna Doll” At about 12:40, Donna expands on ideas of guilt and selfishness and psychosomatic pain that came with her Repetitive Strain Injury At about 14:40, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother's health struggles and ideas of impending death At about 17:00, The two talk about Donna's mother's artistic prowess and Donna's feelings of “twoness” At about 19:45, Donna examines the idea of her mother that lying could be correct, and what the philosophy said about her mother and her morality At about 22:40, Donna expands on feelings of “twoness” in connection to W.E.B. DuBois At about 24:10, Donna reflects on her early writing with The Village Voice and her motivations and mindset in writing for the publication  At about 27:00, Donna outlines her mother's health problems and connections to her sexuality and sensuality  At about 29:00, Pete asks Donna how she balances the fact that her mother was a victim of sexual violence  At about 32:05, Donna expands on The Village Voice and her reporting around ACT Up and its advocacy and activism, as well as Queer Nation  At about 34:35, Donna tells Julio Rivera's story, as she did for the publication  At about 36:20, Donna talks about her father's death and his “scari[ness]” before his death and the “strange dynamic" of him as a “scapegoat” and her mother's behavior after his death At about 39:20, Pete wonders about a sort of "competition" between Donna and her mother, particularly with regard to a 1991 Thanksgiving interaction  At about 41:45, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother's often making fun of her mother's body  At about 44:25, Donna speaks about the “competing therapists” At about 48:15, Donna speaks on the idea of the golem as being built and possibly destroyed by the same person, as well as the classic legend of the golem  At about 51:30, Donna talks about a familial way of acting when threatened and confronting that reaction At about 52:25, Pete cites some “beautiful moments” from her therapist and mother, and Donna reflects  At about 53:20, The two reflect on ideas of control and freedom in Donna's personal life and connections to therapy and her mother's influence  At about 55:25, Donna talks about connections between early and later relationships and the ways she was treated  At about 58:20, Pete and Donna discuss the book's juxtapositions and her concerns and struggles with her chronic pain          You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show. You can also buy single episodes for $3 each.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 341 with Kerri Schlottman, whose novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, and a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist. She is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration.    The episode airs today, Pub Day for her latest gem, Daytime Moon, May 12.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.  

Notes and Links to Sarah Aziza's Work     Sarah Aziza (she/هي ) is a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half. Winner of the Palestine Book Awards, The Hollow Half is a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream. It is available wherever books are sold.    Sarah's award-winning journalism, poetry, essays, and experimental nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Best American Essays, The Baffler, Harper's Magazine, Mizna, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Nation, among other publications. The recipient of fellowships from Fulbright, MacDowell, the Asian American Writers Workshop, Tin House Writers' Workshop, and numerous grants from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, she has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, South Africa, Palestine, and the United States.  Buy The Hollow Half   Sarah Aziza's Website   Review of The Hollow Half from Kirkus Reviews   Sarah on Democracy Now Discussing Her Memoir     At about 2:30, Sarah talks about her language and reading life growing up At about 5:10, Sarah expands upon readings that inspired and challenged her At about 13:00, Pete and Sarah discuss ideas of writing as “political,” inspired by Marwan Makhoul, and Sarah cites a gripping poem by Noor Hindi At about 15:20,  At about 17:30, Sarah responds to Pete asking about the book's title and ideas of generational trauma and Sarah's Americanness  At about 20:30, Sarah talks about his father “pouring his hope” into her and sheltered and open pain  At about 22:20, Pete uses a Hasan Minhaj routine and Sarah expands on ideas of first generation and immigrant parents' relationships  At about 23:20, Sarah reflects on ideas of love's multiple meanings and connects these myriad ideas to much of the book and calls the book “an offering…in a time of suffering” At about 28:00, The two discuss the vagaries of Arabic and translation and its challenges and beauty  At about 33:20, Pete recounts the book's opening, and Sarah expands on her grandmother's life and struggles and joys and how Sarah is connected to her grandmother-”Sittoo” At about 37:25, The two meditate on the “small victories” of Sarah's grandmother  At about 39:05, Sarah explains how she sees her recovery/”recovered” and her present and past with anorexia At about 41:45, Sarah responds to Pete asking about an emblematic scene from the memoir where an IpHone asks to verify her identity  At about 43:05, Sarah discusses the idea of “better than what?” especially as a child At about 45:15, Sarah talks about her family's connections to ‘Ibdis, Gaza, and the fact that so much stolen and ethnically-cleansed land in Palestine is open/unused At about 48:15, Sarah talks about her time recovering from prolonged anorexia  At about 50:45, Pete notes the specific and universal in the book, as he and Sarah discuss the impulse to bury oneself in work At about 53:10, Sarah expands on reasoning for writing the book and in particular “put[ting] into place” her family history and finding a place to publish a story like hers that she feels is rarely published At about 55:20, Sarah talks about her grandmother's time living with Sarah and her family At about 57:30, Sarah responds to Pete's questions about the anorexia ward and how she saw and sees the employees there At about 1:00:45, Sarah talks about the ways in which photos opened up ideas and research and thoughts of her grandmother and her history  At about 1:03:20, Pete talks about ideas of misogyny that is specific to non-white women  At about 1:03:50, Sarah reflects on and outlines two pivotal and damaging experiences in which white neighbors showed surprise and revulsion At about 1:06:45, The two discuss Sarah's parents and their foundation and Foundation  At about 1:08:45, Sarah responds to Pete's questions about research for the book At about 1:11:00, Sarah expands on connections between the personal and the geopolitical in her work and research At about 1:11:30, Sarah recounts the story of some early involvement with pro-Palestine efforts and emotional and physical assaults At about 1:13:00, Sarah talks about being in Middle East and ideas of “humanizing” and “a political awakening” in the US and Middle East At about 1:17:10, Sarah talks about connections between resistance and love At about 1:20:25, Pete cites Ernest Hemingway in citing Sarah's family connections to Gaza At about 1:22:00, Sarah talks about the idea of “yes” and a meaningful part of the book and interpretations of being “half…” Palestinian, etc. At about 1:27:10, Sarah talks about parallels between her partner's love for her and her choice to love Palestine on a daily basis At about 1:28:00, Pete asks Sarah about ways forward, and how we get people to not “look away,” and she talks about inspiration       You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 340 with Donna Minkowitz, a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Her first book, Ferocious Romance, won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Book On Religion/Spirituality. She is also the author of the novel DONNAVILLE, published in 2024.    She and Pete will be revisiting her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award.     The episode airs on May 5.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Adam H. Johnson's Work     Adam H. Johnson is co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His writing can also be found in his Substack titled ‘The Column.' His book, How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza, is out as of today, April 21, through Pluto Press.   Buy How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza   12 Page Excerpt from How to Sell a Genocide…   Adam H Johnson, Website for The Intercept   Column Blog: Adam's Media and political analysis (with contributions from Sarah Lazare)  At about 1:30, Adam gives a summary of the book's subject matter and his aim in writing the book At about 5:00, Adam cites “liberal” media institutions and how they have laundered and perhaps “incited” the genocide At about 6:45, Adam expands on his aim in using data and research to point out the media and educational institutions who have used diction that has aided/incited the Gaza genocide; he talks about making the information searchable to aid other researchers and institutions  At about 11:00, Adam talks about pessimism for the Democrats' role in the genocide and their “accountability” At about 13:00, Adam talks about liberal podcasters and media members and think tanks who have been silent or complicit  At about 16:00, Adam argues that an accounting and a lack of “moving on” is absolutely necessary, such that the “milieu” of Biden's time will be repeated otherwise At about 18:00, Adam talks about effective ways of quieting criticism in the face of overwhelming evidence of a genocide in Gaza  At about 19:20, Adam talks about using the map of Gaza atrocities and obfuscation in the future for imperial ends At about 22:00, Adam identifies the “template” used for further atrocities in Gaza and beyond, especially with regard to stereotypes and othering of Muslims and Middle Eastern cultures  At about 26:30, Pete cites numbers from the book that shows the preponderance of violent and incendiary language used in describing Palestinians versus Ukrainian victims At about 27:30, Adam responds to Pete's sarcasm over Joe Biden's niceties in funding the genocide and Adam talks about a broken system and articles that stated the same thing over and over again  At about 33:05, Adam talks about the “tote bag” set and justifying racist and colonial systems and genocide  At about 34:40, Adam and Pete discuss the alarming dearth of Palestinian guests on political talk shows and other media At about 36:55, Pete and Adam reflect on the “chilling” cover of the book, designed by Melanie Patrick, and the “uniformity of the elite consensus” in masking/inciting genocide and being so “chummy” with Benjamin Netanyahu, as shown in the standing ovation given to him by Congress      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.      Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 339 with Sarah Aziza, a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half. Winner of the Palestine Book Awards, The Hollow Half is a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream.     The episode airs on April 22, the one-year anniversary of the publication of The Hollow Half.       Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

(00:00-8:06) Deep Impact or Armageddon? Carwash Dave isn't happy his texts don't get read and he's texted in quite a few times about it. Now someone's sending in topless pictures of the Cardinal Cowboy.(8:14-17:33) Tubthumping. Will the Bonds family be there to watch Jordan Walker break his record? Would we do a wet T-shirt contest? Jeff Pearlman is like a hall monitor now. Maybe the creepiest text we've ever gotten.(17:43-18:53) And the winner of the Design Aire Heating & Cooling E-Mail of the Day is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cardinals lose, Blues win, and Battlehawks came back on Sunday. Are we living in 1998? They are who we thought they were? Spanky Lavalier's runway. Oli Marmol's thoughts on the loss. Do I love it? No. Buh Bye. This collection of pills I have is for my hair loss. Can Jackson name the two MLB teams that debuted in 1998? Pevely supports the red hats. Snapbacks vs. Fitteds. A working man's daiquiri. Lots of controversial hat discussion.Why are we enjoying HOV? 1998 hits. Gallup Poll on hat preferences. Fitted and forward, that's O.G. Jay-Z getting the rights from Annie. Call of Jordan Walker's 8th homerun. Oli Marmol giving Jordan Walker credit for his preparation. Wear your hat backwards when you arm wrestle. Inclusive, but elite. Navy Caps & Nine Catchers now available on Spotify. Evangelizing the Navy Cap Gospel. Your problems in life do not then become MY problems.Doug was hanging out with Magic Johnson last night. Audio of Magic Johnson talking about Robbie Avila. Jesus, put your boner away, Doug. If you're not miserable, you're not relatable. Magic talking about the Cardinals and giving the BFIBs their flowers. Hard to lose the Dodgers in a divorce.Everything's gonna be alright......Rockabye. Favorite YouTube categories. Who are you to be the arbiter of music? The Bling Man. Ear Gauges. Jim Montgomery impressed with the support of the Blues fans last night. Doug's traffic woes. How many St. Louisans would recognize Magic Johnson. Ball Coach Steve on TikTok. More controversial hat talk. Kirsten Dunst's snaggle tooth.A recreational situation. The host of the Golden Globes just walking around here. Who's the most famous person you've been nearby? We goin' Sizzla. The narrative that Rory had an unfair advantage because of his practice rounds at Augusta. Chairman cut the wrong audio and bolted. Guess Doug's talking to himself. Curt with a C is on hold and he doesn't understand the narrative that he loves Jackson. The attractiveness in Sullivan. Fish frys. Doug's non-compete. Fresh ice cream pints at 9:30AM.Look, Doug, it's Brody. Is it Sid The Kid's last time in St. Louis tonight? Brody breakin' down the Cardinals. Brody isn't convinced Marmol survives the season and doesn't like Youngry batting 9th. Mizzou hoops. Doug's pissed about the Wrestlemania start time. His 5 year goal to attend a Wrestlemania. Bathroom matches and popcorn matches.The B side of MMMBop. Alright, you can move on from that. Just can't pitch around Walker with Fermin lurking. Just don't see Jordan Walker not breaking the all-time homerun record.Nice rebound, Jackson. The Design Aire Heating & Cooling EMOTD...Jackson's having a big show despite the Hanson thing. Choppering into Como. The Athletic and the Dianna Russini situation. Sending out a trial balloon tweet. Doug Vaughn here with the Gray Lady.Deep Impact or Armageddon? Carwash Dave isn't happy his texts don't get read and he's texted in quite a few times about it. Now someone's sending in topless pictures of the Cardinal Cowboy.Tubthumping. Will the Bonds family be there to watch Jordan Walker break his record? Would we do a wet T-shirt contest? Jeff Pearlman is like a hall monitor now. Maybe the creepiest text we've ever gotten.And the winner of the Design Aire Heating & Cooling E-Mail of the Day is...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Notes and Links to Daniel Tam-Claiborne's Work     Daniel Tam-Claiborne is a multiracial essayist and author of the short story collection What Never Leaves. His writing has appeared in Literary Hub, the Rumpus, SupChina, the Huffington Post, the Shanghai Literary Review, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships and awards from the U.S. Fulbright Program, the New York State Summer Writers Institute, Kundiman, the Jack Straw Writers Program, and the Yiddish Book Center. Tam-Claiborne serves as program director of partnerships and events at Hugo House in Seattle. He holds degrees from Oberlin College, Yale University, and the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and is the author of Transplants, a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Buy Transplants   Daniel Tam Claiborne's Website   Review and Informative Article for Transplants in the Seattle Times     At about 2:30, Daniel provides background on his reading and language life, including formative works and formative teachers  At about 6:40, Daniel talks about inspiring contemporary writers At about 10:50, Daniel responds to Pete asking about seeds for Transplants; Daniel expands on how he “processes the world through [his] work” and explores ideas of identity and perception At about 16:35, Pete cites the book's epigraphs and ideas of transference and ideas of changing places At about 17:20, the book's exposition is discussed, and Daniel reflects on ideas of the collective vs. individual, especially with regard to Lin At about 20:30, Daniel talks about Liz's frustrations in connecting with others and mindset in moving to her ancestral home of China for teaching At about 24:50, Daniel talks about Lin and how she deals with her burgeoning relationship with Travis and later ideas of shame and agency At about 28:00, Liz and her “existential crisis” are discussed and her altruistic and otherwise actions are examined by Daniel  At about 31:20, The two discuss the real-life parallels involving a scene in the book that shows the back-and-forth between North Korea and China At about 37:00, Pete talks about cultural misunderstandings in the book, and Daniel talks about the dissonance in the Chinese diaspora regarding new waves of Chinese immigrants and assimilation-he emphasizes Liz's brother, Phil, and his views At about 39:45, The two reflect on Liz's budding relationship and growing pains in the beginning days of Covid in Shanghai At about 41:20, Daniel replies to Pete asking about what Lin finds in Gua, her partner in the westward road trip At about 45:10, The two reflect on ideas of “foreigners” and a caring nurse and her significance in the book At about 49:00, Pete talks about feminism and Lin being “in control of her narrative” and ideas of moral clarity At about 49:50, Daniel expands on Stephen, Liz's boyfriend, and earlier iterations  At about 51:40, Daniel responds to Pete wondering about the real-life background for the housing complex and organization for which Lin delivered groceries to elderly and isolated people, many of them former internees from the Japanese/Japanese-American internment camps At about 55:20, The two muse about Liz and her motivations-subconscious or not-in traveling to China At about 56:40, Daniel talks about the book's ending and portions of the book as “surprising” to him At about 59:00, Pete and Daniel reflect on Daniel's writing the book only a few years after the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the balance between urgency and perspective        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 338 with Adam H. Johnson, a media analyst and co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His book is an incredibly important accounting of the malfeasance, whitewashing, and misdirection of so much of the media that has enabled the tragedies of Gaza.    The episode airs on April 21, Pub Day for How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Jeff Pearlman, author of "Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur"

Notes and Links to Rachel Khong's Work     Rachel Khong is a writer living in Los Angeles. Her debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district; she retired at the end of 2021. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out now from Knopf. She writes the monthly newsletter, Short Story Short. Along with her friends Meng Jin, Susanna Kwan, and Shruti Swamy, she teaches writing workshops and retreats. Find them at The Dream Side.com Buy My Dear You   Rachel Khong's Website   Rachel Khong's Wikipedia Page     At about 2:10, Rachel talks about her writing experience and philosophy involving eggs At about 4:30, Rachel responds to Pete's questions about her early language and literature background  At about 7:25, Pete and Rachel geek out about The Best American Short Stories anthologies At about 10:30, Rachel highlights wonderful writing mentors and passionate readers  At about 12:00, Rachel describes her college “independent study” that exposed her to so much great writing, and Pete and Rachel cite Aimee Bender's greatness At about 15:45, Pete recounts his experience reading The Real Americans At about 16:40, Pete lays out the story collection's first resonant line and asks Rachel about the inspiration for the first story At about 20:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the balance between the general and the specific, especially with regard to pathos At about 22:50, Rachel reflects on a real-life parallel to a story in the collection, and an abstract/concrete connection to others in the world At about 24:05, Cats and taking care of (literally!) their owners  At about 25:20, Pete and Rachel discuss racial dynamics and diversity with regard to the story “The Freshening” At about 27:25, Rachel reflects on the ways that Asians and Asian-Americans have reacted to racism in the past  At about 30:10, Rachel discusses ideas of a “color-blind” society  At about 31:20, Pete cites resonant and outsized lines in the collection At about 32:05, Rachel reacts to Pete's musing about her as the writer sitting in judgment or not of her characters, especially Greg from “The Family O” At about 38:45, the two discuss lost loves, missed connections, and senses of comfortability and routines At about 41:00, Rachel talks about how the beginning of the pandemic connects to looking for meanings of suffering and pain and led to some of her story collections At about 43:00, The two discuss themes of connection and alienation and loneliness in various stories At about 46:20, Pete reflects on the traumas carried in the collection, and Rachel's deft touch with her writing about miscarriage and other heavy topics  At about 48:10, Pete and Rachel discuss a story dealing with cultural change in Malaysia and shout out connections to the “beautiful book”-Rachel Heng's The Great Reclamation At about 51:20, Aihwa Ong's article on possession by ghosts and worker protests are cited as seeds for Rachel's work At about 52:20,  At about 53:20, The two discuss the “beautiful absurdity” of Rachel's work and Pete cites the profundity of friendship At about 54:30, Rachel gives out tour info and book purchasing info      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.       Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl        Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!        This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.        Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show. You can also buy single episodes for $3.         This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.       The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.        Please tune in for Episode 337 with Daniel Tam-Claiborne, a multiracial writer, multimedia producer, and nonprofit director. His debut novel, Transplants (Simon & Schuster, 2025), was a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award.       He is the author of the short story collection What Never Leaves, and his writing has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, HuffPost, Catapult, Literary Hub, Off Assignment, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. Daniel is an award-winning producer for two public media initiatives at WNET, America's flagship PBS station, including the digital documentary series be/longing: Asian Americans Now, Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out, Voices Rising: What's Next for Asian Americans in the Arts, and Climate Artists.         Daniel is an outspoken advocate for Asian American issues and increased global understanding through education, cultural exchange, storytelling, and effective philanthropy. He serves as Deputy Director at The Serica Initiative, a nonprofit organization that amplifies the impact of the Asian diaspora in America.       The episode airs on April 14.       Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Toni Ann Johnson's Work     Toni Ann Johnson won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE'S HOME? (UPK 2026).    In 2021, she won the Flannery O'Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize.    A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing's inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.    Short fiction and essays have been published in The Emerson Review, Hunger Mountain, Fiction Magazine, Callaloo, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere.    A novel, Remedy For a Broken Angel, was published in 2014 and received a nomination for a 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author.    Johnson is a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment).      Buy But Where's Home?   “How But Where's Home? by Toni Ann Johnson Got Made” from Publisher's Weekly Toni Ann Johnson's Website At about 1:50, Toni Ann shouts out Crystal Wilkinson and her great work in talking about Toni's newest release, But Where's Home? and awards At about 3:25, Toni Ann speaks about working with real-life events as fodder for fiction  At about 7:40, Toni responds to Pete's questions about her book's structure, especially her inclusion of a novella At about 11:00, the two discuss the book's opening story and exposition  At about 13:30, Toni Ann expands on a real-life parallel in the story collection  At about 14:20, The two discuss Livia, the narrator's sister, and her feelings of marginalization and her efforts as girl to adjust  At about 17:30, Pete and Toni Ann talk about traumas informing one's own parenting, in relation to a deep quote in the book At about 20:00, Toni reflects on a character in the book as a "generational nemesis” and a contentious neighbor's links to the family's generations and changing dynamics   At about 22:00, Toni Ann reflects on ideas of “not seeing color” as a damaging ethic in American history  At about 25:00, Pete and Toni Ann discuss changing ways of talking about race over the decades  At about 26:15, Toni Ann expands on a meaningful family heirloom, a pen, in the collection At about 27:40, The two discuss empathy and sympathy for characters whose actions the readers may not condone At about 29:10, Pete asks Toni Ann about Maddie's response to her sexual assault, and how her words towards her mother come from her traumas  At about 31:55, Toni responds to Pete's laying out of a resolution made by Maddie in discussing the actions of the children of narcissistic parents At about 36:25, Pete remarks on the importance and skill of Toni Ann's ancillary characters and veins of ancestors running through the collection  At about 37:45, The novella's opening is discussed, with Maddie interested in getting Zeke's attention  At about 39:25, Pete and Toni Ann talk about Zeke as navigating racism and tropes in a conservative town At about 41:00, Muriel, Phil's lover, and the events that lead to Velma's “having her guard down” are discussed, as well as how Velma and Maddie interact  At about 44:45, a turnabout with mother and daughter is explored  At about 46:05, Pete cites important flashbacks and confrontations between Velma and Maddie At about 47:20, Franny, a character who is in multiple of Toni's works, is discussed as a reminder of home in Monroe, NY At about 49:00, Pete and Velma highlight ideas of innocence and the traumatic experiences of childhood for Velma  At about 50:25, the two discuss Olivia and Maddie's grievances towards their parents and guilt (or lack thereof) from Maddie At about 53:20, Toni Ann responds to Pete's questions about self-esteem and the significance of the collection's title At about 57:10, Toni Ann highlights “moments of levity” in the book    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 336 with Rachel Khong, whose debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out as of today, April 7.    The episode airs on April 7, Pub Day for My Dear You.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Lisa Lee's Work     Lisa Lee is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media's feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.”  Today, March 31, is Pub Day for her novel, American Han.   Buy American Han   Lisa Lee's Website   Review of American Han from Kirkus Reviews   At about 1:40, Lisa discusses the exhaustion and excitement that comes with Pub Day and the book's unveiling At about 4:45, Lisa gives info on publishing and buying her book At about 5:40, Lisa and Pete shout out meaningful writers in her life and talk about her book events coming up At about 6:15, Lisa responds to Pete's question about her language and reading life in childhood and into young adulthood At about 9:00, Lisa cites Housekeeping by Robinson and Everett's Erasure as changing her perceptions of what writers At about 10:30, Lisa expands upon the greatness of Percival Evertett, homing in on Erasure At about 13:20, Pete reads a generic definition of han and compares it to a word like saudade that is virtually untranslatable  At about 14L15, Lisa responds to Pete's questions about the meaning(s) of han At about 16:00, Pete sets the book's exposition, and Lisa expands on the narrator Jane's mindset at the beginning of American Han  At about 20:45, The two discuss the competitiveness within the family and expectations of Jane's mother  At about 21:45, Lisa responds to Pete asking about the quote that Jane has succeeded “despite” her mother, not “because of” her mother  At about 25:15, Pete cites the Korean folk tale of Chun in talking about parental-child relationships and sibling relationships  At about 26:05, Lisa responds to Pete's question about empathy/sympathy for her characters  At about 29:05, Lisa reflects on Pete's wondering about han and intergenerational traumas in the book, and expands upon differences in han's impact in contemporary Korea and among members of the Korean diaspora At about 33:30, Pete highlights a memorable scene that  At about 34:05, Pete riffs on the "manosphere" and connections to Kevin, the narrator's sister, and his misogyny; Lisa speaks on Kevin's background and sense of han and sense of gender identity At about 40:15, Lisa and Pete discuss the book's timing and pacing and flashbacks At about 42:40, Pete highlights an important and well-drawn scene about an alternate way of being mother and daughter  At about 43:55, Lisa expands on a Korean custom of associating parents with their children through different forms of address At about 45:40, The two reflect on children as the parents' “identity” At about 46:40, Pete points out the independence of the mother and father at a point in the book where Kevin's horrific act shakes up the family  At about 47:35, The two discuss the importance of a family vacation and ideas of “let[ting] the lid off” At about 48:10, Pete asks Lisa about ending the book as she does, with a flashback, and with the tone that she uses      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 335 with Toni Ann Johnson, who won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE'S HOME? (UPK 2026). In 2021, she won the Flannery O'Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize. A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing's inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.    She is also a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment).    The episode airs March 31 or April 1.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

SEASON 4 EPISODE 73: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (2:30) SPECIAL COMMENT: I have figured out what might be the weirdest most pointless delusion of Trump's second term: his claim "Vince Lombardi - I knew him." Trump was just 21, in college, and living with his parents in Queens the day the most legendary figure in football in the '60s retired as coach of The Green Bay Packers. More over, the first time he claimed he knew him was a decade ago, filled with details of witnessing Lombardi grab players by the shirt and not getting beat up because he was a winner. Where? How? He never explained. Of course he didn't. He probably saw it on television. So why does he believe he met Vince Lombardi? Because he DID meet Vince Lombardi. Only - not THAT Vince Lombardi. He met Vince Lombardi, JUNIOR, son of the legendary coach. Vince Lombardi Jr. was an executive in the United States Football League while Trump owned the New Jersey Generals of that league. Lombardi Jr. recounts meeting Trump (Trump was a jerk) in Jeff Pearlman's perfect book "Football For A Buck." By this standard, I ALSO KNEW VINCE LOMBARDI. The younger was a negotiator for the owners during the NFL Strike of 1982 that I covered for CNN. But in the 44 years since I met him I never conflated him with his father. THIS IS NOT THE LEAD STORY, it's just maddening. The lead? Trump and Hegseth and Rubio may be sending thousands of American troops into an ambush in Iran. Not that they care. The conservative publication “The Washington Post” reports Pentagon plans for thousands of Marines and other personnel conducting weeks of raids while Rubio insists it’s going so well, we’ll never need boots on the ground. But Trump and Hegseth and Rubio may be wildly exaggerating how EFFECTIVELY America has degraded Iran’s military capacities AND wildly underrating how effective Iran has been destroying American equipment – especially aircraft.The Pentagon said an AWACS – the giant command and control plane – was “damaged” while parked on an airfield in Saudi Arabia. Photos have leaked. The back half of the AWACs was blown off. Iran is successfully conducting a war designed to destroy our PLANES on the ground, and control or neutralize wherever American troops intend to land or be based. AND THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL doesn't know it is against federal law to send troops (or other "armed men") to a polling station during an election. Five years in jail for sending them, Todd Blanche. Losing eligibility for all offices or honors, Donald Trump. B-Block (36:30) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Bill Maher wins The Shania Twain Prize For Humor. I think I have that right. Laura Loomer takes a terrible risk invoking the term "a slap in the face" given what she's done to her own face. And who's worse? Scott Jennings (now accused by three fellow guests of faking his anti-Trump hysteria) or Abby Phillip (who lets her name be used on the grotesque CNN show where Jennings allegedly lies)? C-Block (50:00) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: I mean this question literally: Whatever happened to Rudy Giuliani? Not that I miss him, not that I'm worried. It's just - he's vanished, hasn't he?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Notes and Links to Jordy Rosenberg's Work   Jordy Rosenberg is the author of the novel Confessions of the Fox, a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, a Publishing Triangle Award, the UK Historical Writers Association Debut Crown Award, longlisted for The Dublin Literary Award, and named one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker, Kirkus Reviews and others. Jordy's work has been supported by MacDowell, The Lannan Foundation, The Banff Centre, and The Ahmanson-Getty Foundation. He is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at UMass-Amherst. His latest work is Night Night Fawn, published in early 2026. Buy Night Night Fawn   Jordy Rosenberg's Website   Review for Night Night Fawn from The New York Times At about 0:45, Jordy responds to Pete's questions about the feedback Jordy has received since Night Night Fawn has come out At about 2:50, Jordy talks about tour events and purchase info At about 4:15, Jordy talks about his background in reading and writing, especially the influence of the Marxist tradition  At about 6:50, Jordy responds to Pete's questions about what draws him to sci-fi, and Jordy expands on his interesting view of genre as “collective” At about 9:00, Jordan cites contemporary writers whom he appreciates in his "omnivorous" writing, including Lara Sheehi At about 12:30, Jordy reflects on seeds for his novel, which started out as memoir  At about 16:10, the two discuss the narrator, Barbara, and the book's exposition, and connections to Marx At about 18:50, Jordy discusses how he wanted to explore Marxism through the voice of someone with a passing knowledge of it At about 20:45, Part II of the book, a letter from Barbara, is discussed At about 22:45, Jordy reflects on how he satirizes those so obsessed with anti-trans vitriol At about 25:00, Jordy expands on Barbara's antiquated and biased world view and victim mentality  At about 26:45, Jordy discusses a pivotal scene at a funeral and the importance of a photo At about 31:00, Jordy responds to Pete's question about meta-writing and  At about 35:00, Barbara's job and it providing “ammunition” for her homophobia is the basis of discussion  At about 36:00, Neil, a family friend, is discussed as a trope and anti-trope At about 38:00, Pete compares Neil's Marxism to “a la carte Catholicism” At about 38:50, The beginnings of discussions of Israel and 1980s viewpoints and a “public relations nightmare” and a broken friendship are highlighted At about 42:40, Jordy talks about the importance of the “carrot scene” and ideas of Jewish masculinity At about 47:15, Pete cites Deni Avdija's story and Jordy expands on ideas of BDS and narratives of “the most moral army in the world” At about 52:00, Jordy and  Pete posit some ideas about the adult daughter in the novel and talk about Jewish leadership in the BDS movement  At about 54:10, The two discuss the scene in which Barbara reunites with her old friend and how Jordy uses satire in the scene At about 57:15, Jordy reflects on real-life connections to Barbara sending her daughter to Israel for “support work” At about 59:15, Jordy cites the book as adding to conversations that come from “bedside rants”        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 333 with Keith O'Brien. Keith has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.    Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.    The episode airs on March 29 or thereabouts.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.  

Notes and Links to Keith O'Brien's Work     Keith O'Brien has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.    Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.   Buy Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird    Keith O'Brien's Website   Review for Heartland from The Wall Street Journal   At about 1:50, Pete shouts out his brother as a huge Larry Bird fan At about 2:30, Keith talks about his book tour for the launch of Heartland and gives a summary of the book at about 4:40, Keith responds to Pete asking about the time period covered in the book and how he figured out his angle for the book at about 7:55, Keith talks about his attempts to talk to Larry Bird for the book at about 10:00, Pete sets the record straight grammatically, and Keith expands on Indiana State University President Dick Landini's persona  at about 11:20, The two discuss the book's opening sequence, and Keith explains why he started the book where he did, with an Indiana State NIT loss and Larry Bird fracas  at about 16:25, Keith talks about Larry Bird's treatment as "The Great White Hope" and the ways in which he was talked about and treated in the late 1970s at about 19:00, Larry Bird's childhood is discussed, including his father's military background, and Larry talks about his research and work to make Joey Bird "three-dimensional"  at about 22:40, Keith gives background on the poverty and hardship in Larry Bird's upbringing at about 23:40, Dave Bliss, Bobby Knight, and Larry Bird's college recruitment are discussed at about 24:20, Keith recounts an amazing story involving Denny Crum and Larry Bird's recruitment  at about 26:45, Larry's short time at Indiana University and Northwood Institute are highlighted at about 29:40, The two discuss important recruits for Indiana State to team up with Larry Bird, including Harry Morgan and his upbringing in a racist town/society at about 33:00, Larry responds to Pete's asking about the college basketball Magic Johnson/Larry Bird dynamic, and the racial dynamics and popularity of the NBA in the late 1970s at about 36:30, Keith gives background on the Celtics drafting Larry Bird after his junior year of college at about 37:10, Pete discusses the "glue guys" that Coach Hodges brought in to ISU for Larry's third year and the novelty of nationally-televised games  at about 39:00, Keith reflects on the fact that while Magic Johnson is crucial to the book's events, he was at the time of the book's action, largely unknown to Larry, and vice versa at about 41:30, Keith responds to Pete's referring to the book's last section, a sort of "Where are they now?" by calling it his favorite section and how the players and connections to ISU were irrevocably-changed    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 334 with Lisa Lee. She is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media's feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.”     The episode airs on March 31, Pub Day for her novel American Han.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Davina Agudelo's Work        Davina Agudelo-Ferreria is a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing. Agudelo-Ferreira was born in Miami and raised in Medellín, Colombia until the age of 17.    Alegría Publishing was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work.     She also runs the bilingual Alegría magazine, which was founded in 2012 and is published digitally and printed quarterly.  2021 Article in Remezcla: “With Alegría Bilingual Media, Colombiana Davina A. Ferreira Is Uplifting Latine Storytelling   Publishing on Instagram At about 1:40, Davina shares some good Medellin, Colombia slang At about 3:20, Davina expands upon her upbringing and her language and literary lives and literature and writing were places of “refuge” for her At about 6:10, Davina talks about “gatekeepers” and difficulty in getting to read diverse writers and publish; she talks about her publishing company as a response to that  At about 7:50, Davina responds to Pete's asking about her early writing-poetry, journals, etc. At about 9:50, Pete cites Ingrid Rojas Contreras in asking Davina about connections between Colombian cultures and magic realism At about 11:35, Davina responds to Pete's wondering about her take on diversity in publishing and any positive changes in recent years At about 14:15, Davina reflects on the usage of Latine and Latinx At about 16:05, Davina talks about the name of her publishing company and its significance  At about 17:45, Davina expands on alegria vs. joy and their power At about 18:20, Davina talks about the publishing company and its mission and challenges around the COVID pandemic At about 23:05, Davina responds (en español) to Pete asking about her own writing-likes and specialties  At about 26:00, Pete asks Davina (en español) about balancing the personal and the universal, and the balance between the romantic and the cheesy  At about 28:20, Davina outlines the year-round work at a publishing company  At about 30:15, Davina discusses future projects for Alegria Publishing       You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 332 with Jordy Rosenberg, the author of the novels Confessions of the Fox (2018) and Night Night Fawn (2026). Confessions of the Fox was a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, and has been recognized by The New Yorker, the Huffington Post, among other places, as one of the Best Books of 2018. Jordy is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.    The episode airs on March 24.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Gaspare Randazzo's Work   Gaspare Randazzo is a NYC high school teacher in his 13th year in the classroom. When he's not in the classroom, you can find Gaspare doing Stand Up Comedy all around the country where he talks about his life as a teacher and his experiences dealing with students from all walks of life. In addition to stand up comedy and teaching, Gaspare recently starred in the Netflix show “The Trust” and co-hosts “The Social Studies Podcast” along with Joe Dombrowski. You can find him on all social media platforms at StandUpRandazzo. Gaspare Randazzo's Instagram   Gaspare's Website   Tickets for Gaspare's Shows   At about 1:35, Gaspare relates the incredible story of him buying an Egyptian sarcophagus  At about 7:50, Pete shouts out the connections between Gaspare and his AOL screen name At about 9:00, Gaspare talks about his early connections to the comedy world, some tangential  At about 10:15, Gaspare responds to Pete's questions about catalysts for his comedy career At about 12:00, Gaspare shares an anecdote about his first headlining show and how he stretched eight minutes of material into an hour of material   At about 14:50, Gaspare talks about how he is “just him[self]” on stage At about 15:45, Gaspare responds to Pete's question about the “clip culture” of contemporary comedy At about 16:30, Gaspare talks about “clean comedy” At about 17:55, Gaspare talks about connections between teaching and comedy, and his public persona making it necessary to be a good teacher  At about 19:00, Gaspare expands on his usage of costumes in his history classes At about 21:00, Gaspare responds to Pete's questions about privacy concerns and how he is “mindful” of not giving specifics  At about 22:00, Gaspare discusses his evolving classroom management over the years  At about 23:15, Gaspare reflects on the comment boards and positive and negative comments  At about 26:10, Gaspare lays out his weekend schedule that integrates family time and comedy At about 28:10, Gaspare talks about his time on Netflix's The Trust and lays out his early experience and the concept of the show  At about 31:00, Gaspare explains his mindset on the show  At about 32:30, Gaspare talks about the shared experience with his castmates  At about 33:25, Gaspare shares how the byzantine way he “resigned” from his teaching job in order to be on the show At about 35:15, Pete asks Gaspare about “go-to” jokes and lessons  At about 37:20, Gaspare cites about 92% of his audience being teachers and riffs on “translating” his comedy for non-teachers  At about 38:30: Rigor!      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 331 with Davina Agudelo, a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing, which was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work.    The episode airs on March 19.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.        You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.  

Notes and Links to Grant Ginder's Work   Grant Ginder is the author of the novels Let's Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver's Education, and This is How It Starts. Originally from Southern California, he studied at the University of Pennsylvania and received his MFA from NYU, where he currently teaches writing. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband, Mac, and their disastrous dog, Frankie.     Follow Grant on Twitter and Instagram at @GrantGinder. Buy So Old, So Young   So Old, So Young Review for The Boston Globe   Grant Ginder's Website At about 2:05, Grant shares the fortifying feedback he has received since So Old, So Young has been out At about 3:45, The two ruminate on aging and its “surprise” and its prevalence in  At about 5:15, Grant gives out book-buying info and upcoming book events  At about 7:15, Grant provides background on his rich reading life as a kid At about 10:30, Grant talks about his love for Jane Austen's work, and the two discuss connections in Austen and Grant's work At about 11:40, Grant talks about the “compulsion” and catalysts that led him to become a writer At about 13:45, Grant reflects on how his speechwriting career has informed his novel writing  At about 14:50, Grant responds to Pete's questions about seeing his work on the big screen with The People You Hate at the Wedding At about 17:15, Grant shares writing wisdom from his teacher E.L Doctorow in discussing the episodic nature of his book At about 18:25, Grant talks about the seeds for his novel At about 20:20, The two discuss the meaningful epigraph and its change; Grant shouts out James Salter's Light Years At about 23:55, Pete lays out the book's opening and a cryptic comment At about 24:40, the two discuss the book's chronological opening in 2007 and discuss the characters  At about 27:30, Grant explains the compliment of Adam being compared to a “roll of duct tape” At about 28:50, Grant expands on why he steers clear of a straightforward cause-and-effect for his characters  At about 31:30,  At about 33:30, Pete shares some amazing coincidences in his life and the book's second event, a 2014 wedding  At about 35:10, Grant expands on Mia's comment that going to friends' weddings is “bloodsport” At about 37:40, Poor Nina, in her complexities, is discussed, and Pete compares her to Cecily Strong's SNL character  At about 40:30, Ideas of expectations for women and the stakes “slowly getting ratched up” are discussed  At about 42:44, the next event, 2018's party, is discussed  At about 44:00, Grant reflects on self-sabotage among longtime friends  At about 45:10, Nina and her hyperawareness of social anxiety and isolation are discussed  At about 47:50, Pete shouts out the wonderful invitation for Event #4 and the two discuss “dad rock”  At about 48:45, the two discuss the book cover and a “madcap scene” At about 49:20, Grant talks about the eventual moving to the suburbs and people digging in their heels to stay in “the city” At about 51:10, the two discuss the ways in which youth or lack thereof affects your mindset At about 52:20, Grant reflects on long-lasting friendships and grace and change  At about 55:00, The two discuss connections between Grant's book and The Big Chill     You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 330, a conversation with Gaspare Randazzo, a New York City high school history teacher and stand-up comedian known for his humorous insights into education, social media presence, and appearance on Netflix's "The Trust." He has over a decade of teaching experience and performs comedy nationwide, co-hosting the "Social Studies" podcast.     The episode airs on March 18.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Tom Junod's Work   Tom Junod is an ESPN senior writer who has written some of the most enduring and widely read longform journalism of the last 30 years.    He joined ESPN in 2016 and has specialized in deeply reported stories on subjects ranging from Muhammad Ali's funeral to Tom Brady's desire to play forever. He has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on “The Hero of Goodall Park,” an E60 program on the ancient secrets that were revealed when a car drove on a baseball field in Maine during a Babe Ruth League game in 2018.     In a 2022 piece, “Untold,” he and ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne spent nearly two years uncovering the horrific crimes of Todd Hodne, a  Penn State football player who in the late 1970's terrorized State College PA, and Long Island, NY, as a serial sexual predator.    Before coming to ESPN, Junod wrote for GQ and Esquire, where he won two National Magazine Awards and was a finalist for the award a record 11 times. For Esquire's 75th Anniversary, the editors of the magazine selected his 9/11 story “The Falling Man' as one of the seven top stories in Esquire's history. In 2019, his story on beloved children's TV host Fred Rogers, “Can You Say…Hero?,” served as the basis for the movie “A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys.    His work has been widely anthologized in collections including The Best American Magazine Writing, the Best American Sports Writing, the Best American Political Writing, the Best American Crime Writing, and the Best American Food Writing. Buy In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man   Esquire: “Mr Rogers Changed Tom Junod's Life. Here's the True Story Behind A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood   Esquire Magazine: “Can You Say…Hero” Article about Fred Rogers   New York Times Review: “Tom Junod Would Like to Tell You about His Father”   “My Father's Fashion Tips”-1996 GQ Article   “Untold”: 2023 Article from ESPN Regarding Penn State and Todd Hodne At about 1:00, Tom talks about his night and days leading up to Pub Day, and the sometimes-arbitrary nature of publishing and Pub Day At about 3:00, Tom talks about his upcoming book tour/events At about 4:15, Tom highlights the greatness and importance of Amy Wallace and her work, an upcoming conversation partner for him At about 6:30, Pete is highly complimentary-joining thousands and ten of thousands of fans-of Tom's legendary “The Falling Man” article   At about 7:05, Tom responds to Pete's questions about the ways in which Jerry Sandusky haunts Tom and Paula Lavigne's master class in journalism, “ ” At about 12:00, Tom expands on how the article about Todd Hodne pointed out the lies and hypocrisy regarding Joe Paterno and Penn State  At about 13:35, Tom responds to Pete's questions about the seeds for In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man; he emphasizes the importance of a 1996 GQ article  At about 17:30, Pete brings up some intriguing quotes in making some connections between Lorenzo Carcaterra's A Safe Place and Tom's memoir At about 18:30, Tom highlights the classic portrait of her father for the GQ article by Marion Ettlinger (also featured in the book), and talks about his father's essence being captured  At about 20:20, Tom responds to Pete asking about his father Lou as a distinctive type of “man's man” At about 25:00, Tom talks about his dad as “Italian-adjacent” At about 26:30, Tom discusses the two funeral services held for his father, and how “having the last word” in dealing with his father led to him becoming a writer  At about 30:50, Tom highlights a stunning eulogy from a former lover of his father  At about 32:10, Tom responds to Pete's questions about balancing his father's behaviors in his mind and in his feelings towards him; Tom emphasizes the “suspicions” about his father that he harbored for decades about his father  At about 36:50, Tom talks about love “unlocking” so much for his writing of the book, including his father but also his wife, his mother, his siblings, his aunts, etc. At about 38:55, Tom reflects on ideas of grace and scrutiny involving his father, his paternal grandmother, and their life histories  At about 42:35, Tom responds to Pete's question about how his life with his father has affected him as a father         You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 329 with Grant Ginder Please tune in for Episode 325 with Grant Ginder, the author of the novels Let's Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver's Education, and This is How It Starts, a few of which have been made into movies. His latest is So Old, So Young.     The episode airs on March 13 or 14.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.    You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

This podcast explores the life and legacy of Tupac Shakur as presented in Jeff Pearlman's biography, "Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur."The episode centers on biographer Jeff Pearlman, a white sportswriter who spent three years conducting over 650 interviews to piece together a "definitive historic record" of Tupac. Pearlman acknowledges his status as an outsider to Hip-Hop culture, describing his approach as a "blank slate" intended to listen rather than project an agenda. A pivotal moment in his reporting occurred during an interview with Tupac's sister, Sekyiwa, who "checked" his privilege by correcting his use of the word "moved" to "relocated" when describing the family's transition from Baltimore to California—a distinction that highlighted the systemic forces at play in their lives.A major portion of the discussion focuses on the "profoundly sad" reality of Tupac's childhood. While his mother, Afeni Shakur, was a revolutionary icon of the Panther 21, the book reveals the devastating impact of her crack addiction on a young Tupac. The "Thug Life" persona was, in part, a carefully constructed mask. Before his rap fame, Tupac was a sensitive ballet and theater student who loved Kate Bush and Don McLean. The narrative suggests that as "gangsta rap" became the dominant commercial force, Tupac adapted his image to fit the industry, leading to a "saga of the mask gradually eating the face" as he became increasingly reckless to maintain his street credibility.

Notes and Links to Adolfo Guzman Lopez's Work   Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the Los Angeles NPR affiliate since 2000. He reported and hosted Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, a true crime podcast looking into the death in 1994 of Chicano college activist Oscar Gomez. He has reported on L.A. politics, education, art, museums and other topics. His stories have also aired and published nationally on NPR, The Washington Post, and other media. His awards include the LA Press Club's “Radio Journalist of the Year.” He was born in Mexico City, grew up in Tijuana and San Diego, and lives in Long Beach. Buy California Southern: writing from the road, 1992-2025   Listen to Adolfo's “The Forgotten Revolutionary” Podcast Series   KPCC/LAist Article about Adolfo's Visit to Pete's Classroom, 2012   KPCC/Laist OnRamp Article about Adolfo being referenced on The Simpsons At about 2:20, Pete and Adolfo talk about the wonderful experience Adolfo provided for Pete's students during a 2012 class visit At about 5:15, Adolfo recounts great stories and lessons learned (especially “collective voice”) from time with The Taco Shop Poets At about 9:00, Adolfo gives background on growing up in San Diego and Tijuana, "bicultural and bilingual” At about 11:30, Pete and Adolfo reflect on the book as “a road trip book” At about 13:30, Adolfo discusses what he recently learned about earlier family immigrants to the US At about 15:40, the two discuss of National City and San Diego in discussing the wonderful “binaries” that Mike Sonksen compliments in blurbs for the book At about 20:50, Adolfo describes the “sadness” in the writing of Jack Kerouac and connections to ideas of “home” for himself and Kerouac At about 23:10, Pete and Adolfo shout out Tim Hernández and his great work with Mañana Means Heaven At about 24:00, “The Spine of Califas,” the book's first poem, is discussed, and Adolfo discusses the “personification” of the border At about 27:50, Pete highlights the POV and “myriad stories” in a poem about  At about 28:40, Adolfo responds to Pete's questions about poems that focus on the border crossing and questions from immigration authorities  At about 29:40, Adolfo explains a dynamic phrase he uses-”milquetoast bilingualism" and how he played with language, especially with regards to “proper” Spanish and English At about 34:55, Adolfo reads some of his work, meditating on ideas of possessions, tangible and not At about 38:00, The two discuss “SanDiegotijuana” and its “negative definitions” and Adolfo reflects on the “set of feelings” that differ depending on where he is At about 41:00, Adolfo reflects on his “footprints still [being] wet” in San Diego and its implications  At about 43:40, Pete compliments Adolfo's work in tracing the histories, military and not, of San Diego and LA At about 47:00, Adolfo responds to Pete's asking about his poem(s) about Pacific Beach Junior High School  At about 48:55, Adolfo expands on his word play, especially using various permutations of “Sal” and talks about adopting Jewish religious practices and writing about a meaningful story from the Torah At about 53:25, Adolfo responds to Pete's questions about “The Words I've Lost” and ideas of remembered and forgotten language At about 55:45, The two discuss gentrification as a topic in the poetry collections, particularly in San Diego At about 1:00:25, Adolfo recounts the story behind his poem on the opening of the National City Library  At about 1:03:40, ideas of “passing the baton” and transitions between immigrant communities and migrant communities are discussed  At about 1:06:20, Adolfo reads the poem “Prudence” At about 1:07:45, Adolfo talks about writing in response/in honor of Ginsberg and Chicano/a history  At about 1:10:35, Adolfo talks about the Chicano Student Movement, which he covered for his podcast, “The Forgotten Revolutionary” At about 1:11:50, Adolfo talks about continuing various movements, and how he has written a “sequel(s) for “The Movement” poem At about 1:14:00, Adolfo responds to Pete's questions about the term Chicano and its changing meanings At about 1:18:00, Adolfo reflects At about 1:20:30, Adolfo reflects on continuing activism and misogyny within activist circles  At about 1:24:10, Adolfo expands on writing and a changed viewpoint on life after a horrible injury caused by police at a protest At about 1:26:40, Pete shouts out “Those Winter Sundays” in highlighting Adolfo's strong ending with a question At about 1:27:40, Adolfo expands on a poem that highlights the building of the LA Philharmonic  At about 1:31: 30, Pete highlights a favorite poem in the collection, “Trucks” and shares a little Italian bone to pick with Adolfo At about 1:35:15, Pete compares Adolfo's “Trucks” and love for home to Hemingway's “Old Man at the Bridge” At about 1:37:30, Shifra Goldman and her mentorship and activism are referenced, as well as the “Tercera Caida”   At about 1:39:00, Adolfo reflects on dreams and their impact on writing and learning  At about 1:41:10, Adolfo reflects on how he was cognizant of tone at the end of the collection, and he reads “The Treaty” At about 1:43:00, Adolfo shares how he ended “The Treaty” with a reference to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 328 with Tom Junod, ESPN senior writer who has written some of the most enduring and widely read longform journalism of the last 30 years.    He joined ESPN in 2016 and has specialized in deeply reported stories on subjects ranging from Muhammad Ali's funeral to Tom Brady's desire to play forever. He has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on “The Hero of Goodall Park,” an E60 program on the ancient secrets that were revealed when a car drove on a baseball field in Maine during a Babe Ruth League game in 2018.     In a 2022 piece, “Untold,” he and ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne spent nearly two years uncovering the horrific crimes of Todd Hodne, a  Penn State football player who in the late 1970's terrorized State College PA, and Long Island, NY, as a serial sexual predator.    Before coming to ESPN, Junod wrote for GQ and Esquire, where he won two National Magazine Awards and was a finalist for the award a record 11 times. For Esquire's 75th Anniversary, the editors of the magazine selected his 9/11 story “The Falling Man' as one of the seven top stories in Esquire's history. In 2019, his story on beloved children's TV host Fred Rogers, “Can You Say…Hero?,” served as the basis for the movie “A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys.    His work has been widely anthologized in collections including The Best American Magazine Writing, the Best American Sports Writing, the Best American Political Writing, the Best American Crime Writing, and the Best American Food Writing.    The episode airs on March 10 or thereabouts, Pub Day for In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Yiming Ma's Work      Born in Shanghai, Yiming Ma spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America,and elsewhere.    Yiming attended Stanford for his MBA, and Warren Wilson for his MFA. His stories and essays appear in the New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, Florida Review, and elsewhere. His story “Swimmer of Yangtze” won the 2018 Guardian 4th Estate Story Prize. Buy These Memories Do Not Belong to Us   Locus Magazine Review of These Memories Don't Belong to Us     Yiming Ma's Website   Interview with Michael Zapata for Chicago Review of Books: “Mirrors, Memories, Rebellions: An Interview with Yiming Ma” At about 2:10, Yiming shares the feedback he's gotten and the ways in which These Memories Do Not Belong to Us has “resonated” with readers At about 4:20, Yiming talks about his relationship with “home” and reading as a kid At about 5:15, Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is highlighted as a formative and transformative read for Yiming At about 8:15, Yiming expands on how his immigrant background informed his career choices, agency, and adaptive skills and outlook on capitalism-he connects these to his book's plot and themes  At about 10:25, Pete reflects on the book as science fiction/speculative fiction At about 11:25, Yiming responds to Pete's question about contemporary books that “flipped the switch” At about 12:50, Yiming reflects on the dearth of fiction read by people in his former work life, as well as ideas of empathy and the changing landscape of diversity in authorship At about 15:00, Yiming talks about AI and men reading (or not reading) fiction, and differences between his writer friends and tech friends  At about 18:00, Yiming describes the structure of the book in conjunction with seeds for the book, largely coming from the pandemic and ideas of what is remembered and not remembered and how At about 21:55, Yiming explains how his award-winning story “Swimmer of Yangtze” and the idea of “constellation writing” At about 23:00, Yiming lays out the book's opening/exposition  At about 24:40, Yiming responds to Pete's questions about early connections and memories between Jill and Hao At about 28:00, Yiming recalls the early question about seeds for the book in reflecting on the motif of watches in the novel  At about 30:15, the two discuss “Easter eggs” in the book regarding “Ri-Ben” (China in Japanese), and Pete reflects on geopolitical tragedies that frame the “constellation writing”  At about 32:10, Pete asks Yiming about the book's “Memory Epics” and ideas of art vs. commercialism and censorship in connection to today's similarities  At about 36:40, Yiming expands on the story “Chankonabe” and its connections to real-life and its fit in the novel's “constellation” At about 37:35, Yiming talks about the importance of mantras in his book as guides for his storytelling At about 40:00, Yiming talks about research on sumo wrestling and the resulting questions and reflection that brought out some profound scenes  At about 43:15, The two discuss the book's first-person accounts from the main narrator, and Yiming expands upon ideas of agency and resistance against systems  At about 45:30, Yiming reflects on connections between the Chrysanthemum Virus and the coronavirus At about 51:00, The two discuss the story “Swimmer of Yangtze” At about 52:10, Yiming tells of the beautiful homage to his grandmother in the book At about 53:10, Yiming turns the tables and asks Pete probing questions about the ever-encroaching AI At about 56:40, Yiming talks about the “incredible” students he's spoken with and reflects on a “biased sample” and the “paradigm shift” between disparate groups he speaks with regarding AI and its implementation  At about 1:01:00, Yiming reflects on the “worry” he has over critical thinking skills and employment in a future focused on AI At about 1:02:20, Pete asks about “+86 Shanghai” and its immigration stories  At about 1:03:20, The two discuss the balance between changing the system and ideas of assimilation and Yiming talks about personal connections to “mining [his] own immigration story” and changing immigration narratives At about 1:07:50, The two reflect on Kaveh Akbar's brilliant work that Yiming riffs off in the book; Pete shares a story about Kaveh's profundity in action, and Yiming talks about censorship and the timing of the release of his book      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 327 with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the Los Angeles NPR affiliate since 2000. He reported and hosted Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, a true crime podcast looking into the death in 1994 of Chicano college activist Oscar Gomez. He has reported on L.A. politics, education, art, museums and other topics. His stories have also aired and published nationally on NPR, The Washington Post, and other media, and his poetry, especially from time with the Taco Shop Poets, has been awarded and anthologized.     The episode airs later today, March 3.      Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Oliver James' Work   Oliver James is a literacy advocate and motivational speaker who has been sharing his journey about learning to read as an adult, through TikTok and Instagram. Through videos and posts, he has been charting the books he's read, and the lessons he's learned and relearned. He has been featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Today Show, NPR, and more.   Buy Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok   Oliver's Website   Oliver on The Jennifer Hudson Show At about 1:25, Oliver talks about feedback he has gotten from early readers of Unread At about 2:35, Oliver responds to Pete's question about vulnerability in writing the book and presenting the book to the world At about 4:00, Oliver talks about his social media availability and upcoming tour stops At about 5:20, Pete asks Oliver about the book's Dedication and important epigraph; Oliver expands upon the connections between reading and exercises At about 7:40, Oliver talks about the emotions at the moment after he shared with his social media followers that he couldn't read, in 2021 At about 10:00, Oliver explains how he would get by when being called on to read in school At about 12:20, Oliver replies to Pete's question about good ways for people to start learning to read/cement their developing reading skills At about 15:00, Oliver talks about his singing and reading and other things that he does on Tik Tok Live and Instagram At about 16:10, Oliver and Pete discuss  At about 18:00, Pete highlights Oliver's great book recommendations throughout his book, and particularly connections between The Giver and Oliver's pains and triumphs in learning and reading At about 21:45, The two discuss missing important learning opportunities and learning cycles in adolescence  At about 23:15, Oliver talks about “creating [his] own identity” based on what teachers and other authority figures sometimes told him, subtly or not At about 24:40, The two discuss how The Phantom Tollbooth connects to Oliver's reading and learning journey At about 26:30, Oliver gives background on how a speech class gave him more confidence and how it led to speech becoming a vocation At about 29:50, Oliver reflects on what might have been different had he been a reader when he was set up in a sting operation At about 31:50, Oliver explains how people in jail gave him hope and how this experience connects to the character of Zero in Holes, particularly with regard to a sense of “duty” and community learning  At about 33:50, Oliver highlights Dirty Laundry and shame and relationships with girls and dependence  At about 37:20, Oliver talks about the importance of a quote book that was his first gifted book and the “helpless[ness]” that came at the beginning of the COVID pandemic  At about 43:20, Oliver makes connections between COVID and “how to carry” on his reading and emotional journey At about 44:20, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Outsiders and ideas of reading and being in community with readers and reading is discussed  At about 45:40, Pete gives a rec for one of his all-time favorites, That Was Then, This is Now At about 46:20, The two discuss the Piiraha people and “living in the moment” based on Oliver's car accident and other traumatic and triumphant moments  At about 51:00, Pete highlights The Alchemist and ideas of how books “unlock” so much, and expands upon the “agreements” featured in Don Ruiz's books, in particular with regards to his father  At about 54:30, Empathy is discussed, as experienced in reading and in life, and love and thanks for his mother At about 56:10, Oliver reflects on children's books and “tap[ping] into emotions” and “be[ing] a kid” At about 1:00:30, Pete highlights ways in which Oliver gave him a different perspective on finishing a book and on the classic The Giving Tree At about 1:02:10, Oliver responds to Pete's questions about his feelings upon meeting famous people for interviews, like Jennifer Hudson    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 326 with Yiming Ma, who spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America,  and elsewhere.    The episode airs on February 24 or 25.       Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Luke Epplin's Work   Luke Epplin is the author of Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship, and the Birth of Modern Basketball, and Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball.    His writing has appeared online in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, GQ, Slate, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Paris Review Daily. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Epplin lives outside of New York City with his wife and daughter. Buy Moses and the Doctor   Wall Street Journal Review of Moses and the Doctor   Luke Epplin's Website At about 1:15, Luke highlights Greenlight Books and Astoria Bookshop as places to find signed books, both online and off- At about 2:15, Luke shares an interesting tidbit about fellow Illinois-ian David Foster Wallace At about 4:40, Luke responds to Pete's question about seeds for Moses and the Doctor, and how his first book figured in At about 8:10, Luke and Pete discuss the book's Prologue and an important Julius Erving “speech” At about 11:15, Luke shares Dr. J's thoughts on this consequential speech and further implications for his relationship with future teammate Moses Malone  At about 12:15, Chapter One is discussed, especially Julius Erving's dazzling time at Rucker Park; Luke ruminates on Julius as “two people at once” At about 17:55, The two discuss Moses Malone as a “prodigy” and how his hometown and upbringing shaped him  At about 21:05, Moses Malone's college search and pro basketball signing are discussed  At about 24:00, Luke responds to Pete's comments and question about the ABA/NBA and generalizations about Julius Erving and other players  At about 26:50, Luke reflects on Julius Erving's free agent demands and travails  At about 28:00, the two discuss Moses Malone's “lost year” as the ABA wilts At about 29:20, Luke references Julius Erving's time in the ABA, and how people who watched him and played with him talk about how the NBA Julius Erving wasn't the same At about 30:55, Luke talks about the ways in which the super-successful Sixers were not hyped as much as teams like Magic Johnson's Lakers and Larry Bird's Celtics At about 31:55, Luke pinpoints a pivotal scene in 1982 that he marks as critical in his book's arc At about 33:15, Luke responds to Pete wondering about the criticism towards Julius Erving before he won a NBA Championship  At about 34:15, The 1977 Finals and the competing styles the two teams brought are discussed, along with the New Jersey Nets' impasse with Julius over his signing At about 37:55, Pete shouts out an incredible dunk from Julius Erving on Bill Walton At about 38:30, Luke expands upon the legendary stories told about Julius from his ABA days At about 39:50, Luke responds to Pete's questions about research processes for the book At about 41:45, Luke reflects on his interactions with and memories of Bill Walton At about 43:15, The two discuss Moses Malone's opening season and NBA Finals' Run with the Rockets At about 45:00, Pete notes a transformational experience for Julius Erving/Dr. J at the end of the 1970s and Luke talks about Julius' injury history and a turning point at age 30 At about 47:30, Luke reflects on a sense of “blessing” and introspection by Julius At about 48:10, Luke reflects on racial and racist more of the 70s and 80s in Philadelphia, including the town ethic and Frank Rizzo's oppressive governing, and how Moses Malone and Julius Erving acted in response and how they were received in Philly At about 52:20, Pete references the Fonde Rec Center and its connection to Moses Malone's “superstardom” At about 53:15, Pete and Luke reflect on key moments and key losses that led to the teaming up with Moses Malone and the winning of the 1983 NBA Championship and Julius Erving opening up emotionally At about 56:25, Pete highlights the power of Luke ending the book in 1983 At about 57:50, Luke discusses Moses Malone's post-NBA career and his choice to live in the “shadows” At about 58:40, Pete catalogs some of the post 1983 foibles and missteps of the 76ers players and brass, and Luke expands on why the buildup to the championship was so “dramatically satisfying” At about 1:00:25, Luke talks about Julius Erving's “legend” and legacy At about 1:01:30, Andrew Toney was a bucket!        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 324 with Lillian Li, author of the book out as of today, February 17, Bad Asians.  She is also the author of the novel Number One Chinese Restaurant, which was an NPR Best Book of 2018, and longlisted for the Women's Prize and the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. Again, the episode airs on February 17, today, Pub Day for Bad Asians.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.     You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Lillian Li's Work      Lillian Li is the author of the novel Number One Chinese Restaurant, which was an NPR Best Book of 2018, and longlisted for the Women's Prize and the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Granta, One Story, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, The Guardian, and Jezebel. Originally from the D.C. metro area, she lives in Ann Arbor. Buy Bad Asians   Kirkus Reviews for Bad Asians   Lillian Li's Website     At about 1:30, Lillian talks about her mindset as Pub Day is a day away, and she shares heartening feedback she's received on Bad Asians At about 3:00, Lillian talks about her early relationship with language and literature, including Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club, and coins a great term, a “Borders Kid” At about 4:40, Lillian describes growing up in a Chinese-American and Asian-American community in connection with ideas of representation  At about 6:30, Lillian reflects on “growing pains” with Joy Luck Club and having ambivalent feelings towards the book's lasting impact At about 8:50, Lillian highlights How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder as a standout text she's reading currently  At about 10:10, Lillian highlights Literati Bookstore as a great place to buy her book and interesting tour events coming up At about 12:05, Lillian gives background on starting the book with a map At about 13:10, Lillian talks about North Potomac, MD, and growing up there  At about 14:50, Pete sets the book's exposition through discussion of the Prologue, and Lillian comments on her interest in the experience of those who have gone viral At about 16:30, Grace as the “golden child” is discussed in terms of Lillian's childhood seeing comparison and "competitive friendships” At about 18:10, the two continue to describe the book's opening and main characters  At about 21:40, Lillian describes the original video that Grace recorded that morphs into the foundation for the “Bad Asians” viral video(s) At about 23:00, Lillian responds to Pete's asking about a middle-of-the-book scene with a caring/boundary-overstepping teacher  At about 25:20, Grace and her gilded rich girl life is described  At about 27:20, Lillian and Pete describe the ways in which the friends like Errol and Justin feel “unburdened” and free in filming with Grace, but also how Grace gets some controversial footage At about 28:55, “Going to the Mall on Molly” and its ramifications is discussed At about 30:40, Lillian describes how Vivían's phone call leads to Grace “running away” to LA At about 32:25, Lillian gives background on the plan that the group hatches in collaboration with Carrie Yang At about 35:00, Vivían and Errol and their post-vows life and rave culture are discussed by Lillian; she talks about MDMA as a sort of emotional regulation   At about 36:30, Lillian talks about the scenes in the book as emblematic of the 2008 recession and recovery in Detroit At about 37:20, Lillian riffs on “self-medication,” with regards to an article she read about overdoses in the Asian-American community/rave culture At about 38:40, Errol's dangerous “pranks” are analyzed  At about 40:00, Lillian discusses the “gilded cage” and “success trap” for Grace and her creative pursuits At about 42:10, the two discuss the notoriety that comes with leaked cell phone footage from the New York At about 42:45, Lillian talks about Justin's sexuality and provides background on her research on bisexuality, intimacy and love for his character  At about 46:00, Pete compliments the ending of the book, and Lillian expands on her mindset in ending the book that way        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 325 with Grant Ginder, the author of the novels Let's Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver's Education, and This is How It Starts, a few of which have been made into movies. His latest is So Old, So Young.     The episode airs on February 20, three days after Pub Day for So Old, So Young.     Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.     You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Peter Orner's Work    Peter Orner is the author of eight books, most recently the novel, The Gossip Columnist's Daughter, named one of the best books of 2025 by the New Yorker and the Chicago Tribune, as well as the essay collections, Still No Word from You, a finalist for the PEN Award for the Art of the Essay, and Am I Alone Here?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. His story collection Maggie Brown and Others was a New York Times Notable Book. Other books include Love and Shame and Love (Winner of the California Book Award) Last Car Over the Sagamore Bridge, The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award), and Esther Stories. A recipient of the Rome Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship, Orner is also the editor of three books of oral history for the Voice of Witness series, and co-editor with Laura Lampton Scott of a new oral history series from McSweeney's called “Dispatches.” His work has appeared in The New Yorker, the Atlantic, Harper's, the Paris Review and has been awarded four Pushcart Prizes. With Yvette Benavides, he's the co-host of the Lonely Voice Podcast on Texas Public Radio. Orner recently led short courses on James Joyce's Ulysses, and Melville's Moby-Dick for the Community of Writers/Writers' Annex. He teaches at Dartmouth College and lives in Vermont. Buy The Gossip Columnist's Daughter   New York Times Review of The Gossip Columnist's Daughter    Peter Orner's Website At about 2:30, Peter responds to Pete's question about the feedback he's gotten since the publication of  At about 3:30, Peter expands on ideas of making Chicago concrete for his readers At about 4:40, Peter gives background on family's roots in Chicago and in Eastern Europe At about 6:25, Mike Ditka slander?! At about 7:50, Peter highlights Saul Bellow as a writer who influenced him, as well as Stuart Dybek, Betty Howland, and John Irving among others  At about 10:05, Peter reflects on David Foster Wallace as an “Illinois writer” At about 12:10, Peter discusses Zadie Smith and Yiyun Li, and as impressive and chill-inducing contemporary writers  At about 13:30, Peter lists some reading favorites of his university students, and he expands on how they are “blown away” by James Joyce's work At about 15:00, The two fanboy over James Joyce's “The Dead” At about 16:15, Peter reflects on Pete asking if his The Gossip Columnist's Daughter would be classified as “historical fiction” At about 17:15, Peter expands on his view of the book's epigraph from Chekhov At about 18:15, Pete cites another great epigraph and great book from Jess Walter At about 18:50, The two lay out the book's exposition, and Peter describes the book's inciting incident, a tragic death At about 20:20, The two discuss the book's beginning as in medias res  At about 21:30, Peter talks about the character of Babs as inspired by grandmother, and Pete shares about his Chicago grandfather's longevity At about 22:55, Peter expands on the idea of Jed, the book's narrator, feeling that three key events in 1963 were a pivot point for the family At about 26:15, Jack Ruby and the provinciality and “small world” of Chicago At about 29:10, Pete and Peter lay out Jed's college professor setup At about 30:00, Peter explains the cause of death and theories and conspiracy theories around it At about 31:35, Peter responds to Pete's musings about the old-fashioned “imperative” headlines that  At about 33:00, Some of Cookie Kupcinet's last writings are discussed  At about 34:30, Peter reflects on the travails and pressures of Cookie At about 36:00, Some of the prodigious pull of Irv Kupcinet is discussed, and Pete compares Irv's work to that of Ace in Casino At about 37:55, Lou Rosenthal's reticence and kinship with Robert Todd Lincoln are discussed At about 39:00, Peter expands on a scene in which the “grieving” narrator walks by the house where his ex-wife and daughter live; he discusses the importance he places on place At about 41:40, Sidney Korshak and his historical background and Chicago connection is discussed At about 44:10, The two discuss doubts in the story about the way in which Cookie died At about 45:20, Cookie's legacy and the ways in which Jed, the narrator, gains a sort of obsession with conspiracy theories and marginalia  At about 48:20, Peter talks about the book's storyline as a “family story” and using a “tiny kernel” as a “jump off” point for his book At about 49:20, Peter responds to Pete's questions about the state of the current conspiracy theories involving the Kupcinets and JFK's assassination  At about 51:20, The two discuss the breakup of the friendship between the Rosenthals and Kupcinets, as Pete compares a turned-down piece of writing to the book's storyline  At about 53:20, Peter reflects on the intrigue that comes with  At about 55:00, Peter expands on the “Captain” moniker his grandfather have, and that he played off in his book At about 58:20, The two reflect on the memorable character of Solly At about 1:01:00, Theories involving traumas and low points and broken relationships are discussed  At about 1:03:00, Pete highlights a resonant last scene        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 323 with second-time guest Luke Epplin. He is the author Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball and Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship, and the Birth of Modern Basketball.    The episode airs on February 13, three days after Pub Day for Moses and the Doctor.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Carolina Ixta's Work   Carolina Ixta is a writer from Oakland, California. A daughter of Mexican immigrants, she received her BA in creative writing and Spanish language and literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and obtained her master's degree in education at the University of California, Berkeley. Her debut novel, Shut Up, This Is Serious, was a Morris Award finalist, an LA Times Book Prize finalist, and the winner of the Pura Belpré Award. Few Blue Skies is out now. Buy Few Blue Skies   Carolina Ixta's Website   Kirkus Review on Few Blue Skies At about 1:50, Carolina responds to Pete's question about how she feels with her book at Pub Day At about 3:35, Carolina shouts out Mrs. Dalloway's and other bookstores to buy Few Blue Skies At about 4:25, Carolina talks about her language and reading background  At about 6:00, Pete and Carolina reminisce on taking the challenging Spanish linguistics class At about 8:25, The two reflect on the unceasing reading list At about 9:15, Carolina shouts out Pam Munoz Ryan and Esperanza Rising-a transformative book and wonderful person At about 10:45, Carolina highlights the wonderful evolution of young adult fiction At about 12:45, The two fanboy and -girl over Jason Reynolds At about 14:55-RILKE! At about 16:30, Aria Aber is cited as a great fan and proponent of Rilke At about 18:10, Carolina gives an intricate and wise explanation of how writing and teaching elementary school and her own schooling have come together in a balance in writing for young people  At about 24:30, Carolina gives information on seeds for Few Blue Skies-an urban education class and references to drinking water in Oakland Public Schools is cited At about 27:05, Pete compliments the universality and specificity of the book in asking Carolina about the area in which she writes and connections to real-life companies At about 28:30, The two set the book's exposition  At about 32:40, Carolina expands on familial connections to the Bracero Program and cites Alejandra Oliva's Rivermouth as a great source for information about the shocking (or not) racism associated with the program At about 36:20, Carolina likes to  At about 38:00, Carolina makes interesting points about the “invisible” work done by Paloma's mother and many women At about 42:00, The two discuss the strike undertaken in the book and ideas of practicality and idealism At about 42:40, AQA days are discussed in connection to air quality issues that happen in the book and in real life At about 44:00, The two discuss grief, and Pete compliments the realism shown by the character in the book after Julio's father's death At about 45:20, Carolina responds to Pete's question about the significance of a garden envisioned by Julio in the book At about 47:40, Carolina expands on Julio as a “wholesome character” and drawing his dimensions and his future and romantic life At about 49:00, Carolina talks about stretching her Bay Area loyalties in writing realistically about the IE and their sports loyalties; she talks about wanting/needing to write something that shows her "range"  At about 51:15, Carolina responds to Pete's question about the provenance of the book's Mayor Warner At about 55:45, Pete and Carolina talk about ideas of ignorance with regard to Paloma, and real-life versions of naivete and idealism   At about 59:00, Carolina talks about anxieties around proving that she can write fiction rooted in nonfiction, and how she so wants kids to go to Wikipedia and do deeper research in enjoying reading  At about 1:01:55, Pete cites the “good and fun awkwardness” in some of the romantic scenes in the book, and Carolina talks about struggling to write those scenes    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 322 with Peter Orner, the author of eight books, most recently the novel, The Gossip Columnist's Daughter, named one of the best books of 2025 by the New Yorker and the Chicago Tribune, as well as the essay collections, Still No Word from You, a finalist for the PEN Award for the Art of the Essay, and Am I Alone Here?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism.  The episode airs February 3, later in the day. Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.  

GP opens on the Grizzlies breaking their 10 game losing streak with a win over the Timberwolves last night where Jaren Jackson Jr went big. (19:00) Jeff Pearlman joins to discuss his book Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur (53:00) Penny has interesting message on his radio show, Darryn Peterson was awesome again, Giannis trade talk heating up, LaMelo Bell took a hit last night, and the main event of Wrestlemania is set(1:20:29) GP's Carry Out with what we're checking out tonight 

Notes and Links to Larry Strauss' Work    Larry Strauss is the author of five novels, most recently Light Man and Now's the Time—now an Earphone Award winning audiobook—and numerous non-fiction titles, including Students First and Other Lies, a collection of essays mostly about education, and 2025's A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond, a guide for new and struggling teachers.   His short fiction has appeared in Streetlight, Extract(s), and elsewhere. Op-eds and other non-fiction have appeared in USA Today, for which he is an opinion columnist, and The Guardian, among others. If you grew up in the 1980s, you might have seen some of the episodes he wrote for the first-generation Transformers cartoons.  Buy A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond   Larry Strauss' Article Listing   The Chills at Will Podcast, Episode 83, with Larry Strauss At about 1:45, Larry highlights positive feedback for his book, including a lawyer who found the book so instructive At about 4:50, Larry recounts a tale from the book's Preface,  At about 7:40, Larry talks about the “contagion” that is fun that can and should come with teaching, and how this relates to him wanting to write the book At about 9:20, Larry talks about his first teaching job allowed him to “find [his] way” At about 10:30, Larry reflects on a Catch-22 that balances systematic change and day-to-day work At about 13:10, Larry recounts conversations dealing with guilt for teachers in taking days off At about 15:20, Larry talks about administration and the demands they feel and what they ask of teachers At about 16:00, The two discuss the travails of teaching during the early days of the Covid pandemic-Larry had an active 40 person class! At about 20:30, Larry reflects on ideas of “saving kids” as a teacher  At about 23:55, Larry talks about learning, including in literature, as “life-saving” and “writers as the first psychologists"  At about 25:30, The two discuss cinematic displays of teaching and “inspirational” teaching At about 28:25, The two reflect on early days for teachers and ideas of teaching “authenticity” At about 33:30, Larry talks about At about 34:25, Larry references Willy Loman in talking about “salesman” as one of the myriad roles that a teacher plays, and Pete cites extracurriculars like basketball and the difference in working with students in a voluntary situation  At about 36:20, Larry expands on his first year(s) teaching and ways in which students bought in  At about 39:00, The two discuss the importance of passion and enthusiasm and getting to know students At about 40:40, Larry responds to Pete's question about how he came to understand that a loud classroom is not necessarily a bad thing At about 44:10, Larry recounts a story of a former student discovering journalism stories that already existed in his life At about 45:30, Larry reflects on a revelation he had about never surrendering to resistant learners and about how all/most students want to learn At about 47:25, the two talk about being adaptable as students both change and remain the same At about 50:20, Larry draws a distinction between talking about students' incredible qualities versus complaining to other teachers about the students At about 52:45, Larry talks about a second-generation student and parent complaints  At about 55:25, Larry and Pete discuss the need for adaptability and “improv” as a teacher, illustrated by a lesson that has become a stalwart At about 57:20, The two discuss the need for joy and empathy in the midst of sadness and the grind of teaching-a great Cain and Abel story! At about 58:50, The two discuss the pros and cons of small schools At about 1:05:15, Pete highlights an early publication of Larry's as the two talk about supporting the students unconditionally  At about 1:07:00, The two discuss different ways of being an advocate as a teacher At about 1:08:10, Pete compliments the book's mixture of art and science At about 1:08:45, Larry talks about unique new writing assignments for himself At about 1:11:30, in talking about horrible hires for US Secretary of Education, Larry highlights the way in which John King's fifth-grade teacher “saved his life” through field trips and other ways      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 321 with Carolina Ixta, a writer from Oakland, California. Her debut novel, Shut Up, This Is Serious, was a Morris Award finalist, an LA Times Book Prize finalist, and the winner of the Pura Belpré Award. Few Blue Skies is her sophomore novel, forthcoming from HarperCollins on February 3, 2026.    The episode airs on February 3, Pub Day.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Timothy Welbeck's Work     Timothy Welbeck, Esq., is an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Africology and African American Studies, where he previously served as an Assistant Professor of Instruction. There he teaches an array of popular courses, including a course he developed entitled Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of the m.A.A.d city. More broadly, Timothy's scholarly work focuses on contemporary issues of racial identity in America, the intersection of racial classifications and the law in the American context, contemporary African American culture, and hip-hop as a microcosm of the Black experience. Timothy has also written several peer-reviewed journal articles including “We Have Come Into This House: The Black Church, Florida's Stop W.O.K.E., and the Fight to Teach Black History.” He also authored “Specter of Reform: The late Sen. Arlen Specter's Criminal Justice Reform, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and its Role in Expanding the Modern Prison Industrial Complex,” explores the impact of the infamous 1994 Crime Bill in providing the infrastructure for mass incarceration within the United States. The research, funded by the Arlen Specter Center fellowship, examines how the federalization of criminal law, pursuant to the Commerce Clause, has led to expansive growth in federal law enforcement, imprisonment, and thus setting the foundation for the modern carceral state. Timothy's article “People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths to Rhythms: Hip-Hop's Continuation of the Enduring Tradition of African and African American Rhetorical Forms and Tropes,” examines hip-hop's continuation of centuries-old African cultural norms and aesthetic values. As an attorney, Timothy has long been an advocate for justice, using his legal expertise to defend society's most vulnerable individuals, including survivors of human trafficking, survivors of police brutality, and the indigent. He has also provided crisis management, guidance, and legal counsel to churches and nonprofit organizations across the globe. In that capacity, Timothy is the Chair of the Board of Directors for The Witness Foundation, and an Advisory Board member of For the Future Organization. Timothy has also served as the Civil Rights Attorney for the Philadelphia Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), where he defended the constitutionally protected civil rights and liberties of those who experience discrimination and harassment based on their faith, race, ethnicity, and/or national origin, particularly members of the Muslim community within Pennsylvania.  As a hip-hop artist, he has released four full length recordings, shared the stage with national and international acts (Janelle Monáe, Jidenna, EPMD, Dead Prez, and Immortal Technique), won songwriting contests (Session 1 Grand Prize in 2010 John Lennon Songwriting Contest), garnered high compliments from hip-hop legends, industry taste-makers (Sway) and record executives (VP of A&R at Def Jam, Lenny S).  His latest work, entitled ‘Trane of Thought, is a live recorded hip-hop album that melds songs from his first two albums the musical style of John Coltrane. Timothy presently serves as the Pastor of Formation and a Teaching Elder at Epiphany Church of Wilmington, bringing over twenty years of ministry experience. He fosters spiritual growth through expositional and topical preaching, community engagement, trainings, workshops and spiritual counseling. In his role, he equips Epiphany members to live out their faith practically in their communities and prepare others to do the same. Timothy's work as an attorney and scholar has allowed him to contribute to various media outlets, such as: Axios, BBC Radio 4, CBS, CNN, The Huffington Post, NBC, The New York Times, NPR, The Philadelphia Inquirer, REVOLT TV, The Washington Post, VOX, and 900 WURD AM. He has lectured nationally and internationally at esteemed institutions like: Magdalen College of Oxford University, Georgetown University, Swarthmore College, and provided invited keynote addresses at major corporations like 1Hotels, Campbell Soup, and Merrill Lynch. As a contributing writer, Timothy has bylines in The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY, and RESPECT Magazine.  He earned his J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and his B.A. from Morehouse College, where he graduated cum laude and was awarded the Corella and Bertrand Bonner Scholarship. Timothy finds his greatest joy and fulfillment at home with his wife and three children.     Timothy Welbeck's Website Video: “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of m.A.A.d City Hiphop Course | Prof. Timothy Welbeck Explains”   Video Conversation with Georgette from XXL: “Inside the Kendrick Lamar College Course Created to Study His Lyrics and Life” At about 2:50, Timothy highlights some “surreal moments” in his hip hop career and advocacy At about 4:20, Timothy responds to Pete's question about declining or rising advocacy in contemporary hip-hop  At about 6:30, Timothy reflects on the balance between a democratization of hip hop and old models of record company control At about 9:05, Timothy talks about his reading background, including a Tim Follett read (!) and other formative works At about 12:10, Timothy talks about being a “late bloomer” in his hip hop exposure At about 13:25, Timothy cites Nas, Lauryn Hill, Blackstar, Outkast, The Roots as some of his favorite rappers and groups At about 14:45, Timothy talks about friends The Remnant and how they helped him to “understand the power of [his] own voice” At about 15:30, Timothy responds to Pete's question about how he listen to music now that he has written about and taught classes so extensively about hip hop  At about 17:00, Timothy breaks down his process for listening to music that he will be writing/teaching about  At about 17:50, Timothy explains the different ways of ordering Kendrick Lamar's albums/mixtapes, and expands on the class' contours  At about 20:30, Timothy talks about the class on Kendrick Lamar's seeds, calling it "serendipitous"  At about 23:10, Timothy talks about the class structure, including the foundation established at the beginning of the class At about 26:30, Timothy talks about how he goes about establishing Compton as an entity in itself, while at the same time showing its similarities to other casualties of government neglect and racism  At about 28:25, Timothy talks about the "compelling" way in which Kendrick Lamar is both popularly respected and critically-acclaimed  At about 31:55, Pete and Tim discuss an early Kendrick Lamar concert At about 32:25, Pete and Tim reflect on Kendrick Lamar's love of Black culture and for important music legends, particularly the way in which he featured titans on To Pimp a Butterfly At about 34:30, Tim describes the great insights  At about 36:05, Marcus J. Moore's The Butterfly Effect and Cole Cuchna and his Dissect Podcast are shouted out by Timothy as experts on Kendrick and his work, and DJ Head as well and Curtis King are highlighted as close colleagues of Kendrick's At about 38:00, Timothy shares some of his favorite bars from Kendrick Lamar At about 41:15, Pete and Timothy fanboy over Kendrick's verse on “Nosetalgia” and Timothy gives kudos to Cole Cuchna's breakdown of the numerology of the verse At about 42:10, Timothy talks about a few songs that might be best representative of Kendrick Lamar's music        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, will be up at Chicago Review in the next week or so.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of children's literature on standout writers from the show, including Robert Jones, Jr. and Javier Zamora, as well as Pete's cherished relationship with Levar Burton, Reading Rainbow, and libraries.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 319 with Farah Ali, writer of the novel The River, The Town, and the short story collection People Want to Live. Her fiction has been anthologized in Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart Prize where it has also received special mention. She is the cofounder of Lakeer, a digital space for writing from Pakistan, and reviews editor at Wasafiri. Her novel Telegraphy is out on January 16, from CB editions, and the episode airs on Pub Day.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.  

Notes and Links to Kasim Ali's Work   Kasim Ali was born and raised in Alum Rock, Birmingham. He is the author of the debut novel Good Intentions, has written fiction for BBC Radio 4 and has a column at The Bookseller. His short fiction has been longlisted for the 4th Estate and Guardian 4thWrite Short Story Prize, and Good Intentions was shortlisted for the Mo Siewcharran (Sue Sharon) Prize. He works as an editor in publishing and now lives in London. Buy Who Will Remain   Kasim Ali's Website   Interview from Hyphen Magazine: “Kasim Ali: ‘Some men think that shifting to the right is what's going to save them' ”   From The Observer UK: ‘What did we do to make you want to leave?'     At about 1:20, Kasim reflects on his experience since Who Will Remain was released in July 2025 At about 2:45, Kasim responds to Pete's question about he balances the commercial and the aesthetic   At about 5:00, Kasim discusses his editing process for his own books, especially with regard to the fact that he is an editor At about 7:20, Kasim expands on why he calls himself “1.5” with regards to generations and immigration, as well as his early language and literature life At about 13:35, Pete asks about Urdu, and if Kasim can trace any of his writing in English to echoes of his familial language At about 16:15, Kasim talks about his confidence (or lack thereof) in his writing of dialogue after Pete compliments his dialogue skills At about 17:40, Kasim expands on “but” and “therefore” in dialogue-interesting and necessary writing advice At about 20:30, Kasim schools Pete on schooling structures in the UK At about 21:10, Kasim highlights formative and transformative writing and writers At about 24:00, Kasim writes about his first novel as a departure from his “usual” writing style At about 26:00, Does Kasim know Elena Ferrante's identity???? At about 27:05, Pete asks Kasim about the book's dedication, and Kasim expands upon his life trajectory At about 30:05, Kasim riffs on Suella Braverman's racist and xenophobic comments that became his book's epigraph At about 35:00, Kasim reflects on ideas of dealing with stereotypes and reflecting broader Pakistani/immigrant/communities is general and getting past “limiting conversations”  At about 37:05, Pete lays out some of the novel's exposition At about 38:15, Kasim expands on ideas of “fitting in” with different familial groups and shifting roles within the family for real-life brothers and Bilal and Amir in the novel At about 43:05, Kasim reflects on his interest in “duality” and connects to the novel's opening funeral scene At about 46:10, Kasim responds to Pete's question about tropes of masculinity dealt with in the book  At about 47:20, Kasim discusses incorporating real-life violence into the book At about 50:00, Pete highlights simple and powerful writing (“Then then then”) that he asks Kasim about  At about 51:50, The two discuss arguments and bitterness over money  At about 52:35, Kasim responds to Pete's noting of the affections between men in the novel At about 59:40, Pete notes a nice nostalgic moment, and Kasim reflects on Amir's reintroduction to Adnan, a young man he previously would have avoided; Kasim connects to his own life and seeing ex-classmates At about 1:03:00, Kasim shares how the book Doppelganger fascinated him and gave him inspiration for his own writing about duality At about 1:06:20, Kasim responds to Pete's question about ideas of the “manosphere” and its connection to Amir and his connections with Farrah and the way he and friends talk about women At about 1:10:35,  At about 1:11:50, Kasim talks about an “easy and boring” job and how it in a strange way leads to nice and welcome conversations between brothers At about 1:14:50,  At about 1:17:40, Amir “growing into the mask”  At about 1:18:30,  At about 1:18:50, Kasim posits some possible actors for a movie      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 318 with Timothy Wellbeck, Esquire, a leader in the fight for justice and racial equity. Timothy presently serves as the founding Director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, where he has led the Center from its inception into becoming one of the leading institutions of its kind. A Civil Rights Attorney by training and practice, Timothy is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. He and Pete will be talking about his standing-room only, incredibly popular Temple University classes about Kendrick Lamar and his music.    The episode airs today, Jan 13.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Kiese Laymon's Work   Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon's bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022. Buy Heavy   “The Worst Shot Ever Taken” from Believer Magazine   Review for Heavy from NPR   Kiese Laymon's Website   Kiese Laymon's Wikipedia Page At about 1:45, the two discuss Kiese's article from The Believer and word counts and teaching high and college  At about 3:05, Kiese talks about his love of hoops and names some standout and favorite players from back in the day and now At about 4:10, The two shout out grizzled veterans like Phillip Rivers and LeBron James At about 5:30, Pete highlights Ernie Barnes' work and asks Kiese about the significance of Barnes' paintings At about 8:45, Kiese shares his memories of and love for basketball and jumpstops and shot fakes-shout out, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf At about 10:40, Pete shouts out Jeff Pearlman's basketball wiles At about 11:10, Kiese lays out the exposition for his The Believer article and Pete and Kiese fanboy over Kiese's writer friends and Sactown's own, Cydni Matsuoka At about 14:00, Kiese responds to Pete's question about the “possibility” of Steph Curry At about 16:45, Toni Cade Bambara and “Gorilla, My Love” is highlighted, as Pete links Kiese's penultimate sentence to Bambara's work At about 18:20, The two discuss Kiese's mom as a “public intellectual” and Kiese lists formative reading and listening  At about 20:30, Kiese shouts out Kendrick Lamar as a link to Public Enemy's activism and consciousness, and marvels at his lasting power At about 24:20, Kiese reflects on Public Enemy's methods versus that of others like NWA or Dead Prez At about 26:25, Kiese highlights Julian Randle, Safiya Sinclair, Deesha Philyaw, and Sarah Aziza's work as some that resonates with his college students At about 28:40, Pete calls attention to Heavy's epigraph and dedication and discusses their significance  At about 30:05-30:27 At about 31:05, Kiese responds to Pete's question about so much of the book's Prologue being centered on his Grandmama At about 32:45, Kiese outlines his rationale and motivation for ultimately writing a different type of book, not the “safer” book his mom and publishers might have wanted At about 34:30, Kiese and Pete discuss the echo of his time at Millsap College being censored/edited with an op-ed piece of his At about 35:40, Kiese recounts stories associated with the book's opening scene in Las Vegas At about 38:45, Kiese reflects on his mother as his “best friend” and ideas of mortality and “initation”  At about 40:55, Kiese responds to Pete's questions about the way his family interacted in his childhood At about 45:20, Pete sets up an important opening scene involving Layla and asks Kiese about rape/sexual assault in the house of older acquaintances  At about 50:10, Kiese reflects on ideas of power and safety and sexuality  At about 53:15, Pete and Kiese discuss the juxtaposition of his mom as a public intellectual and as someone who struggled with financial and other practical pursuits At about 55:30, Kiese talks about Malachi Hunter in the book and balancing “reductive and stupid” comments he made with lessons he taught Kiese At about 57:20, Kiese and Pete trace the different ways in which Malachi and Kiese's mom and grandmother undertook “reckoning” or didn't At about 59:00, Kiese homes in on his grandmother's life and “reckon[ings}” with history and sexism and racism At about 1:01:00, Pete and Kiese discuss the ways in which Kiese's grandmother got by financially and spiritually At about 1:01:50, Kiese expands on the ways in which he viewed organized religion  At about 1:03:40, The two discuss the ways in which the book's title was manifested through his grandmother's love At about 1:04:10, Abundance! and slang that didn't catch on is discussed At about 1:04:50, Kiese reflects on a painful experience in school involving a viewing of Roots without a larger discussion  At about 1:08:55, Kiese expands upon how he saw Mississippi in his year away in Maryland At about 1:11:05, Kiese discusses an early relationship and its challenges and the conflicting ways in which he viewed his coach and teacher At about 1:14:10, Kiese regrades a high school essay-it's an “A!” At about 1:15:00, Kiese responds to Pete asking about his high school graduation boycott At about 1:16:50, The two discuss time in college and Kiese's relationship with a girl and his learning in class and outside of school-Pete highlights a wonderful paragraph on Page 141 that highlights “liberation” At about 1:18:00, Kiese shares the practical advice Malachi Hunter gave Kiese as he was threatened in college for his writing At about 1:19:25, Kiese reflects on the ways in which he viewed his writing At about 1:20:45, Kiese talks about Tate Reeves' presence at a racist frat event and the ways in which Tate knew Kiese and failed him At about 1:23:50, Kiese talks about how the book is different/aged since he published it in 2018   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 317 with Dr. Timothy Wellbeck. a leader in the fight for justice and racial equity. Timothy presently serves as the founding Director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, where he has led the Center from its inception into becoming one of the leading institutions of its kind. A Civil Rights Attorney by training and practice, Timothy is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. We'll be talking about his standing-room only, incredibly popular Temple University classes about Kendrick Lamar and his music. The episode airs on January 13. Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.  

Notes and Links to Cole Cuchna's Work     Cole Cuchna graduated from California State University with a degree in music composition. Cuchna graduated in 2015, pursued a short solo career, then worked as a barista. But his desire to bridge the classical and pop worlds persisted. He remembered his love of writing essays and conducting deep research about music. That coincided with the growing popularity of podcasting, which had been around for a decade. It was the perfect medium, he felt, for long-form analysis of an audio art.    Cole is the host and creator of Dissect Podcast, a music podcast which debuted in 2016. The podcast is renowned for its in-depth analysis of contemporary music. Dissect was named "Best podcast of 2017" by Quartz, and the following year was named "Best podcast of 2018" by The New York Times. Additionally, both Time magazine and The Guardian listed Dissect as one of the top 50 podcasts of 2018. 2025 marks the 13th season of Dissect.  Listen to Dissect Podcast   Watch Dissect Podcast on Netflix   Dissect Podcast Homepage   Dissect Podcast Wikipedia   Review of Dissect Podcast   At about 2:55, Cole explains plans for Dissect Podcast on Netflix, coming soon! At about 4:40, Cole responds to Pete's question about his own love of hip hop and transformative and formative music for him  At about 6:50, Cole underscores the “shared community” of skating growing up that welcomed “rappers” and “rockers” At about 8:30, Robin Branson, who put Pete on to Dissect (thanks, Robin), asks Cole about his view of himself as an “educator” At about 12:35, the two discuss Cole's research process and ideas of knowing the artist and his/her art At about 15:45, Pete shares a profound quote from Cole about the essence of music and music fandom At about 16:15, Cole responds to Pete's question about how he listens to music differently (or not) since he has become  At about 17:20, Cole expands upon the genesis for the podcast, dealing with Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly and his daughter's birth At about 19:00, a discussion of possible future hip hop heads alludes to a classic video At about 20:00, Cole outlines his average research time and his early research in the early days of the podcast At about 20:45, Cole explains what skills he had already developed in college music composition, and what skills he has learned/used in doing the podcast At about 22:20, Cole responds to Pete's question about how he picks an album At about 25:00, Pete details some of the great “subtlety and nuance” on the podcast At about 26:45, Cole expands on one of the show's “inside jokes” At about 27:45, Pete brings up “syncopation” in Radiohead's work in asking Cole about he balances sonic and lyrical jargon with digestible information for people who are not necessarily students of music theory  At about 32:15, Cole responds to Pete's question about what it's like to work with experts on individual artists in crafting his seasons  At about 34:25, Cole and Pete discuss the “side projects” that Cole has done involving standout artists and songs At about 36:20, Cole reflects on contemporary artists and his willingness to stay open to new sounds and talents At about 40:20, Cole talks about cool and beneficial feedback from the artists profiled on the podcast At about 41:40, Cole responds to Pete asking about “surreal” moments he's experienced in doing the podcast and offshoot projects  At about 42:40, Manifesting for a future Cole interview with Kendrick! At about 43:20, Cole shouts out the rapper who has “sealed the deal” for him as the G.O.A.T. At about 44:25, When's Frank Ocean gonna drop?      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, will be up at Chicago Review in the next week or so.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of children's literature on standout writers from the show, including Robert Jones, Jr. and Javier Zamora, as well as Pete's cherished relationship with Levar Burton, Reading Rainbow, and libraries.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 316 with Kiese Laymon, a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon's bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times.    The episode airs on January 6.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Czabe welcomes ANDY POLLIN to discuss this hypothetical. Also in there, Mike Tomlin doing Tomlin things again, the case for firing objectively good coaches, some statistical nuggets from Week 17, was the Phil Rivers experiment a heartwarming little episode, or a waste of time? Jeff Pearlman should know his phone is not his therapist. RIP to Brigitte Bardot. MORE.....Our Sponsors:* Check out CBDfx and use my code CZABE for a great deal: https://cbdfx.com* Check out FRE and use my code LISTEN20 for a great deal: https://frepouch.com* Check out Goldbelly and use my code CZABE for a great deal: https://www.goldbelly.com* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/CZABE* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/CZABEAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Paul Anka dishes on Sinatra's manhood, Kim Kardashian's empty brain, Luigi Mangione returns, DJ Khaled's eating habits, Me-me-Meghan's Holiday Special, and sleepless Matt Riley joins us to talk Killer Cares. Matt Riley drops by to promote Killer Cares at The Lodge in Keego Harbor this Friday. Come join us to support a good cause (our shift is at 9pm -10pm) Can't make it? Donate right here. Sports: Pat Fitzgerald is to be announced at MSU tomorrow. Ole Miss fans sent Lane Kiffin off in respectable fashion. Michigan basketball is up to #3 in the AP poll. The Detroit Lions face off against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night. Diego Pavia's brother, Javier, was arrested again at the latest Vanderbilt game. Kim Kardashian low brain activity confirmed by a doctor. The family is too dumb to have a sitcom. Meghan Markle has a Christmas Special coming out this season. We'll hate-watch it for you. Portland, Oregon hates Christmas. Ellen and Portia de Rossi are returning to the United States after fleeing from Donald Trump. Spoiler Alert: He's still the president. Amy Schumer looks better yet still ridiculous. DJ Khaled is living a better life than you... and his cholesteral must be through the roof.  A Diddy documentary is on its way to Netflix. He's loving the prison life these days. You can bet on ANYTHING through Polymarket. Carmen Thomas is looking to make millions off 23andMe. Paul Anka confirms Frank Sinatra's massive hog. Sinatra nailed plenty of women. Crime: Luigi Mangione was back in court today trying to skate on certain evidence. Camp Luigi is getting out of hand. Bryan Kohberger remains a whiny little bitch in prison. Nobody remembers Brian Thompson. Virginia High School football coach Travis Turner is still a fugitive but his football team keeps rolling. Drew vs Medicare. Jeff Pearlman is working on a book about Tupac Shakur. 2Pac is so gay now. Francis Ford Coppola lost his ass on Megalopolis and Drew can't wait to see it. FFC is selling watches now to make up for losses. Lauren Sanchez is on GMA showing off Jeff Bezos' money. Don't forget to grab your Drew Lane Show merch right here! If you'd like to help support the show… consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (Drew Lane, Marc Fellhauer, Trudi Daniels, Jim Bentley and BranDon).

Episode 561 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features best-selling author Jeff Pearlman, whose latest book is "Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives Of Tupac Shakur." In this podcast Pearlman, who has written books on Walter Payton, the Dallas Cowboys, Bo Jackson. The Lakers and the 1986 Mets among others, discusses why he spent three years doing a book on Tupac; how he navigated interviewing nearly 700 people for this book; how the book reunited the mother and son from Tupac's ‘Brenda's Got a Baby'"; what Tupac might be doing today; getting criticism for writing the book; why he thinks recent sports nostalgia can sell and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here's a short clip from our interview with Jeff Pearlman, the best-selling author whose latest book is "Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives Of Tupac Shakur." In this preview clip of the full interview on Friday, Pearlman discusses what he sees as the best avenue to sell a sports book in 2025. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Note from JamesTupac Shakur—one of the greatest rap artists ever—was shot and killed almost two decades ago. What else is there left to say about him? What new things can be said?Well, Jeff Pearlman's new book, Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur, takes on that challenge. In our conversation, we talk about what Jeff uncovered in his research, why he wanted to write another Tupac book, and what made this one different.But first, a little story. Back in the '90s, I was running a company that built websites. Around 1997 or '98, Tupac's mom wanted to release a new album of his music and build a website around it. I went in to pitch the project—$90,000, which would've covered payroll for another month. I needed that deal.So I show up, ready to impress. Tupac's manager says, “Okay, here's my computer. Show me what you've got.” And I realize—I've never used a Windows machine in my life. I'd only ever used Macs. I couldn't even figure out how to turn it on.I had a computer science degree. I was a software engineer. I'd been running this company for years. But in that moment, I had to admit: “I don't know how to use this machine.” He laughed me out of the room. Literally.That was the day I learned that even the smartest pitch can fall apart if you forget to check which operating system you're using.Anyway—what else is there to talk about with Tupac Shakur? Jeff Pearlman and I figured it out.Episode DescriptionIn this episode, James sits down with bestselling author and journalist Jeff Pearlman (The Last Folk Hero, Showtime, Sweetness) to talk about his latest book, Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur.Pearlman explores the contradictions, brilliance, and tragedy of Tupac's life—how a performing arts kid from Baltimore became the poetic voice of West Coast hip hop, and how his complex identity was shaped by the Black Panther movement, celebrity culture, and the rise of gangsta rap.James and Jeff unpack Tupac's evolution from Digital Underground hype man to solo artist, his influence on music and film, and the deeper meaning behind songs like Brenda's Got a Baby. They also trace the events leading up to his death, separating myth from reality, and reflect on what Tupac's legacy might have become if he'd lived.What You'll LearnWhy Tupac's “gangster” persona was more performance than realityHow his upbringing under a Black Panther mother shaped his worldviewThe untold story behind Brenda's Got a Baby—and how Pearlman found the real “baby” years laterThe truth about Tupac's relationship with Biggie Smalls and the events that led to both of their deathsWhy Tupac might have gone on to become a political or cultural leader, not just a rapperHow hip hop evolved from the storytelling of the '90s to today's more fragmented soundTimestamped Chapters[00:00] Introduction – James shares his connection to Tupac's world [02:43] A Note from James – The web pitch that went wrong [05:00] Why Jeff Pearlman wrote a Tupac book [07:00] The challenge of writing outside his comfort zone [09:00] Tupac's background and the myth of the “gangsta” image [11:00] The evolution of rap from the '80s to now [16:00] What made Tupac's art different from his peers [18:30] Tupac as a natural actor—and how he almost won an Oscar [21:00] Was his “gangster” side authentic or performance? [23:30] The night Tupac was killed—what really happened [26:00] How the East Coast–West Coast rivalry became fatal [30:00] The origin of Brenda's Got a Baby and the real-life people behind it [35:00] Tupac's literal storytelling and emotional honesty [36:30] How he might have evolved as an artist—or politician [38:00] The conversation that inspired a future Newark city councilman [40:00] Hip hop's intelligence, legacy, and misunderstood brilliance [45:00] From Ice-T to Death Row: how labels, power, and politics shaped the scene [49:00] Wrapping up with gratitude—and a little hair envyAdditional ResourcesJeff Pearlman – Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac ShakurJeff Pearlman's Official WebsiteTupac Shakur – Brenda's Got a Baby (Official Video)Digital Underground – Same Song (Tupac's first verse)FBI Case File: Death of Tupac ShakurFilm: Juice (1992), starring Tupac Shakur and Omar EppsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"Was there any part of you that was like 'it's Nebraska though, can you just send me a PDF?'" Jeff Pearlman joins us to talk about his new book Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur and walks us through his incredibly thorough process in writing the book. He shares a story that is an absolute must listen and might be the early leader in the clubhouse for Best Story in next year's Suey's. We also revisit Emmitt Smith's eventful tenure on Monday Night football, Amin forms a new character, and we have this week's Boost Mobile Boldest Take hotline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Saturday Edition of the Good Morning Football Podcast looks back at Actor/Singer Donnie Wahlberg talking his favorites in Boston sports, Boston Blue, and the NKOTB years! The Breakfast Table has a tough time ranking their Top 5 teams in the NFL right NOW! Plus, Author Jeff Pearlman discusses his upcoming book about Tupac Shakur. The Good Morning Football Podcast is part of the NFL Podcast NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the BobbyCast, Bobby shares behind-the-scenes stories from his life in the music and radio industry. He shares why he has been mad at a country artist for years and whether or not he is justified. He reflects on the cliquey nature of the industry, the value of authentic relationships, and why he’s learned to cut out drama and dishonesty. Then, Bobby sits down with bestselling author Jeff Pearlman to dig into the stories behind his deep-dive on Tupac Shakur. Jeff talks about what he really learned while reporting the book—beyond the headlines and mythology—and why such a massive cultural force could still die broke. He breaks down his reporting playbook too: how you track down, organize, and verify insights from more than 650 interviews, and what surprised him most along the way. You’ll hear how money, management, and momentum collided in Tupac’s final years, the moments that reshaped Jeff’s understanding of who Pac was off-mic, and the practical nuts-and-bolts of building a biography at this scale. Pre-Order Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur HERE Follow on Instagram: @TheBobbyCast Follow on TikTok: @TheBobbyCast Watch this Episode on Youtube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour Two of the Good Morning Football Podcast begins with hosts Jamie Erdahl, Kyle Brandt, Manti Te’o, and Mike Garafolo answering Throwdown Thursday questions - is Aaron Rodgers leading Steelers to Super Bowl or Joe Flacco leading Bengals to playoffs the more compelling story? Is the Dan Campbell or Baker Mayfield press conference more interesting? Jamie highlights the job Buccaneers offensive coordinar Josh Grizzard has done in Tampa. Author Jeff Pearlman joins the show and shares legendary stories.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.