Podcast appearances and mentions of Jess Walter

Who remembers what life felt like during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, when cities and entire countries were shutting down right and left? Believe it or not, it all started five years ago this month! So we are digging back into our archives to bring you episodes from that momentous time all month long. On this episode, which originally aired on April 5th 2020, we ask our listeners: What does a day in the life of someone under lockdown look like? And they responded, offering a peek into their lives throughout the course of a day. We also offer our own.  From Lynn in San Francisco as she studies Italian to Scott trying to find some space for himself in his basement, from Madeline in Menlo Park remembering to be thankful to best-selling author Jess Walter who is very used to working from home. From Nancy in Wisconsin dealing with spring snowfall to Theresa in Port Townsend in a hailstorm to Jill in Manhattan, where the only sound on the city streets is the chirping of birds, and many, many others. We got so many glimpses into the lives of our diverse listeners that we had to divide this episode into two parts. But don't fret—the second part is available here. ***The Bittersweet Life podcast has been on the air for an impressive 10+ years! In order to help newer listeners discover some of our earlier episodes, every Friday we are now airing an episode from our vast archives! Enjoy!*** ------------------------------------- COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here. ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!  

We have indie bookstore supporter, our friend, and Dog-Eared best-selling author Denise Williams on today's episode of Bubbles & Books. She joins Ellyn and Amanda to chat all about her upcoming book Just Our Luck, the romance genre, and donuts (duh.) Denise has published nine novels including Technically Yours and her debut novel How to Fail at Flirting which just so happens to be the first book to ever grace the shelves of Dog-Eared Books. Her next book Just Our Luck comes out March 25, and we can't wait to host Denise on pub day in conversation with author Ali Hazelwood. Get your tickets today! Follow Denise on Instagram HERE Ellyn's Currently Reading | So Far Gone by Jess Walter & Tilt by Emma Pattee Amanda's Currently Reading |  Just Our Luck by Denise Williams, Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, & So Far Gone by Jess Walter Denise's Currently Reading | In A Jam by Kate Canterbary, Unead and Unwed by Sam Tschida, & When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa ______________________________________________________________________ Make sure to subscribe and rate the Bubbles & Books Podcast. And don't forget to share it with your friends. Learn more about a Dog-Eared Books book subscription HERE. Follow us on Instagram: @bubblesandbookspodcast Follow Dog-Eared Books on Instagram: @dogearedbooksames Interested in audiobooks? Listen while supporting Dog-Eared Books HERE. Visit us! www.dogearedbooksames.com

Se estás sem paciência para os livros da moda e procuras leituras diferentes, este episódio é para ti. Reunimos uma lista de recomendações que acabaram por cair no esquecimento ou que não tiveram a atenção que deveriam ter tido. Partilhem connosco as vossas sugestões de livros que merecem ser relembrados! Livros mencionados: - Yours Truly (Para Sempre Teu), Abby Jimenez (01:41) - ⁠A Viagem do Elefante, José Saramago (03:46) - Girl in White, Sue Hubbard (10:35) - Maus Hábitos, Alana S. Portero (14:00) - All my Friends are Superheroes, Andrew Kaufman (16:00) - ⁠Lei da Gravidade, Gabriela Ruivo (17:46) - Beautiful Ruins (A Bela Americana), Jess Walter (19:31) - ⁠Boys Don't Cry & May All Your Skies be Blue, Fíonna Scarlett (20:59) - Nothing to See Here, Kevin Wilson (23:57) - Da Meia-Noite às Seis, Patrícia Reis (26:44) - Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (28:49) - Soldier Sailor, Claire Kilroy (30:15) - The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (31:44) - Freckles, Cecelia Ahern (33:54) - Snowflake, Louise Nealon (37:06) - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (O Estranho Desaparecimento de Esme Lennox), Maggie O'Farrell (38:44) - The Last Letter From Your Lover (A Última Carta de Amor), Jojo Moyes (40:37) - What Moves the Dead, T. Kingfisher (42:59) - How to be Good (Como Ser Bom), Nick Hornby (44:42) - Water & Earth & The Heart's Invisible Furies, John Boyne (46:43) - My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan (49:36) - Mercy Street, Jennifer Haig (51:37) - Would Like to Meet (Um Amor Como nos Filmes), Rachel Winters (53:50) - ⁠Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley (56:07) - Three Wishes (Três Desejos), Liane Moriarty (58:29) - Panenka, Rónán Hession (01:00:15) - Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking (Silêncio: O poder dos introvertidos num mundo que não para de falar), Susan Cain (01:01:34) - Mayflies, Andrew O'Hagan (01:02:45) - ⁠Laços, Domenico Starnone (01:03:40) - Wayward, Dana Spiotta (01:05:31) - A Família Caserta, Aurora Venturini (01:06:47) - How to be Both (Como Ser Uma e Outra), Ali Smith (01:07:43) ________________ Falem connosco: livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos em: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva // www.instagram.com/ritadanova Identidade visual: Mariana Cardoso (marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com) Genérico: Vitor Carraca Teixeira (www.instagram.com/oputovitor)

In the lead-up to the presidential election, novelist Jess Walter returns to the show to revisit his previous comments about former president Donald Trump. Walter joins co-hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss Trump's dangerous decisions and inflammatory rhetoric, as well as how reactions to him have changed since 2016. Walter talks about former Trump cronies who have abandoned the candidate and endorsed Kamala Harris, and reflects on the inaction that has made it possible for Trump, a felon, to run for the presidency once more. He hazards a prediction about the election results, and reads from his short story “Town and Country,” which appeared in his recent story collection Angel of Rome.  To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Jess Walter The Angel of Rome and Other Stories  The Cold Millions Beautiful Ruins Others: Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 1 Episode 6: "All the President's Shakespeare: Jess Walter and Kiki Petrosino"  Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 4 Episode 4: “Life After Trump: Jess Walter and Jerald Walker on the Aftermath of Election 2020” Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 8 Episode 2: “Jeff Sharlet on ‘Sanewashing' and Fascism” Anderson Cooper interviews Kamala Harris | CNN | October 24, 2024 The Price of Power: How Mitch McConnell Mastered the Senate, Changed America, and Lost His Party by Michael Tackett Liz Cheney Lindsey Graham Shark Tank Hopium Chronicles by Simon Rosenberg Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 7 Episode 50: “Thomas Frank on How the Harris-Walz Ticket Can Win Red State Voters”  Veep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barbara Kingsolver discusses her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Demon Copperhead, with Jess Walter at this live event in Portland, Oregon.

As Literary Hub observes July 4, we return to our archives for a 2017 episode that remains relevant today. We will return with a new episode July 11. In episode 6, V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell talk political betrayal past and present with novelist Jess Walter and poet Kiki Petrosino. Jess Walter once interviewed an ailing Mark Felt, aka "Deep Throat" of Watergate fame, and he gives us the skinny on the literary qualities of Nixon, Trump, Flynn, NY mobsters, and his 2005 novel Citizen Vince. Plus, would John Gotti have liked the president? On the eve of the release of her new book, Witch Wife, Kiki Petrosino talks to us about MacBeth's witches and how Shakespeare can help us decode our current age of political skulduggery. What Trump Administration officials would you cast in Macbeth? Readings: All the President's Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward; Citizen Vince by Jess Walter; Witch Wife by Kiki Petrosino; The Tragedy of Macbeth; The Tempest; The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In the Stacks: J.J. Cantrell interviews Annie Philbrick of Bank Square Books in Mystic, CT and Savoy Bookshop & Cafe in Westerly, Rhode Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ainda se pode falar de Óscares, certo? Recebemos esta sugestão de uma ouvinte e não fomos a tempo de coordenar agendas com a cerimónia original, mas aqui estão eles. De Autor Revelação a Melhor Guarda-Roupa, há muitas categorias e ainda mais surpresas. Livros mencionados neste episódio: - Sinais de Fumo, Alex Couto (1:57) - A Maldição de Rosas, Diana Pinguicha (3:15) - Book Lovers, Emily Henry (5:58) - Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano (6:01 & 21:20 & 21:58) - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin (6:04) - In Memoriam, Alice Winn (6:17 & 21:39 & 32:35 & 38:08) - The Wolf Den & The House With the Golden Door, Elodie Harper (6:42) - E Se Eu Morrer Amanhã?, Filipa Fonseca Silva (6:56) - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V. E. Schwab (7:08) - The Dutch House, Ann Patchett (7:11) - Business or Pleasure, Rachel Lynn Solomon (8:49) - You and Me on Vacation, Emily Henry (8:52 & 33:42) - The Love Wager, Lynn Painter (8:55) - City of Girls, Elizabeth Gilbert (8:57 & 18:51) - Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams (9:22) - My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite (9:26) - The Switch, Beth O'Leary (9:33) - Our Wives Under the Sea, Julia Armfield (9:39) - Ask Again, Yes, Mary Beth Keane (10:30 & 21:11) - Boys Don't Cry, Fíona Scarlett (11:24) - Done and Dusted, Lyla Sage (13:45) - Beautiful Ruins, Jess Walter (13:49 & 17:43) - Boy Parts, Eliza Clark (13:51) - Other People's Clothes, Calla Henkel (13:53) - Daisy Jones and The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid (15:37) - Felix Ever After, Kacen Callender (15:50) - Ready Player One, Ernest Cline (16:07) - Anatomy, Dana Schawrz (16:20) - You Again, Kate Goldbeck (17:58) - Love in the Big City, Sang Young Park (18:08) - All the Lovers in the Night, Mieko Kawakami (18:25) - The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller (19:10 & 32:12) - Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens (19:44) - Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid (20:04) - We All Want Impossible Things, Catherine Newman (21:44) - Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (21:55) - A História de Roma, Joana Bértholo (22:00) - The Dinner List, Rebecca Serle (22:03) - Silver Nitrate, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (23:20) - Songs in Ursa Major, Emma Brodie (23:44) - The Shelf, Helly Acton (24:04) - You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, Akwaeke Emezi (24:53) - Encontro, Natasha Brown (25:13) - She and Her Cat, Makoto Shinkai & Naruki Nagakawa (25:42) - Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, Lori Gottlieb (26:52) - Confessions of an Advertising Man, David Ogilvy (27:08) - I Am, I Am, I Am, Maggie O'Farrell (27:22) - What My Mother And I Don't Talk About, Editado por Michele Filgate (27:29) - A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall (28:04) - Educated, Tara Westover (29:32) - Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez (29:56) - In the Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado (30:46) - Normal People, Sally Rooney (33:00 & 33:36) -Talking at Night, Claire Daverley (33:04) -Swimming in the Dark, Tomasz Jedrowski (33:54) - This is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (34:00) - Snowflake, Louise Nealon (35:47) - The Great Believers, Rebecca Makkai (36:06) - Autumn, Ali Smith (36:21) - As Primas, Aurora Venturini (36:34) - True Biz, Sara Nović (37:25) - All My Rage, Sabaa Tahir (38:26) - Piranesi, Susanna Clarke (39:01) ________________ Enviem as vossas questões ou sugestões para livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos nas redes sociais: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva www.instagram.com/ritadanova twitter.com/julesxdasilva twitter.com/ritadanova Identidade visual do podcast: da autoria da talentosa Mariana Cardoso, que podem encontrar em marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com. Genérico do podcast: criado pelo incrível Vitor Carraca Teixeira, que podem encontrar em www.instagram.com/oputovitor.

On this episode of Match+Book, host Paul Kibala recommends some books that are similar to Daisy Jones & the Six. Check out these titles with your EBPL or LMxAC library card by clicking here. Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Barbara Walter discusses her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Demon Copperhead, with Jess Walter at this live event in Portland, Oregon.

George Saunders & Jess Walter discuss their recent short story collections in this conversation with OPB's Geoff Norcross at 2022 #PDXBookFest.

In this week's episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss the NEA Big Read for Montana, The Cold Millions by Jess Walter. Topics include the Notorious EGF (Elizabeth Gurley Flynn), warm weasel hands, and the correct way to pronounce Spokane (it's Spo-CAN, Taylor…).This week's drink: Union Club via Difford's GuideINGREDIENTS: 2 oz Bourbon whiskey½ oz maraschino liqueur½ oz Campari1 ½ oz orange juice, freshly squeezedINSTRUCTIONS:Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice Shake until chilledStrain into a chilled glassCurrent reads, recommendations, and links:Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-GarciaBookworm by Robin YeatmanThe Bathysphere Book: Effects of the Luminous Ocean Depths by Brad FoxKillers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David GrannThe Witch's Feast: A Kitchen Grimoire by Melissa Jayne MadaraNEA Big Read Program with Chris La Tray: Stolen: If They Haven't Come for Yours, They WillFollow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod.Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or your own takes on what we are reading. You can also see what we are reading for future episodes! You can email us at literatureandlibationspod@gmail.com.Please leave us a review and/or rating! It really helps others find our podcast…and it makes us happy!Purchase books via bookshop.org or check them out from your local public library. Join us next time as we discuss Coraline by Neil GaimanHere is the beverage recipe for the upcoming episode if you want to drink along with us!The Other Mother created by Taylor!INGREDIENTS:1.5oz Vodka1/4 oz crème de mûre (or any other dark berry liqueur you have on hand)BlackberriesSpriteINSTRUCTIONS:Muddle a small handful of blackberries in your shaker. Add your vodka, crème de mûre and ice into shaker and shake. Pour into a tall glass and top with sprite.

In this week's episode, Kayla and Taylor discuss Emily Brontë's classic 1847 novel Wuthering Heights. Topics include fun sad facts about the Brontës, obsessive love, and literal and metaphorical haunting. Also: farts.This week's drink: Dark ‘n Stormy via liquor.comINGREDIENTS:2 ounces Gosling's Black Seal rum1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezedGinger beer, to top (about 5 ounces)Garnish: lime wheelINSTRUCTIONS:Add rum and lime juice to a tall glass filled with ice.Top with the ginger beer.Garnish with a lime wheel.Current reads, recommendations, and links:The Midnight Library by Matt HaigFollow us on Instagram @literatureandlibationspod.Visit our website: literatureandlibationspod.com to submit feedback, questions, or your own takes on what we are reading. You can also see what we are reading for future episodes! You can email us at literatureandlibationspod@gmail.com.Please leave us a review and/or rating! It really helps others find our podcast…and it makes us happy!Purchase books via bookshop.org or check them out from your local public library. Join us next time as we discuss The Cold Millions by Jess Walter.Here is the beverage recipe for the upcoming episode if you want to drink along with us!Union Club via Difford's GuideINGREDIENTS: 2 oz Bourbon whiskey½ oz maraschino liqueur½ oz Campari1 ½ oz orange juice, freshly squeezedINSTRUCTIONS:Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice Shake until chilledStrain into a chilled glass

Intern Julia joins Sarah and Katie to discuss Gabrielle Zevin's must-read novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, which follows Sam and Sadie who design hit video games. It's an unforgettable, moving tale about storytelling, friendship and the creative process. Also mentioned: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon, Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, Looking for Alaska and The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, Anne Tyler, and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen. To play Emily Blaster, go to gabriellezevin.com/emilyblastergame Check out books and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com and hoopladigital.com. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

What makes a place magical? A lot of factors can go into it, but one of them is certainly, as author Jess Walter puts it, when "history connects with the experience you're having." In this case, he's talking about the Hotel Donna Camilla Savelli, the very hotel where we are hosting our magical Roman Adventure this October. (Email us to find out how you can join us!) Today we talk with Jess to discover just what makes this hotel so magical, and why he chose to feature it in an article he wrote about a recent family trip to Rome. Jess Walter is the author of ten books, most recently the short story collection The Angel of Rome. His other books include the national bestseller The Cold Millions; the #1 New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Ruins; The Zero, a finalist for the National Book Award; and Citizen Vince, winner of the Edgar Award. His work has been published in 34 languages and his short fiction has appeared three times in Best American Short Stories. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!  

We're joined by the wonderful James D.F. Hannah who regales us with tales of Mississippi tornado warnings, southern noir writers, if Falkner is a crime novelist, and his latest release Somewhere Outside Salvation (A Grifter's Song Book 32). We also get a sneak peek at the story and hear about the process of writing a piece in the Grifter's Song series (as well as a few other music references). James D.F. Hannah is the Shamus Award-winning author of the Henry Malone series, including the novels Behind the Wall of Sleep and She Talks to Angels. His story "No Man's Land" was selected for Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022, edited by Steph Cha and Jess Walter. His short fiction has appeared in Playing Games, edited by Lawrence Block; Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression, edited by S.A. Cosby; Trouble No More; Rock and a Hard Place; Shotgun Honey; Crossing Genres; and The Anthology of Appalachian Writers. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where all the bourbon is. Want to submit your writing or be a guest editor? Email darkwaterspodcast@gmail.com Intro/Outro music: www.bensound.com Disclaimer: Any and all opinions expressed are the opinions of the participants and not of the organizations or institutions with which they are affiliated. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/darkwaters/support

Jess Walter is the author of ten books, including New York Times #1 bestseller Beautiful Ruins, which takes place on the Italian Riviera. The latest is a collection of short stories titled The Angel of Rome. He's spent the last five weeks seeing more of Italy than the average Italian. What are the lessons from the road, and how does exploring Italy from top to bottom alter your perception of time? He joins us this week to talk all about it. Find out more about Jess Walter at his website. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!  

A young woman in the midst of cancer treatment goes on a road trip in a broken down el camino with her no-good ex-boyfriend. A man working as a ghoul at a sort of halloween theme park learns that his whole life has been a lie. A gay man is forced to come out over and over again to his senile misogynist father. A mother's moral outrage on behalf of her son goes seriously awry. Two new collections of short stories tell stories about people living on the edge of a society that is failing them. George Saunders' “Liberation Day” is filled with wry humor, even as his characters are often trapped by their own foolishness. The characters in Jess Walter's collection, “The Angel of Rome,” are often filled with humor and hope, even as they struggle against poverty and indifference. OPB's Geoff Norcross talks to Saunders and Walter about the art of writing short stories about our time.

Can a sentence be “delicious?” On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we  review "The Last Animal" by Ramona Ausubel and "The Angel of Rome" by Jess Walter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chuckanut Radio Hour has a special Whatcom Reads show for you!  Tonight's guest author Jess Walter for his book, The Cold Millions.  Interviewed by Dave Tucker of the IWW. The Chuckanut Radio Players paint the town green  in a new episode of As the Ham Turns.   Our musical guest is singer, songwriter Linda Allen … and more than a few of her musical friends.. Our resident poet, Kevin Murphy's travel plans fell through…but hey! he gets to be on the Radio Hour! Announcer Sarah Hutton and hosts Kelly Evert and Paul Hanson.  Recorded live at Hotel Leo in Bellingham, Washington, the City of Subdued Excitement.   

I admire someone, anyone, who takes on the great challenge of producing a film. Long or short, it's a monumental endeavor, especially when it's based on a short story by one of America's finest storytellers. Sean Finley is one of those brave souls and I'm thrilled he decided to share the journey he's taken to direct and produce a film adaptation of Jess Walter's celebrated short story We Live in Water, on this episode of The Most Interesting Person You've Never Heard Of Podcast! Like, Share, Review and Subscribe! #podcast #mipynhopodcast #weliveinwater #spokanefilms #shortfilms #spokanedoesn'tsuck

An interview with Jess Walter to kick off the Whatcom READS 2023 Season. Jess comes to town March 2-4 to talk about his historical novel, The Cold Millions. Find out more at whatcomreads.org

George Saunders & Jess Walter discuss their recent short story collections in this conversation with OPB's Geoff Norcross at 2022 #PDXBookFest.

OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas / BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter  On this episode, Andrew examines OLIGARCHY by Scarlett Thomas, a story of wealth, privilege, and fierce ponies, while Bailey tangles with book-club favorite BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter to see if she can fall in love at first sight with it. Join the hosts as they ring in the new year with a hefty stack of Christmas Shame (from some people, at least), hear about Andrew's possibly controversial list-amending, and get an INFINITE JEST update from the least lucky member of the pod!

A young woman in the midst of cancer treatment goes on a road trip in a broken down el camino with her no-good ex-boyfriend. A man working as a ghoul at a sort of halloween theme park learns that his whole life has been a lie. A gay man is forced to come out over and over again to his senile misogynist father. A mother's moral outrage on behalf of her son goes seriously awry. Two new collections of short stories tell stories about people living on the edge of a society that is failing them. George Saunders' “Liberation Day” is filled with wry humor, even as his characters are often trapped by their own foolishness. The characters in Jess Walter's collection, “The Angel of Rome,” are often filled with humor and hope, even as they struggle against poverty and indifference. OPB's Geoff Norcross talks to Saunders and Walter about the art of writing short stories about our time.

Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt joins AudioFile's Robin Whitten to tell listeners about narrating NIGHTCRAWLING. Leila Mottley's powerful debut novel is one of AudioFile's 2022 Best Fiction Audiobooks for its immersive listening experience crafted beautifully by Joniece. Listen to hear about the emotional intimacy of Joniece's performance, how she prepared to narrate the moving dialogue, and what's stayed with her about NIGHTCRAWLING. Read AudioFile's review of the audiobook at audiofilemagazine.com. Published by Random House Audio. AudioFile's 2022 Best Fiction Audiobooks: THE ANGEL OF ROME by Jess Walter, read by Edoardo Ballerini, Julia Whelan I WALK BETWEEN THE RAINDROPS by T.C. Boyle, read by T.C. Boyle, Cheryl Smith, Jason Culp, Derek Perkins, Jeremy Arthur, Stephen Mendel, Johnathan McClain, Ewan Chung, Pete Simonelli, David de Vries, Nan McNamara, Rex Anderson JOAN IS OKAY by Weike Wang, read by Catherine Ho THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT by Maggie O'Farrell, read by Genevieve Gaunt, Maggie O'Farrell [Afterword] NIGHTCRAWLING by Leila Mottley, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt THIS TIME TOMORROW by Emma Straub, read by Marin Ireland For the full list of 2022 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Support for our podcast comes from Oasis Audio, publisher of DEATH TO DECONSTRUCTION: Reclaiming Faithfulness as an Act of Rebellion by Joshua S. Porter. Available everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Walter: The Robert Burns cocktail (1 ounce Dewar's scotch, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1/2 ounce Benedictine, served up and with a lemon twist)It's possible I poured this one a little heavy, but it's my favorite drink so far. Jess talks about the surprise success of his novel Beautiful Ruins, how his agent had nearly negotiated a bonus if it made the bestseller list, though everyone believed making the list was a long shot (it stayed on the bestseller list for a year and a half!). Learn the alternate titles considered for Beautiful Ruins, his writing process, how he evaluates news ideas for novels and short stories, as well as his early work in journalism including working with Christopher Darden to write a book about the OJ Simpson case.

Tune in as Katie McLain and Kendra Winchester discuss mysteries and thrillers for Indigenous Heritage Month. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter to get even more mystery/thriller recs and news! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. BOOKS DISCUSSED My Heart Is a Chainsaw – Stephen Graham Jones Shutter – Ramona Emerson Winter Counts – David Heska Wanbli Weiden Moon of the Crusted Snow – Waubgeshig Rice Firekeeper's Daughter – Angeline Boulley The Resemblance – Lauren Nossett The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022 – edited Jess Walter and Steph Cha If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at readordead@bookriot.com. Otherwise you can: Find Kendra on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady And we will talk to you all next time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 126, audiobook producer Karen Dziekonski from Penguin Random House Audio joins me for today's deep-dive discussion. Karen takes us behind the scenes from the growth of audiobooks in the industry to the ins and outs of how audiobooks are produced. Plus, Karen shares her audiobook recommendations! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights What it means to be an audiobook producer and Karen's career progression. How the landscape has changed for audiobooks over the past 20 years. The days of abridged audiobooks and the process of editing down a print book. The types of books today that make it to the audiobook format. The process of auditioning an audiobook narrator, including deciding on celebrities or full-cast recordings. How much the author's relationship has grown to incorporate production input — especially for books in translation or featuring foreign language text. The decisions behind when the author narrates their own audiobook — fiction vs nonfiction. How producers court celebrities to narrate audiobooks. A bit about post-production editing of audiobook performances and checking for errors. How much the audiobook segment has grown over the past decade and the anticipated continued trajectory. Karen's Audiobook Recommendations [38:12] Two OLD Audiobooks She Loves Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [38:31] The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, narrated by Jayne Entwistle | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [40:25] Two NEW Audiobooks She Loves Bittersweet by Susan Cain, narrated by the author | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [42:42] Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown, narrated by the author | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [44:57] How She Feels About Talking About Books She DOESN'T Love [48:40] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor (January 3, 2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [50:25] Last 5-Star Book Karen Read The Maid by Nita Prose | Amazon | Bookshop.org | Libro.fm [52:57] Other Books Mentioned Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng, narrated by Lucy Liu [1:37] 41-Love: A Memoir by Scarlett Thomas [8:57] Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, narrated by Megan McDowell [17:18] The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, narrated by Julia Roberts [28:52] Sparring Partners: Novellas by John Grisham, narrated by Ethan Hawke, Jeff Daniels, and others [32:58] Angels in America by Tony Kushner, narrated by Nathan Lane (and the full Broadway cast) [34:22] What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry, M.D. Ph.D. [36:33] The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley [41:59] Quiet by Susan Cain [43:31] The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece: A Novel by Tom Hanks (May 9, 2023) [48:55] She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey [49:55] Other Links Ep. 81: Behind the Scenes of Narrating Audiobooks with Julia Whelan About Karen Dziekonski Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Karen Dziekonski, VP, Audio Production for the Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group, has been an influential member of the audiobook industry for over twenty years. Starting at Random House in 2000, Karen has produced thousands of audiobooks and forged strong collaborations with bestselling and debut authors, celebrities, and professional narrators. An excellent problem-solver and active collaborator, Karen leads a team of elite, award-winning producers in the day-to-day operation of one of the most successful audio publishers in the United States. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her chef husband and two daughters.

This week, Liberty and Danika discuss White Horse, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, and more great books. Follow All the Books! using RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify and never miss a book. And sign up for the weekly New Books! newsletter for even more new book news. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. For a complete list of books discussed in this episode, visit our website. BOOKS DISCUSSED ON THE SHOW: White Horse by Erika T. Wurth The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson The Best American Essays 2022 edited by Alexander Chee, Robert Atwan The Best American Food Writing 2022 by Sohla El-Waylly, Silvia Killingsworth The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022 by Jess Walter, Steph Cha The Best American Science And Nature Writing 2022 by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Jaime Green The Best American Science Fiction And Fantasy 2022 by Rebecca Roanhorse, John Joseph Adams The Best American Short Stories 2022 by Andrew Sean Greer, Heidi Pitlor DPS Only! by Velinxi The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun How to Excavate a Heart by Jake Maia Arlow Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnet Small Game by Blair Braverman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is part of an interview series for Miami Book Fair, where members of Team Micro interview authors appearing at the fair about their work. For more information about their programming and to check out the incredible roster of authors appearing this year, visit miamibookfair.com. And be sure to follow them at @miamibookfair and #MiamiBookFair2022 for more updates. A former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Jess Walter is the best-selling author of seven novels, two book of short stories and one nonfiction book. His work has been translated into 34 languages, and his fiction has been selected three times for Best American Short Stories, as well as the Pushcart Prize and Best American Nonrequired Reading. His stories, essays and journalism have appeared in, Harper's, Esquire, Playboy, McSweeney's, Tin House, Ploughshares, the New York Times, the Washington Post and many others. Drew Hawkins is a writer and journalist in New Orleans. His work has appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Scalawag Magazine, Southerly, No Contact, Rejection Letters, HAD, and other publications. You can follow him on Twitter at @WAdrewhawkins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Walter's new short story collection, "The Angel of Rome," explores the little moments in life that spark big change, for better or worse. The bestselling author of "Beautiful Ruins," "The Cold Millions," and seven other books joins Nancy Pearl to discuss his early career as a journalist (in his hometown of Spokane), how he knows when a story should be a short story and not a novel, and what he's working on next.

Edoardo Ballerini has been in your head—or at least there’s a good chance he has if you listen to audio books. Having narrated more than 350 books (including classics by Dante, Dostoevsky, Eliot, Camus, and others and books by a plethora of popular modern writers like Amor Towles, Jess Walter, Isabel Allende), Ballerini is one of the superstars of the audio book world. So on this episode of Bibliography we talked about how he jumped into that line of work, how he prepares to narrate a book, and how the experience has impacted his reading life. Of course, Ballerini is also successful television and movie actor, the son of a poet, and a parent of multiple children, so we chatted about the books that have been staples of his life over the years in each of these roles. We hope this conversation helps you find a great book to add to your TBR list. Happy listening! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss this audiobook that marks the convergence of two Golden Voice narrators with one of the country's finest fiction writers. Author Jess Walter's writing ennobles his characters, making the ordinary extraordinary. Edoardo Ballerini and Julia Whelan narrate these empathic, witty, and finely wrought short stories. Whelan sparkles with her persuasive style, smooth tone, and practiced cadence. Ballerini acts all his stories with restraint and veracity, performing with his characteristic empathy and signature evocative tone. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Graphic Audio, A Movie in Your Mind. Try a new spectacular original super-heroic series available in no other format! TANGENT KNIGHTS by Christopher L. Bennett. The Full Cast Audiobook #2: Tempest Tossed is out now at GraphicAudio.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode we are excited to bring you former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, Jess Walter, author of the number one NY times bestseller The Beautiful Ruins, which spent more than a year on the bestseller list, as well as the national bestselling novel Cold Millions, and his latest short story collection The Angel of Rome and Other Stories. Jess is joined by Amor Towles, the NY Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility, A Gentleman From Moscow, and his latest novel, The Lincoln Highway that debuted at number one on the NY Times best seller list and was on the annual book recommendation lists of Bill Gates and Barack Obama. These two friends compare their early story-telling inspirations from Hollywood and music, parse the merits of timely vs timeless writing and examine their yearning to have lived in other eras. 

David Duchovny is best known for his television roles as FBI agent Fox Mulder on The X-Files (1993-2002 and 2016-2018) and writer Hank Moody on Californication (2007-2014), both of which earned him Golden Globe awards. Beyond his extensive on-screen accomplishments, which include dozens of other films and television shows, he's also a musician and the writer of four novels. Duchovny last joined us at Town Hall to talk about his 2016 book, Bucky F*cking Dent; this June, we're pleased to welcome him back to discuss his latest title, The Reservoir. Inspired by Duchovny's own quarantine times in New York City, The Reservoir follows an unexceptional man living during an exceptional time. Ridley, a former Wall Street veteran, looks back on his life during his days of quarantined solitude and examines his wins, failures, career, relationships, and family. Brooding night after night, he gazes out his picture window high above the Central Park Reservoir and spots a flashing light in an apartment across the park. It's almost as if a lonely quarantined person is signaling him in Morse code. Who are they? And are they in trouble? Determined to identify the mystery person, Ridley leaves the safety of his apartment to save his hypothetical damsel in distress and descends into a surreal and dangerous world of conspiracies, madness, and sickness. As he spirals further into mysteries of love, life, and fatherhood, he realizes that the key to it all might lie deep beneath the freezing waters of the reservoir. Join us at Town Hall as Duchovny discusses his latest novel's twists, turns, and reflections of our disorienting and distanced times. David Duchovny is an award-winning actor, writer, director, New York Times best-selling author, and singer-songwriter. With an acting career spanning more than three decades, Duchovny is a two-time Golden Globe winner and four-time Emmy nominee. He is a prolific author whose fourth novel, Truly Like Lightning, was published in February 2021. His previous novels include the New York Times bestseller Holy Cow, Bucky F*cking Dent, and Miss Subways. As a musician, Duchovny has released three studio albums, Hell or Highwater, Every Third Thought, and Gestureland. Jess Walter is a former National Book Award finalist and winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the author of seven novels, one book of short stories, and one nonfiction book. His work has been translated into 32 languages, and his fiction has been selected three times for Best American Short Stories as well as the Pushcart Prize and Best American Nonrequired Reading. His stories, essays, and journalism have appeared in Harper's, Esquire, Playboy, McSweeney's, Tin House, Ploughshares, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many others. Buy the Book: The Reservoir (Hardcover) from Elliott Bay Books Presented by Town Hall Seattle. To become a member or make a donation click here. 

Jess Walter, author of The Cold Millions and Beautiful Ruins, returns to the show to chat with Daniel Ford about his new short story collection The Angel of Rome.  To learn more about Jess Walter, visit his official website, like his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Also listen to our last conversation with the author in Episode 452. Writer's Bone is proudly sponsored by Libro.fm and A Mighty Blaze podcast.

We all live like we're famous now, curating our social media presences, performing our identities, withholding those parts of ourselves we don't want others to see. In this riveting collection of stories from acclaimed author Jess Walter, a teenage girl tries to live up to the image of her beautiful, missing mother. An elderly couple confronts the fiction writer eavesdropping on their conversation. A son must repeatedly come out to his senile father while looking for a place to care for the old man. A famous actor in recovery has a one-night stand with the world's most surprising film critic. And in the romantic title story, a shy twenty-one-year-old studying Latin in Rome during “the year of my reinvention” finds himself face-to-face with the Italian actress of his adolescent dreams.Get the book here:  https://wellingtonsquarebooks.indiecommerce.com/book/9780062868114

“Christopher Beha is one of the most talented young writers at work today.” —Jess Walter, author of Beautiful RuinsThis episode’s guest is Chris Beha, author of one of my favorite recent novels, The Index of Self Destructive Acts, which was nominated for the 2020 National book award and is one of the best books about people talking about ideas.Beha is also the author of a memoir, The Whole Five Feet, and the novels Arts & Entertainments and What Happened to Sophie Wilder. Plus, he is the editor of Harper’s Magazine, one of the most consistently interesting and thoughtful periodicals available right now.A while back he joined me to talk about the books he loves the most, including titles by Beverly Cleary, Muriel Spark, Leo Tolstoy, and others. I have been saving it for summertime because I think Index is a great book for this time of year. Thanks for tuning in. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Novelist and short story writer Jess Walter joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest collection, The Angel of Rome. Jess is the author of seven novels (including The Cold Millions and Beautiful Ruins), two collections of short stories, and a non-fiction book. He is the recipient of the Edgar Allan Poe Award (Citizen Vance), and was a finalist for the National Book Award (The Zero).Walter talks about assembling the collection, choosing these 12 thematic stories out of 40 or 50 choices. He discusses effective humor, the difference between sentiment and sentimentality, and how to avoid cliches and stereotypes. He also talks about his ability to access elderly characters, writing a Gen X collection while not identifying completely with Gen X, and so much more.For more information about Jess Walter, upcoming events, and more visit his website here. We also invite you to check out our new Patreon page, where we offer weekly writing tips and prompts, as well as other goodies for our loyal listeners. This week's tip was inspired by this conversation. Thanks for listening!Download audio.  (Recorded on June 2, 2022) Music and sound design by Travis Barrett Barbara DeMarco-Barrett: www.penonfire.com Marrie Stone: www.marriestone.com Travis Barrett: https://travisbarrett.mykajabi.com

Episode 125 Notes and Links to Jamil Jan Kochai's Work       On Episode 125 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jamil Jan Kochai, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship with languages and reading, an early fascination with Harry Potter, his family's proud histories and storytelling legacies, Jamil's hoop skills, his book 99 Nights and Logar and its allegory and realism, its connections to contemporary Afghan history, as well as his recent “love letter to his father” in The New Yorker.       Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of 99 Nights in Logar (Viking, 2019), a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. He was born in an Afghan refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, but he originally hails from Logar, Afghanistan. His short stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Ploughshares, and The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018. Currently, he is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University.  Jamil Jan Kochai's Website   Preorder The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories   “Jamil Jan Kochai on Résumés as Stories” from The New Yorker, May 2022   “Occupational Hazards”-Short Story-from May 2022, The New Yorker   At about 1:40, Jamil and Pete discuss NBA loyalties as fellow Sacramentans    At about 2:30, Pete shouts out some unique description from Jamil's 99 Nights in Logar   At about 4:05, Jamil gives background on his family roots in Logar, Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistán, as well as how amorphous borders have affected loyalties and pride    At about 7:00, Jamil describes his childhood moves and family circumstances that led to his family laying down roots in California, as well as his relationship with language     At about 9:15, Alice Norman Elementary and Mrs. Long are shouted out as huge parts of Jamil learning and loving the English language   At about 10:20, Jamil responds to Pete's questions about the roles of lore, stories, and storytellers in his life   At about 12:30, Jamil lists books and writers that captivated and inspired him from an early age, as well as ideas of escape and fantasy-entering a “new world”   At about 16:25, Pete wonders about “generations” of Afghan immigrants, Khaled Hosseini's impact on a younger Jamil, and Jamil's current view of The Kite Runner   At about 19:30, Jamil compares The Kite Runner to a seminal book in his life, One Hundred Years of Solitude   At about 21:20, Jamil discusses ideas of pressure that may come with being seen as a representative of Afghan/Afghan-American cultures At about 24:00, Pete asks Jamil about “the white gaze” and feedback and thought process that went along with not translating many words from the book   At about 29:35, Pete and Jamil fanboy about Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jamil details One Hundred Years of Solitude importance to him, in addition to listing 1984 and Native Son and other formative texts   At about 31:40, Jamil does an almost perfect job in recounting the iconic opening line of One Hundred Years of Solitude   At about 34:10-35:50, Pete and Jamil sing the praises of Jess Walter, as both a writer and baller    At about 35:50, Jamil diagnoses his own basketball game in a detailed scouting report   At about 36:50, Pete asks a followup question regarding Jamil's growth and awareness as a writer and “ ‘Eureka' moments,” including early work done in high school English classes   At about 41:40, Jamil shouts out some standout Italo Calvino work   At about 43:10, Pete speaks of pitch for a future article    At about 43:40, Pete fanboys over “The Gospel According to Mark” by Borges    At about 45:25, Jamil responds to Pete's questions about the two epigraphs for 99 Nights in Logar    At about 50:00, Jamil focuses on the Kipling epigraph in describing his objectives and challenges in writing 99 Nights in Logar    At about 51:40, Jamil traces the evolution of Budabash as a character and symbol in    At about 54:00, Jamil responds to Pete's questions about Marwand as a musafir and the book as charting an ephemeral journey         At about 56:00, Jamil explains his mindset about giving Marwand “agency,” including how his writing training prepared him for writing about agency   At about 59:40, Pete summarizes the moving story of Marwand's uncle   At about 1:00:50, Jamil provides background on the genesis and role of “The Thief,” an intriguing character from the book   At about 1:06:00, Jamil and Pete discuss the history of Afghanistan that is incorporated into the novel, including how Jamil finessed this history in a way that “benefited the story itself”   At about 1:09:05, Jamil describes the significance and real-world links to a scene from the book involving an uncovering of bones   At about 1:10:40, Pete and Jamil ruminate on praise for his writing from Jesmyn Ward   At about 1:11:10, Pete and Jamil discuss Jamil's recent publication from The New Yorker, “Occupational Hazards”   At about 1:14:50, Jamil highlights his upcoming collection of short stories and highlights local bookstores as great places to buy his books-Bookshop.org and The Indie Book Store, among others     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 me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.  This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm 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 126 with Kevin Owens, a veteran of overseas professional basketball and a current teacher and basketball coach. He is an entrepreneur and founder of Overseas Famous LLC, a multimedia platform created to give athletes playing abroad a voice. These stories provide a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with overseas sports. His 2021 book is called Overseas Famous. While he had the name first, he is now the second most popular Kevin Owens in the world.     The episode will air on June 7. 

Edoardo Ballerini is an actor, narrator and writer. On screen he is best known for his work in The Sopranos and the indie classic Dinner Rush. As a narrator, he is a two time winner of the Audio Publisher Association's Best Male Narrator Award, and a two time winner of Society of Voice Arts awards. In 2021 he co-created the Audible Original "The Angel of Rome," with Jess Walter, named one of Audible "Best of 2021."

Poet, Spark Central Executive Director and general purpose badass Brooke Matson joins Luke and special co-host Elissa Ball to discuss the historic (and current) stigma around ADHD and the steps individuals and (hopefully, some day) society itself can take to reimagine and reframe day-to-day life to help people harness and come to love their unique brains, and the tremendous drive for experimentation and incandescent creativity they're capable of, if given the space to flourish. Brooke's recent TEDxSpokane talk is a great primer for this episode. “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcNLwWhsgaQ&ab_channel=TEDxTalks (ADHD Redefined | Brooke Matson | TEDxSpokane)” If you want to support Spark Central, April 15th is “https://spark-central.org/spark-salon (Amplify Us),” Spark Central's annual salon and benefit show. This year's gala will be a hybrid online and in-person event held at The Knitting Factory. The evening features an interview with best-selling author Jess Walter and a silent auction, plus live musical performances by T.S. The Solution, Atari Ferrari, and other music acts — including one of Spark's own Girls Rock Lab bands.  

"All people, except this rich cream, living and scraping and fighting and dying, and for what, nothing, the cold millions with no chance in this world." So thinks Rye Dolan, the main character of Jess Walter's seventh novel, as he navigates the wealthy world and poor underbelly of Spokane, Washington, in 1909. Rye is sucked into the outer edges of history as it's being made during the free speech riots of 1909 and 1910, an effort by the International Workers of the World to battle against predatory employment agencies who hired people for day work for a daily fee. In most historical fiction we read today, the spotlight falls on the names and stories we know from history (think about the kind of moment World War II is having in fiction), but Walter takes a look an unknown corner of American history with primarily unknown names and voices. While Rye and his older brother Gig aren't real, 1909 Spokane was, as well as novel character and professional activist Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. With The Cold Millions, Walter analyzes the role we play in history as individuals and what it means to truly be “a part” of history, as well as whose voices we listen to after history has finally been “made”. In this episode, we're discussing some of the major themes of The Cold Millions, including history but also the way the structure of the novel both subverts & reinforces certain concepts of historical fiction, along with the morality of living in a world that doesn't love you back. We also drop some great Spokane puns (Spokane should hire us for PR) and discuss our true feelings about epilogues.

In this episode of Traverse Talks with Sueann Ramella, author Jess Walter talks about humility and confidence, about the characters that still haunt him and how the history of Spokane shapes his work. With seven novels, one book of short stories and one nonfiction book, Jess is an award-winning author, with accolades such as, National… Continue Reading 24. Jess Walter

Show Notes and Links to Edoardo Ballerini's Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode   On Episode 42, Pete talks with Edoardo Ballerini about a myriad of topics, all revolving around art and creativity in some way. They discuss Edoardo's artistic upbringing, language and translation, his writing for film and other forms, his acting, his award-winning narration of audiobooks and newspaper articles, his literary inspiration, and much more. Edoardo Ballerini, described on multiple occasions as “The Golden-Voiced Edoardo Ballerini,” is a two time winner of the Audiobook Publishers Association's Best Male Narrator Audie Award (2013, Beautiful Ruins, by Edoardo Ballerini; 2019, Watchers by Dean Koontz). He has recorded nearly 300 titles, including classic works by Tolstoy, Dante, Stendhal, Kafka, Calvino, Poe, Emerson, Whitman and Camus, best-sellers by James Patterson and David Baldacci, modern masterpieces by Tom Wolfe, Karl Ove Knausgaard, and André Aciman, and spiritual titles by The Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hahn. On screen, Ballerini is best known for his role as junkie "Corky Caporale" on The Sopranos (HBO) and as the star chef in the indie classic Dinner Rush. He has appeared in over 50 films and tv shows, including a series regular role in the critically acclaimed Quarry, (Cinemax)  and recurring roles in Boardwalk Empire (HBO), 24 (Fox) and Elementary (CBS). Ballerini's work as a narrator has garnered international attention. Articles on his work and career have appeared in The New York Times (US), The Guardian (UK), Aftenposten (Norway) and MediaPost (US), among others. In 2019 he recorded Robert Alter's translation of The Hebrew Bible in its entirety. In 2020 he added Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace to his growing list of titles. He is also a two time winner of the Society of Voice Arts Award, and was recently named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile Magazine, an honorific bestowed to only 35 narrators in the magazine's 20 year history. Other authors Edoardo has voiced include Chuck Palahniuk, Eve Ensler, Carson McCullers, Jay McInerney, Stephen Greenblatt, Jeffrey Deaver, Danielle Steel, Chuck Palahniuk, Louis L'Amour, Adriana Trigiani, Isabel Allende, Stieg Larsson, James Salter, Paul Theroux and Jodi Picoult. Besides narrating audiobooks, Edoardo  is also a regular contributor to Audm, where he narrates the best in long-form journalism for The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Atlantic Monthly, The London Review of Books, and many other publications. He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and lives in New York. Edoardo Ballerini reads an excerpt from Martin Eden by Jack London Edoardo Ballerini's Personal Website Edoardo Ballerini on Italics-”The Voice of God” Video Edoardo Ballerini Profile in The New York Times: "The Voice of God. (And Knausgaard, Whitman, Machiavelli..." May 13, 2020 Edoardo Ballerini reads Beautiful Ruins, Chapter One-YouTube excerpt -at about 4:35, Edoardo describes his life growing up among family in New York and Milan, as well as growing up with artsy and creative parents and their parents' artistic friends   -at about 6:45, Edoardo talks about his dual identities as Italian-American (or “Italian AND American”), as well as his love of language being fueled by growing up bilingual/multilingual   -at about 9:35, Edoardo talks about his reading interests as a kid, including myths, followed by a “dip away” into math and science, and then a return to poetry in high school and then his interest in being a writer in late adolescence   -at about 11:25, Edoardo talks about the importance of “place” in his writing, acting, and other art   -at about 14:05, Edoardo talks about the literature that has given him “chills at will,” especially the “book that changed [his] life”-Joyce's Ulysses   -at about 17:10, Edoardo talks about being a man of many talents and interests, and he hones in on audiobook narration and the importance and tough balance of being an interprete as an audiobook narrator   -at about 21:05, Edoardo talks about what it means on a daily basis to be a “creative”   -at about 24:25, Edoardo talks about his mom's influence on him as she was a photo historian, especially with regard to him becoming an actor, a visual and literary medium   -at about 25:55, Edoardo talks about his beginnings as an actor   -at about 27:45, Edoardo talks about his beautiful interaction with Aaliyah during the filming of Romeo Must Die   -at about 29:40, Edoardo talks about his run of four episodes on The Sopranos, including the incredible circumstances involved in filming a crucial scene with Michael Imperioli as a relapsing Christopher Moltisanti   -at about 34:45, Edoardo talks about his role as Ignatius D'Alessio in Boardwalk Empire, including how the run ended   -at about 36:25, Edoardo talks about the movie in which he starred and that he directed, Good Night, Valentino   -at about 44:05, Edoardo talks about how he got started as an audiobook narrator about 10 years ago, which coincided with the growth of the iPod, iPhone, Audible.com, etc.   -at about 47:35, Edoardo talks about continuity and recording long books   -at about 49:50, Edoardo talks about “one of the luckiest breaks of [his] life” in getting to narrate (and doing a stellar and award-winning job) Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins   -at about 54:00, Edoardo talks about his love for Martin Eden by Jack London, the wonderful recent Italian movie adaption, and Edoardo's recording of Martin Eden on audiobook   -at about 1:01:50, Edoardo thrills with a reading from Martin Eden   -at about 1:03:25, Edoardo talks future projects and laughs in response to The New York Times dubbing his voice “The Voice of God…”   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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm 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.

Welcome to 2021! We're kicking off our third season with a look back at the best books we read in 2020!  Click the link to purchase the book from our store, or click the "Libro.fm" link to get the Audiobook on Libro.fm. Thanks for shopping local! Books Mentioned During This Episode RECENT READS Ryan, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/ryan-elizabeth-clark A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (November 2021) (libro.fm) Devolution by Max Brooks (libro.fm) Kelso, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/kelso Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (libro.fm) Kindred by Octavia Butler (libro.fm) One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (libro.fm) Hillary, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/hillary A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders (libro.fm) Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (libro.fm) The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths (libro.fm) The Agitators by Dorothy Wickenden (libro.fm) Real Life by Brandon Taylor (libro.fm) OUR FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020 The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (libro.fm) Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (libro.fm) The Unwilling by Kelly Braffett (libro.fm) Sword in the Stars by A.R. Capetta & Cory McCarthy (libro.fm) The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (libro.fm) A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow (libro.fm) A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (libro.fm) You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (libro.fm) Wonderland by Zoje Stage (libro.fm) Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth (libro.fm) Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (libro.fm) The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (libro.fm) Close to the Knives by David Wojnarowicz Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier (libro.fm) These Women by Ivy Pochoda (libro.fm) Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis (libro.fm) True Grit by Charles Portis (libro.fm) Under the Rainbow by Celia Laskey (libro.fm) Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke  The Bright Lands by John Fram (libro.fm) Dune by Frank Herbert (libro.fm) The Way Back by Gavriel Savit (libro.fm) Long Bright River by Liz Moore (libro.fm) True Story by Kate Reed Petty (libro.fm) The Cold Millions by Jess Walter (libro.fm) Deacon King Kong by James McBride (libro.fm) Piranesi by Susanna Clarke  The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (libro.fm) Afterland by Lauren Beukes (libro.fm) The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson (libro.fm) Enter the Aardvark by Jessica Anthony (libro.fm) You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce (libro.fm) Other Links Gibson's Bookstore Website Shop The Laydown Purchase Gift Certificates!  Browse our website by Category! Order some curated bundles! Donate to the bookstore! Check out our Events Calendar! Gibson's Instagram The Laydown Instagram Facebook Twitter Libro.fm (Our Audiobook Platform) Use the code “LAYDOWN” for 3 audiobooks for the price of 1!  Email us at thelaydownpodcast@gmail.com

Show Notes and Links to Jess Walter's Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode   On Episode 35, Pete talks with Jess Walter about his incredible fiction, his nonfiction roots, basketball, writing genres, chill-inducing lines, Jess' masterpieces Beautiful Ruins and The Cold Millions, and much more.    Jess Walter is the author of nine books, most recently the national bestseller The Cold Millions and #1 New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Ruins; The Zero, finalist for the National Book Award; and Citizen Vince, winner of the Edgar Award. His short story collection, We Live in Water, was selected by Barack Obama as one of his favorite reads of 2019. His work has been published in 32 languages and his short fiction has appeared three times in Best American Short Stories. Article on Background of Beautiful Ruins Jess Walter's Personal Website Jess Writes about His “Esquire Magazine” Credentials and Interviewing Kurt Vonnegut  Article about POTUS Barack Obama listing We Live in Water as one of his favorite reads of 2019 Buy Beautiful Ruins Here Buy The Cold Millions Here      Jess Walter describes the thrill of his short-story collection We Live in Water being listed by former POTUS Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of 2019-at around 3:10   Jess describes his place among the greatest basketball players of all-time (and among writers-”for a writer, [he's] decent-at around 5:15   So cool! Jess describes playing on a basketball team with great writers Sherman Alexie, Shann Ray, Natalie Diaz, called “The Spokane Dirty Realists”-at around 6:15   Jess talks Gonzaga hoops (Go Zags!)-at around 7:10   Jess describes the cool 1-on-1 game that he has played throughout much of the pandemic with his brother-at around 7:55   Jess and Pete talk about the pandemic's impact on aging basketball players-at around 9:40   Jess talks about wanting to play basketball into his 60s and 70s, maybe playing against Slick Watts or some great Seattle legends; Pete references upcoming guest Jon Finkel's excellent book, Hoops Heist, about the insular and special basketball community that is Seattle-at around 10:45   Jess describes the importance of growing up in Spokane in a blue-collar family and literary influences-at around 12:05   Jess discusses the childhood injury that led to his “falling in love with books” and later getting into science-fiction and loving the inventiveness and play of Kurt Vonnegut-at around 12:45   Jess discusses some formative writers in his own journey to becoming a writer-”1970s cinematic realism” like Dog Day Afternoon, Raymond Carver, Hemingway, and in discovering that he loved nonfiction and journalism, Joan Didion-at around 14:00   Jess talks about “stalking” writers as a fan, writing letters and bugging them, and -at around 14:50    Jess talks about getting press credentials to set up a one-on-one meeting with Kurt Vonnegut at Gonzaga University in the mid-80s, memorialized in this article-at around 15:30   Pete and Jess discuss the similarity between Jess' fandom of Kurt Vonnegut, and scenes from Tobias Wolff's Old School in which poet Robert Frost is a visitor to a prep school; this leads to a broader discussion about writers and celebrity-at around 17:40   Pete and Jess discuss “Bullet in the Brain,” Tobias Wolff's epic short story that has inspired the podcast and its title-at around 21:45   Jess, off the top of his head (!), reads the opening line of One Hundred Years of Solitude and talks about its significance as a “chill-inducing line” for him-at around 23:45   Jess talks about trusting himself as a reader to give himself the inspiration for writing, pointing to truisms from his short story “Wheelbarrow Kings”-at around 25:50   Jess talks about his early writing: journalism and his first book, based on Ruby Ridge-The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family-at around 28:00   Pete and Jess talk about the common link of many great writers, such as Jeff Pearlman, guest on Episode 33, and their formative years in crime reporting-at around 29:15   Jess talks about Beautiful Ruins and his distaste for classifying literature, particularly “historical fiction”-at around 31:20   Jess reads and discusses the importance of his epigraph for Beautiful Ruins-at around 33:00   Jess talks about the importance of the title of Beautiful Ruins, discovered in a thrilling fashion many years after he'd started the book, and how it informs a throughline of the novel-at around 34:25   Jess talks about and reads from The Cold Millions and reflects on its title's importance-at around 35:40   Jess and Pete talk about the masterful ways in which Jess uses flashback/flashforward/juxtaposition in his last two novels to craft incredible storylines; this leads to a shared appreciation of the last scene of The Godfather Part II, discussed on Episode 25-at around 37:40   Jess discusses the non-linear construction of The Cold Millions and Beautiful Ruins-at around 40:00   Jess talks about the line between fiction and history in his writing of The Cold Millions-at around 42:00   Pete talks about the power of the ending-due to its structure-of The Cold Millions-at around 43:45   Jess talks about the parallelism of War and Peace and The Cold Millions and its ending-at around 45:00   Jess reads from the ending of Beautiful Ruins-CHILLS!-at around 44:40 (POSSIBLE PLOT SPOILER-if you don't want to know the last part of the book, skip this part: 48:10 to 49:15

It's the last episode of 2020, and we've got a fun one for you! Ryan, Hillary, and Kelso dissect their dauntingly huge To Be Read piles, they gush about Taylor Swift a little bit, and they go off on a tangent about Squishables. It's a grand old time! Enjoy!   Click the link to purchase the book from our store, or click the "Libro.fm" link to get the Audiobook on Libro.fm. Thanks for shopping local! Books Mentioned During This Episode Ryan, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/ryan-elizabeth-clark Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (libro.fm) A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske (November 2, 2021) Pumpkin by Julie Murphy (May 25, 2021) The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake (libro.fm) Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi (libro.fm) The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke Hillary, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/hillary Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson (libro.fm) (March 23, 2021) Master of the Revels by Nicole Galland (libro.fm) (February 23, 2021) The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen (March 2, 2021) Wedding Station by David Downing (March 2, 2021) The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. (libro.fm) (January 5, 2021) Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi, Keisha N. Blain (libro.fm) (February 2, 2021) The Historians by Cecilia Ekbäck (libro.fm) (January 12, 2021) The Invention of Miracles by Katie Booth (libro.fm) (April 6, 2021) Kelso, https://www.gibsonsbookstore.com/staff/kelso The Power of Cute by Simon May (libro.fm)  The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood (libro.fm) Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension by Matt Parker Vandermeer book  Ambergris: City of Saints and Madmen; Shriek: An Afterword; Finch by Jeff Vandermeer Other Books Mentioned In The Woods by Tana French (libro.fm) City of Brass by SA Chakraborty (libro.fm) The Circle by Dave Eggers (libro.fm) Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (libro.fm) The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (libro.fm) The Cold Millions by Jess Walter (libro.fm) Deacon King Kong by James McBride (Book Club: March 1, 2021) (libro.fm) Other Links Gibson's Bookstore Website Shop The Laydown Purchase Gift Certificates!  Browse our website by Category! Order some curated bundles! Donate to the bookstore! Check out our Events Calendar! Gibson's Instagram The Laydown Instagram Facebook Twitter Libro.fm (Our Audiobook Platform) Use the code “LAYDOWN” for 3 audiobooks for the price of 1!  Email us at thelaydownpodcast@gmail.com

  Show Notes and Links to Pete Croatto's Work On Episode 31, Pete is honored to talk with Pete Croatto about freelance writing, chill-inducing texts and lines, the importance of the David Stern and Larry O'Brien years in the growth of the modern NBA, athletes and activism, and much more. The bulk of the discussion is centered around Pete Croatto's recently-published From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA, an impeccably-researched and engrossing read. Pete Croatto is a freelance writer in Ithaca, New York. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Grantland, SI.com, VICE Sports, and Publishers Weekly. His first book, From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA, about the revolutionary change in the NBA between the years 1975-1989, is published by Atria Books and is out now.    Buy From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA! Pete Croatto's Twitter Account Marvin Gaye's 1983 National Anthem at the NBA All-Star Game-video Pete Croatto's 2013 Grantland Article about the Marvin Gaye National Performance Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode: *unless otherwise noted, "Pete" refers to Pete Croatto   *Pete shouts out Linkedin and talks about the incredible writing connections he has taken of advantage through the website-at around 3:30   Pete talks about the evolving and open definition of “journalist” and how there is so much room at the writing table for committed and persistent writers-at around 7:30   Pete talks about his word-rich household and his childhood surrounded by books and voracious readers-at around 12:00   Pete talks about his early days of writing, prompted by the groundbreaking work of Roger Ebert, Phillip Roth, James Thurber, sports biographies, and the great annual Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball written by Zander Holland and Fred Kerber, and talks about how he loved the basketball handbook so much that the book became two halves-at around 13:30   Pete talks about being nominated as a “Noble Selection” for Best American Sportswriting 2020, featured with heroes of his like Howard Bryant-at around 20:40   Pete talks about the love of writing and the subjectivity of accolades and the need to be persistent in the writing business, and shouts our fabulous writer from Slam Magazine, Russ Bengston-at around 23:00   Pete talks about being let down as a kid by Pete Rose, yet the “Never meet your heroes” cliche, he says, doesn't apply to the writing world; he talks about writing heroes like Susan Orlean and Jancee Dunn and how they were overwhelmingly nice and accommodating-at around 27:30   Pete talks about chill-inducing writers and texts in his life, particularly lines from Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude and Curtis Sittenfield's Prep -at around 28:30   Pete and Pete Riehl talk about great writing trumping the supposed genre (i.e. the best sports books can always “stand on their own”) and Pete reads from writing hero's Roger Ebert's writing advice-its chill-inducing nature stands out for him-at around 31:25   Pete Riehl talks about a memorable anecdote from The Jordan Rules-at around 36:40   Pete notes which interesting and unique stories he remembers from the impeccably-researched Showtime by favorite Jeff Pearlman-at around 37:00   Pete talks about wanting to write a substantive story that will be of interest to sports fan and non-sports fans alike-at around 38:00   Pete talks about his book, which is available in autographed form from Odyssey Books in Syracuse-at around 40:40   Pete “pitches” his book-at about 42:50   Pete talks about the choices in starting the book off as he does, with a scene from 2017's Dancing with the Stars juxtaposed with Marvin Gaye's famous (infamous?) singing of the national anthem at 1983's national anthem-at about 46:15   Shout out to rap legend Kurtis Blow and his reaction to the 2017 Derek Fisher routine-at about 49:30   Pete talks about the chronological beginning of his book, with the “heroic” Larry O'Brien, transitioning into a discussion of David Stern as “the best commissioner in the history of professional sports”-at about 51:00   Pete and Pete talk about David Stern's fastidiousness as part of his greatness, leading to a comparison to the famous “blueberry” scene from DeNiro's Casino -at about 57:00   Pete talks about his persistence in trying to talk with David Stern for the book, and shouts out helpful writer friend, Shawn Fury-at about 1:01:45   Pete talks about the connections between Marvin Gaye's 1983 performance and the recent activism in the sports world around Black Lives Matter, “I Can't Breathe,” etc., as shown through the -at about 1:11:00   LeBron James, activist, as seen through the eyes of the brilliant sociologist Harry Edwards-at about 1:13:40   Pete and Pete talk about the connections between being open to listening and being a voracious reader-at about 1:23:40   Pete and Pete gush about Beautiful Ruins by author/baller Jess Walter-at about 1:27:30   Pete reads the Introduction from Hang Time to Prime Time-at about 1:29:40   Pete talks about his book as literary fiction and subtly irreverent and humorous, showing influences from James Thurber to Mad Magazine to his father-1:35:40   Pete talks about how tenuous writing for humor can be-at about 1:37:00   Pete talks about future projects and the recent article he wrote (Pete Riehl truly enjoyed it!) about Tom Chambers and Jeff Wells' YouTube channel devoted to Chambers and crusade to get him into the Basketball Hall of Fame-at about 1:44:00 If you have enjoyed The Chills at Will Podcast, pause your podcast player right now, and go to Apple Podcasts to leave me a nice review.  You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm 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.

In this week's episode of Fiction/Non/Fiction, co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan talk to acclaimed novelist Jess Walter and award-winning essayist Jerald Walker. First, Walter unravels the literary elements of the Trump administration and discusses how his newest book, The Cold Millions, a historical novel touching on unions and feminism at the turn of the century, has many parallels to today's politics. Then, Walker talks about centering Black courage vs. white cruelty, both in literature and this election, and how he works to find common ground in his writing, including his newest collection of essays, How to Make a Slave, which is a finalist for the National Book Award. To hear the full episode, subscribe to the Fiction/Non/Fiction podcast through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. And check out video excerpts from our interviews at LitHub's Virtual Book Channel and Fiction/Non/Fiction's YouTube Channel. This podcast is produced by Andrea Tudhope.  Selected readings: Jess Walter The Cold Millions Beautiful Ruins We Live in Water The Financial Lives of the Poets ‘The Ponz': Michael Cohen's Prison Memoir Jerald Walker How to Make a Slave and Other Essays The World in Flames: A Black Boyhood in a White Supremacist Doomsday Cult Street Shadows: A Memoir of Race, Rebellion, and Redemption Once More to the Ghetto and Other Essays “Dragon Slayers”   Others: King Lear by William Shakespeare Elmore Leonard Henry IV, Part II by William Shakespeare “Did the pandemic sink Trump's chances? Not as much as his opponents expected,” by Alex Roarty, McClatchy “'You are no longer my mother': A divided America will struggle to heal after Trump era,” by Tim Reid, Gabriella Borter, Michael Martina, Reuters Hue and Cry, by James Alan McPherson James Alan McPherson Albert Murray Stanley Crouch “The Little Man at Chehaw Station” by Ralph Ellison Self Help by Lorrie Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices