Podcasts about steinbeck

Hello Interactors,A couple weeks ago, I found myself in Tulsa for the first time. I left pleasantly surprised. There's a lot of private money flowing into this town, but the city is filled with sorted stories about land, who holds it, who loses it, and how that loss and potential return is engineered. On Juneteenth, the city's history feels especially close so I thought I'd unpack the layers of displacement, violence, and reinvention that lurk beneath a city still struggling to face them.CONCRETE, COALS, AND A CITY THAT CONCEALSRaise your hand if you like Brutalist architecture (I'm raising mine.) I just didn't expect to find it in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I was visiting for my niece's wedding.The Brut Hotel is a converted Brutalist tower a few blocks from the Arkansas River and it's all raw concrete. Even the floors and counters. Most people see Brutalism as cold — which is nice on a hot Tulsa day — but I read it as honest and direct. A bit like a Midwestern prairie settler stereotype. After all, the style did emerge in postwar Europe from an egalitarian impulse. It was meant to be democratic architecture stripped of ornamental excesses of fancy city folks. It arrived in America just in time to become the aesthetic of urban renewal. We mostly got housing projects and highway interchanges built on top of what had been Black and working-class neighborhoods, often by eminent domain and without meaningful consent. Concrete can be made to beautiful, but it's definitely also the material of displacement. Tulsa is no exception.On my first muggy Tulsa morning, I ran from The Brut toward the river. A block or two along, tucked between midtown houses on Cheyenne Avenue, I passed a small park I had read about but didn't know was so close. The bronze sculpture of a flame was the give away. This is Creek Nation Council Oak Park, and it is, in the most literal sense, where Tulsa began.In 1836, the Lochapoka clan of the Creek Nation arrived at this hill above the river after two years on the Trail of Tears. They had carried live coals from their last ceremonial fires in Alabama the entire way — embers kept alive through hundreds of miles of forced march. Under this oak, they set those coals down and kindled a new flame. They named the settlement Talasi, meaning “old town.” White settlers mispronounced it into Tulsa. The term “Trail of Tears” perhaps softens this forced displacement too much. Of the 630 Lochapoka who began the journey, 161 did not survive it. The oak did and it still holds its annual ceremonies. In November 2024, the site was formally returned to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.As I kept running south along the river, a second gathering place was harder to miss. It has a giant sign that reads, The Gathering Place.The Gathering Place is a privately built public-ish park that stretches along the Arkansas River's eastern bank and inland a bit. It's one hundred acres of fountains, climbing structures, event lawns, and restored prairie plantings. It is, by nearly any measure, a stunningly beautiful park. It is also unmistakably the product of a single man's fortune. George Kaiser, the Tulsa-born oil billionaire and philanthropist, has poured more than $350 million into transforming this stretch of riverfront. It's honestly something you'd expect to see in a Northern European city. The park opened in 2018 to national acclaim. The New York Times called it “the most ambitious new park in a generation.” I can see why.But head north from the riverfront, past the gleaming BOK Center arena (“B. OK.” is a financial services company dating back to 1910 oil money and is half owned by Kaiser) and the reclaimed warehouse districts, (including the Bob Dylan Center — Kaiser bought Bob Dylan's archive collection in 2016) and within minutes you are in a different city. North Tulsa — and specifically the Greenwood District — reveals modest homes and stretches of underdevelopment. This is an area that feels like it's being watched and commemorated but it's not entirely clear it is being heard. The Greenwood Rising history center, also primarily bankrolled by Kaiser, opened in 2021 exactly one hundred years after the neighborhood was destroyed in the Tulsa Massacre. This building is also very nice and tells the area's story well. Whether it changes the story is another matter.Cities can act as maps of their own history, so that's how I try to read them. I take note of the distances between prosperity and poverty, commemoration and investment…even a museum and a neighborhood. These are not determinant accidents of the market, but accumulated residue of specific decisions made by specific people over a very long time. To understand Tulsa's geography today, you have to go back not just to 1921, but further — to the rivers and grasslands of Indian Territory the Lochapoka people encountered. It's here you'll find federal ledgers leveraged as weapons, their lines and lists legalizing the largest land liquidation in American history.PROMISES, PARCELS, AND THE POLITICS OF POSSESSIONThe Lochapoka were not the only ones force-marched into Indian Territory. All five of the so-called Civilized Tribes — the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole nations — were relocated from their homelands in the American Southeast across the 1830s. Each tribe were given the same federal promise that the territory would remain theirs permanently. The maps and the Federal treaties said so, but neither turned out to mean much.What the maps did not show, and what the official history long preferred to omit, is that the Five Tribes brought enslaved Black people with them into Indian Territory. As the historians Annette Gordon-Reed and Rose Stremlau have noted in the context of the 1619 Project, the story of this dispossession cannot be told without acknowledging that intersection: the Trail of Tears was also, for some, a forced march into continued bondage (Gordon-Reed et al., 2022). That fact would shape the politics of Oklahoma for generations — and it is the thread that connects the founding fire under the Council Oak to the rise of Greenwood eighty years later.After the Civil War, the federal government's promises to the Five Tribes began to erode almost immediately. The Freedmen — formerly enslaved people who had been held by tribal members — were formally granted citizenship in the tribes by treaty, though the tribes' willingness to honor that citizenship varied considerably. Many Freedmen, seeking mutual protection and economic self-sufficiency, began establishing their own communities. This impulse gave rise to what became known as the Black Towns Movement. Between the 1870s and the 1920s, more than fifty all-Black towns were founded in Oklahoma and Kansas, created by people who had learned, with good reason, not to rely on the goodwill of white-majority governments (Martin, 2025; Gordon-Reed et al., 2022).The legal and cartographic instrument that made the Black Towns possible — and that would ultimately help destroy them — was the allotment system. The Dawes Act of 1887 broke up communally held tribal land into individual parcels, assigning plots to enrolled tribal members and opening the remainder to white settlement. It was framed as a civilizing measure. It was in practice a mechanism for transferring Indigenous land to white hands on an enormous scale. Each parcel was drawn on a map, recorded in a ledger, and assigned a legal description. This act appeared to secure property rights while in fact it made land far easier to steal through legal machinery than it had ever been to simply seize.The discovery of oil made the theft more systematic and more lethal. When crude was found beneath allotments assigned to Native people — particularly in the Osage Nation, the Creek Nation, and elsewhere — a federal guardianship system allowed courts to appoint white guardians for Native landowners deemed “incompetent” to manage their own affairs. The definition of incompetence was flexible and self-serving. Native heirs to oil-bearing land died under suspicious circumstances with startling frequency. Deeds were forged. Guardians enriched themselves and left their wards landless. The historian David Grann has documented this in devastating detail for the Osage Nation specifically, but the pattern was region-wide. Modern GIS analysis of original allotment records against subsequent deed transfers reveals what contemporaries knew but rarely said aloud: the disappearance of Native landowners from oil country was not a coincidence, but a covert policy.For Black Oklahomans, the allotment system created a narrow window of possibility. Freedmen who appeared on the Dawes Rolls received allotments of their own. Some of this land was in proximity to other Black allottees, and the Black Towns Movement capitalized on that geography, incorporating towns, establishing churches and schools, and building the civic infrastructure that Black communities had been denied elsewhere. As scholar JT Martin has argued, the philanthropic traditions within these communities — the mutual aid societies, the church networks, the communal investment in education — were not secondary features of the Black Towns Movement but its essential architecture (Martin, 2025). People who had nothing built institutions that served everyone.Greenwood, established in the early 1900s on the northern edge of Tulsa, was the apex of that project. By 1921, it contained over thirty-five blocks of Black-owned businesses, a hospital, law offices, two newspapers, a library, schools, and churches. Booker T. Washington reportedly called it “the Negro Wall Street,” a phrase that has since become shorthand for what the neighborhood achieved. Although that shorthand flattens what was, more precisely, a masterwork of community-building under conditions designed to make community impossible.As the literary scholar Gary M. Jenkins has observed, Greenwood sat directly along what would become Route 66 (Jenkins, 2022). The all-Black towns of Oklahoma were embedded in the landscape that John Steinbeck traversed in The Grapes of Wrath — and conspicuously omitted from it. The invisibility of Black spatial achievement in the canonical accounts of American westward movement is not incidental. It reflects a pattern in which the places, presence, and prosperity of Black life were purposefully purged from the maps white Americans made of their own country.BURNING, BURYING, AND THE BATTLE TO BELONGOn the night of May 31, 1921, a white mob descended on Greenwood. Over the following eighteen hours, the neighborhood was looted, burned, and bombed — aircraft dropped incendiary devices on residential streets. When it was over, 35 square blocks had been reduced to ash. Somewhere between 100 and 300 people were dead, most of them Black. More than 10,000 Black residents were left homeless. Survivors were interned in camps run by the National Guard — many of whom had also participated in the destruction.What followed the physical destruction was a second, slower erasure. Greenwood residents who attempted to rebuild found themselves blocked by a newly enacted city ordinance that rezoned their land for commercial and industrial use. Insurance claims were denied. Property was effectively seized under the cover of “urban renewal” in subsequent decades. As Morris, Parker, and Negrón have documented, the Tulsa massacre is a case study in what they call “Black community-killing” — the systematic destruction not just of physical structures but of the institutional web that makes a community function: the schools, the churches, the newspapers, the businesses (Morris, Parker & Negrón, 2022). The buildings burned in a day. The community's capacity to reconstitute itself was methodically dismantled over years.For most of the twentieth century, the massacre was not taught in Oklahoma schools. It did not appear in city histories and land was not returned. The story was, in the most literal sense, removed from the map.Kaiser's investments in Tulsa have been substantial and wide-ranging: the Gathering Place, the Greenwood Rising museum, workforce development initiatives, early childhood programs. The philanthropic intent appears sincere, and some of the work — particularly in early education — addresses structural inequities rather than simply aestheticizing them. It would be uncharitable, and inaccurate, to dismiss the whole enterprise as window dressing.But scholar JT Martin poses this question which cuts to the heart of the matter: when we study philanthropy in America, whose philanthropic traditions do we center? (Martin, 2025). The mutual aid societies, the church networks, the community land trusts built by Black and Indigenous communities — these represent forms of collective investment that predate and often outperform the interventions of elite donors, yet they receive a fraction of the scholarly and public attention. George Kaiser's riverfront is visible. The endogenous philanthropic infrastructure of North Tulsa — the churches that held Greenwood together after the massacre, the community organizations that exist today — is largely invisible in the civic narrative that Tulsa tells about itself.The geography makes this concrete. The Gathering Place and the BOK Center sit south on the Arkansas River, in and adjacent to Tulsa's whiter, wealthier districts. Including the area where the Philbrook Museum of Art sits. This Italian Renaissance villa was built in 1926 by oil pioneer Waite Phillips (as in Phillips 66), donated to the city in 1938 as a public art center. It's now one of the finest regional museums in the country. This gesture rhymes with Kaiser's: oil money transmuted into civic cultural institution, the private estate opened to the public as an act of philanthropic legacy-building. The Philbrook is genuinely beautiful and genuinely valuable. It is also located nowhere near North Tulsa.The pattern is not new. Greenwood Rising stands in Greenwood, but the area remains economically depressed, and North Tulsa is still among the most segregated parts of an already divided city. Philanthropic investments that produce a park on the wealthy side of the river and a museum on the historically Black side, while leaving structural inequalities intact, are not reparative.The development around Greenwood tells a more troubling story. ONEOK Field, built in 2010 on historic Greenwood land despite community opposition, has delivered few benefits to Black residents, who are still taxed to support it. Nearby, the Tulsa Arts District has flourished with amenities catering to a whiter, more affluent clientele, while long-standing Black businesses struggle. Even hotels in Greenwood market themselves as part of that district. This is less restoration than a familiar precursor to displacement in the form of cultural investment followed by real estate pressure.Some argue that understanding land and spatial justice in places like Tulsa requires connecting the Greenwood reparations movement to broader Indigenous-led land reclamation efforts (Du, 2021). In 2020, the Supreme Court's decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma ruled that the Creek Nation reservation had never been legally dissolved and that the federal government's century-old maps of Oklahoma had been legally wrong all along. The majority opinion was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a conservative textualist, who applied the same originalist logic to treaty rights that right-wing jurists typically apply to the Second Amendment. The ruling was a genuine landmark, restoring tribal jurisdiction over a substantial portion of eastern Oklahoma. Subsequent decisions have extended the logic to other tribes.The political irony is perplexing. Oklahoma has been among the most reliably right-wing states in the country for decades; its congressional delegation is uniformly conservative; its state government has consistently resisted federal oversight and minority rights claims. Yet it was conservative judicial originalism — the doctrine that legal texts mean what they said when written — that restored, at least partially, what the federal government had promised the Five Tribes in the 1830s. The promise was old, the maps were wrong, and it took a conservative judge to point it out.What McGirt did not do was address the claims of Black Oklahomans. The Freedmen's citizenship rights within the Five Tribes remain contested. The Greenwood reparations movement has won moral recognition but not legal remedy. The 1921 massacre commission recommended reparations in 2001 and they have never been paid. These struggles do feel connected — Black and Indigenous claims to land and sovereignty in Oklahoma have been shaped by the same federal machinery of dispossession, and their futures may be intertwined in ways that neither community has yet fully reckoned with (Du, 2021).Juneteenth, the holiday now recognized federally, commemorates June 19, 1865 — the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were told the war was over (the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued two and a half years earlier) and they were free. What the holiday cannot quite contain is what freedom meant in practice for people who were free but landless. They were free but also targeted. They were also freed from the maps that governed how wealth was accumulated and held in America. The Black Towns of Oklahoma were an answer to these problems and Greenwood was that, for a while. Then it was burned down.What grows back from a fire depends on who tends the soil, and who owns it. In Tulsa today, that question is still being answered. Will the answers be as brutally honest as Brutalism — the idea that a building should be honest about what it is made of? Tulsa is made of oil money and dispossession, Black resilience and white violence, broken treaties and belated reckonings. Despite conservative political domination, the maps are being redrawn. Whether they will finally show all of that honestly — without the decorative Italian Renaissance stucco — is more political than cartographic. But McGirt proves that promises, however papered over, still possess the power to pierce the present.ReferencesDu, Y. (2021). Black geographies unveiled: A critical review. Human Geography. Gordon-Reed, A., Stremlau, R., Lowery, M., et al. (2022). The 1619 project forum. The American Historical Review. Jenkins, G. M. (2022). Steinbeck, race, and Route 66 in The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck Review.Martin, J. T. (2025). Are Black people philanthropists? Toward a more diverse research agenda on philanthropy. Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race. Morris, J. E., Parker, B. D., & Negrón, L. M. (2022). Black school closings aren't new: Historically contextualizing contemporary school closings and Black community resistance. Educational Researcher. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

Host Trent Fleskens welcomes UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck to discuss how recent state and federal budget policies will (or won't) improve WA housing supply, separating meaningful initiatives from headline “pretend policies” and potential negative market impacts. Trent notes Perth listings have risen to around 5,000 but remain more than 50% below a balanced market, keeping sellers in control. They argue that while large infrastructure spending is welcome, the key constraint is workforce and delivery capacity, with competition from mining and the need for targeted skilled migration alongside apprenticeships. They highlight the Infrastructure Development Fund and Keystart's pre-sale finance guarantee as important for apartment feasibility, criticise stamp duty as an inefficient tax (especially for first home buyers), and caution that federal negative gearing/CGT changes may shift investor demand toward new supply without increasing overall supply. They conclude delivery depends on improving approval culture and bureaucracy.

In this interview I talked with Dr. Philip Bunn. He is a professor of political science at Covenant College and is an avid reader of great American novels. We talked about John Steinbeck's magnum opus, East of Eden. We discussed the biblical themes that are scattered throughout the story and way in which Steinbeck grasped and portrayed the old American spirit. I hope you enjoy! Go subscribe to The Paradox Press now!Follow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99

On today's solo episode, Nik draws on a powerful excerpt from John Steinbeck to highlight the excellence, discipline, and consistency demanded of aviation professionals. While today's pilots may differ from the Vietnam-era aviators who left Steinbeck "sick with envy," the standard of mastery remains unchanged. Nik challenges modern pilots to stay sharp, remain humble, and continually raise the bar. CONNECT WITH US Are you ready to take your preparation to the next level? Don't wait until it's too late. Use the promo code "R4P2026" and save 10% on all our services. Check us out at www.spitfireelite.com! If you want to recommend someone to guest on the show, email Nik at podcast@spitfireelite.com, and if you need a professional pilot resume, go to www.spitfireelite.com/podcast/ for FREE templates!  SPONSOR Are you a pilot just coming out of the military and looking for the perfect second home for your family? Look no further! Reach out to Marty and his team by visiting www.tridenthomeloans.com to get the best VA loans available anywhere in the US.  Be ready for takeoff anytime with 3D-stretch, stain-repellent, and wrinkle-free aviation uniforms by Flight Uniforms. Just go to www.flightuniform.com and type the code SPITFIREPOD20 to get a special 20% discount on your first order.  #Aviation #AviationCareers #aviationcrew #AviationJobs #AviationLeadership #AviationEducation #AviationOpportunities #AviationPodcast #AirlinePilot #AirlineJobs #AirlineInterviewPrep #flying #flyingtips #PilotDevelopment #PilotFinance #pilotcareer #pilottips #pilotcareertips #PilotExperience #pilotcaptain #PilotTraining #PilotSuccess #pilotpodcast #PilotPreparation #Pilotrecruitment #flightschool #aviationschool #pilotcareer #pilotlife #pilot

My guest this week, Chris Steinbeck [25:15] of the Blue Quill Angler in Colorado, shares his strategies for dealing with what we expect will be low water and possibly water that is too warm for ethical trout fishing. This doesn't mean you have to forgo fly fishing! There are many options for continuing your trout fishing through the summer, plus loads of alternatives to trout that are amazing fun on the fly rod. Chris has some solid tips for enjoying the summer with your rod, and for treating the fish properly in low water. Although Chris concentrates on Colorado fisheries, his advice is solid for any part of the Rocky Mountains. In the Fly Box this week, we have these questions and more: If I briefly hook a brown trout, do you think it's still worth trying for that fish? I have an old Orvis Bamboo rod left to me by my grandfather. Should I fish it, and if so how should I care for it? Is there a material you could wrap around a dry fly to make it float better? Which types of dubbing are best for dry flies? Can I use jig nymphs on a dry dropper setup? How can I strip "retired" flies of their dressing so I can re-use the hooks and beads? I fish a cold tailwater but have not seen or caught a trout. Why are there no trout in it?

In this stop on the Backwoods Cryptid Roadtrip, we drive into California and explore two of the most enduring cryptid traditions in North America. We begin in the Santa Lucia Mountains above Big Sur, where settlers, ranchers, schoolteachers, hikers, soldiers, and tourists have for centuries reported tall silent figures standing on the ridgelines.Known as Los Vigilantes Oscuros, or the Dark Watchers, these silhouetted beings appear at dawn or dusk, wear what witnesses describe as long cloaks and broad-brimmed hats, and vanish the moment anyone tries to close the distance. We trace the history of these reports through Salinan, Esselen, and Chumash traditions, into the Spanish mission era beginning with Padre Junipero Serra in seventeen seventy-one, and forward into the published work of John Steinbeck, whose nineteen thirty-eight short story Flight placed the watchers into American literature, and the poet Robinson Jeffers, who wrote of the same figures in his nineteen thirty-seven poem Such Counsels You Gave to Me.Then we travel north into the redwood country, into the Six Rivers, the Klamath, the Trinity Alps, and the Marble Mountain Wilderness, where the Hupa, Yurok, and Karuk peoples have spoken of Oh-Mah, the boss of the woods, for as long as their oral traditions reach back. We walk through the nineteen fifty-eight Bluff Creek story that gave the name Bigfoot to the world, beginning with bulldozer operator Jerry Crew, foreman Wilbur Wallace, and Humboldt Times columnist Andrew Genzoli, and we spend the bulk of the episode in encounter territory.Hunters who watched a hair-covered figure ford a creek and turn to look back. Families who heard screams answer each other across redwood campgrounds at midnight. Backpackers who listened to rhythmic wood-knocking trade across a Marble Mountain lake. Truckers who saw something step a guardrail in one stride on Highway 96. River guides on the Klamath, forestry technicians in the Trinity Alps, fishermen on the Smith River, hunters on the Mendocino, residents of the Hoopa Valley who simply live alongside what their grandmothers told them was there.This is a California most postcards never show. The watchers above, the giants below, and the question that connects them.Have you experienced a Bigfoot sighting, Sasquatch encounter, Dogman experience, UFO sighting, or any unexplained cryptid or paranormal event deep in the woods? We want to hear your story.Email your encounter to brian@paranormalworldproductions.com for a chance to be featured on a future episode of Backwoods Bigfoot Stories.Backwoods Bigfoot Stories is a paranormal storytelling podcast featuring real Bigfoot encounters, Sasquatch sightings, Dogman reports, cryptid experiences, and true scary stories from the backwoods.Follow the show and turn on automatic downloads so you never miss a chilling encounter from the forest. Listen with the lights off… if you dare.

Ben Lillie joins the show to talk about John Steinbeck doing very in-character things on a scientific expedition out on the open ocean. Plus, Sara Kiley talks about Joseph Pilates (yes, that Pilates), and Rachel explains why people are doing surgery on those cocaine hippos. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. Share your weirdest facts and stories with us in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tweet at us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to learn more about all of our stories! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Links to Rachel's TikTok, Newsletter, Merch Store and More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Rachel now has a Patreon, too! Follow her for exclusive bonus content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Link to Jess' Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitch.tv/jesscapricorn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Link to all of Jess' content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jesscapricorn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- Follow our team on Twitter Rachel Feltman: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/RachelFeltman⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Produced by Jess Boddy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/JessicaBoddy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Popular Science: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.twitter.com/PopSci⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Theme music by Billy Cadden: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/6LqT4DCuAXlBzX8XlNy4Wq?si=5VF2r2XiQoGepRsMTBsDAQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A quick review of the headlines and a great chat with Jim Stovall about his new book, "My Travels with Steinbeck"

You have questions, we did our best to answer them. Thanks for tuning in to this series on Steinbeck's classic novel and 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

Hello hello!! Welcome back to Espresso Epilogues, a podcast where two besties talk about books over coffee. We're back with another special episode drop: today we're talking all about our absolute favorite book, East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Expect spoilers ahead.Don't forget to connect with us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

East of Eden by John Steinbeck ---Exploring John Steinbeck's magnum opus, East of Eden, Jesan Sorrells and Tom Libby break down how the novel's multi-generational narrative reveals timeless truths of human nature, leadership, and morality. They discuss Steinbeck's powerful depiction of rural California and the tension between rural and urban values, dissect the novel's deep biblical allusions and the theme of free will, and examine how leaders can leverage the diversity of personalities within teams for collective success. The episode emphasizes the novel's ongoing relevance and what modern leaders can learn from Steinbeck's nuanced insights about character, motivation, and human dignity.Book Title: East of EdenAuthor: John SteinbeckGuest Names: Tom Libby, Jesan Sorrells---Time Stamped Overview---00:00 Interesting place names and history05:22 Analyzing a timeless 1940s novel10:45 Recording mishap and frustrations16:23 Steinbeck's portrayal of characters24:06 Post-war literary influences in Europe26:33 Steinbeck's Nobel Prize and Retirement31:45 Discussing the Northeast landscape41:38 Samuel's intellectual pursuits42:26 Samuel's early years in Salinas48:11 Skepticism about AI's future impact56:57 Understanding sin in the Hebrew context01:01:19 Discussing unconventional views on the Bible01:08:36 Urbanization trends and population growth01:11:58 Commentary on author intentions01:17:17 Finding Value in Team Members01:20:43 Exploring physical and mental anomalies01:28:16 Analyzing Kathy as a tragic figure01:34:22 Confronting dishonesty in a team01:36:24 Dealing with consequences and accountability01:46:16 Misunderstanding narcissism and self-preservation01:50:50 Discussing the appeal of rural stories01:53:50 Discussing the timelessness of classic literature---Opening theme composed by Felipe Sarro - Bach - Silotti - "Air"  from Orchestra Suite No. 3, BWV 1068 Closing theme composed by Brian Sanyshyn of Brian Sanyshyn Music.---Pick up your copy of 12 Rules for Leaders: The Foundation of Intentional Leadership NOW on AMAZON!Check out the Leadership Lessons From the Great Books podcast reading list!---Subscribe to the Leadership Lessons From The Great Books Podcast: https://bit.ly/LLFTGBSubscribeCheck out Leadership ToolBox at: https://leadershiptoolbox.us/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Is ma emerging as Steinbeck's new protagonist? Does the “grapes of wrath” chapter work? And what of the book's evolving view of religion? We discuss these and several topics on this week's episode. 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

durée : 01:00:07 - Le Book Club - par : Marie Richeux - Alors que paraît "Assaut contre la frontière", l'écrivaine Leïla Slimani a accepté de dévoiler ses rayonnages. S'y trouvent des livres sur le corps dominé, la violence coloniale et la question de la langue, de Steinbeck à Toni Morrison, de Camus à Kundera, en passant par Tolstoï. - réalisation : Vivien Demeyère - invités : Leïla Slimani Écrivaine

Is Steinbeck an American Dickens? Does this book have a villain/antagonist? What role do each of the tertiary characters play? And does Steinbeck take his particular use of symbolism too far? These are the sort of questions we're discussing on this week's show! Thanks for joining the conversation and 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

durée : 00:38:31 - Les interviews d'Inter - par : Charline Vanhoenacker - Samuel Valensi se décrit comme "un repenti d'HEC". Le comédien et metteur en scène propose un théâtre politique, populaire et comique. "Made in France" et "Coupures" sont actuellement à l'affiche. Voyage dans la vie du comédien, de HEC au théâtre politique, avec Steinbeck pour lier l'ensemble. - réalisation : Ophélie Vivier, Stéphane Ronxin Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France

It's time to really discuss it: Do Steinbeck's interstitial, alternating chapters work? We dig in—with differences of opinion. Plus we discuss the dramatic chapter 13, think about when Steinbeck's use of symbolism works best, and chat about the 2026 Close Reads literary bracket (with a little help from an unusual friend). 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

Growing up in the Salinas Valley of Northern California, John Steinbeck dreamed of becoming a professional writer. In his youth he took on odd jobs and worked amongst ranch hands and migrant workers, who would inspire some of his greatest work, including The Grapes of Wrath. Published in 1939, the book captured the struggles of everyday Americans during the Great Depression, and Steinbeck became famous for his empathetic portrayal of the working class.Steinbeck would go on to become one of the most decorated authors of the 20th Century, winning the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for Literature, but he was plagued by marital struggles and chronic illness that threatened to cut short his writing career.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to the beginning of a new series as we dive into John Steinbeck's classic novel. In this episode we discuss Steinbeck's unique use of alternating chapters, his desire to make a political statement, the intensity of his prose, which characters we are supposed to sympathize with, and turtles. 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

In this episode: Dr Danica Cerce from the Steinbeck Review; Dr Susan Shillinglaw, Director of the Steinbeck Center, California; Dr Nicholas P Taylor, Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies, San Jose State University; and Dr Tara Guissin-Stubbs, Associate Professor in English Literature and Director of Studies in English Literature and Creative Writing at Oxford University.

DREAMS MOVIE REVIEW Whenever I see a movie about marginalized groups of people in pursuit of a better life, I am tempted to quote Steinbeck and the nightmare that is the American dream. I'm not going to do that to introduce this film though I will quote the character Professor Walter Vale played by Richard […]

DREAMS MOVIE REVIEW Whenever I see a movie about marginalized groups of people in pursuit of a better life, I am tempted to quote Steinbeck and the nightmare that is the American dream. I'm not going to do that to introduce this film though I will quote the character Professor Walter Vale played by Richard […]

We are thrilled to welcome Susan Shillinglaw, the preeminent John Steinbeck scholar, to discuss one of Hemingway's contemporaries and fellow Nobel laureates. Although Hemingway and Steinbeck are not discussed comparatively as frequently as some of his other fellow literary titans, Prof. Shillinglaw talks about Steinbeck's life, career, and temperament in ways that will inspire us to remap the overlaps between these two men. We explore Steinbeck's fondness for “The Butterfly and the Tank,” Hemingway and Steinbeck's different paths during the 1930s, the way The Red Pony's Jody Tiflin functions as a Nick Adams-like character, and much more. Make sure to tune in to the very end of the episode! In honor of Steinbeck, our friend Michael Kim Roos treats us to a version of Woody Guthrie's “Tom Joad.” For more information about Mike's music, see: https://mikeroos.com. 

Andrew joins Ben this week to celebrate their penchants for approaching things from a different angle. Lack of perpendicularity aside, they discuss the abundant number of neurodiversity irons Andrew has in the proverbial fire, along with strategies to navigate creative blocks and coping skills for mental burnout. Before doing a deep dive into Andrew's ADHD Coping Skills deck and how they navigate their emotions, they pit Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies deck against Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. And OF COURSE, Ben will put on a perspective drawing clinic before describing (in excruciatingly painful detail) how 3D spaces are represented in various video games. Specific games mentioned this week include Ball X Pit, Arc Raiders, Dungeon Clawler, Abra-Cooking-Dabra, Arcane Eats, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, and Paperboy. *** 00:00:20 - Traffic on the 2s and 7s, Andrew's cool stuff, and Ben is scheduling for the future 00:03:36 - Raiding arks, geometry adjacent, a pit of BALLS, and heavy ball propulsion variety 00:06:05 - Dungeon Clawler, CJ's sleeping habits, maybe a baby carcass, and the pinkest pink 00:09:23 - Salvaging pegboard, concocting passive revenge strategies, and being a card cook 00:15:31 - Famous British cuisine, portable meats, not Ben's cup of tea, and no Scrabble score 00:17:27 - The settee, lots of Geometry, grammatical cases, and Help for esteemed creators 00:24:01 - Three friends, usage in print, Brian Eno's fault, script flipping, and Oblique Strategies  00:26:43 - Water, Ben counters with Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey, and more strategies  00:29:26 - Devo doesn't need a reset, the ADHD coping skills deck, and usage instructions 00:32:06 - Circumventing patterns, performance metrics, requesting downtime, and tweaking 00:36:31 - Pigeonholing, different brains and conformity, an explanation, and openly autistic 00:40:28 - Talking Heads music, levels of impairment, and don't be afraid to show empathy 00:42:38 - A Yoda quote, lessons learned, an autistic coping skills deck, and avoiding overload 00:46:01 - A new Shiny Shirt Ben appearance, breaking up tasks, and notes for Andrew's agent 00:48:42 - Not bringing Steinbeck in, drafting memories, and perspective drawing nonsense  00:53:20 - THE one-way feud, a new Marvel-themed game, shadows and parallax scrolling 00:56:59 - Atari's Paperboy, brief origin story, paper delivery experience, and Ebert over Siskel 01:00:15 - Transparencies, old presentation methods, cast changes for realism, and controls 01:03:28 - Buy my stuff, romancing the plant, getting sued by the N's, and quit licking yourself *** Follow Andrew / Partly Robot Industries on… His website: https://partlyrobot.com/ On Instagram: https://instagram.com/partlyrobot On TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@partlyrobot On Substack: https://partlyrobot.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/partlyrobot.com On Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/partlyrobot On Microcosm Publishing: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/andrew-coltrin On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/partlyrobot And his TREE o' LINKS: http://linktr.ee/partlyrobot Follow Two Vague on… Our website: https://www.twovaguepodcast.com On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/two_vague_podcast On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@twovaguepodcast On Substack: https://twovaguepodcast.substack.com/ On Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twovaguepodcast.com For show appearance and other inquiries, contact us at: twovaguepodcast@gmail.com -AND-  …for all of your PRI and 2VP merch, check out the Partly Robot Industries store at TEEPUBLIC! https://www.teepublic.com/user/partly-robot-industries *** References, Links, and Tags Ball X Pit - developed by Kenny Sun and published by Devolver Digital https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1voPpJkJA https://store.steampowered.com/app/2062430/BALL_x_PIT/ Abra-Cooking-Dabra - developed and published by Door 407 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5ytLD_sJO0 https://store.steampowered.com/app/3021530/AbraCookingDabra/ Arcane Eats - developed by Wonderbelly Games and published by Skystone Games https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFDxPvGfxmE https://store.steampowered.com/app/2640090/Arcane_Eats/ Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey https://deepthoughtsbyjackhandey.com/ #Podbean #DIYPodcast #ApplePodcast #VideoGames #Trivia #Comedy #Talkshow #2VP #TwoVaguePodcast #PodernFamily #InterviewShow #GamersofThreads #Gamer #PartlyRobot #PartlyRobotIndustries #TeePublic #MicrocosmPublishing #ADHD #ADHDCopingStrategies #BallXPit #KennySun #DevolverDigital #AbraCookingDabra #Door407 #ArcaneEats #WonderbellyGames #SkystoneGames #DeepThoughts #JackHandey 

In 1967, legendary author John Steinbeck climbed into a Huey helicopter over Vietnam—and what he wrote afterward was so raw, so strange, and so brutally honest that it still messes with pilots and historians today. This episode dives into the Vietnam War helicopter experience through Steinbeck's eyes: the sound, the fear, the weird calm, and the “ecstasy” of combat aviation that only those who've strapped into a military aircraft truly understand. We unpack what happens when a world-class writer meets rotary-wing warfare head-on, why Huey pilots in Vietnam lived on a knife edge between poetry and panic, and how Steinbeck captured the psychology of flight, risk, and survival better than most official war histories ever did. It's part aviation storytelling, part Vietnam War history, and part “what did I just read?”—told the only way pilots can: with irreverence, curiosity, and a healthy respect for anyone who willingly steps into a machine designed to hover over a jungle full of people shooting at it. If you've ever wondered what flying a Huey in Vietnam felt like, how war correspondents experienced combat aviation, or why pilots sometimes describe danger in oddly beautiful terms… buckle up. This one's a ride.From Vietnam War Huey helicopter missions to pilot safety, ATC coordination, and the strange psychology of combat aviation storytelling, this episode explores how flying in war changes everyone who touches the sky. Stay Connected: Subscribe To The Podcast: https://sothereiwas.us/subscribe/ Follow Us On Twitter: https://x.com/There_I_Was Follow Us On TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@so_there_i_was Website: https://sothereiwas.us … #VietnamWar #HueyHelicopter #MilitaryAviation #VietnamWarHistory #HelicopterPilot #CombatAviation #WarStories #AviationPodcast #PilotStories #JohnSteinbeck #VietnamHelicopter #AviationHistory #TrueWarStories #USMilitaryHistory #SoThereIWasPodcast

Douglas Bartlett, founder of the Steinbeck Festival in Limavady, Co Derry, talked to Dermot about how Steinbeck's Irish heritage influenced his life and work

* Apoie a Cultura: Seja Membro do Canal á partir de R$1,99 por mês. John Steinbeck Jr. Não escreveu sobre a elite, mas sobre trabalhadores rurais, migrantes famintos e sonhadores quebrados pela Grande Depressão. Ele foi a voz da "América esquecida".Autor de obras-primas como " Ratos e Homens”, "As Vinhas da Ira" e "A Leste do Éden". Steinbeck usou sua máquina de escrever para mostrar que mesmo na mais profunda miséria, o espírito humano busca dignidade e solidariedade e forçou a América a olhar para seus marginalizados não como estatísticas, mas como seres humanos. Essa é a nossa história de hoje. Se você gostou deixe seu like, faça seu comentário, compartilhe essa biografia com mais pessoas. Vamos incentivar a cultura em nosso pais. Encontro voces na próxima história. Até lá! (Tania Barros)- Contato: e-mail - taniabarros339@gmail.com

Content warning: this episode discusses sexual assault and feminicide in detail and may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care while listening and step away if needed.In this episode, I'm joined by Swiss novelist Michelle Steinbeck to discuss her haunting second novel Favorita, newly translated into English, and the urgent subject of feminicide, the murder of women, often by men. Through literature, we explore how gendered violence, authoritarian power and historical memory intertwine. Favorita follows Fila, a young woman who uncovers the possibility that her mother, once the ringleader of a collective of sex workers, was murdered by a shadowy network of fascists. Moving between post-war Italy and the present, the novel blends surreal, ghostly imagery with political realism to examine how violence against women reverberates across generations.Our conversation explores writing with ghosts, literature as resistance, and the importance of giving narrative shape to erased lives. Steinbeck reflects on fascist afterlives, memory, and the ways the past continues to shape women's bodies and choices today. Michelle's four books were:Paolo Falconi: La Bella Elvira (1947)Leanne Shapton: Guest Book (2019) Maggie Nelson: Jane A Murder (2005)Goliarda Sapienza: The Art Of Joy (1994)Lit with Charles loves reviews. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review of your own, and follow me on Instagram at @litwithcharles. Let's get more people listening – and reading!

A Public Fit Theatre Company is an award-winning ensemble theatre based in Las Vegas, Nevada.In this episode of Behind the Buzz, Producing Director Joe Kucan and Artistic Director Ann-Marie Pereth are joined by Director Gigi Guizado and Actor Agustin Ballesteros-Martin from Octavio Solis' Mother Road, a theatrical sequel to John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. They talk about created an ensemble, ditching the props, and the challenge of holding an enormous script.Side note: the dogs were silent on this one - today's interruption is brought to you by Grendel, the cat.Behind the Buzz is a production of A Public Fit Theatre Company. Copyright 2026, all rights reserved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Företagsekonomen Christian Steinbeck intervjuas av Magnus Thorén. Vindkraften i Sverige är opålitlig, olönsam och en återvändsgränd när det gäller vägen mot framtidens elproduktion. Det menar ekonomen Christian Steinbeck som granskat en stor del av företagen som sysslar med elproduktion med vindkraft i Sverige. Branschen är konkursmässig, enligt Steinbeck som råder politikerna att dra i nödbromsen. Men varför fortsätter länder som Kina och Tyskland att bygga ut vindkraften, om den nu är så dålig? Och vad är egentligen alternativet, om vi ska lämna kolet och oljan bakom oss?

Företagsekonomen Christian Steinbeck intervjuas av Magnus Thorén. Vindkraften i Sverige är opålitlig, olönsam och en återvändsgränd när det gäller vägen mot framtidens elproduktion. Det menar ekonomen Christian Steinbeck som granskat en stor del av företagen som sysslar med elproduktion med vindkraft i Sverige. Branschen är konkursmässig, enligt Steinbeck som råder politikerna att dra i nödbromsen. Men varför fortsätter länder som Kina och Tyskland att bygga ut vindkraften, om den nu är så dålig? Och vad är egentligen alternativet, om vi ska lämna kolet och oljan bakom oss?

Send us a textThis episode looks at three giants of American Literature who all wrote about the struggles of forgotten America. One of them, Mark Twain, is considered the Father of American Literature. John Steinbeck is known for sharing six practical writing tips in a letter to a friend in 1962. These rules prioritize flow, discipline, and authenticity over immediate perfection: Focus on the daily work: Write one page each day instead of thinking about the entire length.Write the first draft rapidly and freely: Avoid correcting or rewriting until the entire draft is complete to maintain flow and rhythm.Imagine a single, specific reader: Address your writing to one person you know or imagine, rather than a general audience.Bypass difficult scenes: Skip troublesome sections and return to them later; they may not fit the overall work.Be willing to cut favorites: Be cautious of scenes you are overly fond of, as they may be "out of drawing" or not fit the overall piece.Read dialogue aloud: Speak dialogue out as you write it to make it sound like natural speech. Steinbeck also highlighted the importance of discipline and persistence. He viewed writing as a "clumsy attempt to find symbols for the wordlessness". Thomas Wolfe, the novelist (1900–1938), is primarily known for his voluminous, autobiographical fiction. His editor, Maxwell Perkins, heavily shaped his sprawling manuscripts into publishable novels like Look Homeward, Angel. The "writing tips" associated with Thomas Wolfe often relate to his personal habits and the nature of his expansive, autobiographical style. Here are the key takeaways regarding Thomas Wolfe's approach to writing:Write everything, use everything. Embrace the "flood" of language.Trust your instincts over convention. Establish a consistent routineWriting is life. Wolfe's legacy is one of a "splendid failure" in terms of self-editing and structure, but a master of language, description, and the power of memory in autobiographical fiction. Mark Twain, the Father of American Literature: Mark Twain's writing tips emphasize clarity, simplicity, and revision, encouraging writers to prioritize the reader's experience above all else. His advice often uses humor and sharp wit to make memorable points about avoiding common writing pitfalls. Here are key writing tips attributed to Mark Twain: .Use plain, simple language"Kill" adjectives (most of them)"Use the right word, not its second cousin"Show, don't tellRewrite and revise: Writing is an iterative process.Start writing after you finishEnsure dialogue sounds humanMake all episodes and characters necessary.Avoid clichés and "stage directions" in dialogue:Write without pay (initially): He advised aspiring writers to "write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he was intended for".  Questions or comments at , Randalrgw1@aol.com , https://twitter.com/randal_wallace , and http://www.randalwallace.com/Please Leave us a review at wherever you get your podcastsThanks for listening!!

Top Stories for December 2nd Publish Date: December 2nd PRE-ROLL: BUFORD HOLIDAY FESTIVAL From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Tuesday, December 2nd and Happy Birthday to Nelly Furtado I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia. Coca-Cola Caravan coming to Lanier Islands Resort Suwanee’s new ‘Bookshelf’: A mural that lets you judge a wall by its cover Gwinnett native Brandon Brigman changes life through CrossFit All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: Kia Mall of Georgia - Downtown Lawrenceville Holiday STORY 1: Coca-Cola Caravan coming to Lanier Islands Resort The Coca-Cola Holiday Caravan is rolling back into Lanier Islands Resort on Saturday, Dec. 13, lighting up the night alongside the resort’s Magical Nights of Lights. Picture it: a glowing 18-wheeler, mile after mile of twinkling displays, and all the holiday vibes you can handle. From 5 to 8:30 p.m., the Caravan will park outside Game Changer, where you can snap pics with Santa, sample new Coke flavors, and browse holiday merch. Beyond the Caravan, there’s Game Changer—an indoor playground with arcade games, axe throwing, and festive cocktails—and License to Chill Snow Island, featuring snow tubing, skating, and carnival rides. Magical Nights of Lights runs nightly through Jan. 4, with carload pricing starting at $35. Discounts are available for military, first responders, educators, and toy or food donors on select nights. For details, call 770-945-8787. STORY 2: Suwanee’s new ‘Bookshelf’: A mural that lets you judge a wall by its cover A bold new mural now greets visitors at Suwanee’s Town Center on Main, and it’s a stunner. Titled “Bookshelf,” the piece was created by renowned artist Pat Perry, whose jaw-dropping, photorealistic murals have popped up all over the globe. Back in early 2025, Suwanee put out a call for artists, and nearly 90 submissions poured in. Perry’s work stood out—his knack for blending realism with thoughtful, site-specific designs won over the Suwanee Public Arts Commission (with a little help from the Gwinnett Creativity Fund). Over two and a half weeks, Perry turned the walls outside the Suwanee branch of the Gwinnett Public Library into a vibrant tribute to storytelling. The mural’s placement—right by the pedestrian bridge—was no accident. It ties together the library, the park, and the new Town Center on Main. But here’s the cool part: “Bookshelf” isn’t just a mural. It’s a puzzle for book lovers. Perry didn’t paint books or readers; instead, he filled the piece with objects that hint at famous works of literature. A pearl for Steinbeck’s The Pearl. Chewing gum for To Kill a Mockingbird. Matches for McCarthy’s The Road. Over 20 literary Easter eggs are hidden in the mural, waiting for sharp-eyed readers to uncover them. It’s not just art—it’s a celebration of imagination, curiosity, and the stories that shape us. STORY 3: Gwinnett native Brandon Brigman changes life through CrossFit For Brandon Brigman, CrossFit isn’t just a workout—it’s his whole world. It’s where he transformed his body, met his wife, and found his calling. Back in 2010, Brandon, a former 270-pound offensive lineman from West Georgia, stumbled into NoExcuses CrossFit in Suwanee. He was bored of treadmills and marathon training, so he gave CrossFit a shot. Ten minutes into his first workout, he was wrecked. “I thought I was in shape—I’d just run a marathon. Nope.” Fast forward: he became a trainer, then the gym’s general manager, and in 2018, he bought the place. Now, NoExcuses is thriving, with 100 members, six employees, and a whole lot of heart. “It’s not just fitness,” Brandon says. “It’s accountability, community, and people who actually care if you show up.” We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: Ingles Markets - Sugar Hill Holiday STORY 4: McClure High senior earns statewide recognition for leadership Jasmine Osorio-Antonio is already making waves—and she’s just getting started. A senior at McClure Health Science High in Duluth, Jasmine juggles more than most adults. Coding Club founder? Check. DECA leader? Yep. Junior Achievement honoree? Absolutely. In October, she was named one of Junior Achievement of Georgia’s Nineteen Under Nineteen, a recognition for students who are shaking things up with leadership and innovation. Her résumé is stacked: Horatio Alger Scholar, Alexander Hamilton Scholar, NCWIT Honorable Mention, and finalist in the Girls Who Code AI + Sustainability Challenge. Oh, and she’s in the top 10% of her class. But Jasmine’s not just about accolades. She’s hands-on. Her Coding Club, which she started with a teacher, gives students real-world experience—projects they can actually show off. And somehow, she still finds time to work three jobs: as a “FANgineer” at Georgia Tech games, a parking lot ambassador near Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and helping with her mom’s cleaning business. Her future? Computer science and business. STORY 5: Strickland says Georgia’s future ‘on the line’ in attorney general race State Sen. Brian Strickland is running for Georgia attorney general, and he’s got a lot to say about why. “I want my boys to grow up in the same Georgia I did,” he said. “We’ve got a good thing going here, but it’s a pivotal time. The wrong person in this seat could change everything.” Strickland, who’s been in the General Assembly since 2012, has a packed résumé: chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, former floor leader for two governors, and now a candidate to replace Chris Carr. His campaign? Focused on public safety, defending state laws, and tackling new threats like AI-driven crime. But it’s not all politics. Strickland’s a dad of two young boys, one of whom is autistic. He wears a faded autism awareness bracelet daily, a reminder of the work still needed. His campaign is grounded in what he calls “common sense” values: supporting law enforcement, protecting families, and ensuring Georgia stays a place people want to call home. We’ll be right back. Break 3: Sugar Hill Ice Skating Rink STORY 6: GCPS sets new calendars, but religious holiday debate lingers Gwinnett County Public Schools just rolled out its calendars for the next two school years, and, well, not everyone’s thrilled. Board member Tarece Johnson-Morgan called it “disappointing” and “non-inclusive,” pointing out that the calendar still leans heavily on Christian holidays while leaving out major ones from other faiths, like Ramadan or Rosh Hashanah. The district says they surveyed families, and most prioritized longer breaks and fewer digital learning days over adding religious holidays. But Johnson-Morgan argues there’s room for a “Yes/And” approach—keeping the current structure while recognizing key non-Christian holidays. It’s a debate that’s not going away anytime soon in one of the nation’s most diverse districts. STORY 7: Gwinnett schools preparing to adopt cell phone ban policy Gwinnett parents, it’s time to weigh in: should cell phones be banned in schools? The school board is considering a new policy—Policy JCDAF—that would ban personal devices like phones, smartwatches, and tablets starting in the 2026-2027 school year. Exceptions? Only for students with medical or learning plans. This isn’t just a local idea. It’s tied to Georgia’s new Distraction-Free Education Act, which requires elementary and middle schools to ban phones by 2026. Gwinnett’s proposal goes further, extending restrictions to high schools. For younger students, the ban would last all day—class, recess, assemblies, everything. High schoolers? They’d get a little more freedom, with phones allowed during lunch. The district says the goal is to cut distractions and reduce bullying, citing studies showing phone bans can lower bullying by nearly 45%. Parents, students, and staff can share their thoughts by emailing myschoolboard@gcpsk12.org. We’ll have closing comments after this Break 4: GCPS Hiring Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home Briefing and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the BG Podcast Network Show Sponsors: www.ingles-markets.com www.kiamallofga.com Ice Rink – Downtown Sugar Hill Strand Marietta – Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre Holiday Celebration 2025 – City of Sugar Hill 2025 Buford Holiday Festival & Parade All-In-One Flyer NewsPodcast, CurrentEvents, TopHeadlines, BreakingNews, PodcastDiscussion, PodcastNews, InDepthAnalysis, NewsAnalysis, PodcastTrending, WorldNews, LocalNews, GlobalNews, PodcastInsights, NewsBrief, PodcastUpdate, NewsRoundup, WeeklyNews, DailyNews, PodcastInterviews, HotTopics, PodcastOpinions, InvestigativeJournalism, BehindTheHeadlines, PodcastMedia, NewsStories, PodcastReports, JournalismMatters, PodcastPerspectives, NewsCommentary, PodcastListeners, NewsPodcastCommunity, NewsSource, PodcastCuration, WorldAffairs, PodcastUpdates, AudioNews, PodcastJournalism, EmergingStories, NewsFlash, PodcastConversations See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"You can't defend a nation with a board of directors."Another share from John Steinbeck's travelogue "Travels with Charley." Where are real men today? Steinbeck recorded the quote above from an elderly gentleman of French persuasion during his 1960 travels across the USA, and we are still asking the question in 2025...where are the REAL men, and no, they are not on the board of directors of 7-11.Book Reference: "Travels with Charley: In Search of America" by John Steinbeck (1962)Music Credit: "Line of Fire" by Stanley Jay Tucker

"The Mojave is a big desert and a frightening one. It's as though nature tested a man for endurance and constancy to prove whether he was good enough to get to California."I miss the California desert. Here's a nice capture of California heat from Steinbeck's 1962 travelogue, "Travels with Charley," as he rolled through the Mojave.Book Reference: "Travels with Charley: In Search of America" by John Steinbeck (1962)

Repairing the damage—in our democracy, in our relationships, and in ourselves. ✨ Episode Summary Let's talk about redemption—what it really means to repair what's been broken, whether in our democracy or in our personal lives, and how we can tell the difference between a true apology and just going through the motions. Inspired by a powerful Substack piece by Mike Madrid, we'll reflect on the nuances between performative apologies and genuine repentance, weaving in theological insights, literary references like East of Eden, and real-life examples. We'll consider how we engage with those who have caused harm—and what it means to truly repair what's broken, especially as Thanksgiving and moments of family reconnection approach.

Some deep thoughts and ponderence of the demise of America...due to lack of welfare benefits...oh the shame! Are we literally creating intentional chaos? I also share some poems and personal thoughts I have written over the years...reflect, feel, go outside. Do what you can amigos. Photo: RJ self-portrait in Spain

"[Americans] spend their hours and money on the couch searching for a soul...If I wanted to destroy a nation, I would give it too much and I would have it on its knees, miserable, greedy and sick." -John SteinbeckAmerican author and California native John Steinbeck wrote an amazing book towards the end of his life, "Travels with Charley in Search of America." He wrote the book towards the end of his life when he knew he had terminal heart disease. Here's a short book share review on American restlessness and possibly why we are such a restless culture.Here's a nice review by "Listening to America" and Clay Jenkinson on Steinbeck's "Travels with Charlie" and his 1960 GMC Pick-Up at the National Steinbeck Center.

It seems we've always had monsters among us. We've long been enthralled by dragons and and giants, by the likes of Frankenstein and Godzilla and Dracula, by witches and werewolves and countless others. They roam our maps and creation myths; they crop up in our dreams, in our children's books, in our political rhetoric. Where do these beings spring from? What do they do for us? How have they changed over time? And, ultimately, what do our monsters say about their makers? My guests today are Dr. Natalie Lawrence and Dr. Surekha Davies. Both are historians of science and authors of recent books on monsters: Natalie's book is Enchanted creatures: Our monsters and their meanings. Surekha's book is Humans: A monstrous history. Here, Surekha, Natalie, and I talk about monsters as category breakers and boundary walkers—and about how monstrosity is in the eye of the beholder. We walk through a menagerie of monsters—from the apocryphal blemmyes of old travelogues, to a hairy-faced girl in 16th century France, to the figure of Caliban in The Tempest. We discuss the psychological and cultural forces that generate monsters. And we talk about whether anyone would want to live in a world without them. Along the way we touch on, the "monstrification" of social groups; psychoanalysis; our primal fear of snakes; curiosity cabinets; therianthropes and the Cave of the Three Brothers; the relationship between the monstrosity and geography; our long fascination with so-called monstrous births; the Muppet Show; dinosaurs and sea creatures; and the question what monsters might do for children in particular. Alright friends, it's the monstrous season and this is a fun one to help you celebrate. Enjoy!   Notes 3:00 – Grendel's mother has often been a subject of critical discussion and adaptation. See, for instance, the 2018 novel, The Mere Wife. 12:30 – For a classic history-of-science treatment of “wonders” (including monsters) and our conceptions of nature, see here.  18:30 – For those unfamiliar with muppets, an episode of the Muppet Show, which premiered in 1976. 24:00 – The blemmyes were often the subjects of illustration—for examples, see here. 26:00 – For more on Sir Walter Raleigh and the blemmyes, see Dr. Davies' recent newsletter post. 29:00 – One example of monsters at the margins of maps can be seen in the Psalter World Map. 32:00 – For more on Cave of the Trois Freres and the Sorcerer, see here.  34:00 – For more on shamanism, see our recent episode with Manvir Singh.  37:00 – Therianthropes are relatively rare in cave art, but have nonetheless been widely discussed. For an example, see here. 39:00 – For more on Antoinetta Gonsalvus and her family, including examples of how she was represented in paintings of the era, see here.  45:00 – The trope of monsters in creation stories is often called “chaoskampf.” 47:00 – The meanings of Medusa have been widely discussed and debated. See here for an example.  52:00 – For more about Caliban, and the racial and colonial dimensions of the Tempest, see here.  57:00 – The Steinbeck quote comes from his book, The Log from ‘The Sea of Cortez'   Recommendations The Ashgate Research Companion to Monsters and the Monstrous, edited by Asa Simon Mittman & Peter J. Dendle Spectacle of Deformity, by Nadja Durbach The Modern Myths, by Philip Ball The Monsters and the Critics (and other essays), by J.R.R. Tolkien No Go the Bogeyman, by Marina Warner Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak   Many Minds is a project of the Diverse Intelligences Summer Institute, which is made possible by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation to Indiana University. The show is hosted and produced by Kensy Cooperrider, with help from Assistant Producer Urte Laukaityte and with creative support from DISI Directors Erica Cartmill and Jacob Foster. Our artwork is by Ben Oldroyd. Subscribe to Many Minds on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also now subscribe to the Many Minds newsletter here! We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions. Feel free to email us at: manymindspodcast@gmail.com. For updates about the show, visit our website or follow us on Bluesky (@manymindspod.bsky.social).

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society?Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in facing ecological grief.Irvin Weathersby Jr. (In Open Contempt) discusses the transformative power of meditation and nature, drawing inspiration from Emerson and Thoreau.Jay Parini (Biographies of Steinbeck, Frost, Faulkner…) on the significance of place in literature and life.Natasha Hakimi Zapata (Another World Is Possible) explores the generosity and hope in people's efforts to build better societies.Audrea Lim (Free The Land) on how personal experiences with public lands influence our views on conservation.Katie Kitamura (Audition, Intimacies) reflects on the role of landscape and memory in her novels.Dr. Bayo Akomolafe (Philosopher, Founder of Emergence Network) discusses his awe for mountains, using them as a metaphor for humility and the search for meaning beyond oneself.For more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

Clay and his friend Russ Eagle discuss John Steinbeck's 1960 Travels with Charley tour of America from within Steinbeck's truck camper Rocinante. Thanks to the great generosity of the folks at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Clay and his Steinbeckian friend Russ were permitted to do the podcast at the dinette table of the pickup camper. They told the story of how Steinbeck purchased the camper—then a novelty—, how he used it as a metaphor for his travels in search of America, what happened to it after his transcontinental journey, and how it eventually found its way to the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California, where John Steinbeck grew up. Clay and Russ were able to report their discovery in the Center's archives of a document that shows just when Steinbeck returned home after his three month trek—thus solving one of the questions historians have had about the whimsical journey with his French poodle Charley. This episode was recorded live on September 27, 2025.

JJ Johnston, author of the Market Vibes on Substack, joined the podcast today to provide some of his commentary on precious metals. JJ reiterates that the trend in gold remains a traders friend, despite what the technicals are telling us. Silver also remains in a dangerous position with structural deficits still playing games with the shorts.

Send us a textIn this first half of my two-part conversation, actor Sedrick Cabrera opens up about his roots in Watsonville, California, and how his journey into acting began long before the cameras rolled on FREAKY TALES. We dive into his formative years at San Jose State University's Theatre Arts Program, where he discovered a passion for stage acting from Shakespeare to Steinbeck.We explore the challenges, breakthroughs, and stage experiences that laid the foundation for his career to pursue acting seriously.Sedrick shares the pivotal moments, mentors, and performances that shaped his path toward film and television, and how his cultural heritage from a small coastal California town laid the groundwork for his success as an actor.

Jeff Stanfield and Andy Shaver are joined by James Steinbeck and professional fighter Bubba McDaniel.Bubba, who has over 40 professional fights and recently joined the Bare Knuckle Boxing roster, opens up about the tragic loss of his 2-year-old son, Wilder, who was murdered on October 11, 2018.In this powerful and emotional conversation, they discuss the heartbreak of losing his son, the flaws in the legal process and the possibility of a retrial due to errors in the initial investigation, resisting the urge to take justice into his own hands, and how Bubba has found a new path forward by giving his life to Jesus Christ.

Clay and his friend Russ Eagle interview Robert DeMott, one of the greatest living Steinbeck scholars, at his fishing cabin on the Madison River, south of Bozeman, Montana. DeMott is the author of three important studies of Steinbeck's novels, the editor of the journal he kept while writing his classic, The Grapes of Wrath, and also the editor of the four-volume Library of America edition of Steinbeck's work. Russ Eagle has been enamored of Steinbeck for decades, particularly his 1945 novella Cannery Row. Dr. DeMott was incredibly generous with his time and his insights into Steinbeck. An avid fly fisherman, DeMott spends five or six weeks each summer in Montana's Madison River valley, where we met up with him. DeMott regards the Grapes of Wrath as a top-five American novel, and Cannery Row, though underappreciated, is nearly as great. Over sodas and sandwiches, we had the honor of listening to one of America's most significant literary critics. This episode was recorded on August 1, 2025.