Podcasts about swamplandia

Karen Russell's “The Antidote” follows five characters whose fates become entangled after a storm ravages their fictional small town of Uz, Nebraska. Together, the group of outcasts join forces to reveal the town's secrets and show the importance of remembering and acknowledging injustices to create a better future.Russell has received MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for her debut novel “Swamplandia.” She has taught literature and creative writing at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the University of California-Irvine, Williams College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College, and was the Endowed Chair of Texas State's MFA program. She serves on the board of Street Books, a mobile-library for people living outdoors. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she now lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, son and daughter. “The Antidote” is Russell's second novel. She will be at The Bookworm at 6 p.m. on April 3 in conversation with Broc Anderson of the Nebraska State Historical Society.Russell and Michael Griffin discuss the role of intellect and imagination in writing, the natural world's influence on the artistic process and the symbiotic relationship between the author and reader.

Host Diana Korte speaks with award-winning Karen Russell about her newest book, THE ANTIDOTE , which begins on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm in the 1930s ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing—not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. The book follows five characters--a "Prairie Witch,” whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples' memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch's apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a talkative scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town's secrets and its fate. Russell's “climate change” fiction in novels and short stories, includes the bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. Author of six books, she has received MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. 

This week on ‘The Write Question,' host Lauren Korn speaks with Karen Russell, author of ‘The Antidote' (Alfred A. Knopf), her sophomore novel. The two talk about soil ecology, developing caretaking relationships, her home state (Florida), her first novel, ‘Swamplandia!' (Vintage Books), and more.

This week on ‘The Write Question,' host Lauren Korn speaks with Karen Russell, author of ‘The Antidote' (Alfred A. Knopf), her sophomore novel. The two talk about soil ecology, developing caretaking relationships, her home state (Florida), her first novel, ‘Swamplandia!' (Vintage Books), and more.

Welcome to the Winter 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   Today, Catherine and Sarah share 16 of their most anticipated books releasing January through March.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to joining the Patreon Community is gaining access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and Sarah share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that were not shared in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all Superstar patrons and sign up here! Highlights Catherine and Sarah share some big releases coming this winter (lightning round style). Catherine's theme this season is “balance,” with 4 debuts and 4 repeat authors. Sarah's choices seem to fall into some micro genres she loves, featuring 5 debuts. Again, Sarah brings in a few shorter books under 300 pages. Sarah has already read and rated two of her picks! Plus, their #1 picks for the winter. Big Winter Releases [1:51]  Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson (Jan 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:28] Show Don't Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld (Feb 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:37] Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Mar 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:44] One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter (Mar 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:51] We Do Not Part by Han Kang (Jan 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:14] Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros (Jan 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:22] We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes (Feb 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:32] The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (Mar 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:38] The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison (Jan 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:42] Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (Feb 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:00] The Antidote by Karen Russell (Mar 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:03] The Human Scale by Lawrence Wright (Mar 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:10] Back After This by Linda Holmes (Feb 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [4:20] Backlist Titles Mentioned Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson [2:32] We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter [3:03] Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros [3:27] Room by Emma Donoghue [3:41] Swamplandia by Karen Russell [4:05] Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell [4:07] Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes [4:25] Winter 2025 Book Preview [4:32] January Sarah's Picks The Favorites by Layne Fargo (Jan 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:06] Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor (Jan 14) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:34] Catherine's Picks All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall (Jan 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[13:20] Those Fatal Flowers by Shannon Ives (Jan 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:22] Call Her Freedom by Tara Dorabji (Jan 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:19]  Too Soon by Betty Shamieh (Jan 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [30:19] Other Books Mentioned Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë [9:22]  Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [14:38]   Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin [17:46] Yellowface by R. F. Kuang [17:50] Babel by R. F. Kuang [17:51] February Sarah's Picks Yours, Eventually by Nura Maznavi (Feb 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:16] Penitence by Kristin Koval (Feb 18 – moved to 1/28 after recording) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[spp-timestamp time="25:56"] Crush by Ada Calhoun (Feb 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:39] The Strange Case by Jane O by Karen Thompson Walker (Feb 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:25] The Grand Scheme of Things by Warona Jay (Feb 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[41:04] Catherine's Pick This Is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer (Feb 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:34] Other Books Mentioned Persuasion by Jane Austen [23:21]  Defending Jacob by William Landay [27:49] All That Is Mine I Carry With Me by William Landay [27:51]   Why We Can't Sleep by Ada Calhoun [32:02]   Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give by Ada Calhoun [32:05]  Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman [33:14]  The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker [36:55]  The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker [37:00]  By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult [42:04]  March Sarah's Pick Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Mar 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:35] Catherine's Picks The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami (Mar 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:35] Kate & Frida by Kim Fay (Mar 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:56] Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh (Mar 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:58] Other Books Mentioned The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami [38:45]  Love & Saffron by Kim Fay [45:08]  The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley [47:42]  The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller [48:15]  Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh [50:49]  Kill For Me, Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh [52:56]  Other Links Instagram | Harper Voyager: Deluxe Limited Edition for Death of an Author by Nnedi Okorafor 

Can you see the shape of your soul in the everchanging clouds? Your personal salvation in the giant expanse of sky? For the ensemble cast of characters that make up the prairie community at the heart of The Mighty Red, existential questions are constantly close to the surface. In her newest novel, author Louise Erdrich immerses readers in the Red River Valley of the North and the complicated lives of its inhabitants. Argus, North Dakota is a town framed by the 2008 economic crisis, the consequences of climate change, and the dynamics of small-town drama. Thrown into motion by a chaotic teen love triangle and fretting about the future, Erdrich's characters navigate impulsive choices, bitter secrets, and deeply rooted ties to their land and to each other. The Red River Valley is home to dark realities and glimmering hopes, twisting together like winding late-night drives along dimly lit roads. As resources dwindle and viewpoints shift, love and life lurch forward in splendor, catastrophe, and absurdity. Bonds in the community are born and bolstered, disturbed and questioned, broken and mended. Laced with tender humor and humanity in the midst of devastating environmental circumstances, The Mighty Red paints a layered landscape of ordinary people surviving fraught times. Louise Erdrich is an award-winning Native American author and poet whose writing spans novels, short stories, non-fiction, and children's books. Her previously published works include The Plague of Doves, The Round House, and The Night Watchman. She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the owner of the Native-focused independent teaching bookstore Birchbark Books in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Karen Russell is the author of five books of fiction, including The New York Times bestsellers Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove. She is a MacArthur Fellow and a Guggenheim Fellow, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, the recipient of two National Magazine Awards for Fiction, the New York Public Library's Young Lions Award, the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the 2023 Bottari Lattes Grinzane prize, and the 2024 Mary McCarthy Prize, among other honors. With composer Ellis Ludwig-Leone and choreographer and director Troy Schumacher, she cocreated The Night Falls, listed as one of The New York Times's Best Dance Performances of 2023. She has taught literature and creative writing as a visiting professor at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the University of California–Irvine, Williams College, Columbia University, and Bryn Mawr College, and was the Endowed Chair of Texas State University's MFA program. She serves on the board of Street Books. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, she now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, son, and daughter. Buy the Book The Mighty Red: A Novel The Elliott Bay Book Company

Debut Florida Author Brings the Magic City to Jacksonville "I am, first and foremost, a Miamian. No physical location has done more to shape my personal and artistic sensibilities than the Magic City," Alejandro Nodarse said in a recent interview. "Miami is, unquestionably, very different from its neighboring Floridan cities, and I am a product of that high energy, heavy neon, fiercely multicultural coastal city." Critics seem to agree... This deeply personal vision of the streets and swamps of Miami is getting some attention, with Publisher's Weekly saying, "Heat practically radiates off the page." Nodarse went on to say, "The creative impulses that fueled the novel were heavily inspired by texts that, in their own right, are some of the best examples of how Florida has defined itself in the national consciousness." Alejandro Nodarse holds an MFA from the University of Miami and is an alum of Las Dos Brujas Writers Conference and a former staff member of the VONA Writers Conference. Blood in the Cut is his debut novel. Interviewer Michael Wiley is the Shamus Award-winning author of twelve novels in four series. The most recent series features Franky Dast, an exonerated convict who investigates crimes involving the unjustly accused. Michael's short stories appear often in magazines and anthologies, including Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022. A former board member of the Mystery Writers of America, he teaches creative writing and literature at the University of North Florida. His new novel, Find Your Own Way Home, will release this summer at the end of July. READ Check out Blood in the Cut from the Library! -- https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=AUTHOR%3D%22alejandro+nodarse%22&te=  ALEJANDRO RECOMMENDS Here are the top Florida-themed works of art that helped hone Blood in the Cut: Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins "Few films are so Miami-as-it-is and Miami-as-it-should-be as Moonlight. In early drafts of Blood in the Cut, Chiron served as a model for Carlos, my protagonist Iggy's brother, and while Carlos's character arc fell to the background, Chiron, Jenkins's Miami, and the rugged determination of the characters to find their lanes in life held steady as I wrote." The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean "This book is everything I love rolled into one: Mystery, adventure, botany, orchids, the Everglades—what more could you want!? Orlean weaves a tale for readers that examines the lengths that some will go to feed their passions and find rare orchids. It's this combination of beautiful, deep descriptions, unbreakable determination, love of the Everglades, and eye for detail that I hoped to capture in Blood in the Cut." The Florida Project directed by Sean Baker "Throughout the film, Moonee is far wiser than any six-year-old should be, but because of it, she takes everything in stride. I wanted my protagonist, Iggy, to embody that same sort of steely determination as his situation deteriorated. Like any Floridians worthy of the name, both Moonee and Iggy are adept at “resolviendo”, a Spanish word that loosely translates to “making things happen”, and this is what allows us to hope against all hope when things are darkest for them both. " Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston "The tumultuous external landscape that Janie must navigate throughout the novel mirrors her internal turbulence, and that sort of well-rendered, thoughtful characterization is a literary feat I desperately hoped to accomplish as I crafted my characters, especially Iggy." Cocaine Cowboys directed by Billy Corben "Corben's skill at recreating a bygone era and fully immersing audiences is something I've always marveled at and wanted to achieve in Blood in the Cut, which is set in Miami in 2016, just as the presidential elections are taking shape." Gator Country by Rebecca Renner "I think of this book as Blood in the Cut's nonfiction aspirational counterpart because of how beautifully Renner renders the Everglades and the worlds it contains within. One goal I set for myself as I was writing my novel was to treat the Everglades as a character by rendering it as elegantly, vividly, and faithfully in terms of scope, beauty, danger, and primordial, elemental mood. Gator Country forced me to step my game up as I rendered the Everglades in my work." Ace Ventura: Pet Detective directed by Tom Shadyac "I'd like to go on the record and state that the protagonist of this eponymous, comedic whodunit, Ace Ventura, is the original Florida Man. This film is part mystery, part comedy, part love letter to Miami: a tryptic of accomplishments that inspired some key elements of Blood in the Cut." Swamplandia! By Karen Russell "This book. All of it. The way that Russell lures readers into the Everglades and into the lives of the Big Tree family is the magic I pray for every time I crack open a book. This coming-of-age mediation on love, loss, and “resolviendo” is one of the reasons Blood in the Cut exists." --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at https://bit.ly/JaxLibraryUpdates  Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaxLibrary/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxlibrary/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions@coj.net 

For fans of Karen Russell's Swamplandia! comes a new tale of found family and magic.After his mother dies, Peter Berry collects memories in broken watches the way others collect photographs. Peter takes his box filled with broken watches and flees his childhood home to a battered apartment complex in San Francisco—his mother's favorite city—in an attempt to bury the box with the dark truths of her haunting memory before she returns to take him too. The night Sofia Morales's daughter disappears, Sofia begins to hear her daughter's voice. Her world crumbles—her marriage crumbles. After demanding her husband leave, Sofia runs from Buenos Aires, Argentina to San Francisco—a city she always wanted to visit—renting an apartment in a beat-up complex at the edge of North Beach and blasting the radio to escape the voice of whom she can't bear to listen. Peter and Sophia become close friends in the confined space of the city, finding companionship in the shadow of their unspoken nightmares. When Sofia receives a letter from her estranged husband, and Peter proves unable to bury his box of watches, the ghosts of their pasts once more threaten the lives they have created, now tearing at the fabric of their friendship with the tormented memories they keep, whether real or imagined. Unfolding over three decades, Life Between Seconds sets Peter and Sophia on a collision course with their respective pasts propelling them toward either redemption or damnation. Engrossing, heartbreaking, and surreal Douglas Weissman's first adult novel is a meditation on trauma, family, and how to heal after a great loss. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daniel-lucas66/message

Deb Rogers' novel Florida Woman was published in July 2022 by Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. Called "a bewitching debut" by Publisher's Weekly, Florida Woman was featured as an Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association. Deb has lived and traveled throughout Florida working as an educator, policymaker and victim advocate, and she now lives on the Atlantic side of the state in the very haunted and very beautiful town of St. Augustine. While she'd love to stumble upon hidden pirate treasure along the coast someday, her daily obsessions tend to be thriller and heist movies, word puzzles, licorice, Florida manatees, and, of course, monkeys. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @debontherocks, or learn more on her website debrogersauthor.com. Interviewer Kay Huggins is a creative, the owner of Aphelion Editing and Consulting, and the host of the Raindrop Corner Podcast. As a longtime resident of Jacksonville, Florida, they have sought to support local artistry, foster thought-provoking content, and aid in human rights advocacy. Kay is an English major with a concentration in psychology. For over a decade, their life has been dazzled with project management, technology industries, logistics, editing, writing, and production. Through the intersectionality of Kay's craft, they aim to champion the community by providing a platform to marginalized groups. Currently, Kay is writing their debut novel and enjoying leisure moments with their fur babies. READ Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it's not. Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. Check out Deb's work from the library! -- https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=deb+rogers&te=  "Florida Woman ushers in a new talent who knows the quirkiness of the Sunshine State." – Sun Sentinel DEB RECOMMENDS Learn about the origins of Central Florida's monkey problem by reading The Bitter Southerner's well-researched article: “Who Knew Monkeys Could Swim” by Jordan Blumetti. Visit the Florida Museum of Natural History and take a walk through our state's past, beginning in the Eocene epoch (when Florida was underwater).  Read some of Deb's favorite books that are set in Florida including The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Lightwood by Steph Post and Swamplandia!( by Karen Russell. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at https://bit.ly/JaxLibraryUpdates  Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaxLibrary/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxlibrary/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions@coj.net 

Awakening to a morning of enraging failure Commodore Shrike begins a new relentless hunt. Star and Lia grow closer as they find out more about one another. Kolo and Beatrix come upon what should be the resting place of the Cloudbreaker, only to find open jungle and a waterfall. Buy the Paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WZGRYB2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i11 Support this project on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alexandershaw · Commodore Shrike performed by Sharon Shaw · Sir Dashington performed by James Batchelor · Doctor Carstairs performed by Jesse Ferguson · Beatrix performed by Laureta Sela · Maugg performed by Maya Souris · Stardancer performed by Theo Leigh · Lia performed by Willow Shaw · Kolo Nash performed by Alex Shaw Make your decision by Dan Phillipson of Shockwave Sound Panther Soul Theme: Zaad, composed and performed by Jason Bradley Livesay of Shockwave Sound Brandenburg Concerto by Johan Sebastian Bach, arranged and performed by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com Desert Planet Souk, Swamplandia, Distilled Tropical, Heart: Briar, Elven Procession and The Feywild all ambiance from Tabletop Audio The New Century Multiverse is funded by Patreon. Our $15 sponsors get credit every episode so thank you to: Aaron Lacluyze, Abel Savard, Alejandra Vargas, Alex Brewington, Angus Lee, Benjamin Hofer, Bryan Novak, Cassandra Newman, Chris Finik, Christopher Wolfe, Ciaran Dachtler, Conar Kennedy, Dan Mayer, Daniel Salgueiro, Dan Hoeppner, Dave Hickman, David Shealy, Finbar Nicholl, Frankie Punzi, Greg Downing, Jamas Enright, Jesse Ferguson, Joe Crow, Joel Robinson, Johan Claesson, Joe Gluck, Josh Wasta, Kat Essmann, Kevin Veighy, Lorraine Chisholm, Marty Pohlmeier, Matthew A. Seibert, Michael Hasko, Robbie Crow, Sarah Montgomery, Teemu Helasharju, Tim Rozenski, Timothy Green, Toby Skeels-Jungius, Tom Painter, Tre Contreras and Valencia Burns.

E119 - Douglas Weissman - Fiction Autor, Travel Writer and Screen Writer - Crafting a Story ArcThe Author: Douglas Weissman is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco. He have traveled and lived all over the world, including Italy, and currently live in Los Angeles with my gorgeous wife, fun-loving daughter, anxious dog, and indifferent cat. By the time you read this, they will probably have yet another cat.The Book: For fans of Karen Russell's Swamplandia! comes a new tale of found family and magic. Unfolding over three decades, Life Between Seconds sets Peter and Sophia on a collision course with their respective pasts propelling them toward either redemption or damnation. Engrossing, heartbreaking, and surreal Douglas Weissman's first adult novel is a meditation on trauma, family, and how to heal after a great loss.Life Between Secondshttps://www.douglasweissman.com/A podcast is an excellent business card for your book, coaching program or business! Build a community away from the rented land of social media - speak directly to your community and position yourself as the expert that you truly are!Take your passion to the next level - let us help you start and grow your podcast! Podcasts work. Visit https://truemediasolutions.ca/Dave's Audio Book Recommendation for November 2022Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story - Bono Bono—artist, activist, and the lead singer of Irish rock band U2—has written a memoir: honest and irreverent, intimate and profound, Surrender is the story of the remarkable life he's lived, the challenges he's faced, and the friends and family who have shaped and sustained him. Narrated by the author, Surrender is an intimate, immersive listening experience, telling stories from Bono's early days in Dublin, to joining a band and playing sold out stadiums around the world with U2, plus his more than 20 years of activism. Throughout a remarkable life, music has always been a constant for Bono and in the audiobook, his distinctive voice is interwoven with a very personal soundtrack adding atmosphere and texture to each and every scene. From moments of classic U2 hits to snippets by The Clash, Patti Smith, Verdi, Johnny Cash and Mozart, Surrender also exclusively features clips of newly recorded re imagined versions of U2 songs including ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday', ‘With Or Without You', ‘One', ‘Beautiful Day' and more, glimpsed for the first time on Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.

Finally escaping the yawning expanse of the Majara desert, Kolo, Beatrix and Lia pitch up in the Northern Jungle, dying and delirious from dehydration. But have they come all this way only to be swallowed up by the swamp? Meanwhile Stardancer struggles desperately to keep Noon alive. Buy the Paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WZGRYB2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i11 Support this project on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alexandershaw · Noon performed by Tanja Milojevic · Maugg performed by Maya Souris · Stardancer performed by Theo Leigh · Kolo Nash performed by Alex Shaw · Captain Beatrix performed by Laureta Sela · Lia performed by Willow Shaw Make your decision by Dan Phillipson of Shockwave Sound Ghost Story, Distant Tension and Mystical Force performed by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com Egmont Overture composed by Ludwig Van Beethoven Witch by the Sea composed and performed by Darren Curtis The Desert Awaits, Myconid Colony, Protean Fields, March of the Faithful, Swamp Planet, Swamplandia and The Feywild ambiance from Tabletop Audio The New Century Multiverse is funded by Patreon. Our $15 sponsors get credit every episode so thank you to: Aaron Lacluyze, Abel Savard, Alejandra Vargas, Alex Brewington, Angus Lee, Benjamin Hofer, Bryan Novak, Cassandra Newman, Chris Finik, Christopher Wolfe, Ciaran Dachtler, Conar Kennedy, Dan Mayer, Daniel Salgueiro, Dan Hoeppner, Dave Hickman, David Shealy, Finbar Nicholl, Frankie Punzi, Greg Downing, Jamas Enright, Jesse Ferguson, Joe Crow, Joel Robinson, Johan Claesson, Joe Gluck, Josh Wasta, Kat Essmann, Kevin Veighy, Lorraine Chisholm, Marty Pohlmeier, Matthew A. Seibert, Michael Hasko, Robbie Crow, Sarah Montgomery, Teemu Helasharju, Tim Rozenski, Timothy Green, Toby Skeels-Jungius, Tom Painter, Tre Contreras and Valencia Burns.

Now Kolo's next destination is known, he and his new companions set out towards the Majara desert, through the impoverished city of Cymryr, only to find themselves almost entirely out of pocket. In the meantime Commodore Shrike ruminates on her grisly scar stretching from eye to waist. And finally, Stardancer is told what and indeed who her Mother saw in Bastarian. Buy the Paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WZGRYB2/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i11 Support this project on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/alexandershaw · Commodore Shrike performed by Sharon Shaw · Stardancer performed by Theo Leigh · Maugg performed by Maya Souris · Kolo Nash performed by Alex Shaw · Lia performed by Willow Shaw · Maximus performed by Spencer Leeb Make your decision by Dan Phillipson of Shockwave Sound Panther Soul Theme: Zaad, composed and performed by Jason Bradley Livesay of Shockwave Sound Whimsy Groove composed and performed by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com Enchanting Desert Sounds at Night composed and performed by Enviro Ambient Swamp Planet, Swamplandia, Myconid Colony, The Strange and Oasis City ambiance from Tabletop Audio The New Century Multiverse is funded by Patreon. Our $15 sponsors get credit every episode so thank you to: Aaron Lacluyze, Abel Savard, Alejandra Vargas, Alex Brewington, Angus Lee, Benjamin Hofer, Bryan Novak, Cassandra Newman, Chris Finik, Christopher Wolfe, Ciaran Dachtler, Conar Kennedy, Dan Mayer, Daniel Salgueiro, Dan Hoeppner, Dave Hickman, David Shealy, Finbar Nicholl, Frankie Punzi, Greg Downing, Jamas Enright, Jesse Ferguson, Joe Crow, Joel Robinson, Johan Claesson, Joe G, Josh Wasta, Kat Essmann, Kevin Veighy, Lorraine Chisholm, Marty Pohlmeier, Matthew A. Seibert, Michael Hasko, Robbie Crow, Sarah Montgomery, Teemu Helasharju, Tim Rozenski, Timothy Green, Toby Skeels-Jungius, Tom Painter, Tre Contreras and Valencia Burns.

Do the stars matter? Do they help you find your next great read, or turn you away from a book that MIGHT HAVE been your next great read. Miranda, Autumn & Chris talk about all things ratings and books they feel have been unjustly (and justly) low rated. The Bookmark Podcast is your place to find your next great book. Each week, join regular readers Miranda Ericsson, Chris Blocker and Autumn Friedli along with other librarians as they discuss all the books you'll want to add to your reading list.

Join the Tipsy Nerds along with a special guest, author Jenn Czep, in this voyage through the Florida swamps as they discuss the Pulitzer nominated book Swamplandia!, by Karen Russell. The Tipsy Nerds are torn about whether to relegate this novel to the rubbish bin or pronounce it brilliant. It strays from the Nerds' usual fare but gave the ladies lots to discuss in this raucous and certainly tipsy episode.

Karen Russell reads her story “The Ghost Birds,” from the October 11, 2021, issue of the magazine. Russell is the author of five books of fiction, including the story collection “Orange World,” which was published in 2019, and the novel “Swamplandia,” which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012. She was made a MacArthur fellow in 2013. 

Conflict breaks out as the group cannot come to a resolution on making a deal with a sea witch Join DM Jonathan and company: Billi (Maqwynn), Davey (Glitch), Eva (Varya), Night (Rowan) and Talei (Rumble). Featuring Special guest Star (Elendilmir). Audio Credits Forest Walk by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ “Swamplandia” by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com/) CC BY “Skyship” by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com/) CC BY “Forest: Night” by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com/) CC BY “Before the Storm” by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com/) CC BY “Haven” by Tabletop Audio (https://tabletopaudio.com/) CC BY

Today's guest Mia Laurenzo, of the SoFlo Weird Show, is a curator of everything weird and wonderful about our most improbable state. The book she chose is nonfiction account about three men who journey through Florida on foot. It’s as nutty and delightful as it sounds.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram/Facebook   Guest: Mia Laurenzo Facebook/Instagram/Podcast/SoFloWeirdos Group on Facebook   Travel Documentaries by Mia Laurenzo: Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled Weird Florida On the Road Again   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Discussed in this episode: In the Land of Good Living: A Journey to the Heart of Florida by Kent Russell Weird Florida: Your Travel Guide to Florida’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Charlie Carlson Miami International Book Fair Walkin’ Lawton Chiles (Florida governor candidate who walked through Florida to meet voters) Swamplandia by Karen Russell Heather Graham James Patterson Florida Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights by Tananarive Due and Patricia Stevens Due Orange Blossom 2.0 by Cesar Becerra   In our Patreon Conversation, I asked Mia about her favorite off-the-beaten-track spots to visit in Florida. Homestead, Florida Coral Castle, Florida The World’s Smallest Post Office, Ochopee Florida The Skunk Ape Research Headquarters Schnebly’s Winery Bok Tower Gardens Mt. Dora, Florida Mexico Beach, Florida (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

Today's guest Mia Laurenzo, of the SoFlo Weird Show, is a curator of everything weird and wonderful about our most improbable state. The book she chose is nonfiction account about three men who journey through Florida on foot. It's as nutty and delightful as it sounds.   Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon   Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram/Facebook   Guest: Mia Laurenzo Facebook/Instagram/Podcast/SoFloWeirdos Group on Facebook   Travel Documentaries by Mia Laurenzo: Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled Weird Florida On the Road Again   Want to be a guest on the Best Book Ever Podcast? Go here!   Discussed in this episode: In the Land of Good Living: A Journey to the Heart of Florida by Kent Russell Weird Florida: Your Travel Guide to Florida's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Charlie Carlson Miami International Book Fair Walkin' Lawton Chiles (Florida governor candidate who walked through Florida to meet voters) Swamplandia by Karen Russell Heather Graham James Patterson Florida Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights by Tananarive Due and Patricia Stevens Due Orange Blossom 2.0 by Cesar Becerra   In our Patreon Conversation, I asked Mia about her favorite off-the-beaten-track spots to visit in Florida. Homestead, Florida Coral Castle, Florida The World's Smallest Post Office, Ochopee Florida The Skunk Ape Research Headquarters Schnebly's Winery Bok Tower Gardens Mt. Dora, Florida Mexico Beach, Florida (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links. If you shop using my affiliate link on Bookshop, a portion of your purchase will go to me, at no extra expense to you. Thank you for supporting indie bookstores and for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

Tania James, author of The Tusk That Did The Damage sits down with Karen Russell, author of Sleep Donation and Swamplandia! to discuss writing toward ambiguity, crazy stories, and more in this edition of the Creative Writing Program's Visiting Writers series.

Not all mother-daughter relationships are sunny and cheerful. Vox book Critic Constance Grady recommended a few novels that unpack complicated dynamics in clever, original ways. Swamplandia! by Karen Russell Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng Hot Milk by Deborah Levy Ask a Book Critic is an exclusive series from Vox Quick Hits. New episodes every other Wednesday and you can read the column here.  If you'd like Constance to recommend a book for you, email constance.grady@vox.com with the subject line “Ask a Book Critic.” The more specific your mood, the better! Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Quick Hits ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Quick Hits by subscribing in your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support Vox Quick Hits by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karen Russell, award-winning author of Swamplandia!, Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Orange World, Sleep Donation, and more sits down with Fall for the Book's Kara Oakleaf and Suzy Rigdon to talk magic, ghosts, and writing to uncertainty.

Florida’s Black Caucus has some ideas for police reform. Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum's story, and how bisexuality is seen in politics. And we talk with Sundial Book Club author Karen Russell about the February title "Swamplandia!"

Vinny is technically a new guest, although his voice may be familiar from a readalong episode. We talk about books strange and weird, translated, and an exciting memoir few have heard of.Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 212: Subtly Fascinating. Subscribe to the podcast via this link: FeedburnerOr subscribe via Apple Podcasts by clicking: SubscribeOr listen through TuneIn Or listen on Google Play Or listen via StitcherOr listen through Spotify Or listen through Google Podcasts Books discussed: What You Have Heard is True: A Witness of Memoir and Resistance by Carolyn ForchéMexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-GarciaMagic for Beginners by Kelly LinkCatherine the Great and the Small by Olja Knezevic, translated by Ellen Elias-Bursać and Paula GordonThe Birds by Tarjei Vesaas; translated by Michael BarnesOther mentions:The Emigrants by W.G. SebaldClaribel AlegríaThe Country Between Us by Carolyn ForchéGet in Trouble by Kelly LinkThe Bloody Chamber by Angela CarterSt. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen RussellSwamplandia! by Karen RussellVampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen RussellWeeki Wachee State ParkMotherless Brooklyn by Jonathan LethemBlack Swan Green by David MitchellStamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. KendiLeave the World Behind by Rumaan AlamThe Changeling by Victor LavalleRelated episodes:Episode 137 - Reading Envy Readalong: The Golden NotebookEpisode 198 - Mood Reading with RobinEpisode 203 - Backlist with MarionStalk us online: Vinny is @billypar on LitsyJenny at GoodreadsJenny on TwitterJenny is @readingenvy on Instagram and Litsy All links to books are through Bookshop.org, where I am an affiliate. I wanted more money to go to the actual publishers and authors. I link to Amazon when a book is not listed with Bookshop.

Publisher: Crown/Archetype, 2020 "There were so many of us, children of these double families who dreamed of the other side." Margot Louve is a secret: the child of a longstanding affair between an influential French politician with presidential ambitions and a prominent stage actress. This hidden family exists in stolen moments in a small Parisian apartment on the Left Bank. It is a house of cards that Margot--fueled by a longing to be seen and heard--decides to tumble. The summer of her seventeenth birthday, she meets the man who will set her plan in motion: a well-regarded journalist whose trust seems surprisingly easy to gain. But as Margot is drawn into an adult world she struggles to comprehend, she learns how one impulsive decision can threaten a family's love with ruin, shattering the lives of those around her in ways she could never have imagined. Exposing the seams between private lives and public faces, The Margot Affair is a novel of deceit, desire, and transgression--and the exhilarating knife-edge upon which the danger of telling the truth outweighs the cost of keeping secrets. Advance praise for The Margot Affair "Subtle, beautiful, serious."--Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! "Sanaë Lemoine is an extraordinary new talent. One who makes an intergenerational story of loneliness and intrigue read like a diary and a page-turner and a masterful debut, all at once."--Victor LaValle, author of The Changeling "Powerful and affecting . . . truly exceptional."--Rivka Galchen, author of Little Labors --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/support

This week, author and publisher Jon Sealy joins us briefly to talk about what we mean when we say Southern literature.  We also discuss why American novels tend to be less philosophical and whether or not this has been impacted by the American Creative Writing industry.Check out Jon's work here: http://www.jonsealy.comThis is the conclusion of our series on Postmodern Novels of the South where we read Walker Percy's The Moviegoer, John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces and Karen Russell's Swamplandia!  Look for our previous episodes to hear our discussion about these books. Next week we will start our series on Transhumanist Sci-FI with Kurt Vonnegut's Galapagos.Want to join our discussion? Join our book club at https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and discussion questions for every episode.You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying a book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod and on Instagram @Canonicalpod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

Author and publisher Jon Sealy joins us this week as we dive deep into a discussion of The Moviegoer.  We talk about the influence of Kierkegaard on the novel, the writer as a diagnostician of modern life, and why this book is categorized as a postmodern southern novel.Check out Jon's work here: http://www.jonsealy.comWant to talk about The Moviegoer? Join our book club discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and extended discussions for every episode.This is the last novel in our Postmodern Novels of the South series. We previously read Swamplandia! and A Confederacy of Dunces which you can find in our archives. Next week, we will wrap up the Postmodern Novels of the South series before moving on to our next series, Transhumanist Sci-Fi. You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying The Moviegoer! or another book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

This week we read one of the most iconic Southern writers of the Postmodern era: Walker Percy.  His debut novel The Moviegoer became an instant classic-- but does it stand the test of time?  And what do we think about philosophical novels anyway?  This is the last novel in our Postmodern Novels of the South series. We previously read and discussed A Confederacy of Dunces and Swamplandia! which you can find in our archives.  Want to talk about The Moviegoer? Join our book club discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and extended discussions for every episode.You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying The Moviegoer or another book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

Previously, Pearl and Luca went on a ride in the sky with Louis and Detective Reynolds. After battling some territorial bird Pokémon, they found the landing zone of the Wishing Star! As they made their way underground to see where it ended up, they encountered some strange new Pokémon friends. With the Wishing Star in hand, our heroes are headed back to the Misty Isle to wake up Jirachi! Will their wish be granted? Will Miguel, Prof. Nichols, and Mason make it to the island safely? Will Pearl and Luca finally get a real personal day?? DM: Jonah M. Jackson Pearl: Sarah Katherine Zanotti Music: FoolBoyMedia - Video Game Land, Forest Song Aaron Kenny - The Black Cat Fluidvolt - Paper Flowers ProtoDome - On the Origin of Species Visager - In the Branches, The Great Forest, Shrine Mattias Haggstrom Gerdt, GSlicer - Casino Lounge Braxton Burks & Materia Collective - The Burned Tower, Stars Over Lake Verity Dark Fantasy Studio - Haunted TGH - 120 Ways to Chill Out TabletopAudio.com - Ethereal Plane, Mountain Pass, Fishing Village, Down by the Sea, Swamplandia, Woodland Campsite, Interrogation Room, Temple Garden, Lakeside Camp

Karen Russell's debut novel, Swamplandia!, the tale of a family's run-down alligator-themed Everglades amusement park, was a New York Times Best Book of the Year, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and a nominee for the Orange Prize. Her short story collections include Vampires in the Lemon Grove, Orange World and Other Stories, and St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves. She is the Endowed Chair in Creative Writing at Texas State University's MFA program, and her many honors include fellowships from the MacArthur and Guggenheim Foundations and the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novelette. A dystopian novella ''with a Swiftian sense of satire'' (Boston Globe), Sleep Donation tells the story of a corporate recruiter's battle against a lethal insomnia epidemic. Book and signed book plate available through the Joseph Fox Bookshop. ''A superhero of rendering human consciousness and emotion'' (New York Times Book Review), Charles Yu is the author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, a romp through quantum space-time that was one of Time magazine's best books of the year. A recipient of the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 Award, he has twice been nominated for Writers Guild of America Awards for his work on HBO's Westworld. A send-up and take-down of Tinseltown tropes and racial stereotypes, Interior Chinatown follows a protagonist who fights to see himself as the hero in his own life story. Yu won the National Book Award in Fiction for 2020. Book and signed book plate available through the Joseph Fox Bookshop. (recorded 11/19/2020)

Karen Russell's Swamplandia! takes a surprising turn from magic to realism.  We talk about how Russell does this and whether or not it works for us.  Also, is this novel postmodern or is it something else?This is the second novel in our Postmodern Novels of the South series. Want to talk about Swamplandia? Join our book club discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and extended discussions for every episode.Next week, we will review Walker Percy's The Moviegoer.  We hope you will join us!You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying Swamplandia! or another book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

It's a combat episode, y'all! And Andy's got some prettttty gross monsters up his sleeve... You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "The Descent" and "Crossing the Chasm" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Swamplandia," "Skirmish," and "Sea of Moving Ice" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Walter Wallace Jr. GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for the family of Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nationwide. The site equally divid

It's a combat episode, y'all! And Andy's got some prettttty gross monsters up his sleeve... You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "The Descent" and "Crossing the Chasm" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Swamplandia," "Skirmish," and "Sea of Moving Ice" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Walter Wallace Jr. GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for the family of Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nationwide. The site equally divid

This week, we review Karen Russell's Swamplandia!, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2012 which ultimately awarded no winner.  We debated whether or not we enjoyed the multiple storylines and point of view changes throughout this strange story.  Join us!This is the second novel in our Postmodern Novels of the South series. Want to talk about Swamplandia? Join our book club discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and extended discussions for every episode.You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying Swamplandia! or another book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

A Confederacy of Dunces is an enjoyable read without much thematic complexity-- is that reason enough for it to be read?  Would we be better off reading a book that takes on more important ideas?  Join us this week as we debate the merits of this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.  This is the first book of our series on Postmodern Novels of the South.  Next week we will continue our series with Swamplandia! by Karen Russel.Want to talk about A Confederacy of Dunces? Join our book club discussion at https://www.reddit.com/r/CanonicalPod where you can also find show notes, credits and discussion questions for every episode.You can support us by rating/liking/sharing our podcast! Subscribe to us here:Apple | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | YoutubeYou can also support us by buying A Confederacy of Dunces or another book from one of our curated lists:  https://bookshop.org/shop/CanonicalPod. We earn a commission on every purchase and your local indie bookstore gets a cut too!We are also on Twitter and Facebook @CanonicalPod. Follow us to get updates on upcoming episodes!

DJ Andy has some trouble finding the right song for the occasion. Then, the Family goes poison shopping! Fun tiiimes. You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "Long Road Ahead," "Hero Down," "Street Party," and "Dhaka" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Woodland Campsite" and "Swamplandia" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Walter Wallace Jr. GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for the family of Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nati

DJ Andy has some trouble finding the right song for the occasion. Then, the Family goes poison shopping! Fun tiiimes. You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "Long Road Ahead," "Hero Down," "Street Party," and "Dhaka" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Woodland Campsite" and "Swamplandia" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Walter Wallace Jr. GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for the family of Walter Wallace, Jr., a 27-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nati

The Family has a little chat with... wait for it... a Helpful Goat! You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Woodland Campsite" and "Swamplandia" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nationwide. The site equally divides your donation between 70+ community bail funds or allows you to allocate a desired amount to each fund. Fair Fight - This organization, founded by Stacy Abrams, is working to ensure free and fair elections.

The Family has a little chat with... wait for it... a Helpful Goat! You can chat with us--and with other Helpful Goat fans!--on our Discord server at https://discord.gg/Q3AzpbN. You can also follow us on Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our other podcast for short and self-contained TTRPG campaigns, Helpful Goat Presents: A Games & Gaming Podcast! And if you've enjoyed listening, please consider giving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podcast Addict -- we'd really appreciate it. Thanks! - Original Theme song - "The Family" by Sam Winnie - In-game music - "The Descent" by Kevin Macleod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ - In-game ambience - "Woodland Campsite" and "Swamplandia" by Tabletop Audio Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License ---Helpful Goat Gaming invites you to support the following organizations dedicated to furthering the cause for racial justice in the United States: Jacob Blake GoFundMe - The GoFundMe page for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old African-American man who was shot and wounded by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Freedom Fund - A Milwaukee-based racial justice and community building foundation that are also doing extensive protest support. Justice for Breonna Taylor - Learn about ways to advocate for justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old African-American woman who was fatally shot in her home by police officers on March 13, 2020. Support for free - If you're unable to donate and/or cannot participate in protests, click through to this video on YouTube. All ad revenue from watching goes to racial justice organizations. Black Lives Matter Center for Black Equity - Provides information and resources for the Black LGBTQ+ community. North Star Health Collective List - Donate to Minnesota agencies in need of support. Community Bail Funds - Donating through this secure platform is an easy way to support protestors nationwide. The site equally divides your donation between 70+ community bail funds or allows you to allocate a desired amount to each fund. Fair Fight - This organization, founded by Stacy Abrams, is working to ensure free and fair elections.

Previously, Pearl and Luca battled the Lake Bois in a new and convoluted style known as a Rotation Battle! After the dust settled, Pearl offered for the Lake Bois to join in on the movie night fun! Once the Lake Bois fell asleep, Pearl and Luca decided to sneak out and try to find a way onto the Misty Isle. Will our heroes make it without having their memories wiped? What secrets lurk beneath the fog on this mysterious island? And will Pearl and Luca meet the potato creature?? DM: Jonah M. Jackson Pearl: Sarah Katherine Zanotti Music: FoolBoyMedia - Video Game Land Braxton Burks & Materia Collective - The Burned Tower, Stars Over Lake Verity GlitchxCity - Diamond & Pearl Eterna Forest (Lo-fi Remix) Visager - Witch’s Hut, Hidden Grotto, The Great Forest, Shrine Uncan - Kobo Café HeavenWraith - Army Worthy of Phobos The Orichalcon - Clairvoyant Eulogy TabletopAudio.com - Down By the Sea, Swamplandia, Woodland Campsite, Open Ocean

Alright everyone, take a seat. Today, our lecture series on the Keepers continues as we find Virgil and Jacques in a precarious position. Previously, they had been given some free time to spend the evening as they saw fit before departing for Amanita Town. The boys decided to spend their time catching Pokémon to prepare for their next mission since their current teams didn't seem like the most helpful fit for the task ahead. They caught quite a variety of Pokémon that would become instrumental on their journey, and also the Wretched Beast. But we'll get back to that later. We now find our young initiates in the Shiitake Forest at the base of the Hoothoot's tree. Thanks to the keen eyes of Chev, they are now aware that they're being watched from the trees and the underbrush. What fierce predators are stalking our heroes? Will they run from conflict or stand tall? And will an unlikely champion arise from this new threat? Let's find out in our latest installment: This Is What It Is! DM: Jonah M. Jackson / Virgil: Andrew Johnson / Jacques: Joseph Leitess Music: Braxton Burks & Materia Collective - The Adventure Begins, Battle! Pokémon Trainer (Johto Version), Battle! Johto Gym Leader, Battle! Vs. Gym Leader (& Elite Four), National Park Dark Fantasy Studio - Creatures of the Night, The Forest, Battle Beast, Rage, Panic Attack, Monsters Celestial Aeon Project - Einherjar Daniel Ran - To Fell An Ogre, Bloodlines, Wilder Hearts WillRock - Slowpoke Shuffle TabletopAudio.com - Hermit Hut, Forest: Day, Forest: Night, Swamplandia, Xingu Nights, Woodland Campsite

Lisa Glass reviews Where the Crawdads Sing, The Marsh King's Daughter and Swamplandia!

In this episode, we find out about how this year’s Summer Challenge will work. We also talk about what we’re reading. Katie read Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee Abby read Swamplandia! by Karen Russell Next, we talk to Young Adult Services Manager Tim Carrier about this year’s Summer Challenge. You can access the first challenge … Continue reading S.3 Ep.16 – JMRL Summer Challenge 2020 →

It's coming up on summer....need some books to read? We have what you need this week!!

Last time, Pearl and Dianne found themselves deep in a Tangrowth Labyrinth in pursuit of an Aggron. After some funny business and mishaps with other large and explosive Pokémon, they lured the Aggron out of the Labyrinth. And by lured, I mean they ran for their lives. Now that they've advanced to the final challenge of the Junior Ranger Competition, it's time for a double battle against Shane and Luca! Who will emerge victorious?? DM: Jonah M. Jackson Pearl: Sarah Katherine Zanotti Dianne: Megan Dianne DeWald Music: FoolBoyMedia - Video Game Land GlitchxCity - Johto Rival Battle Remix v.II, Showdown in Kanto, Kanto Trainer Battle Dance Remix, Through the Sea of Time Remix v.II Rozovian, WillRock - Blue Haze TGH - Times Like These Sir Cubworth - Samurai Showdown Halc - Photosynthesis Fluidvolt - Meadow, Half Asleep, Faded Ink, Brush Strokes, Smiling Sigh TabletopAudio.com  – Woodland Campsite, Heart: Briar, Dark and Stormy, Swamplandia, Secret Garden

It's time to talk about the Nightmare arc, and this time, even the players don't know what happened. This one is a little different, as we have the players explain to each other what they went through. Keeper Susannah gives some insight into her monster and the country club. Don't forget to listen to the prologue at the end of the episode! Theme Music: Baba Yaga by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. Art by: Nightsi. Find her on Instagram @nightskei. Join us on the CastJunkie Discord Server: https://discord.gg/4ztYRmA. Become a member on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/thornvale. Find out how to support us: https://www.thornvalepodcast.com/support-us. Other sounds and music: Swamplandia from https://tabletopaudio.com. Dark Continent from https://tabletopaudio.com. Single small water drip by ZapSplat from https://www.zapsplat.com. Old screen door shut then creaks open slightly by Adam A. Johnson from https://www.zapsplat.com. Chickens clucking (2 or 3 chickens) 1 by ZapSplat from https://www.zapsplat.com. Foliage_Rustling_001.wav by duckduckpony from https://freesound.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thornvale/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thornvale/support

In this episode, Pearl and Luca reach the shocking conclusion of the mystery plaguing Holly's Honey Hut! Will they uncover the final culprit as night falls over the farm? Will the Combees finally be saved? Will Pearl fall in love?? DM: Jonah M. Jackson Pearl: Sarah Katherine Zanotti Music: Aaron Kenny – The Black Cat ProtoDome – May I Have This Swords Dance? Dee Yan-Key – City Twilight, Dark Streets Elliot Sharp – This Place That Time Bomb Boy – Back Alley Clash Eric Skiff – We’re the Resistors Sir Cubworth – Melancholy Lake Martijn de Boer – Noir Rouge Tabletopaudio.com – Forest: Night, Swamplandia, Starship Bridge, Country Village, Bubbling Pools, Mountain Tavern

When noir haunts and inspires. Portishead’s seminal album “Dummy,” which came out 25 years ago this week, was inspired by the band members’ obsession with mid-century spy movies. Karen Russell was struggling writing her first novel when she saw the classic noir film “The Night of the Hunter.” It helped her pull off the critically acclaimed “Swamplandia” and has been an inspiration ever since. And Kurt Andersen talks with Carter Burwell, who has scored most of the Coen Brothers films, beginning with their first, the very noirish “Blood Simple.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When noir haunts and inspires. Portishead’s seminal album “Dummy,” which came out 25 years ago this week, was inspired by the band members’ obsession with mid-century spy movies. Karen Russell was struggling writing her first novel when she saw the classic noir film “The Night of the Hunter.” It helped her pull off the critically acclaimed “Swamplandia” and has been an inspiration ever since. And Kurt Andersen talks with Carter Burwell, who has scored most of the Coen Brothers films, beginning with their first, the very noirish “Blood Simple.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Russell won the 2012 and the 2018 National Magazine Award for fiction, and her first novel, Swamplandia! was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, winner of the New York Public Library Young Lions Award, and one of The New York Times' Ten Best Books of 2011. Her short story collections include Vampires in the Lemon Grove, St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, and Orange World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Into the swamp with Meryl we go to discuss Susan Orlean's The Orchid Thief and its wild adaptation, um, Adaptation. We talk Florida Lit, Florida Men, and authors with money. Books/Authors Mentioned: Susan Orlean, The Orchid Thief; Rin Tin Tin, The Library Book; Carl Hiassen; Karen Russell, Swamplandia; Jeff Van Der Meer, Area X Trilogy Movies: Charlie Kaufmann/Spike Jonze: Adaptation Resources: Susan Orlean’s Website | Marriage | Hudson Valley Home | LA Home 1 | LA Home 2 | NY Times Interview | Original New Yorker profile of John Laroche | Susan’s reaction to Adaptation Email us at thatbookpod@gmail.com. Friend us on Goodreads and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Karen Russell is the author of the New York Times best sellers Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Swamplandia!, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She now presents a new collection of short fiction that showcases her gifts of language and imagination entitled “Orange World and Other Stories.”

Karen Russell is the author of the New York Times best sellers Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Swamplandia!, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She now presents a new collection of short fiction that showcases her gifts of language and imagination entitled “Orange World and Other Stories.”

Time ticks by as the chances of survival whittle away. The survivors do what they can to prepare for the end.  · Abigail Grey performed by Sharon Shaw · James Penrose performed by Alex Shaw · Harry Arlington performed by Laureta Sela Make your decision by Dan Phillipson of Shockwave Sound Agent in Shanghai by 1M1 Music of Shockwave Sound Piece for Disaffected Piano, Tempting Secrets, Mourning Song, Descent and Ossuary composed and performed by Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com Many soundscapes including Swamplandia by Tabletop Audio Our $15 Patrons get sponsor credit every episode so thank you to: Joel Robinson, Benjamin Biddle, Abel Savard, Michael Hasko, Bryan Novak, John Claesson, Tylor Long, Adam Kilmartin, Jo Gisiger, Greg Downing, Tim Rozinski, Christopher Wolfe, Kat Essmann, Cassandra Newman, Timothy Green, Matthew A. Seibert, Joseph Gluck, Kevin Otero, Luke Hatfield, Nick Ord, Duran Barnett, Tom Painter, Finbar Nicholl, Jamas Enright, Marc Lucksch, Dan Mayer, Joe Crow, Chris Finik, Toby Jungius, Dave Hickman, Aaron LaCluyze, Ciaran Dachtler and Lorraine Chisholm.

I wanted to read a masterpiece but this is just a book. Karen Russell is the author of Orange World and other books. She has received a MacArthur Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship and lives in Oregon with her husband and son. Her other books include: St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, Swamplandia!, Vampires in the Lemon Grove and Sleep Donation: A Novella. Join the 10 Things That Scare Me conversation, and tell us your fears here. And follow 10 Things That Scare Me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

It’s the final chapter as Nix and Stampy face down against the vampiric villains of Lemwood Castle. They’ve done their duty and delivered their letter, but will they leave the townsfolk to their grim fate. Find out now in the fanalé of this Fable! Attributions: www.tabletopaudio.com, Swamplandia, Medieval Town, www.Purpleplanet.com, Decline and Fall, Dance of Death, Desolation, Death March, Troll Hunt, Immuration, Last Stand, After The Fall, Shadowlands, Reverie, Introspection, End of Days, Uluru, www.freesound.com, Wind, Synthesized, A by InspectorJ,

For our fourth episode of the Converge Lecture Series Podcast , we're joined by writer Karen Russell. A novelist and short story writer, Russell is perhaps best known for her novel, " Swamplandia!" Set in the waterlogged wilderness of south Florida, it tells the story of a family of alligator wrestlers struggling to cope with tragedy and dealing with a string of bad luck that threatens their roadside theme park. It’s a book about grief and survival, and a haunting, deeply affecting coming-of-age tale.

Sharifah and Jenn discuss adaptation news for Tasha Suri and Leigh Bardugo, voting in the Hugos, favorite weird SF/F, and more. This episode is sponsored by the Read Harder Journal, the Unusual Suspects Giveaway, and Golden State by Ben Winters. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS here, or via Apple Podcasts here. The show can also be found on Stitcher here. To get even more SF/F news and recs, sign up for our Swords and Spaceships newsletter!   News Netflix Orders ‘Shadow And Bone’ Series Based On Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse Novels Hugo nominations are open! Hugo site to become a voting member; Spreadsheet of Doom Empire of Sand has been optioned! Bandersnatch update: Netflix is getting sued by Chooseco   Books Discussed Shout-out: Jeff VanderMeer, China Mieville, and Lauren Beukes Lonesome Bodybuilder by Yukiko Motoya, transl. by Asa Yoneda (tw: bodyhorror) Long Division by Kiese Laymon (tw: family and racial violence, use of slurs) Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (tw: rape; child abuse; suicide) Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyan (tw: racial violence, gun violence, violence against children, self harm)

Mackenzie and Lisa discuss What Should Be Wild, the debut novel by Julia Fine. Book description: In this darkly funny, striking debut, a highly unusual young woman must venture into the woods at the edge of her home to remove a curse that has plagued the women in her family for millennia—an utterly original novel with all the mesmerizing power of The Tiger’s Wife, The Snow Child, and Swamplandia! Show Notes: Blurbed by Josh MalermanUnbury CarolBird Box Roses and Rot by Kat Howard

Karen Russell reads her story "Orange World," from the June 4 & 11, 2018, issue of The New Yorker. Russell is the author of two short-story collections, and the novel "Swamplandia," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She was included in the New Yorker's "20 Under 40" issue in 2010, and was made a MacArthur Fellow in 2013.

Of all the terrible just-out-of-college jobs that have been described on TK, Julia Fine probably had the worst. Later, she ended up leaving a good position to pursue an MFA, and the result is WHAT SHOULD BE WILD, a (wild) combination of fairy tale, folklore, mystery, road trip, and countless other inspirations. She and James talk about how she managed to juggle so many influences while avoiding genre expectations. Plus, Julia's editor from Harper, Erin Wicks.  -  Julia Fine: https://www.julia-fine.com/ Julia and James discuss: Annie Hartnett  Columbia College Chicago Harper  Mercedes Lackey  Tamora Pierce  HIS DARK MATERIALS by Philip Pullman Angela Carter  WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson  Robert Graves  FROM THE BEAST TO THE BLONDE by Marina Warner  Erin Wicks  Carmen Maria Machado   Kelly Link  SWAMPLANDIA! by Karen Russell THE TIGER'S WIFE by Tea Obreht  MR. FOX by Helen Oyeyemi  Benjamin Percy  Stephen King  MARLENA by Julie Buntin - Erin Wicks: @Erin_Wicks Erin and James discuss:  WHAT SHOULD BE WILD by Julia Fine (obviously) SUNSHINE STATE by Sarah Gerard  BINARY STAR by Sarah Gerard  WAVE by Sonali Deraniyagala -  http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/

This time on Terrible Book Club, we read a book that wasn't truly terrible! Wow! It happened!   We also have special guest Laura Filippi on to educate us about Florida, alligator farms, and alligator wrestling! Paris & Chris talk about their first piece of negative fan mail! Ultimately, Swamplandia! has some issues, but overall it was not painful to read, the characters speak like genuine human beings, and the story was intriguing and different! Issues discussed include how likely it would be for a 17 year old at a theme park to be trained as a pilot, how we feel about sexual assault being a catalyst for female protagonists, and the juxtaposition of a positive male coming-of-age story with his sister's negative coming-of-age journey! Just a warning that rape/sexual assault is discussed in this episode!

Dave Pezza and guest reader Caitlin Malcuit (host of Writer's Bone's Friday Morning Coffee series) discuss Karen Russell's Swamplandia!  Today's episode is sponsored by OneRoom.  

The Heroes, Apollo, Edvard and Jarryn, with only the noblest dreams of peace, attend the Toads Moot at Hoppenhall! With the backing of Houses Kroaker, Gilm, and Fblelelele the heroes are pushed forth into conflict with the current ruler of the slimy throne, King Gub! www.tabletopaudio.com, The Age of Sail, Swamplandia, Protean Fields, www.purpleplanet.com, Premonition, Sierra Nevada, The Chase, www.freesounds.org, Water Splashes in the River by Tiger_v15, Glas_Window_Drop_Slices_On_Floor_01.clip.wav by TheSoundcatcher

The Gnomes, Edvard and Jarryn accompanied by the hero Apollo, set forth into the Mirested. Their diplomatic skills tested as the dip into the tangled web of Bullywug politics. The air is thick with humidity and… anticipation! www.Tabletopaudio.com, Victorian London, Swamplandia www.Purpleplanet.com, Slowly Creeping, Impending Doom, Wrong Turn, Sierra Nevada, End Of Days, Death March www.Freesound.org, Wind, Synthesized, A by InspectorJ, rushing river in the woods by CastleofSamples, Water Splashes in the River by Tiger_v15, Chiflido de persona (Person gossip).wav by cdangels, Breaking Wooden Door by qubodup, Shield Bash Impact, by Hybrid_V

The great wizarding house of Fletchley finds itself in tumult in this fable. Listen to Tarquin, Persephone, and Thistledown, three black sheep, as they attempt to disrupt the oppressive military magic college, Fletchley Academy. In this chapter, with some assistance from the wise and elderly Jinkum, the trio are disguised and transported to the academy. Tension and magic abound! www.tabletopaudio.com, Swamplandia, Dark and Stormy www.purpleplanet.com, Uluru, Introspection, End of Days, Creepy Hollow www.freesound.com, Hand Bells Cluster, Wind Synthesized, Pencil Writing, & Door Church, by InspectorJ, Magic by RICHERlandTV, metal gate by thencamenow, Magic by VR

Advice from a psychic led Annie Hartnett to the residency that helped her finish her fantastic novel, RABBIT CAKE. She and James talk about spending time in cemeteries, writing in yards, giving a good reading, and how to sprinkle naked mole rat facts throughout to make the best fiction. Then, Masie Cochran from Tin House Books talks about discovering RABBIT CAKE and her route to becoming an editor.  - Annie Hartnett: http://www.anniehartnett.com/ Annie and James Discuss:  "Refresh, Refresh" by Benjamin Percy  GOSSIP GIRL  Newtonville Books  Tin House Books  Hamilton College Bread Loaf School of English  University of Alabama  Grub Street  Boston Public Library  Kellie Wells  Kobo  The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference  Mike Scalise  Alex Awards  THE KEPT REDIVIDER  FIND ME by Laura van den Berg  THE FAMILY FANG by Kevin Wilson  SWAMPLANDIA by Karen Russell  Aimee Bender  Samantha Hunt  THE WILDS by Julia Elliott  Mary Cotton  Jaime Clarke  George Saunders  - Tin House Books: https://www.tinhouse.com/books/ Masie and James Discuss:   (intro)  SWIMMING LESSONS by Claire Fuller  OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS by Claire Fuller  GHOST SONGS by Regina McBride  THE OTHER SIDE by Lacy Johnson  DRYLAND by Sara Jaffe  RELIEF MAP by Rosalie Knecht  (talk)  Katie Grimm of Don Congdon Associates  Michael Farris Smith  Nanci McCloskey Sabrina Wise TIN HOUSE  Tin House Writers' Workshop  Win McCormack  Richard Pine  Inkwell Management  GEEK LOVE by Katherine Dunn  99 STORIES OF GOD by Joy Williams  Jim Shepard  - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/

Cody is joined by comedians Bill Bullock and Brittany Meyer to learn some things which Cody finds incredibly awkward and boy does this episode get PERSONAL. Unofficially sponsored by Mike's Harder Lemonade. You can get your own copy of the book on Amazon, or from that creepy guy. No, not that creepy guy, THAT creepy guy. How To Give A Hand Job: An Illustrated Guide by Nate Hawking The art of the handjob had gone largely neglected in today's sex instruction literature... until now! Nate Hawking's new book details everything you'll need to become more creative, skilled and confident when it comes to pleasing your man with your hands. This books has illustrations of every technique so if you're very visual this book is for you. Techniques covered vary from the Basic Stroke to Twisting Techniques, Double Hand Techniques,Tried and True, even Prostate Play and more. Illustrations and explanations are added to ensure you can establish mastery of every technique, customize it and even create your own. Spice up your hand job skills with Hawking's handy little book! Show Notes: Previous Episodes: 'Cowards' w/ Bill Bullock & Shannon Noll 'A Birthday Cake for George Washington' w/ Bill Bullock & Charlie Rohrer 'Help! Mom!' w/ Bill Bullock & Kevin Lobkovich 'Mole Catching: A Practical Guide' w/ Peter Bresnan & Brittany Meyer Topics: News, Swamplandia, Florida Man, Mike's Harder Lemonade, nature's lube, masturbation, pedophilia time travel philosophy word problems, fire starting, general silliness which makes Cody uncomfortable. Follow TOMEFOOLERY for information about upcoming episodes & books: @Tomefoolery and Facebook.com/Tomefoolery. Please rate and review on iTunes! WEBSITE: http://Tomefoolery.com STORE: http://squareup.com/market/CodyMelcherEsq SUPPORT our PATREON: http://patreon.com/CodyMelcherEsq

We love talking to authors about their books, but do you know what’s almost more fun? Talking to them about other people's books. This year, at the book festival Wordstock, we rounded up some amazing writers and illustrators on the OPB Pop-Up Stage to ask them: was there a book that changed your life?Richard Russo - 1:24The books of Richard Russo are practically synonymous with small town American life. They tell stories of working-class folks in falling-down mill towns in upstate New York, but they could take place practically anywhere in the U.S. Russo’s 2001 novel, “Empire Falls,” won the Pulitzer prize and was made into a mini-series on HBO. His 1993 novel, “Nobody’s Fool,” was made into a movie starring Paul Newman and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and this year, Russo is back with the a sequel, “Everybody’s Fool.”Russo picked two volumes of short stories by Richard Yates: “Eleven Kinds of Loneliness” and “Liars in Love.” Best known for the novel "Revolutionary Road," Yates wrote about everyday people with small dreams who nonetheless failed to attain them."Looking back on it now, these stories amounted to almost permission to write," said Russo. "It was the fact that, in some ways, Yates's subject matter was so modest, and yet he had turned it into literature of the highest order, something about that spoke to me as a not terribly confident young writer."Nikki McClure - 15:31Nikki McClure's trademark paper art is now iconic in the Northwest. She makes images of children and families engaging in work, experiencing the wild, and making the world better in small ways. She has an illustrator's eye for animal and plant life, and an exquisite touch for the details of a child's face. Her latest book is "Waiting For High Tide." She chats with April Baer about books that deeply resonate with her: "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey and the collective works of Tove Jansson.Karen Russell - 25:56Karen Russell’s writing takes your imagination hostage, whisking you into worlds where the children of werewolves get schooled by nuns, vampires pucker their fangs on lemons as a temporary fix, and girls elope with ghosts, only to be left at the alter. Her book “Swamplandia” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and she’s a recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Grant. Her most recent works include the e-book “Sleep Donation: A Novella” and the short story collection “Vampires in the Lemon Grove.”Russell tells Aaron Scott how Carson McCullum's 1940 novel, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter," electrified her when she was a teenager. "To be able to be so articulate about unspeakable experiences is something that books can do that other forms can’t represent that same way," she says.Jonathan Lethem - 37:44Jonathan Lethem’s novels take us to fabulous places. His writing style interweaves humor, charm, mystery, and stylish prose to create delightful page-turning epics. The recipient of a MacArthur grant and a National Book Critics Circle Award, Lethem also writes great essays and short stories. His latest novel, "A Gambler’s Anatomy," has garnered praise for its mysterious Bond-like hero and it's magical spin on reality.Lethem discusses how "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" was the first book he read where he felt like he could actually hear the voice of the author — a voice full of puns and secret references that inspired his own voices in books like "Motherless Brooklyn."

Dissident Gardens (Vintage Books) Mermaids in Paradise (W.W. Norton & Company) Jonathan Lethem, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and the MacArthur Fellowship whose writing has been called "as ambitious as [Norman] Mailer, as funny as Philip Roth, and as stinging as Bob Dylan" ("Los Angeles Times"), returns with an epic yet intimate family saga. Rose Zimmer, the aptly nicknamed Red Queen of Sunnyside, Queens, is an unreconstructed Communist who savages neighbors, family, and political comrades with the ferocity of her personality and the absolutism of her beliefs. Her equally passionate and willful daughter, Miriam, flees Rose's influence for the dawning counterculture of Greenwich Village. Despite their differences, they share a power to enchant the men in their lives: Rose's aristocratic German Jewish husband, Albert; her feckless chess hustler cousin, Lenny; Cicero Lookins, the brilliant son of her black cop lover; Miriam's (slightly fraudulent) Irish folksinger husband, Tommy Gogan; and their bewildered son, Sergius. Through Lethem's vivid storytelling we come to understand that the personal may be political, but the political, even more so, is personal. Pulitzer Prize finalist Lydia Millet returns to redefine “comedy of errors” in Mermaids In Paradise, the genre-bending satire of a tropical honeymoon hijacked by mermaids, kidnappers, and mercenaries. In this hilarious novel, a honeymooning couple makes friends with a marine biologist who discovers genuine mermaids in a coral reef—and who, the next night, apparently drowns in her hotel bathtub. As a resort chain swoops in to corner the market on mermaids, the newlyweds (opinionated, skeptical narrator Deb and handsome online gamer Chip, the world's friendliest man) join forces with other vacationers—including an ex–Navy SEAL with a love of explosives and a hipster Tokyo VJ—to protect the mermaids from the corporate “Venture of Marvels” that wants to turn their habitat into a theme park. Mermaids in Paradise is Millet's funniest book yet, tempering the sharp satire of her early career with the empathy and emotional power of her more recent, critically acclaimed novels and short stories. This is an unforgettable, mesmerizing tale, comic on the surface and deeply solemn at its core. Praise for Dissident Gardens: "Dissident Gardens seamlessly weaves together three generations, yet it doesn't broadcast itself as a multigenerational epic, nor is it afflicted by the desire to pose as the next great American novel. It's an intimate book."--The New York Times Book Review "A tour de force, a brilliant, satiric journey through America's dissident history."--The Star Tribune "Lethem has artfully blended, redefined, ignored, satirized and enriched the traditional categories of fiction."--The Plain Dealer "Remarkable. . . . Lethem's best novel since "Motherless Brooklyn." . . . Crackle[s] with wordplay and intelligence."--The Miami Herald "The writing soars. . . . Lethem can riff with the best, spinning knockout lines that make you stop and stare . . . while you admire a sentence's every turn."--The Seattle Times "An assured, expert literary performance by one of our most important writers. . . . Magnificent."--Los Angeles Review of Books Praise for Mermaids in Paradise: "Mermaids in Paradise makes brilliant comedy out of a honeymoon trip that veers from the absurd to the sublime and back again. Lydia Millet is a stone-cold genius. --Jenny Offill, author of Dept. of Speculation "I laughed so hard all over town. Leave it to Lydia Millet to capsize her human characters in aquamarine waters and upstage their honeymoon with mermaids. I am awed to know there's a mind like Millet's out there. She's a writer without limits, always surprising, always hilarious. --Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! andVampires in the Lemon Grove Jonathan Lethem is the "New York Times" bestselling author of nine novels, including Chronic City, The Fortress of Solitude, and Motherless Brooklyn, and of the nonfiction collection The Ecstasy of Influence. A National Book Critics Circle Award finalist, a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, Lethem's work has appeared in "The New Yorker," "Harper's Magazine," "Rolling Stone," "Esquire," and "The New York Times," among other publications.  Lydia Millet is the author of twelve previous books of fiction. Her novel Ghost Lightswas a New York Times Notable Book; its sequel Magnificence was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle and Los Angeles Times Awards in fiction; and her story collection Love in Infant Monkeys was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. She lives outside Tucson, Arizona. 

 Home Leave (Grand Central Publishing) Chris Kriegstein is a man on the move, with a global career that catapults his family across North America, Europe, and Asia. For his wife, Elise, the hardship of chronic relocation is soothed by the allure of reinvention. Over the years, Elise shape-shifts: once a secretive Southern Baptist, she finds herself becoming a seasoned expat in Shanghai, an unapologetic adulterer in Thailand, and, finally, a renowned interior decorator in Madison.  But it's the Kriegstein daughters, Leah and Sophie, who face the most tumult. Fiercely protective of each other-but also fiercely competitive-the two sisters long for stability in an ever-changing environment. With each new move, the girls find they can count on only one thing: the consoling, confounding presence of each other.  When the family suffers an unimaginable loss, they can't help but wonder: Was it meant to be, or did one decision change their lives forever? And what does it mean when home is everywhere and nowhere at the same time? With humor and heart, Brittani Sonnenberg chases this wildly loveable family through the excitement and anguish of their adventures around the world.   Praise for Home Leave “It's hard to believe that this astonishing novel is Brittani Sonnenberg's first--she writes about family with such wisdom, humor, and native daring. Here is Persephone's journey, undertaken by an entire family, the Kriegsteins, who ricochet through time zones, moving from Berlin to Singapore to Wisconsin to Shanghai to Atlanta, together and alone. Sonnenberg's prose is so vital and so enchanting that you will read this book in the dilated state of a world-traveler, with all of your senses wide open. Her family members are so well-drawn and complex that you'll close this book certain they exist.”—Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! and Vampires in the Lemon Grove “Brittani Sonnenberg, like the best storytellers, shows us what we carry and what we leave behind as we travel across time zones (from America to Germany to Singapore), as we sit in airports, alone with the aloneness, as we love, live, grieve, and then try to live once more. Authentic, beautiful, bravely-told, Home Leave is alive with characters you want to protect and hold—characters you won't want to leave behind.”—Nami Mun, author of Miles from Nowhere “Home Leave is a remarkable debut, notable for the insightful intimacy of its characterization and a restless formal invention which perfectly evokes the uncertainties of expatriate life.”—Peter Ho Davies, author of The Welsh Girl  Brittani Sonnenberg was raised across three continents and has worked as a journalist in Germany, China, and throughout Southeast Asia. A graduate of Harvard, she received her MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan. Her fiction has been published in The O'Henry Prize Stories 2008 as well as Ploughshares, Short Fiction, and Asymptote. Her nonfiction has appeared in Time, the Associated Press, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NPR Berlin. She has taught creative writing at the University of Michigan, Carleton College, and the University of Hong Kong. She is currently based in Berlin. Home Leave is her debut novel.  

The I Flunked the Written Cowl for the Sunnydale Yarn Club This episode is sponsored by the new and improved Dizzy Blonde Studios. Check out our new website at www.dizzyblondestudios.com Catching Up: (00:55) Laura was at Alamitos Bay Yarn Company for meet and greets for the Los Angeles Yarn Crawl. We mention Trendsetter Yarns, Baah Yarn, and Reywa Fibers. She got to take a day off and go to Disneyland, where she got to meet Thor and see a lot of props from the Marvel Universe movies. She's on Round 3 of her final Nerd Wars tournament for a while. She is still working out some of the bugs for the new Dizzy Blonde Studios website. She will use her Etsy shop for patterns and clearance yarns and one-off skeins. She's also fighting a cold. Jen was at the Craftcation Conference in Ventura. She stayed at a hotel right on the water. She loves Ventura. And she took a cookingclass with Aida Mollenkamp. She learned to make preserved lemons, took a drawing class, took workshops on branding, social media, and blogs, got to listen to Melanie Falick on a panel, did some embroidery classes (and got embroidery kits from Ugly Baby and La Ru (with patterns from Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching). She's reading Swamplandia!. She's working on a monologue from the play Educating Rita for her acting class. And she's going to write on her blog more. And she released a a pattern! It's currently exclusive for the Sunnydale Yarn Club, but in six months, you can buy it. In the Knitting Bag: (15:53) Laura is working on the left hand version of the Hand to Hold Dishcloth by Rachel van Schie. She has done the right hand square in Berroco Vintage DK in blue. She is also working on a blanket square using the Fruity Oaty Bar Chart by Elizabeth Herac out of Berroco Comfort in a sage green. She is working on her vintage man sock in Lambie Toes in the color No Touching Guns. And she's continuing to work on the Broncos hat for her brother out of Knitpicks Brava in blue, orange, and cream. And she has put a few leaves on her Leftie by Martina Behm, out of a Miss Babs kit in slate and reds. Jen is also working on a Leftie out of Knitpicks Palette in Cream, Rouge, Spearmint, and Aster. She is very happy that she went stashdiving. She is working on a Leah's Lovely Cardigan out of Malabrigo sock in Eggplant. She is working on her Rocky Coast Cardigan by Hannah Fettig out of Fibre Company Organik in Highlands.  She regrets not doing the sleeves before she finished the body, so there is less to flip (something she learned fromThe Knitmore Girls), because the body of this sweater is heavy. We mention Melissa's custom colorway from the Loopy Ewe. Finished Objects: (26:36) Laura finished the right hand Hand to Hold Blanket Square, the Leaf on the Wind "Wash Cloth" by Becca out of Berroco comfort worsted. Jen finished her 2x2 ribbed scarf out of Patons Wool Classic in the colorway Kimono for the charity Interval House. Devil's Tower: (28:45) Laura has been really good about pulling things out of the Devil's Tower. Jen's Rocky Coast Cardigan is hovering around Devil's Tower. And her Watership Down KAL shawl is Devil's Tower because she doesn't have the brain power for it right now. Frog Pond: (30:55) Jen has been lucky, but Laura has not been. Laura frogged her initial Bronco's hat because the pattern with the stripes was looking too feminine. In addition, she put a knot in at the color change and the knot came undone and it unraveled. Plus, she couldn't figure out a way to do the color changes she liked, so she frogged it and started over in a new pattern of her own making. On Deck: (33:20) After Nerd Wars, Laura plans on making an Effortless Cardigan by Hannah Fettig out of Dizzy Blonde Sock in Timey Wimey (TARDIS Blue). She also will be making some more blanket squares for Nerd Wars. Jen kind of wants to re-make her Sweetheart of the Rodeo cardigan, because it's knit at a small gauge in high twist yarn (Wollmeise DK). She may just cut out the colorwork and re-do it as embroidery. Or maybe she will re-make a new one out of fingering weight. She wants to make the Chickadee from Ysolda’s book Little Red in the City in Quince and Company Chickadee in Slate, Egret, Lichen, and Rosa Rugosa.  She also wants to make a Lauriel Cardigan (also by Ysolda and from Little Red in the City) out of Wollmeise DK in Pesto.and a pair of Water for the Elephants socks by Rose Hiver in some Knitpicks Stroll in a bare (natural) and Summer Blooms (pink).  She also has an idea for some mitts with jacaranda blossoms embroidered on them. We mention Celestarium and Southern Skies by Audrey Nicklin. Knit Culture: (40:06) We answer a question from our Knotty Talk Thread. knitallthestuff asks Here’s one that falls more under “discussion topic” than “request for help/info”. When selecting what patterns to knit/crochet and which ones to do next, how do you juggle all the conflicting desires/intentions: 1. OMG, SHINY! Must. Make. Now. 2. I should do this now, so I can get some use out of it before next year. 3. It would be really nice to have this, but I should wait until X date (see #2). 4. Other deadlines, whether externally- or self-imposed (Christmas, Birthdays, Ravellenics). 5. That skein of ___ is calling to me from my stash. I must use it and love it and call it George. We answer, but we want to know what you think. We come up with the overall answer of "it depends on the mood and the pattern." We both determine that we are more motivated by the pattern than the yarn. Laura has had a great need for deadline work for Nerd Wards and booth samples. Jen takes the cast on time into account. We mention a bunch of patterns, including Yggdrasil and the The Princess Shawl. But we really want to know about your motivations. So let us know in the Ravelry thread for this episode. We also announce prizes for the overall Podcaster Throwdown. PlainJayne12 knit the most hats overall (for Team Sock-a-holic). The most prolific knitter for Team KnottyGirls was Karen E. They both win an "Almost the Works Package" for any Stitches event in 2014 or 2015, donated by XRX Books. Carrie M. of The Yarn Sellar contributed the most hats overall. She got the residents of a correctional facility to knit and donate 99 hats for Team Craftlit. She wins a membership to the second patrol of the Sunnydale Yarn Club donated by Dizzy Color. Robdob contributed the most virtual hats. She raffled off a shawl and donated the proceeds to Team Sock-a-holic. She wins a prize package consisting of a 40th Anniversary Large Eden Drawstring Bag from Della Q, 1 Set each Knitters Pride Dreamz US Size 5 in 24” & 40”, Valley Yarns Pattern Series Snowdrop Baby Blanket, and 10 balls Valley Yarns Longmeadow in Natural, donated by WEBS. Our team MVP is Peggy Baxter (pbaxter), president of ESSS, who was such an enthusiastic supporter. She wins a two-year subscription to Knitter's Magazine, donated by XRX Books. Random Drawings: 4 Mini-skein samplers donated by Skeindalous Yarns 1. Estella A 2. Meshuggeknitter 3. Bluesjules 4. Seajaneknit 5 skeins Blondee Merino/Superfine Alpaca blend donated by Dizzy Blonde Studios 1. Kim Rennick 2. indigodogmt 3. CrispyBacon 4. JudithLee 5. Mary 3 Books donated by Heather Ordover of Craftlit 1. What would Madame Defarge Knit?--Edith 2. What else would Madame Defarge Knit?--Susan from Brea 3. Grounded--Barbula 2 skeins of 100% Yak Yarn donated by Bijou Basin Ranch 1. Dark Blue--Glenda from Fullerton 2. Light Sandy Brown--knitsnhikes 1 4oz./100g. Skein Skeindalous Joi Sport 100% BFL in Candy Floss donated by Skeindalous Yarns--Barbula A copy of History on Two Needles donated by Annie Modesitt--Ruth L A digital pattern collection of Marly Bird's patterns donated by Marly Bird herself--Karen E 3 Needle Cases donated by Knit Totes 1. RKSmom 2. Fred from ESSS 3. afreyedknot 2 50-gram skeins FibraNatura 100% linen donated by Laura 1. Regatta color--Shanda S 2. Purple color--KnittyBarb A Project Back Pack donated by the KnottyGirls Knitcast--E Gould 3 Knit stitch marker sets donated by the KnottyGirls Knitcast 1. k8erpillar 2. Kay from Ladera Ranch 3. scmusicals 2 Crochet stitch marker sets donated by the KnottyGirls Knitcast 1. ariane 2. Lifewithmonkey Thank you so much to all the prize doners, to everyone who contributed hats (virtual or real) or gave someone yarn to knit hats or contributed in any way. You all did an amazing thing for Halos of Hope. Geek Culture: (1:01:01) We talk about knitting webcomics. We mention Worsted for Wear and Knit Princess. We love both of them. Jen also mentions other webcomics she loves: Questionable Content and xkcd. And we want to know what cool stuff you find on the internet. So we started a thread in our Ravelry group where you can post any cool knitting-related or geek-related things you find on the internet. Share the love. Events: (1:05:29) Signups for Patrol 2 of the Sunnydale Yarn Club will start April 17th and close on May 2nd. There are 32 spots in the club; if more than 32 people sign up, names will be drawn for the spots on May 5th. First installment will go out in June. Pricing, details, and the signup form are at dizzycolor.wordpress.com We are planning an event for World Wide Knit In Public Day. Details to follow, but our event will be either June 21 or June 22. We are both going to the CogKNITive retreat run by Dr. Gemma of the CogKNITive Podcast on July 25. Jen will be at the Retzlaff Winery Fleeces, Food, and Fun event on June 7th. We also mention Pear Pie with Red Wine and Rosemary. Thanks for listening to our 25th episode. Our next milestone prize will be at 1000 members, so join the Ravelry Group. And don't forget to post your finished April projects in the April Thread. You can win yarn!

Maud Casey reads from her forthcoming novel, The Man Who Walked Away. Karen Russell reads her short story The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis. They are introduced by Duncan White, Newhouse Resident Fellow at Wellesley College. Maud Casey is the author of two novels, The Shape of Things to Come, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and Genealogy, as well as a collection of stories, Drastic. Her stories, essays, and reviews have appeared in The American Scholar, The New York Times, Oxford American, A Public Space, Salon, and The Threepenny Review.  She has received international fellowships from the Fundaçion Valparaiso, the Hawthornden International Retreat for Writers, Villa Hellebosch, Château de Lavigny, and Dora Maar, and is the recipient of the Calvino Prize. Karen Russell’s debut novel, Swamplandia!, was chosen by The New York Times as one of the “Ten Best Books of 2011,” and was long-listed for The Orange Prize. Russell has been featured in The New Yorker’s “20 Under 40” list, and was chosen as one of Granta’s Best Young American Novelists. In 2009, she received the “5 Under 35” award from the National Book Foundation.  Formerly a writer-in-residence at Bard College and Bryn Mawr College, she is the recipient of the Mary Ellen von der Heyden Berlin Prize and was awarded a fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin.  Russell is also the author of the celebrated short-story collection, St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves and the short story collection Vampires in the Lemon Grove, (published by Knopf in January 2013). Russell received her B.A. from Northwestern University in 2003, and her MFA from Columbia University in 2006.

THE FLAMETHROWERS (Scribner Book Company) Skylight Books is thrilled to be hosting the book launch for National Book Award Finalists Rachel Kushner's hot new novel THE FLAMETHROWERS. The year is 1977 and Reno--so-called because of the place of her birth--has come to New York intent on turning her fascination with motorcycles and speed into art. Her arrival coincides with an explosion of activity in the art world--artists have colonized a deserted and industrial Soho, are squatting in the East Village, and blurring the line between life and art. Reno falls in with group of dreamers and raconteurs who submit her to a sentimental education of sorts. She begins an affair with an artist named Sandro Valera, the semi-estranged scion of an Italian tire and motorcycle empire. When they visit Sandro's family home in Italy, Reno falls in with members of the radical movement that overtook Italy in 1977. Betrayal sends her reeling into a clandestine undertow. “Kushner is rapidly emerging as a thrilling and prodigious novelist.”—Jonathan Franzen, author of Freedom "Rachel Kushner writes dazzling, sexy, glorious prose. She is as brilliant on men and motorcycles as she is on art and film. The Flamethrowers is an ambitious and powerful novel." —Dana Spiotta, author of Eat the Document and Stone Arabia “The Flamethrowers lives up to its incendiary title—it is a brilliant, startling truly revolutionary book about the New York art world of the seventies, Italian class warfare, and youth's blind acceleration into the unknown. Kushner is a genius prose stylist, and her Reno is one of the most fully realized protagonists I've ever encountered, moving fluidly from the fringe of the fringe movement to the center of the action. I want to recommend this stunning book to everyone I know.” —Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! Rachel Kushner debut novel, "Telex from Cuba", was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, winner of the California Book Award, and a New York Times bestseller and Notable Book. Her fiction and essays have appeared in The""New York Times, The Believer, Artforum, Bookforum, Fence", "Bomb", Cabinet", and Grand Street". She lives in Los Angeles. THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS ON APRIL 2, 2013. COPIES OF THE BOOK FROM THIS EVENT CAN BE PURCHASED HERE: http://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781439142004

Alexis Smith is today's guest.  Her debut novel, Glaciers, is now available from Tin House Books. Publishers Weekly, in a starred review, calls it ...lyrical and luminous... And Karen Russell, bestselling author of Swamplandia!, raves Glaciers, Alexis Smith’s brilliant debut ... Continue reading → Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s Audio Book Club, Slate’s Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and Hanna Rosin discuss Karen Russell’s Swamplandia!, a new novel about the struggle of a family who runs an alligator-wrestling theme park. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karen Russell talks to Sam about her first novel, Swamplandia!, a family tale set at a shabby tourist attraction in the Everglades.