Podcast appearances and mentions of thomas mcguane

Thomas McGuane, legendary novelist, screenwriter, and outdoorsman, joins us for a captivating conversation about his extraordinary life and career. From writing acclaimed novels like 92 in the Shade to navigating Hollywood, marrying Margot Kidder, and later settling into life as a Montana rancher, McGuane shares his reflections on creativity, resilience, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. In this episode, we discuss his early struggles as a writer, the moment he found success while living off $600, and the wild days of Key West in the 1970s. McGuane opens up about his friendships with literary and cultural icons like Jimmy Buffett and Jim Harrison, as well as his insights on aging, legacy, and the lessons learned along the way. Join us for a fascinating conversation with a man who has lived more lives than most and has the stories to prove it. SPONSORS: ElevenLabs: Thanks to ElevenLabs (https://elevenlabs.io) for supporting this episode and powering Tim's voice. ALS Investment Fund: Thanks to ALS Investment Fund (https://www.alsinvestmentfund.com) for supporting this episode. SOCIAL: Website: https://tgnlu.com   Twitter: https://twitter.com/nlutimgreen   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NLUpod  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nlupod/  AUDIO ONLY: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fhcANt7CSnYvgBlgxpVVa  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/nothing-left-unsaid/id1734094890   PERSONAL:  Tackle ALS: https://www.tackleals.com   Tim Green Books: https://authortimgreen.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we read through the book, The Greatest Hunting Stories Ever Told, and the chapter called The Heart of the Game, by Thomas McGuane. Sit back, relax, pour yourself a cocktail and light up a cigar. Enjoy! Stock media provided by Artmuns / Pond5

The headline is an inside joke among family and friends, a line of dialogue lifted from the 1978 novel "Panama," by Thomas McGuane. And now it's the title of a Radio Free Dogpatch podcast, a unsubtle bit of misdirection concerning an oversized orange turd that has proven impossible for a confused and bilious nation to flush. My apologies to Mr. McGuane. Sly and The Family Stone contributed a few seconds of "Family Affair" from their YouTube channel. Freesound kicked in a dog whining, a power failure, an internet outage, a garbage truck, and an elephant trumpeting. And Judge Dredd issued his ruling from YouTube.  All the other racket comes courtesy of The Proprietor.

In this episode, I talk with author and novelist about his recent hybrid memoir and cultural exploration, Always Crashing in the Same Car. We discuss his fascination with figures who faced creative crises in Hollywood, from F. Scott Fitzgerald, filmmaker Hal Ashby or musician Warren Zevon to more overlooked but similarly brilliant figures like Carole Eastman, the screenwriter of the 1970s classic Five Easy Pieces.We also explore the realities of growing up in LA, including being “celebrity-adjacent.” That's perhaps best illustrated by the time Marlon Brando left an incredible monologue in the form of a voicemail. We do a deep dive into the attraction of hybrid memoir for fiction writer, Matthew's approach to research, and whether it's possible any longer to be a middle-class creative in Hollywood.--------------------------“All of those kind of impulses fused in me, and eventually, and I sort of realized, like, oh, this is what I want to write. I want to write a book that's a memoir that isn't about me, or a memoir that's only kind of, you know, partly about me.”--------------------------Key Takeaways* Always Crashing In the Same Car pays homage to figures who've faced both genius and marginalization in Hollywood, including Thomas McGuane, Renata Adler, Carole Eastman, Eleanor Perry, Hal Ashby, Michael Cimino, Warren Zevon & more. The book is about “those who failed, faltered, and whose triumphs are punctuated by flops...”* Matthew shares his fascination with Carol Eastman, best known for Five Easy Pieces. He was deeply touched by her prose writings, comparing her to poets like Hart Crane and Wallace Stevens.* The book and the interview also delves more deeply into women's contributions to Hollywood, focusing on other overlooked talents like Eleanor Perry and Elaine May. Matthew reflects on his mother, a one-time screenwriter, and how her generation had less opportunity to develop their skills.* Why a hybrid memoir? Matthew was reading, and inspired by, writers like Hilton Als, Heidi Julavits, and Olivia Laing. He wanted to create a narrative that wasn't limited to—or rather moved beyond—the self, weaving together cultural criticism about Hollywood and creative crises.* We talk a lot about voice, which Matthew says is crucial for him to discover early on. “Once I can locate the voice for any piece of writing... I have it in the pocket,” he says. The narrator of this book blends personal reflections with a noir quality, he says.* Matthew sees himself as a novelist at heart. He considers the narrative tools of a novelist indispensable, even when writing memoirs and cultural critiques: “I am fundamentally a novelist….I think that's part of being a fiction writer or novelist is, you know, anything that you write is a kind of criticism in code. You're always responding to other texts.”* Matthew begins by explaining his unique research style: "I'm kind of ravenous and a little deranged about it…” His research process involves intuitive dives, like a two-day blitz through Carol Eastman's archives.* The discussion also touched on Matthew's upbringing with a mom who was a one-time screenwriter and who crossed the picket line during one writer's strike, and his father, who had modest beginnings but went on to become a famous Hollywood “superagent” representing Marlon Brando, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren & many others.* At the same time, Matthew explores misconceptions around Hollywood glitz, addressing the middle-class reality of many involved in the film industry. For a long-time, Hollywood could support such middle-class creatives, Matthew contends, something that is no longer really possible.* Addressing the evolution of the entertainment industry, Matthew notes the shift towards debt servicing, influenced by corporate acquisitions. This financial pragmatism often overrides the creative impulse, squeezing the middle class out.* Another takeaway? The creative world, especially in Hollywood, is fraught with periods of drift and struggle. In one sense, Always Crashing In the Same Car is a love letter to that state of things.--------------------------"I still kind of think of [Always Crashing…] as being secretly a novel. Not because it's full of made up s**t…but because I think sometimes our idea of what a novel is is pretty limited. You know, there's no reason why a novel can't be, like, 98% fact."--------------------------About Matthew SpecktorMatthew Specktor's books include the novels That Summertime Sound and American Dream Machine, which was long-listed for the Folio Prize; the memoir-in-criticism Always Crashing in The Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California, and The Golden Hour, forthcoming from Ecco Press. Born in Los Angeles, he received his MFA in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College in 2009. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, GQ, The Paris Review, Tin House, Black Clock, and numerous other periodicals and anthologies. He is a founding editor of the Los Angles Review of Books.Resources:Books by Matthew Specktor:* Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California* American Dream Machine* That Summertime Sound* Slow Days, Fast Company by Eve Babitz, introduction by Matthew SpecktorReferenced on this episode:* The Women, by Hilton Als* Low, by David Bowie* The Great Gatsby, This Side of Paradise, The Last Tycoon, The Pat Hobby Stories, and The Crack-Up, by F. Scott Fitzgerald* F. Scott Fitzgerald on Writing, edited by Larry W. Phillips* The Folded Clock: A Diary, by Heidi Julavits* The Lonely City, by Olivia Laing* 300 Arguments, by Sarah Manguso* “Bombast: Carole Eastman,” by Nick Pinkerton* “The Life and Death of Hollywood,” by Daniel Bessner, Harper's, May 2024.CreditsThis episode was produced by Magpie Audio Productions. Theme music  is "The Stone Mansion" by BlueDot Productions. Get full access to The Book I Want to Write at bookiwanttowrite.substack.com/subscribe

#1,014 - Laurie Buffett McGuane Laurie Buffett McGuane joins The Paul Leslie Hour. Are you here? Good. Because… we have such a special gift for you today. But before we get going, please hit the subscribe button and don't hesitate to tell a friend about this episode. Those of you who've been here from the beginning, probably know that your host Paul Leslie began broadcasting on Jimmy Buffett's Radio Margaritaville. What nobody knew then was how many characters and stories from that world would end up being documented right here. Countless. Today's guest has likely known Jimmy Buffett longer than any person alive. This is his sister, Laurie Buffett McGuane, or as her family call her: “Lala.” From her beautiful ranch in Montana, Laurie joins us for a candid interview, where she speaks from the heart about her life, her husband the author Thomas McGuane, and her family, including her late brother Jimmy Buffett. It's the first long-form interview Laurie offers since Jimmy's passing. That's precious. So let's listen. Together. The Paul Leslie Hour is a talk show dedicated to “Helping People Tell Their Stories.” Some of the most iconic people of all time drop in to chat. Frequent topics include Arts, Entertainment and Culture.

#1,013 - Thomas McGuane Thomas McGuane joins The Paul Leslie Hour! Are you here? Indeed. You're here listening to The Paul Leslie Hour where you'll see and hear some of the most intriguing and creative minds of our time. On this episode we are pleased to welcome one of the great American authors, Thomas McGuane. McGuane wrote ten novels, as well as screenplays, and several collections of short stories. Check out his brand new story “Thataway” appearing in the May 27, 2024 issue of The New Yorker. And one quick note. Did you know that The Paul Leslie Hour is made possible by viewers and listeners like you? Give yourself and others the gift of stories. Go right here, and we thank you. And with that, let's get Thomas McGuane on here, shall we? The Paul Leslie Hour is a talk show dedicated to “Helping People Tell Their Stories.” Some of the most iconic people of all time drop in to chat. Frequent topics include Arts, Entertainment and Culture.

Thomas McGuane reads his story “Thataway,” from the May 27, 2024, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published more than a dozen books of fiction, including the story collections “Gallatin Canyon,” “Crow Fair,” and “Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories,” which came out in 2018.

Originally Posted on March 3rd, 2023 Back in 2008 when I first began this podcast I had two dreams—that I would have my two literary heros, John McPhee and Thomas McGuane as guests (they are both passionate fly fishers). I was lucky enough to record a podcast with John in August of 2021 and this week's podcast is with Tom McGuane [44:36], author of 20 highly regarded novels, screenplays, collections of short stories, and what is in my opinion the finest book of fly-fishing essays ever written, The Longest Silence. Most people who interview Tom want to talk about his crazy days in Key West in the 1970s, , fishing for tarpon with Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Jimmy Buffet, and other notable characters. However, in the podcast we talk about what he is doing now—his fascination with small-stream trout fishing, why he would rather wade than fish from a boat, his opinion on guides who yell at their clients, and how to grow old gracefully and still continue to fish with a fly rod. It was a real honor to chat with him and I know you'll enjoy this very special podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful and thought-provoking questions and tips form listeners, including: What is that white rod that Pete Kutzer uses in your casting videos? Is there a written history of Orvis? What is the best reel lubricant, and how should I maintain my cork drag surface? Can dumbbell eyes damage fly rods? If so, what should I do to keep flies tied with them from hitting my rod? Do trout eat those little black and brown stoneflies that hatch during the winter and early spring?  Can you explain when I would use weighted flies vs. split shot vs. poly leaders when fishing nymphs? Can you compare the relative advantages of the 10 1/2-foot 3-weight and the 11-foot 3-weight Blackout rod? I saw people catching fish on nymphs. I tried exactly the same patterns and didn't catch anything. Why? I have a reel that takes a 9-weight line. Can I get an extra spool and put it on my 7-weight rod?

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/474 Presented By: Daiichi, Waters West, Angler's Coffee, Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Monte Burke, author of Lords of the Fly, shares his journey of becoming a renowned writer and author. He shares the pivotal moment that transformed his life as he recounts how his first fly fishing story caught the attention of the editor at Sporting Classics, propelling him to become a full-time writer.  Discover the dedicated tarpon fishing enthusiasts of the Homosassa club and the current challenges faced by Florida's waters. Explore the stories of fly fishing legends like Tom Evans and Andy Mill, who pushed the sport's boundaries. Monte also recounts his encounter with Nick Saban, one of college football's greatest coaches, resulting in a historic feature in Forbes Magazine. Learn about Monte's other books, including Leaper, Sowbelly, and 4th & Goal, and get a preview of his upcoming book on the Southwest's water crisis. We talk a lot about writing and noted some renowned authors such as John Gierach and Thomas McGuane, and the fascinating intersection of passion, storytelling, and fly fishing. This episode is a must-listen for both avid anglers and literature enthusiasts. Show Notes with Monte Burke on Lords of the Fly 03:00 - We noted his book, Lords of the Fly: Madness, Obsession, and the Hunt for the World Record Tarpon, which is a pretty popular fly fishing book. 03:45 - We had John Gierach on the podcast in episode 047 who's arguably the best fly fishing writer of all time. 04:00 - Most of the males in Monte's family fly-fished - his grandfather, his uncle, and his dad. Monte caught his first Atlantic salmon with his uncle on Margaree River in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. 08:30 - Monte tells the story of when he wrote his first fly fishing story about Ed Shenk from LeTort Spring Run that he sent to different magazine companies. He then got a letter from the Editor of Sporting Classics, Chuck Wexler offering to buy his story for $200. That was his turning point from going to business school to being a fly fishing writer. 10:25 - Topher Browne mentioned Monte on a recent episode at WFS 464. 12:00 - Monte also did a story about Andy Mill who's like a Tigerwoods of Tarpon fly fishing tournament. Andy was on the podcast in episode 330. Andy gave him Tom Evan's number so he could write a story about him. He also noted names of the world's best fly anglers in the 70s and 80s. 19:20 - We talk about how Florida is being ruined nowadays and gets worst each year. 21:10 - We noted Bonefish & Tarpon Trust are doing a great job in researching about the problems in the waters of Florida. Captains For Clean Waters are also fighting hard for Florida waters conservation. And also VoteWater Florida. 24:30 - Monte talks about the rockstars of the Homosassa club who were obsessed with tarpon fishing and made it possible for future generations to catch tarpon. 30:23 - The biggest tarpon ever caught was over 200 pounds on a 20-pound test which was caught by a non-regular guy who was just fishing with his dad. Tom Evans holds the record for the 16-pound test which was 190-pound tarpon. He also holds the record for the 12-pound which was 194-pound tarpon. 44:30 - We talk about Nick Saban who's arguably the best college football of all time. 46:30 - Monte tells the story of when he got a phone call from Nick Saban agreeing to write a story about him. The story was then published in Forbes Magazine (2008) which also became the highest single issue of the magazine ever. Read that story here. 49:20 - Monte talks about his process of writing. 54:25 - We dig into his book, The Making of a Coach which was a story about Nick Saban's life and incredible coaching career. 54:45 - Monte talks about his book, Leaper: The Wonderful World of Atlantic Salmon Fishing, which was a collection of Atlantic salmon stories. 55:15 - Monte did another fishing book called, Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass. 55:50 - We also noted his book, 4th & Goal: One Man's Quest to Recapture His Dream which was about Joe Moglia's legendary career transition from head football coach at Coastal Carolina University to the CEO of TD Ameritrade 56:55 - Monte is writing a new book about the water crisis in South West looking through the lens of Lake Mead. 58:30 - We talk about what makes John Gierach a great writer. Monte says "he's a great lyricist" and explains why. 59:45 - We also noted Thomas McGuane. Monte tells us what makes McGuane's writing special. 1:03:30 - Monte tells the story of when he went to Labrador with Yvon Chouinard and other anglers. 1:07:30 - I asked Monte the question "Are you a writer or a fly fisherman first?". Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/474

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of Nobody's Angel, by Thomas McGuane, while drinking Shieldaig 12.In this episode:Michael says “gentle” multiple timesTattoo reveal!Ethan says “Madonna-virgin” complex when he obviously means “Madonna-whore” complexProse! Including some exciting phrases like “3rd person limited” and “omniscient narrator” and “close reading”Inferences from Kevin's Dad“MFA-bait”Requiem for TioAspersions cast on Kevin's DadNext time Michael and Ethan will discuss Where the Light Fell, by Philip Yancey. Join the discussiTaon! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page. Donate to our Patreon! BUY A NIHILIST BLANKET! Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett) MUSIC & SFX: "Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission. "The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. "Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

What renowned authors have lived and written in the Keys? What is it about Key West that has inspired the likes of literary legends from Elizabeth Bishop to Robert Frost to Thomas McGuane to Judy Blume? In this episode, join host Elizabeth Harryman Lasley and producer Jason Paton as we learn about Key West's literary history with Arlo Haskell, executive director of the Key West Literary Seminar. As we tour the historic Elizabeth Bishop home, Arlo reveals quirky stories from Key West's fabled authors and details about the popular annual Key West Literary Seminar, established in 1983. For more information, go to kwls.org. For more details and travel inspiration, visit Fla-Keys.com. To call from the United States or Canada, dial 1 (800) FLA-KEYS or contact your travel advisor. Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of Nobody's Angel, by Thomas McGuane, while drinking Shieldaig 12.In this episode:Introducing our new mascot, Bobblehead PoloniusHuck Finn manages to come up, of courseWe define what a classic is, it's easy!Michael and Ethan refuse to answer each other's questionsWhat we know about Patrick's father, or, the inevitable The Empire Strikes Back comparisonCatholicness vs. CatholicismSome exciting teasers for next time!Next time Michael and Ethan will continue to discuss Nobody's Angel, by Thomas Mcguane. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page. Donate to our Patreon! BUY A NIHILIST BLANKET! Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett) MUSIC & SFX: "Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission. "The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. "Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/434  Presented by: Trxstle Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors    John Gierach, the author of the book Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers, is back on the podcast to dig back into some of his amazing books. We find out from John what makes a good guide. We also learn about how much a fly rod loves a dry fly, what rejection feels like, and how he deals with writer's block. Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers Show Notes with John Gierach 1:53 - We had John in the podcast in episode 047. 3:21 - We look back on the previous books he had published. 4:32 - He talks about his book that just came out titled All the Time in the World. 5:52 - John describes his process of writing a book. 9:23 - We talk about his book titled Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers. 12:56 - He takes us on his trip to Colorado last September. 15:34 - He explains how he prefers to include conservation issues in his books. 17:33 - He talks about Thomas McGuane and Ernest Hemingway. He also shares a bit about the latter's book titled Big Two-Hearted River. 20:20 - He tells about what makes a great fishing guide in his opinion. 29:35 - I ask him about his interesting notes from his book Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers which is how much a fly rod loves a dry fly. He also tells about the first ever written mention of fly fishing anywhere. 34:10 - He shares his struggles back then and how he dealt with rejection when he was just starting out as a writer. 36:44 - He gives tips on how to know what story will create an impact on readers. 38:44 - I mention our episode with Lane Forrer. John also talks about the true success of writing and how to be a good writer. 40:49 - He shares his take on impostor syndrome. 42:43 - He gives advice on what to do when a publisher rejects your book. 44:35 - He shares his take on writer's block. 45:15 - He talks about his friend Paul who died from cancer. He shares more about this in his book Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers. 50:53 - He mentions the quote "It takes an old man to appreciate it, but it takes a kid to think it's important." and how it also applies to writing and fishing. 51:34 - He explains what his quote means about how vanity has lost its grip on him over time. 52:49 - He mentions a quote from Nick Lyons' book. 54:31 - He gives his opinion on the book and movie A River Runs Through It. 56:07 - He tells about his planned trip. 58:19 - He talks about the techniques he uses when fishing for trout. 59:46 - I ask him about his spey game. 1:01:55 - He talks about fly fishing being like a con game. 1:03:40 - He shares his plans and some upcoming events for his latest book. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/434 

In this special, Michael and Ethan do a very serious job (without jokes or sarcasm) of analyzing Lord of the Flies, a commonly assigned AP English/college intro-level text, so that if you are assigned it, but don't want to read it, you can just go ahead and use our very good analyses!In this episode:Some pretty good discussion of The Count of Monte Cristo, you're welcomeNew whiskey toysTurns out, you can assign different names to different thingsThe surprising literary inspiration for various Disney and Pixar projectsScience involves wordsWe won't stand OR sit for laziness, just to be clearFrom Freud to Jung via borderline insultsPlayground bully tactics of the ancient worldThe obvious Atlantis connectionThe two great teachers of our time: Ethan and Walt Disney Corp.Next time Michael and Ethan will discuss Nobody's Angel, by Thomas Mcguane. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page. Donate to our Patreon! BUY A NIHILIST BLANKET! Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett) MUSIC & SFX: "Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission. "The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. "Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Michael and Ethan continue their discussion of The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson, while drinking Glenmorangie 10.In this episode:Gaslighting EleanorPresent-tense mothers who are deadThe real journey is the puzzle boxes we met along the waySO MANY ATMOSPHERESSecret fan fiction segmentSudden Shakespeare, almost as a matter of chanceLove triangle arrowsNext time Michael and Ethan will discuss Nobody's Angel, by Thomas Mcguane. Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page. Donate to our Patreon! BUY A NIHILIST BLANKET! Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett) MUSIC & SFX: "Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission. "The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. "Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Back in 2008 when I first began this podcast I had two dreams—that I would have my two literary heros, John McPhee and Thomas McGuane as guests (they are both passionate fly fishers). I was lucky enough to record a podcast with John in August of 2021 and this week's podcast is with Tom McGuane [44:36], author of 20 highly regarded novels, screenplays, collections of short stories, and what is in my opinion the finest book of fly-fishing essays ever written, The Longest Silence. Most people who interview Tom want to talk about his crazy days in Key West in the 1970s, , fishing for tarpon with Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdene, Jimmy Buffet, and other notable characters. However, in the podcast we talk about what he is doing now—his fascination with small-stream trout fishing, why he would rather wade than fish from a boat, his opinion on guides who yell at their clients, and how to grow old gracefully and still continue to fish with a fly rod. It was a real honor to chat with him and I know you'll enjoy this very special podcast. In the Fly Box this week, we have some wonderful and thought-provoking questions and tips form listeners, including: What is that white rod that Pete Kutzer uses in your casting videos? Is there a written history of Orvis? What is the best reel lubricant, and how should I maintain my cork drag surface? Can dumbbell eyes damage fly rods? If so, what should I do to keep flies tied with them from hitting my rod? Do trout eat those little black and brown stoneflies that hatch during the winter and early spring?  Can you explain when I would use weighted flies vs. split shot vs. poly leaders when fishing nymphs? Can you compare the relative advantages of the 10 1/2-foot 3-weight and the 11-foot 3-weight Blackout rod? I saw people catching fish on nymphs. I tried exactly the same patterns and didn't catch anything. Why? I have a reel that takes a 9-weight line. Can I get an extra spool and put it on my 7-weight rod? Why am I not catching anything when fishing nymphs in the winter? Great tips from a world traveler on taking your vaccination records with you, and warnings about carrying gear when traveling to Mexico or New Zealand. What environmental cues will tell you when specific flies are hatching? Is it true that emerger patterns are more effective when they look messy? How do you explain when trout take smaller insects and ignore bigger ones?

On this episode, we travel back to 1984, and the days when a "young adult" novel included lots of drugs and partying and absolutely no sparkly vampires or dystopian warrior girls. We're talking about Jay McInerney's groundbreaking novel, Bright Lights, Big City, and its 1988 film version starring Michael J. Fox and Keifer Sutherland. ----more---- Hello, and welcome to The 80s Movies Podcast. I am your host, Edward Havens. Thank you for listening today. The original 1984 front cover for Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City If you were a young adult in the late 1980s, there's a very good chance that you started reading more adult-y books thanks to an imprint called Vintage Contemporaries. Quality books at an affordable paperback price point, with their uniform and intrinsically 80s designed covers, bold cover and spine fonts, and mix of first-time writers and cult authors who never quite broke through to the mainstream, the Vintage Contemporary series would be an immediate hit when it was first launched in September 1984. The first set of releases would include such novels as Raymond Carver's Cathedral and Thomas McGuane's The Bushwhacked Piano, but the one that would set the bar for the entire series was the first novel by a twenty-nine year old former fact checker at the New Yorker magazine. The writer was Jay McInerney, and his novel was Bright Lights, Big City. The original 1984 front cover for Raymond Carver's Cathedral Bright Lights, Big City would set a template for twenty something writers in the 1980s. A protagonist not unlike the writer themselves, with a not-so-secret drug addiction, and often written in the second person, You, which was not a usual literary choice at the time. The nameless protagonist, You, is a divorced twenty-four year old wannabe writer who works as fact-checker at a major upscale magazine in New York City, for which he once dreamed of writing for. You is recently divorced from Amanda, an aspiring model he had met while going to school in Kansas City. You would move to New York City earlier in the year with her when her modeling career was starting to talk off. While in Paris for Fashion Week, Amanda called You to inform him their marriage was over, and that she was leaving him for another man. You continues to hope Amanda will return to him, and when it's clear she won't, he not only becomes obsessed with everything about her that left in their apartment, he begins to slide into reckless abandon at the clubs they used to frequent, and becoming heavily addicted to cocaine, which then affects his performance at work. A chance encounter with Amanda at an event in the city leads You to a public humiliation, which makes him starts to realize that his behavior is not because his wife left him, but a manifestation of the grief he still feels over his mother's passing the previous year. You had gotten married to a woman he hardly knew because he wanted to make his mother happy before she died, and he was still unconsciously grieving when his wife's leaving him triggered his downward spiral. Bright Lights, Big City was an immediate hit, one of the few paperback-only books to ever hit the New York Times best-seller chart. Within two years, the novel had sold more than 300,000 copies, and spawned a tidal wave of like-minded twentysomething writers becoming published. Bret Easton Ellis might have been able to get his first novel Less Than Zero published somewhere down the line, but it was McInerney's success that would cause Simon and Schuster to try and duplicate Vintage's success, which they would. Same with Tana Janowitz, whose 1986 novel Slaves of New York was picked up by Crown Publishers looking to replicate the success of McInerney and Ellis, despite her previous novel, 1981's American Dad, being completely ignored by the book buying public at that time. While the book took moments from his life, it wasn't necessarily autobiographical. For example, McInerney had been married to a fashion model in the early 1980s, but they would meet while he attended Syracuse University in the late 1970s. And yes, McInerney would do a lot of blow during his divorce from his wife, and yes, he would get fired from The New Yorker because of the effects of his drug addiction. Yes, he was partying pretty hard during the times that preceded the writing of his first novel. And yes, he would meet a young woman who would kinda rescue him and get him on the right path.  But there were a number of details about McInerney's life that were not used for the book. Like how the author studied writing with none other than Raymond Carver while studying creative writing at Syracuse, or how his family connections would allow him to submit blind stories to someone like George Plimpton at the Paris Review, and not only get the story read but published. And, naturally, any literary success was going to become a movie at some point. For Bright Lights, it would happen almost as soon as the novel was published. Robert Lawrence, a vice president at Columbia Pictures in his early thirties, had read the book nearly cover to cover in a single sitting, and envisioned a film that could be “The Graduate” of his generation, with maybe a bit of “Lost Weekend” thrown in. But the older executives at the studio balked at the idea, which they felt would be subversive and unconventional. They would, however, buy in when Lawrence was able to get mega-producer Jerry Weintraub to be a producer on the film, who in turn was able to get Joel Schumacher, who had just finished filming St. Elmo's Fire for the studio, to direct, and get Tom Cruise, who was still two years away from Top Gun and megastardom, to play the main character. McInerney was hired to write the script, and he and Schumacher and Cruise would even go on club crawls in New York City to help inform all of the atmosphere they were trying to capture with the film. In 1985, Weintraub would be hired by United Artists to become their new chief executive, and Bright Lights would be one of the properties he would be allowed to take with him to his new home. But since he was now an executive, Weintraub would need to hire a new producer to take the reigns on the picture. Enter Sydney Pollack. By 1985, Sydney Pollack was one of the biggest directors in Hollywood. With films like They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Jeremiah Johnson, Three Days of the Condor, The Electric Horseman and Tootsie under his belt, Pollock could get a film made, and get it seen by audiences. At least, as a director. At this point in his career, he had only ever produced one movie, Alan Rudolph's 1984 musical drama Songwriter, which despite being based on the life of Willie Nelson, and starring Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Rip Torn, barely grossed a tenth of its $8m budget. And Pollock at that moment was busy putting the finishing touches on his newest film, an African-based drama featuring Meryl Streep and longtime Pollock collaborator Robert Redford. That film, Out of Africa, would win seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, in March 1986, which would keep Pollock and his producing partner Mark Rosenberg's attention away from Bright Lights for several months. Once the hype on Out of Africa died down, Pollock and Rosenberg got to work getting Bright Lights, Big City made. Starting with hiring a new screenwriter, a new director, and a new leading actor. McInerney, Schumacher and Cruise had gotten tired of waiting. Ironically, Cruise would call on Pollock to direct another movie he was waiting to make, also based at United Artists, that he was going to star in alongside Dustin Hoffman. That movie, of course, is Rain Man, and we'll dive into that movie another time. Also ironically, Weintraub would not last long as the CEO of United Artists. Just five months after becoming the head of the studio, Weintraub would tire of the antics of Kirk Kerkorian, the owner of United Artists and its sister company, MGM, and step down. Kerkorian would not let Weintraub take any of the properties he brought from Columbia to his new home, the eponymously named mini-major he'd form with backing from Columbia. With a new studio head in place, Pollock started to look for a new director. He would discover that director in Joyce Chopra, who, after twenty years of making documentaries, made her first dramatic narrative in 1985. Smooth Talk was an incredible coming of age drama, based on a story by Joyce Carol Oates, that would make a star out of then seventeen-year-old Laura Dern. UA would not only hire her to direct the film but hire her husband, Tom Cole, who brilliantly adapted the Oates story that was the basis for Smooth Talk, to co-write the screenplay with his wife. While Cole was working on the script, Chopra would have her agent send a copy of McInerney's book to Michael J. Fox. This wasn't just some random decision. Chopra knew she needed a star for this movie, and Fox's agent just happened to be Chopra's agent. That'd be two commissions for the agent if it came together, and a copy of the book was delivered to Fox's dressing room on the Family Ties soundstage that very day. Fox loved the book, and agreed to do the film. After Alex P. Keaton and Marty McFly and other characters he had played that highlighted his good looks and pleasant demeanor, he was ready to play a darker, more morally ambiguous character. Since the production was scheduled around Fox's summer hiatus from the hit TV show, he was in. For Pollock and United Artists, this was a major coup, landing one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. But the project was originally going to be Toronto standing in for New York City for less than $7m with a lesser known cast. Now, it was going to be a $15m with not only Michael J. Fox but also Keifer Sutherland, who was cast as Tad, the best friend of the formerly named You, who would now known as Jamie Conway, and would be shot on location in New York City. The film would also feature Phoebe Cates as Jamie's model ex-wife, William Hickey, Kelly Lynch. But there was a major catch. The production would only have ten weeks to shoot with Fox, as he was due back in Los Angeles to begin production on the sixth season of Family Ties.  He wasn't going to do that thing he did making a movie and a television show at the same time like he did with Back to the Future and Family Ties in 1984 and 1985. Ten weeks and not a day more. Production on the film would begin on April 13th, 1987, to get as much of the film shot while Fox was still finishing Family Ties in Los Angeles. He would be joining the production at the end of the month. But Fox never get the chance to shoot with Chopra. After three weeks of production, Chopra, her husband, and her cinematographer James Glennon, who had also shot Smooth Talk, were dismissed from the film. The suits at United Artists were not happy with the Fox-less footage that was coming out of New York, and were not happy with the direction of the film. Cole and Chopra had removed much of the nightlife and drug life storyline, and focused more on the development of Jamie as a writer. Apparently, no one at the studio had read the final draft of the script before shooting began. Cole, the screenwriter, says it was Pollock, the producer, who requested the changes, but in the end, it would be not the Oscar-winning filmmaker producing the movie that would be released but the trio of newer creatives. Second unit footage would continue to shoot around New York City while the studio looked for a new director. Ironically, days after Chopra was fired, the Directors Guild of America had announced that if they were not able to sign a new agreement with the Producers Guild before the end of the current contract on June 30th, the directors were going on strike. So now United Artists were really under the gun. After considering such filmmakers as Belgian director Ulu Grosbard, who had directed Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro in Falling in Love, and Australian director Bruce Beresford, whose films had included Breaker Morant and Tender Mercies, they would find their new director in James Bridges, whose filmography included such critical and financial success as The Paper Chase, The China Syndrome and Urban Cowboy, but had two bombs in a row in 1984's Mike's Murder and 1985's Perfect. He needed a hit, and this was the first solid directing offer in three years. He'd spend the weekend after his hiring doing some minor recasting, including bringing in John Houseman, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in The Paper Chase, as well as Swoosie Kurtz, Oscar-winning actors Jason Robards and Dianne Weist, and Tracy Pollan, Fox's co-star on Family Ties, who would shortly after the filming of Bright Lights become Mrs. Michael J. Fox, although in the film, she would be cast not as a love interest to her real-life boyfriend's character but as the wife of Keifer Sutherland's character. After a week of rewriting McInerney's original draft of the screenplay from the Schumacher days, principal photography re-commenced on the film. And since Bridges would be working with famed cinematographer Gordon Willis, who had shot three previous movies with Bridges as well as the first two Godfather movies and every Woody Allen movie from Annie Hall to The Purple Rose of Cairo, it was also decided that none of Chopra's footage would be used. Everything would start back on square one. And because of the impending Directors Guild strike, he'd have only thirty-six days, a tad over five weeks, to film everything. One of the lobby cards from the movie version of Bright Lights, Big City And they were able to get it all done, thanks to some ingenious measures. One location, the Palladium concert hall on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, would double as three different nightclubs, two discotheques and a dinner club. Instead of finding six different locations, which would loading cameras and lights from one location to another, moving hundreds of people as well, and then setting the lights and props again, over and over, all they would have to do is re-decorate the area to become the next thing they needed. Bridges would complete the film that day before the Directors Guild strike deadline, but the strike would never happen. But there would be some issue with the final writing credits. While Bridges had used McInerney's original screenplay as a jumping off point, the writer/director had really latched on to the mother's death as the emotional center of the movie. Bridges' own grandmother had passed away in 1986, and he found writing those scenes to be cathartic for his own unresolved issues. But despite the changes Bridges would make to the script, including adding such filmmaking tropes as flashbacks and voiceovers, and having the movie broken up into sections by the use of chapter titles being typed out on screen, the Writers Guild would give sole screenwriting credit to Jay McInerney. As post-production continued throughout the fall, the one topic no one involved in the production wanted to talk about or even acknowledge was the movie version of Bret Easton Ellis's Less Than Zero that rival studio 20th Century Fox had been making in Los Angeles. It had a smaller budget, a lesser known filmmaker, a lesser known cast lead by Andrew McCarthy and Jami Gertz, and a budget half the size. If their film was a hit, that could be good for this one. And if their film wasn't a hit? Well, Bright Lights was the trendsetter. It was the one that sold more copies. The one that saw its author featured in more magazines and television news shows. How well did Less Than Zero do when it was released into theatres on November 6th, 1987? Well, you're just going to have to wait until next week's episode. Unless you're listening months or years after they were published, and are listening to episodes in reverse order. Then you already know how it did, but let's just say it wasn't a hit but it wasn't really a dud either. Bridges would spend nearly six months putting his film together, most of which he would find enjoyable, but he would have trouble deciding which of two endings he shot would be used. His preferred ending saw Jamie wandering through the streets of New York City early one morning, after a long night of partying that included a confrontation with his ex-wife, where he decides that was the day he was going to get his life back on track but not knowing what he was going to do, but the studio asked for an alternative ending, one that features Jamie one year in the future, putting the finishing touches on his first novel, which we see is titled… wait for it… Bright Lights, Big City, while his new girlfriend stands behind him giving her approval. After several audience test screenings, the studio would decide to let Bridges have his ending. United Artists would an April 1st, 1988 release date, and would spend months gearing up the publicity machine. Fox and Pollan were busy finishing the final episodes of that season's Family Ties, and weren't as widely available for the publicity circuit outside of those based in Los Angeles. The studio wasn't too worried, though. Michael J. Fox's last movie, The Secret of My Success, had been released in April 1987, and had grossed $67m without his doing a lot of publicity for that one, either. Opening on 1196 screens, the film would only manage to gross $5.13m, putting it in third place behind the previous week's #1 film, Biloxi Blues with Matthew Broderick, and the Tim Burton comedy Beetlejuice, which despite opening on nearly 200 fewer screens would gross nearly $3m more. But the reviews were not great. Decent. Respectful. But not great. The New York-based critics, like David Ansen of Newsweek and Janet Maslin of the Times, would be kinder than most other critics, maybe because they didn't want to be seen knocking a film shot in their backyard. But one person would actually would praise the film and Michael J. Fox as an actor was Roger Ebert. But it wouldn't save the film. In its second week, the film would fall to fifth place, with $3.09m worth of tickets sold, and it would drop all the way to tenth place in its third week with just under $1.9m in ticket sales. Week four would see it fall to 16th place with only $862k worth of ticket sales. After that, United Artists would stop reporting grosses. The $17m film had grossed just $16.1m. Bright Lights, Big City was a milestone book for me, in large part because it made me a reader. Before Bright Lights, I read occasionally, mainly John Irving, preferring to spend most of my free time voraciously consuming every movie I could. After Bright Lights, I picked up every Vintage Contemporary book I could get my hands on. One of the checklists of Vintage Contemporary books listed in the back of a Vintage Contemporary book. And one thing that really helped out was the literal checklist of other books available from that imprint in the back of each book. Without those distinct covers, I don't know if I would have discovered some of my favorite authors like Raymond Carver and Don DeLillo and Richard Ford and Richard Russo. Even after the Vintage Contemporary line shut down years later, I continued to read. I still read today, although not as much as I would prefer. I have a podcast to work on. I remember when the movie came out that I wasn't all that thrilled with it, and it would be nearly 35 years before I revisited it again, for this episode. I can't say it's the 80s as I remember it, because I had never been to New York City by that point in my life, I had never, and still never have, done anything like cocaine. And I had only ever had like two relationships that could be considered anything of substance, let alone marriage and a divorce. But I am certain it's an 80s that I'm glad I didn't know. Mainly because Jamie's 80s seemed rather boring and inconsequential. Fox does the best he can with the material, but he is not the right person for the role. As I watched it again, I couldn't help but wonder what if the roles were reversed. What if Keifer Sutherland played Jamie and Michael J. Fox played the friend? That might have been a more interesting movie, but Sutherland was not yet at that level of stardom. Thank you for joining us. We'll talk again next week, when Episode 95, on the novel and movie version of Less Than Zero is released. Remember to visit this episode's page on our website, The80sMoviePodcast.com, for extra materials about Bright Lights, Big City, both the book and the movie, as well as other titles in the Vintage Contemporary book series. The full cover, back and front, of Richard Ford's 1986 The Sportswriter, which would be the first of four novels about Frank Bascombe, a failed novelist who becomes a sportswriter. The second book in the series, 1995's Independence Day, would win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the first of only two times the same book would win both awards the same year. The 80s Movies Podcast has been researched, written, narrated and edited by Edward Havens for Idiosyncratic Entertainment. Thank you again. Good night.  

On this episode, we travel back to 1984, and the days when a "young adult" novel included lots of drugs and partying and absolutely no sparkly vampires or dystopian warrior girls. We're talking about Jay McInerney's groundbreaking novel, Bright Lights, Big City, and its 1988 film version starring Michael J. Fox and Keifer Sutherland. ----more---- Hello, and welcome to The 80s Movies Podcast. I am your host, Edward Havens. Thank you for listening today. The original 1984 front cover for Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City If you were a young adult in the late 1980s, there's a very good chance that you started reading more adult-y books thanks to an imprint called Vintage Contemporaries. Quality books at an affordable paperback price point, with their uniform and intrinsically 80s designed covers, bold cover and spine fonts, and mix of first-time writers and cult authors who never quite broke through to the mainstream, the Vintage Contemporary series would be an immediate hit when it was first launched in September 1984. The first set of releases would include such novels as Raymond Carver's Cathedral and Thomas McGuane's The Bushwhacked Piano, but the one that would set the bar for the entire series was the first novel by a twenty-nine year old former fact checker at the New Yorker magazine. The writer was Jay McInerney, and his novel was Bright Lights, Big City. The original 1984 front cover for Raymond Carver's Cathedral Bright Lights, Big City would set a template for twenty something writers in the 1980s. A protagonist not unlike the writer themselves, with a not-so-secret drug addiction, and often written in the second person, You, which was not a usual literary choice at the time. The nameless protagonist, You, is a divorced twenty-four year old wannabe writer who works as fact-checker at a major upscale magazine in New York City, for which he once dreamed of writing for. You is recently divorced from Amanda, an aspiring model he had met while going to school in Kansas City. You would move to New York City earlier in the year with her when her modeling career was starting to talk off. While in Paris for Fashion Week, Amanda called You to inform him their marriage was over, and that she was leaving him for another man. You continues to hope Amanda will return to him, and when it's clear she won't, he not only becomes obsessed with everything about her that left in their apartment, he begins to slide into reckless abandon at the clubs they used to frequent, and becoming heavily addicted to cocaine, which then affects his performance at work. A chance encounter with Amanda at an event in the city leads You to a public humiliation, which makes him starts to realize that his behavior is not because his wife left him, but a manifestation of the grief he still feels over his mother's passing the previous year. You had gotten married to a woman he hardly knew because he wanted to make his mother happy before she died, and he was still unconsciously grieving when his wife's leaving him triggered his downward spiral. Bright Lights, Big City was an immediate hit, one of the few paperback-only books to ever hit the New York Times best-seller chart. Within two years, the novel had sold more than 300,000 copies, and spawned a tidal wave of like-minded twentysomething writers becoming published. Bret Easton Ellis might have been able to get his first novel Less Than Zero published somewhere down the line, but it was McInerney's success that would cause Simon and Schuster to try and duplicate Vintage's success, which they would. Same with Tana Janowitz, whose 1986 novel Slaves of New York was picked up by Crown Publishers looking to replicate the success of McInerney and Ellis, despite her previous novel, 1981's American Dad, being completely ignored by the book buying public at that time. While the book took moments from his life, it wasn't necessarily autobiographical. For example, McInerney had been married to a fashion model in the early 1980s, but they would meet while he attended Syracuse University in the late 1970s. And yes, McInerney would do a lot of blow during his divorce from his wife, and yes, he would get fired from The New Yorker because of the effects of his drug addiction. Yes, he was partying pretty hard during the times that preceded the writing of his first novel. And yes, he would meet a young woman who would kinda rescue him and get him on the right path.  But there were a number of details about McInerney's life that were not used for the book. Like how the author studied writing with none other than Raymond Carver while studying creative writing at Syracuse, or how his family connections would allow him to submit blind stories to someone like George Plimpton at the Paris Review, and not only get the story read but published. And, naturally, any literary success was going to become a movie at some point. For Bright Lights, it would happen almost as soon as the novel was published. Robert Lawrence, a vice president at Columbia Pictures in his early thirties, had read the book nearly cover to cover in a single sitting, and envisioned a film that could be “The Graduate” of his generation, with maybe a bit of “Lost Weekend” thrown in. But the older executives at the studio balked at the idea, which they felt would be subversive and unconventional. They would, however, buy in when Lawrence was able to get mega-producer Jerry Weintraub to be a producer on the film, who in turn was able to get Joel Schumacher, who had just finished filming St. Elmo's Fire for the studio, to direct, and get Tom Cruise, who was still two years away from Top Gun and megastardom, to play the main character. McInerney was hired to write the script, and he and Schumacher and Cruise would even go on club crawls in New York City to help inform all of the atmosphere they were trying to capture with the film. In 1985, Weintraub would be hired by United Artists to become their new chief executive, and Bright Lights would be one of the properties he would be allowed to take with him to his new home. But since he was now an executive, Weintraub would need to hire a new producer to take the reigns on the picture. Enter Sydney Pollack. By 1985, Sydney Pollack was one of the biggest directors in Hollywood. With films like They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Jeremiah Johnson, Three Days of the Condor, The Electric Horseman and Tootsie under his belt, Pollock could get a film made, and get it seen by audiences. At least, as a director. At this point in his career, he had only ever produced one movie, Alan Rudolph's 1984 musical drama Songwriter, which despite being based on the life of Willie Nelson, and starring Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Rip Torn, barely grossed a tenth of its $8m budget. And Pollock at that moment was busy putting the finishing touches on his newest film, an African-based drama featuring Meryl Streep and longtime Pollock collaborator Robert Redford. That film, Out of Africa, would win seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, in March 1986, which would keep Pollock and his producing partner Mark Rosenberg's attention away from Bright Lights for several months. Once the hype on Out of Africa died down, Pollock and Rosenberg got to work getting Bright Lights, Big City made. Starting with hiring a new screenwriter, a new director, and a new leading actor. McInerney, Schumacher and Cruise had gotten tired of waiting. Ironically, Cruise would call on Pollock to direct another movie he was waiting to make, also based at United Artists, that he was going to star in alongside Dustin Hoffman. That movie, of course, is Rain Man, and we'll dive into that movie another time. Also ironically, Weintraub would not last long as the CEO of United Artists. Just five months after becoming the head of the studio, Weintraub would tire of the antics of Kirk Kerkorian, the owner of United Artists and its sister company, MGM, and step down. Kerkorian would not let Weintraub take any of the properties he brought from Columbia to his new home, the eponymously named mini-major he'd form with backing from Columbia. With a new studio head in place, Pollock started to look for a new director. He would discover that director in Joyce Chopra, who, after twenty years of making documentaries, made her first dramatic narrative in 1985. Smooth Talk was an incredible coming of age drama, based on a story by Joyce Carol Oates, that would make a star out of then seventeen-year-old Laura Dern. UA would not only hire her to direct the film but hire her husband, Tom Cole, who brilliantly adapted the Oates story that was the basis for Smooth Talk, to co-write the screenplay with his wife. While Cole was working on the script, Chopra would have her agent send a copy of McInerney's book to Michael J. Fox. This wasn't just some random decision. Chopra knew she needed a star for this movie, and Fox's agent just happened to be Chopra's agent. That'd be two commissions for the agent if it came together, and a copy of the book was delivered to Fox's dressing room on the Family Ties soundstage that very day. Fox loved the book, and agreed to do the film. After Alex P. Keaton and Marty McFly and other characters he had played that highlighted his good looks and pleasant demeanor, he was ready to play a darker, more morally ambiguous character. Since the production was scheduled around Fox's summer hiatus from the hit TV show, he was in. For Pollock and United Artists, this was a major coup, landing one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. But the project was originally going to be Toronto standing in for New York City for less than $7m with a lesser known cast. Now, it was going to be a $15m with not only Michael J. Fox but also Keifer Sutherland, who was cast as Tad, the best friend of the formerly named You, who would now known as Jamie Conway, and would be shot on location in New York City. The film would also feature Phoebe Cates as Jamie's model ex-wife, William Hickey, Kelly Lynch. But there was a major catch. The production would only have ten weeks to shoot with Fox, as he was due back in Los Angeles to begin production on the sixth season of Family Ties.  He wasn't going to do that thing he did making a movie and a television show at the same time like he did with Back to the Future and Family Ties in 1984 and 1985. Ten weeks and not a day more. Production on the film would begin on April 13th, 1987, to get as much of the film shot while Fox was still finishing Family Ties in Los Angeles. He would be joining the production at the end of the month. But Fox never get the chance to shoot with Chopra. After three weeks of production, Chopra, her husband, and her cinematographer James Glennon, who had also shot Smooth Talk, were dismissed from the film. The suits at United Artists were not happy with the Fox-less footage that was coming out of New York, and were not happy with the direction of the film. Cole and Chopra had removed much of the nightlife and drug life storyline, and focused more on the development of Jamie as a writer. Apparently, no one at the studio had read the final draft of the script before shooting began. Cole, the screenwriter, says it was Pollock, the producer, who requested the changes, but in the end, it would be not the Oscar-winning filmmaker producing the movie that would be released but the trio of newer creatives. Second unit footage would continue to shoot around New York City while the studio looked for a new director. Ironically, days after Chopra was fired, the Directors Guild of America had announced that if they were not able to sign a new agreement with the Producers Guild before the end of the current contract on June 30th, the directors were going on strike. So now United Artists were really under the gun. After considering such filmmakers as Belgian director Ulu Grosbard, who had directed Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro in Falling in Love, and Australian director Bruce Beresford, whose films had included Breaker Morant and Tender Mercies, they would find their new director in James Bridges, whose filmography included such critical and financial success as The Paper Chase, The China Syndrome and Urban Cowboy, but had two bombs in a row in 1984's Mike's Murder and 1985's Perfect. He needed a hit, and this was the first solid directing offer in three years. He'd spend the weekend after his hiring doing some minor recasting, including bringing in John Houseman, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in The Paper Chase, as well as Swoosie Kurtz, Oscar-winning actors Jason Robards and Dianne Weist, and Tracy Pollan, Fox's co-star on Family Ties, who would shortly after the filming of Bright Lights become Mrs. Michael J. Fox, although in the film, she would be cast not as a love interest to her real-life boyfriend's character but as the wife of Keifer Sutherland's character. After a week of rewriting McInerney's original draft of the screenplay from the Schumacher days, principal photography re-commenced on the film. And since Bridges would be working with famed cinematographer Gordon Willis, who had shot three previous movies with Bridges as well as the first two Godfather movies and every Woody Allen movie from Annie Hall to The Purple Rose of Cairo, it was also decided that none of Chopra's footage would be used. Everything would start back on square one. And because of the impending Directors Guild strike, he'd have only thirty-six days, a tad over five weeks, to film everything. One of the lobby cards from the movie version of Bright Lights, Big City And they were able to get it all done, thanks to some ingenious measures. One location, the Palladium concert hall on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, would double as three different nightclubs, two discotheques and a dinner club. Instead of finding six different locations, which would loading cameras and lights from one location to another, moving hundreds of people as well, and then setting the lights and props again, over and over, all they would have to do is re-decorate the area to become the next thing they needed. Bridges would complete the film that day before the Directors Guild strike deadline, but the strike would never happen. But there would be some issue with the final writing credits. While Bridges had used McInerney's original screenplay as a jumping off point, the writer/director had really latched on to the mother's death as the emotional center of the movie. Bridges' own grandmother had passed away in 1986, and he found writing those scenes to be cathartic for his own unresolved issues. But despite the changes Bridges would make to the script, including adding such filmmaking tropes as flashbacks and voiceovers, and having the movie broken up into sections by the use of chapter titles being typed out on screen, the Writers Guild would give sole screenwriting credit to Jay McInerney. As post-production continued throughout the fall, the one topic no one involved in the production wanted to talk about or even acknowledge was the movie version of Bret Easton Ellis's Less Than Zero that rival studio 20th Century Fox had been making in Los Angeles. It had a smaller budget, a lesser known filmmaker, a lesser known cast lead by Andrew McCarthy and Jami Gertz, and a budget half the size. If their film was a hit, that could be good for this one. And if their film wasn't a hit? Well, Bright Lights was the trendsetter. It was the one that sold more copies. The one that saw its author featured in more magazines and television news shows. How well did Less Than Zero do when it was released into theatres on November 6th, 1987? Well, you're just going to have to wait until next week's episode. Unless you're listening months or years after they were published, and are listening to episodes in reverse order. Then you already know how it did, but let's just say it wasn't a hit but it wasn't really a dud either. Bridges would spend nearly six months putting his film together, most of which he would find enjoyable, but he would have trouble deciding which of two endings he shot would be used. His preferred ending saw Jamie wandering through the streets of New York City early one morning, after a long night of partying that included a confrontation with his ex-wife, where he decides that was the day he was going to get his life back on track but not knowing what he was going to do, but the studio asked for an alternative ending, one that features Jamie one year in the future, putting the finishing touches on his first novel, which we see is titled… wait for it… Bright Lights, Big City, while his new girlfriend stands behind him giving her approval. After several audience test screenings, the studio would decide to let Bridges have his ending. United Artists would an April 1st, 1988 release date, and would spend months gearing up the publicity machine. Fox and Pollan were busy finishing the final episodes of that season's Family Ties, and weren't as widely available for the publicity circuit outside of those based in Los Angeles. The studio wasn't too worried, though. Michael J. Fox's last movie, The Secret of My Success, had been released in April 1987, and had grossed $67m without his doing a lot of publicity for that one, either. Opening on 1196 screens, the film would only manage to gross $5.13m, putting it in third place behind the previous week's #1 film, Biloxi Blues with Matthew Broderick, and the Tim Burton comedy Beetlejuice, which despite opening on nearly 200 fewer screens would gross nearly $3m more. But the reviews were not great. Decent. Respectful. But not great. The New York-based critics, like David Ansen of Newsweek and Janet Maslin of the Times, would be kinder than most other critics, maybe because they didn't want to be seen knocking a film shot in their backyard. But one person would actually would praise the film and Michael J. Fox as an actor was Roger Ebert. But it wouldn't save the film. In its second week, the film would fall to fifth place, with $3.09m worth of tickets sold, and it would drop all the way to tenth place in its third week with just under $1.9m in ticket sales. Week four would see it fall to 16th place with only $862k worth of ticket sales. After that, United Artists would stop reporting grosses. The $17m film had grossed just $16.1m. Bright Lights, Big City was a milestone book for me, in large part because it made me a reader. Before Bright Lights, I read occasionally, mainly John Irving, preferring to spend most of my free time voraciously consuming every movie I could. After Bright Lights, I picked up every Vintage Contemporary book I could get my hands on. One of the checklists of Vintage Contemporary books listed in the back of a Vintage Contemporary book. And one thing that really helped out was the literal checklist of other books available from that imprint in the back of each book. Without those distinct covers, I don't know if I would have discovered some of my favorite authors like Raymond Carver and Don DeLillo and Richard Ford and Richard Russo. Even after the Vintage Contemporary line shut down years later, I continued to read. I still read today, although not as much as I would prefer. I have a podcast to work on. I remember when the movie came out that I wasn't all that thrilled with it, and it would be nearly 35 years before I revisited it again, for this episode. I can't say it's the 80s as I remember it, because I had never been to New York City by that point in my life, I had never, and still never have, done anything like cocaine. And I had only ever had like two relationships that could be considered anything of substance, let alone marriage and a divorce. But I am certain it's an 80s that I'm glad I didn't know. Mainly because Jamie's 80s seemed rather boring and inconsequential. Fox does the best he can with the material, but he is not the right person for the role. As I watched it again, I couldn't help but wonder what if the roles were reversed. What if Keifer Sutherland played Jamie and Michael J. Fox played the friend? That might have been a more interesting movie, but Sutherland was not yet at that level of stardom. Thank you for joining us. We'll talk again next week, when Episode 95, on the novel and movie version of Less Than Zero is released. Remember to visit this episode's page on our website, The80sMoviePodcast.com, for extra materials about Bright Lights, Big City, both the book and the movie, as well as other titles in the Vintage Contemporary book series. The full cover, back and front, of Richard Ford's 1986 The Sportswriter, which would be the first of four novels about Frank Bascombe, a failed novelist who becomes a sportswriter. The second book in the series, 1995's Independence Day, would win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the first of only two times the same book would win both awards the same year. The 80s Movies Podcast has been researched, written, narrated and edited by Edward Havens for Idiosyncratic Entertainment. Thank you again. Good night.  

Thomas McGuane reads his story “Take Half, Leave Half,” which appeared in the October 10, 2022, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published more than a dozen books of fiction, including the story collections “Gallatin Canyon,” “Crow Fair,” and “Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories,” which came out in 2018.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/359 Presented By: Zoe Angling Group, Jackson Hole Fly Company, Togens Fly Shop Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors John Gierach breaks out an amazing episode in this one as he talks about how he came to become one of the greatest fly fishing writers in the world. We dig into some of his books including the famous, Trout Bum and we also chat about his favorite writers. We also talk about the hippie movement in the 60s, weed, death in Colorado fly fishing, and much more. I'm excited to share a little perspective into the life, times, struggles and stories of the great John Gierach. Show Notes with John Gierach 12:45 - John Shewey was on in episode 16 and talked about the process of writing and battling resistance. 15:20 - Thomas McGuane said as a writer, your only currency is your readership. My currency is my guests as noted by John in this episode. 17:00 - Tim Rawlins was on the show in episode 27 to talk about Spey Casting. 19:20 - Trout Bum was one of John's first books published. He talks about how he has always just told stories. 21:55 - Roger Angell wrote for the New Yorker and wrote the essay This Old Man - John noted how amazing Roger described the hand pistol in the essay. 27:10 - April Volkey was on the podcast in episode 30 34:00 - Ed Engle and John McPhee are two big mentors for John. 34:20 - Draft No. 4 is a great book that John says everyone should read if you are interested in writing. 33:20 - AK Best was a big mentor who helped John really get started early on. Ak's Fly Box was one of Ak's biggest books. 36:30 - A Fly Rod of Your Own is John's most recent book. John describes a little about his writing style in the podcast. 39:25 - In episode 5 Jim Teeny noted the article on throwing rocks on fish to move steelhead into place. I noted the idea of throwing spoons out to get steelhead into range for the fly fisherman to catch it. John didn't recall what I was talking about but shared another great story. 56:30 - John tells the story of when he thought he was going to die in a plane crash 1:05:30 - A cougar killed a hiker in Oregon and it's the first time ever that happened in Oregon history 1:15:00 - The Joe Rogan Podcast where the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, smoked weed on live air. I ask John if he would smoke in our episode today. 1:16:15 - The Beatles came out with the White Album partly due to a change in drug use. I ask John the same question about his writing and whether there were changes before and after. 1:18:05 - The Parachute Hare's Ear and a hares ear soft hackle behind it are his goto flies. 1:18:30 - Mary Alice Monroe tells a great story and a writer he follows along with Jim Harrison and Peter Mathison. Conclusion with John Gierach I hope you enjoyed that episode with John Gierach as much as I did. Did you catch the few times that I was completely surprised by John? We went down a few rabbit holes unrelated to fly fishing including weed and the 1960s. John also covered a bunch of topics related to the 20 great fly fishing books he has written over the years. I could have gone for hours with John on this one but had to respect his time. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/359

Subscribe to Quotomania on Simplecast or search for Quotomania on your favorite podcast app!Thomas McGuane, in full Thomas Francis McGuane III, (born December 11, 1939, Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S.), is an American author noted for his picaresque novels of violent action set amid rural landscapes.McGuane attended the University of Michigan, Olivet (Michigan) College, Michigan State University (B.A., 1962), Yale University (M.F.A., 1965), and Stanford University. McGuane's first three novels—The Sporting Club (1969), The Bushwhacked Piano (1971), and Ninety-two in the Shade (1973)—present the central plot and theme of his early fiction: a man, usually from a secure family, exiles himself from American society (which he despises for its materialism and triviality), removes himself to an isolated locale, and then finds a reason—alienation, attraction to a woman, rights to territory—to oppose another man in a succession of acts of escalating violence and revenge.The locales of his novels—Key West, Florida; northern Michigan; Montana—and his scenes of fishing and personal combat suggest the influence of Ernest Hemingway. Whereas McGuane's early novels are noted for their stylistic extravagance, a growing plainness of style developed in his later novels. They include Panama (1978), Nobody's Angel (1981), Something to Be Desired(1984), Keep the Change (1989), and Nothing but Blue Skies (1992). After a hiatus from writing novels, McGuane returned with The Cadence of Grass(2002), which depicts a Montana clan's colorfully tangled lives. It was followed by Driving on the Rim (2010), a freewheeling tale of a small-town doctor.McGuane also wrote short stories, collected in To Skin a Cat (1986), Gallatin Canyon (2006), Crow Fair (2015), and Cloudbursts (2018). In addition, he penned screenplays, several of which were adaptations of his novels. His essay collections—An Outside Chance (1980; rev. ed., 1990), Some Horses (1999), and The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing (1999)—reflect mostly on leisure and the outdoors, especially his passion for fly-fishing and horseback riding. McGuane was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2010.From https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-McGuane. For more information about Thomas McGuane:“Thomas McGuane on Not Living the Writer's Life”: https://lithub.com/thomas-mcguane-on-not-living-the-writers-life/“Thomas McGuane on the American West”: https://www.newyorker.com/books/this-week-in-fiction/thomas-mcguane-10-18-21“The Late Style of Thomas McGuane”: ​​https://believermag.com/the-late-style-of-thomas-mcguane/

The Interview:Matthew Specktor grew up in Los Angeles, the son of a talent agent and screenwriter. One of his childhood heroes was the doomed writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, who arrived in Hollywood in the late 1930s to eke out a living as a screenwriter while he labored on what ended up being his fourth and final novel, The Love of the Last Tycoon. A few months shy of his 40th birthday, Specktor moved back to L.A. and into a crumbling building across the street from where Fitzgerald lived out his last years. Flailing professionally and reeling from his mother's cancer diagnosis, he became "unmoored." Instead of cracking up, as Fitz had after the Roaring Twenties ended and he struggled to complete his post-Gatsby masterpiece Tender is the Night, Specktor embarked on a journey of self-discovery, re-evaluating ideas of success and failure in general but especially in Los Angeles, his home town. What followed is part cultural memoir, part cultural history, and part portrait of a place, as the dust jacket declares in Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis & Los Angeles, California (Tin House Books, 2021). Specktor tells his own narrative alongside some known and lesser-known players of the New Hollywood era of his youth: you meet Carole Eastman, Eleanor Perry, Warren Zevon, Tuesday Weld, Hal Ashby, and Michael Cimino. The result is a masterwork of genre-bending nonfiction, an unvarnished view of Tinseltown and its demons, but also its undeniable magic and charm. In the end, after much loss, optimism wins. And that is when you know you have a good book on your hands: When it helps us navigate through the "beautiful ruins that await us all." J.C. Gabel spoke with Skecktor, earlier this fall, about his latest book and the creative process. The Reading: Matthew Specktor reads from his latest book, Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis & Los Angeles, California.Music by David Bowie.

Thomas McGuane reads his story “Not Here You Don't,” from the October 18, 2021, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published more than a dozen books of fiction, including “Gallatin Canyon,” “Crow Fair,” and “Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories,” which came out in 2018. 

Matthew Specktor, one of the founding editors of the Los Angeles Review of Books, joins Kate Wolf and Medaya Ocher to discuss his newest book, Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California. A memoir and cultural history, Always Crashing explores the work and lives of writers, actors, directors, and musicians who straddle the line between success and anonymity, and whose careers, though majestic, still leave questions about what might have been had circumstances or, in many cases, their temperaments, been different. These include the screenwriters Eleanor Perry and Carole Eastman, the novelist Thomas McGuane, the actress Tuesday Weld, and the filmmaker Hal Ashby. The book questions notions of both success and failure, especially as filtered through the distorted prism of Hollywood. It also touches on Matthew's own experiences growing up and later working in the film industry, his mother's brief turn as a screenwriter, and his father's more abiding success as a talent agent. A native of Los Angeles, Matthew draws a vivid portrait of the city, with both love and disdain. Also, Jeanetta Rich, whose first collection of poems, Black Venus Fly Trap, was released in June, drops by to recommend Federico Garcia Lorca's play Blood Wedding.

Matthew Specktor, one of the founding editors of the Los Angeles Review of Books, joins Kate Wolf and Medaya Ocher to discuss his newest book, Always Crashing in the Same Car: On Art, Crisis, and Los Angeles, California. A memoir and cultural history, Always Crashing explores the work and lives of writers, actors, directors, and musicians who straddle the line between success and anonymity, and whose careers, though majestic, still leave questions about what might have been had circumstances or, in many cases, their temperaments, been different. These include the screenwriters Eleanor Perry and Carole Eastman, the novelist Thomas McGuane, the actress Tuesday Weld, and the filmmaker Hal Ashby. The book questions notions of both success and failure, especially as filtered through the distorted prism of Hollywood. It also touches on Matthew's own experiences growing up and later working in the film industry, his mother's brief turn as a screenwriter, and his father's more abiding success as a talent agent. A native of Los Angeles, Matthew draws a vivid portrait of the city, with both love and disdain. Also, Jeanetta Rich, whose first collection of poems, Black Venus Fly Trap, was released in June, drops by to recommend Federico Garcia Lorca's play Blood Wedding.

One thing that seems to be true in all generations of American life is that it can be challenging to summon the courage to follow your dreams in a material world. In this conversation with writers Eric M. Johnson and Thomas McGuane, they considered this difficulty paralleled with their own work and lives. Through the lens of Johnson's debut novel—a story of a young man who must decide what he stands for in the midst of Wall Street greed and family civil war—and McGuane's fiction and life, they shared their struggles and triumphs on the path to following their own dreams. With short readings from their respective works, they touched on writing, life, and fly fishing. Don't miss this riveting discussion from two consummate American writers. Thomas McGuane is an American writer. He began contributing fiction to The New Yorker in 1994. He has written ten novels, including the National Book Award-nominated Ninety-Two in the Shade, as well as six nonfiction essay collections and two short-story collections. His work has been anthologized in the “Best American Stories,” “Best American Essays,” and “Best American Sporting Essays.” His most recent book is Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories. Eric M. Johnson is an American journalist, author, and outdoorsman. His current journalistic focus is aerospace – from Boeing's 737 MAX crisis to Elon Musk's SpaceX – and he has covered former President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, breaking national news, and transportation since joining Reuters in 2011 in Chicago. He has also been a staff reporter for Sun-Times Media Group and covered sports for the Observer, in London. Buy the Books Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories by Thomas McGuane Whenever a Happy Thing Falls by Eric M. Johnson Presented by Town Hall Seattle. To become a member or make a donation click here. 

Screenwriter Steven Peros joins the episode to discuss “The Missouri Breaks”, a film that is as great as the sum of its parts and its parts are…well…pretty great! Directed by Arthur Penn. Written by Thomas McGuane. Produced by Elliot Kastner. With a score from John Williams. Starring Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Lloyd, Randy Quaid, Frederic Forrest, Harry Dean Stanton & John P. Ryan How is the world wrong about this movie? From Andras: As Steven Peros says in the episode, some films are misjudged by their time, and against their time. “The Missouri Breaks” was so much OF its time the 1970's totally missed it. Find all of our episodes at www.theworldiswrongpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @theworldiswrongpodcast Check out: The Director's Wall with Bryan Connolly & AJ Gonzalez & The Radio8Ball Show hosted by Andras Jones See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

92 in the Shade (1975) / Orca (1977) This week we packed up our rods and harpoons and cast off for Key West and Newfoundland to discuss man's favorite sport in Thomas McGuane's sun-baked bummer and Dino De Laurentiis' whale revenge epic

Thomas McGuane reads his story from the May 10, 2021, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published more than a dozen books of fiction, including the story collections “Gallatin Canyon,” “Crow Fair,” and “Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories,” which came out in 2018.

Téa Obreht joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Gallatin Canyon,” by Thomas McGuane, which appeared in a 2003 issue of the magazine. Obreht is the author of two novels, “The Tiger's Wife” and “Inland.”

https://wetflyswing.com/202 Sponsor: OPST: http://wetflyswing.com/opst Sponsor: Sawyer Oars: http://wetflyswing.com/sawyer Nick Lyons, founder of Lyons Press Publishing is on the podcast to share the story of how he created one of the most influential publishing companies in the fly fishing space having published some of the greatest writers and books in the business. We talk about the history and who some of those great writers were which includes Swisher and Richards, Whitlock and many others.  I'm really excited to share this one with you and we even get into a little hoops. Show Notes with Nick Lyons - Nick was on the Orvis Podcast here if you want to hear more from Nick. - Nick was running Crown Publishing back in the day and was also teaching at the time.  Michele Obama's book, Becoming, was recently published by Crown. - Art Flick's Streamside Guide was a huge book for Nick. - Fisherman's Bounty was the book that got Nick fully engrained into this world.  Swisher and Richards came from an Art Flick recommendation.  Selective Trout came from this connection with Art Flick. - Fire and the Straw is Nick's most recent book that he wrote that touches on key points in his life. - Big Two Hearted river by Hemmingway changed Nick's trajectory and thinking of outdoor writing and literature. - French Fishing Flies was a book that did not sell well but was a good example of a diverse list of books. - Dave Whitlock was another great author and was on this podcast in episode 160 here. - GEM Skues books as well as  Art Lingren's book on Haig-Brown were to more influential books. - Where the Bright Waters Meet by Harry Plunkent Greene. - Fishing the Dry Fly Dermot Wilson and Masters on the Dry Fly by JM Migel were two good dry fly books from distant times in the past.  Nick was able to bring many old books back to life. - Gary LaFontaine's book Caddisflies is one of the great fly fishing books of all time. - Rowman and Littlefield now own Lyons Press Publishing and are still producing new outdoor books. - I noted Art Lingren was on the podcast in episode 191 of the podcast.  - John Gierach noted Thomas McGuane and Nick said he is the best fishing writer in the world.  John Gierach was on the podcast in episode 47 here. Fly Fishing Books Conclusion with Nick Lyons The great Nick Lyons is here today to share the story of how he founded one of the most impactful publishing house with a focus on fly fishing and outdoor writers.  Nick and I cover it all today including his history playing basketball and some family challenges around death. https://wetflyswing.com/202

Today we take a holiday break to discuss gifts we received as well dream Christmas Gifts. What are some of yours? Michaels new reading list is Lords of the Fly by Monte Burke https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lords-of-the-fly-monte-burke/1136528537?ean=9781643135595 and The Longest Silence a life in fishing by Thomas McGuane https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/longest-silence-thomas-mcguane/1102814075?ean=9780525565307 . I will give a review when I am done. Joe's on the hunt for some new Daiwa reel at Susquehanna Fishing Tackle https://sfttackle.com Michael's local shop is Tight Lines https://www.tightlinesflyfishing.com Michael's Top 5: East Coast Defender 110 https://ecdautodesign.com/inventory/custom-defender-110-ecd-2/ Used to be a D90 NAS https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/land-rover/defender-90/2420174.html Hacker Crraft 32' Twin Sport https://www.hackerboat.com/boat/466-2007-32-twin-sport/ Grady White Center Console Boat Florida Keys Beach house Montana or Idaho Ranch with River Access Bonus: Wyatt Earp's Colt .45 Revolver https://moneyinc.com/the-10-most-expensive-guns-ever-sold-at-auction/ Black Beards Sword https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/1/110112-pirate-blackbeards-sword-shipwreck-queen-annes-revenge-science-treasure/ Joey's Top 5 Ranger Bass Boat 21' https://www.rangerboats.com Icon FJ40 http://www.icon4x4.com House down south Off Shore Boat Ranch out West Please leave us a rating and review and if you enjoyed todays podcast, please let us know in the comment section. If interested, please leave us a message to have your questions or comments played during the show. As always, you can find us everywhere you listen to your podcasts as well as on YouTube and Instagram. https://linktr.ee/HackerOutdoors Joey can be found on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joeymccormack81/ and Snapchat at Joey4881 . --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hackeroutdoors/message

It's the birthday of two writers who were lifelong friends: Jim Harrison (1937-2016) and Thomas McGuane (b. 1939).

For more than fifteen years, the fiction writer Edwidge Danticat has called Miami’s Little Haiti home. The neighborhood is full of Haitian émigrés like herself, many of whom support families back home. Though the virus has barely touched Haiti, the economic devastation it has wreaked on the U.S. will have dire consequences on the island. Over the years, Danticat has watched as Haiti’s struggles—political, economic, and environmental—have affected her friends and neighbors in Florida. “People would often say, ‘Whenever Haiti sneezes, Miami catches a cold,’ ” says Danticat. “But the reverse is also true.” Plus, two Western writers—Thomas McGuane and Callan Wink, separated by more than forty years in age—go fishing on Montana’s Yellowstone River, and share a pointed critique of “Western writing.”

Today is the shared birthday of two notable authors, and friends, Thomas McGuane (1939) and Jim Harrison (1937).

A RUSS NICHOLS EXCLUSIVE! Russ gives us his point-of-view on the obscure but crazy adaptation of the Thomas McGuane novel 92 IN THE SHADE (1975).

Thomas McGuane reads his story from the September 23, 2019, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published fourteen books of fiction, including the story collections "Gallatin Canyon," "Crow Fair," and "Cloudbursts," which came out last year.

Welcome back for another episode of the GGtMC!!! In this weeks episode of the GGtMC...Will, Sammy and Todd bring you coverage of The Case of the Bloody Iris (19762) directed by Giuliano Carnimeo and 92 In The Shade (1975) directed by Thomas McGuane!!! We hope you enjoy the show!!! Emails to midnitecinema@gmail.com Adios!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ggtmc/message

Chris Dombrowski is an author, poet, and fishing guide who lives and works in Missoula, Montana. As a writer, Chris is probably best known for his book "Body of Water: A Sage, a Seeker, and the World's Most Elusive Fish," which is one of the best books I’ve read in years. He has also published several collections of poetry, and his newest volume titled "Ragged Anthem" will be released this week. When you merge Chris’s decades of experience in the outdoors with his phenomenal skills as a wordsmith and creative, the end product is some of the most engaging writing that any outdoor lover could ever hope to read. Chris grew up in Michigan and was always drawn to fishing, hunting, and outdoor adventure. During high school, his favorite English teacher gave him a copy of "A River Runs Through It"—he devoured the book in a day and from that point forward he knew he wanted to be a professional writer living in the American West. Over the following years, he began fish guiding in Montana, attended graduate school in Missoula, and built a solid career as a working writer and poet. Along the way, he formed friendships with such notable western writers as Jim Harrison and David James Duncan, and he established his nonprofit writing workshop, the Beargrass Writing Retreat. If you are interested in creativity, writing, or the writing process, then you will absolutely love this episode with Chris. We discuss that fateful day when he read "A River Runs Through It" and exactly how that moment changed his life. We discuss his work as a teacher and a guide, and how those skills inform his writing. We talk about his writing process and his writing studio, the importance of creating art with a disciplined, workman-like approach, and how he deals with any self-doubt that may come with publishing his work. We chat in depth about poetry, and Chris offers some great advice for poetry novices like me who want to better understand the art form. We talk about specific writers Chris particularly admires, including John McFee, Thomas McGuane, David James Duncan, Jim Harrison, and more. He offers a ton of great book recommendations, discusses his favorite rivers in Montana, and shares some excellent words of wisdom to people who love the West. Thanks again to Chris for this fun conversation—I hope you enjoy it! http://mountainandprairie.com/chris-dombrowski/ https://www.cdombrowski.com TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - How Chris describes his work 6:30 - Story behind "Body of Water" 13:00 - How writing poetry helps his nonfiction work 17:00 - Structuring nonfiction like McPhee 19:00 - Experience teaching 21:00 - Reading seriously 23:15 - Teaching as a complement to writing 25:30 - Early experiences in Montana 27:00 - First big trip to the Rockies 27:30 - First time reading "A River Runs Through It" 29:00 - Importance of fishing 31:00 - Importance of passion in work 34:30 - Chris’s writing process 38:00 - Importance of having a writing studio 44:00 - Struggle of staying on task 48:30 - Dealing with self-doubt 54:30 - How to read poetry 1:00:30 - Lessons learned from Jim Harrison 1:05:00 - Background on "Ragged Anthem” 1:08:30 - In-depth conversation on podcasts 1:12:00 - Favorite books about the West 1:19:00 - Favorite rivers in the West 1:21:00 - Words of wisdom 1:25:15 - Connect with Chris

Hal meets up with Tom McGuane in McLeod, Montana, on the Boulder River. They begin with an eye-widening discussion of how McGuane’s “The Heart of the Game” (widely recognized as one of the greatest-ever essays on hunting) came to be written and published in Sports Illustrated in the early 1970s. The stories – as well as the funny and thought-provoking observations – continue from there. The poet Jim Harrison once said, “Thomas McGuane writes better about fishing than anyone else in the history of mankind.” Start 2019 off right with this conversation between two lifelong sportsmen and masters of the written and spoken word.  

In this episode Reid has the privilege of sharing an hour with acclaimed writer, rancher, hunter, angler, and conservationist Thomas McGuane. McGuane, whose career as a novelist and short story writer spans nearly 50 years, describes his thoughts on hunting, dogs, place, guns, and friends. For listeners who know and love McGuane's work, this podcast is a must.

Show Notes: http://wetflyswing.com/47 John Gierach breaks out an amazing episode in this one as he talks about how he came to become one of the greatest fly fishing writers in the world.  We also get into the hippie movement in the 60's, death and Colorado fishing. I could have gone for another 2 hours with John but had to respect his time.  I'm excited to share a little perspective into the life, times, struggles and stories of the great John Gierach. Show Notes with John Gierach John Shewey was on in episode 16 and talked about the process of writing. Thomas McGuane said your only currency is your readership.  My currency is my guests as noted by John in this episode. Tim Rawlins was on the show in episode 27 to talk about Spey Casting. Trout Bum was one of John's first books that he published.  He talks about how he has always just told stories. Roger Angel wrote for the New Yorker - The essay This Old Man was noted by John and how he described a hand pistol. The leaky roof at the end of one of the essay's in Trout Bum.  See page 18 to hear the exact quote. Ak Best was a big mentor who helped John really get started early on.  Ak's Fly Box was one of Ak's biggest books. Ed Engle and John McPhee are two big mentors for John. Fly Rod of Your Own is John's most recent book. Jim Teeny noted the article on the throwing rocks on fish and I noted the idea of throwing spoons out to get steelhead into range for the fly.  John didn't recall what I was talking about. The editorial piece on marijuana that John wrote for the local paper. The Joe Rogan Podcast where the CEO of Tesla smoked weed on live air. The hares ear parachute and a hares ear soft hackle behind it are his goto flies. Alice Monroe tells a great story and a writer he follows along with Jim Harrison and Peter Mathison. You can reach John at JohnGierach.com and find his upcoming books there. Conclusion with John Gierach I hope you enjoyed that episode with John Geirach as much as I did.  Did you catch the few times that I was completely surprised by John.  We went down a few rabbit holes unrelated to fly fishing including weed and the 1960's. But John also covered a bunch of topics related to the 20 great fly fishing books he has written over the years.   

Join us for release party for Issue 50 of TIMOTHY McSWEENEY’S QUARTERLY CONCERN. To celebrate our 50th issue, we’ve put together a guaranteed show stopper, with stories, essays, treatises, manifestos, letters, comics, and illustrated travel diaries from fifty different contributors. There’s stunning new work from writers who we’ve long published — Jonathan Lethem, Lydia Davis, Sherman Alexie, Etgar Keret, Sheila Heti, Diane Williams, Sarah Vowell, John Hodgman, Steven Millhauser (among many others) — and fantastic new writing from authors who we’ve long admired, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Thomas McGuane, Kevin Young, and Carrie Brownstein. The physical object that will contain all this great work will be a sturdy and beautiful hardcover book— something to behold and something to keep. Plus, the dust jacket folds out into a poster by Tucker Nichols that can gaze down at you from above your breakfast nook, bathtub, gift wrapping station, or wherever you’d like to be reminded of 50 glorious issues of the McSweeney’s Quarterly. Readers include: Kevin MoffettCorinna VallianatosSarah WalkerCarson MellBrian Evenson    Event date: Tuesday, August 29, 2017 - 7:30pm

Thomas McGuane reads his story from the November 13, 2017, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published thirteen books of fiction, including the story collections "Gallatin Canyon" and "Crow Fair." A new volume, titled "Cloudbursts: Collected and New Stories," will be published next year. 

Welcome to part 2 of my conversation with Dylan Tomine. In this episode, you'll hear Dylan read two pieces from the Portland stop during the 2016 Cascadia Tour: Luck and Salmon Dreams. You'll also hear us talk a bit about the writing life, how he came upon the idea for his book, Closer to the Ground, and a somewhat roundabout meeting with Thomas McGuane. The Fly Tapes is made possible thanks to generous support from Patagonia. You can subscribe to The Fly Tapes in iTunes. Music: As I Was Saying and How I Used to See the Stars by Lee Rosevere, from Free Music Archive under CC BY 4.0

Dylan Tomine is "a writer, conservation advocate, blueberry farmer, and father, not necessarily in that order." His work has been published in The Flyfish Journal, The Drake, and other fly fishing publications. In 2012, Patagonia Books published Dylan's first book, Closer to the Ground: An outdoor family's year on the water, in the woods and at the table. In his forward to the book, Thomas McGuane wrote, "This author is leading by example, and the quiet message is to learn to live with the things that really matter, the eternal things about the earth, and about each other."  The Fly Tapes Podcast is made possible with generous support from Patagonia. Subscribe to The Fly Tapes in iTunes. Music: Let's Start at the Beginning by Lee Rosevere, from Free Music Archive under CC BY 4.0

In Part Two of this file the recent Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and acclaimed author of the award-winning short story collection Hot Little Hands, Abigail Ulman, visited the show this week to talk about having a beer with George Saunders, the life of a traveling freelancer, and the idiosyncrasies of great writers. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to being a freelance copywriter and screenwriter, the native Australian author and self-confessed gypsy has followed in the footsteps of other famous itinerant writers. At Stanford’s two-year creative writing fellowship she got the chance to study with great writers like Tobias Wolff and Colm Toibin. Other notable fellows — to name a few — have included Raymond Carver, Ken Kesey, Scott Turow, Thomas McGuane, and Larry McMurtry. Abigail’s short stories invited the interest of publishers, and her first book, Hot Little Hands, went on to win a 2016 Best Young Australian Novelist Award and is a collection of “… heartbreakingly tender and often darkly funny fiction.” Lena Dunham called it a “… highly inventive collection of short fiction which hits virtually all my buttons,” and Publishers Weekly said of the book, “The captivating women in this collection leave a lasting impression.” If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. If you missed the first half you can find it right here. In Part Two of this file Abigail Ulman and I discuss: How she divides her writing day and the rarity of copywriting emergencies The autobiographical nature of writer’s block Why you need to be kind to yourself and the power of taking breaks The neurotic nature of writers Why the best way to beat anxiety is to eliminate self-doubt Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Award-Winning Short Story Writer Abigail Ulman Writes: Part One Hot Little Hands: Fiction – Abigail Ulman The Agony and the Ecstasy of Girlhood – The Atlantic review Abigail Ulman on writer’s block Sydney Writers Festival – Podcast Sydney Writers Festival Abigail Ulman on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter

The recent Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and acclaimed author of the award-winning short story collection Hot Little Hands, Abigail Ulman, visited the show this week to talk about having a beer with George Saunders, the life of a traveling freelancer, and the idiosyncrasies of great writers. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to being a freelance copywriter and screenwriter, the native Australian author and self-confessed gypsy has followed in the footsteps of other famous itinerant writers. At Stanford’s two-year creative writing fellowship she got the chance to study with great writers like Tobias Wolff and Colm Toibin. Other notable fellows — to name a few — have included Raymond Carver, Ken Kesey, Scott Turow, Thomas McGuane, and Larry McMurtry. Abigail’s short stories invited the interest of publishers, and her first book, Hot Little Hands, went on to win a 2016 Best Young Australian Novelist Award and is a collection of “… heartbreakingly tender and often darkly funny fiction.” Lena Dunham called it a “… highly inventive collection of short fiction which hits virtually all my buttons,” and Publishers Weekly said of the book, “The captivating women in this collection leave a lasting impression.” If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Abigail Ulman and I discuss: How a love of travel and words led her to Stanford University The emotional challenges she faced finishing her first book On the shift from the solitude of writing fiction to the collaborative nature of screenwriting How she tested out her interview skills on the biggest stage available Why she nerds out about her coffee ritual Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Award-Winning Short Story Writer Abigail Ulman Writes: Part Two Hot Little Hands: Fiction – Abigail Ulman The Agony and the Ecstasy of Girlhood – The Atlantic review Abigail Ulman on writer’s block Sydney Writers’ Festival – Podcast Sydney Writers’ Festival Abigail Ulman on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter

Thomas McGuane reads his story “Papaya,” from the August 22, 2016, issue of the magazine. McGuane has published ten novels and three short story collections, including, most recently, “Crow Fair.” He's been publishing fiction in The New Yorker since 1994.

Haints Stay (Two Dollar Radio)  From a rising star in the indie lit world comes a striking new Acid Western in the tradition of Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man or Kelly Reichardt's Meek's Cutoff.  Brooke and Sugar are killers. Bird is the boy who mysteriously woke beside them between towns. The story follows the middling bounty hunters after they've been chased from town, and Bird, each in pursuit of their own brand of belonging and justice. It features gunfights, cannibalism, barroom piano, a transgender birth, a wagon train, a stampede, and the tenuous rise of the West's first one-armed gunslinger.  Haunting, surreal, and possessing an unsettling humor, Haints Stay will ensure Winnette's growing reputation as an imaginative stylist and one of the most striking voices of his generation.  Praise for Haints Stay “The unexpectedness of Colin Winnette's fiction is nothing less than thrilling. Haints Stay is a solid, layered work of genre-defying beauty.”—The Lit Pub “Haints Stay puts to mind the very best contemporary novels of the old West, including those by powerhouses like Charles Portis, Patrick DeWitt, Robert Coover, Oakley Hall, E.L. Doctorow and Sheriff Cormac McCarthy himself, not to mention Thomas McGuane's classic screenplays for The Missouri Breaks and Tom Horn. But Colin Winnette has his own dark and delightful and surprising agenda. Be wary. He might be the new law in town." —Sam Lipsyte “Life is nasty, brutish, and short in this noir-tinged Western... that falls somewhat uncomfortably between ‘Deadwood' and The Crying Game. It sounds like a cross between Daniel Woodrell and Elmore Leonard right up until Winnette flips the script.”—Kirkus Reviews “If the Western genre could be thought of as a pile of old stones, Haints Stay is a particular piece of lovely spit-shined agate at the top, gleaming in invitation, and under its glow the others are changed.” —Amelia Gray “Funny, brutal and haunting, Haints Stay takes the traditional Western, turns it inside out, eviscerates it, skins it, and then wears it as a duster. This is the kind of book that would make Zane Grey not only roll over in his grave but rise undead from the ground with both barrels blazing.”—Brian Evenson “From his curiously harrowing Animal Collection to the glorious guts of Fondly, I trust wherever Colin Winnette's imagination sees fit to take me. And now — with Haints Stay — we venture to the lawless old West for a story stitched out of animal skins and language that glimmers like blood diamonds. This is a dangerous novel; let's read it and risk our lives together.”—Saeed Jones “Before the novel ends, there's cannibalism, an amputation, a bloody jailhouse shoot-out, a surprise birth, and the slaughter of a town's entire population. [A] portrait of the frontier as a place where desperation and death were always near at hand.”—Publishers Weekly “I loved it. Loved it! Haints Stay had me from the very first line—the visceral ante upped and crescendoing nearly every page. Humor, gore, that wonderful unsettling feel you get when you're reading a book that excites you and kind of scares you as well?,Yes, please.”—Lindsay Hunter Colin Winnette is the author of several books, including the SPD bestseller Coyote, and Fondly, listed among Salon's "best books of 2013." His writing has appeared in the Believer, the American Reader, McSweeney's, and 9th Letter, among other places. His prizes include the NOS Book Contest (for Coyote) and Sonora Review's Short Short Fiction Prize. He was a finalist for Gulf Coast Magazine's Donald Barthelme Prize for short prose and the Cleveland State University Poetry Center's First Book Award. He conducts a semi-regular interview series for Electric Literature and is an associate editor of Pank magazine. He lives in San Francisco. Karolina Waclawiak received her BFA in Screenwriting from USC School of Cinematic Arts and her MFA in Fiction from Columbia University. Her first novel, How To Get Into The Twin Palms, was published by Two Dollar Radio in 2012. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Rumpus, and The Believer (where she is also an editor). She lives in Los Angeles.

Thomas McGuane's new book of stories is a demonstration model of his verbal surprises and his deep insight into his characters.

Thomas McGuane joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss David Means’s “The Tree Line, Kansas, 1934,” from a 2010 issue of the magazine.

Rick Bass reads "Ice," by Thomas McGuane.

Sam Lipsyte reads Thomas McGuane's "Cowboy," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. "Cowboy" was published in the September 19, 2005, issue of The New Yorker and is collected in "Gallatin Canyon."

Thomas McGuane reads James Salter's "Last Night," and discusses it with The New Yorker's fiction editor, Deborah Treisman.

The writer discusses life in Montana as a literary style.