On this week’s short story skirmish we read two American heavyweights, David Foster Wallace’s psychological spiral “Good Old Neon” and Shirley Jackson’s disturbing drawing of names in “The Lottery”. Jackson’s story was once a staple of Wallace’s freshman English syllabus, and perhaps a similarity between the two can be found in their examinations of toxic behaviour. “The Lottery” exposes the toxic side of tradition, and in “Good Old Neon” we see just how destructive a cycle of cynicism can be.

Some of the books and authors discussed in this episode include:

• "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
• “Good Old Neon” David Foster Wallace
• “Bright Lights Big City” by Jay McInerney
• “Cain” by Jose Saramago
• “Autobiography of My Mother” by Jamaica Kincaid

Additional segments throughout the podcast include:

• Inner Shelf
• Fact or fiction
• What are you reading?
• On that Quote

Email: seamusandblake@gmail.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/on.the.same.page.podcast/

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