The Chills at Will Podcast

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Notes and Links to Julie Buntin’s Work Julie Buntin’s new novel, Famous Men, is out as of July 14. Her debut, Marlena, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize and longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. It was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick and was released in ten territories worldwide and named a best book of the year by over a dozen outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews. In September, Norton will publish her collaborative nonfiction project, Notes to New Mothers, co-edited with Rebecca Dinerstein Knight.

Previously, Buntin was an editor and director of writing programs at Catapult. She has taught creative writing at NYU, Columbia University, Marymount Manhattan College, the Yale Writers’ Workshop, Lighthouse Writers Workshop’s Lit Fest, and elsewhere. Now, she writes and teaches in Ann Arbor, where she is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.

Buy Famous Men

Julie Buntin's Website

Elle Magazine: “An Exclusive First Look at Julie Buntin’s Famous Men, One of the Most Anticipated Novels of 2026"

New York Times Review of Famous Men

At about 3:00, Julie shares feedback she has received about Famous Men

At about 4:20, Julie gives publishing and purchasing information for her novel

At about 5:30, Julie highlights book tour events

At about 6:10, Julie talks about her upbringing in Michigan

At about 7:40, Julie traces her childhood connections to reading and literary culture

At about 10:40, Julie shouts out Mr. Young, her “formative” 10th grade English teacher and talks about her early reading and burgeoning literary interests

At about 12:20, Pete fanboys over Tobias Wolff in asking Julie’s thoughts on the “public intellectual” and connections to her novel, Famous Men

At about 15:40, Julie highlights Lorrie Moore, Toni Morrison, Elizabeth Bishop, Elena Ferrante, and Stephen King, among others, as formational for her own writing

At about 19:10, Julie compliments current writers whose work she enjoys, including Raven Leilani, Emma Cline, and Claire Messoud

At about 20:40, Julie responds to Pete’s question about the texts that resonate with her students, including Tinkers by Paul Harding

At about 23:25, Pete unloads his traumatic writing workshop experience, and Julie gives background on the evolution of the writing workshop

At about 27:30, Pete shares the novel’s epigraphs and asks Julie about seeds for the book

At about 32:30, The two discuss the book’s opening and reflect on where to open a/the book

At about 34:00, The two discuss an inciting incident and flashforward and the main male character’s writing and many relationships with women

At about 35:00, The two discuss sexism experienced by Will as a girl

At about 36:05, Julie reflects on the “secret summers” Will had as a teenager

At about 38:55, The two discuss the “shame” Will feels and the connection to her writing and need to express herself

At about 41:20, The two discuss the power of truth (or the lack of power), especially for young women, as seen in the way that young Will is often disbelieved

At about 42:25, Pete highlights a winning craft point, and Julie highlights how Nathaniel would have started the book-she muses on how to write this part

At about 43:30, The two discuss a huge breach of trust in Will’s household, as Julie muses on Will’s mindset before and after the gross behavior from a family member

At about 46:40, Pete and Julie discuss Will’s leaving to New York City and her first experience with a reading and meeting Nathaniel

At about 50:05, Julie responds to Pete’s questions about her treatment of a “ghost character”

At about 52:40, Pete highlights a “fraught” scene

At about 53:40, The two discuss the writing slump of Nathaniel and connections to impotence in the book and in the writing world and who gets to carry one’s legacy despite a dr

At about 55:00, Julie discusses Nathaniel as a composite character

At about 56:00, Julie talks about an important photo and how it affects the relationship between Will and Nathaniel

At about 58:30, Julie expands on the idea of Nathaniel’s fame, as seen by his inner world and the outer world

At about 1:01:40, Famous men and “missing” fathers are discussed, as well

At about 1:02:45, Julie reflects on the heart condition that Will has and somatic/anxiety links

At about 1:03:50, Julie responds to Pete’s musings about Will being stunted or fed in her growth as a writer and person through being with Nathaniel

At about 1:08:30, Julie ponders Pete’s question regarding what to do with the creation of flawed creators

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode is the trailer episode for my limited podcast series, Rage is a Gift: Evil Empire at 30. I reflect on the Importance (and the power of this capital "I") of Rage Against the Machine and their seminal Evil Empire album, which is celebrating 30 years of resistance. The limited podcast series will do a deep exploration of, and reflection on, the lyrics and context of each of the 12 powerful songs on the album.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode is “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 347 with a guest to be announced.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

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Notes and Links to Devin O’Shea’s Work

Devin Thomas O’Shea is the author of The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis, publishing with Haymarket Books on June 23, 2026. His writing is in The Nation, the Iowa Review, Slate, LA Review of Books, Boulevard, and elsewhere.

Buy The Veiled Prophet

Devin Thomas O'Shea's Website

Review and Informative Article for The Veiled Society in St. Louis Magazine

At about 1:45, Devin details book tour information and ordering information for his book, The Veiled Prophet

At about 2:50, Devin talks about the truth and fiction that goes with the book

At about 3:30, Devin describes his work with QAnon-related podcasts and reporting

At about 5:10, Jim Caviezel (!!!) Talk

At about 6:15, Devin and Pete reflect on the state of QAnon in 2026 and the American public’s viewpoint

At about 13:30, Pete makes connections between the Veiled Prophets and history “rhyming”

At about 18:20, The two discuss famous people from St. Louis and the McCloskey’s

At about 21:40, Devin responds to Pete’s asking about seeds for the book

At about 24:10, The two discuss the high-level capitalists, policymakers, and "landed gentry”-Devin discusses the key years of the 1870s and beginnings of the Veiled Prophet Society

At about 27:15,

At about 29:45, Pete notes the Orientalism associated with the symbology of the Veiled Prophet, and Devin expands on the early Prophet

At about 32:10, The two reflect on class solidarity and racism and the “aggrieved white male” in early and modern times, with connections to the Veiled Prophet Society

At about 35:00, Devin details Alonzo Slayback, a founder of the Society, and early philosophy and symbology and capitalistic views

At about 36:55, Devin responds to Pete’s musings about American political parties and past and present ideas of progressivism

At about 38:10, Devin traces some early leadership in the Society and the ways in which “Mardi Gras-centric” clubs evolved/devolved

At about 41:35, Devin expands upon the idea put forth in the book, adapted from Edward Said, of Orientalism as “projected feelings into an Aladdin…framework”

At about 42:55, Devin talks about Alonzo Slayback’s killing

At about 45:45, The two reflect on the importance of the 1904 World Fair in Saint Louis, and the fact that 11/12 board members were part of the Veiled Prophet Society

At about 49:30, Mary Smith and her controversy regarding her marriage is discussed

At about 51:00, Patriarchy and connections to the Society are discussed

At about 52:00, The commodification of the history of the Society and Societal connections to the Manhattan Project

At about 54:30, Devin responds to Pete asking about Clark Clifford and Harry Truman and connections to local and federal governments

At about 56:50, Devin reflects on the life and legacy of Thomas Dooley

At about 58:50, Monsanto and other St. Louis connections and Black communities’ protests, including ACTION, are discussed

At about 1:02:40, The famed 1972 unmasking of the Veiled Prophet is discussed

At about 1:04:00, Devin talks about going to the VP Fair as a kid

At about 1:04:40, The two discuss the book’s ending and St. Louis “potential”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode is the trailer episode for Pete’s limited podcast series, Rage is a Gift: Evil Empire at 30. Pete reflects on the Importance (and the power of this capital "I") of Rage Against the Machine and their seminal Evil Empire album, which is celebrating 30 years of resistance. The limited podcast series will do a deep exploration of, and reflection on, the lyrics and context of each of the 12 powerful songs on the album.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 346 with Julie Buntin, whose debut, Marlena, was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize and longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. The novel was released in ten territories worldwide and named a best book of the year by over a dozen outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR, and Kirkus Reviews.

The episode airs on July 14, Pub Day for her novel, Famous Men. This book is so, so good.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

View Details

In this trailer episode, Pete reflects on the Importance (and the power of this capital "I") of Rage Against the Machine and their seminal Evil Empire album, which is celebrating 30 years of resistance. The limited podcast series will do a deep exploration of, and reflection on, the lyrics and context of each of the 12 powerful songs on the album.

Individual episodes can be bought for $3, and the whole series for $20.

BUY THE EPISODE HERE, VIA PATREON

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Notes and Links to Rachel León’s Work

Rachel León (she/they) is a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books. Their debut novel, How We See the Gray, is out from Curbstone Books as of May 15, 2026.

Buy How We See the Gray

Rachel León Website

At about 1:45, Rachel gives a summary of How We See the Gray and information about book events and purchasing

At about 4:15, Rachel talks about her writing and reading background, as well as how visual art figured in to her early publications

At about 6:30, Rachel highlights Gwendolyn Brooks’ work as formative and transformative for her

At about 7:50, Rachel cites Sarah Lippman and Justin Torres as contemporary writers who inspire her, including Torres’ approach and “We” usage

At about 10:10, Rachel responds to Pete asking about her reading life as an editor

At about 16:10, Pete asks Rachel about seeds for How We See the Gray and the myriad ways in which her work in child welfare has informed her writing of the book

At about 20:55, Rachel homes in on the time in the field that led her to write How We See the Gray and her current work

At about 22:00, Rachel talks about her love for the band La Historia, and getting permission to use the band’s lyrics in the book

At about 24:00, Pete riffs on the book’s collective voice and asks Rachel to talk about the usage of “We” in the book

At about 26:30, Rachel responds to Pete’s questions about case workers and their motivations, as well as ideas of “vocations” and working “in the trenches”

At about 29:55, Pete lays out some of the book’s exposition, and asks Rachel about ideas of Meredith, a main character, being too trusting/savior-ish in her work

At about 33:25, The two discuss Meredith and her coparenting

At about 34:50, Rachel talks about the youth of her characters and their relationship with idealism

At about 36:50, Rachel expands on the ways in which main character Ebony has learned to “not let her guard down”

At about 38:20, Rachel reflects on race and privilege and patronizing attitudes in the foster system, both outside the book and inside

At about 42:30, Rachel talks about “mapping out” storylines and “microstories” and chronologies for her book

At about 43:50, The two discuss double-standards regarding lack of responsibility for

At about 44:55, Rachel expands on Rockford, Illinois, and her rationale in including slightly-adapted headlines from the local papers

At about 47:15, Pete talks about foster parents in the book bucks expectations

At about 48:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the “trauma-bonding” among coworkers and the benefits and disadvantages

At about 52:00, Jamal and his versatile work is discussed

At about 53:10, Meredith’s drinking and the root causes are discussed

At about 56:00, “Found families” through the foster system are discussed

At about 56:50, Pete cites some of the book’s vast profundity

At about 58:00, Rachel talks about the treatment of LGBTQ+ young people in the system

At about 1:01:23-AXE Body Spray profundity!

At about 1:02, Medreith and being part of the system as a mother are discussed, and Pete asks Rachel about her views on the state of the “system”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 345 with Devin Thomas O'Shea is the author of The Veiled Prophet, publishing with Haymarket Books in June 2026. His writing appears in The Nation, The Iowa Review, Slate, Jacobin, Boulevard, and elsewhere.

The episode airs on June 23, Pub Day for The Veiled Prophet.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

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Notes and Links to Steven Thrasher’s Work

Dr. Steven Thrasher is an American journalist and academic. In 2019, he became the inaugural Daniel H. Renberg Chair of social justice in reporting and an assistant professor of journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. In 2012, he won the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year award.

Buy The Overseer Class: A Manifesto

Stephen Thrasher's Website

Review of The Overseer Class from Publisher’s Weekly

At about 1:15, Steven talks about book events and the book’s May 19 publication

At about 2:40, Steven shares interesting and “clarifying” feedback from readers on The Overseer Class

At about 4:00, Steven details his childhood reading and writing and creative pursuits

At about 7:40, Steven and Pete discuss the horrible news about the attacks on book choice, a high number of higher education institutions and their “capitulation,” but also the wonderful ways in which Oxnard, CA, and other “low ed” institutions have helped foster community and safety

At about 11:45, Steven responds to Pete’s asking about the three quotes that start the book by sharing his gratitude to the three writers/estates who allowed him to use the words; he talks about the quotes setting up “tension” in his book

At about 18:00, The two discuss the way the book starts and reflect on dynamics of the repression of Gaza as both singular and as representative of all “imperial force,” such as Tyre Nichols’ killing in early 2023

At about 22:00, the two discuss Martin Luther King and Malcolm X’s legacies and the stories told about them, and their work to make connections with international struggles

At about 24:35, Steven expands on cases in which Black men have been killed by the police, and the changing dynamics and populations around US police forces

At about 26:00, Steven notes the “rehabilition” of the Black cop in media in recent years, and the ways in which Black chiefs

At about 27:10, Pete references a possible thesis for Steven’s book and asks Steven to talk about distinguishing (or not) between the overseer class and individuals outside the system

At about 30:40, Steven recounts the history of Denmark Vecsey in furthering his point of the overseer class and its role

At about 33:10, Steven discusses his short-lived plans to become a police officer and its connection to employment

At about 34:30, Steven cites Black in Blue as a pivotal book in his research

At about 36:00, Steven reflects on needs for jobs and connections to jobs that people may be ideologically opposed to police work or similar work

At about 37:00, Steven responds to Pete asking about the idea of “changing the institution (policing) from within”

At about 40:00, Steven talks about power dynamics, levels of power, and historical links to the “overseer” trope

At about 42:40, Steven breaks down terms coined to show the engineering of Black cops and female cops as tools of “freedom”

At about 44:20, The two discuss the overseer trope in the military, including “feel good stories” involving Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell

At about 46:45, Pete and Steven reflect on the power of a “No” for those resisting overseer status

At about 48:10, Steven gives background on being in solidarity with his students and how he has stood up for his ideals; he also talks about the wonderful work by protestors on various college campuses

At about 51:45, Steven reflects on his unforgettable five days on campus at Northwestern and evolving campus protests

At about 56:10, Steven talks about the importance of “being a Toni”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 344 with Rachel León, a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books.

The episode airs on May 15, Pub Day for How We See the Gray, their first novel.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

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Notes and Links to Isaac Fitzgerald’s Work

Isaac Fitzgerald is the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, GQ, The Guardian, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and numerous other publications. He lives with his wife, Kelly Farber, and their two dogs on the North Fork of Long Island. His next book, American Rambler, is forthcoming from Knopf.

Buy American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed

Isaac Fitzgerald's Website

Review for American Rambler in The Boston Globe

At about 3:20, Isaac talks about the book as “braided” and positive feedback he’s gotten from independent booksellers

At about 4:40, Isaac gives background on his rich reading and writing life from childhood

At about 7:00, Isaac talks about a few catalysts for American Rambler, including Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods… Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn, and An American Story by Howard Means

At about 8:55, Pete shouts out Matt Bell’s Appleseed, and Isaac reflects on the “mythification” of Johnny Appleseed

At about 13:20, Pete cites a beautiful quote on the connection between parents and storytelling and expands on how his parents and their travels and their storytelling thrilled him

At about 17:00, Pete tells about his own experience with childhood stories, and Isaac shares his thoughts on oral storytelling and its connection to real-life experiences for children winning out over continued screen time

At about 19:10, Isaac responds to Pete’s asking about his mother and father as opposites in many ways

At about 23:00, Pete compliments the book’s first line and asks Isaac about the book’s first hike: Isaac refers to the book as a “coming-of-middle-age”

At about 28:10, Isaac responds to Pete’s questions about Swedenborgism and its influence on Johnny Appleseed

At about 33:10, The two discuss the balance between the social and the solitary

At about 35:50-John Freeman shoutouts! Isaac talks about important advice/editing from John Freeman with AA Knopf

At about 38:20, The two discuss reading as a collaborative pursuit-a “two-person technology”

At about 39:00, Pete and Isaac talk about Old Man and the Sea and the idea of a “comfort read”

At about 40:15, Pete cites two examples of Isaac’s work in connection to David Foster Wallace’s work in complimenting Isaac’s work in opposition to the “flyover country” ethos; Isaac cites Rabin’s Old Glory: An American Voyage

At about 45:40, Pete and Isaac highlight a particularly charismatic person who was featured in the book

At about 48:25, Isaac talks about his great experience with the Fort Wayne Tin Caps in the book

At about 50:50, Isaac responds to Pete asking about the passages from the book where he shared profundity with Ashley C. Ford and Saeed Jones

At about 51:25, It gets defecatory!

At about 52:15, Isaac expands on how his time staying with writer friends is in a Kerouac-ian tradition

At about 55:40, Isaac talks about his process that allowed him to “writing conversationally” and the importance of reading his work aloud

At about 57:20, Pete and Isaac reflect on the idea of the public intellectual and the balance between social media communities and authentically celebrating exploration and wonderful art

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 343 with Steven Thrasher, whose writing has been widely published by Scientific American, The New York Times, Nation, The Journal of American History, BuzzFeed News, Esquire and New York magazine. In 2019, Out Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential and impactful people of the year and in 2020, the Ford Foundation awarded him a grant for Creativity and Free Expression. The Viral Underclass, his first book, was widely-awarded and acclaimed, and his second book, The Overseer Class: A Manifesto, will be the focus of the podcast conversation.

The episode airs on May 14, and the book has a May 19 Pub Date.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

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Notes and Links to Kerri Schlottman’s Work

Kerri Schlottman is a writer of literary fiction novels, most recently Daytime Moon, out with Unnamed Press as of May 12, 2026. Her novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist, and a Shelf Awareness Best Book This Week.

She works to support artists, performers, and writers in creating new projects and is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration. Previously, she was a massage therapist, a factory worker, a copy editor, and briefly enrolled in law school.

Buy Daytime Moon

Kerri Schlottman’s Website

At about 2:00, Kerri talks about early feedback for Daytime Moon

At about 3:00, Kerri outlines her arts administration university job

At about 5:00, Kerri gives background on her early reading and writing

At about 6:20, Kerri talks about transformational and formational works and writers

At about 7:20, Kerri expands on the particular greatness of Vonnegut

At about 8:30, Kerri responds to Pete asking about Detroit and Michigan and any connections to “Midwest Nice”

At about 9:30, Kerri cites contemporary writers who push her own work forward, include Charlotte McConaghy and Christie Hodgen

At about 11:20, Kerri shoots out publisher Unnamed Press and places to buy her book, as well as book events, one with Meagan Woods

At about 13:35, Kerri talks about seeds for the book and gives interesting background on the history of the Salton Sea

At about 16:30, Kerri details a New Yorker article about Hannah Upp and its influence on her work

At about 18:45, Pete shouts out Tod Goldberg’s stellar Salton Sea writing, and Kerri expands on the “fascinating” life in the Salton Sea “plots”/flat and Slab City and “off the grid” living

At about 21:50, Pete outlines the book’s exposition, and Kerri responds to Pete’s questions about the symbolism of this part and its setting up later plot

At about 25:50, Pete outlines more of the book’s opening and main characters, and Kerri speaks to the combination of the “artsy, countercultural" Isa and the business-oriented Merce

At about 30:00, Kerri expounds on connections between Isa and her brother

At about 32:30, Kerri responds to Pete’s questions about Ella, Isa’s sister, and the reason for Isa’s fleeing the Salton Sea

At about 34:45, Kerri talks about Isa’s “culture shock” in NYC, and talks about Dane’s sending them on a quest with letters left behind

At about 36:00, Pete highlights the later age for the coming-of-age in the book-a resounding success

At about 36:55, Kerri responds to Pete’s question about different expectations for men and women and their treatment and/or neglect of their children

At about 41:10, Isa’s Lizzie and her cancer diagnosis are discussed, as Kerri discusses her last days and promises

At about 45:00, Pete asks Kerri about ideas of tarot and the future and belief in some or all of the process/precepts; Kerri talks about “escapism” in its many forms

At about 48:00, The two discuss Isa’s sadness after her friend’s death and Isa’s interactions with her father

At about 49:00, Kerri gives background on a tarot reading scene that Pete highlights as so well-drawn

At about 49:50, Pete stumbles into a classic Faulkner quote and the two discuss the past’s impact on the characters’ present

At about 52:15, Pete references a great Alice Elliott Dark line when talking about the book as a moving “elegy”

At about 53:40, Kerri discusses the “cascading effect” as Isa and Cole begin to meet new/undiscovered family members

At about 55:10, Pete mentions the book as a great “road trip book” in response to Kerri’s reflection on “found families”

At about 57:45, Pete remarks on how masterfully Kerri deals with time span, and she reflects on her mindset in writing about this as she did

At about 1:00:00, Kerri talks about “allusion[s]” in the book to environmental dangers happening in real time

At about 1:02:45, Pete gives kudos to Kerri for the book’s pathos and overall greatness

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and please leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 342 with Isaac Fitzgerald, the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His next book, American Rambler, is out now.

The episode airs on May 12, Pub Day for American Rambler.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

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Notes and Links to Donna Minkowitz’s Work

Donna Minkowitz is a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Science fiction great Terry Bisson called her writing “rich and wild, dark and funny, as fearless as her legendary journalism and as scary as a fairy tale.” And she’s proud that Kirkus has praised the “defiant and playful energy” of her work.

Her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and the Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award, is being republished by Indolent Books after 13 years!

Buy Growing Up Golem

Donna Minkowitz's Website

Review of Growing Up Golem from Kirkus Reviews

At about 1:30, Donna and Pete highlight the pending reissue of Growing Up Golem

At about 2:30, Pete asks Donna about how she sees Growing Up Golem 13 years later, and she gives a summary of the book

At about 4:10, Donna expands on the idea set forth in the Writer’s Note that the book is “88% true”

At about 7:15, Donna talks about the general idea of the “golem” and the providence of the book’s conceit

At about 9:00, Donna reflects on the idea of “memory” and the science behind it, as well as the memoir as a “work of art”

At about 10:10, Donna responds to Pete’s asking about the book’s opening referencing Donna’s mom and her creating a “Donna Doll”

At about 12:40, Donna expands on ideas of guilt and selfishness and psychosomatic pain that came with her Repetitive Strain Injury

At about 14:40, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother’s health struggles and ideas of impending death

At about 17:00, The two talk about Donna’s mother’s artistic prowess and Donna’s feelings of “twoness”

At about 19:45, Donna examines the idea of her mother that lying could be correct, and what the philosophy said about her mother and her morality

At about 22:40, Donna expands on feelings of “twoness” in connection to W.E.B. DuBois

At about 24:10, Donna reflects on her early writing with The Village Voice and her motivations and mindset in writing for the publication

At about 27:00, Donna outlines her mother’s health problems and connections to her sexuality and sensuality

At about 29:00, Pete asks Donna how she balances the fact that her mother was a victim of sexual violence

At about 32:05, Donna expands on The Village Voice and her reporting around ACT Up and its advocacy and activism, as well as Queer Nation

At about 34:35, Donna tells Julio Rivera’s story, as she did for the publication

At about 36:20, Donna talks about her father’s death and his “scari[ness]” before his death and the “strange dynamic" of him as a “scapegoat” and her mother’s behavior after his death

At about 39:20, Pete wonders about a sort of "competition" between Donna and her mother, particularly with regard to a 1991 Thanksgiving interaction

At about 41:45, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother’s often making fun of her mother's body

At about 44:25, Donna speaks about the “competing therapists”

At about 48:15, Donna speaks on the idea of the golem as being built and possibly destroyed by the same person, as well as the classic legend of the golem

At about 51:30, Donna talks about a familial way of acting when threatened and confronting that reaction

At about 52:25, Pete cites some “beautiful moments” from her therapist and mother, and Donna reflects

At about 53:20, The two reflect on ideas of control and freedom in Donna’s personal life and connections to therapy and her mother’s influence

At about 55:25, Donna talks about connections between early and later relationships and the ways she was treated

At about 58:20, Pete and Donna discuss the book’s juxtapositions and her concerns and struggles with her chronic pain

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show. You can also buy single episodes for $3 each.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 341 with Kerri Schlottman, whose novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, and a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist. She is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration.

The episode airs today, Pub Day for her latest gem, Daytime Moon, May 12.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

View Details

Notes and Links to Sarah Aziza’s Work

Sarah Aziza (she/هي ) is a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half. Winner of the Palestine Book Awards, The Hollow Halfis a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream. It is available wherever books are sold.

Sarah’s award-winning journalism, poetry, essays, and experimental nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Best American Essays, The Baffler, Harper’s Magazine, Mizna, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Nation, among other publications. The recipient of fellowships from Fulbright, MacDowell, the Asian American Writers Workshop, Tin House Writers’ Workshop, and numerous grants from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, she has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, South Africa, Palestine, and the United States.

Buy The Hollow Half

Sarah Aziza’s Website

Review of The Hollow Half from Kirkus Reviews

Sarah on Democracy Now Discussing Her Memoir

At about 2:30, Sarah talks about her language and reading life growing up

At about 5:10, Sarah expands upon readings that inspired and challenged her

At about 13:00, Pete and Sarah discuss ideas of writing as “political,” inspired by Marwan Makhoul, and Sarah cites a gripping poem by Noor Hindi

At about 15:20,

At about 17:30, Sarah responds to Pete asking about the book’s title and ideas of generational trauma and Sarah’s Americanness

At about 20:30, Sarah talks about his father “pouring his hope” into her and sheltered and open pain

At about 22:20, Pete uses a Hasan Minhaj routine and Sarah expands on ideas of first generation and immigrant parents’ relationships

At about 23:20, Sarah reflects on ideas of love’s multiple meanings and connects these myriad ideas to much of the book and calls the book “an offering…in a time of suffering”

At about 28:00, The two discuss the vagaries of Arabic and translation and its challenges and beauty

At about 33:20, Pete recounts the book’s opening, and Sarah expands on her grandmother’s life and struggles and joys and how Sarah is connected to her grandmother-”Sittoo”

At about 37:25, The two meditate on the “small victories” of Sarah’s grandmother

At about 39:05, Sarah explains how she sees her recovery/”recovered” and her present and past with anorexia

At about 41:45, Sarah responds to Pete asking about an emblematic scene from the memoir where an IpHone asks to verify her identity

At about 43:05, Sarah discusses the idea of “better than what?” especially as a child

At about 45:15, Sarah talks about her family’s connections to ‘Ibdis, Gaza, and the fact that so much stolen and ethnically-cleansed land in Palestine is open/unused

At about 48:15, Sarah talks about her time recovering from prolonged anorexia

At about 50:45, Pete notes the specific and universal in the book, as he and Sarah discuss the impulse to bury oneself in work

At about 53:10, Sarah expands on reasoning for writing the book and in particular “put[ting] into place” her family history and finding a place to publish a story like hers that she feels is rarely published

At about 55:20, Sarah talks about her grandmother’s time living with Sarah and her family

At about 57:30, Sarah responds to Pete’s questions about the anorexia ward and how she saw and sees the employees there

At about 1:00:45, Sarah talks about the ways in which photos opened up ideas and research and thoughts of her grandmother and her history

At about 1:03:20, Pete talks about ideas of misogyny that is specific to non-white women

At about 1:03:50, Sarah reflects on and outlines two pivotal and damaging experiences in which white neighbors showed surprise and revulsion

At about 1:06:45, The two discuss Sarah’s parents and their foundation and Foundation

At about 1:08:45, Sarah responds to Pete’s questions about research for the book

At about 1:11:00, Sarah expands on connections between the personal and the geopolitical in her work and research

At about 1:11:30, Sarah recounts the story of some early involvement with pro-Palestine efforts and emotional and physical assaults

At about 1:13:00, Sarah talks about being in Middle East and ideas of “humanizing” and “a political awakening” in the US and Middle East

At about 1:17:10, Sarah talks about connections between resistance and love

At about 1:20:25, Pete cites Ernest Hemingway in citing Sarah’s family connections to Gaza

At about 1:22:00, Sarah talks about the idea of “yes” and a meaningful part of the book and interpretations of being “half…” Palestinian, etc.

At about 1:27:10, Sarah talks about parallels between her partner’s love for her and her choice to love Palestine on a daily basis

At about 1:28:00, Pete asks Sarah about ways forward, and how we get people to not “look away,” and she talks about inspiration

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 340 with Donna Minkowitz, a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Her first book, Ferocious Romance, won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Book On Religion/Spirituality. She is also the author of the novel DONNAVILLE, published in 2024.

She and Pete will be revisiting her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award.

The episode airs on May 5.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

View Details

Notes and Links to Adam H. Johnson’s Work

Adam H. Johnson is co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His writing can also be found in his Substack titled ‘The Column.’ His book, How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza, is out as of today, April 21, through Pluto Press.

Buy How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza

12 Page Excerpt from How to Sell a Genocide…

Adam H Johnson, Website for The Intercept

Column Blog: Adam’s Media and political analysis (with contributions from Sarah Lazare)

At about 1:30, Adam gives a summary of the book’s subject matter and his aim in writing the book

At about 5:00, Adam cites “liberal” media institutions and how they have laundered and perhaps “incited” the genocide

At about 6:45, Adam expands on his aim in using data and research to point out the media and educational institutions who have used diction that has aided/incited the Gaza genocide; he talks about making the information searchable to aid other researchers and institutions

At about 11:00, Adam talks about pessimism for the Democrats’ role in the genocide and their “accountability”

At about 13:00, Adam talks about liberal podcasters and media members and think tanks who have been silent or complicit

At about 16:00, Adam argues that an accounting and a lack of “moving on” is absolutely necessary, such that the “milieu” of Biden’s time will be repeated otherwise

At about 18:00, Adam talks about effective ways of quieting criticism in the face of overwhelming evidence of a genocide in Gaza

At about 19:20, Adam talks about using the map of Gaza atrocities and obfuscation in the future for imperial ends

At about 22:00, Adam identifies the “template” used for further atrocities in Gaza and beyond, especially with regard to stereotypes and othering of Muslims and Middle Eastern cultures

At about 26:30, Pete cites numbers from the book that shows the preponderance of violent and incendiary language used in describing Palestinians versus Ukrainian victims

At about 27:30, Adam responds to Pete’s sarcasm over Joe Biden’s niceties in funding the genocide and Adam talks about a broken system and articles that stated the same thing over and over again

At about 33:05, Adam talks about the “tote bag” set and justifying racist and colonial systems and genocide

At about 34:40, Adam and Pete discuss the alarming dearth of Palestinian guests on political talk shows and other media

At about 36:55, Pete and Adam reflect on the “chilling” cover of the book, designed by Melanie Patrick, and the “uniformity of the elite consensus” in masking/inciting genocide and being so “chummy” with Benjamin Netanyahu, as shown in the standing ovation given to him by Congress