Bookin': Recent Episodes
Bookin' w/ Jason Jefferies
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Gary Graff, editor of 501 Essential Albums of the 80s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide, which is published by our friends at Quarto Publishing Group. Topics of discussion include Alice Cooper, lists, what people think of when they think of the 1980s (hair), Walkmans and boomboxes, CDs and cassettes, MTV, and much more. Copies of 501 Essential Albums of the 80s: The Music Fan's Definitive Guide can be ordered from your favorite local, independent bookstore. Happy reading!
On this episode, host Jason Jefferies and award-winning poet Dan Hawkins continue their read through of the works of Cormac McCarthy, this time with his first screenplay, The Gardener's Son. Further, Jason and Dan start their discussion about film adaptations of McCarthy's works with PBS's The Gardener's Son and James Franco's Child of God. Happy reading, friends!
This week, host Jason Jefferies welcomes back Bookin' favorite Dan Hawkins, librarian at The Citadel and Cormac McCarthy aficionado. This time, Jason and Dan talk about Blood Meridian, and oh boy is it a big one. Copies of Blood Meridian can be purchased from your favorite local independent bookstore. Happy reading!
On this week's Bookin', host Jason Jefferies interviews Professor Keon West, author of The Science of Racism: Everything You Need to Know But Probably Don't--Yet, which is published by our friends at Abrams Press. Topics of conversation include the state of the world, Michelle Obama, how to teach a population to vet its sources, Star Trek, bias and racism in hiring practices, the UK vs. the USA, and much more! Copies of The Science of Racism can be purchased from your favorite indie bookstore. Happy reading!
On this week's Bookin', host Jason Jefferies welcomes Elaine Neil Orr, who discusses her new novel Dancing Woman, which is published by our friends at Blair. Topics of discussion include people who are perfectly logical all the time, Nigeria, 1963, Harry Belafonte, mixed feelings about the church, how writing a novel is like painting, USAID, and more! Signed copies of Dancing Woman can be ordered here (while supplies last). Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mark Kingwell, professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a contributing editor of Harper’s Magazine. His new book is Question Authority, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include current affairs in Canada, super-cycle elections, demonization, what trustworthy leadership looks like, cultural and institutional achievements, skepticism, rhetorical education, professional wrestling and more. Copies of Question Authority can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by frequent guest and Librarian at The Citadel Dan Hawkins, who discusses Suttree by Cormac McCarthy. Topics of conversation include Vanity Fair, James Joyce and William Faulkner, existentialism, Walker Percy and much more. Copies of Suttree can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Andy Corren, author of Dirtbag Queen, which is published by our friends at Grand Central Publishing. Topics of conversation include bookstores in New York, obituaries, the right side of Fayetteville, nice furniture rooms, a child's perception of enormous riches, Donnie and Marie Osmond vs. RuPaul, and much more. Signed copies of Dirtbag Queen can be ordered here from Page 158 Books (while supplies last). Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Julian Zabalbeascoa, author of What We Tried to Bury Grows Here, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include the Two Dollar Radio tattoo club, the Spanish Civil War, parallels between pre-WWII Spain and the United States of America in 2025, individual liberties as great threats, James Joyce's Ulysses, research, priests vs. soldiers, whether a person who has never been in a war can truly understand a war, and much more. Copies of What We Tried to Bury Grows Here can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by the legendary poet Paul Jones, who discusses his new collection Something Necessary, which is published by our friends at Redhawk Publications. Topics of conversation include the Arch Mission Foundation, support for an author community, musical writing, the place of poetry in a bookstore, seeing a poem in a piece of bread, and much more. Copies of Something Necessary can be purchased here or by calling Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, Dan Hawkins and Jason Jefferies talk about Cormac McCarthy's Child of God by way of the recent Vanity Fair article that exposes Cormac McCarthy's relationship with Augusta Britt, which started when she was age 14-16. Discusses are issues of art vs. the artist, artists versus politicians, thinks that are "of their time" and many more minefields. Copies of Child of God can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy listening!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning journalist David Aldridge in a discussion about The Basketball 100: The Story of the Greatest Players in NBA History, which is published by our friends at William Morrow. Topics of conversation include the shot clock, ACC basketball, analytics, how to accurately rank active players, Steph Curry vs. Larry Bird, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, Wes Unseld, the Charlotte Hornets and much more. Copies of The Basketball 100 can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Gaelan Bergstrom and Ben Diehl is a conversation about Berserk by Kentaro Miura. Topics of conversation include the first arc of Berserk, Japanese pop-culture, radiation, the place of manga in a bookstore, and much more! Copies of Berserk can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Waker Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Andrew K. Clark, author of Where Dark Things Grow, which is published by our friends at Cowboy Jamboree Press. Topics of conversation include growing up in the midst of the eternal battle between good and evil, ancestry, the years between World War I and World War II, wulvers, magic, genre fiction vs literary fiction, monsters and Jesus, tall tales, and much more. Copies of Where Dark Things Grow can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning and bestselling writer and illustrator John Hendrix, who discuss his new book The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, which is published by our friends at Abrams. Topics of conversation include Missouri, friendship, Norse Mythology, methodologies, genre fiction, lions and wizards, The Great Departure of the Buddha, portals, World War I, Christianity, and much more! Copies of The Mythmakers can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sam Sax, author of Yr Dead, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include ITALIC lecturers, trigger warnings, queer planets, a myth buried in blood, Apple stores, books as objects, text message conversations in literature, laser discs, the human ritual, belonging, and much more. Copies of Yr Dead can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Dan Hawkins for a conversation about Cormac McCarthy's Outer Dark, the second episode in an ongoing series that will feature a read through of McCarthy's works. Topics of conversation include second novels, imagery, hell, the most American religion, brothers and sisters, how you know when a book is a western, and much more. Copies of Outer Dark can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling author Charles Bock, who discusses his new book I Will Do Better, which is published by our friends at Abrams Books. Topics of conversation include New York, James Frey's A Million Little Pieces, the nature of memoirs vs. fiction, raising a child after a spouse's death, the physical laws of reality and Haruki Murakami, the male's capacity to feel sorry for himself, fitted sheets and much more! Copies of I Will Do Better can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Georgann Eubanks and Debra Kaufman, editor and contributors to Paul Green: North Carolina Writers on the Legacy of the State's Most Celebrated Playwright, which is published by our friends at Blair. Topics of conversation include the Paul Green Foundation, Blair, Playwrights in North Carolina, political activism, how Paul Green's activism translates to an audience in 2024, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. and more! Copies of Paul Green: North Carolina Writers on the Legacy of the State's Most Celebrated Playwright can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Chris Koslowski, author of Kayfabe, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, amateur professional wrestling, the physical demands of professional wrestling, sleazy showmen of the southeast, Becky Lynch, Gunther, Jimi Hendrix and Hulk Hogan, Rock Hill, SC and much more. Copies ofKayfabe can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia, who discusses his new book Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek, a Freedom Fire title. Topics of discussion include Freedom Fire, young adult literature vs. middle grade literature, Freeman as a name, North Carolina in literature, the significance of Chicago, trains, Moses, the Chicago Bulls vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, and much more. Signed copies of Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Scott Reintgen, who discusses his new book The Last Dragon On Mars, which is published by our friends at Aladdin, a division of Simon and Schuster. Topics of conversation include the intersection of sci-fi and fantasy, young adult novels versus middle grade novels, Mad Max and Fallout, school visits, relocation clinics, dragons in space and more. Copies of The Last Dragon On Mars can be purchased here from Page 158 Books.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Bookin' favorite Dan Hawkins in a discussion about The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy, the first in a Bookin' read-through of McCarthy's works. Topics of discussion include William Faulkner, the Tennessee Valley Authority, bootleggers and blockaders, first novels, nature vs. technology, and much more. Copies of The Orchard Keeper can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities fellow Nora Lange, who discusses her new novel Us Fools, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include Two Dollar Radio, the future as a capitalist scam, unreliable narrators, house projects meant to temper drinking, portraits, confusing liberalism/socialism/capitalism, similarities between internet dating and fad diets, and much more. Copies of Us Fools can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning journalist and 2024 North Carolina Piedmont Laureate Steven Petrow, who discusses his new book The Joy You Make, which is published by The Open Field and Penguin Life, and imprint of Penguin Random House. Topics of discussion include The Open Field, crowdsourcing, half-empty glasses vs. half-full glasses, life as a Piedmont Laureate, being too busy for your own good, joy as a whole wheat muffin, The Last First Day by Carrie Brown and much more! Copies of The Joy You Make can be purchased here from Page 158 Books! Steven Petrow will be appearing at Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC on October 22, 2024 at 6pm.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Marguerite Sheffer, who discusses her new collection The Man in the Banana Trees, which is published by our friends at University of Iowa Press. Topics of discussion include writing groups, the Iowa Short Fiction Award, student behavior, sequencing, the difference between workshopping a story and talking about one in an interview, resiliency, rain theft, being the first at something, lost snakes, sacrifice, and much more. Copies of The Man in the Banana Trees can be preordered here (and purchased here after 11/5/24). Happy reading!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Nathan Ballingrud, who discusses his new novella Crypt of the Moon Spider, which is published by our friends at TOR Nightfire. Topics of discussion include Asheville, Dale Bailey, treatment for the melancholy, the dark side of the moon, dead gods, the relationship between the moon and madness, spousal behaviors, the 1920s, Frankenstein and much more. Copies of Crypt of the Moon Spider can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jon Sealy, who discusses his new novel The King Street Affair, which is published by our friends at Haywire Books. Topics of conversation include South Carolina, Graham Greene, Charleston, Wuthering Heights, signals in the noise, gangsters, popular media, newspapers, AI, ChatGPT and more! Copies of The King Street Affair can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award winning author Paolo Bacigalupi, who discusses his new novel Navola, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf Publishers. Topics of conversation include the intersection of The Godfather and Game of Thrones, items with mythological powers, dragon eyes, Renaissance Italy, doubting one's parents, reliable narrators, servants, and much more. Copies of Navola can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week is Bookin's 300th Episode! Host Jason Jefferies is joined by Suzanne Lucey and Dave Lucey--owners of Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC--in a discussion of The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians, a collection they contributed to, which is edited by James Patterson, Matt Eversmann and Chris Mooney, and which is published by our friends at Little, Brown and Company. Topics of conversation include the origin of Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, James Patterson, personal service vs. shopping online, the 'WTF Did I Just Read' book club, the future of bookselling, and much more. Copies of The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians can be ordered here from Page 158 Books.
This week, I am joined by T. Shawn Long, host of the Horror Book Club at Page 158 Books in a discussion about all things Stephen King! Topics of discussion include The Dark Tower, the Holly novels, 11/22/63, automobile accidents and more! Stephen King's books can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by music journalist Corey du Browa, who discusses his new book An Ideal for Living: A Celebration of the EP-Extended Play, which is published by our friends at HoZac Books. Topics of conversation include EPs vs LPs, vinyl vs. CDs vs. streaming, Britt Daniel from Spoon, Frances the Mute by the Mars Volta, double EPs, genres, lists, how history colors the music industry, and much more. Copies of An Ideal for Living: A Celebration of the EP-Extended Play can be ordered here from Hozac Records (extremely limited edition), and your other book needs can be fulfilled here by Page 158 Books!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by the busiest reader on the planet, Dan Hawkins! Topics of discussion include Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles and Circe, James Joyce's Ulysses, C.S. Lewis's Till We Have Faces, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, and much more. Copies of all of these books and more can be purchased at Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This wee, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Ari Honarvar, who discusses her novel A Girl Called Rumi, which is published by our friends at Forest Avenue Press. Topics of discussion include refugee advocacy, Colorado, growing up in a war-torn region, the conflict between Israel and Palestine, mothership in Iran, ants, how to hide a horse, the concept of Home, the Iran/Iraq war, and much more. Copies of A Girl Called Rumi can be purchased here from Page 158 Books.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by writer, activist, pastor and storyteller John Pavlovitz, who discusses his book Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending, which is published by our friends at WJK Books. Topics of conversation include the dual roles of activist and pastor, bad news, the default mode of existence in a capitalist society as antithetical to human nature, waiting for a superhero or savior when one isn't coming, the toxic cocktail of outrage addiction and cultivated worry, mistaking activity for productivity, legislative goals, and much more. Signed copies of Worth Fighting For can be ordered here from Page 158 Books, and each purchase comes with a signed print.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jordan Elgrably, editor of Stories from the Center of the World: New Middle East Fiction, which is published by our friends at City Lights Books. Topics of conversation include The Markaz Review, City Lights Books, the Middle East as the center of the world, the partitioning of land, Israel vs. Palestine, cats, "No terrorist ever found inspiration in Kafka", The Catcher in the Rye, book recommendations, and much more. Copies of Stories from the Center of the World can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Professor of Sociology at Boston College and noted public intellectual Charles Derber, who discusses his new book Dying for Capitalism: How Big Money Fuels Extinction and What We Can Do About It, which is co-written with Siren Moodlier and published by our friends at Routledge. Topics of discussion include the abolition of fossil fuel emissions, focusing on today at the expense of tomorrow, post-scarcity economics, the USA's contribution to potential extinction, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump, and much more. Copies of Dying for Capitalism can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author and Bookin' favorite Mesha Maren, who discusses her new book Shae, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of discussion include teaching athletes, the nature of memory, moments that change our lives, Tool as a Christian rock band, relationships with parents, diving when you don't know how to swim, Oxycontin, artists in West Virginia, theft at The Pink Pony, and much more. Copies of Shae can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Amanda Bellows, who discusses her new book Explorers: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions, which is published by our friends at William Morrow. Topics of conversation include UNC-Chapel Hill, Kentucky, westward expansion in the United States of America, Sacagawea, James Beckwourth, reconciling amazing deeds with the terrible people responsible for them, Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Dakota territories, John Muir, and much more. Copies of Explorers can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by baseball writer Eric Vickrey, who discusses his new book Season of Shattered Dreams: Postwar Baseball, the Spokane Indians and a Tragic Bus Crash that Changed Everything, which is published by our friends at Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Topics of discussion include post-World War II conditions in the United States of America, PCLs, formatting, curses and averting disaster, the rationing of oil and gas, Babe Ruth's radio show, and much more. Copies of Season of Shattered Dreams can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by North Carolina Music Hall of Famer and former Squirrel Nut Zipper Tom Maxwell, who discusses his new book A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene 1989-1999, which is published by our friends at Hachette Books. Topics of conversation include North Carolina musical history, the Cat's Cradle, the temptation to label something as 'the next' something else, Dexter Romweber and the Flat Duo Jets, the desire for profit vs. the desire to document, Jimbo Mathus, Metal Flake Mother, and much more. Copies of A Really Strange and Wonderful Time: The Chapel Hill Music Scene 1989-1999 can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC. SIGNED COPIES ARE AVAILABLE (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Brad Balukjian, author of The Six Pack: On the Open Road to Wrestlemania, which is published by our friends at Hachette Books. Topics of conversation include being in an open relationship with your VCR, professional wrestling, the Iron Sheik, MTV, Captain Lou Albano, driving your childhood hero to buy drugs, the line between fact and fiction, journalists methods, and much more. Copies of The Six Pack can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies welcomes award-winning author Alex Pugsley back to the program! Alex discusses his new novel The Education of Aubrey McKee, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include novels about art and artists, worshipful beginners, people who are not active participants in their own lives, heartbreaking naïveté, comedy vs. horror, pirates, interesting problems, young adult love, loving someone as they become famous, and much more. Copies of The Education of Aubrey McKee can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by R.A. Cramblitt, author of Like Printing Money, which is published by our friends at BC Publishing Inc. Topics of discussion include music, self-publishing, Baltimore, 3D printing, sports fandom, the Charlotte Hornets, America being built by alcohol and drugs, oil and gas and sustainable alternatives, the type of person who rocks out to AC/DC while kidnapping someone, and much more. Copies of Like Printing Money can be ordered here from Page 158 Books.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Freeman Vines and Timothy Duffy, who discuss Hanging Tree Guitars, which is published by our friends at Piedmont Press in association with Music Maker Foundation. Topics of conversation include guitar craftsmanship, mysticism and philosophy, lynchings, the Ku Klux Klan, out of body experiences, gifts, and much more. Copies of Hanging Tree Guitars can be ordered from Page 158 Books and the Music Maker Foundation website.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by author, lecturer, and consultant on terrorism and political violence Jeffrey D. Simon, who discusses his latest book The Bulldog Detective: William J. Flynn and America’s First War Against the Mafia, Spies, and Terrorists, which is published by our friends at Prometheus. Topics of conversation include terrorism, spies, growing up as the child of a celebrity detective, crime fiction, Eliot Ness, Al Capone, and much more. Copies of The Bulldog Detective can be purchased here from Page 158 Books.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Cally Fiedorek, who discusses her new novel Atta Boy, which is published by our friends at University of Iowa Press. Topics of conversation include tattoos, New York exhaustion, MFA programs, working in a bar, pleasure as a pathology, Colorado, extremism, catnip for cult leaders, being smart (but not about the things that matter), and much more. Copies of Atta Boy can be ordered here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning writer and documentary filmmaker Georgann Eubanks, who discusses Song Keepers: A Music Maker Foundation Anthology, which is co-published by our friends at No Depression and the Music Maker Foundation. Topics of discussion include working with non-profits, the Emmys, SoLaTiDo, Music Maker Foundation, the world's happiest bluesman, Jimi Hendrix, writing in North Carolina, and much more. Copies of Song Keepers can be ordered from Page 158 Books and the No Depression website.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Daniel Wallace, who discusses his newest book This Isn't Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of discussion include teaching overseas, delineations between before and after, digesting an idea over decades, suicide prevention, cartooning, North Carolina vs. Alabama, Walker Percy and James Joyce, writing as a cathartic exercise, and much more. Copies of This Isn't Going to End Well can be purchased here or downloaded from Libro.fm for FREE with the promo code BOOKIN (new members only).
This week, I am joined by Dan Hawkins, librarian at the Citadel and repeat Bookin' podcast guest (see the Emergency Cormac McCarthy episode). Dan discusses Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov, one of the greatest novels of all-time. Topics of discussion include Robert Frost, J.R.R. Tolkien, unreliable narrators, the very loud amusement park right outside of Charles Kinbote's lodgings, Lolita, chess problems, Hopscotch, and much more. Copies of Pale Fire can be purchased here. Thank you to the North Carolina Book Festival for presenting this episode.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Katya Apekina for a discussion of her new novel Mother Doll, which is published by our friends at The Overlook Press. Topics of conversation include Two Dollar Radio, the Overlook Press, baby bedtime routines, visitations, September 11th, video stores, physical media vs. digital media, organization, ghost stories, self-deception, knowledge and education, and much more. Copies of Mother Doll can be ordered here. Thank you to the North Carolina Book Festival and libro.fm audiobooks for presenting this episode.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Andy Lee Roth, one of the editors--along with Mickey Huff--of Project Censored's State of the Free Press 2024, which is published by our friends at The Censored Press and 7 Stories Press. Topics of conversation include the upcoming election cycle, propaganda, China and North Korea, media literacy, centered and accurate news organization, sensationalism, news deserts, muckraking, and much more. Copies of Project Censored's State of the Free Press 2024 can be purchased from your favorite independent bookstore. Thank you to the North Carolina Book Festival and libro.fm audiobooks for presenting this episode.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Roger D. Rapoport, who discusses his latest novel Searching for Patty Hearst, which is published by our friends at Lexographic Press. Topics of conversation include filmmaking, travel guides, Lexographic Press, Rupert Murdoch, Succession, music of the decades, William Randolph Hearst, the difference in the news cycles over the years, and much more. Copies of Searching for Patty Hearst can be purchased here. Thank you to the North Carolina Book Festival and Libro.fm for presenting this episode.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Aspen Words finalist and Wonderland Book Award-winner Brian Allen Carr, who discusses his latest novel Bad Foundations, which is published by our friends at Clash Books. Topics of conversation include Muncie, Indiana, Taylor Swift, crawl spaces, Mary Louise Kelly, missed opportunities, living to work vs. working to live, presidential text messages, and much more. Copies of Bad Foundations can be purchased here.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Zachary Pace, author of I Sing to Use the Waiting: A Collection About the Women Singers Who've Made Me Who I Am, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include Two Dollar Radio, pronouns, fathers, The Rolling Stones, Richard Dyer, voices, Madonna, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, anxiety, MySpace, Hop Along, and much more. Copies of I Sing to Use the Waiting can be ordered here from Page 158 Books is Wake Forest, NC. Thank you to the North Carolina Book Festival for presenting this episode.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling and North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame-author Jill McCorkle, who discusses her new collection Old Crimes and Other Stories, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of conversation include friendships and mentorships, North Carolina State University, creative writing classes and prompts, blood sacrifices, whether Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy are vegetables, the Blackout, artificial intelligence, Frankenstein's monster, technological cycles, and much more. Copies of Old Crimes and Other Stories can be purchased here.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Paul Andersen, who discusses his new book Moonlight Over Pearl: Ten Stories from Aspen, which is published by our friends at Roaring Fork Press. Topics of conversation include the Aspen Times, Kathryn Thalberg, the "definitive Aspen novel", black ice, first tracks, Goethe, nightlife, the lives that other people lead, and much more. Copies of Moonlight Over Pearl can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Matthew J.C. Clark, author of Bjarki, Not Bjarki: On Floorboards, Love, and Irreconcilable Differences, which is published by our friends at the University of Iowa Press. Topics of conversation include Maine, floorboards, the correlation between possession of material goods and personal happiness, Checkov, the Tree of Liberty and its need to be refreshed by the blood of patriots, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, January 6th, guns, Al Gore, and much more. Copies of Bjarki, Not Bjarki can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+. More on Matthew here: https://www.matthewjcclark.com/
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Ben Goldfarb, who discusses his new book Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, which is published by our friends at W.W. Norton and Company. Topics of conversation include how cliff swallows are like cockroaches, how more bird deaths are caused by roads than are caused by oil spills, the routes of all evil, the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, early rebellions against roads, reclamation by nature, and much more. Copies of Crossings can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kate Brody, author of Rabbit Hole, which is published by our friends at SOHO Crime. Topics of conversation include publishing one's first novel, covered bridges in Maine, why humans focus on the things they don't have vs. the things they do, capitalism, book design, drugs and addiction, Dave Matthews Band cover bands, inspirational works of literature, reddit, and much more. Copies of Rabbit Hole can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Angela C. Sutton, author of Pirates of the Slave Trade: The Battle of Cape Lopez and the Birth of an American Institution, which is published by our friends at Prometheus books. Topics of conversation include making a career out of writing about pirates, research, Black Bart, captured slaves who became pirates, the African King who drank out of a chalice made from dutchmen’s skulls, playing European powers against one another, muskets, and much more. Copies of Pirates of the Slave Trade can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Leonard Grob, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and John K. Roth, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Claremont McKenna College. Their new book is Warnings: The Holocaust, Ukraine, and Endangered American Democracy, which is published by our friends at Cascade Books. Topics of conversation include Russia and Ukraine, why we are still talking about Donald Trump, Don Winslow and the 11th hour, the effect of COVID-19 deaths on the American economy and job market, Socrates, Trump vs. Putin vs. Hitler vs. Mussolini, using a poor educational system to control a populous, the potential for World War III, and much more. Copies of Warnings: The Holocaust, Ukraine, and Endangered American Democracy can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling author Joshua Mohr, who discusses his new novel Farsickness, which is published by our friends at House of Vlad. Topics of conversation include Two Dollar Radio, Aspen Words, art, voices in our heads, simile and metaphor, David Lynch, psychopath computers, what happens when someone pulls a knife around a child, and much more. Copies of Farsickness can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Brooke Lockyer, who discusses her new novel Burr, which is published by our friends at Nightwood Editions. Topics of conversation include books that are like tarot cards, towns as POV characters, a young sibling death, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video, trousers vs. pantaloons, the Wrestler's Code, self-realization, flat-earhters, and much more. Copies of Burr can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies welcomes back Ray Robertson, author of All the Years Combine: The Grateful Dead in Fifty Shows, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include how a Grateful Dead concert is like life, the Grateful Dead vs. Taylor Swift and Beyonce, Bob Weir's approach to guitar vs. Jerry Garcia's, Phil Lesh as a cantankerous guy, tribute bands, the Grateful Dead's decision to record their shows, and much more. Copies of All the Years Combine can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by National Book Award winner William T. Vollmann, author of Shadows of Love and Shadows of Loneliness, which are published by our friends at An Unnamed Press and Rare Bird Books. Topics of conversation include mortality, the price of convenience, hearts that are or are not troubled by atrocity, the perception of global warming in Bangladesh, American and Serbian views of Muslims, police with virtual recognition goggles, facing your problems vs. not facing them, writing vs. painting vs. photography, esoteric means of film development, how a photograph never ceases to be a fountain of questions, and much more. Copies of Shadows of Love and Shadows of Loneliness can be ordered from Explore Booksellers with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Lexi Freiman, author of The Book of Ayn, which is published by our friends at Catapult. Topics of conversation include Australia, Ayn Rand, cancel culture, narcissism, The Fountainhead, Michelangelo's David, Succession, yoga pants, and much more. Copies of The Book of Ayn can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Bennett Sims, who discusses his new book Other Minds and Other Stories, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include the University of Iowa, flash fiction, mummies, zombie novels, David Foster Wallace and Carmen Maria Machado, cell phones, Alfred Hitchcock, and much more. Copies of Other Minds and Other Stories can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Meredith Ritchie, author of Poster Girls, which is published by our friends at Warren Publishing. Topics of conversation include acute empty nest syndrome, raising triplets, the World War II-era in Charlotte, NC, attitudes towards women and minorities in the 1940s, church, book clubs, and much more. Copies of Poster Girls can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Nikki Marmery, author of Lilith, which is published by our friends at Alcove Press. Topics of conversation include Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Adam as a man who was never satisfied, Diablo IV, Lilith Fair, Lilith as the first woman, logic and the Tower of Babel, The Matrix, and much more. Copies of Lilith can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by coach Jeff Patterson, who discusses his new book The Big Thing Effect: How to Transform Your Life Forever, which is published by our friends at Aspen Success Press. Topics of conversation include big things, how death can lend a new perspective to life, the Denver Nuggets and winning something vs. watching someone else win something, climbing a mountain, Worms, challenging authority, ESPN and Nickelodeon, Matt Rhule, second guessing, and much more. Signed copies of The Big Thing Effect can be ordered from Explore Booksellers with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Farah Ali, author of The River, The Town, which is published by our friends at Dzanc Books. Topics of conversation include geographical locations with no source of water, why a mother hates her son, men who hide themselves behind television, propaganda, religion, more money more problems, poetic deaths, and much more. Copies of The River, The Town can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by former NC Piedmont Laureate David Menconi, who discusses his new book Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music, which is published by our friends at UNC Press. Topics of conversation include IBMA and Wide Open Bluegrass, the Union Grove Old Time Fiddler's Convention, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, the connection between music and politics, starting a record label in the 1960s vs. in 2023, concert going fashion, Russian literature, James Michener, the Grateful Dead, and much more! Copies of Oh, Didn't They Ramble can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Christine Evans, author of Nadia, which is published by our friends at University of Iowa Press. Topics of conversation include writing a novel vs. writing a play or an opera, Bosnia and Sarajevo, the perception of Russians in 1997 vs. 2023, working for temp agencies, Y2K, parenting with ghost stories, Nick Cave, immigration and immigrants, and much more. Copies of Nadia can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Christine Lai, who discusses her new novel Landscapes, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include novels about art, what you can learn about a character based on their attitude towards another character's art (through the lens of Nabokov's Pale Fire), whether a critic can ever become a part of the art they are criticizing, Penelope as a name in literature, documentation, climate fiction, capitalism and possession, and much more. Copies of Landscapes can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Nathan Hill, bestselling author of The Nix, who discusses his new novel Wellness, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf. Topics of discussion include Florida, voyeurism, neckties as a positive or negative, present day internet vs. internet 1.0, hypertext literature, video games, reality vs. the ideal, Kidz Bop, Minecraft, truthiness, and much more. Copies of Wellness can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Adam Bessie, author of Going Remote: A Teacher's Journey, which is published by our friends at Seven Stories Press and The Censored Press. Topics of conversation include teaching in the COVID-era, the education system as a waterway, surviving brain cancer, the Matrix, Literature of the Apocalypse, the state of public education, and much more. Copies of Going Remote can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies welcomes back New York Times bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk, who discusses his new novel Not Forever, But For Now, which is published by our friends at Simon & Schuster. Topics of discussion include book tours, changing publishers, shock value, punk rock, nature films, kangaroos, Portland, OR, Amy Hempel, Winnie the Pooh, serial killers as pen pals, Pericles and Agamemnon, Kurt Cobain and Jonestown, and much more. Copies of Not Forever, But For Nowcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Hugh Hodges, author of The Fascist Groove Thing: A History of Thatcher's Britain in 21 Mixtapes, which is published by our friends at PM Press. Topics of conversation include Bob Marley, music as a unifier, Margaret Thatcher, the BBC, Donald Trump, Heaven 17, mixed tapes, Chumbawamba, Rage Against the Machine, and much more. Copies of The Fascist Groove Thing can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week is Bookin's 250th episode! Host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning & bestselling author Sarah Rose Etter, who discusses her new novel Ripe, which is published by our friends at Scribner. Topics of conversation include moving, the smell of a train in San Francisco, class divides, tech industry Believers, screen time, Voyager, parental relationships, black holes, panic attacks, religion, abortions, and more. Copies of Ripe can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Stephen Markley, who discusses his new novel The Deluge, which is published by our friends at Simon and Schuster. Topics of discussion include remarkable reading experiences, methane hydrates, Easter as a "lesser holiday", text abuse, LOST, audiobooks, Tom Cruise, using Blood Meridian to pick up dates, Tinder, Opie, Kanye West, Nikola Jokic, and much more. Copies of The Deluge can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ben Purkert, author of The Men Can't Be Saved, which is published by our friends at The Overlook Press. Topics of conversation include Hanif Abdurraqib, jobs and what they do to our souls, 15 minutes of fame, adult men's diapers, David Foster Wallace, Nabokov, non-profits, workplace romances, video games, and more! Copies of The Men Can't Be Saved can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Wilton Barnhardt, who discusses his new novel Western Alliances, which is published by our friends at St. Martin's Press. Topics of conversation include North Carolina, William T. Vollmann, bourbon, travel, photography, the 2008 financial collapse, the bond market, Henry Miller, European elevators, Zelda Fitzgerald, Norway, and much more. Copies of Western Alliances can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, who discusses her new novel Lady Tan's Circle of Women, which is published by our friends at Scribner. Topics of discussion include foot binding, medicine as practiced in China vs. the USA, suffering as love, gender roles in 15th century China, concubines, lavish homes, the Chinese zodiac, and more. Copies of Lady Tan's Circle of Women can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week's Bookin' features bestselling author, founder of Zoetrope, and Executive Director of Aspen Words Adrienne Brodeur, who discusses her new novel Little Monsters, which is published by our friends at Simon & Schuster. Topics of discussion include Aspen Words, the nature of secrets, possession, privilege, the Barnes & Noble Book of the Month, art and science in literature, friends as editors, mania, choosing one's own family, and much more. Copies of Little Monsters can be purchased from Explore Booksellers here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week's Bookin' features Rodrigo Restrepo Montoya, author of The Holy Days of Gregorio Pasos, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include Two Dollar Radio, the relativity of time, sports novels, pain pills, teasing one's decision to have or not have children on the news cycle, birds flying into windows, Colombia, dating teachers, the value of literature, and much more. Copies of The Holy Days of Gregory Pasos can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Jim Ruland, who discusses his newest novel Make It Stop, which is published by our friends at Rare Bird. Topics of discussion include Bad Religion, Keith Morris, the intersection of music and literature, bars that offer tattoos, cults, hospital bills, shopping mall culture, work colleagues as family members, and much more. Copies of Make It Stop can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kevin Gosztola, author of Guilty of Journalism: The Political Case against Julian Assange, which is published by our friends at 7 Stories Press and The Censored Press. Topics of discussion include the Shadowproof news outlet and Unauthorized Disclosure podcast, Julian Assange, whistleblowers and the prosecution of whistleblowers by the United States of America, Barack Obama's approach to governmental leaks vs. Donald Trump's, Joe Biden's assertion that journalists should not be in jail, citizenship, and much more. Copies of Guilty of Journalism can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies discusses one of the greatest authors to ever put pen to page, Cormac McCarthy, with Dan Hawkins, Librarian at the Daniel Library at The Citadel. Topics of conversation include the author as celebrity, violence, genre fiction vs. literary fiction, writing for film and the stage, the Coen Brothers, Faulkner vs. Hemingway, new year's resolutions, fatherhood, Oprah's Book Club, mythological underworld narratives, and a whole lot more. Cormac McCarthy's novels, including The Passenger and Stella Maris, can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author and host of Jeopardy Ken Jennings, who discusses his new book 100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife, which is published by our friends at Scribner. Topics of conversation include religious skepticism, Dante and Milton vs. George Lucas and George R.R. Martin, the afterlife as the DMV, the Bardo (both traditionally and as written by George Saunders), The Leftovers vs. LOST, Grim Fandango, whether rivers made of milk and honey are supposed to appeal to vegans, and much more. Copies of 100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by legendary author T.C. Boyle, who discusses his new novel Blue Skies, which is published by our friends at Liveright. Topics of discussion include using animals as jewelry, pets as substitutes for children, narrative structures, the desire to save the earth vs. the desire to keep consuming, raising insects as sources of food, Florida vs. California, "influencer" as a job title, writers as mentally disturbed individuals, cli-fi novels, and much more. Copies of Blue Skiescan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Junior Burke, author of Buddha Was a Cowboy, which is published by our friends at Gibson House Press. Topics of conversation include zen koans, mindful instruction, gurus, the concept of Jesus of Nazareth rooting for a football squad, key holders, hypocrisy, writing for a market, Colorado Springs as the evangelical Vatican, and much more. Copies of Buddha Was a Cowboy can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jinwoo Chong, author of Flux, which is published by our friends at Melville House. Topics of discussion include Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes, fake television shows, art that is ahead of its time, whether a relationship can succeed if one person is intolerant of the other person's passions, subscription rate hikes, whether society can handle a glitch in the infrastructure, retail therapy, fanny packs, social media influencers, and much more. Copies of Fluxcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by David Hollander, who discusses his newest book How Basketball Can Save the World, which is published by our friends at Harmony. Topics of discussion include advising ESPNW, basketball as an existential matter, how basketball can save us from climate destruction, Nikola Jokic, the MVP award, James Naismith, Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain, Ja Morant, Draymond Green, and much more. Copies of How Basketball Can Save the Worldcan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Shelley Read, author of Go as a River, which is published by our friends at Spiegel & Grau. Topics of discussion include long-term projects, how the bottom of a lake is like the moon, peaches in Colorado vs. peaches in the southeastern USA, parenting towards Judgement Day, farming, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, differing concepts of home and place, rooting for drama, and much more. Copies of Go as a River can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kathryn Bromwich, who discusses her new novel At the Edge of the Woods, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include Richard Powers' The Overstory, wilderness narratives that captivate our imaginations, a female protagonist living off the grid, how one's mind works first thing in the morning, a mountain as a sentient being, practicing one's smile in the mirror, guilt over not attending church, and much more. Copies of At the Edge of the Woodscan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by prize winning author Rita Zoey Chin, who discusses her new novel The Strange Inheritance of Leah Fern, which is published by our friends at Melville House Publishing. Topics of conversation include writing in the COVID-era, carnivals, elephants, South Carolina, the confederate flag, 21st birthdays, Eddie Murphy, contemplating infinity, midterm elections, and much more. Copies of The Strange Inheritance of Leah Ferncan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by American Poets Prize and Pushcart Prize-winning author Maggie Smith, who discusses her new memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, which is published by our friends at One Signal Publishers. Topics of conversation include the literary scene in Columbus, the phrase "tell-all", the evolution of the creative process, how to tell when something seems off, growing apart, fried pickle spears with ranch dressing, and much more. Copies of You Could Make This Place Beautifulcan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Janice Obuchowski, who discusses her new short story collection The Woods, which is published by our friends at the University of Iowa Press. Topics of discussion include authors in Middlebury, Vermont, the challenges of basing a book's setting on a town where one lives, feral cats, the spectral, confusion, the nature of time, Robert Frost, capital 'T' Truth, the Vermont Book Shop, the difference between a short story and a novel, and much more! Copies of The Woodscan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Emmy award-winning author Kate Manning, who discusses her new novel Gilded Mountain, which is published by our friends at Scribner. Topics of conversation include Colorado, poodles in hair parlors and society clubs, similarities between Colorado and Vermont, selling beauty, writing about snow, unions in the early 1900s and in the current era, newspapers, and much more. Copies of Gilded Mountaincan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Robert Lopez, who discusses his new novel Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include the American experience in 2023, dispatches and Dispatches, whether Puerto Rico is a part of the United States in popular opinion, turning an insult into a word of power, tennis, the pledge of allegiance, and much more. Copies of Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Pushcart Prize winning author Bill Cotter, who discusses his new book The Splendid Ticket, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include the difference in writing books for children vs. writing books for adults, towns that the world has moved on from, gamblers, whether women tend to marry their fathers, the question of why Texas loves guns, the principle of Checkov's gun, gun safety, moving on from tragedy, and much more. Copies of The Splendid Ticketcan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Marjorie Hudson, who discusses her new novel Indigo Field, which is published by our friends at Regal House Publishers. Topics of conversation include the act of reading poetry to trees, giant clouds of pollen, recognized crabbiness, whether you can ever really know someone, witchcraft, foster children' rights, and much more. Copies of Indigo Field can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
On this week's Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Origins Hall of Famer and one of Pyramid's most influential people of the millennium, and co-creator of the Dragonlance saga Margaret Weis, who discusses her latest novel Dragons of Deceit, which is published by our friends at Del Rey. Topics of conversation include the growth of the fantasy genre, the popularity of D&D in the Stranger Things-era, planning for a trilogy vs. a single book, the process of co-writing with someone for 40 years, keeping up with four decades of lore, female protagonists in the fantasy genre, Huma, and much more. Copies of Dragons of Deceitcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by multi-platinum record producer and cognitive neuroscientist Susan Rogers, who discusses her new book This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You, which is published by our friends at Norton. Topics of discussion include seeing Led Zeppelin in concert, producing Prince, jamming with Miles Davis, record pulls and Listmas, Bach vs. The Shaggs, what happens in a person's mind when they listen to music, how DAWs changed music production, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard and the novel popularity curve, the question of art vs. the artist, and much more. Copies of This Is What It Sounds Likecan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Courtney Zoffness, who discusses her new book Spilt Milk, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include memoirs, parental advice, anxiety, "Hot for Teacher", ownership of one's body, organized religion, Roe v Wade, raising a boy in the current political climate, truth vs. fantasy, and much more. Copies of Spilt Milk can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Louise Willder, author of Blurb Your Enthusiasm: An A-Z of Literary Persuasion, which is published by our friends at OneWorld. Topics of conversation include T.S. Eliot, snowflakes, unfortunate titles that were left on the cutting room floor, bookselling during COVID-19, Stephen King as an underrated writer, Nicole Krauss, book cover trends, and much more. Copies of Blurb Your Enthusiasmcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jody Rosen, author of Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle, which is published by our friends at Crown. Topics of discussion include bicycling in the COVID-era, space travel, traveling vs. being traveled, women's emancipation movements throughout the world, bicycle pornography, e-bikes, climate change, bicycling in the winter, and much more. Copies of Two Wheels Goodcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Oregon Book Award winner and Emmy nominee Jon Raymond, who discusses his new book Denial, which is published by our friends at Simon and Schuster. Topics of conversation include Portland's Literary Arts, the climate crisis, whether every revolution is destined to become a bureaucracy, the future of newspapers, beef and factory farming, bookstores in 2052, Mark Twain, Diego Rivera, and much more. Copies of Denialcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kevin Maloney, author of The Red-Headed Pilgrim,which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include the line between fact and fiction, the fear of routine in adulthood, virginity and sex, Howl, Robotussin-induced spirit journeys, Pearl Jam vs. Sufjan Stevens, wanderlust, and much more. Copies of The Red-Headed Pilgrimcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for member of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning author Dan Chaon, who discusses his latest novel Sleepwalk, which is published by Henry Holt and Co. Topics of conversation include unreliable narrators, Hunter S. Thompson, aliases, burner phones and the desire to be untraceable, eccentric billionaires who start cultish non-profits, sperm banks, what amnesia would look like if it were a country, QAnon, and much more. Copies of Sleepwalk can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by William MacAskill, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Oxford University, Forbes 30 under 30 Social Entrepreneur, and author of What We Owe the Future, which is published by our friends at Basic Books. Topics of discussion include thought experiments, longtermism, clean energy, climate change, artificial intelligence, professional gambling, Roe vs. Wade, value lock-in, technological stagnation, and much more. Copies of What We Owe the Futurecan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Guggenheim Fellow, NEA Fellow, MacArthur Fellow and National Book Award winning author Andrea Barrett, who discusses her new short story collection Natural History, which is published by our friends at W.W. Norton and Company. Topics of discussion include preparing to write a novel vs. a short story collection, whether you can judge a book by its cover or not, color in literature, History, weather balloons in the Civil War, the role of butterflies and moths in literature, scissors, and much more. Copies of Natural Historycan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Danny Ramadan, author of The Foghorn Echoes, which is published by our friends at Canongate. Topics of conversation include growing up as a gay man in Syria, thoughts and prayers, military indoctrination, the perception of the American military in Syria, literary ghost stories, parental shaming, Randy Orton, video games as art, and much more. Copies of The Foghorn Echoescan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Silas House, who discusses his new novel Lark, Ascending, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of discussion include "With or Without You", maritime novels, the Trump-era, fundamentalists, dual-citizenship, Ireland, climate fiction, dogs, beliefs, and much more. Copies of Lark, Ascendingcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Edgar Award-winning author and host of The Moth George Dawes Green, who discusses his new novel The Kingdoms of Savannah, which is published by our friends at Celadon Books. Topics of discussion include Savannah as a fairy-tale city, Omar from The Wire, mothers, Southern facades, slumlords, Thomas Wolfe, support for independent bookstores, and much more. Copies of The Kingdoms of Savannah can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jeff Wagner, author of Destination Onward: The Story of Fates Warning, which is published by our friends at FYI Press. Topics of conversation include buying records in the pre-Napster/streaming-era, Fates Warning, living a life defined by music fandom, the plight of the Native American, progressive metal, Radiohead, England's influence on popular music, the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, and much more. Copies of Destination Onwardcan be purchased here from Explore Booksellers with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Scott Gates, author of Gone, the Redeemer, which is published by our friends at Blue Ink Press. Topics of conversation include Page 158 Books, sunsets, Cuban history, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Oprah Winfrey, A Picture of Dorian Gray, Colorado, and much more. Copies of Gone, the Redeemer can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ray Robertson, author of Estates Large and Small, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include Biblioasis, the Grateful Dead, Hunterisms, virtual bookstores, leadership in the COVID-era, the used book business, the value of literary fiction in contemporary society, impersonations, and much more. Copies of Estates Large and Small can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by legendary literary icon Michael Parker, author of I Am the Light of This World, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of conversation include Randall Kenan, Chris Stamey, pawn shop guitars, clotheslines, Leadbelly, turnstiles, the word "world", differing perceptions of sexuality, drugs and alcohol, and much more. Copies of I Am the Light of This World can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Explore More+.
This week, Host Jason Jefferies is joined by Bookin' favorite Alex Pugsley, author of Shimmer, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include the James Joyce of Canada, 7-11, flip-phones, the Friends drinking game, pornography, Marlboro Ultra Lights, Courtney Love, guitar tablature, and much more. Copies of Shimmer can be ordered here.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author B.A. Shapiro, author of Metropolis, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of conversation include self-storage units, the process of writing multiple protagonists, research, artistic mediums, street photography, writing what you know vs. writing what you don't know, embezzlement, whether commercial success changes the artist's approach to creation, an much more. Copies of Metropolis can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ellyn Gaydos, author of Pig Years, which is published by our friends at Knopf. Topics of conversation include writing about pigs, growing up in Vermont, small farms vs. factory farms, snakes on the bathroom floor, consuming pig hearts, acts of desecration, stock car speedways, global warming, and much more. Copies of Pig Years can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers, Aspen's trusted community bookstore.
This week, Host Jason Jefferies is joined by Davey Davis, author of X, which is published by our friends at Catapult. Topics of conversation include Roe v. Wade, waterboarding, Abu Ghraib, Matt Riedl, whether sexiness is political, small talk about climate change, practiced dishonesty, bodily confusion, whether change is ever really possible, and much more. Copies of X can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Lydia Millet, author of Dinosaurs, which is published by our friends at W.W. Norton and Co. Topics of conversation include books that take place in Arizona, short novels, Batman, new places vs. old places, A Children's Bible and climate change legislation, glass houses, basketball & skateboarding, Fox News & Football, dinosaurs, and much more. Copies of Dinosaurs can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Timothy C. Baker, author of Reading My Mother Back: A Memoir in Childhood Animal Stories, which is published by our friends at Goldsmiths Press. Topics of conversation include Babar the elephant, Baltimore, Ronald Reagan, animal industries, Frog & Toad, The Lord of the Rings vs. Chronicles of Narnia, Watership Down, and much more. Copies of Reading My Mother Back can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies welcomes Victoria Shepherd, author of A History of Delusions: The Glass King, a Substitute Husband, and a Walking Corpse, which is published by our friends at Oneworld. Topics of discussion include the difference between a fairy tale and a delusion, QAnon, paranoid schizophrenia, the connection between Fyodor Dostoevsky and Edgar Allen Poe, melancholy, the idea that one's body may be made of glass, and much more. Copies of A History of Delusions can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Lara Williams, author of The Odyssey, which is published by our friends at Zando Projects. Topics of discussion include The Odyssey as a title, wabi sabi, cruise ships, David Foster Wallace, boredom/inertia, oblivion, infantilization, scientology, designing your own money, shopping malls, and much more. Copies of The Odyssey can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Christy Alexander Hallberg, author of Searching for Jimmy Page, which is published by our friends at Livingston Press. Topics of discussion include Led Zeppelin as a rite of passage, Four Sticks, omens, Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant's sandwich, Hammer of the Gods, Liv Tyler, and much more. Copies of Searching for Jimmy Page can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers!
Welcome to Bookin's 200th Episode! Host Jason Jefferies is joined by legendary award-winning author John Kessel, who discusses his newest collection The Dark Ride: The Best Short Fiction of John Kessel, which is published by our friends at Subterranean Press. Topics of discussion includes the literary scene in North Carolina, Kim Stanley Robinson, birth, education, genre writing vs. non-genre writing, the current state of science-fiction, gatekeeping in the sci-fi community, and much more. Copies of The Dark Ride can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Internationally bestselling author Corban Addison, who discusses his new book Wastelands: The True Story of Farm Country On Trial, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf. Topics of discussion include John Grisham, narrative non-fiction, the silencing of Smithfield Food's employees and lawyers, what is wrong with NC politicians, hog growers as "family farmers", community activists vs. environmental extremists, Mona Lisa Wallace, eating bacon, and much more. Copies of Wastelands can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Peter C. Baker, author of Planes, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf. Topics of conversation include shops with regulars, cooking for pleasure vs. cooking by necessity, compulsive gossip, people who are overwhelmed by surprises, redactions, whether a coffee habit is a path to financial ruin, and much more. Copies of Planes can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers, Aspen's trusted community bookstore.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ruthanna Emrys, author of A Half-Built Garden, which is published by our friends at Tor.com. Topics of conversation include unsolicited advice, climate catastrophe, first-contact scenarios, alien races the look like spiders, children, diplomatic relations, the influence of media on human development, space colonization, and much more. Copies of A Half-Built Garden can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Booker Prize finalist Steve Toltz, author of Here Goes Nothing, which is published by our friends at Melville House. Topics of conversation include worrying about other people's perceptions, the desire to be invisible, vegetarians who eat fish, the afterlife, fake smiles, newlyweds, Satanists, and much more. Copies of Here Goes Nothing can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers! THIS PODCAST FEATURES EXPLICIT CONTENT.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Gabino Iglesias, author of The Devil Takes You Home, which is published by our friends at Mulholland Books. Topics of conversation include Austin murderous tendencies, what an accent signals in media, waking dreams vs. daydreams, patience, genre fiction vs. literary fiction, cartels, El Paso/Ciudad Juárez, Cormac McCarthy, violence, and much more. Copies of The Devil Takes You Home can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Matthew Ball, author of The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything, which is published by our friends at Liveright Publishing Company. Topics of conversation include Vannevar Bush, Walter Benjamin, Neal Stephenson, Satoshi Nakamoto, video games, Netflix and other streaming technologies, the metaverse vs. metaverses, Mark Zuckerburg, and much more. Copies of The Metaverse can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Isaac Fitzgerald, author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts, which is published by our friends at Bloomsbury. Topics of discussion include McSweeney's, happy accidents vs. sin, whether it is possible to read too many books, baseball, a child's perspective on financial security, books as religion, whether a parent should be their child's friend, shady priests, and much more. Copies of Dirtbag, Massachusetts can be ordered here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Shelly Oria, editor of I Know What's Best For You: Stories on Reproductive Freedom, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Margaret Atwood and The Handmaid's Tale, anti-abortion abortion clinics, Roe v. Wade, baby formula, aggression within the context of oppression, optimism, and much more. Copies of I Know What's Best For You: Stories on Reproductive Freedom can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Dave Pell, author of Please Scream Inside your Heart: Breaking News and Nervous Breakdowns in the Year that Wouldn't End, which is published by our friends at Hachette. Topics of discussion include 826 Valencia, Japanese amusement parks, Adolf Hitler, Donald Trump, Jeopardy vs. Wheel of Fortune, the royal family, "Do as I say not as I do", binders full of women, and much more. Copies of Please Scream Inside your Heart can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Maggie Shipstead, who discusses her new book You Have a Friend in 10A, which is published by our friends at Knopf. Topics of discussion include Willie Nelson, ski resorts, when fictional animals die, men of great patience, creative writing workshops, unreliable narrators, the elusive nature of truth, Scientology, Elon Musk, and much more. Copies of You Have a Friend in 10A can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers, Aspen's legendary independent community bookstore.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Mirin Fader, who discusses her latest book Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP, which is published by our friends at Hachette Books. Topics of conversation include NBA championships, evictions, the financial crisis of 2008, the desire to win, narrating an audiobook, NBA coach Jason Kidd, and much more. Copies of Giannis can be purchased here from Explore Booksellers.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Alexandra Lange, author of Meet Me By The Fountain: An Inside History of the Shopping Mall, which is published by our friends at Bloomsbury. Topics of discussion include COVID-19's effect on shopping malls, the American Dream, the shopping mall as a public gathering space, arcades, Sweet Valley High, Stranger Things, repurposing mall buildings, and much more. Copies of Meet Me By The Fountain can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author and Bookin' favorite Therese Anne Fowler, who discusses her new novel It All Comes Down To This, which is published by our friends at St. Martin's Press. Topics of conversation include jumping genres, the Fowlerverse, observing human nature, the New York Mets, knowing your time is coming vs. not knowing, cell phone zombies, New York train stations vs. Swiss train stations, Southern Authors, and more. Signed copies of It All Comes Down To This can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Dan Grunfeld, former professional basketball player and author of By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream, which is published by our friends at Triumph Books. Topics of discussion include Holocaust awareness, Ray Allen, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird (and Kareem Abdul Jabbar), growing up in the NBA, concentration camps, and much more. Copies of By the Grace of the Game can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jarred McGinnis, author of The Coward, which is published by our friends at Canongate Books. Topics of discussion include Artificial Intelligence, wheelchairs, the distance between fiction and memoir, advice, dealing with problematic family members, dreams, Zola, Ibsen, Tolstoy and the Lived Novel, James Frey, World War III, and much more. Copies of The Coward can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Paige Clarke, author of She is Haunted, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include PhDs, Two Dollar Radio, kids, God as a character, Rumpelstiltskin, value systems, favorite words (geriatric vs. abomination vs. bloom), internet-driven obsessions, redactions, and much more. Copies of She is Haunted can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by #1 New York Times-bestselling author Chris Bohjalian, who discusses his new novel The Lioness, which is published by our friends at Doubleday. Topics of discussion include Orson Welles, how the majestic becomes mundane, formatting a novel, pop-up civilizations, mother-daughter relationships, Russia, retirement, showing vs. telling, and much more. Copies of The Lioness can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Landis Wade, host of the Charlotte Readers Podcast and author of Deadly Declarations, which is published by our friends at Lystra Books and Literary Services. Topics of conversation include Charlotte's literary history, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, George Washington, insomnia, book collections, John Grisham, what it means to be a "New South" city, and much more. Signed copies of Deadly Declarations can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sean Thor Conroe, author of Fuccboi, which is published by our friends at Little, Brown. Topics of conversation include the line between fiction and memoir, slang, Scott McClanahan, The Wire, Roberto Bolaño, Lil B, wokeness, the politicization of art, and much more. Copies of Fuccboi can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mike Florio, creator and owner, along with NBC Sports, of profootballtalk.com, a leading NFL news organization. He hosts two daily shows on Peacock and Sirius XM, PFT Live and PFTPM. During the football season, he also appears weekly on the Sunday Night Football broadcast. His new book is Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (and Doesn’t), which is published by our friends at PublicAffairs. Topics of conversation include fantasy football, Tom Brady, the NFL Draft, franchise quarterbacks, whether Roger Goodell is a good commissioner and much more. Copies of Playmakers can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week's Bookin' features Ilube Nommo Award, New England Book Award, and Alex Award winning author Tochi Onyebuchi, who discusses his new novel Goliath, which is published by our friends at Tordotcom. Topics of discussion include Economic Law, writing for young adults vs not so young adults, gangs, Connecticut novels, space exploration and global warming, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, cigarettes, Cormac McCarthy, and much more. Copies of Goliath can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Emily St. John Mandel, who discusses her new book Sea of Tranquility, which is published by our friends at Knopf. Topics of discussion include book tour interviews, time travelers, science-fiction vs. literary fiction, exile, whether a house can be haunted by failure, writing about the senses, life as a computer simulation, the Mandela effect, pandemic novels, and much more. Signed copies of Sea of Tranquility can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Megan Mayhew Bergman, author of How Strange a Season, which is published by our friends at Scribner. Topics of discussion include life in Vermont, family in North Carolina and growing up in the South, people who talk like they mean it, bossiness, estranged husbands, living in a glass house, wife days, the word "crazy", Alaska cold vs. Vermont cold, jazz and the medium of the album, and much more. Signed copies of How Strange a Season can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Phoebe Zerwick, Director of the Journalism program at Wake Forest University and author of Beyond Innocence:The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt, which is published by our friends at Atlantic Monthly Press. Topics of discussion include Darryl Hunt serving a sentence in prison for a murder he did not commit, Debbie Sykes, North Carolina as a training ground for journalism, writing about smoking in a tobacco town, the confederate flag, innocent people on death row, the exponential growth of the imprisonment of black people in the USA, reintegration for the formerly incarcerated, and much more. Copies of Beyond Innocence can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Carissa Véliz, associate professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford. Her new book is Privacy is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data, which is published by our friends at Melville House Publishing. Topics of conversation include the surveillance economy, 1984, what nefarious purposes our data is being used for, smart TVs, what happens when you look at your phone first thing in the morning, Facebook, Cambridge Analytica, crises, whether kids will end up suing their parents over Facebook posts, what we can do to take power over our data back, and much more. copies of Privacy is Power can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Azar Nafisi, who discusses her new book Read Dangerously, which is published by our friends at Dey St. Topics of conversation include how America is like the Islamic Republic, the harassment of poets and writers in Iran, whether we are living in a post-Trump era, Maus and banned books, Salman Rushdie and The Satanic Verses, Fahrenheit 451, Plato's Republic, To the End of the Land by David Grossman, and much more. Copies of Read Dangerously can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Pat Pickens, author of The Whalers: The Rise, Fall, and Enduring Mystique of New England's (Second) Greatest NHL Franchise, which is published by our friends at Lyons Press. Topics of conversation include the heartache of losing a favorite team, the resurgence of the Whalers brand, "Brass Bonanza", hockey as a welcoming sport for fans and journalists, Ron Francis, whether the Whalers needed to move to North Carolina to win a Stanley Cup, whether the NHL will ever return to Hartford, and much more. Copies of The Whalers can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Laura Shin, host of the Unchained podcast and author of The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze, which is published by our friends at Public Affairs. Topics of conversation include Bitcoin, Ethereum, why the concept of cryptocurrencies are hard for some people to grasp, Satoshi Nakamoto, Vitalik Buterin, Charles Hoskinson and Cardano, currency vs. store of value, JP Morgan, C3PO, privacy, and much more. Signed copies (bookplates) of The Cryptopians can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain, who discusses her new book The Last House on the Street, which is published by our friends at St. Martin's Press. Topics of discussion include the Voting Rights Act, SCOPE, northern agitators, North Carolina and the Deep South, the KKK, two-faced public citizens, the way forward for the United States in 2022, and much more! Signed copies of The Last House on the Street can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sasha Fletcher, author of Be Here to Love Me at the End of the World, which is published by our friends at Melville House. Topics of conversation include how cold it has to be outside to excrete billionaires in the street, the lengths one must go to in order to collect on one's invoices, scaremongering re: nuclear missile attacks, what it means to be President, police, angels, and much more. Copies of Be Here to Love Me at the End of the World can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Paul Cantor, author of Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller, which is published by our friends at Abrams Press. Topics of discussion include the drive to succeed, car crashes, fame and the aversion to fame, Ariana Grande, Kurt Cobain, Dale and Andrew Carnegie, a "dependable middle class existence", Mac Miller as a "Jewish rapper", whether or not Bob Dylan is a rockstar, Outkast's Aquemeni, whether we will be listening to Mac Miller in twenty years, and much more. Copies of Most Dope: The Extraordinary Life of Mac Miller can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mesha Maren, author of Perpetual West, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of conversation include traveling in the COVID-era, Roberto Bolaño, literary allusions in works of literature, the idea of originality, stalking Cormac McCarthy, Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, Lucha Libre wrestling, how wrestling is like a presidential election, and much more. Copies of Perpetual West can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by David Sanchez, author of All Day Is A Long Time, which is published by our friends at Harper. Topics of conversation include working construction during COVID-19, the line between memoir and fiction, compartmentalization, first-person vs. second-person narrative, the science of drug use, hyper-literary fiction, time loops, and much more. Copies of All Day Is A Long Time can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Jon Peterson, who discusses his newest book Game Wizards: The Epic Battle for Dungeons & Dragons, which is published by our friends at MIT Press. Topics of discussion include playing D&D while COVID-19 runs amok, Gary Gygax and the formation of TSR, Lake Geneva, the business model of selling rule books vs. more traditionally packaged board games, fanzines, whether gigantic rulebooks are barriers to entry for the aspiring player of D&D, Dragonlance, Wizards of the Coast, and much more! Copies of Game Wizards can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Cara Blue Adams, author of You Never Get It Back, which is published by our friends at University of Iowa Press. Topics of conversation include teaching creative writing, Marilynne Robinson, Arizona, the personification of loss, Kafka, novels vs. linked story collections, Y2K, Vermont, Dante, Hemingway and abortion, and much more. Copies of You Never Get It Back can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Karen Tucker, author of Bewilderness, which is published by our friends at Catapult. Topics of discussion include teaching at the University of North Carolina in 2021, scraping more out of life than most, trust, a 30mg moon, the record number of reported drug overdoses in the USA in 2021, Charlotte vs. Atlanta, addiction, Reddit and censorship, and much more. Copies of Bewilderness can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
For this special Christmas week episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Benjamin M. Friedman, the William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy and former chair of the Department of Economics at Harvard University, who discusses his new book Religion and the Rise of Capitalism, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf. Topics of discussion include the perception that any challenge to a market-centered conduct of economic affairs is a fundamental threat to our lives, how economic thinking is rooted in religious thinking, belief in free markets, England's bishops as "Retainers to Superstition", why some low-income Americans don't want higher taxes on high-income Americans, how Adam Smith inspired Ronald Reagan, cryptocurrencies, and much more. Copies of Religion and the Rise of Capitalism can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jeremy B. Jones, author of Bearwallow, which is published by our friends at Blair. Topics of discussion include planning literary festivals during a pandemic, the life of a place, how ancestors can be like leprechauns, how entering a teacher's lounge is like being backstage at a concert, normal teacher behavior, bears, "the pull", the Civil War, and much more. Copies of Bearwallow can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Makiia Lucier, author of Year of the Reaper, which is published by our friends at Clarion Books. Topics of discussion include plagues, ghosts, librarians, arranged marriages, religion (or lack thereof) during trying times, traveling by horse, lynx, Guam, and much more. Copies of Year of the Reaper can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Farah Ali, who discusses her new book People Want to Live, which is published by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of discussion include shootings in the media, desensitization, whether parents can ever truly know their children, whether corporate news organizations are alarmist by nature, the evil eye, tourism, Dubliners and much more. Copies of People Want to Live can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ed Southern, Executive Director of the North Carolina Writers' Network and author of Fight Songs: A Story of Love and Sports in a Complicated South, which is published by our friends at Blair. Topics of conversation include the North Carolina Writers' Network, the ACC tournament, Mark Cuban and the cancellation of an NBA season due to COVID-19, change, the Bookmarks Festival, whether you should marry an Alabama football fan, books about sports fandom, Wake Forest University football, Lou Holtz, Hanif Abdurraqib, and much more. Signed copies of Fight Songs: A Story of Love and Sports in a Complicated South can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jeffrey E. Garten, Dean Emeritus of the Yale School of Management, former Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade in the Clinton administration, and a managing director of the Blackstone Group. His new book is Three Days at Camp David: How a Secret Meeting in 1971 Transformed the Global Economy, which is published by our friends at Harper. Topics of conversation include the gold standard, a pinned dollar, the climate surrounding Nixon's presidency vs. Biden's presidency, the long term societal effects of a deemphasis on education, cryptocurrency, what the paper dollar is worth, and much more. Copies of Three Days at Camp David: How a Secret Meeting in 1971 Transformed the Global Economy can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sean Avery Medlin, author of 808s & Otherworlds, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of conversation include Hades, the 808 drum machine, Erykah Badu, Arizona, the Trickster, BET, Kanye West and Donald Trump, and much more. Copies of 808s & Otherworlds can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Daniel Levin Becker, Senior Editor at McSweeney's and editor of Dear McSweeney's: Two Decades of Letters to the Editor from Writers, Readers and the Occasional Bewildered Consumer, which is published, of course, by our friends at McSweeney's. Topics of conversation include the reasons why people write and read, shoring oneself against oblivion, a hissing armadillo named Andrew Jackson, raccoons, chicken nuggets, Michael Crichton, writing economically, Hanif Abdurraqib, and much more. Copies of Dear McSweeney's: Two Decades of Letters to the Editor from Writers, Readers and the Occasional Bewildered Consumer can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Reid Forgrave, author of Love, Zac: Small-Town Football and the Life and Death of an American Boy, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books. Topics of conversation include what football means to America, guns, when football passed baseball as the most popular sport in America, CTE and concussions, whether professional football is sustainable or not, sports books, Ray "Voodoo" Tatum, and much more. Copies of Love, Zac: Small-Town Football and the Life and Death of an American Boy can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Amy Koppelman, author of A Mouthful of Air, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include adapting a novel into a screenplay, Indie bookstores, Barnes & Noble and Amazon, postpartum depression, Kurt Cobain and David Foster Wallace, anti-depressants, Roe vs. Wade, breastfeeding, organic cookies, and much more. Copies of A Mouthful of Air can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mike DeCapite, author of Jacket Weather, which is published by our friends at Soft Skull Press. Topics of conversation include Lou Reed, Spotify Playlists, the Manhattan Bridge, Ray Barretto, acid, Lez Zeppelin, "Don't Stop Believin'" and The Sopranos, solitude, Hot Tuna, The Rolling Stones, and more. Copies of Jacket Weather can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Wiley Cash, New York Times-bestselling author of When Ghosts Come Home, which is published by our friends at William Morrow. Topics of conversation include independent bookstores, ghost stories, The Andy Griffith Show, writing about technology, the confederate flag, racism, the Pterodactyl Club, the New York Times Book Review, and much more. Copies of When Ghosts Come Home can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times-bestselling author Joe Posnanski, who discusses his new book The Baseball 100, which is published by our friends at Avid Reader Press. Topics of discussion include falling in love with baseball, Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani, statistics that are not recorded, Ozzie Smith, Bullet Rogan, Mad Max Scherzer and the Los Angeles Dodgers, whether 'catcher' is the most important and complex position in baseball, GOAT sports books, fathers and sons, baseball cards, the importance of steering ones loved ones away from Orioles fandom, Barry Bonds and steroids, Buster Posey, and much more. Copies of The Baseball 100 can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
For our 150th episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning, National Book Award-winning, and New York Times bestselling author Richard Powers, who discusses his new novel Bewilderment, which is published by our friends at W.W. Norton & Company. Topics of discussion include medicating children, Physics vs. English, the search for life in outer space, video games, William T. Vollmann, Buddhism, the idea that we are living in a simulation, homeschooling, and much more. Copies of Bewilderment can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Eric Powell and Harold Schecter, authors of Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done?, which is published by our friends at Albatross Funny Books. Topics of conversation include David Fincher and Mike Mignola, the Milwaukee Bucks, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, how a pirate story is different from a bible story, religious fanaticism, at what age kids may realize something is wrong with their parents, and much more. Copies of Did You Hear What Eddie Gein Done? can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award winning author Cadwell Turnbull, who discusses his fantastic new novel No Gods, No Monsters, which is published by our friends at Blackstone Publishing. Topics of discussion include books set in Raleigh, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, bookstores, eternal return, werewolves, police shootings, comic books, and much more. Copies of No Gods, No Monsters can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author John Grisham, who discusses his newest book Sooley, which is published by our friends at Doubleday Books. Topics of discussion include the ongoing crisis in Sudan, basketball novels, offense vs. defense, Manute Bol, ethnic conflict, technology and the lack thereof, and much more. Copies of Sooley can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club Plus+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Alex Pheby, winner of the Republic of Consciousness Prize and author of Lucia, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of conversation include Lucia and James Joyce, Finnegans Wake, Egyptology, Harry Potter, fan fiction, the likelihood that current authors will be studied in one hundred years, and much more. Copies of Lucia can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Bela Koe-Krompecher, founder of Anyway Records and author of love, death & photosynthesis, which is published by our friends at Don Giovanni Records. Topics of conversation include Columbus, Ohio, punk rock, Mudhoney, time shifts, vinyl, the shifting retail landscape as it relates to record stores and bookstores, the Dead Milkmen, and so much more. Copies of love, death & photosynthesis can be ordered from Quail Ridge Books with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Tom Lin, author of The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu, which is published by our friends at Little, Brown and Company. Topics of discussion include writing a novel as a college student, the outlaw western persona, living a traceless life, railroads, dangerous memories, Cormac McCarthy, magical realism, and much more. Copies of The Thousand Crimes of Ming Tsu can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club +.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author and Hugo and Nebula award winner Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries, which is published by our friends at TOR dot com. Topics of discussion include binging television series, how Murderbot doesn't actually do that much murdering, learned behaviors relative to television and other media, machine rights, video games as literary devices, and much more. Copies of all of the books in the Murderbot Diaries, including the most recent novel Fugitive Telemetry, can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott, who discusses his newest novel Hell of a Book, which is published by our friends at Dutton Books. Topics of conversation include Nicolas Cage, invisibility, bullying, meta-narratives, call center culture, naturalism, the militarization of police, and much more. Copies of Hell of a Book can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Andy Weir, who discusses his newest novel Project Hail Mary, which is published by our friends at Random House. Topics of discussion include rum old-fashioneds, isolation in outer space (and during COVID-19), whether or not humanity would band together to help one another during a planetary catastrophe, why aliens might look like spiders, buddy stories, problems of communication during first contact, and much more. Copies of Project Hail Mary can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by John Freeman, editor of The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story, which is published by our friends at Penguin Press. Topics of discussion include what "Modern" means, genre fiction, academia, The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara, Alice Walker and Kamala Harris, Emergency by Denis Johnson, and much more. Copies of The Penguin Book of the Modern American Short Story can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by legendary guitar player and singer Richard Thompson, author of Beeswing, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of discussion include cover songs, a disregard for school, Les Paul, Lady Chatterley's Lover, the author as celebrity, spirituality, Jimi Hendrix, when you know a song needs to be retired, and much more. Copies of Beeswing (with signed bookplates) can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Steven Petrow, author of Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old, which is published by our friends at Citadel Press. Topics of discussion include the pursuit of dreams, crowdsourcing, double-spacing after periods, preparing for a fall, ageism, "organ recitals", and much more. Copies of Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers' Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Gina Nutt, author of Night Rooms, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include using horror films as a framing device for life experiences, whether Titanic is a horror film, the shifting of the public perception of sharks between Jaws and Sharknado, beauty pageants, home buying courses, and much more. Signed copies of Night Rooms can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Rosecrans Baldwin, author Everything Now: Lessons from the City-State of Los Angeles, which is published by our friends at FSG. Topics of discussion include The Morning News, whether or not one would choose to watch a movie called Revenge City, The Arcades Project, M.I.T.T., cults, secession, Octavia Butler, and much more. Copies of Everything Now can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jonathan Ames, author of A Man Named Doll, which is published by our friends at Mulholland Books. Topics of discussion include eating fish with Veganaise, sadistic-daddy books with a military angle, the difference in writing a novel versus writing for television, police-related violence, payphones, drugs, deep Googling, and much more. Copies of A Man Named Doll can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kristen Arnett, author of With Teeth, which is published by our friends at Riverhead Books. Topics of discussion include parenting with a sense of helplessness, othering, being a queer and out parent in Florida, PE clothes that smell like dead feet, Walt Disney World, hearing your favorite music on insurance commercials, and much more. Copies of With Teeth can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of The Sympathizer, and most recently, The Committed, which is published by our friends at Grove Press. Topics of discussion include what it means to be American in 2021, mutants, Hollywood propaganda and Vietnam, how America is like Coca-Cola, tie-dyed t-shirts, whether belief in Capitalism or Communism necessitates extremism, blood oaths, colonization, and much more. Copies of The Committed can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by PEN New England and Story Prize-winning author Jim Shepard, who discusses his newest book Phase Six, which is published by our friends at Alfred A. Knopf. Topics of discussion include pandemic novels, environmental catastrophes, why we don't listen to scientists, John Snow, and much more. Copies of Phase Six can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ian Manuel, author of My Time Will Come: A Memoir of Crime, Punishment, Hope, and Redemption, which is published by our friends at Pantheon Books. Topics of discussion include Just Mercy, the criminal justice system, solitary confinement, forgiveness, the redemptive power of poetry, how Maya Angelou is like Eminem, whether children should be sentenced to life in prison, and much more. Signed copies of My Time Will Come can be ordered here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Booker Prize nominee Avni Doshi, who discusses her novel Burnt Sugar, which is published by our friends at The Overlook Press. Topics of discussion include great first lines, memory loss, thriftiness, what makes a person who they are, when televisions conspire against us, and much more. Copies of Burnt Sugar can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING for members of Readers Club+.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kate Messner, author of Sloth Wasn't Sleepy, which is published by our friends at Sounds True. Topics of discussion include school visits in the COVID-era, why there are so many children books about sleeping, sloths, anxiety, meditation, adult response to children's books, and much more! Copies of Sloth Wasn't Sleepy are available here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Salamishah Tillet, author of In Search of the Color Purple: The Story of an American Masterpiece, which is published by our friends at Abrams Press. Topics of conversation include Gloria Steinem, Alice Walker as the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction in 1983 (and who should have won it before in the preceding years), Boonville, California, how perceptions of our favorite books change over time, whether or not you should meet your heroes, and much more. Copies of In Search of the Color Purple can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Clover Hope, author of The Motherlode: 100+ Women Who Made Hip-Hop, which is published by our friends at Abrams Image. Topics of conversation include whether labeling someone a "female rapper" is problematic, Yo MTV Raps, Debbie Harry, how Yo-Yo is like Alice Walker, Salt-N-Pepa vs. DJ Spinderella II, the sophomore slump, Nicki Minaj, Little Simz, and much more. Copies of The Motherlode can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sesshu Foster and Arturo Ernesto Romo, authors of ELADATL: A History of the East Los Angeles Dirigible Air Transport Lines, which is published by our friends at City Lights Books. Topics of conversation include writing poetry vs. writing prose, City Lights Books, art installations, pirate radio, Area 51, chickens, krakens, and much more. Copies of ELADATL can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin At the End, which is published by our friends at Henry Holt and Company. Topics of discussion include choosing a job in order to be surrounded by books, independent booksellers, biblical references, To Kill a Mockingbird, allegory, Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite, and much more. Copies of We Begin At the End can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Larry Olmsted, author of Fans: How Watching Sports Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Understanding, which is published by our friends at Algonquin. Topics of discussion include how sports fandom is like religion, the stereotype of the sports fan, how sports fandom benefits mental health, Nelson Mandela, superstitions, how watching a game is similar to attending a Grateful Dead concert, and much more. Copies of Fans can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Sam Cohen, author of Sarahland, which is published by our friends at Grand Central Publishing. Topics of discussion include the fluidity of identity, how college boys are like cockroaches, Radiohead's Kid A, writers writing about writers, whether it is possible to live a life that is uninfluenced by media, and much more. Copies of Sarahland can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Nick Greene, author of How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius, which is published by our friends at Abrams Press. Topics of discussion include Bay Area sports fans, aliens, game designers, how Julius Erving is like Jackson Pollock, the current state of college athletics, whether Chris Paul is magic, how the inventor of the shot clock is like Jesus, and much more. Copies of How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by S.B. Divya, author of Machinehood, which is published by our friends at Saga Press. Topics of discussion include equality between humans and sentient machines, life as performance, performance enhancing drugs, the current state of the dystopian novel, and much more. Copies of Machinehood can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, Melanie Finn joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her new novel The Hare, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics of discussion include the intersection between (visual) art and literature, celebrity encounters, Steely Dan, Donald Trump, victims of sexual assault, money, whether James Joyce is just Hemingway in a frilly shirt, the Two Dollar Radio tattoo club, and much more. Copies of The Hare can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kate Russo, author of Super Host, which is published by our friends at G.P. Putnam's Sons. Topics of discussion include Air BnB, Roots Manuva, whether older men should be embarrassed to listen to hip hop, how artists are supposed to survive if their art can't be sold until after their death, D.A.R.E., and much more. Copies of Super Host can be purchased here with FREE DELIVERY.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Katherine Seligman, winner of the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. Her new novel is At the Edge of the Haight, which is published by our friends at Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Topics of discussion include homelessness at the border of Golden Gate Park and the Haight, how tech companies have affected the wealth gap in San Francisco, what happens when people don't trust the police, Amoeba Music and the Booksmith, social work, how trauma can influence one to drop out of society, and much more. Copies of At the Edge of the Haight can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Lucie Elven, author of The Weak Spot, which is published by our friends at Soft Skull Press. Topics of discussion include character driven novels, the gravitational presence of a strong personality in a small town, whether pharmacies inspire soul-bearing honesty from their patrons, job interviews where women are asked about their plans for motherhood (or lack thereof), politics as a primary interest, and much more. Copies of The Weak Spot can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by award-winning translator Natasha Wimmer, who has translated some of the greatest works of literature of the past century, including Roberto Bolaño's The Savage Detectives and 2666. Her latest translation is Cowboy Graves by Roberto Bolaño, which is published by our friends at Penguin Press. Topics of discussion include translating methodology, The Savage Detectives and 2666, alien ant farms, solar eclipses, how a Roberto Bolaño novel is like a Harry Potter novel, and much more. Copies of Cowboy Graves can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Rian Hughes, author of the sensational new novel XX, which is published by our friends at The Overlook Press. Topics of discussion include comparisons to Moby Dick and Ulysses, design, pulpy sci-fi novels (and the novel within this novel, Ascension), how binary code is like an alien, DJ Food and Ninja Tunes records, memetic pandemics, and much more. Copies of XX can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Tom Vanderbilt, who discusses his new novel Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning, which is published by our friends at Knopf. Topics of discussion include chess, The Queen's Gambit, beginner's mind, the correlations between learning a new skill and alleviating stress, whether 50 is too old to learn the guitar, and much more. Copies of Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Lucy Britsch, whose debut novel Sad Janet is published by our friends at Riverhead Books. Topics of discussion include COVID-19 in the UK, the Greater Depression, John Waters, Christmas as a year-round concern, what reality shows featuring interventions tell us about present day pop culture, Bono, and dogs. Copies of Sad Janet can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Marquis de Sade Prize winner Kevin Lambert, who discusses his novel You Will Love What You Have Killed, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of discussion include the challenges of writing a narrator who is in grade school, towns that identify themselves by the corporate chain businesses they contain, elementary school pop culture, repressed sexuality, authors who name characters after themselves, tarot cards, what September 11th looked like from Canada, and much more. Copies of You Will Love What You Have Killed can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author John Grisham, who discusses his latest novel A Time For Mercy, which is published by our friends at Doubleday. Topics of discussion include 1984, the political climate in Mississippi in 1990, police brutality, church, race, how elections effect our actions, Roe vs. Wade, caring too much about what other people think, and much more. Copies of A Time For Mercy can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Morning Star Award winning author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, who discusses her novel Even As We Breathe, which is published by Fireside Industries (an imprint of the University Press of Kentucky). Topics of discussion include the importance of place and ceremony, James Joyce as "the devil's whisperer", a monkey named after Edgar Allen Poe, working for "someone else's pocket change", the Grove Park Inn, Japanese internment camps, Asheville as a jazz city, and much more. Copies of Even As We Breathe can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Travis Hoewischer, author of Two Dollar Radio Guide to Naming Your Baby: Chad, Brad, Brandi with an "i," and other names to reconsider, which is published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics discussed include problems with the name Keith, babies rights in regards to photo publication and social media postings by parents, Alpha and other names inspired by American Gladiator, the issue with naming your child LeBron or Michael (if one's last name happens to be Jordan), "Classic Lightman", the big decisions that must be made after a 311 concert cruise, Desert Storm trading cards, and much more. Copies of Two Dollar Radio Guide to Naming Your Baby can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Wilco frontman, Grammy Award winning musician and New York Times bestselling author Jeff Tweedy, who discusses his new book How to Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us Back, which is published by our friends at Dutton (an imprint of Penguin Random House). Topics discussed include the act of putting positivity into the world, unburdening oneself of judgement, being versus doing, losing oneself in the act of artistic creation, time, writing as someone other than yourself, channeling Johnny Cash, developing persistence in the face of hardship as a habit, and much more. Copies of How to Write One Song can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Bookin' favorite M. Randal O'Wain, who discusses his newest book Hallelujah Station and Other Stories, which is published by our friends at Autumn House. Topics of discussion include how touring for a book compares to touring as a band, how book promotion has changed during the COVID-era, river literature, the drug trade, organized religion, revenge porn, noir, redemption arcs, and much more. Copies of Hallelujah Station and Other Stories can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Lee Smith, who discusses her latest novel Blue Marlin, which is published by our friends at Blair. Topics of discussion include the inclination to compare "real life" and "celebrity life", the idea that one can live for Art (with a capital A), things that "certainly aren't southern", moonlighting as a spy, geographical cures, and much more. Copies of Blue Marlin can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Chuck Klosterman, who discusses his latest book Raised in Captivity, which is published by our friends at Penguin Press. Topics of discussion include the NBA bubble (this podcast was recorded before the conclusion of the 2019-2020 NBA season), deaths in grunge rock, a puma in an airplane bathroom, a philosopher coaching high school football, the placement of the serial killer in pop culture, whiteness, being fake woke, and much more. Copies of Raised in Captivity can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Annabel Abbs, winner of the Impress Prize for New Writing and the Spotlight First Novel Award. Annabel discusses her novel The Joyce Girl, which was published in the UK in 2015, and is being published in the USA for the first time in 2020 by our friends at William Morrow. Topics of discussion include Lucia Joyce, what it is like putting words in James Joyce's mouth, trends in the first lines of novels, Carl Jung, Ulysses as a work of pornography, D.H. Lawrence and Lady Chatterley's Lover, and much more. Copies of The Joyce Girl can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Steven Hyden, author of Your Favorite Band is Killing Me and Twilight of the Gods. His new book is This Isn’t Happening: Radiohead’s Kid A and the Beginning of the 21st Century, which is published by our friends at Hachette Books. Topics of conversation include MTV, Pablo Honey, target markets, The Bends, 9/11, OK Computer, Bush vs. Gore, Kid A and Amnesiac, the Berenstein timeline, Hail to the Thief, Napster, In Rainbows, the medium as the message, A Moon Shaped Pool, and much more. Copies of This Isn't Happening: Radiohead's Kid A and the Beginning of the 21st Century can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by National Book Critics Circle Award winner Eula Biss, who discusses her new book Having and Being Had, which is published by our friends at Riverhead Books. Topics of discussion include having money to spend but finding nothing worth buying, the concept of value, IKEA and the desire for disposable furniture, home ownership as a game, Wal-Mart, credit, work vs. labor and much more. Copies of Having and Being Had can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Football For a Buck, Gunslinger, and The Bad Guys Won. His new book is Three Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil and the Craziest Years of the Lakers Dynasty, which is published by our friends at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Topics of discussion include Kobe Bryant as a teenage millionaire vs. Kobe Bryant as a retired 5-time NBA champion, the "where were you when" moments of Kobe Bryant's death and Magic Johnson's HIV announcement, Connect Four, Kobe vs. LeBron, Kazaam! and Shaquille O'Neal's acting resumé, Cedric Ceballos, Rickey Henderson and athletes who refer to themselves in the third-person, Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson the author, and much more. Copies of Three Ring Circus can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
EPISODE 100!!!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Eric Obenauf, publisher and editor at Two Dollar Radio. Eric and Jason discuss the Two Dollar Radio Guide to Vegan Cooking by Chef Jean-Claude van Randy and Chef Speed Dog (with Eric Obenauf). Topics of discussion include this podcast's 100th episode, Columbus, Ohio as a hotbed for the literary arts, how Eric came to work with Chef van Randy and Chef Speed Dog, the Two Dollar Radio tattoo club, celebrities that refer to themselves in the third person, Twizzlers, whether or not veggies are a main dish, drum solos, and much more. Copies of Two Dollar Radio Guide to Vegan Cooking (and all of Two Dollar Radio's other fantastic books) can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by David Menconi, author of Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Popular Music from Blind Boy Fuller and Doc Watson to Nina Simone and Superchunk, which is published by our friends at University of North Carolina Press. Topics of discussion include Charlie Poole's inexcusable absence from the Country Music Hall of Fame, Durham, North Carolina's indifference to its own blues history, how Earl Scruggs was like Beethoven and Bach, Mitch Easter's responsibility for bringing David to North Carolina, The Squirrel Nut Zippers and Ben Folds Five as Chapel Hill's claim to fame in the era of grunge, 9th Wonder's production on Kendrick Lamar's DAMN, American Idol, and much more. Signed copies of Step It Up and Go can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jill McCorkle, winner of the Dos Passos Prize, the North Carolina Award for Literature, and the New England Booksellers Award. Her new novel is Hieroglyphics, which is published by our friends at Algonquin. Topics of discussion include Carl Sandburg, the desire to return to the homes of our past, whether freedom from career obligations is a burden or a relief, memory loss, night terrors, communications received from the dead, and more. Signed copies of Hieroglyphics can be ordered from Quail Ridge Books here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Chase Purdy, author of Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food, which is published by our friends at Portfolio. Topics of discussion include lab-grown meat, the correlation between animal agriculture and greenhouse gasses, Just Mayo's legal troubles, animal welfare, the philosophy of cultured meat, Chase's mom and much more. Copies of Billion Dollar Burger can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, Choke, Haunted, and many others. His newest novel is The Invention of Sound, published by our friends at Grand Central Publishing. Topics of conversation include the current situation in Portland, the world of Hollywood sound effects, the Fontaine Method, Amy Hempel, saving voicemails left by deceased friends and family members, and much more. Copies of The Invention of Sound can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
It is with a very heavy heart that I present this week's episode of Bookin' with Randall Kenan. Randall Kenan was a wonderful person and an extraordinarily gifted writer who is gone from this world much too soon. He left us with a wonderful new collection, If I Had Two Wings, which was published by our friends at WW Norton and Company. Much of our recorded discussion sounds much different than it did just two weeks ago as we sat down to record it. I am happy we got the opportunity to discuss If I Had Two Wings, and I am happy to have gotten the opportunity to know Randall Kenan. He will be missed.
Topics of discussion include Robert Johnson at the crossroads, Time, Howard Hughes and Elon Musk, a Proustian sense of taste, Bill Withers, only missing a place when you are there, and ghosts.
Copies of If I Had Two Wings can be ordered here with free shipping.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Daniel Galera, winner of the Sao Paulo Literature Prize and one of the most celebrated and influential young authors in Brazilian literature. Daniel is discussing his newest novel Twenty After Midnight, which is published by our friends at Penguin. Topics of discussion include reading one's translated work (as a translator), online literary journals in the era of Internet 1.0, social media platforms as referential points in works of 'serious' literature, human behavior as it pertains to the hurried hiding of Facebook when someone is approaching, video games as a literary medium, the Marquis de Sade's 100 Days of Sodom as a TED Talk, and much more. Copies of Twenty After Midnight can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by celebrated novelist and screenwriter Alex Pugsley, who discusses his newest book Aubrey McKee, which is published by our friends at Biblioasis. Topics of discussion include Halifax, James Joyce's Dubliners, what we can learn about a city by the way its inhabitants treat one another, why rebelliousness is "orange-colored", COVID-19 in Canada, and much more. Copies of Aubrey McKee can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling author Julie Murphy, who discusses her new book Faith: Taking Flight, which is published by our friends at Balzer and Bray in a partnership with the good people at Valiant Comics. Topics of discussion include Harbinger and Valiant Comics, rebooting origin stories, the Bloodshot film, comic-cons, crossovers, fame, meeting celebrity crushes, and book series that never end. Copies of Faith: Taking Flight can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Locus Award winning author Tamsyn Muir. She is the author of The Locked Tomb Trilogy, the most recent volume of which is Harrow the Ninth, published by our friends at Tor. Topics of discussion include necromancy, sword fighting, judging a book by its cover, when makeup becomes your real face, teaching, JK Rowling and the perils of social media, and much more. Copies of Harrow the Ninth can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, in honor of the restart of the 2019-20 NBA season, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Yaron Weitzman, author of Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports, which is published by our friends at Hachette. Topics of discussion include the 76ers decision to trade Allen Iverson, how a GM got fired for not being able to draft Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets and the application of analytics to professional basketball, intentional tanking versus the prospect of permanent mediocrity, and much more. Copies of Tanking to the Top can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Baynard Woods and Brandon Soderberg, authors of I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Corrupt Police Squad, which is published by our friends at St. Martin's Press. Topics of discussion include police brutality, Baltimore and The Wire, Freddie Gray, the Gun Trace Task Force, the RICO Act, and much more. Copies of I Got a Monster can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Adam Levin, author of The Instructions and the sensational new novel Bubblegum, which is published by our friends at Doubleday. Topics discussed include changing publishers, the book as an object, characters (and authors) with brains that run at 1000 mph, fathers/son relationships, bankers with a side hustle, Bubblegum's future placement in the pantheon and more. Copied of Bubblegum can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, legendary musician Mark Lanegan joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss his new book Sing Backwards and Weep: A Memoir, which is published by our friends at Hachette. Topics discussed include inherent behaviors vs learned behaviors, comic book stores, baseball, Neil Young, Mark's friendship with Kurt Cobain, the redemptive arc of Courtney Love, Blood Meridian, the Singles soundtrack, Layne Staley, and much more. Copies of Sing Backwards and Weep can be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling author Peter Heller, who discusses his latest novel The River, which is published by our friends at Vintage. Topics discussed include river novels (Deliverance, Suttree, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), designing words on the page, friendships based on reading, Dante's Inferno, and much more. Copies of The River can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, TJ Smith joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss Foxfire Story: Oral Tradition in Southern Appalachia, a new collection published by our friends at Anchor. Topics of discussion include the Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center, the importance of narrative in making sense of the world, the importance of documenting stories during COVID-19, Michael Jordan, the Appalachian glossary, and much more. Copies of Foxfire Story: Oral Tradition in Southern Appalachia can be purchased here.
This week, CJ Hauser joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss her latest novel Family of Origin, which is published by our friends at Anchor Books (the paperback edition will be released on June 16th). Topics of discussion include the Space Force, police brutality, white supremacy, reverse-evolution, "I Can't Breathe", baseball, COVID-19, the environmental sciences and much more. Copies of Family of Origin can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, New York Timesbestselling author Elizabeth Wetmore joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss her debut novel Valentine, which is published by our friends at Harper. Topics of discussion include Patti Smith, the psychology behind name changes, women and girls who are the victims of rape, Texas in 1976, writing a novel with multiple protagonists, and much more. Copies of Valentinecan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING from Quail Ridge Books.
This week, authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone join host Jason Jefferies to discuss their sensational new novel, This Is How You Lose the Time War, which is published by our friends at Saga Press. Topic discussed include co-writing, colors, Bill & Ted, Naomi Mitchison's Travel Light, and much more. Copies of This Is How You Lose the Time Warcan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING.
In a special Memorial Day episode, Guggenheim fellow Thurston Clarke joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss Honorable Exit: How a Few Brave Americans Risked All to Save Our Vietnamese Allies at the End of the War, which is published by our friends at Anchor Books. Topics of discussion include the evacuation of Vietnam, historical photographs, Oskar Schindler, Dunkirk, Afghanistan, the concept of "home", and much more. Copies of Honorable Exit can be ordered here with FREE MEDIA MAIL SHIPPING.
This week, New York Timesbestselling author John Grisham joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about his new novel Camino Winds, which is published by our friends at Doubleday. Topics discussed include Matthew McConaughey, bookstores as a setting, writing a series vs. a standalone novel, baseball, what it means to "pull a Trump", and much more. Signed copies of Camino Windscan be purchased here with FREE SHIPPING (while supplies last).
This week, New York Timesbestselling author and Orange Prize winner Lionel Shriver joins host Jason Jefferies to discuss her new book The Motion of the Body Through Space, which is published by our friends at Harper Collins. Topics of discussion include the cult of exercise, marathons, religion, whether liberal arts majors are employable, being a man in 2020, and literary festivals. Copies of The Motion of the Body Through Space(released May 19th)can be preordered here with FREE SHIPPING.
This week, New York Timesbestselling author Sue Monk Kidd joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her new novel The Book of Longings, which is published by our friends at Viking. Topics of conversation include writing about Jesus from a novelist's perspective (as opposed to a religious one), the importance of women in religious scriptures and the texts of ancient philosophers, arranged marriages, pandemics 200 years ago versus pandemics today, and much more. Signed copies of The Book of Longingsare available here with FREE SHIPPING (while supplies last). Sue Monk Kidd will be joining Jason Jefferies again for part three of The Book of LongingsBook Club. More information about The Book of LongingsBook Club can be found here.
This week, Pico Iyer joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about his new book Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells published by our friends at Vintage. Topics of conversation include Leonard Cohen, ping pong, the Dalai Lama, foreign conflicts, The Tale of Genji, Japan and pop culture, and much more. Copies of Autumn Light can be purchased here with free shipping.
This week, New York Timesbestselling author Terry McMillan joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her new book It's Not All Downhill From Here.Topics of discussion include Twizzlers, the mistaken notion that life is over at 65, inhabiting fictional characters through the grieving process, family dynamics, friends, dreams deferred and COVID-19. Copies of It's Not All Downhill From Herewith signed bookplates can be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING while supplies last.
This week, New York Timesbestselling author Emily St. John Mandel joins host Jason Jefferies for the 75th episode of Bookin'! Topics of conversation include having written a book about a pandemic during a pandemic (Station Eleven), Emily's excellent new novel The Glass Hotel, Y2K, Bernie Madoff and Ponzi schemes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, mass delusion, and much more. Copies of The Glass Hotelcan be ordered here with FREE SHIPPING through the month of April.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Timesbestselling author Bart Ehrman, whose new book Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlifewas just published by our friends at Simon & Schuster. Topics of conversation include the concept of the afterlife as both a motivation and a hindrance, the views of Socrates, Plato, Homer, Epicurus, Lucretius, Dante and more. Copies of Heaven and Hell: A History of the Afterlifecan be purchased here with FREE shipping through the month of April.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Hugo and Locus Award winning author John Scalzi, who discusses his new novel The Last Emperox, the third volume of The Interdependency Series. Topics of discussion include COVID-19, the 2016 presidential election, whether or not John is a prophet, the future of our economy, women, and much more. Signed copies of The Last Emperoxcan be preordered here (with FREE shipping through the month of April).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Carnegie Medal winner and MacArthur 'genius' grant recipient Valeria Luiselli to discuss her latest novel, Lost Children Archive. Topics of discussion include soundscaping, COVID-19, road trip novels, parenting, Cormac McCarthy, American Dirt, The Book With No Picturesand much more. Valeria Luiselli will be at Quail Ridge Books on October 27, 2020 as part of the North Carolina Book Festival Arts & Lecture Series. Signed copies of Lost Children Archivecan be preordered here (in hardcover) and here (in paperback).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Timesbestselling author Therese Anne Fowler to discuss her new novel A Good Neighborhood. Topics discussed include American Dirt, Lolita, the American South, the plight of the HVAC salesman, and much more! Signed copies of A Good Neighborhood can be purchased from Quail Ridge Books, and shipping is free through the month of April!
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by National Book Award winner James McBride to discuss his new novel Deacon King Kong. Topics of discussion include utilitarianism, ghost stories, the influence of the Carolinas, moonshine, the Baltimore Orioles, Mister Rogers, and much more. Signed copies of Deacon King Kong can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by David Plouffe, campaign manager for Barack Obama in 2008, Senior Advisor to the President in the White House from 2011-2013, and now the author of A Citizen's Guide to Beating Donald Trump, published by our friends at Viking. Topics of conversation include the Iowa caucus, Jerry Springer vs. Walter Cronkite, whether or not the two party system is broken, battleground states, whether millionaire and billionaire candidates can truly speak for the average American, differences in the world of 2008 and the world of 2020, and how to defeat Donald Trump. Signed copies of A Citizen's Guide to Beating Donald Trump can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here while supplies last.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Erik Larson. Larson is the author of The Devil in the White City, Dead Wake, and most recently, The Splendid and the Vile, published by our friends at Crown. Topics discussed include September 11th, Winston Churchill's hatred of whistling, London Society during the air raids of World War 2, Barack Obama, and much more. Signed copies of The Splendid and the Vile can be preordered in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by William T. Vollmann, who discusses his new novel The Lucky Star, which is published by our friends at Viking. Topics discussed include Judy Garland, pseudo-religious figures, letters from the editor and other editorial decisions, Martina Navratilova, Marijuana brand shampoo (c), and much more. The Lucky Star can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by essayist and arts advocate Andre Perry, author of Some of Us Are Very Hungry Now, a collection of essays published by our friends at Two Dollar Radio. Topics discussed include being in love with the idea of someone, Kendrick Lamar, literary festivals, San Francisco's Edinburgh Castle, college towns, dead relationships, and much more. Some of Us Are Very Hungry Now can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here. Signed copies can be pre-ordered, as Andre Perry will be joining us at the North Carolina Book Festival on February 22, 2020.
This week, National Book Critics Circle Award winner Rebecca Solnit joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her upcoming memoir Recollections of My Nonexistence. Topics discussed include having goals that are at odds with each other, illegal leases, talking about being a writer versus actually being a writer, the act of writing on a desk that a friend was nearly murdered on, social media, Wordsworth, visual art, and much more. Recollections of my Nonexistence can be preordered in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Daisy Jones & The Six. Topics discussed include writing a novel while parenting a child who doesn't sleep, Fleetwood Mac, VH1's Behind the Music, groupies, Bob Dylan vs. Roy Orbison and much more! Copies of Daisy Jones & The Six can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here, and all copies of Daisy Jones & The Six purchased at Quail Ridge Books can be signed by Taylor on February 22nd at the North Carolina Book Festival.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by two-time Newberry Medalist and former National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Kate DiCamillo! Topics of discussion include Kate's new book Beverly, Right Here, young people's literature vs. adult literature, what it is like to be a National Ambassador for young people's literature, running away from home in 1979 vs. running away from home in 2020, small towns, Ann Patchett, reluctantly trustful arrangements, and much more! Signed copies of Beverly, Right Here can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This is the 62nd episode of Bookin', which means we are now one up on Roger Maris! This week, host Jason Jefferies and Chris Tonelli conclude their epic trilogy of podcasts on the 2020 North Carolina Book Festival (February 21-23 in Raleigh, NC). Featured in this episode are New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia and Michael Parker. Further, Jason and Chris discuss Season Two of the North Carolina Book Festival and Quail Ridge Books Arts & Lecture Series, which features New York Times bestselling author Therese Anne Fowler, National Book Award Winner James McBride, and Macarthur Genius grantee Valeria Luiselli. This is part three of a three part series.
In this 61st episode of Bookin', Jason Jefferies and Chris Tonelli discuss all things related to the 2020 North Carolina Book Festival (February 21-23, 2020 in Raleigh, NC), including some exciting news about the Festival program with Taylor Jenkins Reid (Daisy Jones & The Six) at Kings. Also discussed is the poetry track at Neptunes featuring Jericho Brown, Tyree Daye, Eduardo Corral, Dorianne Laux and others, the Book Fair at CAM Raleigh, and programs at HQ Raleigh with Michael Parker, New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia, and Cat Warren. This is part two of a three part series.
In this 60th episode of Bookin', Jason Jefferies and Chris Tonelli discuss all things related to the 2020 North Carolina Book Festival (February 21-23, 2020 in Raleigh, NC). Authors featured in this episode include Belle Boggs, Tupelo Hassman, John Kessel, Kim Stanley Robinson, Mur Lafferty, Katya Apekina and Jeff Jackson. This episode is part one of a three part series.
For the 59th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Emily Cataneo and Arshia Simkin from the Redbud Writing Project, one of the most exciting recent developments in the Triangle area's literary scene. Topics discussed include translating the workshop experience from student to instructor, literary influences, book recommendations, the future of the Redbud Writing Project, and courses that are currently available. Learn more about the Redbud Writing Project at www.redbudwriting.org.
For the 58th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestseller Shannon Messenger, author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities series. Topics discussed include film school, J.R.R. Tolkien, different mythologies, Dungeons & Dragons, Hogwarts, and the X-Men. Signed copies of several of the Keeper of the Lost Cities books can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 57th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mike Noyes, author of the epic sci-fi adventure novel Seven Days, Seven Years. Topics discussed include transitioning from bookseller to author, religion, the Cowboy Junkies, inspiration, and retrospective editing. This episode of Bookin' is dedicated to alumni of Borders store #57.
For this week’s Bookin’, host Jason Jefferies is joined by JP Gritton, author of the sensational debut novel Wyoming, published by our friends at Tin House Books. Topics discussed include literary heroes, the Midwest, moral codes, road trip novels, and titling books. Signed copies of Wyoming can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Christopher McDougall, New York Times bestselling author of Born to Run, who discusses his new book Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero. Topics discussed include barefoot running, chia seeds, animal hoarding, animal rights, extreme sports, basketball and recovering from depression. Signed copies of Running with Sherman can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Alan Gratz for the second part of their conversation about Alan's new novel Allies. Topics discussed include Algeria, episodic storytelling, race relations in the United States from World War II to the present day, and the Dodgers vs. the Athletics. Signed copies of Allies can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online at here (while supplies last). Support Bookin' and Quail Ridge Books by buying three audiobooks for $14.99 from Libro.fm here: https://libro.fm/redeem/BOOKIN.
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Alan Gratz, who discusses his new book Allies. Topics include why it is important to teach D-Day to young readers, baseball, Hank Greenberg, France and Algeria, and what it was like to flee Germany and then fight for the United States in World War II. Signed copies of Allies can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
In this episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies continues the conversation with M. Randal O'Wain, author of Meander Belt: Family, Loss and Coming of Age in the Working Class South. Topics discussed include suicide, Super Mario Bros. 3, The Death of Superman, WWF wrestlers, grooming, school suspension, and much more. Signed copies of Meander Belt can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For this week's episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by M. Randal O'Wain, author of the sensational new memoir Meander Belt: Family, Loss, and Coming of Age in the Working-Class South. Topics discussed during part one of this two-part interview include Art Monsters, teaching at a Federal Correctional Institution, switching from writing fiction to writing non-fiction, James Frey, the infinite universe, and much more. Signed copies of Meander Belt can be purchased in-person at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last). Part two of this interview will be published next week.
It's the 50th episode of Bookin'! In this landmark episode, host Jason Jefferies continues his conversation with New York Times bestselling author Karl Marlantes. Topics discussed include the original draft of Karl's latest novel Deep River, Karl's history in the military, the lumber industry, the Kalavela, whether or not thieves are leading our country, and much more! Signed copies of Deep River can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and here (while supplies last).
This week on Bookin', we look towards our 50th episode with the first of a two-part interview with Karl Marlantes. Karl Marlantes is a Rhodes Scholar, a decorated war hero, and the New York Times bestselling author of Matterhorn. His most recent book, Deep River, is one of the best books of 2019. Topics discussed include gigantic novels, The Communist Manifesto, whether one can truly live while living in fear, what it meant to be a woman trying to organize unions in the early 20th century, and much more! Signed copies of Deep River can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Mary M. Lane, author of Hitler's Last Hostages: Looted Art and the Soul of the Third Reich. Topics discussed include what it is like to be an overseas art correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, whether or not Hitler was an artistic genius, how the world may be different if Hitler were admitted to art school, and much more. Signed copies of Hitler's Last Hostages can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Tupelo Hassman, author of gods with a little g, published by our friends at Farrar, Strauss and Giroux. Topics discussed include hurricanes, psychics, WWF wrestling on MTV, Easter eggs, and schlocky pornographic novels. Signed copies of gods with a little g can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 46th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by #1 New York Times bestselling author Randall Munroe, author of How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems. Topics discussed include using a nuclear bomb to open bottles of water, how best to slam dunk a basketball (wearing a wingsuit vs. wearing Nickelodeon moon shoes), what to do if you're left behind on the ISS as it's being de-orbited, whether all clever sayings can be attributed to Mark Twain, and much more! Signed copies of How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 45th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Kwame Mbalia, author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, a Rick Riordan Presents book that is published by our friends at Disney/Hyperion. Topics discussed include what it is like to join a publishing empire that includes Mickey Mouse, Marvel Comics and Star Wars, whether or not comic books are real books, the lyrics to the most annoying song you have ever heard, African American folklore, West African Gods, and much more. Signed copies of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky can be preordered in-store or online here (while supplies last).
For this 44th episode of Bookin', New York Times bestselling author Mary Doria Russell joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her new novel The Women of Copper Country. Topics discussed include Mother Jones, women’s leadership in the Labor movement, copper in Michigan and Arizona, Shakespeare as a framing device, and more. Signed copies of The Women of Copper Country can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 43rd episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Ann Patchett (winner of the Orange Prize, the Pen/Faulkner Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World) to talk about her upcoming novel The Dutch House. Topics discussed include the difference between approaching a writing project for children and one for adults, her approach to Amazon as both a successful author and an independent bookstore owner, what it was like to be named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, Marilynne Robinson, and much more. Signed copies of The Dutch House can be preordered in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here while supplies last.
For the 42nd episode of Bookin', Alexandra Fuller joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her new memoir Travel Light, Move Fast. Topics discussed include Wyoming, the loss of a parent, the concept of a well-spent misspent youth, working towards retirement, Bono, grieving the loss of a child, and much more. Signed copies of Travel Light, Move Fast can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books or online here (while supplies last).
For this 41st episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Douglas Waller, who discusses his new book Lincoln's Spies: Their Secret War to Save a Nation. Topics discussed include Pinkertons, private eyes, Lincoln's career as a spy, West Virginia's importance during the Civil War, early drone technology, and much more. Signed copies of Lincoln's Spies: Their Secret War to Save a Nation can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books or online here (while supplies last).
For the 40th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Nathan Ballingrud, winner of two Shirley Jackson awards and author of Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell. Topics discussed include the loss of a parent, recurring motifs in short story cycles, satanism, Ghost Rider and other comics, the line between horror and comedy, and much more. Signed copies of Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 39th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Cara Black, author of the Aimée Leduc series, the most recent volume of which is Murder in Bel-Air. Topics discussed include what it is like to write the same character for twenty years, the similarities and differences between San Francisco and Paris, mothers, the challenges of writing a series that takes place in the 1990s, characters that are animals, and much more. Signed copies of Murder in Bel-Air can be purchased in-store and online here while supplies last.
In this 38th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lost Roses. Among the topics discussed are traveling to Russia as an American, trickle-down economics, whether marriage stifles creativity, tarot card readings, slavery in South Carolina, World War 2 novels, and much more. Signed copies of Lost Roses are available in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online at www.quailridgebooks.com while supplies last.
For the 37th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Julie Kibler, author of Calling Me Home, which was an IndieNext pick, a SIBA Okra pick, and a Ladies Home Journal pick. Her most recent book, Home For Erring and Outcast Girls, will be released on Tuesday, July 23rd. Julie and Jason discuss Kentucky, Library Science, the challenges of writing a historical novel, faith and religion, traumatic childhoods, writing scenes where bad things happen to good people, dating literary characters with references to pop culture, and much more. Home for Erring and Outcast Girls can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here.
For the 36th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Charles Fishman to discuss his new book One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us To The Moon. Charles and Jason discuss flying in zero-gravity, the Challenger disaster, the scent of moondust, JFK, the average American citizen of the 1960's lack of support for the race to the moon, and much more. Signed copies of One Giant Leap can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For the 35th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jessica Handler, author of the magnificent new novel The Magnetic Girl, published by Hub City Press out of Spartanburg, SC. Jessica and Jason discuss Lulu Hearst, mesmerism, electricity, the art of the historical novel, Jason Voorhees, and many other fascinating topics. Signed copies of The Magnetic Girl can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
In this week's episode of Bookin', Michael Parker joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about his fantastic new novel Prairie Fever, which is one of the best novels of 2019. Michael and Jason discuss education, family dynamics, creativity and southern door disease. Signed copies of Prairie Fever can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here (while supplies last).
For our 33rd episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Randy Boyagoda, author of Original Prin. Salman Rushdie says: “Original Prin is many things at once: a richly funny campus novel, a painfully humorous portrait of a modern family, an examination of a whole spectrum of religious faith from shaky to fanatical, and finally, in a climax of pitch-black comedy, a thriller too. Boyagoda writes with real panache and drive. An unputdownable book.”
Copies of Original Prin can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books and online here.
For the 32nd episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by B.A. Shapiro, the winner of the New England Award for Fiction and the Boston Authors Society Award for Fiction. Her most recent novel is The Collector's Apprentice, published by Algonquin Books. Copies of The Collector's Apprentice can be purchased here.
Host Jason Jefferies is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Atkinson to discuss his newest book, The British Are Coming, part one of The Revolution Trilogy. Signed copies of The British Are Coming can be purchased in-store or online here.
For our 30th episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jasper Fforde, author of the Thursday Next series, the Nursery Crime series, and most recently, Early Riser, published by Viking Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The conversation touches upon writers' block, sleep, viral dreams, zombies, and the moon landing. Happy listening!
For the 29th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Amy Hempel, winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Pen/Malamud Award for Short Fiction, to discuss her new book Sing To It: New Stories. Signed copies of Sing To It can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books, and online here (while supplies last).
In this week's episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by bestselling author Lisa See, author of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Shanghai Girls, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, and most recently, The Island of Sea Women. Copies of The Island of Sea Women can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books, and online at www.quailridgebooks.com.
Sarah Rose Etter joins host Jason Jefferies to speak about her fantastic upcoming novel The Book of X, published by Two Dollar Radio. The Book of X tells the tale of Cassie, a girl born with her stomach twisted in the shape of a knot. From childhood with her parents on the family meat farm, to a desk job in the city, to finally experiencing love, she grapples with her body, men, and society, all the while imagining a softer world than the one she is in. The Book of X can be preordered in-store at Quail Ridge Books.
Hello, readers! For Bookin's 26th episode, host Jason Jefferies is joined by sensational debut novelist Katya Apekina, who was recently shortlisted for an LA Times book award for her novel The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish. This podcast kicks off a month of celebrating Two Dollar Radio, Quail Ridge Books' Indie Press of the Month for May 2019.
For the 25th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Robert W. Turner, author of Not For Long: The Life and Career of the NFL Athlete, and Ron Rice, the Chairman of the Board of the NFL Alumni Association. Not For Long: The Life and Career of the NFL Athlete can be purchased here.
For the 24th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Roger McNamee, former advisor to Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of a venture capital firm with Bono and author of Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe. They discuss the harmful effects of social media and what can be done about them. Signed copies of Zucked can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books, and online here.
For the 23rd episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies continues his conversation with Samia Serageldin and Lee Smith, editors of Mothers and Strangers: Essays on Motherhood from the New South (UNC Press). Mothers and Strangers can be purchased here. Happy listening!
For this 22nd episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Samia Serageldin and Lee Smith, editors of Mothers and Strangers: Essays on Motherhood from the New South (UNC Press). This is a two-part podcast--part one covers Lee and Samia's own contributions to the collection, and part two will cover the rest of the collection. Copies of Mothers and Strangers Essays on Motherhood from the New South can be purchased in person at Quail Ridge Books, or online here. Happy listening!
On the 21st episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Nick Bruel, author and illustrator of the acclaimed Bad Kitty series. Nick is the winner of the North Carolina Childrens' Book Award, the Young Hoosier Book Award, the Volunteer State Book Award, and the Buckaroo Book Award. Signed copies of his most recent book, Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble can be purchased in store or online.
For the 20th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Jacob Tobia. Jacob is a member of the Forbes 30 under 30, the out 100, a co-producer and host of Queer 2.0 on NBC News, a member of the Biden Foundation’s Advisory Council for advancing LGBTQ equality and the Clinton Initiative Honor Roll. Most recently, they are the author of Sissy: A Coming of Gender Story released by Putnam Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Copies of Sissy: A Coming of Gender Story can be purchased here.
For the 19th episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies is joined by Etaf Rum, whose fantastic debut novel A Woman is No Man is one of the most anticipated of 2019. Signed copies of A Woman is No Man can be purchased in store at Quail Ridge books, or online here while supplies last.
In this episode of Bookin', host Jason Jefferies continues his conversation with National Book Award winner William T. Vollmann. For the second part of this two-part conversation, Vollmann discusses his process narrative The Book of Delores, his historical Seven Dreams series, his National Book Award winning novel Europe Central, his San Francisco Tenderloin novels, his philosophy regarding his non-fiction works Poor People, Imperial and Rising Up and Rising Down, and the books that he is working on right now. A selection of signed books by William T. Vollmann can be purchased at www.quailridgebooks.com/signedbooks
Host Jason Jefferies is joined by National Book Award Winner William T. Vollmann. For part one of this two-part episode, they discuss Vollmann's new Carbon Ideologies, which was published by Viking Press in two volumes (No Immediate Danger and No Good Alternative). Vollmann speaks about the explosions off nuclear reactors in Japan's Fukushima-Daiichi district and the fallout that followed, coal in Nitro, West Virginia, oil in Oklahoma, and secrecy in the United Arab Emirates. Part two of this interview, which will be published next week, touches on the rest of Vollmann's career. Signed copies of Vollmann's No Immediate Danger, Europe Central, and Riding Towards Everywhere can be purchased in person at Quail Ridge Books or online here: https://www.quailridgebooks.com/signedbooks
For Bookin's 16th episode, host Jason Jefferies interviews Ian Rankin, a Scottish crime novelist who is a Hawthornden Fellow, and is also a past winner of the Chandler-Fulbright Award. He is the recipient of four Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards including the prestigious Diamond Dagger in 2005. In 2004, Ian won America’s celebrated Edgar Award for Resurrection Men. He has also been shortlisted for the Edgar and Anthony Awards in the USA, and won Denmark’s Palle Rosenkrantz prize, the French Grand Prix du Roman Noir and Germany’s Deutscher Krimipreis. Signed copies of his latest novel, In a House of Lies, can be purchased at Quail Ridge Books (while supplies last): https://www.quailridgebooks.com/book/9780316479202
For Bookin's 15th episode, we are joined by poet Tyree Daye, author of two poetry collections River Hymns 2017 APR/Honickman First Book Prize winner and Cardinal forthcoming from Copper Canyon Press 2020. Daye is a 2017 Ruth Lilly Finalist and Cave Canem fellow. Daye’s work has been published in Prairie Schooner, New York Times, Nashville Review. Daye won the 2019 Palm Beach Poetry Festival Langston Hughes Fellowship, the 2019 Diana and Simon Raab Writers-In- Residence and is a 2019 Kate Tufts Finalist. Daye talks about death, ghosts, survival mechanisms, Whitney Houston, Dorianne Laux, and many other things. River Hymns can be purchased here: https://www.quailridgebooks.com/book/9780983300854
Mesha Maren joins host Jason Jefferies to talk about her fantastic new book Sugar Run, published by Algonquin Books in Chapel Hill, NC. Mesha will be at the North Carolina Book Festival on Saturday, February 23rd in conversation with Daniel Wallace, 3pm at Kings. Signed copies of Sugar Run can be purchased in-store at Quail Ridge Books or here: https://www.quailridgebooks.com/book/9781616206215
For Bookin's 13th episode, we are joined by Scott McClanahan, who discusses curses, West Virginia, Two Dollar Radio, Jeff Jackson, the line between fiction and memoir, and shame. Scott is the author of Crapalachia and The Incantations of Daniel Johnston published by Two Dollar Radio, and Hill William and The Sarah Book published by Tyrant Press. Scott will be at the North Carolina Book Festival on 2/23 in conversation with Jeff Jackson (Kings, 5:00pm).