So Many Damn Books
244 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 254 ratingsA blessing, a curse, a podcast, since 2014.Christopher (@cdhermelin) invites folks to the Damn Library to talk about reading, literature, publishing, and trying to make it through the never-dwindling stack of things to read. All with a themed drink in hand. Recorded at the Damn Library in Brooklyn, NY.For show info, book lists, and drink recipes, follow @somanydamnbooks and visit somanydamnbooks.com
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Episodes
219: Rachel Lyon's FRUIT OF THE DEAD & Tessa Hadley's THE PAST
March 20, 2024 19:15 - 52 minutes - 71.5 MBRachel Lyon returns to talk about her new novel, Fruit of the Dead, and how it wasn’t always a Persephone myth retelling, she found that along the way. Plus, we get into the “generative fill” of reading, and I pontificate on dust mote fiction, inspired by the fetid summer heat within the pages of Tessa Hadley’s The Past. Read along! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disast...
218: GennaRose Nethercott (FIFTY BEASTS TO BREAK YOUR HEART) & Sabrina Orah Marks' HAPPILY
March 06, 2024 03:35 - 50 minutes - 70 MBGennaRose Nethercott returns to talk about her brand new story collection Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, stealing details from her friends, telling stories from the periphery, and how each tale in the book is about yearning. Also, thanks to Sabrina Orah Marks’ Happily, we discuss all form of fairy tales, and how they can tubocharge your selling power, you just have to ask us how. Real good listenin’! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: so...
217: Kirsten Bakis (KING NYX) & Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE
February 22, 2024 02:33 - 54 minutes - 74.9 MBKirsten Bakis makes her podcast airwave debut to discuss her brand new novel, King Nyx. And it’s a doozy. Kirsten reflects on sideways stories and how she first “met” the real life inspiration for her main character, and some reflections on how things have changed in publishing since she first debuted 27 years ago with her modern classic, Lives of the Monster Dogs. Listen up and listen good! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbook...
217: Kirsten Bakis' KING NYX & Tana French's THE SECRET PLACE
February 22, 2024 02:33 - 54 minutes - 74.9 MBKirsten Bakis makes her podcast airwave debut to discuss her brand new novel, King Nyx. And it’s a doozy. Kirsten reflects on sideways stories and how she first “met” the real life inspiration for her main character, and some reflections on how things have changed in publishing since she first debuted 27 years ago with her modern classic, Lives of the Monster Dogs. Listen up and listen good! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbook...
216: Marie-Helene Bertino (BEAUTYLAND) & Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's THE LITTLE PRINCE
February 07, 2024 01:40 - 1 hour - 93.5 MBMarie-Helene Bertino returns to the Damn Library to discuss her latest triumph, Beautyland. Marie-Helene goes into how she creates some of the book's indelible, otherworldly moments, and why the book's writing process was charmed. Plus, she brought along The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a book that is much more powerful when you're not translating it for french class. Books are back, baby! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: so...
215: Top Reads of 2023 with Sarah
December 13, 2023 01:09 - 33 minutesInto the Damn Library Sarah and Christopher go again, to review their respective years on reading, pull out the highlights, and make plans for the year to come. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for the full gift list, every drink recipe, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Deck The Halls Chris Hayes Music Remix Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
214: SMDB Gift Guide 2023
November 29, 2023 01:35 - 42 minutesSarah joins Christopher in the Damn Library she co-owns to drink martinis and talk about good ideas for holiday gifting, from books to subscriptions to games to cocktail accoutrements and more. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for the full gift list, every drink recipe, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
213: Book Chattin' with Drew
November 08, 2023 00:28 - 44 minutesDrew Broussard, Hudson valley author, Golden Notebook bookseller, host of Voyage Into Genre, and former host of this show, jumps into his old chair in the Damn Library and it’s like he never left. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
212: Amy Kurzweil (ARTIFICIAL: A LOVE STORY) & Jason Lutes' BERLIN
October 24, 2023 23:53 - 1 hourAmy Kurzweil stops into the Damn Library, physically, to talk about the physical object of her new graphic memoir, Artificial: A Love Story, which largely concerns AI. We discuss capturing the details of her screens, the open question of the future, and what we keep from the past to get there. Plus, we delve into the many joys of Jason Lutes’ Berlin, a modern masterpiece. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disast...
211: Edan Lepucki (TIME'S MOUTH) & Yael Goldstein-Love's THE POSSIBILITIES
October 11, 2023 00:15 - 1 hourEdan Lepucki visits the virtual Damn Library by the power of the internet to discuss her intergenerational time travel novel, Time’s Mouth. We get into all the fun stuff, like time travel mechanics, Reichian therapy, making fortresses, Santa Cruz, and how she’s seeing her career at this point. Plus, we talk about The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love, a book that Edan helped name. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com m...
210: Jennifer Baker (FORGIVE ME NOT) & Akwaeke Emezi's PET
September 27, 2023 00:29 - 1 hourJennifer Baker steps into the physical reality of the Damn Library and thankfully brings along her infectious laugh and passion for books. We chat all about the long road of writing her new novel Forgive Me Not, her hopes for how it’s received, and how curiosity drives her fiction while anger can drive her nonfiction. Plus, she brought along Akwaeke Emezi’s incredible Pet. A perfect visit! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks....
209: Mona Awad (ROUGE) & Susanna Clarke's PIRANESI
September 12, 2023 22:35 - 58 minutesMona Awad visits the Damn Library via the casual magic of web video for a third go round, this time for her bedeveling, garnet-bedazzled Rouge. She talks about putting her characters through the ringer, horror stories showing you a path, Tom Cruise, beauty cults, and more. Plus, both Mona and Christopher extoll the many virtues of Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi, and how it came at exactly the right time. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somany...
208: Stacey Mei Yan Fong (50 PIES 50 STATES) & John Waters' CARSICK
August 29, 2023 21:55 - 58 minutesStacey Mei Yan Fong drops into the Damn Library for a slice of pie and a pie-inspired cocktail and lots of impassioned talk of pie and baking and her new cookbook 50 Pies 50 States. Plus, behind the scenes of morning shows! And Stacey introduces Christopher to the joys of John Waters through his memoir Carsick. Have a slice! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic...
207: Henry Hoke (OPEN THROAT) & Steven Dunn's POTTED MEAT
August 15, 2023 22:40 - 1 hourHenry Hoke makes a visit to the physical space of the Damn Library to talk his novel Open Throat, and allowing P-22 to become “me-22,” as well as the rest of his work, plus the novella Potted Meat by Steven Dunn, and the power of short weird books in general. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
206: Vacation Reading
June 27, 2023 04:00 - 15 minutesI’m just hanging out in the Damn Library talking about some books I just got in the mail, and the books I’m taking on vacation. Is this a good idea? Only time will tell. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
205: Christine Grillo (HESTIA STRIKES A MATCH) & Molly Keane's GOOD BEHAVIOUR
June 13, 2023 22:48 - 57 minutesInto the Damn Library Christine Grillo zooms, and what do we talk about? Her inventive, touching, hopefully not too prescient Hestia Strikes a Match, plus all that went into it, like parents and politics and fireplace decor. Plus, she brings along the archly funny and itself harrowing Good Behaviour by Molly Keane. Books, you better believe it! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundclou...
204: Kate Slotover (The Book Club Review) & Kathryn Scanlan's KICK THE LATCH & Christopher Morley's PARNASSUS ON WHEELS
May 31, 2023 00:55 - 1 hourKate Slotover, co-host of the podcast The Book Club Review, zooms into the Damn Library and chats book podcast reading, how many books she will get to before she dies, the driving philosophy of what she wants her show’s conversations to be like, why we should articulate what we don’t like about books, the magic of Dick Francis, the perennial fun of will-they-won’t-they, and so much more, including deep dives into the novellas they traded, Kate's Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Christop...
203: Rebecca Makkai (I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU) & Sabahattin Ali's MADONNA IN A FUR COAT
May 16, 2023 21:12 - 55 minutesRebecca Makkai drops into the Damn Library a few months after her newest smash hit novel I Have Some Questions For You hit the shelves, chatting about critiquing/celebrating the podcast world, how podcasters are the new detectives, writing a campus novel when you live on campus, and so much more, including just how it feels to be where she's at in her career at this point. Plus, we delve into her 84 Books Project and Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali. contribute! https://patreon.com/s...
202: Brendan Slocumb (SYMPHONY OF SECRETS) & Eli Cranor's OZARK DOGS
May 02, 2023 19:46 - 51 minutesBrendan Slocumb has a seat in the hyperspace universe of the Zoom Damn Library to talk his new historical musical thriller Symphony of Secrets, and of course some Violin Conspiracy, getting into creating a world of historical music, how his violin discipline helps him as a writer, and more. Plus, he gets to talk up his debut panel friend Eli Cranor’s Ozark Dogs, and how the literary world has welcomed him. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit:...
201: Ling Ling Huang (NATURAL BEAUTY) & Baek Sehee's I WANT TO DIE BUT I WANT TO EAT TTEOKBOKKI
April 11, 2023 22:31 - 1 hourLing Ling Huang stops by the universe of the Zoom Damn Library the day after her book, Natural Beauty, graces shelves. She talks about writing the book in her Notes app, living the classical music life, how she surprised her parents with her book deal, getting shots in her butt for her beauty industry employer, and so much more. Plus, she brought along the Korean bestseller I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki, so of course we have to talk about therapy, and how this book surprises you...
200: Kelly Link (WHITE CAT, BLACK DOG) & Megan Giddings' THE WOMEN COULD FLY
March 28, 2023 22:55 - 59 minutesThe one and only Kelly Link zooms into the Damn Library hypserspace to talk her spectacular new collection, White Cat, Black Dog. She gets into how the new collection got its footing in fairy tales, how she loves ghost stories but has never seen a ghost (and that’s okay), and discuss the magic of David Macaulay’s Motel of the Mysteries. She brought along Megan Giddings’ incredible The Women Could Fly, and we discuss how real its magic feels, and how books get tied to the place you read them....
199: Idra Novey (TAKE WHAT YOU NEED) & César Aira's ON CONTEMPORARY ART
March 15, 2023 01:27 - 50 minutesIdra Novey actually drops by the Damn Library IN PERSON to discuss her stunning new book, Take What You Need, creating an artist’s practice, torching things, and short novels. Also, she brought along César Aira’s On Contemporary Art to accompany the art on display in the text of her book. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
198: Spring Horizon Ramble 2023, or, The Re-Return of Drew
February 21, 2023 22:18 - 41 minutesFormer co-host, writer, and podcast journeyman Drew Broussard sits down to talk about, what else? Books. The Tournament of Books, inventing rather than referencing art within fiction, the problem with thriller titles these days… it’s all out on the table. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
197: Nita Prose (THE MAID) & Nina de Gramont's THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR
February 07, 2023 22:42 - 52 minutesNita Prose drops into the Damn Library to illuminate her runaway hit novel, winner of a Goodreads Choice Award, The Maid, and all the ways she used her past as an editor and her knowledge of the tropes of mystery writing reused to create it. Plus, she brings along Nina de Gramont’s The Christie Affair, because who can ever get enough Agatha Christie? contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://so...
196: Tom Ayling (Antiquarian Book Seller & TikToker) & David Pearson's SPEAKING VOLUMES
January 24, 2023 17:15 - 1 hourAntiquarian Bookseller and TikTok star Tom Ayling zooms on in to the Damn Library discuss the world of antiquarian books, and the world of book-centered TikTok, two worlds that are far more complementary than you’d imagine. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
195: Top 2022 Reads with Sarah
December 20, 2022 23:01 - 34 minutesSarah joins me in the Damn Library she co-owns to chat about favorite reads of 2022, both books published this year and books experienced this year. Plus, the HarperCollins union is on strike! If you’d like to help out, check out this page here to donate to the strike fund, and check out more information at this link roundup. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-mag...
194: Alison Watts (transl. Seishu Hase's THE BOY AND THE DOG) & Peter Heller's THE DOG STARS
December 06, 2022 23:27 - 1 hourAlison Watts zooms through the Damn Library hypserspace from Japan to talk the new novel she translated, The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase, as well as the life of a translator. Plus, we talk the prevalence of Japanese cat fiction, the ascendancy of dog fiction, canine noir, and so much more. Plus, she brings along (and does some light spoiling of) Peter Heller’s The Dog Stars, a shaggy dog of a post-apocalyptic novel. Quite a hang! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, b...
193: Ashley Hutson (ONE'S COMPANY) & Lindsay Hill's SEA OF HOOKS
November 23, 2022 00:56 - 52 minutesAshley Hutson, author of Christopher’s favorite novel of 2022, One’s Company, drops into the Damn Library to discuss the joy of writing a novel based on a favorite sitcom, writing a novel chronologically and then interweaving it, and how publishing a novel is quite different than the dream of publishing a novel. Plus, she brings along Lindsay Hill’s Sea of Hooks, which leads into a robust recommendation section of a few extremely sad and difficult books. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb...
193: Ashley Hutson's (ONE'S COMPANY) & Lindsay Hill's SEA OF HOOKS
November 23, 2022 00:56 - 53 minutesAshley Hutson, author of Christopher’s favorite novel of 2022, One’s Company, drops into the Damn Library to discuss the joy of writing a novel based on a favorite sitcom, writing a novel chronologically and then interweaving it, and how publishing a novel is quite different than the dream of publishing a novel. Plus, she brings along Lindsay Hill’s Sea of Hooks, which leads into a robust recommendation section of a few extremely sad and difficult books. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb f...
192: Kevin Wilson (NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC) & Blair Braverman's SMALL GAME
November 08, 2022 22:18 - 1 hourKevin Wilson zooms in from his mountain to discuss his thrilling new novel, Now is Not the Time to Panic, and that means going into writing teenagers, the pre-Internet world, and magic disappearing as one gets older, and how that’s okay, along with a whole lotta other stuff. Plus, he brings along Blair Braverman’s Small Game, which means survival talk and reality television. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Di...
191: Kate Beaton (DUCKS: TWO YEARS IN THE OIL SANDS) & Michelle Paver's DARK MATTER
October 25, 2022 04:00 - 59 minutesLegendary comic artist and writer Kate Beaton drops into the Damn Library and talks about her monumental achievement — her new memoir, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, and all that comes with it, including excavating memories, showing her parents a painful past, and how comics can be a type of memory palace. Plus, she brings along Michelle Paver’s Dark Matter, and we both talk about how we get spooked and how dogs are great. You gotta listen! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for dri...
190: GennaRose Nethercott (THISTLEFOOT) & Kelly Link's MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS
September 13, 2022 20:20 - 1 hourGennaRose Nethercott drops in, no strings, for a discussion of her new novel Thistlefoot, puppetry, research, cootie catchers, and the muchness of novel writing. Plus, she brings along Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link, which starts a discussion of just how great she is, and how influential her work has become. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on ...
189: Anthony Marra (MERCURY PICTURES PRESENTS) & Jennifer Egan's A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD
August 23, 2022 22:06 - 1 hourAnthony Marra zooms into the Damn Library and attempts to turn the tables on interviewing, to some avail. Of course he gets into his new novel, Mercury Pictures Presents, how research fuels his writing, and how he wants to do the opposite of what he did the last time. Plus, he brings along Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad, which is a great novel to revisit as Candy House is making the rounds. You know there's more than that too, you oughta tune in! contribute! https://patreon.com...
188: Tom Scharpling (IT NEVER ENDS, THE BEST SHOW, and more)
August 09, 2022 20:56 - 1 hourLiving Legend Tom Scharpling drops into The Damn Library to chat about the paperback release of his national bestseller, It Never Ends, and his recent 24-hour Best Show episode triumph. There are discussions of legacy, mystery, what it was like to work together on the book, and the bizarre temporal reality created from writing something and then waiting forever for it to appear on shelves. Plus a lot more. Tune in! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and mor...
187: Summer Ramble 2022
July 26, 2022 18:03 - 32 minutesDrew returns to discuss his new show, Voyage into Genre, working at a bookstore, and Christopher's mad musings on which child survivalist would win in a battle royale. Plus other things too! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) This week's sponsor: Bombas. Get 20% off your purchase at bombas.com/smdb Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...
186: Angela Ledgerwood (LIT UP) & Richard Flanagan's THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH
July 12, 2022 04:00 - 50 minutesAngela Ledgerwood, of the podcast Lit Up drops in, physically, in person, actually inside the Damn Library, and it's a meeting of the podcast minds. Of course Christopher smokes a negroni for the both of them and tongues get wagging. Angela surprises herself to be the blockbuster loving, self-help recommending guru that she ends up being. And she also talks about a lost Richard Flanagan episode of LIT UP that indirectly led to her recommending the book. Strap in! contribute! https://patreon...
185: Mat Johnson (INVISIBLE THINGS) and Claire North's NOTES FROM A BURNING AGE
June 28, 2022 20:53 - 1 hourMat Johnson launches into the Damn Library Zoom Zone to discuss his new novel, Invisible Things. We get into conspiracies, surprising yourself with your writing, teaching, writing funny, and a bunch of other stuff, including Claire North’s Notes from a Burning Age, and getting your sci-fi terms right. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) This week's sponsor: ...
184: Elaine Hsieh Chou (DISORIENTATION) and Matthew Salesses' CRAFT IN THE REAL WORLD
June 14, 2022 20:49 - 59 minutesElaine Hsieh Chou drops into the Damn Library Hyperspace Zoom Zone to chat her incredible new campus satire, Disorientation. We get into the world of academia, writing villains, and of course, why she wrote this book three times. Plus, she brings along Matthew Salesses’ Craft in the Real World. and we talk about the wisdom found therein. And lots more! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://...
183: Reader Feature (Part 2)
May 25, 2022 13:23 - 1 hourHere are three more interviews with featured readers! So fun to talk about bookstore ownership, how being an agent affects reading, the trials and tribulations of Topo Chico, and bad advice from The Rules, along with many other subjects besides. Many thanks to Moti from Montreal, Canada, Erin from Portland, and Jacob from Pittsburgh for chatting books with me! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (...
182: Reader Feature (Part 1)
May 18, 2022 01:19 - 45 minutesHere are the first three (of six!) mini interviews with So Many Damn Books Readers, talking favorite recent reads, current reading projects, and giving a book to a famous person, amongst many other bookish subjects. My thanks to Michael for Portland, Daniella from London, Canada, and Noah from NYC for hanging out and chatting books. Part two goes up next week! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (...
181: Publishing Talk with Sarah
April 19, 2022 16:29 - 33 minutesSarah, partner of Christopher and co-owner of the Damn Library, drops into some of the space she pays rent for to chat about working with the backlist for Penguin Random House, the world of publishing unionization efforts, and of course, what drinking a French 75 feels like. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
180: Sara Nović's TRUE BIZ and Asali Solomon's THE DAYS OF AFREKETE
April 05, 2022 16:38 - 43 minutesSara Nović webcams into the Damn Library Zoom Zone to talk her new novel, True Biz. We discuss the limitations of prose in comparison to ASL, how she tried to mimic ASL on the page, some fantasies of Eyeth, and the propulsive nature of short chapters. Also a lot of other stuff. Plus, Sara brought along The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon, a book that both agree is "a feat of engineering" just like the NYT said. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, vi...
180: Sara Nović (TRUE BIZ) and Asali Solomon's THE DAYS OF AFREKETE
April 05, 2022 16:38 - 42 minutesSara Nović webcams into the Damn Library Zoom Zone to talk her new novel, True Biz. We discuss the limitations of prose in comparison to ASL, how she tried to mimic ASL on the page, some fantasies of Eyeth, and the propulsive nature of short chapters. Also a lot of other stuff. Plus, Sara brought along The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon, a book that both agree is "a feat of engineering" just like the NYT said. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more,...
179: Sasha Fletcher (BE HERE TO LOVE ME AT THE END OF THE WORLD) & Benjamín Labatut’s WHEN WE CEASE TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD
March 22, 2022 17:41 - 1 hourSasha Fletcher physically drops in to the Damn Library. In the flesh. Christopher and Sasha are actually in the same room, chatting over cocktails. This is great, because Sasha’s novel Be Here to Love Me at the End of the World is a very fun book to discuss without any zoom lag, and the conversation ranges from the Medicis to the purposes of art to the agony of first drafts. Plus, Sasha brings along When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut, which elucidates the beauty and sa...
178: Sequoia Nagamatsu (HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK) & Brenda Peynado's THE ROCK EATERS
March 08, 2022 05:00 - 1 hourSequoia Nagamatsu, author of How High We Go in the Dark steps into the Damn Library Pocket Universe and covers a lot of ground, both real and metaphysical. We get into why most pandemic novels don't focus on pandemics, how he put together some of the more wild chapters, and of course robot dogs. And then he brings out Brenda Peynado's The Rock Eaters, a collection of short stories that takes the figurative and makes it have weight - so of course Sequoia talks on what makes for a successful s...
177: Dana Stevens (CAMERA MAN: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century) & Fernando Pessoa's THE BOOK OF DISQUIET
February 22, 2022 05:00 - 1 hourDana Stevens stops into the Damn Library to talk about her new book, Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, and it allows for lots of subject hopping, from the birth of movie reviews to Buster Keaton's model trains to the trick of describing movies dynamically. Plus, she brings along Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet, a fascinating posthumous tome from a prolific contemporary of Keaton who Dana Stevens is also obsessed with. contribut...
176: Sara Gran (THE BOOK OF THE MOST PRECIOUS SUBSTANCE) & Elizabeth Hand's GENERATION LOSS
February 08, 2022 05:00 - 57 minutesSara Gran joins Christopher in the Damn Library to talk The Book of the Most Precious Substance, which is wildly exciting - her books are some of the most cited in So Many Damn Books history. They get into plants, and spells, and the lure of rare book buying. Plus, Sara goes into what made her decide to self publish this book after so many years in the industry. And then she brings Generation Lost by Elizabeth Hand to discuss, a novel about not having a camera at the right time, amongst othe...
175: Winter Ramble 2021
December 28, 2021 18:18 - 1 hourDrew is saying goodbye and vacating his role as co-host. That means one last episode with all the normal trappings, plus a wander into a chat about how the reading this year went, and if he achieved any goals he wanted to achieve when we started. Join us on this chilly, nostalgic stroll. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
174: Eugene Lim (SEARCH HISTORY) & César Aira's CONVERSATIONS
December 14, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourEugene Lim stops by the Damn Library to discuss his novel Search History, which sends the conversation careening from AI to authenticity to writing theatrically to songwriting to rainy day ideas, and that spiral leads (as it often does) to discussing César Aira and his work, particularly Conversations. Listen up! contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted o...
173: Uli Beutter Cohen (BETWEEN THE LINES: STORIES FROM THE UNDERGROUND) & Katherine May's WINTERING
November 30, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourUli Beutter Cohen, stops into the Damn Library for the third time, but for her first time as an author. She wrote Between the Lines: Stories from the Underground, and she talks about the culmination of her project of interviewing people about the books they're reading underneath the clamoring city, teases her pop-up store underneath Union Square (open until December 12th 2021!), and more. Plus, she brought us Wintering by Katherine May, a book that was sorely needed by all three folks. cont...