Book Fight

This week we're reading Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. We talk about stream-of-consciousness narration, and whether the book should be considered a comedy. Also lots of other stuff. For more, including links to our weekly recommendations, check out our website at bookfightpod.com.

We welcome back best-selling crime novelist Tod Goldberg to talk about one of his favorite books, by one of his favorite authors. Daniel Woodrell's 2006 novel was the basis for the 2012 film of the same name, which netted Jennifer Lawrence an Oscar nomination at the age of 20. The movie is a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel, though the book's musical language and rich detail make it worth a read even for those who've seen the film.

We talk about the book's fresh take on a familiar story structure--the "hero's quest"--and how it both fits and doesn't within the "crime" genre. We also talk to Tod about his own work, how he develops the plots of his novels, why he no longer gives readings, and lots more. Including our first-ever Book Fight blind item!

You can learn more about Tod, and his many books, at his website: https://todgoldberg.com/

And check out the Hannukah noir anthology he recently edited for Penguin Random House, Eight Very Bad Nights.

Thanks for listening!

Hello, morning! We're a little groggy, but there's important conferencing to be done. Talking points: popping and locking, the guy in the newspaper hat, rejection notes.

We're always happy for an excuse to revisit the work of Denis Johnson, so when this week's guest said he wanted to discuss Johnson's novel Angels, we were all in. We talk to Nick about being a self-taught writer, the fine line between funny and sad, and why Johnson's portrayals of substance abuse and mental health struggles spoke to him.

You can pick up a copy of Nick's first book, a collection of stories, here.

If you like the podcast, consider joining our Patreon, where $5 a month gets you access to a huge treasure trove of exclusive bonus episodes.