Western Thought
Jonah Andrist
A couple of years ago Jonah Andrist convinced Will Peterson, of the Walrus and Carpenter bookstore in Pocatello ID, to go halfsies on a recorder. Every month or so we've sat down in front of this recorder for a chat, with some beer, to talk about writing and great writers and the philosophy of doing as such. Will has an incredible amount of developed training as a talker - being a personal knowledge hub who people look to for suggestion and guidance, a great bookstore owner - and as a writer himself knows the pains and pleasures of trying to do something great. Jonah felt doomed to becoming a writer, come hell or high water (of which there's been plenty) and with less life experience than Will has yet tried to read as widely as possible to truly understand the magic of the craft.
Together they form a highly educated 45 year old who has dedicated their life to books and the people who read them.
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Top 10 Western Thought Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Western Thought episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Western Thought for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Western Thought episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Raymond Chandler's FAREWELL MY LOVELY
Western Thought
05/29/20 • 94 min
This is one of Will's favorite writers. Jonah gets Chandlerian level drunk. We are joined again by the lovely Andrea Lovelace, pay extra attention to her laugh. Also, enjoy the outdoors bird sounds. patreon.com/westernthought for archived episodes.
11/17/23 • 72 min
About 4 minutes in Jonah reveals the idea for this episode: he is going to list off bursts of authors he's read in the last five years of doing the podcast which they haven't featured and Will is going to riff on whatever comes to mind. Thanks for listening fellow littérateurs. This may be our last episode ... Jonah is tired of doing jobs he doesn't like so he's gonna get out of Idaho and get beat on the dirty streets of Hollywood. He is leaving behind a box of books of his short stories at the Walrus and Carpenter. If you take a pilgrimage you can get one for free. It really is a great bookstore. Come sit with us in front of the fire for a while.
Episode 55: Mallarme (accent not included)
Western Thought
08/14/23 • 62 min
This is a very loosely styled podcast. I know, usually we keep it so on point and tight. But often I think podcasts are more fun this way. At least we had fun. It's the conversation you'll get in the Walrus and Carpenter bookstore. Come sit for a while and geek out about language.
Episode 39: Gertrude Stein
Western Thought
10/06/22 • 38 min
A fairly busy Tuesday at the bookstore with a few sales and auditory distractions from a new roof being applied. Still, there's a few good one-liners and a (possibly) good introduction to Stein and her cubist doodlings with words (my words). Shorter episodes these days as Will now has a standing dinner date. Perhaps we will compensate by doing them more frequently. As always, old episodes are now stored for you perusal at patreon.com/westernthought. Come sit in the bookstore for a while.
Episode 37: Two Stories
Western Thought
08/03/22 • 69 min
Another fictional supplement to the podcast. Two independent stories which have been recorded for your listening interest (written far apart with very different styles).
The first story is a touch of exaggerated reality - with an artist who makes exceptional pictures in the foam of coffee. The second story is a Henry Miller inspired first person wander through a mysterious death and a "postmodern" deconstruction of the mystery genre. The second story begins 24 minutes in.
Episode 36: Simone de Beauvoir's THE MANDARINS
Western Thought
07/20/22 • 116 min
A couple technical (battery) hiccups fragment the show a little at the beginning, but not necessarily to its detriment. Beauvoir is a writer that Jonah has wanted to do for some years and it's fun to get around to that period of French letters and another female - though our depth in reviewing Beauvoir's THE SECOND SEX is quite limited.
Reminder that we have a Patreon for old episodes.
Another two hours to come hang out in the bookstore.
06/10/22 • 94 min
This felt pretty good after we'd finished. The format Jonah always had in mind for the function of the podcast. A lot of Will talking with some pointed questions and secondary material thrown in. Some other secret magic may also have been involved. Come sit in the bookstore for a while.
Episode 34: Trying to Understand William Faulkner
Western Thought
05/20/22 • 68 min
We are joined by a cool painter in a Canadian tuxedo named Sydney who plays the good sport. This one is rambling and reaching with a lot of laughter and Will tells me in the second half we get very un-PC. Jonah remembers a certain amount of belligerence ... but that's usually the most fun one can have with a podcast. So come sit in the bookstore and try to figure out what's the deal with William Faulkner.
www.patreon.com/westernthought
02/17/22 • 109 min
An exciting little book from an author to look out for. Jonah drinks his beer too fast and Will talks about Leonard Cohen, which honestly should probably be the title. Come sit in the bookstore for a while.
Vladimir Nabokov's PALE FIRE
Western Thought
06/15/20 • 79 min
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FAQ
How many episodes does Western Thought have?
Western Thought currently has 29 episodes available.
What topics does Western Thought cover?
The podcast is about Literature, Publishing, Lighthearted, Writing, Podcasts, Books, Philosophy and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Western Thought?
The episode title 'Episode 55: Mallarme (accent not included)' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Western Thought?
The average episode length on Western Thought is 75 minutes.
How often are episodes of Western Thought released?
Episodes of Western Thought are typically released every 40 days, 2 hours.
When was the first episode of Western Thought?
The first episode of Western Thought was released on Mar 9, 2020.
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