Shows
American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 103: No Time For Love (Part 1)This is the first episode of my review of Robert Heinlein's longest work, NO TIME FOR LOVE. We are reintroduced to an old friend, Lazarus Long, as he reflects on his life (but maybe not enough reflection for this reader).
2024-11-0430 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 663: James Baldwin: The Devil Finds Work (1976)THE DEVIL FINDS WORK was James Baldwin's final major essay and a fascinating exploration of how he has seen and experienced American (and some non-American) films over the course of his life, finding the problem at the heart of America's major cultural export.
2024-11-0430 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 102: I Will Fear no Evil (Part 4)The finale of my review of I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein. Next up, NO TIME FOR LOVE.
2024-10-2822 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 101: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 3)Part three of my thoughts on I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein.
2024-10-1619 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 662: James Baldwin: No Name in the StreetMy quick review of James Baldwin's excellent essay NO NAME IN THE STREET. The last 20 pages of this essay are particularly hard hitting and remain meaningful.
2024-10-1620 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 100: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 2)Boy does this book drag on. Lots of good stuff, but Robert A. Heinlein seems to take his precious time getting there. Is I WILL FEAR NO EVIL a sign of what will come later in his works?
2024-10-1420 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 99: I Will Fear No Evil (Part 1)Part 1 of 4 of my review of I WILL FEAR NO EVIL by Robert A. Heinlein. I wonder how other recent readers of this book look back on it. Obviously the novel deals with gender in sexuality in transgressive ways, but it also seems very old fashioned in its approach.
2024-09-3027 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 661: James Baldwin: The Fire Next Time (1963)Brief thoughts on James Baldwin's 1963 essay THE FIRE NEXT TIME and its place in American history.
2024-09-3029 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 660: James Baldwin: Nobody Knows My Name, More Notes of a Native SonIn this episode I review James Baldwin's collection of essays NOBODY KNOWS MY NAME: MORE NOTES OF A NATIVE SON. These essays bridge his time in Paris to his engagement in the discourse on civil rights in America.
2024-09-1637 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 98: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 3)The conclusion to my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS. In the next episode we will being a four part dive into I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.
2024-09-1626 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 97: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 2)Part two of my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS by Robert A. Heinlein. In this episode, I cover the revolt on the Moon and some of the political theory at the heart of the novel, both the spoken and unspoken parts.
2024-09-0539 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 96: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (Part 1)Part 1 of 3 of my review of THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS, one of Heinlein's most famous and well-regarded books. Often billed a libertarian novel, is it better to look at it as anti-colonial? Can it be both?
2024-08-2129 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 659: James Baldwin: Notes of a Native SonWe begin our look at James Baldwin's essays with his 1955 collection NOTES OF A NATIVE SON. Some of the topics explored in this collection are black representation in culture, expat life in Paris, and political life in Harlem.
2024-08-2136 min
American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 95: Farnham's Freehold (Second Half)The second part of my review of FARNHAM'S FREEHOLD by Robert A. Heinlein. I really struggled with this book, but think it reveals the fundamental problem with Heinlein's relationship with the American past.
2024-07-2537 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 94: Farnham's Freedhold (First Half)I talk a bit about GLORY ROAD to finish up my thoughts on that novel, but I have decided to move onto Heinlein's FARNHAM'S FREEDHOLD. Is it his worst novel? Maybe not, but it is sure is trying hard. We will see what the second half gives us.
2024-07-2234 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 93: Glory Road (First Half)I had hoped to talk about the first half of GLORY ROAD by Robert A. Heinlein, but I ended up talking about most of the events of the book. It is definitely one that needs to be unpacked for some of the larger discussions we are having about Heinlein.
2024-07-0728 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 658: James Baldwin: Going to Meet the Man (2)In this episode I review the final four stories of GOING TO MEET THE MAN by James Baldwin. This episode includes my look at the titular story, which remains one of the most well-known and widely read of Baldwin's works.
2024-07-0745 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 657: James Baldwin: Going to Meet the Man (1)In this episode I talk about the first four stories of the great collection by James Baldwin GOING TO MEET THE MAN.
2024-07-0529 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 656: James Baldwin: Another Country (4)The final episode of my review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. This novel deserves to be remembered as one of the best of the later 20th century.
2024-06-2524 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 655: James Baldwin: Another Country (Part 3)Part three of my review of the wonderful novel ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. In this section, Eric returns to New York and crisis deepens in the relationships of our main characters Ida, Vivaldo, Cass, and Richard.
2024-06-2021 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 92: Podkayne of MarsIn this episode I take a quick look at the excellent short novel by Robert A. Heinlein PODKAYNE OF MARS. It is one of my favorite Heinlein novels I have read and it really seems Heinlein can write young characters well, just not young men.
2024-06-2038 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 654: James Baldwin: Another Country (2)Part two of my review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin. For a novel that is just exploring transgressive romantic relationships (and some square relationships too), it is an enthralling journey.
2024-06-1309 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 91: SearchlightThis teeny tiny short story by Robert A. Heinlein also seems to be the last short story we will look at in this series. From here on out it will be wild novels. But this is a nice story to end with.
2024-06-1309 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 653: James Baldwin: Another Country (1)This episode is part one of my four part review of ANOTHER COUNTRY by James Baldwin, a novel about race, sex, and art set in Greenwich Village. It is excellent.
2024-06-0938 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 90: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 3)Sorry for the delay in uploads. ANOTHER COUNTRY and work has been keeping me busier than I thought.
But here is the conclusion to my review of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert A. Heinlein. One thing I never really talked much about in the review is cannibalism, but that is just a symptom of how much this book has to talk about.
2024-06-0535 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 89: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 2)In this episode I look at the middle third of Robert A. Heinlein's STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. We take a closer look at the word "grok" and its in-world meaning.
2024-05-3144 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 88: Stranger in a Strange Land (Part 1)In this episode I begin my look at Robert A. Heinlein's STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. We will have a lot to talk about over these three episodes as this is a thematically rich book. The first third of the book is doing a lot of set up and drags at times, but nevertheless this one is worth attempting.
2024-05-2846 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 87: All You ZombiesI am a bit backed up in producing episodes because I am wrangling with two larger novels (STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and ANOTHER COUNTRY). Hopefully those episodes will be ready next week.
For now, we can look at Heinlein's short story "All You Zombies", a time travel story with a trans twist.
2024-05-2319 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 86: Starship Troopers (Part 2)In part two of my review of STARSHIP TROOPERS, I complete my look at the text of the novel and discuss a little bit about the books legacy and influence on other storytellers.
2024-05-1650 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 652: James Baldwin: Giovanni's RoomWant to read a very sad novel about expats in Paris? Try James Baldwin's GIOVANNI'S ROOM. I loved it and am fully convinced that Baldwin is a beautiful writer. This short novel is full of theme and is certainly worth a read or two.
2024-05-1639 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 85: Starship Troopers (Part 1)In this episode I review the first half of STARSHIP TROOPERS by Robert A. Heinlein and discuss all of the "History and Moral Philosophy" sections and the claims often made about Heinlein's politics. In the next episode I will discuss the rest of the book and its legacy.
2024-05-091h 01American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 651: James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain (Part 2)The conclusion to my review of James Baldwin's GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. This delightful and rich book is worth a look or two. Let me know what you thought of it.
2024-05-0937 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 84: Have Space Suit, Will TravelWith this episode we close the book on the Robert A. Heinlein juveniles, so in addition to reviewing HAVE SPACE SUIT, WILL TRAVEL, I give my overall ranking of the 12 Scribner novels. There are only 15 works (13 novels and 2 short stories) left and I could not be more excited to jump into his works of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
2024-05-0648 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 650: James Baldwin: Go Tell It On the Mountain (1)In this episode I begin my look at James Baldwin with his first novel GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN. It the first half of this novel, we can already sense Baldwin's unique contribution to African-American literature.
2024-05-0643 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 83: The Man Who Traveled In ElephantsIn the quasi-fantasy story "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants" (1957) Heinlein wrote a sentimental tale about America, journeys, and a man getting what he deserves in the afterlife.
2024-04-3016 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 82: Menace from Earth"Menace from Earth" by Robert A. Heinlein is a teenage romance, set on the Moon that builds on the themes explored in the excellent stories collected in THE GREEN HILLS OF EARTH.
2024-04-3019 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 649: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 5 Decision)The finale of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright and the end of my examination of the works of Richard Wright. Our next series will be a long one, looking at the works of James Baldwin.
2024-04-2622 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 647: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 4 Despair)My frustration with THE OUSIDER by Richard Wright grows a bit as I read Part 4 (Despair). Cross Damon does another murder and is trying to avoid arrest for his crimes but still has time for long debates on Communism and Fascism.
2024-04-2635 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 646: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 3 Descent)Every once in a while I lose myself in a book. Not that I get engaged so the rest of the world passes by. Sometimes, I actually get lost and am not sure where the book or its characters are going. As I explore part 3 of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright I experience this. And I am not sure Wright is going to help me find the theme.
2024-04-1927 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 81: The Door Into SummerIn this rather long episode I explore Heinlein' excellent novel THE DOOR INTO SUMMER. This book seems to be about a deterministic time travel loop, but it is really about our relationship to technology, each other, and work. Oh, and the main character gets engaged to a child and gaslights her into going into deep freeze so he can marry her while she is still young and hot. Not one of our author's best moments.
2024-04-1951 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 645: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 2 Dream)Part two of my review of THE OUTSIDER by Richard Wright. This section seems to be the most hopeful part of the novel as we witness Damon Cross' attempt to remake himself and find a type of freedom while avoiding bad faith.
2024-04-1527 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Citizen of the GalaxyCITIZEN OF THE GALAXY is the best and most expansive of the Heinlein juveniles, as well as one of its most adult in theme. While only the penultimate juvenile, it seems to be the capstone work in many ways.
2024-04-1543 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 644: Richard Wright: The Outsider (Part 1: Dread)I start my look at Richard Wright's THE OUTSIDER with part one (Dread), which introduces us to Cross Damon (Wright's names amirite) and his miserable life and how an accident gives him a chance to start fresh, but is forced to commit a murder to keep his secret.
2024-04-0222 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 80: Double StarIn this episode, I examine the delightful novel DOUBLE STAR by Robert A. Heinlein and talk about how the actor loses themselves into their subjects. While not necessary to be a science fiction novel, Heinlein weaves a handful of fascinating sci-fi elements into the story.
2024-04-0242 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 79: A Time for the Stars (Part 2)The conclusion of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. The changing relationship between the twins as one approaches death and the other returns still young with his life ahead of him seems to reflect the experiences we all face with the older generations.
2024-03-2315 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 643: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 3/3The finale of my review of BLACK BOY (AMERICAN HUNGER) by Richard Wright. This part of the memoir follows Wright's life in Chicago and his love affair and breakup with the American Communist Party.
Next, five episodes on THE OUTSIDER.
2024-03-2323 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 642: Richard Wright: Black Boy (Part 2)Part 2 of my review of the memoir BLACK BOY by Richard Wright. This part of the novel explores Wright's discovery of the rules of Jim Crow, his quest for intellectual autonomy, and his ultimate decision to leave the South.
2024-03-2029 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 78: Time for the Stars (Part 1)Part 1 of my review of A TIME FOR THE STARS by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel explores the twin paradox and humanity branching out into the cosmos.
2024-03-2025 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 641: Richard Wright: Black Boy (American Hunger), Part 1In this episode I explore the first four chapters of Richard Wright's BLACK BOY, his gut wrenching and deep memoir of growing up black in the Jim Crow South.
2024-03-1323 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 77: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 2)Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY has a strong and fascinating second half in which we explore questions of building democracy and civilization. The good: The optimism about cooperation in harsh conditions. The bad: strong hints of settler colonialism.
2024-03-1328 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 76: Tunnel in the Sky (Part 1)In this episode I look at the first half of Robert A. Heinlein's TUNNEL IN THE SKY. In this juvenile, Heinlein does some interesting thing with the old Malthusian over-population narrative. The first half reads a bit like a standard adventure story, though. This novel really shines in the second half.
2024-03-0820 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 640: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 4/4, Conclusion)The finale of my look at Richard Wright's NATIVE SON.
2024-03-0829 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 639: Richard Wright: Native Son (Flight-Fate, Part 3/4)In this third part of four exploring the powerful novel NATIVE SON by Richard Wright, we witness the capture of Bigger Thomas and the way the media presented a black defendant, ignored black victims, and jumped to racist assumptions, all the while trying to expose the Communist Party for its anti-racist work.
2024-03-0630 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein: Episode 75: The Star Beast (Part 2)The conclusion to my review of the excellent novel, THE STAR BEAST, by Robert A. Heinlein. One of his best novels and high on the ranking of the juveniles. It explores issues such as gender, service, family heritage, and diplomacy.
2024-03-0620 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 638: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 2, Flight)In this episode I look at most of part two of Richard Wright's NATIVE SON, called "Flight". Here the narrative focuses on Bigger Thomas' efforts at survival after his murder of Mary Dalton, but also look more into the perspectives of mainstream white society on communists and African-Americans.
2024-03-0134 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 74: The Star Beast (Part 1)THE STAR BEAST is one of the best books by Robert A. Heinlein that I explored in this podcast, and this suprised me from the look of the silly cover. Gender, diplomacy, politics, law, and bureaucracy are just some of the themes Heinlein crams into this little novel.
2024-02-2545 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 637: Richard Wright: Native Son (Part 1, Fear)In this episode I take on the first 100 pages of NATIVE SON by Richard Wright. It is a brilliant novel and I can only scratch the surface, but it is required reading for understanding America. I focus on the major characters and their motivations, knowing we can only begin to understand Bigger Thomas in the early stages of the novel.
2024-02-2545 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 73: Project: NightmareWhile "Project: Nightmare" (1953) is not one of Heinlein's strongest short stories it is worth reading for his use of the Cold War setting. The question of morality, sacrifice, and the use of misuse of the talented for the achievement of national goals is still worth reflecting on.
2024-02-1918 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 626: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 2)The conclusion to my thoughts on the wonderful short story collection, UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN by Richard Wright. In the second half of this collection we move to a proposed (if maybe futile) response. The last two stories have moments of resistance culminating in sacrifice but not victory or a promise of change.
2024-02-1944 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 72: Sky-LiftA very brief look at the short story "Sky-Lift" by Robert A. Heinlein. It is mostly a technical piece on the dangers of space flight and works as a sequel to the GREEN HILLS OF EARTH stories.
2024-02-1511 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 625: Richard Wright: Uncle Tom's Children (Part 1)Richard Wright's first published book was a series of short stories called UNCLE TOM'S CHILDREN. They are wonderful stories looking at the brutality of race relations in Great Depression-era America and good preparation for NATIVE SON.
2024-02-1523 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 71: Starman Jones (Part 2)The conclusion to my look at STARMAN JONES by Robert A. Heinlein. This one clearly stands out among the Heinlein juveniles by branching out into new themes and new geographies.
2024-01-2730 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 624: Richard Wright: Lawd Today (Part 2)The conclusion to my review of Richard Wright's first novel, LAWD TODAY. It is a great way to start digging into Richard Wright, and I think a good contrast with NATIVE SON, which we will look at in a few weeks.
2024-01-2728 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 70: Starman Jones (Part 1)In 1953, Heinlein wrote his 7th juvenile in STARMAN JONES. He always seems to have something new to say in each of these novels, even if the main characters are always a little bit cookie cutter. He does try to give this young man a bit more differentiation. Nevertheless, this is another good example of world building. I enjoy how each of these novels feels lived in.
2024-01-2430 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 623: Richard Wright: Lawd Today!Today I start a new series looking at the major works of Richard Wright. We begin with LAWD TODAY!, which was published in the 1960s, but was actually the first book written. It is an amazing modernist text looking at the working class black life in Chicago during the Great Depression. It is also one of the bleakest books we have looked at in a while.
2024-01-2429 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 69: The Year of the Jackpot"The Year of the Jackpot" is a fascinating story by Heinlein published in GALAXY in 1952. It deals with sexual morality, normalcy, survival, historical cycles, and the end of the world. A must read.
2024-01-1628 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 622: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 7)The final episode in my review of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION by W. E. B. Du Bois. These final three chapters summarize the major themes of the book quite well. One of the best books on the topic, even a hundred years after publication.
2024-01-1642 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 68: The Rolling Stones (Part 2)The conclusion to my review of THE ROLLING STONES by Robert A. Heinlein. An overall great book in this juvenile series.
2024-01-1129 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 621: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 6)Part 6 of my review of W. E. B. Du Bois' BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA.
2024-01-1142 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 620: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 5)We are in the meat of the book BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA by W. E. B. Du Bois. In these chapters, he looks into the revolution and counter revolution of property in Mississippi and Louisiana and then Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. We see how different demographic structures led to different reactions by the ruling planter class.
2024-01-0432 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 67: The Rolling Stones (Part 1)In this episode we get introduced to the Stone family and watch them becoming THE ROLLING STONES. This 1952 novel has some of the most well drawn of Heinlein's characters, but it is not the major young man protagonist who are pretty much interchangeable in this one. Some meta commentary on his juvenile novel heroes, I reckon.
2024-01-0430 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 66: The Puppet Masters (Part 2)The second part of my review of THE PUPPET MASTERS by Robert A. Heinlein. While I love a lot about this book, it ultimately falls far short of what it could have been.
2024-01-0231 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 619: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 4)In this episode look at the middle chapters of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA, exploring the broader questions at the heart of the 15th Amendment and the impact of black voting rights on the Reconstruction politics of South Carolina.
2024-01-0246 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 65: The Puppet Masters (Part 1)It is kind of nice to have old Heinlein back. After writing those juveniles and mainstream science fiction stories, THE PUPPET MASTERS allows Heinlein to bring back hot women, nudity, and individualist philosophy. I am not sure this novel is a success yet, but it is lots of fun.
2023-12-2727 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 619: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 3)One of the most fascinating looks at Andrew Johnson is made by Du Bois in this section of BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA. I also discuss his sources and unique bibliography in this episode.
2023-12-2746 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 64: Between Planets (Part 2)The conclusion to my coverage of BETWEEN PLANETS by Robert A. Heinlein.
2023-12-2131 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 617: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 2)The Civil War ends and the reaction to emancipation starts. In the second part of my coverage of W. E. B. Du Bois' BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA, I look at chapters 5-6 and the beginning of the conservative reaction to the second American Revolution.
2023-12-2133 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 63: Between Planets (Part 1)Once again, we begin a look at what turns out to be my favorite of the juveniles by Robert A. Heinlein. BETWEEN PLANETS is the best yet. Can they keep getting better? The lesson in this book is courage and honor in the face of fate.
2023-12-1825 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 616: W. E. B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America (Part 1)In this episode I look at the first four chapters of the amazing book BLACK RECONSTRUCTION IN AMERICA by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a brilliant celebration of the potential of interracial democracy, written at a time when those potentials were forgotten by historians.
2023-12-1852 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 62: Cliff and the CaloriesA bit of an aside in this series, "Cliff and the Calories" by Heinlein is a short story about a young woman struggling with a perhaps unnecessary diet. It slightly aligns with some of what he was doing with his juveniles, but I think we need to wait until we read Podkayne to know for sure.
2023-12-1412 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 615: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 5)The finale of my review of OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the conclusion to this series on Stowe's novels. Next up, we will return to W. E. B. Du Bois with a deep dive into Reconstruction-era America.
2023-12-1438 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 614: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 4)Part 4 of my review of OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This is an amazing novel that deserves more attention.
2023-12-1123 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 61: The Man Who Sold the MoonA story of capitalism run amok and maybe doing some good, THE MAN WHO SOLD THE MOON, by Robert A. Heinlein is a great novella exploring how money can do almost anything.
2023-12-1131 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 613: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 3)The middle sections of Harriet Beecher Stowe's OLDTOWN FOLKS (1869) explored education with intense focus and through multiple conversations. While repetitive, this section of the novel allowed Stowe to engage with the debates of her own time about education, making a case as persuasive as the one she made in UNCLE TOM'S CABIN about slavery.
2023-12-0636 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 60: Farmer in the Sky (Part 2)In this episode, I finish up my review of the excellent novel FARMER IN THE SKY by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel has some excellent reflections on population, empires, war, ecology, and the frontier. Are the juveniles (and the Future History series at large) metaphors for the Atlantic world? Sometimes I think so.
2023-12-0621 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 59: Farmer in the Sky (Part 1)Heinlein's fourth juvenile novel, FARMER IN THE SKY (1950) is one of the best books he wrote to that point and the most "mature" of his "boy's novels". We seen Heinlein's approach and concerns grow up with his characters. The first part of this book is an excellent window into the ecological, scientific, and political vision Heinlein develops.
2023-12-0433 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 612: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 2)Harriet Beecher Stowe's OLDTOWN FOLKS (1869) is doing a lot, and that is made clear in the second section of this book, which explores the fate of two orphans in this small New England Town, and their ultimate liberation.
2023-12-0436 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 58: Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon"Nothing Ever Happens on the Moon" is another delightful Future History story by Robert A. Heinlein, but this one includes Boy Scouts. Can an Earth Scout ever find a place with the Moon Scouts with the Moon's inhospitable environment? Maybe if he saves the day? This story has some very harrowing life and death moments as two boys get lost a "morning glory" (a sinkhole).
2023-11-2717 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 611: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Oldtown Folks (Part 1)In this episode I begin to explore OLDTOWN FOLKS by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This is a fascinating, almost modernist, novel about one man's memory of the days of his youth in early 19th century New England. Through deep dives into characters and the community, Stowe digs into surface level and hidden aspects of New England society.
2023-11-2725 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 57: GulfWhat is this early 1940s Heinlein story doing in the 1950? In this episode I explore Heinlein's brief return to ASTOUNDING with "Gulf". Thanks, I hate it.
2023-11-2331 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 610: Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Minister’s Wooing (Part 3)In this episode I finish up up look at Harriet Beecher Stowe's THE MINISTER'S WOOING. It finishes up much the way we expect. Overall, this novel is a nice surprise and worth checking out if you have the time. Next up, OLDTOWN FOLKS.
2023-11-2331 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 56: Delilah and the Space RiggerThis is the last of the GREEN HILLS OF EARTH stories (from the anthology, but not thematically), we explore the question of who is suited for space exploration by looking at the place of women in the frontier.
2023-11-2017 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Episode 609: Harriet Beecher Stowe: The Minister’s Wooing (Part 2)In part two of my review of THE MINISTER'S WOOING by Harriet Beecher Stowe we build out the world of post-Revolutionary New England with a closer look at the new theology of the Great Awakening and get to experience the suspicious arrival of Aaron Burr as a suitor. Then tragedy hits.
2023-11-2024 minAmerican Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)Robert A. Heinlein Book Club: Episode 55: Red Planet (Part 2)The finale of my review of Robert A. Heinlein's RED PLANET. I focus on the political aspects of the novel and the awesome portrayal of the indigenous Martians.
2023-11-1525 min
PKDHeads Podcast BonusInterview - Evan Lampe - The 3rd FiveEvan Lampe visits David all the way from China to discuss the next set of books. Opinions vary about the quality, but there is no doubt this time in Philip K. Dick's life was productive. Plus, everything you need is inside these books. From a classical music jug band to a Christ figure selling drugs, the nerd kings discuss it all.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books - wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon - www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Wor…ywords=evan+lampe
...2021-11-061h 32
PKDHeads Podcast BonusInterview - Evan Lampe - The 2nd FiveDavid's second interview with author, podcaster, blogger, and Philip K. Dick scholar Evan Lampe. Here they discuss PKD's second five novels and the ideas that brought them to life. Plus find out which Philip K. Dick books they believe are worse than Vulcan's Hammer.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books ►► wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon ►► www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Wor…ywords=evan+lampe
American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time) ►► https://hundredpages.podbean.com/
Our Patreon ►► http://www.patreon.com/Lan...2021-11-062h 12
PKDHeads Podcast BonusInterview - Evan Lampe - The 1st 5 NovelsDavid interviews author, podcaster, blogger, and Philip K. Dick enthusiast Evan Lampe. This is number one in a series of in-depth chats Here they discuss PKD's first five novels and the ideas that brought them to life.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books ►► http://wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon ►► https://www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-World-Live/dp/1508741492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539246286&sr=8-1&keywords=evan+lampe
Our Patreon ►►http://www.patreon.com/LanghorneJTweed
Electric Larryland Discord ►► https://discord.gg/RAyg2u
...2021-11-061h 02
PKDheads PodcastInterview #16 - Evan Lampe - The 3rd FiveEvan Lampe visits David all the way from China to discuss the next set of books. Opinions vary about the quality, but there is no doubt this time in Philip K. Dick's life was productive. Plus, everything you need is inside these books. From a classical music jug band to a Christ figure selling drugs, the nerd kings discuss it all.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books - wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon - www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Wor…ywords=evan+lampe
American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Ti...2020-06-041h 32
PKDheads PodcastInterview #8 - Evan Lampe - The 2nd FiveDavid's second interview with author, podcaster, blogger, and Philip K. Dick scholar Evan Lampe. Here they discuss PKD's second five novels and the ideas that brought them to life. Plus find out which Philip K. Dick books they believe are worse than Vulcan's Hammer.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books - wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon - www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Wor…ywords=evan+lampe
American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time) - https://hundredpages.podbean.com/
Music on this episode is from - Valis: An Opera by To...2019-04-112h 12
PKDheads PodcastInterview #4 - Evan Lampe - The 1st 5 NovelsDavid interviews author, podcaster, blogger, and Philip K. Dick enthusiast Evan Lampe. This is number one in a series of in-depth chats Here they discuss PKD's first five novels and the ideas that brought them to life.
Philip K. Dick and the World We Live In Paperback by Evan Lampe is available at:
Wide Books - http://wide-books.com/index.html
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-World-Live/dp/1508741492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539246286&sr=8-1&keywords=evan+lampe
Music on this episode is from - Valis: An Opera by Tod Machover
Check it out here: www.amazon.com/Valis-ANNE-BOGDEN…EM...2018-10-111h 02