Best Patrick Barney Podcasts (2024)

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S4 Ep48: DeLillo's Underworld, part 2 and Patrick Barney's new novel, Gusano 1:16:37

18d ago1:16:37

1:16:37

In this episode, we navigate the challenging and beautiful middle sections of DeLillo's Underworld. Before that, though, we listen to an excerpt from cohost Patrick Barney's new novel, Gusano.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Rosie Westwood: Phoenix Lewes 49:14

11h ago49:14

49:14

In this episode we speak with the fabulous Rosie Westwood. Rosie is co-founder of the beauty oils business Flora and Rose and is also Charity Manager for sustainable developers Human Nature. It was a delight to talk with Rosie about her life, work and parenthood. Follow the link below to Flora and Rose Beauty to see some of the products discussed a…

1
S4 Ep49: Part 3 of DeLillo's Underworld 1:10:48

9h ago1:10:48

1:10:48

In which we finish the Underworld Triptych.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Robin Van Creveld: Community Chef 1:08:08

26d ago1:08:08

1:08:08

In this week's episode we had the pleasure of speaking to Robin Van Creveld, the award winning founder and director of Community Chef. Robin spoke about his early life in South Africa and travels through India, explaining how these experiences inspired him to be a socially conscious entrepreneur and also tells us about his passion for making West A…

1
S4 Ep47: Enjoying the Longest DeLillo - Underworld - Part 1 57:10

1M ago57:10

57:10

The first in a three-parter in which we tackle DeLillo's meganovel, Underworld. In this episode we discuss just about the first third of the novel. And: We crack ourselves up imagining a Werner Herzog baseball documentary.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Barney Douglas: Documentary Filmmaker 1:11:55

2M ago1:11:55

1:11:55

In this week's episode we had the pleasure of speaking to award-winning documentary writer and director Barney Douglas. Barney's films have ranged from massai tribesmen blazing a trail in the world of cricket, to an intimate portrait of notorious tennis world champion John McEnroe. Barney also talks about the importance of music in his films and hi…

1
S4 Ep46: The Opacity of Violence: Elias Khoury's Gate of the Sun 55:40

2M ago55:40

55:40

In this episode, the Spiders try to analyze Elias Khoury's Gate of the Sun, a harrowing novel of the decades-long occupation of Palestine by Israel. However, the challenge is overwhelming, as it appears that violence may not be interpretable.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Benjamin Youd: River Story 1:01:40

3M ago1:01:40

1:01:40

In this episode we talk with Benjamin Youd about his journey to becoming an award-winning portrait photographer. We delve into his Sussex life and learn more about his beautiful photographic project ‘River Story’ which observes life around a river, exploring our interaction with the natural world and the impact that we might be having. Links: Websi…

1
S4 Ep45: The boundary between golden myth and secret history in Don DeLillo's Pafko at the Wall 50:11

3M ago50:11

50:11

The spiders consider the novella Pafko at the Wall, the first fifty pages of Don DeLillo's Underworld. Does its careful examination of its period kitsch reveal a deeper thematic weight? I mean, probably.By Xi Draconis Books

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S4 Ep43: Mysteries of connection and communication in Katie Kitamura's Intimacies 1:00:35

3M ago1:00:35

1:00:35

By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep44: The Joy and Frustration in Not Going Too Deep Into the Details of Nabokov's Pale Fire 47:40

3M ago47:40

47:40

In which we struggle to talk about a text that is famous for generating endless discussion about how to talk about it.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep42: Sandra Newman's Julia, and George Orwell's 1984 1:06:46

4M ago1:06:46

1:06:46

In this episode, the spiders discuss Julia, by Sandra Newman, which is a retelling of 1984, by George Orwell. Julia tells the classic dystopian tale from the perspective of the original's main female character, and in so doing, retcons the original in both positive and negative ways.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep41: Power, abuse, and doubled families in Otessa Moshfegh's Eileen 57:02

5M ago57:02

57:02

The Spiders pick over Otessa Moshfegh's novel Eileen, a novel whose protagonist's gaze might have its own spidery quality.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Patrick Kerry: Exploring Sussex 1:07:29

5M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

In this episode we talk with artist, builder and writer, Patrick Kerry, about his adventures exploring the towns and villages of Sussex, finding inspiration for his material led artwork and the idea behind ‘Full circle Living’, a way to live an ethical and fulfilling life by bringing nature and community closer together. Links: Instagram - @patrick…

1
S4 Ep39: The Garden of Seven Twilights and the Postmodern Mega-Novel 1:04:10

5M ago1:04:10

1:04:10

In which the Spider tries to unravel the tangled web of Miquel de Palol's The Garden of Seven Twilights, the Catalan language's addition to the canon of postmodern meganovelistic bricks like Infinite Jest and Gravity's Rainbow.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep40: The Complexity of Stasis in Lexi Freiman's The Book of Ayn 57:16

6M ago57:16

57:16

In this episode we discuss Lexi Freiman's new book, The Book of Ayn. We talk about objectivism, the relationship between humor and ideology, the difficulties of interrogating meaning through the perspectives of unreliable narrators, and the perpetual rightness of Patrick Barney.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Jason Savin: Community Wellbeing 1:17:03

6M ago1:17:03

1:17:03

In this episode we talk with Brighton based community worker Jason Savin. Jason spoke about his youth work on the Whitehawk Estate, young people’s mental health, and his time with Albion in the Community’s Reboot Programme, where he mentored young people affected by gangs. Links: Instagram - @biomentalk Website for Reboot Programme Website - Bright…

1
S4 Ep38: David Nikki Crouse's I'm Here: Alaska Stories 53:29

6M ago53:29

53:29

In this episode, the spiders are joined by a special guest, the author of several notable short story collections, David Nikki Crouse. We ask David craft questions about their most recent story collection, I'm Here: Alaska Stories. David gives insightful answers on a variety of topics, including class, identity, and the myth of Alaska.…

1
S4 Ep37: Ben Okri's The Famished Road and the worst tendencies of magical realism 49:53

7M ago49:53

49:53

In which the Spiders grudgingly admit to not connecting with Ben Okri's legendary The Famished Road, inspiration for the best early Radiohead song, and a novel which works much better in bits and fragments than it does as a unified whole.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Julz Baker: Natural Building 1:06:09

7M ago1:06:09

1:06:09

In this episode we talk with Sussex builder Julz Baker who specialises in the use of sustainable natural building materials. Julz shared stories of growing up in Sussex, how he first got involved in natural building and what inspires him to try to make a difference. Links: Instagram - @unearthed_build…

1
S4 Ep36: The Future of Literacy and Vernor Vinge's Novel, Rainbows End 1:01:35

8M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Note: Some audio issues with our mics in this episode. Apologies for the diminished quality. In this episode, the boys discuss the future of literacy - in large part to avoid discussing Vinge's disappointing novel. We touch upon what the emergence of generative AI might mean for writing and reading, and we talk about the craft of writing about the …

1
David Ford: International Songsmith 1:16:23

8M ago1:16:23

1:16:23

In this episode we talk to singer songwriter David Ford, who rose to fame in the early noughties with the band Easyworld before embarking on a long and successful career as a solo artist. David has been described by the Guardian as one of Britain's best songwriters and we really enjoyed listening to David talk in detail about his creative process. …

1
S4 Ep35: Literary Olives and the Distortions of the Moment in Richard Powers's Galatea 2.2 47:07

8M ago47:07

47:07

The Spiders are unsure how to approach Richard Powers's Galatea 2.2, a novel which they find eerily predictive of the methods used to build contemporary AI programs like ChatGPT. Does the contemporary relevance of its scientific principles cause us to overrate its thematic depth, or to look in the wrong places for meaning? And can Chris and Hans fo…

1
Sophie de Oliveira Barata: Alternative Limbs 1:05:21

9M ago1:05:21

1:05:21

This episode we talk with Sussex based artist Sophie de Oliveira Barata about her work using the unique medium of prosthetics to create highly stylised wearable art pieces. Each of Sophie's designs is unique, with its own story and a person at the heart of its creation. We had the great pleasure of hearing Sophie share a few of these amazing storie…

1
S4 Ep34: Is it ethically okay to enjoy the work of monstrous artists? 1:09:02

9M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

A discussion of Mary Beth Willard's "Why it's OK to enjoy the work of immoral artists," a philosophical text which advances the titular thesis, with a specific focus on Hans and Patrick's relationship to the classic early work of industrial-metal singer and alleged abusive partner Marilyn Manson.By Xi Draconis Books

1
Ali Gavan: Transmission Studios 46:05

9M ago46:05

46:05

This episode we talk with Brighton-based musician and producer Ali Gavan. Ali is an incredibly talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and has played in many great bands. He shares his experiences of the music industry as well as talking about his evolving relationship with Sussex. If listening with children, please be aware that ther…

1
Marc Gooderham: Painting Sussex 46:47

9M ago46:47

46:47

This episode we talk with Sussex artist Marc Gooderham about his path to becoming a professional painter via the music industry. Marc speaks about his time in indie bands, his transition into painting, moving from London to Lewes and how he’s finding new inspiration in the surrounding Sussex landscape. Links: Website - www.marcgooderham.co.uk Insta…

1
S4 Ep33: Truth, Morals, and Intention in Literature: Aristotle's Poetics and More 1:11:26

10M ago1:11:26

1:11:26

In this episode, the Book Spider hosts discuss three important questions in literature: Can literature contain or reveal truth? What is the relationship between literature and morality? And how seriously should we take an author's intentions when discussing her work? The hosts employ a range of background texts to address these questions, including…

1
Peter Ellis: Childhood Safari 59:47

10M ago59:47

59:47

This episode we spoke to Sussex legend Peter Ellis, who spent his childhood growing up in Nairobi National Park in Kenya which his father helped establish. Peter recounted many wonderful stories and experiences with us such as sharing his house with his adopted lion, chasing off poachers and being rammed by a rhino. We hope you enjoy listening to t…

1
S4 Ep32: Cultural Insensitivity and Beautiful Language in Graham Greene's The Power and the Glory 1:16:46

10M ago1:16:46

1:16:46

In this episode, we discuss the tiny, ugly ways an otherwise beautifully written novel can age, as well as Patrick's inclination to invoke WWOD (What Would Orwell Do?).By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep30: Interpolations and Internal States in Checkout 19 1:05:02

11M ago1:05:02

1:05:02

The Spiders puzzle admiringly over Claire-Louise Bennett's Checkout 19, which uses interpolated stories and a fractured narrative to explore the barriers facing artistically inclined women in a sexist society. Special focus is given to the story of Tarquin Superbus, which so charmed us that we've perhaps had a difficult time exploring other aspects…

1
S4 Ep31: The Art of Making Meaninglessness Comforting in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 1:01:05

12M ago1:01:05

1:01:05

In this episode, we discuss the lasting phenomenon that is the Hitchhikers' media series. Just why is it so popular? It's not extraordinarily profound. It's certainly not upbeat, either. But: it caught the world at the right time and: it was written to be very easily digestible by a lot of different folks.…

1
S4 Ep29: Moral Ambiguity and Magical Fetishism in Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge 57:27

12M ago57:27

57:27

In this episode, the Book Spider hosts tackle The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy. Casterbridge is a complex novel about the rise and fall of Michael Henchard. After dramatically selling his wife and baby daughter to a stranger for five pounds, Henchard vows to abstain from alcohol for twenty years. Eighteen years after this event, the novel…

1
S4 Ep28: Female Perspectives and the Weight of Submission in The Unbearable Lightness of Being 1:09:39

1y ago1:09:39

1:09:39

Does submission to fate bring weight or lightness? Can Milan Kundera find the clit? Special guest Sarah Ashcraft joins us to discuss The Unbearable Lightness of being, a novel whose deceptive readability hides its thematic obscurity.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep27: What the hell is happening in our heads in Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse 52:17

1y ago52:17

52:17

In this episode, we discuss the close attention Woolf gives to her characters and how mercurial and impermanent we are under her atomic analysis. We also discuss why, it seems, To the Lighthouse is a 1 of 1, rarely emulated (at least successfully) despite the fact that Woolf is in the canon. In fact, brilliant as she is - or maybe because of her br…

1
S4 Ep26: Empathy and Indeterminacy in Russell Banks' Lost Memory of Skin 1:02:00

1y ago1:02:00

1:02:00

In this episode, the Book Spider hosts discuss Lost Memory of Skin, a novel that seeks to empathize with probably the most reviled subgroup in the entire world: pedophiles. The novel follows the exploits of a young sex criminal known only as the kid, whose life of hardship culminates in an attempt to meet a teenage girl for sex. In the aftermath, t…

1
S4 Ep25: On Quantum Theory and Social Justice in Namwali Serpell's The Furrows 1:11:40

1+ y ago1:11:40

1:11:40

The spiders attempt to fit together the refracting, self-contradictory plot and reconcile the competing thematic strands of Namwali Serpell's enigmatic The Furrows, which might or might not be a compelling meditation on grief and loss.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep24: Humor, Madness, and Existential Dread in Cormac McCarthy's newest duology: The Passenger and Stella Maris 1:13:01

1+ y ago1:13:01

1:13:01

In this episode we discuss McCarthy's newest two novels, published a couple months apart but obviously intended to be read together. And we talk about why, though they are excellent, these are such awful books for young writers to read and try to emulate. Don't even try it, kids. Leave this particular magic to McCarthy.…

1
S4 Ep23: Erotic Grotesqueries in The Flowers of Evil by Charles Baudelaire 59:46

1+ y ago59:46

59:46

In this episode, we discuss a collection of poems by Charles Baudelaire, The Flowers of Evil. This collection revels in despair and decay, in erotic death. Come along with us into the depths of pain and sexual horror.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep22: Uncanny Perspectives on Art and Love in Robert Aickman's Painted Devils 1:06:30

1+ y ago1:06:30

1:06:30

The spider tackles Painted Devils, a collection of strange stories (perhaps not horror but darkly surreal in a horror-adjacent way) by the author Robert Aickman. Dense and enigmatic, these stories use the uncanny to explore various themes, particularly the life of the artist. Recorded just in time for Halloween but then posted in the middle of Janu…

1
S4 Ep21: Authenticity in Drew Hayden Taylor's AlterNatives 50:44

1+ y ago50:44

50:44

In which we discuss, among other things: The proper level of shame one should feel for liking the television show Friends. Whether we would antagonize the rich hosts of a dinner party thrown by tech bros - should we somehow find ourselves invited. The big and messy and fascinating ideas - and bargain basement humor - of Drew Hayden Taylor's play ab…

1
S4 Ep20: Being Mixed and Being American: Jean Toomer's Cane 1:07:07

1+ y ago1:07:07

1:07:07

In this episode, the hosts of Book Spider discuss Jean Toomer's Cane, a collection of poems and stories that evoke rural Georgia of the early 1900s. The critic Henry Louis Gates Jr. calls attention to Cane's use of black, white, and especially mixed-race characters to represent the American experience, an astounding literary innovation never used b…

1
S4 Ep19: On Irresolution and Indeterminacy in Dana Spiotta's Wayward 52:34

1+ y ago52:34

52:34

The podcast's second go-round with author Dana Spiotta sees us dig into her most recent novel Wayward, which makes a bold effort to argue for nuance and subtlety in the sociopolitical chaos following the 2016 election (for everyone except finance bros, who remain one-dimensional shitheads).By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep18: Heinrich Böll's Billiards at Half Past Nine 51:14

1+ y ago51:14

51:14

This week, we discuss Böll's compelling but messy multigenerational, German POV reflection on the World Wars, evil, and their impact on the lives of common people.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep17: Psychological Dread in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca 59:33

1+ y ago59:33

59:33

This episode, the Book Spider gang discusses an early suspense / psychological thriller novel, Rebecca, which deals with the melancholia a nameless narrator experiences when she marries a rich man and moves to his huge estate on a whim, only to find that the memories of her husband's first wife haunt the very ground upon which she walks.…

1
S4 Ep16: Benjamin Labatut's When We Cease to Understand the World 57:56

2y ago57:56

57:56

This week we're dissecting a book which mixes fiction and nonfiction in ways which are enigmatic, compelling, and -- to some readers -- morally suspicious. Benjamin Labatut's When We Cease to Understand the World follows the fictionalized biographies of several scientists and mathematicians as they discover the principles which become quantum mecha…

1
S4 Ep15: Joshua Ferris's Then We Came to the End 1:07:47

2y ago1:07:47

1:07:47

This week, we discuss Ferris's famous "we" novel about late 2000s office space culture, and get briefly melancholic about what work friends felt like in the pre-pandemic world.By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep14: Michael Flynn's Eifelheim 58:00

2y ago58:00

58:00

This episode, which discusses the modern-day sci-fi classic Eifelheim, features a rarity: all three podcasters agreeing on the quality of the text. Enjoy!By Xi Draconis Books

1
S4 Ep13: Joseph McElroy's Lookout Cartridge 1:08:52

2y ago1:08:52

1:08:52

In this episode the three Spiders do their damnedest to wrap their heads around Lookout Cartridge, which is generally agreed to be the best novel by Joseph McElroy, an enigmatic postmodernist who is often considered an underrated peer of DeLillo, Pynchon, Gass, Gaddis, and the rest of the '60s and '70s greats.…

1
S4 Ep12: Italo Calvino's If on a winter's night a traveler 46:57

2y ago46:57

46:57

This week, we discuss Calvino's willful commitment to celebrate the act of reading by refusing to give readers what they want - over and over and over again.By Xi Draconis Books

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