Best Solnit Podcasts (2024)

1
(New York) Yankee Imperialism: The World Series and the economics of baseball (G&R 329) 58:10

21m ago58:10

58:10

To celebrate the World Series we got together with our frequent-collaborator and great friend Clayton Lust (@claytonlust) to discuss the business of baseball, an appropriate topic since the two most valuable and wealthy franchises, the Yankees and Dodgers, are fighting it out.We discussed the ways in which baseball is a great way to learn about cap…

1
Minnesota’s Climate Breakthrough 34:11

1h ago34:11

34:11

On this episode of A Matter of Degrees, we tell the story of how a powerful grassroots movement, ambitious lawmakers, and Governor Tim Walz turned Minnesota into a climate leader. Then, we talk about using the Minnesota blueprint to make change everywhere else. It’s election season, but the federal government isn’t the only venue for climate action…

1
Lynne Tillman on American History, Human Absurdity, and why Trump should have become a Comedian 1:09:23

29m ago1:09:23

1:09:23

A woman speaks to us from her room in a residential home, of some description. She reflects on her life, her family, her pets, on time—the past, present and the future—on Manson Family Alumnus Leslie Van Houyten, on History, on Death, on the Occult, on what it means to be “sensitive”…and so much more besides. All the while she is distracted, bother…

1
“Farm to Freedom:” The Vietnamese Diaspora in the U.S. and Their Home Gardens w/ Prof. Roy Vũ (G&R 328) 1:22:44

2h ago1:22:44

1:22:44

In our latest, we dive into the story of Vietnamese immigration to the U.S. following the war through the lens of food with our long time friend and colleague Prof Roy Vũ. We discuss Vietnamese-American food gardens and cooking, how they affected the community in places like Houston and the Gulf Coast and the multiracial community developed in plac…

1
"Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down"... Remembering Kris Kristofferson and His Politics (G&R 327) 28:58

2h ago28:58

28:58

In the third installment of our Arts and Culture series, we talked about the life and politics of the late music legend Kris Kristofferson. We discussed his early life, his military service, his trajectory into the Nashville song writing scene, his music, his acting career and, of course, his politics. From his anti-war views on the American empire…

1
Miracle in the Beanfield: Robert Redford's “Milagro Beanfield War” (G&R 327) 29:48

5h ago29:48

29:48

In our second installment in our new "Green & Red Arts and Culture Series" we talked about the book and movie *The Milagro Beanfield War." While is a heartwarming story of a regular guy taking on the system, there are significant political messages there too.The people of Milagro, New Mexico had to deal with outside "developers" coming in to their …

1
Mad Men and Capitalism: Green and Red's Arts and Culture Series (G&R 326) 52:21

8d ago52:21

52:21

Green and Red is starting a new series that talks about how art and culture develop and raise political consciousness. We'll be putting out episodes that talk about the politics of our favorite TV series, film, books, music and whatever else we come up.In our first episode of this new feature, we talk about the award winning television series "Mad …

1
Ayşegül Savaş on Love, Rootlessness, and “The Age of Poetry” 56:12

6d ago56:12

56:12

This week’s guest is Aysegul Savas, whose mesmerising third novel, The Anthropologists is about a great many things. It’s about what it means to leave one’s home. It’s about attempting to lay down roots elsewhere. It’s about the mystery, banality, and all-consuming nature of love. It’s about the dynamics of friendship, and how those are stress-test…

1
A Year of Genocide & Resistance: Israel's war on Palestine, w/ Scholar Fadi Kafeety (G&R 325) 1:10:37

1d ago1:10:37

1:10:37

To commemorate the first-year anniversary of Israel's onslaught against Gaza (and now Lebanon and Iran) we talked w/ scholar Fadi Kafeety, who provided us with a great overview of the politics of Gaza, the historical background of Hamas, the losses inflicted on the people of Palestine, the underreported story of Israel's losses, and the new expansi…

1
Mutual Aid and Disaster Relief in North Carolina w/ Matt from Rural Organizing and Resilience (G&R 324) 19:04

1d ago19:04

19:04

CAT 4 Hurricane Helene hit the southeast U.S. causing billions in destruction and at least 230 deaths. Western North Carolina was hit particularly hard, despite being called a "haven" from climate disaster. Mutual aid groups across the region sprung into action to provide immediate aid and relief. In our latest, Scott talks with Matt, an organizer …

1
Project 2025 30:11

2d ago30:11

30:11

Project 2025 has been all over the news lately. But what exactly is this conservative playbook for the Federal government? And what does it mean for climate policy? This week, A Matter of Degrees dives into the Heritage Foundation's plan for the next conservative presidential administration. Just weeks away from a pivotal election, we lay out what …

1
On the State of the (Book)World, with Lauren Groff and Neel Mukherjee (live in Edinburgh) 1:01:11

23d ago1:01:11

1:01:11

For this special episode, recorded live at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Adam Biles was joined by novelists Lauren Groff and Neel Mukherjee for a wide-ranging discussion that takes the temperature (and the pulse!) of the book industry, from bookshops, to publishers, to prizes, to festivals... Enjoy! Buy The Shakespeare and Company Book…

1
"De-Escalation Through Escalation".. Israel's Wars and All the Politics w/ Eugene Puryear (G&R 323) 41:44

14d ago41:44

41:44

Over the past week, Israel has begun a major escalation against Hezbollah in Lebanon with the "pager attack" on the Lebanese population, assassinations of senior Hezbollah leadership and airstrikes in southern Lebanon that has killed at least 500 people and led to thousands to flee their homes. Israel has called this strategy "De-escalation through…

1
America's Disorder: The Frontier, Violence, Cowboys, and Trump, w/ Richard Slotkin (G&R 322) 59:29

20d ago59:29

59:29

Richard Slotkin has written some of the more important books explaining the way Americans have created myths to justify slavery, repression, and empire, including "Regeneration Through Violence," "The Fatal Environment," and "Gunfighter Nation." His new book, "A Great Disorder," summarizes his previous ideas and take us to the present, with signifi…

1
Globalize Liberation: 20 Years of Uprooting the System and Building Better Worlds w/ David Solnit (G&R 321) 58:01

30d ago58:01

58:01

In 2004, organizer and arts organizer David Solnit published the anthology "Globalize Liberation: How to Uproot the System and Build a Better World." In the introduction he said, “the new radicalism looks different everywhere,” and cited the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico, as a pivotal moment in his understanding of the new radicalism. “The…

1
The Ruling Class vs. Trump, 2024 Edition . . . and Harris gets right-wing support (G&R 320) 1:00:04

1M ago1:00:04

1:00:04

In our latest episode, returning to a theme we discussed frequently in 2020-2021 we talked about the various ruling class forces opposed to Donald Trump's candidacy. America is a right-wing country with no mass organized left resistance, so finding and exploiting fissures in the ruling class is a useful tactic. We discussed the way both candidates,…

1
Rachel Kushner on Creation Lake (Booker Prize SHORTLIST 2024) 55:28

2M ago55:28

55:28

Rachel Kushner’s fourth novel Creation Lake is a spy novel stacked with ideas. As our fast-thinking, gun-packing protagonist wends her way down to the south of France, charged—by forces unknown—with infiltrating and sowing chaos at a commune of eco-warriors, her mission leads her into exhilarating reflections on activism, on charisma, on neandertha…

1
Best of G&R: Remembering 9/11 (G&R 319) 1:17:45

1M ago1:17:45

1:17:45

Last night's debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris brought up many issues of war in the Middle East and Palestine on the eve of the anniversary of September 11th. We've got much new content headed your war discussing to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the role of war in U.S. history and elite support for both parties But in the meantim…

1
"Nasty Politics".... Political Violence in America w/ Prof. Thomas Zeitzoff (G&R 318) 55:49

1M ago55:49

55:49

H. Rap Brown once said "violence is as American as cherry pie." We’ve seen an increase in rhetoric around violence in American politics particularly from the far right. We've seen many incidents of escalated violence that include the Capitol riot on January 6th, 2021 and the recent assassination attempt of Donald Trump. In our latest, we dive into …

1
Ferdia Lennon on Glorious Exploits 42:04

1M ago42:04

42:04

Our guest in the writer’s studio this week is Ferdia Lennon, whose debut novel Glorious Exploits depicts the ancient world in a way readers will never have experienced it before. Set in Syracuse in 412 BC, after the catastrophic attempt by Athens to invade the city, Lampo and Gelon, two out-of-work potters, have the harebrained idea of staging a pr…

1
Countering Dispossession, Reclaiming Land in Indonesia w/ Anthropologist David Gilbert (G&R 317) 55:07

2M ago55:07

55:07

Two decades ago, a group of Indonesian agricultural workers in the Sumatran uplands began occupying the agribusiness plantation near their homes. In the years since, members of this remarkable movement have reclaimed collective control of their land and cultivated diverse agricultural forests on it, repairing the damage done over nearly a century o…

1
Roxy Dunn on As Young As This 37:35

2M ago37:35

37:35

Our guest this week is Roxy Dunn, whose debut novel As Young As This is a meticulous examination of the lives and loves of young women today. Told, strikingly, in the second person, it is structured by the the succession of first boys, then men in the protagonist Margot’s life, and populated by dysfunctional friends and a wisecracking, but deeply c…

1
A Look Back at Vice President Kamala Harris on Climate Leadership, Justice, and Solutions 53:28

1M ago53:28

53:28

Welcome back for a special bonus episode of A Matter of Degrees! In this episode, we are taking a look back at our live conversation with Vice President Kamala Harris. Since we are once again at a pivotal moment for the climate, we wanted to kick off our new season by looking back at this incredible climate leader who has played a key role in getti…

1
DNC Update from the Streets of Chicago w/ David Martinez (G&R 317) 23:03

2M ago23:03

23:03

The Democratic National Convention is underway with lots of action inside and outside the convention hall. Scott talks with activist David Martinez to get a report on what's happening in the streets of Chicago. -----------------------Outro- "Green and Red Blues"Follow Green and Red// +G&R Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/greenandredpodcast⁠⁠⁠ +Our ra…

1
Exxon Disrupted at the DNC! w/ Oil Change's Collin Rees (G&R 316) 9:36

2M ago9:36

9:36

Yesterday, at a side event at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, climate activists, including a DNC member from the California delegation, disrupted a swanky exclusive cocktail party sponsored by oil giant Exxon. The event featured Texas Democrat Lizzie Fletcher. Scott talks with the Political Director of Oil Change Collin Rees (@…

1
Democrats in 1968 and 2024... Deja Vu (G&R 315) 1:00:16

2M ago1:00:16

1:00:16

The Democratic National Convention is this week in Chicago. Lots of action inside and outside the convention hall. Bob and Scott discuss the 1968 Democratic National Convention (and 1968 in a bigger context) and discuss the politics of today's convention as the Biden-Harris administration continues to support Israel's genocide in Gaza.-------------…

1
Poetry: Ishion Hutchinson reads from and discusses School of Instructions 47:31

2M ago47:31

47:31

School of Instructions, the latest work by Ishion Hutchinson, draws from the time he spent in the archive of the Imperial War Museum, to foreground the experience—brutal, significant, but long overlooked—of West Indian volunteers in the First World War. This book length poem is a sensorial voyage into the convoys, garrisons and trenches of the Midd…

1
Michael Donkor on Grow Where They Fall 1:00:38

2M ago1:00:38

1:00:38

This week’s guest is Michael Donkor whose new novel Grow Where They Fall is a meticulous and tender exploration of two formative moments in the life of one Kwame Akromah, twenty years apart. Kwame is Black, Gay, British of Ghanian descent, a dedicated teacher, a dependable friend—character traits and conditions of life that weave around each other …

1
Lebanon in the crosshairs of Israel's wider war, w/ Professor Nate George (G&R 314) 59:00

2M ago59:00

59:00

Continuing our look into Israel's wider wars in the Middle East, Bob talked with Professor Nate George (@nategeorge00) of the School of Oriental and African Studies about Netanyahu's current aggression against Lebanon. We discussed briefly the history of Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the current escalation of the conflict, including targeted killings…

1
Iran in the crosshairs of Israel's wider war, w/ Professor Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi (G&R 313) 35:49

2M ago35:49

35:49

Professor Eskandar Sadeghi (@eskandersadeghi) returns to Green & Red to discuss the latest developments in Israel's aggression toward Iran and its widening regional war. We focused on the new government in Iran, but even more on the Israeli assassinations of Iranian officials and the main political officer of Hamas in Tehran. And we then discussed …

1
Writing Against Normality, with Samanta Schweblin 1:02:53

2M ago1:02:53

1:02:53

The seven stories in Samanta Schweblin’s Seven Empty Houses are not just about houses—how they contain us, how they constrain us—but are also about the families compressed in them, the objects stored in them, the neighbours that circle them…and the trauma that has soaked into their walls over years past, and that is now seeping slowly out, poisonin…

1
Parenting in the age of AI, with Helen Phillips 52:34

3M ago52:34

52:34

So much has been written about the imminent transformation that Artificial Intelligence will bring to our world. But it is often hard to get much of a sense of what that will mean on a personal level—for our work, for our leisure and, perhaps most importantly of all, for our families. What improvements will result? What new tensions will arise? Wha…

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