Episode 98: Games Games Games Literary Disco podcast

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Literary Disco

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Episode 138: Let the Games Begin43:33

7d ago43:33

43:33

No better way to start the new month than with some of Literary Disco’s classic book games. First, Rider presents “Judge a Book By Its Cover,” where he reads the first lines of a book and Julia and Tod must guess what the book is with no other context. Then, Tod presents a new game, Rock Paper Scissors, where Rider and Julia must decide what is ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 137: There, There52:22

21d ago52:22

52:22

The debut novel from Tommy Orange has been on almost every Best Of 2018 list, but does the Literary Disco trio agree? In this week's episode, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss the complex and multifaceted approach to identity—and how Orange avoids the usual MFA clichés—as “There, There” follows a collection of Native American characters in the buil ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 136: Tarzan of the Apes47:42

27d ago47:42

47:42

Welcome to a new year, with your favorite literary podcast. We start 2019 with the classic tale of Tarzan. We all know the story: after the death of his parents a boy is raised by apes, and encounters humans again years later when an expedition enters the jungle. How has this story aged over time? Will Tarzan be Rider's next project? Join Julia ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 135: On Sabrina, Men in Underpants, and Bruce Springsteen40:34

2M ago40:34

40:34

Nick Drnaso's Sabrina is the first graphic novel to be nominated for the Man Booker Prize. It's also a beautiful and heartbreaking rendering of the current American psyche and a pointed commentary on how media has allowed conspiracy and paranoia to run absolutely rampant in the absence of answers. Join Julia, Rider, and Tod as they discuss this ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 134: The Books We Loved in 201852:51

2M ago52:51

52:51

The last book club you’ll ever need. This week, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss the best books they read in 2018, including Tara Westover’s Educated, Arthur Krystal’s This Thing We Call Literature, and Jonathan Weisman’s (((Semitism))): Being Jewish in America in the Age of Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Episode 133: Hark! The Herald Angels Scream51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

It’s the holidays! A time to deck the halls, grab some eggnog, and curl up with the SCARIEST book you can find… That’s right. Christmas horror. It’s a real thing. And Blumhouse and editor Christopher Golden have put together a collection of short fiction just in time to fill you with holiday fear. Join us as Tod, Rider, and Julia have fun with ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 132: Vulture's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century48:41

3M ago48:41

48:41

A couple months ago, Vulture published this crazy, crazy list. It’s an admittedly premature attempt to create a literary canon for the last 18 years. In this episode of Literary Disco, we discuss the titles we were surprised by, the ones we were disappointed didn’t make it, and — mostly — how few of these books we’ve actually read. Get ready to ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 131: Fall Revisit37:58

4M ago37:58

37:58

It’s getting cooler, the leaves are changing, time to curl up with a good book. It’s our Bookshelf Revisit for Fall 2018, an eclectic conversation that covers: Wild children and cults. WWII and China. Robertson Davies. It makes no sense, except that it’s Literary Disco! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 130: Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas49:27

5M ago49:27

49:27

Hunter S. Thompson became a legend the moment he published this novel of a drug-fueled trip into the desert. Packed with mind-altering chemicals, extreme paranoia, and claiming to be a scathing journey to “the heart of the American Dream,” Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas established Thompson’s particular style, and purported to give voice to the ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 129: Lord of the Flies54:42

6M ago54:42

54:42

You read it in high school.You remember the conch, Piggy, and a boar head on a stick…But do you remember the Beast? That a child disappears the first day on the island? How about the fact that this novel is set during an atomic war?And did you know this book was written in direct response to a 19th Century children’s book that had the same char ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 128: Gregory Pardlo’s Digest45:14

7M ago45:14

45:14

Today we dive deep into a single poetry collection: Digest, by Gregory Pardlo.Digest won the 2015 Pulitzer, and with good reason. This is one of the most universally loved books we’ve had on the show. It’s incredibly personal, and yet it has enough intertextuality and historical references to keep you re-reading for days.Between bouts of effusi ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 127: Killers of the Flower Moon42:25

8M ago42:25

42:25

In the 1920s, a disproportionate amount of people within the Osage nation were dying.The US government had forcibly relocated the Osage to a section of Oklahoma with some of the largest deposits of oil in North America. This quickly made the Osage the wealthiest people, per capita, in the world.And now they were being murdered. Corrupt local “l ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 123: Cat Person1:05:20

8M ago1:05:20

1:05:20

(Are we time traveling? Yes, a technical glitch set this episode back a few months…)Kristen Roupenian’s short story “Cat Person” appeared in December 2017 issue of The New Yorker, and promptly became an internet sensation.Some critics pounced, some critics praised, some men were offended, some women were offended that men were offended…and on a ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 126: Columbine, Part 239:52

9M ago39:52

39:52

We didn’t mean for these episodes to be “timely,” but these days in America, that seems unavoidable.Between posting our two-parter about Dave Cullen’s Columbine, there has been another school shooting at Sante Fe High School in Texas. Our hearts are breaking, again.We can only hope to contribute to the conversation and help move our country awa ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 125: Columbine, Part 11:13:00

9M ago1:13:00

1:13:00

Dave Cullen’s book Columbine is an exhaustive and brilliant examination of the infamous school shooting that stunned the country in 1999.It is also one of the first books that Tod, Julia, and Rider discussed as friends. Bonding over our love for Cullen’s work is one of the reasons Literary Disco exists.In light of the fact that school shootings ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 124: Bookshelf Revisit Summer 201851:21

10M ago51:21

51:21

I know, it’s a bit confusing, but some tech issues with Episode 123 means we’re skipping it for now.Instead, we zoom to the future! It’s a Bookshelf Revisit episode with a game — a new game Tod is insisting we call “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” As if there isn’t already a game called that.But first, we get to hear all about Julia and Tod getting cat ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 122: The Idiot37:22

11M ago37:22

37:22

Elif Batuman’s novel was a critical darling of 2017.We try to figure out why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 121: A Spell for Chameleon54:13

11M ago54:13

54:13

Our fantasy and sci-fi correspondent Will Friedle returns! And he’s picked a doozy for us to read.Piers Anthony has written dozens of hugely popular fantasy novels, and many of them are set in the magical, pun-filled land of Xanth. Will asked us to read A Spell for Chameleon, the novel that began it all.And boy, has it not aged well…We thought ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 120: Manhattan Beach51:11

12M ago51:11

51:11

Jennifer Egan’s a favorite author here on the Disco.But does her latest novel, the New York period piece Manhattan Beach, keep up the winning streak?It made a lot of Best Of 2017 lists, but the Disco trio is a bit divided. Are these characters realistic? Is the dialogue cliched?Even as he rambles on and on about how much he likes it, Rider admi ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 119: Lincoln in the Bardo39:13

1y ago39:13

39:13

We did it.We read the George Saunders book that blew everyone’s mind in 2017.And then we talked about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 118: Children’s Books47:51

1y ago47:51

47:51

Too often, all we say about children’s books is “awwww.” Not today. Tod, Julia, and Rider dig deep into classics and new books for kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 117: Holiday Reading36:37

1y ago36:37

36:37

Happy Holidays!In honor of the season, the Disco team does a holiday-themed Bookshelf Revisit.See you in the New Year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 116: The Fact of a Body33:46

1y ago33:46

33:46

Time for some non-fiction!One of the most popular books of 2017, The Fact of A Body is part true crime, part memoir. After a summer spent interning for a law firm in Louisiana, Alexandra Marzona-Lesnevich examines a murder case and how it resonates within her own life.It’s a dark and twisting tale involving the death penalty, family secrets, me ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 115: My Brilliant Friend40:45

1y ago40:45

40:45

It’s been all the rage at book clubs everywhere.We read the smash hit Italian novel from Elena Ferrante.Julia is effusive. Tod is stoked. Rider is…argumentative.Typical times at the Disco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 114: A Fall Bookshelf Revisit31:50

1+ y ago31:50

31:50

Tod discovers a mysterious set of diaries.Julia reads about the tech world.Rider finds out where the sidewalk ends.It’s time for a Bookshelf Revisit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 113: Poetry from Listeners Part Two, Spoken Word56:45

1+ y ago56:45

56:45

We continue discussing listener recommended poetry.This time, all three poems are performed live, links below.That’s right, we’re talking spoken word! (Don’t worry, Tod refrains from poet voice.)Get ready to snap your fingers and bang your bongos. Or not. Because, you know, it’s not the 1960s… Kate Tempest, Tunnel Vision, recommended by listene ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 112: Poetry from Listeners Part One47:57

1+ y ago47:57

47:57

What’s up with contemporary poetry?We asked you for some good recommendations, and the comments poured in to our Facebook page.On this episode, we discuss three of your poets (our next episode will focus on spoken word performances). They vary in style and substance, and will only take a few minutes to read, links below.Poetry is always an intr ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 111: Buried Child55:20

1+ y ago55:20

55:20

In the wake of his death, we read the Pulitzer Prize winning play Buried Child from playwright, actor, and all around cool cowboy Sam Shepard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 110: Summer Reading 201721:23

1+ y ago21:23

21:23

Tod, Julia and Rider discuss what they’re reading this summer.Just in time for the…end of the season.(We recorded this a few weeks back, but had some technical issues.)Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 109: Street Gang55:38

1+ y ago55:38

55:38

Can you tell me how to getHow to get toSesame Street.On this episode of the Disco, we discuss the Michael Davis book, Street Gang, a detailed history of the creation and evolution of the world’s most successful children’s TV show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 108: Tower Dogs1:02:24

1+ y ago1:02:24

1:02:24

Like most people, you probably thought the deadliest job in America had something to do with catching fish.Well, Douglas Scott Delaney’s here to tell you all about the actual deadliest job in the country, and the saddest part is, these workers die regularly for the oh-so-noble cause of better cell service.In Tower Dogs, Delaney recounts his car ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 107: Three Day Road56:23

1+ y ago56:23

56:23

Three Day Road is an award-winning Canadian novel centered on First Nation characters. It’s been heralded for celebrating forgotten heroes: natives who fought for Canada during World War I.But recently, it’s author Joseph Boyden, has come under scrutiny regarding his claims of aboriginal heritage.And so, on this episode of the Disco, we tackle ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 106: Norse Mythology51:07

1+ y ago51:07

51:07

Forget what you think you know about Thor and Loki, and join the Disco trio to talk about Neil Gaiman’s latest: a retelling of Norse Mythology.Tod is bored, Rider rants, and Julia keeps her cool as the content of the Gaiman’s book is quickly abandoned in favor of discussing myths in general.Tod: “Why read about a bunch of fake gods?”Rider: “As ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 105: Brat Pack America52:34

2y ago52:34

52:34

After some technical difficulties (uh, Tod) we now have another Lost Episode. Goodbye, 104, we barely knew ya.So we’re jumping right to 105, in which, for the first time besides our live shows, the Literary Disco gang recorded in the same room!We discuss Kevin Smokler’s insightful survey of 1980s teen films, Brat Pack America.This great book ex ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 103: 19841:05:11

2y ago1:05:11

1:05:11

You read it in high school. Or college. It was that “important” book about the dangers of authoritarianism.An interesting, alternative future. A distant possibility.Maybe not anymore?The Disco trio discuss… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 102: Kindred (The Graphic Novel)33:14

2y ago33:14

33:14

Just like you, we’re on an Octavia Butler kick since reading Dawn. This episode, we check out the brand-new graphic novel adaptation of Butler’s masterpiece Kindred. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 101: Q&A49:24

2y ago49:24

49:24

Tod, Julia and Rider answer questions from listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 100!1:08:21

2y ago1:08:21

1:08:21

Back from a long absence, we explain where we were, what we were doing, and what you should have been reading all along. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 99: Summer Reading 201650:24

2+ y ago50:24

50:24

It’s that time again.Tod and Julia discuss summer reading…and introduce a contest for Episode 100. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 98: Games Games Games48:50

2+ y ago48:50

48:50

Back by popular demand — games!As we near the big 100, we take some time to play a few Literary Disco classics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 97: Dawn56:13

2+ y ago56:13

56:13

This episode, we enter the compelling world of Octavia E. Butler’s Dawn, the first in her Xenogenesis series.That’s right, we’re going full sci-fi. Post-apocalypse, aliens, tentacles and even…interspecies orgies?This little novel sends us down a rabbit hole of slavery, feminism, and the ethics of alien meddling. Learn more about your ad choices ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 96: Why We Write About Ourselves51:17

3y ago51:17

51:17

For the first time on the Disco, we discuss a book on the craft of writing. We delve into a new collection of essays by some of the world’s great memoirists.Why We Write About Ourselves: Twenty Memoirists on Why They Expose Themselves (and Others) in the Name of Literature is edited by Meredith Maran and includes pieces by Darin Strauss, Cheryl ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 95: Pictures from a Revolution56:59

3y ago56:59

56:59

This month we read a nonfiction classic about the movies that changed Hollywood– hear us battle it out between Dr. Dolittle and Bonnie & Clyde. Oscar season is over but we’re not done talking about it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 94: The Real Muslims of Irving, Texas58:44

3y ago58:44

58:44

This episode we discuss an essay by Colby Buzzell appearing in the March Issue of Esquire, available here.Buzzell offers a look at the life of American Muslims and the armed protestors who regularly appear outside of their mosques.While he aims for objectivity, Buzzell’s personal history becomes unavoidable: he served in the military, where he ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 93: Best of 20151:28:30

3y ago1:28:30

1:28:30

Just in time for the end of the year…Oh, wait.Super late, we have our annual “best of” conversation for 2015!We cover our favorite books, and then, as is Literary Disco tradition, we digress into countless other favorites… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 92: A Christmas Romance (Novel)52:42

3y ago52:42

52:42

Happy holidays! For this winter season, we got you an extra episode (to make up for our many delays this year– we blame Rider’s cute baby and Julia’s incredible myriad of technical issues). We got you what you like best: a book we were shocked by. Join us for a Christmas-themed romance novel around the fire! Learn more about your ad choices. Vi ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 91: George & Lumberjanes52:56

3y ago52:56

52:56

We continue our discussion with New York Public librarian Gwen, who recommended two books for us to read and discuss.Both are aimed at a younger audience but with an eye to gender and identity.George, by Alex Gino, is a coming of age story set in your typical American school and family. It just so happens our protagonist is a girl that everyone ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 90: New York Public Library29:44

3y ago29:44

29:44

In this first half of two-part special (we’re crazy like that), we meet someone with the coolest job in the world: a recommendations editor at the New York Public Library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Literary Disco

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Episode 88: Justine1:00:34

3+ y ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Justine, the first book of the legendary Alexandria Quartet, gets the disco treatment.This novel was published in 1957 and has attracted devotees ever since. Told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, it’s a non-linear, intense examination of the city of Alexandria, Egypt, and a particular woman who lives there. Tod, Julia and Rider all ...…

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Literary Disco

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Episode 87: Revisitish53:38

3+ y ago53:38

53:38

We catch up from a long break. Some books, some travel, some major humiliation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy literarydisco@gmail.com (Literary Disco).

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Episode 98: Games Games Games

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Literary Disco « » Episode 98: Games Games Games

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Episode 98: Games Games Games