Welcome to Lost in Redonda from Lori Feathers and Tom Flynn. Over the course of this podcast we will explore backlist gems and discuss the career of the late Spanish novelist Javier Marías, King of Redonda.
Check out this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Scroll below to find information on episodes from Lost in Redonda attached to the backlisted gem highlighted in the episode.
Ceremony: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
By
Leslie Marmon Silko, Larry McMurtry
Episode 5 of Season 2: we get to chat with Robin McLean about Ceremony by Leslie Marion Silko. And, yeah, this is probably our best episode so far, which isn't shocking because we're talking about talking with Robin McLean.
So, all that aside, it's a great conversation and one that could have gone on for hours and hours yet. We could have gone deeper into nuclear weapons/testing, the residential school system, the "fragile web of the world" as Lori describes it, and so much more, but: that's the joy of reading and of great books.
So thank you Robin.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Episode 5 of Season 2: we get to chat with Robin McLean about Ceremony by Leslie Marion Silko. And, yeah, this is probably our best episode so far, which isn't shocking because we're talking about talking with Robin McLean.
So, all that aside, it's a great conversation and one that could have gone on for hours and hours yet. We could have gone deeper into nuclear weapons/testing, the residential school system, the "fragile web of the world" as Lori describes it, and so much more, but: that's the joy of reading and of great books.
So thank you Robin.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Episode 5 of Season 2: we get to chat with Robin McLean about Ceremony by Leslie Marion Silko. And, yeah, this is probably our best episode so far, which isn't shocking because we're talking about talking with Robin McLean.
So, all that aside, it's a great conversation and one that could have gone on for hours and hours yet. We could have gone deeper into nuclear weapons/testing, the residential school system, the "fragile web of the world" as Lori describes it, and so much more, but: that's the joy of reading and of great books.
So thank you Robin.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Robinson (New Directions Classic)
By
Muriel Spark
In Episode 4 of Season 2 we dig into Muriel Spark's sophomore effort, Robinson. Gotta say: it's incredible and we couldn't be more excited to keep on keeping on with her work. This time around we trade London (mostly) for a lonely island in the Atlantic and a story that is funny, tense, clever, whimsical, and just an all-around masterclass in writerly control. None of which is surprising at this point, but absolutely riveting and delightful.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In Episode 4 of Season 2 we dig into Muriel Spark's sophomore effort, Robinson. Gotta say: it's incredible and we couldn't be more excited to keep on keeping on with her work. This time around we trade London (mostly) for a lonely island in the Atlantic and a story that is funny, tense, clever, whimsical, and just an all-around masterclass in writerly control. None of which is surprising at this point, but absolutely riveting and delightful.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In Episode 4 of Season 2 we dig into Muriel Spark's sophomore effort, Robinson. Gotta say: it's incredible and we couldn't be more excited to keep on keeping on with her work. This time around we trade London (mostly) for a lonely island in the Atlantic and a story that is funny, tense, clever, whimsical, and just an all-around masterclass in writerly control. None of which is surprising at this point, but absolutely riveting and delightful.
Click here to subscribe to their Substack and follow them on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps.
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by TrafficLogo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Jacob's Room (Oxford World's Classics)
By
Virginia Woolf, Urmila Seshagiri
Having sorted some annoying technical issues, herewith Episode 3 of Season 2 (our way of apologizing for the delay in uploading this episode) in which we discuss The Conqueror by Jan Kjærstad, translated by Barbara Haveland and published by Open Letter Books.
And to kick off our series of guest hosts, Chad Post of Open Letter Books (and Dalkey Archive Press (and the Two Month Review)) joins to chat about The Conqueror, publishing writ large, publishing works in translation, and, well, to maybe have a go at a few different…peoples? (In fairness to Chad, Tom very much started it.) It’s a fun conversation and a really amazing book.
Titles discussed/mentioned:
- Jacob’s Room by Virginia Woolf
- kind of all of Knausgaard
- also kind of a lot of Dag Solstad
- Your Face Tomorrow (you really ought to know who wrote and translated this one)
- Njál’s Saga
- Egil’s Saga
- Dickens, but specifically David Copperfield
- W. Somerset Maugham, but specifically Of Human Bondage
- Tirza by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (and the forthcoming Good Men by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (out 5/23/23 and click here to order from Open Letter)
- The Seventh Function of Language by Laurent Binet, translated by Sam Taylor
- all of Jean Echenoz: really, all of it
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Having sorted some annoying technical issues, herewith Episode 3 of Season 2 (our way of apologizing for the delay in uploading this episode) in which we discuss The Conqueror by Jan Kjærstad, translated by Barbara Haveland and published by Open Letter Books.
And to kick off our series of guest hosts, Chad Post of Open Letter Books (and Dalkey Archive Press (and the Two Month Review)) joins to chat about The Conqueror, publishing writ large, publishing works in translation, and, well, to maybe have a go at a few different…peoples? (In fairness to Chad, Tom very much started it.) It’s a fun conversation and a really amazing book.
Titles discussed/mentioned:
- Jacob’s Room by Virginia Woolf
- kind of all of Knausgaard
- also kind of a lot of Dag Solstad
- Your Face Tomorrow (you really ought to know who wrote and translated this one)
- Njál’s Saga
- Egil’s Saga
- Dickens, but specifically David Copperfield
- W. Somerset Maugham, but specifically Of Human Bondage
- Tirza by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (and the forthcoming Good Men by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (out 5/23/23 and click here to order from Open Letter)
- The Seventh Function of Language by Laurent Binet, translated by Sam Taylor
- all of Jean Echenoz: really, all of it
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Having sorted some annoying technical issues, herewith Episode 3 of Season 2 (our way of apologizing for the delay in uploading this episode) in which we discuss The Conqueror by Jan Kjærstad, translated by Barbara Haveland and published by Open Letter Books.
And to kick off our series of guest hosts, Chad Post of Open Letter Books (and Dalkey Archive Press (and the Two Month Review)) joins to chat about The Conqueror, publishing writ large, publishing works in translation, and, well, to maybe have a go at a few different…peoples? (In fairness to Chad, Tom very much started it.) It’s a fun conversation and a really amazing book.
Titles discussed/mentioned:
- Jacob’s Room by Virginia Woolf
- kind of all of Knausgaard
- also kind of a lot of Dag Solstad
- Your Face Tomorrow (you really ought to know who wrote and translated this one)
- Njál’s Saga
- Egil’s Saga
- Dickens, but specifically David Copperfield
- W. Somerset Maugham, but specifically Of Human Bondage
- Tirza by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (and the forthcoming Good Men by Arnon Grunberg, translated by Sam Garrett (out 5/23/23 and click here to order from Open Letter)
- The Seventh Function of Language by Laurent Binet, translated by Sam Taylor
- all of Jean Echenoz: really, all of it
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Chronicle of the Murdered House
By
Lúcio Cardoso, Margaret Jull Costa, Robin Patterson
And we're back! Welcome to Season Two of Lost in Redonda. We kick things off with a backlist conversation on Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson, published by Open Letter Books. It's probably one of the fastest moving 600 page sagas of a Brazilian family you're likely to encounter. And it's funny. And gothic. And very campy.
Our big project this season is a complete reading of the novels of Muriel Spark. That kicks off next week with her debut, The Comforters, available from New Directions, and, folks!, it's absolutely incredible. We've already recorded a couple of the Spark episodes and are we ever excited. (Her last name of course being the inspiration for this season's music.)
We're trying to keep some spoilers out of our conversations this season (or at least flag them when they happen), so: around the 61 minute mark we start chatting about one of the more profound moments at the end of the novel. If you haven't yet read Chronicle and would rather not hear this bit, skip ahead to 1:06.25 or so where we chat about other works that, to us anyway, resonate with this one.
Click here for Lori's (great!) article on Chronicle in Full Stop.
Titles discussed:
- The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The House of Mist by María Luisa Bombal
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
- Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
And we're back! Welcome to Season Two of Lost in Redonda. We kick things off with a backlist conversation on Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson, published by Open Letter Books. It's probably one of the fastest moving 600 page sagas of a Brazilian family you're likely to encounter. And it's funny. And gothic. And very campy.
Our big project this season is a complete reading of the novels of Muriel Spark. That kicks off next week with her debut, The Comforters, available from New Directions, and, folks!, it's absolutely incredible. We've already recorded a couple of the Spark episodes and are we ever excited. (Her last name of course being the inspiration for this season's music.)
We're trying to keep some spoilers out of our conversations this season (or at least flag them when they happen), so: around the 61 minute mark we start chatting about one of the more profound moments at the end of the novel. If you haven't yet read Chronicle and would rather not hear this bit, skip ahead to 1:06.25 or so where we chat about other works that, to us anyway, resonate with this one.
Click here for Lori's (great!) article on Chronicle in Full Stop.
Titles discussed:
- The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The House of Mist by María Luisa Bombal
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
- Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
And we're back! Welcome to Season Two of Lost in Redonda. We kick things off with a backlist conversation on Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson, published by Open Letter Books. It's probably one of the fastest moving 600 page sagas of a Brazilian family you're likely to encounter. And it's funny. And gothic. And very campy.
Our big project this season is a complete reading of the novels of Muriel Spark. That kicks off next week with her debut, The Comforters, available from New Directions, and, folks!, it's absolutely incredible. We've already recorded a couple of the Spark episodes and are we ever excited. (Her last name of course being the inspiration for this season's music.)
We're trying to keep some spoilers out of our conversations this season (or at least flag them when they happen), so: around the 61 minute mark we start chatting about one of the more profound moments at the end of the novel. If you haven't yet read Chronicle and would rather not hear this bit, skip ahead to 1:06.25 or so where we chat about other works that, to us anyway, resonate with this one.
Click here for Lori's (great!) article on Chronicle in Full Stop.
Titles discussed:
- The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The House of Mist by María Luisa Bombal
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann
- Crime & Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner
And click here to subscribe to our Substack and do follow us on the socials, @lostinredonda across most apps (Twitter and Instagram for now; we're coming for you eventually #booktok).
Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Your Face Tomorrow: Poison, Shadow, and Farewell
By
Javier Marías, Margaret Jull Costa
Here it is, folks, our final episode on Your Face Tomorrow and the last part of our Marías project. It's a longer one, but very worth it if we do say so ourselves.
Our next season and new project will kick off in a couple weeks' time, but before that a thank you for listening along. It's a fun project and one we hope folks are getting as much out of as we are (and do let us know what you think and/or what you'd like to see us dive into next!).
So, stay hydrated as we wrap up our time with Deza and his creator, the late, great Javier Marías.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Here it is, folks, our final episode on Your Face Tomorrow and the last part of our Marías project. It's a longer one, but very worth it if we do say so ourselves.
Our next season and new project will kick off in a couple weeks' time, but before that a thank you for listening along. It's a fun project and one we hope folks are getting as much out of as we are (and do let us know what you think and/or what you'd like to see us dive into next!).
So, stay hydrated as we wrap up our time with Deza and his creator, the late, great Javier Marías.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Here it is, folks, our final episode on Your Face Tomorrow and the last part of our Marías project. It's a longer one, but very worth it if we do say so ourselves.
Our next season and new project will kick off in a couple weeks' time, but before that a thank you for listening along. It's a fun project and one we hope folks are getting as much out of as we are (and do let us know what you think and/or what you'd like to see us dive into next!).
So, stay hydrated as we wrap up our time with Deza and his creator, the late, great Javier Marías.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Your Face Tomorrow: Dance and Dream
By
Javier Marías, Margaret Jull Costa
It's very strange to be this close to the end of our Marías focus, but that's rather how time moves, ever forward (unless you're Marías and can make time a rather fungible thing in your novels...). This is a fun episode, touching on East End gangsters, Spandau Ballet, the Spanish Civil War, swordplay, and more. And a couple of characters from the previous volume make appearances, though we rather welcome one over the other.
One more episode of Marías, a brief break, and then a new project. Thank you as always for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
It's very strange to be this close to the end of our Marías focus, but that's rather how time moves, ever forward (unless you're Marías and can make time a rather fungible thing in your novels...). This is a fun episode, touching on East End gangsters, Spandau Ballet, the Spanish Civil War, swordplay, and more. And a couple of characters from the previous volume make appearances, though we rather welcome one over the other.
One more episode of Marías, a brief break, and then a new project. Thank you as always for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
It's very strange to be this close to the end of our Marías focus, but that's rather how time moves, ever forward (unless you're Marías and can make time a rather fungible thing in your novels...). This is a fun episode, touching on East End gangsters, Spandau Ballet, the Spanish Civil War, swordplay, and more. And a couple of characters from the previous volume make appearances, though we rather welcome one over the other.
One more episode of Marías, a brief break, and then a new project. Thank you as always for listening.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Your Face Tomorrow: Fever and Spear
By
Javier Marías, Margaret Jull Costa
And now we enter the homestretch. Over the next few episodes we'll tackle Marías' masterpiece, Your Face Tomorrow. Starting, of course, with the first volume, Fever and Spear.
Once we wrap up the Marías project we're going to take a week or so off and then we'll be back with more backlist dives and a new author whose work we'll spend some time digging into.
As always, thank you for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
And now we enter the homestretch. Over the next few episodes we'll tackle Marías' masterpiece, Your Face Tomorrow. Starting, of course, with the first volume, Fever and Spear.
Once we wrap up the Marías project we're going to take a week or so off and then we'll be back with more backlist dives and a new author whose work we'll spend some time digging into.
As always, thank you for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
And now we enter the homestretch. Over the next few episodes we'll tackle Marías' masterpiece, Your Face Tomorrow. Starting, of course, with the first volume, Fever and Spear.
Once we wrap up the Marías project we're going to take a week or so off and then we'll be back with more backlist dives and a new author whose work we'll spend some time digging into.
As always, thank you for listening.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Imperium: A Fiction of the South Seas
By
Christian Kracht, Daniel Bowles
(Non-returnable)
This week we dive into Christian Kracht's Imperium, and boy do we ever go deep (sorry/not sorry). It's an incredible piece of historical fiction (one of Tom's favorites and, now, one of Lori's) that follows one man's attempts to manifest his destiny to live in the tropics and subsist only on the noble coconut. And walk around nude. In the German South Pacific holdings at the turn of the 20th Century. There's a lot going on here and we had a great time chatting about it and hope you'll enjoy it, too.
In fact, we had such a good time talking about it we didn't reference any other books, other than the only other title available in English from Kracht, The Dead. So definitely give that one a look, too!Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
(Non-returnable)
This week we dive into Christian Kracht's Imperium, and boy do we ever go deep (sorry/not sorry). It's an incredible piece of historical fiction (one of Tom's favorites and, now, one of Lori's) that follows one man's attempts to manifest his destiny to live in the tropics and subsist only on the noble coconut. And walk around nude. In the German South Pacific holdings at the turn of the 20th Century. There's a lot going on here and we had a great time chatting about it and hope you'll enjoy it, too.
In fact, we had such a good time talking about it we didn't reference any other books, other than the only other title available in English from Kracht, The Dead. So definitely give that one a look, too!Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
This week we dive into Christian Kracht's Imperium, and boy do we ever go deep (sorry/not sorry). It's an incredible piece of historical fiction (one of Tom's favorites and, now, one of Lori's) that follows one man's attempts to manifest his destiny to live in the tropics and subsist only on the noble coconut. And walk around nude. In the German South Pacific holdings at the turn of the 20th Century. There's a lot going on here and we had a great time chatting about it and hope you'll enjoy it, too.
In fact, we had such a good time talking about it we didn't reference any other books, other than the only other title available in English from Kracht, The Dead. So definitely give that one a look, too!
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
The Infatuations (Vintage International)
By
Javier Marías
A fun discussion this week of two novels published almost 30 years apart in The Infatuations and The Man of Feeling. We walk down some interesting paths and may get ourselves into a moral quandary or two (wouldn't be a discussion of Marías without some moral murkiness, now would it?).
These are the last two Marías novels we discuss before wrapping this season with a three episode discussion of that absolute beast: Your Face Tomorrow. A backlist episode next week and then we begin the deep dive. As always, thank you for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
A fun discussion this week of two novels published almost 30 years apart in The Infatuations and The Man of Feeling. We walk down some interesting paths and may get ourselves into a moral quandary or two (wouldn't be a discussion of Marías without some moral murkiness, now would it?).
These are the last two Marías novels we discuss before wrapping this season with a three episode discussion of that absolute beast: Your Face Tomorrow. A backlist episode next week and then we begin the deep dive. As always, thank you for listening.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
A fun discussion this week of two novels published almost 30 years apart in The Infatuations and The Man of Feeling. We walk down some interesting paths and may get ourselves into a moral quandary or two (wouldn't be a discussion of Marías without some moral murkiness, now would it?).
These are the last two Marías novels we discuss before wrapping this season with a three episode discussion of that absolute beast: Your Face Tomorrow. A backlist episode next week and then we begin the deep dive. As always, thank you for listening.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
My Heart Hemmed in
By
Marie Ndiaye, Jordan Stump
We're going weekly! As the episodes have grown longer we've decided to split them up so instead of discussing two titles per episode (and delivering a 2+ hour podcast) every other week we're switching to one title every week. A guide to the next few episodes will be up on the Substack shortly.
This week we dig into Marie NDiaye's My Heart Hemmed In, translated by Jordan Stump and published by Two Lines Press. This one is Lori's recommendation and, folks, she did not miss. It's a phenomenal novel, and one that rather speaks to the moment we're in (have always been in?).
Books mentioned in this episode:
• Other titles by Marie NDiaye, including The Chef and Ladivine
• Kafka's, well, everything
• The Armies by Evelio Rosero, translated by Anne McLean
• The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana
• You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson
• Agaat by Marlene Van Niekerk, translated by Michiel HeynsCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
We're going weekly! As the episodes have grown longer we've decided to split them up so instead of discussing two titles per episode (and delivering a 2+ hour podcast) every other week we're switching to one title every week. A guide to the next few episodes will be up on the Substack shortly.
This week we dig into Marie NDiaye's My Heart Hemmed In, translated by Jordan Stump and published by Two Lines Press. This one is Lori's recommendation and, folks, she did not miss. It's a phenomenal novel, and one that rather speaks to the moment we're in (have always been in?).
Books mentioned in this episode:
• Other titles by Marie NDiaye, including The Chef and Ladivine
• Kafka's, well, everything
• The Armies by Evelio Rosero, translated by Anne McLean
• The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana
• You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson
• Agaat by Marlene Van Niekerk, translated by Michiel HeynsCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
We're going weekly! As the episodes have grown longer we've decided to split them up so instead of discussing two titles per episode (and delivering a 2+ hour podcast) every other week we're switching to one title every week. A guide to the next few episodes will be up on the Substack shortly.
This week we dig into Marie NDiaye's My Heart Hemmed In, translated by Jordan Stump and published by Two Lines Press. This one is Lori's recommendation and, folks, she did not miss. It's a phenomenal novel, and one that rather speaks to the moment we're in (have always been in?).
Books mentioned in this episode:
• Other titles by Marie NDiaye, including The Chef and Ladivine
• Kafka's, well, everything
• The Armies by Evelio Rosero, translated by Anne McLean
• The Taiga Syndrome by Cristina Rivera Garza, translated by Suzanne Jill Levine and Aviva Kana
• You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lucio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa and Robin Patterson
• Agaat by Marlene Van Niekerk, translated by Michiel Heyns
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Gob's Grief: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
By
Chris Adrian
Out of Stock Indefinitely
In our sixth episode we discuss Gob’s Grief by Chris Adrian for our backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Thus Bad Begins (spoiler alert: it’s phenomenal). This is a doozy of an episode, so stay hydrated and do be a hero: listen to the whole 2+ hours in one go!
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States by George R. Stewart
- The Stammering Century by Gilbert Seldes
- The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death by John Gray
- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
- Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Out of Stock Indefinitely
In our sixth episode we discuss Gob’s Grief by Chris Adrian for our backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Thus Bad Begins (spoiler alert: it’s phenomenal). This is a doozy of an episode, so stay hydrated and do be a hero: listen to the whole 2+ hours in one go!
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States by George R. Stewart
- The Stammering Century by Gilbert Seldes
- The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death by John Gray
- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
- Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In our sixth episode we discuss Gob’s Grief by Chris Adrian for our backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Thus Bad Begins (spoiler alert: it’s phenomenal). This is a doozy of an episode, so stay hydrated and do be a hero: listen to the whole 2+ hours in one go!
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Names on the Land: A Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States by George R. Stewart
- The Stammering Century by Gilbert Seldes
- The Immortalization Commission: Science and the Strange Quest to Cheat Death by John Gray
- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
- Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Tomás Nevinson: A novel
By
Javier Marías, Margaret Jull Costa
Lori and Tom discuss Marías' final novel, Tomás Nevinson, just published in the US on May 23rd. A warning that spoilers do occur, especially after the 37 minute mark, so listener beware!
Next episode we will return to discussing backlist in addition to our Marías deep-dives.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Lori and Tom discuss Marías' final novel, Tomás Nevinson, just published in the US on May 23rd. A warning that spoilers do occur, especially after the 37 minute mark, so listener beware!
Next episode we will return to discussing backlist in addition to our Marías deep-dives.Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Lori and Tom discuss Marías' final novel, Tomás Nevinson, just published in the US on May 23rd. A warning that spoilers do occur, especially after the 37 minute mark, so listener beware!
Next episode we will return to discussing backlist in addition to our Marías deep-dives.
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Berta Isla: A novel (Vintage International)
By
Javier Marías, Margaret Jull Costa
To mark the publication of Marías final novel, Tomás Nevinson, we're spending this episode and our next episode diving into the twinned works of Berta Isla and Tomás Nevinson. On this episode we dive deep into Berta (warning: we do rather go into the plot in a more significant manner than we have with other titles discussed thus far). And in two weeks' time we'll be back to chat about Tomás Nevinson (so if you haven't picked up a copy yet, get thee to your local indie and get cracking!).
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
To mark the publication of Marías final novel, Tomás Nevinson, we're spending this episode and our next episode diving into the twinned works of Berta Isla and Tomás Nevinson. On this episode we dive deep into Berta (warning: we do rather go into the plot in a more significant manner than we have with other titles discussed thus far). And in two weeks' time we'll be back to chat about Tomás Nevinson (so if you haven't picked up a copy yet, get thee to your local indie and get cracking!).
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
To mark the publication of Marías final novel, Tomás Nevinson, we're spending this episode and our next episode diving into the twinned works of Berta Isla and Tomás Nevinson. On this episode we dive deep into Berta (warning: we do rather go into the plot in a more significant manner than we have with other titles discussed thus far). And in two weeks' time we'll be back to chat about Tomás Nevinson (so if you haven't picked up a copy yet, get thee to your local indie and get cracking!).
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
House of Splendid Isolation: A Novel
By
Edna O'Brien
Out of Stock Indefinitely
In our third episode we discuss House of Splendid Isolation by Edna O’Brien for the backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me and A Heart So White. We really hit it out of the park in both sections, if we do say so ourselves.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• The works of Edna O’Brien, specifically: Girl and The Little Red Chairs
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lúcio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa & Robin Patterson
• Galore by Michael Crummey
And returning champions:
• John Crow’s Devil by Marlon James
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. HerzbergerCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Out of Stock Indefinitely
In our third episode we discuss House of Splendid Isolation by Edna O’Brien for the backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me and A Heart So White. We really hit it out of the park in both sections, if we do say so ourselves.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• The works of Edna O’Brien, specifically: Girl and The Little Red Chairs
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lúcio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa & Robin Patterson
• Galore by Michael Crummey
And returning champions:
• John Crow’s Devil by Marlon James
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. HerzbergerCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In our third episode we discuss House of Splendid Isolation by Edna O’Brien for the backlist deep dive. In the Marías portion we dig into Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me and A Heart So White. We really hit it out of the park in both sections, if we do say so ourselves.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• The works of Edna O’Brien, specifically: Girl and The Little Red Chairs
• Chronicle of the Murdered House by Lúcio Cardoso, translated by Margaret Jull Costa & Robin Patterson
• Galore by Michael Crummey
And returning champions:
• John Crow’s Devil by Marlon James
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. Herzberger
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Subscribe to the Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Kornwolf
By
Tristan Egolf
Welcome back! In this second episode we discuss some literary news, specifically the passing of Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe and the US/Canada edition of the Republic of Consciousness Prize (chaired by our Lori Feathers) before moving onto a conversation on Tristan Egolf’s Kornwolf. In the Marías portion we chat some more about Redonda and dive into All Souls and Dark Back of Time. Bonus points if you can guess exactly when we recorded this episode (hint: lime-sized hail in Dallas is a pretty good giveaway).
If you’re interested in giving the Republic of Consciousness longlist event a listen (and we know you are!), here’s a link to a recording of that event.
And if you’re eager to hear more about Redonda and Try Not to be Strange (from one of our favorite presses, Biblioasis), here’s a link to Lori’s other podcast, Across the Pond, and the episode where she and Sam Jordison of Galley Beggar Press chat with Michael Hingston.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe, translated by John Nathan
• The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
• the works of Amelia Gray
• Tristan Egolf’s other novels: Skirt & the Fiddle and Lord of the Barnyard
• Try Not to Be Strange: The Curious History of the Kingdom of Redonda by Michael Hingston
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. HerzbergerCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Welcome back! In this second episode we discuss some literary news, specifically the passing of Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe and the US/Canada edition of the Republic of Consciousness Prize (chaired by our Lori Feathers) before moving onto a conversation on Tristan Egolf’s Kornwolf. In the Marías portion we chat some more about Redonda and dive into All Souls and Dark Back of Time. Bonus points if you can guess exactly when we recorded this episode (hint: lime-sized hail in Dallas is a pretty good giveaway).
If you’re interested in giving the Republic of Consciousness longlist event a listen (and we know you are!), here’s a link to a recording of that event.
And if you’re eager to hear more about Redonda and Try Not to be Strange (from one of our favorite presses, Biblioasis), here’s a link to Lori’s other podcast, Across the Pond, and the episode where she and Sam Jordison of Galley Beggar Press chat with Michael Hingston.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe, translated by John Nathan
• The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
• the works of Amelia Gray
• Tristan Egolf’s other novels: Skirt & the Fiddle and Lord of the Barnyard
• Try Not to Be Strange: The Curious History of the Kingdom of Redonda by Michael Hingston
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. HerzbergerCheck out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
Welcome back! In this second episode we discuss some literary news, specifically the passing of Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe and the US/Canada edition of the Republic of Consciousness Prize (chaired by our Lori Feathers) before moving onto a conversation on Tristan Egolf’s Kornwolf. In the Marías portion we chat some more about Redonda and dive into All Souls and Dark Back of Time. Bonus points if you can guess exactly when we recorded this episode (hint: lime-sized hail in Dallas is a pretty good giveaway).
If you’re interested in giving the Republic of Consciousness longlist event a listen (and we know you are!), here’s a link to a recording of that event.
And if you’re eager to hear more about Redonda and Try Not to be Strange (from one of our favorite presses, Biblioasis), here’s a link to Lori’s other podcast, Across the Pond, and the episode where she and Sam Jordison of Galley Beggar Press chat with Michael Hingston.
Books mentioned in this episode:
• A Personal Matter by Kenzaburo Oe, translated by John Nathan
• The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan
• the works of Amelia Gray
• Tristan Egolf’s other novels: Skirt & the Fiddle and Lord of the Barnyard
• Try Not to Be Strange: The Curious History of the Kingdom of Redonda by Michael Hingston
• A Companion to Javier Marías by David K. Herzberger
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
John Crow's Devil
By
Marlon James
In this introductory episode we say hello, spend a good while chatting about Marlon James' debut novel, John Crow's Devil, and begin our discussion of Marías' life and career.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
- Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In this introductory episode we say hello, spend a good while chatting about Marlon James' debut novel, John Crow's Devil, and begin our discussion of Marías' life and career.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
- Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs
In this introductory episode we say hello, spend a good while chatting about Marlon James' debut novel, John Crow's Devil, and begin our discussion of Marías' life and career.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
- Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
- The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene
- The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa
- Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner
- The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy
Check out the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your podcasts are held.
Please subscribe to our Substack to keep up to date with new episodes, a developing catalog of backlist connections, and more.
Music: "Estos Dias" by Enrique Urquijo
Logo design: Flynn Kidz Designs