New Books Network 10.1 "Extreme Circumstances, Extreme Reactions:” Aaron Gwyn and Sean McCann (JP)
Mar 13, 2026
A novelist reads haunting opening pages and explains why a real 19th-century figure became central to his linked historical books. They contrast brutal frontier myths with scenes of community, trace Civil War trauma and new weaponry to rising Western violence, and explore religious possession, literary influences from Moby Dick to Beloved, and the craft of deep sensory research into period life.
46:37
Levi English's Comanche Years Drive The Novel
- Aaron Gwyn centers Cannibal Owl on Levi English's Comanche years to explore belonging and loss.
- The novel emphasizes sensory detail (trapping, dugout life, mother's death) to ground Levi's interiority and cultural displacement.
Do Embodied Research For Historical Realism
- Do deep, embodied research when writing historical fiction to gain sensory authority.
- Gwyn read ~200 books, learned bowmaking and firearms, and consulted Comanche friends to create credible texture.
Use Sensory Memory To Ground Fictional Worlds
- Build sensory memory to make fictional worlds feel ordinary and textured.
- Gwyn learned bowmaking, fired replica firearms, and cultivated sensory details so scenes read like lived experience.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Hosts Introduce Aaron Gwyn and His Work
01:34 • 2min
Aaron Reads Cannibal Owl's Opening
03:27 • 2min
Why Tell Levi English's Story
05:32 • 2min
Researching Historical Fiction Deeply
07:45 • 5min
Balancing Violence and Community in the West
12:56 • 1min
The 'Man Who Knows Indians' and Levi's Difference
14:12 • 5min
Technology, War, and the West's Violence
19:15 • 1min
Ad break
20:19 • 24sec
Major Novels That Define the Great American Novel
20:43 • 55sec
Influence of Beloved on Gwyn's Work
21:39 • 4min
Religion, Possession, and Extreme Reactions
25:21 • 37sec
Comparisons: McMurtry, Portis, and John Williams
25:58 • 4min
Villains, Violence, and Human Backstories
29:50 • 4min
Decline, Constraint, and America's Turn
33:54 • 4min
Ad break
37:27 • 22sec
Signature Question: Favorite Teacher Robert Hill
37:49 • 7min
Outro
44:40 • 37sec
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Gumshoe America
Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction and the Rise and Fall of New Deal Liberalism
Sean McCann
In 'Gumshoe America', Sean McCann examines how hard-boiled crime fiction both reflected and shaped American political culture during the New Deal and postwar eras.
He argues that the genre's narratives about corruption, violence, and individual agency illuminate broader anxieties about liberal institutions and democratic governance.
Combining literary analysis with historical context, McCann traces how crime fiction engaged debates over law, order, and reform in a changing America.
The book situates authors like Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler within larger cultural transformations, revealing the genre's ideological complexity.
McCann's work is influential in literary studies for linking genre literature to political histories.
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A pinnacle of feeling
American Literature and Presidential Government
Sean McCann
Sean McCann's 'A Pinnacle of Feeling' explores the interplay between American literary production and the cultural figure of the president, arguing that narratives of leadership and emotion influence political understandings.
The book analyzes literary texts that engage presidential authority, examining how writers reflect and critique governance through character and story.
McCann demonstrates how literature participates in shaping national identity and political affect, tracing continuities across periods of American history.
He blends close reading with political theory to show literature's role in mediating ideas about leadership and morality.
The work contributes to scholarship at the intersection of literature and political history.
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Dog on the cross
Aaron Gwyn
Aaron Gwyn's 'Dog on the Cross' is a collection of short fiction exploring lives marked by faith, violence, and yearning in rural American contexts.
The stories are characterized by precise realism, attention to sensory detail, and an interest in spiritual and moral stakes.
Gwyn draws from personal experience and regional knowledge to create vivid portraits of characters negotiating constrained possibilities.
The collection established Gwyn's reputation for tightly controlled prose and ethically engaged storytelling.
'Dog on the Cross' complements his later novels in thematic focus and concern with the persistence of religious feeling in everyday life.
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The Cannibal Owl
Aaron Gwynn
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All God's Children
Aaron Gwynn
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• Mentioned in 6 episodes
Augustus
First Emperor of Rome
Adrian Goldsworthy
This biography by Adrian Goldsworthy recounts the life of Augustus, from his early involvement in Rome's violent politics to his eventual rise as the first emperor.
Goldsworthy uses deep knowledge of ancient sources to detail Augustus's skillful maneuvering through civil wars, his outwitting of rivals like Antony and Brutus, and his reinvention as a benevolent leader.
The book explores Augustus's administrative reforms, building projects, and efforts to secure the empire's borders, as well as his personal struggles and public image.
It provides a comprehensive and nuanced view of Augustus's life, highlighting his political acumen and the complexities of historical interpretation.
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Chimera
John Barth
John Barth's 'Chimera' consists of three linked novellas that rework mythic narratives with self-conscious metafiction and linguistic play.
The work exemplifies Barth's postmodern engagement with tradition, parody, and narrative invention, blending humor with philosophical reflections on authorship.
'Chimera' won critical acclaim and was recognized in literary awards circles, showcasing Barth's virtuosity in reimagining classical themes.
Its experimental structure invites readers to reflect on the artifice of storytelling and the instability of meaning.
The novel remains a key text in studies of metafiction and postmodern literature.
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Wynn's War
Aaron Gwyn
Aaron Gwyn's 'Wynn's War' juxtaposes Western motifs with modern military operations, following U.S.
Special Forces conducting horseback missions in Afghanistan.
The novel explores themes of violence, camaraderie, and the continuity of frontier imaginaries across time and place.
Gwyn draws on experience and research to render the sensory realities of mounted operations and the psychological impacts on soldiers.
The book interrogates how traditions of masculinity and combat persist in new theaters of war, offering a literary bridge between classic Westerns and contemporary conflict narratives.
'Wynn's War' showcases Gwyn's interest in how technology and empire reshape human lives.
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• Mentioned in 55 episodes
Lonesome Dove
Gene Walden
Lonesome Dove is a classic Western novel that follows the journey of two former Texas Rangers, Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, as they embark on a cattle drive from Texas to Montana.
The novel is renowned for its vivid descriptions of the American West, its exploration of themes such as friendship, loyalty, and the decline of the Old West, and its well-developed characters.
It is the third book in the Lonesome Dove series and is widely regarded as McMurtry's magnum opus.
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• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The world beneath
Cate Kennedy
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• Mentioned in 17 episodes
Stoner
John Williams
The novel follows William Stoner, born on a small farm in Missouri in 1891, who is sent to the University of Missouri to study agriculture.
However, he discovers a passion for literature and decides to pursue a career in English.
The book delves into Stoner's undistinguished career, his marriage to Edith, his affair with Katherine Driscoll, and his complex relationships with his daughter Grace and his colleagues.
It explores themes of work, passion, love, and the social and sexual reawakening of the protagonist, all set against the backdrop of his quiet yet rich and vibrant life as an academic.
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• Mentioned in 267 episodes
Moby Dick
Herman Melville
Moby-Dick is a novel that tells the story of Captain Ahab's maniacal quest for revenge against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg.
Narrated by Ishmael, the story follows the crew of the whaling ship Pequod as they embark on a journey that explores themes of obsession, man vs.
nature, and the existential questions of good and evil.
The novel is rich in detailed descriptions of whale hunting and life aboard a culturally diverse crew, and it has become a cornerstone of American and world literature.
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• Mentioned in 14 episodes
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Mark Twain
In this novel, Mark Twain tells the story of Hank Morgan, a mechanic from Connecticut who, after a severe blow to the head, finds himself transported to the court of King Arthur in the sixth century.
Using his modern knowledge and practical skills, Hank navigates the complexities of medieval life, challenges the customs of the time, and attempts to introduce democratic principles and technological innovations.
The novel is a humorous yet critical exploration of the contrasts between modern and medieval societal norms, highlighting themes such as time travel, satire, and the clash of cultures.
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• Mentioned in 19 episodes
True grit
Charles Portis
Set in the Old West of 1870s Arkansas and the Indian Territory, 'True Grit' tells the story of Mattie Ross, a determined and independent 14-year-old girl who seeks to avenge her father's murder.
With the help of Marshal Reuben J. 'Rooster' Cogburn and a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf, Mattie embarks on a perilous journey to capture the killer, Tom Chaney.
The novel explores themes of justice, vengeance, sacrifice, perseverance, and redemption, and is known for its vivid characters and its blend of humor, adventure, and historical context.
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Gunfighter Nation
Richard Slotkin
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Butcher's Crossing
John Williams
'Butcher's Crossing' follows Will Andrews, a Harvard dropout who travels to the frontier town of Butcher's Crossing, Kansas, in the 1870s to find adventure and meaning.
He joins a buffalo hunting expedition that descends into obsession and brutality.
Williams's stark prose captures the harsh realities of the American West and the destructive nature of human ambition.
The novel explores themes of man's relationship with nature, the loss of innocence, and the dark side of the frontier spirit.
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• Mentioned in 48 episodes
Beloved
Toni Morrison
Published in 1987, 'Beloved' is a work of historical fiction that delves into the aftermath of the American Civil War. The novel centers around Sethe, a Black woman who escaped from slavery in Kentucky and now lives in Ohio.
However, her life is haunted by the ghost of her two-year-old daughter, whom she killed to prevent her from being taken back into slavery.
The story is deeply intertwined with themes of mother-daughter relationships, the power of family and community, and the lasting impact of slavery on individuals and society.
The novel introduces a mysterious figure named Beloved, who is the physical manifestation of Sethe's murdered daughter, and explores how this presence disrupts and ultimately transforms the lives of Sethe and her surviving daughter, Denver.
Through a complex narrative that includes flashbacks, stream-of-consciousness monologues, and multiple voices, Morrison examines the trauma and resilience of those affected by slavery.
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• Mentioned in 27 episodes
Gravity's Rainbow
Thomas Pynchon
Published in 1973, 'Gravity's Rainbow' is a sprawling narrative that delves into the secret development and deployment of the V-2 rocket by the Nazis.
The story follows a diverse cast of characters, including Lieut.
Tyrone Slothrop, an American working for Allied Intelligence in London, who becomes embroiled in a mysterious connection between his erections and the targeting of incoming V-2 rockets.
The novel is characterized by its complex and diverse prose, incorporating elements of history, philosophy, psychology, and science fiction.
It explores themes of paranoia, the impact of technology, and the blurring of lines between reality and fiction.
The novel won the National Book Award for fiction in 1974 and is widely regarded as a literary masterpiece.
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• Mentioned in 11 episodes
Absalom, Absalom!
William Faulkner
William Faulkner's "Absalom, Absalom!
" is a complex and challenging novel that delves into the history and downfall of Thomas Sutpen, a wealthy planter in Mississippi.
The narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, creating a fragmented and layered portrayal of Sutpen's ambition and its devastating consequences.
Faulkner's masterful use of stream-of-consciousness and shifting timelines creates a rich and immersive reading experience.
The novel explores themes of race, class, ambition, and the destructive nature of the past.
It's considered one of Faulkner's most ambitious and rewarding works.
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• Mentioned in 66 episodes
Blood Meridian
Or, The Evening Redness in the West
Cormac McCarthy
Blood Meridian is a historical novel that depicts the brutal reality of the American West in the mid-19th century.
The story follows a 14-year-old runaway from Tennessee, known as 'the kid', who joins the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp hunters.
The gang, led by John Joel Glanton and the enigmatic Judge Holden, is contracted to kill and scalp Native Americans but soon devolves into indiscriminate violence against various groups.
The novel explores themes of brutality, the loss of innocence, and the harsh realities of human nature, with Judge Holden serving as a central figure embodying philosophical and sadistic elements.
The book is known for its unflinching portrayal of violence and its allegorical exploration of human existence.
Aaron Gwyn is the author of four novels: The World Beneath, Wynn’s War, and, most recently, two wonderfully linked historical novels, All God’s Children, which won the Oklahoma Book award, and The Cannibal Owl. In his conversation with Sean McCann of Wesleyan (A Pinnacle of Feeling: American Literature and Presidential Government and Gumshoe America: Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction and the Rise and Fall of New Deal Liberalism) and Novel Dialogue’s own John Plotz, we learn that Robert Lemmons is a real historical figure and so is Levi English.
One way to grasp Gwyn’s achievement is to consider the contrast between his durably realist work and Cormac McCarthy’s 1985 Blood Meridian. Much as Aaron and Sean admire that novel, McCarthy’s characters strike them as monstrous and incredible. How about Charles Portis’s True Grit, asks John? Aaron loves it for its ventriloquizing power, and its truth-loving willingness to weave in unsettling back stories like Rooster Cogburn’s ties to Quantrill’s Rangers, an eerily modern pro-Confederate terrorist paramilitary. In our signature question, we learn why Aaron’s favorite teacher was Robert Hill, Pink-Floyd-loving drummer and perennial inspiration (audio here).
Mentioned in the episode:
- Richard Slotkin’s notion of “the man who knows Indians” comes from Gunfighter Nation
- Mark Twain, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)
- Herman Melville, Moby Dick
- William Faulkner Absalom Absalom
- Toni Morrison, Beloved
- Thomas Pynchon, Gravity’s Rainbow.
- John Williams, Stoner (but also Butcher’s Crossing –-which John loves— and Augustus, which did indeed split the National Book Award (not the Pulitzer) in 1973 with John Barth’s Chimera.
- Larry McMurtry’s hard-to-get-into Lonesome Dove
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