The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life
John King
Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate world, but also the scrawled notes and tortured drafts that lead writers there. In long-form interviews, writers discuss their process and the way that writing has influenced their lives. Besides this interview, each episode also features a short memoir essay from a writer about a beloved book, plus John King responds to listener's questions and observations about the writing (and the drinking) life.
For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com.
For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 7, 2017 • 1h 17min
241: A Craft Discussion About Jennie Jarvis's Crafting the Character Arc, with Vanessa Blakeslee!
In this week's episode, I talk with Vanessa Blakeslee about Jennie Jarvis's Crafting the Character Arc: A Practical Guide to Character Creation and Development. Plus Scott Hoffman reads his essay, "I read Ethan Frome every January." TEXTS DISCUSSED Crafting the Character ARC"> Ethan Frome" target="_blank">
Dec 31, 2016 • 1h
240: Irvine Welsh!
In this week's episode, I talk to fiction writer, Irvine Welsh, and share his reading from his new novel, A Decent Ride, at Miami Book Fair. Aleksander Hemon also read from his novel, The Making of Zombie Wars. Here I am with Irvine Welsh back in 2012. TEXTS DISCUSSED Decent Ride" target="_blank"> Trainspotting" target="_blank"> Ulysses Complete & Unabridged As Corrected & Reset in 1961" target="_blank"> The Making of Zombie Wars" target="_blank"> NOTES Thanks to Pressure Wave (Jared Silvia) for his song "Two Thousand Six."
Dec 24, 2016 • 1h 32min
239: Rita Dove and Robert Pinsky!
In this week's episode, I talk to the poets Rita Dove and Robert Pinsky, and share the reading they gave together at Miami Book Fair International. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Listen to my previous interview with Robert Pinsky here.
Dec 17, 2016 • 54min
238: Sarah Sweeney!
In this week's episode, I talk to the essayist Sarah Sweeney about her debut collection, Tell Me If You're Lying, the impediments and the value the academy can be to writing, and the essential relevance of poetry to the prose arts. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Read Sarah Sweeney's essay about catfishing musicians here.
Dec 10, 2016 • 57min
237: Glendaliz Camacho!
In this week's episode, I talk to fiction writer Glendaliz Camacho near the end of her residency at the Kerouac House in Orlando. Photo by Linda Nieves-Powell NOTES Check out Glendaliz's work: Pigeons (short story) Full Battle Rattle (personal essay) Dominoes (short story) Reinaldo Arenas's story "The Glass Tower" appears in Mona and Other Tales. Save
Dec 4, 2016 • 1h
Episode 236: Bill Savage (Bonus Episode)!
On this week's show, I talk to the literary historian Bill Savage about the re-release of George Ade's 1931 classic, breezy history of drinking culture in America. George Ade TEXT DISCUSSED NOTES Watch and hear Bill's rant against the term dive bar. Should Prohibition be repealed? (illustration from The Old Time Saloon)
Dec 3, 2016 • 1h 21min
235: There Will Be Words and/or Doom!
In this week's episode, I present an Election Day version Jesse Bradley's prose reading series, There Will Be Words, or in this case, There Will Be Words and/or Doom. The readers included myself, Rachel Kolman, Glendaliz Camacho, And Whitney Hamrick. Thanks once again to our host, J. Bradley.
Nov 26, 2016 • 58min
234: Sayantani Dasgupta!
On this week's show, I talk to the nonfiction writer Sayantani Dasgupta about creative nonfiction, the romance of reading, and the powerful appeal of the in-between. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Listen to Sayantani's essay about 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea here.
Nov 18, 2016 • 1h 16min
233: A Craft Discussion About David Foster Wallace's E Unibus Plurim: Television and U.S. Fiction with Vanessa Blakeslee!
In this week's episode, I talk with Vanessa Blakeslee about David Foster Wallace's "E Unibus Plurim: Television and U.S. Fiction." TEXTS DISCUSSED Read David Foster Wallace's 1993 essay "E Unibus Plurim: Television and U.S. Fiction" here. Save Save Save
Nov 12, 2016 • 59min
232: Pamela Skjolsvik!!
On this week's show, I talk to the nonfiction writer Pamela Skjolsvik about creative nonfiction, anxiety, and death, plus I briefly eulogize a triumvirate of entertainers: Leonard Cohen, Robert Vaughn, and Kevin Meaney. TEXT DISCUSSED NOTES Check out Pamela Skjolsvik's essay about David Sedaris back on episode 50. Miami Book Fair International's amazing weekend street fair will take place on November 19th and 20th.
