

So Many Damn Books
Christopher Hermelin
A blessing, a curse, a podcast, since 2014. Christopher (@cdhermelin) invites folks to the Damn Library to talk about reading, literature, publishing, and trying to make it through the never-dwindling stack of things to read. All with a themed drink in hand. Recorded at the Damn Library in Brooklyn, NY. For show info, book lists, and drink recipes, follow @somanydamnbooks and visit somanydamnbooks.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 19, 2020 • 42min
137: Back in the Saddle or, Reading Snapshot
Drew and Christopher actually talk at one another in this one. The very first episode of So Many Damn Books where Christopher and Drew aren't actually in a Damn Library together. The resulting episode is probably the closest to what it's actually like to hang out with them when the microphones are off. How books are providing comfort, project reading, Stephen King, audiobooks, and culling shelves all get touched on, along with lots of other bookish subjects.Stay safe, we love you.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 5, 2020 • 35min
136: St. Jordi Day (with guest co-host, Dani)
Drew and his wife Dani are sheltering in place, so it's their turn to record an episode (without Christopher) about their happy history exchanging gifts on St. Jordi Day, and their relationship in books. Drew shares the story of how Lauren Groff bless/cursed them at a book signing, they discuss how their senses of humor aren't always aligned on the page, and they get into their lives as members of an in-person book club too. Nice.Stay safe and stay home and stay sane, all. We love you.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 21, 2020 • 15min
135: Tales from the Public Domain
Christopher and Drew read a little something from the public domain, by Christopher Morley and Mark Twain, respectively, then recommend a couple of things.for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 7, 2020 • 56min
134: Tournament of Books 2020 Wrap-Up: Zoom After Hours (with Nozlee Samadzadeh)
Nozlee Samadzadeh hosted Christopher and Drew for her "Zoom After Hours" discussion of The Morning News' 2020 Tournament of Books, and it was such a nice time that we are putting it out for all of you to listen to. They discuss that final, get into the tournament's history, Andrew Womack shows up for some surprising Super Rooster Tournament Revelations, and other commentariat join in the fray. It's a good time. Take care, everyone!for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 24, 2020 • 30min
133: Jenny Offill's WEATHER (with guest co-host, Sarah)
Christopher and his wife Sarah are social distancing/self-isolating, so they record an episode (sans Drew) about Jenny Offill's oddly prophetic Weather. They discuss the grim, fascinating distance of Offill's voice, and can't stop drawing parallels from her muted disaster/emergency to our own. Plus, they get a little bit into how books are the foundation of their relationship. Stay safe and sane, all. We love you.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 10, 2020 • 1h 11min
132: Jordan Kisner (THIN PLACES) & Louise Fitzhugh's HARRIET THE SPY
Longtime friend Jordan Kisner drops into the Damn Library for everyone to celebrate the release of her debut essay collection Thin Places! We discuss the term "thin places" and many of its permutations, not wanting to write about your mom, being able (or not) to recognize your own mind, the joy of an egg white cocktail, and whether or not it's okay for Harriet the Spy to've broken into all those houses. We also talk about whether or not we would've (...or did, Drew) broken into our neighbor's houses.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 25, 2020 • 33min
131: Tournament of Books 2020 Primer
Christopher and Drew talk about the Tournament of Books this year, explain why they like it and also why lots of things have changed since they started following it, make some predictions, and also talk about beer drinking and weird superstitions. Need it be said? Ca-caw!contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 11, 2020 • 54min
130: Emily Nemens (THE CACTUS LEAGUE) & Anelise Chen's SO MANY OLYMPIC EXERTIONS
Emily Nemens, author of The Cactus League, editor of The Paris Review, stops by The Damn Library, and everyone gets to talk about all things baseball, including Emily's story of a harrowingly long game. Christopher makes a bonkers cocktail and gives a slight history lesson with his recipe. Plus, Emily goes into some of the best things involved with writing about/watching baseball, as well as cutting out 25,000 words in a single edit. Then (CW: suicide) we get into Anelise Chen's So Many Olympic Exertions, and we all talk about things that felt good to quit.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 28, 2020 • 33min
129: Adaptations (CATS, LITTLE WOMEN, and DICKINSON)
Christopher and Drew decide to catch up with things that have been adapted from books and made into movies. Alternate universe Weber adaptations are supposed upon. The future of adaptation form and delivery is discussed. They also rage against the machine by telling you which books to pre-order from the machine, and suggest some possible adaptations at the end.contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Disaster Magic(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) This episode is sponsored by the Inner Monkey podcast. Start listening at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inner-monkey/id1440076093. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 14, 2020 • 32min
128: Top 8* of 2019
What better way to start the year than looking back at the stuff that we liked from last year? This episode, we talk about our top 8 books of the year. Like the top 8 for Myspace, only Tom isn't involved! It's a lot of nonfiction, which is crazy! Listen in, and also get in touch to tell us what your top books of the year were. We love to hear it!contribute! https://patreon.com/smdbfor drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.commusic: Hotel Hiouchihttps://hotelhiouchi.bandcamp.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


