Unburied Books

We are joined by author Helen Macdonald to discuss T. H. White's The Goshawk, originally published in 1951. In this conversation, we talk about the devotion required to train a hawk, what one learns during the process, and how White's book haunted our guest. For more on White's biography, join us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer Patrick Preziosi rejoins the show to talk about an Italian favorite: Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's The Leopard. In this clip, we talk about the Sicilian prince's strange path to publication and how his other short works illuminate this masterpiece. Listen to the full episode to hear our thoughts on Visconti's film adaptation, Lampedusa's prose, and what it's like to read the novel in Sicily. Subscribe to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer Bijan Stephen joins us to discuss David R. Bunch's short story collection Moderan. In Moderan, people replace their "soft parts" with metal and devote their lives to making war. We talk about Bunch's satire of the international order, his wildly innovative use of language, and his commitment to depicting a utopian hellscape. Read Bijan's article on Moderan here: https://dirt.fyi/article/2022/06/the-future-is-moderan Check out Chris Lee's fantastic travelogue: https://chrisleefrancis.com/books/eastwards-and-far/ And, as always, we would love to have you over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Poet and writer Alina Stefanescu joins us to discuss her own pantheon of "tortured poets" in the wake of a pop star's adoption of the phrase. Check out Alina's writing here: https://www.alinastefanescuwriter.com/ To hear the full episode, become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

After mentioning the book in our Mary Olivier episode, writer and librarian Nancy Pearl returns to discuss Ruth Adam's I'm Not Complaining, one of her favorite Virago Modern Classics. In this clip, Nancy talks about the novel's unique angle on the Great Depression. To hear the complete conversation, become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Writer and co-host of the Vollmannia podcast Ryan Alexander joins us to discuss Moravagine, first published in 1926. The novel was written by Blaise Cendrars (given name: Frédéric-Louis Sauser) and translated from French by Alan Brown. The plot involves a monstrous criminal who, once released from a mental hospital, goes on a worldwide killing spree before returning to Europe to fight in World War I. We talk about the book's unique representation of violence, its social commentary on misogyny and antisemitism, and the false promises of progress. Check out Ryan's excellent show here: https://vollmannia.buzzsprout.com/ And, for two more book-related episodes a month, our Patreon is a steal: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384  

Enjoy this clip from our bonus episode covering Celia Dale's sinister novel A Spring of Love with culture critic Andrew Male. The book is being reprinted by Daunt Books in September and is available for pre-order now. To hear the full conversation, subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

In this bonus episode, we speak with writer and editor Anthony Garrett about Atmospheric Quarterly, the new literary magazine he co-founded. Read it here: https://www.atmosphericquarterly.com/

Author Laila Lalami joins us to discuss Tayeb Salih's novel Season of Migration to the North translated from Arabic by Denys Johnson-Davies. We talk about the book's postcolonial themes, its treatment of women's roles, and transformation of the Western canon. Read more about our guest's work here: https://lailalalami.com/ Want to support the show? Explore our Patreon tiers here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384

Max Lawton joins us to discuss his new translation of Vladimir Sorokin's Blue Lard, a controversial Russian novel originally published in 1999. We talk about where this book fits into Sorokin's varied career, its irreverent treatment of political and literary icons, and the spirit of freedom that permeates every page. Want to boost your L-harmony? Give our Patreon a look-see: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=84429384