Life On Books Podcast

Make sure to drop your 2025 goals in the comments, and if you want to join a great community of readers, check us out on Patreon! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode: The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... Or https://amzn.to/3ZCszIO Last Evenings on Earth by Roberto Bolano https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Or https://amzn.to/4gxwIDS The Stronghold by DIno Buzzati https://amzn.to/4gtUsZz Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... The Tartar Steppe by DIno Buzzati https://amzn.to/3VR9tN2 Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs https://amzn.to/3BMt8qm Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802... Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/3PeYpFE Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Nazi Literature in the Americas by Roberto Bolano https://amzn.to/41PVPNZ Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt https://amzn.to/4gBUPkX Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Chandelier by Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/4gutlxL Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Besieged City by Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/4iPPuYR Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Apple in the Dark by Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/3BXDpQy Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/3ZSNXIX Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Breath of Life by Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/4gxjnvn Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Roberto Bolano 2666 https://amzn.to/3DGVsei Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano https://amzn.to/4fBoiKo Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... Amulet by Roberto Bolano https://amzn.to/408fkjr Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... Babel by RF Kuang https://amzn.to/429ywyT Or

It's everyone's favorite time of year! In this episode, Andy and I will be breaking down our top 10 favorite books that we read all year. We both had so many great books to choose from, that it was difficult to decide, but we hope you enjoy the discussion! Join our book club! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... Or https://amzn.to/3ZCszIO Insurrecto by Gina Apostal https://amzn.to/4gNfhiB Too Much of Life Clarice Lispector https://amzn.to/3ZINJ6V Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Pachinko by Min Jin Lee https://amzn.to/401QDVN Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781455... Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams https://amzn.to/4gfIQJH Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Human Acts by Han Kang https://amzn.to/3BsEYpL Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781101... The Case of Cem by Vera Mutafchieva https://amzn.to/3DlF1Em Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9789533... Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson https://amzn.to/401DFqW Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780307... The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati https://amzn.to/4iZK7Xh Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781841... Marshland by Otohiko Kaga https://amzn.to/4grYbai Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... The Anarchist Who Shared my Name by Pablo Martin Sanchez https://amzn.to/3ZLsQYP Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781941... Solenoid Mircea Cartarescu https://amzn.to/3VIN3NB Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781646... Blinding by Mircea Cartarescu https://amzn.to/3VOnRW1 Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3VNlQJK Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The instructions by Adam Levin https://amzn.to/402HbRZ Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... The Mezzanine by Nicholas Baker https://amzn.to/3BMWEMD Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802... Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... Or htt

Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace is one of the most controversial books of the last 50 years...but why? Some people call Infinite Jest a masterpiece, while other claim that David Foster Wallace is a talentless hack. Today on the Life on Books podcast, we tackle this all things Infinite Jest, what we like about the book, why so many people have such strong opinions about it, and we answer the question: should you read it? Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3OIyo1m Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Tunnel by William H. Gass The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... Or https://amzn.to/3ZCszIO The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... Or https://amzn.to/4fWCuyE Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell https://amzn.to/3BmiBlH Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780544... At Night He Lifts Weights by Kang Young-sook https://amzn.to/4iwe6pm Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781945... Rina by Kang Young-sook https://amzn.to/3Bzxa5h Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781960... The Broom of the System by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/41xr3JA Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Girl with Curious Hair by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3ZOKagP Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780393... V by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/3DgUZzC Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780060... Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk

Toni Morrison is often considered one of the great American writers, and recently the Life on Books book club read one of her most popular works: Song of Solomon. In today's episode we discuss Song of Solomon, as well as Morrison's writing in general. Have you read Song of Solomon? What did you think of it? Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... Or https://amzn.to/49mWkAy The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... Or https://amzn.to/3ZCszIO The Tunnel by William H. Gass The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... Or https://amzn.to/4fWCuyE The Combinations by Louis Armand https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780957... Or https://amzn.to/3VrssNU The Queue by Vladimir Sorokin https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Or https://amzn.to/49qRimB Red Pyramid by Vladimir Sorokin https://amzn.to/4fYjHD3 Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3OIyo1m Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... On the Edge of Reason by Miroslav Krleza https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Or https://amzn.to/3ZIsiV2 Yellowface by RF Kuang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780063... Or https://amzn.to/3VmHsMU

A recent Vanity Fair article pulled the curtain back on a long time relationship Cormac McCarthy had with a woman named Augusta Britt. Often heralded as one of the greatest American authors of all time, McCarthy is known for his southern gothic novels, which tackle themes of violence, free will, luck, and other dark and brooding subjects. While some may say it should be expected that someone able to create such serious art would be a troubled soul, for many it was a shock to hear that McCarthy's relationship with Britt started when she was only 16 years of age. Today we're discussing Cormac McCarthy, and more broadly, separating the art from the artist. Become part of our amazing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... Or https://amzn.to/4eRo0yA The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://amzn.to/3B1QZC9 Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... The Tunnel by William Gass The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano https://amzn.to/3V9cUyb Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien https://amzn.to/3CPE5Yq Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780618... Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3APCykI Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Celine https://amzn.to/49an6fu Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk

A few we episodes ago, we discussed the things in books (and the book community) that give us pause, and make us shy away from certain books. Today, we're going to be covering our GREEN FLAGS in books...the things that when we see it, we get excited about, or become inclined to pick up and read. As always, please share YOUR green flags down below! Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/lifeonbooks Books mentioned in this episode The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... or https://amzn.to/4g280et The Tunnel By William H. Gass https://amzn.to/48YmiKF Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... Or https://amzn.to/3Zhs5HS Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Every Arc Bends is Radian by Sergio De La Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781668... Or https://amzn.to/4eH43dR Why This World by Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Or https://amzn.to/4fUTPaT Omensetter’s Luck by William H. Gass https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780141... Or https://amzn.to/3AIm2D1 Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Or https://amzn.to/3OkDZL2 The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati (AKA The Stronghold) https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781841... Or https://amzn.to/4eGcVAG Fulgentius by Cesar Aira https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Or https://amzn.to/3CxTBYL Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Or https://amzn.to/4fCY0sc Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... Or https://amzn.to/3B5zalw Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781646... Or https://amzn.to/3OjzekH The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... Or https://amzn.to/3Zh01nY Pay as you Go by Eskor David Johnson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... Or https://amzn.to/4fBWhDz Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Or https://amzn.to/4fy8GrY The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel

Books and politics go hand in hand, while there may be some apolitical reads out there, they are probably not the majority. So today we're talking about how the books we've read have shaped our world view, and oh what a crazy world it is. Books mentioned in this episode: Libra by Don DeLillo https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Pearl by John Steinbeck https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... Marshland by Otohiko Kaga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... A Naked Singularity Sergio De La Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780226... Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780805... The Dying Grass William T. Vollman https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780786... Human Acts by Han Kang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781101... The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781541... Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by Peter Matthiesson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... JFK and the Unspeakable https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The Deluge by Stephen Markley https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781982... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk

It's one of the most famous novels of all time, beloved by all different kinds of readers. Some describe it as "The Great American Novel" while others say it's the greatest western ever written, so on this episode of the Life on Books podcast, we tackle the topic of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, and weigh on what we think of the book, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Join our Patreon and become part of our amazing community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Why this World by Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Tunnel by WIlliam H. Gass https://amzn.to/48IPPrO Song of Solmon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... China Dream by Ma Jian https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781640... Marshalnd by Otohiko Kaga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... Inherent Vice Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk

We all have our preferences when it comes to books, so today Andy and I are going over our biggest red flags in books, and what is usually a big turnoff for us when choosing what to read. We also take some time to discuss things we don't like about the book community in general. We would love to know what your biggest red flags are in a book, so make sure to let us know down below! Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode: Against the Day Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The Princess of 72nd Street Elaine Kraf https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780593... Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Hour of the Star Clarice Lispector https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Breath of Life Clarice Lispector https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Why This World Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Same Bed Different Dreams Ed Park https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... Gravity’s Rainbow Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Babel RF Kuang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780063... Yellowface RF Kuang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780063... The White Tiger Aravid Adiga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781416... War & Peace Leo Tolstoy https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780679... Moby Dick Herman Melville https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:   / alifeonbooks   Follow Andy on Instagram   / metafictional.meathead   This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk

Two years ago I decided that I hadn't read enough books from countries outside of the US, so I embarked on a journey of reading one book from every country. The journey has been slow as I am not solely focusing on this project. I've made some great progress in Europe and Asia, but Latin America has been a bit of a weak spot for me. Andy has read a few more books from the South American region, so today we are discussing some of the works we've read from these countries, what we think of them. Books mentioned in this episode Against the day Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Lonesome dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The invented part Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... Melville Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781960... Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Human Acts Han Kang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781101... Septology Jon Fosse https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781945... Enter the Aardvark Jessica Anthony https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Troll Dave Fitzgerald https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... Jorge Luis Borges Collected Fictions https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Jewish Son Daniel Guebel https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781644... The Seven Madmen and the Flamethrowers Roberto Arlt https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Fever Dream Samanta Schweblin https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780399... Prisoner without a name cell without a number Jacobo Timerman https://amzn.to/4fj2Vhf The Absolute Daniel Guebel https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781644... Gessel Dome Guillermo Saccomanno https://amzn.to/48kJNNC Beka Lamb On heros lizards and passion Zoil A Ellis https://amzn.to/3NJdcYc When Rains became floods Lurgio Gavilan Sanchez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780822... Affections Rodrigo Hasbun https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781501... Juan de la Rosa Nataniel Aguirre https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780195... The posthumous memoirs of Bras Cubas https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... The taker and other stories Rubem Fonesca https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781934... The Alchemist Paulo Coelho https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780062... By night in Chile Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... Antwerp Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... The savage detectives Roberto Bolaño https://amzn.to/40fmVxb 2666 Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... The obscene bird of night Jose Donoso https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... One Hundred years of solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780060... Love in the time of cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez