Life On Books Podcast

In this episode we discuss all of the amazing books we read in 2023, from literature to nonfiction and audiobooks. We also discuss some of the things we experienced as "social media influencers" and "Bookstagrammers," what our goals are for 2024 and so, so much more. Thank you to everyone who has watched or listened to our book podcast this year. We couldn't have done it without your support, and we're looking forward to sharing and talking about more books with you in the new year! Year End Pod Show Notes The Netenyahus by Joshua Cohen https://amzn.to/3S1PBVM Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/48DpQk0 The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/48B7jF7 Angels by Denis Johnson https://amzn.to/3RKtRwt King: A Life by Jonathan Eig https://amzn.to/3RFKwkv Libra by Don DelIllo https://amzn.to/4aQmv3c The Wager by David Grann https://amzn.to/3U1mdR9 Grimmish by Michael Winkler https://amzn.to/4aG34d3   Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park https://amzn.to/3NOoM4V The Tunnel by William H. Gass https://amzn.to/48h92iW The Bridge at No Gun Ri https://amzn.to/3NKJEdk 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez https://amzn.to/3TJJjv7 Pay as you Go by Eskor David Johnson https://amzn.to/3NNbHZP Love and Terror by William Herrick https://amzn.to/3S2BfEz Troll by Dave Fitzgerald https://amzn.to/48DVgXs The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen https://amzn.to/48zcpBG https://amzn.to/48fYJM1 This Other Eden by Paul Harding https://amzn.to/3vfBVxv JR William Gaddis https://amzn.to/3S2yGSY War Trash by Ha Jin https://amzn.to/41JBvvF Antagony by  luis goytisolo https://amzn.to/3RLbfw6 The Lift by Dimitri Kralj https://coronasamizdat.com/index.php?id_product=70&rewrite=the-lift-by-dimitrij-kralj&controller=product The Hole by Jose Revueltas https://amzn.to/48cjcl0  The Pearl by John Steinbeck https://amzn.to/4aCw4Tc The Hospital by Ahmed Bouanani https://amzn.to/4aCEwSp The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca https://amzn.to/47kXfPF Babel by RF Kuang https://amzn.to/47g86tX The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas https://amzn.to/47lvvuf Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/3NP1eNj The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins https://amzn.to/48eoYCT  The Logos by Mark DeSilva https://amzn.to/3TIddzW A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava https://amzn.to/3S2Ys9S Warlock by Oakey Hall https://amzn.to/3vr4MPj Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick https://amzn.to/3vr4MPj A novel to read on the train by Dumitru Tsepeneag https://amzn.to/3RJoZrf   Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming by Laszlo Krasnahorki

In this episode we sit down with author Ed Park to discuss his newest novel Same Bed Different Dreams. Same Bed Different Dreams is Park's second novel, his first, Personal Days was published in 2008. His recent release is a masterpiece of post modern fiction, taking over 9 years to complete, yet despite it's unique narrative structure, his sophomore novel remains entertaining and perhaps more importantly, approachable to readers of all kinds. We take a deep dive on Ed's favorite authors, inspirations, and how the heck he wrote such an incredible novel with its zany blend of history, pop-culture, sports and more. Books mentioned in this episode: Personal Days by Ed Park  Big Bang by David Bowman https://amzn.to/3GYXXHm Let the Dog Drive by David Bowman https://amzn.to/3TDtSEM Warlock by Oakley Hall https://amzn.to/3RZT6MB Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/3RDtL9F Pafko at the Wall by Don DeLillo https://amzn.to/4aMqdea Mason and Dixon by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/48bnZ65 Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/48xb2Dt A Frolic of HIs Own by William Gaddis https://amzn.to/3RVCIwy The Recognitions by William Gaddis True Grit by Charles Portis https://amzn.to/3TGc8Zw The Dog of the South by Charles Portis https://amzn.to/4azIECE Masters of Atantis by Charles Portis https://amzn.to/3tEuv6n Who Sleeps with Katz by Todd McEwan https://amzn.to/48yv5la Natural History by Maureen Howard https://amzn.to/3RVcSsv  Ducks Newburyport by Lucy Ellman https://amzn.to/48xbPnZ Septology by Jon Fosse https://amzn.to/48pgSag Immediate Family by Ashley Nelson Levy https://amzn.to/47eID3Z Austerlitz by WG Sebald https://amzn.to/3TA6yrD All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy https://amzn.to/48aiox5 The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie https://amzn.to/3GXkBjl The Theory of the Leisure  Class by Thorstein Veblen https://amzn.to/3GWlYir Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell https://amzn.to/3NKzd9M A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan https://amzn.to/4aAmBLY A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell https://amzn.to/3RLLs7g Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/3vjGfMo The Watchman by Alan Moore https://amzn.to/3RYItcU Maus by Art Speiglenman https://amzn.to/3TDVFF6 Fun Home by Allison Bechdel https://amzn.to/479XNYx It’s a good life if you don’t weaken by Seth https://amzn.to/48xt0FV Grass by  Keum Suk Gendry-Kim https://amzn.to/48p3Rxg

In this episode we sit down with Eskor David Johnson, the Trinidad and Tobago author, to discuss his debut novel, Pay As You Go. Pay As You Go has been labeled as "magical realism" by fans, a "Mock epic" by author and Penguin press editor Ed Park, and is one of our favorite books of the year. Whether you see it as a coming of age story, a hero's journey, or something else entirely, Pay As You Go is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers due to its fantastic storytelling, loveable and ridiculous characters, and a humanistic element we can all relate to. On top of discussing Pay As You Go, we also ask Eskor about his writing process, his time at the Iowa writers workshop MFA program, his love of photography and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and so much more. This was hands down one of our favorite episodes to date, and we hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it! Books mentioned in this podcast: Pay as you Go by Eskor David Johnson https://amzn.to/3v3BJBn The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz https://amzn.to/3TuHSkk 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez https://amzn.to/3GP4Evy JR by William Gaddis https://amzn.to/4aEMvyv Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa https://amzn.to/3RrqXMJ The Hospital by Amhed Bounani https://amzn.to/3GP2U5C Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie https://amzn.to/3Ny0ewW The Shipping News by Annie Proulx https://amzn.to/41BtRmY Tinkers by Paul Harding https://amzn.to/47bswUS A house for Mr. Biswas by VS Naipaul https://amzn.to/3ROqyWc Miguel’s Street by VS Naipaul https://amzn.to/3tiJ1AT Speedboat by Renata Adler https://www.amazon.com/Speedboat-NYRB-Classics-Renata-Adler/dp/1590176138?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1703093985&sr=1-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=theonlife-20&linkId=9c4d8554c1502c371b3b885db80ba5ea&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl The Adventures and misadventures of Maqroll by Alvaro Mutis https://amzn.to/3REvr2W My Brilliant Friends by Eleana Ferrante https://amzn.to/3Hbq1Yp Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy https://amzn.to/3Rz9MZE The collected Fictions of Luis Borges translated by Andrew Hurley https://amzn.to/3GUtdaB Poverty by America by Matthew Desmond https://amzn.to/3GOWgMP Evicted by Matthew Desmond https://amzn.to/3RNJIeG

What is literature? Dictionary.com defines it as: writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. That definition feels somewhat satisfactory, but is there more to it than than? In today's episode, Tony and Andy dive into what defines literature, where the line is draw, and if books written for the specific purpose of selling copies and making money can be considered literature or not. Here are the books mentioned in today's episode: The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Jordan Campbell East of Eden by John Steinbeck You Bright and Risen Angels by William T Vollman Thank you for Smoking by Christopher Buckley The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll by Alvaro Mutis Wailing, Madness, Shame, and Death by W. Gavin Shogun by James Clavell Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa Musashi’s Book of Five Rings Heart of a Dog Mikhail Bulgakov Master and the Magherita by Mikhail Bulgakov Plum Springs by Dan Lawton Saint Sebastian’s Abyss by Mark Haber Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir White Noise by Don Delillo Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park The Recognitions by William Gaddis JR by William Gaddis Emoji Dick by Fred Benenson #literature #hardcoreliterature #books

We've been getting lots of questions about books. In our DMs, on our comments, so we asked you all to give us your bookish questions and we are here to answer them! In this episode Tony and Andy break down everything from how they met, to how you can read faster and remember more of what you read. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions, and if we didn't get to your question this time, another book Q&A is in the future! In the meantime, keep those questions coming, join the discussion! Afterall that's why we do this, to build a great community of readers around some great books!

Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park has been gaining a lot of hype lately, with some calling the book the next "Gravity's Rainbow" and Park the "new Thomas Pynchon." But are those statements true, and does the book live up to the hype? In this podcast episode, Tony and Andy break down what they thought of Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park, what they liked and didn't like, as well as tackle the burning question...is it really the next Gravity's Rainbow?

Each year 6 different authors win the Pulitzer prize. In 2016, Viet Thanh Nguyen won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction with his book The Sympathizer. On its surface the Sympathizer is about a North Vietnamese spy, but in reality it's a story about searching for one's identity. In this episode, Andy and Tony break down the Sympathizer and talk about its themes: communism, capitalism, socialism, colonialism, class warfare, social norms, and so much more. The Sympathizer is diverse, unique, and definitely a great piece of modern literature. Join us for the discussion! Books mentioned in the podcast (in no particular order) The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen https://amzn.to/3uepwcv Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming by Laszlo Kraznahorkai https://amzn.to/3FOjD8L Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park https://amzn.to/49vJZdh All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy https://amzn.to/47nVK3l Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://amzn.to/47ay432 War Trash by Ha Jin https://amzn.to/40BOWgA Libra by Don Delillo https://amzn.to/40xriS4 The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca https://amzn.to/3MEMdNt Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://amzn.to/49sibX2 The Bridge at No Gun Ri https://amzn.to/468MHCt The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck https://amzn.to/462rb29 Monument Maker by David Keenan https://amzn.to/3ssYSfF Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger https://amzn.to/3FPgtkT Schopenhaur's Telescope by Gerard Donovan https://amzn.to/40yBPga

In this episode, Andy and Tony discuss their favorite quotes and passages from some of their favorite books, and talk about the impact these words had on them as individuals. This discussion really highlights how impactful books can be, how books can change as as people, and demonstrates how reading books can lead to interesting conversations about the world. The books mentioned in the episode are linked below (in no particular order): Been Down So Long it Looks like Up to Me https://amzn.to/45K18ge Omensetter's Luck https://amzn.to/471VzuC Libra https://amzn.to/3QcpLw1 Gravity's Rainbow https://amzn.to/3s5MXUR Infinite Jest https://amzn.to/40a18ER Catch-22 https://amzn.to/45KvWNG If this is a Man/the Truce https://amzn.to/45N2abl The Count of Monte Cristo https://amzn.to/3Qvu0UQ East of Eden https://amzn.to/46ALZip As the Wolf Howls at my Door https://coronasamizdat.com/index.php?id_product=35&rewrite=as-the-wolf-howl-at-my-door-by-chandler-brossard&controller=product Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming https://amzn.to/3tIz9jz The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll https://amzn.to/40hJRK3 The Sympathizer https://amzn.to/3tNPDXP A Man of Two Faces https://amzn.to/49jjXd8 Same Bed Different Dreams https://amzn.to/3SdWrI9 Storm of Steel https://amzn.to/3Fu4OHY Lawrence in Arabia https://amzn.to/3QvIcgI Goodbye to all That https://amzn.to/474HZ9O Into the Wild https://amzn.to/3SkLlRE

In this episode we address many of the comments we received on a recent Tiktok video about General Jim Mattis who is quoted as saying "If you don't read, you are functionally illiterate." Many people pointed out that there are other ways to learn, and we don't disagree, but we do feel that books pose a unique advantage to learning that other mediums like listening or watching don't offer. In today's episode we dig into those differences, but we also ask for you to share your point of view on this as well. Please comment, and share your thoughts!

Ever wonder what avid readers think are the most overrated books or underrrated books of all time? Well we've got you covered because in today's episode, Tony and Andy are sharing their top 5 most underrated books and their top 5 most overrated books. Picking the most underrated books was difficult since there are so many amazing books out there that don't get much attention, not to mention how many extremely popular books simply aren't that good. There are a lot of controversial takes in today's episode, like "Dostoyevsky isn't that good" and so much more!#books #booktube #readmorebooks