153: George Saunders (A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN)

In This Episode:

George Saunders drops in to celebrate the new year and brings with him four Russians and the meaning of a writing life via his new book A SWIM IN A POND IN THE RAIN. The guys can barely contain their excitement and conversation ranges from writing to reading to music to, well, Russians. Plus, our first cocktail shot!

AND: two tunes written and recorded by George himself, recorded for two of his audiobooks

The Ep. 153 Bookshelf

THIS EPISODE'S BOOKS:

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
”Master and Man” by Leo Tolstoy

WHAT'D YOU BUY?:

Drew — How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan // The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller
Christopher — The Blizzard Party by Jack Livings // Girlhood by Melissa Febos
George — 7 1/2 Lessons About the Brain and How Emotions Are Made, both by Lisa Feldman Barrett

ALSO MENTIONED:

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
Tenth of December by George Saunders
The Bright and Frightening Reign of Phil by George Saunders
In Persuasion Nation by George Saunders
Civilwarland in Bad Decline by George Saunders
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
On Writing by Stephen King
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
”Lady with the Pet Dog” by Anton Chekhov
The Devil by Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Hadji Murat by Leo Tolstoy
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy
Walking Out by David Quammen
Dr. Zhivago (1965) — directed by David Lean with a screenplay by Robert Bolt

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Drew — Letters from An American: a newsletter by Heather Cox Richardson // Hurricane Season by Fernando Melchor, translated by Sophie HughesGeorge — Hope against Hope and Hope Abandoned by Nadezhda Mandelstam // I Will Bear Witness by Victor Klemperer // “Partita for Eight Voices” by Caroline Shaw, performed by Roomful of Teeth
Christopher — Via Negativa by Daniel Hornsby

TUNES FROM GEORGE!

The Damn Bar