Episode 122: The Idiot

Episode 122: The Idiot

Author: Literary Disco March 19, 2018 Duration: 38:07
Elif Batuman’s novel was a critical darling of 2017. We try to figure out why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine three friends who happen to be writers, gathered in a room where the conversation swings from passionate literary analysis to unapologetic tangents and genuine laughter. That’s the heart of Literary Disco. Hosts Tod Goldberg, Julia Pistell, and Rider Strong dive into books with the energy of a great book club debate, blending deep dives on classic novels with spirited discussions about contemporary works and the occasional unexpected page-turner. This isn't a dry lecture; it's a lively, often hilarious exploration of why we read and how stories shape us. You’ll hear them dissect prose, share personal connections to characters, and maybe even settle a long-standing literary feud, all with a warmth that makes you feel like you're pulling up a chair with them. The Literary Disco podcast has earned its place in the literary conversation, featured in publications from The New Yorker to the Los Angeles Times and recognized by The Washington Post as a best literary podcast. It’s a celebration of reading that reminds you books are meant to be talked about, argued over, and enjoyed in good company. Tune in for a uniquely engaging mix of arts and comedy, where the love of the written word is always the guest of honor.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Literary Disco
Podcast Episodes
Episode 167: Middlemarch, Book One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:55
Ever wondered what 900 pages of turgid prose sounds like when dropped on a desk? This week is part one of our #Quarantine read of George Eliot's long and intimidating classic novel from the nineteenth century, Middlemarc…
Episode 166: The Baby-Sitters Club [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:33
On this special episode, Julia, Rider, and Tod explore the novel that started it all, Kristy's Great Idea by Ann M. Martin, answering the question: Where would a now twenty-something be without the mistakes and life less…
Episode 165: Coyote and the Shadow People [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:00
Today, we discuss a classic of Native American storytelling, a story told by generations of the Nez Perce tribe entitled "Coyote and the Shadow People." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 164: Gil Thorp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:10
In another short episode for the Pandemic, the Literary Disco trio are tackling another form of writing they've never covered before: the comic strip. Gil Thorp comes from cartoonists Neal Rubin and Rod Whigham -- and To…
Episode 163: The Faux Pas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:44
In today's short episode, the Literary Disco trio will tackle a form of writing we have never done before: the YouTube comedy sketch! Today we're watching "The Faux Pas," posted by the comedy duo BriTANick. Welcome to th…
Episode 162: Your House Will Pay [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:58
On today's episode, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss Steph Cha's 2019 novel Your House Will Pay, a book set in Los Angeles that follows two families on opposite sides of a racially charged shooting. They ask the question: i…
Episode 161: Literary Disco Is Not Listening [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:31
When was the last time you listened to someone, or someone really listened to you? This week, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss a new nonfiction book from Kate Murphy, You're Not Listening, about the fine art, the inherent p…
Episode 160: The Overstory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:49
On this today’s episode, we discuss The Overstory by Richard Powers, a Pulitzer Prize-winning from 2018 that centers trees in a variety of context as the focus of its storytelling. Can a book about trees actually captiva…
Episode 159: The Odyssey of Literary Disco [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:49
In our first episode of 2020, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss Madeline Miller’s novel Circe, which retells some of the most infamous Greek myths from the point of view of Circe, a witch who most famously appears in The Ody…
Episode 158: Best Books of the Decade [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:25
This week, Julia, Rider, and Tod look back at the last ten years -- seven of which they've been recording this podcast -- from the books they've read on the show to their own personal favorites. Additionally, they discus…