Episode 181: Soap Operas

Episode 181: Soap Operas

Author: Literary Disco November 17, 2020 Duration: 1:03:45
Today we embrace the melodrama, the secret, the amnesia, the surprise relative, the multiple personality disorder, the rape, the recasting, the coming back from the dead, the love, the murder, and the marriages (!), as we talk about all things soap opera with special guests Natalie Zea and Travis Schuldt. 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 166: The Baby-Sitters Club [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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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]

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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…
Episode 157: Pale Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:27
On this episode, the Literary Disco trio discuss Vladimir Nabokov’s 1962 novel, less popular than Lolita but it is nonetheless complicated, maintains a rabid fan base, and has received a wide variety of interpretations.…