Episode 204: Horror

Episode 204: Horror

Author: Literary Disco August 23, 2022 Duration: 1:41:42
Today, on Literary Disco, we continue our genre-based season. Each episode of this season, we're diving deep into a particular literary genre, exploring what defines it, what makes it work or not work, interviewing authors, talking to fans, scholars, whomever can help us unlock what it is that makes a genre a genre. And with this, our third episode, we grab a flashlight, head into the dark woods to that house on the hill or just maybe the closet in our own room to creep around the corners, waiting for the tingling sensation in the back of our necks. And we try to find what's in the darkness as we confront the genre of horror. This episode's special guests include Jeff Jerome, Curator Emeritus of the Poe House and Museum; Susan Scarf Merrell, author of Shirley based on the life of Shirley Jackson; and novelist and screenwriter C. Robert Cargill, who wrote the films Sinister, Doctor Strange, and The Black Phone. 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 175: Weather [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:02
Today, with another short break from Middlemarch, Julia, Rider, and Tod talk about Jenny Offill's latest novel Weather. They also discuss the beauty of the "bidet life" and the adjustment of fearing everything. This week…
Episode 174: Middlemarch, Book 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:48
The return of Literary Disco! Today, we continue our march through Middlemarch as we read the George Eliot classic and book five, The Dead Hand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 173: Bookshelf Revisit, Summer 2020 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:06
This week, Julia, Rider, and Tod do an old-fashion bookshelf revisit where each of them take a volume for their shelves and bring it up for discussion. Julia's pick: The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel Rider's pi…
Episode 172: Middlemarch, Book 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:45
This week is part four of our #Quarantine read of George Eliot's long and intimidating classic novel from the nineteenth century, Middlemarch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Choose Your Own Houdini [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:22
Today, in another departure from our Middlemarch read, we will read one of the new Choose Your Own Adventure books, which unlike the beloved books from the 80s, the new Choose Your Own Adventure novels are based on the l…
Episode 171: Middlemarch, Book 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:05
This week is part three of our #Quarantine read of George Eliot's long and intimidating classic novel from the nineteenth century, Middlemarch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Quick Poems for Quarantine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:36
On today's episode, as a quick respite from our reading of Middlemarch, Julia, Rider, and Tod each present a poem to discuss. Julia presents "The Mower" by Philip Larkin; Rider presents "No worst, there is none" by Gerar…
Episode 169: Middlemarch, Book Two [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:30
This week is part two of our #Quarantine read of George Eliot's long and intimidating classic novel from the nineteenth century, Middlemarch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Episode 168: Murder Most Foul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:31
Bob Dylan released something new during the pandemic: Murder Most Foul, a seventeen-minute long song that begins with John F. Kennedy's assassination. This week, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss the lyrics, Dylan in general…
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…