Bonus Episode - Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution (w/ Sara Marcus)

Bonus Episode - Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution (w/ Sara Marcus)

Author: Thomas Pynchon books discussed here! May 8, 2026 Duration: 1:15:07

In the first of our series of bonus episodes in-between parts 2 and 3 of Against the Day, we talk with Sara Marcus about her 2010 book about the Riot Grrrl movement. We discuss the bands, the music, the zines, and the revolution itself.

If you're looking to hear Riot Grrrl music, I've compiled a playlist (see below) of bands and artists who were either part of the movement or who I feel are carrying the torch of those women into the 21st century. You don't need Tidal to play it; the playlist will open in any streaming platform.

If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.

https://ko-fi.com/mappingthezone

You can also subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts to get early access to our Infinite Jest series as well as any other bonus episodes/series we do down the road (or just to support us!)

If you enjoyed our discussion, please check out the following media that relates to these chapters:

Music: https://tidal.com/playlist/05b96c9e-0a9c-40b2-a200-8e36e5215b29

As always, thanks so much for listening!

Email: ⁠mappingthezonepod@gmail.com⁠

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Show art by Brad Wetzel: @bradspersecond (on IG and Reddit)bradspersecond.com


Dense, sprawling, and endlessly rewarding, the novels of Thomas Pynchon invite the kind of conversation that can last for hours. That’s precisely what you’ll find on Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast. Instead of dry literary analysis, this series offers the lively, sometimes meandering, talk of four dedicated fans unpacking these complex texts together. They approach each book as an adventure, tracing its winding plots, deciphering its historical and pop culture references, and debating the fate of its many peculiar characters. The tone is accessible and enthusiastic, driven by a genuine love for the material rather than an academic agenda. You’re essentially listening in on a great, ongoing book club discussion where the jokes are as welcome as the insights. Whether you’re a seasoned Pynchon veteran looking to compare notes or a curious newcomer daunted by the sheer scale of the work, this podcast provides a companionable guide through the zones of paranoia, coincidence, and profound humanity that define the author’s world. It’s a space where the pleasure of the text is taken seriously, one deep-dive episode at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Mapping the Zone: A Thomas Pynchon discussion podcast
Podcast Episodes
Infinite Jest: "Like Last Time, Only Moreso" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:09:16
Next episode: Pages 410 - 503 (ending at “This was how I first became interested in the possibilities of annulation.”)If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi.…
Bonus Episode - Billy Woods "Hiding Places" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:53
Finally wrapping up our hiatus episodes, Will is back, and he's stirring the pot again. Inside, listeners will find a lyrical brief on billy woods & Kenny Segal's Hiding Places, making this a meaningful step in the evolu…
Bonus Episode - The Franchiser by Stanley Elkin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:54
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Bonus Episode - R.A. Lafferty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:36
On this week's bonus episode, Luke discusses the short stories, novels, and life of R.A. Lafferty. Give it a listen? Yeah, you should.If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a do…
Infinite Jest: "I just need to put the book down and go for a walk" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:43:25
It's a beautifully tragic series of scenes we get with this section of the book. While this is some of the best writing in the novel, thus far, it's also tremendously upsetting and hard to get through. There's still plen…
Slow Learner: Low-lands [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:53
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Against the Day: Part 2 Wrap Up (w/ Brett Biebel) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03:02
It's been nearly a year and a half since we started covering Against the Day and we've finally come to the end of Part 2, Iceland Spar! With us for this wrap-up is friend of the show (and basically the fifth host) Brett…
Infinite Jest: "Mmmyellow?" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:42:31
The story begins to take more shape, the characters are becoming more dynamic, and the world is making as much sense as it can in this section of the book. Join us as we talk about the importance of Marathe's conversatio…
Against the Day: Ch. 30-31 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:44:27
If you like what we're doing and want to support the show, please consider making a donation on Ko-Fi. Funds we receive will be used to upgrade equipment, pay hosting fees, and help make the show better.https://ko-fi.com…
Against the Day: Ch. 29 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:34:37
Time: var. moments of social cavitationLocation: var. locales of New Old Mexico, esp. northernSubject: Quiselgur, El Chavalito "Frank Traverse"Concerns: - rigid and constricted manifolds - succulent flora - turnaboutReco…