American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Episode 10: Philip K. Dick Book Club: Roog

In "Roog," Dick explores the never ending battle between dog and garbage man, or something.

Episode 32: George Schuyler: "Black No More"

An interesting science fiction novel on race and the color line in America. In George Schuyler's Black No More we discover what happens when science provides a solution to the race problem in America.

Episode 9: Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Piper in the Woods

In "The Piper in the Woods", Philip K. Dick explores work and finds it better to rest and watch the pretty alien girls go by.

Episode 31: Langston Hughes: Not Without Laughter (2)

We continue our study of Not Without Laughter, the only novel written by Langston Hughes. This part follows our hero as he transitions from boy to man in the contet of the momentous early 20th century.

Episode 30: Langston Hughes: Not Without Laughter (1)

The first of two episodes on Langston Hughes' sole novel, Not Without Laughter, a coming of age story that is also a celebration of leisure and having a bit of fun with life even when the system is agaisnt you.

Episode 8: Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Eyes Have It

In this episode we explore how Dick played with the role of figurative language in science fiction. The lesson: it may sometimes be best to assume the literal.

Episode 29: Wallace Thurman: The Blacker the Berry

In this episode we study Wallace Thurman's novel The Blacker the Berry. It is a nice counterpoint to Plum Bun.

Episode 7: Philip K. Dick Book Club: Mr. Spaceship

Dick explores the final frontier of space and the mind in this beautiful celebration of exploration and human rebirth. Join me for an examination of "Mr. Spaceship."

Episode 28: Jessie Redmon Fauset: Plum Bun (3)

Final episode on Jessie Redmon Fauset's Plum Bun.

Episode 6: Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Defenders

What happens when the machines we build to serve us learn to lie? Find out today in this episode of The Philip K. Dick Book Club as we explore "The Defenders."

 

Episode 27: Jessie Redmon Fauset: Plum Bun (2)

Part two of Jessie Redmon Fauset's novel Plum Bun. This part focuses on the limitations of passing in urban America.

Episode 5: Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Little Movement

In this episode, the toys attack. Examine Dick's version of Toy Story in "The Little Movement."

Episode 26: Jessie Redmon Fauset: Plum Bun (1)

Part one of a three part series on Jessie Redmon Fauset's novel Plum Bun, the classic Harlem Renaissance novel about passing.

Episode 4: Philip K. Dick Book Club: The Skull

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club, we look at the 1952 story, "The Skull." In it, the origins of a new religion is explained through time travel. And maybe, it works to explain how another religious leader could appear after his untimely death.

Episode 25: The Harlem Renaissance: Nella Larsen, Quicksand.

In this episode we will look at all of Nella Larsen's Quicksand, a novel about a young woman maturing in a biracial and international context. 

Episode 3: Philip K. Dick Book Club: "The Gun"

Philip K. Dick's second published story, "The Gun" explores the questions of knowledge, lost civilizations, and automation. It is Dick's first published commentary on the problem of automation, a theme he will thoroughly explore throughout the 1950s.

Episode 2: Philip K. Dick Book Club: Beyond Lies the Wub

Episode 2 of the Philip K. Dick Book Club looks at Dick's first publishes story, "Beyond Lies the Wub", a story of fate, self-sacrifice, and the transmigration of the soul....and a pig.

Episode 24: Harlem Renaissance: Claude McKay: Home to Harlem (2)

Part 2 on Claude McKay's novel Home to Harlem. Some great material on urban culture, mobility, railroad work, and love.