Episodes
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
The Harry Houdini Book Club: Episode 1: Under the Pyramids
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
In this episode, I look at a short story by Harry Houdini (ghost written by H. P. Lovecraft) called "Under the Pyramids". It is a beautiful story of the exploration into deep history even if the scare at the end is fairly typical of its writer. Narrated by Houdini, the "was it all a dream" suggestion has a bit more punch.
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Episode415: James Agee: Agee on Film (5)
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
In this episode we finish up with Agee's film reviews for TIME. Overall, I think they are worth reading in the context of re-exploring some of the films of the 1940s.
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 27: The Sonia Greene revisions
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
Lovecraft revised a couple of interesting stories by Sonia Greene, his future wife. While we can identify a few Lovecraftian themes Sonia Greene brings her how thoughts to these tales.
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
Episode414:James Agee: Agee on Film (4)
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020
In this episode I finish looking at Agee's NATION reviews and then jump into some he wrote for TIME. In 1948 Agee stopped writing film reviews for both publications.
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
In this episode I look at three of Lovecraft's revisions with Winifred Jackson and Anna Helen Crofts ("The Green Meadow", "The Crawling Chaos", and "Poetry and the Gods"). They are all interesting tales. The first two were mostly written by HPL. "Poetry and the Gods" was more of a true revision.
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Episode 413: James Agee: Agee on Film (3)
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Part three of my review of James Agee's film reviews get us through some more of THE NATION reviews, including his review of MONSIEUR VERDOUX, the Chaplin classic.
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 25: The Shunned House
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
Another one of my favorite Lovecraft stories, "The Shunned House" is a study in local history and mythology. Some of his best writing legacy of family histories.
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
Episode 412: James Agee: Agee on Film (2)
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
Sunday Aug 16, 2020
More of James Agee's reviews from THE NATION, mostly of films from 1944 and 1945.
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 24: The Festival
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Thursday Aug 13, 2020
Another dive into family history, occult traditions, and the sea in "The Festival" by H.P. Lovecraft, but maybe most interesting about this story is the exploration of Kingsport's antiquarian architectures.
Wednesday Aug 12, 2020
Wednesday Aug 12, 2020
In this episode I start my look at the works of James Agee. Before jumping into his collaboration with Walker Evans, let's check out his film writings. This episode covers the first year or so of his work with THE NATION.
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Two episodes packed into one as I finish up looking at THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE by John Kenneth Galbraith. Next up James Agee's journalism and film reviews.
Monday Aug 10, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 23: The Rats in the Wall
Monday Aug 10, 2020
Monday Aug 10, 2020
"The Rats in the Wall" is a story by H. P. Lovecraft about a trans-Atlantic family and its history (kind of like "The Lurking Fear" in a way). It also follows the method of archeology going deep into British history.
Friday Aug 07, 2020
H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 22: The Lurking Fear
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Friday Aug 07, 2020
One of my favorite Lovecraft stories, "The Lurking Fear" explores heredity, immigration, American history, and race all in the form of an interesting mystery tale.
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Episode 408:John Kenneth Galbraith: Thew New Industrial State (2)
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Friday Aug 07, 2020
Part two of my review of THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE by John Kenneth Galbraith. Here he digs deep into the workings of the "technostructure" and makes an interesting contrast with planning in the socialist states of the time.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 3: Episode 21: The Hound
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Another interesting story by H. P. Lovecraft, "The Hound" is about art and its impact on searchers who become grave-robbers to satisfy their curiosity.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Episode 407:John Kenneth Galbraith: The New Industrial State (1)
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
The U.S. economy is planned. But don't take my word for it. John Kenneth Galbraith laid it all out in THE NEW INDUSTRIAL STATE. Here are my thoughts on the first 100 pages of that book.