American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Episode 67: Jack London, White Fang (2)

Part two of my look at "White Fang" and we get to see the relationship between modern civilization, law, and violence. Where does kindness and love come from in a world defined by hierarchy and violence?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 45: Small Town

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club, we look at "Small Town". What does this story say about family, urban planning, and suburbia?

Episode 66: Jack London: White Fang (1)

On the surface, White Fang is the opposite of The Call of the Wild, but in many ways J-Lo is dealing with many of the same issues. Join me, the she-wolf, White Fang, and One Eye as we see what it is like to face scarcity and violence.
Or do we already know that thanks to the lessons of capitalism.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 45: James P. Crow

Once again Philip K. DIck takes on segregation and race relations. But is the answer he provides in "James P. Crow" right? I worry that this is a story Richard Spencer can get behind.

Episode 65: Jack London, The Call of the Wild

My comments on Jack London's signature text, The Call of the Wild. Was the original J-Lo talking about dogs, wolves, or us?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 44: Beyond the Door

Part of a series of 1953-1955 short stories exploring marriage by Philip K. Dick. "Beyond the Door" combines a critique of clock time with a critique of the bourgie marriage.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 43: The Golden Man

Dick's first great story of posthumanism and mutants is "The Golden Man." Can humans coexist with Humanity+?

Episode 64: Jack London: John Barleycorn, Second Part

Part two of my overview of Jack London's John Barleycorn. The focus of this episode is the "White Logic" and London's depression.
Four essays by Jack London are also briefly explored.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 42: Jon's World

In "Jon's World," Philip K. Dick wrote a followup to "Second Variety." While the humans one the war, the survivors are put in a position of prefering an alterantive timeline where the war never started, even if it means the end of all they knew.

Episode 63: Jack London: John Barleycorn, First Half

Jack London's brilliant autobiography on alcohol, John Barleycorn, Or Alcoholic Memoirs, is a book about many things, including male socialibility and working class culture. One of my favorite books by London.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 41: The Builder

Philip K. Dick explores the Biblical story of Noah, the suburban family, and post-traumatic stress in his short story "The Builder."

Episode 62: Jack London; Martin Eden (4)

The final episode on Jack London's Martin Eden. What happens when our lonely writer finds success?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 40: The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford

In this episode we examine the Philip K. Dick story "The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford." What does this story tell us abour family? Consumerism? Technology? Work? A silly story on first glance acually has a lot to tell us.

Episode 61: Jack London, Martin Eden (3)

Part three of a series on Jack London's Martin Eden. In this part, we explore Eden's frustrations, his new friendships, and the decline of his romantic life.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 39: The Crystal Crypt

In "The Crystal Crypt", Philip K. Dick explores the arms race and the "spy v. spy" dynamic of the Cold War. But does Dick have more to say about the city and the state?

Episode 60: Jack London; Martin Eden (2)

In this episode I look at the second hundred pages of Jack London's masterpiece Martin Eden. What are the challenges of becoming a writer in the face of the impersonal publishing industry? How does an artist face poverty?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 38: A Present for Pat

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Club we look at "A Present for Pat", cargo cults, and alien gods.

Episode 59: Jack London, Martin Eden (1)

In this episode we meet Martin Eden and the struggles of a working class man to become a published writer.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 37: The Hanging Stranger

We look at "The Hanging Stranger," Philip K. Dick's story of lynching and state power. And it has Lovecraftian creatures in it. What happens when we story accepting the cruelities essential to the systerms we live in?

Episode 58: Jack London: The Iron Heel (2)

In the second part of The Iron Heel, Jack London takes us to the events surrounding the first uprising, or the Chicago Commune. How does the Oligarchy survive this and other threats? How much of London's novel is true to life? Are we facing our own Iron Heel today?

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 36: Project: Earth

Is creation just a failed experiment? Do children hold the key to preserving individualism in an increasingly conformist world? These are some of the questions explored in Philip K. Dick's short story "Project: Earth".

Episode 57: Jack London: The Iron Heel (1)

The first episode of two on Jack London's dystopian novel, The Iron Heel. In this work, London takes on the role of prophet as he predicts what the future of American capiatalism will be. How much of his prediction has come true?

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 35: Some Kinds of Life

Philip K. Dick takes on endless war and consumerism in his allegorical tale "Some Kinds of Life". Are wars for resources ever justifiable? What happens when we start to fight wars to keep up with the most banal consumer technologies.

 

Episode 56: Jack London: The Road

In this episode I explore Jack London's memoirs on his year as a hobo, The Road. This short book is a great introduction into hobo life and the economic depression of the 1890s. 

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 34: Planet for Transients

Does Earth belong to humans, or to the life that comes after us? Philip K. Dick asks this question in his short story "Planet for Transients."

Episode 55: Jack London, The People of the Abyss (2)

Part two of my comments on Jack London's People of the Abyss, with more on his socialism and what it means for his social Darwinism.

Episode 54: Jack London, The People of the Abyss

Once again, a new series. Join me as I explore the worst in human nature with Jack London in London's East End, in The People of the Abyss.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 33: The Impossible Planet

In this episode, Philip K. Dick introduces us to some humans who remember Earth only as a myth. In The Impossible Planet, they try to find Earth to make some quick cash , but who knows what might be out there.
Probably contains spoilers for the upcoming television show episode.

Philip K Dick Book Club: Episode 32: The Trouble with Bubbles

Before Minecraft, before World of Warcarft, Philip K. Dick imagined Worldcraft bubbles. But is it right to destroy these worlds when we build them? Are we in a simluation? If so, so we have a right to life?

Episode 53: John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men

I finish up this phase of John Steinbeck's career with one of his most famous works, Of Mice and Men.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 31: Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams Preview

My opening thoughts on the episodes we can expect to see on Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams. Spoilers for all the stories these episodes have been adapted from are included.
All in all, it looks like a great television series that is remaining true to the stories and the themes of Philip K. Dick.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 30: King of the Elves

Another of Dick's early fantasy stories, "The King of the Elves", might just be his first great work on mental illness.

Episode 52: John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle (2)

Part two of my review of In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 29: The Great C

In "The Great C", Philip K. Dick explores a post-war world where humans sacrifice their young to a super computer. But other than that, it seems like a nice society.

Episode 51: John Steinbeck, In Dubious Battle (1)

John Steinbeck takes on class war in his wonderful novel In Dubious Battle.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 28: Dick's Philosophy of History

Something a little bit different. How did Philip K. Dick see history? Is history eternal return or are we destined for a final frontier?

Episode 50: John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat (2)

Part two of my survey and review of Tortilla Flat. Back in Taiwan!

Episode 49: John Steinbeck, Tortilla Flat (1)

In this episode we meet the paisanos of Montery as we look at Steinbeck's Tortilla Flat.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 27: The Commuter

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club we look at urban planning and suburbia in "The Commuter".

(This story will be adapted in Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams)

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 26: Out in the Garden

My thoughts on "Out in the Garden," one of Dick's earliest essays on the broken American family. It will not be his last. A fun fantasy story.