American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

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.

Episode 48: John Steinbeck, To a God Unknown (2)

Part two of my reading of "To a God Unknown," an underappreciated novel by John Steinbeck. Let me know what you thought of this novel, if any of you have read it.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 25: The Cosmic Poachers

And we are back to looking at Dick's early short stories. In this episode on "The Cosmic Poachers", we get an alien tale with the most banal invasion strategy.

Episode 47: John Steinbeck, To a God Unknown (1)

In this episode we take a look at the quitessential American rural mystic in John Steinbeck's underappreciated To a God Unknown.

Philip K. Dick Book club: Episode 24.6: Solar Lottery, Part 6

In this final episode on Philip K. Dick's Solar Lottery, I take a closer look at some of the themes of the novel and give my final thoughts. Thanks for listening to this series. It has been fun getting into one of Dick's most thematically rich novels.

Philip K. Dick Book club: Episode 24.5: Solar Lottery, Part 5

In this episode, we finish up with the chapter summaries for Solar Lottery. What will happen to this world when the crisis passes? Dick does not give us easy answers (or really any answers). Like the frontier, the future is unwritten.

Philip K. Dick Book club: Episode 24.4: Solar Lottery, Part 4

I am back from the USA! Thanks for waiting. Here is the next part on Solar Lottery. It is a very action and plot-heavy section, but still has some great Philip K. Dick themes to explore.

Episode 46: John Steinbeck, Pastures of Heaven (2)

In this episode, I look at the second half of John Steinbeck's Pastures of Heaven. Sorry for the delays in publishing these episodes. I am enjoying my summer in Wisconsin. Things will get more regular when I get back to Taiwan.

Philip K. Dick Book club: Episode 24.3: Solar Lottery, Part 3

Part three of Philip K. Dick's Solar Lottery.

Philip K. Dick Book club: Episode 24.2: Solar Lottery, Part 2

Part two (Chapter 4-6) of Philp K. Dick's Solar Lottery. In a  world based on randomness, anything can happen.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 24.1: Solar Lottery, Part 1

And we come to Dick's first novel, Solar Lottery. In this episode we will look at the first three chapters of the book, which does a lot to set up the setting and the world.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 23: The Indefatigable Frog

Philip K. Dick takes on Zeno's paradox in "The Indegatigable Frog".

Episode 45: John Steinbeck, Pastures of Heaven (1)`

In this episode we start a new series on John Steinbeck, beginning with his novel of short stories The Pastures of Heaven.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 22: The Variable Man

In this episode of the Philip K. Dick Book Club we take on one of my favorite early Dick stories (novella to be honest), "The Variable Man".
(I mention that Hollywood never took on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, but I was wrote. There was a 1944 adaptation. I stand by that my claim that this could make a good movie if revisted.)
Let me know what you think? Does "The Variable Man" deserve more love?

Episode 44: Thomas Paine: Age of Reason (2)

In this episode we say goodbye to my favorite founder, Thomas Paine, as we look at the second part of Age of Reason. Next up....John Steinbeck.

Philip K. Dick Book Club: Episode 21: Expendable

What happens when the bugs decide to do us in? What if the real ancient old ones are insects? Find out in episode of the Philip K. Dick Book as we look at "Expendable".

Episode 43: Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason (1)

In this episode, we begin to close the book on Thomas Paine with the work that may be his most infamous or his most enduring, The Age of Reason.