Poet Diane Mehta joins us to discuss Dante's Inferno translated by Ciaran Carson. We talk about our guest's ongoing Dante project, the multiple levels the text works on, and how, in the Florentine's view, the greatest sins stem from a lack of love. We recently launched a Patreon featuring two exclusive bonus episodes a month! Check out our three patron tiers (Minor Work, Instant Classic, and Magnus Opus) here . And be sure to grab Tiny Extravaganzas (we especially love "Shredder") and read more ...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Returning guest Michael Barron joins us to discuss Roberto Bolaño's "curio" published near the end of his life. We talk about Bolaño's universe, his unromantic youth, and why this is the only book that doesn't embarrass him. To hear the full episode, head over to our Patreon page and subscribe: patreon.com/user?u=84429384
Dec 08, 2023•4 min•Season 2Ep. 15
In this taster for the Patreon, Dylan and Kassia compete to draft their four favorite books covered on the show thus far. If you're interested in more lighthearted episodes like this, please consider trying out a subscription here: patreon.com/user?u=84429384
Dec 05, 2023•26 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Writer Esther Allen joins us to discuss her translation of Antonio di Benedetto's Zama, an Argentine existential novel originally published 1956. We discuss the intricacies of translation, the author's repudiation of the idea of a historical novel, and Lucrecia Martel's 2017 film adaptation of the story. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to read the book (and watch the movie) before tuning in. References: Burton Pike The Man Without Qualities by Robert Musil Jorge Luis Borges Julio Cor...
Nov 28, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Writer and editor Michael Barron joins us to share this short story collection from Julio Ramón Ribeyro. We discuss issues of class, the stereotyping of Latin American literature, and what it means to be "speechless." This book is one to be shared. Pass it on. Read more about our guest's work here . References: Alejandro Zambra Gabriel García Márquez Jorge Luis Borges Franz Kafka Julio Cortázar Mario Vargas Llosa The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa Katherine Silver Calvin and Hobbes Tár ...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Author James Kelman joins us to discuss James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, originally published in 1824. It tells the story of a staunch Calvininst who is lured into a killing spree by a mysterious, shapeshifting being. We discuss the novel's unusual structure, moral ambiguity, and mixture of genres. Kelman offers historical insight into the book's philospophy and places the work in a modern, international context. References: Andre Gide Franz Kafka The Journ...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Writer and scholar Sheridan Hay joins us to discuss The Other House by Henry James. An unusual work for the author in that it contains his only murder, we analyze the novel's theatrical inspiration, bizarre tone, and gruesome climax. Please be wary as we wound up spoiling this one earlier than we normally do. Find us on Twitter or Instagram , and click here to view our most up-to-date episode schedule....
Oct 17, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Writer and critic Patrick Preziosi joins us to discuss Cesare Pavese's The Moon and the Bonfires, translated from Italian by R. W. Flint. The story features a nameless narrator who returns to his native Italy from America in the wake of World War II. We talk about the ghosts of the past, the cyclical nature of violence, and the innate desire to find one's home. Be sure to follow Patrick on Twitter here . References: Jean-Marie Straub and Daniele Huillet Natalia Ginzburg Family Lexicon A Private ...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Musician and author John Darnielle joins us to discuss A House and Its Head by Ivy Compton-Burnett, a wickedly funny novel first published in 1935. We talk about how Compton-Burnett's family background did or did not shape her style, explore the influence of Greek drama on her approach to narrative, and try to understand why we find her characters' conversations about horrific acts so hilarious. Pre-order the new Mountain Goats album and check our their tour dates here . References: The Life of ...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Washington Post books editor John Williams joins us to discuss... John Williams' Butcher's Crossing, orginally published in 1960. The story, set in the 1870s, follows a Harvard dropout as he attempts to find a truer version of himself in the West. We talk about the book's challenge to Emersonian transcendentalism, American rapaciousness, and Western archetypes. (And worry not, we don't play the theme to Star Wars.) References: Stoner William Maxwell Henry James Jean-Patrick Manchette Eve Babitz ...
Sep 05, 2023•56 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Writer and poet Vivek Narayanan joins us to discuss L. P. Hartley's The Go-Between. We talk about how Hartley, in this novel about a schoolboy's loss of innocence at the turn of the 20th century, explores childhood guilt and dramatizes the act of memory. Follow Vivek on Twitter , and find out more about his work here. References: Ali Smith Valmiki Virginia Woolf The Boat Eustace and Hilda Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov Fredoon Kabraji Lagaan The Ashes The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Fin...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Kim McNeill joins us to dicuss Thus Were Their Faces, a collection of short stories written by Silvina Ocampo and translated from Spanish by Daniel Balderston. We explore Ocampo's various renditions of cruelty, trace themes and motifs across her career, and use the F-word (feminism). Follow along with Kim's splendid #NYRBWomen23 project here . References: The Levant Trilogy by Olivia Manning The Tale of Genji Pilgrimage by Dorothy Richardson A Chill in the Air by Iris Origo More Was Lost by Elea...
Aug 08, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Writer Valerie Stivers joins us to discuss Elizabeth David's Summer Cooking. Originally published in 1955, this cookbook celebrates the fleeting freshness and enduring joy of the summer season. We seek the origins of David's refreshing approach to cooking, ponder the uses of food photography, and learn how Valerie's David-inspired menu came together. Find all of our guest's Paris Review columns here , and read her reviews for Compact Magazine here . References: Nikolai Gogol Richard Brautigan Wr...
Jul 25, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 4
NYRB publicist Nick During joins us to discuss Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village by Ronald Blythe, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 100. We talk about the tricky business of categorization, the tension between work and vocation, and the nature of agricultural society. Massive thank you to John Hoekstra, who composed our theme music. References: BookCourt Edwin Frank Word from Wormingford The View in Winter John Piper Shell Guides John Nash Cedric Morris Charfield Studs Ter...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 3
Writer Chris Lee joins us to discuss An African in Greenland written by Tété-Michel Kpomassie and translated from French by James Kirkup. The book follows a young man's dream to reach the Arctic. We investigate some tropes of travel literature, find surprising links between Togolese and Greenlandic culture, and thirst for some reindeer coffee. References: "A Year of Reading the World" by Ann Morgan Lynn Davis Tennessee Williams BBC Interview Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon The NYRB Classics Book ...
Jun 27, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Librarian, author, and critic Nancy Pearl joins us to discuss May Sinclair's Mary Olivier: A Life, originally published in 1919. We talk controlling mothers, Victorian roles, and the mysterious passage of time. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to read the book before tuning in. References: Virago Modern Classics The Little Review Ulysses by James Joyce Told by an Idiot by Rose Macaulay Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot Pride and Prejudice by Jane Aust...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Edwin Frank, editorial director of the NYRB Classics, joins us to discuss the evolution of the series. We learn how the books are selected, how the project has grown, and whether or not there was a secret plan all along. Endless thanks to John Hoekstra, who composed our theme music. References: The Iliad and the Odyssey adapted by Jane Werner Watson and illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit The Reader's Catalog J. R. Ackerley Alberto Mor...
May 30, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Historian Antony Beevor joins us to discuss Stalingrad written by Vasily Grossman and translated from Russian by Robert and Elizabeth Chandler. We talk about Grossman's observational powers, the boundaries between history and literature, and the context surrounding the book's narrative. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to wait until they've read the book to tune in. Read more about our guest's work here . References: A Writer at War Luba Vinogradova Christopher MacLehose Andrew Nurnbe...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Film critic Farran Smith Nehme joins us to discuss In a Lonely Place written by Dorothy B. Hughes and adapted into a movie by Nicholas Ray. We talk about the book's unique approach to suspense, the film's relocation of the characters from the margins of Hollywood to the center, and some of our guest's favorite noirs. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to wait until they've read the book (and watched the movie) to tune in. Check out Farran's Sight and Sound list here . As promised, you c...
May 02, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Scholar José Vergara joins the show to talk about A School for Fools written by Sasha Sokolov and translated from Russian by Alexander Boguslawski. Enroll in a fabulous world where the dead are alive, language changes forms, minds split, and love flowers. Read our guest's article on A School for Fools here and more about his work here . References: All Future Plunges to the Past James Joyce J. D. Salinger Between Dog and Wolf Astrophobia Martina Napolitano Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman Vasily Ak...
Apr 18, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Writer Ana Gavrilovska joins us to talk about Turtle Diary written by Russell Hoban. We discuss middle age, loneliness, romance, Godlessness, and, of course, the symbolic resonance of turtles. References: Ninotchka Pagliacci Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins I Heart Huckabees The Swimmer King Kong To purchase books covered on the show, please visit our digital bookshop at https://bookshop.org/shop/unburiedbooks. Buying them here helps to support the podcast....
Apr 04, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Critic and journalist Adam Morgan joins us to talk about In the Cafe of Lost Youth written by Patrick Modiano and translated by Chris Clarke. We discuss the title's double meaning, recall the joys and sorrows of our own nocturnal wanderings, and nominate this book for sexiest NYRB Classic of all time. Also, we owe a massive thank you to John Hoekstra for composing our new theme music. Read more about Adam Morgan's work here: https://adam-stephen-morgan.com/ References: When Harry Met Sally Julie...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Dylan and Kassia unpack Stefan Zweig's Chess Story translated from German by Joel Rotenberg. They toy with some chess pieces, discuss the psychological effects of fascism, and heap praise on this thrilling novella. References: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Milgram experiment How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It by Arthur Herman Marquis de Wavrin One Way Passage History Is Made at Night Let Them...
Mar 07, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this bonus episode, we explain how the podcast got started, detail our plan to tackle the collection, and describe our personal taste in books. Once Kassia started listing her favorite NYRB books it was impossible to get her to stop. Hopefully the run of this podcast will be equally protracted. References: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville Villette by Charlotte Bronte The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Dante Homer The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien Ivy Compton-Burnett: A Memoir by Cicely Grei...
Feb 28, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Writer and artist Joshua Jones joins us to discuss Peter Handke's Short Letter, Long Farewell. We disassemble the machinery of American mythmaking, drift through the empty avenues of modern alienation, and wonder why Europeans are so weird about the Land of the Free. If you're anti-spoiler, we recommend saving this episode until you've had a chance to read the book. More about our guest: Joshua Jones is a queer, autistic writer and artist from South Wales, now residing in Cardiff. He is the Dire...
Feb 21, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Translator and poet Canaan Morse joins us to discuss his translation of Peach Blossom Paradise, a Chinese historical novel written by Ge Fei. In this conversation, we unpack the book's relationship to utopia, revolution, and Communist history. We also learn more about Canaan's background and the publication process at NYRB Classics. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to wait until they've read the book to tune in. Books and authors (and songs!) mentioned: The Invisibility Cloak Mo Yan K...
Feb 07, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Writer and translator Alina Stefanescu joins us to discuss An Ermine in Czernopol, a humorous and deadly serious novel written by Gregor von Rezzori and translated by Philip Boehm. In this multilayered discussion, we seek the ghosts of Chernivtsi, a city in present-day Ukraine, and probe the meaning of honor and belonging in light of creeping fascism and anti-Semitism. Listeners unfamiliar with the plot may want to wait until they've read the book to tune in. Learn more about Alina's work at htt...
Jan 24, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Writer and critic Vivian Gornick joins us to discuss My Father and Myself, a memoir written by J. R. Ackerley. We explore the mysteries of family life, the search for "the Ideal Friend" and the ethics of writing about relatives.
Jan 10, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 4
This week we discuss Sylvia Townsend Warner's Lolly Willowes. The illustrious Simon Thomas, our first-ever guest, helps us understand how the 1920s trend for the fantastic helped produce this weird, wonderful book about a spinster aunt who sells her soul to Satan. But is it satire? And is it really a feminist manifesto? We tackle these and other pertinent questions while having a laugh along the way. Butter your villager-shaped scones, sit back and enjoy the broomstick ride.
Dec 27, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Attention, students! Today's lesson will cover Jakob von Gunten, a book that purports to be the diary of a pupil at a mysterious school for servants. It was written by Swiss flaneur Robert Walser, a man with an episodic life if there ever was one. Don your wool coat and prepare to discuss Nietszche! But whatever you do, don't mention Kafka.
Dec 13, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 2
