Episodes

  • Our Biggest GREEN FLAGS in Books!

    Our Biggest GREEN FLAGS in Books!
    Nov 22 2024
    A few we episodes ago, we discussed the things in books (and the book community) that give us pause, and make us shy away from certain books. Today, we're going to be covering our GREEN FLAGS in books...the things that when we see it, we get excited about, or become inclined to pick up and read. As always, please share YOUR green flags down below! Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/lifeonbooks Books mentioned in this episode The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... or https://amzn.to/4g280et The Tunnel By William H. Gass https://amzn.to/48YmiKF Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... Or https://amzn.to/3Zhs5HS Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Or https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Every Arc Bends is Radian by Sergio De La Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781668... Or https://amzn.to/4eH43dR Why This World by Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Or https://amzn.to/4fUTPaT Omensetter’s Luck by William H. Gass https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780141... Or https://amzn.to/3AIm2D1 Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Or https://amzn.to/3OkDZL2 The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati (AKA The Stronghold) https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781841... Or https://amzn.to/4eGcVAG Fulgentius by Cesar Aira https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Or https://amzn.to/3CxTBYL Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Or https://amzn.to/4fCY0sc Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... Or https://amzn.to/3B5zalw Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781646... Or https://amzn.to/3OjzekH The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... Or https://amzn.to/3Zh01nY Pay as you Go by Eskor David Johnson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... Or https://amzn.to/4fBWhDz Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Or https://amzn.to/4fy8GrY The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel
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    57 mins
  • The Books that Radicalized Us

    The Books that Radicalized Us
    Nov 15 2024
    Books and politics go hand in hand, while there may be some apolitical reads out there, they are probably not the majority. So today we're talking about how the books we've read have shaped our world view, and oh what a crazy world it is. Books mentioned in this episode: Libra by Don DeLillo https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Pearl by John Steinbeck https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... Marshland by Otohiko Kaga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... A Naked Singularity Sergio De La Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780226... Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780805... The Dying Grass William T. Vollman https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780786... Human Acts by Han Kang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781101... The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781541... Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... In the Spirit of Crazy Horse by Peter Matthiesson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... JFK and the Unspeakable https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The Deluge by Stephen Markley https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781982... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram: / alifeonbooks Follow Andy on Instagram / metafictional.meathead This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • Is Lonesome Dove Overrated?

    Is Lonesome Dove Overrated?
    Nov 8 2024
    It's one of the most famous novels of all time, beloved by all different kinds of readers. Some describe it as "The Great American Novel" while others say it's the greatest western ever written, so on this episode of the Life on Books podcast, we tackle the topic of Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, and weigh on what we think of the book, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Join our Patreon and become part of our amazing community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Why this World by Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Tunnel by WIlliam H. Gass https://amzn.to/48IPPrO Song of Solmon by Toni Morrison https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781400... China Dream by Ma Jian https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781640... Marshalnd by Otohiko Kaga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... Inherent Vice Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram: / alifeonbooks Follow Andy on Instagram / metafictional.meathead This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk
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    55 mins
  • The Biggest RED FLAGS in Books & The Book Community

    The Biggest RED FLAGS in Books & The Book Community
    Nov 1 2024
    We all have our preferences when it comes to books, so today Andy and I are going over our biggest red flags in books, and what is usually a big turnoff for us when choosing what to read. We also take some time to discuss things we don't like about the book community in general. We would love to know what your biggest red flags are in a book, so make sure to let us know down below! Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Books mentioned in this episode: Against the Day Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The Princess of 72nd Street Elaine Kraf https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780593... Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Hour of the Star Clarice Lispector https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Breath of Life Clarice Lispector https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Why This World Benjamin Moser https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Same Bed Different Dreams Ed Park https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... Gravity’s Rainbow Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Babel RF Kuang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780063... Yellowface RF Kuang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780063... The White Tiger Aravid Adiga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781416... War & Peace Leo Tolstoy https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780199... Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780679... Moby Dick Herman Melville https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram: / alifeonbooks Follow Andy on Instagram / metafictional.meathead This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Are These the Best Books from Latin America?

    Are These the Best Books from Latin America?
    Oct 25 2024
    Two years ago I decided that I hadn't read enough books from countries outside of the US, so I embarked on a journey of reading one book from every country. The journey has been slow as I am not solely focusing on this project. I've made some great progress in Europe and Asia, but Latin America has been a bit of a weak spot for me. Andy has read a few more books from the South American region, so today we are discussing some of the works we've read from these countries, what we think of them. Books mentioned in this episode Against the day Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Lonesome dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... The invented part Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940... Melville Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781960... Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Human Acts Han Kang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781101... Septology Jon Fosse https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781945... Enter the Aardvark Jessica Anthony https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... Troll Dave Fitzgerald https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... Jorge Luis Borges Collected Fictions https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Jewish Son Daniel Guebel https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781644... The Seven Madmen and the Flamethrowers Roberto Arlt https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Fever Dream Samanta Schweblin https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780399... Prisoner without a name cell without a number Jacobo Timerman https://amzn.to/4fj2Vhf The Absolute Daniel Guebel https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781644... Gessel Dome Guillermo Saccomanno https://amzn.to/48kJNNC Beka Lamb On heros lizards and passion Zoil A Ellis https://amzn.to/3NJdcYc When Rains became floods Lurgio Gavilan Sanchez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780822... Affections Rodrigo Hasbun https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781501... Juan de la Rosa Nataniel Aguirre https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780195... The posthumous memoirs of Bras Cubas https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... The taker and other stories Rubem Fonesca https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781934... The Alchemist Paulo Coelho https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780062... By night in Chile Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... Antwerp Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781250... The savage detectives Roberto Bolaño https://amzn.to/40fmVxb 2666 Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... The obscene bird of night Jose Donoso https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... One Hundred years of solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780060... Love in the time of cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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    54 mins
  • Our Favorite LONG Books

    Our Favorite LONG Books
    Oct 18 2024
    We've talked about our favorite short books...we've talked about our favorite medium length books...now it's time to talk about our favorite LONG books. Today we're discussing great books that are 600+ pages. These aren't necessarily our all time favorite long books, as there is some overlap with the books that make our all time favorite books list in general, but these are long books that we really enjoyed, and highly recommend! Books mentioned in the episode: Lonesome dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... Against the day Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Waiting for the fear Oguz Atay https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... Infinite jest David foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316... The Message Ta-Nehisi Coates https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780593... Between the world and me Ta-Nehisi Coates https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... Gravity’s Rainbow Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... JR William Gaddis https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... Naked singularity Sergio De la Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780226... You bright and Risen angels William T. Vollmann https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Tunnel William H. Gass https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... The Dying Grass William T. Vollmann https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Europe Central William T. Vollmann https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... The Sun also rises Ernest Hemingway https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781957... Marshland Otohiko Kaga https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781628... The Forty Days of Musa Dagh Franz Werfel https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781567... The Rape of Nanking Iris Chang https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780465... Too much life Clarice: The Complete Cronicas Lispector https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... In the spirit of crazy horse Peter Matthiessen https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140... Shadow Country Peter Matthiessen https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780812... The instructions Adam Levin https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952... If this is a man Primo Levi https://amzn.to/3NsDfTH The anarchist who shared my name Pablo Martin Sanchez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781941... Hard rain falling Don Carpenter https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... Omensetter’s Luck William H. Gass https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780141... Pictures showing what happens on each page of Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow Zach Smith Shogun James Clavell https://amzn.to/4hp4BIb Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Books To Read Before We Die

    Books To Read Before We Die
    Oct 11 2024

    We are in Q4 of 2024, and today we're talking about our "10 before the end", which are the 10 books (5 each), that we'd like to read before the end of the year. What are some books you'd like to read before the end of the year? Also, don't forget, our Patreon is now live and quickly growing! Come be a part of our awesome community where we talk books and have additional content for you to dive into! www.patreon.com/lifeonbooks Books mentioned in this episode Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143112563 Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143117568 Bleeding Edge by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143125754 Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143039945 Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312423209 Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439195260 Waiting for the Fear by Oguz Atay https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681377964 Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316066525 Wild Horses by Jordi Cussa https://amzn.to/3zVrW30 At Night He Lifts Weights by Kang Young-Sook https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781945492709 Rina by Kang Young-Sook https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781960385086 The Museum of Eterna’s Novel (The First Good Novel) by Macedonio Fernandez https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781934824061 I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Ka lani Pickhart https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781953387301 The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa https://amzn.to/3BFRMss Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312427252 V by Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780060930219 The Logos by Mark DeSilva https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781919639826 A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780226141794 The Recognitions by William Gaddis https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681374666 Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802145314 The Sympathizer by Viet Than Nguyen https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802124944 Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312427740 Dispatches by Michael Herr https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780679735250 Meditations in Green by Stephen Wright https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780316427289 The Invented Part by Rodrigo Fresan https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781940953564 The Tunnel by William H. Gass Lesser Ruins by Mark Haber https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781566897198 Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alifeonbooks/ Follow Andy on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/metafictional.meathead/ This video was created with: Sony A7IV https://amzn.to/3WGit8i Sigma 24-70 https://amzn.to/3yjDPis Aputure 300X https://amzn.to/4fnxwv0 Aputure Light Dome https://amzn.to/3WptlGk Rode Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3YpavBW Shure SM7B https://amzn.to/46vyQbk #books #bookpodcast #literature

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    52 mins
  • What is Postmodern Literature and Should You Read It?

    What is Postmodern Literature and Should You Read It?
    Sep 27 2024
    Few philosophical or artistic movements have been debated quite like postmodernism, yet despite the ongoing debate about what postmodernism really is, the phrase was probably one most weren't familiar with until public figures like Jordan Peterson warned everyone about the "postmodern neo-marxists!" Some people seem to think that postmodern writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Thomas Pynchon, and David Foster Wallace are brilliant writers and thinkers, while others have called their books sophomoric, juvenile, or just plain nonsensical. In today's episode we are joined by our friend Seth aka WASTE Mailing List on social media, who is, in our opinion, one of the most interesting figures on book social, having read some extremely experimental works of some of the most progressive writers, as well as put together some of the most in depth reviews of those works. Together we attempt to answer the question "what is postmodern literature?" You can follow Seth on social media at: / @wastemailinglist726 / wastemailinglist Here are the books mentioned in today's episode: The Crying of Lot 49 Thomas Pynchon https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780060... The Voyeur’s Motel Gay Talese https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802... 12 Rules for Life Jordan Peterson Eden Eden Eden Pierre Guyotat https://amzn.to/3BoHf4L The Ticket that Exploded William Burroughs https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802... New Selected Poems and Translations Ezra Pound https://amzn.to/47MW9xY The Pound Era Hugh Kenner https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780520... Herscht 07769 Laszlo Krasznahorkai https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Dying Grass William T. Vollmann https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Butcher’s Crossing John Williams https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781590... My Search for Warren Harding Robert Plunket https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... The Red Handler Johan Harstad https://amzn.to/3N2AU1m Lemon Kwon Yeo-Sun https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781635... In a Lonely Place Dorothy B. Hughes https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... Che Jon Lee Anderson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780802... White Noise Don Delillo https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143... Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781439... Ulysses James Joyce https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9798880... The Wasteland T.S. Eliot https://amzn.to/3N50oLH The Cantos of Ezra Pound https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811... Finnegan’s Wake James Joyce https://amzn.to/3TLpB1c The Making of Americans Gertrude Stein https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781087... The Human Age Wyndham Lewis https://amzn.to/47H9rMk The Maximus Poems Charles Olson https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780520... Postmodernist Fiction Brian Mchale https://amzn.to/3XWPZb8 2666 Roberto Bolaño https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312... JR William Gaddis https://bookshop.org/a/103053/9781681... Become part of our growing book community! patreon.com/LifeonBooks Join the Life on Books mailing list to stay up to date on all of our latest book giveaways, projects, and more! https://linktw.in/BRYAnVh Want to read one book from every country? Check out our resource online: https://linktw.in/Zeolty Want to know my all time favorite books? Click the link below! https://bookshop.org/shop/lifeonbooks Follow me on Instagram:
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    1 hr and 47 mins