The Infinite Library
A podcast about books, mortality, and what to do with your limited time with both. Hosted by John and Ben, the show explores literature and our relationship with death, offering thoughtful reflections on how to live meaningfully through reading. Each episode likely delves into books and the existential questions they raise.
Episodes
Episode 74 - "Vox" by Nicholson Baker
Sex? Yes please!We close out our summer season with a swinging, sexually-charged discussion of Nicholson Baker's "Vox".
Episode 73 - "The Tunnel" by William Gass, part 4
Sorry this one's a little late! We finish out our series on "The Tunnel" by William Gass!
Episode 72 - "Max Havelaar, or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company" by Multatuli
This week John and Ben discuss what might be greatest novel in the history of the very silly Dutch language: "Max Havelaar, or, the Coffee Auctions of the Dutch Trading Company" by Multatuli. Topics of conversation include the absurd structures of colonial administration, the origins of Indonesian statehood, and books no one in the English speaking world have heard of that changed the wo
Episode 71 - "The Tunnel" by William Gass, Part 3
We're back in the Tunnel! This week, we discuss how Gass does and does not make his characters sympathetic, how Kohler would be as a professor, and a major twist in the story!
Episode 70 - "Possession" by AS Byatt
This week we're discussing "Possession" by AS Byatt. Topics of conversation include literary pastiche, the pleasures and perils of genre, and The Middlebrow.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 69 (nice) - "The Tunnel" by William Gass, part 2
Somehow we didn't even notice that this was Episode 69 while we were recording. We sincerely apologize to our listeners for the lack of 69-related bits.We hope that, despite our oversight, you enjoy Part 2 of our series on "The Tunnel" by William Gass.
Bonus Episode #10 - "The Odyssey" (2026)
John and Ben get topical and talk about John's #1 Op's new movie: Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey". We chat about our relationships with the source material, Christopher Nolan's aesthetic sensibility (or lack thereof), Emily Wilson's translation and thoughts on translation, and how good Robert Pattinson is.As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 68 - "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge" by Rainer Maria Rilke (feat. Ben Rosenzweig)
This week, we have two Bens! Ben's friend Ben Rosenzweig joins us to discuss "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge" by Rainer Maria Rilke. We discuss our personal relationships with Rilke's work, love and death, and how this book smacks of gender.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 67 - "The Tunnel" by William Gass, Part 1
We begin our Summer 2026 series on "The Tunnel" by William Gass. Topics of conversation include, literary Big Boys, Gass' problematizing of academic humanism, and The Fasicism of the Heart.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 66 - "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice
We're back and it's Pride! As is tradition, John has made Ben read a big gay book, in this case Anne Rice's classic "Interview with the Vampire". Before we discuss the book, we do a brief debrief on last season and Woke 2. Then we dig into the goth gayness of Anne Rice's bloodsuckers. Topics of conversations include the life and times of Anne Rice, the figure of the vampi
Episode 65 - "Rakesfall" by Vajra Chandrasekera
We close out this season by discussing "Rakesfall" by Vajra Chandrasekera. This might be one of the toughest books to have a straightforward conversation about that we've done, but we hope our chit chat is still enjoyable to listen to.Vajra's Unbuddhism essay: https://vajra.me/2021/10/27/%E0%B6%85%E0%B6%B6%E0%B7%9E%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%B0%E0%B6%9A%E0%B6%B8-unbuddhism/WE'RE
Episode 64 - "A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers" by Xiaolu Guo
This week, John and Ben discuss Xiaolu Guo's "A Concise-Chinese Dictionary for Lovers". Topics of conversation include the Guo's use of film references, use of non-standard English in fiction, and the arc of modern Chinese history as observed in the show.As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation!
Episode 63 - "Three Lives" by Gertrude Stein
This week, we're wrapping up our Modernist mini-season by reading "Three Lives" by Gertrude Stein. We discuss our relationships with Stein and other Lost Generation writers, Stein's tactile language, and why something so well written is also so painfully racist.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 62 - "Dunfords Travels Everywheres" by William Melvin Kelley
Our modernism mini-season starts with a conversation about "Dunfords Travels Everywheres" by William Melvin Kelley. Topics of conversation include the differences between modernism and post-modernism, the way Kelley pushes the English language, and the role language can play in liberation. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 61 - "Wormwood" by Poppy Z. Brite
This week we continue our exploration of the Gen X Horror guys by reading "Wormwood" by Poppy Z. Brite.As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!
Episode 60 - "My Heart is a Chainsaw" by Stephen Graham Jones
This week, John and Ben are joined by friend of the pod, Kara, to discuss Stephen Graham Jones' love letter to the Slasher genre: "My Heart is a Chainsaw". Topics of conversation include SGJ's background, the slasher's place in American mythology, and the cyclical nature of violence.As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 59 - "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas (feat. Claire)
Friend-of-the-Pod Claire is back in the stacks to discuss the grandmommy of the Romantasy genre: "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas.Topics of discussion include the genealogy of Romantasy as a genre, the politics of when and where sex appears on the page, and how many male writers can't write about women.As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 58 - "Trouble on Triton" by Samuel R. Delany
What do you do if you live in the Electric Psychadelic Pussycat Swinger's Club, but you're the one cat too un-groovy to find it shagadelic? This is the vital question at the heart of Samuel R. Delany's "Trouble on Triton". John and Ben get weird, discussing science fiction, the nature of desire, and how this book compares to "The Dispossessed".As always, we hope you
Episode 57 - "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin
It's the first episode of the Spring 2026 Season, and John and Ben are blasting off to the moon of Annares to discuss "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin. We discuss this classic of science fiction with a little help from "To Read 'The Dispossessed'" by Samuel Delany. Topics of conversation include John & Ben's relationship with Le Guin's work, her a
Episode 56 - "Play It As It Lays" by Joan Didion
John and Ben cruise down the California highway to the end of this season of The Infinite Library as they read Joan Didion's "Play It As It Lays". Topics of conversation include the portrayal of California in literature, mimesis, and Didion's place as a literary "cool girl".As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation!
Bonus - Best of 2025
Another year comes to a close and, as is tradition, John and Ben get together to tell you about their favorite books they read in 2025.
Episode 55 - "Shadow Ticket" by Thomas Pynchon
Happy (almost) New Year! We're closing out our Thomas Pynchon mini-revue with his latest novel, "Shadow Ticket". Along for the ride is friend of the pod, author TJ Martinson! Topics of discussion include Pynchon's relationship to pop culture, the use of alternate history in literature, and whether Pynchon offers us as readers an 'out' to our present circumstances.As alway
Episode 54 - "Bleeding Edge" by Thomas Pynchon
This week, we jump forward over 50 years into Thomas Pychon's career (and over all his most read books) to discuss 2013's "Bleeding Edge"! Along for the ride through Y2K is friend of the pod, Dan.Topics of discussion include reading the 2010s through the 2000s, the role of technology and espionage in Pynchon's works, and 9/11.As always, we hope you enjoy the conversations.
Episode 53 - "V." by Thomas Pynchon
This week, we start our mini-revue of the works of Thomas Pynchon with his first novel: "V." We discuss our individual relationships with Pynchon's writing, his place in the larger world of contemporary literature, and what we liked and disliked about this strange first novel of his. As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 52 - "Major Arcana" by John Pistelli, Pt. 2
This week, we conclude our discussion of John Pistelli's "Major Arcana". We hope you enjoy another two-parter!
Episode 52 - "Major Arcana" by John Pistelli (Pt. 1)
We accidentally did another two parter, but we had a lot of thoughts about "Major Arcana" by John Pistelli.As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!
Episode 51 - "The Return of the King" by JRR Tolkien (feat. Nate), Pt. 2
The conclusion to our discussion on "The Return of the King", featuring Nate from Gamers with Glasses.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 51 - "The Return of the King" by JRR Tolkien, Part 1 (feat. Nate Schmidt)
This week on The Infinite Library, we answer Gondor's call for aid and discuss "The Return of the King" with Nate Schmidt of Gamers with Glasses. We've been there and we're nearly ready to go back again, so please join us to discuss the conclusion of The Lord of the Rings!As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 50 - "The Two Towers" by JRR Tolkien, Part 2 (feat. Claire)
Our continued conversation with Claire on "The Two Towers". As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 50 - "The Two Towers" by JRR Tolkien, Part 1 (feat. Claire)
This week, Ben's pal Claire joins us to discuss "The Two Towers". As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 49 - "The Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien (Part 2)
We discuss the latter part of "The Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien.As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 49 - "The Fellowship of the Ring" by JRR Tolkien (Part 1)
We begin our Fall season with a discussion of the first book of The Lord of the Rings. Topics of discussion include Tolkien's background and how it may have impacted his writing, "Concerning Hobbits", and what a cool guy Tom Bombadil is.As always, we hope that you enjoy the show!
Episode 48 - "Libra" by Don DeLillo
The week, Book Boys say goodbye to the Summer of Bad Vibes by discussing Don DeLillo's opus "Libra". We discuss paranoid reading, Lee Harvey Oswald as American everyman, Hysterial Realism. At the end, we even take a brief detour to Tinsel Town and chat a bit about Oliver Stone's "JFK".As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!Works Cited"Paranoid and Repar
Episode 47 - "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov (feat. Molly Tanzer & Melissa)
This week, 3-time returning champ Molly Tanzer is back in the stacks to discuss Mikhail Bulgakov's classic: "The Master and Margarita"! And this time she brought a friend: Melissa (AKA MK Sauer) joined us a second guest and expert on Russian lit as we gave the book the full Infinite Library treatment!As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!
Episode 46 - "2666" by Roberto Bolaño, Part 5
Our vacation to the oases of horror in a desert of boredom reaches its conclusion. This week, John and Ben talk about the final section of Roberto Bolaño's "2666": The Part About Archimboldi. Topics of discussion include the kunstleroman genre, Dracula, and how Bolaño subverts genre expectations to invoke his deeper themes.
Episode 45 - "Birthgrave" by Tanith Lee
This week, the Book Boys discuss Tanith Lee's first novel: "Birthgrave".
Episode 44 - "2666" by Roberto Bolano, Part 4
CONTENT WARNING:This episode includes detailed discussion of violence & sexual assault. We return to "2666" to discuss "The Part About the Crimes". Topics of conversation include the legendary reputation of this portion of Bolano's novel, depictions of violence against women in literature, and conspiracy as a theme in Bolano's oeuvre. As always, we hope you enjoy!
Episode 43 - "Life and Death are Wearing Me Out" (生死疲勞) by Mo Yan (feat. Dan)
This week we've got friend of the show Dan back in the stacks to discuss Mo Yan's opus: "Life And Death Are Wearing Me Out". Topics of conversation include Chinese-English translation, reincarnation in fiction, and authorial self-inserts. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 42 - "2666" Part III
The Book Boys return to the sweltering climes of Santa Theresa to discuss Part III of Roberto Bolano's "2666": The Part about Fate.Global Forms in Bolaño’s 2666: Genre, Race, Capital by Jack Weizhe Cao can be found here.
Episode 41 - "Lovetown" by Michał Witkowski
It's the Infinite Library Pride Month Special! Today, John and Ben queen out and discuss Michał Witkowski's "Lovetown". We discuss the relation between experimental fiction and marginalized points of view, the depiction of queer life in capitalist vs non-capitalist systems, and, of course, gay sex.
Episode 40 - "2666" by Roberto Bolaño (Parts 1 & 2)
¡Hola, los amigos des libros! In the first episode of the Summer Season, the Book Banditos, Ben and John, head south of the border to chat about Roberto Bolaño's magnum opus: "2666". Is the tone of this description a meta commentary on Bolaño's portrayal of hapless literati facing the true horror at the heart of the world? You'll have to listen to find out!In this episode, the first of four, we di
Episode 39 - "Nova" Samuel R. Delany
Groovy Baby! We close out our Spring 2025 Season by discussing Samuel R. Delany's "Nova". We discuss Delany's place in the history of sci-fi, archetypes, and the role of time in writing. As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation.
Episode 38 - "Moonglow" by Michael Chabon
What a long, strange trip it's been...this week, the Book Boys finish up their read-through of the works of Michael Chabon with "Moonglow". Does the Baron of Berkley/Prince of Pittsburgh manage to redeem himself after the missteps of "Telegraph Avenue"? Tune in this week to find out!
Episode 37 - "The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade" by Herman Melville (feat. Chris Thomas)
John and Ben dive deep into Scam-erican literature this week with the help of friend of the pod and resident Melville expert: Chris Thomas. We discuss Melville's final novel: "The Confidence Man: His Masquerade". Topics of discussion include the trustworthiness of barbers, America's enduring interest in flim-flam artists of all sorts, and the long shadow of Don Quixote. As always
Episode 36 - "Telegraph Avenue" by Michael Chabon
This week, the Book Boys lib out and read Michael Chabon's Obama era glaze job: "Telegraph Avenue". Our unbroken streak of bangers comes to an end as we discuss the first book that we straight up just did not like. Still, we hope you enjoy our conversation as always!
Episode 35 - "The Rise of the Novel" by Ian Watt
This week, the Book Boys read "The Rise of the Novel" by Ian Watt. Topics of discussion include literature and the market, the nature of the 'reading public', and the lineage of the novel in English letters. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 34 - "Gentlemen of the Road" by Michael Chabon
This week, we're wandering through medieval Khazaria with good ol' Mikey C as we read "Gentlemen of the Road". Topics of conversation include Swords & Sorcery vs Historical Fiction, depictions of Jewish identity in Chabon's oeuvre, and serializiation of fiction. As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation!You can follow the show on Bluesky at @infinitelibrarypod.bsky.so
Episode 33 - "The Last Samurai" by Helen DeWitt
Did you know that YOU can teach YOURSELF ANCIENT GREEK? In this week's episode of The Infinite Library, John and Ben are discussing "The Last Samurai" by Helen DeWitt. Topics of conversation include autodidacticism, sleazy British men, and the value of the humanities in troubling times.
Episode 32 - "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" by Michael Chabon
This week on The Infinite Library: John and Ben check-in and see how they're feeling about this whole Michael Chabon read-through project, then they continue along the primrose path and discuss "The Yiddish Policeman's Union". Topics of discussion include noir fiction, Filipino-style Chinese donuts, and Messiah.
Bonus - Top 5 of 2024
Happy New Years, Book Heads! In this bonus epsiode, John and Ben sit down to ring in 2025 by talking about their favorite books of 2024. We hope you enjoy!
Episode 31 - "Context Collapse" by Ryan Ruby
For our first episode of the New Year, John and Ben are discussing Ryan Ruby's poem about the history of poetry: "Context Collapse". Topics of discussion include jongleurs, Ezra Pound, and romanticism.
As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 30 - "The Final Solution" by Michael Chabon
Merry Christmas! John and Ben are flying solo again this week to discuss "The Final Solution" by Michael Chabon. We're officially halfway through our readthrough on Chabon's works, and in this episode, we discuss Sherlock Holmes, Chabon's development as a writer, and genre fiction more broadly. Special Bonus: We return to Movie Land to discuss "The Seven Per-Cent Solution", the 1979 Sherlock Holme
Episode 29 - "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay", pt. 2 (feat. Collective Action Comics)
Pow! We're back with part 2 of our discussion of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" with Nat of Collective Action Comics. As always, enjoy the conversation.
Episode 29 - "The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier & Clay" by Michael Chabon, pt. 1 (feat. Collective Action Comics)
It's the big one, the book that won Michael Chabon the Pulitzer Prize, the 600-some page behemoth known as "The Adventures of Cavalier & Clay". The Book Boys knew that they were going to need some backup for this one, so they called in Nat of Collective Action Comics for a Two-Fisted Team-Up! We had so much fun talking about this one that it ended up being our first two-parter. As always, we h
Bonus - "The Savage Detectives" by Roberto Bolaño (feat. Ana)
Happy Thanksgiving, Bookheads! We're taking a week off for the holiday, but fear not, we have a special, John-free bonus episode to tide you over till the next regular ep. If you're a Big Ben fan, this one's for you, because he's sitting down with previous guest of the pod, Ana, to have a more casual chat about another banger from the Roberto Bolaño Fascism Extended Universe: "The Savage Detectiv
Episode 28 - "Distant Star" by Roberto Bolaño
In this unfortunately timely episode of The Inifinite Library, the Book Boys return to the Roberto Bolaño Fascism Extended Universe to discuss "Distant Star". Topics of conversation include the place of the individual in history, Right Wing kitsch, and how there's a Cheeto in the frickin' White House.
As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation.
Bonus - "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft (feat. Molly Tanzer)
Surprise! It's a Halloween bonus episode!
Friend of the show Molly Tanzer returns to the Infinite Library to discuss H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness". We discuss our individual relationships with Lovecraft and Lovecraftiana, cosmic horror, and shoggoths.
As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
Works Cited
Book of the Most Precious Substance by Sara Gran
The Gods of
Episode 27 - "Cyclonopedia" by Reza Negarestani (feat. Sam Chirtal)
On this very spooky Halloween episode of The Infinite Library, special sci-fi correspondent Sam Chirtel is back in the stacks to discuss "Cyclonopedia: Complicity with Anonymous Materials" by Reza Negarestani. Topics of discussion include "theory fiction", the CCRU, and how dang spooky oil is.
As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 26 - "Wonder Boys" by Michael Chabon
For our second episode of Chabon-a-mania, Ben and John had the rare pleasure of recording in-person, so this episode is a little more meandering than usual. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Bonus - A Conversation with Dariel Quiogue
John and Ben sit down with Filipino sword and sorcery author, Dariel Quiogue, about his upcoming novella, "The Walls of Shira Yulun", which will be coming out soon as part of the "Double-Edge Sword & Sorcery" collection from New Edge Sword & Sorcery.
As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation.
You can support the campaign for the "Double-Edge Sword & Sorcery" here: https://www.bac
Episode 25 - A Selection of Borges
This week, John and Ben finally get around to discussing patron saint of the pod: Jorge Luis Borges. We discuss a selection of short stories including: "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius", "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote", and "The Library of Babel".
As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation!
Episode 24 - "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" by Michael Chabon
John and Ben are back from their summer vacation and ready to get back to work on a new project: reading the collected works of Michael Chabon! We discuss our favorite beach reads from the break, why we’re interested in exploring Chabon as an author, and then dig in and talk about “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh”. As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation.
Summer Books!
Works Referenced
Bart
Bonus - "Right Ho, Jeeves" feat. Phil Ford of "Weird Studies"
John and Ben are still luxuriating on their summer vacation, but a little while back they invited the illustrious Phil Ford of the Weird Studies podcast into the Library to discuss P.G. Wodehouse's "Right Ho, Jeeves". We discuss humor in literature, the idea of being "well-read", and the changing nature of genre fiction through history. We hope you enjoy the conversation!
Episode 23 - "Telluria" by Vladimir Sorokin
This week, John and Ben are discussing "Telluria" by Vladimir Sorokin, translated by Max Lawton. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!
Works Referenced:
The Ice Trilogy by Vladimir Sorokin
The Norm by Vladimir Sorokin
The Queue by Vladimir Sorokin
The golden notebook by Doris Lessing
Pervert’s Guide to Cinema - Slavoj Zizek
Twin Peaks the Return
Waiting for Godo
Episode 22 - "Blindsight" by Peter Watts (feat. Sam Chirtal)
This week, John and Ben are joined by Ben's friend Sam to discuss one of the great works of scifi-horror: Peter Watts' "Blindsight"! Topics of discussion include "metal science fiction", AI, the nature of intelligence, and (of course) the Gothic.
We hope you enjoy the conversation.
Texts Mentioned this Episode
Jane Austen - Persuasion
Adorno & Horkheimer - Dia
Episode 21 - Jirel of Joiry (feat. Molly Tanzer)
This week, we're joined by fantasy/science fiction author Molly Tanzer to discuss the Jirel of Joiry stories by C.L. Moore. Topics of discussion include H.P. Lovecraft, Sword & Sorcery as a genre, and Molly's upcoming project: "Jirel and the Mirror of Truth"!
We hope you enjoy our conversation!
Links:
- New Edge Sword & Sorcery: https://newedgeswordandsorcery.com/
- Preor
Episode 20 - "The Ice Palace" by Tarjei Vesaas (feat. Kate Marshall)
Hey Bookheads, apologies for the unscheduled hiatus over the last couple of weeks. To make it up to you, we've got a frosty cool episode discussing "The Ice Palace" by Tarjei Vesaas with Kate Marshall. Topics of discussion include the novella as a form, the bewitching power of nature, and the social utility of magical thinking. As always, we hope you enjoy the discussion.
You can ch
Episode 19 - "City of Glass" (feat. Walt Lewellyn of The Black Casebook)
Biff! Bang! Pow! In this week's thrilling installment of The Infinite Library, your Leading Lads of Literature enlist the aid of an Amazing Ally -- Walt Lewellyn of The Black Casebook podcast -- to discuss the first comic book: "City of Glass" by Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli! As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation!
Note: We apologize dearly for the episode being late.
Episode 18 - "At Swim-Two-Birds" by Flann O'Brien
Episode 17 - "Fer-de-Lance" by Rex Stout
In celebration of National Crime Fiction Month, John and Ben discuss one of the greatest fat guys in the history of literature: Nero Wolfe.
As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 16 - "Blithe Spirit" by Noel Coward
On this week's episode of The Infinite Library, we're treading the old boards and discussing our first play: Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit". We talk about sex, death, and how movies aren't sending their best. We hope you enjoy our discussion as always.
Episode 15 - "The Parisian" by Isabella Hammad
John and Ben return to the historical novel on this week's episode of The Infinite Library. We tackle British-Palestinian novelist Isabella Hammad's 2019 debut: The Parisian: a book that, much like its protagonist and the country he hails from, is curiously divided. We discuss the novelist as national representative, the perils of tying your family history directly into your fiction, "
Episode 14 - "Spring and All" by William Carlos Williams
Get in your big cars and pull out your old time-y type writers, because this week John and Ben are celebrating Easter by discussing “Spring and All” by William Carlos Williams. Topics of conversation include democracy and art, Williams’ concept of the “Imagination”, Williams’ vision of art and how it contrasts with his contemporaries, and Walter Benjamin. This episode is a little different than ou
Episode 13 - "Middlemarch" by George Eliot
It's the big one! It's the middle of March, and Ben decided to mark the occasion by making John read one of the great doorstops of English literature: George Eliot's "Middlemarch". The Book Boys enjoy a particularly long, winding conversation about the many marvellous characters inhabiting Eliot's pages, free will vs. determinism, science and religion, and doddering old u
Episode 12 - "Tun-Huang" by Yasushi Inoue
After a heaping helping of guests for the last couple of episodes, we're back this week with an Infinite Library Classique episode. This week, John and Ben are discussing "Tun-Huang", Yasushi Inoue's sparse yet epic tale of war and religion set against the beautiful, barren plains and deserts of western China. Topics this week include the NYRB Classics imprint, historical fiction
Bonus Episode - "The Castle" by Franz Kafka (feat. Dan)
I feel like White Kafka! Greetings, Bookheads: this week we've got a special off-week treat for you. We sat down with our friend Dan to discuss Franz Kafka's unfinished novel: The Castle. We hope you enjoy!
Episode 11 - "Nightwood" by Djuna Barnes (feat. Ana)
This week on the Infinite Library, we're talking about modern love (as in "modernism", get it?). John's girlfriend Ana joins the Book Boys to talk about Djuna Barnes' classic of lesbian literature. We talk about why this book isn't as well known as its peers, Freud and fascism, and whether or not books are supposed to teach us things. We hope you'll enjoy this discuss
Episode 10 - "By Night in Chile" by Roberto Bolano (feat. Geoffrey Morrison)
This week, John and Ben welcome Geoffrey Morrison, a novelist based in Vancouver, Canada, to discuss "By Night in Chile" by Roberto Bolano. The three of us had a fantastic discussion on Bolano's life and legacy, as well as this brilliant, terrifying little novel. We hope you enjoy the conversation.
Episode 9 - "Bellefleur" by Joyce Carol Oates
This week, Ben and John are tackling their first work by the Queen of Literary Twitter: Joyce Carol Oates. Given this show's fascination with the gothic, we decided to start with the first installment of JCO's Gothic Quartet, "Bellefleur". We talk about the gothic (again), it's role in American culture, realism & supernaturalism in fiction, amongst many other topics. This
Episode 8 - "The Fraud" by Zadie Smith
On this week's episode of The Infinite Library, John and Ben are hopping in the Library's time machine and heading back to the 1860s with Zadie Smith's "The Fraud". We discuss historical fiction, the role art takes in shaping us, and hysterical realism.
