Method and Madness

Ep. 21.1 - MEDITATIONS IN GREEN by Stephen Wright w/David Leo Rice Oct 9, 2026 Meditations in Green is the debut novel of the writer, and Vietnam veteran, Stephen Wright. Published in 1983 to praise in mainstream circles—the New York Times review called it “brilliant, and scarifying,” Meditations offers an idiosyncratic, hilarious, and horrifying perspective on that blunderous War in in southeast Asia. If, as Stephen Dedalus says, “History is a nightmare from which I am tryi

MELEE - Mallory Smart on BOOK OF DAVID Oct 7, 2026 First published in 1899, “The Real Right Thing” by Henry James is the shortest of his ghost stories, a subtle and cerebral unraveling of a spectral presence in the library of a great mind.

“The Real Right Thing” by Henry James [audio recording] Sep 28, 2026 First published in 1899, “The Real Right Thing” by Henry James is the shortest of his ghost stories, a subtle and cerebral unraveling of a spectral presence in the library of a great mind.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 19.2 - The MADNESS of HOUSE OF LEAVES Sep 18, 2026 A wander down just a few of those strange doors underneath the HOUSE OF LEAVES: warps in space-time, exteriorizing the interior, THE SHINING and BACKROOMS, a portal in the desert, and a trillion-ton black pyramid.

Melee - Brad Michael Elmore on CAN’T GET NO Sep 17, 2026 Writer and director Brad Michael Elmore joined me to talk about his films The Wolfman’s Hammer and Can’t Get No (watch both of these free on youtube), the will to just do things, his rollercoaster career in Hollywood, the need to create, and his serialized audiobook Nativity in Black.

Taking a Little Win | 9/2026 Tarot Reading Sep 12, 2026 A tarot reading on self-possession, bringing your own carrots, and how to let a little meaning in. Shout out to Dolly. Contact me via your favorite social media or bradwkellyATgmail with TAROT in the subject to set up a personal reading for a reasonable fee.

Ep. 20.1 - Calvino´s IF ON A WINTER´S NIGHT A TRAVELER w/Getting Lit Sep 3, 2026 Matthew Fresta and Matthew Sini from Getting Lit join me to talk Italo Calvino’s whirlwind love letter to writing, reading, and the source of stories. We discuss what Calvino’s delightful use of postmodern technique, why the tone of this book might be the secret to its potency, whether there is a Father of Stories, and much, much more.Getting Lit on Patreon, Substack, Spotify

“The Million Pound Bank Note” by Mark Twain [audio recording] Aug 26, 2026 First published in 1893, “The Million Pound Bank Note” by Mark Twain is a classic of American storytelling. A farcical rags to riches tale.

Melee - J. Reuben Appelman on THE CHEATING SIDE Aug 18, 2026 J. Reuben Appelman is a celebrated writer of true crime (THE KILL JAR, investigating a notorious serial homicide case in Detroit in the 1970s). His latest, THE CHEATING SIDE, is a classic work of hardboiled fiction firmly set in the modern era.From the blurb: When Idaho private investigator Jimmy Chinden’s murder investigation threatens a land deal worth millions, the politically protected Aryan m

Melee - John Jay Stancliff on PIERCE Aug 11, 2026 The great John Jay Stancliff joined me to talk about his latest novel, PIERCE, out August 11 from Farthest Heaven. His book is about fatherhood, men, work, and the deep struggle of virtue.BUY PIERCEFollow John on twitter.

With Worn-out Tools | 8/2026 Tarot Reading Aug 10, 2026 A tarot reading on finding home again, growing versus building, and what it means to play the victim. Contact me via your favorite social media or bradwkellyATgmail with TAROT in the subject to set up a personal reading for a reasonable fee.

Ep. 19.1 - HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Z. Danielewski w/J David Osborne Jul 26, 2026 The great J David Osborne joined me to go deep on the cult classic HOUSE OF LEAVES. We get into what works, what doesn’t, what might have back in 2000, what the house might mean, and why we might never see another book like it in the age of the internet.Follow JDO on twitterBuy JDO’s booksListen to Agitator on Apple, Spotify, or Patreon

“Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather [audio recording] Jul 10, 2026 Well before she became a household name, Willa Cather contributed this piece to McClure’s Magazine, a photo negative of a bildungsroman, and a tragedy about the draw of glitz and glamour.

The Garden, The Race | 7/2026 Tarot Reading Jul 3, 2026 A tarot reading on trusting your gut, savoring the solace, and willing yourself to find the edge. Contact me via your favorite social media or bradwkellyATgmail with TAROT in the subject to set up a personal reading for a reasonable fee.

Melee - Scott Laudati on RAINBOW ROAD Jun 29, 2026 Scott Laudati is a renaissance man. A musician, painter, filmmaker, and a true poet. We talk about being on local television, his ceaseless travels across this beautiful country, throwing away the phone, and his powerful new collection of poetry RAINBOW ROAD.Buy Rainbow RoadScott’s great travel videos on youtube.Scott on twitter.

[PREVIEW] - The MADNESS of TREE OF SMOKE by Denis Johnson Jun 23, 2026 On Elton Manzione and the Third Eye of Vietnam.For full access, sign up on substack of patreon

Ep. 18.1 - TREE OF SMOKE by Denis Johnson w/Kevin Kautzman Jun 22, 2026 Good Morning and please listen to me: TREE OF SMOKE is a Great American Novel, about war, espionage, fathers, sacrifice, depravity, and much more. The book’s central metaphor stands everywhere and nowhere, like a dark wraith unfolding itself across the modern psyche.The great Kevin Kautzman, from Art of Darkness, joined me in the tunnels beneath this remarkable book.

MELEE - Kenan Meral on STIGMA OF THE LIVING FLESH Jun 15, 2026 Author Kenan Meral joined me to talk about books within books, the terror of sublimity, the reality of deepfakery, and his excellent new novel STIGMA OF THE LIVING FLESH.Follow Kenan on twitterBuy STIGMA OF THE LIVING FLESH from New Ritual Press

Ep. 17.2 - The MADNESS of William H. Gass' THE TUNNEL [free version] Jun 11, 2026 In this FREE version of the MADNESS episode, I get into hobby tunneling, Gass via Gaston Bachelard, the linguistic and mythic dimension of matter, and what it means that THE TUNNEL is a novel of the Earth.

Melee - Laeth on SKETCHES OF ALICE Jun 3, 2026 I’m joined by the Portuguese fiction writer and aphorist Laeth for a conversation about jazz, writing as discovery, listening for the voice, and his singular work, including his most recent novel SKETCHES OF ALICE Laeth’s website (buy SKETCHES OF ALICE and his other books)Laeth on substackLaeth on twitter

“The Man Who Would Not Die” by Harold Ward [audio recording] May 29, 2026 Out of the archives of The Black Mask—the magazine that launched the careers of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler—comes a tale by Harold Ward, an unsung hero paid pennies by the word. Inspector Des Moines is clever, tough, and no nonsense, but when dead people start pulling heists, he has to call on the enigmatic Mohammed Gunga to wage battle against evil itself.

You can’t outsmart the Devil | 5/2026 Tarot Reading May 22, 2026 A tarot reading on the things that enslave us, self-medicating and scrolling, and organizing one's mental state to bring vision into reality. Contact me via your favorite social media or bradwkellyATgmail with TAROT in the subject to set up a personal reading for a reasonable fee.

“The Nameless Offspring” by Clark Ashton Smith [audio recording] May 1, 2026 Clark Ashton Smith was a poet once called “The Last of the Great Romantics".” But he is more remembered as one of the three most significant writers of pulp mainstay Weird Tales. H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith who was perhaps even stranger in his vision than either of them. “The Nameless Offspring” first appeared in Strange Tales in 1932. A tale of family secrets, a haunt

Melee - Getting Lit Apr 24, 2026 Matt Fresta and Matthew Sini of the Getting Lit Podcast join me to talk about the history of their show, niche literary podcasting, the Australian scene, Sini’s provocative statement that there is no such thing as an atheist fiction writer, and much, much more.Matt Sini’s substack pieces mentioned:No Atheists in PlotholesCurrent Thing Writing Killed the Literary JournalNeo-Pass

Melee - Paul Heron on The End of History Apr 20, 2026 The ever-insightful Paul Heron joins me to figure out if History is in fact over, what Fukuyama meant by posing the question, cycles of history, nostalgia for the future, and much much more.Subscribe to Some Private Diagonal and check out Paul’s work at Café Américain

[PREVIEW] Ep. 16.2 - The MADNESS of BUTCHER’S CROSSING by John Williams Apr 11, 2026 In which we go deep into the life of John Williams: oil booms, abandonment, tall tales about WW2, booze, women, and three “perfect” novels.In this clip, I get into the influence of Yvor Winters’ odd brand of classicism on one of the 20th Century’s greatest novelists.Get access to the full episode at madmethodpod.com/subscribe

Ep. 16.1 - BUTCHER’S CROSSING by John Williams w/Lake Markham Apr 10, 2026 BUTCHER'S CROSSING by John Williams is an unassuming masterpiece. The writer Lake Markham (LO SIENTO) joined me to talk about what makes this book special. We get into the meaning of the Western, the ideas and images that drive this book, buffalo, what Williams has to say about America and Transcendentalism, and some of the things that writers can learn from this potent little volume.BUY LO SIENTO

Melee - David Simmons on ERADICATOR Apr 7, 2026 David Simmons is a genre unto himself. We talk about his unsettling novel ERADICATOR--a white-knuckle book that is part AMERICAN PSYCHO, part THE FLY, and all Simmons. We also get into his upcoming short story collection FETTY ON THE SWITCHES, his creative process, why Baltimore is such rich terrain for fiction, and much, much more.This will be on the free feed next week.David’s linktreePre-o

Melee - Tom Will on RHYMES Mar 31, 2026 The dynamic poet Tom Will has yet another modern classic. His new collection, RHYMES out now on Farthest Heaven , a unique exploration of poetic form is the new poetry you need. We talk about the history of the roundel and other poetic forms, the potency of poetry in the age of the algorithm, and much more.Pre-order RHYMES from Farthest HeavenTom on twitter

Melee - Grant Wamack on THE SCARECROWS WILL WATCH OVER US Mar 25, 2026 Grant Wamack is the author and tarot reader. His most recent book is THE SCARECROWS WILL WATCH OVER US, a folk horror thriller about cat people lust-demons stalking a farm in Wisconsin...and the occult practices that have warded them off for years. We also talked about tarot, bigfoot and other cryptids, and Grant’s time working for a psychic hotline.Grant’s twitterBuy SCARECROWS and Grant’s o

Ep. 15.1 - Ishmael Reed's MUMBO JUMBO w/Glen Rockney (PREMIUM) Mar 18, 2026 A perennial citation of bombastic mid-Century experimentation and different ways of knowing. MUMBO JUMBO is a kaleidoscope, a conspiracy theory, a satire, a thesis statement--but is it a good novel? Glen Rockney of Rare Candy and I sit down to find out. This recording will remain paywalled and is also available to subscribers of Rare Candy as a Gain of Fiction episode.

Ep. 15.2 - The MADNESS of Ishmael Reed’s MUMBO JUMBO Mar 18, 2026 Explorations of the labyrinths hidden below the cult classic hoodoo novel MUMBO JUMBO by Ishmael Reed. Talking the real Book of Thoth and the secrets smuggled into the modern day through the Corpus Hermeticum, the identity of Moses, the real deal about Voodoo, and much, much more.

“The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane [audio recording] Mar 9, 2026 "The Open Boat" is a short story by American author Stephen Crane (1871–1900). First published in 1898, it was based on Crane's experience of surviving a shipwreck off the coast of Florida earlier that year while traveling to Cuba to work as a newspaper correspondent. Crane was stranded at sea for thirty hours when his ship, the SS Commodore, sank after hitting a sandbar. He and three other men we

Melee - Ken Layne on DESERT ORACLE RADIO Feb 24, 2026 The legendary Ken Layne joins me to talk about how he found the desert, what’s going on with UFOs, our Eldritch Republic, the role of the folklorist, and much, much more.Follow Ken.

Ep. 14.2 - The MADNESS of Dino Buzzati’s THE STRONGHOLD Feb 20, 2026 [PREVIEW} Down into the labyrinth of THE STRONGHOLD: the curious history of NYRB Classics, theories of literary time, the significance of the barbarian, the dream of Great Tartaria, and much more. Subscribe for full access to this episode, the growing Madness archive, and early access to all guest episodes..

Ep. 14.1 - Dino Buzzati’s THE STRONGHOLD w/Jack BC Feb 19, 2026 The ever-insightful Jack BC joined me to discuss a paradoxical little masterpiece: THE STRONGHOLD by Dino Buzzati. To some, better known as THE TARTARIAN STEPPE. It’s a homage to Kafka, a beautiful bit of existentialism, and a torturous confrontation with the nature of time in the lives we live.Check out Jack on his great podcast BOOKCLUB FROM HELL.

Melee - Iain Ryan on THE CASINO Feb 16, 2026 Iain Ryan is the author of 8 books. His latest, THE CASINO, is a pulse-pounding crime story about police corruption in Queensland in the 1980s. He joined me to talk about the writing of this book, his overall Gold Coast Quartet--of which this book is just one part, the uneasy appeal of the 1980s, and much, much more.Buy THE CASINOFollow Iain

Melee - Matt Cardin on WRITING AT THE WELLSPRING Feb 9, 2026 Matt Cardin is the author or editor of 12 books and ranks among the very finest of contemporary writers of Weird fiction and cosmic horror, as well as one of the most consistently interesting contributors to substack. His most recent book, WRITING AT THE WELLSPRING, is a spiritual guide for creative work and a manual for cultivating your relationship with your own daemon muse.

Melee - Frank Kidd on MEDICINE WOMAN Feb 2, 2026 Author and podcaster Frank Kidd joined me to discuss his page-turning Western/frontier novel MEDICINE WOMAN (winner of Ian Barr’s Indie of the Year 2025), what makes a genre, why the Western still matters, and what makes America Weird.Buy MEDICINE WOMAN.Follow Frank on twitter.

Melee - Audrey Lee on UTTER GOODNESS Jan 19, 2026 UTTER GOODNESS is UTTERly GOOD. The writer Audrey Lee joined me to talk about her exciting new collection of short stories, out now via Farthest Heaven, comprehending America, STONER, and the state of confessional writing.Buy UTTER GOODNESS

[PREVIEW] Ep. 13.2 - The MADNESS of Cormac McCarthy’s THE CROSSING Jan 16, 2026 A preview of the MADNESS presentation on Cormac McCarthy’s THE CROSSING. Here talking about the very, very strange relationship between man, wolf, and the other world. For access to the full thing, subscribe via substack or patreon. latest book: CROWBAR

Ep. 13.1 - Cormac McCarthy’s THE CROSSING w/Andrew Edwards Jan 15, 2026 The incredible writer Andrew Edwards joined me to talk about Cormac McCarthy’s oft-overlooked masterpiece THE CROSSING. We get technical on McCarthy’s high style, Crossings of all sorts, the spiritual bond of brothers, and what it means to say that the world is but a tale.Buy Andrew’s latest book: CROWBAR

[PREVIEW] THE EARTHEN DARK by Brad Kelly Jan 12, 2026 The first 3 chapters of my new book THE EARTHEN DARK for your listening pleasure. Get a copy of the book: bradkellyesque.com.SPECIAL DEAL: In 2026, if you sign up for a yearly paid subscription to Method and Madness (via substack or patreon), and provide a US postal address, you’ll get a special signed copy of THE EARTHEN DARK, along with two hand-edited manuscript pages of early drafts, and a one

*Leak* Episode 9.2 - The MADNESS of AMERICAN TABLOID Jan 6, 2026 A peek behind the paywall. In this episode, I go in depth on Ellroy’s stylistic forebears, play a little Glass Bead Game between AMERICAN TABLOID and very different book, give the quick and very dirty history of CONFIDENTIAL MAGAZINE, and go full-on true crime telling the ‘real’ story of Chuck Rogers.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 12.2 - The MADNESS of PKD’s THREE STIGMATA Dec 29, 2025 In this clip from the full episode, I dive into the career of Hugh Everett III, a brilliant physicist who developed the groundbreaking Many Worlds Interpretation—and ushered in the algorithmic age with classified work for shadowy government entities.

Melee - Anthony Metivier on VITAMIN X Dec 22, 2025 Anthony Metivier is known as the magnetic memory master. Using time-tested techniques he has not only taught himself to memorize large quantities of complicated information, but he’s gained a reputation for being among the very best teachers of memory practice. Now, he’s written his second novel in the Decline series, a bold detective saga that puts these memory methods in praxis and takes the rea

“The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne [audio recording] Dec 15, 2025 Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic 1836 story, first appearing in The Token and Atlantic Souvenir, later re-published in TWICE-TOLD TALES.

Melee - Andrew Edwards on CROWBAR Dec 9, 2025 Andrew Edwards, the author of what just might be the best novel of 2025, joins me to talk conspiracy, LSD, the interior journey of writing, the 1980s, literary gnosticism, the quantification of everything, and, of course, his certified banger CROWBAR. Buy Crowbar

Melee - Gnostic Pulp on Pynchon, PKD, & UFOs Dec 1, 2025 Jacob Austin, mastermind behind the fantastic Gnostic Pulp substack joined me to talk about the work of Thomas Pynchon, what the heck was going on with PKD, the nature of UFOs, and much, much more.LinktreeSome Gnostic Pulp pieces we touched on:Further Adventures in Pynchonian RealityYear of the LichenMoby-Dick is about UFOs

Ep. 12.1 - THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH w/Bram E. Gieben Nov 24, 2025 Writer, critic, and host of the podcast Strange Exiles, Bram E. Gieben joins me to talk about Philip K. Dick’s most unsettling work: THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH: suspicion about reality, the commodification of the mind, PKD’s conception of God, whether sci-fi is still the trash stratum, and much more.Subscribe to Bram’s substack for his ongoing series CRISIS masculinity, the latest episo

Melee - Scott Laudati on PLAY THE DEVIL Nov 20, 2025 The multi-talented Scott Laudati joined me to tell the crazy story of being courted by Hollywood for his great novel PLAY THE DEVIL, finding the spirit of America, and what it means to put in a hard day’s work.Scott’s twitterTo Kingdom Come (full tour movie)Buy PLAY THE DEVILScott’s linktree

[PREVIEW] Ep. 11.2 - The MADNESS of Thomas Pynchon’s SHADOW TICKET Nov 17, 2025 Freud’s influence on the history of Egon Praediger’s favorite drug.Subscribe or sign up for a trial and check out the full episode:We get into the strange fates of several real figures referenced in the book, and the stories of one Pynchonian figure who may have proved ESP in the SHADOW TICKET era (J.B. Rhine) and another (Moritz Schlick) whose work made such things unmentionable in intellectual s

Melee 16 - David Leo Rice talks THE SQUIMBOP CONDITION Nov 11, 2025 Writer David Leo Rice  joined me to talk about his wildly imaginative and startlingly resonant new book THE SQUIMBOP CONDITION—along the way we discuss the deep meaning of the A-Bomb, the status of the American Dream, and how David came to be so freaking productive.Buy David’s latest book THE SQUIMBOP CONDITION out now from 11:11 Press.David’s substackDavid’s twitter

Ep. 11.1 - Thomas Pynchon’s SHADOW TICKET w/David Leo Rice Nov 4, 2025 The brilliant writer David Leo Rice joined me to talk Thomas Pynchon’s latest, and possibly last, novel SHADOW TICKET. Pynchonian Zones, the warp and weft of history, the end of the systems novel, and the uber-American triad of Beer, Cheese, and Bowling.Buy David’s latest book THE SQUIMBOP CONDITION out now from 11:11 Press.x.com/raviddiceraviddice.com

Melee 15 - J David Osborne Talks BERSERKER CLUB Oct 23, 2025 The relentless writer J David Osborne joins me to talk GODS FARE NO BETTER, his upcoming novel BERSERKER CLUB (pre-order now, out 12/1/2025), drilling mud, escaping twitter, the brilliance of sitcoms and Spark Master Tape—and helps me get my mojo back.

"Under the Pyramids" by H.P. Lovecraft and Harry Houdini [audio recording] Oct 16, 2025 In 1924, Weird Tales published a story by the world famous magician Harry Houdini entitled “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs.” In truth, this story was written by H.P. Lovecraft with some initial ideas provided by Houdini, who is also the narrator of the tale—presented as a genuine encounter that Houdini experience in Egypt in 1910. The story has also been called “Under the Pyramids” and “Entombed wit

Melee 14 - LO SIENTO w/Lake Markham Oct 13, 2025 The writer and photographer Lake Markham joins me to talk about Texas, Cormac McCarthy’s SUTTREE, and his brilliant novel LO SIENTO, coming October 21, 2025 from Apocalypse Confidential.BUY LO SIENTOLake on instagram.Lake on twitter.Lake’s website.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 10.2 - The MADNESS of Gene Wolfe’s SHADOW & CLAW Oct 6, 2025 A preview of my in-depth exploration of the labyrinth that lies beneath the first two volumes of Gene Wolfe’s masterpiece, BOOK OF THE NEW SUN. Subscribe to get the whole thing, plus the ever-expanding Madness archive, and early access to all episodes.

Ep. 10.1 - Gene Wolfe’s SHADOW & CLAW w/Ben Thomas Sep 29, 2025 Writer and publisher Ben Thomas joins me to revel in the pleasures of the first two volumes of Gene Wolfe’s masterpiece tetralogy The Book of the New Sun. We talk science fiction vs. fantasy and why it matters, the linguistic brilliance embedded within the story, and how to savor the joy of not knowing what, exactly, is going on.Ben’s publishing house House Blackwood

Melee 13 - Dexter De La Paz on OUR HAUNTED PLANET Sep 22, 2025 Melee 13The erudite investigator himself, Dexter De La Paz, joined me to talk about John Keel and his enduring book of living mysteries OUR HAUNTED PLANET. I take a little sidequest from the strictly literary and into the unknown: ultraterrestrial theory, the mystery of the North American Mounds, and much, much more.This will be on the free feed next week.Follow Dexter on twitter.Check out The Sca

Melee 12 - Andrew H. on the Exegesis of Thomas Pynchon Sep 17, 2025 Melee 12Andrew H., the mastermind behind the voluminous Pynchonian project The Exegesis of Thomas Pynchon, joined me to talk Pynchon, literature as history, the political art debate, Pynchon contra DeLillo, and more.Follow him on substack or on twitter.

"The Yellow Sign" by Robert W. Chambers [audio recording] Sep 10, 2025 In 1895, American author Robert W. Chambers released a collection of short stories entitled The King in Yellow. Four stories in this collection are connected by play called The King in Yellow and the eponymous malevolent entity. This story cycle would go on to inspire H.P. Lovecraft and many others working in the genre of supernatural horror...right down to today with eerie references to Yellow Ki

Melee 11 - moonandmouth on CATACLYSM MOVES ME… Sep 3, 2025 Melee 11The brilliant moonandmouth joins me to talk about poetry, magic, holes, astral travel, and her magnificent new collection of poetry CATCALYSM MOVES ME I REGRET TO SAY out now from House of Vlad.Buy the book.Follow her on substack or on twitter.

“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell [Audio Recording] Aug 19, 2025 An audio recording of Richard Connell “The Most Dangerous Game.” Long considered one of the most popular short stories of all time, Connell’s thriller has influenced countless stories and at least one serial killer.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 9.2 - The MADNESS of AMERICAN TABLOID Aug 13, 2025 Episode 9.2In this episode, I go in depth on Ellroy’s stylistic forebears, play a little Glass Bead Game between AMERICAN TABLOID and a (not so) very different book, give the quick and very dirty history of CONFIDENTIAL MAGAZINE, and go full-on true crime telling the ‘real’ story of Chuck Rogers.

Ep. 9.1: James Ellroy’s AMERICAN TABLOID with Jacob Everett Aug 12, 2025 Episode 9.1The brilliant and magnanimous Jacob Everett, the mastermind behind Apocalypse Confidential, joins me to discuss AMERICAN TABLOID by James Ellroy—a masterful classic of paranoia, carnage, and the real deal behind the forces of history. We talk the potency of Ellroy’s style, crime fiction as high art, the resonance of the JFK assassination, Ellroy contra Quentin Tarantino, and figure out

Melee 10 - Cairo Smith talks SCENEBUX Aug 6, 2025 Cairo Smith is the founder and EIC of Futurist Letters, host of The Futurist Letters Show, filmmaker, and author of the forthcoming novel SCENEBUX, out September 6, 2025 from New Ritual Press.We talked about the New Wave, a certain LA literary party that made headlines, what happens when no one puts you in check, the Idaho Basque, some of the books that have been most influential on

“Love of Life” by Jack London [audio recording] Jul 24, 2025 Menagerie #2An audio recording of Jack London’s “Love of Life” first published in McClure’s Magazine in 1905. All the classic Jack London themes are here: the Yukon, survival, the cold, and wolves.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 8.2: The MADNESS of THE MAGUS Jul 19, 2025 Following down just some of the many rabbit holes in John Fowles’ THE MAGUS. Hypnotism, Magic, Cruelty, and the so-called Real World. SUBSCRIBE for full access. x/com/bradkellySUBSCRIBE FOR EARLY ACCESS AND BONUS CONTENT

Ep. 8.1: THE MAGUS with Alexandru Constantin Jul 18, 2025 Alexandru Constantin joins me to talk in depth on John Fowles’ classic 1965 novel THE MAGUS. A postmodern bildungsroman that’ll remind every former sensitive young man of himself in his cringier days—and a mind-bending trip through a beautiful labyrinth.https://substack.com/@deceneusDon’t miss Alex’s podcast, the Black Ibis Social Club: https://blackibissocialclub.substack.com/x/com/bradkellySUBSC

Melee 09 - Andrew Edwards talks KING OF DOGS Jul 14, 2025 The incredibly talented author Andrew Edwards joins me to talk about his upcoming novel CROWBAR, his absolute banger of a novel KING OF DOGS, the philosophy of survival, and much more.Support Andrew’s crowdfunding effort for CROWBAR:https://substack.com/@goldengoatguild/p-166445394X: x.com/goldengoatguildWebsite: https://www.goldengoatguild.net/SUBSCRIBE FOR EARLY ACCESS AND PREMIUM CONTENTx/com/b

Melee 08 - Brian Patrick Eha talks Flaubert Jul 9, 2025 Brian Patrick Eha is a widely-published essayist, journalist, and critic. In this expansive conversation we talk Gustave Flaubert as a precursor to Modernism, the method of free indirect discourse in Madame Bovary and the madness of The Temptation of St. Anthony, as well as a few under-appreciated books from Brian’s personal canon..https://x.com/brianehaEssays by Brian that we mention:https://www.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 7.2: The MADNESS of Gerald Murnane’s THE PLAINS Jul 3, 2025 or not), and much, much more. Get access to the full episode (and much more) via the patreon or substack feed at madmethodpod.com/subscribe. x/com/bradkelly

Ep. 7.1: Gerald Murnane’s THE PLAINS with Jack BC Jun 26, 2025 Jack BC of the always entertaining and enlightening podcast Book Club from Hell, joins me to talk about the singular masterpiece of Australian letters, Gerald Murnane's strange and beautiful book THE PLAINS. A book that is somehow about itself, and everything else. We talk about the many questions Murnane raises on the nature of creativity, subjectivity, and the very form of the novel.https://book

Melee 07 - Andrew Wittstadt talks HEAVY BORED Jun 18, 2025 Andrew Wittstadt (@andrewwittstadt) joins me to talk about his great podcast on poetry and literature, HEAVY BORED. We also get into the problem of authority in academia and why it’s necessary as well as Andrew’s personal canon and much more. https://www.patreon.com/HeavyBoredx.com/andrewwittstadtx.com/heavyboredpodhttps://www.instagram.com/heavybored/https://www.youtube.com/@heavyboredx/com/bradk

“The Man of the Crowd” by Edgar Allan Poe [Audio recording] Jun 11, 2025 An audio recording of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1840 short story “The Man of the Crowd", in which Poe’s narrator finds that he can read a man’s entire history in his expression—but some things are left better unseen. SUBSCRIBE AT SUPPORT for access to bonus content.

Ep. 6.2 - The MADNESS of LIBRA Jun 5, 2025 How Don DeLillo renders visible the invisible, the forces of history, conspiracy theory as literature, and the Discordian weirdness of the JFK assassination. SUBSCRIBE AT SUPPORT for access to bonus content.

[PREVIEW] Ep. 6.1: LIBRA with Glen Rockney on Gain of Fiction Jun 5, 2025 I joined Glen Rockney on his monumental Gain of Fiction bookclub show to talk about Don DeLillo’s 1988 pseudohistorical masterpiece LIBRA—arguably THE novel about the JFK assassination. This one is for premium subscribers ONLY. Follow Rare Candy: rarecandy.substack.com (where premium subscribers can also get this episode) or wherever you get your podcasts SUBSCRIBE for early access and premi

Melee 06: Jack BC’s TOWER Jun 3, 2025 Jack BC of the great books podcast Bookclub from Hell joins me to discuss his exceptional work of corporate surrealism, TOWER and the origins of Bookclub from Hell, as well as the legacy of literary realism, the exquisite weirdness of JG Ballard, and much much more.Jack’s podcast: https://www.bookclubfromhell.com/,https://x.com/bookclubhell666Buy TOWER: https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Jack-BC/dp/0645

Melee 05: Gaining Fiction w/Glen Rockney May 20, 2025 Glen Rockney of Rare Candy joins me to talk about his superb Gain of Fiction bookclub show, bros reading and why they should, and I finally share what happened to the 2024 live Art of Darkness show.Rare Candy on SubstackRare Candy on TwitterSUBSCRIBE AT SUPPORT for access to bonus content.

Episodes

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