As he prepares to follow up his novels A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME and THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY, Wiley Cash tells James how touring, independent booksellers, and sales reps worked together to make him a success. They talk about Southern fiction, writing about place, and the subject of his next book, due out Fall 2017. Then, past guests give recommendations for 2016.

 

Wiley and James discuss:

The Odyssey Bookshop

BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter

BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK by Ben Fountain

BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH CHE GUEVARA by Ben Fountain

Thomas Wolfe

Charles Chesnutt

Nat Sobel (agent)

CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW

ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

I AM ONE OF YOU FOREVER by Fred Chappell

Ernest Gaines

Clyde Edgerton

Jill McCorkle

Woody Guthrie

Ella May Wiggins

Pete Seeger

James Fenimore Cooper

Frank Norris

The sometimes brutal nature of her books has forced Amy Koppelman to decide between an easier path or being true to her characters, and she has chosen truth every time. She and James talk about dealing with rejection, trying to enjoy happiness, and The Zoloft Ball. Afterwards, past guests give recommendations on art they enjoyed in 2016.

Amy and James Discuss:

Gordon Lish

“The Bath” by Raymond Carver

“A Small Good Thing” by Raymond Carver

Vladimir Nabokov

“A Good Man is Hard To Find” by Flannery O’Connor

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

“It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” by Bob Dylan

Sam Hinkie

A WORLD OF YESTERDAY by Stefan Zweig

MacAdam/Cage Publishing

Two Dollar Radio

Eric Obenauf

Vincent Van Gogh

Kay Redfield Jamison

 

Pauls Recommends:

BARKSKINS by Annie Proulx

WAR AND TURPENTINE by Stefan Hertmans

 

Jung Recommends:

THE NIX by Nathan Hill

THE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL BOMBS by Karan Mahajan

WE LOVE YOU, CHARLIE FREEMAN by Kaitlyn Greenidge

RICH AND PRETTY by Rumaan Alam

GIRL THROUGH GLASS by Sari Wilson

 

Mark recommends:

THE LONELY CITY by Olivia Laing

BEING A BEAST by Charles Foster

BLOOD, BONE, & MARROW: A BIOGRAPHY OF HARRY CREWS by Ted Geltner

THE VEGETARIAN by Han Kang

ALL THAT MAN IS by David Szalay

 

Chris recommends:

INTIMATIONS by Alexandra Kleeman

A GAMBLER’S ANATOMY by Jonathan Lethem

22, A MILLION by Bon Iver (album)

ARRIVAL (film)

 

Wil Recommends:

SALVADOR

MIAMI

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING

BLUE NIGHTS

all by Joan Didion

 

Julianna recommends:

NAMELESS BOY by Douglas Goetsch

THE BIG BOOK OF SCIENCE FICTION ed by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer

THE MAN WHO MISTOOK HIS WIFE FOR A HAT by Oliver Sacks

HALLUCINATIONS by Oliver Sacks

DIVORCE (tv)

CATASTROPHE (tv) both Sharon Horgan

 

Urban recommends:

THE BIG SKY by A.B. Guthrie, Jr.

BILLY RAY’S FARM by Larry Brown

 

Paula recommends:

NEVERMIND by Patrick Melrose

STILL POINTS NORTH by Leigh Newman

Mondo Cosmo (band)