Despite their easy descriptions– a book about small town baseball, a memoir of grief and addiction, a discussion of reality television– Lucas Mann’s books are unlike anything else, with each page revealing a fresh perspective or a surprising insight. He tells James about writing weird books in a way that feels normal, throwing subjects off-kilter in interviews, learning to write unhinged to create emotion, and playing Jenga with narrative. Plus, Nathan McNamara on the art of book reviewing.

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Lucas Mann

James and Lucas discuss:

The University of Iowa

HOMAGE TO CATALONIA by George Orwell

Arundhati Roy

Amitava Kumar

James Baldwin

THE VILLAGER

Film Forum

THRONE by Kerry Howley

THE NEW YORKER

Roger Angell

“Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu” by John Updike

David Halberstam

BLUETS by Maggie Nelson

THE LOVER by Marguerite Duras

THE SUICIDE INDEX by Joan Wickersham

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

Malcolm Gladwell

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts

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Nathan McNamara

Nathan and James discuss:

PLOUGHSHARES

Johns Hopkins University

Vassar College

COFFEE HOUSE PRESS

SAMUEL JOHNSON’S ETERNAL RETURN by Michael Riker

DOROTHY, A PUBLISHING PROJECT

Megan McDowell

Christina MacSweeney

Emma Ramadan

Riff Raff Bookstore

Michael Silverblatt

BOOKWORM

Annie Hartnett

THE LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS

Ellie Duke

Danielle Dutton

THE SHUTTERS by Ahmed Bouanani

THE HOSPITAL by Ahmed Bouanani

NEW DIRECTIONS PRESS

COMEMADRE by Roque Larraquy

Alejandra Pizarnik

THE POETRY FOUNDATION

Jeremy Lybarger

THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE: STORIES by Mariana Enriquez

FEVER DREAM by Samantha Schweblin

MY HEART HEMMED IN by Marie NDiaye

TWO LINES PRESS

THE BABYSITTER AT REST by Jen George