Claire Fuller started writing to compete in a local short story slam. Then she started to win. Soon after, she earned an MA and has since written two novels, OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS and SWIMMING LESSONS. She and James talk about the torture of writing new material, the joy of editing, the reader response theory, and the practice of listening to music while writing. Plus, year-end reading recommendations from some of 2017’s guests!

Claire Fuller

Claire and James discuss:

Penguin Books

Tin House Books

Masie Cochran

Fuzzy Felt Green

WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O’Brien

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER by Carson McCullers

HOUSEKEEPING by Marilynne Robinson

LEGEND OF A SUICIDE by David Vann

Iron & Wine

Sam Beam

Townes van Zandt

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS (album) by Julien Baker

Margot Livesey

SOY SAUCE FOR BEGINNERS by Kirstin Chen

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (dir by Coens)

THERE WILL BE BLOOD (dir by PT Anderson)

MICHAEL CLAYTON (dir by Tony Gilroy)

ZODIAC (dir by David Fincher)

IDAHO by Emily Ruskovich

A SEPARATION by Katie Kitamura

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Year-End Recommendations from:

Annie Hartnett, author of RABBIT CAKE:

THE HISTORY OF WOLVES by Emily Fridlund

THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY by Hannah Tinti

BORNE by Jeff VanderMeer

MOTHERIST by Kristen Iskandrian

THE MOTHERS by Brit Bennett

PERFECT LITTLE WORLD by Kevin Wilson

GOD, THE MOON, AND OTHER MEGAFAUNA by Kellie Wells

ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy

 

Anne Valente, author of OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN:

THE ANIMATORS by Kayla Rae Whitaker

SING, UNBURIED, SING by Jesmyn Ward

THE HOUR OF LAND by Terry Tempest Williams

 

Tim Weed, author of A FIELD GUIDE TO MURDER AND FLY FISHING:

ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy

HAVANA GOLD by Leonardo Pedura

 

Robert Repino, author of D’ARC:

THE ART OF COMIC BOOK WRITING by Mark Kneece

THE NEST by Kenneth Oppel

 

Amy P. Knight, author of LOST, ALMOST: 

STEPHEN, FLORIDA by Gabe Habash

THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt

OUTLINE by Rachel Kusk

 

Rachel Cantor, author of GOOD ON PAPER:

WE THE DROWNED by Carsten Jensen

THE LONG DRY by Cynan Jones

HOMESICK FOR ANOTHER WORLD by Ottessa Moshfegh

THE OLD FILTH TRILOGY by Jane Gardham

TUESDAY NIGHTS IN 1980 by Molly Prentiss

STORIES OF YOUR LIFE by Ted Chiang

THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY by Hannah Tinti

MEMOIR OF A POLAR BEAR by Yoko Tawada

 

Michael Farris Smith, author of DESPERATION ROAD: 

STONER by John Williams

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD dir by Andrew Dominik

 

Kelly J. Ford, author of COTTONMOUTHS: 

THE FACT OF A BODY by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich

HERE COMES THE SUN by Nicole Dennis-Benn

A SEAT AT THE TABLE (album) by Solange

 

Daniel Wallace, author of EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES:

HEATING & COOLING: 52 MICRO-MEMOIRS by Beth Ann Fennelly

THE BOOK OF RESTING PLACES: A PERSONAL HISTORY OF WHERE WE LAY THE DEAD by Thomas Mira y Lopez