Episode 89: Kevin Wilson & Zachary Wagman

December 28, 2019

Kevin Wilson’s fifth book, the novel NOTHING TO SEE HERE, is a perfect combination of everything that made his previous work so singular: the humor and edge of THE FAMILY FANG, the intensity of his short fiction, and the heart and earnestness of PERFECT LITTLE WORLD. He and James talk depicting basketball, writing being fun and versatile, keeping it short, and lacking a radar for weirdness. Plus, Ecco executive editor Zachary Wagman.  

Kevin Wilson

Buy NOTHING TO SEE HERE

Kevin’s work mentioned: “Blowing up on the Spot,” PERFECT LITTLE WORLD, TUNNELING TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, THE FAMILY FANG, Buzzfeed essay

Kevin and James discuss: 

PLOUGHSHARES 

Laura van den Berg 

Lee Boudreaux 

Harry Potter 

The Southern Voices Festival 

“A to B” from A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan 

Caki Wilkinson 

Latina Davis 

Kim Woodley 

Grundy County 

Franklin County 

Kansas State 

University of Florida 

Patrick Ewing 

Hakeem Olajuwon 

Kevin McHale 

THE DART LEAGUE KING by Keith Lee Morris 

“Boys Town” by Jim Shepard 

Harvard University 

THE NEW YORKER 

Calvin Trillin

WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson 

A MEMBER OF THE WEDDING by Carson McCullers 

MRS. CALIBAN by Rachel Ingalls 

GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong 

TREASURE ISLAND!!! by Sara Levine 

BAD MARIE by Marcy Dermansky 

THE LONGSHOT by Katie Kitamura 

TRAIN DREAMS by Denis Johnson 

Christine Schutt 

Steven Millhauser 

Larry Bird 

Johnny Storm, “The Human Torch” 

Julie Barer 

Ecco 

Greensboro Review 

Nicole Kidman 

Keith Urban 

Christopher Walken 

Ryan Call 

Zachary Wagman: @zackwagman

Zack and James discuss: 

THE FAMILY FANG

BABY, YOU’RE GONNA BE MINE 

PERFECT LITTLE WORLD 

Saturday Night Live 

ALA 

The Lead Read 

The Today Show 

Vintage 

Crown 

Dennis Lehane 

Dan Halpern 

Hogarth 

Knopf 

New England Patriots 

Gillian Flynn 

Pulitzer Prize 

Nobel Prize 

YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY by Steph Cha 

COLD STORAGE by David Koepp