Literary Roadhouse: A Literary Podcast Community.

Every week we have a rowdy old time discussing diverse literary fiction

Literary Roadhouse

Literary Roadhouse

A Literary Podcast Community

(REWIND) The Yellow Wallpaper | Charlotte Perkins Gilman | Literary Roadhouse Ep 49

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: The Yellow Wallpaper

This week we’re replaying an episode from our archive! We picked this story because it’s one of our favorite discussions to date. (Boy has our sound editing improved in the years since this episode aired!)

Find this week’s rewind story here:  The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Next episode:  Passage by Kevin Jared Hosein

Rated: Clean

We really enjoyed this in depth discussion of The Yellow Wallpaper, an important part of the American short story cannon about mental illness and the treatment of women. Written in the late 1800’s this story seems to bridge an old-fashioned writing style, and more modern tension and tones. It is full of symbolism that allowed us to delve deep into the many aspects of this masterpiece. In addition, listening to Rammy figure out the story on air is both fascinating and educational about the process of understanding fiction. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

Please share your thoughts in the comment section below, or leave a comment using the voicemail function to the right. We may read your voicemail on air, so if you don’t want us to do so, tell us.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

The Diamond as Big as the Ritz | F. Scott Fitzgerald | Literary Roadhouse Ep 134

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: The Diamond as Big as the Ritz

Find this week’s story here:  The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Next week’s story:  Passage by Kevin Jared Hosein

Rated: Clean

And then there were two… Rammy’s got married recently and was on his honeymoon during the recording of this episode. Hooray, Rammy! Maya’s been dealing with some computer trouble. And so Gerald and Anais bravely soldier on, tackling a 15k+ word story on their own. Thankfully they both loved the colorful, decadent, and twisted plot of “The Diamond as Big as the Ritz” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. They analyze the prose, characters, and themes, and reflect on how the use of absurdity played right into Fitzgerald’s greater commentary on wealth.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

The Dinner Party | Joshua Ferris | Literary Roadhouse Ep 133

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: The Dinner Party

Find this week’s story here:  The Dinner Party by Joshua Ferris

Next week’s story:  The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Rated: Clean

Rammy, Gerald and Anais rave about  “The Dinner Party” by Joshua Ferris,which was suggested by former guest Colette Sartor. The three hosts discuss the story’s sharply drawn characters, clever and entertaining dialogue, and plot twist. Rammy and Anais debate the line between a vividly drawn character and melodrama, and Gerald surprises himself by enjoying a story with an ambiguous ending.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

Here Comes the Sun | Nicole Dennis-Benn | Literary Roadhouse Bookclub Ep 19

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Here Comes the Sun

In August we read Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn.

Next month we will read Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan.

Rated: Explicit

This week the bookclub makes due with just Gerald and Anais! In spite of scheduling conflicts and the hurricane in Hawaii, the discussion  went on! Our two hosts tackle Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn and grapple with the shades of darkness in this beautifully written novel that dwells on difficult and heavy themes. Through discussion, Gerald and Anais tease apart the plot from the themes and discover the moments they enjoyed most, and the moments that left them bewildered.

Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.

We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.

We’d love to hear from you

Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon

 


Psst: Full list of books discussed on the podcast >>

Stone Mattress | Margaret Atwood | Literary Roadhouse Ep 132

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Stone Mattress

Find this week’s story here: Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood

Next week’s story:  The Dinner Party by Joshua Ferris

Rated: Clean

This week all four Literary Roadhouse hosts gushed about this superbly sharp and entertaining short story by Margaret Atwood. “Stone Mattress” inspired an in-depth discussion of excellent prose, characterizations and symbolism. The conversation turns contentious as the hosts debate the moral character of the protagonist’s former husbands.

Come for the discussion, stay for a blooper reel at the very end.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

Christmas Party | Russell Banks | Literary Roadhouse Ep 131

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Christmas Party

Find this week’s story here: Christmas Party by Russell Banks

Next week’s story: Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood

Rated: Clean

Baylee Annis, Assistant to the Director at the Adirondack Center for Writing

Baylee Annis, Assistant to the Director at the Adirondack Center for Writing

This week Gerald, Rammy, and Anais are joined by Baylee Annis, Assistant to the Director of the Adirondack Center for Writing.  She is poet, essayist, journalist, and loves talking about words so much she made it her job to pass on her passion to others. She studied at Norwich University in Vermont and was one of a whopping two students who studied english, education, and sociology. An Adirondack native, she hasn’t had electricity or running water for three years in her adorable 128 sq ft house, and would have it no other way.

You can learn more about the Adirondack Center for Writing at adirondackcenterforwriting.org

The show quickly became a love fest! All four hosts gushed over the brilliant characters, prose, and plot of this classic Russell Banks short story. Baylee brought her Adirondack native experience to the conversation, commenting on how the community was one more character in the story. Meanwhile, Rammy and Anais debate why the protagonist briefly contemplated kidnapping a baby.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

Landfill | Joyce Carol Oates | Literary Roadhouse Ep 130

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Landfill

Find this week’s story here: Landfill by Joyce Carol Oates

Next week’s story: Christmas Party by Russell Banks

Rated: Clean Language, Sensitive Topic

Gerald, Maya and Anais discuss Landfill by Joyce Carol Oates. They struggle to discuss a story that too closely resembles a real life tragedy while painting an insensitive picture of the victim. For this reason, the story quickly became controversial after publication in 2006, and has raised ethical questions from literary critics.

Among those critical voices is Amardeep Singh’s, an Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University, and Anais’s former professor. We highly recommend you read his critique at his blog.  If you enjoyed Professor Singh’s critique, consider subscribing to his blog Electrostani.

We also apologize for the audio issues we experienced this week. We’re still an indie podcast and your contributions on Patreon go a long way in helping up cover or expenses and smooth out our production.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

Sal Wants to Sleep | Serena Johe | Literary Roadhouse Ep 129

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Sal Wants to Sleep

Find this week’s story here: Sal Wants to Sleep by Serena Johe

Next week’s story: Landfill by Joyce Carol Oates

Rated: Clean Language, Discussion of Suicide

Gerald, Maya and Anais discuss Sal Wants to Sleep by Serena Johe, a short story about a man named Sal who, as the title suggests, cannot sleep. Our hosts are divided in their opinions. On the positive end of the spectrum, Anais gives the most enthusiastic endorsement of this story, while Maya provides a more nuanced critique. The discussion touches on character, pace, theme, and veers into the question of euthanasia.

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

That Evening Sun | William Faulkner | Literary Roadhouse Ep 128

by 2 Comments

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: That Evening Sun

Find this week’s story here: That Evening Sun by William Faulkner

Next week’s story: Sal Wants to Sleep by Serena Johe

Rated: Explicit (clean language, adult themes)

This week the Literary Roadhouse hosts are joined by longtime listener

Richard Dennis, writer

Richard Dennis, writer

Richard Dennis. He is a retired corporate attorney who now lives and writes in northern Washington State. His short story “The Most Wanted” appears in the Winter 2018 edition of the literary journal Euphony. Previously, his story “Request for Reconsideration” appeared in the literary journal The Milo Review. Richard has studied with the Writers Studio Workshops and is currently working on his first novel.  

Richard recommended that Literary Roadhouse finally get around to reading Faulkner, dangit! And our regular hosts couldn’t be more grateful for his recommendation of “That Evening Sun.” This story’s unapologetic and poignant critique on racism in the American South fueled a lively conversation that could have gone on for hours.

If you want a host to pick up a story suggestion, drop a line in the comment section, on Twitter @litroadhouse, or in the FB group linked to below.

Interview with Richard

Anais sat down with Richard to discuss his writing and career shift from corporate lawyer to fiction author.  The interview is available to our patrons on Patreon.  

To become a patron, you determine how much to donate to Literary Roadhouse to keep our show going.

Support us on Patreon

Support us on Patreon

Have thoughts on this story?

Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Support us on Patreon

We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.


Support Literary Roadhouse on Patreon


Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>

Reservoir 13 | Jon McGregor | Literary Roadhouse Bookclub Ep 18

by Leave a Comment

Play in New WindowDownload

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Discussion Notes: Reservoir 13

In July we read Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor.

Next month we will read Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Rated: Clean

Erika Liodice, author.

Erika Liodice, author.

Winner of the 2017 Costa Novel Award, Reservoir 13 by Jon McGregor challenges reader expectations by subverting mystery tropes and dwelling on the aftermath of a disappearance, such as it may be.

Gerald, Maya and Anais were joined by Erika Liodice. She is the author of Empty Arms: A Novel as well as the new children’s book series High Flyers: Rookie of the Year. 

Erika pens “The Indie Way” column on the popular fiction writing website, Writer Unboxed, and is a contributor to Author In Progress, the Writer Unboxed team’s first anthology.

To learn more about Erika and her work, visit erikaliodice.com.

Interview with Erika

Anais sat down with Erika to discuss her novel which is also focused on a missing girl of sorts, and to discuss her more recent adventures in writing children’s books and racing pigeons. Yes, really, racing real pigeons. The interview is available to our patrons on Patreon.  

To become a patron, you determine how much to donate to Literary Roadhouse to keep our show going.

Support us on Patreon

Support us on Patreon

We’d love to hear from you

Did we miss something? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Join the Literary Roadhouse Readers FB Group

Please leave an iTunes review! It helps us attract a wider audience and keep growing.

We air the first Friday of every month, and discuss the books on Twitter between shows using #LRHBookclub.

If you enjoy Literary Roadhouse, consider becoming a patron on Patreon. You decide how much to give, and every bit goes a long way in helping us bring you better content.

Privacy Policy

patreon

Archives