Weekly Short Stories
Each week The Literary Roadhouse podcast hosts deeply read and discuss one short story.
Ep 166: The Red Tower by Thomas Ligotti
Discussion Notes: The Red Tower by Thomas Ligotti
This week’s story: The Red Tower by Thomas Ligotti
Next week’s story: Granma’s Porch by Alexia Tolas
Rated: Clean
At the request of a listener, Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “The Red Tower” by Thomas Ligotti. Andy, who was looking forward to reading a Ligotti short story, was disappointed, but Anais was thrilled. In part she was thrilled because she found what she believed to be an obvious metaphor wherein The Red Tower is a representation of the human mind. Her confidence is rocked when no one else – not even other reviewers on the internet – share her view. Gerald learns what creepypasta is.
Andy’s recommendation: Read “The Stairs and the Doorway” by unxmaal on Reddit.
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Click here for a full list of all short stories discussed on the podcast.
The Escape | John L’Heureux | Literary Roadhouse Ep 165
Discussion Notes: The Escape
This week’s story: The Escape by John L’Heureux
Next week’s story: The Red Tower by Thomas Ligotti
Rated: Clean
Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “The Escape” by John L’Heureux. “The Escape” is the brilliantly told story of Eddie Prior, a pragmatic family man who faces Parkinson’s in late life and grapples with the disease alongside a newfound appreciation for painting which, as the disease progresses, becomes increasingly not pragmatic. All three hosts absolutely loved the story’s sheer genius, though Anais for some reason struggled to leave her analytical brain to embrace the reader brain. Andy in particular enjoyed the story because the author is a former Jesuit priest, which Andy argues on the show is the coolest kind of priest.
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Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>
Ross Perot and China | Ben Lerner | Literary Roadhouse Ep 164
Discussion Notes: Ross Perot and China
This week’s story: Ross Perot and China by Ben Lerner
Next week’s story: The Escape by John L’Heureux
Rated: Clean
Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “Ross Perot and China” by Ben Lerner. Gerald and Andy did not care for the story which Anais loved. In particular she loved the theme that dwelled on the contrast between predictable aesthetics versus the unknowable interiors of minds and of homes. She valiantly defends the story, and even convinces Andy to consider a different theme. But can she convince him to raise his rating?
We apologize for Anais’s subpar audio today. She was traveling during the recording of this episode and did not have her usual set up.
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.
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We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.
Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>
Three Friends in a Hammock | April Ayers Lawson | Literary Roadhouse Ep 163
Discussion Notes: Three Friends in a Hammock
This week’s story: Three Friends in a Hammock by April Ayers Lawson
Next week’s story: Ross Perot and China by Ben Lerner
Rated: Clean
Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “Three Friends in a Hammock” by April Ayers Lawson and dig into themes centered on friendship and whether or not love is real. Our hosts appreciated the depth of the story’s insights into human relationships. However, something was missing for all three hosts, something that prevented a more robust enjoyment of the story. Through discussion, they dig deep into what that is.
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Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.
Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>
The Palm Tree Bandit | Nnedi Okorafor | Literary Roadhouse Ep 162
Discussion Notes: The Palm Tree Bandit
This week’s story: The Palm Tree Bandit by Nnedi Okorafor
Next week’s story: Three Friends in a Hammock by April Ayers Lawson
Rated: Clean
Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “The Palm Tree Bandit” by Nnedi Okorafor. This African fairytale enchants all three hosts alike. Anais appreciated the story’s feminist themes that were cloaked in a vibrant village that felt both modern and timeless. Andy enjoyed the local legend of the Palm Tree Bandit who manifests with fantastical features, while Gerald appreciated the framing device’s clever ability to keep the story within certain expectations. But could the child-friendly narrative hold all three hosts’ attentions for long?
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Did we miss a crucial piece of this story? Tell us below! Or on Twitter @litroadhouse or in our FB group.
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We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.
Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>
The Demon Lover | Elizabeth Bowen | Literary Roadhouse Ep 161
Discussion Notes: The Demon Lover
This week’s story: The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen
Next week’s story: The Palm Tree Bandit by Nnedi Okorafor
Rated: Clean
Andy, Gerald, and Anais discuss “The Demon Lover” by Elizabeth Bowen. “The Demon Lover” is Bowen’s most anthologized story. Published in 1945, this frightful tale is set in World War II London in an area of Kensington that’s been bombed and near deserted.
True to form, the Literary Roadhouse hosts have much to debate about this spooky story. Anais proposes a psychological reading of the demon. Does she manage to convince her co-hosts? Or, as Andy wonders, does it even matter? Will this new interpretation of the story help Gerald see past some issues he had with the prose?
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.
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We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.
Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>
Poetry | Greg Jackson | Literary Roadhouse Ep 160
Discussion Notes: Poetry
This week’s story: Poetry by Greg Jackson
Next week’s story: The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen
Rated: Clean
This week we welcomed Katie Hagaman as a guest to discuss “Poetry” by Greg Jackson.
Katie Hagaman is an author and illustrator from the mountains of North Carolina. Having written for well over a decade for personal enjoyment, two years ago she decided to take her pursuits a step further and publish some of her works. To date, she’s released two children’s books, Haven’t You Heard? and In This Book You Will Find, as well as book one of her new series of novels entitled, The Awakening.
https://katiehagaman.wixsite.com/mysite-1
Twitter: @hagaman_kl
Instagram: @klhagaman
Goodreads Author Page
Gerald, Anais and Katie discuss “Poetry” by Greg Jackson. The story reflects on the impulse to create and tell stories and to connect with others, and the desire to rebuff the fear of death by turning experiences into myths. Its depth provided a fertile ground for discussion, though the discussion was not above speculating over whether or not the main characters’ relationship was doomed to fail.
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.
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Support us on Patreon
We’re still a self-funded podcast. We work hard every week to bring you the best content possible.
Psst: Full list of short stories discussed on the podcast >>