#1145

Mentioned in 26 episodes

Demon Copperhead

Book • 2022

Demon Copperhead is a powerful and emotionally engaging novel that tells the story of Damon Fields, a boy born to a teenage single mother in a trailer home in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia.

The novel, inspired by Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield', follows Demon's journey through the challenges of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, and disastrous loves.

Kingsolver vividly portrays the opioid epidemic's impact on rural communities and explores themes of love, survival, and the transformative power of storytelling.

The narrative is delivered through Demon's unsparing and authentic voice, which brings to life the harsh realities and the resilience of the people in Appalachia.

Mentioned by

Rebecca Haw Allensworth

Mentioned in 26 episodes

Recommended by

Judd Antin

as an outstanding and moving read about rural poverty.

341 snips

The UX research reckoning is here | Judd Antin (Airbnb, Meta)

Mentioned by

Gabor Maté

as a modern take on David Copperfield, set in Appalachia, and its critique of JD Vance's perspective on the region.

292 snips

E538 Dr. Gabor Maté

Mentioned by

Chris Hayes

when discussing addiction and challenging structures and institutions.

57 snips

Right-Wing Radicalization in a Fractured America with Beth Macy

Mentioned by

Emma Walmsley

as a recently finished novel.

49 snips

GSK CEO: Drug Discovery, AI in Pharma, and Changing Company Culture

Mentioned by

Richard Reeves

when discussing the challenges facing young men in Appalachia.

39 snips

Office Hours Special: Algebra of Masculinity Part 3

Mentioned by

Eric Zimmer

as a newer novel on his special shelf that he remembers reading while in Mexico.

30 snips

Choosing Love Over Fear: Finding Joy, Confidence, and Self-Trust with Emma Gannon

Recommended by

Jason Schreier

as an incredible piece of writing, a retelling of David Copperfield set in Appalachia during the opioid epidemic and financial crash.

30 snips

And The Winner Of The Console War Is... PC

Mentioned by

Dax Shepard

when discussing a book by Barbara Kingsolver.

29 snips

Walton Goggins

Mentioned by

Mina Kim

as a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about an orphan in Appalachia.

21 snips

Barbara Kingsolver on Her Great Appalachian Novel, ‘Demon Copperhead’

Mentioned by

Leigh Sales

as a summer read, but she abandoned it due to its bleak portrayal of a hardscrabble childhood.

15 snips

Ep 255 - Sales' Summer of Culture

Mentioned by

Dax Shepard

and Monica Padman as their favorite book of the year, praised for its authenticity and portrayal of Appalachian life.

14 snips

Barbara Kingsolver (author of Demon Copperhead)

Mentioned by

Barbara Kingsolver

and

Silas House

in relation to the importance of setting and sense of place in storytelling.

13 snips

Writing Lessons Episode 4: Sense of Place Featuring Barbara Kingsolver

Empfohlen von

Moritz Neumeier

als fesselndes Buch über einen Waisenjungen, der in Armut aufwächst.

12 snips

Das ist ja schlimmer als vorher

Recommended by

Harvey Weinstein

, who says it is an epic novel that won the Pulitzer Prize and is a retelling of David Copperfield set in Appalachia.

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Mentioned by

Jeff O'Neal

and

Rebecca Schinsky

during their Pulitzer Prize ranking discussion, highlighting its popularity and accessibility.

The 10 Best Winners of The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction of the Century So Far

Mentioned by Lizzie Peet as a recently finished book that she recommends.

The Intelligence: At a crossroads (really)

Mentioned by

Ryan Girdusky

as a book he spent too much time reading.

It's a Numbers Game: The Numbers Behind Diversity in Medicine with Heather Mac Donald

Recommended by

Rebecca Haw Allensworth

for its portrayal of the opioid crisis and its impact.

Rebecca Haw Allensworth, "The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong" (Harvard UP, 2025)

Recommended by Lizzie Peet as a recently finished and enjoyed book.

The Intelligence: At a crossroads (really)

Mentioned by

Ian Morgan Cron

as a beautiful novel by Barbara Kingsolver that moved him to tears of gratitude.

Joel Miller on the Inner World of the Enneagram Five and the Power of Ideas

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