

#1014
Mentioned in 22 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.
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































Mentioned in 22 episodes
Recommended by 

as an outstanding and moving read about rural poverty.


Judd Antin

313 snips
The UX research reckoning is here | Judd Antin (Airbnb, Meta)
Mentioned by 

as her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, exploring themes of Appalachia.


Ezra Klein

297 snips
Best Of: Barbara Kingsolver on ‘Urban-Rural Antipathy’
Mentioned by 

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


Gabor Maté

283 snips
E538 Dr. Gabor Maté
Mentioned by 

as a recently finished novel.


Emma Walmsley

49 snips
GSK CEO: Drug Discovery, AI in Pharma, and Changing Company Culture
Mentioned by 

when discussing the challenges facing young men in Appalachia.


Richard Reeves

39 snips
Office Hours Special: Algebra of Masculinity Part 3
Recommended by ![undefined]()

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

Jason Schreier

30 snips
And The Winner Of The Console War Is... PC
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

when discussing a book by Barbara Kingsolver.

Dax Shepard

29 snips
Walton Goggins
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

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

Mina Kim

21 snips
Barbara Kingsolver on Her Great Appalachian Novel, ‘Demon Copperhead’
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

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

Leigh Sales

15 snips
Ep 255 - Sales' Summer of Culture
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

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

Dax Shepard

14 snips
Barbara Kingsolver (author of Demon Copperhead)
Mentioned by 

and 

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


Barbara Kingsolver


Silas House

13 snips
Writing Lessons Episode 4: Sense of Place Featuring Barbara Kingsolver
Empfohlen von ![undefined]()

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

Moritz Neumeier

12 snips
Das ist ja schlimmer als vorher
Recommended by ![undefined]()

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

Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Speaks: Exclusive Interview On His Retrial
Mentioned by 

and ![undefined]()

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


Jeff O'Neal

Rebecca Schinsky

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 

as a book he spent too much time reading.


Ryan Girdusky

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

for its portrayal of the opioid crisis and its impact.


Rebecca Haw Allensworth

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)
Recommended by 

as a wonderful account of a young man navigating life without stable parents.


Rory Stewart

234. Question Time: Why New Labour introduced tuition fees, Thatcher and Blair’s canvassing secrets, and the greatest prime minister we never had
Mentioned by 

as the author of a book that is a retelling of David Copperfield.


Deb Gabor

Grow Your Author Brand Post-Publication with Deb Gabor