Join Evan Carlson, a Chicago-based actor and poet, as he dives into the search for fiction that resonates like the nonfiction he adores. He shares his unique relationship with reading and challenges he's faced to find engaging narratives. From poetry's transformative power to the intersection of storytelling and performance, Evan reflects on his artistic journey and the impacts of modern distractions on reading habits. The conversation also spotlights thought-provoking titles like 'Poetry, a Survivor's Guide' and 'Bluettes,' bridging emotions and reflections.
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Reading Life Comes in Waves
Evan experiences his reading life in waves with bursts of intense reading followed by periods of little to no reading.
These waves also mirror his writing habits with bursts of productivity and stretches of inactivity.
insights INSIGHT
Distraction Challenges Reading Consistency
Evan struggles to keep his reading consistent because of distractions like social media and his phone.
He needs a book that immediately grips him to fully engage and sustain reading.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Three Books, Three Categories
Evan usually reads three books at once: poetry, nonfiction, and fiction.
Poetry and nonfiction bring him fresh discoveries, but fiction remains a difficult and less engaging category.
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A Book About the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate
Peter Brook
In this book, Peter Brook examines the state of modern theatre by categorizing it into four types: Deadly, Holy, Rough, and Immediate. Brook draws on his extensive experience in theatre to discuss significant developments, from productions by Stanislavsky to the rise of Method Acting and Brecht’s alienation technique. He provides insights into creating fresh and exhilarating performances, emphasizing the importance of performance over the play text. The book is based on a series of lectures delivered at various universities in England and has become a classic in theatre studies, influencing radical formal experimentation in theatre[1][3][5].
Poetry, a survivor's guide
Poetry, a survivor's guide
Mark Jokic
Audition
Everything an Actor Needs to Know to Get the Part
Michael Shurtleff
This book, written by Michael Shurtleff, provides comprehensive advice on auditioning techniques. Drawing from his extensive experience in casting over 200 Broadway shows and various film and television productions, Shurtleff offers practical guidance for actors. The book includes his famous '12 Guideposts' for monologue and scene work, such as 'Relationships – how to create them onstage' and 'Conflict – what are you fighting for?' It covers every aspect of auditioning, from basic acting techniques to handling distractions and risks, and is applicable not only to actors but also to other areas of life where 'auditions' occur[2][5][6].
Unwind
Unwind
Neil Shusterman
Neil Shusterman's 'Unwind' explores a society where parents can opt to have their children 'unwound' between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a process where their body parts are harvested for use by others. The novel follows three teenagers, Connor, Risa, and Lev, who are slated to be unwound for different reasons. As they navigate this unsettling world, they grapple with questions of identity, morality, and the value of human life. Shusterman challenges readers to consider the implications of such a system and the potential consequences of valuing individual rights over collective needs. The book delves into themes of choice, redemption, and the search for meaning in a seemingly dehumanized world. Through its compelling characters and thought-provoking narrative, 'Unwind' prompts reflection on the complexities of bioethics and the importance of empathy.
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
The novel is set in a near-future New England in the Republic of Gilead, a patriarchal, totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government. Offred, the narrator, is one of the 'Handmaids', women who are forcibly assigned to produce children for the ruling class, known as 'Commanders'. The story explores themes of powerless women, loss of female agency and individuality, and the suppression of women's reproductive rights. Offred's life is marked by her restrictive routine, her memories of her past life, and her interactions with the Commander, his wife Serena Joy, and other Handmaids, including her friend Ofglen who is part of an underground resistance movement. The novel is a scathing satire, an ominous warning, and a tour de force of narrative suspense[3][4][5].
Nonfiction books often change the way that readers see the world, and today's guest Evan Carlson is on the hunt for fiction that packs the same punch as the nonfiction works he loves.
Evan's joining Anne from Chicago, where he lives and works as an actor and poet. He's found that reading poetry and nonfiction helps him challenge his ways of thinking, and he really enjoys this experience.
While Evan has read fiction that's worked for him before, too often it leaves him feeling bored. Evan's confident he's just not finding the right fiction picks, and today he and Anne talk about what he's really looking for and how he might find the titles that will excite and engage him.
Find the list of titles mentioned today and share your recommendations for Evan on our show notes page at whatshouldireadnextpodcast.com/481.
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