The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The Fortress of Solitude saw it all coming

Jun 30, 2022

Jonathan Lethem, acclaimed author of 'The Fortress of Solitude,' delves into the novel's exploration of gentrification, cultural appropriation, and the superhero genre. He reflects on the nostalgic ties of 1970s Brooklyn, the responsibilities of writers regarding racial representation, and how past movements influence today's activism. Lethem discusses the significance of comics in his life and how they connect with the emotional journeys of his characters, making a case for the enduring relevance of his work as it nears its 20th anniversary.

39:51

Episode guests

Jonathan Lethem

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Intro

3min

Navigating Cultural Narratives

11min

Hope and Disillusionment in Progressive Movements

2min

Generational Shifts and Literary Evolution

12min

Connecting Literary Characters: Insights on Fortress of Solitude and Song of Solomon

3min

Nostalgia and Transformation in Comics

5min

Behind the Scenes and Listener Engagement

2min

Vox's Constance Grady talks with writer Jonathan Lethem about his 2003 work The Fortress of Solitude in this recording from a live Vox Book Club event. They discuss the prescient and still-relevant themes of the novel — like the issues of appropriation in art, gentrification, and superheroes, how Lethem approaches "realism" in his writing, and the role of music and comics in both his own life and the lives of his characters.

Vox Conversations will be on summer break the week of July 4th, and will return on Monday, July 11th.

Host: Constance Grady (@constancegrady), staff writer, Vox

Guests: Jonathan Lethem, author

References:

The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem (Vintage; 2003)
"The Fortress of Solitude is a fraught and uneasy love letter to a vanished Brooklyn" by Constance Grady (Vox; May 20)
"The Author Looks Inward: A Conversation with Jonathan Lethem" by Brian Gresko (LARB; Sept. 8, 2013)
Another Country by James Baldwin (1962)
Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann (1901)
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison (1977)

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This episode was made by:

Producer: Erikk Geannikis
Editor: Amy Drozdowska
Engineer: Patrick Boyd
Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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