Great American Novel Episode 36: Burning Down the Days with THE FLAMETHROWERS by Rachel Kushner
It’s 1976. A woman named Reno in leather motorcycle gear descends upon the Bonneville Salt Flats on a state of the art Moto Valera motorcycle. Is speed her goal? Is it the land art created by her tracks across the flats? Is her rolling crash meant to serve as a metaphor for the next two year of her life?
In this episode your intrepid hosts return to an era and setting that at least one of them never particularly wanted to visit: the art scene of New York in the 1970s. Join us for this rousing discussion of Rachel Kushner’s 2013 novel The Flamethowers, which juxtaposes the avant garde art scene of the late seventies with motorcycle speed races, land art, and the Italian Red Brigade Movement of 1977. When is it the message and when is it the medium? Where are the dividing lines between style and substance? Is it revolution or posture? The Flamethrowers was a National Book Award Finalist; Kushner is a 2013 Guggenheim Fellow.
The Great American Novel podcast is an ongoing discussion about the novels we hold up as significant achievements in our American literary culture. Additionally, we sometimes suggest novels who should break into the sometimes problematical canon and at other times we’ll suggest books which can be dropped from such lofty consideration. Your hosts are Kirk Curnutt and Scott Yarbrough, professors with little time and less sense who nonetheless enjoy a good book banter. All opinions are their own and do not reflect the points of view of their employers, publishers, relatives, pets, or accountants.
Audio from the trailer for Girl on a Motorcycle, 1968, dir. Jack Cardiff, starring Marianne Faithfull. Produced by Adel Productions / Mid-Atlantic Film (Holdings).
All show music is by Lobo Loco. The intro song is “Old Ralley”; the intermission is “The First Moment,” and the outro is “Inspector Invisible.” For more information visit: https://locolobomusic.com/.
We may be contacted at greatamericannovelpodcast (@) gmail.com.
All opinions are the hosts' own and do not reflect the points of view of their employers, publishers, relatives, pets, or accountants.
All show music is by Lobo Loco. The intro song is “Old Ralley”; the intermission is “The First Moment,” and the outro is “Inspector Invisible.” For more information visit: https://locolobomusic.com/.