The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life
John King
Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate world, but also the scrawled notes and tortured drafts that lead writers there. In long-form interviews, writers discuss their process and the way that writing has influenced their lives. Besides this interview, each episode also features a short memoir essay from a writer about a beloved book, plus John King responds to listener’s questions and observations about the writing (and the drinking) life.
For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com.
For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 15, 2025 • 55min
660: A Discussion About John D. MacDonald, with Andrew Gulli and Maynard MacDonald
In this episode, John discusses the career of crime novelist John D. MacDonald (1916-1986) in light of a new posthumous short story, “The Accomplice.” In this interview, John speaks with with Andrew Gulli, editor of The Strand Magazineabout the rigors and ethos of editing and publishing and MacDonald’s son and literary executor Maynard about propagating a great writer’s legacy without compromising that writer’s standards despite the lucrative promise of a classic literary character like Travis McGee.
Feb 8, 2025 • 1h 2min
659: Duy Đoàn!
In 659, John talks to poet Duy Đoàn about his latest collection, Zombie Vomit Mad Libs, the poetic provocations of horror films, and experimenting with erasure and fragmentation.
Feb 1, 2025 • 1h 20min
Replay: Episode 99: Kseniya Melnik (2014)!
In this week’s replay episode, John talks with fellow classmate, the fiction writer Kseniya Melnik.
Jan 25, 2025 • 1h 6min
658: Denise Duhamel!
In this week's show, John talks to the delightful poet Denise Duhamel about the nuts and bolts of poetry, the construction of themed collections, Barbie, and other matters of literary interest.
Jan 19, 2025 • 1h 14min
657: Daniel Handler, Griffin Dunne, and Ridley Pearson!
This week’s show collects three interviews with prose writers Daniel Handler, Griffin Dunne, and Ridley Pearson in joyful, fun conversations conducted last November at Miami Book Fair.
Jan 11, 2025 • 1h 49min
656: Fire by Fire by Fire with Dianne Turgeon Richardson and Tod Caviness!
John convenes with Loose Lips hosts Dianne Turgeon Richardson for a poetry game in which three friends draw themed cards and read original poems somehow connected to those themes. Alcohol was consumed, too.
Jan 4, 2025 • 1h 21min
655: Steve Chang!
On this week's show, John talks to recent Kerouac Project resident Steve Chang about writing humor with vulnerability, complicating the absurdity of the world through grounded fiction, editing fiction for Okay, Donkey, and other literary urgencies.
Dec 28, 2024 • 1h 2min
654: David Kirby, Traci Brimhall, & Robert Pinsky
This week’s show collects three interviews with poets David Kirby, Traci Brimhall, and Robert Pinsky in joyful, fun conversations conducted last November at Miami Book Fair.
Dec 21, 2024 • 46min
653: Dobby Gibson, interviewed by Chrissy Kolaya!
On this week’s show Chrissy Kolaya talks to Dobby Gibson about his latest poetry volume, Hold Everything, now out with Graywolf Press.
Dec 14, 2024 • 59min
652: Jonathan Lethem!
In this week’s show, John speaks with Jonathan Lethem about the pull of Brooklyn and obsession, the craft of guiding the reader through unusual storytelling, and bold balancing acts as storytellers.
