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, 2020 • 1h 15min
406: Amy Watkins!
This week, I talk to my friend and colleague Amy Watkins about becoming more systematic about submitting work, and about conceiving of book-length projects of poetry. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES TDO Listeners can get 20% of a premium subscription to Scribophile. After using the above link to register for a basic account, go here while still logged in to upgrade the account with the discount.
Feb 8, 2020 • 1h 31min
405: Corwin Moore on Richard Pryor!
This week, I talk to my friend Corwin Moore, who is a comic and comedy writer. Our proposed topic of discussion was the greatness of Richard Pryor, which we cover at length in a conversation that took many turns. NOTES This episode is sponsored by the excellent people at Scribophile. TDO Listeners can get 20% of a premium subscription to Scribophile. After using the above link to register for a basic account, go herewhile still logged in to upgrade the account with the discount.
Feb 1, 2020 • 1h 9min
404: Susan Lilley!
This week, I talk to my friend, and Orlando's poet laureate, Susan Lilley! TEXT DISCUSSED
Jan 25, 2020 • 1h 10min
403: Jericho Brown & Richard Blanco!
This week, I talk to two poets. First, I speak with the joyous Jericho Brown about his complex relationship to poetic tradition, identity, and music. Frankly, I kept making tangents to music. Perhaps too many. But this was one of my favorite interviews from Miami Book Fair International. Second, I speak with Richard Blanco about the poetry of we, and the importance of giving an audience an entertaining performance, and writing poetry that makes me cry in yet another of my favorite interviews from MBFI. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES This episode is sponsored by the excellent people at Scribophile. TDO Listeners can get 20% of a premium subscription to Scribophile. After using the above link to register for a basic account, go herewhile still logged in to upgrade the account with the discount.
Jan 18, 2020 • 1h 12min
402: A Craft Discussion of T.S. Elliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent" and "Hamlet and Its Problems"!
This week, Vanessa Blakeslee and I assail more essays on the craft of literature, this time two by T.S. Eliot. TEXTS DISCUSSED "Hamlet and Its Problems" can be found here; "Tradition and the Individual Talent" can be found here.
Jan 11, 2020 • 58min
401: Steve Almond and Carolyn Forché!
This week, I offer another round of conversations from Miami Book Fair International, in which I talk to Steve Almond about his favorite novel, Stonerby John Williams, plus I speak with poet Carolyn Forché about her memoir, All You Have Heard is True. TEXTS DICSUSSED
Jan 4, 2020 • 53min
400: Nathan Englander!
This week, I talk to fiction writer Nathan Englander about the pressurized form of fictional worlds, giving the reader something worth their time and money, getting to the pain as soon as possible, continuing to learn about one's craft deep into one's career, Judaism in literature, and the wisdom of our friend Darin Strauss. Nathan Englander and your humble host in The Confucius Institute at Miami Dade College.[/caption] Books Discussed
Dec 28, 2019 • 54min
399: Rion Amilcar Scott!
This week, I talk to fiction writer Rion Amilcar Scott about his extraordinary fiction collection, The World Does Not Require You. We discuss the academic world, African-American folklore, religion, music, science fiction, and post-modernism.
Dec 23, 2019 • 49min
398: E. Jean Carroll and Jonathan Safran Foer!
This week's show features another pair of episodes from Miami Book Fair International.
Dec 15, 2019 • 50min
397: Tim O'Brien, Chris Ware, & Chip Kidd!
On today's show, I share two interviews. The first is with the fiction writer and memoirist Tim O'Brien about how to live in this world. The second is with the comic creator Chris Ware and his editor at Pantheon Books, Chip Kidd, with whom we discussed how design meshes with the content of a story.
