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
Mar 9, 2024 • 1h 17min
615: Diane Seuss!
This ep. features a conversation with Pulitzer prize-winning poet Diane Seuss about her latest book of verse, Modern Poetry. With bursts of internal rhyme about thorny subjects, Modern Poetry awaits the reader with a spirit of mourning and loss and self-creation, which is, for this reader anyway, joyous.
Mar 2, 2024 • 51min
Replay: Episode 570 with Kathleen Rooney
Thanks to Brian Salmons for bumpering this replay episode.
Feb 24, 2024 • 59min
614: Celeste Ng & Ben Fountain, interviewed by Samantha Nickerson!
On today’s show, Samantha Nickerson interviews the fiction writers Celeste Ng and Ben Fountain!
Feb 17, 2024 • 54min
613: Jamel Brinkley and M. Evelina Galang!
On #613, Chelsea Alice speaks with Jamel Brinkley about his new short story collection Witness, plus John King speaks with M. Evelina Galang about her new short story collection, When the Hibiscus Falls. Special Thanks to Miami Book Fair.
Feb 10, 2024 • 56min
612: A Discussion of Anaïs Nin's Little Birds, with Samantha Nickerson
Samantha Nickerson and I delve into Anaïs Nin's posthumously published slender volume of erotica, Little Birds.
Jan 27, 2024 • 56min
611: Matt Mason!
On today’s show, John King chats with poet Matt Mason about the poetic necessity of engaging with the popular culture that is part of the fabric of our American life, including rock music and obviously, obviously, the Disney phenomenon.
Jan 20, 2024 • 56min
610: Rebecca Renner & Major Jackson!
On today’s show, John King chats with journalist Rebecca Renner and poet Major Jackson at Miami Book Fair.
Jan 13, 2024 • 55min
609: Meg Cabot & Kelle Groom, interviewed by Samantha Nickerson!
Today’s show features novelist Meg Cabot and memoirist Kelle Groom in conversation with TDO correspondent Samantha Nickerson, recorded during Miami Book Fair 2023.
Jan 6, 2024 • 59min
608: Maggie Smith and Michael Cunningham!
On today's show, John talks to the poet and memoirist Maggie Smith about the complexities of trying to merge reality with narrative structure, and discusses the same, in different ways, with the novelist Michael Cunningham!
Dec 30, 2023 • 1h 8min
607: Brian Turner!
On today’s show, John talks poet Brian Turner about learning to write the thing we need to write rather than the thing we want to write, the long conversations we have with those we love, and the processes of nature, including grief. His trio of new poetry volumes is out now from Alice James Books.
