Turek Books Podcast

On this week's episode Joshua is joined by his first Gen Z guests, the comedy duo behind Content.Channel, Cam George and Peter Ditzler. Not only have these two been helping with the podcast, they've also been kindred readers with Joshua sharing similar tastes in books since they met. They get into their shared love of Mike Davis, particularly his book about the geology of Los Angeles and modern day conflicts with it in "Ecology of Fear". Eve Babitz is discussed as are some of the pivotal figures in the modern day city like Mulholland, D.W. Griffith, and Aimee Semple McPherson. But first Cam and Pete pitch Joshua hard on their love of e-readers and how to mimic the scrolling on their phones helps trick their brains into doing something productive on their Kindles. We also get into book recommendations from listeners! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Actor and Sundance Festival Filmmaker, Bridey Elliott joins Joshua to discuss self help, the people who believe dolphins are aliens, NASA experiments gone wrong, and how Bridey throws away every journal she ever finishes. Their book conversation ranges from parasocial relationships, a lesbian psychosexual love affair in the novel “Big Swiss” to the short fiery life and memoir of author Cookie Mueller, all the way out to the spiritual watery depths of a dolphin lover named Joan Ocean who Bridey went and visited in Hawaii after reading a book featuring her. They also read listener book recommendations at the end! TW: Book plot description of Big Swiss briefly mentions SABooks Talked About Include:Five Personality Patterns byt Steven KesslerVoices in the Ocean by Susan CaseyWalking Through Clear Water in a Pool Painted Black by Cookie Mueller MemoirBig Swiss by Jen BeaginKinship with All of Life J. Allen Boone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" writer Jeff Loveness (Rick and Morty, Jimmy Kimmel Live) brings our biggest stack of books yet and talks with Joshua about everything from Anthony Bourdain books to the Teenage Bible. He and Joshua bring the same final novel of Tolstoy, "Resurrection" and joke about the time they bro'd out at the Alamo Theater and watched the emotionally heavy movie "Past Lives". Joshua also gives a sneak peek at his soon to be released poetry book "On the Outside Looking Up" and reads two book recommendations written in from listeners of the show!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Bananas Podcast” co-host and voice on BOB’S BURGERS, stand up comedian, Kurt Braunohler joins Joshua to talk about how his kids read more than him by virtue of them exhausting him. The two discuss their shared love of trees prompted by book “The Overstory” that Kurt says is one of his all time favorites even if he hasn’t finished it yet. Their conversation ranges from a book about dishwashing to imagining Raymond Carver’s stories as cartoonishly overwritten without his famed editor Gordon Lisch. They also discuss the stunted feelings of the cursed white male rugged individualists and CIA interference in U.S. art institutions and literature. Ultimately, it’s about reading what you love, no matter if it’s spiders in outer space science fiction or 70’s NYC musician junkie memoirs.Books talked about include:“What People Talk About When They Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver“The Overstory” by Richard Powers“Dishwasher” by Pete Jordan“I Dreamed I was a Very Clean Tramp” by Richard Hell“Children of Time” by Adrian Tchaikovsky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Family Guy” writer/producer Evan Waite joins Turek Books to talk about his time writing for “The Onion” and his new book “Life Wants You Dead”. Evan and Joshua bond over used book sales at libraries and avoiding social media witch hunts. Evan talks about how reading “48 Laws of Power” was the impetus to creating a writer’s group at the Strand Bookstore in New York City. He also discusses making the leap from teaching English in China to finding his way into comedy writing. And how he drew inspiration in penning his book about fear from a book about the inner workings of New York City.Books talked about include:THE WORKS: ANATOMY OF A CITY by Kate AscherLIFE WANTS YOU DEAD by Evan WaiteTHE STENCH OF HONOLULU by Jack HandyWATCHMEN by Alan MooreFEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS by Hunter S. ThompsonAMERICA by Jon Stewart and teamIS THIS ANYTHING? by Jerry Seinfeld48 LAWS OF POWER by Robert Greene Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian Ali Macofsky joins Joshua to talk about both being child actors and Jeanette McCurdy’s bestselling book about that life “I’m Glad My Mom is Dead”.  Longtime friends, they discuss growing up in Southern California and Steve Martin being a magician at Disneyland. Their conversation threads through subjects like public transportation, stand up comedy, old substance slang like “crank”, and reaching out to people you admire on Instagram.Books Talked About Include:“Born Standing Up” by Steve Martin“I’m Glad My Mom is Dead” by Jeanette McCurdy“The Maid” by Nita Prose“Crank (Trilogy) by Ellen Hopkins“Trees of Santa Monica” by George Hastings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emmy nominated writer and comedian Ellory Smith joins us to talk about being a George Saunders superfan and trying to identify the hypocrisy of the world as a means of illuminating a better one. She and Joshua get into conspiracy theories about hippies and PETA, Toni Morrison and Magic Bullet blenders. Their conversation ranges from nature reclaiming Chernobyl to the graffiti artists doing the same to the abandoned high rises in downtown LA. This conversation skips the small talk and goes right into grief, the world’s problems, and how literature gets us into reflecting on what’s right and wrong in our own lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua is joined by comedian and stoke activist JT Parr from Chad and JT Go Deep on Netflix, a comedic duo known for their amazing viral videos, often addressing city councils across America with urgent pleas for services like public yachts. Beneath his comedic characters, JT is lowkey well-read. He and Joshua discuss Elmore Leonard, life before social media, David Foster Wallace after cancellation, Mary Karr's devastating poem about DFW, JFK's legendary status, and learning to own our issues and apologize for past mistakes as bullies and the ones bullied. Joshua talks about a Terry Tempest Williams book that made him cry for 3-5 seconds the night before and a photo book about bros he bought his girlfriend for Christmas.Books Discussed Include:CUBA LIBRE by Elmore LeonardTHE GREAT MOVIES by Roger EbertJFK: COMING OF AGE IN THE AMERICAN CENTURY 1917-1956 by Fredrik LogevallJOE COLLEGE by Tom PerrottaEROSION by Terry Tempest WilliamsAMERICAN BACHELORS by Michael RababyINFINITE JEST, A SUPPOSEDLY FUN THING I'll NEVER DO AGAIN, BROOM OF THE SYSTEM etc by David Foster Wallace Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Comedian, writer, and actor, Alyssa Limperis whose special “No Bad Days” is airing on Peacock, joins Joshua to tell him about her hang ups toward having to finish things in life and how it makes the commitment of choosing a book treacherous. Josh tells Alyssa about his emotional support books on his nightstand and how he reads multiple books like others surf tv channels. Alyssa shares her appreciation for Sally Rooney books and how they were all she read one year and this sparks lighthearted conversation about the recent Paul Mescal dating rumors. The guest and host also get into enduring a similar loss at the same time, grief and how it shapes our reading behaviors, and how Alyssa is mortified Joshua visits a student dentist, “A student hairdresser, maybe!” They also give each other books!Books talked about include:“Normal People” by Sally Rooney “Three Women” by Lisa Taddeo, “Them” by Jon Ronson“Letters to a Young Poet” by Rilke“The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig“Of Walking In Ice” by Werner Herzog Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand up Comedian and Co-Creator and star of “This Fool” on Hulu, Chris Estrada brings in a stack of graphic novels and converts Joshua into a fan of the form. They get into their childhood shoplifting stories and Chris attempting to solve the Black Dahlia murder mystery after a particularly bad break-up in his 20’s. Books discussed include “Julio’s Day” by Gilbert Hernandez, “Today is the Last Day of the Rest of Your Life” by Uli Lust, “Monica” By Daniel Clowes as well as the legendary L.A. skewering “City of Quartz” by Mike Davis and punk oral history “Our Band Could Be Your Life” by Michael Azerrad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.