Good Scribes Only

About the BookA classic work of American literature that has not stopped changing minds and lives since it burst onto the literary scene, The Things They Carried is a ground-breaking meditation on war, memory, imagination, and the redemptive power of storytelling.The Things They Carried depicts the men of Alpha Company: Jimmy Cross, Henry Dobbins, Rat Kiley, Mitchell Sanders, Norman Bowker, Kiowa, and the character Tim O’Brien, who has survived his tour in Vietnam to become a father and writer at the age of forty-three.About the AuthorTim O'Brien (born October 1, 1946) is an American novelist who served as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Much of his writing is about wartime Vietnam, and his later work often explores the postwar lives of its veterans. O’Brien is perhaps best known for his book The Things They Carried (1990), a collection of linked semi-autobiographical stories inspired by O'Brien's wartime experiences. In 2010, The New York Times described the latter as “ a classic of contemporary war fiction.”In addition, O’Brien is acclaimed for his war novel, Going After Cacciato (1978), which received the National Book Award.About the Show Hosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. Episode Notes0-5 min — Introduction5-15 min — Casting the actors15-20 min — Plot summary begins20-25 min — Post modernism and stories25-30 min — Real truth vs story truth30-35 min — Brotherhood and camaraderie35-40 min — Anthropological explanations40-45 min — Loneliness in a modern context45-50 min — Comedy as a coping device50-55 min — Problems with memory55-60 min — Schizophrenia of war60-65 min — Conclusion WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

Are reading challenges worth it? What thousand page book is Dan dying to read? And what in god's name is an "anti-library?" Enjoy!About the Week's BookHere’s the rub, The Name of the Rose is one of the highest selling books ever. Ever! It sold more copies than The Great Gatsby and To Kill a Mockingbird, and yet it is hard to fathom how. The book is extraordinarily dense, so fraught with allusions and references that 50% of the its subtext sails quietly past, like a ship in the night. On the podcast we discuss a few theories how this could be. To us, it seems that Eco essentially wrote two novels in one—a detective thriller for the common man6, and a critical commentary for the 20th century post-modernist. At bottom it’s a medieval detective whodunnit whose principle characters are not investigators but 13th century christian monks. Church thrillers are not my jam, but I sure as h-e-c-k admire its commentary, and the man’s hustle 🧠🫡.About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the BookThe year is 1327. Benedictines in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon—all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where “the most interesting things happen at night.”About the AuthorUmberto Eco was an Italian writer of fiction, essays, academic texts, and children's books. A professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna, Eco’s brilliant fiction is known for its playful use of language and symbols, its astonishing array of allusions and references, and clever use of puzzles and narrative inventions. His perceptive essays on modern culture are filled with a delightful sense of humor and irony, and his ideas on semiotics, interpretation, and aesthetics have established his reputation as one of academia’s foremost thinkers.About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing.Episode Notes0-5 min — Introduction5-10 min — ChatGPT guessing game + Casting10-15 min — Plot summary15-20 min — Qualms with the novel20-25 min — Why this is a post-modernist novel25-30 min — Plot continued30-40 min — Problems with Post-modernism40-45 min — Credentialism45-55 min — The novel’s success55-60 min — Episode conclusionEpisode Cheat Sheet -> Also ideally hyperlinked Thanks! WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

Find out who's the real nihilist, and how Daniel derives meaning from his copious acting deals, not to mention one poorly thought out sports analogy. Enjoy!About the Week's Book Though most people think essays1 when talking Joan Didion, Dan and I read her best known novel for the podcast. Play it as it Lays is the story of an actor whose journey oscillates between dizzying and domestic, as her acting career slows and her personal life collapses. While running barely 200 pages, the book has a quality of being adrift to it that connects directly to Didion’s belief that who we are is affected by where we are. It’s clear that her reputation is well earned, and I appreciate what’s regarded as Didion’s “Hollywood” book, but I can’t say I’ll be returning to it any time soon. Like her essays, the novel is fragmented in a way that creates an aspect not of closure but its opposite, a kind of frantic recognition that all stories have holes and flaws and will collapse, eventually. The story mirrors LA’s mix of grimness and glamour, and echoes one of her core beliefs: all of us are in some essential fashion, “working” in the dark. We hope you enjoy this discussion on Joan Didion’s Play It as It Lays. About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the Episode Though most people think essays1 when talking Joan Didion, Dan and I read her best known novel for the podcast. Play it as it Lays is the story of an actor whose journey oscillates between dizzying and domestic, as her acting career slows and her personal life collapses. While running barely 200 pages, the book has a quality of being adrift to it that connects directly to Didion’s belief that who we are is affected by where we are.It’s clear that her reputation is well earned, and I appreciate what’s regarded as Didion’s “Hollywood” book, but I can’t say I’ll be returning to it any time soon. Like her essays, the novel is fragmented in a way that creates an aspect not of closure but its opposite, a kind of frantic recognition that all stories have holes and flaws and will collapse, eventually. The story mirrors LA’s mix of grimness and glamour, and echoes one of her core beliefs: all of us are in some essential fashion, “working” in the dark.Which is why Dan sleeps with a nightlight on, to this day.We hope you enjoy this discussion on Joan Didion’s Play It as It Lays.About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing.Episode Notes0-5 min — Intro5-10 min — Casting the movie10-15 min — Plot summary15-20 min — On creative nonfiction20-25 min — Writing fiction vs nonfiction25-30 min — Self destructive characters30-35 min — Finding meaning as a parent35-40 min — Nihilism vs purpose40-45 min — Following our parents45-50 min — The landscape of Los Angeles50-55 min — Purpose during success55-65 min — Conclusion WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

In the main episode for Stoner, Jeremy and Daniel discuss John Williams' uminous and deeply moving novel is a work of quiet perfection in which William Stoner emerges not only as an archetypal American, but as an unlikely existential hero. In this episode we discuss passion, academia, stoicism, and profundity in ordinary life. To get the inside scoop and much more, don’t just take a hit and pass but stay with us to the end of the episode. As always, thanks for listening and enjoy. on point by discussing another theme they have no credibility to discuss: politics. If you haven't already heard enough uninformed political drivel, this mini may just turn you off from political chatter for a good while. If we can do that, it's a job well done — time's better spent reading, or listening to the Good Scribes Only podcast.Enjoy!About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the Episode Welcome back, folks, to Good Scribes Only. Today we’re discussing Stoner by John Williams, and no, despite the title, this isn’t about our escapades with Cannabis. John Williams’s luminous and deeply moving novel is a work of quiet perfection in which William Stoner emerges not only as an archetypal American, but as an unlikely existential hero. In this episode we discuss passion, academia, stoicism, and profundity in ordinary life. To get the inside scoop and much more, don’t just take a hit and pass but stay with us to the end of the episode. As always, thanks for listening and enjoy.About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. Episode Notes0-5 min — Introduction5-10 min — Praise for Stoner10-18 min — GuessGPT and casting the movie18-25 min — Plot summary25-35 min — The evolution of film and books35-40 min — Plot continued40-45 min — On control and surrender45-50 min — On academia50-55 min — Plot wrap up55-60 min — Ranking and conclusion WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the Episode In the main episode this week, Dan and Jeremy discussed John Steinbeck's  East of Eden. While they enjoyed the read, it did not stand up against a few of Steinbeck's other works, and thus pushed Dan and J to discuss the oeuvre of a literary career. How the heck can someone expect to follow up Grapes of Wrath?! We hope you enjoy the always meandering discussion inspired by East of Eden.About the BookSet in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.First published in 1952, East of Eden is the work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence. A masterpiece of Steinbeck's later years, East of Eden is a powerful and vastly ambitious novel that is at once a family saga and a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis. About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the Episode In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.First published in 1952, East of Eden is the work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence. A masterpiece of Steinbeck's later years, East of Eden is a powerful and vastly ambitious novel that is at once a family saga and a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis.Please enjoy our discussion about East of Eden by John SteinbeckAbout the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. Episode Notes0-5 min — Introduction and biblical allusino5-10 min — Initial feelings about the novel10-25 min — Plot and casting the characters25-30 min — On Nature vs nurture30-35 min — Plot continued35-45 min — Inner narratives and Dan’s acting gig45-50 min — Religion in fiction and reality50-55 min — Is free will an illusion?55-60 min — Final thoughts and ratings WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

In the main episode for Native Son by Richard Wright, Dan urged Jeremy to watch the West Wing. In the mini, Jeremy and Daniel stay on point by discussing another theme they have no credibility to discuss: politics. If you haven't already heard enough uninformed political drivel, this mini may just turn you off from political chatter for a good while. If we can do that, it's a job well done — time's better spent reading, or listening to the Good Scribes Only podcast...Enjoy!About the ShowHosted by novelists and entrepreneurs Daniel Breyer & Jeremy Streich, Good Scribes Only is a podcast for curious minds to explore, challenge, and think differently through books. In Season 4 we’re traveling through the 20th century, decade by decade, because Dan really wanted to see what the world was like before plumbing was a common thing. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website