Good Scribes Only

About The Book:Composed in the last years of Roberto Bolaño's life, 2666 was greeted across Europe and Latin America as his highest achievement, surpassing even his previous work in its strangeness, beauty, and scope. Its throng of unforgettable characters includes academics and convicts, an American sportswriter, an elusive German novelist, and a teenage student and her widowed, mentally unstable father. Their lives intersect in the urban sprawl of SantaTeresa―a fictional Juárez―on the U.S.-Mexico border, where hundreds of young factory workers, in the novel as in life, have disappeared. About The Author:For most of his early adulthood, Bolaño was a vagabond, living at one time or another in Chile, Mexico, El Salvador, France and Spain. Bolaño moved to Europe in 1977, and finally made his way to Spain, where he married and settled on the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona, working as a dishwasher, a campground custodian, bellhop and garbage collector — working during the day and writing at night. He continued with his poetry, before shifting to fiction in his early forties. In an interview Bolaño stated that he made this decision because he felt responsible for the future financial well-being of his family, which he knew he could never secure from the earnings of a poet. This was confirmed by Jorge Herralde, who explained that Bolaño "abandoned his parsimonious beatnik existence" because the birth of his son in 1990 made him "decide that he was responsible for his family's future and that it would be easier to earn a living by writing fiction." However, he continued to think of himself primarily as a poet, and a collection of his verse, spanning 20 years, was published in 2000 under the title The Romantic Dogs. Regarding his native country Chile, which he visited just once after going into voluntary exile, Bolaño had conflicted feelings. He was notorious in Chile for his fierce attacks on Isabel Allende and other members of the literary establishment. In 2003, after a long period of declining health, Bolaño passed away. Bolaño was survived by his Spanish wife and their two children, whom he once called "my only motherland." Although deep down he always felt like a poet, his reputation ultimately rests on his novels, novellas and short story collections. Although Bolaño espoused the lifestyle of a bohemian poet and literary enfant terrible for all his adult life, he only began to produce substantial works of fiction in the 1990s. He almost immediately became a highly regarded figure in Spanish and Latin American letters. In rapid succession, he published a series of critically acclaimed works, the most important of which are the novel Los detectives salvajes (The Savage Detectives), the novella Nocturno de Chile (By Night In Chile), and, posthumously, the novel 2666. His two collections of short stories Llamadas telefónicas and Putas asesinas were awarded literary prizes. In 2009 a number of unpublished novels were discovered among the author's papers.  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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About The Book:Composed in the last years of Roberto Bolaño's life, 2666 was greeted across Europe and Latin America as his highest achievement, surpassing even his previous work in its strangeness, beauty, and scope. Its throng of unforgettable characters includes academics and convicts, an American sportswriter, an elusive German novelist, and a teenage student and her widowed, mentally unstable father. Their lives intersect in the urban sprawl of SantaTeresa―a fictional Juárez―on the U.S.-Mexico border, where hundreds of young factory workers, in the novel as in life, have disappeared. About The Author:For most of his early adulthood, Bolaño was a vagabond, living at one time or another in Chile, Mexico, El Salvador, France and Spain. Bolaño moved to Europe in 1977, and finally made his way to Spain, where he married and settled on the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona, working as a dishwasher, a campground custodian, bellhop and garbage collector — working during the day and writing at night. He continued with his poetry, before shifting to fiction in his early forties. In an interview Bolaño stated that he made this decision because he felt responsible for the future financial well-being of his family, which he knew he could never secure from the earnings of a poet. This was confirmed by Jorge Herralde, who explained that Bolaño "abandoned his parsimonious beatnik existence" because the birth of his son in 1990 made him "decide that he was responsible for his family's future and that it would be easier to earn a living by writing fiction." However, he continued to think of himself primarily as a poet, and a collection of his verse, spanning 20 years, was published in 2000 under the title The Romantic Dogs. Regarding his native country Chile, which he visited just once after going into voluntary exile, Bolaño had conflicted feelings. He was notorious in Chile for his fierce attacks on Isabel Allende and other members of the literary establishment. In 2003, after a long period of declining health, Bolaño passed away. Bolaño was survived by his Spanish wife and their two children, whom he once called "my only motherland." Although deep down he always felt like a poet, his reputation ultimately rests on his novels, novellas and short story collections. Although Bolaño espoused the lifestyle of a bohemian poet and literary enfant terrible for all his adult life, he only began to produce substantial works of fiction in the 1990s. He almost immediately became a highly regarded figure in Spanish and Latin American letters. In rapid succession, he published a series of critically acclaimed works, the most important of which are the novel Los detectives salvajes (The Savage Detectives), the novella Nocturno de Chile (By Night In Chile), and, posthumously, the novel 2666. His two collections of short stories Llamadas telefónicas and Putas asesinas were awarded literary prizes. In 2009 a number of unpublished novels were discovered among the author's papers.  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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the BookHe is a brilliant mathematics professor grappling with a unique challenge - following a traumatic head injury, he retains only eighty minutes of short-term memory.She is a perceptive young housekeeper, raising a ten-year-old son, and she is hired to provide care for him.Each morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper reintroduce themselves to each other, a remarkable and touching relationship unfolds. Despite his limited memory span (his mind erases itself every eighty minutes), the Professor's intellect is alive with intricate mathematical equations from the past. These numbers, with their precise order, reveal a captivating and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor possesses a knack for uncovering connections between the most mundane details, such as the Housekeeper's shoe size, and the vast universe, drawing their lives closer together even as his memories slip away."The Housekeeper and the Professor" is a captivating tale that explores the essence of living in the present and the intriguing equations that can forge a sense of family.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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT.Episode Notes0-10 min — Dan’s interesting medical history10-15 min — Intro to the novel15-20 min — Plot begins20-25 min — Broader message of the book25-30 min — The Professor as a character30-35 min — Why the novel works35-40 min — Chosen and given families40-45 min — The power of relationships in fiction45-55 min — Mathematics as a theme55-60 min — Conclusion and ratings WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the BookHe is a brilliant mathematics professor grappling with a unique challenge - following a traumatic head injury, he retains only eighty minutes of short-term memory.She is a perceptive young housekeeper, raising a ten-year-old son, and she is hired to provide care for him.Each morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper reintroduce themselves to each other, a remarkable and touching relationship unfolds. Despite his limited memory span (his mind erases itself every eighty minutes), the Professor's intellect is alive with intricate mathematical equations from the past. These numbers, with their precise order, reveal a captivating and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor possesses a knack for uncovering connections between the most mundane details, such as the Housekeeper's shoe size, and the vast universe, drawing their lives closer together even as his memories slip away."The Housekeeper and the Professor" is a captivating tale that explores the essence of living in the present and the intriguing equations that can forge a sense of family.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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT.Episode Notes0-10 min — Dan’s interesting medical history10-15 min — Intro to the novel15-20 min — Plot begins20-25 min — Broader message of the book25-30 min — The Professor as a character30-35 min — Why the novel works35-40 min — Chosen and given families40-45 min — The power of relationships in fiction45-55 min — Mathematics as a theme55-60 min — Conclusion and ratings WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the BookKafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. There is a brutal murder, with the identity of both victim and perpetrator a riddle—yet this, along with everything else, is eventually answered, just as the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata are gradually revealed, with one escaping his fate entirely and the other given a fresh start on his own.About the AuthorMurakami Haruki (Japanese: 村上 春樹) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described as 'easily accessible, yet profoundly complex'. He can be located on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/harukimuraka...Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music and literature. He grew up reading a range of works by American writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan, and he is often distinguished from other Japanese writers by his Western influences.Murakami studied drama at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko. His first job was at a record store, which is where one of his main characters, Toru Watanabe in Norwegian Wood, works. Shortly before finishing his studies, Murakami opened the coffeehouse 'Peter Cat' which was a jazz bar in the evening in Kokubunji, Tokyo with his wife.Many of his novels have themes and titles that invoke classical music, such as the three books making up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: The Thieving Magpie (after Rossini's opera), Bird as Prophet (after a piano piece by Robert Schumann usually known in English as The Prophet Bird), and The Bird-Catcher (a character in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute). Some of his novels take their titles from songs: Dance, Dance, Dance (after The Dells' song, although it is widely thought it was titled after the Beach Boys tune), Norwegian Wood (after The Beatles' song) and South of the Border, West of the Sun (the first part being the title of a song by Nat King Cole). 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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT.   WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the BookKafka on the Shore, a tour de force of metaphysical reality, is powered by two remarkable characters: a teenage boy, Kafka Tamura, who runs away from home either to escape a gruesome oedipal prophecy or to search for his long-missing mother and sister; and an aging simpleton called Nakata, who never recovered from a wartime affliction and now is drawn toward Kafka for reasons that, like the most basic activities of daily life, he cannot fathom. Their odyssey, as mysterious to them as it is to us, is enriched throughout by vivid accomplices and mesmerizing events. Cats and people carry on conversations, a ghostlike pimp employs a Hegel-quoting prostitute, a forest harbors soldiers apparently unaged since World War II, and rainstorms of fish (and worse) fall from the sky. There is a brutal murder, with the identity of both victim and perpetrator a riddle—yet this, along with everything else, is eventually answered, just as the entwined destinies of Kafka and Nakata are gradually revealed, with one escaping his fate entirely and the other given a fresh start on his own. About the AuthorMurakami Haruki (Japanese: 村上 春樹) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. His work has been described as 'easily accessible, yet profoundly complex'. He can be located on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/harukimuraka...Since childhood, Murakami has been heavily influenced by Western culture, particularly Western music and literature. He grew up reading a range of works by American writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan, and he is often distinguished from other Japanese writers by his Western influences.Murakami studied drama at Waseda University in Tokyo, where he met his wife, Yoko. His first job was at a record store, which is where one of his main characters, Toru Watanabe in Norwegian Wood, works. Shortly before finishing his studies, Murakami opened the coffeehouse 'Peter Cat' which was a jazz bar in the evening in Kokubunji, Tokyo with his wife.Many of his novels have themes and titles that invoke classical music, such as the three books making up The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: The Thieving Magpie (after Rossini's opera), Bird as Prophet (after a piano piece by Robert Schumann usually known in English as The Prophet Bird), and The Bird-Catcher (a character in Mozart's opera The Magic Flute). Some of his novels take their titles from songs: Dance, Dance, Dance (after The Dells' song, although it is widely thought it was titled after the Beach Boys tune), Norwegian Wood (after The Beatles' song) and South of the Border, West of the Sun (the first part being the title of a song by Nat King Cole). 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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT. Show Notes0-5 min — Introduction5-10 min — Casting10-15 min — Murakami’s process15-25 min — Plot summary25-30 min — Characters: Nkata and Kafka30-35 min — Sexuality in the book35-40 min — Free will and fate40-45 min — Plot conclusion45-50 min — What we liked50-55 min — On loss and regret55-60 min — John Updike’s thoughts60-70 min — Conclusion WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

2023! Complete!  Our fav books! Shows! Movies! Pods! Ranked! Godspeed! 💪 🖖 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. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

Continuing the discussion on Corrections. Mini episode 🏠 About the Book The novel centers on the Lambert family, particularly the struggles of aging patriarch Alfred and his wife, Enid, who yearns for family unity. Their adult children face personal crises, from failing marriages to moral dilemmas, reflecting the broader changes and challenges in American society. Franzen weaves a rich narrative that delves into themes of aging, capitalism, and the pursuit of happiness, offering a poignant look at the complexities of family life and the shifting American dream. About the Author Jonathan Franzen is an acclaimed American novelist and essayist widely recognized for his keen observations on contemporary society, family dynamics, and personal relationships. Franzen first gained major literary acclaim with his third novel, "The Corrections," published in 2001, which won the National Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His works are known for their detailed characterizations and deep insights into the American middle class.   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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT. WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

About the Book The novel centers on the Lambert family, particularly the struggles of aging patriarch Alfred and his wife, Enid, who yearns for family unity. Their adult children face personal crises, from failing marriages to moral dilemmas, reflecting the broader changes and challenges in American society. Franzen weaves a rich narrative that delves into themes of aging, capitalism, and the pursuit of happiness, offering a poignant look at the complexities of family life and the shifting American dream. About the Author Jonathan Franzen is an acclaimed American novelist and essayist widely recognized for his keen observations on contemporary society, family dynamics, and personal relationships. Franzen first gained major literary acclaim with his third novel, "The Corrections," published in 2001, which won the National Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His works are known for their detailed characterizations and deep insights into the American middle class.   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 5, we’re traveling through 2000-2010, year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT. Episode Notes 0-5 min — Our holiday stories 5-10 min — Praise for Franzen 10-20 min — ChatGPT quiz, Casting the actors 20-30 min — Initial plot and title meaning 30-35 min — Parenting and Gary’s arc 35-40 min — Character differences in the novel 40-45 min — Gary’s toxic relationship 45-50 min — Consumerism and holidays 50-55 min — Enid’s character resolution 55-60 min — Denise’s character resolution 60-65 min — Gary’s character resolution 65-70 min — Farsical nature of humanity, Rankings 70-75 min — Conclusion WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website

Mark Twain once said that "The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.” When he said this, he forgot to consider Nahko and Pepper  🐾We're talking superheroes today 🦸💪💥About the Week's BookJoe Kavalier, a young Jewish artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdini-esque escape, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn cousin Sammy Clay is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit America - the comic book. Drawing on their own fears and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapist, the Monitor, and Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. With exhilarating style and grace, Michael Chabon tells an unforgettable story about American romance and possibility. About the Week's AuthorMichael Chabon (b. 1963) is an acclaimed and bestselling author whose works include the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (2000). Chabon achieved literary fame at age twenty-four with his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (1988), which was a major critical and commercial success. He then published Wonder Boys (1995), another bestseller, which was made into a film starring Michael Douglas. One of America’s most distinctive voices, Chabon has been called “a magical prose stylist” by the New York Times Book Review, and is known for his lively writing, nostalgia for bygone modes of storytelling, and deep empathy for the human predicament. 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 5 we’re traveling through 2000-2010year by year, because Dan couldn't remember what the world was like before ChatGPT WebsiteTikTokInstagramYouTubeNewsletterJeremy's WebsiteDan's Website