Slow Learners
Asher Dark + John Semley
A podcast about big books. Season One is devoted to a reading an analysis of Thomas Pynchon's 1973 novel "Gravity's Rainbow," and other issues directly related to the text.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 7, 2023 • 57min
EP 4: Systems, Scandals, and Literary Hoaxes (w/Alex Shephard)
We continue our journey "Beyond the Zero," covering Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1, Chapters 14-17.
And: Alex Shephard (The New Republic) joins us to talk about literary hoaxes, Pynchonian mysteries, how Gravity's Rainbow scandalized the hoity-toity world of arts and letters.
Other topics include: S&M, prosthetic vaginas, church ceremonies, "The Book," by Pavlov, Thomas Pynchon's jump-shot.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
Oct 31, 2023 • 52min
EP 3: Military Mind Control (W/Stephen Kinzer)
We get further into the weeds, covering Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1, Chapters 10-13.
We're joined by Stephen Kinzer, author of the Sidney Gottlieb biography Poisoner In Chief to talk about the history of military mind-control, and Project MKUltra.
Other topics discussed: toilets, jive accessories, having sex with a snake, racism, genocide, LSD.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
Oct 24, 2023 • 54min
EP 2: A Screaming Comes Across The Sky (W/Dr. Jordan Bimm)
The season begins in earnest with this recap and discussion of Gravity's Rainbow, Part 1: Chapters 1-9.
We chat with Dr. Jordan Bimm, a historian of science and technology, about the history of the V-2 rocket, the Space Race, and the mystical/material dimensions of interstellar travel, Britain's most famous witch.
Other topics include: bananas, '50s monster movies, penis-as-dowsing-rod, low humour, Ulysses, etc., etc.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
Oct 17, 2023 • 26min
EP 1: Who is Thomas Pynchon, And Why Are We Talking About His Book?
Hallo Leute!
In this, intro episode of Slow Learners, hosts Asher Dark and John Semley lay out their ambition plan, or "plot": to read through Thomas Pynchon's massive 1973 Gravity's Rainbow, discuss it, and talk with experts about its themes and ideas, big and small, smart and stupid.
Topics this episode include: Prof. Irwin Corey, literary awards, Alice Tully Hall, preterition (and its meritorious price), being feted, Homer Simpson, Boeing, scrambled eggs, Oyster Bay High School, "The Boys," the character of Robert as played by Brad Garrett on the long-running CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, They-Systems vs. We-Systems, hating books, etc., etc.
Read Proverbs For Paranoids, John's guide to Gravity's Rainbow.
E-mail us your questions, queries, and crackpot theories: slowlearnerspod@gmail.com
