The Lit Hub Podcast

The world is ending... the world is ending... but if the world is ending, that means it hasn't ended yet. After seeing The Seat of Our Pants at The Public Theater (running thru at least the end of the month!), it's never been clearer that Thornton Wilder is America's great under-appreciated literary trickster. His keen playful writing combines magical realism, genre-busting humor, literary zip—and there are few people better suited to adapting Wilder than Ethan Lipton. He joins us this week alongside Jeremy McCarter, Wilder's literary executor, for a look into the man's genius, this play's still-vital themes, and why human art will always be the best thing about humanity.Speaking of humanity: contracts! Aron Solomon explains some of his recent piece, "Writers Beware: On the Dangerous Fine Print of Creative Contract Law" — and then Dayna Totorici of n+1 calls in to tease this year's Bookmatch quiz! (It's open now, you should do it, you should let Drew know what books you got.)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celebrate Halloween with a thrilling reading of Edgar Allan Poe's chilling tale. Experience Montresor's cunning plot for revenge and Fortunato's tragic pride as they navigate eerie catacombs during carnival. The haunting atmosphere intensifies as betrayal unfolds, culminating in a spine-tingling climax. Drew's storytelling invites listeners to feel the tension and anticipation, making it a perfect seasonal treat. As the spooky vibes wrap up, Halloween wishes are shared, leaving audiences eager for what's next.

Having done this show for a full year, it means we have some traditions now—and the first one we ever set up, really, was having Ryan Chapman (The Audacity, Riots I Have Known) to join Drew for a chat about the year's Booker Prize shortlist in advance of his big piece forthcoming in the Winter Issue of the Sewanee Review (SUBSCRIBE!)... so, that's basically this episode! They did it again, again recorded live at Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston, NY. Tune in for their predictions on the winner, their feelings about the year in fiction, their feelings about the Booker jury's feelings about the year in fiction, and ambient coffee-shop ASMR in the background! Plus, a voicemail from Nicole Brinkley about why we should bring back the mass-market paperback.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Would spooky season be complete with some Stephen King? Constant reader, I submit to you: no.This week, Caroline Bicks—the inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at the University of Maine—stops by to talk about the power of Stephen King's writing, whether read on the page or read aloud, and why he and Shakespeare have a whole lot in common. Consider it a sneak peek into Monsters in the Archives, her book about diving into Stephen King's archives that's out next spring.Then, Jaime Green joins Drew to shed some light on the mysterious nature (pun intended) of being Series Editor for The Best American Science & Nature Writing—because the next round of Best American titles comes out next Tuesday! Still no horror, or romance, but a boy can dream.Plus, at the top of the show, some shout-outs to the watery and the vampiric, the two trends Drew is noticing this October in spooky reading, best summed up by the perfectly-titled Vampires at Sea. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join Oliver Scialdone, Lit Hub’s community editor, as he delves into the world of splatterpunk, exploring its visceral nature and anti-fascist roots. He emphasizes why oozy body horror is thought-provoking rather than just shocking. Meanwhile, Devin Thomas O'Shea offers a compelling analysis of Thomas Pynchon, detailing how his work critiques American power and resonates with contemporary issues. They discuss accessible entry points to Pynchon's challenging texts and how his themes of labor and fascism continue to haunt modern society.

Spooky season is upon us! It's Drew's favorite month and he's got a whole stack of Hallow-reads to keep him company — which has him in generally good spirits (buhdumtshhh) about the future. This week, Hillary Brenhouse stops in to talk about launching ELASTIC, a new print magazine dedicated to psychedelic art and literature. Then, beloved illustrator Jon Klassen talks with Drew live at Rough Draft about the art of board books, why we should talk to kids about death, and letting go of projects that don't work. It's a fun one!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many of us were told or taught that the internet would be permanent — that the things we post, whether on social media or a blog or even a real-life website like Literary Hub, would last forever. But much of the last decade or so has proved that that's not true! Things can disappear at the blink of an eye — or the flash of a very rich person's temper. Maria Bustillos is no stranger to the disappearing internet, and she joins us this week to discuss her recent CJR piece "The Bigger Threat to Books Than Bans" as well as the hope provided by communally run organizations like Flaming Hydra. Then, a sneak peek at the latest addition to the Lit Hub Radio line-up: Culture Schlock, hosted by Olivia Rutigliano! We've got an exclusive excerpt from the first episode, featuring Samantha Hunt talking about discovering Nikola Tesla and the unfortunate dissonance of the poorly-run car company sharing his name. And finally, a phone call from Kate Broad (Greenwich) about the importance of third spaces!Hosted by Drew BroussardMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynA Lit Hub Radio PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Featuring Gretchen Felker-Martin, Erica Cerulo & Claire Mazur of 831 Stories, and a phone call from Chill Subs!It's a scary time to be speaking up for what we believe in, but these are the times when we must simply speak even louder in support of the good and just and right. Sometimes, that means calling it like it is when a hatemonger dies and standing firm in the face of ensuing vitriol and cowardice, like Gretchen Felker-Martin has done in the wake of being fired from DC (and having her whole comic line scrapped) for posting about another dead bigot — and sometimes, that's about raising up stories that forefront safety, consent, women's pleasure, and good design, like the novellas from 831 Stories. Sometimes, it's as simple as putting your money where your mouth is, like Chill Subs has done with the announcement of their first Lit Mag Incubator grantees!But no matter what: community. Community, community, community. Hosted by Drew BroussardMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynA Lit Hub Radio PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy birthday to us, it's been a year since we launched The Lit Hub Podcast! Not that you'd know it, because Drew completely forgot and didn't include a word about it in the episode itself. But still, we're proud!!This week, Drew talks to Boris Kachka of The Atlantic about their new travel-writing series "The Writer's Way" (featuring the likes of Lauren Groff visiting Lady Murasaki's Kyoto and Honor Jones in le Carré's Corfu). Then, Allison Miriam Smith and Brandon Taylor drop by to chat about why they launched Smith & Taylor Classics and how they're putting together the colorful, playful, vibrant series of classics-in-conversation. And finally, to welcome "The World in Time" to the Lit Hub Radio family, an excerpt from a recent episode to whet your whistle.The Lit Hub Podcast is a production of Lit Hub RadioHosted by Drew BroussardMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynProduced and engineered at Stardust HouseSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

September means back-to-school! Hooray for learning! Hooray for fall! There's definitely not anything bad or weird going on as relates to education, the weather, spooky season, or anything else...First up this week, Joelle Renstrom talks with Drew about being a teacher in 2025 and her recent essay for the site about Cliffs Notes. Then, Molly Odintz joins Drew to chat with Max Booth III about Ghoulish Books in San Antonio getting harassed by MAGA types for a saucy chalkboard and, more broadly, about the state of horror in these horrifying times. Finally, Michael Kelly (publisher of Undertow Publications) calls in from Canada to give listeners some updates on what's going on with shipping between Canada (or, really, everywhere...) and the US. Oh also, Drew's book rec of the week: The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark, now available as an Olive Edition!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.