So Many Damn Books
A blessing, a curse, a podcast, since 2014.
Christopher (@cdhermelin) invites folks to the Damn Library to talk about reading, literature, publishing, and trying to make it through the never-dwindling stack of things to read. All with a themed drink in hand. Recorded at the Damn Library in Brooklyn, NY.
For show info, book lists, and drink recipes, follow @somanydamnbooks and visit somanydamnbooks.com
151
75: Robin Sloan (SOURDOUGH) & Eugene Lim's DEAR...
To celebrate the 75th episode of So Many Damn Books, Christopher and Drew bring the Damn Library to the FSG offices to talk to Robin Sloan about his novel Sourdough and Eugene Lim's Dear Cyborgs. Food vs tech, analog vs digital, specific pop culture...
44 min
152
74: Amelia Gray & "Nicotine"
When Amelia Gray stops by the Damn Library, Christopher turns a drink blue again, and they discuss her new book, Isadora. Particularly: what it was like to write a book about a dancer during a time when she wasn't dancing. A quote about dancing...
45 min
153
73: Backlist: Jonathan Lethem (*Motherless Broo...
Without a guest, the guys make good on their TMN Tournament of Books bet- Drew chose Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn. They talk about what matters in a noir, Lethem tackling Tourette's, and enjoying a book about where you live, amongst...
28 min
154
72: Samantha Hunt & "Things to Do When You're G...
When Samantha Hunt drops by the Damn Library, the guys try to put a shadow in her drink but just end up with something more blood colored. They discuss her story collection, The Dark Dark, the Normas in one's life, and ticks, as well as transcending...
42 min
155
71: Rachel Khong & "Why Did I Ever"
In the Damn Library, Christopher gets an egg white cocktail egg-zactly right for Rachel Khong, author of Goodbye, Vitamin and also All About Eggs. He and Drew also chat with Rachel about the inner/outer voice of the critic, using family as...
50 min
156
70: Rosecrans Baldwin & "Brighton Rock"
Rosecrans Baldwin, who indirectly provided the beginning for the SMDB podcast, stops by the Damn Library to talk about his exceptional "HBO series of a novel," The Last Kid Left. Youth is discussed, as well as getting characters right, stopping into a...
55 min
157
69: Julie Buntin & "Woman No. 17"
MARLENA MARLENA MARLENA! Julie Buntin drops into the Damn Library to talk her terrific debut novel, Marlena, and gets into whether she's a Marlena or a Cat, if there's a real Spicy Bob's Pizza, and what she was hoping to get to at the core of her...
45 min
158
68: Alissa Nutting & "Him, Me, Muhammad Ali"
Alissa Nutting, author of Made for Love (and also Tampa) joins the guys in the Damn Library to talk surveillance state and let the guys bring up the dolphin sex, and the importance of first sentences. They also talk about Randa Jarrar's Him, Me,...
48 min
159
67: Elif Batuman & "Swann's Way"
Elif Batuman joins Christopher and Drew in the Damn Library, and they all imbibe a drink called "The Dissertation" which can smack the words off the tip of your tongue. They discuss Batuman's The Idiot, and being nicer to your college self, and how...
52 min
160
66: #OneBookNY ("Americanah")
The guys decide to participate in One Book One New York, get on the bandwagon, and finally read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. They discuss Obama, getting bloggers right, and what it's like for a city to read along together. Plus, they...
23 min
161
65: Bianca Bosker & "South and West"
Bianca Bosker, author of Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste saunters into the Damn Library with gusto. She and the guys discuss books...
51 min
162
64: Melissa Febos & "Animals Strike Curious Poses"
When Melissa Febos stops by the Damn Library to talk about her new book "Abandon Me," Christopher goes "Beyond Booze" for the drink, and Drew is also there, because of course he is! They talk pop psychology, gift giving, and everyone having different...
46 min
163
63: #TOB17 Wrap-Up with Nozlee
Nozlee Samadzadeh-Hadidi, producer of The Tournament of Books for The Morning News, drops by the Damn Library to help wrap up this year's tournament with Christopher and Drew. Drinks are drunk, ancient history is drudged up, least favorites are...
39 min
164
62: Kaitlyn Greenidge & "Tipping the Velvet"
Just before winning a Whiting Award, Kaitlyn Greenidge brought her debut novel "We Love You, Charlie Freeman" to the Damn Library. She confesses to hating animals, amongst other deep explications, and then we switch to talking the genre of...
51 min
165
61: Jonathan Lee & "Pereira Maintains"
Jonathan Lee takes a dip into the Damn Library, talking his novel High Dive over a cocktail named after chlorine that surely doesn't taste like chlorine. The ensuing discussion includes fatherhood, pool water, and political awakenings -...
50 min
166
60: Francine Prose & "Hangsaman"
Francine Prose joins C+D in the Damn Library for some lively talk of theater that misses the mark, thwarted ambitions, and following the characters of her newest novel, Mister Monkey. They also get into Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson, and Francine...
45 min
167
59: In-Between Books ("Ongoingness" & "Multiple...
Drew and Christopher take a break from tournament reading to enjoy some books that break the mold, namely Alejandro Zambra's Multiple Choice and Sarah Manguso's Ongoingness. The merits of breaking the mold is discussed, along with other topics, like...
22 min
168
58: Megan Abbott & "Deep Water"
Other than this sentence, not a single reference to Valentine's Day is in this podcast. Megan Abbott stops by the Damn Library with her newest novel, You Will Know Me. We discuss prodigies and the grit of teenage gymnasts, and then dismount the pommel...
48 min
169
57: Tournament of Books 2017 Primer
After a long hiatus, Drew and Christopher are back in the Damn Library, explaining what the Tournament of Books is, why they like it, and what seems like the favorite to win this year. New logo by Jefferson Wiggins. jeffersonwiggins.com GO BUY A...
26 min
170
56: A Snowisode Holiday Spectacular!
Snowed in, the guys decide to record an episode, because why not? They discuss L. Frank Baum, and then an unexpected visitor shows up in the form of Uli Beutter Cohen, founder of Subway Book Review and co-creator of the new literary newsletter Eye...
47 min
171
55: "Six of Crows" & Top 6 of 2016!
In this one, the guys look to escape their lives for a bit with some epic fantasy, and they do so via a duologetic ticket to Leigh Bardugo's Grisha-verse. After they extoll the book's virtues and consider the difficulties of escapism, they jump into...
31 min
172
54: Lisa Lutz & "Dirty Snow"
The indomitable, incomparable Lisa Lutz stops by the Damn Library for a career retrospective. Drew and Christopher very nearly contain their rabid fandom and talk the Spellman Files series, "The Passenger," "Heads You Lose," and "How to Start a Fire,"...
45 min
173
53: Jade Chang & "Neon Green"
Christopher and Drew are joined by Jade Chang to chat about a road trip, writing what is most challenging, and aliens. Jade likes how cozy it is in the library and the guys love how cozy "The Wangs vs. The World" is as a novel. Then the aliens,...
47 min
174
52: Kathleen Donohoe & "Charming Billy"
Kathleen Donohoe drops by the Damn Library to talk about her book, Ashes of Fiery Weather, and all the historical disasters contained within, as well as her personal connections to Brooklyn. Surprise '98 National Book Award winner Charming Billy by...
37 min
175
51: Hannah Pittard & "I'm Thinking of Ending Th...
Hannah Pittard stops by the Damn Library to drink a classic cocktail bastardized by a substituted ingredient and discuss her book "Listen to Me" and Iain Reid's "I'm Thinking of Ending Things." Dread is discussed, as well as what makes for a good...
38 min