Podcast: So Many Damn Books

Christopher (@cdhermelin) and Drew (@drewsof) talk about reading, literature, publishing, and trying to make it through their never-dwindling stack of things to read. All with a themed drink in their hands.

Recorded at the Damn Library in Brooklyn, NY. For show info, book lists, and drink recipes, visit somanydamnbooks.com

201: Ling Ling Huang (NATURAL BEAUTY) & Baek Sehee’s I WANT DO DIE BUT I WANT TO EAT TTEOKBOKKI

Ling Ling Huang stops by the universe of the Zoom Damn Library the day after her book, Natural Beauty, graces shelves. She talks about writing the book in her Notes app, living the classical music life, how she surprised her parents with her book deal, getting shots in her butt for her beauty industry employer,…

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200: Kelly Link (WHITE CAT, BLACK DOG) & Megan Giddings’ THE WOMEN COULD FLY

The one and only Kelly Link zooms into the Damn Library hypserspace to talk her spectacular new collection, White Cat, Black Dog. She gets into how the new collection got its footing in fairy tales, how she loves ghost stories but has never seen a ghost (and that’s okay), and discuss the magic of David…

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199: Idra Novey (TAKE WHAT YOU NEED) & César Aira’s ON CONTEMPORARY ART

Idra Novey actually drops by the Damn Library IN PERSON to discuss her stunning new book, Take What You Need, creating an artist’s practice, torching things, and short novels. Also, she brought along César Aira’s On Contemporary Art to accompany the art on display in the text of her book. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes,…

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198: Spring Horizon Ramble 2023, or, The Re-Return of Drew

Former co-host, writer, and podcast journeyman Drew Broussard sits down to talk about, what else? Books. The Tournament of Books, inventing rather than referencing art within fiction, the problem with thriller titles these days… it’s all out on the table. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic)…

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197: Nita Prose (THE MAID) & Nina de Gramont’s THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR

Nita Prose drops into the Damn Library to illuminate her runaway hit novel, winner of a Goodreads Choice Award, The Maid, and all the ways she used her past as an editor and her knowledge of the tropes of mystery writing reused to create it. Plus, she brings along Nina de Gramont’s The Christie Affair,…

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196: Tom Ayling (Antiquarian Book Seller & TikToker) & David Pearson’s SPEAKING VOLUMES

Antiquarian Bookseller and TikTok star Tom Ayling zooms on in to the Damn Library discuss the world of antiquarian books, and the world of book-centered TikTok, two worlds that are far more complementary than you’d imagine. contribute! https://patreon.com/smdb for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com music: Disaster Magic (https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic) Learn more about your…

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195: Top 2022 Reads with Sarah

Sarah joins me in the Damn Library she co-owns to chat about favorite reads of 2022, both books published this year and books experienced this year. Plus, the HarperCollins union is on strike! If you’d like to help out, check out this page here to donate to the strike fund, and check out more information…

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194: Alison Watts (transl. Seishu Hase’s THE BOY AND THE DOG) & Peter Heller’s THE DOG STARS

Alison Watts zooms through the Damn Library hypserspace from Japan to talk the new novel she translated, The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase, as well as the life of a translator. Plus, we talk the prevalence of Japanese cat fiction, the ascendancy of dog fiction, canine noir, and so much more. Plus, she…

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193: Ashley Hutson (ONE’S COMPANY) & Lindsay Hill’s SEA OF HOOKS

Ashley Hutson, author of Christopher’s favorite novel of 2022, One’s Company, drops into the Damn Library to discuss the joy of writing a novel based on a favorite sitcom, writing a novel chronologically and then interweaving it, and how publishing a novel is quite different than the dream of publishing a novel. Plus, she brings…

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192: Kevin Wilson (NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC) & Blair Braverman’s SMALL GAME

Kevin Wilson zooms in from his mountain to discuss his thrilling new novel, Now is Not the Time to Panic, and that means going into writing teenagers, the pre-Internet world, and magic disappearing as one gets older, and how that’s okay, along with a whole lotta other stuff. Plus, he brings along Blair Braverman’s Small…

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