The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life

Hosted ByJohn King

Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate world, but also the scrawled notes and tortured drafts that lead writers there. In long-form interviews, writers discuss their process and the way that writing has influenced their lives. Besides this interview, each episode also features a short memoir essay from a writer about a beloved book, plus John King responds to listener’s questions and observations about the writing (and the drinking) life.


All Episodes

595: Rebecca Makkai (Interviewed by Chelsea Alice)

Chelsea Alice and Rebecca Makkai talk about diversity in novels, breaking genre conventions, student-teacher relationships, and how motherhood is represented in literature.

594: Jack Houghteling!

On this week’s show, I talk to novelist Jack Houghteling about Modernism, football, and the literary value of gangster movies, among other important topics.

593: Ryler Dustin!

On #593, I speak with the poet Ryler Dustin about creating new forms of sanctification and representing rural landscapes with familiarity without fetishizing or satirizing the setting. We probably digressed into a discussion of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.

592: Dan Lauer!

On today’s show, I speak with Dan Lauer about memoirs, Spaulding Gray, depression, the glorious bygone culture of video stores, the less glorious culture of Hollywood, and other matters of dark interest.

591: Greg Proops

On today’s show, I speak with comedian Greg Proops about his new comedy album, , the way time passes when sober and writing scripts and novels, the perfection of Charlotte Rampling, and other keen matters of interest to think-o-philes.

590: Melanie Farmer!

On today’s show, I speak with creative non-fiction writer Melanie Farmer about memoir, Brazilian jiu jitsu, the relationship between one’s family and one’s public, the Hurtson-Wright prize, and other matters to interest.

589: Ian Patterson interviewed by Chelsea Alice

On today’s show, Chelsea Alice interviews Ian Patterson, who translated Finding Lost Time, the final volume of Penguin’s new edition of Proust’s novel cycle, In Search of Lost Time.

588: A Discussion of Kathleen Alcott’s Emergency, with Samantha Nickerso

This week, I speak with Samantha Nickerson and I discuss the themes of friendship, relationships, depression, and death, and the craft of Kathleen Alcott in creating stories that are difficult to put down in the new short story collection, Emergency.

587: A Discussion of Myhouse.wad for Doom, with Michael Merriam

This week, I speak with game designer Michael Merriam about the mysterious, recent addition to the world of Doomology that is the Myhouse.wad, a retro-fitted narrative freak out to one of the earliest first person shooters in video game history.

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