"Moby Dick," Herman Melville • "Also a Poet," Ada Calhoun • "Lunch Poems," Frank O'Hara • "Forest Primeval," Vievee Francis • "A Thousand Mornings," Mary Oliver • "The Comeback," Lisa Kudrow
I can NOT believe I haven not read Also a Poet. I love Schjeldahl, though I'm sorry he wasn't a good dad. And I was listening to the podcast while walking to my car and Jake was describing reading Mary Oliver in a bar and somebody asked him what the poems were about and I yelled out into a busy parking garage, "BIRDS!!!" and people looked at me, and then Jake said, "Mostly birds."
RUN don't walk to find a copy of "Also a Poet." I also recommended it to Rebecca Brown, and she devoured it. I can't believe how good this book is. According to the book, Schjeldahl wasn't an especially bad dad — he wasn't abusive — he was just always wrapped up in his writing, and more interested in that than anything else.
I devoured Also a Poet! After reading it, I started rummaging through The New Yorker archives online to read her father's past columns, with intention. I'd read his work over the years in my stacks of New Yorkers (yes, another stacker here), but now I felt like I knew him, thanks to Also a Poet. Online reading became tedious, so now I've got a copy of Peter Schjeldahl "Hot, Cold, Heavy, Light, 100 Art Writings, 1988-2018". By the way, Ada Calhoun also created a Spotify playlist for Also a Poet (it's in the book): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4d4FTOQrQBp3C2F7GfWhaC?si=668cbec61cb44b7a
Yes!!! "Devoured" is the word. I couldn't put it down. Thanks for the playlist! Didn't know about that.
I'm also a big fan of Schjeldahl's writing. Did you catch his late piece "The Art of Dying"? You must have, since Calhoun writes about the first draft of it, and the way The New Yorker edited it for publication, in her book.
Episode #2 was so thrilling! The meat stick approach to chats about snacking might need to be expanded at some point. Just saying. . . it's worth exploring the history of the bright orange powder on Cheetos. (How much did they pay the food scientists to make a legal yet addictive substance available in every grocery store? And why do they offer green Cheetos in Mexico?) I just borrowed Also a Poet the e-book from the Seattle Public Library. I'd read about it but kind of forgot about it.
I am so happy you found it thrilling! We actually recorded a bit about MY favorite snack lately but Jake cut it — it was cheese-related, but not Cheetos. My go-to snack lately has been Parm Crisps. (Jake actually unwrapped the Parm Crisps I brought to the studio and ate one in front of his microphone, but maybe as the producer he decided there were too many chewing noises for polite company. It really sent things into an ASMR direction.)
Hmmm if something has the word "crisps" in its name, sound is probably useful for those who don't know what they are. But now that I reflect on it, discussions of Cheetos really require video in living color. . . Most of us can imagine what a meat stick might be w/o fancy AV.
Also my dear departed friend Phoebe changed her name to Phoebe because she loved the Lisa Kudrow character so much. (Her Dad was an jerk and she needed to disassociate herself from her given names. He favorite was the “ Smelly Cat “song. ) wish she was still around to talk about Succession. She would rewatch the whole thing each season!
Phoebe's my fav too. I'm vaguely embarrassed to admit I didn't learn until 2021 — while reading Ovid — that "Phoebe" was the Roman goddess of the moon. And that Phoebus, the sun, is Phoebe's brother.
I finally listened to episode 2- you guys are getting good at this! I loved the mix of literary, tv, and snacks. And adding Also a Poet to my to-read list!
Has anyone made An Award Winning Movie or Television Series or Book or Book Series about a Gay and or Naturist Person who goes to an island where Cars Are Not Allowed only to be Skitteled By A Car and if not Why Not.
I can NOT believe I haven not read Also a Poet. I love Schjeldahl, though I'm sorry he wasn't a good dad. And I was listening to the podcast while walking to my car and Jake was describing reading Mary Oliver in a bar and somebody asked him what the poems were about and I yelled out into a busy parking garage, "BIRDS!!!" and people looked at me, and then Jake said, "Mostly birds."
RUN don't walk to find a copy of "Also a Poet." I also recommended it to Rebecca Brown, and she devoured it. I can't believe how good this book is. According to the book, Schjeldahl wasn't an especially bad dad — he wasn't abusive — he was just always wrapped up in his writing, and more interested in that than anything else.
Re: birds in Mary Oliver -- ha!!!
I'm binging! You've brought me the same friendly energy that makes me forget to ask how are you because I'm so jazzed about the world and ideas. 🤔
Awww, this makes me so happy to hear! Happy binging.
I devoured Also a Poet! After reading it, I started rummaging through The New Yorker archives online to read her father's past columns, with intention. I'd read his work over the years in my stacks of New Yorkers (yes, another stacker here), but now I felt like I knew him, thanks to Also a Poet. Online reading became tedious, so now I've got a copy of Peter Schjeldahl "Hot, Cold, Heavy, Light, 100 Art Writings, 1988-2018". By the way, Ada Calhoun also created a Spotify playlist for Also a Poet (it's in the book): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4d4FTOQrQBp3C2F7GfWhaC?si=668cbec61cb44b7a
Yes!!! "Devoured" is the word. I couldn't put it down. Thanks for the playlist! Didn't know about that.
I'm also a big fan of Schjeldahl's writing. Did you catch his late piece "The Art of Dying"? You must have, since Calhoun writes about the first draft of it, and the way The New Yorker edited it for publication, in her book.
For anyone who's not familiar with Schjeldahl who's reading this, it's a great place to start: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/23/the-art-of-dying-peter-schjeldahl
Episode #2 was so thrilling! The meat stick approach to chats about snacking might need to be expanded at some point. Just saying. . . it's worth exploring the history of the bright orange powder on Cheetos. (How much did they pay the food scientists to make a legal yet addictive substance available in every grocery store? And why do they offer green Cheetos in Mexico?) I just borrowed Also a Poet the e-book from the Seattle Public Library. I'd read about it but kind of forgot about it.
I am so happy you found it thrilling! We actually recorded a bit about MY favorite snack lately but Jake cut it — it was cheese-related, but not Cheetos. My go-to snack lately has been Parm Crisps. (Jake actually unwrapped the Parm Crisps I brought to the studio and ate one in front of his microphone, but maybe as the producer he decided there were too many chewing noises for polite company. It really sent things into an ASMR direction.)
Hmmm if something has the word "crisps" in its name, sound is probably useful for those who don't know what they are. But now that I reflect on it, discussions of Cheetos really require video in living color. . . Most of us can imagine what a meat stick might be w/o fancy AV.
Corn dogs can be unnecessarily hot. Hot dogs can fall apart if they are too long.
It's true that a too-hot corn dog is kind of a crisis. Sounds like you're with Jake on meat sticks, Howard. I'm glad someone is taking his side.
Someone should.
I vote for Phoebe. Really enjoyed The Comeback when it came out.
The audio book for Also A Poet has a lot of the recordings of the interviews.
Also my dear departed friend Phoebe changed her name to Phoebe because she loved the Lisa Kudrow character so much. (Her Dad was an jerk and she needed to disassociate herself from her given names. He favorite was the “ Smelly Cat “song. ) wish she was still around to talk about Succession. She would rewatch the whole thing each season!
Phoebe's my fav too. I'm vaguely embarrassed to admit I didn't learn until 2021 — while reading Ovid — that "Phoebe" was the Roman goddess of the moon. And that Phoebus, the sun, is Phoebe's brother.
Ooooh, it does!? Now I need to check out the audio book. My obsession with this book grows.
Same! The audiobook will be my reread vehicle. Sandy, thanks for the tip!
I finally listened to episode 2- you guys are getting good at this! I loved the mix of literary, tv, and snacks. And adding Also a Poet to my to-read list!
Has anyone made An Award Winning Movie or Television Series or Book or Book Series about a Gay and or Naturist Person who goes to an island where Cars Are Not Allowed only to be Skitteled By A Car and if not Why Not.