In our afternoon reading: inside Tortoise’s distinctive sound, Jason Diamond nonfiction, and more.
Afternoon Bites: The Sound of Tortoise, Jason Diamond Nonfiction, David James Keaton’s Latest, and More
Afternoon Bites: Robert Lopez’s Latest, Jonathan Lethem Interviewed, Megan Mayhew Bergman on Writing, and More
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on Robert Lopez’s fiction, interviews with Jonathan Lethem and Megan Mayhew Bergman, and more.
Morning Bites: Interviewing Martha Park, Remembering Joshua Clover, Niko Stratis’s Recommendations, and More
In our morning reading: an interview with Martha Park, Niko Stratis’s music recommendations, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Jami Attenberg on Writing, BASIC’s Debut, Kristopher Jansma on Epigraphs, and More
In our afternoon reading: Jami Attenberg on writing, new nonfiction from Ann Hood, and more.
Morning Bites: Percival Everett’s Latest, NBCC Awards, Kate Briggs’s Novel, and More
In our morning reading: thoughts on novels by Percival Everett and Kate Briggs, Lisa Ko on writing, and more.
Morning Bites: Margaret Renkl on Writing, John Ganz on Books, Interviewing Bill Orcutt, and More
In our morning reading: interviews with Margaret Renkl and Lucy Sante, thoughts on a Keith Haring biography, and more.
Weekend Bites: Molly McGhee Interviewed, Teju Cole’s Latest, Revisiting Earth, and More
In our weekend reading: an interview with Molly McGhee, thoughts on Teju Cole’s new book, and more.
Todd Dills on “Shining Man,” Southern Literature, and the Search for Joy
Some of the first readings I ever did were with writer Todd Dills, who was and is one of the most engaging people to see read from their work in front of their audience. (I still have fond memories of watching Todd shaking an upside-down mic stand at an event at an Atlanta coffee shop.) The guy’s a fantastic writer as well, and when his latest novel Shining Man was published in 2019 — it’s a followup to his earlier Sons of the Rapture, which I also highly recommend — I eagerly read it and sent him some questions on it. And then the pandemic happened and the interview was paused for a bit. And now it’s complete — and features Dills discussing everything from the literary influence of Ralph Ellison to the role NASCAR plays in his work.