Book Fight!

Tough love for literature

Category Archives: Episodes


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Episode 321: Micro-Memoirs and More!

This week we’re discussing a book of “micro-memoirs” by the poet and essayist Beth Ann Fennelly. Plus another dive into the NaNoWriMo forums, and we resurrect a segment from the early days of the show: Judge a Book By Its Cover.

If you’re dropping by our site while listening to the episode, and hoping to get a glimpse of the book covers we judged, here they are:

As always, you can listen to the show right here on our site. Or check us out via Apple Podcasts, where you can subscribe (for free!), so that you’ll never miss another weekly episode. We’re also in Spotify, Stitcher, and just about any other podcast app you might use (if you can’t find us somewhere, reach out and let us know!)

If you like the show, and would like more Book Fight in your life, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5, you’ll get access to three bonus episodes a month, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations. How do you talk to a writer whose work you like after a reading? How do you promote your own writing without annoying people? Should you force your spouse or significant other to read your work? We’ve got the answers to these and many other pressing questions.

Until next time: thanks for listening!

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Episode 320: Tony the Tiger is a Snack

This week we’re discussing a short story recommended to us on Twitter as “feel-good literary fiction,” though we’re not sure that label is totally apt. “The Era,” by Nana Kwame Adjei–Brenya, was first published in Guernica in April 2018. It’s funny, and and strange, but “feel-good”? The jury’s still out.

Also this week: NaNoWriMo has fired up its engines in response to the current pandemic, aiming to get people writing while they’re stuck at home. Which means it’s time for us to take another visit to the NaNoWriMo forums, to answer some pressing questions about vampires who eat regular food, what to name an Irish factory owner, and lots of other stuff. AND, as if that wasn’t enough for one episode, we’ve also got some Tony the Tiger fan fiction. Who knew Tony was so sexy? (the whole internet, apparently)

As always, you can listen to the show right here on our site. Or check us out via Apple Podcasts, where you can subscribe (for free!), so that you’ll never miss another weekly episode. We’re also in Spotify, Stitcher, and just about any other podcast app you might use (if you can’t find us somewhere, reach out and let us know!)

If you like the show, and would like more Book Fight in your life, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5, you’ll get access to three bonus episodes a month, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations. How do you talk to a writer whose work you like after a reading? How do you promote your own writing without annoying people? Should you force your spouse or significant other to read your work? We’ve got the answers to these and many other pressing questions.

Until next time: thanks for listening!

Stream Episode 320:

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Episode 319: The Infamous Bengal Ming

This week we’re discussing a story about a murderous tiger by Rajesh Parameswaran, which was first published in Granta and then appeared in his 2013 book I Am An Executioner. The story raises a number of questions, like: Do tigers have the mental ability to make choices? And: Do we want to follow an animal around for 21 pages? Answers, it turns out, are mixed.

Also this week, the triumphant return of Fan Fiction Corner! Featuring some very sexy Mr. Clean fanfic (or very weird, depending on your personal proclivities). And Tom’s got some raccoon news. All the old favorites!

If you like the show, and would like more Book Fight in your life, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5, you’ll get access to three bonus episodes a month, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations. How do you talk to a writer whose work you like after a reading? How do you promote your own writing without annoying people? Should you force your spouse or significant other to read your work? We’ve got the answers to these and many other pressing questions.

Until next time: thanks for listening!

Stream Episode 319:

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Episode 317: Dorothy Parker (Winter of Wayback 1929)

It’s the final episode of our Winter of Wayback season, and we couldn’t leave the twenties behind without talking about Dorothy Parker. Like a lot of people these days, both of us knew Parker only from her many famous quips, so we wanted to see what her actual writing was like. The story we read is one of her most popular–it won an O’Henry award, and is still regularly anthologized–but it wasn’t what either of us expected.

Also this week: a bit of 1929 flash fiction that still holds up, plus monkey news!

As always, you can stream the show right here on our site, or download the mp3 file to listen to later. Or check us out in Apple podcasts, where you can subscribe (for free!) and catch up on older episodes. We’re also available on Spotify, Stitcher, or just about any other podcast app. If for some reason you can’t find us in your favorite app, please reach out and let us know!

If you like the show and would like more Book Fight in your life, consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5/month, you’ll get access to three monthly bonus episodes, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations.

Thanks for listening!

Stream Episode 317:

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Episode 316: Richard Halliburton (Winter of Wayback 1928)

We continue our journey through the 1920s by reading one of the decade’s best-selling writers, and arguably its most famous adventurer. While still a student at Princeton, Richard Halliburton decided he wanted to spend his life traveling the globe, and writing about his adventures. At the height of his fame, he was publishing a new book every year and a half. Some doubted the veracity of his stories, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, who said his books were entertaining but probably dreamed up from behind a desk in Brooklyn.

Halliburton was also famous for building an iconic house in Laguna Beach called the Hangover House. Though, tragically, he didn’t live long enough to really enjoy it.

The Hangover House at 31172 Ceanothus Drive in South Laguna Beach was built for famed traveler Richard Halliburton in 1937. It sold in December for $3.2 million, according to the Multiple Listing Service.

As always, you can stream the show right here on our site, or download the mp3 file to listen to later. Or check us out in Apple podcasts, where you can subscribe (for free!) and catch up on older episodes. We’re also available on Spotify, Stitcher, or just about any other podcast app. If for some reason you can’t find us in your favorite app, please reach out and let us know!

If you like the show and would like more Book Fight in your life, consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5/month, you’ll get access to three monthly bonus episodes, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations.

Thanks for listening!

Stream Episode 316:

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Episode 315: Morris Markey (Winter of Wayback 1927)

This week we’re continuing our trip through the 1920s by reading a couple New Yorker pieces from “reporter at large” Morris Markey. The New Yorker was founded by Harold Ross in 1925, and Markey was an early hire. He’d worked as a reporter for a handful of publications, but Ross basically gave him carte blanche to write about whatever he wanted. His work has been largely lost to history, but some have argued that Markey deserves more credit in discussions of New Journalism.

We checked out a couple of Markey’s columns–about organized crime and Prohibition–to see if they stand the test of time. Plus, a story about a monkey who had diners at a fancy Parisian restaurant dropping their monocles into their wine.

As always, you can stream the show right here on our site, or download the mp3 file to listen to later. Or check us out in Apple podcasts, where you can subscribe (for free!) and catch up on older episodes. We’re also available on Spotify, Stitcher, or just about any other podcast app. If for some reason you can’t find us in your favorite app, please reach out and let us know!

If you like the show and would like more Book Fight in your life, consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5/month, you’ll get access to three monthly bonus episodes, including Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world’s weirdest–and steamiest!–novels. We’ve also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations.

Thanks for listening!

Stream Episode 315:

Download Episode 315