Join John Paul Jaramillo and Deborah Brothers for the July edition of “Reading Books Together,” a monthly podcast where we talk about a book we’ve read. We focus our discussion on recurring themes in the life and short fiction of Texas-born writer Katherine Anne Porter, winner of a Pulitzer, a National Book Award, a GoldContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 13”
Tag Archives: literature
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 12
This month we talk about Brave New World, the classic dystopian novel by Aldous Huxley. We talk about our reactions to the book’s grumpy stylistics as well as its essential ideas and spot-on premonitions. We ramble about connections to Shakespeare and Browning, John Paul reads a few “one star” Goodreads write-ups, and we sum upContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 12”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 10
For Febuary’s podcast, no, wait, March’s podcast, John Paul discusses On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Deborah discusses On the Road The Original Scroll by Jack Kerouac. They both discuss Toad from The Wind in the Willows and the importance of long and rambling novels. They also have some fun reading one-star reviews fromContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 10”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 9
For January’s podcast, we talk about George Eliot’s 800 page masterpiece in 19th century realism, Middlemarch. We talk about its scope, impact, and Deborah gets mad at John Paul for spoilers while he says, “Spoilers? It was published in 1872!” We also have some fun reading one-star reviews from Goodreads. –Deborah Brothers holds a Ph.D. inContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 9”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 8
For December’s podcast, we discuss Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. We talk about Dickens’ background and his poverty. We discuss Patrick Stewart and Mr Magoo. We also have some fun and read one-star reviews from Goodreads. –Deborah Brothers holds a Ph.D. in English Studies and reviews books for Choice and The Lion and the Unicorn and her essays, fiction,Continue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 8”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 7
In November’s podcast, we discuss Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. We talk about pantheism and God-searching in the woods. We also have some fun and read one star reviews from Goodreads. –Deborah Brothers holds a Ph.D. in English Studies and reviews books for Choice and The Lion and the Unicorn and her essays, fiction, and scholarly work haveContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 7”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 5
Radiant Child is a 2016 picture book by author/illustrator Javaka Steptoe. It is a biography of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) whose work first appeared in NYC in the late 1970s. In this month’s discussion, we talk about picturebooks as a form and the lives and work of both Basquiat and Steptoe, which overlap in several ways. Continue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers and john paul jaramillo episode 5”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers & john paul jaramillo–episode 2 June 2022
Reading Books Together: A Podcast with Deborah Brothers & John Paul Jaramillo Music “Viv” by Joel Styzens from Relax Your Ears For June 2022, Deborah Brothers and John Paul Jaramillo feature the 2015 book by Los Angeles native and columnist Wendy C. Ortiz, Excavation–A Memoir. They discuss memory and the difficulty of writing about trauma. –Deborah BrothersContinue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers & john paul jaramillo–episode 2 June 2022”
reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers & john paul jaramillo–episode 1 may 2022
Reading Books Together: A Podcast with Deborah Brothers & John Paul Jaramillo Music “Viv” by Joel Styzens from Relax Your Ears For their first foray into book review podcasts, Deborah Brothers and John Paul Jaramillo feature the 2021 novel by Canadian-American author Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness. They discuss aspects of postmodernism metafiction, Buddhism, and bildungsroman.Continue reading “reading books together: a podcast with deborah brothers & john paul jaramillo–episode 1 may 2022”
a visual history of chicano/a/x literature site
So pleased to be included in A VISUAL HISTORY OF CHICANO/A/X LITERATURE site https://faculty.ucmerced.edu/mmart…/index_files/vh2017.htm
when a writer loses the way
Over the last year or so I am finding I have more and more unread or half finished books on my desk and shelf. I think that has to do with an issue of focus and depression. And I have revision tasks I’ve put off and off for far too long as well. My MonteContinue reading “when a writer loses the way”
quick note–twin peaks, juan rulfo and spirit world voices
After a long semester of teaching I found some time to indulge in studying the novella Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. I’ve been an admirer of Rulfo’s career and this book reads as a tremendous progression from his short stories I was introduced to in his book The Burning Plain. What I found in this work is aContinue reading “quick note–twin peaks, juan rulfo and spirit world voices”
quick review of junot díaz’ this is how you lose her
I’ve long read and admired Junot Diaz‘ style of prose. I’m almost embarrassed to say how much I’ve modeled my own work after his. This latest collection of work contains all the themes of trouble and failure at its heart. And also the redemption. I continue to admire how the work follows a consistent universeContinue reading “quick review of junot díaz’ this is how you lose her”
quick review of daniel chacon’s hotel juarez
A few months back I wrote a quick review of Daniel Chacon’s book Unending Rooms. I admire Chacon’s aesthetic and overall writerly choices. I look forward to picking up his novel and his other work Chicano Chicanery. His work at times is surreal and also thought provoking. I find his work here playful and intelligent. AndContinue reading “quick review of daniel chacon’s hotel juarez”
margaret atwood’s the handmaid’s tale
Prepping to discuss Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale tomorrow in my Lit 111 course. We’ll discuss more dystopian elements, feminism and watch some scenes from the film adaptation.