Concavity Show

We're delighted to present our conversation with the remarkable Benjamín Labatut for Episode 81, in which we primarily discuss his 2023 non-fiction novel The MANIAC, its primary figure John von Neumann, the madness and magic of fiction, and the limits and future of science and the human mind.    Run, don't walk to buy Benjamín's two English-language books:  When We Cease to Understand the World  The MANIAC   Extra special thanks to Cameron Waller of Penguin Random House Canada (@cameronsbookshelf) for (a) putting us onto Benjamín's work in a personal way, and (b) making this conversation with Benjamín possible.    Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

For episode 80, we welcome Jessica Anthony back to the show. She has long been one of our favorite writers and she returns this month with a new novel titled The Most (out July 30 from Little Brown).   Jessica Anthony is the author of three books of fiction, most recently the novel Enter the Aardvark, a finalist for the New England Book Award in Fiction. Her debut, The Convalescent, won the inaugural McSweeney’s Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award in 2004. A recipient of the Creative Capital Award in Literature, Anthony wrote The Most while guarding the Mária Valéria Bridge in Štúrovo, Slovakia. She lives in Portland, Maine.   Preorder the book on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-most-jessica-anthony/20862156?ean=9780316576376 You can see some of the upcoming events for the novel here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/contributor/jessica-anthony/   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/  

In this episode, Matt Bucher interviews Matt Lowell of the band Lo Moon.  They discuss the genesis of Lo Moon's new hit song, "Water." Lowell shares how he discovered David Foster Wallace's writing and he also breaks down his collaborative writing process. Later, he digs into some of his literary influences and the two Matts discuss Salinger, Fitzgerald, Knausgaard, and more. You can order the new album on vinyl here: https://www.lomoonofficial.com/ and there you can learn more about Lo Moon’s 2024 tour schedule here: https://lomoon.komi.io/.  Check out their private fan community, Raincoat Chronicles. You can keep up with Lo Moon on X: https://twitter.com/lomoon   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In this episode, Matt interviews Don Hough. Don is the author of a collection of short stories titled The Funeral Girl, a collection of essays called The Exact Right Word, and a new correspondence collection called All the Best. They discuss how The Funeral Girl is influenced by David Foster Wallace’s work, how Don discovered DFW, James Cameron’s Titanic, Labute’s In the Company of Men, Alexander Theroux, Jonathan Franzen, Taylor Swift, and much much more.   You can follow Don on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/DHSayer His blog is here: http://donhoughauthor.blogspot.com   And be sure to order his books: The Funeral Girl: https://www.amazon.com/Funeral-Girl-Don-Hough/dp/1541008553 All The Best: https://www.amazon.com/All-Best-Correspondence-Don-Hough/dp/B0D251Q6NK Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/  

In this episode, Dave and Matt sit down with Adam Levin to discuss the publication of the Bar Mitzvah edition of that great novel, The Instructions. They discuss growing up in the land of Bar Mitzvahs, the writing process, and what happens to Gurion, among other things. Adam Levin's website is: https://www.adamlevinadamlevin.com/ You can order the new edition of the book direct from McSweeney's here: https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/the-instructions-bar-mitzvah-edition?taxon_id=1 And here's a friends-and-family discount code for 25% off: mazeltov   The Material is the new novel from Camille Bordas.   Adam Levin is the author of the novels The Instructions, Bubblegum, and Mount Chicago, as well as the story collection, Hot Pink. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and Playboy. He has been a New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award winner, a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, and a National Jewish Book Award finalist. He lives in Chicago.   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

It's our favorite annual episode on the show, when we get to look back at the best of our year in reading with someone else who has read cool stuff. This time it's with Ben Diamond, a very keen listener and patron from London, who for three years running has sent us an annual best of his year recording, always full of interesting books, shows, music, and films. We had an awesome conversation with Ben that we hope you'll enjoy.    Stay tuned for the Patreon bonus episode in two weeks that covers all other things we liked this year in pop-culture.   As always, this episode comes with a playlist of our favorite songs of 2023: Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/best-of-2023/pl.u-yZyVDNACYq2akv Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Uq1526MP5mLBVI4zM0e5j?si=59d0bc52f08e41aa   Quick reference Top Fives Ben:  1. The Instructions by Adam Levin 2. Something Happened by Joseph Heller  3. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 4. Porn: An Oral History by Polly Barton 5. Anything that Moves by Jamie Stewart   Dave:  1. THE MANIAC by Benjamín Labatut 2. The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen 3. The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty 4. Magnetic Fields by Ron Loewinsohn 5. The Passenger & Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy   Matt: 1. Dayswork by Chris Bachelder and Jennifer Habel 2. Chaotic Good by Lee Klein 3. Diana: My Graphic Obsession by Sivan Piatigorsky-Roth 4. The Deluge by Stephen Markley 5. America Fantastica by Tim O'Brien     Contact Ben Diamond: ben.diamond@gmail.com   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 75 we welcome poet Diego Báez back onto the show, to discuss his fantastic forthcoming book of poetry, Yaguareté White, which releases from University of Arizona Press on February 20, 2024.  You can pre-order it directly from the publisher or from Bookshop.org   Follow Diego on Twitter   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/      

In this episode with speak with bestselling writer and journalist David Lipsky. To David Foster Wallace fans, Lipsky is, of course, familiar as the author of Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself which was the basis of the 2015 film The End of the Tour. David Lipsky is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone. His fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Magazine Writing, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, and many others. He contributes to NPR's All Things Considered, and is the recipient of a Lambert Fellowship, a Media Award from GLAAD, and a National Magazine Award. He's the author of the novel The Art Fair; a collection, Three Thousand Dollars; and the bestselling nonfiction book Absolutely American, which was a Time magazine Best Book of the Year. His new book,  The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial is out now from Norton. The book examines the roots of climate change in popular thought, reaching back to the invention of electricity and the global impacts of technology. Lipsky profiles the scientists and characters who have taken up climate science and those who work to deny the effects of carbon and warming. The New York Times described the book, saying Lipsky "spins top-flight climate literature into cliffhanger entertainment." The extensive notes to the book, which he mentions in this episode, can be found at https://www.theparrotandtheigloo.com/   (Thank you to Kory Hill for technical assistance.)

In this bonus episode, we have a special audio production from British literary scholar Saul Leslie and American writer Wendy Liu.  What do you think David Foster Wallace was really like in a tennis match? You are invited to listen to a tennis commentary of a fictional match played between David Foster Wallace and Martin Amis. This audio piece was part of DFW2023, held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was written and presented by Saul Leslie, and features commentary by fictional Wimbledon champion and writer Elsa Canetti (voiced by Wendy Liu), and a guest 'courtside' appearance from literary academic Beci Carver. Hopefully this gives you a sense of what it would be like if Amis and Wallace really did play against one another. As for who is ultimately triumphant, you’ll have to listen to find out! Be sure to check out this pamphlet for more details about the tennis match and the audio production. Follow Saul:  Email - sileslie@liverpool.ac.uk. Twitter - @postpost_its Follow Wendy: Twitter - @dellsystem Website - https://dellsystem.me/  

In Episode 73, Dave welcomes special guest Matt Bucher on the show to discuss his debut novel, The Belan Deck.  Buy Matt's book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-belan-deck-matt-bucher/19943822?ean=9798888623428 Biblioklept review: https://biblioklept.org/2023/06/02/matt-buchers-the-belan-deck-is-an-unexpectedly-moving-argument-for-humanity-and-serious-triviality/ The Belan Deck on Goodreads (featuring reviews by many of our amazing listeners, like Phillip Freedenberg, Jack Waters, and Richie Speiser): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128126023-the-belan-deck Erick Eckel review: https://erikeckel.com/2023/06/18/the-belan-deck-hints-of-microserfs-in-an-ai-age/ Jay Innis Murray review/interview: https://www.thevisionarycompany.net/blog/the-afterlife-of-anecdotes-a-review-of-the-belan-deck-by-matt-bucher   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 72, we welcome friend of the show, Edith Wharton scholar, accordion/bagpiper extraordinaire, and prolific writer, Sheila Liming on to talk about her new book Hanging Out, delving into the myriad ways that unstructured hang time is a radical, life-affirming act that resists capitalist commodification.  The New York Times article on Sheila and the book: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/style/sheila-liming-hanging-out-interview.html Sheila on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/seeshespeak Buy the book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717263/hanging-out-by-sheila-liming/ and here https://bookshop.org/p/books/hanging-out-the-radical-power-of-killing-time-sheila-liming/18462992?ean=9781685890056   Information about the 2023 DFW Conference in Gettysburg, June 22-24: https://dfwsociety.org/conference/   Contact Matt and Dave: Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In this episode, we talk with prolific reader and accomplished musician Evan Stephens Hall from the band Pinegrove. We discuss his top books of the year and go through a few of our own favorite reading experiences from 2022.   Here is the David Foster Wallace & Richard Powers Q&A we mention.    And here is the reading poriton of that event that begins with DFW talking about the “brick” in his pocket.   The Pinegrove songs featured in this episode are Alaska and Habitat.  Thank you to Rough Trade Records, Pinegrove and Evan Stephens Hall for permission.    Here are our Concavity Show Best Songs of 2022 playlists:   iTunes: https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/best-of-2022/pl.u-EdAVv5dCaMJB7j   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1BwuTDJq2LoU8ZzdSDXSK5?si=052f5d25ed514b43   Evan, top books mentioned: A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines (Gaines stamp!) Morality Play by Barry Unsworth Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut Public Library by Ali Smith (and Autumn!) Breaking and Entering by Joy WIlliams  Leave Society by Tao Lin    Dave, top books mentioned:  Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyaasi Intimacies by Katie Kitamura The Overstory by Richard Powers Autoportrait by Jesse Ball Liberation Day by George Saunders   Matt, top books read this year: Robert Crews by Thomas Berger Literary Alchemist by Steve Paul We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper  Airport Music by Mark Tardi Zol by REYoung   Evan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanstephenshall/ Pinegrove website: https://pinegroveband.com/   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/  

In episode 70, we talk to our friend Peyton Thomas, a DFW, Louisa May Alcott, and American Girl doll enthusiast. His recent YA novel, Both Sides Now, was published in 2021, and his writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Pitchfork, and Billboard, and many other places. Peyton is currently at work on his second novel, a contemporary interpretation of Little Women. You can read more about this forthcoming book in Oprah Daily. Peyton also hosts a podcast about Little Women called Jo's Boys.  Peyton's website - https://peytonthomas.ca/ Buy Both Sides Now - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652876/both-sides-now-by-peyton-thomas/ Jo's Boys Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jos-boys-a-little-women-podcast/id1610742792 Peyton's Pitchfork reviews - https://pitchfork.com/staff/peyton-thomas/albumreviews/ Peyton on Twitter - https://twitter.com/peytonology Infinite Jest Fanfiction on Archive of Our Own - https://archiveofourown.org/tags/Infinite%20Jest%20-%20David%20Foster%20Wallace/works   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/      

In Episode 69, we talk to our friend Mike O'Connell about his recent collection from University of Mississippi Press, Conversations with George Saunders, and discuss Mike's background, the origins of the collection, particulars of the interviews in the book, the trajectory and flavor of Saunders' literary career, and where it all might go.    Buy the Conversations book here - https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/C/Conversations-with-George-Saunders Buy George's brand new book, Liberation Day here - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/564990/liberation-day-by-george-saunders/   You can find Michael online in these places: Twitter - https://twitter.com/moc Academia.edu - https://sienaheights.academia.edu/MichaelOConnell Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/books_in_2022/   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/  

In Adam's second appearance on the show, we discuss his brand new novel, Mount Chicago, which follows a handful of characters living in the shadow of a "terrestrial anomaly" that befalls Chicago's downtown. Both hilarious and tragic, the book shows off Levin's great versatility as a storyteller, metafictionist, humorist, and, maybe to some extent, autobiographer. We also talk about birds (again).  Buy Adam's new book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/695826/mount-chicago-by-adam-levin/ or here: https://bookshop.org/books/mount-chicago/9780385548243 Adam's website: https://www.adamlevinadamlevin.com/ Seminary Co-op Virtual Event on August 10th (registration required) - https://www.semcoop.com/event/adam-levin-mount-chicago "A Lot of Things Have Happened" by Adam Levin - The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/12/27/a-lot-of-things-have-happened Recent New York Times piece on Mount Chicago - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/books/summer-books-writers.html   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/  

In Episode 67, we welcome Christian TeBordo back to the show to discuss his new novel, The Apology, as well as get a rundown of the recent David Foster Wallace conference in Austin, with overall reflections from Matt.  Christian on Twitter - https://twitter.com/xtebordo Buy The Apology here - https://www.astrophilpress.com/the-apology   Contact Dave & Matt:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 66, we welcome Dario Diofebi, the mind behind one of our favorite books of 2021, Paradise, Nevada, from Bloomsbury Publishing.  You can buy the book here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/paradise-nevada-9781635576207/ Stay tuned for the bonus episode, dropping about two weeks from this launch. Check out our Patreon for access details: https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow   Contact Matt and Dave:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 65, we bear witness to the glorious return of Kyle Beachy to the show, to discuss his new book on skateboarding (and marriage, architecture, literature, etc.), The Most Fun Thing: Dispatches from a Skateboard Life, out now from Grand Central Publishing! You can buy the book from your friendly local book store, or online, here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-most-fun-thing-dispatches-from-a-skateboard-life-9781549166969/9781538754115 Find Kyle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kylebeachy And here: https://twitter.com/TheMostFunThing Kyle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themostfunthing/?hl=en Kyle's Podcast, Vent City: https://soundcloud.com/ventcity Read and check out more or Kyle's writing, interviews, and videos here: https://linktr.ee/kbeachy   Contact Matt and Dave:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 64, we recount our year in reading, noting our highlights along the way. Stay tuned for Film, TV, and Music in the Patreon bonus episode! Apple Music Year End Playlist - https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/concavity-show-best-of-2021/pl.u-r2yBJmEIPj5rYl Spotify Year End Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/39OGzFZKMCQGSoZIQGudL6?si=366545dd4e93492d   Show Notes: Robyn O'Neil Cards - https://www.robynoneil.com/cardsandstickers Rob Rahmier's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rdeezy84/ Jacob Rahier's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jrahmier/   Contact Matt and Dave:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/

In Episode 63, Matt and Dave talk to Deb Olin Unferth—author of the fantastic novels Barn 8 and Vacation, short story collections Wait Till You See Me Dance and Minor Robberies, and the memoir Revolution—about her writing, research, and creative writing teaching.    Contact Deb about Pen-City - pencitywriters@gmail.com Deb's Instagram -https://www.instagram.com/debolinunferth Deb's Shipman Agency page - https://www.theshipmanagency.com/deb-olin-unferth Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deb_Olin_Unferth   Contact Matt and Dave:  Email - concavityshow@gmail.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/ Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow Threadless Merch Store - https://concavityshow.threadless.com/