Episodes
Tuesday May 26, 2020
Episode 54 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Martina Testa
Tuesday May 26, 2020
Tuesday May 26, 2020
In Episode 54, we talk to Martina Testa, Editor at Edizioni SUR, and one of Wallace's Italian translators and interpreters. The conversation explores her background with discovering Wallace's writing, getting contracts to translate his work, the Italian fervour surrounding him, and her friendship with Wallace.
You can find Martina online in these places:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/martinatesta
Edizioni SUR Website - https://www.edizionisur.it/chi-siamo/
Connect with The Great Concavity here:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Tuesday Apr 07, 2020
Tuesday Apr 07, 2020
In Episode 53, we're joined by the writer Adam Levin, author of The Instructions, Hot Pink, and the incredible forthcoming novel Bubblegum, which releases April 14, 2020. In our conversation, we talk a good deal about the new novel, Adam's experience reading/thinking about Wallace, swearing, parrots, swearing & parrots, metafiction, and other fun topics.
Show notes:
Adam's website: https://www.adamlevinadamlevin.com/
Order Bubblegum - https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780385544962
Guernica excerpt of Bubblegum - https://www.guernicamag.com/bubblegum/?fbclid=IwAR39CVIwDGSW9KZm7rrzGA7DaMEAG4sLpf7lxjHVZq4wEvtYZpo2LJW7s58
Order The Instructions - https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/the-instructions
Order Hot Pink - https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/hot-pink?taxon_id=1
"Kid Positive" The New Yorker - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/03/02/kid-positive
"Kid Positive" interview, The New Yorker - https://www.newyorker.com/books/this-week-in-fiction/adam-levin-03-02-20
Contact Us:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Sunday Mar 08, 2020
Episode 52 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Jon Baskin
Sunday Mar 08, 2020
Sunday Mar 08, 2020
In Episode 52, we talk to Jon Baskin, author of the exciting new book Ordinary Unhappiness: The Therapeutic Fiction of David Foster Wallace. Topics of exploration in the conversation include Freud, Wittgenstein, and hating Ben Lerner (or not).
You can find out more details and buy Jon's book here, through Stanford University Press: https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=29316
Jon’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/BaskinJon
The Point Twitter and website: https://twitter.com/the_point_mag & https://t.co/QV9prYnta5?amp=1
On The Hatred of Literature - https://thepointmag.com/letter/on-the-hatred-of-literature/
Contact Us:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Wednesday Jan 01, 2020
Episode 51 - 2019 Year in Review (feat. Mike Miley)
Wednesday Jan 01, 2020
Wednesday Jan 01, 2020
In Episode 51, we bring on our resident film expert and Episode 38 guest Mike Miley to talk about our year in books, movies, music, TV, and games.
Show Notes:
Link to Jeff Tweedy & George Saunders interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWlKCB1JCG0
2019 Playlist (iTunes): https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/the-great-concavitys-best-of-2019/pl.u-yZyVVY3tYq2akv
2019 Playlist (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6blJyhTb9QdKFB1qdyc9ug
Mike's Book: https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/T/Truth-and-Consequences
Mike's Twitter: https://twitter.com/mikecmiley?lang=en
Approaches to Teaching Wallace: https://www.mla.org/Publications/Bookstore/Approaches-to-Teaching-World-Literature/Approaches-to-Teaching-the-Works-of-David-Foster-Wallace
Contact Dave & Matt
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Episode 50 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Michael McGowan & Martin Brick
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
In Episode 50, we talk to Michael McGowan and Martin Brick, the editors of David Foster Wallace and Religion: Essays on Faith and Fiction, out now from Bloomsbury Academic: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/david-foster-wallace-and-religion-9781501345289/
Contact our guests:
Michael McGowan: prof.mcgowan@gmail.com
Martin Brick: brickm@ohiodominican.edu
Contact Dave & Matt
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Episode 49.2 - Discussing David Foster Wallace & Don DeLillo’s Letters
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
This is the second and final episode covering Wallace and DeLillo's correspondence, housed at the Ransom Center Archive in Austin, Texas.
Show notes:
1996 Leonard Lopate interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ4AeIRKbfwhttps://www.wnyc.org/story/56878-david-foster-wallace/
1996 David Streitfeld piece: https://craigfehrman.com/2010/05/05/details-1996-profile-of-david-foster-wallace/
Robyn O'Neil's show at The Modern, WE, THE MASSES: https://www.themodern.org/exhibition/upcoming/robyn-oneil-we-the-masses-/5115
Robyn O'Neil pop-up shop at The Modern: https://shop.themodern.org/collections/robyn-oneil
Contact Dave and Matt:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Episode 49.1 - Discussing David Foster Wallace & Don DeLillo's Letters
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
After a very busy summer, Dave and Matt reconvene to discuss the Wallace/DeLillo correspondence housed at the Ransom Center in Austin, Texas. This will be the first instalment of a several-part episode, as there's a lot here to cover!
Five Dials, David Foster Wallace Memorial - https://fivedials.com/files/fivedials_no10.pdf
Contact Dave and Matt:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Monday Jul 01, 2019
Episode 48 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Yonina Hoffman
Monday Jul 01, 2019
Monday Jul 01, 2019
In Episode 48, we're joined by Yonina Hoffman. Yonina is PhD student at the Ohio State University. Her work centers around, you guessed it, David Foster Wallace.
In this discussion, we cover a range of topics around DFW's work and Yonina's dissertation. We discuss voice, narrative, voice, humor and other issues that track across Wallace's career. Yonina has also presented on Updike and New Sincerity so we ask her about that.
You can find Yonina on Twitter: @yonina. She also has this nifty website: http://www.yoninahoffman.com/
Contact Dave and Matt:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Friday May 10, 2019
Friday May 10, 2019
In Episode 47, we're joined by Jim Gauer, author of the excellent Novel Explosives, a book you've no doubt heard us mention in recent conversations. Jim is a mathematician, published poet, and self-described as the world's only Marxist venture capitalist.
In this discussion, we cover a range of topics around Jim's book, it's relation to Wallace's sensibilities and Infinite Jest, the dangers of hyper-capitalism, the anxiety of influence, lethality enhancement, and a host of others.
Jim's book can be purchased through your local bookstore (which he most encourages), with the backup plan of online sales (though he implores you to avoid giving Jeff Bezos more money to fuel his space colony dystopia, if possible) - http://zerogrampress.com/2016/10/08/novel-explosives/
Links discussed:
Jim's interview with Michael Silverblatt on Bookworm: https://www.kcrw.com/culture/shows/bookworm/jim-gauer-novel-explosives
Jim's interview on Eye 94: https://www.mixcloud.com/lumpenradio/eye-94-4-15-2018-jim-gauer/
Jim's Paris Review poetry: https://www.theparisreview.org/poetry/2778/will-this-thought-do-jim-gauer
Contact Dave and Matt:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Friday Apr 05, 2019
Episode 46 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Marshall Boswell
Friday Apr 05, 2019
Friday Apr 05, 2019
In Episode 46 we talk to Rhodes College professor and O.G. Wallace scholar Marshall Boswell about his new book The Wallace Effect: David Foster Wallace and the Contemporary Literary Imagination, out now from Bloomsbury Press!
As usual, we bash Franzen a bit, get some overview of the central novels addressed in Marshall's book, and discuss the recent trend of "Wallace Snark" online.
Contact Dave and Matt:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Monday Mar 11, 2019
Episode 45 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Kyle Beachy
Monday Mar 11, 2019
Monday Mar 11, 2019
In Episode 45, we get to talk to Kyle Beachy, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing at Roosevelt U in Chicago, and author of the novel The Slide. In it, we discuss his extensive teaching of Wallace's work to creative writing students, his novel and writing on skateboarding, and get some great book recommendations from him (Kyle being one of the most well-read people Matt knows, which is saying a lot).
Things we said we'd link to:
Growing Sentences with David Foster Wallace - https://kottke.org/09/03/growing-sentences-with-david-foster-wallace
Kyle's "The Deep Seams: A Search for Fun in David Foster Wallace's Peoria" - http://theclassical.org/articles/the-deep-seams
Dave's skate video part (from around 2002) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-4BV-tbwMk
Kyle Beachy's (apparently outdated) website - http://kylebeachy.com/
Kyle Beachy Twitter - https://twitter.com/kylebeachy
Kyle Beachy Tumblr - http://themostfunthing.tumblr.com/
James Dahl Memorial Harry Ransom Donation - https://utdirect.utexas.edu/apps/utgiving/online/nlogon/?menu1=HR**
Contact us:
The Great Concavity on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
The Great Concavity on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/
Email us - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Monday Jan 21, 2019
Episode 44 - 2018 Year in Review
Monday Jan 21, 2019
Monday Jan 21, 2019
In this episode, Dave and Matt talk about their favorite literary and pop-cultural artifacts from the past year. This episode offers a contest as well, associated with the following music playlist. Good luck!
TGC's Favorite Music of 2018 (iTunes) - https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/the-great-concavitys-favorite-songs-of-2018/pl.u-pMyll2jh4KoErM
TGC's Favorite Music of 2018 (Spotify) - https://open.spotify.com/user/concavityshow/playlist/6Gkdv29x9bpXIIzmmlWolO?si=V2aBBNKASm-70W12xwfn0g
Show Notes:
*Correctional note* - When Matt was talking about Robert Coover in Marfa, he meant Robert Creeley.
Dante Society - https://www.dantesociety.org/
The Great Concavity on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
The Great Concavity on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/?hl=en
Email us - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Thursday Dec 20, 2018
Episode 43 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Bo Butler
Thursday Dec 20, 2018
Thursday Dec 20, 2018
In Episode 43 we meet our nemesis Bo Butler of Pynchon in Public for the inevitable postmodern fiction podcast throwdown. Join us as we discuss the history of our beefing over literary turf and all related topics!
Monday Nov 19, 2018
Episode 42 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Esther J. Cepeda
Monday Nov 19, 2018
Monday Nov 19, 2018
In Episode 42 we talk to Chicago-based journalist and teacher Esther J. Cepeda about her love of Wallace, annual Infinite Jest reads, and other related literature and pop culture. A huge thank you to our Patrons as well on #ThankYouPatrons day today!
Show notes:
Esther's favourite cards - Art of Play - https://www.artofplay.com/collections/playing-cards
Esther's Twitter - https://twitter.com/estherjcepeda
Great Concavity on Twitter - https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
Great Concavity on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow/?hl=en
Email us - concavityshow@gmail.com
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Thursday Oct 25, 2018
Episode 41 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Tim Personn
Thursday Oct 25, 2018
Thursday Oct 25, 2018
In Episode 41, we talk to Dr. Tim Personn (in person!) from the University of Victoria about his recently-defended dissertation, "Fictions of Proximity: The Wallace Nexus in Contemporary Literature." Buckle up for a philosophical discussion, as Tim takes us on a ride through the work of Wittgenstein, Derrida, and other thinkers whose work informed Wallace's fiction and influence on the modern literary landscape. Other topics include tacos, seeing Parquet Courts live, and potential future podcast beefs!
Show Notes:
Shazia Hafiz Ramji's book Port of Being - https://invisiblepublishing.com/product/port-of-being/
Kieran Setiya's Midlife - http://www.ksetiya.net/midlife.html
Tim's website - timpersonn.com
Post 45 "The Dave Show" - http://post45.research.yale.edu/2011/11/the-dave-show/
Medium/Just Words "How David Lipsky Captures the Spirit of David Foster Wallace" - https://medium.com/just-words/the-dave-show-5f07c1f83a86
Tim's Twitter - https://twitter.com/timpersonn
Contact The Great Concavity:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConcavityShow
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow
- Email: concavityshow@gmail.com
- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/concavityshow
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
Episode 40 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Greg Carlisle
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
Saturday Aug 25, 2018
In Episode 40, we welcome Greg Carlisle, author of the Infinite Jest commentary, Elegant Complexity, and Nature's Nightmare, an analysis of Wallace's Oblivion collection.
Greg's books here: http://www.sideshowmediagroup.com/books/
Contact Greg: g.carlisle@moreheadstate.edu
Tuesday Jun 26, 2018
Episode 39 - 2018 ISU David Foster Wallace Conference Review (feat. Matt Luter)
Tuesday Jun 26, 2018
Tuesday Jun 26, 2018
We're joined by repeat guest Matt Luter to talk about all the fun Dave missed out on at the recent Illinois State University Wallace conference, held June 7-9, 2018. Topics covered include panel recaps, anagram alter egos, karaoke highlights, and all other manner of conference scoops. Almost as good as having been there!
Sunday May 06, 2018
Episode 38 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Mike Miley
Sunday May 06, 2018
Sunday May 06, 2018
In Episode 38 we talk again with Mike Miley, Vice President of the International David Foster Wallace Society and quiz kid extraordinaire. Topics include film, game shows, Oliver Stone, JFK assassination scoops, and hanging out with Michael Silverblatt.
Show Notes:
Smart Set – “Reading Wallace Reading”
https://thesmartset.com/article08181401/
Medium – “Caught in the Bandana Trap”
https://medium.com/just-words/caught-in-the-9fa2c864b76d
Medium – “The Eye of Sauron”
https://medium.com/just-words/the-eye-of-sauron-d454ed83377a
Critique – “…And Starring David Foster Wallace as Himself: Performance and Persona in The Pale King”
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00111619.2015.1028611?needAccess=true
Mike’s Twitter: twitter.com/MikeCMiley
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
Wednesday Apr 04, 2018
In Episode 37 we welcome the Diversity Committee Coordinators from the International David Foster Wallace Society to talk about issues of representation in the writing of Wallace, and within the Wallace community itself.
Relevant links:
- Diversity Announcement - https://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/05/27/introducing-the-diversity-committee/
- Diversity Blog Posts - https://www.dfwsociety.org/category/diversity/
- Sean Gandert's “A Short Meditation on the Whiteness of David Foster Wallace’s Writing” - https://www.dfwsociety.org/2017/07/15/a-short-meditation-on-the-whiteness-of-david-foster-wallaces-writing/
- “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian, from The New Yorker - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person
- Andrea’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nmn80418
- Diego’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/diego_baez
As always, you can reach Dave and Matt via email at Concavityshow@gmail.com and on Twitter and Instagram @ConcavityShow
Friday Feb 23, 2018
Friday Feb 23, 2018
In Episode 36 we have not one, but two special guests(!), both experts in the cartography of Infinite Jest's Boston (and beyond). William Beutler is the creative mind behind the staggeringly glorious Infinite Map (among other things), and Bill Lattanzi has led a series of walking tours in the Boston area tracing the locations of Wallace's opus, so you can see the emerging theme of the episode here.
List of links to pertinent discussion points in the episode:
Infinite Atlas: http://infiniteatlas.com/
Friday Jan 12, 2018
Episode 35 - 2017 Year in Review
Friday Jan 12, 2018
Friday Jan 12, 2018
In this episode, we stray a bit off our usual Wallacian course (but not too far) to discuss our literary and pop-culture highlights from the last solar revolution.
Links we said we'd share:
Robyn O'Neil's 20 Years of Drawings: https://www.archonprojects.com/shop/robyn-oneil-20-years-of-drawings
Me Reading Stuff podcast by Robyn O'Neil: https://www.robynoneil.com/me-reading-stuff
George Saunders' "Sea Oak": http://www.barcelonareview.com/20/e_gs.htm
The Great Concavity's Best Music of 2017 playlists:
- iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/playlist/the-great-concavitys-best-of-2017/pl.u-pMyllebf4KoErM
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/concavityshow/playlist/0blqF0L6gfYA7jI2Am3l0x
Bottom's Dream Twitter page: https://twitter.com/BottomsMeme
In post-production, Dave realizes he'd mentioned we'd discuss video games we liked this year, but we forgot to do this, so games we played and liked include:
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo Switch)
- Super Mario Odyssey (Nintendo Switch)
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)
- Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Nintendo Switch)
- Shovel Knight (Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- Cuphead (Xbox One)
- Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4)
- Overwatch (PS4)
- Nuclear Throne (PS4)
- Crawl (PS4, etc.)
- Darkest Dungeon (PS4, etc.)
- Nidhogg 2 (PS4)
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
Episode 34 - Discussing OzWallace with Nick Maniatis and Tony Mcmahon
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
Sunday Dec 17, 2017
In this episode we're joined by friends Nick and Tony to discuss Australia's first ever David Foster Wallace conference, which was held in Melbourne during September 1-3, 2017. Following a discussion of the conference proceedings, join auxillary Concavityite Nick Maniatis as he interviews a host of presenters live from the conference weekend. Huge thanks go to Nick for towing his microphone around and getting all the juicy details for those of us who couldn't attend, and to Tony for organizing the conference!
Nick Maniatis' DFW website, The Howling Fantods: http://www.thehowlingfantods.com/dfw/ (with day-by-day conference recaps)
Conference Abstracts and presenter bios: https://tinyurl.com/y9n8hu79
Conference Schedule: https://tinyurl.com/yc5mjclc
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OzWallace2017/
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Samatha Wallace's new podcast, Circulating Spaces: https://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Circulating_Spaces/podcasts/
TGC listener Scarlett Sims defeating Austin Rogers on Jeopardy!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nck0RW1AbFU
---
Contact The Great Concavity:
Email - concavityshow@gmail.com
Twitter - @concavityshow (https://twitter.com/concavityshow)
Instagram - @concavityshow (https://www.instagram.com/concavityshow)
Monday Nov 06, 2017
Episode 33 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Allard den Dulk
Monday Nov 06, 2017
Monday Nov 06, 2017
In this episode we talk with Allard about philosophy and film in relation to the work of Wallace, and to lesser extent, Dave Eggers and Jonathan Safran Foer. Dr. Allard den Dulk is Lecturer in Philosophy, Literature and Film at Amsterdam University College, and Research Fellow at the Faculty of Humanities of the VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. He is the author of Existentialist Engagement in Wallace, Eggers and Foer, which is a significant topic of our conversation as well. Other topics include what it's like to show up unannounced at J.S. Foer's personal residence, and DFW cosplay.
Allard's website is: http://www.allarddendulk.nl/
His book, published by Bloomsbury, is available here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/existentialist-engagement-in-wallace-eggers-and-foer-9781501322679/
Monday Oct 09, 2017
Episode 32 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Shazia Hafiz Ramji
Monday Oct 09, 2017
Monday Oct 09, 2017
In this episode we talk to award-winning Vancouver poet and writer Shazia Hafiz Ramji about her three consecutive stints as a guide for Infinite Jest online community reads (Poor Yorick's Summer, Sacred Jest, and the recent Ennet House), as well as her own writing and the influence of DFW.
You can find her on Twitter at @Shazi_R
Her chapbook is Prosopopoeia
Poor Yorick's Summer on Twitter at @poor_summer
Sacred Jest on Twitter at @SacredJest
Ennet House on Twitter at @infinitejestyvr
Friday Jul 21, 2017
Episode 30 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Grace Chipperfield
Friday Jul 21, 2017
Friday Jul 21, 2017
In this episode we are joined by Australian Wallace scholar Grace Chipperfield of Flinders University, whose recent work on Wallace deals with the concepts of protracted adolescence and political landscape in Wallace's writing. The recent DFW17 conference and her experience there is also discussed, as is the possible vampireness of Australian politicians (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmqKSKDfSSQ).
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
Tuesday Jun 13, 2017
On our first live episode (recorded in front of conference attendees at the fourth annual DFW conference at Illinois State University) we talk to Charlie Harris and Jim Plath about the life and legacy of Wallace, give some prizes away, and feature live music for the very first time on the show.
You can also watch the Facebook live video stream, which is archived for posterity, at the top of the page here: https://www.facebook.com/concavityshow/
Monday Apr 03, 2017
Episode 27 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Jill Braithwaite
Monday Apr 03, 2017
Monday Apr 03, 2017
This time we talk to our friend Jill Braithwaite, a Wallace scholar who wrote her Masters thesis on Infinite Jest and its connections to the ideas of theologian Paul Tillich and Unitarian Universalism. She is on Twitter here.
Jill mentions a sermon she gave (in which Wallace's Kenyon speech makes a sigificant appearance), which can be found here.
Friday Feb 17, 2017
Episode 25 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Lee Konstantinou
Friday Feb 17, 2017
Friday Feb 17, 2017
This time, we talk to our friend Lee Konstantinou, a contemporary US literature scholar who has published significantly on Wallace. His new book Cool Characters is available now from Harvard University Press.
Wednesday Jan 25, 2017
Episode 24 - 2016 Year in Review
Wednesday Jan 25, 2017
Wednesday Jan 25, 2017
As is the tradition, Dave and Matt take a minor detour (at times) from the usual topic of David Foster Wallace to discuss their personal highlights and favorite literary and pop cultural items of 2016.
Show notes:
00:27 - The Nightmare: 2016
02:08 - Matt knows books, Dave knows everything else
03:29 - Phone addiction
04:02 - Personal years in review
09:52 - Go to the 2017 David Foster Wallace Conference
11:15 - Sports, or lack thereof
14:59 - The International DFW Literary Society (dfwsociety.org)
21:20 - Matt’s favorite books of 2016
30:54 -Dave’s favorite books of 2016
38:04 - Netrunner Worlds and Dave’s appearance on Boards Alive - (starts 1:24:39)
38:59 - More of Matt’s favorite books (and a footnote about Bill Gates)
41:54 - The proliferation of monographs on DFW
42:40 - Dave’s favorite music of 2016 with Great Concavity bonus playlist
53:44 - Our favorite films of 2016
59:02 - More of Matt’s favorite books of the year (mostly biographies)
1:09:03 - 2016, the 20th Anniversary of Infinite Jest
1:12:50 - Television in 2016
1:22:53 - Board games in 2016
1:27:48 - Passing over video games
1:28:03 - Wrap up
Matt Bucher contact
Twitter & Instagram: @mattbucher
Website: mattbucher.com
Dave Laird contact
Twitter: @dave__laird
Instagram: @davelaird
Email us: concavityshow@gmail.com
Monday Dec 12, 2016
Episode 22 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Nicolas Giacobone
Monday Dec 12, 2016
Monday Dec 12, 2016
In this episode with talk with Academy-Award winning screenwriter and DFW fan Nicolás Giacobone. Nico is best known as the co-writer of Iñarritu's Birdman and Biutiful, but he's also a writer of fiction and a serious reader.
If you have not seen the movie Birdman, it is strongly advised that you do so.
In this episode we discuss his grandfather's filmography, literary influences, Manu Ginobli, and many other things.
Books and writers mentioned include Alberto Laiseca, John Updike, Don DeLillo, George Saunders, and Michael Ondaatje's Coming Through Slaughter among others.
Contact us: concavityshow@gmail.com
Show notes:
00:042 - background and introductions
02:16 - writing for television is painful
03:41 - Like Ed Wood, he was his own extra
09:08 - Homer and Dostoevsky and Cervantes
22:22 - movie writing is collaborative by nature
28:19 - San Antonio Spurs and ego
32:20 - In Latin America, everything is sold with a handshake
33:40 - Treating writing like work
35:08 - Ruth Reichl and DFW
43:40 - Never wrote another novel
49:00 - Six minute takes
53:01 - Tortured artist whose biggest obstacle is himself
54:00 - Free time and they write bullshit
57:07 - Aaron Swartz's theory of IJ
1:04:26 - We can't do math
1:08:11 - Plenty of good books are forgotten
1:12:01 - The 160-page version of CivilWarLand in Bad Decline
1:15:19 - Sergio de la Pava
1:22:06 - The Internet as a tool
1:28:00 - Mario Bellatin
1:32:32 - Moving past Bolaño's influence
1:36:46 - Make fun of Shakespeare
1:37:59 - Comparing Birdman and Infinite Jest
1:39:56 - IJ is impossible to film
1:45:55 - Easter egg: technical difficulties
Thursday Sep 29, 2016
Episode 19 - Discussing David Foster Wallace with Rachel Laird & Amy Pelletier
Thursday Sep 29, 2016
Thursday Sep 29, 2016
In this episode, Dave and Matt start by catching up about the recent photo caption contest winner and entries, Dairy Queen, Flannery O'Connor conferences, and the distinguished list of famous writers Matt has met. Then, our guests Amy and Rachel talk to Dave about their recent experiences reading Infinite Jest for the first time.
Saturday Aug 27, 2016
Episode 17.2 - David Foster Wallace Conference 2016 Recap Show - Part 2
Saturday Aug 27, 2016
Saturday Aug 27, 2016
In Part 2 of this episode we look back at the 3rd Annual David Foster Wallace Conference, held at Illinois State University July 28-30. We talk with a number of DFW scholars and conference attendees.
00:12:27 - Jane Carman - festivalwriter.org
00:21:40 - Josh Katz & Emily Spalding - @ewspalding
00:41:17 - Tony McMahon - @tony_mcmahon2
00:59:57 - Ryan Marnane - @ryanmarnane
1:20:00 - Chris Ayers & Rob Short - @chrisAcreative pooryorickentertainment.tumblr.com & @vismeainlabore
Friday Feb 26, 2016
Friday Feb 26, 2016
In this episode, we talk with Nick Maniatis, proprietor and webmaster of the invaluable website, The Howling Fantods.