Why people recommend it
Antkind by Charlie Kaufman is a wildly surreal, epic debut novel that follows a disgruntled film critic on a bizarre, cross-country odyssey after he discovers a potentially masterpiece-level, three-month-long stop-motion movie. On an episode of The Daily Stoic, comedian Drew Michael recommended the massive novel during a discussion about influential literature that stretches the boundaries of imagination and media. Later, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola also discussed reading Kaufman's sprawling seven- or eight-hundred-page book on the podcast, describing it as a profound and unexpected turning point in his life. Coppola shared that the chaotic, imaginative narrative deeply impacted his worldview, emphasizing that virtually everything he reads fundamentally alters how he views his own cinematic projects. Despite its dense and eccentric nature, the novel captivated Coppola, proving how visionary fiction can disrupt established thought patterns and inspire new creative horizons even for veteran artists. Both guests pointed to the book as a monumental, boundary-pushing piece of storytelling that challenges readers to rethink reality, art, and the absurdities of modern existence through Kaufman's uniquely idiosyncratic and darkly comedic literary lens.
Who recommended it
- Francis Ford Coppola Discussed
- Drew Michael Recommended
Francis Ford Coppola — 1 mention
“he wrote a book a novel called ant antind uh a seven 800 page book called antkind and that's what Google said you know if you want to read something about being a so I got it”
Drew Michael — 1 mention
“the most one is ant kind by Charlie Kaufman and the other is trust me I'm lying by you”