Episode · The Book Review · 2026-06-19
Books mentioned on Art, Outrage and How the Culture Wars Began
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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It Was Vulgar and It Was Beautiful
It Was Vulgar and It Was Beautiful by Jack Lowery is a compelling chronicle documenting the impactful history of the AIDS activist group Gran Fury.
Recommended“Another is Jack Lowery's recent It Was Vulgar It Was Beautiful. Have you read that one Gilbert? It's a very beautiful beautiful book about telling the story of Gran Fury.”
Where to get it
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The Devil Finds Work
The Devil Finds Work by James Baldwin is a penetrating collection of essays examining the cultural impact of cinema through the lens of race, personal memory, and American politics.
Recommended“I'm going to go let's go James Baldwin The Devil Finds Work. His book of film criticism which is also a memoir which is also a great political treatise.”
Where to get it
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Fire in the belly
Fire in the Belly by C.
Recommended“Fire in the Belly, which is C Carr's biography of David Wojnarowicz, is essential reading. I mean, everything C Carr writes is essential reading.”
Where to get it
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A life
A Life by Elia Kazan is the sweeping autobiography of the legendary director detailing his artistic triumphs and controversies in theater and film.
Recommended“But the greatest, I think, artist memoir of all time might be Elia Kazan's A Life, which is, you know, it's like reading paradise It's like the Paradise Lost of showbiz autobiographies.”
Where to get it
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The Kindness of Strangers
The Kindness of Strangers by Salka Viertel is a memoir detailing the extraordinary life of a screenwriter and actress who became a central figure in the Hollywood émigré community.
Recommended“One that I've had really good luck with is this book that New York Review Books Editions put out reissued called The Kindness of Strangers by Sulka Vierteil. And it's a memoir.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Passing My Last Sigh
Vintage
“Uh, The Talmud, a biography by Barry Scott Wimpfheimer... And My Last Sigh, which is the memoir by uh, Luis Buñuel.”