Episode · The Book Review · 2020-11-13
David Byrne on The Book Review: books mentioned
David Byrne on Turning 'American Utopia' Into a Book
Pamela Paul recommended The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, Deacon King Kong by James McBride, The Good Lord Bird by James McBride, and On Writing by Stephen King, and discussed American utopia by David Byrne and others and Stay Up Late by Maira Kalman and others. Parul Sehgal discussed The Walker by Matthew Beaumont and Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit. Jennifer Szalai discussed How to Make a Slave and Other Essays by Jerald Walker and Street shadows by Jerald Walker.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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American utopia
Discussed“he is of course the musician the filmmaker visual artist and here primarily is an author of a new book American Utopia”
Where to get it
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Stay Up Late
Discussed“you worked with myrack cman back in 1987 on a picture book called stay up late”
Where to get it
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The Walker
Discussed“I reviewed a book called The Walker by Matthew Bowmont and it's it's a history of of writers walking and sort of links between movement and creativity”
Where to get it
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Wanderlust
Discussed“Rebecca solet's book Wanderlust is also um a book that I used to really really enjoy”
Where to get it
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How to Make a Slave and Other Essays
Discussed“so this week I reviewed a book the title is how to make a slave”
Where to get it
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Street shadows
Discussed“Biden I had previously actually read Walker's first Memoir Street shadows and you know that's a book”
Where to get it
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The Poet X
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo is a celebrated young adult novel in verse that follows a Dominican-American teenager in Harlem who uses slam poetry to understand her world and find her voice.
Recommended“I heard your recent conversation about audiobooks and wanted to add that Elizabeth oos the poet X is an incredible audio book”
Where to get it
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Deacon King Kong
Deacon King Kong by James McBride is a vibrant and humorous novel set in a 1960s Brooklyn housing project, following the chaotic fallout after an eccentric old church deacon shoots a local drug dealer.
Recommended“my two cents on great audio books are two by James McBride Deacon King Kong and the good Lord bird”
Where to get it
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The Good Lord Bird
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride is a celebrated historical fiction novel that won the National Book Award for Fiction, blending humor and drama in a tale set against the backdrop of the American Civil War era.
Recommended“my two cents on great audio books are two by James McBride Deacon King Kong and the good Lord bird”
Where to get it
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On Writing
On Writing by Stephen King is a celebrated memoir and masterclass that blends the author's personal experiences with practical, no-nonsense advice for aspiring writers.
Recommended“and then Lynn Chase sends in a list of people who read their own work and she calls these particular ones fabulous Bill Bryson Oliver saxs Sarah vowel David sederis and Stephen King especially his book on writing”
Where to get it
