Episode · Conversations with Tyler · 2016-07-27
Books mentioned on Michael Orthofer on Why Fiction Matters
Michael Orthofer, one of the world's most prolific book reviewers, joins Tyler Cowen for a conversation on — what else? — books.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is an epic high fantasy masterpiece that follows the perilous quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.
Discussed“even especially vivid works like Lord of the Rings right those are not real events”
Where to get it
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Hamlet
Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a celebrated tragedy about a Danish prince agonizing over revenge, betrayal, and mortality.
Discussed“so if I say well reading Hamlet Shakespeare Dostoevsky Jane Austen of course that was essential for one's own education”
Where to get it
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A Brief History of Seven Killings
Discussed“I think there's a book I read a review of I'm sure you've heard of it maybe read it Marlon James a brief history of seven killings”
Where to get it
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War and Peace
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a sweeping historical epic that chronicles the lives of several aristocratic families against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.
Discussed“so if you don't read Russian yes Reid Brothers Karamazov and Warren piece and a few things and then stop”
Where to get it
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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a classic psychological novel that details the intense mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Raskolnikov following his commission of a desperate crime.
Discussed“and I mean we have these established books like Warren peace or Crime and Punishment but Russian literature goes so so much deeper”
Where to get it
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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Illustrated)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a psychological thriller examining guilt, morality, and redemption through the harrowing descent of a destitute former student in St.
Discussed“and I mean we have these established books like Warren peace or Crime and Punishment but Russian literature goes so so much deeper”
Where to get it
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Stoner
Stoner by John Williams is a critically acclaimed 1965 novel that traces the quiet, unassuming life of William Stoner, an academic who navigates an unfulfilling marriage and an unremarkable university career.
Discussed“stoner John Williams this is a book that disappeared from view for a long time”
Where to get it
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The Last Samurai
Discussed“Helen do it's the Last Samurai was just refine distorted and Amazon and excited to get my copy”
Where to get it
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The Dream of The Red Chamber
Discussed“so here's volume 1 of a Chinese book used to be known as dream of the red chamber now it's more often called story of the stone penguin”
Where to get it
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Bottom's dream
Discussed“and the German title is settles town what's the English title who's bottoms dream bottom stream”
Where to get it
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School for atheists
School for Atheists by Arno Schmidt is a dense, linguistically inventive novel by the pioneering German postmodernist writer, offering a satirical and intellectually demanding exploration of post-World War II Germany, religion, and philosophy.
Recommended“well if you eventually want to read bottoms dream then the school for atheists is the one term that's in English now”
Where to get it
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The Confidence Man
The Confidence Man by Herman Melville is a darkly satirical, complex novel set aboard a Mississippi River steamboat on Fool's Day, exploring themes of trust, identity, and economic deception in nineteenth-century America.
Recommended“I always always when the argument of the Great American Novel comes up I always make a plug for the confidence man which i think is sort of representative it says so much about America”
Where to get it
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Wittgenstein's Nephew
Wittgenstein's Nephew by Thomas Bernhard is a brilliant autobiographical novel that examines the author's complex, poignant friendship with Paul Wittgenstein, a nephew of the famous philosopher, highlighting shared eccentricities, institutionalization, and the tragicomic nature of human existence in mid-century Vienna.
Recommended“I don't think I've been disappointed by any any Bernhardt Wittgenstein's nephews my favorite”
Where to get it
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The loser
The Loser by Thomas Bernhard is a profound and intensely psychological novel by the celebrated Austrian author that explores obsession, artistic failure, and the crushing weight of perfectionism through the lens of Glenn Gould and classical music.
Recommended“my favorite and then the loser they don't go gay yeah”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“he did the definitive magic mountain in Boonton Vaux and but he's always been translating a low Schmidt for decades”