Episode · The Book Review · 2019-12-06
Books mentioned on The Life of Mike Nichols
Pamela Paul recommended Richard Nixon : the life by John A. Farrell, and discussed Life isn't everything by Ash Carter and others, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, Still Here by Alexandra Jacobs, and Triggered by Donald Trump Jr.. Sam Kashner discussed The American way of death by Jessica Mitford. John Williams recommended The mountain lion by Jean Stafford and Essays in disguise by Wilfrid Sheed. Emily Eakin recommended How to Be a Family by Dan Kois, and discussed The Happiest Kids in the World by Rina Mae Acosta and others. Greg Cowles recommended Kudos by Rachel Cusk, and discussed Outline by Rachel Cusk.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Life isn't everything
Life Isn't Everything by Ash Carter and Sam Kashner is a comprehensive oral history of the acclaimed director Mike Nichols, constructed through the recollections of one hundred and fifty of his closest friends and collaborators.
Discussed“they wrote together an oral history of Mike Nichol it's called life isn't everything Mike Nichols as remembered by 150 of his closest friends”
Where to get it
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The American way of death
The American Way of Death by Jessica Mitford is a 1963 investigative exposé that sharply criticizes the American funeral industry and became a surprise national bestseller.
Discussed“it was the time of Jessica mitford the the American way of death and you know I mean these were weighty subjects”
Where to get it
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The Song of Achilles
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a lyrical and moving reimagining of the Iliad that focuses on the deep romance between Achilles and Patroclus.
Discussed“her first novel was the song of Achilles and it was a huge bestseller Cersei has become one as well”
Where to get it
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Still Here
Still Here by Alexandra Jacobs is a biography chronicling the madcap, nervy, and singular life of the legendary performer Elaine Stritch, who passed away in 2014.
Discussed“and that was of course elene strich who died in 2014 and is the subject of a new biography by Alexander Jacobs the book is called still here the madcap nervy singular life of Alene stretch”
Where to get it
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Triggered
Triggered by Donald Trump Jr.
Discussed“no and even the sales and marketing channels are polarized with Donald Trump Jr's book there were questions about his bestseller status”
Where to get it
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The mountain lion
The Mountain Lion is a classic mid-century novel by Jean Stafford that depicts the complex and often painful childhood of two siblings growing up in California and Colorado.
Recommended“and so I finally read which I've been meaning to for a long time the mountain lion which is a novel of hers from the late 1940s issued by the New York Review books Classics line it's a great book”
Where to get it
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Essays in disguise
Essays in Disguise by Wilfrid Sheed is a celebrated collection of literary criticism and commentary originally written for outlets like the New York Review of Books.
Recommended“that appears in a collection right that appears in a collection called essays and disguise which I think has long been out of print but that I I buy copies of at used bookstores to kind of hand out like candy to friends”
Where to get it
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How to Be a Family
How to Be a Family by Dan Kois is a memoir chronicling the author's year spent dragging his children around the world in search of a new way to live together.
Recommended“I'm reading how to be a family the year I dragged my kids around the world to find a new way to be together by Dan koise”
Where to get it
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The Happiest Kids in the World
Discussed“and Dan picks up this book called the happiest children in the world and of course it's about Dutch children”
Where to get it
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Kudos
Kudos is a contemporary novel by Rachel Cusk that concludes her acclaimed trilogy and explores modern art, conversations, and human relationships.
Recommended“I'm finally reading Kudos the third book in the trilogy and kicking myself a little that it took me so long”
Where to get it
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Outline
Outline by Rachel Cusk is a critically acclaimed contemporary novel known for its minimalist style and unique narrative structure where the protagonist reveals herself primarily through the stories told to her by others.
Discussed“I'm glad that you mentioned outline this book like outline opens with Fay on an airplane and where outline opens very memorably”
Where to get it
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Richard Nixon : the life
Richard Nixon: The Life by John A.
Recommended“I'm still reading the one volume biography of Richard Nixon by John Ferell which I talked about briefly”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (11) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“it's like a version of Feel the fear and do it anyway and Elaine was an early adopter of that as as she was of so many other things”
“you have Michelle Obama's becoming still hanging in there”
“you have Donald Trump Jr's triggered”
“you have a warning by Anonymous that's the unnamed senior Trump Administration official”
“at number three you have crime in progress which is by Glenn Simpson and Peter frish the founders of Fusion GPS and that looks at their investigation into Donald Trump and his ties to Russia”
“um I I have enthused on this show before about the first two books in Rachel cusk's outline Trilogy outline and Transit”
“um I I have enthused on this show before about the first two books in Rachel cusk's outline Trilogy outline and Transit”
“it sort of infiltrates your Consciousness in a way that reminds me sorry folks of Emanuel career's lives other than my own”
“I went through a phase in college where I read a lot of books by Richard Nixon when he was kind of you know reframing himself as a kind of Elder Statesman books like in the arena”
“I went through a phase in college where I read a lot of books by Richard Nixon when he was kind of you know reframing himself as a kind of Elder Statesman books like in the arena”
“and I recently learned that John Farrell is writing a biography next of Ted Kennedy and I read true compass”