Person
Every book Sam Tanenhaus recommended on podcasts
Sam Tanenhaus brings a sharp historical and biographical perspective to his appearances on The Book Review podcast, frequently connecting classic American literature and political thought to his own extensive writing projects. Discussing the life and career of Saul Bellow, Tanenhaus recommends that diligent readers approach Bellow's bibliography chronologically, starting with his 1944 debut novel, Dangling Man, and proceeding all the way through to Ravelstein. Along this chronological journey, he highlights Herzog as the novel that brought Bellow widespread fame and fortune, mentions the meticulous manuscript typing of Mr. Sammler's Planet by his colleague Elida Becker, and examines James Atlas's critical insights regarding the funeral scene in the novella Seize the Day. Beyond Bellow, Tanenhaus discusses his current biographical work on William F. Buckley, which prompts him to reread foundational historical and intellectual texts such as Edmund Wilson's To the Finland Station and Richard Ellmann's acclaimed biography of James Joyce. He also turns his analytical gaze toward contemporary social issues, highlighting Robert P. Jones's book The End of White Christian America as an insightful and persuasive study published by a prominent religion think tank. Through these varied discussions, Tanenhaus illustrates how historical context, biography, and political shifts deeply inform both great fiction and rigorous nonfiction.
Books recommended by Sam Tanenhaus
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Dangling man
Dangling Man by Saul Bellow is a modernist epistolary novel that chronicles the anxious internal monologue of Joseph, a young man in Chicago waiting to be drafted into the army during the Second World War.
Recommended“if you want to be diligent you'll work your way through chronologically from dangling man published in 1944 all the way through Ravel steam”
Where to get it
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The end of White Christian America
The end of White Christian America is a sociological and political non-fiction book by Robert P.
Recommended“there is a book called the end of white Christian America by Robert P Jones who is the CEO of a religion Think Tank Institute”
Where to get it
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Going red
Discussed“one of the books that I review I think it's going red refers to Trump in the past tense”
Where to get it
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Herzog
Herzog by Saul Bellow is a celebrated modernist novel following a beleaguered intellectual who writes frantic, unsent letters to friends, enemies, and historical figures while suffering a midlife crisis.
Discussed“yes this one concludes with a publication of Herzog which is probably still Bellow's most famous novel and the one that really did bring him Fame and Fortune”
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James Joyce
Discussed“I'm also rereading uh Richard elman's biography of James Joyce”
Where to get it
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Mr. Sammler's Planet
Discussed“your wonderful colleague Elida Becker at the book review retyped one of Bell's greatest manuscripts Mr samer's Planet when she worked at at the Viking press”
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Poison Tea
Discussed“therefore a book like uh the one on the big money that goes into the the Tea Party on Tobacco poison te how big oil and big tobacco invented the Tea Party and captured the GOP by Jeff NE bit”
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Raising the floor
Discussed“because those are the issues that speak to the heroes of another book I reviewed called raising the floor by Andy Stern”
Where to get it
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Ravelstein
Discussed“all the way through Ravel steam which some people love his novel about Alan Bloom is great friend”
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Seize the Day
Discussed“for instance it's James Atlas who points out that the famous funeral scene in seiz the day where Tommy wilham and you know sees the day Pamela Tommy willhelm goes to the funeral parlor of a stranger”
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The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a gripping dystopian young adult novel set in a ruined North America where children are forced to compete in a televised death match.
Discussed“Suzanne Collins ù do you know who she is ù and those books ù The Hunger Games The Hunger Games”
Where to get it
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To the Finland station
To the Finland Station by Edmund Wilson is a classic work of intellectual history that traces the development of socialist thought and the lead-up to the Russian Revolution through the lives of various European thinkers and revolutionaries.
Discussed“so I'm now uh rereading uh eban Wilson's to the Finland station because I'm working myself on a book a biography of William F Buckley that has a lot of ideas in it”
Where to get it
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Truman
Truman by David McCullough is a comprehensive historical biography examining the life, political career, and presidency of Harry S.
Discussed“when I was uh working on Whitaker Chambers which was my uh biography I wrote many years ago last now I would alternate reading elman's wild with David McCulla Truman”
Where to get it
Appearances
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“it's the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the adventures of Auggie March because he came from Chicago”
“have you read his Oscar wild”