I'll Find Myself When I'm Dead

In this week’s episode, we discuss a new(ish) collection of Joan Didion’s previously uncollected essays, including a few about writing, two of which we picked to focus on. Also: Elena’s cat mishap, large-text editions, why we were all born in the wrong era for making money off of writing, a Didion-themed lightning round, and more!

Links to some things we mention:

Didion’s new book, Let Me Tell You What I Mean: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/666038/let-me-tell-you-what-i-mean-by-joan-didion/9780593318485 Didion’s “Why I Write”: https://lithub.com/joan-didion-why-i-write/

We couldn’t find a free full online version of “Telling Stories,” but here’s an article with excerpts: https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/02/19/joan-didion-telling-stories/

Tracy Daugherty’s Didion biography: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250105943

The audio galley of Justin’s new book (password: Capote): https://oregonstateuniversity-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/stgermaj_oregonstate_edu/Eaet3zFf23lMvWKhwIGjUbgBYrPpC1gPKoYCc-M48GoPeA

In our first episode of Season 3, we discuss Zoom dance parties, Arlo's new theme song, our forays into magazine writing, the essays and essayistic things we've been reading/watching/etc. in 2021, and two specific essays: Sergio Troncoso's "Literature & Migration," and Hanif Abdurraqib's "I Would Like to Give Merry Clayton Her Roses."

Links:

The Sergio Troncoso essay we discuss: https://literalmagazine.com/a-third-culture-literature-and-migration/

Hanif Abdurraqib's new book, A Little Devil in America: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/592315/a-little-devil-in-america-by-hanif-abdurraqib/

In our episode previewing the March Plaidness final, we discuss the two remaining essays/songs, the outcomes of recent games, some favorite fallen essays, and our post-Plaidness playlist. Also: Justin’s hot tub experience with Skrillex, pickup truck pools, our plans for a PodVan, a very 90s conversation about what’s cool, and more!

Links:

March Xness tournament site, with all the essays: www.marchxness.com

The post-March Plaidness Spotify playlist Elena made: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3oCUXkIdZQ8hGYw3mREmsO?si=VdHkUZxuRm-qTvGjs_YtFQ&nd=1

John Melillo's band, Algae & Tentacles: https://algaeandtentacles.bandcamp.com/

in our penultimate March Plaidness episode, we start with a confession before moving onto a discussion of G.K. Chesterton's problematicness; our plans for building a multimedia shitpost empire; our first foray into cinema; David's vision for a "Pepper" video; Arlo's production company; Dead Moon; Rusted Root; voting bots; Justin's book's release date; how wrong Elena was about Throwing Muses; whether Hootie would, in fact, have won; Local H kicking ass; lots of Plaidness essay shoutouts; Daylight Savings shenanigans; our picks for the rest of the tourney; Billy Joel vs. Huey Lewis; Justin makes an early plea for what song he wants to write about in March Faxness; and more!

March Plaidness:http://marchxness.com/elite8-buttholesvseverclear/

Link to "Pepper" video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Kei03inkk&t=25s

Justin's book:http://www.igpub.com/truman-capotes-in-cold-blood-bookmarked/

Excerpt of Justin's book in CrimeReads:https://crimereads.com/murder-tourism-in-middle-america-the-world-of-truman-capotes-in-cold-blood/

We ran into our first recording snafu and lost the entire episode, so we enlisted the help of robot actors to help us reconstruct it from memory. In this episode, we cover the Round 2 matchups for March Plaidness, the annual essay tournament. Enjoy, because we're probably gonna have to take this down once we get a cease & desist.

Go vote for Pepper here: http://marchxness.com/sweet16-alicevsbutthole/

In Episode 2 of our special March Plaidness mini-season, we recap most of the first-round games (including David’s win with “Pepper”). Also: lots of Better Than Ezra imitations, Arlo gives a Gen Z take on grunge, Elena tells a story about meeting a member of Nirvana, Denry makes his pod debut, we discuss March Princeness, our wah-oh contest, a mailbag, Jurassic Prom, and more!

Links to some things we mention:

March Xness tournament site: www.marchxness.com

The March Plaidness Spotify playlist: https://t.co/1hu1IrEJOh?amp=1

Cracker, “Big Dipper”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kxCe5CCx_0

Cracker, “Another Song About the Rain”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8zuQH27Qjk

Cracker, “Eurotrash Girl”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Vun2LYnoY

Nirvana, “Verse Chorus Verse”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgaTzaZbSG4

Soul Asylum, “Sexual Healing”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-3cSPuy3nI

Jamison Crabtree’s statistical analysis of Plaidness: https://twitter.com/jammy_jax

To kick off Season 3, we discuss March Plaidness, this year’s grunge-focused version of the annual March Xness essay competition: past years, this year’s matchups, and David’s entry this year on the Butthole Surfers’ “Pepper.”

Links to some things we mention:

March Xness tournament site: www.marchxness.com

PJ Harvey live in Syndey in 2001: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwr4M1Al5cE

The March Plaidness Spotify playlist: https://t.co/1hu1IrEJOh?amp=1

In our season finale (really this time), we debrief about season 2, discuss our essayistic Christmas plans--including what books we’re going to buy as gifts--reflect on how much we enjoy interacting with listeners, and do a holiday-themed lightning round. Also, send us your flash submissions and nominations for anthologies! See you in Season 3. Episode links: Elena’s cat sweater (sorry, it’s out of stock): https://vipoutlet.com/product/fifth-sun-mens-ugly-christmas-cats-in-lights-with-led-lights-long-sleeve-pullover-sweater-xl-red-60-cotton/

Pre-order Justin’s book: http://www.igpub.com/truman-capotes-in-cold-blood-bookmarked/

Melissa Faliveno’s TOMBOYLAND: https://www.melissafaliveno.com/tomboyland

Donovan Hohn’s INNER COAST: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324005971

Christopher Smart’s “Jubilate Agno,” the cat poem: https://poets.org/poem/jubilate-agno-fragment-b-i-will-consider-my-cat-jeoffry

Oliver Soden’s book Jeoffry: The Poet’s Cat: http://www.oliversoden.co.uk/jeoffry-the-poets-cat.html

Matthew Gavin Frank’s forthcoming book, Flight of the Diamond Smugglers: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631496028

In our Season 2 finale (probably--we haven't figured it out for sure), we welcome our friend Tracy Daugherty, the author of many books of nonfiction and fiction, to discuss his recent books in both genres, as well as a trio of short essays he selected. Also: the Sixties, West Texas, a West Texas cocktail, country music, the return of our resident mixologist, another mystery guest who stays mostly off-mic, and a lightning round. Episode links: Tracy Daugherty’s website: www.tracydaugherty.com The three essays we discuss: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uoq5co0vjk4215j/3%20essays%20for%20Podcast.pdf?dl=0 Tracy’s most recent book, the novella High Skies: https://redhenpress.org/products/high-skies-by-tracy-daugherty Tracy’s recent nonfiction book, Dante and the Early Astronomer: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300239898/dante-and-early-astronomer Tracy’s biography of Billy Lee Brammer: https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/daugherty-leaving-the-gay-place Tracy’s most recent essay collection, Let Us Build Us a City: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780820350813 Tracy’s bestselling 2017 biography of Joan Didion, The Last Love Song: https://www.powells.com/book/the-last-love-song-9781250105943 Send us your submissions for Elena's flash anthology, and your essay nominations for BAE & the Pushcart! We're at @essaypodcast on Twitter, [email protected], or in the comments section of our website: http://www.essaypodcast.com/contact/

In what is probably our penultimate episode of Season 2, we Zoom about the brand-new edition of Best American Essays, edited by our old friend from Season 1, André Aciman. We cover Robert Atwan’s intro, Aciman’s preface, and two selections from the anthology itself: Alex Marzano-Lesnevich’s “Body Language,” and Barbara Ehrenreich’s “The Humanoid Stain.” Also: reader mail, an update on our flash anthology, and we solicit listener suggestions for what essays we should nominate for Best American Essays and the Pushcart Prize. Episode links:

Alex’s essay: https://harpers.org/archive/2019/12/body-language-genderqueerness/

Barbara Ehrenreich’s essay: https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-humanoid-stain-ehrenreich

Send us your submissions for Elena's flash anthology, and your essay nominations for BAE & the Pushcart! We're at @essaypodcast on Twitter, [email protected], or in the comments section of our website: http://www.essaypodcast.com/contact/