So Many Damn Books

Rebecca Makkai drops into the Damn Library a few months after her newest smash hit novel I Have Some Questions For You hit the shelves, chatting about critiquing/celebrating the podcast world, how podcasters are the new …

Brendan Slocumb has a seat in the hyperspace universe of the Zoom Damn Library to talk his new historical musical thriller Symphony of Secrets, and …

Ling Ling Huang stops by the universe of the Zoom Damn Library the day after her book, Natural Beauty, graces shelves. She talks about writing the book in her Notes app, living the classical music life, how she …

The one and only Kelly Link zooms into the Damn Library hypserspace to talk her spectacular new collection, White Cat, Black Dog. She gets into how …

Idra Novey actually drops by the Damn Library IN PERSON to discuss her stunning new book, Take What You Need, creating an artist’s practice, torching things, and short novels. Also, she brought along César Aira’s On …

Former co-host, writer, and podcast journeyman Drew Broussard sits down to talk about, what else? Books. The Tournament of Books, inventing rather than referencing art within fiction, the problem with thriller titles …

Nita Prose drops into the Damn Library to illuminate her runaway hit novel, winner of a Goodreads Choice Award, The Maid, and all the ways she used her past as an editor and her knowledge of the tropes of mystery …

Antiquarian Bookseller and TikTok star Tom Ayling zooms on in to the Damn Library discuss the world of antiquarian books, and the world of book-centered TikTok, two worlds that are far more complementary than you’d …

Sarah joins me in the Damn Library she co-owns to chat about favorite reads of 2022, both books published this year and books experienced this year. …

Alison Watts zooms through the Damn Library hypserspace from Japan to talk the new novel she translated, The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase, as well as the life of a translator. Plus, we talk the prevalence of Japanese …

Ashley Hutson, author of Christopher’s favorite novel of 2022, One’s Company, drops into the Damn Library to discuss the joy of writing a novel based …

Kevin Wilson zooms in from his mountain to discuss his thrilling new novel, Now is Not the Time to Panic, and that means going into writing …

Legendary comic artist and writer Kate Beaton drops into the Damn Library and talks about her monumental achievement — her new memoir, Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, and all that comes with it, including excavating …

GennaRose Nethercott drops in, no strings, for a discussion of her new novel Thistlefoot, puppetry, research, cootie catchers, and the muchness of novel writing. Plus, she brings along Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link, …

Anthony Marra zooms into the Damn Library and attempts to turn the tables on interviewing, to some avail. Of course he gets into his new novel, Mercury Pictures Presents, how research fuels his writing, and how he wants …

Living Legend Tom Scharpling drops into The Damn Library to chat about the paperback release of his national bestseller, It Never Ends, and his recent 24-hour Best Show episode triumph. There are discussions of legacy, …

Drew returns to discuss his new show, Voyage into Genre, working at a bookstore, and Christopher's mad musings on which child survivalist would win …

Angela Ledgerwood, of the podcast Lit Up drops in, physically, in person, actually inside the Damn Library, and it's a meeting of the podcast minds. Of course Christopher smokes a negroni for the both of them and …

Mat Johnson launches into the Damn Library Zoom Zone to discuss his new novel, Invisible Things. We get into conspiracies, surprising yourself with your writing, teaching, writing funny, and a bunch of other stuff, …

Elaine Hsieh Chou drops into the Damn Library Hyperspace Zoom Zone to chat her incredible new campus satire, Disorientation. We get into the world of academia, writing villains, and of course, why she wrote this book …

Here are three more interviews with featured readers! So fun to talk about bookstore ownership, how being an agent affects reading, the trials and …

Here are the first three (of six!) mini interviews with So Many Damn Books Readers, talking favorite recent reads, current reading projects, and giving a book to a famous person, amongst many other bookish subjects.

My …

Sarah, partner of Christopher and co-owner of the Damn Library, drops into some of the space she pays rent for to chat about working with the backlist for Penguin Random House, the world of publishing unionization …

Sara Nović webcams into the Damn Library Zoom Zone to talk her new novel, True Biz. We discuss the limitations of prose in comparison to ASL, how she tried to mimic ASL on the page, some fantasies of Eyeth, and the …

Sasha Fletcher physically drops in to the Damn Library. In the flesh. Christopher and Sasha are actually in the same room, chatting over cocktails. This is great, because Sasha’s novel Be Here to Love Me at the End of …

Sequoia Nagamatsu, author of How High We Go in the Dark steps into the Damn Library Pocket Universe and covers a lot of ground, both real and metaphysical. We get into why most pandemic novels don't focus on pandemics, …

Dana Stevens stops into the Damn Library to talk about her new book, Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, and it allows for lots of subject hopping, from the birth …

Sara Gran joins Christopher in the Damn Library to talk The Book of the Most Precious Substance, which is wildly exciting - her books are some of the most cited in So Many Damn Books history. They get into plants, and …

Drew is saying goodbye and vacating his role as co-host. That means one last episode with all the normal trappings, plus a wander into a chat about …

Eugene Lim stops by the Damn Library to discuss his novel Search History, which sends the conversation careening from AI to authenticity to writing theatrically to songwriting to rainy day ideas, and that spiral leads …

Uli Beutter Cohen, stops into the Damn Library for the third time, but for her first time as an author. She wrote Between the Lines: Stories from the …

Gus Moreno joins Christopher and Drew in the Cosmic Horrorspace of the Zoom Damn Library to talk about This Thing Between Us. First they get into how he wrote about what scares him to write through grief. Then it breaks …

Christopher and Drew hang out and chat about books, which is to be expected. Having just celebrated Halloween, they get into what they did to …

Ruth Ozeki steps on into the Damn Library Hyperverse to shine. We talk about her latest opus, The Book of Form and Emptiness, and how books are magical, and accessing her teenage self, and an unexpected turn of …

Alexandra Kleeman is back in the Damn Library! For the third time! This visit, she's brought along her new novel, Something New Under the Sun! We are thrilled to discuss the menace of water that doesn't taste right, …

Christopher and Drew talk about getting rid of books, and trying to be more in the present, and the logic of owning a lot of books. Also, a …

For this one, we had two producers of the new McSweeney's issue into the Damn Library hyper-verse: Julie Shapiro from Radiotopia and Claire Boyle …

Mona Awad joins the guys in the zooming Damn Library to talk her new novel, All's Well, which means talk about Shakespeare, and destiny, and magic happening, and chronic pain - all the fun stuff. Then she brought Sara …

Meredith Westgate sets the Damn Library Hyperspace glittering, talking with us about The Shimmering State. The trio of us get into the fabric of memory, the joy of the unreliable narrator, how the book is a litmus test …

Christopher and Drew are joined in the zoom hysperspace universe with writing duo Laura Blackett & Eve Gleichman, creators of the inventive rom-com thriller, The Very Nice Box. They all get into how Gleichman and …

Rosecrans Baldwin drops into the Damn Library's online zoom space to chat all about Los Angeles, the subject of his new book, Everything Now: Lessons from the City-State of Los Angeles. We get into many of the things …

Christopher and Drew finally conquer Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley novels, talking (and mildly spoiling) all five of the novels concerning Highsmith's most famous creation. They get into why he's a charming character, …

Loan Le is hanging in Zoom Hyperspace with the guys, and since she's a triple threat (writer, editor, reader) there is tons to cover. First, the pleasures of the food writing in A Pho Love Story, and writing teenagers …

When A.E. Osworth drops into the Damn Library to talk about their novel We Are Watching Eliza Bright, that means we get to really talk about the Internet, since that's where their novel is largely set. This is also how …

Spring has sprung and we're in the mood for adventure, so we asked K.M. Szpara to join us in the Damn Library for as close to an adventure as we can get these days: chatting about adventure novels! We talk about …

Herein, Christopher and Drew discuss how video games and assigned reading can help get the reading going, possible reading themed architectural additions to Drew's house, and how Spring reading is here! Plus some fun …

It's March again, which has a different meaning this year but it also still means that it's TOURNAMENT OF BOOKS TIME! With a ca-caw to you, and to you too, the guys do a bit of prognostication that will almost certainly …

It happens to all of us, at one point or another, and there's no shame in admitting it: Christopher's in a reading slump. So the guys talk about it, about the latest pandemic wall, about finding joy whenever and …

Jenny Offill, author of Weather (now out in paperback) joins the Damn Library through the internet tubes. Christopher makes a second drink for the book (after he and his wife Sarah discussed it during one of the early …

The guys get caffeinated, distantly, with Mateo Askaripour to talk about his fantastic debut novel, Black Buck. They chat about telling your own story even if someone else is telling a similar one, about weaving life …

Guess who zooms in this time? It's George Saunders himself, certified MacArthur Genius, launching his new book about writing and Russian short story masters, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a …

Christopher and Drew hash out their agreed upon top 5 of the year, and then throw out two additional titles each. Lists are weird.

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for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: …

Christopher and Drew hang out and talk what they got up to for the holiday, open their annual presents to one another, and talk about why Goodreads …

Instead of doing a big holiday episode and taking a break, the guys decide to celebrate by putting out some little tidbits to keep everyone company …

Emily Temple drops into the Damn Library via webcam, and we all chat about calendars, and the dreams of being a writer as well as the dream of online book recommendation, and knowing you'll rewrite your first draft. Of …

It’s the big 1-5-0 and since it also happens to be the holiday season, we opened the phone-lines to some of our Patreon supporters to help recommend …

One Story managing editor, creative writing teacher, and writer of her own work: Lena Valencia wears many hats. She zooms on in to the Damn Library and Drew and Christopher pick her brain on writing scary things, what …

Christopher and Drew discuss House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski at 20 years, Drew returning to the house and Christopher there for the first time. Plus, the pleasures of ergodic fiction, 3-D fiction, discussions of …

Rumaan Alam zooms around into the online void paradox that is the Damn Library to talk about his new novel, Leave the World Behind. Grocery shopping, …

Christopher and Drew prognosticate and pontificate about the Super Rooster. Drew might have a scoop. Christopher just won't read Wolf Hall. Listen, …

A zoom session with Raven Leilani gets us into all sorts of things, from candles to disco to painting to amorality, and how you have to come to the …

Megha Majumdar zooms from her library into the virtual Damn Library so that we can all talk about her bestseller, A Burning. We talk about what makes an Amaro, juggling three character's POVs, the life of an …

Christopher and Drew talk about why people might not want to read classics and books from "Best of the Year" lists, and hope folks can learn to trust …

Lindsay Ellis zooms on in to the Damn Library with her recently-NYT-best-selling Axiom's End! We talk ~around~ the plot of her novel, the joys of …

The Zoomin' Damn Library welcomes the good friends and co-hosts of Call Your Girlfriend, Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman, who are both now newly minted authors of Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. So of …

The Damn Zoom Library hosts Quan Barry, author of the malevolently delightful 80s high school sports movie of a novel, WE RIDE UPON STICKS. She talks …

Drew and Christopher chat with Hilary Leichter in three different Damn Libraries for another first of its kind digital episode - our first Zoom guest! We discuss Hilary's novel TEMPORARY which leads to talk about things …

Drew won the annual Tournament of Books bet and chose Ali Smith for this year's "backlist" episode, so the guys read THE ACCIDENTAL in a nod to this fall's SuperRooster Tournament of ToB Champions. It's still pandemic …

Drew and Christopher actually talk at one another in this one. The very first episode of So Many Damn Books where Christopher and Drew aren't …

Drew and his wife Dani are sheltering in place, so it's their turn to record an episode (without Christopher) about their happy history exchanging gifts on St. Jordi Day, and their relationship in books. Drew shares the …

Christopher and Drew read a little something from the public domain, by Christopher Morley and Mark Twain, respectively, then recommend a couple of things.

for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: …

Nozlee Samadzadeh hosted Christopher and Drew for her "Zoom After Hours" discussion of The Morning News' 2020 Tournament of Books, and it was such a nice time that we are putting it out for all of you to listen to. They …

Christopher and his wife Sarah are social distancing/self-isolating, so they record an episode (sans Drew) about Jenny Offill's oddly prophetic …

Longtime friend Jordan Kisner drops into the Damn Library for everyone to celebrate the release of her debut essay collection Thin Places! We discuss …

Christopher and Drew talk about the Tournament of Books this year, explain why they like it and also why lots of things have changed since they …

Emily Nemens, author of The Cactus League, editor of The Paris Review, stops by The Damn Library, and everyone gets to talk about all things baseball, including Emily's story of a harrowingly long game. Christopher …

Christopher and Drew decide to catch up with things that have been adapted from books and made into movies. Alternate universe Weber adaptations are supposed upon. The future of adaptation form and delivery is …

What better way to start the year than looking back at the stuff that we liked from last year? This episode, we talk about our top 8 books of the …

All of this audio is from Christopher and Drew recording the SMDB holiday album! They even included some actual tunes: three seasonal classics with a …

Kate Racculia stops into the Damn Library and she brings lots of laughter. We all talk about how her new novel is her Indiana Jones novel, and how …

Helen Phillips jumps right into the surreal and strange place that is the Damn Library. She's well used to it, since she's the person who wrote The Need, which we all talk about, and its depiction of motherhood, and the …

Christopher and Drew hang out and talk books. You know, like they usually do. They invite you to their 5th Birthday Party for the podcast (!!!) which is at King Tai Bar, in Brooklyn, on November 13th, at 7pm, and you're …

Jami Attenberg is in the midst of starting of her book tour when she drops into The Damn Library to discuss her new novel, All This Could Be Yours. …

Lisa Brennan-Jobs drops into the Damn Library to discuss Small Fry, her coming-of-age memoir about growing up the daughter of Christian Brennan and Steve Jobs. We get into the slipperiness of memory, the selfishness of …

Courtney Maum drops into the Damn Library to imbibe a tequila and mezcal cocktail and talk about her new novel Costalegre. She gets into her past as a tequila promoter, we talk about how Peggy and Pegeen Guggenheim …

Christopher and Drew enjoy a fall-tinged cocktail and get wistful about going back to school. Christopher's mom's new library prompts a discussion of …

Random House Copy Chief Benjamin Dreyer stops into the Damn Library to talk to Christopher and Drew about his new utterly correct style guide, Dreyer's English, as well as working as a copy chief, the reading life of …

The night before Toni Morrison passed away, Mira Jacob came by the Damn Library to discuss her new graphic memoir Good Talk and Morrison's Sula. …

Christopher and Drew get into one of Christopher's dear favorite novels, Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove, and why Drew just couldn't finish. They also …

Christopher and Drew are in the Damn Library just on their lonesome to talk the city's One Book, One New York choice, Patti Smith's Just Kids. They get right into how it describes a lost New York, and how you might be …

Mona Awad drops by the Damn Library to discuss her new novel Bunny with Christopher and Drew. They get into fairy tales, and making magic real, and …

Alternative comics legend Seth drops into the Damn Library on his tour for his career-defining Clyde Fans. He and the guys get into the medium of comics itself, and the things it's good at expressing in the realm of …

Erin Somers stays up with the Damn Library to talk her new novel, Stay Up With Hugo Best. Everyone gets into phantasmagoric Late Night universe …

Myla Goldberg drops by the Damn Library and immediately gives Christopher and Drew two new business ventures. And that's before they even start …

Lauren Wilkinson shows up in the Damn Library to talk about her novel American Spy, and everyone gets into the ways in which this is like a spy novel, and it isn't, and the portrayal of real life people, and how to …

Leanne Shapton drops by the Damn Library for a spook-filled episode to discuss her new collection, Guestbook: Ghost Stories. Christmas wrapping …

The tournament! It's over! And now we go over just what happened, and how it feels, and what books we hope are maybe in the tournament next year, as well as talk about that looming Mega Rooster...

Ca-caw!

contribute! …

Another week of the Tournament of Books, another grouping of recaps, plus predictions about the week ahead!

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for drink recipes, book lists, and more, visit: somanydamnbooks.com

music: …

Halle Butler joins Christopher and Drew in the Damn Library to discuss her new novel, The New Me, and how she thought of domestic thrillers while she wrote it, and tried to create comedy out of millennial burnout and …

Tournament of Books 2019 continues apace! We talk about the zigs and the zags of the opening round, and where we think that the zigs and zags will come next week.

Zigs and zags!

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for …

It's tournament of books time again, so here's a recap of what went down this week, along with the expected wild speculation.

A caw-caw to all of you.

…

After reading Ian Parker's "A Suspense Novelist’s Trail of Deceptions" piece from the New Yorker, Christopher and Drew get into unreliable narrators …

Charlie Jane Anders teleports into the Damn Library for a very sci-fi episode around her new novel, The City in the Middle of the Night. Anders talks tidally locked planets, the gargantuan effort it took to write her …

Karen Thompson Walker drops in to dream a little dream with Christopher and Drew in the dreamy Damn Library to discuss her new novel, The Dreamers. …

Christopher and Drew decide on their shared 4 favorite reads of the year, and add in one personal pick. But they don't stop there! They mention a couple 2018 reads that are next up on their lists, a favorite read in …

Christopher and Drew give gifts, and then talk about the gifts that So Many Damn Books is giving to non-profits, and finish up with some good gift books to get other people in these last few shopping days. Merry merry!

…

Jonathan Lethem drops into the Damn Library and the guys are damn excited to have him. They talk about Lethem's new one, The Feral Detective, of …

It's a celebration of stories in translation (both linguistically and narratively), indie bookstores, and bourbon on the latest SMDB when Preti Taneja joins the guys in the Damn Library. Her debut novel, We That Are …

All the way from Iceland, Sjón joins the guys in a Damn Library annex, aka the FSG offices. The conversation ranges from ghosts to unicorns, from …

For their 100th episode extravaganza, Drew and Christopher put together a list of their 100 most beloved/most meaningful/most important books, …

Drew and Christopher host HarperCollins' senior art director for a chat about book cover design, the hipness of text, trends in design, and more, …

Christopher and Drew hang out with a whiskey+tea cocktail and just give themselves over to the book chat. First: BUY YOURSELF A TOTE! The "My Other Car is a Book" tote is now available for your purchase. Then they get …

Christopher and Drew bring back the One Book, One New York episode for another go, this time reading the city's choice of Jennifer Egan's Manhattan Beach. They talk its pleasures, and diving costumes, and the …

R.O. Kwon buzzes in with her buzzy book, The Incendiaries, and the guys get to talk to her about stuff like campus novels, North Korea, how likely …

Megan Abbott returns to the Damn Library for her new book Give Me Your Hand, and Christopher cooks up a color changing cocktail to celebrate. The …

John Hodgman joins the gentlemen in the Damn Library to talk about all sorts of things, from a Borges scholar posing for a picture to reading rehab …

Christopher and Drew hang in the Damn Library and talk about the books they've liked so far this year, the books they are going to read next, and some of the books they are excited about that are soon to be in the …

Hannah Pittard drops back into the Damn Library after writing and editing and publishing an entire new novel called Visible Empire! While drinking a cocktail featuring guava and egg white, she and the guys get way into …

Stephanie Danler drops by the Damn Library for a second go around, this time to talk the Sweetbitter television adaptation she created, now on Starz. We discuss the Disneyland of production, why writers' rooms are …

For the first time ever, a graphic memoirist stops by the Damn Library in the form of Amy Kurzweil, author of the graphic memoir Flying Couch! She also draws New Yorker cartoons! Listen as we chat about form and tone, …

Christopher and Drew hang out and explain themselves. They also talk their jobs, and formative reading experiences, and other subjects.

music: Disaster Magic - Pier 6

(https://soundcloud.com/disaster-magic)

contribute! …

Jonathan Ames, writer of novels like Wake Up, Sir and I Pass Like Night, as well as series creator of Bored to Death and Blunt Talk, sits down in the …

Christopher and Drew talk about PEN's 2018 World Voices Festival - check out their website of events! https://worldvoices.pen.org/schedule/

music: …

Ruth Curry joins the guys in the Damn Library fresh off her #TOB18 judge-ship to chat about all sorts of things, like balancing her reading life and her work life, what she reads for at Emily Books, and why she has a …

Oh my gosh! It's over! Listen to me and Drew talk about what we thought about the Tournament this year, and also, a couple books we really wish had been in the tournament! Bok bok to you!

Become a sustaining member of …

Oh my gosh it's still the tournament and we are feeling the madness! Listen to us talk about what's gone on so far, and also, some of the past tournament injustices!

Become a sustaining member of the Tournament! …

Christopher and Drew wrestle up Gabe Habash to drink, chat, and be merry. Christopher serves everyone a very strange cocktail based on Habash's Stephen Florida, then dive right into the very strange headspace of Mr. …

Christopher and Drew prognosticate! The first round is still underway, but we still wanted to talk about what's gone on so far, and what might happen for the end of the round.

Become a sustaining member of the …

John Darnielle, lead singer of the Mountain Goats and writer of Universal Harvester and Wolf in White Van, sits down in the Damn Library for a …

Even though the Tournament won't officially start until after this episode has been posted, we're champing at the bit to get some prognostications going. So, for all you other ToB diehards - this one's for you. 9 …

Rachel Lyon sits down in the Damn Library as the first guest of 2018. She presents her incredible new novel Self-Portait with Boy, and the guys ask questions about it, like about camera research, and changing DUMBO, and …

Katherine Faw drops into the Damn Library to talk about things like drugstore sushi, writing about women with ambition, and nail art. Then they all chat about Fleur Jaeggy's Sweet Days of Discipline and how it subverts …

Christopher and Drew chat about their Top 6 books of 2017 - the 4 books they both agree on, and then 2 that only one of the guys puts on the top of the pile. They also pontificate on the book that'll win the 2018 …

Uli Beutter Cohen (Subway Book Review), Bianca Bosker (Cork Dork), and Nozlee Samadzadeh (TMN's Tournament of Books) join Drew and Christopher in the …

E. Lockhart settles into the Damn Library for a long chat about Genuine Fraud, her new novel, as well as touching on her other works, like Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and We Were Liars. Then John …

So Many Damn Books heads to the movies and sees Kenneth Branagh's (mustache's) Murder on the Orient Express, based on the Agatha Christie novel. What you want in an adaptation is discussed, as well as dream adaptations, …

Carolyn Murnick joins the guys in the Damn Library to discuss her memoir, The Hot One: a memoir of friendship, sex, and murder. Along with discussing …

New to Brooklyn (having moved here from Spain), Edgar Cantero drops by the Damn Library with some Meddling Kids and discusses with Drew and Christopher his detective phase, coming up with his style, and why it's easier …

To celebrate the 75th episode of So Many Damn Books, Christopher and Drew bring the Damn Library to the FSG offices to talk to Robin Sloan about his novel Sourdough and Eugene Lim's Dear Cyborgs. Food vs tech, analog vs …

When Amelia Gray stops by the Damn Library, Christopher turns a drink blue again, and they discuss her new book, Isadora. Particularly: what it was …

Without a guest, the guys make good on their TMN Tournament of Books bet- Drew chose Jonathan Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn. They talk about what matters in a noir, Lethem tackling Tourette's, and enjoying a book about …

When Samantha Hunt drops by the Damn Library, the guys try to put a shadow in her drink but just end up with something more blood colored. They …

In the Damn Library, Christopher gets an egg white cocktail egg-zactly right for Rachel Khong, author of Goodbye, Vitamin and also All About Eggs. He and Drew also chat with Rachel about the inner/outer voice of the …

Rosecrans Baldwin, who indirectly provided the beginning for the SMDB podcast, stops by the Damn Library to talk about his exceptional "HBO series of a novel," The Last Kid Left. Youth is discussed, as well as getting …

MARLENA MARLENA MARLENA! Julie Buntin drops into the Damn Library to talk her terrific debut novel, Marlena, and gets into whether she's a Marlena or …

Alissa Nutting, author of Made for Love (and also Tampa) joins the guys in the Damn Library to talk surveillance state and let the guys bring up the …

Elif Batuman joins Christopher and Drew in the Damn Library, and they all imbibe a drink called "The Dissertation" which can smack the words off the tip of your tongue. They discuss Batuman's The Idiot, and being nicer …

The guys decide to participate in One Book One New York, get on the bandwagon, and finally read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. They discuss Obama, getting bloggers right, and what it's like for a city to read …

Bianca Bosker, author of Cork Dork: A Wine-Fueled Adventure Among the Obsessive Sommeliers, Big Bottle Hunters, and Rogue Scientists Who Taught Me to Live for Taste saunters into the Damn Library with gusto. She and the …

When Melissa Febos stops by the Damn Library to talk about her new book "Abandon Me," Christopher goes "Beyond Booze" for the drink, and Drew is also …

Nozlee Samadzadeh-Hadidi, producer of The Tournament of Books for The Morning News, drops by the Damn Library to help wrap up this year's tournament with Christopher and Drew. Drinks are drunk, ancient history is …

Just before winning a Whiting Award, Kaitlyn Greenidge brought her debut novel "We Love You, Charlie Freeman" to the Damn Library. She confesses to hating animals, amongst other deep explications, and then we switch to …

Jonathan Lee takes a dip into the Damn Library, talking his novel High Dive over a cocktail named after chlorine that surely doesn't taste like …

Francine Prose joins C+D in the Damn Library for some lively talk of theater that misses the mark, thwarted ambitions, and following the characters …

Drew and Christopher take a break from tournament reading to enjoy some books that break the mold, namely Alejandro Zambra's Multiple Choice and …

Other than this sentence, not a single reference to Valentine's Day is in this podcast. Megan Abbott stops by the Damn Library with her newest novel, You Will Know Me. We discuss prodigies and the grit of teenage …

After a long hiatus, Drew and Christopher are back in the Damn Library, explaining what the Tournament of Books is, why they like it, and what seems like the favorite to win this year. 

New logo by Jefferson Wiggins. …

Snowed in, the guys decide to record an episode, because why not?

They discuss L. Frank Baum, and then an unexpected visitor shows up in the form of Uli Beutter Cohen, founder of Subway Book Review and co-creator of the …

In this one, the guys look to escape their lives for a bit with some epic fantasy, and they do so via a duologetic ticket to Leigh Bardugo's …

The indomitable, incomparable Lisa Lutz stops by the Damn Library for a career retrospective. Drew and Christopher very nearly contain their rabid fandom and talk the Spellman Files series, "The Passenger," "Heads You …

Christopher and Drew are joined by Jade Chang to chat about a road trip, writing what is most challenging, and aliens. Jade likes how cozy it is in the library and the guys love how cozy "The Wangs vs. The World" is as …

Kathleen Donohoe drops by the Damn Library to talk about her book, Ashes of Fiery Weather, and all the historical disasters contained within, as well as her personal connections to Brooklyn. Surprise '98 National Book …

Hannah Pittard stops by the Damn Library to drink a classic cocktail bastardized by a substituted ingredient and discuss her book "Listen to Me" and Iain Reid's "I'm Thinking of Ending Things." Dread is discussed, as …

Christopher and Drew invite Teddy Wayne to the Damn Library, and he brings along his new "zeitgeist-y" novel, Loner, as well as Rebecca Schiff's …

Christopher and Drew are joined by returning guest Alexandra Kleeman. They all drink a cocktail named after a character who moonlights in both her …

Christopher and Drew drink Firewhiskey Juleps and get feisty about the new story in the Harry Potter-verse. Fan fiction, Sherlock Holmes, and second …

Christopher and Drew sit down with a whiskey drink sweetened with the blood of maraschino cherries, and discuss Donna Tartt's marginalized sophomore novel, The Little Friend. Unjustly pushed to the side? Or lesser entry …

Evan Hanczor, chef at Egg in Williamsburg, drops by the damn library with Tortilla Espanola and the tale of serving a meal inspired by Zora Neale …

Christopher and Drew decide it's never too early for list making, and choose six favorites from the year to date (2016). Then they get out their crystal ball and look forward to books coming out for the rest of the …

Drew and Christopher tackle YA through the 2001 classic Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli and the 2016 Printz Award Winner, Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. Grand theories are posited, the state of YA is considered, the line between YA …

Stephanie Danler, author of the highly recommended Sweetbitter, joins the guys in the Damn Library for a chat about anything and everything. Food, identity, sex - you name it, they talk about it. TWO cocktails are …

Alexander Chee stops into the Damn Library for a Lilliet and a discussion of his novel The Queen of the Night. Drew and Christopher ask after pop …

Drew and Christopher see if they can draw any comparisons between the current election and Hunter S. Thompson's other Fear and Loathing book. Not the one that he goes to Las Vegas. Gonzo journalism is discussed, but …

And that's a wrap! What a tournament of books that was! Tournament of Books producer Nozlee and former contestant (with his book A Brave Man Seven Storeys Tall) Will Chancellor stop by the Damn Library to talk …

Drew and Christopher talk their brackets and re-reading. They wax nostalgic on the week past and dive deep into the remaining match-ups as we head into the finals. Plus, a bookish wager on who will take the Rooster home.

Katy Waldman stops by the Damn Library to drink "The Rooster" and prognosticate.

Jane Austen keeps getting updated, the trio relives the first round of the TOB's ups and downs, and then a deep dive into Fates and Furies …

Angela Flournoy, author of the Turner House, stops by the Damn Library, fresh off her Tournament of Books win in round one against Ban en Banlieue. She and the guys talk where she was when her novel published, whether …

It's tournament time!!

Christopher drinks a Slaughtering Mary, Drew and Maris Kreizman don't. They all discuss Maris' book/blog Slaughterhouse 90210 and Kickstarter, and then delve into the complexities of The Invaders …

Over a round of Dark and Particularly Stormys, Drew and Christopher have the pleasure of chatting, friendly-like, with Mark de Silva, author of …

Laura Van Den Berg stops by the Damn Library to talk about her novel Find Me and Yoko Tawada's The Naked Eye. We also find out what tv show she can't stop repeating, and discuss a lot about getting lost, both physically …

Christopher and Drew can't contain their excitement - the short list for the Morning News' ToB 2016 is here, and they are discussing every title. …

Drew and Christopher talk about what books they were given for Christmas, 2016 reading goals, experimentally designed books they love, and then Eli Horiwitz's The Pickle Index which they tried to experience it every …

The damn hosts choose 4 books they loved in 2015, and one book each that the other didn't read/love. Also, one to grow on.

Bye-bye, 2015! You were a year.

15 seconds of a song: The Jackson 5 - Never Can Say Goodbye

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Marie-Helene Bertino stops by the deck hall'd Damn Library in full seasonal good cheer to talk about her novel, 2 A.M. at the Cat's Pajamas. Holiday …

Ryan Britt stops by the Damn Library to explain the deeper meanings of why Luke Skywalker Can't Read (which is also the title of his new essay …

Alexandra Kleeman takes So Many Damn Books down the rabbit hole as Drew and Christopher discuss her novel, You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine, as well …

The two nonmaj/muggles discuss Harry Potter spinoffs, whether or not they listen to music when they read, and Carrie Brownstein's memoir Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl.

~15 seconds of a song: Sleater-Kinney "The Fox"

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Christopher institutes a new buying books rule for himself, Drew likes scary books, and they both have very different opinions on City on Fire by …

The gentlemen discuss their favorite book they've read for the podcast so far, a few books they'd like to see in the next Tournament of Books, and tell you how to win a copy of City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg. …

With Drew under quarantine (he caught the plague), the guys call on Will Chancellor to step in. He returns to the Damn Library to go deep with Christopher on Jesse Ball's latest novel, "A Cure for Suicide".

15 Seconds …

Vanessa Manko drops in to talk about how writing is like dancing, her novel The Invention of Exile's editing journey, and they all discuss The English Patient, and suggest a novel they'd like to see made into a movie.

Isaac Fitzgerald skates by the Damn Library and joins the guys to talk about his Pen & Ink series, Kathleen Alcott's "Infinite Home", and the joys of recommending books. Hilarity ensues. Also maybe some 80s metal.

The guys introduce a new segment ("Reading Comprehension"), which leads to some serious questions. They also discuss their summer reading habits, the Man Booker longlist, and Christopher continues to shame Drew for not …

In which Drew and Christopher wonder what spumoni is (it's ice cream), talk about the books they bought, discuss Elena Ferrante and the first book in …

Summer break is over and the guys return to the Damn Library to discuss graphic novels, comics, brimping, and Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky's "Sex Criminals".

15 Seconds of a Song: "Desire", Years & Years

Learn …

BuzzFeed Literary Editor Saeed Jones drops by the Damn Library to talk about his PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award-winning collection "Prelude to Bruise", …

In which Lev Grossman visits the Damn Library to talk about his Magicians trilogy and (one of his) favorite book(s) of all time: Virginia Woolf's …

The Guys discuss the business of recommending books, then they discuss Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, a @biblioracle recommendation. 

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In which Catherine Lacey (author of "Nobody is Ever Missing") drops by the Manhattan branch of the Damn Library! Drinks are made, bathtubs are revealed, and escape is discussed (among many other things).

Learn more …

The guys chat with ToB Commish Kevin Guilfoile about the ToB and his writing, then get some friends from the commentariat on the phone including Neighbors73, BradMcGinty, Melanie, and itsonlyzach.  The ToB is over, long …

• More Surprises and More Upsets in the Tournament!
• Jeff VanderMeer discusses "Annihilation" and the ToB!
• Predictions for the final!
• Featuring The …

• One year of Friendship
• Surprises and Upsets in the Tournament of Books
• John Warner talks his role in the tourney, McSweeney's, and "Tough Day for …

• "A Brave Man Seven Storeys Tall"
• The Settlement, a "Brave Man"-inspired cocktail
• Will Chancellor is Very Smart
• ToB15 prognostications and …

• Guest Star: Luke Wiget
• Event Books
• "The Bone Clocks" by David Mitchell
• Recommendations
• Farewell to Luke and the DoctorDR studio

Learn more about …

• Teaser
• Audiobooks
• "Everything I Never Told You" by Celeste Ng
• Interview: Emily St. John Mandel (author of "Station Eleven")
• Recommendations

Learn …

• Stephen King, Stephen King, Stephen King
• First King
• Favorite King
• Stephen King's "Revival"
• Recommendations

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• Happy New Year!
• Non-Fiction
• Celebrity Memoirs
• "Not That Kind of Girl" by Lena Dunham
• Recommendations
• 15 Seconds of a Song: The Blow, "Come On …

Reading Habits Literary Awards Missing Person by Patrick Modiano

Drew and Christopher's Top 5 of 2014 Lists 15 seconds of a song: DJ Deville's Auld …

"A Christmas Carol" Postertext Giveaway (Tell your friends to listen to the show on social media and email us about it at somanydamnbooks@gmail.com …

Holiday Theme Music! Second Chance Authors Gimmicks Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix Parting Recommendations recorded at the Dr. Doctor studio in …

The Future Library Project, Margaret Atwood, and authors we think should be included next Games in Books Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle Parting …

• Welcome Back
• Kids Series to Revisit
• The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer & The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman
• Parting Recommendations

• Introductions
• Classics Revisited
• Dystopia
• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
• Parting Recommendations

recorded at the Dr. Doctor studio in …