Three Percent Podcast

After a bit of banter about how baseball front offices might be as bad at naming things as book people, and a plug for Paul Vidich's The Coldest Warrior, Chad and Tom each draft four forthcoming books from a total of eight different presses that they've both agreed to read and discuss in future episodes. How could this possibly go wrong?  Also: On the next episode they'll be discussing Matvei Yankelevich's recent essay, "The New Normal: How We Gave Up the Small Press." It's a long piece that's actually the third installment in a four-part series that he's writing (part one, part two), but can be read on its own in advance of the next podcast. If you have any comments, observations, reflections, criticisms, questions, feel free to email threepercentpodcast@gmail.com or contact Chad or Tom directly.  The eight books discussed in this episode as part of this reading project are: Waystations of the Deep Night by Marcel Brion, translated from the French by George MacLennan and Edward Gauvin (April) Breasts and

After a bit of a hiatus, Chad and Tom return to talk about the two biggest things to happen during Winter Institute: The American Dirt controversy and the launch of Bookshop.org. If you haven't been following the American Dirt debacle, here are a couple pieces to read: Laura Miller's piece in Slate, Rebecca Alter's in Vulture, and Ron Charles's from the Washington Post. And here's Chad's Bookshop.org affiliate page in case you want to buy any of the books talked about on this podcast.  Books that are recommended this week include: The End of the World Might Not Have Taken Place by Patrik Ourednik, translated from the French by Alexander Hertich; Four by Four by Sara Mesa, translated from the Spanish by Katie Whittemore; On Time and Water by Andri Snær Magnason, translated from the Icelandic by Lytton Smith; and, Grabeland by eteam This week's music is "Wicked Witches" by Kiwi Jr.  As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles

On this week's episode, Chad and Tom discuss Tom's recent piece on Jean-Patrick Manchette for LARB  and talk about which of his books are best to start with, and why there haven't been more breakout international noir authors. Then they pivot to this Publishers Weekly article on the "Top News Stories of 2019," discussing the impact of each of the ten. They finish with a joint plug for Dead Fashion Girl, which is fascinating and unsettling all at once. This episode's music is "All My Happiness Is Gone" by Purple Mountains. As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, and Chad on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us

We did it! Chad and Brian reflect on the somewhat surprising ending to Ducks, Newburyport and reflect on all 1,000+ of its glorious pages in the season finale to this Two Month Review. They debate whether the book is hopeful or pessimistic, the way in which its solipsism infects the reader's way of seeing the world, and they take one last shot at anti-mom nut job, Dr. Phil. This week's music is "Let's Never Leave Here" by Death and Vanilla If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. We'll be back in February with the next season: The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán! Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editi

Elizabeth DeMeo (assistant book editor at Tin House) joins Chad and Brian in the penultimate episode of this season of the Two Month Review. They talk family therapy. They talk about the Jim's encounter with the lioness. They make predictions about how the book will end. They debate whether it's better to read the book in a few days or a few months. They manage to make it through with a minimal amount of coughing, and only a few wacky digressions. This week's music is "Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)" by Bombay Bicycle Club. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (the last!) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now official

Chad and Brian go it alone on pages 777-862, talking about Galley Beggar's "go fund me" campaign, hardcovers vs. paperbacks, Stacy, what makes something Kafkaesque, the narrator's stasis, and much more. This week's music is "The Surprise Knock" by The New Pornographers. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (up to page 917) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTune

This week, Chad is joined by Rebecca Hussey (BookRiot) and Josh Cook (Porter Square Books, An Exaggerated Murder) to talk about pages 700-776 of Ducks, Newburyport. They make comparisons to any number of modernist authors (Proust, Woolf, Joyce), discuss mother-daughter relationships, "mom shaming," Stace's general sense of rebellion, whether or not the "stories" are getting longer as we move through the book, how it actually has a conventional plot, and how Chad thinks someone needs to put together a book of essays about this novel featuring pieces by booksellers, authors, academics, critics, and moms. This week's music is "4ÆM" by Grimes. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Wednesday's episode (up to page 862) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also,

Jeremy Kitchen (Chicago Public Library, Eye 94) joins Chad and Brian to talk about "a list of definites" about the future, the (pretty silly) controversy surrounding Lucy Ellmann's recent Guardian interview, the way the themes of Duck, Newburyport make it difficult for some people to read, the ways in which this novel is subversive, and much more. This week's music is "Never Been Wrong" by Waxahatchee. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 776) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation thro

Chad and Tom play a short game on this podcast—when Tom isn't ranting about Amazon. They also discuss Bookshop, when the decade officially ends, favorite translations of the past ten years, Chad's upcoming hiatus from writing for Three Percent, and much more.   Next episode Chad and Tom will discuss Tom's recent article on Jean-Patrick Manchette. This week's music is "Smash Yr Radio" by Nobody.  As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, and Chad on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and other places. Or you can always subscribe by adding our feed directly into your favorite podcast app: h

Chad and Brian deliver a true Thanksgiving treat in this episode, digging in deep to the narrative patterns in the book, the way Ellmann constructs the narrator's subjectivity, how the novel is a radical call to action, how some facts aren't really facts, terrible new slang terms, save the turtles, and much much more. This is maybe the most critical episode of the season in terms of understanding exactly why reading slowly in this fashion can be so rewarding. This week's music is "Waving Past Nirvana" by WIVES. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 700) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

Another late night conversation about Ducks, Newburyport! This week, P.T. Smith joins to discuss illness, the verbal virtuosity in this novel, sadness, relationships between parents and kids, and much more. Lots of quotes are read throughout this episode, and in honor of Lucy Ellmann's stated like of whisky, some of that takes place as well. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 621) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick Smith for lots of hot takes on books, cheating in sports, and more. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-

Founded in 2016 with their first releases coming in late 2017, Charco Press is one of the most recent additions to the growing number of publishing houses focused on literature in translation. And although they've established a solid reputation in the UK, they just started distributing their books Stateside in October 2019. Chad talked to co-founders Carolina Orloff and Sam McDowell about their vision for the press, what it's been like launching a press in Edinburgh, entering the U.S. market, their covers, how they work with authors and translators, and much more. If you're a U.S. listener, there are five Charco titles coming out this fall/winter that will be available at better bookstores everywhere: Die, My Love by Ariana Harwicz, translated from the Spanish by Sarah Moses and Carolina Orloff; Resistance by Julián Fuks, translated from the Portuguese by Daniel Hahn; The President's Room by Ricardo Romero, translated from the Spanish by Charlotte Coombe; Fish Soup by Margarita García Robayo, translated from

Anastasia Nikolis (poetry editor for Open Letter Books) and Emma Ramadan (translator, co-owner of Riffraaff) join Chad and Tom to breakdown ALTA 42, talk about poetry in translation, and go on a handful of minor rants—and one major one. (Thanks, Emma!) The Sarah Dessen controversy pops up, as does this article about AmazonCrossing, and LitHub's Best Translated Novels of the Decade.  As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, Chad, Emma, and Anastasia and on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and other places. Or you can always subscribe by adding our feed directly into your favorite podca

This week's Two Month Review was recorded pretty late (on the east coast), so things are a bit loopy. Nevertheless, James Crossley from Madison Books joins Chad and Brian to talk about pages 429-487 of Ducks, Newburyport. They talk a bit about the cultural references in this section—the old movies, Blossom—flip ahead to connect the mountain lion's path to the mental landscape of the narrator, and, of course, praise moms. This is the most produced episode to date, and we hope you enjoy the little audio touches AND the Blossom theme song "My Opinionation" If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 562) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And be sure to support Madison Books in person, through their website, and on Instagram. Be su

Chad and Brian break format a bit and discuss a number of the concerns, anxieties, and social issues that the narrator of Duck, Newburyport thinks about. From spiders to Morning Routine videos, active shooter situations to Trump feeling up Kurt Suzuki, this episode is a deep, yet funny, dive into our neuroses and fears. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 487) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Good Scare" by Torres. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (Or by

A bit of a disorienting podcast for anyone not attending ALTA, but in this episode, Chad addresses the recent ALTA book fair controversy, and then they go over the general schedule, highlighting a number of interesting-sounding panels, previewing some off-site events, and recommending non-ALTA bars for attendees to hang out at.  This week's music is "I've Got Reason" by Mikal Cronin. As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, and Chad and on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us on iTunes, Stitcher, and other places. Or you can always subscribe by adding our feed directly into your favorite podcast app: http://th

Lori Feathers of Interabang Books in Dallas joined Chad and Brian for this special episode to talk about the destruction of her bookstore, what's next for Interabang, and information about how you can help. (Answer: Order Joytime Killbox and The Dreamed Part from their website.) Then they talk about Lori's interview with Lucy Ellmann, the Serpent Mound (and some conspiracy theory nonsense). There's also more talk of Joyce, of the lists of rivers in Ducks, Newburyport and in Finnegans Wake, and Chad goes on a diatribe again notorious "anti-Mom," Dr. Phil. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 429) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Ohio" by Cherry Glazerr. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox

Rhett McNeil (translator of Machado de Assis, Gonçalo Tavares, Antonio Lobo Antunes, and more) joins Chad and Brian to talk about the way in which Ducks, Newburyport is less of a single-sentence and more of a never-ending list, about how it is and isn't like Ulysses, about time in the novel, about Ellmann's playfulness, about entropy vs. eternal recurrence, and giving the middle finger to Strunk & White. They also play a short round of "Did this Happen in Florida or Ohio?" f you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 360) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. Be sure to preorder Br

This week's podcast is about two kerfuffles: the Booker Prize one and the one between King County Library and Macmillan. There's also some discussion as to why UK book culture allows for critique and small voices to be heard (vs. the American way in which everything is fine), Chad goes on and on about On Becoming a God in Central Florida, Tom inadvertently recommends The Invented Part, and everyone sounds tired and beatdown. Enjoy! This week's music is "Stars Are the Light" by Moon Duo from the album of the same name. As always, feel free to send any and all comments or questions to: threepercentpodcast@gmail.com. Also, if there are articles you’d like us to read and analyze (or just make fun of), send those along as well. And if you like the podcast, tell a friend and rate us or leave a review on iTunes! You can also follow Open Letter, Riffraff, and Chad and on Twitter and Instagram (OL, Riffraff, Chad) for book and baseball talk. If you don’t already subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast you can find us

Vanessa Stauffer from Biblioasis came on this episode to talk about the Booker Prize, about the jacket copy she wrote for the Ducks galley, about types of moms, about things in the book that pay off and mysteries that remain mysteries, about the ways in which Ellmann is breaking form and the strong feminist perspective underlying this narrative, and much more. It's a fun, free-wheeling conversation sprinkled with tons of amazing quotes from the book, talk about mom.com, and much much more. If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 297) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group. This week's music is "Can You Help Me?" by Olivia Jean. Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick on Twitter and Instagram for hot takes and pictures of Vermont bookstores. And be su