The podcast goes back to literature as Grant and Sam discuss the giant of science fiction epics: Dune by Frank Herbert. We know this one is much anticipated and the panel doesn’t hold back with the book, the controversial David Lynch film adaptation, or the 2000 miniseries. If you have yet to read the novel, it is highly recommended that you do so before listening to this episode, because - A. Spoilers and B. You will probably find yourself completely lost. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Dune Frank Herbert Dune (1984 film) - David Lynch Dune (2000 miniseries) - John Harrison Children of Dune (2003 miniseries) - Greg Yaitanes Dune (the whole canon!) David Lynch Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama Mahdi The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov

Infinite Gestation

Frank Herbert’s Dune | Episode 054

"Isolationism is deeply stupid." So says Sam in this special episode in which he talks to Grant about three books: Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson, Running the World by David Rothkopf, and How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks. He uses these books as a starter course in foreign policy from the end of World War II to the present day – including where we should go from here, because if we are to be informed citizens we have to know these things. We promise next episode will be back to literature. PS: Sam has since read Doomed to Succeed by Dennis Ross and highly recommends it. He would also like us to add A Problem From Hell by Samantha Power & George F. Kennan by John Lewis Gaddis to his list, if you're so inclined. PPS The quote "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." is attributed Leon Trotsky. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson Running the World by David Rothkopf How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks  Doomed to Succeed by Dennis Ross A Problem From Hell by Samantha Power George F. Kennan by John Lewis Gaddis Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens American Dad! "Ollie North" episode Iran-Contra Affair National Security Council National Security Act of 1947 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Carl von Clausewitz Deep State Radio Podcast

Sam on Foreign Policy Non-Fiction | Episode 053

On this episode of Infinite Gestation, Pat and Sam are joined by frequent guest and now permanent panelist Matt Bird (which means I no longer have to type his last name) to discuss White Noise by Don DeLillo. Published in 1985, it has quickly become a classic postmodern novel. The panel discusses the major themes of the work including modern media, the family, consumerism, and the fear of death. Quick! Death is coming! Better learn to deal with it. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com - check out the new site! Show Notes & Links Don DeLillo White Noise Post Modernism / Postmodern The Proposal (2009 film) - Anne Fletcher Freytag's Pyramid (dramatic structure) Sir Richard J. Evans Seth Rich Philip K. Dick Substance D A Scanner Darkly Calvin and Hobbes Bill Watterson Dave Eggers David Foster Wallace

White Noise by Don DeLillo (or The Airborne Toxic Event) | Episode 052

Smuggled stories from North Korea - On this episode, recorded when the panel was giddy over the French election results, Pat and Sam delve into the recently published short stories of Bandi. The pseudonym of an unknown North Korean author (which means firefly), Bandi wrote the stories at great personal risk. They were smuggled out of the country by others and have now been published in English as "The Accusation". The panel discusses their favorites of the stories, the work's damning portrayal of the North Korean government, and the steps taken to protect the identity of this dissident writer, offering us the first fiction from someone still living in the country. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Bandi The Accusation One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Patty Hearst Arduous March (North Korean famine) North Korea at Night Third Reich Trilogy by Richard J. Evans The Third Reich of Dreams: The Nightmares of a Nation, 1933-39 by Charlotte Beradt The Train Was on Time by Heinrich Böll Love/Hate H.P. Lovecraft – Halloween Special | Episode 016 The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

Bandi – The Accusation – North Korean Dissident Literature | Episode 051

Infinite Gestation goes contemporary in this episode featuring John Darnielle's debut novel, Wolf in White Van, nominated for the National Book Award in 2014. Though many know Darnielle as singer-songwriter and member of The Mountain Goats, he is making a well received foray into fiction. His first novel is in no way a vanity project and despite some flaws, stands as a fine specimen of a freshman novel. His sophomore effort Universal Harvester was released in February of this year. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Wolf in White Van John Darnielle The Mountain Goats A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (podcast episode) Universal Harvester Weeds (TV Series) We Shall All Be Healed (2004 album) Game Systems Inc. Middle Earth Play-By-Mail (PBM) Briefcase/Suitcase in Pulp Fiction MacGuffin Larry Norman Paul McCartney Death Hoax (Paul is Dead) Backmasking Marabou Stork Nightmares by Irving Welsh The Ice Storm by Rick Moody The Garden of the Forking Paths by  Louise Borges Luca and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie

Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle | Episode 050

Pat reads Jazz, Sam reads Beloved, they discuss both! Departing from the usual format, this episode features both novels by Toni Morrison in a discussion exploring the work of one of American literature's greatest icons. Highlights include some comparisons to the film Beloved starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover as well as Sam's definition of magical realism. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Toni Morrison Jazz Beloved Beloved (film) Kunderafest – The Festival of Insignificance by Milan Kundera | Episode 002 40 acres and a mule Dred Scott Decision (Dred Scott v. Sandford) Paul B is actually Paul D (apologies from Sam) Die Blechtrommel – The Tin Drum by Günter Grass | Episode 008 The Tin Drum by Günter Grass Salman Rushdie One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Márquez Terry Pratchett The Exorcist Woody Allen Sunset Boulevard

Toni Morrison’s Beloved Jazz | Episode 049

Pat and Sam are joined by guest Matt Bird in an episode returning to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. With the success of the series on Hulu, and certain recent political developments, Atwood's frightening vision of the future has attained a new place in the public consciousness. In this episode the panel compares the novel to the television series and discusses the odd choice of music, the wisdom of softening Gilead's racist ideology, and the casting of talented actors who are younger than their book counterparts. Check out the earlier "Atwood's Dystopia" episode from November 2015 in which only the novel is discussed for further commentary on Margaret Atwood's new classic. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu Audiobook Claire Danes performs The Handmaid's Tale Atwood’s Dystopia – The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood | Episode 017 Monster (2003 film) - Patty Jenkins Breakfast Club (1985 film) - John Huges Frog in boiling water Tammy Fay Baker (or Tammy Faye Messner) Phyllis Schlafly 11.22.63 By Stephen King – Novel + Miniseries | Episode 032 The Man in The High Castle by Philip K. Dick – Novel + Series | Episode 022

The Handmaid’s Tale Revisited – Novel + Series | Episode 048

In an era whereby journalism (and facts in general) have become increasingly important, Scoop reminds us that though the methods, means and technology of news collection and distribution have changed drastically, the story essentially remains the same. This biting satire exposes the timeless woes of sensationalist journalism via a collection of rag tag foreign correspondents living it up in (the fictional East African state of) Ishmaelia. Amid games of ping pong, plenty of drinking and pursuing the occasional newsworthy happening, the journalists essentially await a war that may or may not ever occur. Hilarity ensues. Lovers of Monty Python, this book is for you. Oh yeah, and Evelyn Waugh is a man. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Scoop Evelyn Waugh Fleet Street Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Second Italo-Abyssinian War Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene - Episode "British comedy is based on the question Wouldn’t it be funny IF? whereas American comedy is based on the question Isn’t it funny THAT?" Salman Rushdie. You can watch the interview from which this quote originates here.  Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse John Oliver's Bit on newspapers Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad Apocalypse Now (1979 film) - Francis Ford Coppola March by Geraldine Brooks

Scoop by Evelyn Waugh | Episode 047

Infinite Gestation welcomes special guest Matt Bird for a discussion on Southern Gothic Literature, and more specifically, three short stories by Flannery O'Connor. "Good Country People", "Everything that Rises Must Converge" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find" all exhibit the craft of a master short story writer at work, while further confirming that the author left us far too soon. These stories take a dark look at the post-bellum American South, with all its complexities. Questions emerge regarding the strange nature of evil, institutional racism, and religion's place within one's world view. The presence of O'Connor's influence can be felt in many places, though it can be seen most recently throughout the work of the Coen Brothers (many of their story-telling sensibilities stand firmly in her shadow). With two novels and two collections of short stories, the body of Flannery O'Connor's work can be consumed in a relatively short time. We highly recommend that you do so, and sooner rather than later. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Flannery O'Connor Southern Gothic Literature "Good Country People" "Everything that Rises Must Converge" "A Good Man is Hard to Find" "A Rose for Emily" William Faulkner "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Flannery O'Connor Iowa Writing Program Harry Whittington Apologizes for Getting Shot in the Face by Dick Cheney "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" By Peggy McIntosh (not sure where Patrick got "Mavis Essay" but here's what we were talking about) Coen Brothers No Country for Old Men (2007 film) - Joel & Ethan Coen Blood Simple (1984 film) - Joel & Ethan Coen Fargo (1996 film) - Joel & Ethan Coen O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000 Film) - Joel & Ethan Coen Instagram post Pervious Episode - To Kill to Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) "Geraldo Moment"

Not So Good Country People – 3 Stories by Flannery O’Connor | Episode 046

The long-awaited Shakespeare episode has finally arrived! In this episode the panel delves into the question and the many theories of: who was Shakespeare? Questions as to Shakespeare's true identity are not new. Over the decades, scholars and enthusiasts alike have presented a wide range of theories to satisfy those who remain unconvinced that William Shakespeare was not simply a man from Stratford-upon-Avon. The Shakespeare authorship question runs the spectrum from informed academic scholarship down to wild conspiracy theories (not unlike those surrounding the case of Jack the Ripper) and in many cases, best filed alongside pop culture urban legends such as posthumous sightings of Elvis Presley and the Paul McCartney Death Hoax. A core group of five alternative candidates (Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford - Christopher Marlowe - Francis Bacon - William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby & Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland) has emerged as the most popular, for various reasons. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links William Shakespeare Shakespeare Authorship Question Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? by James Shapiro Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare by Bertram Fields Henry VIII (play) Romeo & Juliet (you know, just in case) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Bloody Mary (Mary I) Queen Elizabeth I Jack the Ripper Edmond Malone & The Ireland Shakespeare Forgeries Hitler Diaries Hoax Nabokov Was Not a Pedophile – Separating Characters from Their Authors | Episode 009 Richard II (play) Hollow Crown (TV series) Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex How ‘Sherlock of the Library’ Cracked the Case of Shakespeare’s Identity - The Guardian Christopher Marlowe Credited as One of Shakespeare's Co-writers - The Guardian Shakespeare: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford Christopher Marlowe Francis Bacon William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland Anonymous (2011 film) - Roland Emmerich Tupac Shakur

Who Was Shakespeare, Anyway? | Episode 045

It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis made a sudden and dramatic climb on bestseller lists in late fall 2016. Parts of the novel bear some uncanny similarities to the 2016 election –– Donald Trump in particular can be seen vividly in character of Buzz Windrip, demagogue and presidential candidate. Published in 1935 during the rise of fascism in Europe, Lewis' novel imagines how the United States of America might become seduced by a man promising great things while quickly transitioning the country into a fascist dictatorship. Though not without its flaws, the book is well worth a read –– especially in light of current events offering it more weight than it had at its initial publication. Many of the parallels are striking. Stay vigilant. This episode is part of our Dystopian Novel Series. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links It Can't Happen Here Sinclair Lewis Fascism: /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe. The first fascist movements emerged in Italy during World War I, before spreading to other European countries. Opposed to liberalism, Marxism and anarchism, fascism is usually placed on the far-right within the traditional left–right spectrum. Dystopia 1984 by George Orwell Brave New World by Aldous Huxley Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (Check out our podcast episode) Red Dawn (1984 film) - John Milius War with Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command by Richard Shirreff Nazi Party Marching in Madison Square Garden Dystopian Novel Series Part I – We by Yevgeny Zamyatin | Episode 034 Dystopian Novel Series Part II – Paris in the Twentieth Century by Jules Verne | Episode 035

Dystopian Novel Series Part III – It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis | Episode 044

Orwell and Hemingway in Spain - the long awaited episode on the Spanish Civil War is finally here! Herein the panel covers Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell and For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, complete with some mustache styling tips and a brief lesson in Spanish swear words. Though centered on the same conflict (albeit in separate regions of the country) the two works differ wildly in style, tone and detail. Hemingway's novel is essentially fiction, making use of the conflict for his  setting and backdrop while Orwell reports on the war, laboring to understand and explain the roots of the struggle within the quagmire of surrounding politics. Sam's brief primer on the Spanish Civil War promises to make the subject more accessible than ever before – and hopefully encourage more personal research into an event that seems to reside unjustly in the shadow of World War II. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links George Orwell Homage to Catalonia Ernest Hemingway For Whom the Bell Tolls Beatnik vs. Revolutionary – On the Road by Jack Kerouac + Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara | Episode 026 Spanish Civil War Francisco Franco The Battle for Spain: The Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 by Antony Beevor Fascism: Fascism /ˈfæʃɪzəm/ is a form of radical authoritarian nationalism that came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe. The first fascist movements emerged in Italy during World War I, before spreading to other European countries. Opposed to liberalism, Marxism and anarchism, fascism is usually placed on the far-right within the traditional left–right spectrum. The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David Kertzer Basque Nationalists Paths of Glory (1957 film) - Stanley Kubrick For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943 film) - Sam Wood The Red Badge of Courage by Steven Crane Orwell in Spain by George Orwell (Christopher Hitchens intro.)

Orwell & Hemingway in Spain – The Spanish Civil War – Homage to Catalonia + For Whom the Bell Tolls | Episode 043

The official "Nonfiction Round Table Year End Review What's Coming Up Episode".  Featuring a look at the inner workings of the podcast and a look back on the panelists' favorite episodes from 2016. Sam Zurcher shares some thoughts on his recent reading of The New Tsar - The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers (along with a healthy dose of foreign policy), and Grant Karazsia schools us on Born a Crime by Trevor Noah & The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David Kertzer. Also: Archer references, various instances of humor and a taste of 2017's upcoming episodes (books for your reading list). Stay vigilant. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Star Trek vs. Star Wars | Episode 037 Passengers (2016 film) -  Morten Tyldum (starring Jennifer Lawrence & Chris Pratt) Kubrick vs. Clarke – 2001: A Space Odyssey – Novel to Film Comparison | Episode 028 Beatnik vs. Revolutionary – On the Road by Jack Kerouac + Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara | Episode 026 If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler … Three Guys Discuss a Novel – Italo Calvino | Episode 031 The New Tsar - The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin by Steven Lee Myers "How can you trust somebody who looks like they’ve been cloned from a dead shark?" - Dylan Moran on Vladimir Putin - What It Is (2009) Dystopian Series episodes Hitch-22: A Memoir by Christopher Hitchens Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe by David Kertzer Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Trevor Noah interviews Tomi Lahren Leisure Suit Larry 2017 Upcoming Episode Reading List (Current Gestation) Who was Shakespeare? (Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt / Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare by Bertram Fields) It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis  Jazz by Toni Morrison  White Noise by Don DeLillo The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros  Wolf in the White Van by John Darnielle Swing Time by Zadie Smith

Year End Review 2016 | Episode 042

In a tribute episode to Edward Albee (who passed away this September 2016), Infinite Gestation discusses Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962) – perhaps the author's best known work. The 1966 film adaptation of the award winning play deviates only slightly from the source material, offering an ideal way to experience the piece, outside of reading the play (or attending a live performance, which certainly comes recommended). Originally thought too young for the role of middle-aged Martha, Elizabeth Taylor turns in a stellar performance, serving to remind us that she was much more than a diva movie star – the woman could act. Disclaimer: The story of George and Martha's crumbling marriage is loaded with so many themes and metaphors ripe for interpretation that using it for any sort of drinking game would probably kill you. We had trouble fitting all of this into a single episode, which is probably a testament to the fine quality of Albee's work. Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Edward Albee Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1962 play) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966 film) - Mike Nichols Rabindranath Tagore (1913 Nobel Prize Winner) Black Books Virginia Woolf (English Author) Richard Burton Elizabeth Taylor Sandy Dennis George Segal Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962 film) - Robert Aldrich Beatnik vs. Revolutionary – On the Road by Jack Kerouac + Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara | Episode 026 Imelda Staunton & Conleth Hill to star in a 2017 production of the play at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Edward Albee Tribute | Episode 041

This year's annual Halloween Special is a double-parked megasode featuring all things "The Shining"! The panel's trifecta discussion includes the novel by Stephen King as well as the classic Stanley Kubrick film, before finishing strong with the more recent documentary "Room 237" and the dubious conspiracy theories that it contains. Words of wisdom, Lloyd. Words of wisdom. Happy Halloween! Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com Show Notes & Links Stephen King The Shining (1977 novel) The Shining (1980 film) - Stanley Kubrick Staney Kubrick Room 237 (2012 film) - Rodney Ascher  Stephen King Tours of Maine (hosted by Stu Tinker) Doctor Strangelove (1964 film) - Stanley Kubrick Paths of Glory (1957 film) - Stanley Kubrick Paul is dead (Beatles urban legend) Dark Side of the Rainbow (synching Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" with "The Wizard of Oz") Pink Floyd's "The Wall" + Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland = ?

The Shining – Novel by Stephen King + Stanley Kubrick Film – Halloween Special | Episode 040

A Literary Podcast For The Novel Individual

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Infinite Gestation

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