A few pages from Benjamin Labatut’s The Maniac.
Mallory Smart: I Keep My Visions to Myself
A talk with writer Mallory Smart about her forthcoming book. Preorder it here.
The Story of RR 1: Healing Fantasies
Another installment in the story of one woman’s childhood.
The Story of RR 1: Against the Wind
The story of one woman’s childhood continues.
The Story of RR 1: Little Orphan Annie
The second in a series of conversations about one woman’s childhood.
The Story of RR 1: Stella Dallas
The first in a series of conversations about one woman’s childhood.
“to whom it may concern” book-release
A recording of a book-release event at Tangible Books on September 16, 2023, featuring Mallory Smart and Annie Howard.
“Don’t Put No Hands on Me”
A short reading from Don DeLillo’s “Mao II” in honor of my own book-release.
The Yard Man
I read a story by Bonnie Jo Campbell from her 2009 collection, “American Salvage”.
Stan Klein
A talk with artist and wearer of many hats Stan Klein.
Joe Judd
A talk with Joe Judd about starting Myopic Books, moving away, then coming back and establishing Tangible Books in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.
Read my article about Tangible here.
Johnny Sampson
A talk with illustrator/artist Johnny Sampson about the art racket, comics, music, and the whole kit and caboodle.
Mark Turcotte
A talk with poet Mark Turcotte about his youth in North Dakota and Michigan, his various jobs, and ending up a professor of literature at DePaul University in Chicago.
How to make a poppyseed roll according to my mother
My mom tells me the recipe for poppyseed roll that her mother-in-law taught her. (in Russian)
Of Burning Books
A few pages from Olga Tokarczuk’s The Books of Jacob.
Matt Grimm
A talk with Matt Grimm about his quarter-life crisis.
Alexander Samarov
A talk in Russian with my father about his childhood, his love of nature, and the roots of his interest in literature.
Nora Samarov
A talk in Russian with my mother about her childhood, work in hospital, and early loves.
Comfort Station
Practice readings for a performance at Comfort Station on 4/20/23 with music by Keefe Jackson, Aram Shelton, and Jeb Bishop.
Background music by The Dwarfs of East Agouza.
EXPO Chicago 2023
Jasmon Drain
A talk with Chicago writer Jasmon Drain. Read my review of his book, which led to our becoming friends.
Wendy Clinard
I talk with artist/dancer/choreographer/human Wendy Clinard about her circuitous route through the creative landscape.
John Salhus/Buena Vista Projects
A talk with painter John Salhus about his new art space, Buena Vista Projects, in the East Side neighborhood of Chicago.
New Year’s Eve without Mama
I read another story from Alla Gorbunova’s It’s the End of the World, My Love in Russian.
Mark Shippy
A long talk with musician/artist Mark Shippy about U.S. Maple and many other things under the sun.