The Bat Segundo Show was a long-running cultural radio program devoted to quirky and very thorough long-form interviews with contemporary authors, idiosyncratic thinkers, and other assorted artists. Guests included David Lynch, Octavia Butler, John Waters, John Updike, Stephen Fry, Marilynne Robinson, Karen Russell, Weird Al Yankovic, Robert A. Caro, and more than 500 others. There was also a program called Follow Your Ears, which was a thematic investigative counterpart, in which I pursued a specific subject through several angles. The entire archive of what I did from 2005 to 2014 is included here.
literary
Allegra Goodman (BSS #355)
Allegra Goodman is most recently the author of The Cookbook Collector. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Confusing cookbooks with novels. Author: Allegra Goodman Subjects Discussed: [List forthcoming] EXCERPT FROM SHOW: Correspondent: Jonathan’s dialogue is so reflective of Sergey Brin. I mean, he says things like “Introduce me. I’m serious.” Very Star Trek-like in his dialogue. Goodman: […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 25:53 — 23.7MB)
MoreBarry Gifford (BSS #335)
Barry Gifford is most recently the author of Sailor & Lula: The Complete Novels. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Wilder than his heartburn. Author: Barry Gifford Subjects Discussed: [List forthcoming] EXCERPT FROM SHOW: Gifford: Well, the point is “Don’t be a victim.” I mean, I think I have another chapter somewhere that’s called “Victims.” But that’s […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 38:39 — 35.4MB)
MoreSam Lipsyte (BSS #325)
Sam Lipsyte recently appeared on The Bat Segundo Show #325. Mr. Lipsyte is most recently the author of The Ask. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Looking to ask someone for something. Author: Sam Lipsyte Subjects Discussed: Milo Burke as the obverse to Home Land‘s Lewis Miner (and common personality qualities), Lipsyte’s early draft of The Ask […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 35:41 — 32.7MB)
MoreBrian Evenson (BSS #309)
Brian Evenson is most recently the author of Fugue State and Last Days. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Latching onto toccata. Author: Brian Evenson Subjects Discussed: Knowing when a story concept has legs, ideas that never come to anything, the origins of “A Pursuit,” The Open Curtain, maintaining surprise, text sources vs. personal experience, writing fiction […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 44:56 — 41.1MB)
MoreJ. Robert Lennon (BSS #300)
J. Robert Lennon is most recently the author of Castle and Pieces for the Left Hand. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Contemplating his surprising longevity after 300 shows. Author: J. Robert Lennon Subjects Discussed: Ending sentences with nouns, how location affects character description, objects and places as the territory of a story, how the land in […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 45:48 — 41.9MB)
MoreJohn Wray (BSS #282)
John Wray is most recently the author of Lowboy. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Searching for those who will listen to him in the subway. Author: John Wray Subjects Discussed: The ABAB narrative of Lowboy, mirroring schizophrenia within a narrative structure, a sane perspective that assists the reader, subway details, Franz Kafka’s Amerika, real vs. imaginary […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 34:14 — 31.3MB)
MoreMarilynne Robinson (BSS #240)
Marilynne Robinson is most recently the author of Home. Condition of Mr. Segundo: Avoiding the relationship potential of malfunctioning XLR cables. Author: Marilynne Robinson Subjects Discussed: Revisiting the Gilead universe, Lawrence Durrell, Robinson’s aversion to sequels, the parable of the prodigal son, the role of letters and text within Gilead and Home, text as a […]
Listen: Play in new window | Download (Running Time: 43:47 — 40.1MB)
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