logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
37m 42s

Susan Orlean Explodes Books

Peach Fish Productions
About this episode

It might seem odd for Susan Orlean, the bestselling author of The Orchid Thief and the committed bibliophile behind The Library Book, to engage in the act of book explosion, until you realize that she’s not destroying printed word but, in fact, celebrating it as the new co-host of the podcast Book Exploder. Also, polls show Trump is exactly as disliked as he was last time we checked, and Juul pays the price for being so dang sweet.

Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara

Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com

To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Aug 23
Trump’s Long Game and Miles Taylor’s Warning
Mike revisits an old worry: Trump’s policies are built for payoffs far beyond his term—and that’s a problem for a man who won’t share credit. From tariffs to civil service purges, the risks linger. To set the stage, we go back to a 2018 interview with Miles Taylor, once “Anonymou ... Show More
31m 46s
Aug 22
The Working Class Party with the Post-Graduate Jargon
McKenzie Wilson of Blue Rose Research joins to dissect Democrats’ branding failures, from alienating language to ignoring cost-of-living pain. She explains why Gen Z may be drifting rightward, why “when we all vote we win” no longer holds, Plus: Trump’s doomed “Alligator Alcatraz ... Show More
54m 12s
Aug 21
Not Even Mad: Rikki Schlott and Isaac Saul
New York Post columnist Rikki Schlott and Tangle founder Isaac Saul join Mike to discuss policing Washington, D.C.—who's in charge, who gets blamed, and why federal takeover is more problem multiplier than solution. Then: scalpel or a chainsaw on the syllabus for higher ed. Plus, ... Show More
1h 1m
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
Matthew Yglesias on Kamala
Yascha Mounk and Matthew Yglesias discuss Kamala Harris' strengths and vulnerabilities, and what she needs to do to win. Matthew Yglesias is a writer and journalist, co-founder of Vox, and founder of the Substack newsletter Slow Boring. His latest book is One Billion Americans: T ... Show More
1h 19m
Jun 2018
Told by an Idiot by Rose Macaulay
This week John and Andy are joined by super-librarian Nancy Pearl, possibly the only librarian in the world to have their own action figure, to discuss Rose Macaulay's gloriously eccentric family saga Told by an Idiot. John has been reading Sally Bayley's acclaimed bibliomemoir G ... Show More
1h 12m
Oct 2024
407: Kat Timpf—Hot Soup Goes In Hot Takes Come Out
Co-host of the late-night hit GUTFELD! and New York Times bestselling author Kat Timpf has the distinction of being the most pregnant person ever to appear on TWIHI. She chats about the pitfalls of the “us or them” mentality that has hijacked the nation and shares personal storie ... Show More
1h 13m
Oct 2024
Pennies don’t make cents
Pennies cost more than a cent to make — and no one spends them. The New York Times Magazine’s Caity Weaver explains why we can’t get rid of them.This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and A ... Show More
24m 41s
Aug 2024
Quibi's epic fall and the future of books
Today on the flagship podcast of what the future of Kindle turns out to be: We’re once again trying out a couple of our favorite new show formats. In Version History, we talk through the whole story of Quibi, from its early days as NewTV to its extremely ill-timed launch to its u ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 2024
Harris Puts Trump on Defensive in Debate, and Hurricane Francine
Plus, the truth about recycling coffee pods.   Tune in every weekday morning. To get our full audio journalism and storytelling experience, download the New York Times Audio app — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Tell us what you ... Show More
8m 44s
Nov 2024
It Was Never About the Figs with Caroline O'Donoghue
Caroline O'Donoghue joins us from across the pond for a story about art collectors with too much time and money on their hands. Follow Caroline on Instagram @czaronlineGet tickets to Kelsey's book tour here!Pre-order Kelsey's book, YOU DIDN'T HEAR THIS FROM ME, here!Subscribe to ... Show More
54m 4s
Jun 2024
Melissa Gorga Makes Peace with Kathy Wakile, Danielle vs. Jennifer Aydin, & Girardi Trial Set
Melissa Gorga is ready to bury the hatchet, as Kathy Wakile becomes her new neighbor. RHONJ newbie Daneille Cabral accuses Jennifer Aydin of leaking false stories to bloggers. Tom Girardi has a trial date set for this summer, as his legal defense is leaked. Book a personalized me ... Show More
31m 29s
Oct 2024
Patreon Drop - The Weird Tapes
In 2014, the Weird Book received a recording about a reporter named Moira Bergen, who was investigating a mysterious and deadly cult. Her investigation, however, takes a sinister turn, ending ominously. The sender of the tape remains unknown, but many within the Weird Book commun ... Show More
22m 45s
May 2023
Trump Indictment Watch and Biden OUTSMARTS McCarthy and MAGA
President Biden outmaneuvers Kevin McCarthy to secure a landmark deal to raise the debt ceiling, Jack Smith inches closer to charging decisions in the stolen documents case, Trump and DeSantis supporters are eating each other alive, DeSantis’ latest remarks show once again that h ... Show More
1h 26m