Ark Audio

This month Macon Holt fills in for Giovanna Alesandro for the 15th Ark Audio Book Club in which we discuss Jarett Kobek’s raucous and rather experimental satire of the cultural dominance of San Francisco’s technology industry. The book is a self-describe ‘bad novel’, and as the original subtitle reads, it’s also a useful novel against men, money and the filth of Instagram. The book is ostensibly about Adeline, a middle aged, kind of famous, comic-book artist with no eumelanin ( in the basal cell layer of her epidermis (more on that later) as she navigates the fallout of having gone viral as a woman with unpopular opinions in a society that hates women. But this is really just a structuring device for a detailed rant of a rage so hot it feels almost cool, on how what seems like the way of the future and the way of the world is merely the happenstance of power, prejudice and childish fantasy. Discussing the book this time are contributing editor of the Ark Review, Emilie Bang-Jensen, and writer and San Francisco native, Nereya Otieno.

On the 14th Ark Audio Book club, this month we discuss Nothing Holds Back the Night back by Delphine De Vigan. The book is a non-traditional novel/memoir of the troubled life of the author's late mother, referred to as Lucille Poirier throughout the book, though this is a pseudonym. Folded into this are interjections from the author, reflecting on the process of creating the book and the ethical/family and emotional problems she has undergone in creating it. Discussing the book this time are Alexander Buk-Swienty, Sarah Ommanney and Giovanna Alesandro. This episode was hosted and produced by Macon Holt.

This month on the Ark Audio Book Club we discuss Deborah Smith's award-winning translation of South Korean writer, Han Kang's unsettling but oddly beautiful novel, 'The Vegetarian'. This is the Kafkaesque story of someone who is not only trying to stop eating meat but rather leave the field of human violence altogether, and the social pressures that won't allow her. This month on the panel is, Franek Korbanski, Emilie Bang-Jensen and Macon Holt, with host Giovanna Alesandro.

On the 12th edition of the Ark Audio Book Club, we discuss Nell Zink's first novel, 'The Wallcreeper'. It is a short and highly innovative novel that with a unique perspective on a lot of issues and ideas, including sex, death, birds, humor, philosophy, feminism, love, work and ecology. On the panel this month to discuss the book we have Sarah Ommanney, Giovanna Alesandro, Emilie Bang-Jensen and host Macon Holt.

On this special anniversary edition of the Ark Audio Book club we have brought together the panel from the first ever episode, on Leaving the Atocha Station, to talk about Ben Lerner’s second novel 10:04. The story of an unnamed Ben Lerner-like New York author, working on a follow up to his well received Atocha Station-like first novel while juggling relationships, family, the spectres of death, technology and ecological disaster and the prospect of having a child with his best friend, all set within a baroque metafictional construction. The novel is a poetically crafted exploration of the differentness temporalities of art making and life living, and the attempt for ever-unattainable authenticity.  This episode features Alexander Buk-Sweinty, Magnus Friis, Giovanna Alesandro and is hosted and produced by Macon Holt.

This episode is about Ayn Rands epic, and pretty crappy, novel "The Fountainhead". The book was published in 1943 and is one long ode to individualism and a bashing of collectivism. At over 700 pages long it takes shape as a romantic novel about one creative genius: Howard Roark. We invited Lars Seier, the danish patron superieure of Ayn Rand to join the podcast so it wouldn’t end up as a haterclub, but Lars didn’t write me back, anyhow, Lars this episode is for you. This episode features Macon Holt, Emilie Bang Jensen, Franek Korbanski and hosted by Giovanna Alesandro.

This month on the Ark Audio Book Club we read Unica Zürn's 1967 Book 'Dark Spring'. It's the story of a young girl growing up in the suburbs of Berlin, but it's really about her fatally complicated sexual awakening. It’s sort of like the Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath but with more misery and general anxiety. This month's book club are Franek Korbanski, Sarah Ommanney, Macon Holt and hosted by Giovanna Alesandro.

Produced by Macon Holt and Giovanna Alesandro

In this episode of the Ark Audio Book Club we explore the genre ‘’new sincerity’’, with Tao Lins 2010 novel called Richard Yates. The book is about the relationship between about two characters, Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel Osment and while you couldn't call it a pleasant read, it’s definitely an interesting read, challenging our idea of prose in a ways that we haven’t come across with any other author.

Back in March we held and event as part ok, KBH Læser, on David Foster Wallace’s story collection 'Brief Interviews With Hideous Men’. These are the reordering we made of the event edited for time. Apologies for the audio quality. In this part you will here readings by Toke Larsen, Alexander Buk-Sweinty and Macon Holt. You will also here Macon in conversation with, feminist activist and critic, Emma Holten.

Back in March we held and event as part of, KBH Læser, on David Foster Wallace’s story collection 'Brief Interviews With Hideous Men’. These are the reordering we made of the event, edited for time. In this part you will hear readings by Toke Larsen, Alexander Buk-Swienty and Macon Holt. You will also hear Macon in conversation with, literature scholar and Wallace expert, Mikkel Frantzen.

Apologies for the audio quality.