Episode 124 Notes and Links to Robin Peguero’s Work 

 

    On Episode 124 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Robin Peguero, and the two discuss, among other topics, Robin’s early writing and reading influences, Pete and Robin’s shared love for, and awe of, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Robin’s experience in government and law that have influenced his worldviews and writing, and the background, real-life parallels, and themes featured in Robin’s With Prejudice. 

    An Afro-Latino and the son of immigrants, Robin Peguero graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He has written for the Miami Herald, the Harvard Crimson, and the Harvard Law Review, and he served as a press spokesman in the U.S. House and as a speechwriter in the U.S. Senate before becoming a lawyer. He is currently a U.S. House investigative counsel working on domestic terrorism.

Buy With Prejudice by Robin Peguero

 

Shelf Awareness: Interview with Robin Peguero

 

The Big Thrill: “Up Close: Robin Peguero”

 

 

 

At about 1:30, Robin describes the festivities for the first week of publication, describes the feeling as “surreal,” and talks about his 

 

At about 3:00, Robin gives background on his childhood relationship with language and literature and growing up in Hialeah, outside of Miami

 

At about 5:35-a Natalie Lima shout out!

 

At about 6:10, Robin details his early reading favorites and the background for his early writing, in “creating a world and making it how [you] want it to exist”

 

At about 7:45, Robin responds to Pete’s wondering about moments of discovery and influence on his road to writing, including how Garcia Marquez and Faulkner’s work influenced and inspired, and Robin’s time on the school newspaper

 

At about 11:50, Pete and Robin commiserate on the difficulty of The Sound and the Fury

 

At about 12:20, Robin details his love of Marquez’s work, including his blockbuster and iconic novels 

 

At about 13:15, Robin describes some early birthday parties that were perfect for a literary teenage crowd, and his friend as his “first beta reader”

 

At about 14:50, Robin talks about early jobs in government, and how his experience with the “slow-moving” government entities affected his worldview and his move to law 

 

At about 17:10, Robin details his experience with the defense and prosecution sides of the criminal justice, all the while writing on the side

 

At about 18:20, Robin traces the journey of the book from origin to publication 

 

At about 19:35-21:32, Robin summarizes the book with an “elevator pitch” and emphasizes the importance of the jury in the legal system

 

At about 21:35-25:03, Robin discusses the significance of the book’s title

 

At about 25:20, Robin responds to Pete’s questions about his views of the criminal justice 

 

At about 26:25, Robin details a finding about the death penalty that comes from less of a value of Black lives

 

At about 29:40, Pete highlights strengths of book and outlines some main characters and their views of the pragmatic issues of jury selection

 

At about 30:50, Robin discusses the intriguing and powerful character of Sandy as an archetype of the legal profession, and how 

 

At about 34:15, Robin and Pete discuss the relationship between opposing lawyers, collegiality (or lack thereof) among the competing lawyers, and Robin’s experience with these issues

 

At about 37:35, Robin responds to Pete’s compliments about his seamless dialogue and balance of legal jargon and common speech to capture a wide audience 

 

At about 40:35, Robin compares the legal system as represented in TV and movies to the real legal system, with Defending Jacob as one that he references as sufficiently realistic

 

At about 42:30, Robin discusses the mechanics of the backstories and past/present tense as used in his book

 

At about 44:40, Pete lays out the backstories of several important characters, and emphasizes the understated character of Gabriel Soto, the case’s defendant 

 

At about 46:15, Robin