Infinite Gestation

It's the Halloween Special! Matt Bird sits in with Infinite Gestation for a spooky discussion regarding three handpicked short stories (and an essay) by H. P. Lovecraft: "The Shadow Out of Time", "The Call of Cthulhu", "The Dunwich Horror" & "Supernatural Horror in Literature". These stories serve as an essential taste of the strange universe that is H. P. Lovecraft. Though many criticisms persist (including a few of our own), Lovecraft's influence on modern horror is inescapable. His work casts a long shadow across the genre, often hailing as the origin of conventions that we now think of as standard –– or at times, even cliché.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Matt Bird curated an exhibit in the fall of 2011 at IU-Bloomington’s Lilly Library titled “The Character of Ernest Hemingway.” The exhibit utilized Hemingway’s letters, photographs, typed manuscripts with edits, and artifacts of the Army’s investigation into EH’s activities during World War II to foster a discussion of Hemingway’s personal curation and control of his image. Matt holds an MLS, specializing in Rare Books and Manuscripts, from IU-Bloomington and is currently finishing an MA in Literature at Indiana State University.

His reading interests, at the moment (fiction, non-fiction, etc), touch on graphic novels as literature (Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian K. Vaughan), book culture and printing/book-selling history (Umberto Eco, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Nicholas Basbanes), the Lost Generation and the fiction produced by them (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) and catching up on the O. Henry Prize Stories.

Matt taught courses over the last two years at Indiana State University on the subjects of classical mythology, the history of the physical book and its use in fiction, and the history/evolution of libraries.

Differing opinions, arguments and some notable complaints emerge (including the Showtime production budget and the limitations it may have placed on the film) during Infinite Gestation's discussion of Last Call, a made-for-cable biopic from 2002 concerning the final years of F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is not the "old sport" you know and love. Far from the Jazz Age, a weather-worn and alcoholic Fitzgerald (a fine performance by Jeremy Irons) resides on the fringes of Hollywood, writing The Last Tycoon between hallucinations of his (then institutionalized) wife Zelda and spats with his mistress, Hollywood gossip columnist Sheilah Graham. The author manages some progress on his novel with the assistance of his secretary Frances Kroll (whose 1985 memoir Against the Current: As I Remember F. Scott Fitzgerald serves as a basis for the film) before his sudden (though perhaps not unexpected) death at the age of 44.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

During part 2 of Infinite Gestation’s two part series entitled “Graphic Novels as Literature”, special guest Matt Bird delves into the Big Three (The Dark Night Returns by Frank Miller, Maus by Art Spiegelman & Watchmen by Alan Moore).

Across the decades, comic books have evolved into a form to be reckoned with and deserve a closer look. In tandem, a selection of authors and illustrators have pushed the medium to its limits (and beyond), often presenting themes, social issues and the hard questions — without the legitimacy that prose fiction has enjoyed for many years. Perhaps now is the time to give graphic novels the chance to be called literature.

The 1980's saw comic books come into their own with mature themes and subject matter aimed primarily at an adult audience. This ultimately led to a trend in graphic narrative whereby creators and readers began to favor quality writing alongside the talent of illustrators. This era brought about the publications of the Big Three (along with a selection of other works) that sought to utilize the medium to explore contemporary social issues.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

During part 1 of Infinite Gestation's two part series entitled "Graphic Novels as Literature", special guest Matt Bird shares a brief history of comic books.

Across the decades, comic books have evolved into a form to be reckoned with and deserve a closer look. In tandem, a selection of authors and illustrators have pushed the medium to its limits (and beyond), often presenting themes, social issues and the hard questions — without the legitimacy that prose fiction has enjoyed for many years. Perhaps now is the time to give graphic novels the chance to be called literature.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Matt Bird curated an exhibit in the fall of 2011 at IU-Bloomington’s Lilly Library titled “The Character of Ernest Hemingway.” The exhibit utilized Hemingway’s letters, photographs, typed manuscripts with edits, and artifacts of the Army’s investigation into EH’s activities during World War II to foster a discussion of Hemingway’s personal curation and control of his image. Matt holds an MLS, specializing in Rare Books and Manuscripts, from IU-Bloomington and is currently finishing an MA in Literature at Indiana State University.

His reading interests, at the moment (fiction, non-fiction, etc), touch on graphic novels as literature (Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian K. Vaughan), book culture and printing/book-selling history (Umberto Eco, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Nicholas Basbanes), the Lost Generation and the fiction produced by them (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) and catching up on the O. Henry Prize Stories.

Matt taught courses over the last two years at Indiana State University on the subjects of classical mythology, the history of the physical book and its use in fiction, and the history/evolution of libraries.

Special guest Matt Bird (armed with a Master of Library Science and ALA membership card) joins Infinite Gestation for an episode celebrating Banned Book Week with a discussion concerning commonly challenged subject matter, notable examples of banned books and the tendency of small communities to challenge perceived threats against common "values." Also, Sam accidentally attends a book burning cleverly disguised as a barbecue and Matt recalls the opening of the local Hot Topic (in the late 1990's) complete with an angry mob.

For a good time call 823.912. Tell 'em Banned Books Week sent you!

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Matt Bird curated an exhibit in the fall of 2011 at IU-Bloomington’s Lilly Library titled “The Character of Ernest Hemingway.” The exhibit utilized Hemingway’s letters, photographs, typed manuscripts with edits, and artifacts of the Army’s investigation into EH’s activities during World War II to foster a discussion of Hemingway’s personal curation and control of his image. Matt holds an MLS, specializing in Rare Books and Manuscripts, from IU-Bloomington and is currently finishing an MA in Literature at Indiana State University.

His reading interests, at the moment (fiction, non-fiction, etc), touch on graphic novels as literature (Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian K. Vaughan), book culture and printing/book-selling history (Umberto Eco, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Nicholas Basbanes), the Lost Generation and the fiction produced by them (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) and catching up on the O. Henry Prize Stories.

Matt taught courses over the last two years at Indiana State University on the subjects of classical mythology, the history of the physical book and its use in fiction, and the history/evolution of libraries.

Infinite Gestation welcomes special guest Matt Bird for the long-awaited Hemingway episode (hey, you knew we would do one eventually). While not a definitive biography (better books are available on the subject) or bibliography of Hemingway's work, this episode explores some of the interesting facets of the author's persona that have cemented his legend alongside the great works that have earned his status as an indispensable icon of American literature. Discussions of the "Lost Generation" soon transition into themes of toxic masculinity, the need to fulfill the expectations of a manufactured persona, obligatory references to hunting & fishing, pertinent musical questions of who is better (Led Zeppelin or The Beatles), and speculation regarding the reception of Hemingway's work, had he emerged during modern times.

No guns were cleaned during the recording of this episode - however there may have been drinking.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Matt Bird curated an exhibit in the fall of 2011 at IU-Bloomington's Lilly Library titled "The Character of Ernest Hemingway." The exhibit utilized Hemingway's letters, photographs, typed manuscripts with edits, and artifacts of the Army's investigation into EH's activities during World War II to foster a discussion of Hemingway's personal curation and control of his image. Matt holds an MLS, specializing in Rare Books and Manuscripts, from IU-Bloomington and is currently finishing an MA in Literature at Indiana State University.

His reading interests, at the moment (fiction, non-fiction, etc), touch on graphic novels as literature (Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Brian K. Vaughan), book culture and printing/book-selling history (Umberto Eco, Arturo Perez-Reverte, Nicholas Basbanes), the Lost Generation and the fiction produced by them (Hemingway, Fitzgerald) and catching up on the O. Henry Prize Stories.

Matt taught courses over the last two years at Indiana State University on the subjects of classical mythology, the history of the physical book and its use in fiction, and the history/evolution of libraries.

While its status as an American classic remains undisputed, The Catcher in the Rye has also earned a shadowy legacy by way of its connections to celebrity murders along with an attempted presidential assassination, all through no fault of its own. What is it about this novel that connected with several desperate loners on their separate and misguided journeys to infamy within a single decade? In the most salacious episode to date, Infinite Gestation investigates the Salinger classic, touching on story parallels shared with the 1976 film Taxi Driver, its cameo in The Shining and J.D. Salinger's legally mandated absence from Field of Dreams.

*References to "Bonner" are actually intended to indicate Robert John Bardo. Patrick apologizes for the strange transposition of names and further promises to read Silas Marner (again) to serve as proper atonement ... or maybe he'll just spend the entire weekend picking up trash along the highway.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Infinite Gestation attempts to separate people from personalities in this episode discussing the place and significance of autobiographical elements within the work of a variety of authors. Questions arise regarding personal experience as an unnecessary qualification in fiction, the over-dependence of the modern age on crowd sourcing for a work's merit or validation and unfounded worries that this episode might contain a bad case of the Kirk.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Based on Sam's recommendation, Infinite Gestation takes on The Tin Drum by the late and great Günter Grass. This first book of what later became known as "The Danzig Trilogy" is unquestionably a masterpiece, with a proud standing as the German author's debut novel. With its mystical elements and a storyline that twists its way from the turn of the century to just beyond the years following World War II, this novel brushes up against the Nazis and the horrors of the war without allowing these elements to consume the narrative.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links

Now is the perfect time to start reading Murakami (if you haven't already). August 4th, 2015 marks the first US release of Murakami's first two works, Hear the Wind Sing and Pinball 1973. Join us for a discussion (fanboy celebration) of what makes Murakami great, including a list of works to check out, Murakami's fine use of music references and an unforgivable Wild Sheep Chase spoiler by Grant.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com for complete Show Notes & Links