The Worst Century

Reimagining the American Dream: Sontag & Chabon


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We're so back, baby!

Ian and Page, your two favorite store-brand English professors, have put together a syllabus for reading our way to an understanding of the 21st Century.

On this first episode, we get into our rules for the road, share a little about what went in to making this project, and dive into the first two books for the year 2000: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon (winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize) and In America by Susan Sontag (winner of the 2000 National Book Award for Fiction).

Listen to hear us speculate about life before 9/11 (we're both so young), discuss "Coming to America" stories, and investigate Ian's love of The Apprentice and how he might be personally responsible for Trump's presidency.

And subscribe to get our April 26 episode where we get into the movies of 2000 and create our own wishcast ballots for the 2001 Academy Awards.

Other Links:

  • Atlantic, New York Times, & Bookstagram Lists
  • Bookshop Links: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, In America
  • Sontag plagiarism scandal
  • Page: BlueSky
  • Ian: Substack, BlueSky
  • Our thanks to Chris Delano for editing support. Music "MTV (Pop, Britney Spears)" from BigBadBeats.

    ...more
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    The Worst CenturyBy Ian Gillham