Michael, Ethan, and special guest Jacob discuss the short story “The Devil and Tom Walker,” by Washington Irving, while drinking Suntory Toki Japanese (gasp!) whisky.

In this episode:

A not-too-presumptuous new rule

The Devil belongs in America

American mythology creating arbitrary exclusions and inclusions… who would have thought?

Landscape as character

Making up theories out of whole cloth

Everyone should know that shortcuts will go badly for them

It’s a Wonderful Life as Reverse Faust

Con men, flim-flam artists, and bunko

Public Universal Friend’s wikipedia page is worth reading

“Charity begins at home” SOUNDS very pious

Lots and lots of playing Telephone, it’s fine

There’s nothing unique about the postmodernists

God’s Philosophers, by James Hannam

Next time Michael, Ethan, and special guest Jacob will discuss the short story "The Devil and Daniel Webster," by Stephen Vincent Benet! Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

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MUSIC & SFX:

“Fools that Will Laugh on Earth,” by Benji Inniger, from the Original Soundtrack to The Spiritual Tragedy of Doctor Faustus

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

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