The Readers Karamazov

The Readers Karamazov

By The Readers KaramazovSociety & CultureArtsBooksPhilosophy
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The Readers Karamazov episodes

  • Ursula K. Le Guin's The Dispossessed

    It's sci-fi redux this week on TRK, as the boys tackle Ursula K. Le Guin's "ambiguous utopia" The Dispossessed. That means plenty of talk about anarchism, physics, connections to Trouble on Triton, and even a pleasant little discourse on marriage... IN SPACE!

     

    Theme song: "Shostakovich" by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr 2 min
  • John Fowles' The Collector

    In this episode, the boys discuss a Friedrich pick, John Fowles' 1963 debut novel The Collector. Going beyond the (admittedly fascinating) set up of a lonely man who kidnaps his dream girl, the BSOH discuss the novel's fascination with art, mechanical reproduction, class warfare, taste, and more.

    Also, in a bonus for everyone everywhere, the episode includes insults directed at the following: MFA programs (and the students therein), photography, lepidoptery.

     

    Theme song: "Shostakovich" by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  • Euripides' The Bacchae

    In this episode, the boys tackle Søren's favorite Greek tragedy, Euripides' The Bacchae, a story of gods, wine, and madness. They try to work themselves into the mindset of the ancient Greeks (via the lubrication of a few mid-pod drinks), and sort out how the play does and does not conform to typical analyses of tragedy. Madness; order; destruction: this one's got it all. Plus: stick around to the very end for a post-credits stinger.

     

    Theme music: "Shostakovich" by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min
  • Samuel Delany's Trouble on Triton
    Pods... in... space...

    The boys are back and discussing their first foray into sci-fi, Samuel Delany's trippy, tricky Trouble on Triton. Karl explains all about Wittgenstein, metalogics, and Eutopias (yes, Eu). Friedrich and Søren try to keep up, with thoughts on war (huh - what it is it good for), the pleasures of wandering narrative, and... Evanescence?

    Theme music: "Shostakovich," by Mucca Pazza

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  • Shūsaku Endō's Silence

    In this episode, the boys discuss Friedrich's first book pick: Shūsaku Endō's 1969 masterpiece Silence. They talk about secularism, syncretism, arrogance, and belief in the context of Endō's novel about Jesuit priests facing persecution in Japan.

     

    Theme music: "Shostakovich," by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min
  • Iris Murdoch's A Severed Head

    In this episode, Karl and Soren are finally joined by long lost brother Friedrich, the third bastard son of Hegel, to discuss the work of philosopher/novelist Iris Murdoch. They begin by discussing her work of literary criticism "Against Dryness," (available here) and her insistence in a video interview that her philosophy and her creative writing are separate.

    Building on these discussions, the boys turn to Murdoch's strange, delightful 1961 novel A Severed Head, a tale filled with upper class Britishisms, along with darker things like violence and incest. They consider the extent to which Murdoch folds in philosophical concerns, the nature of psychoanalysis and anthropology, and the need to "wake up" from the stupor in which we lead our lives.

    Theme music: "Shostakovich," by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  • The Watchers Karamazov - Toy Story (Full Episode)
    In this movie episode, originally only for patrons, Karl and Soren discuss Pixar's groundbreaking film Toy Story. Karl has some very strong thoughts: about the film's destructive worldview, about Sid as the true hero, and more. The boys also discuss the evolution of contemporary animated films and the Disneyfication of everything.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    34 min
  • James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room

    In Episode 5, Karl and Søren discuss James Baldwin's classic novel Giovanni's Room. They talk literary liberalism, guilt and shame, the importance of names, and the novel's interesting meta-structure.

     

    Theme music: "Shostakovich," by Mucca Pazza.


    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
  • Medical Expertise and One Pound of Nuts (The Brothers Karamazov Pt. 4)
    In this final discussion of The Brothers Karamazov, Karl and Søren discuss Smerdyakov and Ivan's sinister relationship, who's really to blame for Big Daddy K's death, novels vs. the law, and education and the good life. Plus, much more!

    Theme song: "Shostakovich," by Mucca Pazza.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  • The Watchers Karamazov - Toy Story (Teaser - Full Episodes for Patrons Only)
    The boys are back with their first episode of The Watchers Karamazov, and Karl has come ready to spit fire. What makes Toy Story an insidious film? Why is Woody a ne'er-do-well? Find out all this and more in the full episode, available only for Patrons. Sign up at patreon.com/thereaderskaramazov. For now, enjoy this five minute teaser with a few of Karl's greatest hits.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 min

About The Readers Karamazov

From the publisher's feed

A podcast exploring the intersection of philosophy and literature.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…