Drunken Book Review Podcast

Drunken Book Review Podcast

The Drunken Book Review Podcast is an irreverent review of literature by Justin Hall and Caleb Michael Sarvis. First and foremost, this podcast is a candid, though drunken, discussion of modern (and mostly popular) literature. We are offensive, unfiltered, and while we try our best to stay focused, we will get distracted, yell over one another, and perhaps disappear at times to settle disagreements with hand-to-hand combat. It’s the Hemingway in us.

Episodes

73 - YOU KNOW YOU WANT THIS by Kristen Roupenian

August 11, 2019 • 53 mins
"Cat Person" was the first story ever to go "viral" and was the subject of an earlier episode between Caleb and his wife Brittany. When Kristen Roupenian's collection came out, it was a no-brainer for us. But does the book live up to the hype created by "Cat Person"?
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72 - THE AUSTRALIAN by Emma Smith-Stevens

August 4, 2019 • 63 mins
We take a trip Down Under then to NYC then back to Australia then... somewhere with The Australian by Emma Smith-Stevens. We chat briefly about some previous Dzanc books we read and what we thought about this debut (hardback??) from a cool writer.
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71 - SON OF FRIEDMAN by Emma Cline

July 28, 2019 • 50 mins
Emma Cline's novel THE GIRLS was one of the very first books we read for the podcast, so her return was inevitable, as soon as we saw her name in the New Yorker. We read her story "Son of Friedman" and try a new beer!
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70 - PANIC YEARS by Daniel DiFranco

July 21, 2019 • 53 mins
Join Caleb and Justin on tour as they chat about PANIC YEARS by Daniel DiFranco, a novel about Paul, his approaching 30s, and his last rodeo as an aspiring musician. They chat about how the book makes them feel, the kind of band they think Qualia may be, and other bull shit, too.
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69 - THE MISTER by EL James - NICE

July 14, 2019 • 69 mins
69 - THE MISTER by EL James - NICE by Bridge Eight Press
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68 - ORANGE WORLD by Karen Russell

July 7, 2019 • 47 mins
Justin and Caleb talk often about how much they love Swamplandia! by Karen Russell, but do they feel the same about her new collection of stories? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z.
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67 - MOSTLY DEAD THINGS by Kristen Arnett (Featuring Jessica Hatch)

June 30, 2019 • 76 mins
We welcome local member of the literati and spectacular editor Jessica Hatch to talk about MOSTLY DEAD THINGS by Kristen Arnett, whom Caleb refers to as his "Orlando spirit animal."
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66 - THE CHILDREN by Andrea Lee

June 23, 2019 • 44 mins
For the end of the month New Yorker episode, we talk about a weird story from Andrea Lee and try a new beer.
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65 - WHISKEY & RIBBONS by Leesa Cross-Smith

June 16, 2019 • 51 mins
Caleb shot-gunned a Steel Reserve before recording today's episode.
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64 - THE HEAVEN OF ANIMALS by David James Poissant

June 9, 2019 • 47 mins
64 - THE HEAVEN OF ANIMALS by David James Poissant by Bridge Eight Press
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BONUS - Caleb Gets Cultured - 2 Games 2 Thrones

June 6, 2019 • 40 mins
Caleb finished Game of Thrones and is feeling absurdly cultured. They talk about the ending, what they would have done differently, and how this show fits within others of its genre, style, and cultural relevancy. Was getting cultured worth it for Caleb? Listen and find out.
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63 - CHERRY by Nico Walker

June 2, 2019 • 56 mins
The cover has been making its away around the internet, so we decided to give it a read. From war medic to heroine addict, CHERRY follows a no-good teenager as he deals with no sense of direction and no reason to live. There are a lot of fucks, but none are given, and we decide whether or not this book is worth reading.
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62 - THE MATCH by Colson Whitehead

May 27, 2019 • 54 mins
For our monthly New Yorker episode, we read a new short story from Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad. We briefly talk about violence, systematic power, and then we try a new beer from Coppertail Brewery. This episode was edited significantly thanks to the belligerence of Justin Hall. Drink yourself a book, and read yourself some beer.
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BONUS - Caleb Gets Cultured - Game of Thrones

May 23, 2019 • 40 mins
For this bonus episode, Caleb joined the rest of society and watched Game of Thrones (the first 5 seasons so far). They take some time to talk about what he's thinking and Caleb tries to figure out what it is that people like about this show.
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61 - NOTES FROM NO MAN'S LAND by Eula Biss

May 19, 2019 • 77 mins
We've returned to nonfiction this week as we discuss a collection of essays on race, culture, and boundaries in America. Caleb and Justin find themselves in a broader sociological discussion on what it means to be lower-income white males with privilege and maybe get off track here and there.
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60 - SING TO IT by Amy Hempel (feat. Abby McCall)

May 12, 2019 • 60 mins
This week we're joined by local Jacksonville book nerd Abby McCall to discuss Amy Hempel's new collection of stories SING TO IT. Caleb has been reading Amy Hempel's work for over a decade, but Justin and Abby are new to her work. They chat about apples, caring about your sentences, and what that means for your reading experience.
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59 - A DOG A BETWEEN US by duncan b. barlow

May 5, 2019 • 52 mins
Nurse your Cinco hangover by listening to a drunken book review of A DOG BETWEEN US by duncan b. barlow, a heartbreaking novel about the variations of loss. Justin and Caleb chat about human tragedy, how we deal with the things that hurt, and how those things ripple into everyday relationships. As always, share with your friends, leave a nice review, and come back for more next week.
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58 - COLOR AND LIGHT by Sally Rooney

April 28, 2019 • 38 mins
Caleb and Justin close the month by reading "Color and Light" by Sally Rooney, and story about being a bystander, flirting with romance, and the pride we carry. They talk about what it means to read a story like this, and how it fits into the trend of New Yorker stories. Then they try a new beer.
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57 - SUPERMARKET by Bobby Hall (aka Logic)

April 22, 2019 • 57 mins
Bobby Hall is a grammy nominated rapper who gave writing a novel a shot. Caleb is a big fan of his music, so we decided we'd give the book a shot. Thanks to some technical difficulties, the episode is a little wonky, but you know what? It fits our feelings about the book as a whole.
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56 - TRAIN SHOTS by Vanessa Blakeslee

April 14, 2019 • 54 mins
This isn't the first book from Burrow Press to get the Drunken Book Review treatment (Pinkies, Clean Time), but it may be the most well-received. A slim collection of stories, Train Shots does a lot of what we're looking for in a story, and what's that? Well listen and find out.
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