The Big Book Project
The Big Book Project is a multi-venue reading experience for bibliophiles fascinated by long or dense works of fiction and interested in discussing them with others, one novel at a time. The works selected will be capacious novels from the mid-nineteenth century through today that possess an abundant writing style or complexity in structure and themes. The notion that reading need not be a solitary activity has special resonance with these novels given that there is much to discuss, elaborate upon and question in the authors’ expression of ideas. I like to think of these novels as abundant because I appreciate their richness and volume, characteristics bestow a sort of grace to luxuriate with the text. The critic and scholar Alexander Nehamas writes that when a work of art beckons, it is because we do not fully understand it but feel the strong desire to do so. And it is this deliberative process, the journey, of trying to understand why a novel is extraordinary that I want to explore with fellow readers at The Big Book Project. We discuss books like Roberto Bolaño’s 2666
Episodes
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In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori sits down with Brad Costa, sales representative for W.W. Norton and an extraordinary reader, to discuss Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones.
Brad brings a unique perspective as someone who worked in library archives with Holocaust materials, offering profound insights into the novel’s detailed depiction of bureaucratic evil, moral...
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers is joined by Professor Dorian Stuber for a deep dive into Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones. They explore the book’s place within Holocaust literature, its historical accuracy, and the challenges it poses to readers and educators alike. From the banality of evil to the controversial portrayal of sexual deviancy, Lori and Dorian unpack the themes, narrative choices, and lasting...
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers sits down with art historian, theorist, and novelist James Elkins to discuss his new book A Short Introduction to Anneliese published by Unnamed Press—the second novel in his five-volume literary experiment, Five Strange Languages.
James shares the 20-year journey behind this sprawling, genre-defying project, its dizzying structure, overlapping timelines, and why his fictional c...
Tom Flynn returns to The Big Book Project to continue our group read of Jonathan Littell’s The Kindly Ones—this time tackling pages 333–427, a harrowing descent into the frozen siege of Stalingrad.
Lori and Tom unpack the disturbing realism and psychological depth of the novel, exploring themes of unreliable narration, classical tragedy, and the machinery of fascist ideology. They ask hard questions: Is Littell's depiction of a...
https://substack.com/@thebigbookproject
In this episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers is joined by acclaimed translator David McKay to explore The Remembered Soldier, the haunting and deeply psychological novel by Anjet Daanje, newly released in English by New Vessel Press.
This episode unpacks the long journey of bringing The Remembered Soldier from a small regional publisher in the Netherlands to intern...
https://substack.com/@thebigbookproject
In this solo episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers returns to reflect on the latest section of Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk—around page 300—and dives into the nuanced layers of communication, legacy, and emotional power that define this extraordinary novel.
As Milla’s physical condition deteriorates due to ALS, her only form of communication is her eyes. Yet even in silence, she a...
In this special episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers is joined by Nanci McCloskey—Associate Publisher and Director of Sales & Marketing at Tin House Books—to kick off our next group read: Agaat by Marlene van Niekerk.
📚 Agaat is a psychological epic set in apartheid-era South Africa, told through the complex relationship between two women—Milla and Agaat. Originally published in the UK under the title The Way of ...
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers is joined by literary critic and bookseller Tom Flynn for an in-depth discussion of Roberto Bolaño’s 2666. As we near the end of our 11-week deep dive, we explore the novel’s most compelling themes—literary obsession, systemic violence, and the enigmatic figure of Archimboldi.
📖 Key Topics Discussed:
✔️ Tom Flynn’s experience reading 2666 and seeing its stage adaptation
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers unpacks one of the most haunting themes in Roberto Bolaño’s 2666: the slow erosion of humanity in the face of systemic violence. Through the lens of The Part About Archimboldi, we explore the chilling parallels between Nazi Germany and the fictional town of Santa Teresa—modeled after the real-life femicides of Ciudad Juárez.
Key Themes Discussed:
- The link between the Holocaus...
https://substack.com/@thebigbookproject
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers continues the deep dive into Roberto Bolaño’s 2666, focusing on the second section of The Part About the Crimes. As the narrative unfolds, we examine the harrowing depiction of systemic complicity in the Santa Teresa femicides. From the corruption of the police and prison guards to the media’s role in sensationalizing crime, we discuss how...
In this gripping episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers dives into the most haunting and unrelenting section of Roberto Bolaño’s 2666—The Part About the Crimes. This chapter confronts readers with a relentless account of femicides in the border town of Santa Teresa.
Lori explores why Bolaño meticulously details the murders of more than 200 women—examining how individualizing victims creates an emotional impact, the nove...
In this episode of The Big Book Project, host Lori Feathers delves into Part Three of Roberto Bolaño’s 2666, The Part About Fate. Through the lens of Oscar Fate’s journey, we explore themes of identity, violence, and the fragile boundary between reality and illusion.
Key discussion points include:
🔹 Barry Seaman’s speech on fate, dreams, and semblances—what do the stars reveal about our perceptions of reality?
🔹 Amalfitano...
In this episode of The Big Book Project, we delve into the second half of Part One of Roberto Bolaño's 2666, focusing on the critics' journey to Mexico in search of the elusive author, Archimboldi. The episode explores several key themes, including the unsettling encounter with the self-mutilating artist, Edwin Johns, and his chilling philosophy on fate and coincidence.
We delve into the critics' quest for Archimbold...
Welcome to The Big Book Project, a multi-platform reading experience for lovers of long and intricate novels. Hosted by Lori Feathers, this podcast explores capacious works of fiction, ranging from 19th-century classics to contemporary masterpieces. These novels, rich in style, complex in structure, and abundant in themes, provide an unparalleled opportunity for collaborative reading and discussion.
In this inaugural episo...
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