semi-prose
semi-prose is the books podcast that’s half as serious and twice as smart as your other favourite books podcast. Join Evan, Allie, Kristina, and Max: four semi-professional readers as they explore new Canadian books through their personal histories, stores of pop culture, and readerly curiosities, before the pros – the authors themselves – join the conversation. Because when you’re done the last page, you’ve only really read the half of it.
Episodes
February 25, 2020 • 52 mins
In the final episode of semi-prose, Kai Cheng Thom joins us to assure us we can survive hard conversations (2:50); the performance of virtue in Chinese Christian, SJW, and queer communities (6:00); on the ethics of mentorship (14:15); our boundaries do not hurt other people (21:45); seasons in the sun, gender-queer magic gem stones, and holy wild (47:00).
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February 18, 2020 • 38 mins
Indigenous food for the future (6:10); Saskatoon berries, rose hips, stinging nettles (18:55); on the generosity of Indigenous communities (27:45); check out a round dance, check out a pow wow (31:00); New Moon, Red Chef Revival, The Sous Chef (32:40)
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February 11, 2020 • 47 mins
A special live episode from this year's Toronto International Festival of Authors, featuring:
Storytelling as survival (12:49); the qualities of Hot Jesus (17:55); what happens when colonization comes for our gods (22:40); on showing the absolute joy of Indigenous love (28:30); put a comma after cock (30:20); tips on surviving the Rogarou(36:40); Jeremy Dutcher, the southern wild, and Half-Breed (41:55)
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February 4, 2020 • 43 mins
when seeming good gets in the way of actually being good (4:15); that time Jia was in 'Cats' (19:30); magazines that tell girls that their entire purpose is improving themselves (20:30); the 'side hustle', aka capitalism tilling every last inch of your selfhood (24:00); melancholia, the rainbow, and how to do nothing (39:30)
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January 28, 2020 • 41 mins
When life gives us dress rehearsals for, you know, death (2:20); it's the impermanence that gives us joy (9:45); California for the possibility, Japan for the reality (11:30); some writing advice from the Dalai Lama (23:55); the perfect foreigner, Leonard Cohen, and a quiet Lear (35:00).
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January 21, 2020 • 46 mins
Emily Nussbaum joins Evan and Kristina to discuss her book I Like to Watch and how Buffy the Vampire Slayer changes lives (2:00); when black sitcoms were gentrified off the air (13:02); Game of Thrones was not that interesting, True Detective was fake philosophical (24:20); a show can be flawed and be worth talking about (30:30); Fleabag and her compulsiveness to seduce (33:50)
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September 10, 2019 • 38 mins
Allie, Kristina, Evan, and Max discuss Shut Up, You’re Pretty by Téa Mutonji and whether you’re more defined by your good sex or your bad sex (11:30); Fleabag and Lynda Barry (15:40); getting to have formative sexual experiences that are positive is just luck (16:40); Téa Mutonji joins the conversation (18:01); on working with Vivek Shraya and getting more fearless (26:50); SZA, Thirteen, and 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl
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August 27, 2019 • 35 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss Night of Power by Anar Ali and that one girl in high school who could quote Rumi (10:22); trauma doesn’t just go away (13:07); Anar joins the conversation (15:37); they fuck you up, your mum and dad (15:59); the economics of prayer (19:47); on how Dolly Parton is Bollywood (30:00)
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August 13, 2019 • 33 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss their childhood Ikea awakenings (4:42); 5AM breakfast stampedes (5:49); why why why Delilah (9:23); Derek Mascarenhas joins the conversation (17:07); what’s Goa on (18:24); Neighborhood #1, Mara Wilson, and Small Things (27:38)
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July 30, 2019 • 35 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss the things they have done to get a kiss (6:26); brown female anger (10:52); SK Ali joins the conversation (16:48); on being both devout and desirous (17:38); you’re beautiful, good, valued, and wanted (25:36); CCR, Hailee Steinfeld, and a disreputable history (33:09)
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July 16, 2019 • 32 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss bad experiences versus life experiences (3:04); that whole idea of being down (10:06); Yasuko Thanh joins the conversation (13:56); a list can be a dramatic thing (20:26); some bad portraits of sex workers (25:53); Beloved, The Pogues, and 600 pounds (28:46)
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July 2, 2019 • 32 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina and Max explain the differences between Smutty Sunday and Smut Salon (4:39); the fantasy of the half-formed man (6:30); that time in undergrad when Evan escaped a cult (11:34); Mona Awad joins the conversation (16:40); bunnies because they're androgynous (17:00); you look so good I just want to kill you (20:50); 'The Noise Made by People', 'Carrie', and Rebecca Godfrey (28:20)
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June 17, 2019 • 31 mins
Allie, Kristina, Evan and Max discuss those fumes from past relationships (1:50); the shame that motivates (7:40); whatever fucked up things you get from your parents (13:01); Sonya Lalli joins the conversation (15:57); how finding the right partner is like finding the right career (18:21); Allie, Max, and Sonya talk about the Dev’s in their own pasts (23:17); Katy Perry, Julia Roberts, and Ayesha At Last (28:52)
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June 4, 2019 • 35 mins
Allie, Kristina, Evan, and Max discuss what makes for a good ghost story (7:50); telling a ghost story is an intimate thing (12:51); the most frightening hauntings are your exes (14:58); Leanne Shapton joins the conversation (17:02); it’s photography that’s sinister (20:24); when you smell someone, you kind of know (22:10); Edith Wharton bringing the scary (27:21)
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May 21, 2019 • 29 mins
Allie, Kristina, and Max discuss the novel's stickiest sex scenes (1:14); how telling stories is different than giving advice (5:38); the narrator as sex worker, the reader as client (12:18); Joshua Whitehead joins the conversation (14:07); stories do everything (16:00); a humility is just a humiliation you love so much (23:15); doing bear sex better than Marian Engel did (26:59)
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May 7, 2019 • 34 mins
Welcome to Season 2 of semi-prose! Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss 'A Mind Spread Out on the Ground' by Alicia Elliott and how Kristina used to hate on all your selfies, but no longer(6:12); explanation or excuse? (9:00); seeing mental illness in Kanye, Britney, and Jean Grey (12:00); Alicia joins the conversation (13:30); another semi-prose related story of theft (21:40); to love someone who you sometimes don't know who the...
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January 29, 2019 • 32 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina and Max discuss 'The Beauty of the Moment' by Tanaz Bhathena and being cheated on (4:40); on finally seeing your parent as a shitty person (8:23); if you wait for that, you're going to be waiting for a long time (15:11); Tanaz joins the conversation (15:20); why not Mississauga? (16:30); there's hope in YA (24:58); Coldplay, Drew Barrymore, and 'The Sun is also a Star' (27:20)
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January 15, 2019 • 31 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina and Max discuss ‘Original Prin’ by Randy Boyagoda and feeling guilty about being attracted to your ex (3:24); Catholic residue and the hypest hymns (11:24); it’s my cross(fit) to bear (15:11); Randy joins the conversation (16:04); it ain’t that hard being a Catholic today (18:15); Allie asks her heavy question about women (22:00); I Can’t Feel My Face when I’m with Thee (28:20)
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January 1, 2019 • 34 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max discuss 'Curry: Eating, Reading, and Race' by Naben Ruthnum and how Gordon Ramsay brought the realness (0:33); Harold and Kumar, trailblazers (8:38); defending Fieri and mourning Bourdain (12:37); Naben Ruthnum joins the conversation (16:07); white girlfriends, longing for home, authenticity through food (17:04); curious, intelligent, and non-prescriptive (25:33)
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December 4, 2018 • 33 mins
Allie, Evan, Kristina, and Max, discuss Trickster Drift by Eden Robinson and how the supernatural ain’t no thang (8:00); calming chaos through cooking (9:20); Eden Robinson joins the conversation (17:40); let’s call it screwball gothic (19:40); a staunch defense of Nickelback (20:20); the everydayness of AA (21:15); Long Hair, Don't Care (29:08)
Mark as Played
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