Two Month Review

Latest Episodes:

TMR 11.1: "We Remember Everything" [THE DREAMED PART] Mar 05, 2020

Show notes

In this week's preview episode for Season 11 of the Two Month Review--featuring The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán and Will Vanderhyden--Chad and Brian try their best to recall details from the plot of The Invented Part, the first book in the trilogy. They do . . . well, question mark? As cracked out as their descriptions might seem, you're in for a really fun season and a really fun book from one of the best Spanish writers of his generation.

This week's music is "My Friend" by Dan Deacon. (In part because Chad thought the lyrics were "I'm alive, I'm dreaming," but he was wrong.)

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. You can watch March 18th episode (covering pages 1-57) here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off The Dreamed Part by using the code 2MONTH at checkout.

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.14: "We Made it to the End" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Jan 06, 2020

Show notes

We did it! Chad and Brian reflect on the somewhat surprising ending to Ducks, Newburyport and reflect on all 1,000+ of its glorious pages in the season finale to this Two Month Review. They debate whether the book is hopeful or pessimistic, the way in which its solipsism infects the reader's way of seeing the world, and they take one last shot at anti-mom nut job, Dr. Phil.

This week's music is "Let's Never Leave Here" by Death and Vanilla

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

We'll be back in February with the next season: The Dreamed Part by Rodrigo Fresán!

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.13: "Dogs" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Dec 24, 2019

Show notes

Elizabeth DeMeo (assistant book editor at Tin House) joins Chad and Brian in the penultimate episode of this season of the Two Month Review. They talk family therapy. They talk about the Jim's encounter with the lioness. They make predictions about how the book will end. They debate whether it's better to read the book in a few days or a few months. They manage to make it through with a minimal amount of coughing, and only a few wacky digressions.

This week's music is "Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)" by Bombay Bicycle Club.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (the last!) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also follow Elizabeth DeMeo on Twitter and at her website.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.12: "Gone Missing" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Dec 22, 2019

Show notes

Chad and Brian go it alone on pages 777-862, talking about Galley Beggar's "go fund me" campaign, hardcovers vs. paperbacks, Stacy, what makes something Kafkaesque, the narrator's stasis, and much more.

This week's music is "The Surprise Knock" by The New Pornographers.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Monday's episode (up to page 917) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.11: "Establish Justice" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Dec 16, 2019

Show notes

This week, Chad is joined by Rebecca Hussey (BookRiot) and Josh Cook (Porter Square Books, An Exaggerated Murder) to talk about pages 700-776 of Ducks, Newburyport. They make comparisons to any number of modernist authors (Proust, Woolf, Joyce), discuss mother-daughter relationships, "mom shaming," Stace's general sense of rebellion, whether or not the "stories" are getting longer as we move through the book, how it actually has a conventional plot, and how Chad thinks someone needs to put together a book of essays about this novel featuring pieces by booksellers, authors, academics, critics, and moms.

This week's music is "4ÆM" by Grimes.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Wednesday's episode (up to page 862) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. Also, read all of Rebecca's BookRiot posts and follow her on Twitter, and buy Josh's book from Porter Square (and f ollow him as well).

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.10: "A List of Definites" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Dec 13, 2019

Show notes

Jeremy Kitchen (Chicago Public Library, Eye 94) joins Chad and Brian to talk about "a list of definites" about the future, the (pretty silly) controversy surrounding Lucy Ellmann's recent Guardian interview, the way the themes of Duck, Newburyport make it difficult for some people to read, the ways in which this novel is subversive, and much more.

This week's music is "Never Been Wrong" by Waxahatchee.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 776) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.9: "Pattern Recognition" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

Chad and Brian deliver a true Thanksgiving treat in this episode, digging in deep to the narrative patterns in the book, the way Ellmann constructs the narrator's subjectivity, how the novel is a radical call to action, how some facts aren't really facts, terrible new slang terms, save the turtles, and much much more. This is maybe the most critical episode of the season in terms of understanding exactly why reading slowly in this fashion can be so rewarding.

This week's music is "Waving Past Nirvana" by WIVES.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 700) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.8: "Real Life Is Sad" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

Another late night conversation about Ducks, Newburyport! This week, P.T. Smith joins to discuss illness, the verbal virtuosity in this novel, sadness, relationships between parents and kids, and much more. Lots of quotes are read throughout this episode, and in honor of Lucy Ellmann's stated like of whisky, some of that takes place as well.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 621) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And follow Patrick Smith for lots of hot takes on books, cheating in sports, and more.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.7: "Blossom, Stasis, Spiral, Whoa" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

This week's Two Month Review was recorded pretty late (on the east coast), so things are a bit loopy. Nevertheless, James Crossley from Madison Books joins Chad and Brian to talk about pages 429-487 of Ducks, Newburyport. They talk a bit about the cultural references in this section—the old movies, Blossom—flip ahead to connect the mountain lion's path to the mental landscape of the narrator, and, of course, praise moms.

This is the most produced episode to date, and we hope you enjoy the little audio touches AND the Blossom theme song "My Opinionation"

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 562) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And be sure to support Madison Books in person, through their website, and on Instagram.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester.

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

TMR 10.6: "The Simple Things" [DUCKS, NEWBURYPORT] Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

Chad and Brian break format a bit and discuss a number of the concerns, anxieties, and social issues that the narrator of Duck, Newburyport thinks about. From spiders to Morning Routine videos, active shooter situations to Trump feeling up Kurt Suzuki, this episode is a deep, yet funny, dive into our neuroses and fears.

If you'd prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on YouTube along with all our past episodes. Next week's episode (up to page 487) will be broadcast live here. And you can discuss this book at the reactivated Goodreads Two Month Review Discussion Group.

This week's music is "Good Scare" by Torres.

Follow Open Letter, Chad Post, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian's book, Joytime Killbox, which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions

You can also support this podcast and all of Open Letter's activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the University of Rochester. (Or by attending our gala.)

You can find all the Two Month Review posts by clicking here. And be sure to leave us a review on iTunes. It really helps people to discover the podcast.

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