Platypus Novel

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Books - Read - Writing

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Literary

Background and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/07/17/billy-collins-reads-marginalia

POEM TEXT

Billy Collins reads "Marginalia"

This week we’re talking about writing a novel because guess what? Tom wrote a novel.

We also discuss some other guy who uses the pseudonym of Tom Reynolds, SAG name rules, the other Mark Wahlberg and maybe the most horrific episode of a game show ever thanks to Fox’s now canceled ‘Moment of Truth’.

After that’s out of the way attention is turned to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), where thousands and thousands of people around the world try to crank out a full length novel in just one month’s time. We give advice from famous writers whose names we cannot remember, talk about Stephen King’s thirst for revenge, and take a look at Amazon’s Top Ten Bestselling Books of 2012 and look at how to take elements from all of them to guarantee yourself a spot on 2014’s list.


This week's episode is brought to you by Audible. Get a free audiobook download and 30-day trial by signing up at tcgte.com/audible.

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Writing A Novel

Background, transcript, highlights, and discussion here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/02/10/the-project-of-literature-susan-sontag-92y/

Recorded live at the https://soundcloud.com/92y

Audio exclusively available courtesy of the 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center and the Susan Sontag estate. 

TRANSCRIPT / DETAILS

The Project of Literature: Susan Sontag at 92Y (April 16, 1992)

Debbie Millman reads from Dani Shapiro's "Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life" – more here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/06/02/dani-shapiro-design-matters-interview

Excerpted from https://soundcloud.com/designmatters

MORE / TRANSCRIPT

Debbie Millman reads Dani Shapiro's advice to writers

On Arthur Schopenhauer’s essays, “On Authorship and Style,” “On Thinking for Oneself,” and “On Genius” (all published 1851).

Is the best way to do philosophy (or any art) to self-consciously build on the work of others to advance the genre? Schopenhauer says no! Geniuses are solitary, original, authentic, naive thinkers. They write because they have something to say, not because they’re being paid. They don’t read too much for fear of being overwhelmed by their influences, and certainly don’t try to remember what they read too well like a scholar would. They think before writing, and get at perennial truths from their own, uniquely grown perspective. So don’t burden them with responsibilities like jobs and families, okay?

Mark, Wes, and Dylan try to figure out whether these harsh commandments hold water or whether S. is just giving excuses for his own unpopularity.

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Schopenhauer on Reading, Writing and Thinking - Partially Examined Life

Background and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2014/07/25/vacation-sex-dorianne-laux/

MORE / POEM TEXT

Dorianne Laux reads "Vacation Sex"

Transcript and background: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/09/25/william-faulkner-university-of-virginia-recording/

William Faulkner on writing

Sylvia Plath on poetry – background and full text here: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/10/27/sylvia-plath-reads-the-disquieting-muses-bbc/

Sylvia Plath on poetry

Sylvia Plath reads her poem "The Disquieting Muses" – background and full text here: http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/10/27/sylvia-plath-reads-the-disquieting-muses-bbc/

MORE / TEXT

The Disquieting Muses

Details and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03/16/mark-strand-dreams-collected-poems/

"Dreams" by Mark Strand read by Maria Popova

Background, context, and poem text: http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03/18/amanda-palmer-wislawa-szymborska-possibilities-poem-reading/

Photograph by Allan Amato. 

Amanda Palmer reads "Possibilities" by Wisława Szymborska

Background, context, and transcript: http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/05/01/jfk-amherst-speech/

MORE/TRANSCRIPT

JFK on poetry and power (Amherst College, 1963)

Debbie Millman talks to artist and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, who explains how illustrating and writing children’s books has changed his fine art painting.

Design Matters With Debbie Millman: Oliver Jeffers

Background and transcript in English: https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/10/23/gabriel-garcia-marquez-nobel-prize-acceptance-speech/

TRANSCRIPT IN ENGLISH

Gabriel García Márquez's Nobel Prize acceptance speech

Transcript, selected quotes, and further context: https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/11/07/hillary-clinton-wellesley-speech/

TRANSCRIPT / MORE

Hillary Rodham Clinton's 1969 Wellesley College commencement address

Poem text and background: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/08/02/frank-o-hara-song-is-it-dirty/

Audio source: http://www.frankohara.org/audio.html

Song (Is it dirty) by Frank O'Hara

Background: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/08/07/the-histories-of-the-universe-patti-smith/

Patti Smith "The Histories of the Universe" (1975)

Background: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/08/08/carl-sagan-message-to-mars/

Carl Sagan's message for Mars

Marcel Duchamp reads his 1957 essay, "The Creative Act." Full text + background here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/08/23/the-creative-act-marcel-duchamp-1957/

Marcel Duchamp: The Creative Act (1957)

Excerpt from Jeff Goldsmith's Q&A with Ray Bradbury, recorded at Comic Con 2010. Discussion and other highlights here: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/09/04/ray-bradbury-comic-con-interview/

Full audio here: http://www.theqandapodcast.com/2012/06/ray-bradbury-q.html

Ray Bradbury on Predictions and the Secret of Life

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's Design Matters interview with cartoonist Chris Ware. 

Full interview: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/chris-ware

Related article: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/05/building-stories-chris-ware/

Chris Ware on giving shape to the human experience

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's Design Matters interview with cartoonist Chris Ware. 

Full interview: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/chris-ware

Related article about his incredible Building Stories: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/11/05/building-stories-chris-ware/

Chris Ware on the characters in Building Stories and the role of sadness

Chris Ware on storytelling and empathy

Recording courtesy of PennSound. Background and context: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/12/14/adrienne-rich-on-love-loss-happiness-creativity/

Adrienne Rich on art (2005)

Adrienne Rich on her creative process (2005)

"Each person has a literature inside them."

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's fantastic Design Matters podcast: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/jake-barton

Jake Barton on inner literature (Design Matters)

"Memorials are the promises that we make to future generations."

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's fantastic Design Matters podcast: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/jake-barton

Jake Barton on the cultural role of memorials

Excerpt from Debbie Millman's fantastic Design Matters podcast: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/jake-barton

More on collaborative storytelling: http://exp.lore.com/post/32906293358/jake-barton-of-local-projects-on-the-power-of

Jake Barton on collaborative storytelling

1340-Filler-Antimetabole1.mp3

An extract from the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Susan Cain's ground-breaking book Quiet, brilliantly read by Kathe Mazur.

About the book:

In Quiet, the international bestseller, Susan Cain shows how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts. She gives introverts the tools to better understand themselves and take full advantage of their strengths.

Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with real stories, Quiet will permanently change how we see introverts - and how you see yourself.

Susan Cain: Quiet (Audiobook Extract) read by Kathe Mazur

We take a walk through London’s Chinatown with Rosemary Sales and Xia Lin, Researchers at Middlesex University, to discuss the complex of identities in the area and meanings of home for Chinese immigrants. John Gittings, Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African, talks about China’s early peace philosophers and the importance of engaging the country in diplomacy. Ting Xu, Research Fellow at LSE’s economic history department, speaks about growing up in China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution and how her parent’s boundless passion for books was a source of inspiration. 

Presented by Amy Mollett. Produced by Cheryl Brumley. Other Contributors: Rosemary Sales, Xia Lin, Perry Fung, John Gitting,Ting Xu. Music and sound came courtesy of the following users at freesound.org: bebeto (Intro music); Harri (Hypno1 and Hypno5); and Harp (Pryght-one); and the following user from the FreeMusicArchive.org: Jiony (Not Found_Invisible).

LSE Review of Books - Episode 6: China

Excerpt from Design Matters with Debbie Millman: https://soundcloud.com/designmatters/roberto-de-vicq

Background and discussion: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/02/25/roberto-de-vicq-de-cumptich-design-matters-debbie-millman/

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich on the story behind Bembo's Zoo

Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich on Men of Letters and People of Substance

Digital - http://smarturl.it/pelicans-we
CD/12" Vinyl: https://www.musicglue.com/cosmosheldrake/

Recorded by Cosmo Sheldrake. Mixed by alalal and mastered at The Exchange London.

Website - www.cosmosheldrake.com/
Facebook - www.facebook.com/cosmosheldrakemusic
Twitter - twitter.com/cosmosheldrake
YouTube - www.youtube.com/user/comsosheldrake

Download/Stream

Rich (Ft. Anndreyah Vargas)

Background and poem text <a href="http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/09/24/f-scott-fitzgerald-reads-john-masefield-on-growing-old/">here</a>.

Jake Barton on inner literature (Design Matters)

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