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Turek Books Podcast
Author Lexi Kent-Monning Brings Cookies
"Burden of Joy" author Lexi Kent-Monning joins host Joshua Turek to discuss her novel that Joshua loved. She talks about coming from a long line of book readers and writers and her Esalen hot springs adventures growing up in Central California. Lexi shares a wide ranging selection of books from the Divorce novel "Liars" to a YA novel that she hopes will make Josh fall in love with Los Angeles again. She also baked delicious coconut chocolate chip cookies.
For all things Lexi Kent-Monning visit https://www.lexikentmonning.com/ and her ig https://www.instagram.com/lexicola/?hl=en
For Joshua Turek's tour dates and poetry book check out joshuaturek.com but also for more of his writing its free on his new Substack https://joshuaturek.substack.com/
Books Talked About Include:
Liars by Sarah Manguso
All Fours by Miranda July
Bruha wendy c ortiz
The Burden of Joy
The Passion According to GH by Clarice Lespecter
A Fortune for Your Disaster by Hanif Abdurraqib
Richard Brautigan
His daughters book about him
Dan Fante’s memoir
Dangerous Angels by Francesca
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50. Infinite Jest Digest with podcaster Cam George (Talking Talk Tuah)
57:32||Ep. 50Comedian Cam George of Talking Talk Tuah now Talking Talk podcast discusses being mystified by Infinite Jest and encountering this red flag memed book with new eyes.Joshua's U.S. comedy tour starts this Saturday in New York City. That's Saturday night June 21 at Rodney's on the Upper Eastside. Followed by Chicago on Tuesday June 24 at Zanies. Philadelphia June 27. Dallas June 29 and more. Get tickets now! For all things Joshua Turek go to joshuaturek.comBooks Talked About Include:Infinite jestsound and the furyall the pretty horsesblood meridianlonesome doveconfederacy of dunceshunger gamesgirl with the dragon tattoo49. EMT Hugo of Seize the Means Shirts
56:01||Ep. 49Catch Joshua on tour! New York City show is in two weeks at Rodney's on 6/21! Chicago at Zainies 6/24! Philly at Next in Line Comedy 6/27! And More....Just added New Orleans! Boise! Coming soon with more dates. Follow my Bandsintown to be notified! And order signed copies of my poetry bookEMT and Political Creator Hugo of Seize the Means Shirts talks reading 70 books a year with host Joshua Turek. Hard to stomach nonfiction and breezy science fiction.Books talked about includeautobiography of malcom xhow to hide an empirejakarta methodassadaThe word for world is forestthe poppy fieldsparable of the sowerparable of the talentsnaomi klein shock doctrineWashington BulletsKing Leopolds ghostCobalt Redthe rediscovery of americathe indigenous peoples history of the united statesblack against empiremanufacturing consentinventing realityfight like helluprising by haddixBraiding sweetgrass48. Writer Evgenia Kovda on Philip K. Dick
01:22:14||Ep. 48Catch Joshua Turek on comedy tour this summer of 2025. To get notified of cities and dates follow his bandsintown and to buy signed copies of his new poetry book "Of Dumb Importance" on joshuaturek.comWriter and filmmaker Evgenia Kovda goes in depth with host Joshua Turek on sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick. Did this troubled man predict the future we are living in now or was he the architect of it for bad actors? Evgenia and Joshua discuss the writings of Dick as well as their own serendipitous interactions with each other in changing neighborhoods over the years as well as Josh's visit to her podcast with Yasha Levine "In Bed with the Russians". Check out Evgenia and Yasha's Substack it's a favorite of Turek Books!47. Musician and Author Britt Warner (Josh's sister)
42:32||Ep. 47Josh's sister musician and author Britt Warner brings books that make her miss L.A. and her own novella "Swimming with Horses".For tickets to Josh's Summer of Discontent Comedy Tour 2025 click here and to get a signed copy of the new poetry book "Of Dumb Importance" click here international friends who want to pay normal shipping for the book can get it hereBooks talked about include:Swimming with horses: Britt WarnerSlow Days and Fast Company : Eve BabitzDidion vs Babitz bookOf Dumb Importance by Joshua TurekJames Gandolfini Bio : Jason Bailey46. Comedian Steve Hernandez on Defying Conventional Narratives
01:02:12||Ep. 46Comedian and producer of Chatterbox comedy, Steve Hernandez, talks books about rich men seducing young women, polyamory, his own experiences with fatherhood, open relationships, comedy, and navigating his passions toward the shrinking prizes of industry. For even more on Steve check him out hereJoshua Turek is going on a 2025 summer comedy tour! New York City is first on June 21! Chicago, Philly, Dallas, San Diego, L.A., Eureka, Portland, Seattle, Tulsa, Kansas City, with more dates soon! Follow for tickets and new dates on his bandsintown or to buy tickets directly on his web site where his new poetry book "Of Dumb Importance" should be out any second now and is available for pre-order!Books Talked About Include:Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams fb tell all book My Life in Heavy Metal by Steve AlmondWild by Cheryl StrayedThe Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet HardyOpen by Rachel KrantzMore by Molly Roden WinterWriters and Lovers by Lily KingColumbine by Dave CullenZealot by Reza AslanThe Bible the book of James45. Musician and Sign Language Interpreter Dominique Matelson On the Idea of a Fantasy
01:21:17||Ep. 45Catch Joshua Turek on his comedy tour this summer! Tickets are up for shows in NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, L.A., Eureka, Seattle, Portland, Kansas City with more dates and cities coming soon at joshuaturek.com . First 3 in each city to send proof of tickets to acalmquietplace@gmail.com get a free copy of Josh's new poetry book after the corresponding show!Musician and sign language interpreter Dominique Matelson joins host Joshua Turek to discuss the pleasures and pitfalls of fantasy and how books from I Spy to Clarice Lespecter have helped her integrate her well being and creativity. Check out Dominique here https://www.instagram.com/dominiquematelson/ also wait until the very end to hear the song of hers "When I Told a Lie" they reference at the beginning of the conversation (music video on YouTube).Books Talked About Include:Books talked about includeI SPY Fantasy/MysteryClarice lespecter’s Complete StoriesNo One Belongs Here More Than You Miranda JulyAll Fours Miranda JulyCrime and PunishmentConfederacy of DuncesDunce Mary RuefleAlex’s journal Alex Cleo Rouboud44. Bibliomancy with Author Sophie Strand
01:15:02||Ep. 44Catch Joshua Turek on comedy tour this summer! Tickets are up for shows in NYC, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, L.A., Seattle, Portland, Kansas City with more dates and cities coming soon at joshuaturek.comAuthor of "The Body is a Doorway", Sophie Strand talks with host Joshua Turek about her memoir, mycellial networks, books as guides to our psychic lives, and how both of them want to open bookstores. Check out Sophie's work here https://sophiestrand.com/Books talked about include:Plants in the imaginale realmUrsula Leguin The Language of the NightA Distant Mirror by Barbara TuchmanJoan of Arc by herself and her witnessesRed Rising Series by Pierce BrownLonesome Dove Larry McMurtryBooks by Larry Mcmurtrythe One Inside Sam ShepherdJoseph Campbell myth booksConfederacy of Dunces43. Filmmaker Joe Carnahan and I Eventually Get to Books
01:32:11||Ep. 43Film Director Joe Carnahan (The Grey, Narc, RIP -new movie starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) and host Joshua Turek discuss a wide range of topics from the LA wildfires to never meeting your heroes. Joe brings a Noam Chomsky book and tells of why he can't read James Ellroy books anymore. They get into Trump and Biden and the U.S. imperial apparatus but also have a good time.Want to see Joshua Turek performing live? Visit joshuaturek.com for summer comedy tour dates! So far, San Diego, Seattle, Kansas City tickets are available with L.A., New York and more coming soon!Check out Joe Carnahan's new movie "Shadow Force" and upcoming after that "RIP" starring Matt Damon and Ben AffleckBooks Talked About Include:The Myth of American Idealism noam chomskyMartyr Kaveh AkbarJonathan Franzen The Corrections and FreedomAll The Shahs Men Stephen KinzerBooks by Larry McMurtrySome New Kind of Kick by Kid Congo PowersWerner Herzog Every Man For Himself and God Against AllGod Is Not Great Christophr Hitchens42. Sonoran Desert Biologist Robert Villa on How We're All Roommates
01:09:17||Ep. 42Host Joshua Turek sits down with Desert Scientist and Reptile Expert, Robert Villa, who is also in Community Outreach at the University of Arizona Desert Labs at Tumamoc Hill in Tucson. Their conversation spans, Sonoran Desert books, Pablo Neruda poems, and the interdependence of all life on Earth. Joshua is going on comedy tour this summer! Check dates on his site joshuaturek.com so far tickets are already available for San Diego and Seattle. Bestiary-Pablo NerudaThe Desert -John Van DyckeBlue Desert - Charles BowdenKilling the Hidden Waters - Charles Bowden-ofelia ZepedaDebt - David Graeber