Would spooky season be complete with some Stephen King? Constant reader, I submit to you: no.This week, Caroline Bicks—the inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature at the University of Maine—stops by to talk about the power of Stephen King's writing, whether read on the page or read aloud, and why he and Shakespeare have a whole lot in common. Consider it a sneak peek into Monsters in the Archives, her book about diving into Stephen King's archives that's out next spring.Then, Jaime Green joins Drew to shed some light on the mysterious nature (pun intended) of being Series Editor for The Best American Science & Nature Writing—because the next round of Best American titles comes out next Tuesday! Still no horror, or romance, but a boy can dream.Plus, at the top of the show, some shout-outs to the watery and the vampiric, the two trends Drew is noticing this October in spooky reading, best summed up by the perfectly-titled Vampires at Sea. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
42:31
--------
42:31
October 10, 2025
What evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows, but so too does Thomas Pynchon, we're pretty sure.This week, we're celebrating the latest from Pynchon with Devin Thomas O'Shea ("Thomas Pynchon Has Been Warning Us About American Fascism the Whole Time") and a wide-ranging conversation about the man's keen eye on American darkness—but before that, our own Oliver Scialdone drops by to chat splatterpunk and why oozy body horror deserves your attention. (Also, if you want to read Oliver's full essay about splatter, you might want to become a member...) Then, to wrap things up, Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore (Terry Dactyl) calls in to suggest some ways we might all get better at supporting one another and why feeling jealousy might be the right moment to get excited instead. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
47:14
--------
47:14
October 3, 2025
Spooky season is upon us! It's Drew's favorite month and he's got a whole stack of Hallow-reads to keep him company — which has him in generally good spirits (buhdumtshhh) about the future. This week, Hillary Brenhouse stops in to talk about launching ELASTIC, a new print magazine dedicated to psychedelic art and literature. Then, beloved illustrator Jon Klassen talks with Drew live at Rough Draft about the art of board books, why we should talk to kids about death, and letting go of projects that don't work. It's a fun one!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
44:44
--------
44:44
September 26, 2025
Many of us were told or taught that the internet would be permanent — that the things we post, whether on social media or a blog or even a real-life website like Literary Hub, would last forever. But much of the last decade or so has proved that that's not true! Things can disappear at the blink of an eye — or the flash of a very rich person's temper. Maria Bustillos is no stranger to the disappearing internet, and she joins us this week to discuss her recent CJR piece "The Bigger Threat to Books Than Bans" as well as the hope provided by communally run organizations like Flaming Hydra. Then, a sneak peek at the latest addition to the Lit Hub Radio line-up: Culture Schlock, hosted by Olivia Rutigliano! We've got an exclusive excerpt from the first episode, featuring Samantha Hunt talking about discovering Nikola Tesla and the unfortunate dissonance of the poorly-run car company sharing his name. And finally, a phone call from Kate Broad (Greenwich) about the importance of third spaces!Hosted by Drew BroussardMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynA Lit Hub Radio PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
--------
38:16
--------
38:16
September 19, 2025
Featuring Gretchen Felker-Martin, Erica Cerulo & Claire Mazur of 831 Stories, and a phone call from Chill Subs!It's a scary time to be speaking up for what we believe in, but these are the times when we must simply speak even louder in support of the good and just and right. Sometimes, that means calling it like it is when a hatemonger dies and standing firm in the face of ensuing vitriol and cowardice, like Gretchen Felker-Martin has done in the wake of being fired from DC (and having her whole comic line scrapped) for posting about another dead bigot — and sometimes, that's about raising up stories that forefront safety, consent, women's pleasure, and good design, like the novellas from 831 Stories. Sometimes, it's as simple as putting your money where your mouth is, like Chill Subs has done with the announcement of their first Lit Mag Incubator grantees!But no matter what: community. Community, community, community. Hosted by Drew BroussardMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynA Lit Hub Radio PodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A weekly behind-the-scenes dive into everything interesting, dynamic, strange, and wonderful happening in literary culture—featuring Lit Hub staff, columnists, and special guests! Hosted by Drew Broussard.The Lit Hub Podcast is a production of Lit Hub RadioMusic by Dani Lencioni of EvelynEngineering and production by Stardust House
UK