Skylight Books Podcast Series

Minimalist music is not about minimal materials. It's about time. It's a process that puts the experience of time into sound. In discussing Minimalist Music, his new book for 33 1/3's GENRE series, musician and critic George Grella, Jr. (Miles Davis' Bitches Brew) looks at the classical music history that pushed composers like Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, and Arvo Pärt to pursue a musical approach that shunned early 20th Century academic trends and brought classical music back to the public. He also talks about the ways this music interacts with pop culture, through film scores and soundtracks and appearances on TV shows like The Simpsons and Ted Lasso. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer.Recorded remotely via Zencastr. If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

This podcast will go down on your permanent record! Novelist Nic Brown joins the podcast to discuss his new nonfiction book on the self-titled debut album, Violent Femmes. This acoustic post-punk landmark is an album that took nearly a decade to go platinum -- and then it appeared briefly on the Billboard Top 200 Albums charts. Tunes like "Blister in the Sun" and "Gone Daddy Gone" have gone from secret rock talismans to mainstream classics. Brown discusses interviewing the band now about the strange and scrappy writing and recording of this early '80s album and the countless unexpected stories he wound up uncovering.Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

JEOPARDY! champion Buzzy Cohen returns to Better Than the Movie for a third short-story-to-film adaptation discussion. This time it's the tragicomic showbiz/political tale A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957), written by Budd Schulberg and directed by Elia Kazan, based on Schulberg's short story, "Your Arkansas Traveler." Future lovable sitcom dad Andy Griffith stars as Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, a vagabond singer who becomes a TV sensation and fledgling demagogue. It's a film chock full of great performances that also acts as a sad reflection on the times -- both then and now. There are lots of Lonesome Rhodes in the world, at varying points of the good-evil continuum. Some of the Lonesomes the BTTM crew discuss here include Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Bruce Springsteen, and Dhar Mann. You won't want to miss this one.Hosted by Tyler Austin, Allan Traylor, and Justin Remer.Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movieOpening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

This year is the 40th anniversary of Jim Henson's beloved cult classic film Labyrinth, and author Jes Battis is on the podcast to discuss their new book on the film: It's Only Forever: Labyrinth (available April 7, 2026). Starring Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, and a slew of goblins and goodies from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the film is a storybook fantasy that transcended its original box office failure to become a fan favorite. It's Only Forever is both an analytical and personal text, and Battis discusses the book's reading of the film as a queer narrative released in a time of '80s macho orthodoxy.Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. If you like podcasts, maybe you enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm.Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Moor! Moor! Moor! The Better Than the Movie gang is hanging out where it's wily and windy, and they've brought along filmmaker and labor organizer Paige Gresty to talk about it. The subject is Emerald Fennell's "WUTHERING HEIGHTS" (complete with quotation marks) and its purported source novel, WUTHERING HEIGHTS (no quotation marks) by Emily Brontë. (Justin also watched the 1939 version with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, so there's an eensy weensy bit of talk about that movie too.) Is Fennell's film horny? Is it kinky? Is it subversive? Is it flashy? Is it any good? Well, I guess we'll find out. Hosted by Justin Remer, Allan Traylor, and Tyler Austin.Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movieOpening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

KOSMIC! Novelist, comics writer, and historian Stuart Moore joins the podcast to discuss his new book for the Marvel Age of Comics critical series from Bloomsbury and Marvel, Doctor Strange: A Decade of Dark Magic. As the title promises, Moore's book looks at the first ten years of the character - from its start as a supporting feature in Strange Tales from artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee through multiple reimaginings and adjustments in the hands of writers and artists like Roy Thomas, Gene Colan, and Steve Englehart. In this discussion with bookseller Justin Remer, Moore talks about the dialogue Doctor Strange created with the '60s counterculture, the tumultuous publishing history of the title, and his own prior interactions with the late Ditko and Lee. If you stick around, there's some Toxic Avenger talk near the end as well. Pick up a copy of the book at Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm.Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli's classic story arc of Daredevil comics from the mid-'80s, known as Born Again, is the subject of a new book from comics writer and editor Chris Ryall. Daredevil: Born Again - An Exploration is part of Bloomsbury and Marvel's new series of small critical books dedicated to classic comics runs, Marvel Age of Comics.Comics writer and artist (and Skylight's own) Sina Grace talks to Chris Ryall about this legendary Daredevil run and about the process of writing a book about such a major piece of the Marvel Comics canon.Pick up a copy of Chris Ryall's book from Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm. Hosted by Sina Grace. Produced by Sina Grace and Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

As a music genre, plunderphonics is somewhat misunderstood. While the genre is based on samples, much like hip-hop, it isn't just music made from other music. It utilizes samples to push the boundaries of copyright -- what is fair use, what is public domain, who truly owns a piece of music? Matthew Blackwell's new book for 33 1/3's GENRE series, Plunderphonics, traces the genre back to the quote-heavy compositions of early 20th Century composer Charles Ives and follows it up through the mash-up madness of Danger Mouse and Girl Talk. Along the way, Blackwell looks at the recordings and legal battles of diverse artists like Bay Area pranksters Negativland, comedy pioneers Buchanan and Goodman, hip-hop legends De La Soul, Biz Markie, and Beastie Boys, Aussie art-poppers The Avalanches, and avant-garde theorist (and coiner of the term Plunderphonics) John Oswald. Bookseller and writer Justin Remer talks with Blackwell about all these artists and more of the tidbits contained in his new book.Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Fan of audiobooks? Check out the "On the Skylight Pod" playlist on Libro.FM - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-podcastOpening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Ambient Music, as a genre, is one that is meant to be experienced consciously or unconsciously. It can be focused upon or ignored. It can feed your soul, brighten your day, or just counterpoint the din of the everyday. Dusty Henry, in his new book for 33 1/3's GENRE series, focuses upon 20TH CENTURY AMBIENT. The book looks at early and unexpected influences like Erik Satie and Blind Willie Johnson. It highlights leading artists of the form like Brian Eno, Harold Budd, Laraaji, Suzanne Ciani, and Hiroshi Yoshimura. It also touches upon artists like Wendy Carlos and Aphex Twin whose relationship to the genre is only part of their identity. Bookseller and writer Justin Remer talks with Henry about the book, which is one of his Holiday Catalog staff picks!Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Mwahahaha! The Better Than the Movie crew have gathered again to celebrate R.L. Stine's GOOSEBUMPS horror series for young readers. Rather than just talk ABOUT the books, as they did on the last Halloween special, they talk THROUGH a book. Justin reads a GIVE YOURSELF GOOSEBUMPS title (a kind of CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE sub-series from the late 1990s) while everyone provides color commentary as the BTTM fellas navigate through various DEAD ENDS (mwahahaha) in search of a happy conclusion. Hosted by Allan Traylor, Justin Remer, and Tyler Austin.Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at Tyler's house. (Sorry for all the handheld mic rustling.)"Johnny Graves" commercial taken from HALLOWEEN DREAMS by Creep Tape. Thanks to Matt Meindl for permission to use it.Selected incidental music by Duck the Piano Wire.Opening music: "Rumination: If I Should Die (Slowed / Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

In advance of the screening of Johnny Mnemonic in Black & White that the BTTM crew is hosting for the American Cinematheque's Friend of the Fest 2025, Allan and Justin get together to discuss the film and the William Gibson short story that inspired it. If you're going to be in Los Angeles on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, why not come to our movie screening at the Los Feliz 3 theater?Tickets available now on the American Cinematheque website! Hosted by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer. (Hope that Japan is fun, Tyler!)Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Author and comedian Sophia Benoit (Well, This Is Exhausting) joins the Better Than the Movie crew to discuss a modern children's book classic, HOLES by Louis Sachar, and its 2003 live-action Disney adaptation, which was scripted by Sachar himself, directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive), and starred an insanely talented ensemble cast headed by Megalopolis co-stars Shia LaBeouf and Jon Voigt. Both the book and movie have held up extremely well in the ensuing years... but which is better?Check out Sophia Benoit discussing her book with Tyler Austin on this episode from the Skylight Books archive: https://youtu.be/MxvdzJVo51c?si=Cc2Mq7j_o5YNU21YHosted by Tyler Austin, Allan Traylor, and Justin Remer. Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.