“You get at most one cliche per book,” the writer Jonathan Franzen said in a recent interview. Cue: Literary Twitter exploding. Snob! Hypocrite! But as Nancy and Sarah point out: Franzen is also awesome! And the journo babes love The Corrections and Freedom, etc. A discussion ensues about writerly rules (made to be broken) and the role of snobbery in the arts. The journo broads also debate Emmy fashion, including Emmy host Mariska Hargitay’s teen daughter in what Nancy sees as a cute dress and Sarah sees as … not that. Nancy shuts down a misery scammer taking advantage of the memory of our late friend Andrew Wimsatt. Please only refer to Nancy, from now on, as “Nancy Rommelmann, online avenger.” Sarah gives Nancy a pop quiz about her upcoming memoir (9/29/26), The Only Thing There Is to Want, which Nancy hasn’t read yet. Nancy gives Sarah a hard time for not having finished Nancy’s 2018 book To the Bridge, despite the fact that Sarah has had roughly eight years to do so. This is a FREE episode, so send it to TWO friends, who’ll send it to two friends … Also discussed: * The return of the goon cave * Do not f___ with Nancy’s people * Widow’s Bay FTW!!! * Oscar Isaac, Sarah’s boyfriend who is not Robert De Niro * Sex worker or sorority girl? * Metaphor debate! * Ellroy or Leonard: Who said it? * Paglia or Steinem: Who made the cut for Sarah’s book? * Sarah goes to a hen party, does not apologize for the stereotype Plus, the shadow side of second-wave feminism, Joan Didion gets it right, did Infinite Jest predict our AI doomscape? And much more! ALSO! Sarah is teaching a special 90-minute memoir-writing workshop on Sat., Sept. 26, 1pm ET / 10am PT, for the under-$100 cost of 3 pre-ordered books. Just email your receipt(s) to 3lovesmemoir@gmail.com, and you’ll get a Zoom link. More info on the memoir class here. For the cost of a freaking matcha latte, you could get this 90-min intimate-funny-smart chitchat in your ear holes every time Episode Notes: Matt and others remember Andrew Wimsatt, a gentle giant of a man “Anatomy of a Random, Unhinged Assault in Portland, City of Professed Benevolence,” by Nancy Rommelmann (RealClearInvestigations) Big congratulations to Nancy’s longtime friend Larry Karaszewski, whose producer-daughter Carver—whom Nancy last saw when she was eight-years-old—was part of the Widow’s Bay Emmy sweep. Soak it up, Dad! Nancy asked her daughter to weigh in on DressGate (picture below): “I was more attracted to Mariska, who is beautiful and sexy and amazing. Her daughter’s dress, I’m kind of neutral on. Plus they’re wearing matching dresses, which is sweet. We should all be so lucky. Just tell Hepola she’s a prude.” Sarah responds: “I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.” — The Management Pre-order The Only Thing There Is to Want, because you have less than two weeks to listen to these plugs, so let’s celebrate. What’s in your hot box? Nancy: Murder in Paris ‘68: A True Story of Death and Glamour, by Edward Chisholm Sarah: The White Album, by Joan Didion This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.smokeempodcast.com/subscribe
