Three Percent Podcast

Open Letter Books
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The Three Percent Podcast is a weekly(ish) conversation about new books, the publishing scene, international literature in translation, and many other random rants and raves. Chad W. Post of Open Letter Books and Tom Roberge of New Directions and Albertine Bookstore keep things irreverent, informed, and funny in a podcast that'll keep you up to date on the international literary and publishing worlds. Maybe. (Presented by Three Percent @ the University of Rochester.) threepercentproblem.substack.com

  1. Three Percent Podcast #207: Translating Malagasy Literature with Allison Charette

    1D AGO

    Three Percent Podcast #207: Translating Malagasy Literature with Allison Charette

    On this episode of the Three Percent Podcast, French translator and University of Rochester MALTS grad, Allison Charette, joins Chad to discuss her most recent translation: Return by Raharimanana (Seagull Books). A structurally complex, evocative work about memory, trauma, family, and beauty, Return is also a great introduction to the modern history of Madagascar—a history filled with political upheaval and division. From translation issues and the lack of Malagasy works in English, to comparisons between Raharimanana and António Lobo Antunes, this episode goes deep into a number of issues surrounding the publication and presentation of world literature. This episode’s music is “Window to Your World” by Mammal Hands. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    54 min
  2. "The Calf" by Leif Høghaug & David M. Smith

    12/29/2025

    "The Calf" by Leif Høghaug & David M. Smith

    Leif Høghaug (who is currently translating Finnegans Wake into Norwegian) and David M. Smith join Chad and Kyle Semmel to talk about The Calf, one of the strangest books to come out in 2025. They provide curious readers with some guideposts to approaching this book, talk about influences and specific Norwegian dialects, David’s choice to write this in the Appalachian dialect his dad speaks, deciding to “write like an idiot” and enjoy the play and music of language, and much more. If you’re at all curious about this unique book, this episode may well convince you to pick up a copy. This episode’s music is “Idiot Box” by Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    1h 7m
  3. "Married Life" by Sergio Pitol & George Henson

    12/23/2025

    "Married Life" by Sergio Pitol & George Henson

    George Henson (Pitol’s translator) and Mark Haber (Lesser Ruins, Ada) join Chad to celebrate the recent release in English of the third volume in Sergio Pitol’s “Carnival Triptych,” Married Life. They talk about that book, but also spend a lot of time discussing The Art of Flight and the “Trilogy of Memory,” which propelled Pitol into the global spotlight both when it came out in the original Spanish, and in George’s translation. There’s also talk of translation theory and finding a voice, editing practices and intertextuality, and much more. This episode’s music is “Marriage” by Gold Panda. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    1h 30m
  4. Hagfish

    11/25/2025

    Hagfish

    Dropping on the same day that Hagfish’s first publication—To Smithereens by Rosalyn Drexler—was named as one of the New York Times’s “100 Notable Books of 2025,” this podcast explores the Hagfish business model with its cofounders, Julia Ringo and Naomi Huffman. They discuss how the press came to be, what draws them to particular titles, the difficulty of distribution, why they’re only doing two titles a year, and much more. The conversation also focuses on their second title, Man Hating Psycho by Iphgenia Baal, a brilliant collection of stories that’s raucous, well-crafted, and, like what Dylan Thomas said about At Swim-Two-Birds, “just the sort of book to give your sister if she’s a loud, dirty, boozy girl!” (It really would make a great holiday present . . . just saying.) This is part of a new thread of Three Percent Podcasts in which an indie press discusses the inner workings of publishing, through the lens of one of their recent publications. This episode on World Editions and The Cracks We Bear by Catalina Infante & Michelle Mirabella was a sort of soft launch for this, and we do have several episodes lined up for the next few months . . . This week’s music is “The Bitter End” from Molly Nilsson. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    1h 6m
  5. Three Percent Podcast #203: World Editions 3.0 + "The Cracks We Bear"

    10/16/2025

    Three Percent Podcast #203: World Editions 3.0 + "The Cracks We Bear"

    Christine Swedowsky, the newest publisher of World Editions, and Michelle Mirabella, translator of Catalina Infante’s The Cracks We Bear join Chad to discuss the various eras of World Editions and how an indie press can evolve over time, and a few upcoming titles. The conversation focuses on Mirabella & Infante’s forthcoming novel, discussing how the book is much more than another book about motherhood, the difficulty of translating certain titles for the American market, and how valuable a collaborative experience with your publisher can be. This week’s music is “Burn This Atlas Down (2 of Clubs)” from Hallelujah the Hills. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the Mining the Dalkey Archive podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch us on YouTube. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    59 min
  6. Three Percent Podcast #202: Jen Calleja on "Fair: The Life-Art of Translation"

    08/25/2025

    Three Percent Podcast #202: Jen Calleja on "Fair: The Life-Art of Translation"

    Quick Reminder: All Open Letter books either written or translated by women are on sale for 40% off to celebrate Women in Translation Month through August 31st! Shop the whole collection here! Jen Calleja, translator, author, musician, recent PhD recipient, joins Chad to talk about her recent book, Fair: The Life-Art of Translation. They discuss the origins of the book, the various types of “translation” books out there, Fair’s unique structure, the translator as storyteller, Jen’s writing voice, the role performance has played in her life, and much more. Three songs from Calleja on this podcast: “Transmitters” and “The Bridge” open and close the episode, with a bit of “Erase” popping up where appropriate. You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the Mining the Dalkey Archive podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch us on YouTube. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    58 min
  7. Three Percent Podcast #201: Suzanne Jill Levine's "Unfaithful"

    08/18/2025

    Three Percent Podcast #201: Suzanne Jill Levine's "Unfaithful"

    In our ongoing celebration of Women in Translation Month, Chad talked to Suzanne Jill Levine about Unfaithful: A Translator’s Memoir, recently released by Bloomsbury Academic. They discuss her life as a translator who was there during “The Boom” and her work with Manuel Puig (who deserves another rediscovery), Adolfo Bioy Casares (Chad relates his Lost story about The Invention of Morel), Severo Sarduy (Cobra is now available as a Dalkey Essential), G. Cabrera Infante, Emir Rodríguez Monegal, intimacy and translation, and more. This episode’s music is “Lightning” by Arcade Fire, a problematic band for sure, but, given the storm that disrupted this recording, a song that sort of fits. (And isn’t Imagine Dragons.) Also, for the month of August, all Open Letter books either written or translated by women are on sale for 40% off to celebrate Women in Translation Month. Shop the whole collection here! You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the Mining the Dalkey Archive podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch us on YouTube. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    54 min

  8. 08/12/2025

    Three Percent Podcast #200: The Return of Roberge

    On this special 200th episode of the Three Percent Podcast, Tom Roberge—original co-host, former publicist for New Directions, co-founder of Riffraff Books, and current head of residencies at the Jan Michalski Foundation—returns to talk about life in Switzerland, his media diet, Swiss support for culture, how he no longer follows the Mets very closely, and much more. A number of books and authors are mentioned on the podcast, but special attention should be drawn to After 8 Books and A Forest Petrifies: Diamond Feedback by Félicia Atkinson. This episode’s music is “Box Elder” by Pavement. Also, for the month of August, all Open Letter books either written or translated by women are on sale for 40% off to celebrate Women in Translation Month. Shop the whole collection here! You can subscribe to the Three Percent Podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find the Mining the Dalkey Archive podcast at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch us on YouTube. And be sure to follow our sister podcasts: Two Month Review (Apple, Spotify) and Mining the Dalkey Archive (Apple, Spotify) for more book and industry talk! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threepercentproblem.substack.com

    1h 19m
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About

The Three Percent Podcast is a weekly(ish) conversation about new books, the publishing scene, international literature in translation, and many other random rants and raves. Chad W. Post of Open Letter Books and Tom Roberge of New Directions and Albertine Bookstore keep things irreverent, informed, and funny in a podcast that'll keep you up to date on the international literary and publishing worlds. Maybe. (Presented by Three Percent @ the University of Rochester.) threepercentproblem.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Open Letter Books
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    433
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Chad W. Post
  • Show Website
    Three Percent Podcast