Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends

R. Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain
  • 4.2 (5)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Join Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & a rotating panel of guests as they all share about what they're reading. Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkAboutTextPod Support the show: https://talkabouttext.substack.com/

  1. 11/04/2025

    Ep. 15: James Dobson's Bastard Kids

    This got posted to YouTube last week but not in this feed! My (Blake's) bad! Chaz & Chrissy, the hosts of the podcast James Dobson's Bastard Kids (neé the Excommunication Station) join the show! We go long, in more ways than one, on regional food talk and books. Check out James Dobson's Bastard Kids wherever you listen to podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WYfTqA... Follow them on Instagram:   / jamesdobsonsbastardkids   Books Discussed: Blake: Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Chaz: Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo Chrissy: Circe by Madeline Miller Scott: Mr. Taffle's Pants of Insanity by Daniel Eric Finkel (not on bookshop.org, here's the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taffles-Pants-...) All other books found on our bookshop.org episode page: https://bookshop.org/lists/ep-15-picks 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:28 Casual Banter and Podcasting Insights 01:08 Guest Introduction: Chrissy & Chaz from James Dobson's Bastard Children Podcast 02:04 Regional Discussions: Sports and Food 06:10 Debate on Regional Sandwiches 16:47 Reading Habits and Preferences 22:52 Book Recommendations and Reviews 41:03 The Book That Made Me Cry 41:53 Discovering a Love for Reading 42:30 The Story of Johnny Got His Gun 44:56 The Impact of the Book 46:37 Dalton Trumbo's Legacy 48:33 Reading a Powerful Passage 53:24 Chrissy's Favorite Book: Circe by Madeline Miller 56:37 The Story of Circe 01:06:37 Themes of Motherhood and Independence 01:13:10 Scott's Book Recommendation 01:18:20 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts

  2. 10/15/2025

    Ep. 14: Azeem & Nazia Talk James Baldwin & Chicago's Culinary Superiority

    This week, Scott & Blake are joined by Azeem Khan & Nazia Islam, both of whom are librarians--and that's just the start of how cool they are. Azeem vouches for Chicago's culinary scene on Devon Ave and helps Blake earn a W in the fake-regional-food-beef-that-maybe-won't-always-be-so-fake. (Look, Blake is writing this and lives in the Chicago area and it's under siege by the federal government b/c Trump has been big mad for a decade that this city rejected him after he launched his political career here from his eyesore of a skyscraper that people flip off with regularity. Give me this.) Book picks (purchase them at bookshop.org to support us!): Scott: The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson Nazia: James Baldwin in Turkey by Sedat Pekay and James Baldwin's Turkish Decade: Erotics of Exicle by Magdalena J. Zaborowska Azeem: Piranesi by Susannah Clarke; The Home Recording Handbook by Martin Newell; Weathercraft by Jim Woodring Blake: Things Become Other Things: A Walking Memoir by Craig Mod Check out Nazia's podcast, Embracing Mystery! Check out Azeem's music at Bandcamp: Whalesound

  3. 09/30/2025

    Ep. 13: David & Mick Talk Publishing

    In this episode, we're joined by David Morris and Mick Silva from the podcast, Publishing Disrupted! (These show notes will be updated with book links later.) 00:00 Welcome Back! 00:53 Discussing Regional Cuisines 01:23 Introducing Our Guests 02:06 Insights on the Publishing Industry 09:51 The State of Reading Today 13:29 Amazon Book Categories 20:41 Books We're Reading 32:18 The Mystery of a Bestselling Book 32:54 Evangelicalism and Capitalism 33:32 Hope and Skepticism 33:53 Comedic Takes on Religion 34:27 Current Reading List 35:31 Exploring American Religious History 38:09 The Roots of American Individualism 45:35 Midwestern Identity and Tradition 48:59 Photography and Media Critique 54:28 The Impact of Big Tech 01:01:43 The Importance of Reading 01:03:08 Publishing Industry Insights

  4. 09/16/2025

    Ep. 12: Scott and Blake Talk About K-Pop & Sandworms

    In this episode, Scott & Blake chat (no guests joined the table today) about K-Pop, sandworms, and of course, books. Books discussed: Illusive by Virginia Duan (Scott) Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert (Blake) Supergods by Grant Morrison (Blake - a bonus pick) All books can be purchased from our bookshop page here. And of course you can find our books here. Have a question, comment, or want to come on the show? Send us a message at talkabouttextpod@gmail.com

  5. 09/03/2025

    Episode 11: Romance (the genre) and The Life of a Bookstore Owner with Ashley and Emily

    In this episode, Scott & Blake sit down with Ashley Newell and Emily Autenrieth. In the first section, Ashley shares about her love of the romance genre and the books she’s been reading. Afterwards Emily shares about her experiences as owner of A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA, including what it means for bookstores to be part of communities and how she runs book events. Also, Blake mixes up Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac and embarrasses himself. You can support A Seat at the Table books via their bookshop.org page if you’re not in the area! Books discussed: Left of Forever by Sarah Dewitt (Ashley) Triple Sec by TJ Alexander (Ashley) The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Emily) Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (Emily) Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders (Emily) Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power by Kasia Urbaniak (Emily) Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age by Ada Palmer Somebody to Love? A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick

  6. 08/14/2025

    Let's Talk About Text Ep 10: Scott & Blake Catch Up and Talk About Jazz (and books, obvs)

    This episode is just Scott & Blake. They talk about Blake's travels, jazz, and books. It's laid back. Come hang out. Books mentioned: A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (Scott): https://bookshop.org/a/112048/9780679731146 Chew Volume 1: Taster's Choice (Blake) Chew is not available on bookshop.org, so here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Chew-Tasters-Choice-John-Layman/dp/1607061597 Support us by buying books from our bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/talkabouttext Subscribe to our newsletter while you're at it: https://talkabouttext.substack.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Let's Talk About Text 00:28 Catching Up with Scott 01:05 French Culinary Adventures 05:03 The Beauty of the Riviera 07:31 Jazz and Personal Stories 28:46 Catching Up and Tangents 29:34 The Professor's Dilemma 32:23 The Joy of Discussing Books 40:16 Writing Routines and Challenges 45:24 Book Recommendations and Reflections 56:30 Wrapping Up and Listener Invitation

  7. 08/05/2025

    Ep. 9: Scott & Marla Talk About Murakami and more

    In this episode, Blake is out and Scott Okamoto is joined by Marla Taviano to discuss books, reading, baseball, and more! Scott's book: The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor Marla's book: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami Find all previous picks - and support our show - by buying from our bookshop.org page! 00:00 Introduction to Let's Talk About Text 00:33 Meet Marla Aviano: A Prolific Reader 02:51 The Joy of Physical Books vs. E-Readers 03:58 Audiobooks: A Different Experience 05:10 School and Reading: A Love-Hate Relationship 05:57 Discovering a Favorite Book 14:06 Haruki Murakami: Novelist as a Vocation 30:32 Expressing Passion and Authenticity 31:34 Breaking Free from Evangelical Christianity 33:27 The Power of Simple Language in Writing 35:24 The Impact of Great Teachers 36:00 Exploring Flannery O'Connor's Work 38:37 The Beauty and Heartbreak of Gloria Naylor's Writing 43:41 The Joy of Reading and Writing 51:37 Finding Passion in Unexpected Places 56:42 Marla's Writing Journey and Future Goals 59:58 Conclusion and Podcast Invitation

  8. 07/30/2025

    Ep. 8: Hemingway, Tiki, Memoir, & The Answer to Everything with Dave & Zach

    We're back from a short break and a day late due to some travel snafus! In this episode, Scott & Blake talk to Dave Lester and Zach Malm from the excellent podcast, Veterans of Culture Wars! We talk about Hemingway, tiki culture, memoirs, and the greatest five-part trilogy in the sci-fi canon. As always you can find the links to the books discussed on our bookshop.org page here. Follow Zach and Dave on Bluesky. Buy Scott & Blake's books!

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Join Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & a rotating panel of guests as they all share about what they're reading. Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkAboutTextPod Support the show: https://talkabouttext.substack.com/

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