The Infinite Library

John Hagele
  • 4.9 (16)
  • Books
  • Updated Semiweekly

A podcast about books, mortality, and what to do with your limited time with both. Hosted by John & Ben.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 68 - "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge" by Rainer Maria Rilke (feat. Ben Rosenzweig)

    This week, we have two Bens! Ben's friend Ben Rosenzweig joins us to discuss "The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge" by Rainer Maria Rilke. We discuss our personal relationships with Rilke's work, love and death, and how this book smacks of gender. As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.

  2. Jul 7

    Episode 67 - "The Tunnel" by William Gass, Part 1

    We begin our Summer 2026 series on "The Tunnel" by William Gass. Topics of conversation include, literary Big Boys, Gass' problematizing of academic humanism, and The Fasicism of the Heart. As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.

  3. Jun 24

    Episode 66 - "Interview with the Vampire" by Anne Rice

    We're back and it's Pride! As is tradition, John has made Ben read a big gay book, in this case Anne Rice's classic "Interview with the Vampire". Before we discuss the book, we do a brief debrief on last season and Woke 2. Then we dig into the goth gayness of Anne Rice's bloodsuckers. Topics of conversations include the life and times of Anne Rice, the figure of the vampire in literature, and the recent adaptation of IWTV. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation! We'll be back in two weeks with our first episode on William Gass' "The Tunnel"!

  4. May 19

    Episode 65 - "Rakesfall" by Vajra Chandrasekera

    We close out this season by discussing "Rakesfall" by Vajra Chandrasekera. This might be one of the toughest books to have a straightforward conversation about that we've done, but we hope our chit chat is still enjoyable to listen to. Vajra's Unbuddhism essay: https://vajra.me/2021/10/27/%E0%B6%85%E0%B6%B6%E0%B7%9E%E0%B6%AF%E0%B7%8A%E0%B6%B0%E0%B6%9A%E0%B6%B8-unbuddhism/ WE'RE TAKING A VACATION! The Infinite Library will return in mid-June. We'll share next season's schedule before then. Stay Cool, Bookheads!

  5. May 5

    Episode 64 - "A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers" by Xiaolu Guo

    This week, John and Ben discuss Xiaolu Guo's "A Concise-Chinese Dictionary for Lovers". Topics of conversation include the Guo's use of film references, use of non-standard English in fiction, and the arc of modern Chinese history as observed in the show. As always, we hope you enjoy our conversation!

  6. Apr 22

    Episode 63 - "Three Lives" by Gertrude Stein

    This week, we're wrapping up our Modernist mini-season by reading "Three Lives" by Gertrude Stein. We discuss our relationships with Stein and other Lost Generation writers, Stein's tactile language, and why something so well written is also so painfully racist. As always, we hope that you enjoy the conversation.

  7. Apr 7

    Episode 62 - "Dunfords Travels Everywheres" by William Melvin Kelley

    Our modernism mini-season starts with a conversation about "Dunfords Travels Everywheres" by William Melvin Kelley. Topics of conversation include the differences between modernism and post-modernism, the way Kelley pushes the English language, and the role language can play in liberation. As always, we hope you enjoy the conversation!

  8. Mar 25

    Episode 61 - "Wormwood" by Poppy Z. Brite

    This week we continue our exploration of the Gen X Horror guys by reading "Wormwood" by Poppy Z. Brite. As always, we hope that you enjoy our conversation!

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4.9
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

A podcast about books, mortality, and what to do with your limited time with both. Hosted by John & Ben.

Information

  • Creator
    John Hagele
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © John Hagele
  • Show Website
    The Infinite Library

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