The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life
Join author John King for eclectic interviews with writers from a variety of genres, including fiction writing, poetry, memoirs, and journalism. From literature to genre writing to the movies, all writing is up for discussion. In particular, The Drunken Odyssey features discussion of all aspects of the writing process—not just the published manuscript, pristinely presented to the entire literate world, but also the scrawled notes and tortured drafts that lead writers there. In long-form interviews, writers discuss their process and the way that writing has influenced their lives. Besides this interview, each episode also features a short memoir essay from a writer about a beloved book, plus John King responds to listener’s questions and observations about the writing (and the drinking) life.
For more information, see our website at www.thedrunkenodyssey.com.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 71 minutes
- Episodes
- 694
- Years Active
- 2012 - 2025
648: Yuval Sharon!
In this week's show, John talks to opera director Yuval Sharon about the past and perhaps future rebirths of opera, while advocating for the relevance of this provocative art form. Yuval's new book, …
647: Billy Collins!
On this week’s show, John King talks to the two-time former poet laureate Billy Collins about his latest collection, Water, Water, and how, if the window doesn't open up for the composition of poetry…
646: Charles Bock!
On #646, John talks to Charles Bock about his extraordinary new memoir, how to make grief readable, the everyday struggles of writing and publishing, and the sacred perfection of the film of The Prin…
645: Schloctoberfest 2024 #4 (A Discussion of Pink Flamingos & Desperate Living with Jeff Shuster)
On #645, Jeff Shuster and John King delve into two miraculously trashy John Waters films from the 1970s, Pink Flamingos (1972) and Desperate Living (1977), to cap off our annual Schloctoberfesting.
644: Schloctoberfest 2024 #3 (A Discussion of Eraserhead with Jeff Shutter)
On this week’s show, Jeff Shuster and I delve into David Lynch's first film feature, Eraserhead. We consider the existential threat of re-animated chickens, hyper-sexual surrealism, and other importa…
643: Schloctoberfest 2024 #2 (A Discussion of THX 1138 with Jeff Shuster)!
On this week’s show, Jeff Shuster and I delve into George Lucas's debut film feature, a science fiction epic that isn't the one you are thinking of. This early '70s work helps us understand what was …
642: Schloctoberfest 24.1: A Discussion of David Cronenberg's Crimes of the Future with Jeff Shuster!
On this week’s show, Jeff Shuster and I discuss the existential provocations of two films called Crimes of the Future, both created by David Cronenberg.
641: Catching Up with Samantha Nickerson!
On #641, John and Samantha Nickerson catch up and discuss Miami Book Fair, Celebrity Poetry, the comic mask, and the acting careers of James Franco, Jack Nicholson, and Robin Williams in a totally li…
Replay: Episode 537: Michael Wheaton (2022)!
In this week's replay episode, John talks with the writer, publisher, and podcaster, Michael Wheaton (from 2022). Thanks to Brian Salmons!
640: Alex Gurtis!
On #640, John talks about poetry and bookselling and MFA programs and AWP conferences and Florida literature with Alex Gurtis, whose latest chapbook, When the Ocean Comes to Me, is now out with Bottl…
639: An Introduction without an Interview, Plus Fred Lambert with the Booze News Roundup!
On today's show, John talks about NaNoRiMo's new AI policy, the lameness of relatability as a value, and Elmore Leonard's 10 rules for writing, plus Fred Lambert shares a booze news roundup!
638: Jennifer Maonocherian!
On this episode, John speaks with the screenwriter and novelist Jennifer Manocherian about building characters, planning stories, and the discoveries made while drafting.
637: Tiffany Midge!
On this episode, John speaks with the poet Tiffany Midge about the vibrant, often overlooked roles of humor and entertainment in poetry. They also talk about James Cameron's Aliens, popular culture a…
636: Jeff Alessandrelli
On #636, John talks to Jeff Alessandrelli about his new novel, And Yet. They discusse the existentital torment of desire, the problem of overthinking the problem of overthinking, and the role of desi…
635: Michael Wheaton!
On this week's show, John talks to his friend Michael Wheaton about how to live in think in a media-saturated American life, which is the subject of his new book, Home Movies, available through Bunn…
634: A Discussion of Jewel's A Night Without Armor (with Rachael Tillman & Samantha Nickerson)
On this week's episode, Rachel Tillman, Samantha Nickerson, and John King join the nocturnal jousting in a conversation about Jewel's A Night Without Armor. This is a taste of what will be coming to …
633: Todd James Pierce!
On this week’s show John speaks with Todd James Pierce about Larry Watkin and his history with Walt Disney as a novelist, screenwriter, and producer. They explore the 1940s to the 1960s of Watkin’s c…
632: A Discussion of Nicholson Baker's The Anthologist with Rachael Tillman!
In this week's episode, Rachael Tillman and I break some standards of academia as we discuss the poetry insights of Paul Chowder, the narrator of Nicholson Baker's 2009 comic novel, The Anthologist.
Replay: Episode 295 with Charles Simic & Richard Blanco!
On this replay episode, I talk to the late Charles Simic about James Tate, Kansas surrealism, humor in poetry, and embracing the unconscious, plus I talk to Richard Blanco about the accidents that tu…
631: Blake Sanz!
On this week’s show John talks to Blake Sanz, author of The Boundaries of Their Dwelling, about the intertwining short stories within the book and the journeys of emotional vulnerability, writing as …