Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Helen DeWitt's debut novel "The Last Samurai" almost didn't get published, but since then has become a cult classic, and it also made the now infamous NYT 100 Best Books of the 21st Century list.

In today's episode we break down the book, which we read for our January book club, and Andy gives us his feelings on finally reading a book written by a woman.

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Books mentioned in this episode:
The Last Samurai by Helen DeWitt
amzn.to/4hsDhI6
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811225502


Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut
amzn.to/4hOqVdh
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780385333870

Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
amzn.to/40Lh5Cm

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
amzn.to/3CEfE0p
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780440180296

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
amzn.to/41109ci
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780385334204

The Tunnel by William H. Gass


2666 by Roberto Bolano
amzn.to/3CuyE1r
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312429218

Between Parentheses by Roberto Bolano
amzn.to/4k1ztjh
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780811220507

The Romantic Dogs by Roberto Bolano
amzn.to/4hJHfMy

Unknown University by Roberto Bolano
amzn.to/4jOlM76

Something Happened by Joseph Heller
amzn.to/40Fnui8
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780684841212

Troll by Dave Fitzgerald
amzn.to/3CvVR3a
bookshop.org/a/103053/9781952600326

Red Sorghum by Mo Yan
amzn.to/42LI5nD
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780140168549

The Invisibility Cloak by Ge Fei
amzn.to/4hfJjw1

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
amzn.to/4aDElqd
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780312427481

Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
amzn.to/4hNGMsC
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780143039945

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
amzn.to/415ibKD
bookshop.org/a/103053/9780679732761



Aputure Light Dome
amzn.to/3WptlGk

Rode Wireless Mics
amzn.to/3YpavBW

Shure SM7B
amzn.to/46vyQbk