What makes a good reader? What are the actual notes in the margin worth remembering? How do disparate texts fit together in lived memory of our favorite writers and our familial past?
Writer Peter Orner's book Still No Word from You: Notes in the Margin published by Catapult combines the lived life and the reading life in a series of non-fiction pieces that defy categorization.
In this episode we learn about the writers Jean Rhys, Richard Wright, and Kafka's take on Don Quixote, "Sancho wrote it!"
We also learn about Orner's mother, his two grandfathers, and his stepfather; and, at the center of it all and on the periphery is Orner himself.
Orner writes:
"My dead look out windows. So many of these windows are gone. I'm not sure it matters. 814 Lunt Avenue. 322 Fargo Avenue. 78 Pine Point Drive. 513 Hillside Drive.
10 July 1945
My Darling--
Another day and still no word from you--But I suppose that last week this time you were in the process of moving--I know how busy you must be--How is everything working out--are you satisfied at all--Do you think you will like it--I'm so worried that the house is going to be two much for you and that you won't like it--I hope I'm wrong--Please write..."
Born in Chicago Peter Orner is the author of seven books, the memoirs/ essay collections, Still No Word from You, a finalist for the PEN: Diamonstein/Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay and Am I Alone Here?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as the story collection, Maggie Brown and Others and the novel, Love and Shame and Love. Other books include Last Car Over the Sagamore Bridge, The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award), and Esther Stories, (finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award).
A new novel, The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter, will be published in August 2025. Peter’s work has been awarded four Pushcart Prizes, the Rome Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He’s the co-host (with Yvette Benivides) of the Lonely Voice podcast on Texas Public Radio.
Peter is currently chair of the English and Creative Writing Department at Dartmouth College. He lives with his family in Vermont where he's also a proud (and very junior member) of the Norwich Volunteer Fire Department.
Spencer Kenney is a musician and sound engineer from Dallas, Texas. Some of Spencer's sound design and compositions can be heard on the multi-media project from the mind of Greg Brownderville, entitled Firebones. He has released two solo projects under the name SPK/Spencer Kenney, for New Math Records and Dolfin Records.
Currently he is the bassist and producer for Dallas' own Sabor Puro, and one half of Beekeeper Spaceman duo. You can find his work at spencerkenney.bandcamp.com
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Executive Producer and Host: J. Bradley Minnick
Senior Producer: Mary Ellen Kubit
Episode Producer: Spencer Kenney
Music and Sound Design: Spencer Kenney
Orner Recorded by: Joseph A. Beaudoin, Media Production Group at Dartmouth College
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