Hello all! RITTOM has returned. I had the 11th most popular literature podcast among Irish listeners, and dammit, I will not let the people of Ireland down! In this episode, I discuss why I was gone for a while, the format going forward (unless I need to change it again!), and then, Malcolm Harris’ Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World, a marvelous work of history that is also… annoying? Somehow? In parts? In any event, give it a listen. Also consider subscribing to Melendy Avenue Review, the newsletter where I post more of my criticism, cat pics, and more! See the link below. Pay five dollars a month and get access to our Discord server!
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Reading in the Time of Monsters
Reading in the Time of Monsters 008 - Harris, Palo Alto
Reading in the Time of Monsters
The old world is dying; the new one cannot be born; now is the time of monsters. What better time to read, and read seriously? Every pedant on the internet thinks they're a critic because they have cultural preferences and their various streaming and social media services encourage them to state these preferences in little boxes. But some of us think criticism is something more. We know that criticism implies a way of being- a rejection of complacence, a dedication to searching high, low, and in between for insight and perspective, a constant development of the critical toolkit. Not only does that way of being point towards a better existence, but it also makes for criticism that's more fun to read. That's the gambit of this podcast- that there's an audience for something other than same-same mediocrity and parasocial agreement-clubs.
There should be one free episode a month. There will be another for people who become Citizens by subscribing at the Citizen (or Chieftain!) level at Melendy Avenue Review. MAR includes numerous text reviews a month, various life updates and guest posts, cute cat pictures, etc.
The old world is dying; the new one cannot be born; now is the time of monsters. What better time to read, and read seriously? Every pedant on the internet thinks they're a critic because they have cultural preferences and their various streaming and social media services encourage them to state these preferences in little boxes. But some of us think criticism is something more. We know that criticism implies a way of being- a rejection of complacence, a dedication to searching high, low, and in between for insight and perspective, a constant development of the critical toolkit. Not only does that way of being point towards a better existence, but it also makes for criticism that's more fun to read. That's the gambit of this podcast- that there's an audience for something other than same-same mediocrity and parasocial agreement-clubs.
There should be one free episode a month. There will be another for people who become Citizens by subscribing at the Citizen (or Chieftain!) level at Melendy Avenue Review. MAR includes numerous text reviews a month, various life updates and guest posts, cute cat pictures, etc. 
Appears in episode
Peter Berard
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