Notes and Links to Jeff Sharlet’s Work
For Episode 217, Pete welcomes Jeff Sharlet, and the two discuss, among other topics, his father and uncle’s outsized influence on Jeff’s reading and activism, allegory and worldbuilding and their roles in right -wing movements and propagandizing, incredibly-bleak and bright indications of the future, his reasoning in bookending the book with stalwarts in justice movements, the slow, creeping fascism that he charts through the book, and examples of and reason for steadfast activism.
Jeffrey Sharlet is New York Times/national bestselling author of THE FAMILY and C STREET. He is also executive producer of the 2019 Netflix documentary series based on the work, with the documentary also called, THE FAMILY. His newest book is THE UNDERTOW: Scenes from a Slow Civil War. Sharlet is the Frederick Sessions Beebe '35 Professor in the Art of Writing at Dartmouth College.]
Buy The Undertow
Jeff's Website at Dartmouth College
Jeff’s Wikipedia Page
Review of The Undertow by Joseph O’Neill for The New York Times
At about 2:30, Jeff drops some about the history of his endowed chair and the origins of his workplace, Dartmouth College, including Samson Occom’s role
At about 5:10, Jeff talks about his early reading and fascinations and how the worldbuilding he loved and now informs his interests in the world building of the Far Right
At about 7:50, Jeff traces some of his family history, and how his father and Uncle Jeff’s amazing lives inform his own
At about 11:00, Jeff notes the mass-scale mutiny of US soldiers that ended the Vietnam War and connects to today’s fascist movements; he calls attention to underground movements of today and yesterday
At about 14:30, Jeff responds to Pete’s questions about his interest in and history with literature and films dealing with the Vietnam War
At about 17:20, Jeff responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which The Vietnam War has been covered and propagandized in the resultant decades, “redefining the Vietnam story” and being embraced by many on the Far Right
At about 22:00, Jeff connects common tropes regarding veterans to Ashli Babbitt’s story, which is traced in much of his book The Undertow
At about 26:15, Jeff describes the ways in which interview subjects view the idea and possibilities for “civil war”
At about 28:15, Jeff discusses places to buy book and shouts out the library as a great place to rebel against impending book bans
At about 31:15, Jeff notes polls and surveys and how a Trump victory has informed his book and how to “tell stories about fascism”
At about 34:50, Jeff talks about the term “Trumpism” and how there were “parameters of Reaganism” from 1980-2016 that gave way to the “Trumpocene” from 2016 to present
At about 36:20, Jeff references ugly examples of Trumpism enabled and supported in policy
At about 38:10, Jeff shares information from protests in Sacramento that informed his book
At about 39:30, Pete and Jeff discuss the way in which Jeff’s book is bookended by stories involving Harry Bellafonte and Lee Hays, and Jeff discusses why he started and ended the book with the songs and histories that he did
At about 44:10, Jeff recounts the anecdote from the book about a dynamic and legendary hour program that Harry Bellafonte produced in 1959
At about 48:55, Pete notes his piqued interest in Lead Belly and his connection to Kurt Cobain
At about 50:55, Jeff talks about “challenging” American figures who have often been “smoothed out,” such as Leadbelly
At about 52:10, Jeff gives background on how the last line of the book came about
At about 54:10, Jeff describes “safe spaces” in connection to an anecdote about activist Suzanne Pharr
At about 56:05, Pete notes a dynamic photo in the book, and Jeff traces the story and his travels in Wisconsin that led to the photo
At about 1:02:05, Pete asks a question that has mystified him for years, re: MAGA “Merch”
At about 1:04:30, Pete compliments Jeff’s nuanced writing regarding young and not-so-young who are on the frontlines
At about 1:05:40, Pete notes the teaching of Things Fall Apart in his classes and Jeff shares his experience with the book
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl
Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!
NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
Please tune in for Episode 218 with Melissa Rivero. She is the author of The Affairs of the Falcons and the recently-published novel, Flores and Miss Paula. Melissa won the 2019 New American Voices Award, a 2020 International Latino Book Award, and was longlisted for PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel.
The episode will air on January 2.
Episode 233 with Jazmina Barrera Velázquez, Author of Cross-Stitch/Punto de Cruz, and Wise Chronicler of the Vagaries of Friendship and History and their Effects on the World
Episode 232 with Kate Brody, Author of Rabbit Hole and Master of Writing Intriguing and Flawed Characters and Crackling Plotlines
Episode 231-April 13, 2024 Live Event to Launch Jose Vadi's Chipped, a reflective, creative, subtly brilliant essay collection
Episode 230 with Chelsea T. Hicks, Author of the Story Collection, A Calm & Normal Heart, Revitalizer and Student of the Osage Language, and Crafter of Poetic, Timely, and Timeless Stories
Episode 229 with Will Sommer, Author of Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Reshaped America, and Keen and Thorough Chronicler of the QAnon Movement Through The Washington Post
Episode 228 with Jennifer Croft, Author of The Extinction of Irena Rey and Award-Winning Translator, and Master of Worldbuilding, Highly-Allegorical Yet Masterfully-Plotted Fiction, and Nuance
Episode 227 with Gina Chung, Author of Green Frog, a Dazzling Collection of Poignant, Offbeat, Chillingly-Realistic and Fantastical Stories
Episode 226 with Priscilla Gilman, Author of The Critic's Daughter and Skilled and Thoughtful Chronicler of the Universal and the Intimately Personal
Episode 225 with Andrés N Ordorica, Author of How We Named the Stars and Generous Creator of Poignant, Resonant "Love and Loss" Scenes and Utterly Memorable Characters
Episode 224 with Peter Coviello, Enthusiastic and Deeply Knowledgeable Critic and Celebrator of Moving Art, and Author of the Essay Collection, Is There God After Prince
Episode 223 with Sarah Rose Etter, Master Balancer of Surrealism, Realism, Dark Humor, and Themes of Grief and Anxiety that are Timely and Timeless
Episode 222 with Andrew Leland, Author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, and Masterful Chronicler of His and Other Journeys with Blindness and its Intersections with our World
Episode 221 with Martha Anne Toll, Renaissance Woman, Book Reviewer, Creative, and Award-Winning Writer of the Moving, Contemplative Three Muses
Episode 220 with Aniefiok Epoudom: Keen Chronicler of Hip-Hop, Football Culture and Pop Culture in the UK, and Savvy and Nuanced Master of Telling Personal Stories; Author of
Episode 219 with Roxanna Asgarian, Principled and Dogged Reporter, Caring and Clear-Eyed Journalist and Author of We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America
Episode 218 with Melissa Rivero, Author of Flores and Miss Paula, Keen Observer of Modern Corporate Life and Nuanced Chronicler of Grief’s Many Permutations
Episode 216 with Kate Maruyama: Author of Bleak Houses, Master Worldbuilder, and Skilled Observer and Chronicler of Family Traumas, Class and Privilege, and Psychological Horrors Modern and Timeless
Episode 215 with Nick Fuller Googins, Reflective and Dynamic Worldbuilder, Educator, and Creator of the ”Hopeful” Climate Crisis Novel, The Great Transition
Episode 214 with Leah Myers, Chronicler of the Heartfelt, the Specific, the Universal, and the Myth and Proud History of the Jamestown S’Klallam in the Memoir, Thinning Blood
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
The Count of Monte Cristo
Anne of Green Gables
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends