Episode 97 Notes and Links to Kyle Beachy’s Work
On Episode 97 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Kyle Beachy, and the two talk about impactful childhood and adolescent experiences, both recreationally and involving reading, his formational days at the university school paper, his meeting with David Foster Wallace and his relationship to the latter’s work, his first novel, Slide, the myriad intricacies of skateboarding culture and its evolution, and existential questions that govern the critically-acclaimed The Most Fun Thing.
Kyle Beachy‘s first novel, The Slide (Dial Press, 2009), won The Chicago Reader’s Best Book by a Chicago Author reader’s choice award for the year. His short fiction has appeared in journals including Fanzine, Pank, Hobart, Juked, The Collagist, 5 Chapters, and others. His writing on skateboarding has appeared in The Point, The American Reader, The Chicagoan, Free Skateboard Magazine (UK & Europe), The Skateboard Mag (US), Jenkem, Deadspin, and The Classical. He teaches at Roosevelt University in Chicago and is a co-host on the skateboarding podcast Vent City with pro skater Ryan Lay and others. His newest book was released in 2021 to rave reviews-the book is The Most Fun Thing: Dispatches from a Skating Life.
Buy Kyle Beachy's Books
Chicago Reader Review of Kyle’s The Most Fun Thing
“A Interview with Kyle Beachy”-regarding Slide -from 2009-Hobart Pulp
The Most Fun Thing Featured with NPR’s “12 books NPR staffers loved in 2021 that might surprise you”-by Mia Estrada
At about 2:20, Pete and Kyle jump right into the important topics: Was the remix better than the original for “Flava in Ya Ear”
At about 4:00, Kyle responds to Pete’s questions about his early relationship with reading and language
At about 7:00, Pete asks Kyle about the balance between the philosophical and the realistic as he got into adolescence, and Kyle responds with how these ideas impacted him and his reading/skating
At about 10:00, Kyle discusses his attitude toward realism and how it plays out (or doesn’t) in his writing process
At about 12:30, Pete wonders about any “ ‘Eureka’ moments” in Kyle becoming a writer, and he references his incredible Pomona College student newspaper editor, David Roth, as well as Kyle’s embrace of 90s hip hop styles
At about 16:00, Pete wonders about chill-inducing writers for Kyle, who shouts his “ravenous” reading after college, including John Barth, Murakami, Denis Johnson, David Foster Wallace, and Don DeLillo; later reading brought out Joan Didion, Marilyn Robinson, Annie Dillard
At about 19:00, Kyle details his career as a professor/teacher, and Pete and Kyle wax nostalgic about being “young, cool teachers”
At about 21:00, Kyle talks about how he does (or does not) use skateboarding and his personal experience in the classroom
At about 24:45, Pete wonders how Kyle would identify himself-as a “novelist?”
At about 26:50, Kyle summarizes and discusses seeds for his first book, Slide, including how Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections informed the work
At about 30:00, Pete and Kyle begin talking about Kyle’s recent critically-acclaimed The Most Fun, and Kyle shouts out texts that informed his, like Iain Borden’s Skateboarding and the City
At about 33:45, Kyle explains his understanding of why skateboarding hasn’t necessarily been “put under the microscope” too often before
At about 35:30, Kyle discusses exciting and fast-moving changes in the last decade in skateboarding scholarship
At about 36:20, Pete compliments the book as “unclassifiable” and masterful in so many ways, and Kyle responds by talking about the particular challenges of writing about skateboarding
At about 40:15, Pete shouts out Kyle’s thoughtful comments as shared on the excellent writer’s podcast, “I’m a Writer But…”
At about 41:55, Kyle muses about what skateboarding is and what it isn’t, as described through the book
At about 45:00, Pete shouts out one of many skillful lines from Kyle’s book, and Pete details his first (and only) skateboarding incident; this
At about 49:30, Pete asks Kyle about the word at the center of his book title, as well as parallels between David Foster Wallace’s work, Infinite Jest, and Kyle’s recent work
At about 50:50, Kyle details the time he met David Foster Wallace
At about 53:25, Pete and Kyle nerd out over one of DFW’s pieces, “The View from Mrs. Thompson’s,” as well as the stunningly-good “A Supposedly Fun Thing…”
At about 56:20, Pete shares a chill-inducing final line from Wallace’s work
At about 57:00, Kyle discusses the troublesome fandom of “Wallaceheads” and how he endeavors to “foreground” the info when discussing Wallace’s work in his classes
At about 58:50, Pete recounts a profound quote from Kyle’s book involving his meeting DFW, and Kyle explains his usage of “equipped” and the “real costs” that can come with the writing life
At about 1:00:15, Kyle shouts out great storytellers like Danny Khalastchi
At about 1:02:00, Pete and Kyle recount examples of writers (like Kyle) who actually have fun writing, and Pete asks Kyle if he can detect writers (he notes Anne Carson and Christian TeBordo) who have a good time
At about 1:05:00, Kyle discusses the ever-evolving balance needed to figure out competitiveness in his writing life
At about 1:06:15 Pete asks Kyle about nostalgia in skateboarding and the balance between celebrating history while being open to new developments
At about 1:12:00, Pete and Kyle discuss the evolving demographics of skateboarding, the furor over Jason Jessee’s racist comments, and Kyle’s written response
At about 1:13:30, Kyle discusses the evolving and more inclusive skateboarding culture of the last ten years or so, including Chandler Burton and Matt King’s important work
At about 1:17:20, Kyle responds to Pete’s musings about hip hop culture and possible appropriation by skateboarding
At about 1:18:15, Pete asks Kyle about his skating “end date” and its implications
At about 1:21:15, Pete reads some masterful and profound lines from the book
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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.
Pete is excited to share Episode 98 on January 4, with guest Greg Bishop. Greg is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated whose feature subjects have ranged from Ricky Williams to Adrian Peterson to Aaron Rodgers. He spent time as the Jets beat writer for the New York Times and the Seahawks beat writer for the Seattle Times.
Episode 117 with Nadia Owusu, Introspective and Precise Writer and Chronicler of Trauma and Joy, Writ Large, and Author of the Award-Winning Memoir, Aftershocks
Episode 116 with Noel Casler, Standout Artist, Creative, Podcaster, and Standup Comedian with 25 Years of Experience in TV and Production, Including The Celebrity Apprentice
Episode 115 with Jennifer Fliss, Flash Fiction Star and Master of Signifying So Much by Writing So Little
Episode 114 with Reyna Grande: Brilliant and Award-Winning Memoirist, Novelist, and Author of 2022’s Triumph, A Ballad of Love and Glory
Episode 113 with Nicole Santa Cruz, Multitalented Journalist, Former Chronicler of The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report, and Reporter Covering Issues of Inequality for ProPublica
Episode 112 with James Tate Hill, Editor at Monkeybicycle , Columnist for LitHub, and Reflective and Acclaimed Writer of Blind Man’s Bluff: A Memoir
Episode 111 with Taylor Byas, Master Tactician of Profound and Affecting Words, PhD Student, Editor at The Rumpus, and Powerful Poet of the Critically- and Reader-Acclaimed Bloodwarm
Episode 110 with Bryce Hedstrom, El Padrino of Comprehensible Input in the Foreign Language Classroom, Master Teacher and Teacher Trainer, Author of Multiple Books, and Bold Advocate for Reading
Episode 109 with Ben Guest, Educator, Builder of Great Relationships through Education and Basketball, and Author of Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball: Memoir of a Namibian Odyssey
Episode 108 with Navdeep Dhillon Singh, Writer of Stirring, Profound, and Clever Work and Author of the Standout and Unforgettable Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions
Episode 107 with Dr. Benjamin Gilmer, Tireless and Compassionate Advocate for Carceral and Mental Health Reform and Author of The Other Dr. Gilmer: Two Men, a Murder, and an Unlikely Fight for Justice
Episode 106 with Daniel Olivas, Lawyer, Wordsmith, Playwright, Aesthete, and Author of 2022’s Unique and Riveting How to Date a Flying Mexican Story Collection
Episode 105 with Nikesha Elise Williams, host of Black and Published Podcast, prolific and versatile writer of Beyond Bourbon Street and More, and Master Storyteller in Different Media.
Episode 104 with Matt Bell, Author of The New York Times Notable Book, Appleseed, and Uber-Talented Craftsman, Worldbuilder, Chronicler of Society’s Mores, and Writing Teacher
Episode 103 with Tracey Thompson, Short-Story Reader Extraordinaire, Shirley Jackson Fan, and Publisher of the ”California Reading” Project
Episode 102 with Tice Cin, Interdisciplinary Artist, Aesthete, Wordsmith, and Author of Keeping the House-Called” a cult classic in the making” by The Guardian
Episode 101 with Mia St. John, 5-time World Boxing Champion, Founder of El Saber Es Poder Foundation, Advocate for Mental Health Awareness, and Author of the Memoir, Fighting for My Life
Episode 100 with Susan Muaddi Darraj: Versatile Writer of Moving and Well-Researched Works for All Ages and ”Portraits of Flawed, Ordinary Humans with Whom the reader Can Feel Joy, Pain and Empathy”
Episode 99 with Sara Borjas, Profound Thinker, Script-Flipper, Proud Pochx, and Author of the Breathtaking Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff
Episode 98 with Greg Bishop, Disciplined and Voracious Reader, Profound and Thoughtful Writer, and Storyteller with Sports Illustrated, Showtime All-Access, and More
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