Advertise on podcast: Skylight Books Podcast Series

One of the most influential albums in the history of industrial rock music, The Land of Rape and Honey was the third album from Ministry. Warner subsidiary Sire Records may have thought they were getting the Chicago version of English electropop stars Depeche Mode, but Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker delivered something deeper, darker, and crazier. Music journalist Jason Pettigrew talks about the chaotic creativity that brought this album to life in his 33 1/3 book on the album. He talked to the band, he talked to the beleaguered record exec, he talked to the bystanders. And in this episode, he talks to bookseller and writer Justin Remer about the album and the book. Fun fact: The album's title has its origin in an actual slogan for a Canadian town whose main export was rapeseed oil. Listen to the episode to find out more. If you like experimental music and 33 1/3 books, check out "SKYLIT: Matthew Blackwell, PLUNDERPHONICS (GENRE: A 33 1/3 SERIES)" from the Skylight Books Podcast back catalog. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

The BTTM crew are hosting a screening of GILLIAN ARMSTRONG's film MY BRILLIANT CAREER (1979) for American Cinematheque's Friend of the Fest 2026 on Saturday, August 22, at 10:15pm. In anticipation of that screening, we invited Allison Smith of Smith and Taylor Classics (who will also intro the screening) to discuss both the film and the novel from which it was adapted, Miles Franklin's landmark debut My Brilliant Career (1901). (We do touch upon the new Netflix miniseries. Ahem... Briefly.) Spoiler alert: Miles Franklin's novel is a masterful self-portrait of a self-determined (and self-centered) young woman wriggling free from the roles that her family and Australian society would place her in, and Gillian Armstrong's film is a deft and sensitive distillation of that narrative and that spirit into something brief and beautiful. The film also benefits from star-making turns from Judy Davis and Sam Neill. If you're planning on coming to the show at the Los Feliz 3 on August 22 or not, this should be a fun and informative listen. Also, if you'd like to hear one of Allison's earlier appearances on BTTM, you should check out her unique contributions to Better Than the Movie 20: THE POLAR EXPRESS w/ Natalie Freeman and Allison Woodnutt. It's an unforgettable episode (that we totally forgot about in our discussion here). Hosted by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer. (We missed ya, Tyler.) Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movie Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Best known for their catchy MTV breakthrough hit, "Punk Rock Girl," the Philly-based band The Dead Milkmen had a better sense of humor than a lot of their '80s hardcore punk brethren, but it didn't mean their music was a joke. Author Tyler Sonnichsen joins bookseller and writer Justin Remer to talk about Sonnichsen's new book for J-Card Press, The Dead Milkmen. It's the first book dedicated to this beloved band, deeply researched and full of new interviews with some of the band members and a lot of their collaborators and fans. If you like this episode and want more punk rock discussions, check out the classic 2016 in-store recording KEITH MORRIS PRESENTS HIS BOOK MY DAMAGE WITH JIM RULAND from the Skylight Books Podcast back catalog. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

When Kara Zor-El is teamed up with a young woman on a mission of revenge and salvation, it is clearly the GREATEST MOVIE ODYSSEY of 2026... er... well. Justin and Allan sit down to chat with fellow bookseller AND comics artist and writer Sina Grace (Superman: The Harvests of Youth, Ghosted in LA) about the recent film adaptation of the graphic novel Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, by Tom King, et al. That's right: we're talking Supergirl the movie, but not Supergirl: The Movie (1984). The Woman of Tomorrow graphic novel is a creative reinvention of True Grit that seemingly lost something on its way to the silver screen. Or do you disagree? Also, what do you think happened at the end of the graphic novel? Hmmm?? Also, if you like this episode, search back in the feed for Better Than the Movie 19: GHOST WORLD w/ Chris Andersen for another discussion about graphic novel adaptation. Hosted by Justin Remer and Allan Traylor. (And briefly, by Tyler Austin.) Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr (and Tyler's phone). Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movie Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Tyler music: "Don't Depend on Me (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Once upon a time, Joe Strummer was known as Woody Mellor... (because he was such a Woody Guthrie fan). Before the UK music scene made international headlines with punk rock, there was another movement of musicians who were tired of the prog rock and glam that was dominating the culture. Their back-to-basics music was performed in tiny pubs, so it became known in the press as pub rock. In this episode, writer Mark Wilkerson (Hollywood Dream, Pearl Jam 20) discusses, Pub Rock, his new book in the GENRE series from 33 1/3. The discussion with bookseller and writer Justin Remer touches on bands like Brinsley Schwarz (featuring Nick Lowe on bass), the 101ers (Joe Strummer's pre-The Clash band), The Stranglers, Dr. Feelgood, Ducks Deluxe, Kursaal Flyers, and much more. Pick up a copy of Mark Wilkerson's book from Skylight or order the audiobook version (street date August 6) from Libro.fm. If you enjoy this episode, check out another Genre discussion from our podcast. Maybe, 1970s Jazz Fusion with Matthew Reed Baker? Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Nepo babies are a necessary byproduct of our modern world. They've been with us always, and yet only recently have they become fodder for internet scuttlebutt, thinkpieces, and the like. Vulture writer and comedian Fran Hoepfner has provided the average joe with the public service of her handy new book, The Field Guide to Nepo Babies, a fully illustrated, often tongue-in-cheek guide to unpacking the phenomenon of nepotism in public life. Bookseller Tyler Austin talks with Fran Hoepfner about her book, and about sorting the innocuous and good nepo babies (actors, musicians) from the harmful and evil (politicians, corporate and tech scions). Also, if you enjoy this episode, check out Tyler's discussion with Kliph Nesteroff about the book Outrageous: A History of Showbiz and the Culture Wars for another thoughtful chat about pop culture history. Hosted by Tyler Austin. Produced by Justin Remer, Tyler Austin, and Fran Hoepfner. If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

You may be hyped for Disclosure Day, but the BTTM crew is taking you back 65 mill-- well, 33 years to another of director Steven Spielberg's iconic summer blockbusters: Jurassic Park! Writer, artist, and bookseller Val Lesser joins the podcast to discuss the classic film and its Michael Crichton source material. Allan also watched all seven (!) Jurassic movies in the lead-up to this episode, so you can probably spare 90 minutes to listen to it. Right? Also, if you like this one, search back in the feed for Better Than the Movie, Ep. 5: Jaws w/ Kristen Lopez. That episode was a real blockbuster too. Hosted by Allan Traylor, Justin Remer, and Tyler Austin. Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movie Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire   Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Cartoonist and illustrator Jim Rugg (Street Angel, The Plain Janes) joins comics creator (and Skylight's own) Sina Grace to talk about Rugg's forthcoming book in the Marvel Age of Comics criticism series: Wolverine: Weapon X - An Exploration (street date June 11). From the iconoclastic Barry Windsor-Smith, Weapon X is a brutal look at the long-secretive and hazy origins of mutant superhero Wolverine. Rugg goes deep and discursive in discussing Windsor-Smith's work and his own. Pick up a copy of Jim Rugg's book from Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm. Hosted by Sina Grace. Produced by Sina Grace and Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Minimalist music is not about minimal materials. It's about time. It's a process that puts the experience of time into sound. In discussing Minimalist Music, his new book for 33 1/3's GENRE series, musician and critic George Grella, Jr. (Miles Davis' Bitches Brew) looks at the classical music history that pushed composers like Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, and Arvo Pärt to pursue a musical approach that shunned early 20th Century academic trends and brought classical music back to the public. He also talks about the ways this music interacts with pop culture, through film scores and soundtracks and appearances on TV shows like The Simpsons and Ted Lasso. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer. Recorded remotely via Zencastr. If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

In the early 2000s, Marvel Comics decided to create a new line of books that would set aside four decades of continuity and offer modern readers fresh entry points into their classic characters. The Ultimates was their new Avengers title that would prove enormously influential, helping shape the future of the superhero genre - in comics, in movies, and on TV. In this episode, IDW Publishing co-founder Ted Adams discusses his new book, which examines the combined work of Ultimates writer Mark Millar and artists Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, and Paul Neary to revitalize these characters - and their stories - for the 21st Century. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded remotely via Zencastr.  If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

This podcast will go down on your permanent record! Novelist Nic Brown joins the podcast to discuss his new nonfiction book on the self-titled debut album, Violent Femmes. This acoustic post-punk landmark is an album that took nearly a decade to go platinum -- and then it appeared briefly on the Billboard Top 200 Albums charts. Tunes like "Blister in the Sun" and "Gone Daddy Gone" have gone from secret rock talismans to mainstream classics. Brown discusses interviewing the band now about the strange and scrappy writing and recording of this early '80s album and the countless unexpected stories he wound up uncovering. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded remotely via Zencastr.  If you like podcasts, maybe you would enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm.  Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

Calling all Dornstars! You're going to love this loose and lively chat about Anna Dorn's new novel, American Spirits. It's the story of a superfan who becomes the assistant of her favorite pop star as a stepping stone for her own twisted ambition. Bookseller David Kimbel talks with Anna Dorn about fan cultures, Pitchfork writers, Reddit communities, Millennials who look young, Gen Zers who look old, and much much more. Strap in.  Pick up a copy of the book at Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm. Hosted by David Kimbel. Produced by David Kimbel and Justin Remer. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

JEOPARDY! champion Buzzy Cohen returns to Better Than the Movie for a third short-story-to-film adaptation discussion. This time it's the tragicomic showbiz/political tale A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957), written by Budd Schulberg and directed by Elia Kazan, based on Schulberg's short story, "Your Arkansas Traveler." Future lovable sitcom dad Andy Griffith stars as Larry "Lonesome" Rhodes, a vagabond singer who becomes a TV sensation and fledgling demagogue. It's a film chock full of great performances that also acts as a sad reflection on the times -- both then and now. There are lots of Lonesome Rhodes in the world, at varying points of the good-evil continuum. Some of the Lonesomes the BTTM crew discuss here include Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Bruce Springsteen, and Dhar Mann. You won't want to miss this one. Hosted by Tyler Austin, Allan Traylor, and Justin Remer. Produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Check out the "Better Than the Movie" audiobook playlist on Libro.fm - https://libro.fm/playlists/skylight-better-than-the-movie Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire   Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Novelist Hannah Lillith Assadi makes her podcast debut to discuss her new book, Paradiso 17, about a Palestinian man's restless lifelong search for home. Writer and bookseller Sina Grace talks with Assadi, who is a longtime friend, about the process of funneling the grief from the recent passing of her father into a novel that is partly his story and partly her own. They talk character, they talk process, and they even digress into a long tangent on Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights (we just can't stop talking about it on this podcast!). Pick up a copy of the book at Skylight or order the audiobook version from Libro.fm.  Hosted by Sina Grace. Produced by Justin Remer. Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

This year is the 40th anniversary of Jim Henson's beloved cult classic film Labyrinth, and author Jes Battis is on the podcast to discuss their new book on the film: It's Only Forever: Labyrinth (available April 7, 2026). Starring Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, and a slew of goblins and goodies from Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the film is a storybook fantasy that transcended its original box office failure to become a fan favorite. It's Only Forever is both an analytical and personal text, and Battis discusses the book's reading of the film as a queer narrative released in a time of '80s macho orthodoxy. Hosted and produced by Justin Remer.  Recorded remotely via Zencastr.  If you like podcasts, maybe you enjoy audiobooks too. Please check out the Skylight Books Podcast playlist of audiobooks featured in our recent Skylit author interviews, on Libro.fm. Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire.  Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.