Chris and Jesse talk salt pigs and the Queen Mary ocean liner before getting down to business, diving into Patricia Highsmith’s disturbing and keenly crafted 1955 novel. They discuss the difference between a hero and a protagonist, Highsmith’s ability to describe self-deception, and whether there is something at all likable about Tom Ripley.
Category: Podcast
Episode 2: Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash, Part Two
Chris and Jesse pick up mostly where we left off (although “leaving off” suggests we’re keeping track of what we’re doing—spoiler alert: we’re not), as Hiro and Y.T. infiltrate the decommissioned USS Enterprise (the aircraft carrier, that is—all you trekkies put your hearts back in your chest cavities), searching for the Nam Shub of Enki and trying to get anyone to listen to Reason.
Episode 1: Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash, Part One
Released in 1992, Snow Crash is Neal Stephenson’s second major novel, but certainly his first breakaway hit. Snow Crash follows the exploits of Hiro Protagonist (yes, you read that right) and his partner Y.T., as they try to save the world from an “infocalypse,” delving into the differences and similarities between viruses biological, spiritual, and informational.
Trailer: Upper Middle Brow LIVE Tomorrow
Upper Middle Brow launches TOMORROW! Yes, that’s right, tomorrow, November 22nd, as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash with our very first episode. We’re excited, and we hope you are, too. Our trailer is below, and you can also find it where you download or listen to all fine podcasts. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you tomorrow.
What IS Upper Middle Brow?
Too often, authors, creators, and their audiences pigeonhole themselves and each other, claiming tiny slices of culture to inhabit: “literary,” “mass-market,” “popular,” “sophisticated,” “page-turner,” “beach read,” “dense,” “heavily plotted,” “post-plot,” “pretentious,” “lowbrow,” “highbrow.” We say “Enough!” We applaud the writers and artists who refuse to occupy one tranche…