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Otherppl with Brad Listi

71. Ben Fountain

Otherppl with Brad Listi

Brad Listi

Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.8 • 554 Ratings

🗓️ 20 May 2012

⏱️ 78 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ben Fountain is the author of the novel Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (Ecco Press). He was born in Chapel Hill and grew up in the tobacco country of eastern North Carolina. A former practicing attorney, he is the author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for Fiction. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk won the National Book Critics' Circle Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award. It was then adapted into a feature film directed by three-time Oscar winner Ang Lee. Fountain's work has been translated into over twenty languages. His series of essays published in The Guardian on the 2016 U.S. presidential election was subsequently nominated by the editors of The Guardian for the Pulitzer Prize in Commentary. He lives in Dallas. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Launched in 2011. Books. Literature. Writing. Publishing. Authors. Screenwriters. Life. Death. Etc. Support the show on Patreon Merch www.otherppl.com @otherppl Instagram  Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com Get Otherppl t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode of other people is brought to you by the UCLA Extension Writers Program,

0:04.6

the largest open enrollment, creative writing, and screenwriting program in the nation.

0:08.7

At UCLA Extension, you can take courses in novel writing, short fiction, memoir, personal essay,

0:14.8

poetry, playwriting, writing for the youth market, publishing, you name it.

0:19.4

And you can also take screenwriting courses,

0:21.6

both feature film and television. The various classes are taught by top-level instructors

0:26.1

who have actually walked the walk publishing books and producing films and television shows.

0:31.7

The program features almost 500 courses annually, both online and on-site at beginner intermediate and advanced levels,

0:39.7

with evening, weekend, and daytime options as well. The program also features certificate

0:45.0

programs in feature film, television writing, fiction, and creative nonfiction, manuscripting

0:50.4

script consultations, writing competitions, free events, nine-month masterclasses,

0:55.8

mentorships, scholarships, and friendly and knowledgeable advisors. For more information, call

1:01.7

310825-945-9-4-15. That's 310825-9415, or visit them on the web at UCLA extension.edu slash writers or check them out on Facebook

1:15.5

and the Twitter. This is a writers program. You can learn to write better. Go and do it. Oh my God.

1:24.6

You are not alone. You have found other people you and i have a friend in common every stupid thing

1:34.1

that a writer could do i've done i think it's really beautiful jake stated what i struggle you know

1:39.5

it was incredible you know it's like your head exploded seeing what was really there and now here's your host

1:45.4

brad listing just one person at just one time okay everybody here we go again this is it this is other

1:50.9

people this is two complete strangers engaging in collegial banter this is something of a remedy for

1:55.5

loneliness my guest today is ben fountain he is the author of brief encounters with chegovara

2:00.8

uh that's a debut story

2:02.3

collection that won the Penn Hemingway Award. And now he has just published his debut novel

...

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