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It's Been a Minute

Brandon Taylor on art, loving across class and why he writes sex scenes

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.68.8K Ratings

🗓️ 30 May 2023

⏱️ 24 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, host Brittany Luse chats with author and culture critic Brandon Taylor about his latest novel, The Late Americans. The book is set in Iowa City and follows several characters pursuing love, art and the promise of prosperity. They discuss what's so American about The Late Americans, and how it's a departure from what's currently seen as fashionable in fiction.

You can follow us on Twitter @ItsBeenAMin or email us at [email protected].

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey everyone, you're listening to It's Been A Minute From NPR.

0:07.0

I'm Brittany Luce.

0:09.0

And today's guest loves to redefine genres.

0:13.0

Can you explain to listeners what a paperwork movie is?

0:18.0

I had this realization last year that I really love movies where people are doing paperwork

0:25.0

where they're walking down a hallway carrying folders.

0:28.0

They're like shuffling through papers to find an answer.

0:31.0

That's Brandon Taylor, author and cultural critic.

0:34.0

And his thoughts on culture, film and art encourage us to push past the superficial.

0:40.0

Like the idea that the Godfather 3 is simply a gangster film.

0:44.0

The third Godfather movie is actually secretly a paperwork movie.

0:49.0

There's a lot of paperwork in that movie.

0:51.0

Shake the table.

0:52.0

Shake the table.

0:53.0

Listen, they're like doing shady Vatican deals.

0:57.0

It's all about a bank and can they get this bank like it's paperwork city.

1:02.0

Beyond his taste in film, Brandon is a huge fan of the campus novel.

1:07.0

College transplants, towns people and the inevitable hijinks they fall into are his bread and butter.

1:14.0

It was the basis of his first book, which followed a single character's life on campus.

1:19.0

And now, his highly anticipated second novel is here.

1:23.0

It's called The Late Americans and it is a delicious read if I do say so myself.

1:29.0

This time, the story goes much further than the seminar room.

...

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