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Otherppl with Brad Listi

Episode 279 — Lee Klein

Otherppl with Brad Listi

Brad Listi

Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.8554 Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2014

⏱️ 85 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Lee Klein is the guest. He has two books out this year. The first is called Thanks and Sorry and Good Luck, available now from Barrelhouse. The second, due out in August 2014, is called The Shimmering Go-Between (Atticus Books). Blake Butler says "Somewhere on the brutal truth continuum between Bill Hicks and Mussolini, Lee Klein’s rejection letters are mini-masterpieces of literary criticism disguised as no-thank-yous from Writer’s Hell. And yet, in each, a little lesson; a steadfast faith that says 'I took the time to read what you created and this is exactly what I thought.' They should be passing these things out under the pillows at MFA camp; we’d all be better off." And Elizabeth Ellen says "Lee Klein made me cry. He was the only editor ever to make me. This was back in 2002. I wish I still had the email. I remember it going something like, 'whenever you have the instinct to write a line like that, delete it immediately, without prejudice.' I hated him for a while. I pictured him looking like the guy in that 90’s movie Heavy (the one with Liv Tyler), except housebound and with no redeemable qualities. Then, somewhere around 2004, I met him 'IRL' and he was soft-spoken and sweet. It was harder to hate him after that. Reading all of these rejection letters here in this book made me finally fall a little in love with him, I think. I think if I had had access to (and disassociation from) these letters then, I might have fallen in love with him then. This is the funniest book I have read in a long time. It is also the smartest. I feel confused now, like I’m unsure whether to love or hate Lee Klein. But both of us are married now so it doesn’t really matter." Monologue topics: analytics, paranoia, See's Candies, death, parenthood, mortal fear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Birthday coming up?

0:02.3

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Celebrate Stylish Julia with a cute vintage jewelry box.

0:11.4

Or photography mad pool with a customized leather camera strap.

0:15.4

Or your caffeine-loving dad with a handmade pour-over coffee maker.

0:19.6

Don't just celebrate birthdays.

0:21.9

Celebrate one of a kind people with gifts that say I get you on Etsy.

0:26.9

Click or tap the banner to shop now.

0:29.9

Hey folks, this episode of other people is brought to you by Stitcher Smart Radio.

0:34.1

You can hear other people while on the go with Stitcher Smart Radio, a free news and

0:39.0

talk mobile app available for your smartphone. And when you download Stitcher to hear other people,

0:44.0

you have a chance to win some money. Downloading is quick and easy. Just find Stitcher in the app store.

0:50.2

Download it. It's free. It takes just a second of your time possibly like 30 seconds then when you

0:55.8

register hit the promo code box it should say tell us how you heard about stitcher where it says

1:01.4

that enter other people all one word and spell out people o t h er p-e-o-p-l- And when you do that, you're automatically entered to win $100. It's that simple. The latest episode of this program will then be waiting for you in your favorites. And you'll get access to lots of other amazing content as well. Always available on-demand without syncing. That's the Stitcher app. Go get it. Get it at the app store. Get it at

1:28.2

stitcher.com available for your iPhone, your Android, your tablet, computer, and don't forget to

1:33.1

enter the promo code other people when you register. This is an app. You can apply it. Go and get it.

1:41.1

Oh my God.

1:43.8

You are not alone

1:45.5

You have found other people

1:48.5

You and I have a friend in common

1:51.7

Every stupid thing that a writer could do I've done

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