Gabfest Reads: The Art of Writing Political Satire

Political Gabfest

Slate Podcasts

Politics, Government, News

4.5 • 8.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2023

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

David Plotz talks with author Alexandra Petri about her new book, Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents. They discuss how to transform staid history documents into rollicking parodies, how Petri found her “voice” multiple times, and her grander ambitions for the book. Plus, Petri reads some choice selections. Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	[♪ OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪
0:07.6	Welcome to Gatthus Reads, I'm David Plott's
0:09.5	One of the hosts of Slate's political Gatthus.
0:14.6	Like Henry Kissinger or possibly a Kardashian,
0:18.3	Alexander Petri has written a new book that has her own name in the title.
0:22.7	Alexander Petri's US History Important American Documents I Made Up.
0:27.8	Alexander is of course the extremely funny columnist for the Washington Post.
0:31.4	And if you've read her, their, her new book will not be at all surprising,
0:35.8	but it will still be a billion percent delightful.
0:38.6	She has retold the history of America through a series of funny and entirely manufactured documents.
0:46.6	Walt Whitman's Songs, Not of Myself,
0:49.5	other lists by Joe McCarthy,
0:52.1	John and Abigail Adams try sexting.
0:54.6	The Gettysburg Address is written by Aaron Sorkin,
0:57.2	50 States of Grey,
0:58.9	audience feedback for our American cousin.
1:01.6	One I really like, big women, Louise and May All Cuts,
1:04.2	unsuccessful first draft of Little Women, which begins,
1:07.2	Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, grumble Joe lying on the enormous rug.
1:11.4	Joe was 60 feet tall and people were like ants to her.
1:14.4	Anyway, you get the idea.
1:15.5	So Alexander, welcome, welcome to Gatthus Reads.
	...

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