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This week on Slate Plus, Stephen, Dana, and Julia debate the merits and drawbacks of books versus audiobooks.
On this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest, the critics discuss George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel 1984, its recent resurgence, and how it functions as a guidebook of sorts in the age of “alternative facts.” Next, they chat about the new FX limited series Feud: Bette and Joan, starring Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon as Hollywood rivals Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. Is it as juicy as we were led to expect? Finally, the gabbers discuss that universal feature of human and animal life: sleep. They debate different viewpoints about which sleep habits are “natural” and the merits of being an early riser or a night owl.
Links to some of the things we discussed this week:
- 1984 by George Orwell
- The film adaptation of 1984
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Feud: Bette and Joan
- “Where’s the Beef?” by Willa Paskin in Slate
- The You Must Remember This podcast episode about the feud
- “The Case for Going to Bed at 2:30 a.m.” by Kate Shellnutt in Vox
- Our past discussion of the habits of genius
- “The Eight-Hour Sleep Session Is Not What You Need” by Gabriel Roth in Slate
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Endorsements
Dana: The streaming service Filmstruck
Julia: In The Woods by Tana French
Stephen: George Orwell’s nonfiction
Outro: “The Old Hag Is Sleeping” by The Fiery Furnaces
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This podcast was produced by Benjamin Frisch. Our intern is Daniel Schroeder.
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