The Work of Literary Fiction (w/ Iris Smyles)

Oliver talks to Iris Smyles about her new book Droll Tales, the work of writing, the consistency of the Red Lobster, the artistic compromises made by Sylvester Stallone, and the emptiness of phrases like "I hate writing, but I love having written." They also discuss identity and representation in literature, "cancelling" great writers for one reason or another, and other topics. Suggested reading: -- Smyles, "Embracing My Weird," https://www.vogue.com/article/iris-smyles-personal-style-green-shoes-miss-peregrines -- "Fortune Cookies," https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/fortune-cookies -- "Ship of Wonks," https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/ship-of-wonks/361610/ -- "Adventures in Self-Promotion," https://www.splicetoday.com/writing/adventures-in-self-promotion -- review of Droll Tales, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/24/books/review/droll-tales-iris-smyles-a-blind-corner-caitlin-macy-sleeping-alone-ru-freeman-fruiting-bodies-kathryn-harlan.html -- Bateman, "The 'Rocky IV' Director's Cut is Sylvester Stallone's 'Citizen Kane,'" https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/rocky-iv-directors-cut