Today, the Kicking the Seat Podcast welcomes author Ken Pisani to discuss his debut novel, Amp'd! Yes, we're taking an intermission from film talk to get into one of the funniest, most devastating, and insightful novels you'll read all year.
The story follows Aaron, a nearing-middle-age man who, as the story opens, is reeling from the loss of his left arm in a car accident. Divorced, depressed, directionless, he moves in with his father, converting the attic of his childhood home into a cocoon of self-pity and medical marijuana. Over several months, Aaron works on the spotty relationship with his parents and sister; befriends a foul-mouthed eleven-year-old cancer patient; develops an obsession with a local radio personality, and struggles against the current of a career in counting fish for the government--all while living upstairs from the alligator in Dad's bathtub.
Listen as Pisani talks about making the leap from the fast-paced world of film and television production to the undertake the prolonged and solitary journey of the novelist. He also talks about what he's up to next, and shares some thoughts on the Thurber Prize for American Humor, for which he was one of three finalists this year.
Also, Ian teases Kicking the Seat's coverage of the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival, which kicks off this week!
Episode 262 isn't quite ready to move on from Amp'd!
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