https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/storytorch-podcast--6474288enBooksCopyright Michael Brookshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/865f86e550d16103fcfd7fa001f3db4f.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/storytorch-podcast--6474288Tue, 13 May 2025 09:23:58 +0000Michael BrooksMichael Brooksfeeds@spreaker.comStories illuminate truths about the world and our place in it. In this podcast, two professors at a liberal arts college explore the craft, symbolism, and meanings in various contemporary short stories.cleanepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/10-on-david-lawrence-morse-s-the-great-fish--65574844One Story under the title “Conceived.” It later appared in Morse's collection The Book of Disbelieving, which Sarabande Books published in 2023.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/65574844Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:41:25 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore David Lawrence Morse's story “The Great Fish,” which was originally published in One Story under the title “Conceived.” It later appared in Morse's collection The Book of Disbelieving, which Sarabande Books published in 2023.One Story under the title “Conceived.” It later appared in Morse's collection The Book of Disbelieving, which Sarabande Books published in 2023.]]>4062art,astrology,brooks,creativewriting,davidlawrencemorse,fabulism,fiction,fictionwriting,greatfish,leviathan,lookerse,magicalrealism,mfa,myth,shortstory,spiritual,story,storytorch,surrealism,whaleclean10fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/09-on-brady-udall-s-midnight-raid--64741209Gentlemen's Quarterly before it was published by Norton as a part of a collection called Letting Loose the Hounds in 1997.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64741209Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:45:32 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Brady Udall's story “Midnight Raid.” This story originally appeared in Gentlemen's Quarterly before it was published by Norton as a part of a collection called Letting Loose the Hounds in 1997.Gentlemen's Quarterly before it was published by Norton as a part of a collection called Letting Loose the Hounds in 1997.]]>3597allegory,arizona,author,bible,bradyudall,brooks,christian,fiction,literature,lookerse,mfa,shortstory,southwest,storytorch,udall,writer,writingclean9fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/08-on-jhumpa-lahiri-s-a-real-durwan--64516325The Harvard Review before Mariner published it as a part of a collection called Interpreter of Maladies in 1999.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64516325Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:50:07 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Jhumpa Lahiri's story “A Real Durwan,” which originally appeared in The Harvard Review before Mariner published it as a part of a collection called Interpreter of Maladies in 1999. Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M...The Harvard Review before Mariner published it as a part of a collection called Interpreter of Maladies in 1999.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>4413brooks,calcutta,fiction,girard,india,indianliterature,jhumpalahiri,kolkata,literature,lookerse,renegirard,scapegoat,shortstory,storytorchclean8fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/07-on-michael-x-wang-s-further-news-of-defeat-with-dr-gloria-tseng--64369637
Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64369637Sun, 02 Mar 2025 16:28:21 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we're joined by historian Dr. Gloria Tseng as we explore Michael X. Wang's story “Further News of Defeat.” This story originally appeared in the winter 2015 issue of New England Review before Autumn House Press published it as a part...
Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>40721930s,books,brooks,china,chinesecivilwar,chinesehistory,creativewriting,fiction,furthernewsofdefeat,history,japan,lookerse,mfa,michaelxwang,shortstory,sinojapanesewar,storytorch,writer,writers,wwiiclean7fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/06-on-stuart-dybek-s-song--64332509Harper's Magazine (October 2003) before Picador published it as part of the collection I Sailed with Magellan in that same year.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64332509Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:14:57 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Stuart Dybek's story “Song,” which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine (October 2003) before Picador published it as part of the collection I Sailed with Magellan in that same year. Music credits: “Art from Darkness”...Harper's Magazine (October 2003) before Picador published it as part of the collection I Sailed with Magellan in that same year.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>39641960s,authors,babyboomers,brooks,chicago,clarinet,creativewriting,fiction,literature,lookerse,mfa,music,saxophone,shortstory,southsidechicago,storytorch,stuartdybek,writer,writers,writingclean6fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/05-on-flannery-o-connor-s-the-life-you-save-may-be-your-own--64238904A Good Man is Hard to Find, which Harcourt, Brace, and Company published in 1955.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/64238904Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:31:44 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Flannery O'Connor's short story “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” which originally appeared in her collection A Good Man is Hard to Find, which Harcourt, Brace, and Company published in 1955. Music credits: “Art from...A Good Man is Hard to Find, which Harcourt, Brace, and Company published in 1955.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>36161950s,alabama,automobile,carpenter,catholic,catholicwriter,christian,christianwriter,creativewriting,disability,fiction,flanneryoconnor,grotesque,meaning,mfa,oconnor,shortstory,southerngothic,writer,writersclean5fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/04-on-j-d-salinger-s-the-laughing-man--63920662The New Yorker on March 19, 1949 before Little, Brown & Company published it as part of a collection called Nine Stories in 1953.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63920662Mon, 10 Feb 2025 15:41:22 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore J. D. Salinger's story “The Laughing Man,” which originally appeared in The New Yorker on March 19, 1949 before Little, Brown & Company published it as part of a collection called Nine Stories in 1953. Music credits:...The New Yorker on March 19, 1949 before Little, Brown & Company published it as part of a collection called Nine Stories in 1953.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>50401920s,1950s,brooks,calvinandhobbes,creativewriting,fiction,jdsalinger,laughing,laughingman,lookerse,mfa,newyork,ninestories,palisades,salinger,shortstory,storytorch,vedanta,writer,writingclean4fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/03-on-karen-russell-s-st-lucy-s-home-for-girls-raised-by-wolves--63920602Granta before Knopf published it as the title story in a 2006 collection. Vintage also published the collection in 2007. 

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63920602Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:20:51 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Karen Russell's story “St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves,” which originally appeared in Granta before Knopf published it as the title story in a 2006 collection. Vintage also published the collection in 2007. ...Granta before Knopf published it as the title story in a 2006 collection. Vintage also published the collection in 2007. 

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>4301brooks,catholic,creativewriting,fabulism,fantasy,fiction,karenrussell,lookerse,magicalrealism,mfa,shortstory,stlucyshome,story,storytorch,surrealism,wolves,writer,writers,writingclean3fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/02-on-anthony-doerr-s-the-shell-collector--63917450The Chicago Review before Scribner published it as the title story in a 2002 collection. 

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63917450Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:27:49 +0000Michael BrooksOn this episode, we explore Anthony Doerr's story “The Shell Collector,” which originally appeared in The Chicago Review before Scribner published it as the title story in a 2002 collection.  Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael...The Chicago Review before Scribner published it as the title story in a 2002 collection. 

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>3998allthelightyoucannotsee,anthonydoerr,brooks,fiction,kenya,lookerse,meaning,mfa,ocean,shell,shellcollector,shortstory,spiral,story,writer,writers,writingclean2fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/01-on-benjamin-percy-s-refresh-refresh--63917222The Paris Review before GrayWolf Press published it as the title story in 2007 collection.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/63917222Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:00:20 +0000Michael BrooksOn this pilot episode, we discuss our aims for StoryTorch and explore Benjamin Percy's story “Refresh, Refresh,” which originally appeared in the The Paris Review before GrayWolf Press published it as the title story in 2007 collection. Music...The Paris Review before GrayWolf Press published it as the title story in 2007 collection.

Music credits: “Art from Darkness” by M Brooks, © Michael Brooks 2021]]>3533benjaminpercy,benpercy,brooks,combat,creativewriting,fiction,iraqwar,lookerse,marines,meteorite,mfa,oregon,refreshrefresh,semperfi,service,shortstory,shortstorycollection,storytorch,war,writerclean1full