Stella Maris, by Cormac McCarthy, and Bunnahabhain 12, Part 1

CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of suicide.

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of Stella Maris, by Cormac McCarthy, while drinking Bunnahabhain 12yo single malt.

In this episode:

  • We’re sleeping together on the couch/futon tonight

  • Cover blurbs, or, the marketing materials are contributing to the discussion of what these books are

  • Hot takes on Pynchon cover blurbs, with a side-route into conspiracy

  • Is Stella Maris a coda?

  • If you stretch, and stretch, and stretch, and bring in GK Chesterton, maybe anything can be repaired

  • Why do Bobby and the Thalamide Kid both have flippers replacing certain digits?

  • Is the story a Socratic dialogue, a Platonic dialogue, or a story where the character Alicia is constructing a Socratic/Platonic dialogue?

  • Mathematics vs. philosophy vs. the looney bin

Next time Michael and Ethan will continue to discuss Stella Maris, by Cormac McCarthy! Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

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Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

MUSIC & SFX:

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Ethan Bartlett