Tell Me About Your Father

<p>By the time Dan Pelzer died last year at the age of 92, he'd accomplished many admirable things. Over the decades, he'd worked as a Marine, a Peace Corp volunteer in Nepal, a seminary student, a passionate campaigner for Jesse Jackson's presidential run in the 80s, a security guard, and as a beloved social worker for incarcerated juvenile delinquents in Columbus, Ohio. Dan was a loving husband to his wife of 52 years, Mary Lou, a hands-on father to their kids Marci and John and his grandchildren, and an engaged member of the community, where he regularly volunteered to feed the hungry. A life well lived by all accounts.</p><p>But there was something else notable about Dan's life: between the years pf 1962 and 2023, he kept a handwritten record of every book he read, stopping at the very end of that year, a list totaling 3,599 titles of every possible genre, from the pop science classic <em>Rats, Lice and History </em>(1935), to contemporary memoirs by Sinead O'Connor and Jennette McCurdy, and every novel by his beloved John Grisham since <em>A Time to Kill</em>.  </p><p>On this episode, Dan's daughter Marci reminisces with Erin about reading Gabrielle Zevin's <em>Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow </em>with her father, finding the full list after his death, the surprises therein, and what she's learned from strangers about her dad's life since sharing the list with the world. You can see a digital copy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbuslibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/What-Dan-Read-Booklist.pdf">here</a> at Dan's exclusive literary destination, the Columbus Metropolitan Library. And the original handwritten list via <a target="_blank" href="http://What-Dan-Read.com">What-Dan-Read.com</a>. </p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Tell Me About Your Father at <a href="https://tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>It’s that time of year again. Every year, we put the 10 Best Picture nominees under the same deceptively simple microscope: How are fathers portrayed?</p><p>Joining this conversation, as always, is: member of the New York Film Critics Circle, author of the Premier Party newsletter, host of the Critical Darlings podcast, culture writer Richard Lawson.</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Tell Me About Your Father at <a href="https://tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>At 15, Natalka Burian’s last words to her father were “I hate you.” That afternoon, he died at 44. Now a parent the same age he was, Natalka joins Erin and Elizabeth to talk about regrets, the fear of repeating a parent’s fate, and how to make peace with what you cannot know.</p><p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Tell Me About Your Father at <a href="https://tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p> 2025 began with Elon Musk's 4-year-old son X telling Donald Trump to shut his mouth, and it ends with us - the father of all award shows. We're rounding up the men who surprised and delighted us this year, and the one who repelled, in pop culture, politics and beyond. Love you and thanks for listening!</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Tell Me About Your Father at <a href="https://tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>Christian Nightmares, our <a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/@christiannightmares">favorite</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/christian__nightmares/">chronicler</a> of evangelical Christianity’s tightening grip on American politics in 2025, returns to Tell Me About Your Father for a look back at a truly frightening year in Christian Nationalism that aims to ensure that America is truly one nation under God<strong> </strong>Trump. </p><p>In this episode, the anonymous editor of Christian Nightmares, who goes by “Christian”, walks us through his top 5 purveyors of Christian Nationalism this year, which feature such luminaries as pastor <a target="_blank" href="https://christiannightmares.substack.com/p/christians-who-support-ice-dont-know?utm_source=publication-search">Joel Webbon</a>, who matter of factly believes women don’t belong in public life and shouldn’t vote, much less <em>podcast</em>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://christiannightmares.substack.com/p/christian-nationalists-and-white">Eric Orwoll</a>, whose white power organization Return to the Land is hard at work building a “fortress for the white race” in Ravenden, Arkansas. </p><p></p><p>We also talk with Christian about how the year has given rise to a glut of militarized Christian branding and survivalist drag, complete with camo, tactical gear, and merch for <a target="_blank" href="https://christiannightmares.substack.com/p/christian-nationalist-combat-gear?utm_source=publication-search">battles that don’t exist</a>. (We know what this country needs: more gun-toting men and boys.)</p><p>Then there’s the growing <a target="_blank" href="https://christiannightmares.substack.com/p/christian-nationalists-against-empathy?utm_source=publication-search">Christian Nationalist war on “empathy.”</a></p><p></p><p>As another gruesome grifter, pastor Josh McPherson says: “Empathy is toxic. Empathy will align you with Hell.” We try to parse why Charlie Kirk also <a target="_blank" href="https://youtube.com/shorts/URujzhAyxiY?si=B2JrSj8M0XuL2D4e">couldn’t “stand the word.”</a> It’s a world view in which care for others is a trap set by childless uggos and fat Army generals. Compassion is always a weakness, and the people who believe it wholeheartedly are right in the center of power in the US. It’s not your mama’s Golden Rule(book). </p><p></p><p>And, as Christian explained in the<a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tell-me-about-your-father/id1504751145?i=1000544120799"> interview </a>he did with us back in 2021, he knows this world well. Raised in an evangelical church that instilled constant fear of a punitive god in its members, his work has become <a target="_blank" href="https://christiannightmares.substack.com/p/introducing-christian-nationalists">a living record</a> of the fundamentalism that shaped his childhood and has since crept its way into the White House under the cloak of Russell Vought’s Project 2025, curling up at Stephen Miller’s feet.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-181805963">Rob Reiner tried to warn us</a>, but we’re not sure the country will listen until Vought <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ms.now/opinion/msnbc-opinion/project-2025-porn-ban-lgbtq-transgender-rcna161562">takes away their porn</a>.</p><p>We are wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday break from your jobs, surrounded by the love of your chosen family, favs and friends.</p><p>Yours,</p><p>Erin, Elizabeth and Matt</p><p><p>This podcast is 100% creator and reader-supported. To help us keep it up, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Tell Me About Your Father at <a href="https://tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">tellmeaboutyourfather.substack.com/subscribe</a>