The Getting Lit Podcast

<p>This week, we discuss the recently departed Australian author, David Malouf. Specifically, his book Remembering Babylon, a strange novel that starts out with a castaway British boy being raised by Aboriginal Australians, and unfurls into something much more mysterious and enigmatic. We talk about historical fiction, how Australian racial history has been Americanised, as well as how colonial history in Australia is often framed (spoiler alert: too often, it is boring!).</p><p>As mentioned in this episode, Fresta is selling some records on ebay if you want to take a look:</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ebay.com.au/usr/bukhgalter?mkcid=16&#38;mkevt=1&#38;mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&#38;ssspo=sYVxtJU5TYu&#38;sssrc=4675625&#38;ssuid=sYVxtJU5TYu&#38;stype=1&#38;widget_ver=artemis&#38;media=COPY">https://www.ebay.com.au/usr/bukhgalter?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-154756-20017-0&ssspo=sYVxtJU5TYu&sssrc=4675625&ssuid=sYVxtJU5TYu&stype=1&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY</a></p><p>Also referenced in this episode, Jack Norman’s (<a target="_blank" href="https://substack.com/profile/142087013-thingol">THINGOL</a> on Substack) new short story, which also touches on similar themes to Malouf’s work: <a target="_blank" href="https://theboroughpoetry.com/2026/06/21/moonlight-upon-our-given-fates/">https://theboroughpoetry.com/2026/06/21/moonlight-upon-our-given-fates/</a></p><p><em>Paid subscribers now have two options. You can support us either on Substack (</em><a target="_blank" href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/s/the-getting-lit-podcast"><em>here</em></a><em>) or on Patreon (</em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.patreon.com/c/GettingLit"><em>here</em></a><em>)</em></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>This week, we’re joined by Substack essayist, thinker, and fellow Australian <a target="_blank" href="https://russellwalter.substack.com/">Russell Walter</a> who is also host of <a target="_blank" href="https://russellwalter.substack.com/podcast">The Chudstack Review </a>podcast. We talk about his essay on why LARPing (live action role playing) is important and Good Actually, as well as the idea of “quixotic hero”, an archetype that we need in these troubled times.</p><p>Read Russell’s LARPing essay <a target="_blank" href="https://russellwalter.substack.com/p/in-defence-of-larping">here</a>. </p><p>This is a free episode. But Getting Lit listeners now have several options to support the show. You can subscribe on Substack <a target="_blank" href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/s/the-getting-lit-podcast">here</a> or Patreon <a target="_blank" href="https://www.patreon.com/c/GettingLit">here</a>.</p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>Last year, Sini uploaded an episode to the paid feed of his personal Substack podcast, New Mythologies, discussing the oft-mentioned &quot;literary man.&quot; Joining him? Glen from <a href="https://rarecandy.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Rare Candy</a>, as well as writers <a href="https://jdavidosborne.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">J David Osborne</a> and <a href="https://kelbylosack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Kelby Losack</a>.</p><p>This week, we are resharing it for free with Getting Lit listeners.</p><p>Matt, Glen, JDO and Kelby have an exhaustive discussion about the “where are all the literary men?” thinkpieces, male reading habits, what to do if you’re a male writer, why “right wing art” is often a bad alternative, and much more. </p><p>Time to put this narrative to bed and start reading and writing, my friends!</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>To celebrate Easter, we have unlocked our paid episode on Eugene Vodolazkin&#39;s Laurus. To access the full archive of episodes and special Back Matter aftershows, got to <a href="patreon.com/GettingLit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">patreon.com/GettingLit</a>.</p><p>This week, we&#39;re joined by Brisbane musician and composer, Stevan, to talk about Eugene Vodolazkin&#39;s novel Laurus. A strange, luminous novel that follows a 15th-century Russian healer whose life unfolds as a kind of spiritual journey through time, grief, and redemption. This was a fantastic, wide-ranging discussion on everything from music to holy fools, to our concept of time, as well as icons in Eastern Orthodoxy, and much more.</p><p>Follow Stevan on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/c.t.e.b.a.h/" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/c.t.e.b.a.h/</a></p><p>Check out Stevan&#39;s label here: <a href="https://aktuelan-label.bandcamp.com/album/172?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio" target="_blank">https://aktuelan-label.bandcamp.com/album/172?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio</a></p><p>Music: &quot;fugue (shedding)&quot; by sone</p><p><br/></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>Brad Kelly joins us once again to talk about and around his new novel, The Earthen Dark. We discuss why men loves holes in the ground, writing about jobs, why humans are so obsessed with underground, MFA writing, &quot;literary men&quot; and much more.</p><p>Buy The Earthen Dark here: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Earthen-Dark-Brad-Kelly/dp/B0GF67226L" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://www.amazon.com/Earthen-Dark-Brad-Kelly/dp/B0GF67226L</a></p><p>And follow Brad on X: <a href="https://x.com/bradkelly" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://x.com/bradkelly</a></p><p>And Substack: <a href="https://bradkellyesque.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">https://bradkellyesque.substack.com/</a></p><p>&quot;Disgraced anthropology professor Jim Murray has been drawn into the dark. Ousted from his career by the algorithm and mob rule, desperate for money, he joins a shabby crew of repairmen working in the tunnels beneath the City of Detroit. They say their job is to keep the earth from falling in.</p><p>One day, waist-deep in the filth, they stumble upon an ancient secret and soon discover that the city above them is no longer home. In time, the sewer will show Jim worlds far stranger: a landscape scourged by fire and insanity, a dystopia ruled by a mad god...To find his way through the labyrinth will prove to be a brutal test of his soul—and a penetration into the nature of reality.&quot;</p><p><br/></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">newmythologies.substack.com/subscribe</a>