On the show this week: The Texas Book Festival this weekend, actor/woodworker Nick Offerman being here for it, lit crawl on Cesar Chavez, what we’re reading right now, “Black Mirror” season 3, social media and the election, Marina Abramovic, Lady Gaga, “Joanne,” and “High Maintenance.”

 

Texas Book Festival Executive Director Lois Kim is our guest on “Shots” this week. Alyssa Vidales / AMERICAN/STATESMAN

The Texas Book Festival is probably the perfect antidote to all the “Black Mirror” we’ve been watching lately, for a multitude of reasons: a) it’s gorgeous, b) it’s free, and c) it doesn’t inspire in us a sense of dread or tech paranoia. Just the opposite! Exactly the opposite. Think book-reading on the lawn, smart people talking to each other in panels, Ron Swanson…wait, what? As Executive Director Lois Kim tells us, Nick Offerman is going to be here folks, along with tons of Texas authors, children’s authors, and people you probably didn’t even know were authors (Kelly Clarkson). That leads us to a Short Shot where we all talk about what we’re reading lately, and in our second segment, we compare this year’s election to this latest season of “Black Mirror” with Statesman social media editor / Shots bestie Eric Webb.

Eric sticks with us for A Toast, where Omar is watching “High Maintenance” on HBO, Tolly is hanging on Marina Abramovic’s every word, and Eric is supporting (with a few qualifications) Lady Gaga’s long-awaited, country-inflected “Joanne.”

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Show rundown:

0:00 Intro
1:57 Segment 1: Lois Kim on what to expect at Texas Book Festival 2016
20:58 Short Shot: What are we reading right now?
25:24 Segment 2: Eric Webb on “Black Mirror” Season 3 and election ennui
44:16 A Toast (recommendations)
53:27 Outtro and how to reach us.

Show notes:

• A Bowie tribute panel, Nick Offerman, a lit crawl, the secret history of Twin Peaks…the Texas Book Festival is so fabulous.
• Austin authors to look out for at the festival.
• Joe Gross guides you through this year’s fest. Look for the Statesman’s print guide as the program at the event.
• More about that Laura Bush / Jenna Bush book, “Our Great Big Backyard.”
• The ¡Ahora Si! Program Tent at the fest.
• The book fest in three recipes.
• Austinite / Fargo TV series creator Noah Hawley. Come be on our show, Noah.
• Book recommended by Lois Kim: “Homegoing.”
• “Razor Girl:” this looks fun.
• …as does “Future Sex.”
• “When National Turmoil Becomes Personal Anxiety,” via The Atlantic.
• All of “Black Mirror” S3 is amazing, but people are freaking out over the “San Junipero” episode.
• We are taping at Sound On Sound Fest with Deborah Senghupta-Stith this weekend! Come find us!

Contact:

• You can email us.
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• Tolly, Omar, Texas Book Festival, Eric Webb, and producer Alyssa Vidales and are all on Twitter.
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• Want to leave a voice-mail? It’s 512-445-3672. NO PRANK CALLS!
• Omar blogs at 512tech and Terribly Happy.
• Tolly blogs at Austin Eavesdropper.