The Dead Authors Podcast

I love listening to podcasts, and I wanted to share the only literary related podcast that I listen to (though it is more comedic than enlightening, but they do sometimes read from the works of the featured author/s)  The podcast is hosted by comedian Paul F. Tompkins - oops!  I mean H.G. Wells, author of The Time Machine.  But in this world, H.G. Wells' time machine is real and he uses it to transport famous authors to present day Los Angelees and interview them in front of a live audience.  (You can get tickets to see the show in L.A.)

Recent episodes have seen H.G. interview the Grimm Brothers, the Gospel writers, Mary Shelley, J.R.R Tolkien, Arthur Conan Doyle and on and on.  Hopefully he'll have Charlotte Brontë on sometime soon!  The show/interview is mostly improvised as H.G. Wells and the actor/comedian representing the featured author have a conversation about their life and their work.  The first episode had Andy Richter as Emily Dickinson whose first reaction was outrage that anyone knew about her poetry.  Hilarious.  There are some anachronistic references but that is of course explained by the fact that there is TV and internet in the time machine for the guests to enjoy.  I love the irreverent, silly humor and the hilarious characterizations the comedians bring to the dead authors. H.G. seems to delight so when an unexpected and/or unlikely facets of the author's personality or obsessions are revealed. (P.G. Wodehouse and donkeys!)   H.G. Wells' antipathy towards Jules Verne's uncreative science fiction (as he sees it) always makes me laugh too - an episode with an H.G and Jules faceoff would be awesome!

It's for charity, it's completely free to listen to the podcast, and it's funny, silly, and entertaining.  Check out the links below!

Official Website  -   Itunes  -    Facebook