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This week’s episode kicks off the four-week discussion of Four by Four by Sara Mesa, translated from the Spanish by Katie Whittemore. A great book for our time (for all times) in relationship to power structures and their systems. And whether it’s better to be “free and vulnerable or protected but under control.” In this first episode, Max Besora () talks with Chad about campus novels, the various power relationships in the first section of the novel, the difficulties of translating “culo,” the precision of Mesa’s prose, the way Celia’s and Ignacio’s storylines run in parallel, the two timelines of this section, and much more. Solid ground-setting episode for what promises to be an amazing season.

This week’s music is a little gem from Miley Cyrus called “4×4.”

If you’d prefer to watch the conversation, you can find it on along with . The next broadcast will be on . We’ll be talking about pages 87-156 of Four by Four, which is available in everywhere. (And as an audiobook via !)

Derek Maine will be the special guest next week, and produced this . Check it out!

Follow and for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests.

Be sure to order Brian’s book, , which is now officially available at better bookstores everywhere thanks to BOA Editions. And you can get 20% off by using the code 2MONTH at checkout. (Offer only good in the U.S., since we can’t ship overseas, but to be honest, we can’t ship right now! Order it from .)

You can also support this podcast and ²¹±ô±ôÌýof Open Letter’s activities by making a tax-deductible donation through the .