About Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends
Join Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & a rotating panel of guests as they all share about what they're reading.
Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkAboutTextPod
Support the show: https://talkabouttext.substack.com/
This got posted to YouTube last week but not in this feed! My (Blake's) bad!
Chaz & Chrissy, the hosts of the podcast James Dobson's Bastard Kids (neé the Excommunication Station) join the show! We go long, in more ways than one, on regional food talk and books.
Check out James Dobson's Bastard Kids wherever you listen to podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/5WYfTqA...
Follow them on Instagram: / jamesdobsonsbastardkids
Books Discussed:
Blake: Houses of the Unholy by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Chaz: Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Chrissy: Circe by Madeline Miller
Scott: Mr. Taffle's Pants of Insanity by Daniel Eric Finkel (not on bookshop.org, here's the amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Taffles-Pants-...)
All other books found on our bookshop.org episode page: https://bookshop.org/lists/ep-15-picks
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:28 Casual Banter and Podcasting Insights
01:08 Guest Introduction: Chrissy & Chaz from James Dobson's Bastard Children Podcast
02:04 Regional Discussions: Sports and Food
06:10 Debate on Regional Sandwiches
16:47 Reading Habits and Preferences
22:52 Book Recommendations and Reviews
41:03 The Book That Made Me Cry
41:53 Discovering a Love for Reading
42:30 The Story of Johnny Got His Gun
44:56 The Impact of the Book
46:37 Dalton Trumbo's Legacy
48:33 Reading a Powerful Passage
53:24 Chrissy's Favorite Book: Circe by Madeline Miller
56:37 The Story of Circe
01:06:37 Themes of Motherhood and Independence
01:13:10 Scott's Book Recommendation
01:18:20 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts
This week, Scott & Blake are joined by Azeem Khan & Nazia Islam, both of whom are librarians--and that's just the start of how cool they are. Azeem vouches for Chicago's culinary scene on Devon Ave and helps Blake earn a W in the fake-regional-food-beef-that-maybe-won't-always-be-so-fake. (Look, Blake is writing this and lives in the Chicago area and it's under siege by the federal government b/c Trump has been big mad for a decade that this city rejected him after he launched his political career here from his eyesore of a skyscraper that people flip off with regularity. Give me this.)
Book picks (purchase them at bookshop.org to support us!):
Scott: The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
Nazia: James Baldwin in Turkey by Sedat Pekay and James Baldwin's Turkish Decade: Erotics of Exicle by Magdalena J. Zaborowska
Azeem: Piranesi by Susannah Clarke; The Home Recording Handbook by Martin Newell; Weathercraft by Jim Woodring
Blake: Things Become Other Things: A Walking Memoir by Craig Mod
Check out Nazia's podcast, Embracing Mystery!
Check out Azeem's music at Bandcamp: Whalesound
30 Sept 2025
Ep. 13: David & Mick Talk Publishing
In this episode, we're joined by David Morris and Mick Silva from the podcast, Publishing Disrupted!
(These show notes will be updated with book links later.)
00:00 Welcome Back!
00:53 Discussing Regional Cuisines
01:23 Introducing Our Guests
02:06 Insights on the Publishing Industry
09:51 The State of Reading Today
13:29 Amazon Book Categories
20:41 Books We're Reading
32:18 The Mystery of a Bestselling Book
32:54 Evangelicalism and Capitalism
33:32 Hope and Skepticism
33:53 Comedic Takes on Religion
34:27 Current Reading List
35:31 Exploring American Religious History
38:09 The Roots of American Individualism
45:35 Midwestern Identity and Tradition
48:59 Photography and Media Critique
54:28 The Impact of Big Tech
01:01:43 The Importance of Reading
01:03:08 Publishing Industry Insights
16 Sept 2025
Ep. 12: Scott and Blake Talk About K-Pop & Sandworms
In this episode, Scott & Blake chat (no guests joined the table today) about K-Pop, sandworms, and of course, books.
Books discussed:
Illusive by Virginia Duan (Scott)
Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert (Blake)
Supergods by Grant Morrison (Blake - a bonus pick)
All books can be purchased from our bookshop page here.
And of course you can find our books here.
Have a question, comment, or want to come on the show? Send us a message at talkabouttextpod@gmail.com
3 Sept 2025
Episode 11: Romance (the genre) and The Life of a Bookstore Owner with Ashley and Emily
In this episode, Scott & Blake sit down with Ashley Newell and Emily Autenrieth. In the first section, Ashley shares about her love of the romance genre and the books she’s been reading. Afterwards Emily shares about her experiences as owner of A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, CA, including what it means for bookstores to be part of communities and how she runs book events. Also, Blake mixes up Jefferson Airplane and Fleetwood Mac and embarrasses himself.
You can support A Seat at the Table books via their bookshop.org page if you’re not in the area!
Books discussed:
Left of Forever by Sarah Dewitt (Ashley)
Triple Sec by TJ Alexander (Ashley)
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Emily)
Among the Burning Flowers by Samantha Shannon (Emily)
Lessons in Magic and Disaster by Charlie Jane Anders (Emily)
Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power by Kasia Urbaniak (Emily)
Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age by Ada Palmer
Somebody to Love? A Rock-and-Roll Memoir by Grace Slick
14 Aug 2025
Let's Talk About Text Ep 10: Scott & Blake Catch Up and Talk About Jazz (and books, obvs)
This episode is just Scott & Blake. They talk about Blake's travels, jazz, and books. It's laid back. Come hang out.
Books mentioned:
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (Scott):
https://bookshop.org/a/112048/9780679731146
Chew Volume 1: Taster's Choice (Blake)
Chew is not available on bookshop.org, so here is the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Chew-Tasters-Choice-John-Layman/dp/1607061597
Support us by buying books from our bookshop.org page:
https://bookshop.org/shop/talkabouttext
Subscribe to our newsletter while you're at it: https://talkabouttext.substack.com/
00:00 Introduction to Let's Talk About Text
00:28 Catching Up with Scott
01:05 French Culinary Adventures
05:03 The Beauty of the Riviera
07:31 Jazz and Personal Stories
28:46 Catching Up and Tangents
29:34 The Professor's Dilemma
32:23 The Joy of Discussing Books
40:16 Writing Routines and Challenges
45:24 Book Recommendations and Reflections
56:30 Wrapping Up and Listener Invitation
5 Aug 2025
Ep. 9: Scott & Marla Talk About Murakami and more
In this episode, Blake is out and Scott Okamoto is joined by Marla Taviano to discuss books, reading, baseball, and more!
Scott's book: The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor
Marla's book: Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami
Find all previous picks - and support our show - by buying from our bookshop.org page!
00:00 Introduction to Let's Talk About Text
00:33 Meet Marla Aviano: A Prolific Reader
02:51 The Joy of Physical Books vs. E-Readers
03:58 Audiobooks: A Different Experience
05:10 School and Reading: A Love-Hate Relationship
05:57 Discovering a Favorite Book
14:06 Haruki Murakami: Novelist as a Vocation
30:32 Expressing Passion and Authenticity
31:34 Breaking Free from Evangelical Christianity
33:27 The Power of Simple Language in Writing
35:24 The Impact of Great Teachers
36:00 Exploring Flannery O'Connor's Work
38:37 The Beauty and Heartbreak of Gloria Naylor's Writing
43:41 The Joy of Reading and Writing
51:37 Finding Passion in Unexpected Places
56:42 Marla's Writing Journey and Future Goals
59:58 Conclusion and Podcast Invitation
30 Jul 2025
Ep. 8: Hemingway, Tiki, Memoir, & The Answer to Everything with Dave & Zach
We're back from a short break and a day late due to some travel snafus!
In this episode, Scott & Blake talk to Dave Lester and Zach Malm from the excellent podcast, Veterans of Culture Wars!
We talk about Hemingway, tiki culture, memoirs, and the greatest five-part trilogy in the sci-fi canon.
As always you can find the links to the books discussed on our bookshop.org page here.
Follow Zach and Dave on Bluesky.
Buy Scott & Blake's books!
15 Jul 2025
Ep 7: On Death & Romantasy with Priska & Avalon
In this episode, guests Priska & Avalon join Blake & Scott to talk about the death & dying & grief genre of memoirs and romantasy. The conversation was so lively that we didn’t even get around to talking about 4 books!
You can find the books discussed here on our bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/lists/episode-7-picks
Check out Priska & Scott’s podcast, Horny Chapel: https://dauntless.fm/podcast/the-horny-chapel
9 Jul 2025
Ep 6: Loving Yourself, Baseball, Superman, and Hallmark Movie Feelings with Geri & Emily
Geri and Emily, spouses of hosts Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain, join the podcast to discuss self-love, baseball, Superman, and Hallmark movies, offering insights into their personal connections with literature in this interview.
1 Jul 2025
Ep 5: Talking Music & Books with Timo and Goh
Musicians Timo Chen and Goh Nakamura join host Scott Okamoto to discuss musical composition, favorite books, and demonstrate speed picking in this interview episode.
24 Jun 2025
Ep 4: Dystopias, Telepathic Whales & Chicago Pizza Secrets with Emily & Betsy
Arts journalist Emily McClanathan and book reviewer Betsy Tomszak join hosts Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain to discuss dystopian literature, psychological warfare, and cultural identity in an interview.
17 Jun 2025
Ep 3: Hockey, Van Halen, and Poorly Timed Moves with Nate & Gail
Podcast hosts Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain interview Nate Nakao and Gail M about hockey, Van Halen, and poorly timed moves, exploring themes from books they are reading.
10 Jun 2025
Ep 2: Team Reads-Lots-of-Books-at-Once with Meghan & Cortland
Meghan Crozier and Cortland Coffey join Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain to discuss books they are currently reading, including science fiction and contemporary novels, in this interview episode.
3 Jun 2025
Ep 1: I Kissed the Shire Goodbye with Tori & Justin
Hosts Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain interview Tori Williams-Douglass and Justin Gentry about fantasy literature, childhood reading habits, and preferences for print versus digital books.
27 May 2025
Introducing Let's Talk About Text
Hosts Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain introduce their new podcast, Let's Talk About Text, where they discuss what they are reading each week.
Who has been a guest on Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Geri
Emily
Timo Chen
Goh Nakamura
Emily McClanathan
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
89
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.2 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
80
Social presence
0
YouTube
63
Engagement
32
Contact Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends
Who hosts Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends?
Scott Okamoto and Blake Chastain host the show. Published by R. Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Let's Talk About Text with Scott Okamoto, Blake Chastain & Friends take guests?
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