The biggest novels are getting bigger than ever before. I give you real examples of how the top end in novel size is growing and explore this trend and its significance in postmodern fiction. Works covered include Ulysses by James Joyce, Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, Darconville's Cat by Alexander Thereux, The Tunnel by William Gass, The Christine Brook-Rose Omnibus, Dune by Frank Herbert, Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, Jerusalem by Alan Moore, Underworld by Don DeLillo, TheMystery.doc by Michael Macintosh, LETTERS by John Barth, Novel Explosives by Jim Gauer, XX by Ryan Hughes, and House of Leaves, Tom's Crossing, and The Familiar by Mark Danielewski.

I pick out six unambiguous science fiction authors with strong postmodern tendencies and explain what they are. My list includes Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, Gene Wolfe, Stanislaw Lem, Harlan Ellison, and J.G. Ballard.

This episode explores the fascinating world of tabular narrative in fiction, examining how authors create parallel, simultaneous storylines that challenge and engage readers. Join me to explore examples from John Barth, Samuel R. Delaney, Steve Katz, Arno Schmidt, Vladimir Nabokov, Johan Harstad, and Mark Danielewski as we discover how these complex narrative structures reshape storytelling.