"The protagonists in both my fiction and nonfiction narratives—including my memoir—are almost always people who try to do the right thing and fail."
Stephen O'Connor shared a playlist for his novel We Want So Much to Be Ourselves at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/12/s...
The melody of thought, the soul of rhythm, the solidarity of harmony – all of it must be intrinsic to the functioning of democracy..."
Ed Simon shared a playlist for his book American Elegy at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/07/e...
"I remember lying back on my bed...listening to Simon and Garfunkel...and thinking, If I could express myself even a fraction as well as these musicians express themselves, I could survive."
Nin Andrews shared a playlist for her memoir Son of a Bird largeheartedboy.com/2026/05/28/n...
"To write this novel, I built out a four-hour-long playlist that tracked the plot, beat for beat. Musical cues helped me escalate tension, or keep the energy at a simmer..."
@Natalie Adler shared a playlist for her debut novel Waiting on a Friend largeheartedboy.com/2026/05/29/n...
David Gutowski
David Gutowski
David Gutowski
David Gutowski
"In 1960s Cuba...Felix is careful about who he plays his American records with. It’s an element that runs through the novel and mirrors all the other things that Felix must hide...to survive."
Chantel Acevedo shared a playlist for her novel Cages largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/12/c...
"…as I imagined writing this book, I went for comfort listens, feel-good familiar songs, that, when listened to closely, revealed an underlayer of death, destruction, loss. Apocalypse songs."
Deb Olin Unferth shared a playlist for her novel Earth 7 largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/09/d...
David Gutowski
David Gutowski
"Like good poetry, this song is slick, shimmering, heavy, metal, and reflective."
Nicholas Goodly shared a playlist for his poetry collection Star Power at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/02/n...
"The music and writing are in conversation. They’re conversation partners. One influences the other."
Ross McMeekin shared a playlist for his novel Pepperleaf at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/05/r...
"This playlist is a collection of songs that brought me back to my spirit, my roots, and my resilience, which is so deeply rooted in the strength of the global majority. "
Cinelle Barnes shared a playlist for her memoir A Way Home at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/06/11/c...
"Music is always playing on the car radio, in roadside diners, on clunky boom boxes, and in the heads of many of the characters, giving context and texture to their lives."
Hillary Behrman shared a playlist for her story collection Lake Effect at Largehearted Boy largeheartedboy.com/2026/05/31/h...
