Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata, and Auchentoshan 12, Part 1

Michael and Ethan begin their discussion of the first book of the new season, Sayaka Murata’s Convenience Store Woman.

In this episode:

  • The finest wood

  • Sherlock Holmes, or, coffee shop brags from Ethan, or, amusement park brags from Michael

  • A paean to Japanese convenience stores

  • Irasshaimase!

  • Ethan invents a new segment: doing background research during the show

  • What is normal? What is the purpose of humanity? What is an exception to “normal”? This book asks very easy questions.

  • Almost a loss, but obligatory Shakespeare reference instead

  • The human body as a cog in the machine that is society, society as a human body

  • The world needs ditch-diggers and convenience store workers

  • We’re encouraging Kwik Trip to be better

Next time Michael and Ethan will continue to discuss Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata! Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

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Your Hosts: Michael G. Lilienthal (@mglilienthal) and

Ethan Bartlett (@bjartlett)

MUSIC & SFX:

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

Ethan Bartlett