“The Sears Christmas Wish Book was, for me, a kind of foundational text — a secular counterpoint to the Bible stories I learned around that time in Sunday School. I paged through the holiday catalog’s 620 glossy pages as if they amounted to an intoxicating graphic novel of desire, rich with abundance and possibility.” – Rolf Potts, from “Literature of Desire”
In this episode Rolf reads an audio version of his Christmas-themed essay “Literature of Desire,” and discusses the wonders of the Sears Christmas Wish Book with novelist Tod Goldberg (@todgoldberg). Tod is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including the novel Gangsterland, which is currently being developed into a television series. He is also the director of the University of California-Riverside Palm Desert Low-Residency MFA, and the co-host of the Literary Disco podcast.
Introduction (00:35 – 11:20)
- Vintage Sears Wish Book online archive
- What Exactly is Christmas Tree Flocking? from Mental Floss
- Klonopin (anxiety medication)
- Janis Ian (singer-songwriter)
- Enchroma glasses (to correct colorblindness)
Literature of Desire essay (11:20 – 32:20)
- Richard Warren Sears (catalog founder)
- Mr. Sears’ Catalog (video) from PBS’s American Experience
- Sears Catalog Home (ready-to-assemble houses)
- That ’70s Show, Happy Days, Good Times, Welcome Back, Kotter (TV shows)
- Christie Brinkley and Renee Russo (fashion models)
- Pong (video game)
- Big Jim’s P.A.C.K. (toy line)
- Jay J. Armes (private investigator)
- JJ Armes action figure (TV commercial)
- “Is Jay J. Armes For Real?” from Texas Monthly
- WishBookcom
Sears Wish Book memories (32:20 – 50:10)
- Action figures (dolls marketed to boys)
- Toughskins (jeans for children)
- Huffy (bicycle brand)
- BEST (showroom retail store)
- “Kerouac’s Fantasy Baseball Obsession” from Mental Floss
- Coleco’s Electronic Quarterback (game)
This episode was sponsored by the Paris Writing Workshop, an intensive one-month course in the artistic heart of Europe.
The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.
Note: We don’t host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.
