Writer, romantic, and reluctant TikTok star — Lucas Oakeley joins us this week to talk fiction, masculinity, and why books are the best way to challenge everything you think you know.

Lucas has written for everyone from Vogue and The Guardian to Eater and GQ, but it’s his TikTok book reviews and men’s book club that made him a surprise internet sensation. Now he’s making his authorial debut with Nearly Departed — a ghostly, sharp, and heartfelt rom-com about grief, love, and cement trucks (yes, really). It’s out next week and we are obsessed.

In this episode, we talk about why men need more fiction in their lives, the limits of TikTok self-help and the power of slowing down with books, masculinity and emotions, and what happens when men get together just to talk. We also dive into how Lucas built a modern rom-com that subverts and embraces the genre at once, why Virginia Woolf and The Great Gatsby still hit, and what it really takes to get a novel published.

Lucas is charming, thoughtful, and hilariously self-deprecating — and this one’s packed with big ideas, smart takes, and brilliant book chat.

Pre-order Nearly Departed now (out August 14th): https://amzn.to/3SE6V3H

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