Episode 205 with Josh Riedel, Author of Please Report Your Bug Here, Standout Worldbuilder, and Sage Observer and Chronicler of the Evolution/Devolution of Tech and its Impact on Our Society/Ourselves

Notes and Links to Josh Riedel’s Work

 

   For Episode 205, Pete welcomes Josh Riedel, and the two discuss, among other topics, his Midwestern upbringing and early reading and writing, his love of Choose Your Own Adventure books, his evolving reading tastes, the experiences in early tech-at Facebook and as Employee #1 for Instagram-that inspired much of his book, and throughlines in the book like intimacy and connections, the free and not so free exchange of ideas, and the ways in which social media and Big Tech has altered our world and ourselves.

 

   Josh Riedel was the first employee at Instagram, where he worked for several years before earning his MFA from the University of Arizona. His short stories have appeared in One Story, Passages North, and Sycamore Review. Please Report Your Bug Here is his first novel. He lives in San Francisco, California.

 

 

Josh Riedel's Website

 

Buy Please Report Your Bug Here

 

Chicago Review of Books Review of Please Report Your Bug Here

 

 

 

At about 1:45, Josh discusses his childhood reading and writing and Midwest upbringing in response to Pete citing an intriguing quote from 

 

At about 5:20, The two discuss Josh’s writing style and his reading and understanding of fellow Illinoisian David Foster Wallace and the power of Dave Eggers’ work

 

At about 7:50, Peter Rock and Tony Early and Tin House are highlighted as helpful in shaping Josh’s love of writing and writing and writing style

 

At about 9:30, Josh discusses his early days of working at Facebook and seeing working in tech as an aesthetic pursuit 

 

At about 12:40, Josh gives background on how he became Instagram Employee #1

 

At about 16:20, Josh discusses what drew him to early tech worlds, and what he still respects about the industry 

 

At about 20:45, Josh shares seeds for the book

 

At about 22:10, Josh talks about how time and physical distance helped him to better write his book

 

At about 23:40, Johs defines and explains the meanings of “bug” in the tech world and provides some examples 

 

At about 24:45, Pete relates some of the book’s exposition and Josh replies to Pete’s questions about NDA’s in tech and the ways they affect the consumer 

 

At about 26:35, Josh speaks about the ways in which he characterizes The Founder in the book

 

At about 30:30, Josh speaks about the book’s mission statement scenes and the possible naivete of the protagonist Ethan  

 

At about 33:15, Josh and Pete speak about the work/rest balance in tech companies and the ways in which it has changed/evolved

 

At about 37:40, Pete wonders who Noma is to Ethan in the book and Josh responds 

 

At about 38:50, Pete sets up what happens early in the book with Ethan’s 100% match; Josh describes how this scene pushes the book in a surreal direction 

 

At about 42:15, Josh and Pete describe how Noma takes Ethan out of his work bubble 

 

At about 43:20, The two sum up the startup’s roster and lay out The Corporation’s machinations 

 

At about 44:30, Yarbo is described by Josh in its makeup and philosophy

 

At about 46:00, Pete charts the Portals and surrealism of the book that becomes a/the main conflict 

 

At about 49:00, Josh talks about bigger issues of connection that have changed since the book’s main setting of 2010 ish

 

At about 52:10, The two discuss “curated profiles” based on a profound quote from the book

 

At about 53:45, Josh responds to Pete’s questions on the unique and successful ending

 

At about 55:45, Josh discusses interesting upcoming projects and mentions a different topic about which he recently wrote for Esquire 

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   Please tune in for Episode 206 with David Mura, whose memoirs, poems, essays, plays and performances have won wide critical praise and numerous awards. The topics range from contemporary Japan to the legacy of the internment camps and the history of Japanese Americans to critical explorations of an increasingly diverse America. His most recent standout is The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself.

   The episode will air on September 29.