John Jeremiah Sullivan

In his new essay collection, called “Pulphead,” writer John Jeremiah Sullivan covers a whole lot of pop cultural ground – from Christian rock to old weird America to ancient Indian cave paintings in Tennessee. If a theme runs through the book, it might be Southern culture (North Carolina-based Sullivan is also Southern editor for The Paris Review)… but the essays are also all deeply personal – and deeply funny. Today, he brings some of them to life.

This week on Soundcheck, four authors pass along an album recommendation in a chain-like fashion to the next day's guest. Yesterday, writer and cultural critic Touré left behind Das Racist's "Relax" for John Jeremiah Sullivan. Today, the Southern editor of the Paris Review responds to Touré's choice and unveils his pick for tomorrow's guest, musician (and published author) Brian Eno.