The Two Mikes

The Two Mikes
Ever wanted to talk with someone about a book you just read? You could just join a book group and talk about it, drink a little, veer off on tangents, work back around to the book again, and finally wrap it up by picking the next book.

But what happens when the book you just read is about about hungry zombies or a haunted house, and your Eat, Pray, Love–reading friends aren’t really into reading it, much less discussing its finer points? That’s what we’re here for. We Two Mikes will be your virtual book group for discussing new and interesting and old and half-forgotten horror books.

If you want to follow along with us, look at the next forbidden book on the table and start reading.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Episode 58 : Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey



If life ever felt a little like Hell to you then join the Two Mikes and the title character of Richard Kadrey's "Sandman Slim." It is hard-boiled horror at its best; you might even smell a little sulfurous when it is through.

It Is Cocktail Time!

Red Rum

1 part 151 Rum,
1 part Rosso Vermouth

Mix with ice.
Drink.


End Music: Tom Waits's - "Alice."





Saturday, November 13, 2010

Episode 57: Joan Samson's The Auctioneer


Have your checkbook handy as the Two Mikes sell off all their best ideas about Joan Samson's forgotten bestseller, The Auctioneer. We marvel at the book's slow build and lament that there are no other Joan Samson books. Then we drink a virtuous Yankee cocktail.

It's Cocktail Time!
The Yankee Virtue

1 shot brandy
1/2 shot Becherovka clove liqueur
2 shots hard apple cider
Shake with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with lemon twist.


Closing music: "The Tobacco Auctioneer" by The Raymond Scott Quintette

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Episode 56 : The Tenant by Roland Topor



The Two Mikes pull up the van and move into Roland Topor's crazy apartment building in The Tenant. You'll pound on the ceiling and join the tenant's union just to get them all to shut up. There's a party on the roof so put on a frosted-tip wig and a tight girdle and join the neighbors for some paranoid fun!

It's Cocktail Time!

Knock Three Times.


Take a Mason Jar and fill it with vodka. Take half that jar and pour into sauce pan with the peel of a whole orange, 2 star anise, 2 tablespoons coriander and 2 tablespoons of tarragon.


Warm this up, don't boil, just warm it through. Put this in the Mason jar and top off the jar with more vodka.


Keep tightly closed in a cool dry place - 1, 2, or 3 weeks. Shake it up every few days.


Get a nice bottle of rose wine.


Into a tall glass packed with ice fill with half wine and half infused vodka.




End Music: We have Adel's Crazy for You. We wanted Tony Orlando and Dawn's - Knock Three Times.




Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Episode 55: Jerzy Kosinski's The Painted Bird


click to listen

Walk with the Mikes through a nightmare landscape between horror and history and wonder which one this novel is, history or horror?


It's Cocktail Time!


Flipping the Painted Bird

In a shaker of ice mix
  • 2 shots buffalo grass vodka
  • 1/2 shot Bärenjager
  • 1/2 shot apple schnapps
Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Closing music by the Klezmatics

Friday, August 20, 2010

Episode 54: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith


The Two Mike's discover the real story behind the Great Emancipator but now don't know who to believe anymore: Carl Sandburg or Seth Grahame-Smith?


It's Libation Time!

The Lemonabe
In shaker, assemble


  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 shots of rye or corn whisky

Pour over ice into rocks glass. Top with soda.


Closing Music: "Dark Was the Night" by Blind Willie Johnson

Monday, July 26, 2010

Episode 53 : Horns by Joe Hill



Join Mike and Mike as they explore the true meaning of "putting a fork in it" with Joe Hill and his second novel Horns. Listen as they leave the tree house of Paradise and lose their innocence in this horror coming-of-age mystery play in book form.

Cocktail Time!

The Devil Made Me Do It

1 shot of 151 Rum
1 splash of high-grade hot sauce
A lime chunk

Combine in a shot glass, suck on a lime, and take it down—oh yeah.


End music: Sufijan Stevens's "In The Devils Territory" from his album "Seven Swans."


Clive Barker's play History of the Devil at http://www.clivebarker.info/playsindex.html

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Episode 52: Danielle Trussoni's Angelology

click here to listen

Are angels the new vampires? The Two Mikes discuss this and other matters of weighty theology in this latest episode.

And no, they are NOT the new vampires.


It's Cocktail Time! Bad-touched by an Angel

Place in the bottom of a Tom Collins glass:
  • slice of ginger
  • piece of lemon rind
  • several dashes of Angostura bitters
Muddle thoroughly.

Pack glass with crushed ice and pour over it
  • 1 shot of bourbon
  • 1 shot Frangelico
  • top with hard cider.
Garnish with lemon slice.
Drink through straw so you can stir up the goodies down below. Chin chin.


Special Closing Music: "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" by Raul Malo

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Episode 51: Dracula Undead by Dacre Stoker w/Ian Holt


You can't keep a good vamp down and that is the case in this sequel to Bram Stoker's original Dracula. His great-grandnephew keeps up the family tradition, and the Two Mike's enjoy participating in this unholy resurrection. Once you go Drac you never go back.


It IS Cocktail Time!

The Blood Countess

1.5 shots of Domaine de Canton
1 shot of Campari
1 shot Dry Vermouth
.5 shot of Gin

Mix and pour over ice. Garnish with candied ginger or orange wedge. Chin, chin.




Thursday, April 29, 2010

Episode 50, Robert Silverberg's The Book of Skulls




click to listen

Mike S. convinced Mike M. to read with him a book he loved in high school. Always a risk, to reread something you loved as a kid, but we aren’t disappointed. We dig the grooviness of its early seventies scene and don’t even have to wonder if it is horror (it isn’t). It gives us lots to talk about: immortality, hot hairy lovin', kids these days, and so on.

It’s Cocktail Time!

The Skull beneath the Skin

½ oz each of gin, vodka, rum, and triple sec

¼ oz Rose’s lime juice

2 oz sour mix

1 oz blue agave syrup

Shake with ice and strain into martini glass; top with a splash of champagne.

Chin. And also chin.

Bonus link: Robert Silverberg's thoughts on his career in sleaze:

Closing music: “Live” by Emitt Rhodes, performed by the Bangles.



Thursday, March 25, 2010

Episode 49, Peter Straub's Lost, Boy Lost Girl


If you are into screwing ghosts, you'll dig Peter Straub's Lost Boy, Lost Girl. One Mike loves its labyrinthine gestalt and Milwaukee sensibility. The other Mike says it only made him crave Leon's Frozen Custard and Balistrieri's Pizza. They both end with an Ode to Milwaukee.



It's Cocktail Time.
The Schiltz Your Wrist and Pabst Your Bottom.

Take one tall glass of ice and fill with
1 /4 Milwaukee beer like Schlitz, Miller, Pabst, or even Blatz
1/4 of Amaretto
and 1/2 of Pick-n-Save brand OJ.

Stir, enjoy and then head over to Ma Fischer's for breakfast all day.






Monday, February 22, 2010

Episode 48, Brian Keene's The Conqueror Worms


click here to listen

We didn't like it. Can't recommended it. You can compost it for worm food.

Here have a cocktail.

The Wormy Apple

1/2 shot mezcal (with or without the worm)
shot apple schnapps
shot apple brandy (or calvados)

Shake with ice, strain into glass.
Enjoy.

Closing music: "Worms" by the Pogues

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Episide 47: Alice Seybold's The Lovely Bones


click to listen


The Mikes agree that this is a fine book, but bash heads anyway.


It's Cocktail Time!

The Dead Don't Kiss

1-1/2 shots vodka
1/2 shot orgeat (almond flavoring)
1/2 shot Grand Marnier (or B&B)
dash or two of Peychaud's bitters
dash or two of Orange bitters

Shake with ice, strain into martini glass, chastely enjoy.