Episode Summary: "Jeff Hobbs is a Non-Fiction Storyteller"
Release Date: February 13, 2025
Podcast: The Book Case
Hosts: Kate Gibson and Ryan Reynolds
Guest: Jeff Hobbs, Author of "Seeking Shelter"
Introduction
In this episode of The Book Case, hosts Kate Gibson and Ryan Reynolds delve deep into the world of non-fiction storytelling with Jeff Hobbs, the acclaimed author of Seeking Shelter. This episode offers a compelling exploration of homelessness in Los Angeles through the lens of Evelyn, a single mother striving to provide stability for her six children amidst the chaos of housing instability.
Conversation with Jeff Hobbs on "Seeking Shelter"
Kate Gibson opens the discussion by introducing Jeff Hobbs and his latest work:
"[...] Jeff Hobbs is with us. He's our author of the day. He's written a book called Seeking Shelter, which is about people who are homeless in Los Angeles."
[02:29]
Ryan Reynolds elaborates on the uniqueness of Hobbs' approach:
"There have been a number of books about homelessness, but they're mostly about people who have drug problems or alcohol problems or PTSD or whatever. He has found a mom, Evelyn. We never know her last name. Six kids, single mom, and absolutely determined that even though they're homeless, she's going to raise those kids and make them upstanding citizens to the extent she can."
[01:38]
Kate shares her admiration for Hobbs' work and the emotional depth it brings to the statistics surrounding homelessness:
"One of the things I love about Jeff Hobbs [...] I find the statistics about homelessness are so overwhelming. And so Jeff's finding a family and giving you a humanist story behind some of those statistics I think is really what shines in this book."
[03:24]
Jeff Hobbs discusses his inspiration and methodology, coining the term "reconstructive journalism":
"I spent hours and hours and hours talking to Evelyn, meeting her kids. He came to the game a little bit late, but when I say reconstructive, through talking to her hour after hour after hour, he got a sense of what she had been through and what she was still going through."
[05:00]
He further explains his approach:
"I wanted to write about the people, the crisis we didn't see. And namely, I wanted to learn about parents who worked and kids who went to school, but who, for whatever reason, weren't able to afford a home."
[06:25]
Kate probes into how Hobbs discovered Evelyn and Wendy, highlighting the serendipitous nature of his research:
"Every book is a little bit different in that regard. In this case, I set about thinking about spaces. And so I started spending a lot of time in schools and talking to high school counselors around Los Angeles. And that led me to spending a lot of time in different transitional housing facilities that were geared toward families."
[07:00]
Jeff emphasizes the ethical considerations in his storytelling:
"Something just didn't feel quite right about being on the street with Evelyn with her kids, seeing them, you know, struggle through each day... It didn't feel ethical about leaving them at that point in the day to go back to my own home with my notes."
[10:24]
Themes Explored
Asset vs. Service Economy
Kate introduces a critical discussion point regarding the U.S. economy:
"[...] the entrenchment of the asset versus the service economy in the U.S."
[12:25]
Jeff responds by dissecting the transactional nature of the current economy:
"In this asset economy that we all live in, people are very uncomfortable with that. Just the mathematics of that. How do you give a kid a place in school? How do you give a family shelter when they don't have anything to give back at the moment?"
[13:57]
Hope Amidst Crisis
The conversation shifts to the potential for positive change:
Jeff shares an optimistic outlook based on Evelyn's journey:
"I ended this work actually with immense hope, mainly having to do with the spirit of this family and those at the, you know, they ended up at this faith-based, nonprofit organization that gave them shelter and some job training and just some rudimentary stability."
[18:16]
Notable Quotes
-
Jeff Hobbs on reconstructive journalism:
"It's just ethical about leaving them at that point in the day to go back to my own home with my notes."
[10:24] -
Kate Gibson on government bureaucracy:
"[...] how complicated it is to seek that extra help from the government for housing and how difficult it would be without a really strong education in government affairs."
[22:35] -
Jeff Hobbs reflecting on hope:
"Maybe it's not entirely reasonable, but I've definitely finished books where I was left without that feeling."
[25:35]
Discussion with Jay Ryan Straddle on His Fourth Novel
In a double-barreled show, the hosts transition to speaking with Jay Ryan Straddle, an emerging novelist currently working on his fourth book. Straddle shares insights into his meticulous writing process:
Jay discusses his challenges with creating a "tight first draft":
"I need to just keep moving forward. That's my problem. I keep going back and reading what I've written already and taking stuff out."
[27:05]
Kate probes into his perfectionist tendencies:
"[...] I wonder if that's causing him to create a tighter first draft."
[35:05]
Jay responds by highlighting his desire for precision:
"I think because my last two books, I wrote giant, unwieldy first drafts... I wanted a more precise shape to this draft than in my last two novels."
[27:22]
He also touches upon the emotional weight of his current project, which fictionalizes the life his mother could have led:
"I feel I have my mom's voice in my head anyway. I have throughout all my books."
[33:23]
Conclusion
This episode of The Book Case offers a profound look into the lives of those experiencing homelessness through Jeff Hobbs' Seeking Shelter, while also providing an intimate glimpse into the creative struggles of novelist Jay Ryan Straddle. Both discussions underscore the power of storytelling in shedding light on complex social issues and the personal trials of artists.
Produced by: ABC Audio and Good Morning America
Executive Producers: Laura Mayer and Simone Swink
Edited by: Tom Butler of TKO Productions