David Hill with Sean Fennessey: The Vapors

Join author David Hill for a discussion of his book The Vapors. David is in conversation with Head of Content for The Ringer, Sean Fennessey.

Purchase a copy of The Vapors: https://bit.ly/3dvO30g

The Vapors is a terrific, colorful, character-driven piece of history and true crime that tells the story of Hot Springs, Arkansas, which was for much of the 20th century one of the country's premier destinations for gambling and vice, and was at one time in competition with Las Vegas for the title. David's book alternates between the stories of three "characters": Owney Madden, one-time New York gangster and owner of the Cotton Club who resettled in Hot Springs; Dane Harris, a local guy who rose to become the town's boss gambler; and the author's own grandmother, who worked for Harris at his casino.

David Hill is a writer from Hot Springs, Arkansas. His work has appeared regularly in Grantland and The Ringer, and has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, GQ, and New York Magazine, as well as on This American Life. He lives in Nyack, New York, with his wife and three children, where he serves as the vice president of the National Writers Union. The Vapors is his first book.

Sean Fennessey is Head of Content for The Ringer, overseeing strategy, development, and editorial voice across all of the company's platforms. He is the host of The Big Picture podcast, an interview show about filmmaking and the movie industry that has welcomed some of the most accomplished directors in the world. He is also a frequent co-host of The Rewatchables podcast. As a journalist, his work routinely explores the intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. He was formerly the Deputy Editor of Grantland and has worked as an editor and writer for GQ, Vibe, and Pitchfork.

Recorded July 7, 2020