Tanner Keegan Read
Tanner Keegan Read
Telling the Untold Stories: Bloodflow from a Pen
Telling the Untold Stories: Bloodflow from a Pen
Telling the Untold Stories: Bloodflow from a Pen
Sunday 22nd June 2025
Explore grief, mental health, and storytelling with Larry Bograd on Retrieving Sanity. A heartfelt dive into memory, family, and healing.
Explicit
57 minutes
informative
emotional
hopeful
reflective
vulnerable
About this podcast
Author:
Tanner Keegan Read
Overview:
Categories:
Recovery Reimagined
Family Recovery from Addiction
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Body & Mind
Financial Health in Recovery
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Episodes:
181 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Memory Weaving: Stories of Grief and Healing
Episode Overview
- Larry Bograd shares his journey through grief and mental health.
- Challenges and censorship in writing memoirs.
- The impact of family history and memory on personal growth.
- Using storytelling as a tool for healing and transformation.
- The interplay of humor and trauma in creative expression.
You'd have to be an idiot not to love that reframing of the young life coming into being on a day that historically was morning one that was taken away.
In this episode of 'Retrieving Sanity,' host Keegan Read engages in a compelling conversation with Larry Bograd, a distinguished author and playwright known for his candid exploration of sensitive topics such as grief, mental health, and storytelling. Bograd's latest work, 'Bloodflow,' delves into the deep personal impact of his father's suicide and the generational repercussions it had on his own life.
The episode opens with Bograd recounting his family's history, from their East Coast roots to their relocation to Denver due to his uncle's battle with tuberculosis. This backdrop sets the stage for a broader discussion on how family history shapes personal narratives. Bograd shares his experiences growing up in Colorado, his time in Washington, D.C. during the Vietnam War, and his travels through Europe, which included visits to places significant to his father's history.
These experiences underscore the complex relationship between memory and identity. Transitioning to his writing career, Bograd discusses the challenges he faced, particularly regarding censorship in children's literature—a recurring barrier that influenced his trajectory as a writer. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the emotional and psychological aspects of writing memoirs. Bograd emphasizes the importance of evoking a visceral response from readers, aiming to connect deeply with themes of trauma and mental health.
He candidly discusses the struggle to come to terms with his father's suicide and the coping mechanisms he adopted, including therapy and creative expression. The episode also highlights the transformative power of storytelling. For Bograd, recounting his family's history and personal experiences through writing has been a path toward healing and understanding. The interplay between humor and trauma emerges as a vital component of his narrative style, providing a nuanced perspective on how individuals navigate difficult emotions.
Throughout the discussion, Bograd's vulnerability and insight offer listeners a window into the intricate process of weaving memory and truth. His reflections encourage others to embrace their own stories, fostering empathy and connection. The episode concludes with a reminder of the importance of supporting independent bookstores, underscoring the value of diverse narratives in shaping our understanding of the world.