Hitmakers
Episodes about this book
3 episodesThe Netflix Crisis Isn’t What It Seems
Host Derek Thompson invokes the central thesis of his own book Hitmakers—that people think they seek novelty but actually prefer familiarity—to illuminate why Netflix and Hollywood now lean so heavily on familiar IP. He notes that when he wrote it in 2017 the thesis seemed mildly surprising, but that in the current media landscape it has become obvious.
What Translator Emily Wilson Thinks of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey'
Derek Thompson introduces his own book Hitmakers and its central thesis—that successful cultural products occupy an intersection between surprise and familiarity—as a framing device for discussing Christopher Nolan's Odyssey film and its relationship to Homer's ancient poem.
Should I Press Pause? | Monday Advice
Cal Newport says he brought Derek Thompson's Hitmakers on his Asheville trip because he thought it relevant to thinking about what makes writing and podcasting successful. He reports enjoying it and being nearly finished, though he plans to complete the last few chapters at home since his copy is a signed hardback he did not want to travel with.
Also on Plain English with Derek Thompson
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All summaries are AI generated based on the original transcript.