Exactly one year ago, the literary and culinary worlds were introduced to a “maybe/maybe not” genre that no one knew they needed: Hardnose Prose. With the release of Existential Bread, author Jim Franks proved that a writer could be simultaneously pragmatic and whimsical, using the chemistry of sourdough as a lens for the politics of being alive. Now, in a move that promises to be as sensory as the smell of a fresh boule, Drag City has announced the audiobook adaptation of the 2025 hit. Set for release on March 10th, the production is less of a standard narration and more of a “neighborhood of sonics.”
This isn’t your typical dry non-fiction recording. Read by Franks himself, the 2-hour and 18-minute experience is soundtracked by an avant-garde ensemble of musicians, including Whitney Johnson, Rob Frye (of Bitchin Bajas), Bill MacKay, James Schroeder, and special guest Shutaro Noguchi. The music—recorded and mixed by Schroeder—acts as a “separate stream of consciousness,” occasionally harmonizing with Franks’ digressions on baking and life, and at other times, challenging his flow. It’s an audiological ecosystem that mirrors the unpredictable nature of fermentation itself.
Thinking never got nobody nowhere
This works on so many levels, it’s like breadmaking’s answer to Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Check out Proofing below:
One of the most refreshing aspects of Existential Bread—which earned high praise from The New York Times and Wordloaf—is what it isn’t. As the book notes, Jim Franks is not a professional baker, because there are no such things as professional bakers, nor is this a cookbook full of stories and recipes. Instead, Franks—a poet-baker—shares a “baker’s common sense.” While mainstream baking books often obsess over “shoulds” and rigid hydration percentages, Franks encourages readers to find their own structure. As author Abra Berens puts it, he doesn’t want you to make his bread; he wants you to make yours.
The original 2025 trailer:
Since its release, the book has become a “discoursable school of thought” for those who see the act of making bread as an ancient, essential practice of listening and failing. Whether you are a “Breadhead” or a casual listener, the audiobook offers a chance to engage with Franks’ unsentimental poetry in a new dimension.
As Drag City suggest, if you already own the book, buy a second copy—or better yet, pair the print version with the audio. It’s an investment in the “what-if” mindset that keeps our communities and our starters alive.
Pre-Order: https://lnk.to/existentialbread