Lit Up

Angie speaks with Adriana Trigiani, the author of 20 best-selling books of fiction and nonfiction, most recently the novel THE GOOD LEFT UNDONE. She is an award-winning filmmaker who has directed the greats such as Whoopi Goldberg and Ashley Judd and now she's hosting a new podcast, You Are What You Read, with Book of the Month. Angie and Adriana talk about how her Appalachian and Italian heritage shaped her, why she reinvents herself every seven years, and how her time as a temp on Wall Street in the 80s has shaped how she organizes her days ever since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Angie is joined by writer and filmmaker Shaina Feinberg and illustrator Julia Rothman to talk about their new book, How We Got By: 111 People Share Stories of Survival, Resilience & Hope through Hardship. The book was inspired by the success of their illustrated column for the business section of The New York Times called Scratch about people's relationship with money, small businesses, and resilience. They talk about how writing a book can help you find a husband (!), how speaking with strangers has encouraged them to live more fully, and the quirks that define their friendship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with the James Beard award-winning food writer Anya von Bremzen about her book National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home. Angie and Anya also talk about what makes a memorable meal, the joy of Neapolitan pizza, and how the ongoing war in Ukraine has irrevocably changed her relationship with Borscht. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, LIT UP producer and podcaster Liam Billingham comes back to chat with Angie about her vacation reading, things to watch, and a whole lot more! A chill end of summer episode for your ears. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with writer Prachi Gupta about her new book They Called Us Exceptional. Angie and Prachi also talk about her work as a reporter during the 2016 election, and her award-winning essay Stories About My Brother. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Angie is joined by award-winning journalist and writer Mattie Kahn. She's written one of the buzziest books of the season: Young and Restless, the Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions. This book highlights the gutsy girls and the women whose voices and courageous actions have helped shape American society for the better. Maddie has made a career of championing women's voices. She was the culture director at Glamor where she specialized in women's issues. She's covered news and politics at l and her journalism has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, the New York Times Vanity Fair, and more. Angie and Mattie talk about the book, those we choose to highlight through history (and those we don't), and also about the young women making names for themselves in politics today. They also talk about how much Mattie loves BRAVO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Angie welcomes back Helen Ellis to chat about her new collection of essays, Kiss Me in the Coral Lounge: Intimate Confessions From A Happy Marriage.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Angie is putting her feet up and taking a well deserved break. In her place this week is her producer and friend Liam Billingham, who is bringing us an episode of his film podcast, DIE HARD ON A BLANK. On DHOAB, Liam and his co-host, screenwriter Philip Gawthorne explore the influence of Die Hard on action movies, one action movie at time. Today they're tackling CLIFFHANGER (one of Angie's favorites) alongside NYTimes Opinion writer and podcaster Jamelle Bouie. Enjoy the spirited discussion and, if you like it, subscribe to Die Hard On A Blank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, on a sweltering day in New York City, Gina Chung joined Angie to talk about her new book Sea Change. Angie and Gina talk about a lot: professional mourners, Sharktinis (2 parts gin, 1 part mountain dew, hint of jalapeño,) supernatural places, and shitty break ups. Gina's book Sea Change is available in the US now. Get it wherever you get your books! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Angie talks to Max Porter about his new novel 'Shy,' the story of a few strange hours in the life of a teenage boy. Max and Angela talk about being young, grief, and loss, but they also make room for lighter topics, like Max's penchant for shower gels and Japanese socks (a bit hipster, he calls them). We hope you enjoy this conversation with Max Porter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we welcome New York City food critic and writer Hannah Goldfield to Lit Up! Angela and Hannah discuss what makes a restaurant experience special, how Hannah captures New York City's shifting moods through the lens of food for The New Yorker, early influences that inspired Hannah to pursue a career in food criticism, quintessential food writers, and the pleasures of reading non-fiction on topics she doesn't devote her time to thinking and writing about. Hannah's recommendations: Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl Counter Intelligence: Where to Eat in the Real Los Angeles by the late Jonathan Gold, Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Jeffrey Steingarten's food writing in Vogue the late writer Laurie Colwin, author of Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media by Darrell Hartman Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv Genius Recipes Cookbook by Kristen Miglore via Food52 See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Samantha Irby—TV writer ("And Just Like That..."), comedian, and best-selling author and essayist—graces us with her singular presence! Angie and Sam discuss what it's like to write on a TV show that everyone actually watches (and has an opinion about), what to ask before you say ‘I do' (hint: how many jars of mustard are in your partner's fridge?), her spot-on observations of modern life and the pleasures of unabashedly liking the things you like, and the culture that's lighting Sam up at the moment. Samantha's latest essay collection, Quietly Hostile, is out today (via Vintage), May 16th. She's also on book tour, and headed on a driving tour this fall with fellow writer Lindy West! You can purchase your copy of Sam's new collection via BookShop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we welcome back repeat Lit Up guest Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire's Books and Fiction Editor! Given Adrienne's role overseeing books coverage, writing about film, TV, & culture, and curating the Esquire Book Club, it's always a treat to get a glimpse into her ever-growing stack and to find out what recent reads and series have stayed with her. Along with sharing many recommendations, we also talk about our shifting relationship to book events, what makes for a good book-to-film/TV adaptation, and the beauty of merging poetry with travel. Adrienne's recommendations: -Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel -Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer -Matrix by Lauren Groff -Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah -Kindred, 2022 TV series adapted from the novel Kindred, by Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler -Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023, dir. Kelly Fremon Craig) -Interview with the Vampire (1976) book by Anne Rice and 2022 series -the poetry of Jack Gilbert (1925–2012) Angela's recommendations: -The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell -It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright -Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld -Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell -Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022 mini-series), based on the novel of the same name by Taffy Brodesser-Akner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angie's joined by pastry chef and writer Natasha Pickowicz for a conversation on why there's so much more to cake than meets the eye. Her long-anticipated debut book of recipes, More Than Cake: 100 Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community, is out now from Artisan Publishers. They discuss Natasha's experiences crafting glorious pastries for places like Flora Bar at the Met Breuer museum and Café Altro Paradiso, the relationship between community organizing and baking, embracing imperfection in the kitchen, collaborating with her mom (a successful contemporary artist for decades!) on artwork for the book, and a preview of her upcoming book tour, featuring plenty of baked goods along the way. Natasha also shares a memorable lesson she learned while attempting to incorporate the natural flora of Wyoming into a mutual friend's wedding cake…! All the details on Natasha's book and tour are available at her website, https://www.natasha-pickowicz.com/ Natasha Pickowicz recommends: Kitchen Arts and Letters, 1435 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10128 Brooks Headley's Fancy Desserts Ten Vineyard Lunches by Richard Olney Stay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we welcome French-English culture & travel journalist, bestselling author, and host of The New Paris podcast, Lindsey Tramuta.  Lindsey talks about what she's observed over her 16 years in Paris, the illuminating ideas behind her books The New Parisienne (Abrams, pub. 2020) and The New Paris (Abrams, pub. 2017), her ongoing work to challenge Parisian stereotypes and archetypes, and the storied history behind the ‘American in Paris' in literature. She also shares some of her favorite French books, including Muriel Barbery's 2006 novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Order your copies of Lindsey's books via Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookshop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela welcomes back Lit Up's first-ever (!) guest, author Catherine Lacey, and delve into the making and imagining of her brilliantly textured new book, Biography of X: a multilayered portrait of an inscrutable art and literary star as reported by her widow. Catherine shares the entry points into her chosen fictional biography form, reimagining American history through the writing process, centering queer people on the page without explanation, the mysterious forces that draw people into each other's orbits, and the pleasure of reading in bed with coffee first thing in the morning.  Pick up your copy of Biography of X at Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookstore.  Plus, check out Catherine's friend John Wray's forthcoming book Gone to the Wolves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From La Rousse to Le Coucou, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina—Maitre d' extraordinaire—has a birds eye view on some of New York City's most historic, glamorous restaurants. After more than 35 years in the restaurant world, he's sharing his behind the scenes tales in his delicious new memoir YOUR TABLE IS READY (Dec. 2022, pub: St. Martin's Press). This week, Michael tells Angie all about his early memories of the restaurant business, living through the AIDS epidemic, the singular magic of gathering around a dinner table, and his next exciting chapter: opening an NYC spot of his own. Plus, he shares his go-to comfort dish to cook at home. YOUR TABLE IS READY is available via Bookshop.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Angela chats with author Reid Mitenbuler, whose new book, Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, an Epic Journey, a Lost Age (Mariner at HarperCollins) charts the true story of adventurer Peter Freuchen and his larger-than-life escapades. They talk about the origins of Freuchen's adventurous spirit, the unexpected quirks you uncover when delving into someone's life story, the importance of historical context, and Mitenbuler's go-to narrative nonfiction writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from 2022, when we talked to Elizabeth Day about her book Magpie. Next month, Elizabeth is releasing a new book called Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, and seeing as she and Angie talked about friendship, we couldn't think of a better time to revisit this warm and fun conversation. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela chats with Kate Baer, the Pennsylvania-based poet and New York Times-bestselling author of the collections WHAT KIND OF WOMAN, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL, & AND YET. They talk about Kate's path to sharing poems about motherhood, in all its complexity, with strangers on the internet; pushing back against misogynistic takes on her work; the poets whose words she keeps returning to; and the wisdom that accompanies getting older and embracing who you are. Plus, lucky us: Kate reads several of her poems throughout the episode. We recommend Jessica Bennett's profile on Kate. What Kind of Woman I Hope This Finds You Well And Yet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with Tarajia Morrell, writer, born-and-raised New Yorker, and creator of the food and travel blog, The Lovage. They discuss Tarajia's impactful collaboration with the late boundary-breaking chef Fatima Ali on her 2022 posthumous memoir Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More (Ballantine Books), which features writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh. They also discuss Tarajia's path into food writing as a way to talk about memorable characters, favorite cookbooks, and their preferred techniques for roasting a chicken. Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More: https://bookshop.org/p/books/savor-a-chef-s-hunger-for-more-fatima-ali/18069623?ean=9780593355190 Tarajia's blog, The Lovage: https://www.tarajiamorrell.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Lit Up's final episode of 2022, Angie and Ruby (a brilliant colleague who works on the Sugar23 Books imprint, and spent a past life as a bookseller at New York City's iconic Three Lives & Company), catch up about their year in great books, titles they've loved, what's topping their list for winter break marathon reading sessions, and recommended book gifts for all the avid readers in your lives this holiday season. Books we talk about on this ep include: The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-english-understand-wool-helen-dewitt/17643357?ean=9780811230070 The Midcoast by Adam White Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Acne: A Memoir by Laura Chinn The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs by Beth Ann Fennelly Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell Lee Fly Girl: A Memoir by Ann Hood Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef by Gabrielle Hamilton Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain The World of Natural Wine: What It Is, Who Makes It, and Why It Matters by Aaron Ayscough Catch up on any episodes you missed this year at https://www.lituppodcast.com/ (or wherever you like to listen!). More to come in the shiny new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela chats with Jen Ortiz, Deputy Editor of New York Magazine's The Cut. They talk about Jen's trajectory through the media world, working with writers, life and abortion resources after Roe, newsletters and books she's loving of late, and of course, this August's Meghan Markle cover story. Jen's recs include: Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones Bre Graham's newsletter Just to Delight and book, Table for Two: Recipes for the Ones You Love The Old Place by Bobby Finger Vegan chef and cookbook author Gaz Oakley's (aka “the Avant-Garde Vegan”) YouTube channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela speaks with writer and editor Nimarta Narang, who has worked as a journalist since she was 15 in Thailand and currently oversees Brown Girl Magazine's literary vertical, commissioning and publishing original fiction from established and emerging South Asian writers.  Brown Girl Magazine, a multimedia company created by and for South Asian womxn, believes in storytelling as a powerful tool for community building. Their team encompasses and welcomes women, femmes, men, gender non-conforming, queer, and transgender individuals living across the diaspora including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.  Angela and Nimarta discuss the publication's anthology “Untold: Defining Moments of the Uprooted,” (edited by Gabrielle Deonath and Kamini Ramdeen) which features over 30 deeply personal stories exploring South Asian experiences with specificity; coming of age and studying in cities around the world; her work to amplify expansive narratives through the BGM platform and advocate for more inclusive media and publishing industries; and a few contemporary writers currently inspiring her.  Nimarta's podcast and book recs include: The Chaat Room, hosted by Keertana Sastry & Nikitha Menon — in partnership with Brown Girl Magazine — featuring interviews with South Asians in Hollywood, on and off the screen. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri Books by Adiba Jaigirdar Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel Missed Translations: Meeting the Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me by Sopan Deb Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America by Mayukh Sen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm changing things up a bit today and bringing you a preview of a new podcast I'm enjoying and think you will, too. Where There's a Will: Finding Shakespeare searches for the surprising places Shakespeare shows up outside the theater. Host Barry Edelstein, artistic director at one of the country's leading Shakespeare theaters, asks what is it about Shakespeare that's given him a continuous afterlife in all sorts of unexpected ways? You'll hear Shakespeare doing rehabilitative work in a maximum security prison, helping kids on the autism spectrum to communicate, in the mouths of U.S. presidents, and even at the center of a deadly riot in New York City. In this preview, Barry takes us into California's Centinela State Prison for a one-of-a-kind production of Shakespeare's English history plays performed by incarcerated individuals. Barry asks: What makes Shakespeare a force of transformation and transcendence behind bars? Hear more from Where There's a Will: https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/wtaw?sid=litup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela talks to New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean, the New York Times-bestselling author of Rin Tin Tin, Saturday Night, and The Orchid Thief (the basis for the Academy Award–winning film, Adaptation), among other books. The conversation begins with On Animals—Susan's collection of favorites pieces exploring animal-human relationships—and her own experiences of living alongside various creatures. They also talk about honing your instincts as a writer and letting your curiosity lead you to unexpected places. Read Susan's latest piece for the New Yorker about Dillie, a whitetail deer from Ohio. Explore Susan's books below: The Orchid Thief Saturday Night Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend The Library Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela is joined by Alyssa Shelasky, editor of NY Mag's Sex Diaries (and soon to the be the star of the HBO series), writer, and author of 'This Might Be Too Personal,' a collection of essays on relationships, sex, motherhood, and finding yourself. Angie and Alyssa talk about the 'good old days', but also what it means to grow older in New York City. They also discuss some good advice Alyssa got from a colleague, and what it means to live as an artist. Angie references Alyssa's conversation with Jenny Mollen, which you can listen to here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela speaks with teacher and author Laura Warrell. They discuss Laura's new novel, Soft, Sweet, Plenty Rhythm, and the 20-year journey to getting it into the world. Laura's book is about Circus Palmer, a trumpet player and the women in his orbit. They talk about Laura's work to make these characters as rich as the man as at the center of the story. They also talk about Laura's 2019 viral essay, I Gave Up On Love, And It Was One Of The Best Decisions I Ever Made. Seeing as they recorded this in LA , they also complained about traffic. Laura's essay on Writing While Black can be found here. She also wrote a piece for Lit Hub about her devotion to Jazz. Angie mentions Lisa Lucas at the beginning of this interview. Here is a NYTimes piece about Lisa. Laura's book Soft, Sweet, Plenty Rhythm, can be found at your favorite local bookstore, or here. We'll be back in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela welcomes Cody Keenan, author of Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America. This book is a special one for Angela and Sugar23, as we are publishing this book in partnership with Mariner at HarperCollins. Cody spent years as President Obama's speechwriter, a position he held during some of the greatest moments and darkest days of Obama's presidency. Angie and Cody talk about meeting Obama for the first time, writing speeches for the first Black president, falling in love with a fact checker (his now wife), and how to free yourself when you're stuck as a writer (tip: read Baldwin or listen to Taylor Swift). Grace is available at the link above or wherever you get your books. Next week on the podcast: Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Angela welcomes Karah Preiss, Co-Founder of Bellatrist, to the show. They talk about how Bellatrist came to be, what she's reading right now, and the role books that have changed her life. They also talk about 'the biz,' and how to turn a book into a TV show or movie. Belletrist celebrates great books and the people who read them. Learn more at belletrist.com Karah and Emma's new series, Tell Me Lies, is available on HULU. Karah's recommendations: Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (her new novel, A Spell of Good Things, comes out next year). My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela speaks to the actor and writer Kal Penn about his memoir You Can't Be Serious, now in paperback. Angie talks to Kal about hat led him to leave his role as a TV regular on House to work in the Obama administration, and a whole lot more. Kal's book, You Can't Be Serious, is available now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello Lit Up listeners! While you're making summery cocktails and making pasta salad this labor day week/weekend, we thought you'd like to enjoy the dulcet tones of Stanley Tucci. Today we're revisiting Angela's October 2021 conversation with the internet's favorite martini maker. We hope you enjoy, and that you have a lovely, sunny Labor Day weekend. -Angela, Liam, Olivia, Ruby, and the entire Lit Up team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Angela first heard Natasha Sizlo's story in 2020, she couldn't believe what she was reading, but she knew she had to be a part of telling it. Now, Natasha joins Angela on Lit Up to talk all about what inspired her to write her new memoir, ALL SIGNS POINT TO PARIS. We'll be back in two weeks with Kal Penn! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the pod, Angela welcomes her friend Isaac Fitzgerald to talk about his memoir Dirtbag, Massachusetts, which recently made its way onto the New York Times Bestseller list. Isaac is known for championing others on the Today Show, but Angie asks him about his life, including why he waited a decade to write this book. Isaac's recent piece on being an uncle for Esquire can be read here. Follow Isaac on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Lit Up on Instagram and Twitter, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Angela speaks with Safia Elhillo about her new book of poetry GIRLS THAT NEVER DIE. Safia and Angie talk about poetry (of course!), Safia's amazing fashion sense, and what it means to be a poet in all aspects of her life. Safia's the author of two other books, including Home Is Not A Country and The January Children. You can read more about her work here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fellow books podcast host Christopher Hermelin (So Many Damn Books) joins Angela for a special crossover episode! Angie and Christopher talk about what to do when the magic of reading has temporarily vanished (especially when your day job is in publishing), books that help us make sense of modern life and the near future, and summer reading plans.  You can hear the other half of Christopher and Angie's chat on the So Many Damn Books podcast feed this week: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-many-damn-books/id931442125 And here are a few of Christopher's reading recommendations as shared in this episode:  — The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden (pub. 1960) — The Car by Gary Paulsen (pub. 1994) — The Shimmering State by by Meredith Westgate (pub. 2021)  — The New Me by Halle Butler (pub. 2019) — Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle by Vladimir Nabokov (pub. 1969) — Either/Or by by Elif Batuman (pub. 2022) See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Angela loves talking to Lisa Taddeo, who is on Lit Up for the third time this week. Lisa's writing always makes Angie nervous because it's so good at confronting the darker side of longing and attachment. Angie and Lisa talk about Lisa's new short story collection, GHOST LOVER, and why Lisa's writing gives Angie a funny tummy. -- https://donations4abortion.com/ - donate to support abortion funds by state https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportabortionfunds - donate to the national network of abortion funds (donations split between 80+ abortion funds) https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe - abortion policy by state as of June 1, 2022 More in-depth version: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela talks to Abi Morgan, BAFTA and Emmy award-winning playwright and screenwriter best known for The Iron Lady, Shame, The Invisible Woman and Suffragette. Most recently, she's also created the hit series The Split. Now, Abi has released 'This Is Not A Pity Memoir,' and it's all about what happens when the person you love most no longer recognizes you. Angie and Abi talk about the extraordinary, traumatic, and funny moments of her harrowing memoir. They touch upon the glimmers of hope that got Abi through, and how writing this book helped her hold onto her identity, and her relationship with Jacob. Next time: Lisa Taddeo, again! See you in two weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the podcast Angela welcomes Elizabeth Day, a journalist, broadcaster, and author of five books, including her latest, the domestic thriller Magpie. Elizabeth also hosts the only podcast Angela listens to religiously, How To Fail with Elizabeth Day. Angie and Elizabeth talk about Magpie, but they also share their journeys, failures, and how they've come to understand themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we're sharing a special preview of a podcast we've been enjoying, Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, from Pushkin Industries. Talk Easy is a weekly interview podcast, where writer Sam Fragoso invites actors, writers, activists, and musicians to come to the table and speak from the heart in ways you probably haven't heard from them before. Driven by curiosity and an abundance of research, he's had revealing conversations with everyone from George Saunders and Cate Blanchett to Ocean Vuong and Gloria Steinem. In this preview, Sam talks with author Margaret Atwood about her new essay collection, Burning Questions, the lasting impact of The Handmaid's Tale, her role in the debate around ‘the writer as political agent', and the power of poetry. You can listen to Talk Easy at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/telitup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Angela talks to documentarian, writer, and comedian Zarqa Nawaz, whose new book, Jameela Green Ruins Everything, is out now. Angie and Zarqa talk about Zarqa's career, including her documentary Me and The Mosque, her TV show Little Mosque on the Prarie, and how years writing pilots in Hollywood lead her to write a memoir. They also talk about how to make fun of ISIS. Zarqa talks about textbooks created by America to radicalize children in Afghanistan. Here's the Washington post article about that story. We'll be back in two weeks with Elizabeth Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode, Angela speaks with musician, author, and broadcaster Clemency Burton-HIll. Clemency wants to make classical musical more accessible, and has brought this mission to her work at New York Public Radio, WNYC, and the BBC. Angie and Clemency talk about her books Year of Wonder and the follow-up Another Year of Wonder, both of which introduce the listener to a new piece of classical music every day. They also talk about Clemency's recovery from a brain hemorrhage in 2020, which only deepened her relationship to music. We'll be back in two weeks with Zarqa Nawaz. See you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're revisiting Angela's conversation with Max Porter about his book Grief Is The Thing With Feathers. It's all about messy families, relationships, and we hope it'll encourage you to hug your families tight this Easter weekend. Follow these links to get Max's newer books, Lanny, and The Death of Francis Bacon. We'll be back in two weeks with our conversation with Clemency Burton-Hill. See ya then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with Pamela Paul, formerly the editor of The New York Times Book Review and now a Times Opinion Columnist. She's also the author of 8 books, including her latest, 100 Things We've Lost to The Internet. Angie and Pamela talk about the importance of boredom, what the pandemic taught us about our needs in life, and the choice we have over how we use the internet. Next time: Clemency Burton-Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the show, Angela talks to Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential and the upcoming K-Pop Revolution. They talk about K-Pop, his recent move from New York to LA, and his experience of feeling like an outsider in both America and Korea. You can purchase K-Pop Confidential and pre-order K-Pop Revolution via the link on our website, LitUpPodcast dot com See you in two weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast Angela talks to Jason Diamond, contributor to GQ and author of The Sprawl and Searching For John Hughes. Angie and Jason have a wide-ranging chat about growing up in the suburbs, house cardigans, and his Martini drinking club called The Beardo Crew. Jason also talks about his Polish and Russian heritage, and how that has affected his love of Russian literature. Jason also writes regularly at his own substack. https://meltedcheeseonwhitefish.substack.com/ Next time: Stephan Lee, author of K-Pop Confidential and the forthcoming K-POP Revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Angela is joined once again by Sheila Heti, whose book, Pure Color, is available now. Sheila is also the author of many other books, including How Should a Person Be? and Motherhood. This episode is about beards, birds, fish, and which one you are. Sheila and Angie also talk about being critical, not wanting to be 18 again, and why looking at your phone may be as important as looking at the sky. Delightfully, they are jointed by Feldman, Sheila's loyal dog who is asleep beside her. You can hear him snoring, softly. Sheila's serialized diaries are available on The New York Times. Next time: Jason Diamond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valentine's Day has got Angela thinking about an old conversation with philosopher Alain De Botton: If you've ever been in love, had your heart broken, been in a relationship, or yearned for one, this week's episode is for you -- in other words, if you're a human, you'll benefit from listening to the wise words of world-renowned philosopher and writer Alain de Botton. Next week: Sheila Heti, and God's first draft.

This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with comedian, podcaster, actor, and her friend Maeve Higgins. Angie and Maeve talk about her big family, how going back to school to study migration has influenced her comedy, and about the time she accidentally ingested THC. She also unmasks Angie as a loving friend who nevertheless finds any opportunity to give Maeve a hard time. Maeve's book, Tell Everyone On This Train I Love Them, is available now, and you can purchase it wherever you get your books. Next Week: Sheila Heti.

This week on the pod, Angela speaks with Wajahat Ali, author of the new book Go Back To Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations On How To Become American. Angie and Wajahat talk about how it took 3 months (but really forty years) to write the first draft of his book, how his sense of humor landed him love, and what being Muslim in America looks like after 9/11. Go Back To Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations On How To Become American is available now. Click to purchase it right there! Next time: Maeve Higgins!

It's a new year, and we're so excited to be joined by HIllary Kelly, a book and TV critic at Vulture, The New Yorker, and LA Times. Angela and Hillary talk about the books they missed in 2021, and what to look forward to in 2022. They also talk about the hype machine, talking about books others pretend to like, how doing a profile of Claire Vaye Watkins helped her get over her own fears, and why she doesn't know what books about happy people want from her. Books discussed in this episode Bewilderment by Richard Powers I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins Night Bitch by Rachel Yoder Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen Happy All The Time by Laurie Colwin So Long, See You Tomorrow by Richard Maxwell Middlemarch by George Eliot Hillary's favorites from last year Night Bitch by Rachel Yoder Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch by Rivka Galchen Hillary's picks for next year The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke Foreverland: On the Divine Tedium of Marriage by Heather Havrilesky Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation by Maud Newton The Candy House by Jennifer Egan To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara  Thanks so much for listening! In two weeks, we'll be speaking with Wajahat Ali, author of the forthcoming Go Back To Where You Came From.