Podcast appearances and mentions of Ibi Zoboi

On our Best June Books episode, Kirkus' editors share their top titles for the month. Then New York Times-bestselling author Ibi Zoboi joins us to discuss First Day Around the World, illustrated by Juanita Londoño (Versify, June 3). Kirkus calls Zoboi's latest picture book “both monumental in scope and tightly focused, with an emotionally resonant core.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: shifting our perspectives and bookish friends stepping up Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: we are bossing some more TBRs The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  1:23 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 5:36 - Our Current Reads 5:47 - My Friends by Fredrik Backman (Kaytee) 8:16 - Anxious People by Fredrik Backman 8:21 - Beartown by Fredrik Backman 10:16 - Night Film by Marisha Pessl (Meredith) 15:23 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt (Kaytee) 20:29 - The Big Four by Agatha Christie (Meredith) 22:38 - Poirot by Mark Aldridge 24:28 - The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie 26:00 - Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa (Kaytee) 26:38 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi  31:05 - The Beast and the Bookseller by Eva Devon (Meredith) 35:15 - The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare 36:42 - Boss My TBR From DactylJD 38:19 - Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall 39:42 - The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz 39:45 - Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 39:48 - Real Americans by Rachel Khong 39:51 - Belle Green by Alexandra Lapierre 39:55 - The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton From Terri Melton 44:42 - Hyde by Craig Russell 44:43 - The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett 44:49 - Falling by T.J. Newman  45:02 - Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London 45:04 - Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie 45:07 - To Shape A Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose 45:11 - A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher 49:05 - Meet Us At The Fountain 49:12 - I wish for us to try new things. (Kaytee) 51:32 - I wish to press Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore. (Meredith) 51:38 - Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore   Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. May's IPL is a new indie to the rotation - Dog Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

This week on OTS? One of my biggest reader dreams came true! I got to interview the one, the only Ibi Zoboi about her latest work (s)kin, a contemporary fantasy, novel-in-verse! I had a fantastic time speaking with Ibi so I hope you enjoy this interview!Follow IbiFollow OTSMap of Indie Bookstores!Get (s)kin!Loyalty BookstoreOdyssey BookshopQuail Ridge Books

The story of this country is told through the eyes of immigrants. This episode of the Velshi Banned Book Club will explore two critically acclaimed additions to the American immigration literary canon: “How the García Girls Lost Their Accents” by Julia Alvarez and “American Street” by Ibi Zoboi. Both novels examine what becomes of identity, religion, family, and community when confronted with the push and pull of engrained cultural heritage, a beloved homeland, contemporary American young adulthood, and the desire to belong. Here, we will examine the realities of the so-called American dream and what it means to come-of-age between two worlds.

This bonus episode of Black & Published features an episode of the Reed, Write and Create podcast hosted by award-winning author and creative writing coach, Lori L. Tharps. On the podcast, Lori offers bite-sized sessions of creative writing coaching based on the lives and times of our BIPOC literary ancestors, and she interviews successful BIPOC authors who share their stories and strategies for a productive and prolific literary life. This episode features her conversation with author Ibi Zoboi about what it takes to make it in the YA world. Support the showFollow the Show: IG: @blkandpublished Twitter: @BLKandPublished Follow Me:IG: @nikesha_elise Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise Website: www.newwrites.com

In Episode 163, Sara Hildreth, from @FictionMatters and co-host of the podcast Novel Pairings, returns for her third appearance on our show as our expert for Classics & Retellings 101. Sara guides us through the sometimes intimidating world of timeless reads in an accessible way. She busted some myths about classics and changed my mind about some elements of the classics. And, she has a great approach to find the perfect retelling of your favorite classics for your next read.  This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Sara explores the definitions of a classic and a modern classic book. We talk about separating the American literature canon from the idea of a classic. Sara talks about being free to define classics on personal terms. The idea of a book being labeled a “future classic.” Now-famous books that went unnoticed initially when they were released. Sara's personal reading motivations. Common issues people have when trying to tackle classic books. Notable quirks of many classics that were first published as serials. Tips and advice for approaching older books. Addressing the pressure surrounding reading or revisiting classics. Examples of nonfiction classics. Legal considerations for all those retellings. The rise of retellings as a trend with today's audience. The difference between retellings and fan fiction. Sara's recommendations for accessible classic literature. A different approach to finding the right retelling for your reading. Please note: Sara mistakenly mentions during the discussion that The Great Gatsbydid not come into popularity until its distribution to soldiers during World War I, when this actually occurred during World War II. Sara's Book Recommendations [49:02] Two OLD Books She Loves — Classics The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:43] Passing by Nella Larson | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [53:12] Other Books Mentioned The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton [50:58] The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton [50:59] Roman Fever and Other Stories by Edith Wharton [51:03] The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett [55:44] Two NEW Books She Loves — Retellings Anna K by Jenny Lee | Amazon | Bookshop.org [57:35] The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vho | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:28] Other Books Mentioned Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [59:01] Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar [59:53] Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan [59:58] One Book She DIDN'T Love — Classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain | Amazon | Bookshop.org[1:03:25] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About — Retelling and Classic Pairing The Garden by Claire Beams (April 9, 2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:12] Other Books Mentioned The Illness Lesson by Claire Beams [1:05:37] Little Women by Louisa May Alcott [1:05:41] The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett [1:06:21] Last 5-Star Book Sara Read James by Percival Everett (March 19, 2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:07:47] Books Mentioned During the Classics Discussion The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe [3:44] Beloved by Toni Morrison [10:46] Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver [12:05] David Copperfield by Charles Dickens [12:19] James by Percival Everett (March 19, 2024) [13:29] Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain [13:34] Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys [13:51] Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë [14:02] The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald [14:45] Frankenstein by Mary Shelley [15:09] Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn [15:20] Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë [24:27] A Model of Christian Charity: A City on a Hill by John Winthrop [26:35] A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft [26:47] Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass [26:54] The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank [26:59] A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf [27:02] In Cold Blood by Truman Capote [27:14] The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith [29:13] The Time Machine by H. G. Wells [29:20] The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson [29:23] Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier [29:30] The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood [29:36] The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor [29:45] The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell [30:17] The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman [30:20] The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson [30:23] The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick [30:26] Going to Meet the Man: Stories (with Sonny's Blues) by James Baldwin [30:37] Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance (with The Gilded Six-Bits) by Zora Neale Hurston [30:42] Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston [30:54] Kindred by Octavia E. Butler [31:00] Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler [31:08] Books Mentioned During the Retellings Discussion Julia by Sandra Newman [33:38] 1984 by George Orwell [33:40] Hamlet by William Shakespeare [34:10] Emma by Jane Austen [34:24] The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare [34:28] The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson [34:45] Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith [34:51] Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson [35:04] And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie [35:08] The Winters by Lisa Gabriele [35:35] The Odyssey by Homer [36:38] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller [37:00] Circe by Madeline Miller [37:01] Hogarth Shakespeare series by various authors [37:53] Canongate Myth Series by various authors [37:57] The Austen Project series by various authors [38:00] Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld [38:03] Naamah by Sarah Blake [38:56] Anna K by Jenny Li [40:10] Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy [40:20] Tom Lake by Ann Patchett [40:41] Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor [42:36] Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes [44:14] Marmee by Sarah Miller [44:17] Little Women by Louisa May Alcott [44:22] Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell [44:38] Ruth's Journey: A Novel of Mammy from Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind by Donald McCaig [44:40] Pride by Ibi Zoboi [45:19] Other Links The Atlantic | Italo Calvino's 14 Definitions of What Makes a Classic by Maria Popova (July 7, 2012) Novel Pairings | The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton (February 27, 2024) About Sara Hildreth Website | Instagram | Facebook  Sara Hildreth is the creator behind FictionMatters, a literary Instagram account, newsletter, and book club focused on putting thought-provoking books into the hands of adventurous readers. She also co-hosts Novel Pairings, a podcast dedicated to making the classics readable, relevant, and fun.

Kneel by Candace Buford Read alikes: Why We Fly by Kimberly Jones Punching the Air written by Ibi Zoboi with Yusef Salaam The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris

It's a truth universally acknowledged. For this month's book club, we dig into issues of class, gentrification, prejudice, sisterhood, coming of age, family, home and love with Ibi Zoboi's 2019 novel Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Remix. Anney and Samantha share their different takes based on their differing familiarities with Jane Austen's work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Malentine's Day, everyone! We rewind to the SOPAC art opening, the Super Bowl, Artie's, and True Salvage Cafe. We're looking forward to Burlesque Night at The Order, Family Movie Day with The Little Mermaid (and the Urban Cone!), I Never Did Like Politics book event, SOCA Twerkout Fitness, SOMA Sounds Grand Opening, @studionumbernine at Kimaya Kama, Queer Newark Panel Discussion, BBContes Family Event, and Teen Writing Workshop with Ibi Zoboi. Three Things to Know: SO Downtown Farmer's Market vendor call, the Grapevine Mobile Bar, BeatFest, Lunar New Year Scavenger Hunt, and Threads Call for Art.You don't have to go to everything on the calendar, but if you do, you could with THIS MUG!LINKS:Burlesque Night at The OrderThe Godmother podcastVendor Call for South Orange farmer's market BeatFest applicationThreads Call for Art

We rewind to Trivia Night, the Parkwood Diner, and the Co-Lab Grand Opening (with cheese).We're looking forward to the Contemporary African Spirituality exhibit at SOPAC, Crash Doll Vintage Show, VIP screening of One Love, Hip Hop Dance in the Loft, Slow Food Market, Chef Jesse, and the Self-Compassion Project. Three things with $6 movies at the Village at SOPAC, author Ibi Zoboi, SOMA Sounds, and Vitaly.Plus, Brapanadas!

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: VHS tapes and tender hearts Current Reads: lots of swings and lots of new releases Deep Dive: what we did on our “summer break” The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 2:02 - Currently Reading Patreon 4:19 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 4:21 - Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff 5:05 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 6:01 - Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery 6:03 - Anne of Green Gables by Mariah Marsden 6:03 - Anne of West Philly by Ivy Noelle Weir 7:19 - Scary Books Are My Jam Mug on our Zazzle Store 7:52 - Cutting Teeth by Chandler Baker  7:56 - The Husbands by Chandler Baker 8:30 - Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese 9:10 - Current Reads 9:19 - Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi (Kaytee) 9:26 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi 12:18 - The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard (Meredith) 13:54 - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard 14:07 - Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard 14:08 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 15:56 - The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (Kaytee) 19:50 - Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 22:42 - September by Rosamunde Pilcher (Meredith) 23:32 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher 24:14 - Half Price Books 27:23 - Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese 27:47 - The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty (Kaytee) 29:38 - City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty 30:16 - Fairyloot 32:23 - Mister Magic by Kiersten White (Meredith) 35:21 - The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White 37:27 - Deep Dive: What We Did For Summer Vacation 41:28 - September by Rosamunde Pilcher 44:18 - Kindle Oasis 44:54 - CaseBot Kindle Oasis Case 45:05 - Fintie Origami Oasis Case 47:16 - Meet Us At The Fountain 47:28 - I wish to encourage all of you to speak your truth about your bookish opinions. (Kaytee) 50:00 - I wish you'd consider amplifying your summer reading spot. (Meredith) 50:21 - Ownkoti blankets Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredithmondayschwartz on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcastand www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading

Bestselling and award-winning author, Ibi Zoboi, joins Lurie to talk about her book, Nigeria Jones: A Novel.Follow Lurie Daniel Favors @LurieFavors on Twitter and listen to her live M-F, 10 a.m.-noon ET on SiriusXM, Ch. 126.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Warrior Princess. That's what 17-year-old Nigeria Jones' father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch of their Movement—disappears, Nigeria's world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn't want.As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family. From award-winning author Ibi Zoboi comes a powerful story about discovering who you are in the world—and fighting for that person—by having the courage to be your own revolution.IBI ZOBOI is the New York Times bestselling author of American Street, a National Book Award finalist; Pride; My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich; Star Child; Okoye to the People; the Walter Award–winning Punching the Air, cowritten with Exonerated Five member Yusef Salaam; and the Coretta Scott King Honor–winning picture book The People Remember. She is also the editor of the anthology Black Enough. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey with her family. You can find her online at ibizoboi.net.

Warrior Princess. That's what 17-year-old Nigeria Jones' father calls her. He has raised her as part of the Movement, a Black separatist group based in Philadelphia. Nigeria is homeschooled and vegan and participates in traditional rituals to connect her and other kids from the group to their ancestors. But when her mother—the perfect matriarch of their Movement—disappears, Nigeria's world is upended. She finds herself taking care of her baby brother and stepping into a role she doesn't want.As Nigeria searches for her mother, she starts to uncover a shocking truth. One that will lead her to question everything she thought she knew about her life and her family. From award-winning author Ibi Zoboi comes a powerful story about discovering who you are in the world—and fighting for that person—by having the courage to be your own revolution.

2 Nicks 1 cast. A BHM cast focused on a novel in verse entitled Punching the Air by one of the exonerated 5 Yusef Salaaam and poet Ibi Zoboi, Dead Prez's seminal 2000 album "Get Free" and Partake brewing's IPA. The Nick's chat about radical insight and change, the purpose of art, and what remains. We hope you enjoy and love you for listening.

Punching the Air by Ibi ZoboiAmal Shahid was arrested for supposedly putting another boy in a coma. But he says he didn't do it. What do you do when no one believes you, except your mom, and there appears to be footage of the attack? How do you keep up hope?Recommended for grades 8 and up due to mature content. 

In this first segment I'm joined by Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati – founder of the African American Children's Book Fair for her once-a-month segment VLS Journeys. Vanesse speaks to three of the authors featured at the event. Kelly Starling Lyon is an award-winning author, whose book "Sing a Song" celebrates the Black National Anthem. Ibi Zoboi is a Bestselling and award-winning author of books including "Star Child," about the great science fiction writer Octavia Butler. Nana Brew Hammond has written a fascinating book "Blue," tracing color through time and around the world. The African American Children's Book Fair is February 11th 1-4 pm at the PA Convention Center.https://theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org/https://www.kellystarlinglyons.com/https://www.ibizoboi.net/https://www.instagram.com/nanaekuawriter/?hl=en

Ibi Zoboi, author of Okoye to the People, talks to guest host and fellow YA author Preeti Chhibber about writing for young audiences, bringing Okoye from Wakanda to Brooklyn, and infusing her work with her Haitian roots.

This week, Erica and Tirzah share some of the most mouth-watering foodie fiction in YA! Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What's Up in YA newsletter! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Show Notes National Book Award finalists are in! Cover reveal of Ibi Zoboi's Nigeria Jones Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim Hungry Hearts edited by Elsie Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen Cafe Con Lychee by Emery Lee With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin A La Carte by Tanita S. Davis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bronx is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell is working to get more books into the hands of young people, especially those who come from backgrounds similar to hers, through her organization, a yearly book festival, and one day a bookstore. Saraciea is also the editor of the acclaimed 2021 young adult anthology Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, which features essays and poems by Latinx authors such as Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi about the myths, and stereotypes surrounding their culture and identity. In this episode, Saraciea, a 2020 graduate of our MFA in Creative Writing program, discusses her own essay about being put into foster care as a kid and how she wants to effect change in her corner of New York City.About our guestSaraciea J. Fennell is a Black Honduran writer and the founder of The Bronx is Reading. She is also a book publicist who has worked with many award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors. Fennell sits on the board for Latinx in Publishing as well as on the Advisory Board of People of Color in Publishing.Learn more about Saraciea, her book, and her newsletter on her website.Follow Saraciea on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTokFind a transcript of this interview on our episode page.

First Draft Episode #350: Amanda Oliver Amanda Oliver, former librarian and author of OVERDUE: Reckoning with the Public Library. Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode: Reza Aslan, professor at U.C. Riverside's MFA program and author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth Claire Comstock Gay, author of weekly horoscopes for New York magazine's The Cut, and her debut book about astrology, Madame Clairevoyant's Guide to the Stars, Recollections of My Nonexistence: A Memoir by Rebecca Solnit

Marvel Studios' Moon Knight and Morbius are almost here, with brand new clips from both!! Plus Okoye leaves Wakanda and goes to save Brooklyn! Ryan and Lorraine talk to the author of Okoye to the People: A Black Panther Novel about writing the warrior as a teenager.They also get excited about some huge comics news like the Alien Annual, Captain America #0, A.X.E. Judgment Day, and new covers for the Hellfire Gala and Marvel's Voices: Pride! And three beautiful new books were added to The Folio Society's Marvel Hero Series – Captain America, Spider-Man, and Hulk!  News – 2:02Interview w/ Ibi Zoboi  – 21:31Community – 49:44

Claire and Sophie talk about the Carnegie shortlist.  'When the Sky Falls' by Phil Earle 'The Crossing' by Manjeet Mann 'Punching the Air' by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam 'Tsunami Girl' by Julian Sedgwick and Chie Kutsuwada 'Cane Warriors' by Alex Wheatle 'Guard your Heart' by Sue Divin 'October October' by Katya Balen They then review their books! 'My Policeman' by Bethan Roberts (9.20) 'Skywake Invasion' by Jamie Russell (10.33) 'First Day of my Life' by Lisa Williamson (12.45) 'Not my Problem' by Ciara Smyth As always join in the conversation over on our twitter @lounge_learning

It's Tuesday, and y'all know what that means; it's time for new books, and a look at the events happening this week!   Events this week: Tuesday, March 22nd: David Putnam, in conversation with Matt Coyle  Wednesday, March 23rd: Alex Segura, in conversation with Rob Hart  Thursday, March 24th: Kelly Barnhill  Thursday, March 24th: Sara A Mueller, in conversation with Marina J Lostetter  Friday, March 25th: Young Adult Book Club  Saturday, March 26th: Gareth L. Powell, in conversation with J. Dianne Dotson  Saturday, March 26th: Imperial Beach Library Presents - Alana Quintana Albertson   New this week:  The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller  Suicide Kings by Stephen Blackmoore  Last God Standing by Michael Boatman  Curfew by Jayne Cowie  Destiny of the Dead by Kel Kade  A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry  Kingdoms of Death by Christopher Ruocchio  The City of Dusk by Tara Sim  Beat the Devils by Josh Weiss  The Shadow Glass by Josh Winning  Renegade by Nancy Allen  A Harmless Lie by Sara Blaedel  Portrait of an Unknown Lady by Marina Gainza, translated by Thomas Bunstead  Her Last Affair by John Searles  A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear  A Safe House by Stuart Woods  Wings of Ebony by J. Elle  On This Unworthy Scaffold by Heidi Heilig  Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram  Remember Me by Estelle Laure  Remember Me Gone by Stacy Stokes  Wrath & Mercy by Jessica Rubinkowski  Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi, illustrated by Noa Denmon  Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror by John F.D. Taff  Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy  Troublemaker by John Cho  We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly  Revenge of the Beast by Jack Meggitt-Phillips, illustrated by Isabelle Follath  Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe by Alyson Noël  Tales from Harrow County: Fair Folk by Cullen Bunn, illustrated by Emily Schnall and Tyler Crook  Secret Passages by Axelle Lenoir  The Country Without Human Vol 2 by Iwatobineko  Gunbured x Sisters vol 1 by Wataru Mitogawa  The Haunted Bookstore - Gateway to a Parallel Universe by Shinobumaru, illustrated by Munashichi  Catch These Hands! by Murata  My Badly Drawn Life by Gipi    Subscribe to the SciFi & Fantasy Book Crate or the Cozy Mysteries Book Crate now! You can now find us on Patreon! Unlock exclusive content by subscribing today! Special thanks to Austin Farmer for letting us use the track "Kill the Farm Boy", from his album Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra!  Send us your questions to mystgalaxypod@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,  YouTube, and TikTok!  And support the store by ordering books at mystgalaxy.com!

I have read three books by Ibi Zoboi and one of the books was co-written with Yusef Salaam. I definitely recommend them, and I highly suggest everyone go read the books. The books are: "American Street," "Pride," and "Punching the Air" (co-written with Yusef Salaam.) Happy Reading!! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/daniellesreadingnook/support

DOCTOR STRANGE and MOON KNIGHT and MORBIUS, oh my! In this MINI MARVEL installment, Geoffrey and Dai talk about what's coming this season from both ASC and Marvel across the board, the arrival of the X-MEN, Disney+'s new heroic transplants, and more.Special thanks to our friends at Marvel for an advance copy of “Okoye To The People” by Ibi Zoboi, available March 22, 2022: https://bit.ly/OkoyeTTPSpecial Shout-Outs:A Wave Blue World (@AWaveBlueWorld)https://awbw.com100% Soft (@100soft)https://100soft.shop⁣⁣Hosted by:⁣⁣Geoffrey Ramos (@geoffreeezy)⁣⁣Diana Kou (@daikou)⁣⁣Follow #AStarkContrast (@strkcntrst):⁣⁣https://linktr.ee/strkcntrst⁣⁣⁣⁣Support the Show:⁣⁣https://patreon.com/strkcntrst⁣⁣⁣⁣ASC ON RSS:⁣⁣https://bit.ly/RSSASC⁣

In this episode, we speak to New York Times bestselling author and National Book award finalist Ibi Zoboi about her recently released biography

Fairfield Public Library Fairfield, CT https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/learning-and-research/find-a-good-book/ Claudia Silk, Adult Services Librarian and OBOT co-chair Jennifer Laseman, Head of Teen Services and OBOT member Mary Coe, Branch Reference Librarian and OBOT co-chair 2022: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/ TJ Klune's website: http://www.tjklunebooks.com/ OBOT History: https://fairfieldpubliclibrary.org/OBOT/history/ Previous OBOT selections: 2008: Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Reling 2009: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick 2010: Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea 2011: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer 2012: The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic by Allan Wolf 2013: Wonder by R. J. Palacio 2014: A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett 2015: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 2016: So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson 2017: Books for Living by Will Schwalbe & A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers (no OBOT in 2018) 2019: Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson 2020: Running With Sherman by Christopher McDougall 2021: Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

We begin our Black History Month coverage with some reading recommendations, this time catered towards younger audiences. Newark Public Library Children's Librarian Sharon Owens, and Youth Services Supervisor Asha Mobiley, join us to help recommend books to read during the month for children, teens, and young adults.   Ages 3 and up Dream Big, Little One by: Vashti Harrison ( adaptation of Little Leaders:Bold Women in Black History) Follow Your Dreams, Little One (adaptation of Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History) Little People, BIG DREAMS by: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and various authors and illustrators A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara Shades of Black: A Celebration of our Children by: Sandra Pinkney and Photographs by Miles Pinkney Let the Children March by: Monica – Clark Robinson Illustrated by: Frank Morrison This is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration by: Jacqueline Woodson, Illustrated by James Ransome Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice and Sing Inspired Generations by: Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by: Keith Mallet The ABC's of Black History by Rio Cortez, Lauren Semmer Opal Lee and What it Means to be Free: The True Story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth by: Alice Faye Duncan, Illustrated by: Keturah Bobo All Different Now: Juneteenth the First Day of Freedom by: Angela Johnson, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by: Charles R. Smith Jr., Illustrated by: Shane Evans Bedtime Inspirational Stories 50 Amazing Black People who Changed the World by: L.A. Amber Illustrated by: TZ Nissen   Ages: 8-12: (Middle School) Like Vanessa by Tami Charles (Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Illustrator) When Winter Robeson Came by Brenda Woods Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles  From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks Stella by Starlight by Sharon M Draper Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds   Early Teens (12+) Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo This Is My America by Kim Johnson Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi   Older Teens (15+) Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam The Hate U Give, On the Come Up, Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas Dear Martin by Nic Stone  Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

This episode is an extract from an hour long insta live on Bookversations. At the end of every month, we'll be hosting a live on the Bookversations Instagram page to recap all the books we've read and interact with you at the same time! We want to know what books you're reading, your thoughts on our episodes and everything in between. Books Mentioned: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot By Mikki Kendall, Grown by Tiffany D.Jackson, Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, House of Stone by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma, How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa, Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh and At Night All Blood is Black by David Drop. As always, we're excited to hear your thoughts! Email us at bookversationspod@gmail.com or drop us a message here: https://anchor.fm/bookversations/message Follow us on Instagram @bookversations for more book reviews. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bookversations/message

Ibi Zoboi is the New York Times bestselling author of National Book Award Finalist American Street, Pride, My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich and co-author with prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of Punching the Air. She joins us to talk about her first work of non-fiction Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler.

My dungeon master don't want none unless you've got tales, hun. We give you tips for crafting a strong backstory so you don't accidentally serve up a nothing burger at your next game. For more information, please check out our website. Email: acoupleofcharacterspod at gmail dot com. Twitter, Instagram, Patreon: ACoCPodcast. Bookshop dot org storefront and gift cards. Episode notes: Transcript. Ashraxl character sheet. Homebrew ancestry options. Dyslexia friendly versions: Transcript. Ashraxl character sheet. Homebrew ancestry options. Mentioned books: So Many Beginnings by Bethany C Morrow. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Pride by Ibi Zoboi. D&D Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. D&D Player's Handbook. D&D Curse of Strahd. D&D Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. D&D Volo's Guide to Monsters. D&D Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. D&D Elemental Evil Player's Companion. D&D Ghosts of Saltmarsh. Mentioned episodes: Zadriel. Meet Ramas in Kosnos Session 1. April. An Ekans. Mentioned shows: DCOMedy - podcast feed, Twitter. Three Black Halflings. Fantasy Name Generators. Dungeons & Dragon Types: Website. Twitter. Cover art: Copyright Chandra Reyer 2019.

Welcome to the first episode of 2022! We're here to talk all things Jane Austen! Favorite adaptations, least favorite books, adaptations, and all the feels! Books discussed include: Pride by Ibi Zoboi, For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, and more! https://bookshop.org/lists/s2-ep-17-jane-austen-if-you-please Hosted by Hanna Sandvig, Clarissa Gosling, and Valia Lind. Artwork by Hanna Sandvig. Music by Stephen Roy. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/readingqueens/message

Maggie and Harmony break down their top 10 reads of 2021. These are the sticky books that are burned into our brains forever after this year. There are surprises, there's a re-read, there's mystery and intrigue. In This Episode: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam Against White Feminism by Rafia Zakaria ....and many more! To follow our episode schedule, go here https://rebelgirlsbook.club/read-along-with-the-show/ Follow our social media pages on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rgbcpod/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RebelGirlsBookClub/ Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/101801516-rebel-girls and Twitter https://twitter.com/RebelGirlsBook1 , Or you can email us at RebelGirlsBookClub@gmail.com. Our theme song is by The Gays, and our image is by Mari Talor Renaud-Krutulis. Rebel Girls Book Club is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rgbc/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/rgbc/support

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable. When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can't stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding. But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick's changing landscape, or lose it all. In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic. This title is intended for teens and may contain language or themes that some readers may find offensive. Recorded with permission of Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

Hello dear friends,We're heading into the holidays - and next week our topic is Bad Families from Jane Austen, just in time for our family gatherings for the US holiday, Thanksgiving Day. Stay tuned for that! But first, let's talk about romance.Specifically, let's talk about Muslim romance.The author Uzma Jalaluddin is well known in the Jane Austen world for her retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Her novel Ayesha At Last puts Lizzy Bennet - or Ayesha - in a large Muslim family in the Scarborough neighborhood of Toronto, where she's navigating complicated cousins, domineering matriarchs, and the rituals of marriage proposals, all while hoping to find the time to follow her ambitions for poetry.Uzma Jalaluddin herself seems outrageously busy.When she's not writing novels, teaching high school, and parenting, she writes a column for the Toronto Star about education, family, and life - it's called “Samosas and Maple Syrup.”Ms. Jalaluddin's latest novel is Hana Khan Carries On. It's been optioned for the screen by Amazon Studios and writer-producer Mindy Kaling.In this conversation, Uzma Jalaluddin tells us how she discovered Jane Austen - as a teen, at the local library in the Toronto neighborhood she grew up in - Scarborough. That neighborhood is also the setting for both of her romcom novels, Ayesha At Last and Hana Khan Carries On. It's a diverse, vibrant neighborhood that now her readers also feel right at home in - at least in our imaginations.Enjoy this podcast, available on Spotify and Apple, or by simply clicking Play, above. Check out the links to more Muslim women writers and artists below, send us other recommendations, and leave us a comment! And for those who prefer words to audio or like both, here's an excerpt from our conversation:Uzma Jalaluddin I was - I am and was - a voracious reader. Growing up, I was constantly in the library. I was that kid who - the high school that I went to was right across the street from a large public library. And so during lunch breaks after school, I would just head over to the library and borrow books and hang out there. And I just studied there, I would just basically live there. And even my school library, of course, had a pretty good collection of books. And that's really where I was among my people, when I was in the library.Plain Jane And was that in Scarborough, Toronto? Uzma Jalaluddin That's right. It was in Scarborough. It's the Cedarbrae library, if any of your listeners are from Toronto. It's a very large building,Plain Jane And shout out to libraries and librarians.Uzma Jalaluddin Oh my God, hashtag-library-love, I have so much love. And I think so many writers can relate to this, right? Like you become a writer out of a sense of, a love of reading. And I think I was a teenager - I must have been 15 or 16 years old - and I heard about Jane Austen. And I was one of those kids that just was like, “I want to read all the classics. I'm really interested. I'm going to try everything. I'm going to try reading Dickens and, you know, the Russian novels and Anna Karenina. And let me try Shakespeare,” and all of this. …So I picked up Pride and Prejudice, and I read it. And I remember the language was, it felt very old-fashioned to me. And it took me a while to get through it. And I did read it. And then I remember after I - because it takes a while, especially as a teenage girl, for it to sort of pick up ... there was something about that book that just stuck with me. And I kept going back to it and rereading it. And I'm a kid and then I'm a child of the ‘90s. So when the 1995 A&E  special came out, you know, I got the box set. And I would watch it. My mom watched it with me, it was this thing that we both really enjoy doing. And I think I've said this before, multiple times: But the books that you read when you're young, especially at those formative ages, the ones that you love, they just stay with you. Those stories just stay with you. And I feel like Jane Austen and specifically Pride and Prejudice - and I did go on further and read all of her novels - have traveled with me throughout my life. And I'm so glad that they have, because … my take on Elizabeth and Darcy came out in Ayesha At Last. And that is a book that has brought me so much joy, sharing with the world, writing it, and all of the things that have come afterwards. It's been truly a privilege.Plain JaneI love the way you say that Jane Austen travels with you through life. That is something that really brings people - Jane Austen readers - together too. Because we kind of have fellow travelers traveling with Jane Austen through life when we have this community, which is cool. But I know that from hearing you talk with Janeite communities, and reading some of your interviews as well, that you really see it - correct me if I'm wrong - but you seem to see yourself as a writer first and then the genre romance, the retellings, come second? So it seems like you were writing Ayesha At Last, and those characters were kind of taking shape, and the story was taking shape, and you realized, there's an element of Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen in this, which isn't surprising. Can you tell us how you ended up with a retelling?Uzma Jalaluddin  My first novel took me a really long time to write. And then it's probably just a function of the fact that I'm a busy person. I'm a high school teacher. I also have two young boys. And when I started writing this book in 2010, I knew that it was going to be a long marathon. And the book wasn't published until 2018. So it took me about seven years for the entire book to kind of take place. And it wasn't until my fourth or fifth draft, that I gave the book to a friend of mine. And she she pointed out that this has a lot of the elements of Pride and Prejudice. Specifically, she was pointing out the fact that I seem to have a Mr. Darcy character in Khalid, and Elizabeth Bennet character in Ayesha, and a Mr. Wickham character in Tarek, and I thought, “Oh, my goodness, I didn't even see it.” And that's the ironic thing. I mean, I was writing a book and I was leaning into these tropes, these well-known characters that I love, and I didn't see it. And I made a very deliberate choice. And it was her suggestion, but it was also something that I decided to lean into. I thought, “I'm a completely unknown writer. Here I am sitting in Markham, Ontario, writing this book. No one's heard of me.” I wasn't writing for the Star at this time, either - [I'm a] high school teacher. And on top of that, I'm writing about these unapologetically Muslim characters. Or, as you said, [going] so deep inside of the community that it feels like all I'm talking about are Muslim characters. Who's going to give me a chance? This was like 2014, right? Who's going to give me a chance? Nobody. So let me do something that pays homage to a story that I love, which is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and also turn it and use it for my own devices. Because that story, I think, really resonates with South Asian communities to this day, even though the book itself was written over 200 years ago. And so that's what I did. I reread - for the dozenth time or more - Pride and Prejudice, and I picked out the pieces that I thought would really translate well, and I went about and I rewrote my book. And it felt like I should have done that from the beginning, because that would have saved me years of drafting. Because that's the book it was trying to be, I just didn't see it.[T]he books that you read when you're young, especially at those formative ages, the ones that you love, they just stay with you. Those stories just stay with you. And I feel like Jane Austen and specifically Pride and Prejudice - and I did go on further and read all of her novels - have traveled with me throughout my life. Plain Jane  Well, it's helpful to have some scaffolding for your imagination to just go wild within … to just kind of hold you together. So that does make sense. And you're saying something really profound here in a way, making me realize that the stories of Jane Austen and the Jane Austen community - not to overstate their influence - can provide access to voices, provide an audience, provide access, and provide a way for diverse voices. You've said something really interesting in the Toronto Star, you talked about the challenge that you felt like was in front of you to get your story. And the story of this family, of these characters in the public eye, and published, and you have written in the Toronto Star that “the lack of diversity in the arts has harmed me in ways I'm only starting to untangle.” Can you tell us a little bit about the lack of diversity in the arts, and how and what a challenge that has been for you?Uzma Jalaluddin When I wrote that piece, in particular, I pitched it to my editor as a way for me to sort of unpack this, and almost have this as a battle cry. It was an encouragement for parents, my fellow parents - who are maybe first-generation immigrants, unlike me, or maybe are like me, second-generation immigrants … they're, you know, so far removed from their home countries - to encourage those children to go into the creative arts. Because I feel like in Asian communities, in particular, there's such a push to have kids really establish themselves. And I'm speaking - forgive me, I'm speaking very generally here, and I am speaking from a Canadian immigrant perspective here as well, it could be different other places - but I feel as an educator, who teaches a lot of Asian students, there's such a push for children to go into traditional professional fields. So to go into the sciences, to go into the STEM fields, the math fields, engineering. And art is not even considered important. And yet, art is the basis of culture. And culture is what keeps our society going. And the people who are making the art are very rarely the same ones who represent that same Asian immigrant subset that I'm talking about, or even any marginalized communities. Things are changing now. But certainly when I was growing up in the ‘90s, and early 2000s, there was very limited representation of immigrants of South Asians, and definitely Muslims. And the types of stereotypes that I was exposed to, as a Muslim woman, were, quite frankly, very toxic. And one of the impacts of that is that … even though I clearly was interested in the creative fields, I've been writing since I was a kid, I've been reading my entire life, I have an aptitude for this and a talent for this. And yet, I never thought that I belonged in this industry, I didn't even know how to go about inserting myself into this industry. Beyond “maybe I should be a journalist” … And instead, I became a high school teacher, because I knew that it's a very stable job. I like people, I like kids. Okay, let me go and do that. But - I think I was telling my husband this - I started too late. I started in the creative arts, as an adult, as a mother, all of these responsibilities were already there. And so here I am in the position of juggling, like, five or six different jobs, and having a completely [booked] calendar. And so I want parents to know that … there are opportunities in the creative fields. There is money to be to be made in this. Yeah, you have to hustle a lot. And it's certainly not an easy place to be. But the impact on culture can be so vast, so important, as well. I get emails even now from people from people all over the world. I just had a letter from a young woman who lives in France and who said she read my book - unfortunately, Ayesha At Last has not been translated into French - but she read my book in English and she said she has never seen these types of stories represented where you have Muslim characters who are just living their life, who are falling in love, who are having funny adventures, and dealing with some serious things but also some lovely things, and how important it was to her, how much it meant for her to see this type of representation. And I think what it is, is for so long marginalized communities have been erased. And, like what we were just talking, about the point that you made really beautifully earlier about, the retelling is the way that Jane Austen can be reconfigured to represent different communities … And it's actually been a conversation I think in on Twitter, you know, about all the different diverse retellings? And should they even happen in the first place, which is a different conversation. But, I think …  it comes back to the idea that there was nothing for so long. And I know what it's like to feel like my stories, the things that I think are important, are just never represented on the page or on the screen.Plain JaneThat's really powerful. It's wonderful to hear. ...  you didn't feel there was a place for you and you forged a place. I feel like that's something that Jane Austen characters are doing. They feel left out of the conversation, marginalized, and they find their way in. … But you say something really powerful here, too: We need to talk about romance. So you mentioned also, to quote you again, in the Toronto Star ... that people of color need more romance. What do you mean by that? And how does this come about, when it comes to that representation, that lack of representation, or that negative representation - and romance?Uzma Jalaluddin I think the definition of romance needs to be expanded. Also, there seems to be a bit of a renaissance happening in the romance community, which I'm completely here for. And you know, in Romancelandia, as it's called online, which is the wider community of romance writers, consumers, creators, etc., there's so many up-to-date conversations that have been happening over the years, and I'm a newcomer to this. I've been a lifelong romance reader, but I've kind of stumbled on this community after I became a writer. And it's been fascinating to watch the types of conversations that are happening about race and identity and retellings and consent and just acceptance and tolerance in this very large genre.Plain Jane Yeah, … you said something else really powerful - that art is important. And as a journalist, I also feel that way. I feel like that's why I feel arts journalism, and humanities journalism, is important. Because … journalism is the first draft of history, right? … But to me, the interesting part, and the the heavy, impactful part of our history is not just what happened, but how we processed what happened, how we reacted to what happened, how communities and how individuals felt about what happened, and what we thought about what happened. And that to me, that's where the arts and humanities journalism is. … And so if you're looking at Arts and Humanities and the stories we tell, there's nothing more important right now. There's nothing more important in the last year and a half than how we process that. And that's why that's one reason I put a a microphone on the Jane Austen discussions, because the Jane Austen discussions involved, you know, Ibi Zoboi, and Uzma Jalaluddin, and so many people, Soniah Kamal, making the stories of Jane Austen relevant to today and adapting them to today. So I think that's not only okay, I think it's what is keeping it alive. And I'm also kind of quoting Damianne Scott here. … She says it very beautifully. She says ... Jane Austen doesn't want to be on a pedestal. She wants to be among the people. Uzma Jalaluddin  That is such a good insight. And I've always felt that, and I think that's why Jane Austen has kind of, as I said, traveled with me all my life …And I think Jane Austen, for whatever reason - maybe it's because of that sly wit, the satire, the description of regular everyday life, middle class life, really, and, of course, upper class life - is just so relatable. And I love what you're saying about art, I completely agree. And my take on it is that the art that has been made for decades has only ever focused on the white experience. And yet, that has been incomplete. If journalism is the first draft of history, and the art that is made is answering the questions of, how do we feel about this? We haven't been hearing from a very large segment of our population. And if we had been hearing about them, those voices have been oftentimes dismissed. [A]rt that has been made for decades has only ever focused on the white experience. And yet, that has been incomplete. If journalism is the first draft of history, and the art that is made is answering the questions of, how do we feel about this? We haven't been hearing from a very large segment of our population. And if we had been hearing about them, those voices have been oftentimes dismissed. … Commercial fiction is really where we have these conversations about, what are we obsessed with? What are we interested in? What's the hottest Netflix show? That's where culture is created. Really, [those are] the things that we're kind of thinking about. It's more than a momentary blip, right? It's like the trend in dystopian, the vampire fiction, all of this said something about what we're thinking about as a culture and as a society. And a lot of those stories were written by white authors. And if there are people of color, or if there are Black, indigenous, people of color in those stories, the creators are still largely white authors. And there's nothing wrong with that. I'm not a proponent of censorship, or anything like that. But I think we have to recognize that there has been traditionally, and culturally speaking, the effect of this has been an erasure of marginalized voices. And so I feel like things are changing slowly. Very, very slowly. But they are changing. And I'm interested in hearing those voices. And so part of that is romance. What does love look like to bring it back full circle?Plain JaneWe interrupted ourselves, but there you go. I was gonna bring it back to romance, but I just will say: Muslim romance,Uzma Jalaluddin  Yes! Which is something that is very rarely, if ever, explored, unless it is through the prism of culture. … So the main character, it's always the same type of storyline: The main character, if it's a woman, is pressed, has to break away from the bonds of her family, and has to basically give up everything about her culture and herself. And embrace the wider, usually North American, Western type of society in this way. She is freed - there's always kind of a white-savior complex type of storyline, or there is a rejection of her own community. I think we have to recognize that there has been traditionally, and culturally speaking, the effect of this has been an erasure of marginalized voices. And so I feel like things are changing slowly. Very, very slowly. But they are changing. And I'm interested in hearing those voices. And so part of that is romance. But Muslim romance, the thing that I'm interested in, is a little bit more nuanced than that. It can be love that's found with another Muslim person, with another person of color. It can be love that is found with someone who isn't Muslim and … it could be perhaps an LGBTQ exploration of this. I want all of the stories. I think we need to have all of these stories that show that the Muslim experience in North America that was an experience globally is not a monolith. My experience as someone who grew up in the ‘90s and early 2000s, in a more conservative Muslim family, is going to be different than someone who's growing up, you know, even in my neighboring country of the United States. But the stories that I write, I usually have two South Asian - both my books feature two South Asian or Muslim characters. And their faith is just the background information about them. They're not having conversations necessarily about, Should I be Muslim, or should I not? Should I take off my hijab? Will my father disown me? They come from loving families, they know who they are, and they're secure in that identity. And the romance really is about other things, you know, and because I write romcoms, they tend to be more situational. Plain JaneI love that. And it's something, as you said, your characters are unapologetically Muslim. And that's really fun to see. … [W]e have to talk about your Darcy character. So your leading man, Khalid … is like Darcy. And he really is like Darcy. But it's funny because … they're both stiff, somewhat formal and awkward, handsome, a little emotionally aloof, for various reasons. But Khalid has a very good reason and it's better than Darcy's reason: Khalid is part of a traditional Islamic community. And following the rules and interested in the rules. And Darcy's reason, as far as I can tell, is just that he's socially awkward. So in some ways, your Khalid and your “Darcy” has much more of a societal underpinning, stronger underpinning, than Darcy, where you're just kind of left at sea, like Elizabeth, thinking, “What's going on with him?” And then here's Ayesha, who doesn't have that question. She knows exactly what's going on with him. And she's got to work through it. So this is so much fun for, as you say, situational comedy. Can you talk about Khalid as Darcy?Uzma Jalaluddin  Khalid is the reason I wrote and I didn't give up on Ayesha At Last. I have to first put that out there, because he is the character that for some reason - this rarely happens for writers - but he just burst into my imagination completely, fully formed. I just knew who he was and knew what he wanted. I just completely understood him. I can't emphasize how rare this is, as someone who's trying to write their third book and I don't know anything about anything right now. It's just very rare. But when I finally … came to the realization that I was writing Pride and Prejudice, late in my drafting, when I finally put that together, that Khalid was Mr. Darcy, it just made so much sense. Because what I'm trying to do through Ayesha At Last is to write a really fun entertaining book that my readers will enjoy. But I'm also trying to engage in a conversation about appearance versus reality. So here's this guy. And I think that's what Jane Austen is trying to do as well. And in so many of her books, right? Here is this person who is judged from the moment that you see him because of the way that he dresses, because of the way that he acts, and the assumptions that the reader themselves might have about this type of person. And Darcy is the same way, right? He's an aristocratic man, everyone thinks that he's proud and he's disdainful. That says more about their own insecurities, though. Admittedly, he is quite rude. In the very beginning.Plain Jane  Of course, yeah ...Uzma Jalaluddin   Classic hero. And Khalid, in his own way, is awkward and bumbling and rude. But on top of the regular social awkwardness of a classic, romantic hero, we have that layer of his Muslim-ness. And his Muslim-ness comes out in very overt symbols that make the people surrounding him very uncomfortable, because he is really comfortable in the way that he embraces his faith. I purposely made him almost like a cartoonish Muslim guy. Like he was wearing a long white robe to work and a skullcap, he had an unkempt beard. And I did all this on purpose. I made him an extra on homeland. And yet I decided to put it in my book, because I wanted to throw this in my reader's face - and the Muslims and the non-Muslim readers: This is this is your villain. This is the guy that you've been trained to be afraid of. Look at how hot he is. Look at how sexy he is. Look at how romantic he is.Plain JaneI will make you fall in love!Uzma Jalaluddin Exactly, exactly. And in that way, I had a lot of fun deconstructing the Muslim man archetype. Because I live with Muslim men. I'm raising two Muslim men. I've been married to a Muslim man for nearly 20 years (he refuses to grow a beard, I keep trying to get him to grow one. He's not interested!) I have a brother, I have a loving father. I have uncles. And I never saw the men that I interact with on a daily basis, who were Muslim, really adequately represented in the wholeness of their person and their humanity. And I wanted to correct that. ...Plain JaneWhen it comes to Muslim romance, you have some interesting developments in Ayesha At Last. One thing that's interesting is that - I don't know if you would call her a white character, Caucasian character, if that's what she is - Clara? Her boyfriend Rob is super sluggish about proposing and he can't get his act together and Khalid, our hero, helps Clara negotiate a proposal and a dowry? And I don't know what you were wanting readers to get from this, if anything, but it had me wondering whether ... there are some things in traditional Muslim cultures and religious cultures that you think are helpful to women? That seemed to be what was being depicted. And if that is something that's probably worth unpacking -  that complicated aspect of rituals, and the rituals that we all embark on, whether we like it or not. They're in our culture.Uzma Jalaluddin Yeah, I never thought of it that way. I, to be honest, I just thought it would be really funny to have the girl get a rishta from her boyfriend, who she's been living with for five years. And the guy who sends her the rishta is this bearded Muslim man. I-  just in my head, right? Because I have to keep going! - and these jokes just keep me going. I did all this on purpose. I made him an extra on homeland. And yet I decided to put it in my book, because I wanted to throw this in my reader's face - and the Muslims and the non-Muslim readers: This is this is your villain. This is the guy that you've been trained to be afraid of. Look at how hot he is. Look at how sexy he is. Look at how romantic he is.But I think there's a lot of merit in what you said. Yeah, of course, cultures can learn from each other and gain certain positives and negatives. As much as I've learned, you know, from from my wider Western upbringing in Canada  -  I'm just as Canadian as I am South Asian, as I am Muslim, right? There's so much about all of these cultures that I've learned from, and hopefully other people can pick up from this. And really what Khalid is exhorting Rob to do is, say, “Why aren't you having this conversation? It's very obvious that Clara has been trying to hint to you for a very long time, why aren't you picking up the hand? It's time to, you know, figure this out, you're going to lose her. And if that is the consequence for your inattention that's on you. But here, let's just, let's just be completely upfront about this.” And I think this is someone who is very direct, I really appreciate this about South Asian marital practices. And I have to point out that the rishta process is South Asian, it's not really a Muslim thing. Okay, other cultures who are Muslim, they might have like a different marital custom. But it's a very South Asian practice, rishta, which is a proposal, like an arranged-marriage proposal. I really appreciate the directness of it. There's always a goal. It's like, we're not just casually dating. We're dating because we want to know if we can build a life together. And if that life together involves marriage, because that's what you want to do, that's fine. But, like, this isn't just for seeing each other, and let's see where this goes. No, no, there's none of that: There's a deadline within a certain amount of time. You've got to figure this out. And ... that's what Khalid brings to the table here. Plain Jane Rob will never change. That's the way Rob is always going to be - somebody's always gonna have to be strong and basically put it on the table. [O]ne thing that I had in my notes Uzma … that kind of made me laugh when I looked back and saw this in my notes, was, “We need to be talking more about Khadija.” You mentioned the wife of the Prophet Muhammad. Can you tell us about her and why she has an appearance in Ayesha At Last?Uzma Jalaluddin  Growing up I went to Sunday school, and you know, all of the type of stories that you learn, you know, like I'm sure Christian children are taught Bible stories, and Muslim kids are taught Muslim stories. So one of the stories that we're always told is that Prophet Muhammad was married to his first wife - because she died, and he later remarried - was a woman named Khadija, and she really liked Muhammad, peace be upon him. She really liked him, so much that she proposed marriage to him. And she was 15 years older than him. And actually, he was one of the traders that she hired. So he was actually working for her at the time. But she was really impressed by his honesty and his trustworthiness and his authenticity. And so, as you do, she was just straight up and said, “I'm interested in you. Are you interested in me? Let's get married.” And he accepted. And, you know, the traditional story was that he was extremely happy with his wife, even though he was 25, and she was 40. They were married for 15 years before she died. .. [W]hen he received revelation from God, as the traditional mythology goes, she was the first person who accepted Islam, the first person who supported him and believed him, and was his partner in all things - an equal partner, and in fact a more successful partner because she was the one who was the hard-headed businesswoman, who was kind of running things. And I just thought this story is not well known, I don't think, by a lot of people who aren't familiar with the Muslim faith. And it just goes to show you that there's so much emphasis on the darkness of the way that Muslims are portrayed around the world, that there's no room for these lighthearted stories. And that's really what I wanted to get across in Ayesha At Last. Muslims can fall in love too. We need our romance stories, need our love stories, just as much as any other community. Maybe even more, because we've had so much darkness heaped on us by the actions of some people who have done extremely violent things. But also [by the] decisions of other people who have portrayed Muslims, over and over again, as violent extremists.-----Thank you for being here, Austen Connection friends.Let us know: Are you a reader of romance, Muslim romance, and retellings? What are your favorites? Did this conversation inspire you to think differently about contemporary romance, romcoms, and the stories we tell, and what it all has to do with Jane Austen? Have you read Ayesha At Last and/or Hana Khan Carries On? And/or, what are your recommendations for the Thanksgiving holiday, if that's a thing where you live? And if not, let us know your weekend reading plans? Comment below!As always, you can find us right here, on Twitter at @AustenConnect, and on Facebook and Insta at @austenconnection.Meanwhile, have a beautiful weekend. Wishing you all the light, joy, and romance,Plain JaneCool links:Here's more on Uzma Jalaluddin's books and bio at her website: https://uzmajalaluddin.com/Here is another Muslim writer whom Ms. Jalaluddin recommends: Ayisha Malik: https://www.ayishamalik.com/bioAnd check out the Muslim comedy and romance in the work of Huda Fahmy, also recommended by Ms. Jalaluddin: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Yes-Im-Hot-in-This/Huda-Fahmy/9781507209349Here's Uzma Jalaluddin's Toronto Star column about writers of color breaking through: https://www.thestar.com/life/parent/opinion/2021/09/21/as-a-parent-teacher-and-writer-i-urge-creators-of-colour-to-raise-their-voices-in-the-arts.htmlAnd this Toronto Star column is on romance and writing the light rather than the darkness: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/opinion/2021/04/05/dis-romance-all-you-like-i-choose-to-write-happy-funny-stories-as-a-light-against-the-darkness.htmlIf you enjoyed this post and conversation, feel free to share it! Get full access to The Austen Connection at austenconnection.substack.com/subscribe

Hello friends,Today we bring a new podcast episode and conversation that I think you will love. It's with Damianne Scott, an educator, writer and speaker in the Jane Austen community - she teaches literature at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College and Cincinnati State University. And she's the host of the Facebook page, Black Girl Loves Jane. She's also working on a very intriguing project right now - rewriting the story of Jane Austen's Persuasion into the setting of an African-American megachurch. In her own book project, Persuaded, due out from Meryton Press next year, Ms. Scott makes Anne Elliot a PK - or preacher's kid. And as Dr. Cornell West has pointed out, in a legendary talk at the JASNA Annual General Meeting of 2012, Jane Austen was also a PK, or preacher's kid. This is a world that Damianne Scott knows well, and it's a world I also am not unfamiliar with - I also, as it happens, am a PK - so I really enjoyed this conversation. Ms. Scott says that as a student of 19th century literature, which she has loved since middle school, she often has found herself the only Black student in the room. So she appreciates the nontraditional casting of shows like Bridgerton, but has also watched and addressed the backlash that has arisen from that production and from the PBS series Sanditon.An article Damianne Scott contributed to JASNA.org, or the Jane Austen Society of North America online, addressed the pineapple controversy surrounding the Sanditon series. A chorus of viewers felt that using the pineapple emoji as a fan symbol for the show was insensitive to the cultural weight and the connotations of colonialism and of the slave trade carried by that symbol. Damianne Scott weighed in, and she weighs in here, in this conversation, saying she hopes people and the community of Austen lovers and fans will continue to grow and understand that - as she says - Austen doesn't want to be put up on a pedestal: Jane Austen, she says, wants to be among the people. I love that.Press play here (above) to stream this from any device, or find the Austen Connection podcast on Spotify or Apple. Enjoy!And for you word lovers, here's an excerpt from our conversation:Plain JaneLet me talk a little bit first about Persuasion. So why do you love the story of Persuasion?Damianne ScottWell, I love the story of Persuasion … It was my first Jane Austen novel that I read in college. And the first one I did a paper on. So that was one reason why I loved it. Second, I do enjoy the movie, the one that [from 1995], with Ciarán Hinds, the BBC, is one of my favorite adaptations. And then I like it now. Because Anne Elliot is very adaptable for any woman today, who is over a certain age who is not married, who has no children, and who has come to bear the responsibility  - either willingly or unwillingly - to be the caregiver of their parents, and their finances, the dependable child in the household. And I find that very relatable to me, because I am not married, have no children, and have become the pseudo-caregiver [and] financial-responsibility person, in my family. So it speaks to me. The other thing is, I think that Persuasion in itself, again, is very adaptable to what I'm doing now with my rewriting of it and modernizing it. Anne - she's always criticized by her father for the way she looks. There's that famous scene where, you know, she's talking, and he's like, “Oh, your skin looks better today, you changed cold creams”! And he talks about the naval officers, and he talks about Admiral Croft and how, you know, he looks pretty well for somebody who was in the Navy!Plain Jane  And it's very funny, like, it's a source of humor, but also it's just, you feel Anne's pain. I mean, any woman in the world feels Anne's pain with all of this. We're also laughing at it.Damianne Scott Because he's totally ridiculous! Like, really. So it is very funny. And so my adaptation- it's a little focused on physicality. So my Anne does not necessarily have a skin issue, but she has a weight issue. And then, because she's in this community, a small community - well, not a small community, but anyone who knows about African-American megachurches, which is where my book takes place ... people can still pretty much know your business, because it's a small community.Plain Jane So let me - I have to ask you more about this: I want you to talk about this retelling, but I will just say, I grew up going to Black churches. And I grew up going to megachurches. But never a Black megachurch.Damianne Scott Well, there actually are not that many.Plain Jane Well, I grew up in a sort of evangelical background. So I didn't love the megachurches … So can we just pause for a second and you tell me: Why that setting? Why the Black megachurch?Damianne Scott Well, because I'm familiar with it. It is, you know, my world. I go to church now. And so, though my church was not a megachurch, in the terms of how we think of it, when I was growing up, it had about 500 members. And at that time, so those were like mid-'80s, that was a big number of people. And then my pastor, he was the head bishop of the state of Ohio, for our denomination. So I'm very used to that church, where everybody knows your business. And you know what it means to be a preacher's kid, so I wasn't a preacher's kid. But I know what it means to be a preacher's kid and deacon's kid, someone-of-authority's kid, everybody talking about what's going on and everybody else. It is a village mentality. Plain JaneYeah, that's so true. And it is like a village. You were starting to say everybody knows each other's business. It's like the “four and twenty country families.” But I love what you're sayingd: there's a hierarchy, it can be a very wonderful, close community. It can also be a fairly oppressive community. And nobody shows this better than Jane Austen, right? I just have to say, Dami, so you were going to megachurches in the ‘80s; I remember going to the megachurches in the ‘80s. And this was in Atlanta. I would not have stepped foot in there without, like, [full] makeup, hair …!Damianne ScottOh yeah. Plain JaneSo, whole thing. And I kind of resented that, you know? So what was your experience? What  has been your experience in the church?Damianne ScottSo … I think I am not critiquing the church as a whole, pastors as a whole, as [much as] this particular pastor. But yeah … I came from a denomination for a long time [where] you didn't wear makeup, so that wasn't a problem. But you know, we were dressed, you didn't go to church and pants … you put together your hair, no jeans, there was no such thing as wearing jeans to church, on a Sunday morning. … if you're a woman, you wear a skirt. … I didn't resent it, because that's all I knew. I didn't feel oppressed by it. Especially when I was young. My friends were there, my family was there. That's where I participated in things, where I cultivated my speaking abilities or my writing abilities. So it didn't find it oppressive, to me, growing up at all. And then as I grew up, something altered and changed. I did start seeing things a little different, because then I realized, you know, church is also business. And so sometimes, it's all business, just like with all denominations … preaching one thing and doing the other. And so there is a little greed aspect to some churches - not all, of course. So … with this hierarchy, there is a power trip … Because of how the system was set up in America, systematically, the racism, the church was the only place where Black people could have clout. So if you are a pastor, or deacon, if you're a missionary, you have power. You have clout. What you say, goes. And so if you are the child of a pastor, a bishop, or whatever, people are looking at you. They expect you to act a certain way, be a certain way, do things a certain way, because you are not only reflective of Christ … but you're also reflected on that power structure. If you do something, you are challenging that power structure, that whole thing might fall down. And so Sir Walter, my character, he is a pastor of a megachurch. But he also has some gambling issues, and some spending habit issues. And he puts his church into debt, where he's almost losing the church and the upper limits of his power and his clout in the community. And then he has these children and one of them … is fiscally responsible and capable and efficient and knows how to run things. He doesn't see her value because she doesn't represent what he thinks a daughter should look like. Physically. … She's someone with intelligence. She's kind of challenging his wisdom … his thought process. And so that makes it really Austen. Even though it's 2021.Plain Jane That's so great. Everything you're describing is this character - that's so Austen, a character, a strong woman, a smart woman who's undermined and undervalued, and just how frustrating that can be. But Jane Austen just shows people how to go forward. So that's kind of what appeals to you about the story of Persuasion? You mentioned a teacher encouraged you, in your Facebook Live [event]. You called it an adult fairy tale, in a way because she does persevere, doesn't she? And is gracious. How does she get by? How does she survive? And why is this an adult fairy tale?Damianne Scott Well, I guess the fairy tale part is because there is no, necessarily, fairy godmother, or magic  - just that Anne kind of realizes that what she wants is important and valued. That she should move on. I mean, the only reason why she doesn't marry Wentworth in the first place is because Lady Russell and her family, and the small community that she's involved in, is like, “No, he has no money. He doesn't represent what we represent, being gentry … You can't marry him, he has no money.”And of course, during that time, having money was the most important thing - you're not marrying somebody necessarily for love, you're marrying somebody for connections, growing the family, making sure you're not starving, especially if you're a woman. So all your sisters are not starving. So this is what you're getting married for, you're marrying for the benefit of society, and particularly your small society. And so what Anne does is realize at the end: “Bump that! Now I'm wanting to do what I want to do, where my voice is heard, and I'm gonna marry this man that I love, that I probably [should have]  married eight years ago, but I listened to y'all.”And so I think the magic is that she realizes her own worth. And that there was somebody who already recognized it and she kind of let it slip away. And she gets a second chance to rectify it, which is something most of us do not get - that second chance to rectify a decision that we made incorrectly. And I think that's why it's a fairy tale.Plain Jane All right! … Do you find yourself having to explain to people about why you love Jane Austen, that it is about hardship? It is about endurance and survival? It's not just about finding somebody to, you know, to marry and carry you off. That it is about what it is like to get through life with responsibility, and how to do it graciously, and how to, hopefully, how to find happiness?Damianne Scott … My friends, they just don't understand that at all. They think of Austen as, you know: the dresses, the balls, the bonnets. And it is, let's not get it twisted: It's part of it. That is the appeal for people who read it today or look at the movies today. It's the romance. Because I mean … all the major novels that she wrote, all the main characters get her man, they get married. We may not see the marriage, but we know they get married. So for some people, that is the appeal of Austen, that is what they look at for Austen. That's why they read Austen and that's all they want. And that's fine. Others, like myself, I'm interested in also the other themes that are going on, the nuances. Because the nuances of the dance, [for instance]: Well, why are they doing that particular dance? Why can't women inherit from their fathers? Why [is it] they cannot work? What was going around in England at that time, to make it the way it is? That is what interests me also. And so, in the community itself … my biggest push is just trying to get them to understand not only the historical, which many of them already do, because that's why they're Janeites, and they really dive in and they're really scholarly about it, where I'm not as scholarly about a lot of the issues. But my biggest question is just to see that it's text, it's ideas that are open to all people. And... that it can be open to other people who might not necessarily have been in the thought of, or the mind of, Austen when she wrote those novels.Plain JaneWell I love that. And I want to hear more about that, Dami. So you started the Facebook page Black Girl Loves Jane to basically do what? To kind of put a stamp on that?Damianne Scott Yeah, well it initially started as something really for me to do, where I could share Jane Austen's quotes and wits and books and all that. That was in August of 2018. So it's pretty new. Just something to, like, put a quote of the day or a photo of the week. And then I would share something that was happening in my life that that wisdom either expresses or answers for. And then my goal was to then have other people share their experience that is similar to the quote that I placed out there today. And I call it Black Girl Loves Jane because I'm a Black girl! So I was a Black girl who loves Jane, which is an oddity! It's not completely, like, not heard of - you know, I've met and seen other women of color who love Jane. But for my circle, I am the odd man out and in college, here I am trying to get my master's degree in English, and I am the only African American who's in a Victorian class or British Romantic class, you know, trying to read Shelley and Austen and talk about these things. And I'm the only one there. And so what Anne does, is realize at the end: “Bump that! Now I'm wanting to do what I want to do, where my voice is heard, and I'm gonna marry this man that I love, that I probably [should have]  married eight years ago, but I listened to y'all.”So that's how it started. And I just like classics in general. So it's not just Austen. I love Hardy. I was presented to Hardy when I was 14 in school. So Hardy was who I started off with, because my teacher did not believe that I would like Austen. Because he was like, “Oh, you like Hardy? You're not going to like Austen because Austen is happy and they get married.”  … We never could read anything modern. So every book we read in high school from ninth to 12th grade when we had to do a book report was a classic. You know, everything else was Hardy, or Eliot, or Dickens, or Austen. So I was like, “Okay, this is a world I'm not used to. I've never been introduced to these classics before. So here we go.”My first book I read was Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Like, “This is what's happening in England in the early 1900s?! Okay! My goodness!” I read Hardy, and then [continued in] high school, college. And then it has eventually over time has evolved to just trying to make the case, in whatever small way I can, that Austen is not just for Caucasian people, that Austen is not just for people from Britain, that there are other cultures that can benefit from the lessons of Austen, or from other classic literature as well. Because anything I deem to be classic is something that is relatable to everyone, if you're willing to do the teaching to make it relatable. I think part of the issue, especially in high schools today, and maybe in some colleges … is that we teach these books, particularly these books that are in the canon, as unrelatable to anyone who's not white, or young … or whatever, and we tell you, “You're never going to understand it.” And really what it is, is the teachers are going to have to figure out a way to make it relatable and teachable for whatever generation they are presented with. And so part of my reason for writing my version Persuaded, part of my reason for why I read other modernization versions of Austen's novels and other classic novels, is because I have this hope. I want to have this hope that it's reachable even to this generation, and that if we don't learn how to make it reachable to the next generation, they're going to die. These classics are not going to be classics anymore. They're not going to want to teach Austen, or Dickens, or Toni Morrison. They're not going to want to teach them anymore because they won't feel they are relevant today. And so, books like, hopefully books like mine, but also Pride by Ibi Zoboi is giving that attention, making that way. And also Unmarriageable [by Soniah Kamal] which I just read too, is making that way, that it is so relatable! These are my people! Even if it is, you know, 1789 when it's written, and I'm reading it in 2021. These are my people. This is what's going on in my life in my world, too. And she's speaking to me. And so that is what my goal is.Plain JaneAwesome! Listeners can't hear that I'm snapping at Dami. I love it. It just makes Austen so much richer, when people realize [that], like I feel like they have already with Shakespeare. So I think you're - hopefully, you're right, and I am too, because I have the same hope -  that it's just a matter of imagination. It's just a matter of changing the way we see it, changing the way we teach it.Damianne ScottI always try to - even with my students,  because I teach English Composition, but I have taught upper-level classes as well about literature - and I'm always trying to get my students to understand that period just means it happened at a certain period of time. And the themes and experiences that we are having are the same themes and experiences that they'll be having 75 years from now, and the way that they were having 75 years ago, if you get through all that superficial stuff, right? Yes, you might have to practice some of the language because Shakespeare is no easy man, by any means! But the themes, the lessons, really what he was saying is just as modern today as anything else.Plain JaneLet me ask you, Dami, what would you like to see in any kind of Persuasion adaptation? What do you think makes it work for today? Because there are also two films coming out.Damianne Scott There is, and one I'm really excited about because one is going to be a color blind or nontraditional Persuasion, what they're calling nontraditional casting, where the Wentworth character is going to be played by a person of color.Plain Jane Oh, is it Cosmo Jarvis? Yes. Okay.Damianne ScottYes. So he's, going to be playing Wentworth. And then Mr. Golding, Henry Golding, who I adore, he is playing Mr. Elliot. Cousin Elliot, I guess. … So, it's nontraditional casting. And so that's what I was excited about, that we had that happening in the era of course of Bridgerton, which I also loved. But [it] also got a lot of flack. And those who are Jane Austen fanatics did not appreciate Bridgerton, some have not appreciated casting for this new Persuasion. And it's because of the nontraditional casting. So for the past six months or so, I've been doing some talks and things like that. I did one for “Race and the Regency” for Jane Austen & Co., where I'm pushing this idea: “Why not? Black people were there. Why are we acting like Black people are not there? There are people of color there, there are people from South Asia, India, were there during that time.” So I don't understand why people get upset about this notion … as if Austen was this historical document that could not be altered. It's fiction! It's fiction! Everything in it is fiction. I guess in England during that time, there is the wars going on at the time. All that has happened. I know this is happening, but again, it's still a fictionalized world, some of the cities don't even exist, really, in England. And these are fictionalized stories. And so the hullabaloo about Bridgerton, particularly, it's the greatest thing right now, is somewhat disconcerting to me. Which is why I make Black Girl Loves Jane, because I just don't understand it. That icing out of cultures who are sometimes forced to read Austen, but they can't be in Austen? They can't be in an Austen film, but you're gonna make them read it as part of the literary canon that you have in school, but then they can't be in it? Doesn't make sense to me. [P]art of my reason for why I read other modernization versions of Austen's novels and other classic novels, is because I have this hope: I want to have this hope that it's reachable even to this generation.So I'm really excited about that. And I'm looking for not only for Persuasion to do it, but I'm looking forward to a time where it's not a big deal. So that is what I'm looking forward to, not only with Persuasion, but all novels and really, you know, all classic novels. Where it's just not a big deal. And I don't always go into it, you know, by any means, looking at any kind of film or book. I'm like, ‘Oh, there's no Black people in it. So I'm not gonna read it, or people of color.' That's not me at all. But I do when I'm looking at it. And as I get more past the the surface stuff, but to the actual discussions about modernization and race and class, there's discussions to be had: … “What is wrong with this scene? Or, what's wrong with this theme that is being carried out through this period? Why was it established? What's wrong with it? And how have we rectified it? Or have we rectified it in 21st century England or America? Are there still class systems that's going on? Are they still based on race? Are they still based on it?” I am just saying that, like you said, the new normal has to come about where it's not such a big deal. I don't know if you know that I published an article in JASNA. Plain Jane Thank you for  reminding me - Yes, I did.Damianne Scott Well, one of the things I mentioned is, and that's part of the problem, I said, is that there is this need to hold on very tightly -  for many British citizens, but it's the same here in America as well - to this history that is not accurate. So this why people get upset with Bridgerton, or nontraditional casting in some Dickens movies, is because they're holding on to this idea of what they believe they are. And even though their history was told to them incorrectly … the challenge of it that's coming about in these last few years, it's very disconcerting for people. So this is why people have a cow. When you're going to have a multiethnic person play Wentworth, this is why people are upset that you have as the high royal in a drama going on in 1830 Regency be a Black queen. This is why people had a cow when the Jane Austen museum said, “Oh, we're going to establish and talk about how Jane lived during this time slavery,” and people have a cow about it.It's because it is challenging an idea and a history that is so ingrained in them, that, “Who will I be, if I am not the owner of Shakespeare or Austen or the Bible, or, for us in America, this great southern tradition? Who are we, if I don't have this? Or if you're telling me that I was wrong, or that my ancestors were wrong for what they did back then. And so therefore, you're now deeming me to be wrong.”And that is part of what solutions are going to have to come about. Because the change is coming. But how can we bring people along? Because it's scary to say to somebody, “Okay, you don't own Austen. I know you're Caucasian, I know you're a woman, and I know you might just want to tackle the stories of love and romance in these novels. But there's something else going on. Jane lived in a time of extreme upheaval. And if you say you love Austen, then you have to love all Austen. And some of what's was going on with Austen is not pretty.” Not necessarily with her, because she was a supporter of abolition, but what was going on around her was not pretty. And it's not all about the balls and the dresses, and that's scary for people. And so my hope is also that we can just have these dialogues where people don't feel like we're attacking or trying to take away something from them, but instead, understand and come to realize that we're trying to add to something that they already have.Plain Jane What would you like to see in our conversations going forward to be more equitable and inclusive? In our conversations about Jane Austen?Damianne Scott I guess what I really would like to see in the future is just this real, true understanding that people of color are not trying to - like what we've just discussed - invade people's space. What we're trying to do is say that we were always there. And that we want to be seen. And that we want to be accepted. Now, does that mean you have to go back and change 250 years of history? Well, no. You can never change that slavery, you can never change that there was a feudal system, and there were the landed gentry - you can't change it. But the idea that we are … this exclusive club, that is a problem. Because the change is coming. But how can we bring people along? Because it's scary to say to somebody, “Okay, you don't own Austen. I know you're Caucasian, I know you're a woman, and I know you might just want to tackle the stories of love and romance in these novels. But there's something else going on. Jane lived in a time of extreme upheaval. And if you say you love Austen, then you have to love all Austen.”So, hopefully, the future is that when we have these discussions, and have these conferences and have these things, that we are interested in the needle-point, and the dancing, and the foods that Austen ate; but we're also interested in the history of what was going on with the slave trade that was happening at that time. And we're also interested in how they were treating women. And we're also interested in talking about what they were doing with the tea that they were taking from India. And then we're also interested in, in all these other maybe somewhat earthy discussions about Austen and that are just as prevalently produced and advertised and populated and attended, as the latest discussion about how to make a bonnet. I am for you learning how to make a bonnet. I want to learn how to make a bonnet too. But I also want you to know that often, we put Austen on a pedestal. Austen does not want to be on the pedestal. We put her on there. And we make her so unreachable: She can only be talking about “this,” she can only be presented “this way.” As long as we keep Austen on that pedestal. she's going to die. Her words, her wisdom, is going to die. Because the one thing my generation - Generation X, Y or millennial - we're not looking for people to put on pedestals. We want people who want to be among the people. And Austen is among the people if you let her be. -------Thank you for being here, friends. Please talk back to us - let us know your thoughts on what Damianne Scott says here about how we read, and teach, and talk about Austen, and how we can make Austen more relatable. Teachers and professors, how do you introduce Jane Austen's stories to your classes today? Do you find that it's helpful to, as Damianne Scott says, consciously think about how to engage young, diverse readers with the classics and to help them see, as she says so beautifully, that Austen is speaking to all of us? And is among us? Let us know! It would be fascinating to continue this discussion! You can comment, here:Meanwhile, watch for more conversations coming up, including new podcast conversations with Ayesha at Last author Uzma Jalaluddin, Island Queen author Vanessa Riley, and Harvard professor and long-time New Yorker writer Louis Menand on “How to Misread Jane Austen.”  Thanks to you for listening, engaging, and making this the wonderful community and conversation that is growing and thriving. Invite a book-loving friend to join us! Have a wonderful week. You can stay in touch with us on Twitter at @AustenConnect, on Facebook and Instagram at @austenconnection, or you can simply reply/comment here. Stay well and stay in touch,Yours affectionately,Plain Jane Cool linksHere's Damianne Scott's piece for JASNA.org on PBS's Sanditon series and the pineapple controversy: https://jasna.org/publications-2/persuasions-online/volume-41-no-2/scott/Here's our piece on Damianne Scott and BGLJ Facebook page in the Christian Science Monitor: https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Arts/2021/0917/Is-Persuasion-the-Jane-Austen-story-we-all-need-right-nowMeryton Press - where Damianne Scott's retelling Persuaded is due for release next year: https://merytonpress.com/More on the upcoming Persuasion film adaptation, starring Cosmo Jarvis, Dakota Johnson and Henry Golding: https://deadline.com/2021/05/dakota-johnson-netflix-henry-golding-persuasion-cosmo-jarvis-suki-waterhouse-richard-e-grant-nikki-amuka-bird-1234754639/*This post was updated to reflect that Damianne Scott also teaches at Cincinnati State University. Get full access to The Austen Connection at austenconnection.substack.com/subscribe

Hosts, Lesley Nickelson and Debbie Sewell talk to children's librarian Vanesha Ford about their favorite books right now. For Elementary - Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, For Middle School - The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynne Barnes and for High School - Pride by Ibi Zoboi.

Nicole and Tori are back after a break for summer programs and catch up on changes in the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System. From a recap of summer programs to the upcoming Haunted Library on Thursday, Oct. 26 from 5-7 p.m., the ladies share their excitement of all the things happening. They take a look at the library's updated online calendar available to all at www.lowndeslibrary.com/library-calendar. The resources discussed in this episode are listed below: The Martian by Andy Weir; The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes; Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam; Pride by Ibi Zoboi; Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon; Seven Days in June by Tia Williams; His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler; Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean; Happy Color color by number mobile application; Crunchyroll.com

  Checking In! Is Gwen a scammer now? She learned how to use OfferUp! Danielle is sleepy because of rainy weather. Deep Dive: Pop Culture Historicals Gwen and Danielle are OBSESSED with costume dramas and historical fiction and romance. We're not sorry about it at all, nor are we sorry about how much fun you're going to have when you watch these shows and movies or read these books. Danielle mentioned a monthly romance blogger twitter chat, hosted by @readRchat. Historicals and Fairy Tales come up a lot! Gwen's Gateway Historicals: Anne of Green Gables, Road to Avonlea, Little Women, Pride & Prejudice Gwen's Sexy Historicals: North and South, The Serpent's Kiss, Dangerous Liaisons, Washington Square, The Favorite, The Great Gwen's Modern/More Recent Historicals: Velvet Goldmine, Never Let Me Go (sorta), Lovecraft Country, Watchmen (THEM is a new show on Amazon), The Crown Gwen's Biopics: Chaplin, Rocketman, What's Love Got to Do with It, Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (we also digressed a bit about the recent Chadwick Boseman episode of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour for their thought-provoking commentary on why biopic performances work so well but the movies don't always pan out). Danielle hasn't met an Austen and Little Women adaptation she doesn't love: Emma 2020, Mansfield Park 1999, P&P 2005; LW 1994 and 2019. Special shout out to Clueless (which is sort of a historical film now, LOL to mask our tears)—the best adaptation of Emma to date. Danielle is trash for anything related to the War of the Roses and Tudor England: The White Queen, The White Princess, The Tudors, and Game of Thrones Danielle is here for PRETTY historicals: Downton Abbey (and most Masterpiece historical dramas), Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, Harlots Danielle recommends “literary” shows, too: Dickinson (VERY anachronistic), Lovecraft Country/HBO, Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Julie and The Great Gatsby (even Moulin Rouge!, too), Joe Wright's Anna Karenina Danielle has a TON of historical romance recommendations! Beverly Jenkin's does such a phenomenal job with American history and Black history, portraying the hard things people went through but also showing how joyful their lives could be—she spoke about this on NPR with Karen Grigbsy Bates. TEMPEST is among D's favorites, but you can't go wrong with any of Ms. Bev's books. Alyssa Cole's Loyal League series is about Black spies for the Union army. For regency romances, Danielle turns to authors like Tessa Dare, Olivia Drake, Sarah MacLean, and Vanessa Riley! In terms of historical fiction, Danielle still gravitates to stories with romantic elements. Chanel Cleeton's Perez Family Saga set during the rise of Castro and the Cuban Revolution. Her book NEXT YEAR IN HAVANA was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick. It's also based on her family's history! Gwen loves a true classic of the historical romance genre: Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels. For historical fiction, she enjoys Phillipa Gregory!   Recs from Vanessa: Here's a photo from Vanessa's Instagram that shows her amazing IKEA Bookshelves (something similar to Vanessa's shelves can be found here) You don't have to read Book 1, A DUKE, THE LADY, AND A BABY, to follow along with AN EARL, THE GIRL, AND A TODDLER, but Vanessa recommends it for better insight with some of the references in Book2. Vanessa's website is a treasure trove of information about her historical research! Learn more about Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan Thomas ahead of the release of ISLAND QUEEN this July. Look for *major announcements* coming soon! Vanessa also shared that she has a new historical fiction novel, SISTER MOTHER WARRIOR, about the women who shaped the Haitian Revolution. For more about Vanessa, go to https://vanessariley.com/, sign up for her newsletter, and follow her on the socials: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram.   Goals/Comfort & Joy Danielle's wants to re-read all of Jane Austen this summer! This goal is inspired by the Jane Austen & Co. Race and the Regency webinars. Ibi Zoboi discussed remixing the regency and her YA P&P retelling PRIDE; Dr. Tricia Matthew (who wrote a very detailed review for Bridgerton in the LA Review of Books) talked about abolition and racism tied to Wedgewood china, and so many others. Recordings are available on the Jane Austen Co's website: https://www.janeaustenandco.org/recorded-events Gwen is going to move for to move for 30+ minutes a day, perhaps while listening to the Newcomers podcast with Lauren Lapkiss and Nicole Byer which is tackling Tyler Perry's oeuvre this season; also lighting a candle every day helps her set a routine and signal to her brain to start working!     Find us on the Socials! Gwen Twitter Facebook Instagram Danielle Twitter Instagram Fresh Fiction Twitter Facebook Instagram EventBrite

Dr. Yusef Salaam served 6 years and 8 months for crimes he did not commit. In 1989, he and four other Black and Latino juveniles were tried and convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case. The media dubbed them, The Central Park Five. In 2002, their convictions were overturned and they were exonerated, becoming The Exonerated Five. But even after a confession from the actual perpetrator of the crime and DNA evidence exonerating the five, there are still people who believe they are guilty of this heinous act, to this day. In this episode, Dr. Yusef Salaam reflects on the events that ended with his imprisonment. Amazingly, he focuses on the beauty and grace he faced while being incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. His time in prison led to his enlightenment and now as a grown man he harbors no animosity or resentment for his wrongful conviction, or towards baseless and racists allegations that he should still be in prison. Dr. Yuesef co-wrote the NYTimes bestselling young adult novel, "Punching the Air" with author Ibi Zoboi. The book is about a young boy who is wrongfully incarcerated and you should definitely take the time to read it. Pick up your copy wherever good books are sold!Follow The Brownprint on Instagram @thebrownprintpodcast and on Twitter @brownprintpod. Email us at brownprintpod@gmail.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we're going to talk about the dreaded “P” word… and no, I'm not talking about “politics.” I shared the one thing that matters the most to me as a PARENT. What I'm reading: Punching The Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam What I'm doing: Daily Walks (try my walking playlist) CROWNED is a Women's Empowerment platform for the modern woman who wears ALL the hats and does ALL the things! Whether you're a BOSS Queen, and Queen Mom, or a Queen in the making, remember- you're ROYALTY and even Queens need a break! This is where spirituality meets self-care. Follow me on social media @iamtashagolden and @crownedbystargolden. Follow the blog at www.crownedbystargolden.com. Join me on this journey of self discovery, self-care, and self empowerment. What if you were made for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On this week's episode of The Magic Book Club Podcast Emma B chats to the writing duo behind the poignant and powerful Punching The Air, Ibi Zoboi and Dr Yusef Salaam. They chat about the importance of their work being released into today's America and beyond, and how young people can spark needed change throughout the world. She also catches up with author Charlie Gilmour about his new book Featherhood and being endorsed by Elton John! We also hear from the brilliant Mike Gayle about how he stays motivated to write his fantastic books.

Join LaTangela as we chit about this and chat about that... Another round of #RandomResearch has been conducted. You'd be surprised to see what made the list this week. _____________________________________________________________ Starbucks is ready for fall and they have a hotline to call to get you in the sippin mood... 1-833-GET-FALL...Click HERE to Let me know your favorite prompt! _______________________________________________________________ What would make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich worth $350? It's on the menu and the #TasteOfTange is being brought to you by the new CRAZE. _______________________________________________________________ Willie Taylor and his wife Shanda Denyce of the reality show Marriage Boot Camp is on the hotline and in the hot seat... I have lots of #QuestionsThatNeedAnswers _______________________________________________________________ Get the #InsideScoop ..... National Book Award Finalist Ibi Zoboi and Dr. Yusef Salaam of The Exonerated Five have co-authored an amazing book entitled PUNCHING THE AIR. Available NOW and definitely worth the read. ________________________________________________________________ STAY CONNECTED WITH LATANGELA RADIO- WEMXfm - Mon-Sun 10a.m.-3p.m.CST TV - WGMB/FOX44 Weekends La Film Channel- Wednesday Night Movies Podcast- Apple/Spotify/GooglePlay/All Digital Platforms YouTube - LaTangela Fay NEW BOOK ALERT P.O.O.F. (Power Over Obstacles Forever) - LaTangela F. Sherman NEW MUSIC ALERT Breakin' Barriers - LaTangela Fay _______________________________________________________________ Special #ThankYou DUDLEY DEBOSIER INJURY LAWYERS B.R. Dental Care - Dr. Carlos Suadi LATANGELA ________________________________________________________________ Product of Cumulus Media/Westwood OneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Island Library podcast, where your hosts put a fun twist on the get-to-know-you-question by asking one another if the book they've read will take up a spot in their library if they were stranded on a desert island. Each week your hosts Laura and Jo answer that very question but, there are only ten spaces. Listen to them as they answer the dreaded question: 'Will this book make it on to your Island Library?' On this week's The Island Library Podcast, Jo discusses Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams, and Laura discusses Pride by Ibi Zoboi.If you would like to support us, and The Island Library, please consider looking at our Patreon. Let us know if you would have chose our books or if you have any recommendations for other weeks at our Twitter page: @theislandlibpod or at our email theislandlibrary@gmail.com Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theislandlibpod)

What does Jane Austen have to do with a Drake mixtape? For this episode, I was joined by Vermont rockstar librarian Meg Alison, in discussing Ibi Zoboi’s Pride, a Pride and Prejudice Remix. We talk about gentrification, agency, and the amazing power of spoken word poetry, we give a shout out to DisruptTexts and ask … Continue reading #vted Reads: Pride with Meg Allison → The post #vted Reads: Pride with Meg Allison appeared first on Innovative Education in VT.

Ibi Zoboi (@ibizoboi) and Leah Henderson (@LeahsMark) discuss BLACK ENOUGH. BLACK ENOUGH is a collection of stories about what it's like to be young and black in America.In this episode, we'll speak with Ibi Ziboi and Leah Henderson talk about their experiences growing up a Black teens in the United States, how they used their experiences to write their stories for the collection and how race, culture and identity intersect to influence what it's like to be young and black.Bios:Ibi Zoboi holds an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her writing has been published in The New York Times Book Review, the Horn Book Magazine, and The Rumpus, among others. Her debut novel, AMERICAN STREET, was published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers was a finalist for the National Book Award and has received five starred reviews. Under the same imprint, her latest YA novel, PRIDE, was released this Fall, and, BLACK ENOUGH, a collection of stories about what its like to be young and black in America, will debut in January of 2019. Her middle grade debut, MY LIFE AS AN ICE-CREAMSANDWICH is forthcoming from Dutton/Penguin Books.She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, and their three young children.You can find her online at www.ibizoboi.net.Leah Henderson is a mentor, avid traveler, and a believer in all readers seeing their possibilities. Her volunteer work has roots in Mali, West Africa and her middle grade novel One Shadow on the Wall, is an Africana Childrens Book Award notable and a Bank Street Best Book. Her work appears in the YA anthology Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America and she has a few picture books and another middle grade novel on the horizon for 2020. She holds a Masters degree in Writing and is on faculty in the Spalding University MFA program. Leah calls Washington, D.C. home.You can find her on Twitter @LeahsMark or at her website: leahhendersonbooks.com.

Next week we're going to get into Werewolves and Witches with Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, but this week, we're so excited to talk best friend's sibling/sibling's best friend romances with one of our favorite people: Kate Clayborn!Show NotesKate Clayborn writes awesome books, but her romance think pieces at Frolic aren't too be missed.There's nothing more hilarious than reviving old twitter threads, and in this one Kate and Talia Hibbert talk IAD.The Game Maker series will get its own episodes, don't worry. Jen was thinking about saving this chastity belt article for then, but really, why wait?Best of Luck was just named one of Amazon's Best Romance of December, which is as it should be. The second book in the series, Luck of the Draw, was on Sarah's Best of 2018 list for the Washington Post.Sarah's twitter thread where people described what they'd do if they won a billion dollars is pretty fun to read. But really, there's a reason we all love that daydream.This month, the Ripped Bodice is spearheading The Great Big Romance Read and maybe you can find a bookstore, library, or blog where you can talk about Pride by Ibi Zoboi.The American Dream is complicated, college is expensive, and all of it freaks Jen out if she thinks about it too...

Ibi Zoboi's debut, American Street, turned heads with its gorgeous mashup of vodou-infused magical realism and the coming of age immigrant's story of Haitian teen Fabiola, navigating a strange new life in the U.S. following her mother's detainment midway through their journey from Port au Prince to Detroit. Her sophomore novel, Pride, is a novel not of displacement but of deep roots, a remixed take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice set in Zoboi's adopted childhood home of Bushwick, Brooklyn, following her own move at age four from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In her hands, Elizabeth Bennet becomes Haitian-Dominican teen Zuri Benitez, whose neighborhood is her kingdom—but whose status quo is threatened by both her imminent departure for college and the arrival on her street of the ultra-rich Darcy family, including the handsome, infuriatingly snobby Darius Darcy. Zoboi talked with us about the inspirations that became her second novel, her path from slam poetry to the written word, and the importance of being courted.