Podcast appearances and mentions of Katie Kitamura

The new novel Great Black Hope follows Smith, a wealthy Black Stanford graduate, who discovers that his class can only protect him so much after he is arrested for cocaine possession. Author Rob Franklin discusses the novel, his debut. Franklin will be speaking with Katie Kitamura at PUBLIC Hotel on June 10 and with Roxane Gay at Word Up Community Bookstore on June 25.

“You're going to spend, if you're lucky, a quarter or a third of your life ‘in menopause.' And we need dialogue about it. We need to talk about it.”Angela Garbes returns to explore the pains and delights of middle age. Angela schools us on the sex lives of menopausal orcas, why Carl Jung wants us all to become more selfish as we age, and her pitch for a rebrand of the “crone” stage. Links:* Angela in Romper on The Morning Rush* Angela's Guardian column, Halfway There * Angela's great books, Essential Labor and Like a Mother* Angela on Substack* ESPRIT nostalgia* Courtney Martin on aging parents* Katie Kitamura's Audition* Jung and Aging* All Fours* Flash Count Diary* Dying For Sex * Watch Angela's Guest-Curated series on Mid-life at the Seattle Public LibraryIf you love the work we do on Mother Of It All, please consider becoming a paid subscriber, which you can do at motherofitall.substack.com. Paid subscribers get access to everything behind the paywall, like subscriber-only episodes, book reviews and more. If you subscribe at the founding member level, we'll send you one of our awesome tote bags. If you can't become a paid subscriber, that's OK! It's always free and helpful to follow, share, rate and review our show here and everywhere else you listen to podcasts you love. Thank you!* Visit our Bookshop storefront to find all the books we've mentioned here and in previous episodes. When you shop there, we get a small affiliate fee (yay, thank you!).* Visit motherofitall.com to send us ideas for a future episode or learn more about the show.* Follow the podcast on Instagram (@themotherofitall) or Bluesky (@motherofitallpod.bsky.social) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit motherofitall.substack.com/subscribe

This week on From the Front Porch, it's another New Release Rundown! Annie, Erin, and Olivia are sharing the June releases they're excited about to help you build your TBR. When you purchase or preorder any of the books they talk about, enter the code NEWRELEASEPLEASE at checkout for 10% off your order! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 532) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's books: Flashlight  by Susan Choi (6/3) Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (6/3) Among Friends by Hal Ebbott (6/24) Olivia's books: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark (6/3) King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby (6/10) The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (6/17) Erin's books: A Family Matter by Claire Lynch (6/3) Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami (6/10) Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess (6/10) From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Audition by Katie Kitamura.  Olivia is reading The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell.  Erin is listening to Audition by Katie Kitamura. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Beth, Stephanie Dean, Linda Lee Drozt, Ashley Ferrell, Wendi Jenkins, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Gene Queens, Cammy Tidwell, Jammie Treadwell, and Amanda Whigham.

The latest novel from author Katie Kitamura follows an accomplished actor and the mysterious young man who suddenly enters her life. We spent the month reading Audition as our May Get Lit with All Of It book club selection. Kitamura discusses the novel with Alison in front of a sold out crowd. Missed the event? Catch it here.

We had the pleasure of recording a bonus episode with Katie Kitamura, the author of our May Book Club Pick, Audition! We ask her about the book's inspiration, the writing process of such an experimental novel, what's ~actually~ going on in the plot, and the origins of the scenes that have stuck with us the most.  This Month's Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

We're SO excited to discuss Audition by Katie Kitamura! While this book may be hard to recap (uh, what actually happened??), we can't wait to dive into theories and themes.  We share our feelings about the ambiguous plot and discuss the theme of performance throughout the book. We also explore overlaps with two other past pieces of favorite content.  And get ready, we'll have a bonus episode out tomorrow with Katie Kitamura herself to get a behind-the-scenes look on the process of writing this book.    Obsessions Becca - U Beauty tinted moisturizer Olivia - Katie Kitamura (stay tuned for our bonus episode tomorrow!)    What we read this week Becca - It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan Olivia - The Road To Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett   This Month's Book Club Pick - All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com) Sponsors Cozy Earth - Use code BOP for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more at cozyearth.com.  Quince - Go to Quince.com/bop for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

  This week, we're chatting about the ins and outs of writing Young Adult Fiction with Jessica Goodman! We talk with her about getting started in the genre, the challenges of writing YA, how she gets inspiration for her books, and more!    Read more from Jessica in The Meadowbrook Murders, The Counselors, The Legacies, They'll Never Catch Us, and They Wish They Were Us.   Obsessions Olivia -  Ocean Vuong's Interviews Becca - Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Sneakers   What we read this week Becca - Silver Elite by Dani Francis Olivia - All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman   This Month's Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Better Help - Visit BetterHelp.com/BADONPAPER to get 10% off your first month. Master Class - Save at least 15% off at MasterClass.com/BOP     Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

Whether you're a library reader, a used bookstore connoisseur, or just buy books faster than you read ‘em, this episode is for you! We're chatting about the backlist books (AKA books released over 1 year ago) on our TBR.    Olivia's List Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin (2020) Seawife by Amity Gaige (2020) Godshot by Chelsea Bieker (2020) The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018) Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler (1993) Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998) Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (2020) Ghosts by Dolly Alderton (2020) Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (2019)   Becca's List Greenlights by Matthew McConaghey (2020) Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiney (2021) Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason (2020) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (2001) The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue (2020) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005) Happy All The Time by Laurie Colwin (1978) Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin (1956) American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (2008) Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hilderbrand (2019) or Summer People (2003) Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors (2022)   Listener Reccomendations The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018) The Country Club Murders (Book 1 The Deep End by Julie Mulhern) The Cave Dwellers by Christina McDowell Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McCallister The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal  Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See Geek Love by Katherine Dunn The Good Part by Sophie Cousens  Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas   Obsessions Becca - Maybe Happy Ending musical Olivia - Walks + Merlin bird ID app   What we read this week Becca - Maggie; Or A Man and a Woman Walk Into A Bar by Katie Yee (7/24) Olivia - She Used To Be Nice by Alexia LaFata (8/12), The Colony by Annika Norlin   This Month's Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Quince - Go to Quince.com/bop for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns Wayfair - Shop a huge selection of outdoor furniture online at wayfair.com   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.    

Our May Get Lit with All Of It book club selection is the new novel Audition by Katie Kitamura. The story follows a successful actress struggling through a new play... and the much younger man who suddenly comes into her life. Kitamura discusses the novel ahead of our May 29th Get Lit event.Click here to borrow your e-copy and to get free tickets to the event!

Katie Kitamura is the author of the novel Audition, available from Riverhead Books. Kitamura's other novels include A Separation and Intimacies, which was longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award and was a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, a Lannan fellowship, and many other honors, and her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University. *** ⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, etc. Subscribe to ⁠Brad Listi's email newsletter⁠. ⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠ ⁠Merch⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠  ⁠TikTok⁠ ⁠Bluesky⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Three Things time! We're covering topics from Olivia's family parasocial obsession, spin-off books, sleep routines, party snacks, and more!    Olivia's Things Standout Book Covers of 2025 The Today Show Hosts' Impact on Boomers What snacks would you be excited to find at a party?   Becca's Things What book characters do you want to read a spinoff about? Glennon Doyle's week on Substack Sleep Routines   Obsessions Becca - Forever 31 Olivia - Four Seasons   What we read this week Olivia - Ravishing by Eshani Surya, The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean Becca - The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager     This Month's Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Nuuly - Take $28 off your first month at nuuly.com with code BOP Cozy Earth - Head to cozyearth.com and use code BOP for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more.   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

Description: The April 2025 JHBC selection, The Light Pirate, is a haunting, lyrical, and original story that takes place in the near future, set against the backdrop of climate-ravaged Florida, with parts of the state going underwater and being abandoned by those who used to call it home. The story follows Wanda—a luminous child born out of a devastating hurricane—as she navigates a rapidly changing world. With elements of literary fiction, speculative realism, and subtle magical undertones, The Light Pirate is a meditation on grief, transformation, resilience, and the relationship between humanity and the natural world. It's both a warning and a whisper of hope—a reminder that even in the face of collapse, there is still beauty, connection, and light. In this discussion with The Light Pirate author, Lily Brooks-Dalton, she and Jen discuss: How the simple practice of journaling helped Lily evolve her craft and find her own unique voice as a writer The ways in which Lily weaves unexpected, real-life texture into her work by marrying her passions in other hobbies and subjects The evolving demands on a modern author And Lily talks about her next book project titled 'Ruins' that explores the fascinating field of archaeology Thought-provoking Quotes: “I always wanted to be a writer. And it was just a matter of figuring out that that was a goal worth working toward.” – Lily Brooks-Dalton “I always had a journal. I was so much better at figuring out what I felt through writing it down, as opposed to even thinking or talking out loud. It was just like my medium.” – Lily Brooks-Dalton “That moment of preparation really stuck with me for a long time. And I couldn't get it out of my head. I was just thinking about all the different ways that a human being could react to that kind of energy, that kind of dread and fear and excitement.” – Lily Brooks-Dalton “This is the conundrum of living in places that aren't for us, places  that aren't accommodating to us anymore in the way that maybe they used to be. It's so easy to be tucked into your safe home and be like, just move, just go somewhere else. But, I think you are able to put yourself in those shoes and realize these are people's homes. They invest their whole lives in these spaces. And it's no small thing to just move somewhere a little easier.” – Lily Brooks-Dalton “I didn't become a writer to be seen. It's not my comfort zone, so it's been a little bit scary at times and also really exciting.” – Lily Brooks-Dalton Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Light Pirate: A Novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton - https://amzn.to/42dGxCn Motorcycles I've Loved: A Memoir by Lily Brooks-Dalton - https://amzn.to/4cEEavY Good Morning, Midnight: A Novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton - https://amzn.to/4jy3S7v The Midnight Sky on Netflix - https://www.netflix.com/title/80244645 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke - https://amzn.to/4jzVvZ6 Audition: A Novel by Katie Kitamura - https://amzn.to/42koxXa Guest's Links: Website - https://www.lilybrooksdalton.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lilybrooksdalton Connect with Jen!Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So excited to talk about our April Book Club Pick, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy! We went into this book without much context and loved experiencing this literary mystery. We discuss what genre this book falls in, our feelings on climate fiction, the real-life inspirations behind this books, and of course the many twists and turns of the mystery plotline.   Obsessions Becca - Wegmans Cannoli chips and dip Olivia - Daffodils   What we read this week Becca - Anatomy of A Breakthrough by Adam Alter, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy   This Month's Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Cozy Earth - Go to cozyearth.com and use code BOPBOGO Wayfair - This summer, get outside with Wayfair at wayfair.com Master Class - Our listeners get a discount of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com/bop   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

In a Manhattan restaurant, the narrator of Audition meets a young man for lunch. Everyone has a different understanding of the pair's relationship, including the narrator herself. Katie Kitamura says she got the idea for the story after coming across a headline that said, "a stranger told me he was my son." That headline turned into the premise for her latest novel, which experiments with the idea of contradictions to destabilizing effect. In today's episode, Kitamura joins NPR's Ari Shapiro for a conversation about her decision to cut the book in half. They also discuss other media that's split into two parts – like the films Vertigo and Shoplifters – and Shapiro shares his interpretation of the novel.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Kiran Dass reviews Audition by Katie Kitamura published by Fern Press

Eric Newman and Medaya Ocher speak with writer Katie Kitamura about her recent novel, "Audition," which explores a tense, complex relationship between a middle-aged actress and a young man who may or may not be her son. The book raises questions about the roles we play, the stories we inhabit, and the many choices we make. “Audition” is  LARB's Book Club pick this month. Join in on the conversation at https://lareviewofbooks.org/event/larb-book-club-discussion-audition-by-katie-kitamura/

Eric Newman and Medaya Ocher speak with writer Katie Kitamura about her recent novel, "Audition," which explores a tense, complex relationship between a middle-aged actress and a young man who may or may not be her son. The book raises questions about the roles we play, the stories we inhabit, and the many choices we make. “Audition” is LARB's Book Club pick this month. Join in on the conversation at https://lareviewofbooks.org/event/larb-book-club-discussion-audition-by-katie-kitamura/

Alex Garland's latest film Warfare, which is co-directed by US military veteran Ray Mendoza turns back the clock back nearly twenty years to reconstruct a real-life surveillance mission in Iraq. Film critic Tim Robey and journalist Zing Tsjeng give their verdict on the analysis of the theatre of war, which unfolds in real time. They've also been to see Shanghai Dolls at London's Kiln Theatre - which spans six decades of Chinese history, focusing on the life of an actress who was to personify the terrifying face of the cultural revolution, Madame Mao. Literary critic Boyd Tonkin reflects on the legacy of Nobel prize-winning Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa who has died at the age of 89. Samira and her guests have also been reading Katie Kitamura's new book Audition, about an actress who agrees to have dinner with a young man who seems fixated on her, and includes a 'sliding doors' alternative reality. And as the actress Cate Blanchett announces her intention to retire, Radio 4 listeners have a chance to hear her star in her first major radio drama The Fever, in which she plays a privileged woman who travels to a war-torn country and reflects on her comfortable life amidst the poverty of others. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paula McGrath

This week, we're talking about rejection, failure, and how two guests dealt with them! First, we're talking to New York Times best-selling author Andrea Bartz about navigating rejection on submission, and the daily rejections entailed in living a creative life. Then, we're talking to Azora Zoe Paknad about shuttering her business and going back to the corporate world.    You can read more from Andrea in her newsletter, Get It Write, and her books The Spare Room, We Were Never Here, The Herd, and The Lost Night. Her latest novel, The Last Ferry Out, is out May 20.    Read more from Azora in her newsletter, First Rodeo. You may also remember our episode from 2020 about starting her eco-friendly e-commerce marketplace, Goldune.   Obsessions Olivia - Butter Pecan Iced Coffee at Dunkin Becca - The audiobook Anatomy of a Breakthrough by Adam Alter   What we read this week Becca - Audition by Katie Kitamura, Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee Olivia - Old Money by Kelsey Miller (Out September 30!)   This Month's Book Club Pick - Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Wayfair - Get renovating and head to Wayfair.com.   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

New York provides the backdrop to two cultural gems. Directed by Kevin Macdonald and Sam Rice-Edwards, documentary ‘One to One: John & Yoko’ follows the former Beatle and the artist as they roam Greenwich Village in the 1970s, pursuing projects, preparing for a charity concert and meeting leftist radicals. We sit down with Rice-Edwards to discuss the film. Plus: US writer Katie Kitamura tells us about her new novel, ‘Audition’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Katie Kitamura's newest novel, “Audition,” is a slow-burn psychological thriller that you can't stop reading, even though you're not exactly sure what's going on.

The Author Events Series presents Katie Kitamura | Audition: A Novel REGISTER In Conversation with Adam Dalva One woman, the performance of a lifetime. Or two. An exhilarating, destabilizing Möbius strip of a novel that asks whether we ever really know the people we love. Two people meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She's an accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He's attractive, troubling, young-young enough to be her son. Who is he to her, and who is she to him? In this compulsively readable, brilliantly constructed novel, two competing narratives unspool, rewriting our understanding of the roles we play every day – partner, parent, creator, muse – and the truths every performance masks, especially from those who think they know us most intimately.  Taut and hypnotic, Audition is Katie Kitamura at her virtuosic best. Katie Kitamura is the author of four previous novels, most recently A Separation and Intimacies, which was longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award and was a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, a Lannan fellowship, and many other honors, and her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University. Adam Dalva's writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and The New York Review of Books. He serves on the board of the National Book Critics Circle and is a Contributing Fiction Editor of The Yale Review. The 2024/25 Author Events Series is presented by Comcast. Because you love Author Events, please make a donation when you register for this event to ensure that this series continues to inspire Philadelphians. Books will be available for purchase at the library on event night! All tickets are non-refundable. (recorded 4/9/2025)

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Katie Kitamura's new novel, Audition. Then, Rebecca talks to Allyson Rice and Tom Wiggins, producers of the new documentary, Banned Together. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky. Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter. Trust your reading list to the experts at Tailored Book Recommendations who have recommended over 160,000 books to readers of all kinds. Let TBR match you with your next favorite read! Get started for only $18 at mytbr.co! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this Episode: The Book Riot Podcast Patreon Email your Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations to podcast (at) bookriot (dot) com. Audition by Katie Kitamura Banned Together Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie Kitamura's fifth novel is “Audition,” and it focusses on a middle-aged actress and her ambiguous relationship with a much younger man. Kitamura tells the critic Jennifer Wilson that she thought for a long time about an actress as protagonist, as a way to highlight the roles women play, and to provoke questions about agency. “I teach creative writing, and in class often ... if there is a character who the group feels doesn't have agency, that is often brought up as a criticism of the character,” she tells Wilson. Other students will say, “ ‘She doesn't have any agency,' as if a character without agency is implausible or in some way not compelling in narrative terms. But of course, the reality is very few of us have total agency. I think we operate under the illusion or the impression that we have a great deal of agency. But in reality when you look at your life, our choices are quite constricted.” “Audition” comes out this week.  

Audition by Katie Kitamura follows one woman's daring exploration of identity, life and love. Katie joins us to talk about writing in first person, unreliable narrators, marriage as a narrative tool, writing women and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.  This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Audition by Katie Kitamura Intimacies by Katie Kitamura A Separation by Katie Kitamura The Longshot by Katie Kitamura The Lover by Marguerite Duras Good Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov Colored Television by Danzy Senna The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James The Anomaly by Hervé Le Tellier The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Host Jason Blitman talks to Katie Kitamura (Audition) about learned behaviors, the nature of intimacy, the art of performance, and her immersive process of writing. Perhaps most importantly, they talk at length about french fries. Jason is then joined by Guest Gay Reader Nathan Lee Graham, currently starring in Hulu's Mid-Century Modern to talk about what he's reading. Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Nathan Lee Graham is an American cabaret artist, actor, singer, writer, and director. He is known for roles in Zoolander and its sequel, Sweet Home Alabama, and Hitch, along with appearances in films like Confessions of an Action Star, Bad Actress, and Trophy Kids. On television, he originated the role of Peter in The Comeback and guest-starred on Scrubs, Absolutely Fabulous, and Law & Order SVU. Graham's stage credits include the original Broadway cast of The Wild Party and Miss Understanding in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. He received a Drama League nomination for his role in Wig Out! and won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award in 2006 for Best Featured Performer in The Wild Party (LA premiere). More recently, he played Carson in Hit the Wall at the Barrow Street Theatre. As a soloist, he earned a 2005 Grammy Award for Best Classical Album for Songs of Innocence and of Experience.SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ BOOK CLUB!Use code GAYSREADING at checkout to get first book for only $4 + free shipping! Restrictions apply.http://aardvarkbookclub.com WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

Jeff talks to the great Katie Kitamura about her new novel, Audition (it is very, very good). Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

" I think the narrative structure of those story ballets, which were some of the biggest stories of my childhood. I grew up watching Swan Lake. Giselle, La Bayadère, these were stories that were as present to me as anything that I read. Those story ballets are often split in two parts in a way. You have the White Swan and the Black Swan. In Giselle, you have the young girl and then you have the shade, the kind of ghost who comes to haunt her, her lover. Very similar in La Bayadère. And the structure of this novel is in two parts and it's two versions, in a way, of the same character. And now that you said it, I wonder if in some way, without realizing it, that narrative structure had really seeped into my brain."Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“I'm really interested in the formal aspect of characters who are channeling language, who are speaking the words of other people, and in characters who are aware of how little agency they actually have, who have passivity forced upon them, who perhaps even embrace their passivity to a certain extent but eventually seek out where they can enact their agency.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“This novel is the third in what I see as a little set of books that all feature unnamed female protagonists who have experienced varying degrees of passivity and agency in their lives. They're all women who speak the words of other people.”Katie Kitamura is the author five novels, most recently Audition and Intimacies, which was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021, longlisted for the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, and a finalist for a Joyce Carol Oates Prize. She is a recipient of the Rome Prize in Literature, fellowships from the Cullman Center and the Lannan Foundation, and many other honors. Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. She teaches in the creative writing program at New York University.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

In Episode 189, author Karen Thompson Walker talks with Sarah about her career to date and her newest novel, The Strange Case of Jane O. Karen discusses her writing journey, including each book's inspiration and research process. She also touches on the challenges of promoting her latest book without giving away too much and her current work in progress. Plus, Karen shares her book recommendations. 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 Books by Karen Thompson Walker: The Age of Miracles (2012), The Dreamers (2019), and The Strange Case of Jane O. (2025) Karen talks about going from working as an editor to a being published author The genre Karen feels her books best fit in The real-life inspiration for The Age of Miracles  A peek into her research process and which book required the most work Karen's thoughts on writing about an epidemic (in The Dreamers) just before the real-life  COVID-19 pandemic A brief spoiler-free overview of The Strange Case of Jane O. and the inspiration behind it Some of Oliver Sacks' interesting case histories that inspired Karen The difficulty in trying to promote and talk about a book like The Strange Case of Jane O. without giving too much away How Karen sees the relationship between her three published books A bit about Karen's current work in progress Karen's Book Recommendations [36:20] Two OLD Books She Loves The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides (1993) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[37:22] The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [39:26] Other Books Mentioned: The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka (2023) [40:51]   Two NEW Books She Loves The Antidote by Karen Russell (March 11, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[41:20] The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:39] One Book She DIDN'T Love My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:39] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Audition by Katie Kitamura (April 8, 2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:22] Other Books Mentioned:  The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (2024) [49:20]  A Separation by Katie Kitamura (2017) [49:35]  Intimacies by Katie Kitamura (2021) [49:39]  Last 5-Star Book Karen Read Trust by Hernan Diaz (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:14] Books From the Discussion Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan (2012) [22:54] Awakenings by Oliver Sacks (1973) [24:16]  

In ihrem kühlen wie aufregenden Roman "Intimitäten" erzählt Katie Kitamura von einer namenlosen Dolmetscherin, die in Den Haag für die UN für einen Kriegsverbrecher übersetzt. Gleichzeitig versucht sie, eine Beziehung zu führen. Es fällt ihr schwer.**********Weitere BeiträgeDas perfekte Buch: Das Meer der Libellen von Yvonne Adhiambo OwuorDas perfekte Buch für den Moment - wenn du im Ehebett deiner Eltern aufwachstDas perfekte Buch: "Echtzeitalter" von Tonio Schachinger**********Den Artikel zum Stück findet ihr hier.**********Ihr könnt uns auch auf diesen Kanälen folgen: TikTok auf&ab , TikTok wie_geht und Instagram .

On this episode of the PAW Book Club podcast, we talk with Katie Kitamura '99, author of our latest read, “Intimacies.” The much-lauded novel follows a woman who comes to The Hague as an interpreter for the international court and begins to interpret for a former president who's facing war crime charges. Kitamura answered our questions about the book, discussing why she gives so little backstory to her characters and why readers' strong dislike of one character surprised her. She also discussed her writing philosophy and what advice she gives as a creative writing professor at NYU. “The writing itself, when it is private, when it's just myself, when I can do whatever I want, that is the most special part of writing to me,” she said. “That's my favorite part.”

Send us a Text Message.HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DELDel never really explains why he had to bolt last week. Why is that not a surprise?Got LOTS of comments  from listeners who requested a picture of Del wearing his anti-personnel device on the bus. We have a few more copies available if you want one. Our address is below. Tell us what you think or just tell us to send you a picture.Dave possibly presents a Public Service Announcement about whole body deodorant. What's your feeling on this?Dave takes Frankenbike on her maiden voyage, not totally without mishap.Dave reviews A Separation by Katie Kitamura. Almost nothing happens in this book but Dave loves it, giving 4 of 5 stars.Del adds some color to the book he discussed last week, Phantom Orbit by David Ignatius.Del proposes  thermostat control as a metaphor for societal life. This week's bonus track features Van Morrison, one of our faves. But, if you can understand these lyrics, please tell us and we'll send you a picture of Del.This double-bonus is for the listener whose water may have broken. Some young British guys worship at the throne of the great Muddy Waters.  A religious experience.Give us your thoughts: BUCKSTWOOLD@GMAIL.COM Find us on FacebookLeave a Voice message - click HEREWHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?

Although Katie Kitamura feels free when she writes—free from the “soup of everyday life,” from the political realities that weigh upon her, and even at times from the limits of her own thinking—she is keenly aware of the unfreedoms her novels explore. Katie, author of the award-winning Intimacies (2021), talks with critic Alexander Manshel about the darker corners of the human psyche and the inescapable contours of history that shape her fiction. Alexander and Katie explore how she brings these tensions to “the space of interpretation, where the book exists” and places trust in her readers to dwell there thoughtfully. They also discuss the influence of absent men (including Henry James), love triangles, love stories, long books, and titles (hint: someone close to Katie says all her novels could be called Complicity). Stay tuned for Katie's answer to the signature question, which takes listeners from to the farmlands of Avonlea to the mean streets of Chicago. Mentioned in this episode By Katie Kitamura: Intimacies A Separation Gone to the Forest Japanese for Travelers The Longshot Also mentioned: Flannery O'Connor, “Revelation” Henry James, Portrait of a Lady Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You Elena Ferrante, The Neapolitan Novels Elsa Morante, Lies and Sorcery Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables John Steinbeck, East of Eden Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Although Katie Kitamura feels free when she writes—free from the “soup of everyday life,” from the political realities that weigh upon her, and even at times from the limits of her own thinking—she is keenly aware of the unfreedoms her novels explore. Katie, author of the award-winning Intimacies (2021), talks with critic Alexander Manshel about the darker corners of the human psyche and the inescapable contours of history that shape her fiction. Alexander and Katie explore how she brings these tensions to “the space of interpretation, where the book exists” and places trust in her readers to dwell there thoughtfully. They also discuss the influence of absent men (including Henry James), love triangles, love stories, long books, and titles (hint: someone close to Katie says all her novels could be called Complicity). Stay tuned for Katie's answer to the signature question, which takes listeners from to the farmlands of Avonlea to the mean streets of Chicago. Mentioned in this episode By Katie Kitamura: Intimacies A Separation Gone to the Forest Japanese for Travelers The Longshot Also mentioned: Flannery O'Connor, “Revelation” Henry James, Portrait of a Lady Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You Elena Ferrante, The Neapolitan Novels Elsa Morante, Lies and Sorcery Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables John Steinbeck, East of Eden Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Although Katie Kitamura feels free when she writes—free from the “soup of everyday life,” from the political realities that weigh upon her, and even at times from the limits of her own thinking—she is keenly aware of the unfreedoms her novels explore. Katie, author of the award-winning Intimacies (2021), talks with critic Alexander Manshel about the darker corners of the human psyche and the inescapable contours of history that shape her fiction. Alexander and Katie explore how she brings these tensions to “the space of interpretation, where the book exists” and places trust in her readers to dwell there thoughtfully. They also discuss the influence of absent men (including Henry James), love triangles, love stories, long books, and titles (hint: someone close to Katie says all her novels could be called Complicity). Stay tuned for Katie's answer to the signature question, which takes listeners from to the farmlands of Avonlea to the mean streets of Chicago. Mentioned in this episode By Katie Kitamura: Intimacies A Separation Gone to the Forest Japanese for Travelers The Longshot Also mentioned: Flannery O'Connor, “Revelation” Henry James, Portrait of a Lady Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You Elena Ferrante, The Neapolitan Novels Elsa Morante, Lies and Sorcery Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables John Steinbeck, East of Eden Theodore Dreiser, An American Tragedy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Welcome to Episode 205! April is National Poetry Month and we are here for it. Emily is currently reading YOU ARE HERE: Poetry in the Natural World, a new anthology edited by Ada Limón, and Chris is reading BOATS FOR WOMEN by Sandra Yannone. Since our last episode, Chris finished listening to WAKE UP WITH PURPOSE! What I've Learned in my First Hundred Years by Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt. She also enjoyed the first issue of DEPROG by Tina Horn, Gab Contreras, Dani Strips, and Lisa Sterle, and dipped into RIVER EAST, RIVER WEST by Aube Rey Lescure (long listed for the Women's Prize). Emily read two suspense thrillers: INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura and WHEN THE CICADAS CRY by Caroline Cleveland, and then went to a happier place with A BAKER'S YEAR: Twelve Months of Baking and Living the Simple Life at the Smoke Signals Bakery by Tara Jensen. As always we talk about what we're reading, what we want to read, and Biblio Adventures we've been on, like seeing Rachel Slade discuss her new book MAKING IT IN AMERICA: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. and How It Got That Way, at R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT. Happy Listening & Happy Reading!

We begin Episode 204 with the announcement of our second quarter readalong in our year of reading romance and end with a delightful conversation with author Allison Pataki about her fabulous new novel, FINDING MARGARET FULLER. Since our last episode, Emily has continued with her intention of reading a short story every Monday. She read “Lot” by Bryan Washington from the story collection LOT: Stories and “Postcards from Heaven” from REUNION BEACH: Stories Inspired by Dorothea Benton Frank. Chris also read a short story, “Consequences” by Willa Cather from the story collection UNCLE VALENTINE AND OTHER STORIES. We each read an excellent novel – we're talking Top 10 contenders! Emily read THE FROZEN RIVERr by Ariel Lawhon and Chris finished WE GOT THE BEAT by Jenna Miller. In Biblio Adventures, Chris has rekindled a childhood fascination with Mary Stuart (aka Mary I of Scotland or Mary, Queen of Scots). She watched two movies: Mary, Queen of Scots starring Vanessa Redgrave, and Mary Queen of Scots starring Saoirse Ronan based on John Guy's biography QUEEN OF SCOTS: The True Life of Mary Stuart. She plans to read Antonia Fraser's biography, Mary, Queen of Scots for Big Book Summer. Emily took a trip to Wilmington, NC where she tried unsuccessfully to shop at Papercuts Bookshop because it was closed for inventory. She did find two Little Free Libraries where she picked up THIRTEEN MOONS by Charles Frazier, INTIMACIES by Katie Kitamura, and EACH PEACH PEAR PLUM by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. Back in CT, Emily went to the North Haven public library where she purchased LOTt: Stories by Bryan Washington and WHO'S IRISH?: Stories by Gish Jen from the Friends of the Library sale, and attended a presentation with Linda Civitello author of BAKING POWDER WARS: The Cutthroat Food Fight That Revolutionized Cooking.

We first aired this episode back in July 2019, and it was recorded in the studio when Ocean was on the international tour for his novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. It's a really rich and beautiful conversation, full of the kind of thoughtful insights Ocean is known for, but also a lightness and optimism that feels right for summer. And we also thought it would coincide nicely with the publication of Ocean's latest book, a poetry collection called Time is a Mother, which is out now. But we didn't want you to miss out on our summer reading recs, so we've recorded a new intro with lots of inspiration for your holiday reads too. Enjoy! Favourite recent reads: Octavia: Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated by Michael Hoffman Carrie: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt Looking forward to reading: Octavia: Intimacies by Katie Kitamura; Death Valley by Melissa Broder Carrie: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson Find a list of all recommended books at: https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/august-2023-ocean-vuong-re-run Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/litfriction Email us: litfriction@gmail.com Tweet us & find us on Instagram: @litfriction

Journalist, broadcaster and author Zing Tsjeng and poet Yomi Ṣode join presenter Harriett Gilbert to talk about the books they love. Zing chooses a book set in the heart of New York City's queer community. Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters is centred on the lives of Reece, a trans woman, her ex Ames, and her ex's new lover, Katrina. Yomi recommends Caleb Azumah Nelson's debut book, Open Water, a lyrical romance story set in South East London. And Harriett's choice is Intimacies, a novel by Katie Kitamura, where the main character is an interpreter at the International Court in The Hague, where unease bubbles below the surface of the novel's cool narration. Comment on instagram: @agoodreadbbc Produced by Eliza Lomas