Iranian-American poet and scholar
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Hosted by Kaveh Akbar
4 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
8 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
2 episodes with Kaveh Akbar
In Ep. 194, Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) and Sarah head back to the year 2017 in the book world with this second annual special retrospective episode! They share big bookish highlights for that year, including book news, award winners, and what was going on in the world outside of reading. They also talk about how their own 2017 reading shook out, including their favorite 2017 releases. Plus, a quick run-down of listener-submitted favorites! This episode is overflowing with great backlist titles to add to your TBR! 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 The big news that was going on outside the book world. The book stories and trends that dominated 2017. How similar 2017 and 2025 are. The 2017 books that have had staying power. Was this as dismal a year in books as Sarah remembers? Sarah's and Catherine's personal 2017 reading stats. Listener-submitted favorites from 2017. Bookish Time Capsule (2017) [2:12] The World Beyond Books No books mentioned in this segment. The Book Industry Wonder by R. J. Palacio (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [9:59] Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:04] A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[10:40] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:44] Uncommon Type by Tom Hanks (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:08] My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:18] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:03] If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:13] We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:23] Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:46] Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:48] The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:50] Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (2025) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:57] Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:03] James by Percival Everett (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:04] Bookish Headlines and Trends Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:41] A Promised Land by Barack Obama (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:43] The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama (2006) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:48] My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:04] The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:31] Big Books and Award Winners of 2017 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:01] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:06] The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:21] Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:27] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:48] Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:09] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:39] Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:23] Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:40] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:31] Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (2008) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:09] Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:51] Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:16] Normal People by Sally Rooney (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:41] Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:32] Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward (2011) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:38] Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:09] The Sellout by Paul Beatty (2015) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:52] What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:56] Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:21] The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:45] Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:04] The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, 3) by N. K. Jemisin (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:30] Our Top Books of 2017 The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:46] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:20] Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:22] Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:02] If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:16] Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolitio (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:23] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:36] This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:38] Trophy Son by Douglas Brunt (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:48] White Fur by Jardine Libaire (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:05] Final Girls by Riley Sager (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:38] Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:44] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:46] Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:49] The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:10] Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (1995) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:15] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:19] The Heirs by Susan Rieger (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:34] The Takedown by Corrie Wang (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:53] Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:01] Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:09] Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:17] Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:28] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:33] Listeners' Top Books of 2017 Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:33] Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:51] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:03] The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[50:07] Beartown by Fredrik Backman (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:13] Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:15] The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:18] The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:24] This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:25] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (2017) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:27]
In dieser Folge mit Robin, Anika und Meike: „Märtyrer!“ von Kaveh Akbar, „Happiness Falls“ von Angie Kim und „Hunchback“ von Saou Ichikawa. So schnell wird man den nicht los: Nach diversen moralischen Grenzüberschreitungen wollte der Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch die Zusammenarbeit mit Rammstein-Sänger Till Lindemann beenden. Das Landgericht Köln hat da nicht zugestimmt, und wir erklären, wieso. Außerdem im Nachrichtenblock: Zeit-Kritiker Ijoma Mangold analysiert gehirntote Memes, als wären sie Hochkultur, und die Stadtbücherei Münster bleibt stabil.
This special edition of Live Wire celebrates National Poetry Month, with performances by renowned poets Hanif Abdurraqib, Anis Mojgani, and Kaveh Akbar. Plus, former Poet Laureate of Utah Paisley Rekdal chats about demystifying poetry; singer-songwriter Kasey Anderson performs a tune inspired by a poem from his friend Hanif; and host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello share some original haikus penned by our listeners.
Die Beziehungen zwischen den USA und dem Iran fokussieren sich in der aktuellen internationalen Gemengelage vor allem auf Gespräche über das iranische Atomprogramm. Trump fordert ein Ende des Atomprogramms, der Iran ziert sich bislang. Der US-iranische Lyriker Kaveh Akbar, Sohn einer amerikanischen Mutter und eines iranischen Vaters, richtet in seinem Debütroman “Märtyrer” seinen Blick eher auf den Iran der 80er bis in die heutigen USA. Ein Werk über Kunst und Sinnsuche, nominiert für den National Book Award 2024, New-York-Times-Bestseller, empfohlen von Barack Obama und Natalie Portman und jetzt auch auf Deutsch erschienen. Arno Orzessek hat es gelesen.
El poeta estadounidense nacido en Irán publica su primera novela en España y reflexiona sobre el éxito, la muerte, el sentimiento de pertenencia y la literatura como salvación
Kaveh Akbar and Tommy Orange are a writer's circle of two. We can't remember how we first heard they were close friends, but we knew it when we interviewed them and were thrilled when we heard they might be touring together. Tune in to find out how these two amazing authors encourage and challenge each other. Find books mentioned on The Book Case: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/shop/story/book-case-podcast-reading-list-118433302 Books mentioned in this week's episode: There There by Tommy Orange Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Portrait of the Alcoholic by Kaveh Akbar Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar Pilgrim Bell: Poems by Kaveh Akbar Moby Dick by Herman Melville Beowulf by Beowulf Poet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Leah, Kate, and Melissa are joined this week by Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, whose new book is Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America. They talk about what rotten laws should be done away with while touching on the latest news, including the detention of Mahmoud Khalil and the dismantling of the Department of Education. Hosts' favorite things this week:Melissa: The Trouble of Color: An American Family Memoir by Martha Jones; Paradise (Hulu) Leah: Bad Law by Elie Mystal; The Bee Sting by Paul Murray; Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar; Corruption & the Maximalist Theory of Presidential Power by Bob Bauer (Executive Functions); Five Questions about The Khalil Case by Steve Vladeck (One First)Kate: Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter by Kate Conger and Ryan Mac; Interview with Lindsay Nash on Mahmoud Khalil by Isaac Chotiner (New Yorker) Get tickets for STRICT SCRUTINY LIVE – The Bad Decisions Tour 2025! 5/31 – Washington DC6/12 – NYC10/4 – ChicagoLearn more: http://crooked.com/eventsPre-order your copy of Leah's forthcoming book, Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes (out May 13th)Follow us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky
After we finished up The Power Broker, a bunch of people were asking us what other books we'd been reading. A group of us got together and presented some of our recent favorites, and the choices were so good and surprising and charming, we're now sharing it widely.Here are the books covered in this episode:Lasha's book: Usha's Pickle Digest by Usha R PrabakaranChris's books: What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer (and The Power Broker by Robert Caro
Have you ever felt so creatively connected to someone that it's like you share the same brain? That's how acclaimed writers Tommy Orange and Kaveh Akbar describe their relationship. They're best friends who wrote their recent novels “Wandering Stars” and “Martyr” by sending each other “cheernotes” in which they “waved [their] pom poms with genuine excitement at what the other'd just wrought from the ether,” as Akbar puts it. The two are embarking on a Bay Area driving tour to celebrate their friendship and art, and they join us on Forum. Guests: Tommy Orange, novelist, his books include "Wandering Stars" and "There There," which was a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize. Kaveh Akbar, poet and novelist, his books include "Martyr!," a National Book Award finalist
Relazioni familiari e amorose che sono lotte di potere, e che sempre contengono in sé atti di violenza. Le raccontano e li raccontano tre libri freschi di stampa, con elementi autobiografici più o meno forti, che parlano di donne e uomini, di amore (vero?) e sopraffazione (inevitabile).L'anniversario (Feltrinelli) di Andrea Bajani racconta un marito del secolo scorso che domina sua moglie con violenza fisica e psicologica insieme, e un figlio che fugge da questo circolo vizioso, abbandonando i genitori. Il libro ha già fatto molto parlare di sé, ed è tra i primi candidati al prossimo premio Strega.Storia di una brava ragazza (Einaudi) di Arianna Farinelli racconta invece di una donna che, nei primi Duemila, fugge da una periferia difficile, che la soffoca e la umilia in quanto femmina, per trovare la sua strada oltreoceano negli Stati Uniti. Salvo poi scoprire che anche lì esiste un sistema di violenza che finisce per colpirla…Infine, tra le pagine di Il male maschio (La nave di Teseo) di Enrico Dal Buono, un quarantenne dei nostri giorni viene punito per le sue malefatte relazionali, e diventa lui stesso vittima di una relazione tossica.Chiude la puntata di Alice Mirador, lo spazio in cui voci della letteratura in italiano raccontano le novità letterarie più sorprendenti: oggi Mirador racconta Martire!, romanzo di esordio del poeta iraniano-americano Kaveh Akbar pubblicato da La nave di Teseo.undefinedundefinedundefinedundefined
[REBROADCAST FROM January 23, 2024] In the debut novel from poet Kaveh Akbar, Martyr!, a man who has lost everything becomes obsessed with the idea of becoming a martyr, until he meets a dying woman who has decided to spend her final days talking to people at the Brooklyn Museum.
SLEERICKETS is a podcast about poetry and other intractable problems. My book Midlife now exists. Buy it here, or leave it a rating here or hereFor more SLEERICKETS, check out the SECRET SHOW and join the group chatLeave the show a rating here (actually, just do it on your phone, it's easier). Thanks!Wear SLEERICKETS t-shirts and hoodies. They look good!SLEERICKETS is now on YouTube!Some of the topics mentioned in this episode:– Even My Sex Is Dust (Review of The Penguin Anthology of Spiritual Verse, ed. Kaveh Akbar) by Zara Raab– Ep 177: Alice & Elijah vs. the Abyss, ft. Versecraft Pt. 1 & Pt. 2– Churchgoing by Marilyn Nelson– Church Going by Philip Larkin– Were You There (traditional)– Address to the Atheist by Phyllis Wheatley– On Being Brought from Africa to America by Phyllis Wheatley– Accepting the Disaster by Joshua Mehigan (poem)– The Fall of Rome by W. H. Auden– Aubade by Philip Larkin – Why I am now a Christian by Ayaan Hirsi Ali– Why I am not a Christian by Bertrand Russell– Ross Douthat– Jonathan Rauch– Ep 64: The Rabbit Hole, Pt. 1 & Pt. 2– Luxury beliefs are the latest status symbol for rich Americans by Rob Henderson– The Daily's interview with Curtis Yarvin– Poetry Says Ep 186. Sensitive New Right Guy– Poetry Says Ep 294. The American Ecstatic– Tar River Poetry– What is art? by Leo Tolstoy– The Dark Mountain ManifestoFrequently mentioned names:– Joshua Mehigan– Shane McCrae– A. E. Stallings– Ryan Wilson– Morri Creech– Austin Allen– Jonathan Farmer– Zara Raab– Amit Majmudar– Ethan McGuire– Coleman Glenn– Chris Childers– Alexis Sears– JP Gritton– Alex Pepple– Ernie Hilbert– Joanna PearsonOther Ratbag Poetry Pods:Poetry Says by Alice AllanI Hate Matt Wall by Matt WallVersecraft by Elijah BlumovRatbag Poetics By David Jalal MotamedAlice: Poetry SaysBrian: @BPlatzerCameron: CameronWTC [at] hotmail [dot] comMatthew: sleerickets [at] gmail [dot] comMusic by ETRNLArt by Daniel Alexander Smith
Philip welcomes three dynamic former guests of The Deep Dive to discuss the aftermath of our most recent election and the current mood and potential working strategies to create conditions for viable alternative(s) to the current social, economic and political models. The Drop – The segment of the show where Philip and his guest share tasty morsels of intellectual goodness and creative musings. Philip's Drop: Mr. Loverman – Bernardine Evaristo (https://groveatlantic.com/book/mr-loverman/) Soraya's Drop: Martyr! – Kaveh Akbar (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/734476/martyr-by-kaveh-akbar/) Aida's Drop: The Contract with Black America – Tavis Smiley (https://www.amazon.com/Covenant-Black-America-Various-Contributors/dp/0883782774) Stephanie's Drop: Everything is Possible – Joseph Fronczak (https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300251173/everything-is-possible/) Special Guests: Aida Mariam Davis, Soraya Chemaly, and Stephanie Luce.
When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that's full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh's critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you're new to the show, welcome. We're so glad you're here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna's newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that's full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh's critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you're new to the show, welcome. We're so glad you're here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna's newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that's full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh's critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you're new to the show, welcome. We're so glad you're here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna's newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that's full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh's critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you're new to the show, welcome. We're so glad you're here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna's newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When the poet and writer Kaveh Akbar likes something, he really likes it. As a high school student, he got hooked on poetry. In college, it was alcohol. This week, Kaveh talks to Anna Sale about the factors that led to his sobriety, and he explains exactly how he manages a life that's full of healthy, wonderful obsessions as well as problematic ones. Kaveh's critically acclaimed novel Martyr! is now available in paperback. You can read about his temporary fixation on collecting basketball cards in GQ. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Death, Sex & Money is now produced by Slate! To support us and our colleagues, please sign up for our membership program, Slate Plus! Members get ad-free podcasts, bonus content on lots of Slate shows, and full access to all the articles on Slate.com. Sign up today at slate.com/dsmplus. And if you're new to the show, welcome. We're so glad you're here. Find us and follow us on Instagram and you can find Anna's newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our new email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For so many, Noni Hazlehurst is the patron saint of early childhood nostalgia, known for her magnetic presence on Playschool. But Noni has had a long and storied career on stage and screen in Australia – from hosting Better Homes & Gardens to starring in the award-winning one-woman play Mother. This week on the show Noni chats with Michael about her new memoir, Dropping the Mask, where she reclaims a lifetime in the public eye and shares it back on the page. Reading list: Dropping the Mask, Noni Hazlehurst, 2024 Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Noni HazlehurstSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's a new year and a new episode. Join Kate and Laura as they consider reading intentions for the year ahead, and try to set some realistic goals. Will 2025 be the year Kate gets into poetry? Will it be the year Laura weans herself off romance novels? And as always, they're thinking of book club reads to come. Meanwhile Phil sets a goal for himself in 2025 that might surprise you. Books mentioned 4,000 Weeks and Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman Rejection by Tony Tulithamutte Bliss Montage by Ling Ma The George Smiley novels by John le Carre Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway My Struggle, Karl Ove Knausgard The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan Assembly and Universality by Natasha Brown Also a Poet and Crush by Ada Calhoun Our Country Friends and Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart Intimacies and Audition by Katie Kitamura Robert Caro's Fifth Lyndon Johnson book Polostan by Neal Stephenson Finance for the People by Paca Leon Essays of E. B. White The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna The Husbands by Holly Gramazio All That Glitters by Orlando Whitfield Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs Intermezzo by Sally Rooney The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk My Friends by Hisham Matar The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Eight Months on Ghazzah Street by Hilary Mantel The Gifts of Reading, Robert Macfarlane (ed) Untitled Memoir from Nicola Sturgeon Katabasis by R. F. Kuang Patrick Rothfuss (The Name of the Wind trilogy) Book Lovers by Emily Henry Living and Death and Intimations by Zadie Smith Notes If you're looking for inspiration in your reading life over the coming year why not subscribe to The Book Club Review Patreon. In addition to the various special episodes you'll find on there, you'll get The Book Club Review Weekend, my weeky-ish bonus episode just for Patrons, featuring Laura's reading updates and regular chats with friends of the pod. Laura and I have cooked up a new feature, called One Book Wonder, that allows us to talk about those books that slip through the cracks between regular episodes. Listen in for our thoughts on Good Material by Dolly Alderton. You get all that at the entry level, but at the higher tier you can also join the podcast book club and come and talk books with me in person at the end of every month over zoom, or listen back anytime if you can't make the live session. In January we're reading the novel that appeared on many a best-of-the-year list, Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, In February we're we're reading All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, a museum guard's quest to find solace and meaning in art, and in March it's short stories with Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage by Alice Munroe. But will they make for good book club reads? Join me and the book clubbers over on Patreon and find out. Join our bookish community, get brilliant book recommendations and get the warm glow from knowing that you're supporting me in making the show. Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview and sign up today. Otherwise come and find me anytime on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcast or check out our website, thebookclubreview.co.uk. But for now, thanks for listening and happy book clubbing.
Halfway through today's episode, author Kaveh Akbar tells NPR's Scott Simon that his life is a summation of "private joys amidst collective grief and private grief amidst collective joy." It's a contrast that contextualizes his emotionally dark yet deeply funny debut novel, Martyr!, about an Iranian-American poet grappling with addiction, loss, displacement and art. Akbar, who is also poetry editor at The Nation, explains why his protagonist is so obsessed with the concept of martyrdom, and how it relates to his own personal journey with sobriety.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
Wrap up your year with the Book Club Review podcast! Celebrate the joy of reading with us as we highlight the standout books we read in 2024, from page-turners to genre reads, to literary fiction and best book club books. We'll finish with our 'if we could only choose one' favourites for our overall book(s) of the year. This episode also features recommendations from our podcast book clubbers, fantastic readers all, who bring their choices into the mix. This is a bonus length episode as there was so much to go through, so take that dog for an extra long walk, get the children prepared for a long swing at the park or just curl up in a cozy spot with notepad in hand to jot down some of these books we think you shouldn't miss. Or, of course, use the handy list below. Books mentioned Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa What You Are Looking For is In The Library by Michiko Ayoyama Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree Most enjoyable read Loot by Tania James Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly The Wedding People by Alison Espach Best page-turner The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Going Infinite by Michael Lewis Best Non-fiction How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair Grief is for People by Sloane Crossley The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart van Loo Maurice and Marilyn by Sophie Elmhurst The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke Best Book Club Book Enter Ghost by Isabelle Hamid The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden Cuddy by Benjamin Myers The Fraud by Zadie Smith August Blue by Deborah Levy Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai (Polly Barton trans.) Wifedom by Anna Funder Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny (The Inspector Gamache series) Best Genre Novel or Comfort Read How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka Overall best book read in 2024 James by Percival Everett Kate: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride Laura: Real Estate by Deborah Levy (vol. 3 in her 'living autobiography' series Join the Book Club Review club Head to Patreon.com/thebookclubreview to explore what's on offer with regular extra episodes packed with reading recommendations and at the higher tier membership of the pod bookclub: upcoming reads for January are Marty by Kaveh Akbar, February: All The Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley and March: Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. Serious Readers For seriously good reading lamps with a Book Club Review special discount head to seriousreaders.co.uk/BCR and use the code BCR at checkout for £100 off any HD light. Shipping within the UK is free, and you get a 30-day trial period so you can see for yourself what a difference they make. Stay connected Find Kate on Instagram and Threads @bookclubreviewpodcast, or drop us a comment anytime at the episode page on our website. What were your favourite reads from 2024? We'd love to hear about them.
In Episode 184, Susie (@NovelVisits) and I close out the year with our Best Books of 2024 Genre Awards. We reveal our Overall Best Books (Fiction and Nonfiction) and our full breakdown by genre, including: Best Literary Fiction, Best Romance, Best Brain Candy, Best Genre Mash-Up, and more! Plus, we're sharing the winners for these same genres as chosen by the Sarah's Bookshelves Live Patreon community! 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. Announcements My 2025 Reading Tracker is out! Plus, this year we've added another option — a LITE Tracker. Once again, the Tracker is ONLY available to Superstars patrons (i.e., no longer available as a separate purchase for $14.99 here on my website). Also, to avoid Apple's 30% fee, be sure to join directly from Patreon's site, mobile or desktop. Become a Superstars Patron here! Instructions for how to give an SBL Patreon membership as a gift. Highlights Podcast reflections from 2024 — including top episodes based on download stats. A brief overview of Susie's and Sarah's 2024 year in reading. Our favorite books of the year: overall and by genre, including the SBL Patreon Community's picks. 2024 Genre Awards [16:45] Sarah Leaving by Roxana Robinson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:52] Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:21] Anna Bright is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:12] The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:42] The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:26] JFK Jr. by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:25] Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:42] How To End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:11] Real Americans by Rachel Khong | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:46] Victim by Andrew Boryga | Amazon | Bookshop.org [57:26] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [59:40] Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:04:24] Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:07:09] Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:08:47] Susie Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:59] Sandwich by Catherine Newman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:05] Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:42] What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:43] The Women by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:41] The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:16] One Day I'll Grow Up and Be a Beautiful Woman by Abi Maxwell | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:47] Funny Story by Emily Henry | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:23] Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino | Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:54] The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:02] The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:18] Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:00:14] Perris, California by Rachel Stark | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:44] Liars by Sarah Manguso | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:18] Nuclear War by Annie Jacobsen | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:07:09] Patrons James by Percival Everett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:55] Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:43] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:16] The Women by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:35] The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:10] Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten | Amazon | Bookshop.org[43:33] Funny Story by Emily Henry | Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:59] Annie Bot by Sierra Greer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [53:28] The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56;10] You Like It Darker by Stephen King | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:39] Victim by Andrew Boryga | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:58] Twenty-Four Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:01:54] Piglet by Lottie Hazzell | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:22] The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:06:16] Other Books Mentioned Mercury by Amy Jo Burns [20:10] Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout [20:13] All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker [20:27] The Wedding People by Alison Espach [20:37] We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman [22:17] Bad Blood by John Carreyrou [24:27] She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey [24:40] Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford [28:10] A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey [28:23] Good Material by Dolly Alderton [28:27] The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz [28:57] Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra [31:55] The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean [32:00] Worst Case Scenario by T. J. Newman [32:05] Falling by T. J. Newman [32:20] Drowning by T. J. Newman [32:21] The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali [36:03] Spare by Prince Harry [37:20] The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt [40:00] Challenger by Adam Higginbotham [40:28] The Wives by Simone Gorrindo [44:46] Sociopath by Patric Gagne, Ph.D. [45:09] Consent by Jill Ciment [45:15] The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop [45:21] Grief Is for People by Sloane Crosley [45:31] One Way Back by Christine Blasey Ford [45:34] Only Say Good Things by Crystal Hefner [45:43] There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib [45:48] People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry [47:10] Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez [48:51] The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center [48:59] Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood [49:02] Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan [49:34] Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell [49:44] The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard [53:47] The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown [56:12] Bride by Ali Hazelwood [56:27] Diavola by Jennifer Thorne [57:06] We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer [57:11] Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller [59:17] Colored Television by Danzy Senna [59:22] I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue [59:27] We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay by Gary Janneti [59:35] There There by Tommy Orange [1:00:27] Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez [1:01:40] When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson [1:01:59] Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar [1:03:35] Dixon, Descending by Karen Outen [1:03:56] How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica [1:04:11] The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden [1:04:21] Bear by Julia Phillips [1:06:18] The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley [1:06:25] The Fury by Alex Michaelides [1:06:51] The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff [1:08:10] Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver [1:10:27] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin [1:10:28] Top Podcast Episodes [4:40] Ep. 158: Best Books of 2023 Genre Awards with Susie (@NovelVisits) Ep. 160: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2023 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Ep. 159: Winter 2024 Book Preview with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Ep. 157: Best Books of 2023 Superlatives with Susie (@NovelVisits) Ep. 164: Winter 2024 Circle Back with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide) Ep. 163: Classics & Retellings 101 with Sara Hildreth (@FictionMatters) Ep. 156: 2023 State of the Industry with Sarah Landis (Literary Agent) Ep. 162: BookTok 101 with Leigh Stein (Author & Journalist) Ep. 178: Behind the Scenes of Amazon's Best Books Lists with Al Woodworth, Senior Editor & Manager of Amazon Books Editorial Ep. 179: From Corporate America to Indie Bookstore Owner with Gayle Weiswasser (Co-Founder of Wonderland Books) Ep. 167: Circling Back to 2018 in Books with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)
An unforgettable horse gallops through the pages of Kaveh Akbar's best-selling novel Martyr! (2024), but it is a figurative hastening toward failure and the limitations of language that Akbar discusses with critic Pardis Dabashi. In their conversation, Kaveh considers writing both as an escape from the confines of the self and as a vehicle for expressing its contradictions. Together they explore which forms might best capture the ambivalence and polyphony of the human mind, the contours of Iranian American identity, and the spiritual beauty of everyday existence. Whether discussing neurolinguistics or the affordances of poetry, Kaveh contemplates the limits of language: how can we write what we think, when we struggle to know what—or how—we think? This conversation goes deep into the psyche in order to reach far beyond it. Even Kaveh's deeply personal response to the signature question demonstrates that the places farthest away from us may also be found within. Mentioned in this episode By Kaveh Akbar: Martyr! The Penguin Book of Spiritual Verse (editor) Calling a Wolf a Wolf Also mentioned: My Uncle Napoleon To the Lighthouse Ars Poetica Ferdowsi The Palm-Wine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts The Tempest 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
An unforgettable horse gallops through the pages of Kaveh Akbar's best-selling novel Martyr! (2024), but it is a figurative hastening toward failure and the limitations of language that Akbar discusses with critic Pardis Dabashi. In their conversation, Kaveh considers writing both as an escape from the confines of the self and as a vehicle for expressing its contradictions. Together they explore which forms might best capture the ambivalence and polyphony of the human mind, the contours of Iranian American identity, and the spiritual beauty of everyday existence. Whether discussing neurolinguistics or the affordances of poetry, Kaveh contemplates the limits of language: how can we write what we think, when we struggle to know what—or how—we think? This conversation goes deep into the psyche in order to reach far beyond it. Even Kaveh's deeply personal response to the signature question demonstrates that the places farthest away from us may also be found within. Mentioned in this episode By Kaveh Akbar: Martyr! The Penguin Book of Spiritual Verse (editor) Calling a Wolf a Wolf Also mentioned: My Uncle Napoleon To the Lighthouse Ars Poetica Ferdowsi The Palm-Wine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts The Tempest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies
An unforgettable horse gallops through the pages of Kaveh Akbar's best-selling novel Martyr! (2024), but it is a figurative hastening toward failure and the limitations of language that Akbar discusses with critic Pardis Dabashi. In their conversation, Kaveh considers writing both as an escape from the confines of the self and as a vehicle for expressing its contradictions. Together they explore which forms might best capture the ambivalence and polyphony of the human mind, the contours of Iranian American identity, and the spiritual beauty of everyday existence. Whether discussing neurolinguistics or the affordances of poetry, Kaveh contemplates the limits of language: how can we write what we think, when we struggle to know what—or how—we think? This conversation goes deep into the psyche in order to reach far beyond it. Even Kaveh's deeply personal response to the signature question demonstrates that the places farthest away from us may also be found within. Mentioned in this episode By Kaveh Akbar: Martyr! The Penguin Book of Spiritual Verse (editor) Calling a Wolf a Wolf Also mentioned: My Uncle Napoleon To the Lighthouse Ars Poetica Ferdowsi The Palm-Wine Drinkard and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts The Tempest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature
Breaking free from genre constraints can expand your creative possibilities. In this episode, we explore how writers working in multiple forms can transition between genres successfully, inspired by Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter. With mini case studies and practical insights, we offer valuable lessons for poets, novelists, and non-fiction writers looking to embrace new creative paths. The Poetry Lab Podcast is produced by Lori Walker and Danielle Mitchell with assistance from Karen Zheng. Hosted by Danielle Mitchell, Lori Walker, and bridgette bianca. Theme song: "Simply Upbeat" by Christian Telford, Kenneth Edward Belcher, and Saki Furuya. Visit thepoetrylab.com/podcast for more information.
Writer Kaveh Akbar discusses his debut novel, "Martyr!" Then wildlife rehabilitators share the persistent problem of lead poisoning in Iowa's birds.
Iranian American writer Kaveh Akbar and his novel Martyr! are everywhere these days. Martyr! made the New York Times bestseller list and several summer reading lists, including Barack Obama's. Drawing on Kaveh's own experience with addiction and recovery, it's about Cyrus, a 20-something Iranian American poet who's in the early years of sobriety. Cyrus is a little lost…and a lot depressed…and he becomes interested in the stories of historical martyrs. In this very first episode of Bookends, Kaveh speaks with Mattea about how his own journey inspired the novel.
This week we are discussing our July featured read - Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. Spoiler free as always.
Allow Kimberly to point out the intricacies, the nuance, the FACTS of what Akbar is really saying at the end of his insanely great novel. Tune in to hear Kimberly argue a few sides of this coin. She follows Daniel Mendelsohn's advice to treat literature like a social science: look carefully at the DATA. If you're like all the folks on the internet who have real questions about this novel's close, you're in the right place.
People. This is one of the most intense reading experiences Kimberly has had in ages. The book is so smart, so warm and funny and complicated, that Kimberly realized it deserves two lectures! This first one focuses on the narrative stance, the inventiveness, the humor and complicated compendium-like structure (and a possible small debt to David Foster Wallace). The SECOND lecture (coming soon) tackles the novel's insanely great, ambiguous, enigmatic ENDING.
Brent Billings, Reed Dent, and Elle Grover Fricks conclude the series on the Psalms and offer a final bit of encouragement to carry with us into the future.Festival of Faith & Writing — Calvin UniversityMy Bright Abyss by Christian WimanInside Out (2015 film) — JustWatch“Despite My Efforts Even My Prayers Have Turned into Threats” from Pilgrim Bell by Kaveh Akbar“The Only Animal” from Walking to Martha's Vineyard by Franz Wright“Ulysses” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson — Poetry Foundation“Bless Me” by Maverick City Music (feat. Kirk Franklin) — YouTubeLiturgy Prints — Every Moment Holy“A Greek Papyrus Amulet from the Duke Collection with Biblical Excerpts” by Csaba A. La'da and Amphilochios Papathomas — JSTORCoble Eye Care
Our March book club pick is Kaveh Akbar's debut novel ‘Martyr!' It's about Cyrus, who was born in Iran and moved to the midwest as a child after his mom died. She was one of the victims of the real-life event where the United States Navy shot an Iranian passenger-plane out of the sky reportedly by accident. The book picks up when Cyrus is in his 20s in Indiana and he's struggling in more ways than one. He finds himself thinking a lot about the idea of martyrdom and what makes life truly worth living. When he learns of an artist in New York whose work explores similar topics, he has to meet her.We are joined by two expert readers: New York Times Book Review editor MJ Franklin and host of The Stacks podcast Traci Thomas. We discuss the book in detail, including spoilers! So if you have not read the book yet, go back and listen to our spoiler-free chat with author Kaveh Akbar in the feed first.]]>
Writer Kaveh Akbar about his debut novel, "Martyr!" Then wildlife rehabilitators discuss the persistent problem of lead poisoning in Iowa's birds.
Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange is a multigenerational saga of Native American heritage and culture, and a stunning follow up to his previous work, There There. Along with writer Roxane Gay, Orange joins us to talk about identity and writing, representation in literature, unexpected connections to other authors 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): Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange There There by Tommy Orange An Untamed State by Roxane Gay Opinions by Roxane Gay Epitaph of a Winner by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector Beloved by Toni Morrison Blindness by José Saramago NW by Zadie Smith The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
Nerdette Book Club's March selection is ‘Martyr!,' the first novel from poet Kaveh Akbar. Our team chose it because it is vibrant, incisive and the perfect combination of devastating and funny. Listen to this spoiler-free conversation and read along with us! Then, send us a voice memo with your thoughts on the book. We'll be back on the last Tuesday of the month with a spoiler-filled discussion. You can reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com.]]>
Nerdette Book Club is keeping things moving in 2024 with Kiley Reid's sophomore novel, ‘Come and Get It.' It's a juicy, messy novel that takes place on a college campus and explores issues around class, ambition and constantly-shifting power dynamics. Our readers this month are the hosts of WBEZ's ‘The Rundown' podcast, Erin Allen and Adora Namigadde. We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you're not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Kiley Reid in the feed first. And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are: March: Martyr! by Kaveh AkbarApril: Beautyland by Marie-Helene BertinoMay: A Table for Two by Amor TowlesIt's never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com]]>
This week, a pair of studio conversations with the authors of recently published books. First, New Yorker writer Nick Romeo talks about his new book "The Alternative: How To Build a Just Economy" with Courtney Martin. It examines how people around the world are reshaping economies and businesses to be more equitable and ethical. Then, poet Kaveh Akbar talks with Corey Antonio Rose about his debut novel "Martyr". It centers around a young Iranian-born American coping with grief, addiction, and family drama.
What makes a life meaningful? Can a meaningful death transform an otherwise meaningless life into a meaningful one? These are just a few of the many ideas touched on in this week's episode, an interview with poet and author Kaveh Akbar. He joins us this week to discuss his new book, Martyr!, released in January 2024 and already a New York Times bestseller. This story follows a "newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, guided by the voices of artists, poets, and kings, who embarks on a remarkable search for a family secret that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum." Listen in on this thought-provoking conversation, which explores so many interesting topics, including the difference between collective trauma and individual grief, how discovering his calling as a poet was, in his younger years, what he stayed alive for, and how a morning of writing can be as powerful as a hit of narcotics. We also continue our exploration of the limitations of languages that was kicked off on last week's episode (which was inspired by a line Katy read in this very book!). You can find Kaveh on his website or on Instagram. Martyr! is available on Amazon or where ever you buy books. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
The early part of a year can mean new books to read, or it can mean catching up on older ones we haven't gotten to yet. This week, Gilbert Cruz chats with the Book Review's Sarah Lyall and Sadie Stein about titles from both categories that have held their interest lately, including a 2022 biography of John Donne, a book about female artists who nurtured an interest in the supernatural, and the history of a Jim Crow-era mental asylum, along with a gripping new novel by Janice Hallett.“It's just so deft,” Stein says of Hallett's new thriller, “The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.” “It's so funny. It seems like she's having a lot of fun. One thing I would say, and I don't think this is spoiling it, is, if there comes a moment when you think you might want to stop, keep going and trust her. I think it's rare to be able to say that with that level of confidence.”Here are the books discussed in this week's episode:“Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne,” by Katherine Rundell“The Other Side: A Story of Women in Art and the Spirit World,” by Jennifer Higgie“The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels,” by Janice Hallett“Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum,” by Antonia Hylton(Briefly mentioned: "You Dreamed of Empires," by Álvaro Enrigue, "Beautyland," by Marie-Helene Bertino, and "Martyr!" by Kaveh Akbar.)
In 1988, amid the Iran-Iraq war, the U.S. military accidentally shot down an Iranian commercial passenger jet, killing all 290 people aboard. That real-life tragedy sets in motion the fictional events in the new novel "Martyr!" a young Iranian American poet named Kaveh Akbar. Jeffrey Brown has the story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
A line from a new book by poet Kaveh Akbar sparks the idea for this episode: in a nutshell, does language have the capacity to truly express what we are trying to convey, or is there always something that can't be put into mere words? Is it true, as Akbar claims, that a photograph can describe what it was, but words can only describe what it was like? Also, when you speak two languages fluently, or live in two languages, do you naturally have a larger lexicon from which to draw when trying to express yourself? Or does it limit you? What about clichés? Why do we use them, and how do they translate? Listen to the end to hear some fun foreign words that mean very very specific things that have no equivalent in English. We also talk about our own personal writing tics, descriptive habits we can't stop using in our own writing. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!
Halfway through today's episode, author Kaveh Akbar tells NPR's Scott Simon that his life is a summation of "private joys amidst collective grief and private grief amidst collective joy." It's a contrast that contextualizes his emotionally dark yet deeply funny debut novel, Martyr!, about an Iranian-American poet grappling with addiction, loss, displacement and art. Akbar, who is also poetry editor at The Nation, explains why his protagonist is so obsessed with the concept of martyrdom, and how it relates to his own personal journey with sobriety. 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/bookoftheday
Nerdette Book Club is off to an excellent start with our first selection of 2024, ‘Jonathan Abernathy You are Kind' by Molly McGhee! It's a deeply strange novel that dabbles in dreamscapes while also being a very real critique of capitalism. Our readers this month are Maya Lau, the host of the personal finance podcast ‘Other Peoples' Pockets' and Nick Quah, podcast critic for ‘Vulture.' We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you're not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Molly McGhee in the feed first. And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are: February: Come and Get It by Kiley Reid March: Martyr! by Kaveh AkbarApril: Beautyland by Marie-Helene BertinoIt's never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com]]>
Tracee Ellis Ross co-stars in the new movie American Fiction, which is nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture. For eight seasons, she starred in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. Ross played the mother, Bow, and she worked with the writers to make sure her character wasn't just what she calls "wife wallpaper." She spoke with Tonya Mosley about those roles. Also, Dr. Uché Blackstock talks about her new book, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism In Medicine. Maureen Corrigan reviews the debut novel Martyr! from Iranian American poet Kaveh Akbar.
In this episode, we're excited about new books: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett and Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar. Then Mel shares her excitement about a webcam in the Namib Desert. Links Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar video: Namibia Desert live stream 360° view of the desert surrounding the watering hole 10 Interesting Namib Desert Facts 11 Things to do in the Namib Desert Gondwana Namib Park Secrets of Survival: Life in the Namib Desert Namibia's Skeleton Coast: A journey through the ‘end of the Earth' video: Namibia's Wild Skeleton Coast video: Where Namib Desert Meets Atlantic Ocean This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/StrongSense and get on your way to being your best self. Transcript of this episode. The Library of Lost Time is a Strong Sense of Place Production! https://strongsenseofplace.com Do you enjoy our show? Want access to fun bonus content? Please support our work on Patreon. Every little bit helps us keep the show going and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside - https://www.patreon.com/strongsenseofplace As always, you can find us at: Our site Instagram Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kaveh Akbar weighs every word that he writes. An accomplished and published poet, any reader can tell that he understands the undeniable power of language with his first novel, called Martyr! Engaging, funny, fascinating and downright beautiful, Martyr! grabs your attention by the lapels and won't let go. Read the book and listen to our podcast to hear how Kaveh creates his unforgettable work. Books mentioned in this week's episode: Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar Portrait of the Alcoholic by Kaveh Akbar Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar Pilgrim Bell: Poems by Kaveh Akbar Matrix by Lauren Groff Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are joined by poet and debut novelist Kaveh Akbar to discuss his book Martyr!, the story of a newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants on a quest for answers and meaning. Kaveh explains how fonts play into his revision process, and why he wanted to proselytize the art he likes most in the book. He also reveals what he found most difficult about prose, compared to writing poetry.The Stacks Book Club selection for January is Erasure by Percival Everett. We will discuss the book on January 31st with Zach Stafford.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://thestackspodcast.com/2024/01/24/ep-303-kaveh-akbarEpisode TranscriptConnect with Kaveh: Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonTo support The Stacks and find out more from this week's sponsors, click here.Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Happy New Year! The first episode of the year is a truly terrific mystery. Entertaining in the extreme, this is a whodunnit that breaks the mold. Ashley Elston, its author, has written plenty of quality YA titles, but First Lie Wins is her first adult mystery. In this game of cat and mouse, the reader is constantly asking which character is telling the truth….and we never figured it out. A great start to the new year, this book invites you to just relax and enjoy the ride. We sure did. We are taking next week off…but please come back the week after when we talk to author Kaveh Akbar, who has authored the intriguing and funny novel, Martyr! Books mentioned in this week's episode: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston This is Our Story by Ashley Elston Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier The Trackers by Charles Frazier Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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