Podcast appearances and mentions of meena dave

Namrata Patel is an Indian-American author who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family's we're born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her adult life and loves creating characters who are relatable and aspirational. Her heroines range from quiet to kick-ass and her heroes are swoon-worthy, if a little flawed. Her first novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave was long listed for Best First Novel Prize by The Center for Fiction. Namrata's second novel The Scent of a Garden was published in 2023, and her third novel The Curious Secrets of Yesterday is out now. For more information visit www.nampatel.com. Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table:On Twitter/X: @writingtablepcEverywhere else: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

We are on hiatus for the month of June.  This replay episode originally aired June 2023.     This week we celebrate all the special days of June! Want a book rec for Pride month? We have one. What about Juneteenth or Father's Day? We have you covered. And did you know it's National Audiobook Month? It's new to us as well but we love audiobooks so we give you some recommendations for that too. And we throw in one wildcard category - one of those random National Days or Months that always makes you wonder why there needs to be a month for that:) This is the last episode for Season 8. We are taking a month off for summer family travel and some rest and relaxation. We will be back the late July/ early August with all new episodes. Until then, we will air some of our favorite past episodes in case you missed them the first time around. Happy Reading! For show notes for any episode or to contact us, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 2- The Road by Cormac McCarthy 3- No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 4- Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo 5- Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo 6- The Scent of a Garden by Namrata Patel 7- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 8- The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule 9- Fun Home: A Famliy Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel 10- Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel 11- And Then the Grey Heaven by RE Katz 12- Lone Women by Victor Lavalle 13- The Changeling by Victor Lavalle 14- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney 15- The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander 16- The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris 17- The Chosen by Chaim Potok 18- Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro 19- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 20- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 21- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 22- The Good One by Polly Stewart 23- On Earth as it is on Television by Emily Jane Shows/movies mentioned-- 1- No Country For Old Men ( 2007) 2- My Octopus Teacher (Netflix, 2020) Articles Mentioned: 1- Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian writer who was voice of African women, dies at 81 2- The convoluted world of best-seller lists, explained

We are on hiatus for the month of June. This replay episode originally aired June 2023. This week we celebrate all the special days of June! Want a book rec for Pride month? We have one. What about Juneteenth or Father's Day? We have you covered. And did you know it's National Audiobook Month? It's new to us as well but we love audiobooks so we give you some recommendations for that too. And we throw in one wildcard category - one of those random National Days or Months that always makes you wonder why there needs to be a month for that:) This is the last episode for Season 8. We are taking a month off for summer family travel and some rest and relaxation. We will be back the late July/ early August with all new episodes. Until then, we will air some of our favorite past episodes in case you missed them the first time around. Happy Reading! For show notes for any episode or to contact us, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 2- The Road by Cormac McCarthy 3- No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 4- Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo 5- Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo 6- The Scent of a Garden by Namrata Patel 7- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 8- The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule 9- Fun Home: A Famliy Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel 10- Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel 11- And Then the Grey Heaven by RE Katz 12- Lone Women by Victor Lavalle 13- The Changeling by Victor Lavalle 14- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney 15- The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander 16- The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris 17- The Chosen by Chaim Potok 18- Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro 19- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 20- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 21- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 22- The Good One by Polly Stewart 23- On Earth as it is on Television by Emily Jane Shows/movies mentioned-- 1- No Country For Old Men ( 2007) 2- My Octopus Teacher (Netflix, 2020) Articles Mentioned: 1- Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian writer who was voice of African women, dies at 81 2- The convoluted world of best-seller lists, explained

For show notes for any episode, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. This week are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) and we give you a list of 10 (plus maybe a few more) of our favorite books to add to your TBR written by authors with family heritage from this part of the world. We give you books in a variety of genres; literary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, food writing, graphic novels, horror, poetry, and middle grade. So join us this week as we explore the big wide world of Asia and the Pacific Islands heritage in literature. Plus, we talk about the most recent Jane Austen film adaptation we've watched, a new environmentally friendly product we've tried, and why sometimes it might be nice to be a disembodied head. Books mentioned-- 1- Persuasion by Jane Austen 2- Emma by Jane Austen 3- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 4- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 5- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 6- The Girls of Fall by Jessica Minyard 7- You Should Have Known by Rebecca Keller 8- An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helen Tursten 9- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 10- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 11- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 12- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 13- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 14- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui 15- Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee 16- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang 17- The Fervor by Alma Katsu 18- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 19- Two Brown Dots by Danni Quintos 20- World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 21- A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 22- The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan 23- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson 24- Moloka'i by Alan Brennert 25- Wild Seed by Octavia Butler 26- The Cheating Cell: How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer by Athena Aktipis 27- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus 28- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 29- Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and 500 Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy Movies mentioned-- 1- Persuasion (Netflix 2022) 2- Ted Lasso - Season 3 (Apple TV 2023) 3- Jury Duty (Amazon 2023) 4- Enchanted (2007) 5- The Terror (Hulu 2018)

We are on hiatus for the month of June.  This is a replay episode from 2023.   For show notes for any episode, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. This week are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) and we give you a list of 10 (plus maybe a few more) of our favorite books to add to your TBR written by authors with family heritage from this part of the world. We give you books in a variety of genres; literary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, food writing, graphic novels, horror, poetry, and middle grade. So join us this week as we explore the big wide world of Asia and the Pacific Islands heritage in literature. Plus, we talk about the most recent Jane Austen film adaptation we've watched, a new environmentally friendly product we've tried, and why sometimes it might be nice to be a disembodied head. Books mentioned-- 1- Persuasion by Jane Austen 2- Emma by Jane Austen 3- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 4- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 5- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 6- The Girls of Fall by Jessica Minyard 7- You Should Have Known by Rebecca Keller 8- An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helen Tursten 9- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 10- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 11- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 12- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 13- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 14- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui 15- Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee 16- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang 17- The Fervor by Alma Katsu 18- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 19- Two Brown Dots by Danni Quintos 20- World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 21- A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 22- The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan 23- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson 24- Moloka'i by Alan Brennert 25- Wild Seed by Octavia Butler 26- The Cheating Cell: How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer by Athena Aktipis 27- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus 28- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 29- Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and 500 Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy Movies mentioned-- 1- Persuasion (Netflix 2022) 2- Ted Lasso - Season 3 (Apple TV 2023) 3- Jury Duty (Amazon 2023) 4- Enchanted (2007) 5- The Terror (Hulu 2018)

On this episode I am joined by Namrata Patel. Namrata is an Indian-American author who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family's we're born with and those we choose. She is the author of The Candid Life of Meena Dave and Scent of a Garden.We discuss burnout for women in a post-pandemic world and what that time frame has taught us. This was recorded prior to the SAG/WGA strikes so we also discuss our must-watch TV options and how laughter can be so healing to our nervous system. The Candid Life of Meena Dave follows Meena. She feels that it is safer to observe the world through the lens of her camera. She has no family, no permanent address, and apart from one college friend absolutely no long-term attachments beyond her professional contacts. Meena's world is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in the historic neighborhood of Back Bay Boston. Meena decides to use her well-honed journalistic instincts to follow the story that landed her in the apartment of a stranger. It's a mystery that comes with a series of hidden clues, a trio of meddling Aunties, a strikingly handsome next-door neighbor, and a connection to her past that she never—ever expected. Throughout her investigation she learns how to make the perfect chai, forms friendships she never thought were possible, and confronts her own need to run as soon as the going gets good. About – Namrata Patel (nampatel.com)Namrata Patel (@namratapatelauthor) • Instagram photos and videosAshley (@filledupcup_) • Instagram photos and videosFilled Up Cup - Unconventional Self Care for Modern WomenSOLD On The DreamWhat's a life selling real estate really like? This humorous guide tells it, as it is!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

We have a REPLAY episode for you this week. Novelist Namrata Patel was on the show last June when her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave came out. Just last week she had a new novel published, The Scent of A Garden. Both books feature complex multi-generational Indian-American families. ** Namrata Patel has been writing for 20 years, but it wasn't until the pandemic that she had more time to work on it. She had always been interested in dual culture and challenges of the diaspora, specifically Indians who had moved to the United States. The isolation of COVID really brought home how lonely life can be if you don't feel like you fit anywhere. Her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave follows a photojournalist who inherits an apartment from a stranger. The apartment in Back Bay Boston surrounds her with a close-knit network of other Indian-Americans. Meena comes to learn more about herself and her culture, as well as understands the gift of found family and friendship through this experience. You can find Namrata Patel on instagram at @namratapatelauthor, on Twitter at Nampatel or on her author website, www.nampatel.com. Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- A Room With a View by E. M. Forster 2- Six Days in Rome by Franscesca Giacco 3- My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith 4- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 5- Books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 6- Leonard: My Life as a Cat by Carly Sarosiak 7- The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman 8- The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl 9- Word by Word by Kory Stamper 10- Tidepool by Nicole Willson 11- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 12- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 13- Persuasion by Jane Austen 14- FBI/US Attorneys series by Julie James 15- Into Thin Air by John Krakauer Movies mentioned-- ET: The ExtraTerrestrial (1982) Shows mentioned-- Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Namrata Patel is an Indian-American author who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family's we're born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her adult life and loves creating characters who are relatable and aspirational. Her heroines range from quiet to kick-ass and her heroes are swoon-worthy, if a little flawed. Her novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave is currently long listed for Best First Novel Prize by The Center for Fiction. Her second novel isThe Scent of a Garden .

We have a REPLAY episode for you this week. Novelist Namrata Patel was on the show last June when her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave came out. Just last week she had a new novel The Scent of A Garden hit bookstores. Both books feature complex multi-generational Indian-American families. ** Namrata Patel has been writing for 20 years, but it wasn't until the pandemic that she had more time to work on it. She had always been interested in dual culture and challenges of the diaspora, specifically Indians who had moved to the United States. The isolation of COVID really brought home how lonely life can be if you don't feel like you fit anywhere. Her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave follows a photojournalist who inherits an apartment from a stranger. The apartment in Back Bay Boston surrounds her with a close-knit network of other Indian-Americans. Meena comes to learn more about herself and her culture, as well as understands the gift of found family and friendship through this experience. You can find Namrata Patel on instagram at @namratapatelauthor, on Twitter at Nampatel or on her author website, nampatel.com. Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- A Room With a View by E. M. Forster 2- Six Days in Rome by Franscesca Giacco 3- My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith 4- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 5- Books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 6- Leonard: My Life as a Cat by Carly Sarosiak 7- The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman 8- The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl 9- Word by Word by Kory Stamper 10- Tidepool by Nicole Willson 11- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 12- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 13- Persuasion by Jane Austen 14- FBI/US Attorneys series by Julie James 15- Into Thin Air by John Krakauer Movies mentioned-- ET: The ExtraTerrestrial (1982) Shows mentioned-- Lovecraft Country (HBO)

This week we celebrate all the special days of June! Want a book rec for Pride month? We have one. What about Juneteenth or Father's Day? We have you covered. And did you know it's National Audiobook Month? It's new to us as well but we love audiobooks so we give you some recommendations for that too. And we throw in one wildcard category - one of those random National Days or Months that always makes you wonder why there needs to be a month for that:) This is the last episode for Season 8. We are taking a month off for summer family travel and some rest and relaxation. We will be back the late July/ early August with all new episodes. Until then, we will air some of our favorite past episodes in case you missed them the first time around. Happy Reading! For show notes for any episode or to contact us, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 2- The Road by Cormac McCarthy 3- No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 4- Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo 5- Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo 6- The Scent of a Garden by Namrata Patel 7- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 8- The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule 9- Fun Home: A Famliy Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel 10- Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel 11- And Then the Grey Heaven by RE Katz 12- Lone Women by Victor Lavalle 13- The Changeling by Victor Lavalle 14- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney 15- The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander 16- The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris 17- The Chosen by Chaim Potok 18- Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro 19- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 20- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 21- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 22- The Good One by Polly Stewart 23- On Earth as it is on Television by Emily Jane Shows/movies mentioned-- 1- No Country For Old Men ( 2007) 2- My Octopus Teacher (Netflix, 2020) Articles Mentioned: 1- Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghanaian writer who was voice of African women, dies at 81 2- The convoluted world of best-seller lists, explained

This week we celebrate all the special days of June! Want a book rec for Pride month? We have one. What about Juneteenth or Father's Day? We have you covered. And did you know it's National Audiobook Month? It's new to us as well but we love audiobooks so we give you some recommendations for that too. And we throw in one wildcard category - one of those random National Days or Months that always makes you wonder why there needs to be a month for that:) This is the last episode for Season 8. We are taking a month off for summer family travel and some rest and relaxation. We will be back the late July/ early August with all new episodes. Until then, we will air some of our favorite past episodes in case you missed them the first time around. Happy Reading! For show notes for any episode or to contact us, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy 2- The Road by Cormac McCarthy 3- No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy 4- Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo 5- Our Sister Killjoy by Ama Ata Aidoo 6- The Scent of a Garden by Namrata Patel 7- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 8- The Scent of Burnt Flowers by Blitz Bazawule 9- Fun Home: A Famliy Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel 10- Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel 11- And Then the Grey Heaven by RE Katz 12- Lone Women by Victor Lavalle 13- The Changeling by Victor Lavalle 14- Invasion of the Body Snatchers by Jack Finney 15- The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander 16- The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris 17- The Chosen by Chaim Potok 18- Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro 19- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 20- The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery 21- Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis by Emily Willingham 22- The Good One by Polly Stewart 23- On Earth as it is on Television by Emily Jane Shows/movies mentioned-- 1- No Country For Old Men ( 2007) 2- My Octopus Teacher (Netflix, 2020) Articles Mentioned 1- https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/06/09/ama-ata-aidoo-ghana-author-dies/ 2- https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/9/13/16257084/bestseller-lists-explained

For show notes for any episode, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. This week are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) and we give you a list of 10 (plus maybe a few more) of our favorite books to add to your TBR written by authors with family heritage from this part of the world. We give you books in a variety of genres; literary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, food writing, graphic novels, horror, poetry, and middle grade. So join us this week as we explore the big wide world of Asia and the Pacific Islands heritage in literature. Plus, we talk about the most recent Jane Austen film adaptation we've watched, a new environmentally friendly product we've tried, and why sometimes it might be nice to be a disembodied head. Books mentioned-- 1- Persuasion by Jane Austen 2- Emma by Jane Austen 3- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 4- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 5- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 6- The Girls of Fall by Jessica Minyard 7- You Should Have Known by Rebecca Keller 8- An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helen Tursten 9- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 10- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 11- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 12- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 13- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 14- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui 15- Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee 16- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang 17- The Fervor by Alma Katsu 18- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 19- Two Brown Dots by Danni Quintos 20- World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 21- A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 22- The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan 23- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson 24- Moloka'i by Alan Brennert 25- Wild Seed by Octavia Butler 26- The Cheating Cell: How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer by Athena Aktipis 27- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus 28- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 29- Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and 500 Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy Movies mentioned-- 1- Persuasion (Netflix 2022) 2- Ted Lasso - Season 3 (Apple TV 2023) 3- Jury Duty (Amazon 2023) 4- Enchanted (2007) 5- The Terror (Hulu 2018)

For show notes for any episode, go to our website at perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. This week are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander) and we give you a list of 10 (plus maybe a few more) of our favorite books to add to your TBR written by authors with family heritage from this part of the world. We give you books in a variety of genres; literary fiction, historical fiction, memoir, food writing, graphic novels, horror, poetry, and middle grade. So join us this week as we explore the big wide world of Asia and the Pacific Islands heritage in literature. Plus, we talk about the most recent Jane Austen film adaptation we've watched, a new environmentally friendly product we've tried, and why sometimes it might be nice to be a disembodied head. Books mentioned-- 1- Persuasion by Jane Austen 2- Emma by Jane Austen 3- Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 4- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 5- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 6- The Girls of Fall by Jessica Minyard 7- You Should Have Known by Rebecca Keller 8- An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helen Tursten 9- Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner 10- Another Appalachia by Neema Avashia 11- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 12- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 13- The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka 14- The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui 15- Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine by Edward Lee 16- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang 17- The Fervor by Alma Katsu 18- A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki 19- Two Brown Dots by Danni Quintos 20- World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 21- A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 22- The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan 23- Sea People: The Puzzle of Polynesia by Christina Thompson 24- Moloka'i by Alan Brennert 25- Wild Seed by Octavia Butler 26- The Cheating Cell: How Evolution Helps Us Understand and Treat Cancer by Athena Aktipis 27- A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus 28- The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 29- Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son, and 500 Miles Across Spain by Andrew McCarthy Movies mentioned-- 1- Persuasion (Netflix 2022) 2- Ted Lasso - Season 3 (Apple TV 2023) 3- Jury Duty (Amazon 2023) 4- Enchanted (2007) 5- The Terror (Hulu 2018)

Namrata Patel is an Indian American bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She shares how travel informs and enriches her stories and why perseverance pushes her to keep writing and traveling. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Candid Life of Meena Dave, examines diaspora and dual-cultural identity among Indian Americans, multi-generational tensions tied to assimilation, and historical awareness of Indian American achievements. Her newest novel, Scent of a Garden, tells the story of a perfumer in Paris who is forced to return to her California roots in an exhilarating novel about family, self-discovery, and taking risks. Namrata has lived in India, New Jersey, Spokane, London, and New York City and currently calls Boston home. Also on Speaking of Travel, if you're feeling the wanderlust to travel on a big bucket list trip, Toby Brown, Owner and Safari Coordinator with Sights Of Africa and Owner and Adventure Coordinator with Terra Forma Adventure, shares why Africa, Peru, and Ecuador are worthy adventures of a lifetime.A must listen! Only on Speaking of Travel. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories and so much more.

Jess here. As I've mentioned in the past, I know how my brain works, which is to say it doesn't, unless a hard and fast deadline looms large in my calendar. I've been known to tell my agent or editor to expect chapters on a given day, or I plan to have a completed book proposal to her by X date three weeks hence, but this spring, I've decided to call in my writer reinforcements. I summoned KJ and Sarina to a study room in the Howe Library in Hanover, NH on a very rainy day in late April because I needed their help. I needed them to hold me to dates and words and pages, and without being prompted, they pulled out their planners and dutifully asked me what dates to circle in brightly colored ink.I now have deadlines, and actual human beings to bug me about them, for various stages of my novel-in-progress, and I will not - can not - let them down. This, dear listeners, is what accountability buddies are for. Come along for the ride and, as a bonus, learn about all kinds of Scrivener tools and tricks I plan to employ along the way. “The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” - Terry PratchettLinks:Scrivener, in case you are one of the unconverted. #AmReadingJess: Sarina Bowen's Brooklyn Bruisers series (and Jess' comfort reads)Underland by Robert MacfarlaneA review of Underland by Robert Macfarlane (by Terry Tempest Williams) in the New York Times. Sarina: Happy Place by Emily HenryKJ: The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata PatelSarina's progress trees:Jess' Accountability Bunny:Accountability buddies:Are you itching for a career change but struggling to figure out that next chapter? By now, you've probably heard us talk about book coaching—how much we love being coached, and how much I loved my coach training.  Book coaches help writers bring their dreams to life through support, feedback, project management, and accountability at each step of the book writing and publishing process. Author Accelerator's Book Coach Certification program teaches you the key editorial, project management, organizational, and people skills needed to launch your own thriving book coaching business. To find out if book coaching is the right career for you, Author Accelerator is launching a new 5-day challenge to help you envision your new chapter. In their $99 One-Page Book Coaching Business Plan, you'll narrow down your business idea, your ideal client, your ideal service, and more. Enrollment opens May 15th and runs through the end of the month! Visit bookcoaches.com/podcasts and enter the code PODCAST at checkout to get 50-percent off the One-Page Book Coaching Business Plan Challenge. bookcoaches.com/podcasts Do you get KJ's Box of Chocolates email—for erratic doses of books and enthusiasms? If not - what are you waiting for?Not subscribed to our shownotes yet? You should be—sometimes we send surprises! And we'd love it if you choose to $$ support the pod. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Lisa and podcast host Laura Szaro Kopinski discuss Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. It is the only book she wrote.  The early reviews were mixed, and it wasn't as popular but writer Virginia Woolf loved the book. Now, BBC and others have placed it on their top 100 lists. This article discusses how Emily Bronte is compared to her sister Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen, but Emily Bronte's book is different because of its dark themes and violent men.  Laura hosts A Bookish Home, a popular bookish podcast where she talks to authors about their writing process and the books they write. You can find Laura on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Books Discussed in this Episode:The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel  Tera Nova by Henriette LazaridisThe Best of Friends by Lucina BerryTranquility by Tuesday by Laura VanderKam Declassified: A Low-Key Guide to the High-Strung World of Classical Music by Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch For more information, find Lisa on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and her website. *The book titles mentioned include affiliate links. You can support the podcast by purchasing a book with the links because the podcast receives 

Today my guest is Namrata Patel, author of The Candid Life of Meena Dave, about a photojournalist who's solitary  life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston.

Namrata Patel's poignant and witty story, “The Candid Life of Meena Dave,” explores diaspora and dual-cultural identity among Indian Americans and why traveling helps to better understand what home really means.Namrata explores why travel, patience and perseverance are valuable traits to cultivate and pushes you to keep trying. "There's an old saying that goes, 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.' This captures the essence of perseverance. Even when things get hard – which they almost always do – perseverance pushes you to keep trying."Also on Speaking of Travel, Jen Brooks of Romantic Asheville.com. provides a fall color forecast for the Blue Ridge Mountain region in Western North Carolina and shares how to celebrate one of the most beautiful times to travel.And Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport fills us in on how the airport is dedicated to community engagement and how it supports the region with a fundamental focus on giving back. 

Sarah speaks with Namrata Patel about her novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave: "Meena Dave is a photojournalist and a nomad. She has no family, no permanent address, and no long-term attachments, preferring to observe the world at a distance through the lens of her camera. But Meena's solitary life is turned upside down when she unexpectedly inherits an apartment in a Victorian brownstone in historic Back Bay, Boston. Though Meena's impulse is to sell it and keep moving, she decides to use her journalistic instinct to follow the story that landed her in the home of a stranger. It's a mystery that comes with a series of hidden clues, a trio of meddling Indian aunties, and a handsome next-door neighbor. For Meena it's a chance for newfound friendships, community, and culture she never thought possible. And a window into her past she never expected. Now as everything unknown to Meena comes into focus, she must reconcile who she wants to be with who she really is." If you enjoyed this episode, follow and subscribe to the show: you can find us on iTunes or on any app that carries podcasts as well as on YouTube. Please remember to subscribe and give us a nice review. This way you will always be among the first to get the latest GSMC Book Review Podcasts. We would like to thank our Sponsor: GSMC Podcast Network Advertise with US: https://gsmcpodcast.com/advertise-with-us Website: https://gsmcpodcast.com/gsmc-book-review-podcast Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/…/gsmc-book-review-po…/id1123769087 GSMC YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-EKO3toL1A Twitter: https://twitter.com/GSMC_BookReview Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GSMCBookReview/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gsmcbookreview Disclaimer: The views expressed on the GSMC Book Review Podcast are for entertainment purposes only. Reproduction, copying, or redistribution of The GSMC Book Review Podcast without the express written consent of Golden State Media Concepts LLC is prohibited.

In today's episode, we have Namrata Patel in the #DesiReads segment. She's reading from her debut novel, The Candid Life of Meena Dave. The transcript is also up on the Desi Books website. Thank you for listening. Twitter: @DesiBooks Instagram: @desi.books Facebook: @desibooksfb Website: https://desibooks.co Newsletter: https://bit.ly/desibooksnews Email: desibooks@desibooks.co

***CAUTION: SPOILERS!!*** It's our book of the month episode, so we're diving into all the spoilers of "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" with author Namrata Patel. From the phenomenal characters to the food to the plot twists - we discuss that and much, much more.  Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find our June title, "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

Amanda Bestor-Siegal joins us to discuss her debut novel, "The Caretakers." We dive into the experiences that inspired the novel, what it was like to layer those experiences into character perspectives and the different themes that were explored through different characters -- and much, much more!  Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find  "The Caretakers" under 'Featured Books' and our June title, "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

C. D'Angelo joins us to discuss her latest novel "The Visitor." We dive into the inspiration behind the story (and which kind of stores we would open), the complex organizing systems we create for our bookshelves, how authors become mini experts in various fields/topics and much, much more! Check out C. D'Angelo's website to order your own copy of "The Visitor." Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find our June title, "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

Alma Katsu joins us to discuss "The Fervor," her latest historical horror novel set in the Japanese American internment camps during WWII. We dive into the history behind the novel (and which character was pulled right out of history), her research and how she approached it, the jorogumo and Japanese folkore and so much more. Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find  "The Fervor" under 'Featured Books' and our June title, "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

We discuss "The Patron Saint of Second Chances" with debut author Christine Simon and dive into the creation of Signor Speranza and Prometto, his small Italian village. Our conversation veers into Italian dialects, marketing campaigns and much, much more.  We kick off our book of the month discussion about "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel.  Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find  "The Patron Saint of Second Chances" under 'Featured Books' and our June title, "The Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

Karen White joins us to discuss "The Shop on Royal Street," the first book in her Royal Street series -- a spinoff frrom her Tradd Street series. We discuss some of the origin stories of Nola, the main character, unexpected secondary characters who insert themselves in the writing process and much much more.  Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find  "The Shop on Royal Street" under 'Featured Books' and our February title, "Candid Life of Meena Dave" in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

Weina Dai Randel joins us to discuss her historical fiction novel "The Last Rose of Shanhai." We discuss the history and historical figures behind the novel, traditions Weina has begun with her family and her novels and much more! Be sure to check out our shop on Bookshop.org to be able to help support independent bookstores and this podcast. You can find  "The Last Rose of Shanghai" under 'Featured Books' and our June title, "Candid Life of Meena Dave" by Namrata Patel in our 'Book of the Month' shop.

In this Cantina Conversation Megan talks to Namrata Patel. They discuss his debut novel, The Candid Life of Meena Dave, available June 1, 2022.   We ask that you support the show in any way possible.  You can like, share, rate or comment on any of the various social media and podcast players.  Join the conversation in our closed Facebook group at thenerdcantina.com/community, or become a patron on our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/thenerdcantina) where a pledge of as little as $1 will get you a free sticker.   Visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKXYWzoYKvoZopZLX8YA0Bg    Links to authors pages and books discussed in this episode:   Website: http://nampatel.com/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/nampatel  Link to purchase:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-candid-life-of-meena-dave-namrata-patel/1140485134;jsessionid=6212FE8DD4333FBF9BDF14F0F3AD729D.prodny_store01-atgap15?ean=9781542039079

Namrata Patel is an Indian-American writer who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family's we're born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her adult life and loves creating characters who are relatable and aspirational. Her heroines range from quiet to kick-ass and her heroes are swoon-worthy, if a little flawed. Namrata is represented by Sarah Younger at Nancy Yost Literary Agency.Learn more at nampatel.comIntro roll for WTPC

Namrata Patel has been writing for 20 years, but it wasn't until the pandemic that she had more time to work on it. She had always been interested in dual culture and challenges of the diaspora, specifically Indians who had moved to the United States. The isolation of COVID really brought home how lonely life can be if you don't feel like you fit anywhere. Her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave follows a photojournalist who inherits an apartment from a stranger. The apartment in Back Bay Boston surrounds her with a close-knit network of other Indian-Americans.  Meena comes to learn more about herself and her culture, as well as understands the gift of found family and friendship through this experience. The book comes out June 1 but those book lovers who have Amazon Prime can download her book for free during the month of May with their First Reads program.  If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you are able to download 1 free book a month from their First Reads selections which are editor favorites hitting bookshelves the following month.  Just search First Reads in the search bar.       You can find Namrata Patel on instagram at @namratapatelauthor, on Twitter at Nampatel or on her author website, nampatel.com.   Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.    Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- A Room With a View by E. M. Forester 2- Six Days in Rome by Franscesca Giacco 3- My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith 4- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 5- Books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 6- Leonard: My Life as a Cat by Carly Sarosiak 7- The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman 8- The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl 9- Word by Word by Kory Stamper 10- Tidepool by Nicole Willson 11- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 13- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 14- Persuasion by Jane Austen 16- FBI/US Attorneys series by Julie James 17- Into Thin Air by John Krakauer   Movies mentioned-- ET: The ExtraTerrestrial (1982)   Shows mentioned-- Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Namrata Patel has been writing for 20 years, but it wasn't until the pandemic that she had more time to work on it. She had always been interested in dual culture and challenges of the diaspora, specifically Indians who had moved to the United States. The isolation of COVID really brought home how lonely life can be if you don't feel like you fit anywhere. Her debut novel The Candid Life of Meena Dave follows a photojournalist who inherits an apartment from a stranger. The apartment in Back Bay Boston surrounds her with a close-knit network of other Indian-Americans.  Meena comes to learn more about herself and her culture, as well as understands the gift of found family and friendship through this experience. The book comes out June 1 but those book lovers who have Amazon Prime can download her book for free during the month of May with their First Reads program.  If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you are able to download 1 free book a month from their First Reads selections which are editor favorites hitting bookshelves the following month.  Just search First Reads in the search bar.   You can find Namrata Patel on instagram at @namratapatelauthor, on Twitter at Nampatel or on her author website, nampatel.com. Follow us on Facebook at The Perks of Being a Book Lover Instagram at @perksofbeingabookoverpod For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com.  Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- A Room With a View by E. M. Forster 2- Six Days in Rome by Franscesca Giacco 3- My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith 4- The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel 5- Books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 6- Leonard: My Life as a Cat by Carly Sarosiak 7- The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman 8- The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl 9- Word by Word by Kory Stamper 10- Tidepool by Nicole Willson 11- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 13- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 14- Persuasion by Jane Austen 16- FBI/US Attorneys series by Julie James 17- Into Thin Air by John Krakauer Movies mentioned-- ET: The ExtraTerrestrial (1982) Shows mentioned-- Lovecraft Country (HBO)

Namrata Patel is an Indian-American writer who lives in Boston. Her writing examines diaspora, dual-cultural identity among Indian-Americans and explores this dynamic while also touching on both—the family's we're born with and those we choose. Namrata has lived in India, Spokane, London, and New York City. Namrata has been writing for most of her adult life and loves creating characters who are relatable and aspirational. Her heroines range from quiet to kick-ass and her heroes are swoon-worthy, if a little flawed. Follow @11QuestionsPod on Instagram & Twitter for more. https://www.instagram.com/11questionspod https://www.twitter.com/11questionspod #11Questions #NamrataPatel #TheCandidLifeOfMeenaDave