Podcast appearances and mentions of Rachel Khong

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two stories about personal transformation.In Kenneth Calhoun's “Mindless in America,” a SELECTED SHORTS commission, a couple trapped by their own technology resolves to lead a simpler life.  The reader is Justin Kirk.  In “D Day,” by Rachel Khong, God has a Plan B for the human race.  Spoiler alert—how do you think you'd look with a tail?  Or scales?  The reader is Katrina Lenk.

Acclaimed author Rachel Khong explores the themes in her newest novel Real Americans, including what it means to bridge cultural and generational divides within families; superstar poet Danez Smith reads from their latest collection Bluff and tells us what poetry can and cannot accomplish; and singer-songwriter Danielia Cotton chats about her tribute album to Black country star Charley Pride, before performing her own track "Bring Out the Country (In Me)."

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

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]

Send us a textIn this episode, our stack of books is tied together with the common theme of all being books that are Tiny and Cute.  Each of these titles are treasures that come in under 300 pages. These little gems pack a big punch!Featured Books:Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito (LH) (208 pages)Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson (LH) (224 pages)Lark Ascending by Silas House (LP) (288 pages)Three Days in June by Anne Tyler (LP) (176 pages)Book in Hand: Not Tiny and Cute ;)Reckless by Lauren Roberts (#2 in the Powerless Trilogy)Books Mentioned in This Episode:The Accidental Tourist by Anne TylerThe Beginner's Goodbye by Anne TylerLife After Life by Kate AtkinsonA God In Ruins by Kate AtkinsonThe Jackson Brodie Series by Kate AtkinsonAdditional Books That Go Along with Our Stack:Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong (208 pages)My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout (208 pages)The Mothers by Brit Bennett (288 pages)The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (224 pages)Ways to contact us:Follow us on Instagram - @thebookbumbleFacebook:  Book BumbleOur website:  https://thebookbumble.buzzsprout.comEmail:  bookbumblepodcast@gmail.comHey Friends, please rate and review us!

In 2017, Rachel Khong released her debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin to critical acclaim. In 2024, she followed it with her second novel, a sweeping family saga spanning five decades. Real Americans is a fascinating exploration of what makes us who we are and challenges some of the corrosive myths that underpin America. In this episode of Read This, Michael chats with Rachel about her new book and she shares her thoughts on luck, science, and the ultimate unknowability of each other and sometimes, even ourselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Acclaimed author Rachel Khong explores the themes in her newest novel Real Americans, including what it means to bridge cultural and generational divides within families; superstar poet Danez Smith reads from their latest collection Bluff and tells us what poetry can and cannot accomplish; and singer-songwriter Danielia Cotton chats about her tribute album to Black country star Charley Pride, before performing her own track "Bring Out the Country in Me."

In 2017, Rachel Khong released her debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin to critical acclaim. In 2024, she followed it with her second novel, a sweeping family saga spanning five decades. Real Americans is a fascinating exploration of what makes us who we are and challenges some of the corrosive myths that underpin America. This week, Michael chats with Rachel about her new book and she shares her thoughts on luck, science, and the ultimate unknowability of each other and sometimes, even ourselves. Reading list: Goodbye, Vitamin, Rachel Khong, 2017 Real Americans, Rachel Khong, 2024 Somebody Down There Likes Me, Robert Lukins, 2025 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: Rachel KhongSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, get your character to tell a story about themselves, and discover what's truly on their mind.Reading recommendation: REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong.

It's their book party, and they'll cry if they want to. And Magda and Lindsay do shed tears…of joy! Listen as they recap all the amazing wisdom and knowledge from this year's Texas Book Festival.    Also, check out the authors and creators they talk about on the show:  Wale Okerayi, Mateo Askaripour, Cebo Campbell, Ashley Elston, Amy Tintera, Katherine Center, Vanessa Chan, Rachel Khong, Jade Adia, Jas Hammonds, LaDarrion Williams, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, Thao Votang   Email us!  Literally Books Website Literally Books Instagram Magda's Instagram Lindsay's Instagram Literally Books YouTube Literally Books TikTok

Happy August Book Club Day! We're diving into our thoughts on One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin. (Spoiler: we adored it!) We talk about the balance of the romance versus friendship plotlines, the relatability of the debut novelist interior monologue, and how the pandemic was incorporated into the plot. Also, the author calls in to answer a listener question!   Obsessions Becca: Target Women's High-Rise Modern Gauze Wide Leg Pull-On Pants Olivia:  Lil Jon at the 2024 Democratic National Convention   What we read this week Olivia: Bear by Julia Phillips, One Star Romance by Laura Hankin Becca: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio, Real Americans by Rachel Khong   This Month's Book Club Pick: All Fours by Miranda July (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Marc Fisher - go to marcfisherfootwear.com and use code BOP to receive 20% off your purchase.   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

Robert Maleski opened Milly's Pizza in the Pan in 2020 as a way to show Chicago pizza fans that there was more going on in their city than deep-dish. Now, of course, any true Chicago local knows this, but nonetheless, when Matt first tasted Robert's pie at his Uptown location, he was blown away by its understated excellence. In this episode, Robert shares his story and discusses how the legendary pies of Burt Katz as well as his grandmother's cooking inspired what many consider the city's top pie. Also on the show it's the return of three things where Aliza and Matt discuss exciting food and drink on their radars. These include: Stone fruit in the summer of 2024 is working, Dog Day Afternoon is doing Chicago-style hotdogs in Brooklyn in the best way, Real Americans by Rachel Khong is a great summer read, brown sugar boba at Xing Fu Tang in the East Village, Langer's in Los Angeles might be the pastrami GOAT, double yolks are amazing, Daisy Alioto of the great publication Dirt gave an incredible talk about the Taste Economy. Watch it!Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lily Chen is not endowed with good fortune — despite the fact that her scientist mother managed to grow a backyard of four-leaf clovers. She doesn't win raffles or lotteries. She scrapes out a meager living as an unpaid intern with the hopes that it might give her a shot at an entry-level gig.In short: Not lucky.But then a chance encounter upends her life and changes her idea of what fortune really is.Rachel Khong's new book, “Real Americans,” is already a New York Times bestseller and one of the hottest novels of the summer. She joins MPR News host Kerri Miller on this week's Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk about teasing out the truth between luck and choice, soul mates and chance.

If you're looking for a summer read, look no further!  Real Americans by Rachel Khong is like getting 3 books in one, it spans over 50 years and several countries from the perspective of 3 generations of a Chinese family. It asks the question, who and what determines who you are and what life you get to live? Rachel was a complete joy to speak with, she's currently based in LA but spent many years here in San Francisco editing the iconic food magazine Lucky Peach 2011-2016). She also founded a workspace for female and non-binary writers in the Mission District, called The Ruby.  Real Americans is her 2nd book following Goodbye Vitamin (which we also recommend). Follow Rachel @rrrrrrrachelkhong on Instagram, or find her at https://www.rachelkhong.com/   Co-hosting with me this week is our pal in Mississippi Sarah-Soonling Blackburn!  You can follow Sarah @sarahsoonling on Instagram, and you can get a copy of her book, Exclusion and the Chinese American Story, wherever you get books. As I always mention, you can write to us at: ⁠infatuasianpodcast@gmail.com⁠, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook @infatuasianpodcast  Our Theme: “Super Happy J-Pop Fun-Time” by Prismic Studios was arranged and performed by All Arms Around  Cover Art and Logo designed by Justin Chuan @w.a.h.w (We Are Half the World) #sanfrancisco #asianamericanwriter #asianauthor #chineseamerican #summerreads #malaysianamerican #asianpodcast #asian #asianamerican #infatuasian #infatuasianpodcast #aapi #veryasian  #asianamericanpodcaster #representationmatters

Happy July! The new episode of The Readheads is here and it's all about Real Americans by Rachel Khong - a Becky's choice! The Readheads are recording in person, in studio together for the first time in YEARS and the energy is electric! They're talking about their favorite moments from the book, the most confusing plotlines and their overall thoughts on this month's book.The next book is Margo's choice and she chose The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren.The overall Readheads rating for Real Americans is 3.95.Submit a question or comment to us at thereadheadsbookclub@gmail.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Meg Wolitzer presents two works about growth helped along by some sort of fantastical assistance. The characters in these pieces are stuck—and consciously or not, they're looking for something to give them just a little push. And that nudge comes in the form of magic. In “Isabella's Garden,” by Naomi Kritzer, a backyard nature site presents a young family with a new world of fertility. The reader is Jane Kaczmarek. In “My Dear You,” by Rachel Khong, performed by Annie Q, the afterlife provides a perfect platform for questions about love, commitment, and the meaning of forever. After the reading, Wolitzer talks to Khong about the story and her writing process.

The Magician's Hat by Malcolm MitchellThis week we talk to Rachel Khong. Her new novel, Real Americans, asks probing questions about the reality of America's “melting pot” mythology, and is also being a mysterious and compulsively readable family saga. We also talk to Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, in our continuing discussions on the importance of getting children to read. We hope you will join us. Books mentioned in this week's podcast Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong Real Americans by Rachel Khong Perfecto Pet Show by Judy Newman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's Write-minded centers questions, and how questions guide writers, drive fiction, and unearth important stories. Guest Rachel Khong shares how the big and provocative question of who's a “real American” informed her new novel and why she writes without an outline. We also talk about ambition and drive, why novelists have to grapple with people speculating what in their fiction is “real,” and much more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Ep. 172, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits), Catherine Gilmore (@GilmoreGuide), and I are together for the first time on the big show to catch up on our 2024 reading — so far!  We talk about the current publishing landscape, what books are topping bestseller lists to date, and our personal reading as it stands halfway through the year. We share our stats and talk about expectations and hopes for the remainder of the year. Plus, we each share our TOP 5 books and our biggest disappointments so far. 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. The Bookish Landscape [1:51] Books Mentioned James by Percival Everett [4:00] The Women by Kristin Hannah [4:14] Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder by Dav Pilkey [4:22] A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas [5:00] House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas [5:01] A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas [5:02] Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros [5:15] Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros [5:16] Atomic Habits by James Clear [5:17] Icebreaker by Hannah Grace [5:26] Our Personal Reading for 2024 (So Far) [6:59] Books Mentioned Medea by Eilish Quin [8:12] Sociopath by Patric Gagne, PhD [8:12] The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley [8:13] River East, River West by Aube Rey Lescure [8:15] Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin [11:53] In Memoriam by Alice Winn [13:33] The Measure by Nikki Erlick [16:03] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett [16:04] Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver [16:05] Our Top Five (So Far)  [16:49] Sarah Leaving by Roxana Robinson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:18] Victim by Andrew Boryga | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:50] Real Americans by Rachel Khong | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:05] Margo's Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:16] The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (July 2, 2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[48:32] Susie How We Named the Stars by Andrés N. Ordorica | Amazon | Bookshop.org[20:44] Wolf at the Table by Adam Rapp | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:50] Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:46] Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:28] Women and Children First by Alina Grabowski | Amazon | Bookshop.org[50:52] Catherine James by Percival Everett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43] Mercury by Amy Jo Burns | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:39] The Women by Kristin Hannah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [32:12] The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:31] I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:46] Other Books Mentioned Shiner by Amy Jo Burns  [30:13] Cinderland by Amy Jo Burns [31:23] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong [33:14] The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo [44:16] Long Bright River by Liz Moore [48:59] The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic [49:28] No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister [51:37] The Road to Dalton by Shannon Bowring [51:40] Virgil Wander by Leif Enger [54:59] The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton [55:15] The Iliad by Homer [55:36] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [55:37] The Road by Cormac McCarthy [55:39] Our Biggest Disappointments (So Far)  [56:27] Sarah Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:35] Sandwich by Catherine Newman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [59:45] Susie After Annie by Anna Quindlen | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:01] The Great Divide by Cristina Henríquez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:01:17] Catherine Family Family by Laurie Frankel | Amazon | Bookshop.org [59:01] Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:00] Other Books Mentioned Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson  [56:46] Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson (October 22, 2024) [57:17] We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman [59:51]

Real Americans (Knopf, 2024) begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than it provides answers. In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance--a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made? And if we are made, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome? Rachel's debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district; she retired from that role in 2021. Recommended Books: Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Red Chris Holmes is Chair of Literatures in English and Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He writes criticism on contemporary global literatures. His book, Kazuo Ishiguro as World Literature, is under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing. He is the co-director of The New Voices Festival, a celebration of work in poetry, prose, and playwriting by up-and-coming young writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Real Americans (Knopf, 2024) begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than it provides answers. In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance--a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made? And if we are made, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome? Rachel's debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district; she retired from that role in 2021. Recommended Books: Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Red Chris Holmes is Chair of Literatures in English and Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He writes criticism on contemporary global literatures. His book, Kazuo Ishiguro as World Literature, is under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing. He is the co-director of The New Voices Festival, a celebration of work in poetry, prose, and playwriting by up-and-coming young writers. 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

Real Americans (Knopf, 2024) begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than it provides answers. In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance--a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made? And if we are made, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome? Rachel's debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district; she retired from that role in 2021. Recommended Books: Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Red Chris Holmes is Chair of Literatures in English and Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He writes criticism on contemporary global literatures. His book, Kazuo Ishiguro as World Literature, is under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing. He is the co-director of The New Voices Festival, a celebration of work in poetry, prose, and playwriting by up-and-coming young writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/asian-american-studies

Real Americans (Knopf, 2024) begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than it provides answers. In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance--a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made? And if we are made, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome? Rachel's debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission district; she retired from that role in 2021. Recommended Books: Orhan Pamuk, My Name is Red Chris Holmes is Chair of Literatures in English and Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He writes criticism on contemporary global literatures. His book, Kazuo Ishiguro as World Literature, is under contract with Bloomsbury Publishing. He is the co-director of The New Voices Festival, a celebration of work in poetry, prose, and playwriting by up-and-coming young writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

In Episode 171, Rufi Thorpe she joins me to discuss her latest novel, Margo's Got Money Troubles, and her career arc in general. Rufi talks about her inspiration for Margo and the quirky elements she uses to explore deeper topics like loneliness, motherhood, untraditional family dynamics, money, and art — all with a great sense of humor. We also go behind-the-scenes of marketing the book, including cover design, titles, and comparison titles.  Plus, Rufi shares her book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights A spoiler-free overview of Margo's Got Money Troubles. Rufi talks about the inspiration for bringing together pro wrestling, OnlyFans, motherhood, a father-daughter story, and the challenges of making ends meet. How Wonder Woman (2017) played a role in creating Margo. Her thoughts on Margo's Got Money Troubles possibly being her breakout book. The challenges of marketing such a complex book, including designing the cover. Rufi's got title troubles: the working titles for a couple of her books! The big questions Rufi addresses in all her work. Some scenes that were cut from earlier versions book. A theme she's exploring in her next book is gossip (which also contains time-travel and thriller elements). The way Rufi and her publisher handles comps for her hard-to-pin-down books. What she learned from an unpublished book she wrote between Dear Fang, With Love and The Knockout Queen. Rufi's Book Recommendations [39:30] Two OLD Books She Loves Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:45] Ordinary Love and Good Will by Jane Smiley | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:45] Two NEW Books She Loves Oye by Melissa Mogollon | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:35] Devil Makes Three by Ben Fountain | Amazon | Bookshop.org [47:25] Other Books Mentioned: Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain [50:36] One Book She DIDN'T Love The Bee Sting by Paul Murray | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:56] One NEW RELEASE She's Excited About Mad Woman by Chelsea Bieker (Sept 3, 2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:09] Other Books Mentioned: God Shot by Chelsea Bieker [52:23] Last 5-Star Book Rufi Read Come and Get It by Kiley Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [54:07] Other Books Mentioned: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid [54:24] Other Books Mentioned Dear Fang, With Love by Rufi Thorpe [1:57] The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe [2:12] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [13:49] The Cider House Rules by John Irving [19:53] A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara [30:32] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong [30:48] The Pisces by Melissa Broder [31:36] Milk Fed by Melissa Broder [31:38] Victim by Andrew Boryga [38:36] About Rufi Thorpe Website | Instagram | X | Facebook Rufi Thorpe received her MFA from the University of Virginia in 2009. Rufi is the author of The Knockout Queen, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, Dear Fang, With Love, and her first novel, The Girls from Corona del Mar, which was long-listed for the 2014 International Dylan Thomas Prize and for the 2014 Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize. A California native, she currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and sons.

Rachel Khong joins Eric Newman to discuss her latest novel, Real Americans. Divided into three parts that each trace the experiences of different generations of a Chinese American family, the book delves into the thickets of identity, exploring how cultural strictures and the chaos of love shape our reality. The first section, set in 1999, recounts the romance between Lily, a second generation Chinese American media intern in New York, and Matthew, the WASPy private equity investor of the company where she struggles to eke out a living. The second section transports us to Seattle in 2021, where Lily's son, Nick, is navigating the end of high school and early college years with his father, Matthew, conspicuously absent. When Nick reconnects with Matthew through a DNA ancestry test, old wounds heal even as new ones are opened up in the wake of long-buried family secrets. In the final section, Nick's grandmother reflects on her experience fleeing Mao Zedong's China to make a new life in the United States, while trying to reconcile with a tattered and scattered family in present-day San Francisco. As these three lives are woven together and torn apart, Real Americans moves propulsively through questions of race, class, and gender as its characters work to understand their relationship to inheritance, variously conceived, around the tripwires of silence, desire, and pain. Also, Erik Davis, author of Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium, returns to recommend Dale Pendell's Pharmako Trilogy.

Rachel Khong joins Eric Newman to discuss her latest novel, Real Americans. Divided into three parts that each trace the experiences of different generations of a Chinese American family, the book delves into the thickets of identity, exploring how cultural strictures and the chaos of love shape our reality. The first section, set in 1999, recounts the romance between Lily, a second generation Chinese American media intern in New York, and Matthew, the WASPy private equity investor of the company where she struggles to eke out a living. The second section transports us to Seattle in 2021, where Lily's son, Nick, is navigating the end of high school and early college years with his father, Matthew, conspicuously absent. When Nick reconnects with Matthew through a DNA ancestry test, old wounds heal even as new ones are opened up in the wake of long-buried family secrets. In the final section, Nick's grandmother reflects on her experience fleeing Mao Zedong's China to make a new life in the United States, while trying to reconcile with a tattered and scattered family in present-day San Francisco. As these three lives are woven together and torn apart, Real Americans moves propulsively through questions of race, class, and gender as its characters work to understand their relationship to inheritance, variously conceived, around the tripwires of silence, desire, and pain. Also, Erik Davis, author of Blotter: The Untold Story of an Acid Medium, returns to recommend Dale Pendell's Pharmako Trilogy.

Happy June Readheads! In this month's episode the girls are recapping and discussing Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See. This is a historical fiction novel set in 15th century China and the girls had a ball reading and discussing all of the characters, themes and plotlines in the book.The next book is Becky's choice and she chose Real Americans by Rachel Khong.The overall Readheads rating for Lady Tan's Circle of Women is 4.3.Submit a question or comment to us at thereadheadsbookclub@gmail.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rachel Khong is the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction and named a Best Book of the Year by NPR; O, The Oprah Magazine; Vogue; and Esquire. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Cut, The Guardian, The Paris Review, andTin House. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and non-binary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission District. On today's show she talks to Neil Denny about her latest novel Real Americans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here! CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Highlights Now that the 2024 Summer Reading Guide is set, Sarah welcomes heavier and more literary books. Catherine is leaning into several themes with books covering 4 decades. With a clean split of 3 new or debut authors and 3 repeat authors, Catherine is trying for more wins this season. Kick back with several summer picks that are 450+ pages. Sarah's choices feature a wide variety of topics with 2 debuts and 4 returning authors. Sarah has already read and rated two of her picks 5 stars! Plus, listen in to hear their #1 picks for the summer season. Summer 2024 Book Preview [2:49] June Sarah's Picks Fire Exit by Morgan Talty (June 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:28] Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe (June 11) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[9:05] What You Leave Behind by Wanda M. Morris (June 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:59] Catherine's Picks Swift River by Essie Chambers (June 4) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [6:44] Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo (June 18) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[14:34] All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker (June 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:17] How the Light Gets In by Joyce Maynard (June 25) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[29:31]  Other Books Mentioned The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters [3:33] Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty [3:52] Real Americans by Rachel Khong [9:31] The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe [9:41] Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett [12:10] Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett [12:11] The Hop by Diana Clarke [13:26] The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo [14:42] All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris [18:16] Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris [18:21] We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker [22:38] Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra [23:10] At Home in the World by Joyce Maynard (memoir published in 1998) [32:29] July Sarah's Picks The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:12]  The World After Alice by Lauren Aliza Green (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [33:17] Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (July 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [38:00] Catherine's Picks The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[35:28] The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:11]  Other Books Mentioned Long Bright River by Liz Moore [25:22] I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai [28:56] Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead [34:09] Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane [34:23] Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [34:46] A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella [35:37] Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close [36:26] Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal [36:29] The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane [36:45] Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner [38:53] The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali [42:31]

In the latest novel from writer Rachel Khong, a teenage boy sets out to find his biological father, and we learn the love story between his mother, Lily, and a rich heir to a pharmaceutical company, Matt. Khong joins us to discuss the novel, titled Real Americans.

Follow us at @reedingbetweenthelinespod on Instagram https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQTwwca940URfX9iyZ6yOpQ https://sisterschoice.typepad.com/sisters_choice_quilts/ Books mentioned: Sara's Books Real Americans by Rachel Khong, published in April 30, 2024 by Knopf Little Thieves, by Margaret Owens, published Oct, 2021 by Henry Holt and Co The Missing Sister by Elle Marr, April 1, 2020 by Thomas & Mercer Shōgun by James Clavell, Blackstone Publishing Nicole's Books Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler, a debut published in April, 2023 by St. Martin's Press The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters, published April 2023 by Catapult. An Own Voices Debut. The House is On Fire by Rachel Beanland, published by Simon & Schuster in April, 2023 The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton, published by Grand Central Publishing in Dec 2022 Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner UK Bookshops Elvis and Shakespeare, McNaughtons and Typewronger, Topping & Company Booksellers, Hatchards Books, Foyles, Daunt

What it means to be American and who gets to claim that identity are questions that animate Rachel Khong's newest novel “Real Americans.” The book follows three generations of a Chinese American family, and grapples with not just race, but class and genetic identity. Khong is a former editor of the food magazine “Lucky Peach” and the founder of The Ruby, a work and event space in the Mission for women and nonbinary writers. We talk to Khong about her book and work. Guests: Rachel Khong, author, "Real Americans" - Khong is also the author of "Goodbye, Vitamin," which won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction. She founded The Ruby, a work space in San Francisco's Mission district for women and nonbinary writers.

Rachel Khong is a journalist and author whose latest novel is Real Americans. “It's about the ways in which we miss each other as human beings and can't fully communicate what it is like to be ourselves. … And I think that's what makes it so interesting to me, to work on a novel and to spend so much time trying to get down on the page what it feels like to be a human being who's alive. … I think the effort itself is what human relationships are.” Show notes: rachelkhong.com 01:00 Real Americans (Knopf • 2024) 01:00 Goodbye, Vitamin (Picador • 2017) 01:00 Lucky Peach archive 01:00 "Would Limitlessness Make Us Better Writers?" (The Atlantic • Apr 2024) 01:00 "Dust to Dust" (Eater • May 2024) 05:00 "New Pornographers + Stars, 6/25 Prospect Park Summer Stage" (Village Voice • Jun 2005) 09:00 Same Bed Different Dreams (Ed Park • Random House • 2023) 12:00 "Inside My Days as a Content Bot" (Esquire • Apr 2024) 24:00 "The Rumpus Interview with Elizabeth Gilbert" (Rumpus • Oct 2012) 24:00 Eat Pray Love (Elizabeth Gilbert • Riverhead • 2007) 24:00 Elizabeth Gilbert's GQ archive 54:00 "The Great Pacific Oyster Trail" (Eater • Jun 2017) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year's Summer Reading Guide, some shorter books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for each category featured in my 2024 Summer Reading Guide. 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. Access the 2024 Summer Reading Guide Cheatsheet and Free Trial on Patreon here. Summer Reading [9:19] Books That Missed Last Year's Summer Reading Guide [10:14] Sarah All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby | Amazon | Bookshop.org [10:21] Vera Wong's Unsolicited Guide for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto | Amazon | Bookshop.org [15:22] The Hop by Diana Clarke | Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:22]  Susie Shark Heart by Emily Habeck | Amazon | Bookshop.org [12:58] Perfectly Nice Neighbors by Kia Abdullah | Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:04]  The Last Ranger by Peter Heller | Amazon | Bookshop.org [23:24]  Other Books Mentioned Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby [11:08] Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby [11:10]  Dial ‘A' for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto [16:26] Take It Back by Kia Abdullah [20:07] Shorter Books Great for Summer Reading [26:00] Sarah All Together Now by Matthew Norman | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:13]  Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:48] Be spoiler ready: The murders and endings of The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith, The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne, Malice Aforethought by Francis Iles, Double Indemnity by James M. Cain, The Drowner by Robert Drewe, The Secret History by Donna Tartt, and Deathtrap by Ira Levin are discussed in detail as noted in the book.  But many readers have lamented that the endings and main plots were also spoiled for The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and And Then There Were None, both by Agatha Christie. FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:29] Susie Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:09]  I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:52] One Woman Show by Christine Coulson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:06] Other Books Mentioned In Five Years by Rebecca Serle [28:49] One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle [28:51]  The Measure by Nikki Erlick [31:00] The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson [31:54] Our #1 Summer Picks by Category  [42:43] Something Light / Fun Sarah: The Husbands by Holly Gramazio | Amazon | Bookshop.org [43:20]  Susie: Annie Bot by Sierra Greer | Amazon | Bookshop.org [46:13]  Other Books Mentioned: The Measure by Nikki Erlick [45:19] The One by John Marrs [45:23] Slow-Burn Suspense Sarah: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (July 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[49:37]  Something Fast-Paced / Intense Susie: What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan | Amazon | Bookshop.org[51:49]  Something With a Bit More Substance Sarah: Real Americans by Rachel Khong | Amazon | Bookshop.org [55:50]  Susie: Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:11]  Other Books Mentioned: Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong [57:42] Something Different Sarah: The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:02:08]  Susie: Interesting Facts About Space by Emily Austin | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:05:00]  Other Books Mentioned: We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter [1:03:55] Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin [1:05:50]

The best way to listen to Virtual Book Tour is in the Book of the Month app!  On this week's episode, we sit down with Rachel Khong to discuss her new novel, Real Americans. We had so much fun asking the big questions like, “what do we inherit from our families and their histories,” and what it means to be a “real American.” Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City when Lily Chen meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not, but despite the differences, they fall in love. In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. Real Americans is a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home. Get Real Americans at bookofthemonth.com. New members get their first book for just $9.99 with code VBT at checkout.  Learn more about Virtual Book Tour at virtualbooktour.com.  

On this episode, we were joined by Rachel Khong, author of the New York Times bestseller Real Americans – a multigenerational story about a Chinese American family that is three great novels wrapped into one. The novel begins in New York City just before the attacks on September 11th when an unpaid intern with immigrant parents meets and falls in love with a blue-blooded stranger who is heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. As the story moves back and forth in time – from China's cultural revolution of the 1960s to Silicon Valley in 2030 – our perspective shifts between the members of the family, with their stories exploring themes of race, class, and cultural identity. Rachel spoke with us about her journey towards writing this epic novel; Western ignorance towards the legacy of the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong, a literary phenomenon known as the 'The Gosling Effect'; and the differences in family relationships between the East and West.

Real Americans, the new novel by Rachel Khong, spans generations and decades within a family to understand the ongoing struggle to make sense of race, class and identity in the United States. Like with any family story, there are secrets and confrontations and difficult conversations, too; that desire to fill in the gaps about where we come from and how it has shaped our lineage is at the center of today's interview with Khong and NPR's Juana Summers. 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 Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Rachel Khong's Real Americans is a family story that weaves class and race with forgiveness and identity in a story with rich and warm characters. Khong joined us live at The Grove to talk about heritage and culture in writing, nostalgia and memory, community building 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): Real Americans by Rachel Khong Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong

In this episode, Jeff talks with Rachel Khong about her new novel, Real Americans. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their 50th episode, Jason and Brett talk to Rachel Khong (Real Americans) about cooking eggs, mugwort baths, growing into the person who could write this book, and how friction allows for change. Rachel Khong is the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction, and named a Best Book of the Year by NPR; O, The Oprah Magazine; Vogue; and Esquire. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Cut, The Guardian, The Paris Review, and Tin House. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco's Mission District. She lives in California.**BOOKS!** Check out the list of books discussed on each episode on our Bookshop page:https://bookshop.org/shop/gaysreading | By purchasing books through this Bookshop link, you can support both Gays Reading and an independent bookstore of your choice!Join our Patreon for exclusive bonus content! Purchase your Gays Reading podcast Merch! Follow us on Instagram @gaysreading | @bretts.book.stack | @jasonblitmanWhat are you reading? Send us an email or a voice memo at gaysreading@gmail.com

Dave is joined by Chris Ying and Rachel Khong to discuss Rachel's latest novel, 'Real Americans,' and her upcoming book tour. The trio then play Underrated/Overrated with '90s trends before going into a How to Menu of Kopitiam in New York's Lower East Side. Topics covered include learning parents' stories as an Asian American, Dave's love of 'The Matrix,' and the culinary definition of a foam. Hosts: Dave Chang and Chris Ying Guest: Rachel Khong Producers: Victoria Valencia and Euno Lee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I came across a novel that used food as tool for reflection into the life and mind of a few characters. Rachel Khong's first novel Goodbye Vitamin, is about a woman who moves back home to care for her father, who has started to develop Alzheimer's. And Khong meditates on this family by refocusing on their daily activities. From cooking to eating, to morning conversations, we see how mundane routines can change, bend and break under stress.  Food was my entry point in the novel, but my discussion with Rachel starts to incorporate other ideas that she was interested in during her writing process. We've talked a lot about memory on this sh ow, and Rachel's very interested in the simultaneous perfection and imperfection of memory. What happens when a character goes about their daily life on a faulty memory? And what happens when everyone else has to watch the memory of someone they love, dissipate..  We take a step back, and start to think about the memory of a writer, how does a profound mistrust of one's memory change the way they perceive scenes and characters in a novel.  We thread these ideas in with Rachel's new novel Real Americans which is out April 30th from Knopf. Her new novel is entirely different in style and structure to the first one. It weaves between two timelines that show the intersection of two vastly different families, immigrants from China, and a pharmaceutical empire with generational wealth. We talk through her writing process for this novel, and how she sees part of it as a response to the world we've lived in, since 2016. The novel's not overtly political, but you can start to see what Rachel's project is with this new work, and we dive into how she spent the last few years writing it.  Real Americans is out April 30th.  Rachel's Website Real Americans Recommendations Martyr - Kaveh Akbar Monk

Rachel Khong reads from the opening of her novel Real Americans, published by Knopf in April 2024.

Welcome to the Spring 2024 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   In this episode, Catherine and I share 12 of our most anticipated books releasing in April and May.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement One of the many benefits to joining our Patreon Community is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to all patrons (Stars and Superstars) and sign up here! Highlights Catherine is fully embracing spring with some lighter, fun reading. Sarah is joining the fun with lighter reads as she preps for the Summer Reading Guide. Among weddings, homecomings, and books set in Washington State, Catherine is bringing 5 out of 6 familiar authors. With some atypical stories, Sarah has some with historical fiction elements and a nonfiction book. Sarah's choices feature 2 debuts and 3 returning authors. Hopefully going for a tamer wildcard pick will work out for Sarah this season. Sarah has read and liked 2 of her chosen books, and has also started one of Catherine's picks! And don't forget to catch their top #1 picks for the spring season! Spring 2024 Book Preview [3:52] April Sarah's Picks The Wives by Simone Gorrindo (April 9) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:54] The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza (April 2) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:10] Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zenter (April 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[19:51] Catherine's Picks Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman (April 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:54] Honey by Victor Lodato (April 16) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:08] Real Americans by Rachel Khong (April 30) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:45] Other Books Mentioned The Wanderers by Meg Howrey [7:16] You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith [8:10] Maid by Stephanie Land [8:13] Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad [8:17] Know My Name by Chanel Miller [8:20] Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance [8:22] Educated by Tara Westover [8:24] Other People's Houses by Abbi Waxman [10:37] We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza [13:53] Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza [14:01] Edgar and Lucy by Victor Lodato [17:17] All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg [19:14] The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner [20:16] Normal People by Sally Rooney [22:36] Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong [24:55] May Sarah's Picks The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley  (May 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[29:20]  The Wealth of Shadows by Graham Moore (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [36:13] Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli  (May 28) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [42:05] Catherine's Picks The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean (May 7) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[33:00]  The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[39:12] Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan (May 21) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:31]  Other Books Mentioned Outlander by Diana Gabaldon [32:03] The Holdout by Graham Moore [36:22] The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin [36:59] The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore [37:39] The Guncle by Steven Rowley [39:36] The Editor by Steven Rowley [41:45] Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli [42:12] The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton [46:28] Other Books Mentioned Say Hello to My Little Friend by Jennine Capó Crucet [3:39] About Catherine Gilmore Blog | Facebook | Instagram | X  (formerly Twitter) Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Booksover 10 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Seattle, WA.

This week on From the Front Porch, Annie recaps the books she read and loved in February. You get 10% off your books when you order your February Reading Recap bundle! Each month, we offer a Reading Recap bundle, which features Annie's three favorite books she read that month. To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (type “Episode 466” into the search bar and tap enter to find the books mentioned in this episode), or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's February Reading Recap Bundle - $68 Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Good Material by Dolly Alderton The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe All books mentioned in this episode: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar Good Material by Dolly Alderton Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez (releases 3/5) The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe Real Americans by Rachel Khong (releases 4/30) Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner (releases 4/30) Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley Mostly What God Does by Savannah Guthrie From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here.  Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading to Run Towards the Danger by Sarah Polley. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Or, if you're so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff's weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter and follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Cammy Tidwell, Chanta Combs, Chantalle C, Kate O'Connell, Kristin May, Laurie Johnson, Linda Lee Drozt, Martha, Nicole Marsee, Stacy Laue, Stephanie Dean, Susan Hulings, and Wendi Jenkins.

Chris is joined by special guests Rachel Khong and Priya Krishna to discuss (and cook with!) one of the trendiest purple tubers you'll hear about this year: ube. In this episode, the Recipe Club puts Brandi Yamada's recipe for Sweet Potato Haupia Squares through the ringer. Rachel had to make her version in under 20 minutes, Chris makes his in a slow cooker, and Priya had to make her version using only shelf-stable ingredients. Host: Chris Ying Guests: Rachel Khong and Priya Krishna Producers: Gabi Marler, Ira Chute, Cory McConnell, and Victoria Valencia Editor: Richard Parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris is joined by guests Rachel Khong and Priya Krishna to dabble in the dark arts of flavored vodka. The Recipe Club isn't afraid of the oft-mocked genre of spirit, but rather embraces it in the name of home cookery. Host: Chris Ying Guests: Rachel Khong and Priya Krishna Producers: Gabi Marler, Ira Chute, Cory McConnell, and Victoria Valencia Editor: Richard Parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dave and Chris are joined by Rachel Khong to take the lemons life gave them and make a lemon-pod. In this episode, the Recipe Club is gifted a delicious ice cream creation from listeners Maggie and Geoffrey Litt, who were so inspired by Season 2's darling, the Margarita Sangria, that they came up with their "Lemon Darty Ice Cream Party," which came with not just a recipe, but a companion cocktail (required to be consumed prior to starting) and strict addenda for the cooks to follow. Hosts: Dave Chang and Chris Ying Guest: Rachel Khong Producers: Gabi Marler, Ira Chute, Victoria Valencia, and Cory McConnell Editor: Richard Parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris is joined by Rachel Khong and John deBary to discuss watermelon. Do seeded ones taste better? How do you pick a good one? This episode's recipe is for a delightful drink called mohabbat ka sharbat—a refreshing floral concoction of watermelon juice, rose syrup, and whole milk. Rachel had to make it in less than 20 minutes. John, completely in his wheelhouse, made a luxe version (the ice cubes he made were $4 each, and it gets crazier). Chris had to tackle the “Double Taxation” challenge by making one of the ingredients completely by hand and also fusing it with Mexican flavors. Host: Chris Ying Guests: Rachel Khong and John deBary Producers: Gabi Marler, Euno Lee, Ira Chute, Victoria Valencia, and Cory McConnell Editor: Richard Parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Khong joins Dave and Chris in person to discuss all things Duck-related and then tell the tales of their respective adventures making Natalie Cho's family-favorite Braised Duck recipe. Dave tries doing it using only one pot, Chris has to make it on a strict $20 budget, and Rachel makes it luxe, having to spend at least $150. Hosts: Dave Chang and Chris Ying Guest: Rachel Khong Producers: Gabi Marler, Euno Lee, Ira Chute, Victoria Valencia, and Cory McConnell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices