Podcasts about salt houses

Originally aired 2021Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Originally aired 2021“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Originally aired 2021Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.halaalyan.comwww.creativeprocess.info

Originally aired 2021“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Shereen is joined by author and journalist Sim Kern to talk about the need to separate Jewish identity from Israel and the importance of Jewish anti-zionist voices in the fight for Palestinian liberation.   Follow Sim: instagram.com/sim_bookstagrams_badly   twitter.com/sim_kern simkern.com Buy: The Free People's Village: https://linktr.ee/SimKern    Recommended books by Palestinian authors: Salt Houses by Hana Alyan Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa Rifqa by Mohammed el-Kurd Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017 by Rashid Khalidi   Recommended books by non-Palestinians authors: Palestine by Joe Sacco The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan PappéSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palestinian American poet Hala Alyan and her family fled Kuwait when Saddam invaded. She joins us to explore storytelling, straddling cultures, loneliness, therapy, and what value belongings come to have when you move constantly. Alyan is also a clinical psychologist and author of Salt Houses. Find Hala Alyan at her website. ------------------------------------- ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started. BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more. TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue. START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up. SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps. WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us. JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured! NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon. TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!  

Dr. Hala Alyan is a licensed clinical psychologist in New York City specializing in the assessment and treatment of trauma, substance abuse, anxiety, mood and relationship concerns, and cross-cultural issues. Currently, she works as a part-time psychologist at the New York University Student Health Center's Counseling and Wellness Services, where she is based within the Islamic Center. In addition, Dr. Alyan is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at New York University, and teaches graduate-level courses on cross-cultural counseling and individual counseling practices.Dr. Alyan is also the author of the novel “Salt Houses,” winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize. Her latest novel, “The Arsonists' City,” was published in March 2021 and was a finalist for the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize. She is also the author of four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently “The Twenty-Ninth Year.” Her work has been published by The NewYorker, The Academy of American Poets, LitHub, The New York Times Book Review and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter, where she works as a clinical psychologist.Yael Shy is the Founder and CEO of Mindfulness Consulting, LLC, where she teaches and consults on mindfulness for universities, corporations, and private clients around the world. She is the author of the award-winning book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond (Parallax, 2017), and the founder of Mindful NYU, the largest campus-based mindfulness initiative in the US. Yael is an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University. She has been featured on Good Morning America, CBS, Fox 5 News, and in Time Magazine and the Harvard Business Review.

Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

SPOILER ALERT FOR EPISODE With book club, we discuss all aspects of the book, including the ending and plot twists. While this episode does not have a recorded audio spoiler alert, at the time of posting, please accept my apologies. Due to family issues and my health, I have been behind on this episode. This is our February book club and while I worked hard to edit, I was so focused on getting the episode out, I forgot to add the audio spoiler alert. I may go back and change the audio to add the spoiler alert, but for now, please accept my apologies. Join Libro.FM and use code LLTBPODCAST to get 2 audiobooks for the price of one. Also, you can buy gift memberships for your loved ones for any occasion or just because. It does take a lot of effort to produce these episodes. Your support means the world to me. How about Buy Me A Coffee, I would greatly appreciate it. THANK YOU. If you have any questions about this or any other episode, please contact me by email at livingalifethroughbooks@gmail.com. If you enjoyed this episode or any of my previous episodes, please write me a positive review on Apple Podcasts. I thank you for it. My website is a work in progress. On Instagram I'm @livingalifethroughbooks. On TikTok, Twitter, and Clubhouse I'm @drshahnazahmed. I would like to introduce each of our members in attendance briefly with their instagram tags. Please follow them all. Thank you. Myself Shahnaz - @livingalifethroughbooks. Erin - @erin_eatsbooks. Riffat - @booksection. Dr. Jen isn't on instagram yet. Please note that Riffat also has a blog: www.teacrockery.blog/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/livingalifethroughbooks/message

In this episode, we chat about section three from Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. AND we have two big announcements! After our final episode of Transcendent Kingdom, we have a special one-off episode coming at you. We will cover It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark with the author! That episode will come out on the 19th. We also announce our next book club book - The Guide by Peter Heller. Grab your copy of The Guide from Bookshop.org or a local book store. We start reading on the 26th! -- Other books mentioned in this episode: Salt Houses by Hala Alyan Whisper Network by Chandler Baker It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Salt Houses by Hala AlyanFar From the Tree by Andrew Solomon

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

It's our SECOND episode of Cabana Chats, a podcast about writing and community, brought to you by The Resort! This episode features an interview with Hala Alyan, author of the novels Salt Houses and The Arsonists' City, as well as several collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Hala lives in Brooklyn and works as a clinical psychologist. Hala chats with host Catherine LaSota about the many professional hats she wears, the push and pull between her introvert and extrovert selves, and how her relationship to social media has changed over the past year, among other topics. Find out more about Hala Alyan here: https://www.halaalyan.com/ Join our free Resort community, full of resources and support for writers, here: https://community.theresortlic.com/ More information about The Resort can be found here: https://www.theresortlic.com/ Cabana Chats is hosted by Resort founder Catherine LaSota. Our podcast editor is Craig Eley, and our music is by Pat Irwin. FULL TRANSCRIPTS for Cabana Chats podcast episodes are available in the free Resort network: https://community.theresortlic.com/

Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

THE DRAMA. In this episode what the fuck even happens besides everything. In this episode, we chat about the third section of Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan. Next week, we are finishing the book! Two important announcements (people who read the show notes eat first!!!) 1. to close out Good Neighbors, our last episode will feature the author Sarah Langan. We cannot wait to pepper her with questions about Foucault. 2. and we have picked our next book! our next podcast read will be Transcendant Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. keep an eye on our Instagram (@booktok_podcast) for the schedule. --- Other books mentioned in this episode: Salt Houses by Hala Alyan The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney The Hospital by Brian Alexander Animal by Lisa Taddeo --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Kendra talks with Hala Alyan the author of The Arsonists’ City, which is out now from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Check out our Patreon page to learn more about our book club and other Patreon-exclusive goodies. Follow along over on Instagram, join the discussion in our Goodreads group, and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more new books and extra book reviews! Thanks so our sponsor! FSAstore.com Things MentionedQ&A with Hala Alyan about Salt Houses Books Mentioned Salt Houses by Hala Alyan The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan Hala Recommends The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Author BioHala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists’ City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist. Website | Twitter | Instagram Buy the Book CONTACT Questions? Comments? Email us hello@readingwomenpodcast.com.  SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Website Music by Miki Saito with Isaac Greene Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this conversation, we talked to Hala about her successful literary career and award-winning books and poetry collections (Salt Houses, The Arsonists' City, The Twenty-Ninth Year) as well as her work as a clinical psychologist. Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About the afikra conversation series:Our long-form interview series, hosted on Zoom, featuring academics and arts ‎and media experts who are helping document and/or shape the history and culture of the Arab world through their ‎work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their expertise and story, the community still walks away with newfound curiosity - and maybe some good recommendations about new nerdy rabbit holes to dive into headfirst. ‎Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp Follow afikra:‎Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/afikra/Patreon: https://patreon.com/afikraInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_/‎Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official/‎Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikraWebsite: afikra.comAbout afikra:‎afikra is a grassroots movement that has evolved into a global community dedicated to exploring the history and ‎culture of the Arab world. Starting in 2014 in NYC, our mission has always been two-pronged: cultivate curiosity and ‎build community. We've hosted intimate salon-style events all over the world that feature in-depth presentations on ‎topics related to the Arab world, given by members of our community. What makes afikra different is that our ‎programs and platform are designed to engage our community to ask their own questions, and provide an open ‎community of peers who support each other as we all look for the answers together. Our vision is to build a global ‎community of curious minds who are interested in promoting intellectualism and deepening our communal ‎knowledge of the Arab region.‎

In conversation with Alix Gerz, Vice President of Communications, Free Library of Philadelphia Hala Alyan's novel Salt Houses, a ''heart-wrenching, lyrical and timely'' (Dallas Morning News) study of three generations in a Palestinian family, won the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award. A clinical psychologist by profession, she is also the author of several award-winning poetry collections, including The Twenty-Ninth Year, Atrium, and Hijra. Alyan has also published work in the New Yorker, Guernica, and the New York Times Book Review, among other places. A look at war's intergenerational legacy in the Middle East, The Arsonists' City tells the tale of a scattered family's return to Beirut to save its ancestral home. Books may be purchased through the Joseph Fox Bookshop (recorded 3/16/2021)

“We become the stories we tell ourselves…I started writing around the time I learned English because we moved to the States soon after my fourth birthday, and so I was here for kindergarten into elementary school. I grasped this new language just as I was learning how to also put things onto the page. Those two things really happened at the same time for me. I entered this world where I felt very different and very other, for all intents and purposes I was set to be raised in Kuwait. And then that of course got turned upside down after the invasion by Saddam. I think that so much of my trying to make sense of the world had to do with the displacement, exile and these experiences that my parents had experienced but then that I had as well as we were fleeing the war. It's hard to know because I think that language was being formed in my brain at the same time that these things were happening.”Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

Hala Alyan is the author of the novel Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as the forthcoming novel The Arsonists' City, and four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently The Twenty-Ninth Year. Her work has been published by the New Yorker, the Academy of American Poets, Lit Hub, The New York Times Book Review, and Guernica. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, where she works as a clinical psychologist.· halaalyan.com · www.creativeprocess.info

This episode featuring Hala Alyan gives us great insight into what it's like being an author and a clinical psychologist to bring together a story that is fragmented and disjointed through her passion of serving people through her words. Hala Alyan tells us all from what living a nomadic life is like and being an immigrant in the States to finding her way to becoming an established individual with her own story that is equally as compelling as her! Expect some personal and heart to heart experiences shared and the vast portrayal of wisdom that makes for great lessons learnt and shared. Episode is out now!Hala Alyan is the author of Salt Houses, winner of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Arab American Book Award and a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize, as well as four award-winning collections of poetry, most recently THE Twenty-Ninth Year. In addition to The New Yorker, her work has been published by the Academy of American Poets, LitHub, the New York Times Book Review, and Guernica.

Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2021. Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2021 blog post, which is coming out soon. I’ll share some of the books I talked about in this podcast, but also some that I didn’t! This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights How we feel our 2021 reading taste (compared to the weirdness of 2020) might pan out based on the first couple releases we’ve read. Catherine and my success rate for books we shared in our Fall 2020 Preview episode. Our Best and Worst picks from the Fall 2020 Preview episode. Sarah’s and Catherine’s #1 Winter book picks. Winter 2021 Book Preview [6:43] January Sarah’s Picks: The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington (January 5) | Buy from Amazon [7:13]  The Push by Ashley Audrain (January 5) | Buy from Amazon [13:40]  What Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran Schwarz (January 12) | Buy from Amazon [20:15]  Catherine’s Picks: Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson (January 5) | Buy from Amazon [11:39] A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes (January 26) | Buy from Amazon [18:25]  February Sarah’s Picks: The Bad Muslim Discount by Syed Masood (February 2) | Buy from Amazon [26:48] All Girls by Emily Layden (February 16) | Buy from Amazon [31:41] Catherine’s Picks: Zorrie by Laird Hunt (February 9) | Buy from Amazon [23:58] Dark Horses by Susan Mihalic (February 16) | Buy from Amazon [29:20] March Sarah’s Picks: What’s Mine and Yours by Naima Coster (March 2) | Buy from Amazon [37:31] The Babysitter by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan (March 2) | Buy from Amazon [41:18] Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering (March 2) | Buy from Amazon [44:51] Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge (March 30) | Buy from Amazon [48:28] Catherine’s Picks: The Committed by Viet Thanh Nguyen (March 2) | Buy from Amazon [34:05] Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi (March 2) | Buy from Amazon [39:37] How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue (March 9) | Buy from Amazon [43:21] The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan (March 9) | Buy from Amazon [46:31] Other Books Mentioned A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom by John Boyne | Buy from Amazon [4:19]  Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [4:53] Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [5:10] A Knock at Midnight by Brittany Barnett | Buy from Amazon [5:17] The Searcher by Tana French | Buy from Amazon [5:45] Earthlings by Sayaka Murata | Buy from Amazon [6:13] Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [7:59]  Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson | Buy from Amazon [11:55] We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver | Buy from Amazon [15:53] Circe by Madeline Miller (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [18:53] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Buy from Amazon [18:53] The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [22:33] The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [22:33] Concussion by Jeanne Marie Laskas (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [28:16] More Than Just a Pretty Face by Syed Masood | Buy from Amazon [28:52] We Wish You Luck by Caroline Zancan (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [33:48] The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen | Buy from Amazon [34:59] Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [38:12] Halsey Street by Naima Coster | Buy from Amazon [38:31] An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [38:37] Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [38:37] We Keep the Dead Close by Becky Cooper (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [42:25] The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule | Buy from Amazon [42:25] Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [44:20] Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering | Buy from Amazon [45:37] Salt Houses by Hala Alyan | Buy from Amazon [47:47] We Love You, Charlie Freeman by Kaitlyn Greenidge | Buy from Amazon [49:11] Other Links Fall 2020 Book Preview About Catherine Gilmore Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI. Next Episode There will not be a new episode next week since the podcast is on a bi-weekly schedule. The following week’s episode will feature Sara Hildreth of @fictionmatters and the Novel Pairings Podcast going behind-the-scenes of judging a literary prize (airing January 20).

Hala Alyan, clinical psychologist and writer talks to me about trauma and coping mechanisms. She's amazing and really informative and gave great suggestions for different types of therapy and advice on dealing with traumas in relationships, codependency and boundaries.Hala's novel is Salt Houses and her website is: https://www.drhalaalyan.com and insta: https://www.instagram.com/hala.n.alyanEmail or Dm your stories or advice you need. Sign up to the Patreon: www.patreon.com/theshiftpodcast for exclusive eps, extended eps and vidsEmail: contacttheshift@gmail.com or DM https://www.instagram.com/katieboylecomicThanks a million for listening See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Look how people handle this very complicated tangled issue of morality and look at the extent they are willing to go to justify their actions. What I was trying to get to was that we’re all flawed." - Rajia Hassib Rajia Hassib was born and raised in Egypt and moved to the United States when she was twenty-three. Her first novel, In the Language of Miracles, was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and received an honorable mention from the Arab American Book Award. Her second novel, A Pure Heart, was published by Viking (Penguin) in August of 2019. She holds an MA in creative writing from Marshall University, and she has written for The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker online, and Literary Hub. She lives in Charleston, West Virginia with her husband and two children.  CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF A PURE HEART Connect with Rajia on Twitter, Instagram, on her website.   Rajia's book recommendations: Salt Houses by Hala Alyan My Past is a Foreign Country: A Muslim Feminist Finds Herself by Zeba Talkhani The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah A Curious Land by Susan Muaddi Darraj (listen to Susan's episode here!) Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo -- We donate 5% of all our sales to a different feminist organization each month. Our February charity is the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. Get $5 off your Feminist Book Club Box with the code PODCAST at feministbookclub.com/shop. --- FBC ON TOUR!   March 1: The Price of Salt discussion at The Irreverent Bookworm (Minneapolis, MN) March 7: FeMNist Night Market at the Palace Theatre (St. Paul, MN) March 28-29: Twin Cities Women's Expo at Rosedale Center (Roseville, MN) May 9: Wordplay 2020 at The Loft (Minneapolis, MN) May 30-31: BookCon at Javits Center (NYC)   --   Website: http://www.feministbookclub.com Instagram: @feministbookclubbox Twitter: @fmnstbookclub Facebook: /feministbookclubbox Goodreads: Renee // Feminist Book Club Box and Podcast Email newsletter: http://bit.ly/FBCemailupdates   -- This podcast is produced on the native land of the Dakota, Sioux, and Anishinabewaki peoples.   Logo and web design by Shatterboxx  Editing support from Phalin Oliver Original music by @iam.onyxrose Transcript for this episode: bit.ly/FBCtranscript64  

Content: In this episode, we talk with poet and novelist Hala Alyan. Cast Hosted by Dean Karpowicz with Kelsey Hoff and Destiny Crespo. About Hala Alyan Hala Alyan is a Palestinian American writer and clinical psychologist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Guernica and elsewhere. Her poetry collections have won the Arab American Book Award and the Crab Orchard Series. Her debut novel, Salt Houses, was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2017, and was the winner of the Arab American Book Award and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Her newest poetry collection, The Twenty-Ninth Year, was recently published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Find her online at her website or on Twitter @HalaNAlyan.

Catherine discusses Salt Houses by Hala Alyan with friend Lori. Books Mentioned Fever by Deon Meyer Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff Next Month’s Book is Every Note Played by Lisa Genova. Follow Catherine on instagram @infinitelypreferabook See what Catherine is reading at goodreads.com/infinitelypreferabook

In this footnotes episode in honor of Earth Day, Catherine discusses books on a farming or gardening theme and shares 2 favorite gardening shows. Books: This Blessed Earth: A Year in the Life of an American Family Farm by Ted Genoways Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver Recommendations: Big Dreams, Small Spaces with Monty Don (produced by BBC, available on Netflix) Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh (produced by ITV, available on Netflix) Next Month’s Book is Salt Houses by Hala Alyan. Follow Catherine on instagram @infinitelypreferabook See what Catherine is reading at goodreads.com/infinitelypreferabook

In this episode, Catherine discusses the true story Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca with her friend and former co-worker Melody. Books Mentioned Clash of Civilizations over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs Author Tessa Dare’s books dedication page Non-book recommendations Trees and simple pleasures Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Netflix Next Month’s Book is Salt Houses by Hala Alyan. Follow Catherine on instagram @infinitelypreferabook See what Catherine is reading at goodreads.com/infinitelypreferabook

SHOWNOTES FROM EPISODE 12:Shuchi's website where you can find links to her writing and beautiful instagramThe Brookline Booksmith Transnational Literature Series website which includes their past selections and the WGBH Forum link of recorded author eventsThe Wellspring House Writer's retreatBOOKS and films we discussed:Salt Houses by Hala AlyanWajib the fantastic film by Annemarie Jacir (with an incredible real life father-son duo starring!)Disoriental by Negar DjavadiExit West by Mohsin HamidAmerican Fictionary by Dubrakva UgresicPoso Wells by Gabriela AlemanSabrina by Nick Drnaso - 1st graphic novel longlisted for the Man Booker!Edward Said's Reflections on Exile and Other EssaysSHUCHI'S BOOKSTORE PICKS:Titcomb's Bookshop if you're ever in East Sandwich on Cape CodEducational Bookshop in JerusalemSkylight Books in LACity Lights in San FranciscoSpecial thanks to Mohit Shandilya & Rajat Upadhyay @ Flying Carpet Productions for audio post-production engineering!

Amanda and Jenn discuss Korean fiction, Central American authors, fluffy audiobooks, and more in this week's episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.   Questions   1. Hello Get Booked friends! I would love some book recommendations for books written by Korean authors or about Korea. I recently read The Vegetarian by Han Kang and The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson and realized that I do not know very much about Korean culture and history. I loved the cultural side notes that were included about Japan in Ozeki's Tale for the Time Being and would enjoy something like that, but about Korea. I am open to fiction or non-fiction and historical or contemporary works. --Sally   2. First, I just wanted to give Amanda a huge thank you for recommending Captive Prince! I’ve heard you recommend it a few times before, but I just never got around to reading it. After hearing you recommend it a few weeks ago I finally decided to pick it up from the library. Suffice it to say, I think this is the book I’ve been looking for all my life and I finished the series in three days. I’d love to know if there are any read-alikes out there? The Captive Prince series checked almost all of my boxes. M/M relationships are strongly preferred and no need to worry about trigger warnings for me. I’ve already read and loved Amberlough. I’ve also read The Magpie Lord, but only thought it was ok. Thanks again for the Captive Prince recommend! --Kevin   3. Coming off Black History Month I need help. I listened to The Bone Tree, read Brown Girl Dreaming, and read Invisible Man. Also read Banthology. These were all great esp, Brown Girl Dreaming. My request....I have noticed as with Homegoing, several of the books by people of color are very mentally heavy when reading one after the other. Justifiably so. I am looking for a female voice, mid 20-40's, lyrical, fun, a bit biting, with her girls with a story to tell. Something almost musical. I don't want YA. Something where the setting even plays a part. Got anything? --Michele   4. I know this is really last minute and I have no idea if you'll be able to help me, but I am really stuck. I am supposed to be getting a book for someone who I don't know based on their "reading" profile. They said they like autobiographies, especially ones related to travel and sports and that they are looking to get into self help books. They also mentioned that their favorite books are The Last Lecture, Mud Sweat and Tears and 1000 Days of Spring. They have a completely different reading taste to mine, so I am really out of my depth and hoping you could help. Thanks in advance and I LOVE the show! --Marija   5. Greetings! My husband and I are going on the trip of a lifetime during the month of April. We will be traveling through the Panama Canal and stopping at all the Central American countries except El Salvador. We will also be making 3 stops in Mexico and Cartegena, Colombia. I'm looking for literary fiction novels that take place in Central America (rather than Mexico or South America.) No short stories, please! Here are some books that I've read or are familiar with. (None of them take place in Central America, but you get the idea!): The Sound of Things Falling by Juan Gabriel Vasquez Like Water for Chocolate How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents Anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Thanks! --April   6. For about a year now I've been listening to podcasts (mostly Book Riot ones) at work. I haven't quite found enough to fill all my hours, but I find I prefer listening to talking over music. To fill the gaps, I tried turning to audiobooks. (Libby is the best.) My typical fare is heavily Sci Fi and Fantasy, but I was finding them a little too complicated to follow while working - so I tried YA (another love of mine) and it was still too important that I caught every detail. After that I tried nonfiction, but kept finding things that were either too dry on audio so it became basically white noise, or super depressing. TL:DR can you help me find books that are A) on audio, B) light in subject matter (as a grad student in my "free time" I spend a lot of time stressed out and would like my audiobooks to be a break from that), and C) simple enough that I can still follow even if I get a little distracted by a more-complicated-than-usual problem at work? Something like a cozy mystery or a fluffy romance (like Austenland?) might be good, but I don't know where to start. Bonus points for SF/F flavors, but they're not necessary, and extra bonus points for diversity of any kind, which I feel like I don't get enough of. Already read: Sarah Maclean, and Tessa Dare. Also, I used to love Lillian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who series, but have not kept up with the latest in cozy mystery good stuff. Thanks in advance! I love the show - a part of me wishes I could just fill all of my weekly hours with listening to Get Booked, but I imagine that would be very tiring for you. --Anne   7. Hi Amanda and Jenn, I'm in dire need of help! ! I'm going through a major life transition and I've found that the books that I would normally turn to don't seem to work anymore. I would like some recommendations of memoirs, nonfiction, or fiction that feature strong women who have made radical changes to their lives. Thank you! --Daniela   Books Discussed Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan by Ruby Lal (July 2018) Salt Houses by Hala Alyan The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich While the City Slept by Eli Sanders Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo I’ll Be Right There by Kyung-Sook Shin, translated by Sora Kim-Russell The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim Sorcerer of the Wildeeps by Kai Ashante Wilson Valdemar: Last Herald Mage series (Magic’s Pawn #1) trigger warnings for rape, child abuse, suicide The Sisterhood of Blackberry Corner by Andrea Smith The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson A Guidebook to Relative Strangers by Camille T Dungy The Dream of My Return by Horacio Castellanos Moya, translated by Katherine Silver Central American author recommendations post The World In Half by Christina Henriquez Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James Hammer Head by Nina MacLaughlin Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed Braving The Wilderness by Brene Brown

SALT HOUSES with Hala Alyan GENTRIFICATION & MAKING RENT with Brandon Harris Vass is reading The Destroyers by Christopher Bollen Allison is reading In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume TUNES: Thirty by The Weather Station Just Can’t Get Enough by Sheer Mag Carin at the Liquor Store by The National

Palestinian-American poet and clinical psychologist Hala Alyan talked with novelist Mira Jacob (The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing) about her debut novel Salt Houses, a story of family, displacement, and diaspora catalyzed by Israel's Six Day War. The two writers talked about the work of writing (and reading) about politicized issues without creating heroes and villains, and about how Alyan's work as a psychologist with Muslim immigrants and her own family's experience informs her writing, as well as delving into process and practices for creating writing that feels like magic. (Bonus: Listen for how Alyan was influenced by Elizabeth Gilbert's ideas about creativity, then listen to Episode 3 of our podcast to hear more on the topic from Gilbert herself!)

Hala Alyan is a Palestinian American a poet, novelist (Salt Houses) and clinical psychologist. After her family fled Kuwait when Saddam invaded, they moved a lot! Together we explore storytelling, straddling cultures, loneliness, therapy and what value belongings have when you move constantly. Well, that - and so much more. Hala Alyan Homepage Hala Alyan Poem about Place REMEMBER to send us your voice memos about LONELINESS for an upcoming show. Send them to bittersweetlife@mail.com NEVER HEARD THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1:OUTSET SPONSOR: Reach thousands of expats and travelers all over the world by sponsoring The Bittersweet Life. Write the at bittersweetlife@mail.com to get the conversation going. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or write us @ bittersweetlife@mail.com. ©Web and show content can only be used with written permission.

Author and poet Hala Alyan talks to Daniel Ford about growing up in a house where storytelling was valued, how she crafts her prose and dialogue, and what inspired her debut novel Salt Houses. To learn more about Hala Alyan, visit her official website or follow her on Twitter @HalaNAlyan. Also read our review of Salt Houses in May’s “Books That Should Be On Your Radar.”

On the eve of her daughter Alia’s wedding, Salma reads the girl’s future in a cup of coffee dregs. She sees an unsettled life for Alia and her children; she also sees travel, and luck. While she chooses to keep her predictions to herself that day, they will all soon come to pass when the family is uprooted in the wake of the Six-Day War of 1967.  

This week, Liberty and Rebecca discuss Fever Dream, Always Happy Hour, Salt Houses and more of their anticipated releases of 2017. This episode was sponsored by Book Riot's $250 Barnes & Noble gift card giveaway.