Episode Details

This episode introduces Shannon Sanders’s debut novel, The Great Wherever, which explores the multigenerational history of a Black family in Tennessee. The story follows a modern-day woman named Aubrey Lamb as she navigates the inheritance of her family’s farm while four ancestral ghosts watch her from the afterlife. Sanders uses this narrative to examine the complexities of Black land ownership and the systemic challenges families face in maintaining their property over decades. By braiding together past and present, the book highlights the tension between the financial needs of the living and the spiritual desires of the dead. The episode praises the novel for its humorous tone, emotional precision, and its ability to turn historical excavation into a deeply human saga. Ultimately, the source describes the book as a significant work that addresses economic precarity and the enduring weight of family legacy.

"Open a book. Discover a world."

This episode includes AI-generated content.