Podcast Episodes

An opera singer gives voice to the Grenadian revolution

Season 1 Episode 38

The 1983 revolution in Grenada was a major moment of the Cold War era ... and writer Zilla Jones grew up hearing stories about its connection to her …

1 year, 1 month ago

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When young men murder, what can we learn?

Season 1 Episode 38

There’s no easy answer to that question — and Vijay Khurana’s debut novel, The Passenger Seat, takes a closer look at how complicated it really is. D…

1 year, 1 month ago

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Music, sex and finding the soundtrack to queer joy

Season 1 Episode 37

Growing up in the midst of the HIV/AIDS epidemic left Pete Crighton with a huge fear of sex … and he threw himself into music as a way to cope with h…

1 year, 1 month ago

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Weightlifting made Casey Johnston stronger — in muscle and mind

Season 1 Episode 37

For years, Casey Johnston thought fitness was all about shrinking down. She was terrified of weightlifting and what it would do to her body. Now, she…

1 year, 1 month ago

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Fans asked for another happy ending — Carley Fortune delivered

Season 1 Episode 36

During the pandemic, journalist Carley Fortune turned to romance writing as an outlet … and her debut novel, Every Summer After, was a life-changing …

1 year, 1 month ago

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Bookends Introduces | Understood: Who Broke the Internet

It's not you — the internet really does suck. Novelist, blogger and noted internet commentator Cory Doctorow explains what happened to the internet a…

1 year, 2 months ago

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Ocean Vuong finds beauty in a fast food shift

Season 1 Episode 36

Long before he became a bestselling writer, Ocean Vuong sold rotisserie chickens at Boston Market. In his latest novel, The Emperor of Gladness, he e…

1 year, 2 months ago

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Writing about catastrophe gives Madeleine Thien courage

Season 1 Episode 35

As a child, Madeleine Thien loved to sit on her father’s lap as he flipped through the newspaper. Later on, she became fascinated by the newspaper ar…

1 year, 2 months ago

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Fighting for an unlawful love in Uganda

Season 1 Episode 35

Iryn Tushabe says she loves Uganda “like a problem.” Her debut novel, Everything Is Fine Here, dives into what exactly those words mean. Aine is comi…

1 year, 2 months ago

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NOT CLICKBAIT! She stole her dead twin sister’s identity!?

Season 1 Episode 34

Inspired by her own experience as a skincare influencer, Liann Zhang’s debut novel, Julie Chan is Dead, is a wild ride into the world of social media…

1 year, 2 months ago

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