Aatish Taseer is the author, most recently, of A Return to Self: Excursions in Exile, as well as the memoir Stranger to History: A Son’s Journey Through Islamic Lands and the acclaimed novels The Way Things Were, a finalist for the 2016 Jan Michalski Prize, The Temple-Goers, short-listed for the Costa First Novel Award, and Noon; and the memoir and travelog The Twice-Born. He is also the translator of a volume of Saadat Hasan Manto’s short stories from Urdu, Manto: Selected Stories. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He is a Writer at Large for T: The New York Times Style Magazine. Born in England and raised in New Delhi, educated in the US and previously a journalist in the UK, he now lives in New York.

Things referenced in episode:

• During the episode, he speaks about his exile from the India he long considered home. Speficially, Aatish’s Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card was revoked after his 2019 TIME Magazine essay about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew the government’s ire 
• Just days ago, Aatish wrote about life after exile for TIME Magazine: “In Exile, I Lost India but Gained a Home”

This episode is sponsored by Queen City Diwan, which leads travel adventures, immersive experiences, leadership retreats and religious pilgrimages.Queen City Diwan is excited to share its fall schedule, including an October ‘umrah in Saudi Arabia, a January trip to Andalucía just for college students—and, over Thanksgiving break, we’re planning an incredible tour across three countries. Learn more on our website. Avenue M is produced by Bespoken Live with music by Zach Swelber, who plays in Circle It and Mosant.

This week’s guest, Steve Brusatte, is a paleontologist and professor at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He grew up in Illinois and has traveled the world studying dinosaurs, naming several new species. He is a keen communicator of science and has written several pop science books. His next book will be on the origin and evolutionary history of birds. He is also the paleontology consultant for the Jurassic World film franchise.

Things Referenced in This Episode:

• Steve Brusatte first came to Haroon’s when he saw, subsequently bought and quickly understood why his The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of Their World became a New York Times bestseller. He even passed it on to some of the kids who swore they read it; based on their subsequent feedback on the Jurassic World movies, though, Haroon can’t say for sure 
• Haroon didn’t just stop there. He reached out to Steve via internet; very generously, Steve responded, a conversation commenced, and Haroon and his wife soon stopped to see Steve speak at his alma mater, the University of Chicago’s Sem Co-op, one of the world’s best bookstores. There, a book reading became an active conversation among brilliant scientists 
• Steve’s also written The Rise and Reign of Mammals: A New History from the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us (hopefully, the title tweak doesn’t jinx humanity) — he’s got an upcoming book about birds, which we’re very excited about. 
• If you’ve read Haroon’s Two Billion Caliphs: A Vision of a Muslim Future, you’ll know he cites Dr. Brusatte’s work and considers whether dinosaurs could’ve been the first Caliphs (this all has to do with the clear Quranic intimation that, prior to humanity, there may have been other candidates for Caliph, including earlier iterations of humankind. Surprised?)
• Oh, and follow Dr. Brusatte on Twitter! 
• Steve’s books contain juicy anecdotes, fascinating expositions, and plenty of graphics and sketches. But for the true dinosaur nerd in your family, or just because not everyone has to have the same coffee table books, may we suggest — and we promise Folio Society is not yet a sponsor — this behemoth?

This episode is sponsored by Queen City Diwan, which leads travel adventures, immersive experiences, leadership retreats and religious pilgrimages.Queen City Diwan is excited to share its fall schedule, including an October ‘umrah in Saudi Arabia, a January trip to Andalucía just for college students—and, over Thanksgiving break, we’re planning an incredible tour across three countries. Learn more on our website. Avenue M is produced by Bespoken Live with music by Zach Swelber, who plays in Circle It and Mosant.

If you believe in heaven, do you have to believe in hell? A few weeks back, Joey and Haroon sat down with Washington Post columnist, author of multiple books, including The Case for American Power, and fellow podcaster Shadi Hamid for an unexpectedly candid and sincerely searching conversation. If you already know Shadi from his writings, like you can find at Wisdom of Crowds, well… there’s a lot you’ll love. We’ve got Shadi talking about America’s place in the world, about democracy and about Gaza.

But we wanted to learn more about Shadi as a man and man of faith, to understand how he’s become one of our most national voices without parking his creed, convictions and commitments at the door. We asked hard questions — which Shadi gamely pursued. Is Shadi happy? Does Shadi believe that question really matters? How does Shadi feel about the choices he made earlier in his life? What advice would Shadi give to young men today, especially young men of faith?

Because we know and follow Shadi and his work, we chose him as one of our first guests. But what resulted exceeded our expectations. If you’re not already following Shadi, now you have some sense of what you’re missing! 

Shadi’s ability to balance a serious commitment to his faith with the willingness to be challenged, to explore and engage distinct and even conflicting ideas, to be a model for manhood and meaning in our modern world. 

Avenue M is hosted by Joey Taylor and Haroon Moghul. We’re two men on a journey of faith and meaning. In each episode we speak with remarkable guests to help us unpack the moments that shape us, the struggles that build us and the questions that intrigue us.

This episode's sponsor is Queen City Diwan. Queen City Diwan designs remarkable journeys and inspiring experiences that teach and transform. Because at Queen City Diwan, we believe travel isn’t just about where you go–but about who you go with. And who you are when you come home. 

Avenue M is produced by Bespoken Live with music from Zach Swelbar, who plays in Circle It and Mosant.

Avenue M is hosted by Joey Taylor and Haroon Moghul. We’re two men on a journey of faith and meaning. In each episode we speak with remarkable guests to help us unpack the moments that shape us, the struggles that build us and the questions that intrigue us.

Are men in crisis? Joey and Haroon sat down with Richard Reeves, Avenue M’s first guest — and for very good reason: Reeves blew the whistle on what’s now a widely-acknowledged (or, at least, hotly-debated) crisis of masculinity, even as Reeves refused to confirm to stereotypes of who men are or can be. 

As men of faith who navigate a world that’s far more complex and meaningful than our caricatures allow, we appreciate Reeves’ thoughtfulness, his courage, and his sense of responsibility: Though he knew it could potentially cost him support, Reeves went ahead and explained that, yes, in fact, many men are falling behind. 

The exchange quickly became personal: Since Joey and Haroon are raising boys, and Richard’s raised a few of his own, Avenue M’s first podcast covers heavy ground—and shares insights no parent, and especially no father, should miss. 

Background

• Richard Reeves is founder and President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, with a new partner institution in the United Kingdom
• Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It by Richard Reeves
• Haroon’s written for AIBM, urging Muslim men not to tie their fate to Andrew Tate—because religion doesn’t have to conform to the culture wars.

This episode's sponsor is Queen City Diwan. Queen City Diwan designs remarkable journeys and inspiring experiences that teach and transform. Because at Queen City Diwan, we believe travel isn’t just about where you go–but about who you go with. And who you are when you come home. 

Avenue M is produced by Bespoken Live with music from Zach Swelbar, who plays in Circle It and Mosant.