This week on Lit Up, Samantha Irby—TV writer ("And Just Like That..."), comedian, and best-selling author and essayist—graces us with her singular presence! Angie and Sam discuss what it’s like to write on a TV show that everyone actually watches (and has an opinion about), what to ask before you say ‘I do' (hint: how many jars of mustard are in your partner’s fridge?), her spot-on observations of modern life and the pleasures of unabashedly liking the things you like, and the culture that’s lighting Sam up at the moment.Samantha’s latest essay collection, Quietly Hostile, is out today (via Vintage), May 16th. She’s also on book tour, and headed on a driving tour this fall with fellow writer Lindy West!You can purchase your copy of Sam’s new collection via BookShop.

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This week, we welcome back repeat Lit Up guest Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire's Books and Fiction Editor! Given Adrienne's role overseeing books coverage, writing about film, TV, & culture, and curating the Esquire Book Club, it's always a treat to get a glimpse into her ever-growing stack and to find out what recent reads and series have stayed with her. Along with sharing many recommendations, we also talk about our shifting relationship to book events, what makes for a good book-to-film/TV adaptation, and the beauty of merging poetry with travel.Adrienne's recommendations:-Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel-Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer-Matrix by Lauren Groff-Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah-Kindred, 2022 TV series adapted from the novel Kindred, by Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler-Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023, dir. Kelly Fremon Craig)-Interview with the Vampire (1976) book by Anne Rice and 2022 series-the poetry of Jack Gilbert (1925–2012)Angela's recommendations:-The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell-It Ended Badly: Thirteen of the Worst Breakups in History by Jennifer Wright-Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld-Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond the Clock by Jenny Odell-Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022 mini-series), based on the novel of the same name by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

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This week, Angie’s joined by pastry chef and writer Natasha Pickowicz for a conversation on why there’s so much more to cake than meets the eye. Her long-anticipated debut book of recipes, More Than Cake: 100 Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community, is out now from Artisan Publishers.They discuss Natasha’s experiences crafting glorious pastries for places like Flora Bar at the Met Breuer museum and Café Altro Paradiso, the relationship between community organizing and baking, embracing imperfection in the kitchen, collaborating with her mom (a successful contemporary artist for decades!) on artwork for the book, and a preview of her upcoming book tour, featuring plenty of baked goods along the way. Natasha also shares a memorable lesson she learned while attempting to incorporate the natural flora of Wyoming into a mutual friend’s wedding cake…!All the details on Natasha’s book and tour are available at her website, https://www.natasha-pickowicz.com/Natasha Pickowicz recommends:Kitchen Arts and Letters, 1435 Lexington Ave. New York, NY 10128Brooks Headley's Fancy DessertsTen Vineyard Lunches by Richard OlneyStay True: A Memoir by Hua Hsu

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This week, we welcome French-English culture & travel journalist, bestselling author, and host of The New Paris podcast, Lindsey Tramuta. Lindsey talks about what she’s observed over her 16 years in Paris, the illuminating ideas behind her books The New Parisienne (Abrams, pub. 2020) and The New Paris (Abrams, pub. 2017), her ongoing work to challenge Parisian stereotypes and archetypes, and the storied history behind the ‘American in Paris’ in literature. She also shares some of her favorite French books, including Muriel Barbery’s 2006 novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog.Order your copies of Lindsey’s books via Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookshop.

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This week, Angela welcomes back Lit Up’s first-ever (!) guest, author Catherine Lacey, and delve into the making and imagining of her brilliantly textured new book, Biography of X: a multilayered portrait of an inscrutable art and literary star as reported by her widow.Catherine shares the entry points into her chosen fictional biography form, reimagining American history through the writing process, centering queer people on the page without explanation, the mysterious forces that draw people into each other’s orbits, and the pleasure of reading in bed with coffee first thing in the morning. Pick up your copy of Biography of X at Bookshop or your favorite local indie bookstore. Plus, check out Catherine’s friend John Wray’s forthcoming book Gone to the Wolves.

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From La Rousse to Le Coucou, Michael Cecchi-Azzolina—Maitre d’ extraordinaire—has a birds eye view on some of New York City’s most historic, glamorous restaurants. After more than 35 years in the restaurant world, he’s sharing his behind the scenes tales in his delicious new memoir YOUR TABLE IS READY (Dec. 2022, pub: St. Martin's Press). This week, Michael tells Angie all about his early memories of the restaurant business, living through the AIDS epidemic, the singular magic of gathering around a dinner table, and his next exciting chapter: opening an NYC spot of his own. Plus, he shares his go-to comfort dish to cook at home.YOUR TABLE IS READY is available via Bookshop.org

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This week on Lit Up, Angela chats with author Reid Mitenbuler, whose new book, Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, an Epic Journey, a Lost Age (Mariner at HarperCollins) charts the true story of adventurer Peter Freuchen and his larger-than-life escapades. They talk about the origins of Freuchen’s adventurous spirit, the unexpected quirks you uncover when delving into someone’s life story, the importance of historical context, and Mitenbuler’s go-to narrative nonfiction writers.

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This week on the podcast, we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from 2022, when we talked to Elizabeth Day about her book Magpie. Next month, Elizabeth is releasing a new book called Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict, and seeing as she and Angie talked about friendship, we couldn't think of a better time to revisit this warm and fun conversation. Enjoy!

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This week, Angela chats with Kate Baer, the Pennsylvania-based poet and New York Times-bestselling author of the collections WHAT KIND OF WOMAN, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL, & AND YET. They talk about Kate's path to sharing poems about motherhood, in all its complexity, with strangers on the internet; pushing back against misogynistic takes on her work; the poets whose words she keeps returning to; and the wisdom that accompanies getting older and embracing who you are.Plus, lucky us: Kate reads several of her poems throughout the episode.We recommend Jessica Bennett's profile on Kate.What Kind of WomanI Hope This Finds You WellAnd Yet

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This week on Lit Up, Angela speaks with Tarajia Morrell, writer, born-and-raised New Yorker, and creator of the food and travel blog, The Lovage. They discuss Tarajia’s impactful collaboration with the late boundary-breaking chef Fatima Ali on her 2022 posthumous memoir Savor: A Chef's Hunger for More (Ballantine Books), which features writing from Fatima during her last months and contributions by her mother, Farezeh. They also discuss Tarajia’s path into food writing as a way to talk about memorable characters, favorite cookbooks, and their preferred techniques for roasting a chicken.Savor: A Chef's Hunger for MoreTarajia’s blog, The Lovage

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