Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer analyzes the artistic and creative life and those who live it in a page-turning conversation about the way we consume art. Dederer joins us to talk about the subjectivity of criticism, the intensity of fandom, ethics in art and more.

Sonora Jha's The Laughter is a satirical novel taking on academia, obsession, race and class in with wit and, of course, laughter. Jha joins us to talk about creating her characters, writing an unreliable narrator, her influences and more.

Listen in as these authors speak separately with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.

This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.

New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.

Featured Books (Episode):

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer

The Name of This Band is R.E.M. by Peter Ames Carlin

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

The Laughter by Sonora Jha

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The Remains of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier