In this (mostly) spoiler-free* episode, Neha and Shruti reflect on the experience of reading books from around the world. We zoom out and talk on a broad level about narrative voice, villainy, disability representation and its portrayal in literature, and post-colonial writing. We also do a deep dive into trauma narratives - why are they so popular nowadays? What stories are being promoted, and how does this limit the stories being told by authors of color?

We had so much to say on these topics, that we just couldn't get to all of it in the episode! We decided to continue the discussion in our upcoming email newsletter - subscribe for free to join the conversation. You can also connect with us on Instagram, or email us at [email protected].

*We mention some minor plot points for The Murmur of Bees, Fruit of the Drunken Tree, and Pachinko (10:26-12:05), but we don't think these spoil the story in a significant way. Still, if you prefer to read books without any prior knowledge, make sure to check out these books before you listen to this episode!

Links:

The Case Against the Trauma Plot by Parul Sehgal in the New Yorker

Books mentioned:

Illness as Metaphor by Susan Sontag

Tess of D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag

Letters to a Writer of Color edited by Deepa Anappara and Taymour Soomro

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis

The Bone People by Keri Hulme

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim

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